Changing what’s going on around you can revitalize your career. Read the rest of this entry »

How important is a company culture for you? I’d bet for most of us it’s very important. Read the rest of this entry »

In this current landscape of economic chaos, one needs to ask the question; is my employer financially sound? It’s no wonder today’s job seeker is leery about the future of the companies with whom he or she’s interviewing. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maureen E. Harrop

Now that we have covered the hiring process from the applicant’s point of view, we will review the process from the hiring professional’s viewpoint. Today we will examine the process from beginning to end.

Prior to the Interview

• Although you have a very busy schedule, take the time necessary to review the applicant’s resume.
• Search for something in the person’s background that would provide you with an “ice breaker,” rapport building statement or question, such as, “I see you spent some time in Texas. I was born and raised in Texas. How did you like living there?”
• Ensure the candidate possesses the:
  • specific requirements for the position
  • behavioral characteristics necessary to be successful in the job
  • basic qualifications

If you are conducting a behavioral interview, it is important to determine the behavioral characteristics necessary for success in the job. Some examples of the attributes necessary for a sales position would be:

During the Interview

• Greet the applicant in a friendly manner.
• Offer the applicant a glass of water.
• Use an “ice-breaker” to assist the applicant in feeling comfortable, as mentioned above. The more comfortable the applicant is during the interview, the more honest s/he will be with you.

Proceed with the interview. There are many types of interviews. Three examples are:

• The behavioral interview that determines if the applicant possesses the necessary qualities for the position.
• The job motivation interview elicits the job responsibilities that motivate the applicant.
• The team interview educes how the applicant might behave in a team environment.

An expert on the subject, Susan M. Heathfield, believes the behavioral interview to be the best one and I agree with her. She states:

Ms. Heathfield provides us with a series of sample interview questions for an applicant applying for a sales position:

More information on conducting interviews:

• http://www.trafford.com/04-2092
• http://www.hrtoolkit.gov.bc.ca/staffing/staffing_steps/assess_methods/oral_interviews/conducting_effective_interviews.htm
• http://www.nt.armstrong.edu/effective-interviews.htm

Disclaimer: The information in this article is from this website and a variety of online resources, as well as books on the subject, and the author’s experience. The information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. While I have made every effort to provide accurate, legal, and complete information, I cannot guarantee it is correct. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance only.

Maureen Harrop is President of Claridis, Inc., a training and consulting company, specializing in the Latino/Hispanic workforce. Claridis has produced Telly Award-winning videos in Spanish, utilizing Latino actors. These films are unique because they are not dubbed or subtitled. They were designed for use by training and human resource professionals for their bilingual and Spanish-speaking employees. English versions are also available. Maureen has a Master’s Degree in Education and has been in the human resource/training field for 27 years. Customer service training is an additional area of expertise for Maureen.

For more information, visit her web site: www.claridis.com or e-mail her at maureen@claridis.com or call (888) 701-2879.

Copyright © 2008, Claridis, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

“Noncompete agreements have risen their heads to a point where it’s harder and harder for new employees to be offered a position without the company asking for their signature. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maureen E. Harrop

You have now prepared for the interview, learned how to conduct yourself in an interview, and written a powerful resume. The final stage is negotiating a reasonable salary.

Negotiation is an art. It takes practice. The more you practice and engage in it, the better you become. The more you study the topic, the more prepared and comfortable you will be.

For purposes of this article, we will address negotiating the salaried exempt positions, not hourly wage non-exempt positions due to the fact that traditionally, it is less likely there will be flexibility with non-exempt wages.

Let’s begin with a few basic guidelines:
• Negotiating a salary is a standard business practice.
• Timing is important. The time to begin negotiations is once the job is offered, not before.
• Don’t jump the gun. Let them go first. Once the offer is made, begin the dialogue. Don’t accept the job until you have worked out the details. Request additional meetings, if necessary. This is an important decision.
• Ask whether the person making the offer is the decision-maker. If not, ask how that process will be handled and whether it would be appropriate for you to meet with that person.
• Have your facts and figures ready. Research the market, and if possible, the company’s salary policies; and be prepared make a factual, job-related request. An applicant I once interviewed stated, “Look, I just bought a new house and my wife just had a baby, so I deserve more money than what you’ve offered.” Not a good strategy.
• Be patient. You may be turned down on the first try, but you can be persistent without being aggressive.
• State what you feel is reasonable, and remain quiet. Let them talk. There is no harm in using silence as a tactic. Remember, budgets may not be flexible.
• Be clear. Articulate your needs, wants, and desires as objectively as possible.
• Don’t forget about stock options, bonuses, performance review cycles, etc. Sometimes you can negotiate for a 90-day performance review that would include a salary increase.
• Be humble, enthusiastic and grateful. If you receive your desired salary, thank them.
• Send a handwritten thank you note.

Everything is Negotiable

Maryanne L. Wegerbauer addresses this in her book, “Job Offer! A How-To Negotiation Guide.” She describes a concept called “relative power,” which relates to elements such as the national and the company’s economic situation, the national/state unemployment rate, the market demand for the position, the company’s urgency to fill the position, your technical expertise, competition for the job, etc.

Negotiate a win-win. Strong-arm tactics never work. “In a negotiation, you’re both designing the terms of a transaction so that each of you will receive the maximum benefit from the final agreement,” advises Ms. Wegerbauer.

Once you have a handle on such factors, you are more prepared to negotiate from a stronger position.

For your continued education, the following is a list of additional resources:

WEB SITES:

http://www.negotiations.com/articles/geeks-earning-more/

http://infohost.nmt.edu/~shipman/org/noel.html

http://www.us-source.com/ya-biz/negotiation-skills/Job+Offer+Negotiation/negotiation+skills.html

BOOKS:

“You Can Negotiate Anything”
Herb Cohen

“Secrets of Power Salary Negotiating: Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator”
Roger Dawson

“Win-Win Career Negotiations: Proven Strategies for Getting What You Want from Your Employer”
Peter J. Goodman and Roger Fisher

Maureen Harrop is President of Claridis, Inc., a training and consulting company, specializing in the Latino/Hispanic workforce. Claridis has produced Telly Award-winning videos in Spanish, utilizing Latino actors. These films are unique because they are not dubbed or subtitled. They were designed for use by training and human resource professionals for their bilingual and Spanish-speaking employees. English versions are also available. Maureen has a Master’s Degree in Education and has been in the human resource/training field for 27 years. Customer service training is an additional area of expertise for Maureen.

Copyright © 2008, Claridis, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

Companies are starting to realize their ability to engage its employees translates directly to customer satisfaction, thus to the bottom line. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maureen E. Harrop

The presentation of your resume to a potential employer is another example of “You never have a second chance to make a first impression,” which I’ve discussed in prior articles.

Yes, your resume is intended to assist you in securing a new job; however, its primary purpose is to make a lasting first impression on potential employers since the time they spend reviewing thousands of resumes is only a few seconds. Employers want to know who you are and what you can do for them. Period.

Powerful resumes contain basic information as well as unique information. The “unique” factor is the focus of our discussion today since that “first impression” is so key to getting your foot in the door.

One unique idea I like that began a number of years ago is colored paper. I prefer the soft colors, not the bright ones, mainly because printing shows up better on soft colors like pale yellow, green or blue; and, I think it looks more professional. Of course, this is impossible when emailing or faxing a resume, but it works well for the hard copy you would bring to the interview or mail in advance. Another unique idea is tailoring your resume for each employer, which of course is very time consuming, but is effective. For instance, stating in your “Objective” something like, “My goal is to work for XYZ Company because it is the leader in the “X” industry and is ranked in the Top 5 for employee-centered employers.” Another idea is to simply add this information in your cover letter, rather than modifying each resume.

There are software programs, which can help you create a distinctive resume, or you can simply review sites containing sample resumes for ideas. I reviewed one such product called Easy Job Resume Building which sells for $29.99, and provides some useful information and helpful wording ideas (http://easyjob.net/). There’s also a free program (http://www.gold-software.com/download412.html) for comparison purposes. There is no guarantee you’ll get the job using these software programs, but it will certainly help reduce the time and stress of writing it yourself.

For more information on this topic, visit these sites:
http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resume_02.html
http://www.resumeedge.com/
http://resumewritingagent.com/

Maureen Harrop is President of Claridis, Inc., a training and consulting company, specializing in the Latino/Hispanic workforce. Claridis has produced Telly Award-winning videos in Spanish, utilizing Latino actors. These films are unique because they are not dubbed or subtitled. They were designed for use by training and human resource professionals for their bilingual and Spanish-speaking employees. English versions are also available. Maureen has a Master’s Degree in Education and has been in the human resource/training field for 27 years. Customer service training is an additional area of expertise for Maureen.

For more information, visit her web site: www.claridis.com or e-mail her at maureen@claridis.com or call (888) 701-2879.

Copyright © 2008, Claridis, Inc., All Rights Reserved

By: Maureen E. Harrop

The big day is fast approaching.  It’s time to make your final preparations.  The following tips and resources are intended to assist you in this effort.

Before the Interview 

• Prepare responses to potential interview questions and know the contents of your resume well.
• Arrive early.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the building.
• Bring a favorite book or magazine to read while waiting.
• Dress appropriately.  Piercings and tattoos may be unappealing to some interviewers, but it is unlawful in most regions for employers to deny you a job because of these things.

Greeting the Interviewer

• Smile.
• Shake interviewer’s hand firmly – no limp or excessively strong handshakes!
• Greet with a statement like, “Good morning/afternoon,” not “Hey, what’s up?”

Conduct During Interview

• Maintain eye contact and don’t forget to smile when appropriate.
• Sit back in your chair.  Leaning over the interviewer’s desk is inappropriate.
• Answer questions honestly without being negative.  Listen, then respond.  No interrupting.
• The best rule of thumb is, “Be yourself.”

Illegal Interview Question Topics
Questions regarding age, race, ethnicity or color, gender or sex, country of national origin or birth place, religion, disability, marital or family status or pregnancy are illegal.

For more illegal interview questions, visit the following sites:
http://www.hrworld.com/features/30-interview-questions-111507/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8963-2003Apr11.html
http://humanresources.about.com/od/interviewing/a/interview_quest.htm

Interviewer Questions and Responses
Questions like, “Tell me about yourself,” and “Why do you want to work here?” and “What do you know about our company?” and “What are your 5/10 year goals?” are pretty standard, so it’s a good idea to prepare responses for them.  However, others may be a bit more difficult.  

What did you do during this one year gap in employment?  I was fired due to my allowing some personal problems to interfere with my work life.  I’ve resolved those problems and I’m ready to give 110% to my new job.  The time off allowed me to reevaluate my life, my personal and professional goals, and to take courses to upgrade my skills. It was a worthwhile experience.

What major challenges did you face in your last job, and how did you handle them?  My boss sexually harassed me, so I told him to stop and he did. 

What motivates you?  Creating quality work, being challenged, and co-worker teamwork.

Have you ever worked with a co-worker you didn’t like, and how did you handle it? Yes, I have.  I handled it by trying to get to know the person better and understand where she was coming from.  Once I did that, I was able to respect our differences, and although I still didn’t like her, I could work with her without getting upset.

Please describe your favorite and least favorite bosses, and explain why you liked or disliked each one.  My most recent boss was my least favorite, because he and I had different values and work ethics. Be prepared to give examples.  My first boss was my favorite.  He gave me a lot of responsibility and helped me when I made mistakes, rather than scolding me.

For more information on interview questions and answers, visit:
http://whitepapers.silicon.com/0,39024759,60171982p,00.htm

Telephone Interviews

• Prepare yourself as you would for a face-to-face interview and have your resume, a pen and writing tablet handy.
• Don’t chew gum, drink, smoke or eat during interview.  However, your mouth might get dry, so keep a glass of water nearby.
• Don’t interrupt.  Speak slowly.
• Keep answers brief.
• Be respectful.  Use the interviewer’s last name unless s/he tells you it’s alright to use her/his first name.
• Call-waiting can be distracting to the interviewer and to you.  Turn it off prior to taking the call.
• No background noise.  Turn off radio, TV, remove animals and children from the room, close the door.
• Use a landline phone.  Cell phones experience signal losses on a regular basis.
• At the end, thank the interviewer and send a thank you note.

Interviewee Questions Now it’s your turn to ask the questions.  Don’t assume you’ve “got” the job, no matter how well you feel the interview progressed.  That is a big mistake.

• Could you please describe a typical work week?
• Why did the incumbent leave this job?
• If I was hired, what would be my biggest challenges in this job?
• If I was hired, to whom would I be reporting?
• If I was hired, what would be the expectations for my performance?
• What is your timeline for making a hiring decision?

References
Plan ahead and compile a list of references and some letters of recommendations now, so you’re prepared if/when the employer requests them.   Expect to have them checked prior to receiving an offer.

Common Mistakes

• Asking questions like you’ve already been hired, i.e., When do I start?
• Being late without a really good excuse.
• Chewing gum, burping, or slurping.

Conduct After Interview

• If the interviewer asks you to call back, do so.  If the interviewer does not ask you to call back, don’t.  You have the option of asking the interviewer whether or not you should call to learn about the status of your application.
• Continue looking for a job.  Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Write a personal thank you note, not a thank you e-mail.  Handwritten notes are very powerful but have gone out of style.  Some experts believe a typed letter is the preferred method.  It’s your call. 

Future articles will include topics such as resume writing, salary negotiation, conducting interviews, etc.

Maureen Harrop is President of Claridis, Inc., a training and consulting company, specializing in the Latino/Hispanic workforce. Claridis has produced Telly Award-winning videos in Spanish, utilizing Latino actors. These films are unique because they are not dubbed or subtitled. They were designed for use by training and human resource professionals for their bilingual and Spanish-speaking employees. English versions are also available. Maureen has a Master’s Degree in Education and has been in the human resource/training field for 27 years. Customer service training is an additional area of expertise for Maureen.

For more information, visit her web site: www.claridis.com or e-mail her at maureen@claridis.com or call (888) 701-2879

Copyright © 2008, Claridis, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

In an article written by Kurt Badenhausen for Forbes Magazine here are ratings Read the rest of this entry »