Have always enjoyed people who seem to understand the sense around IT Technology. Just read a comment by Jonathan Becher, Chief Marketing Officer at SAP who said…”I’m also championing SAP’s strategy of helping organizations close the gap between strategy & execution so that they can optimize business performance.” And I say BRAVO Johnathan! Keep up the good work and tell us more about closing this gap!
From My Perspective: Vacation – How Was It?
In the May 2013 edition of From My Perspective the question was – “are you actually going to take a vacation or will you just be working away from the office?”
So how did you do? Successful at not taking calls from the office? How many work e-mails did you respond to while on vacation? When you didn’t take the call or respond to the email did you feel compelled to respond if they texted?
My scorecard: Very well. Surprisingly, yes. Zero, really! Absolutely, just couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t get a full week away from the office as we had to fit in trips for two college graduations (woo hoo!) and a week of Girl Scout Camp for my wife and two daughters so maybe my test was a little easier. Shorter time away than I would have liked but I did return feeling genuinely recharged.
So with the family vacation season behind us perhaps I can at least get better at not checking email on the Blackberry every time a new one arrives. Or maybe at least not checking it while with others, I don’t know, maybe? The real test for me is with September baseball in full swing and playoff positions hanging in the balance can I stop checking MLB.COM while with my family and friends? Go REDS!
Bad Hires Can Ruin A Good Strategy
Lou Adler is a New York Times best-selling author of such books as Hire With Your Head and The Essential Guide To Hiring And Getting Hired. Adler believes that there are really only four (yes, 4!) jobs in any business and only four (there it is again) types of corporate strategies. I’ll admit skepticism… until I read this article. Adler makes a compelling case for getting the right matches and understanding their various roles in order to propel your corporate performance to new heights. Read How Bad Hiring Decisions Can Mess Up A Good Business Strategy to avoid the path to mediocrity… or worse.
Tips For A Successful Video Interview
EDI Specialists is a boutique recruiting firm focusing on the IT integration and electronic data interchange fields. This article is written by Adam Barron and it spotlights some “how-to advice” when you receive a request for a video interview. This is not something to be treated lightly, even though it may seem “different” or “more casual” than a real face-to-face interview. It is actually neither, and doing it right requires some serious thought and pre-planning. Treating a video interview as anything less than the “real thing” can eliminate a qualified candidate from further consideration… and it doesn’t have to happen! 6 Tips For A Successful Video Interview is a worthwhile read for anyone on a job search when technology is increasingly a tool to bridge time and distance.
Don’t Waste An Internship!
Amanda Augustine is a job search expert at The Ladders and she contributes to their blog extensively. Her articles are short yet impactful, and her topics are very timely. In a recent post, 4 Ways To Waste An Internship, Ms. Augustine speaks to college students about the realities and value of internships. Although summer is winding down and the kids will be returning to campus, many will have in-semester internships and co-op positions. This article is a must-read to avoid the pitfalls of treating an assignment too lightly.
Remember To Ask These 3 Interview Questions
James Caan is the CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw Ltd, a mid-market private equity firm based in London, England. Caan is the author of The Real Deal, a best-selling book about his rise from Pakistani immigrant and high school drop-out to British business tycoon. He is also a panelist on Dragon’s Den, the British equivalent of the ABC television program, Shark Tank. The following is from a post he made on a Linked In recruiting group:
“Getting an interview for that dream job is a perfect chance to sell yourself and you need to make sure that you get everything right. Preparation is vital and it goes without saying that you should turn up for the interview knowing everything there is to know about your prospective employers and the role that you have applied for.
Of course, no two interviews are ever the same and the line of questions that you take will be determined by the nature of the company and the people who are interviewing you. But I have always been more impressed by candidates who ask ME questions. The process should never be one sided – you need to take control. The best way of doing this is to ask as many questions as the interviewer does.
There are at least three questions you should definitely have ready to ask for every job interview you go for. Remember the aim is to sell yourself as a bright, motivated and ambitious individual but it is important not to be too obvious. The people who are interviewing you will have heard it all before and they will be looking for someone who has that little bit extra quality or personality which sets them apart from the rest of the crowd.
Here are three questions that you should always try and ask:
What qualities are you looking for in the person you are hoping to appoint?
This may sound like a very obvious starting point but it is vital for both parties to grasp exactly what it is needed from candidate in terms of skills and experience. Remember the whole point of the interview is to prove you are the person that they want and are looking for. There is a much better chance of being able to do that if you actually ask the interviewers straight from the start what their ideal candidate would be.
What scope is there for personal development at your company?
It is important to show any prospective employee that you are the type of person who is ambitious and is looking to move their career forward. No one wants to take on an individual who is going to be content to coast and you need to show that you are not coming along just for an easy ride. Any ambitious and forward thinking company will be looking for like minded individuals. Ask a question which will give you give the chance to show just how driven you are.
Is there anything you have seen in the other people on the shortlist that you have not seen in me?
This is a great question to throw into the mix as the interview is drawing to a natural close. I remember a candidate asking me this once and I had to smile because it left me with nowhere to go. As well as turning the tables on the panel it is also a great way of gauging just how well or how badly you have performed throughout the course of the selection process. You should always be looking to improve and getting feedback from an interviewer is a crucial part of this. It is a risky strategy to take because you might get an answer you are not happy with. But if you are prepared to take a risk, then this final question is a gamble that just might pay off.”
From My Perspective: Are You Listening?
Ever wonder why you struggle when it comes time to make a decision on which candidate to select? Try listening more actively. Just a few ideas that help me:
1) Resist Distractions – Clear your desk for every conversation so you can focus your attention. I take it one step further, meet away from your office and you’ll even stop thinking about that “voicemail waiting” light blinking at you. And for goodness sake turn off the ringer on your smartphone and put it your pocket!
2) Get to the Point – Ask good questions of each candidate, not necessarily the same ones or in the same order. In other words, have a plan – when you “wing it” the interview tends to become a verbal recap of the resume’.
3) Listen to Gain Real Understanding – If you aren’t careful it is too easy to listen only long enough to formulate your response or follow up question. Take Notes! Write down the great follow up question or comment.
Overall, assume each candidate will be the one you want to hire. Listen to have the information you need to make a good “buying” decision and also to understand the focus to bring to the “sales” presentation you’ll need to secure them for your team!
The above is the seventh installment – Year Four of “From My Perspective” – a collection of observations and anecdotes from the more than 29 years of business and professional recruiting experience of Bill Hagerty, an owner and principal consultant with Johnson ReSource Group.
Reasons To Confront Sexism Head-On
Are you a female executive? Been called “honey” or “babe” in the workplace? Asked to pick up the coffee and donuts for the staff meeting? Been expected to ‘straighten up’ the conference room after an ideation session? Those (and many other) seemingly innocuous situations are indicative of a culture steeped in sexism. This article in Forbes magazine offers up three good reasons to confront the perpetrator(s) head-on.
Personal Branding For A Solid Transition
It seems that the concept of personal branding is becoming as ubiquitous as having a robust presence on every social media platform known to man. Career coaches, recruiters, and outplacement consultants pontificate about its importance. No doubt it is, but few practitioners put it into such understandable and actionable terms as Scott Ginsberg. He has written nine top-selling books and contributes to The Ladders blog. Ginsberg says, “Your brand is what you’re known for and what you’re known for knowing. Use that to your advantage in making a career transition.” This article is a worthwhile read for anyone contemplating a move up and out.
Squeezed By Everything: Life As A Middle Manager
This Wall Street Journal article by Melissa Korn is an illuminating look at life as a middle manager through the eyes of one at FICO. What’s it’s like being a middle manager is chronicled by following Michelle Davis from the start of her day in an empty parking lot at 6 am to the end when she hits the hay at 10 pm. Meetings, conference calls, crises, and precious little planning time seem to be the norm. She has many duties but little authority. People-pleasing is the order of her day. Upward mobility is limited and company loyalty is questionable. This article is a good read for those on “the fast track” and for their bosses who struggle to keep good employees engaged and motivated.