Career Advice

When it comes time to hire a manager for your small business, you may be faced with a dilemma. Do you hire someone from within your company, or hire someone from outside the company? What are the pros and cons of each? How do you cultivate a great manager to oversee your business? These are typical questions that you'll want to answer prior to taking applications. Do You Promote From Within the Company, or From the Outside? There is good and bad in either choice, but ultimately it will be up to you to decide which one is more beneficial to your company: From within - The applicants are already workers in your company, therefore they know the business and have proven themselves to be assets. Anytime you promote from within it looks good to the other workers, and may inspire them. It also is cheaper to hire from within, as there is no relocation or advertising fees. From outside - Perhaps you don't have the right worker employed for the job, and need to go to outside candidates for the … [Read more...] about I Need Better Managers

Are Classified Ads & Resumés Antique? At one time, you may have considered the business networking site LinkedIn to be a less entertaining version of Facebook. In the beginning, it did seem to be a kind of digital yearbook for the people who carried pocket protectors and scientific calculators as kids in high school. A person's page appeared to list almost every conceivable skill an individual could have, including those shared by all members of mammalian life forms. Most professionals or those with specialized technical or mechanical skills eventually began a LinkedIn page, although whether or not they finished it or even ever logged on again is debatable. That was then. Now, undergraduate business management degree students are advised to begin their LinkedIn page as sophomores with completion of a satisfactory one as a frequent business class assignment. The Growing Use of LinkedIn by Recruiters More and more recruiters—in-house and headhunting firms—use LinkedIn to find … [Read more...] about Stand Out From the Crowd: Why Your LinkedIn Headline Is Important

Your resume, or as known in other parts as a CV (curriculum vitae) is an overview of your experiences and qualifications to perform a specific job. It is your first introduction to a prospective employer and determines if that introduction will ever progress to a meeting or formal interview. I have read literally thousands of them in my life. In that time I learned very quickly to decide if I had any interest in looking further. I will share some thoughts on what things I loved and hated about reviewing CVs. My number one decider in looking at a resume was if after a very brief glance at education and experience was if I could tell what position they were applying for. I often had multiple positions open at once and if the resume did not make it very clear what position they might be suited for I did not have time to try to figure it out for them. Since cover letters were very often simply fill in the position blanks at the top followed by a few clichés and generic reasons why they … [Read more...] about A Proper Introduction – What I Hated and Loved to See on a Resume

Any company will benefit from an efficient, hardworking and motivated workforce. These attributes can be attained and enhanced by ensuring the staff enjoy their work, are valued and treated well. Employee incentives are an effective method to motivating, encouraging and setting goals to get the best from staff. Incentives can prevent the drudgery of work repetition or the feeling of being stuck in a job or career rut. One-off incentives for employees are good for when a specific target requires reaching, or to maintain good morale, regular incentives will help keep the staff happy. So what makes a good incentive? It has to be something that is of value to the workers. It is of no use to offer incentives that are of little use or hold no value to the receiver. For example, tickets to a ball game may be a praised reward to some, but of no value to someone with no interest in sport. Also be aware not to patronize. Rewarding additional hours, worked in order to achieve a goal within a … [Read more...] about What are Good Incentives for Employees?

There are few more difficult topics to approach your boss with than a request for a pay raise. While the intent is to get compensated for your value if done wrong it can lower your worth in the eyes of your employer and cause lasting stress and discomfort in the workplace. Before considering the request for a raise it is important for you to honestly reflect if you deserve it. Key questions to consider are- Has your pay been stagnant for more than 18 months? Have other people gotten raises in that time period? Has your work actually warranted a raise?  If it is the same quality and value for years and a declining economy is it reasonable to ask for a raise? Is your work worth more someplace else? If you are being paid market value for your position what are you basing your request on? Can you document your value to the company in hard numbers? The most difficult of these is truly assessing your own value to the company. If the sole justification is because you have worked … [Read more...] about How to Ask for a Raise

Many of us go to college with the assumption all our hard work will eventually lead to a high paying job.  For some graduates, that is the case.  They land their dream job – sometimes even before graduation – and seem to live the ideal life.  On the other hand, there are plenty of individuals with college degrees who flounder, unemployed, for months and months. Why do some graduates find success and others don’t? Employers See Recent Graduates as a Risky Investment You are a freshly minted college graduate.  You have boundless energy and endless enthusiasm.  Why can’t you get a job? There are a myriad of things an employer must consider when interviewing a potential candidate.  Sometimes, assumptions are made before you even sit down in the hot seat.  Other times, your non-verbal communication is shouting so loudly you can’t get a word in edgewise. Here are the things an employer is assuming or interpreting during your interview. You have an unprofessional attitude – and you don’t … [Read more...] about Hiring Fresh Graduates: What Makes a Professional

For many, the only time to meet people is at work. Many of us work long hours, and have little time or interest in drunken bar encounters or the challenges of dating websites. Having an office relationship can be exciting, with the stolen glances and secretive liaisons in the stationary cupboard. The secrecy and fear of being caught can add to the sexual tension, but the downside is they office romances can also cause resentment, gossip, and bring up questions of favoritism. So how do we conduct an office relationship while staying on the right side of our employer and colleagues?  Be Aware of Company Policy.  Check in with human resources and read the company's policies on having relationships with co-workers (or a relationship with your boss). Be aware of what you are heading into and if it's worth gambling your career for if there is a strict rule against dating your colleagues. Discretion is the Word.  Try and keep the intimacy away from the workplace and stay … [Read more...] about How to Conduct a Romantic Relationship at Work

Considering the damaging consequences of stress, the question, “How to relieve stress?” should be on everyone’s mind.  According to research by the American Psychological Association in April 2012, job pressure is the top cause of stress in the United States.[1]  By reducing your stress levels, you can boost your productivity and even feeling more energetic! Relieving stress is important for a myriad of reasons that go well beyond workplace productivity.  High levels of stress produce hormones, such as cortisol and adrenalin.  These stress hormones are necessary to make it through life, but if you are under the influence for too long of a period of time, rather nasty negative health outcomes can ensue.  In fact, 77% of people surveyed in the study mentioned above said they regularly experience physical symptoms due to their high levels of stress.  This all underscores the great importance of tackling stress head on in whatever way works best for you personally.  In this article, we … [Read more...] about How to Relieve Stress: 3 Clever and Effective Ways

Making a request of your boss can be a daunting prospect. You want something in your job; maybe a pay rise, an extra assistant to work on a large project you are managing, or it could be some time off for a family function. In order to achieve that "something" you need to ask your boss.  Know how to ask.  Knowing how to ask can make the difference between achieving your aims or coming away rejected. Firstly, decide what it is you really want. Be clear and concise so your boss fully understands what he/she is being asked to say yes to. You can't expect a yes from your boss to a request they don't understand. Make it clear for them.  Show you've done your homework. Don't undermine yourself by lacking in facts. Prepare yourself with information that support what you are asking for.  Look at it from your bosses perspective. Approach the request in a way that works for your boss too. If you know your boss is a stickler for staff having a good work/life … [Read more...] about How to Get Your Boss to Say "Yes"!