5 Ways to Kill Employee Morale

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentMaking sure the company is running efficiently and effectively is more complicated than hiring qualified people and telling them what to do. Having an incredible staff to support and carry out your business’ goals will only get you so far; the key is fostering a community within the workplace in which your workers not only feel comfortable to work and produce quality results, but empowered to take ownership and make decisions which will have a positive impact to the company. Here are some common mistakes managers make which have a profoundly negative effect on their workers’ attitudes:

Not introducing yourself on a personal level. Personally connecting with your team members will make them feel as if they aren’t just workers, but individuals and key contributors to your organization.  I am not talking about meeting them for drinks at Happy Hour, but simply inquiring about their interests and hobbies. Find a common ground by showing genuine interest in them and what they care about, and you will build trust and alliance.

Refusing to accept responsibility. I have noticed when projects fail and goals are not met, a lot of managers neglect to acknowledge their responsibility for the failure.  Great questions to ask are “What didn’t I do to ensure the successful completion of the project? What support did I not give my employees which may have prevented this end result? Could I have done anything to change the outcome?” Then be vocal about your part in the missed deliverable or milestone – your employees will respect you for it.

Calling employees out in public. There is no quicker way to stifle creativity and create resentment in a team than publicly criticizing someone’s work in front of their coworkers. This is a humiliating act and is likely to cause other workers to think differently of this employee, create tension in the workplace, and establish fear which will keep others from “stepping up”.

Threatening their jobs. The fear of failure is something that can easily take over your employees’ minds and greatly impact the work they produce.  Threatening their jobs will create this fear. Workers who are in constant fear of losing their jobs will either leave the company in search of more security, or they will be too afraid to branch out, embrace new concepts in the workplace, or let their creativity show in their work. If you have an employee who makes a mistake which needs to be addressed, address it!  But do it in a private forum of helping the employee create a plan to improve.  Set your boundaries, but be clear you are there to support the team member while he works on an improvement action plan.

Not being approachable. One of the biggest keys in ensuring your employees are happy, comfortable, and empowered to help the company achieve its goals is by making yourself accessible. Workers who aren’t able to openly ask questions, request more guidance, and brainstorm ideas and concepts will often produce work below your expectations.

What a lot of managers fail to realize is that you need your team members to reach your goals.  Additionally, your team is a direct reflection on you and your ability to lead effectively. Making small changes to your management style could go a long way in making sure employee morale is high and the work being produced is of the highest quality.

What do you think – do you have others “Morale Killers” to add?

Written by Katie Fidler

Dedicated to Every Client’s Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Prepare for a Video Conference Interview

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWith companies being more cost conscious and our culture’s growing reliance and utilization of technology, it is no surprise that more and more companies are requesting Video Conference Interviews with candidates.

Video conference interviews are a great way for Hiring Managers to “size up” a potential employee by allowing the Hiring Manager to evaluate the candidate’s communication and presentation skills.

So the question to answer:  Are you prepared for a Video Conference Interview?  How is it the same or different from Phone or Face-to-Face interviews?  Here are a few important tips to keep in mind while preparing for your Video Conference Interview.

Rehearse just as you would before a Face-to-Face interview. Prepare yourself for the questions you’re most likely to be asked and be ready to explain the responsibilities you’ve had in your previous positions. Conduct a mock Video interview with a friend, having them ask you some generic and typical interview questions. Something you may find very helpful is to record your practice interview session so you can analyze your answers and facial expressions later.

Make sure your work space is ready for the Video interview. The space where you will have your interview should be free from clutter and things which will distract your interviewer or divert attention from you. Put your dogs and/or cats into another room, put the baby to sleep, unplug the phone, and put a sign up on your office door so your loved ones are clear they should not make noise while you are on your Video Conference.

Test your connectivity and hardware at least one hour prior to the interview. Ensure that your internet connection is strong and free from interruptions and verify that your camera and microphone are working. Be mindful of your microphone and its position during the interview. Microphones naturally amplify sound, and rustling papers or speaking to closely can make it hard for the interviewer to understand what you’re saying. Check the angle of your camera, making sure that there is a tight view on your head, shoulders, and chest. Monitor the lighting in the area you’ll be doing the interview, as plenty of light will improve the quality of the video being transmitted to your interviewer.

Speak slowly and clearly; as advanced as technology is becoming, there is often a slight lag or delay in the connection, and enunciating your words and speaking slowly will ensure that the interviewer understands what you are saying.

Dress as if you are going to a Face-to-Face interview. Just because you aren’t going to the office doesn’t mean you can wear your pajamas. Your interviewer will take notice of your attire whether you’re physically in front of them or on their computer screen.

A video conference interview shouldn’t be any more intimidating than a Face-to-Face interview, and following these tips will help you prepare and present the your best to the interviewer.

We want to hear from you – how successful have your Video Interviews been?

Written by Katie Fidler

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How To Write an Attractive Job Description

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentOne of your employees is moving out of the state, and you are faced with the daunting task of replacing him. You shutter at the idea of having to find a candidate who is as qualified and professional as the employee you’re losing. Where do you start? The first step in finding quality candidates is writing an attractive job description; job descriptions are critical in creating a quality candidate pool because you (and your company) never get a second chance to make a first impression. Here are a few key things that transform a generic and boring job description into an opportunity that potential candidates will get excited about:

  • Job Title, Role Within the Organization, and working relationships. This includes not only the official name of the position you’re looking to fill, but also the department within the company that this job is associated with. This is also the area of the job description where you will explain how the position ties into the overall goals of the company, as well as who the candidate will be working with. Example: As Venue Relations Coordinator, you will work closely with our experiential marketing team. The Venue Relations Coordinator position reports to John Doe and Mary Jane, Senior Project Managers.
  • Forgetting to include the location of the position you’re trying to fill will result is a massive amount of resumes from applicants who will immediately withdraw their application upon learning that they would have to relocate in order to work.
  • A fairly common aspect of the job description overlooked by many hiring managers and HR personnel is the About Us. It is so important that you explain what it is that your company does, as well as the company’s culture and environment. Many hiring managers also choose to include vital statistics, such as growth, in order to give the potential candidate a better understanding as to where the company is headed in the future. The About Us Section can also include characteristics of the company, such as size.
  • Perhaps the most important pieces of information to include in a job description that will attract high quality candidates are main job duties and responsibilities. Potential candidates need a firm understanding of what will be expected of them, and having a vague or non-descript job duties and responsibilities section will leave the high quality candidates thinking they are overqualified and the lower quality candidates thinking they have what it takes to succeed in this position.
  • Directly following the job duties and responsibilities sections should be the prerequisite and requirements section. Information to include in this section is the years of experience, prerequisite positions held, necessary skill sets, and any certifications or memberships candidates should have. Omitting this section will leave you sorting through hundreds of resumes submitted by unqualified candidates and be a waste on your time and theirs.
  • Special working conditions, if applicable, should be made known from the beginning. Putting these out in the open will ensure that the candidates who apply are serious about the position regardless of working conditions they might not be used to. Examples of special working conditions include odd hours, on-call responsibilities, and physical duties.
  • Last but not least, include information that will make the position even more attractive to potential applicants. Information to include in this section is benefits, training, travel, and advancement opportunities. This is also a great opportunity to show some extra perks of working for your company, such as casual dress, the ability to work remotely, and any discounts that employees may receive (example: Starbucks employees receive discounts on AT&T and Apple products).

Replacing an employee can be a frustrating and challenging task, but writing an effective and attractive job description is the first step in not only making the process easier on yourself as a hiring manager, but finding the highest quality candidates.

Written by Katie Fidler

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Transition into Your New Job

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWouldn’t you agree that transitioning into a new job can be a lot to manage?  Your first 90 days is critically important and is all about fitting into the company culture, learning new processes and procedures, and being able to adjust to your new workload.  Making a great impression quickly is imperative!

Volunteer for Assignments: Stepping up to the plate without being asked is instrumental in how your fellow peers and supervisors view your initiative and willingness to add to the organization. However, be careful not to volunteer for too many assignments that you can’t follow through on! Be aware of what you can and can’t deliver, and don’t be afraid to say no. Taking on too many responsibilities would be a disservice to your team, and to your job.

Be Nice to People: Whether it is someone from the cleaning crew or a posh executive, everyone who shows up to your organization works together to make everything efficient. Treat others with respect; you never know who could be your boss tomorrow, or who could be a good reference!

Prioritize Your Work: It is critical to categorize your day to day tasks by level of importance. There may be some tasks more mundane than others, but use those opportunities to hone your skills.

Stay Positive: With any new position, you must stay positive. Every new position has its challenges!  You will be confused.  You will be flustered.  You will be discouraged.  Just remember this:  Your employer selected you. Now is your time to shine and prove that not only they made the right decision, but that you made the right decision as well.  Take a small win from each day of something new you’ve learned or accomplished. Build on those wins and you’ll see how far you’ve come!

Highlight a Problem but Bring Solutions: Depending on your organization, they may have certain processes in place that they’ve used for ages that you may disagree with. However to give yourself credibility when bringing the problem to their attention, you must bring an alternative solution to fix the problem. Otherwise, how can they ever see that it’s a problem? Not only will it show your initiative, it will also show your creativity and innovation.

Manage Expectations and Set goals:  Don’t fib about your skills! Your manager will take your learning curve into consideration if she knows your true assets and skill levels. Once you and your supervisor are on the same page as it relates to your starting point, set your goals!  The number one question you must ask your supervisor and gain agreement to:  What does my Supervisor expect me to accomplish within the first 90 days?  Being mutually clear on what your supervisor expects of you and what you can accomplish is critical.  Build a plan, drive towards achieving those goals, and your manager will be impressed.

Written by Jessica Nguyen

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? We specialize in clinical recruiting! You can sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.