Congratulations! You just landed a new job, and now it is time to report to work. Yikes! No matter the situation, first days are exciting AND scary. They are great opportunities for fresh starts, new beginnings and things to go wrong. Despite the “worst first day on the job” story that someone may feel obligated…
As a manager, dealing with underproductive employees is sure to be on your “least favorite things to do” list. Perhaps a worker is not fulfilling their job requirements, distracting others in the organization or just clearly slacking off. It is tempting to put your head in the sand. Maybe this will be short-lived? Maybe it…
Just like everyone else, bosses hope to do their jobs well. However, it is a balancing act and a difficult one at that. Managers must earn their employees’ respect, keep everyone on task, and of course, run their organizations efficiently and profitably. And all the while, situations constantly change, so sometimes supervisors must make difficult…
Let’s say, your company recently decided to partner with an employment agency. Or, perhaps you have been working with a staffing service for some time. Even if you are happy with the overall results, are there steps you can take to further improve the quality of your hires? The answer is an overwhelming YES! Your…
Interviewing a skilled trade candidate presents a unique set of challenges. Skilled trade workers need to display a high level of aptitude in their area of expertise, and they must have the ability to work well with others as many trades require teamwork. As the employer, you are looking for a person who has the…
As you navigate today’s job market, you are likely to hear the buzzwords soft skills or emotional intelligence. What are soft skills? And, how can you use this knowledge to ace your next interview? Soft skills are personal characteristics that enable someone to interact effectively with other people. They include a wide variety of traits…
It is exciting to get an offer of employment. But, hold on. Before you begin to celebrate, did you remember to negotiate your salary? Don’t forget, you are agreeing not only to take a job but also to accept a predefined wage. Is There a Right Time to Mention Money? There are some obvious answers…
As the unemployment rate continues to drop throughout 2017, most hiring managers will admit it is increasingly difficult to find the right person for a job. It is a nice thought that a top-talent employee will magically appear with little to no effort. But as Laszlo Bock, the former SVP of People Operations at Google…
Changing jobs is stressful, and changing careers is even more so. Although this can be a leap of faith, it is not an insurmountable challenge. It is, however, important to move forward with a plan. These five suggestions will help to pave the road to a new journey. 1. Decide What You Want to Do…
Hiring employees requires lots of effort. There are job descriptions to post, resumes to sort through, and hours of interviews. It is tempting, and it may even seem necessary, to take a few shortcuts. However, the background check should NOT be one of the items on the chopping block. Yes, they take time. Yes, they…