Hiring

Move Up With Confidence

/ nancyrubin

Are you about ready to quit? Perhaps your job is really beginning to grind you down.  Maybe your rights are being eroded and you’ve had to call on the services of a wage and overtime claim lawyer or maybe you’ve just outgrown your current role and there’s no scope for moving upwards.

Whatever the reason, you might just be ready to make a change. We know this is easier said than done, especially when it feels that there just aren’t the jobs out there but if you need to start thinking about jumping ship, then we can help you get that resume in great shape and help you get interview ready.

Get the basics down

If you’re preparing your resume then the first thing you need to do is gather all your basic information together. If you’re organized, you’ll have filed all your educational and training certificates all in one place and know the months and years that you started and left your previous jobs. If you’re not quite this organized then start getting everything together so you don’t have to spend time searching for dates and bits of paper when you’re in the flow of creating your perfect resume

Now you’re ready to start.

Times change and so do resume styles, often within the industry you’re in. It doesn’t have to look space age but it should look modern so ditch your paper version and check out some online templates to download and start filling in.

Resume

Start with the summary of who you are and the skills you bring, remember to be precise and give real examples. For instance, don’t say you’re a great communicator tell your future employer that you are great at liaising with clients and solving their problems. You need to show in this short paragraph what added value you bring to a company.

You’ll then need to list all your hard and soft skills. Again try and be specific and give real data. If you write that you’re a great salesperson, can you put a figure on that from your last quarter? Impress with numbers. You can do the same with soft skills, which are fast becoming seen as equally as important as the tangible skills you bring to a position.

Interview

When you’re interview ready you’re going to need to spend some time reading through the person specification again and finding examples for every skill they call upon to talk about. Be specific and clear, don’t rush through your answers, take your time and engage with your body language as well as with your words.

You don’t have to spend any more time in a job you hate when your next role could be right around the corner. Don’t rush into creating your resume. Do your research and find a template that sells you and everything you have achieved to date. Then say goodbye to bad bosses and low pay and hello to a future with all the prospects and rewards that you deserve.

Simple Ways To Impress Your Job Candidates

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Here’s the thing about the hiring process. While job candidates will be doing all they can to impress you – writing a well-constructed resume, dressing smartly at a job interview, bribing you with a basket of fruit (possibly) – you also have to do all you can to impress them.It’s a two-way process, and because there is a shortage of skilled-labor, you need to be at the top of your game if you want to snap up the best of the best before your competition gets hold of them.

So, where do you start?

It begins before the recruitment process. Before a person applies for a job with you, they might weigh up the pros and cons of working for you. They might check out your website, for example, and they might consider your competitors as a comparison. Therefore, do all you can to attract the attention of possible candidates, such as posting images of your happy workforce online, and sharing positive comments from your employees on your website, social media channels, and employee review sites. The work you do at the beginning will increase your chances of attracting the best employees to your business. Then, when the recruitment process does begin, you will need to consider the following.

It continues with your preparation. After shortlisting potential candidates from the mass of applications you may have received, you then need to start preparing for interview day. When you’re inviting somebody to attend an  interview, consider the following advice on recruitment emails, as you want your initial communication to look and sound professional, and consider ringing the applicant beforehand, to give an initial greeting and thank you for applying. Include any important details within your communications, such as a hint about what to wear, and directions on how to find you. Then start to prepare your interview questions, ensuring that they are both relevant to the job and not something that might put off your candidates. Which leads us onto the next step.

You then need to be prepared on interview day. You wouldn’t like it if an interviewee stumbled into the interview room late, ill-prepared for the questions you asked, and dressed as if they had just left home in a hurry. First impressions are everything, and the same applies to you.Wear suitable attire for the interview, be that formal or smart-casual, dependent on whatever you expect the candidate to wear. Do your research by reading through the candidate’s resume thoroughly. And have everything you need at hand, such as the relevant paperwork, so you aren’t fumbling around when the candidate walks in. Then prepare yourself mentally, so as the candidate meets you, he/she will know that they are in safe hands, and not with somebody who is as anxious as they are and all in a fluster.

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On meeting the candidate.  Be polite and welcoming. Offer a firm (but not vice-like) handshake and invite them to sit down. Offer them a glass of water,as this may help to calm their nerves, and use these other tips to relax your candidate. The more relaxed and comfortable they are, the better you will feel too. Be sure to smile, offer a little bit of small talk, perhaps related to something you have picked up from their resume (as this will show you have at least spent time reading through it), and then start the interview process.Remember that they might still be nervous, despite your best efforts to relax them, so reassure them when you need too, and be patient when listening to their questions. Good body language helps too, as you do need to show the applicant that you are fully present when talking to them. Then, when it comes time to answer your candidate’s questions, be prepared to answer honestly. You expect it from them, so offer the same.Assuming they have done their homework, they might ask about your company’s finances or targets for the coming year, so don’t lie in an effort to please them, but rather be truthful so as to engage their trust.

Think about the final stages. After the interview has completed, offer to show the candidate around. Let them know more about the workplace, and familiarize them with what might be expected of them. Encourage conversation with your other employees; as if they are happy working for you,they might inspire your candidate to choose your company for their employment.When it comes time to leave, offer a thank you and a smile, and then let them know as soon as possible about your decision. Hopefully, if they are suitably impressed with you and your business, they might gladly accept the job if you offer it. But if they don’t accept the job, be polite and maybe ask them why.The feedback will be useful, and your politeness will ensure they don’t badmouth you to another candidate.

So, if you are in the process of hiring somebody soon, consider our advice. The more you can do to impress them throughout the recruitment process, the better your chances of snagging the top candidates from the pile.

 Let us know what you think, and share any ideas you may have with us!

Why Encouraging Diverse Representation Will Help Your Business Grow

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Diversity in the workplace is a hot topic for business owners in recent years, changing from a novel idea to a necessity for success. Diversity comes in many shapes and sizes; differences in age, gender,economic background, race, and cultural differences are just some of the ways your business can focus on representing a diverse workforce.

While not always easy to achieve without dedicated time from your hiring team and management, when done successfully encouraging diversity at your business can actually help you reduce turnover, increase innovation, and help your business grow overall.

Improved Market Share

One of the most crucial parts of having a successful business is understanding your products and services and who your target audience is. Only employing staff from similar backgrounds in the name of ‘culture fit’ limits your understanding of other markets and ways your business could grow and succeed when marketing to these diverse groups.

By hiring employees that come from a wide variety of backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, genders, age groups and spending habits, you are gaining insight into the market groups you want to learn more about. This allows you to create products and services that are sustainable. for them more effectively and it enhances your chance of capturing a wider market share.

Increase Innovation

Not surprisingly, an increase in difference of opinions, experiences, and ideas can lead to innovation in your business when a safe space is created to share such ideas. A study by NC State’s business school looked at 3,000 of the largest publicly traded companies and found that those with a diverse workforce were better at developing innovative products and services.

This is especially helpful for those companies working in global markets, which tend to evolve more quickly and compete with other businesses who also hire diverse workforces. It is important to emphasize that your staff must feel that their differences in outlooks are respected and they are encouraged to express these differences to their coworkers to maximize your potential for innovation.

Recruit and Retain Talent

Finding talented workers can be a difficult task for a business, especially as you compete with other jobs that may be able to offer better benefits or pay. One easy way to do this is by hiring diverse employees. A company that embraces diversity is automatically throwing a wider net to applicants of diverse backgrounds, letting a larger audience know they would be welcome and fit into your company culture, increasing the talent pool you will see.

A recent study from Atlassian found that 80% of respondents believed diversity and inclusion to be important in the workplace, and companies like B Corps, who openly are rated on their employee happiness and diversity are highly sought after by top MBA students. Tiffany Jana, CEO of TMI Consulting, a B Corp, stated that, “I can barely keep up with the droves of highly qualified, passionate, values-aligned millennials who want to work for TMI. I no longer search for high-potential staff; they now come tome.” As you bring in a more diverse staff and focus on employee well-being, you will see a positive impact on your reputation as a great place to work.

When it comes to retaining employees, diversity can also help. It does this by communicating to employees that your business is open-minded to different ideas and ways of doing things, which research shows greatly increases employee happiness. When workers feel a sense of autonomy in daily operations, meaning they have a say in their own goals, responsibilities, and creative process, they perform higher, have a better moral, and tend to stay with that business longer.

It also communicates to your workers that you do not practice workplace discrimination, which again increases workplace morale and trust in you as the employer, leading to longer retention rates.

Increased Profits

Another benefit of having a diverse staff is an increase in profits. If your employees are helping you improve your market share, increasing the level of innovation at your business, and you are recruiting highly talented workers and are able to retain them, it is easy to also expect an increase in profits for your business. A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that diversity increases the bottom line for companies,especially when that diversity is in the board room. 

Of the 1,700 companies surveyed, those companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams reported 19% higher revenues than those companies with below average leadership diversity, with innovation cited as the reason for increased revenues. 

Overall, improving your workplace diversity can help you attract and keep talented employees, increase creativity in your workplace which can help you better understand your markets, and increase the profitability of your business. But despite the overwhelming evidence that diverse workplaces help your business grow, many businesses still struggle to implement changes that are sustainable. Check out this list of easy steps your business can take to make sure your business is successful at encouraging diversity and reaping the benefits.

Sam Casteris is a small business owner and freelance writer operating out of Phoenix, AZ. You can find more of her work on Contently.

How to Find Work and Jobs Abroad

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The idea of working abroad and leaving the U.S. is one that appeals to a lot of people. Maybe you’re a new graduate and you’d like to go overseas and utilize your skills, or perhaps you’re further along in your career and you’d like to make a change.

The idea is similar to people who come to the U.S. for work. Many people come to the U.S. on temporary work visas, and then they’re able to send money back to their families using services like Remitly and develop valuable skills in the process.

The following are some ways employees in the U.S. can take a page out of foreign workers’ books and go abroad to work.

Learn the Language

The sooner and the more thoroughly you can work toward learning the language of where you want to work, the more appealing you are going to be to prospective employers. You don’t necessarily have to be fully fluent, but if you are bilingual in both English and the native language of where you’d like to go, it’s going to be much easier to find employment.

Some employees may have the plan to go abroad from the start so they’ll start studying a foreign language while they’re in college. If you didn’t do that, don’t worry. There are plenty of online courses and classes that can help you with your foreign language skills as you’re searching for employment.

Consider U.S.-Based Employers

When you want to work abroad, you might automatically start looking at companies that primarily operate where you’d like to go. That’s fine, but there are also plenty of companies in the U.S. that have a reputation for sending employees abroad for a period of time.

For example, Deloitte is one such company. They have partnerships in countries throughout the world, and while their headquarters is in New York City, they also often send people on international placements. You don’t have to be a top executive, either. They send everyone including interns and entry-level employees abroad if they’re interested.

Another example is HSBC, which has an international management program.

Frequent Travel Jobs

Even if you don’t find employment with a company that will place you overseas for a year or two, there are jobs where it’s all about travel. One example is the Uber Launching Team, and another is Airbnb. These companies are known for having positions that are almost entirely travel-based, and they may even offer travel-based perks and benefits to employees.

Finally, you might explore a working holiday visa as well. A working holiday visa is something that people aged 18 to 30 or sometimes 18 to 35 may be eligible for, depending on the country. These options let people work abroad in different positions around the world as they’re traveling. You will have to show that you have a desirable skillset to get one of these visas, and you may need to show your resume as well.

It’s definitely possible to work abroad in different settings and ways, so if it’s a dream you have, doing some research can help you make it happen.

Should You Ever Change Yourself To Get The Job You Really Want?

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Nowadays, the ever-changing workplace is making it more difficult to find a career that we truly love. It seems that once we’ve got our heart set on something, the goalposts move. This can be very frustrating, and so, it begs the question, do we have something wrong with ourselves, or if it’s actually the job role? When we are looking for the job that we really want in life, we feel like we have to bend over backwards to get it, but in making the necessary changes, should you ever actually alter yourself intrinsically to suit the job that you really want?

Think About Who You Really Are First

You need to figure out who you are before embarking on any career trajectory. We can spend a lot of time thinking that we need to alter our personality to suit a role, but is this really the correct approach? It’s far better for you, especially in the job interview stage, to let your natural personality shine through. The big problem is, if you end up being rejected for this job, you can take it personally, and think that the next time you need to change something about yourself. But it’s far better for you to invest in yourself rather than to make yourself fit a specific box-ticking exercise.

When You Have A Questionable Background

Sometimes we can feel like the perfect fit for the role, but there are issues on paper. Sometimes this can be a very concerning problem, especially if you have prior convictions. But it can be possible to go to an expungement attorney to have the criminal charge “erased” depending on what the charge is. When you have a questionable background, but you have made the journey beyond that point and have learnt your lesson in life, the employer will see this. Everybody deserves a second chance when they are truly sorry for what they have done. And if you feel that there is something on your record holding you back, it’s far better for you to be honest about it if you can’t get it stricken from your record.

What Happens If You Don’t Get On With The Role?

And sometimes we work so hard in getting the necessary qualifications, going through a draining interview process, and we finally get the job, but something isn’t sitting quite right. You could feel like it’s a waste of years if you get to this point, but rather than feel depressed at the thought, consider it to be a life lesson. A lot of people feel that they have to fit a certain role in order to be accepted for a specific job, and this can restrict us in a personal and emotional sense. As we go through life and try to find the roles we were meant to fulfill we can lose a sense of who we are. And when it comes to finding the perfect job, it’s more about trusting your instincts and what you really want out of life, not what you think is the most lucrative prospect.

 

 

5 Common HR Mistakes Every Business Owner Can Avoid

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Often described as the key mediator between employees and you, the business owner, your HR department relies on your leadership to steer the ship that is your company in the right direction. However, the process of hiring, training, and retaining your employees is a fluid and ever-changing one, especially considering the same changing nature of the laws on which you base your collaboration.

With so much on your plate already, it’s no wonder that many business owners, no matter the size of their company, let a few key HR steps fall through the cracks. More often than not, these issues can be easily avoided, so let’s see which HR pet-peeves you should keep an eye on, and how you can make sure they never affect your business again.

Hasty dismissal

Unless there was a flying copier incident that jeopardized the safety of your employees, you cannot fire an employee on the spot without properly investigating the situation. If you are not satisfied with that particular employee’s performance, there should be a written record of your attempts to help them overcome any issues, followed by a proper training protocol, and an account of why you are not satisfied and how that has affected your business.

Sometimes all it takes is a few training sessions to help your employee perform better, but even if that is not the case, the least you can do is save yourself an unfair dismissal claim from a disgruntled employee.

No hiring strategy in place

It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a single person to handle your social media, or an entire team of graphic designers to build your brand, every company needs a reliable onboarding process. It serves to test the candidates on several levels, filter out the unsuitable ones, and help you focus on the ones with the most potential to fit into your company culture.

In fact, a single mismatch can cost your company as much as $50,000 in the long-run, according to this 2013 study. So, take your time to refine the hiring process, it will be worth your while, as well as your budget.

No binding contract

There are no exceptions to this rule: even if you are hiring remotely or choose to work with freelancers only, every collaboration requires a legal basis. While online platforms such as Upwork have their own pre-defined legal terms of each contract, every employee should have a clear idea of your expectations, their rights, and the scope of work involved.

All of these essential bits of information can be included in your employment letter, but they should be further elaborated and agreed upon in a legally-binding contract. That way, both parties involved kick off the partnership knowing what to expect and what is expected of them.

Lack of training

Another common HR issue is offering regular growth opportunities to your employees, but not just in the form of a simple title. Every team needs a chance to improve their skills and master the latest techniques in their field of work, which is an investment that benefits both your employees and your entire business.

This is one of the key factors that contributes to the happiness of your employees, because they will recognize a chance to grow out of their current role without leaving their post at your company. Consider visits to various conferences and seminars, as well as in-house mentorship programs for employees of all experience levels.

Not matching skills and pay

Complying with the basic Modern Awards and the National Employment Standards is another pivotal piece of the employment puzzle that often gets neglected. As a consequence, many businesses end up with significant back pay claims, and even more importantly, with a severe blow to the reputation of your business.

Even if you do comply with the essential provisions of Modern Awards such as paying the needed rates for the specified position, you also need to ensure that other details of the contract are in accordance with the law. Are they getting paid for working after hours? Are they aware of their leave rights and other benefits? All of these and many other details should be regularly checked and updated depending on the position, seniority, and advancement of your employees.

No matter the size of your business and how long you’ve been in the game, keeping your HR practice up to date and in excellent working order is crucial for your entire company. There will always be roadblocks to tackle during the growth of your business, so make sure this aspect of its operations works smoothly so that you can devote your attention to other, more pressing matters of your company.

Guest Author, Raul Harman, s a B.Sc. in Innovative entrepreneurship and has a lot to say about innovations in all aspects of digital technology and online marketing.  While he’s not enjoying travel, football and great food, you can find him on Technivorz.com.

Hiring Your First Employee Without Losing Your Mind

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Hiring a new employee is supposed to make your life easier, but it doesn’t always go that way. Sometimes, it can feel like they’re more trouble than they’re worth! But fear not, because you don’t have to be forever facing an uphill battle when it comes to employees, and not even the very first one that you hire. Below, we take a look at a few simple steps you can incorporate into your hiring process to ensure your employees bring nothing but good tidings to your company.

In Advance

You don’t hire your first employee when you need them. You hire them before you need them! That way, they’ll be ready to help you when the busy times arrive really. If you wait until you’re swamped, you’re going to have to try to do all your work and train a new employee at the same time. If you can sense that you’re taking on more work and it’s projected to carry on, then begin to think about hiring an employee. You can always have everything ready to go and then begin the process when you’re sure it’s the right thing to do.

Hire Correctly

Of course, you’ll be making it much easier for your staff to bed into your new company if you have a hiring process that delivers the best workers. There is an art to writing a job description, so don’t just write down the first thing that comes to mind and post it on the job sites. You can use a recruiter to help you find the highest quality candidates if you’re not confident in your own abilities. In any case, your company will be well served by having a long-term hiring process.

Time on your Side

You’ll quickly find that while a new employee does free up some of your time, it also means you have some extra responsibilities. You’ll need to train them, for starters, and then sort out things like payment, tax, and any other employer duties you need to fulfil. You can help yourself by having training take place during a quiet time for your business, and by using software like a speedy pay stub generator to simplify the payment process. You’re going to have to give up some of your time, but by being smart, you’ll find that you get it back pretty quickly – and for the long-term, too.

Bedding in Time

Even with your excellent training skills, there’s going to be a bedding in period for your new employee. Nobody, no matter how talented they are, will be able to pick everything up straight away. Make sure they have a few weeks to get up to speed before expecting too much of them.

Cutting Ties

Sadly, not every employee will work out. There’ll be times when you need to cut your ties. If you have doubts, first try speaking to your employee. If they don’t respond to your encouragement, then it’ll likely be better for everyone involved if you go your separate ways.