Remember the scene from Oliver Twist where the master of the orphanage was outraged when Oliver, new to the orphanage, asked for more soup? During a recession, it’s easy for hiring managers to imagine that both candidates and employees should be happy with whatever they are offered since a surplus of candidates may appear to create an employer’s market. But as an employer, you need to be aware of the potential surprises that accompany that line of reasoning, because like Oliver Twist, workers today want more!
So you got an interview! In your excitement, you wake up four hours early (no more lounging around in your pj’s, scouring the web for new opportunities to apply for while eating your third bowl of Lucky Charms), iron your shirt, try on three ties (or ten pairs of shoes, ladies), eat breakfast, brush your teeth twice, and stand around (no sitting–wouldn’t want to wrinkle the suit!) for twenty minutes before deciding that, with traffic, you could probably leave now and arrive at a reasonable time. Find out what is a reasonable time by reading on!
One of the most common mistakes that we hear about is also one of the easiest to control. Many candidates get into an interview and feel that they must talk about themselves from start to finish.
First of all, remember who’s running the show. Your interviewer will fill the silence with information about the company, questions for you, and opportunities to ask questions you may have.
A cover letter is the first impression you make on a potential employer. Read on to find outwhat an ideal cover letter looks like.
Most of us haven’t had the chance to sit on the “easy” side of the desk in an interview, so it’s difficult to know just what to say. When an interviewer wants me to talk about myself, should I tell him about my love of Sea World? My dyslexia? Maybe I should mention that my last boss told me I was like a modern-day Jackie O . . .
We live in a society of chameleons–people constantly changing themselves to blend in with their environments in an effort to survive, to keep afloat, to stay ahead. So it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to change a part of who you are as you go into an interview.
But it is a big deal. The truth is that HR managers, hiring managers, and team members don’t like it . . .
It’s standard practice for us to talk with our candidates right after an interview because, the truth is, as recruiters we’re just as excited about it as you are! Since we have the misfortune of not being invited along most of the time, we can’t wait for you to call and tell us what questions the interviewer asked, how long it took, and whether or not you think you’re a fit for the job. Read on to find out how NOT to eliminate yourself from the running!
I get a lot of requests to speak on how to recruit and retain employees.* There are a lot of creative things companies can do. But one of the smartest strategies is right under managers’ noses, and many companies ignore it or under emphasize it. That strategy is to use the performance review as a tool to create a stronger bond between the employee and the manager.
Can anyone list the top ten traits that employers want in an employee? Numerous articles have been written on the subject, and none of them agree! Here’s a combined listing of what many of these articles claim are the top ten: