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Interview Tip: Be Honest, Be Enthusiastic, Be an Interviewee

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 . . .

Interview Tip: Confidence

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!

Effective Performance Review Can Help Retain Employees

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.

Top Ten Traits Employers Want in a Candidate

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:

Increasing Our Focus on Retention

For six years, Tony was a loyal, hardworking employee who gave his all for the company’s benefit. John, the CEO, valued Tony greatly and gave him increased responsibilities, greater pay, a higher position title, and a company stock option. When making business projections, John included Tony as a key contributor to future growth.

Your Staffing Firm: Adversary or Partner?

Burt was frustrated again. His company, Alpine Industries, had an increasing problem with employee turnover, and it was costing them big. Now they urgently needed another employee, and Sue in HR hadn’t had any luck finding the right candidate. Burt really didn’t want to have to cough up a contingency fee, but finally, out of desperation, he called Pete at ABC Staffing Agency . . .

Pointing the Way to Job Success: Designing Effective Orientation Programs

It’s a fact: those who don’t start right don’t tend to stick around long. And high turnover means you must find new people all over again. What’s more, turnover takes a high toll on the morale of those who do stay behind. This article is a good reminder about what to include in an effective orientation program so that staff members who are properly trained and welcomed at the beginning of their careers feel good about their choice of employer, fit in quickly with colleagues, and readily contribute new ideas.

Taming the Difficult Employee

Difficult employees are a huge drain on an organization in terms of wasted time, reduced productivity, greater inefficiency, increased employee turnover and—in extreme cases—customer loss. Employees who work with difficult coworkers suffer from low morale, a declining commitment to their work, decreased job satisfaction and greater levels of stress and frustration. Read on to learn what motivates difficult employees, and how you can effectively manage them.

Helpful Hints for Dealing with Difficult Coworkers

Nothing is more frustrating than having to constantly deal with difficult coworkers. They drain you of your time and energy, and encounters with them leave your frustrated, angry and stressed out. Here are some steps you can take to better manage your interactions with them.

Selecting Winners – Part 2

Six Steps to Selecting a High Performance Employee This article is the second in a two-part series

Selecting Winners – Part 1

What constitutes a good employee – a real “winner”? Many people think there’s one profile for a position or one set of criteria cast in stone: “This is a winner.” But that’s just not the case. Winners are unique to your organization. Here are six steps to selecting a high-performance employee.

An Introduction to Human Resource Management

With employee loyalty at an all-time low, really savvy companies recognize that people have never been more important to business success than they are today. One very practical means of emphasizing and maintaining our people as a valued resource is to establish, as most organizations have, a function known as human resources management to represent the best interests of our employees and thereby of management as well.