Workplace of Choice

You may first want to outline a few key areas when considering what direction you want to grow in HR.

• Do you have any existing long or short term goals?
• Are there any specific skills you will need to achieve those goals? What training, credentials or certifications may you need?
• Where can you find a mentor, advice, resources during your career journey?

There are many areas of HR, but many attributes to being successful, are consistent. Consider developing your strategic thinking, planning, leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.  Other important "foundation skills" may be organizational planning, change management, national and global know-how.

Get going! Spend some time with your manager to assess your current skill set, discuss your goals and make an action plan.  Maybe you have the opportunity to shadow someone at your workplace or to raise your hand for special projects to experience new things? Find a mentor or someone you can ask advice. They will be helpful when navigating challenges in your career development. Or, will a degree or certification be helpful in achieving your goals? Consider the type of degree and classes that will help you in your job, your business, and further your career.

So, be good to yourself and nurture your career, accomplishments, and goals. You are worth it!

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, many people are feeling the urge to move onto greener pastures. As some surveys suggest, this is because of a backlog of unsatisfied employees. During the recession, people were too scared to quit their current jobs and find something else. Now that the economy seems to be picking up, employees are more willing to shop around for other opportunities.

During the past two years, there have been many changes and layoffs which have led some employees to develop disengagement with their employers. Companies can encourage their employees to become more engaged by hearing their grievances and actually doing something about it. Check out our previous blog about ways to achieve employee satisfaction.

With people on the move, it is important for employers to listen to what their employees want from their jobs. A good way to do this is to conduct an employee satisfaction survey and act on those results! If your employees are feeling satisfied at work, they are less likely to seek other positions or take calls from recruiters.  On the other hand, if you are one of those employees who is feeling less than thrilled about your current situation, check out these tipsabout how YOU can make YOURSELF happier at work!  As Michael Scott would say, “It’s a win, win, win!”

Today is the kick off for "Take Back Your Lunch",  http://theenergyproject.com/takebackyourlunch.  The movement was started by The Energy Group, which offers organizations a detailed blueprint for fueling a fully engaged workforce.    Why not promote a real lunch break?

Some organizations provide unwritten "permission" to take a lunch, and I mean more than 20 minutes.  The average worker takes a 20 minute lunch.   Many corporate cultures unknowingly promote a culture where eating while you work at your desk is the "norm".   If you work more than 40 hours per week, you are working more than an 8 hour day.  It is a long day without a break.   The United States has one of the highest rates of obesity,  ergonomic  issues (i.e. back issues) stemming from sitting at desks and computers all day, not to mention the many stressed employees due to multiple factors from home to work.    

Taking a lunch should be a requirement...it just should, unless you need to meet a deadline or need to leave early, etc.    The advantages to taking a lunch for employees are many:  a mental break away from the many items and details that consume an employee all day long;  a physical break from a computer screen;  an opportunity to take a walk or exercise;  time to socialize with co-workers or friends; and maybe even time to catch up on a book or newspaper.    The list could go on.  

On the other side of the coin, employers can reap many benefits as well;   refocused and re-energized employees when they return to their desk or workspace;  reduced ergonomic issues from hunching over a computer or using a mouse for too long; healthier employees who take the time to get physical exercise, which can only lead to lower obesity rates and lower health insurance costs; and a workforce that is happier and a little less stressed out.   Why wouldn't a company promote taking a lunch?

The last year and a half has been trying for everyone.   We all could use some extra mental health time.   Let's give ourselves a break and take time for lunch!

Everyone probably has an embarrassing picture that they do not want to share with their family, let alone the rest of the world. Why, then, you may ask, did your friend decide to put that up on Facebook? Your privacy settings may help protect you from your mom finding those embarrassing and possibly illegal photos, but they may not protect you from a stealthy recruiter or potential employer.

As we all know, the job market is extremely competitive right now and any misstep could cost you an interview and maybe even a job! It is great to be a social person but being social does not translate into underage drinking and posting pictures of it on Facebook. Yes, employers want intelligent, charismatic and fun-loving employees, but if a potential employer sees that your social life may get in the way of your professional life, there can be serious consequences.

Let’s take, for example, my first day of college. The deans and the IT service center had a meeting with all 400 new freshmen. They presented about how to clean up your online social identity. To prove their point, they did a bit of research to find inappropriate pictures of our classmates doing inappropriate things such as keg stands. That probably isn’t what you want your first impression to be on your new deans of a college or recruiters. A more professional image would likely suit your purposes better.

Now, I am not saying that you should completely change your  life habits, even if it may benefit your health. It is just important to remember that Facebook is open and it may not always be possible to stop recruiters or employers from seeing your deepest, darkest secrets if they are out there on the internet. If this blog has encouraged you to re-examine your online identity, please see below for instructions and suggestions for your Facebook privacy setting.

Bottom line: If you don’t want a recruiter or employer to see a picture on the internet, don’t put it up there in the first place!

Instructions for increasing your privacy settings:

1.       Log into your Facebook account

2.       Click on Account and you will get a drop down menu. Then, click on Privacy Settings. You will see a chart that explains who can see what on your Facebook.

3.       You will see different options on the left-hand sidebar. Choose the “Friends Only” bar and then click on “Apply These Settings” in the bottom blue box.

4.       Now, you have updated your profile so that only your friends can see your information.

Important: Do not forget that every time that you make a photo album on Facebook, you have to choose who can view the album. Choose “Friends Only” next to the “Privacy” option. Otherwise, anyone will be able to see your posted photos.

P.S. A TIME Magazine writer seems to find certain, unnecessary postings on Facebook entertaining.  Click here to read the article.

Resume:

• Make sure that your e-mail address is appropriate for job seeking i.e. don't use cooldude@aol.com .
• Include a link to your LinkedIn page with your contact information - LinkedIn is the best professional website used by many recruiters.
• When you save your resume - make sure that it is properly labeled i.e. "Max Brown CV" as opposed to "Max Brown final version". It is ok to have multiple versions of your resume but you don't want to advertise that to hiring managers.
• Proof, proof and reproof your resume - don't just spell check - go over it with a fine tooth comb for grammatical errors. Recruiters will discount you as a candidate if there is just one error on your resume
• Make sure that the objective on your resume appropriately reflects the job you are applying for.  In other words if you are applying for an Executive Admin position - don't state in your objective that you are looking for a "Sales Admin" role - those are two different jobs!
• Make sure that your dates of employment are accurate.  Your resume should begin with your most recent job and work backwards.
• Recruiters love bullet points.

Your resume is the first impression a recruiter see of you, but first impressions don't end there...

Preparation:  Before starting your job search, make sure that your voice mail message on your cell phone and land line are professional.  There should be no loud music in the background, children's voices or slang.

Dress for Success:  This one is not so unique - but now, more than ever, is the time to update your interview ‘look" - from your hair color to your glasses to your shoes - make sure that everything is up to date and appropriate.  Wear a suit even if you know it is a casual environment. 

Demonstrate initiative:  When going to an interview do not make/expect the hiring manager (or recruiter) to give you driving directions - in this day and age you should be able to figure it out yourself via MapQuest, GPS or from the directions on the company website. Maybe take a test drive the day before your interview.

Follow directions: Be respectful of the instructions within a posting - if it says "No calls" don't call!  I had a hiring manager reject two candidates on that basis alone.  It shows that you can't follow directions, have poor attention to detail and it shows disrespect.

Remember you are always being evaluated: Be extra nice to the front desk person.  He/she is often asked to "weigh in" on a candidate.

Demonstrate interest: Learn about the company prior to the interview.  Visit their web site and   be prepared to show the hiring manager that you have done your research on the company.  Be sure to "weave" it in to the conversation or when asking questions.

Positive attitude:  When asked "why are you looking to leave your current company do not complain or say anything negative.  Tie in what you are looking for with the potential employer i.e. "I am really looking for a smaller more collaborative company - like a XYZ Inc" or "after five years at a 15 person company, I feel like I've learned and contributed all that I can and it's time for a change." 

Good Etiquette: Follow up promptly with a thank you e-mail - even after a phone screen.  This should be sent within 1 business day of the meeting or call.

Be Organized:  Keep a list of all of the companies/titles of jobs that you have responded to so that you are prepared when you get "the" call. (I often get - what company is this?  What is the position again?  I've sent out so many resumes recently etc, etc). Having a few facts about the company wouldn't hurt as well.

It is summer time once again and that means it's internship season! I was thrilled (as were my parents), given the economic climate, that someone...anyone...let alone a company in my field of choice, was willing to hire me.   Now, how to make the most of the experience?

Internships are meant to be an educational and career development experience for you, the intern. They are not supposed to only benefit the employer through cheap labor. Before I even walked in the door on my first day, I thought about what I wanted to accomplish this summer. For example, as you may have realized since this blog is posted through an HR consulting firm, I want to go into human resources and probably consulting upon graduation. My main goal for the summer is to be exposed to as many facets of Human Resources as possible. If you are doing an internship that you are not sure is in the right field for you, then try to help out with as many different projects as possible. Don't forget to keep an open mind! Maybe you wanted a finance internship but got a marketing one instead. Look out for opportunities to flex your finance skills. Opportunities do not always just fall into your lap; you have to go look for them.

Try to meet with your manager, within the first week, to discuss your goals for the internship and your short term career goals. Confirm who you'll report to and that someone is keeping an eye on your workload and projects to ensure that you do not have too much or too little to do and that there is some meat to the work. As the new intern, the company is probably excited to have some extra help and may put too much on your plate.  Knowing who your main contact is will give you someone to go to should this happen.  Throughout the internship, keep the lines of communication open with your manager. This will keep you sane and guarantee that the work that you are doing is at a higher level of competence.

Since this is an educational experience, don't be afraid to ask questions! You are not expected to know everything. As much as you may like to think that that one accounting class has made you a master accountant, you probably do not know as much as your coworkers. That is okay! Take advantage of their years of experience and learn something new.

Take ownership of a project, if possible. By taking responsibility of a whole project, from start to finish, it will show that you are mature and capable of handling the work and the associated deadlines. It is also a good test for yourself to prove that you can accomplish real work. And think of what you'll be able to write on your resume!

Sit in on as many meetings as possible. Many interns may not be pulled into more strategic meetings, but try to get into them! You will learn the process of preparing for a meeting, going to it and the follow-up.  You may even be able to share your opinion which will also show that you are a contributing team member.

Finally, think ahead! Internships open up the doors for possible fulltime positions after graduation. Even if you do not think that you are at your employer of choice or in the right position, your coworkers may be able to help you in your job search or recommend you for future internships.  Leave a good impression!

Now, will you hire me after May 2011? Please?