The weak economy has caused many people to put off retirement and stay in the workforce much long than originally planned. Combined with the approximately 100,000 new workers entering the workforce every month, a new workplace dynamic has emerged. For the first time in recorded history, there are workers spanning four different generations in the firms all across the country.

Many managers are finding themselves with direct reports who span a 50 year age gap. In addition, older workers are now finding themselves with managers who may be 20 or 30 or even 40 years younger than they are.

This workplace dynamic, which was unheard of two decades ago, is now “business as usual” in many American firms. A recent survey by CareerBuilder found that 43% of workers older than 35 have a younger boss.  Another recent Pitney Bowes survey found that 20% of mid-level corporate employees report to a younger boss.

These new working relationships have garnered much negative attention, with many reports claiming that the intergenerational clashes between “stodgy” older workers and “arrogant” younger bosses will ruin many firms in the decade to come.

Now, while these reports make for good headlines, they are simply not true.  For the most part, age differences in the workforce don’t create the problems that stereotypes would have us believe.   Overall, workers want many of the same things.  They

• Want respect
• Want to trust their cohorts and their leaders
• Are concerned with office politics
• Want to be recognized for the work they do
• Are uncomfortable with change
• Want to learn and want a coach to help them achieve their goals.

Workers also have many of the same values; they just have different ways of expressing those values.  For example, research conducted by Jennifer Deal, Ph.D., a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership, found that 72% of workers (across generations) put family at the top of their values list. However, the way they express that value is different.  An older worker might view working long hours and earning overtime pay as the best way to express that value, while a younger employee might feel  that leaving the office early to spend more time with his/her children is a better reflection of that priority.

Additionally, research at the Sloan Center on Aging & Work (at Boston College) shows that many of the perceptions people have about younger and older workers just are not accurate and that reinforcing negative stereotypes will only drive a larger wedge between generations. Older employees can be technically savvy; younger employees can be good communicators.

But the stereotypes still persist because they are, well, stereotypes – widely held, over-simplified beliefs.  They provide an easy, simple answer to people looking for a solution to a very complicated, nuanced situation.

Generational differences are just that – complicated and nuanced.  People are not alike simply because they were born within a certain range of years. For example, there are Baby Boomers who did not attend Woodstock, simply because the event extended past their bedtime. Yes, they were born between 1945 and 1965 and are part of the Baby Boom generation, but their life experiences, values and world view is vastly different on an individual scale.

It is imperative to build strong, multi-generational workforces that can help organizations meet the challenges of a competitive global economy. To do this, we need to stop focusing on stereotypes. There are plenty of Baby Boomers who are immersed in social networking, and there are plenty of Millennials who need help finding their way around the web.  Generations are not going to shape the workplace; a balanced mixture of working styles and solid working relationships will.

Therefore, managers need to focus on identifying workers’ strengths and making them all work together.  Focusing on the individual “wants” of the Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials will not lead to success.  Success will hinge on traits that build solid working relationships – credibility, dependability, and trustworthiness – not on what age group likes Facebook better.

Have you ever stopped to consider how much “marathon meetings” and “it’ll just take a minute – really” impromptu discussions really cost your company?  Consider this example:

A weekly meeting with 6 people, making an average of $20 per hour, costs your business $120 per hour.  If you waste just 15 minutes of that time (catching up with one another, engaging in off-topic discussions, waiting for late attendees, etc.) the total yearly cost of that waste comes to $1,560! 

Multiply that by the number of weekly meetings in your company, factor in the additional cost of non-essential meeting attendees, and what do you have?  A lot of squandered time and money.

Obviously, you can’t completely abolish meetings.  In many cases, there is no effective substitute for real-time, face-to-face interaction.  But given how expensive meetings are, you need to make the most of them.  This article will help you get some of your valuable time and money back – and really boost productivity – by making sure every meeting is productive and essential.

Abolish “status update” meetings.  If all you’re doing is letting one another know where current projects/clients stand, or distributing facts, use e-mail or project management software to stay in sync.

Try “standing” meetings.  People’s tendency to drone on, endlessly reiterating points and listening to the sounds of their own voices, will dwindle as they get weak in the knees.  By design, standing meetings – yes, meetings where attendees actually stand rather than sit – are more actionable.  Try a few out and see if they work for your company.

Invite only essential personnel.  Consider whether everyone you’re planning to invite really needs to attend.  To help you decide, determine whether a follow-up e-mail outlining the meeting’s outcome would be sufficient information for a potential attendee.  If so, he may not need to actually attend.

Start on time.  If attendees trickle in over the first 10 minutes, it’s difficult to accomplish anything during that time.  Make a company-wide pledge to start meetings on time, using these tips to make the commitment a reality:

• Clearly communicate the start and end times for the meeting.
• Make the meeting leader responsible for e-mailing attendees 10 minutes before the meeting’s start time.
• Have the meeting leader call, or stop by the office of, people who are habitually late to meetings.
• Start the meeting on time, even if people are running late.  When latecomers arrive, ask them to catch up with someone else in the group to find out what they missed.
• Make latecomers conspicuous to everyone, by holding the meeting in a location where they can’t just sneak in late (if possible, have the meeting leader seated by the door, so everybody will notice when a straggler comes in).

Follow an agenda.  Pilots don’t take to the skies without flight plans; meeting leaders shouldn’t conduct meetings without agendas.  Make sure attendees receive the agenda ahead of time, sending it in the body of an e-mail (attachments are often overlooked) unless it’s extraordinarily lengthy.  Having and following an agenda shows that you’re organized,have a valid purpose for the meeting and respect others’ time – while giving the meeting higher perceived value.  Your agenda will also help you stick to the topic(s) at hand and avoid getting derailed on tangents.

Allow one person to speak at a time.  Remind attendees (and correct them, when necessary) that side conversations are thoughtless, distracting and disrespectful to the person speaking.  Foster a meeting culture where good listening skills are required.  Your meetings will become instantly more productive when each attendee gives the speaker his full attention.

Remind attendees that time is money.  When your meetings fall into a vortex of idle banter and non-productive speculation, remind the group that time is money.  Use the example at the beginning of this article to help make the cost of wasted meeting time real to everyone – and then get them back on track.

Record decisions.  Important decisions are often made at meetings, but within a few months, nobody remembers why.  Ensure this doesn’t happen by taking adequate notes – not just on what was decided, but why it was decided.  You can use these notes in lieu of traditional minutes to share the meeting’s contents with people who need to know what happened.  Just make sure they’re stored in a place that’s accessible and searchable.

Finish with a review of action steps.  Before you leave, ask each person to sum up their action items in 30 seconds or less.  In the process, you will eliminate redundancies and may even discover a few action steps that were missed.

End on time.  If you ask attendees to arrive on time, show that you respect them by ending on time, too.  Throughout the meeting, refer back to your agenda and provide interim time checks to participants to help keep things moving along.  If you’ve scheduled adequate time and stuck to your agenda, ending on time shouldn’t be too difficult.  Who knows, by using the ideas here, you may even be able to finish the meeting a bit early.

In a time when a single job opening can yield literally hundreds of responses, how can you move your résumé to the top of the stack?

For starters, always include a letter-perfect cover letter.  Why?  The reasons are simple.  A strong cover letter allows you to:

• personalize your résumé;
• grab an employer’s interest by emphasizing your strengths and assets;
• explain why you’re the ideal candidate for the job;
• solicit an interview.

Use this list of do’s and don’ts to create a well-crafted cover letter that strengthens your résumé and helps you stand out from the crowd.

Do:

Make sure it’s error-free. A single typo or grammatical error in your cover letter can send your résumé directly to the “circular file.”  Ask a detail-oriented friend or family member to review the document before you send it.

Use standard business-letter formatting. It should include the date, the recipient’s mailing address and your address.  Plenty of cover letter formatting resources and samples are available online – refer to them if you are unsure.

Pay attention to visual appeal. Make your cover letter eye-catching and easy to read by formatting spacing, paragraph length and margins.  If you have to cut-and-paste the cover letter to submit it, double-check the formatting before sending.

Address your cover letter to a particular person. Never use generic salutations like “Dear HR Director” or “To Whom it May Concern.”  Take the time to find out who will be reading your résumé.  If necessary, make a phone call to verify the spelling of the recipient’s name, as well as his job title.

Tailor your letter to the job. If you are answering an online posting, tie the specifics of your cover letter as closely as possible to the actual wording of the job listing.  Examine the primary requirements of the job posting, and then highlight one or two aspects of your résumé that key into the employer’s needs.  Incorporate some of the listing’s language to demonstrate your understanding of the job, the employer and the industry.

Address potential concerns. If you anticipate a concern on the hiring manager’s side (e.g., a gap in employment history), use your cover letter to briefly address and explain it.  Doing so will demonstrate your forthrightness and prevent the employer from drawing his own (possibly incorrect) conclusions.

Use the formal closing “Sincerely.” Type your name below and then add your signature.

Don’t:

Leave the ball in the employer’s court. If you really want the job, don’t be vague about your desire to be interviewed.  Come right out and ask for it and include specific action steps you will take to follow-up (e.g., “I will call you in three business days to arrange for an interview.”).

Rehash your résumé. Instead, use your cover letter as a marketing tool to highlight the specific reasons you are ideally suited for the position.  Your cover letter should answer the question: “Why should I hire this person?”

Ramble. A potential employer does not want to hear your life history.  Keep your cover letter to one page and shoot for a maximum of four to five concise paragraphs.  If you can’t shorten it yourself, ask a trusted friend or family member (who excels in grammar and business writing) to edit it for you.

Make it all about you. While it may seem counterintuitive, your cover letter should be as much about the employer as it is about you.  Make sure you describe your qualifications in the context of the employer’s needs and the specific requirements of the job.

Make claims you can’t support. Many cover letters say things like “excellent communication skills.”  Without evidence or examples, however, claims like these sound more like vague, empty boasts.  Give employers the proof they need by providing at least one example for each claim you make.

The skeptic.  The complainer.  The perfectionist.

Every company has them, but how should you handle them?

Variety may be the spice of life, but the wide range of difficult workplace personalities you have to manage can make your job even more challenging – because what works to motivate one type of employee will not necessarily work on another.

To keep your organization running smoothly, you must adjust your leadership style to suit individual personalities.  Read on to find out what makes these 10 challenging personality types tick – and how to best respond to them – to make your company a better place to work.

1. The Skeptic. The skeptic does not believe things he is told or as co-workers might believe.  Before he goes along with something, he must check it out for himself.  On the plus side, he’s a thorough investigator.  On the minus side, he is suspicious of nearly everyone and everything.  To motivate the skeptical employee, assign him a short-term project that is highly likely to succeed, and then build on that success.  Turn his second-guessing nature into an asset by asking frequent questions to check his understanding of, and commitment to, each assignment.  Get him to verbalize his skeptical thoughts, so you can dissect areas of hesitancy before they become an issue.
2. The Commander. This individual expresses his negativity by “steam-rolling” over people.  He can frequently be very angry and hostile and takes out his frustrations on others.  While he doesn’t mean to offend, he often forsakes tact to get his point across.  To best manage the Commander, start by refusing to accept his hostile behavior.  Cite examples of how his behavior affects everyone’s work – your own, his co-workers and his own – and suggest more productive methods of communication he could use.  Play into his desire for control and autonomy by giving him independent projects – leaving it up to him to execute them.  Validate his ability to overcome obstacles, to implement and to achieve results.
3. The Drifter. He has issues with rules, work hours and deadlines.  Averse to structure, the Drifter loses track of important details and lacks the perseverance to see a project through to completion.  Although he may be easy to get along with, his lack of organization and disjointed thinking can make him difficult to manage.  To get the most out of him, give him shorter-term assignments and the flexible work hours he craves.  Use the creativity and out-of-the-box thinking typical of the Drifter to your advantage.
4. The Perfectionist. If everything is not perfect, the Perfectionist immediately becomes negative.  His standards of performance are not realistic, so that even excellent work, which is praised by others, is unacceptable to him.  When managing this personality type, try to help him set more reasonable goals (for himself and others) based on specific expectations.  Also, make sure the Perfectionist’s workload allows him to exercise his natural tendencies on projects where perfection will be appreciated.
5. The Avoider. Resistant to change, the Avoider shies away from increased responsibility because he fears it will make him more visible and accountable.  He thrives when working alone in established environments and will rarely take initiative.  To best manage him, give him detailed instructions clearly outlining your expectations.  Occasionally assign him projects that complement his desire to work independently.  Involve him in the process of change, making adjustments gradually so that he has time to get used to them.  Be sensitive to his fear of greater responsibility and validate his reliability and meticulous attention to detail.
6. The Cynic. The Cynic has never owned a pair of rose-colored glasses.  He sees the harsh realities of life and lives by Murphy’s Law.  On the upside, the Cynic can help present a different perspective in your organization; on the downside, he can be very difficult to manage because he’s usually at odds with the majority of your staff.   Leverage his world view by allowing him to play Devil’s Advocate when discussing future plans.  He may help you see the potential downside of a situation and make contingency plans to head-off problems before they arise.
7. The That’s-Not-My-Job-er. This individual expresses his negativity by refusing to do any task, no matter how simple, that he does not consider to be part of his job.  He often uses this behavior as a way to get back at colleagues, managers or your organization because of his dissatisfaction with how he is treated.  Often this individual craves growth, recognition and advancement – but loses enthusiasm for his work because he believes he is on a dead-end career path.  To turn things around, try to find training and develop opportunities for the That’s-Not-My-Job-er.  Look for ways to expand his role in the organization so that he can’t say, “That’s not my job.”
8. The Criticizer. No matter what kind of new idea he’s presented with, the Criticizer will knock it down.  His mission is to be contrary at all costs.  He wants to be right, no matter what, and he constantly looks for problems instead of opportunities.  His motto is “Bad idea.”  To change his negative thought processes, force him to be specific when he criticizes.  Ask him for examples, evidence or his reasoning for disagreeing.  If you are persistent with this tack, he will eventually tire of explaining himself.  All along, emphasize that you value his opinions.  Demonstrate that while you want to understand his concerns, you will not tolerate empty criticism.
9. The Petulant Child. When things do not go his way, this individual responds by frowning, withdrawing, going on a tirade or moping.  The best way to manage this individual is by providing a supportive environment and regular encouragement.  Help him find ways to manage his work stress levels.  When the Petulant Child starts his toddler-like behavior, stop him in his tracks.  Require him to take a step back from the situation, analyze his own reaction and find a productive, mature way to handle things.
10. The Finger-Pointer. Unable to accept responsibility for his own mistakes, the Finger-Pointer automatically shifts blame to others.  He seems to feel better seeing others get into trouble, even if they are not the responsible parties.  The only way to get this individual to stop his blame-shifting behavior is by calling him out.  When he starts to point the finger at someone else, give him very specific examples of how his errors, mistakes or miscalculations were really the root cause.  Once he sees that blaming others only shifts the focus back on him, he will be much less likely to try it again.

In today’s job market, it’s easy to get discouraged.  Competition is fierce and good jobs are harder to come by.

It’s essential, however, for you to stay focused and motivated during this difficult time.  Why?  Recruiters and employers are trained to gauge your attitude and enthusiasm – it’s critical to show them that you’re optimistic and confident in your abilities.  If you lack a positive attitude while searching for a job, you will almost certainly convey this impression when you’re applying, interviewing or corresponding.

So if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, or if you just can’t bear the thought of one more rejection, take a step back from the process.  Use these 10 tips to stay upbeat, focused and motivated while you’re on the job hunt:

1. Visualize job search success. Create a picture in your mind of your desired job outcome.  Visualize yourself working at your dream job and thinking that all the effort you put into finding it finally paid off.  The more you focus on the end result, the better prepared you’ll be to tolerate the difficulties you face in getting there.
2. Set tangible goals. Create job search goals that are concrete and directly tied to job search success.  For instance, instead of saying to yourself that you’ll spend five hours looking for a job tomorrow, write down a list of tasks that will help you get the job you want (e.g., research employers online, contact your network, schedule informational interviews, register with a staffing service, expand your network, etc.).  Use these tasks to create tangible goals that will guide your job search efforts.
3. Treat your job search like a full-time job. The more serious you are about your job search, the better your results will be.  Establish a daily routine that simulates a work day.  Get up early, shower and dress nicely enough to make yourself feel both positive and productive.  Create a game plan for the day and tackle your highest priority tasks first.  Before you end your job-hunting day, plan out the next.
4. Find a job search partner. If you want to get in shape, it helps to have a buddy who can motivate you.  The same holds true for your job search.  Whether the person is a friend, family member or fellow job seeker, having someone to whom you’re accountable, and with whom you can share your ups and downs, can be a tremendous source of motivation.
5. Register with a staffing service. A staffing service can be a great source of motivation, income and opportunities during your job search.  By working with a staffing service you can: keep your skills sharp and gain new ones; avoid gaps on your résumé;  access the “hidden job market”; and get your foot in the door with potential employers.
6. Find ways to stay current. Keep yourself and your skills on the cutting edge in your chosen field by finding ways to stay involved.  Volunteer, work as an intern, take classes, teach yourself a new skill or consider freelance work.  While it’s important to continue with your job search efforts, staying current and involved will help maintain your confidence, motivation and enthusiasm during your job search.  As an added benefit, you may make new contacts or use your experiences to build your résumé.
7. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”  If you make a mistake during an interview, or don’t get the call back that you’re hoping for, learn what you can from the experience and move on.  Tomorrow is another day to make new contacts and uncover new opportunities.
8. Manage your stress level. While moderate levels of stress can be motivating, it’s easy for financial and emotional stress to overwhelm you during your job search.  Keep stress levels at healthy levels by exercising, eating right, getting plenty of rest and – yes – taking time-off for a little fun.  Allow yourself to laugh, enjoy hobbies and meet with friends.  By making balance a priority you can keep functioning at peak efficiency.
9. Find opportunities to help others. If you come across a job opening that would be perfect for a friend, pass along the information.  If you meet someone whose résumé you could forward to one of your contacts, offer to do it.  Networking is a cycle, so be generous with your time, energy and participation in helping others.  A small favor you do for someone else may ultimately help you in the future.
10. Try not to take rejection personally. No matter what job you apply for these days, you will be competing with job seekers who are equally as qualified as you – perhaps even better qualified.  Instead of viewing this as an excuse to admit defeat, use it as a source of motivation.  The trick to looking for a new job is not to take application rejection personally.  Recruiters and employers often have a very specific idea of the ideal candidate in mind, and it may only be a small detail that keeps you from making the short list.  When possible, try to get specific feedback as to why your job application was unsuccessful.  Identify the areas where your application, résumé or skill set is weak and use them as a starting point for making yourself more employable.

“Tell me about the most difficult project you’ve worked on and how that helped you develop professionally.”

“Describe the most creative idea that you’ve implemented to solve a problem.”

“Tell me about a time you took initiative and went above and beyond the call of duty.”

If you’ve ever heard questions like these during the hiring process, then you’ve been part of a behavior-based interview.  Designed to reveal more than skills or experience, behavioral interviews operate on the premise that understanding past behavior is the best way to predict future success.

Want to ace your next behavioral interview?  This article can help.  It will help you understand the theory behind behavioral interviews, the types of questions asked and the best ways to prepare.

Why Do Employers Use Behavioral Interviews?

In recent years, behavioral interviews have become increasingly popular because they allow companies to make better hiring decisions.  Since people do not tend to change their behavioral patterns, behavioral interviews provide a practical approach to screening candidates – examining past behavior to predict future performance.  The interviewer is interested in how you did behave in the past, as opposed to how you would behave in the future.

What Types of Questions Can You Expect in a Behavioral Interview?

When structuring a behavioral interview, the interviewer first identifies the key behavioral traits a candidate should possess to be successful in the position.  Based on these traits, he then develops a list of questions designed to determine whether or not a candidate shows evidence of the desired traits.

For example, if attention to detail is one of the critical traits, the interviewer might ask questions like these:

“What do you do to control mistakes on the job?”

“Describe a situation where you found an error at work and what you did about it.”

In either case, the interviewer wants to find out if a candidate is able to accurately complete his tasks and check his work for errors.

Preparation – The Key to Performing Well in a Behavioral Interview

Not surprisingly, preparation is the key to acing a behavioral interview.  While you cannot predict the questions you will be asked, or have an answer ready for every situation, here are a few valuable tips to help you prepare:

1. Do your homework. Before your interview, learn as much as you can about the company and the position available.  Pay particular attention to the organization’s core values, since several of the behavioral questions will likely relate to them.  Try to determine the key behavioral traits of the position.  Using clues from the job description, research potential behavioral interview questions that are associated with the traits.
2. Assemble a list of workplace success stories. Make a list of key accomplishments (recent examples are best) that demonstrate each of the traits necessary to succeed in the available position.  If you are a recent graduate, you may be able to draw upon school experiences (i.e. group projects, research papers, exam situations) for examples.  Jot down the main points of each success story, making sure each reflects well on you – even if the outcome itself was not favorable.
3. Use the STAR technique to ensure each success story has a beginning, middle and end. In an interview, it’s critical to communicate your ideas logically and concisely.  The STAR technique can help you create the best answers possible:
   - the beginning of the story should describe a Situation you were in or the Task you needed to accomplish;
   - the middle of the story should recount the Action that you took;
   - the end of the story should review the Results you achieved.
4. Give answers that are specific and honest. When relating your success stories, include all of the most important details, citing statistics or other measurable results whenever possible.  Above all else, be honest.  Behavioral interviewers are trained to probe for details.  Even if you get away with embellishing during the interview, doing so may come back to haunt you when the interviewer checks references.

List of Sample Behavioral Interview Questions

Hundreds of behavioral interview questions are available online.  To help you get started, here is a sample list of common ones:

1. Give me an example from your last job where you had to rely on verbal instructions to complete a task.
2. Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
3. We have all had to work with someone who is difficult to get along with.  Give me an example of when this happened to you and how you handled it.
4. Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
5. Tell me about a recent problem you faced at work and how you found the best solution.
6. Have you ever made a mistake on the job?  How did you handle it?
7. Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
8. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
9. Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
10. Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.

Practice, Practice, Practice

If you’ve ever entered a behavioral interview unprepared, then you know how grueling the experience can be.  Thinking of relevant work examples while “under the gun” can be extremely difficult.

Don’t wind up looking like a deer in the headlights!  Rehearse your success stories with a friend.  With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to use a relatively small number of stories to answer a great number of behavioral questions.  Once you can show an employer that you possess the traits necessary to succeed, you’ll be well on your way to landing the job you want.

Ever lose one of your top performers?  Then you know how difficult it is.  Whether he storms out, or submits an eloquent letter of resignation, the void he leaves behind can be massive.

A key employee is someone who is not easily replaced – because he has years of experience with you, because he has developed and nurtured critical client relationships or simply because he’s fantastic at his job.  Bottom line, the unique value he adds to your organization makes the loss that much greater.

Like it or not, turnover of top performers is an inevitable part of business.  Since you can’t avoid it, the smartest thing to do is prepare yourself and your organization.  Use these suggestions to handle the transition as smoothly as possible and come out stronger on the other side:

Conduct an exit interview to learn why the employee is leaving. Did he leave for more money?  Better benefits?  A position with more responsibility?  Or, was there something about your corporate culture that drove him away?  Whatever the reason, you should try to find out by conducting a structured exit interview.  Most employees will provide honest feedback when they leave an organization – so take advantage of the opportunity to find out if there’s anything your company could’ve/should’ve done differently.  Uncovering the real reason(s) a key employee quits may help you prevent the loss of another.

Approach the change with the right mindset. The saying, “when one door closes another door opens” provides a constructive way to approach the loss of a key employee.  Instead of focusing solely on what’s gone, shift your focus to what is now possible.  While it will undoubtedly be difficult to fill the void he’s left, you must think about how your business could improve by replacing him.  Your next hire may provide new skills, a fresh perspective or great business connections.

Address the well-being of those left behind. When a key employee leaves, his departure may affect supervisors, co-workers, subordinates and/or valued clients.  Make sure you clearly communicate why the employee is leaving and find out what kind of impact this will have on those left behind.  Demonstrating your concern for everyone who is affected will help you come together as a team and work together toward a solution.

Evaluate the organization’s or department’s structure. When someone leaves, it’s logical to assume that you must immediately hire a replacement.  But before you post the position, take a step back.  Examine the current company structure to see if you really need to hire another person.  Could responsibilities be shifted?  Could you promote someone from within and hire a less expensive employee?  Consider all your options to be sure you’re making the right choice for your company’s current and future needs.

Use a multi-faceted recruiting approach. If you decide that you need to replace the employee, but you can’t fill the position internally, attack the candidate search on multiple fronts.  In addition to sifting through old résumés, soliciting referrals and posting the position online, consider working with a staffing or recruiting service.  These trained specialists can shorten your time-to-hire, present you with only the most qualified candidates and free you to focus on keeping your business running smoothly during what can be a difficult transition.

Plan Now for Future Turnover – Preparation is Essential

Instead of managing in fear of losing a key employee, build a stronger, more flexible team that’s ready to weather the turbulence of turnover:

Identify who your most essential employees are. Examine your staff members’ roles and contributions to your company.  Whom would you be devastated to lose?  Make a short list of your key staff and use this as a starting point for your turnover preparation efforts.

Groom future replacements. For each of the key staff members you’ve named, identify a potential replacement.  Obviously, this person may not currently be the ideal candidate for the job, but that’s okay.  Figure out what skills and experience he lacks to assume the position and start training him.  While cross-training is time consuming, it will be well worth the investment.  If one of your top employees departs abruptly, you will at least have a stop-gap replacement while you search for a permanent one.

Guard against knowledge loss. Do your key employees keep essential information stored in their heads?  Are there any organizational processes that only a single employee knows how to complete?  If so, your company is at risk.  To minimize the effects of knowledge loss, start by identifying the knowledge at risk.   Develop a knowledge management program to document and share vital information – so that it doesn’t leave the company along with a key employee.

Keep the lines of communication open. Encourage employees to come to you when they’re frustrated.  Ask them to tell you if they find out someone is interviewing with another company.  Give your staff opportunities to voice questions or concerns.  If you keep your finger on the pulse of your organization, and address small problems before they become big ones, you’re more likely to retain your best employees.

Maintain a relationship with a staffing/recruiting firm. When an employee leaves abruptly, you simply may not have the time or resources to locate a suitable replacement on your own.  In this case, you may benefit from the services of a staffing or recruitment firm.  These trained professionals can provide you with immediate access to candidates with the skills, experience and intangibles required to step in and be immediately productive.

Staffing services and recruiters can provide the most responsive service – and create the best matches – when they know your business well.  Don’t wait until you have a hiring crisis to develop a relationship.  Invite a representative in to meet your key staff, tour your location and learn about your organization.  Then, should a need arise, your staffing/recruiting partner will be prepared to deliver the right candidates in a timely manner.

Are you in danger of losing a key employee?  Don’t be the last to know.  Familiarize yourself with these warning signs that an employee may be looking for greener pastures.

The economy has presented hiring managers with an interesting challenge – namely, how to properly handle all the overqualified candidates coming through their doors.

On the surface, this may seem like a great problem to have.  Who wouldn’t want to hire a candidate with more talent and experience than the position requires?  But when you consider the long-term implications of hiring an overqualified candidate, you have to wonder whether the individual will really be content in a “lesser” job and stay working for you.

Whether real or perceived, recruiters traditionally hesitate to bring on overqualified individuals because of the “risks” involved.  Here are some of the more common ones:

He will be bored and leave. Many recruiters share the fear that an overqualified new hire will be unchallenged in his new role.  He may quickly become apathetic toward his work, and then under-perform or leave the job altogether.  In reality, however, an employee will rarely leave his job just because he feels he’s too talented for it – especially in this economy.

He will be too expensive. Obviously, an overqualified candidate will max out your budget.  But if your company posts the salary range for an available position, it’s reasonable to expect that anyone who applies for the job is willing to do it for that pay.

He will be hard to train and/or manage. A manager may fear that an experienced employee will want to do things his own way, as opposed to the way the manager wants it done.  Likewise, a direct supervisor may worry that the new hire has set his sights on the supervisor’s job, threatening the working relationship.  Rather than screening out overqualified candidates for these reasons alone, it’s smarter to find out whether these concerns are legitimate during the interview process.  If the overqualified candidate shows a resistance to change or to being managed, move on to the next candidate.

Considering Hiring an Overqualified Candidate?  Keep These Points in Mind

Are you concerned the new hire will leave? If you’re concerned about hiring the candidate, say so.  Be honest and ask how he feels about working in a position for which he’s potentially overqualified.  Simply talking about your concerns will give you a better sense of how serious he is about the job.  You may also uncover legitimate reasons the individual wants (and would stay in) the job.  For example, he may want a better work/life balance, or he may be trying to shift industries.

Is the candidate really overqualified or just over-experienced? Don’t assume that, just because an individual has extensive education and/or a long track record of success in a field, he is overqualified for your position.  To be truly overqualified, the candidate must exceed the skill requirements of the job.

If a candidate’s prior positions are not directly related to your available job, his experience may not translate as well.  So to avoid passing over a potentially great new hire, take the time for a quick phone interview to determine whether his education and work experience make him truly overqualified or not.

Could you eventually expand the job role to use more of the individual’s skills? Visionary hiring managers think broadly about overall talent needs – both now and in the future.  So before extending an offer to an overqualified candidate, think of your company’s bigger picture.  If you see the potential for expanding the candidate’s role or promoting him quickly, it may be in your best interest to offer him the job.  If he takes the job, create a clear and explicit plan for the future.  Discuss what will happen beyond the initial stage, during which his skills will be underutilized.

How will department managers and/or direct supervisors react? Occasionally a manager will feel threatened by an overqualified subordinate.  He may wonder: if he can manage the new hire effectively; if the new hire is a threat to his job security; if the new hire will make him look bad on the job.  In and of themselves, these are not reasons to pass on an overqualified candidate.  If you do make the hire, however, you should design and communicate a clear plan for promoting that individual in the near future, so that both employee and manager understand the clear career path.

What’s more important to your company’s success – performance or longevity? Research suggests that overqualified workers do tend to perform better.  Historically, however, they tend to turn over faster and are less satisfied in their jobs if they are not promoted to a level suiting their abilities.  If the position for which you’re hiring is not an upwardly mobile one, decide whether performance or longevity is more essential to success.  For example, if you’re already struggling with turnover in an hourly position, hiring more experienced workers for those positions may benefit you.

So should you hire an overqualified candidate?  Use the points above to determine if there’s a good fit between the individual (his skills, aspirations, willingness to do the work required and willingness to be managed) and your company’s talent needs (considering both the immediate position available as well as room for growth/promotion).  Be optimistic.  Who knows, an overqualified candidate could easily turn out to be your company’s next great leader!

You know who you are. You’re well-intentioned and perhaps even quite ambitious.  On the outside, you may seem to “have it all together” – at least to those who don’t have to work closely with you.  Those in your inner circle know, however, that as wonderful as you otherwise are, you frequently operate in a very disorganized mode.  When you work, you leave a swath of chaotic destruction in your wake – and may not even realize the havoc you wreak.

What havoc, you ask?  If you’re disorganized, you may be so focused on muddling your way through the day that you truly don’t notice the wreckage it causes: hurt feelings, frustrated friends and co-workers, incorrectly or partially completed tasks and messes left for others to clean up.  In fact, you might feel quite overwhelmed and busy every day, yet not have a good handle on your highest priorities or how to accomplish them.

Don’t despair.  Help is available!  If you’re among the ranks of the perpetually scatterbrained, or if your desk drawers look like they should appear on an episode of Hoarders, this article is for you.  It contains some great tips to help you get and stay more organized:

Create and Manage Goals

1. Clarify your top personal and professional goals. Getting started on the path to organization can be overwhelming.  Create a written list of your top true priorities (not just crises which are calling for your attention at the moment).  Once you’ve articulated these priorities, you can use the following tips to achieve them.
2. Create a mental game plan. Spend a few minutes at the start of each day – before you actually start doing any of them – to sit quietly, take a few slow, deep breaths and reflect on what you need to accomplish.  Ask yourself, “What activities and priorities have the most heart and meaning for me today?  What do I need to accomplish, to stay on track with my top priorities?”
3. Write down a daily to-do list. Start with the “have to’s” (tasks that are essential to accomplish) and work down to the “like to’s” (things that would be nice to get done, but aren’t a true priority).  Incorporate weekly priorities (see below) that will help you accomplish your top goals.  Use this to-do list as a guide for your daily activities, referring back to it as you check off tasks.
4. Create a weekly a priority review. To-do lists are great for daily activities, but many of your priorities may be mid- to long-term goals.  Each week, review your key responsibilities and goals (including personal, home, business, recreational, spiritual, etc.).  Identify what you must accomplish each week to attain those goals and transfer those to-do’s to your daily lists throughout the week.

Organize Your Space

1. Clean out the clutter. Set small, attainable goals for cleaning out every room in your house, every drawer in your cabinets, every shelf in your bookcases, etc.  Make clean-out time a part of your daily ritual (add it to your daily to-do list) to ensure it gets done.  Don’t let the prospect of cleaning out years of clutter overwhelm you.  Take it one drawer, one shelf, one closet at a time.  With a few days of focused effort you’ll start to make real progress.
2. Analyze how you use your space.  For each room in your home or office, ask, “How do I use this space?  What do I need to keep in here?  How can I best use the storage I have?”  Create a plan for each room that includes how you’d like to use the space, what you need to store in there and what additional storage you may need.
3. Get rid of space wasters. Do you have over-sized items that you don’t use for their intended purposes?  Ask yourself if you really need these items, or will in the near future.  If not, and the items are fairly easily to replace (i.e., not family heirlooms or one-of-a-kind items), consider selling or donating them.
4. Visit stores for inspiration. Not sure how to organize your stuff?  Stop by home improvement, office supply and/or department stores for great ideas.  Manufacturers keep pace with people’s changing organizational needs and continually bring new products and organization systems to market to help you keep your space clean and functional.
5. Buy the organization you need. If your home or office doesn’t have the storage you need, get it.  Getting and staying organized is vastly easier when you have the right stuff to do it.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money – clear storage totes, cardboard file boxes and, yes, Ziploc storage bags are all inexpensive options for keeping things neat and handy, especially in areas that are concealed.

Create a Home for Everything

1. Incoming and outgoing mail. Designate an area near your phone and/or PC for both incoming and outgoing mail.  Sort through your stack each day and either act on, file or trash every piece of mail that comes in.
2. Charging station. Reserve a spot near an electrical outlet for your cell phone, camera and other small electronics.  Store extra batteries, adapters, storage cards and cases in an adjacent drawer.
3. Keys. Place a hook on the wall by your door, or a small dish on a nearby table, for your keys.
4. Put things back where you found them. Commit to the habit of always plugging in your cell phone to charge when you get home.  Hang your keys on the hook instead of tucking them in your pocket.  Simple acts of discipline like these can save you vast amounts of time looking for misplaced items.

Use Organizational Tools

1. Manage your Inbox and voice mail. Take two to three minutes at the end of each day to clean out your e-mail Inbox and voice mail messages.  When you need to find a message, you won’t have to wade through mounds of useless information to retrieve it.
2. Create contact and distribution lists. If you frequently send e-mails to the same person (or groups of people), use shortcuts to avoid re-typing the same info over and over, and to prevent typos that can lead to undelivered e-mail.
3. Use a calendar. Choose what type of calendar suits your needs best (e.g., cell phone, Outlook, desk blotter, wall calendar, etc.) and then use it!  Make sure it’s handy whenever you’re scheduling appointments, planning your day or sorting through papers.  You’ll be surprised at how much paper you can eliminate by simply transferring important dates directly to your calendar.
4. Consider a smartphone. If you’re even the slightest bit tech-friendly, a smartphone can be better than paper-and-pen organization systems – especially if it has a network-based personal information manager that synchronizes with software running on your other computers.  Data entered on your smartphone is searchable, and you can easily program reminders for important items.

Manage Your Time

1. Combine similar activities.  Increase your efficiency by grouping like tasks.  Make your phone calls in groups; set aside time at two or three points in the day to send and answer e-mails; pay all your bills at the same time; plan outings so that you can accomplish two or three errands on the same side of town.
2. Delegate. You can’t do it all.  When you assign a task (be it to a spouse, a co-worker, a child or a friend) make sure that the person you appoint has all the tools necessary to complete it.

More Organizational Tips

1. Write it down. A short pencil is better than a long memory.  If you need to remember it, write it down.  Let’s face it – we’re all human and nobody should be expected to remember every birthday, appointment or item on a shopping list.  Don’t have a pencil?  Leave yourself a voice mail, or use your phone’s notepad feature to record important details.
2. Organize receipts. Keep an envelope in your desk drawer to store receipts for each month.  Store the monthly receipt envelopes for a year in a single folder, or keep a receipt filing system by item category (i.e., appliances, clothes, office equipment/supplies, electronics, etc.).
3. Follow through. There’s no point in making to-do lists if you’re not going to complete the tasks you’ve assigned yourself.  At the end of the day, take a look at what you’ve accomplished vs. what you’ve put off or were unable to complete.  If something is continually left undone, take a good look at it.  Is it really important to your top priorities?  If so, bite the bullet and get started on it.  The task may be unpleasant, but you’ll feel so much better once it’s completed.
4. Use simple organizational aids. Ziploc bags, rubber bands and drawer organizers are your friends.  Get into the habit of using these to keep items neat, visible and handy.
5. Use Post-it notes. These self-adhesive gems are perfect for reminding yourself (and others) of easy-to-forget details.
6. Accomplish your most unpleasant tasks first. Avoid the procrastination trap by tackling the tough stuff first, so the rest of the day will be easier.
7. Check to make sure you have everything you need before you head out the door. Spend just 30 seconds reviewing where you need to go, and what you need to do there, so that you don’t leave behind important items.
8. Start meetings and phone conversations by setting time limits. Let people know how much time you have, so you have a better chance of addressing everything you need to cover in the allotted time.
9. Keep your work surfaces clear. Before you leave your desk, room, kitchen counter or work station, put it back like you found it.  You’ll be much more productive the next time you sit down to work in this area if it’s clean and organized, with ample space to work.

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can’t expect to completely organize your life in one day, either.  When attempting to get organized, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.  Don’t set the bar so high that you set yourself up for failure.  Start with one habit, one goal, one change.  Implement just one of the suggestions listed above each week, and you’ll be well on your way to a more organized life.

The employment pendulum is swinging.  Gen Y’ers want to know, “What can you do for me?”

While it’s tempting to think that there are “plenty of fish in the sea,” the truth is that top talent is becoming harder to attract and retain.

So how do you know if yours is a company that talented people really want to work for?  Sure, employees want to be fairly compensated for the work they do.  But beyond offering good pay, what can you do to position yourself as an employer of choice?  This article can help.  It reviews the characteristics of an employer of choice and how to position your organization so that the best and brightest will come knocking on your door.

Characteristics of an Employer of Choice

According to San Francisco State professor John Sullivan, here are 10 of the top 25 factors* that will help you determine if you’re an employer of choice:

1. “Best” list appearances. Your firm currently appears on Fortune’s or Working Mother’s best places list and on more than one industry or regional best places list.
2. Positive name recognition in target population. When asked in a survey or focus group, people in your target professional fields know the name of your firm 75 percent of the time, and over half of those know at least one key positive selling point of your firm.
3. In the top three choices of top performers. When highly qualified professionals are asked the names of places they “would like to work someday,” over 50 percent list your firm in the top five most-often mentioned.
4. Where your applications come from. At least 10 percent of your applicants come from the top five most profitable firms in your industry or region.
5. Often cited in MVPs. Your company’s HR and people practices are cited at least five times a year by name in the top three (most valuable publications) that are read by top professionals in their field or industry.
6. Often cited. Your organization’s HR and people practices are cited by name in major industry, business and HR publications over 50 times a year.
7. Referral rate. Employee referrals make up over 50 percent of all hires.
8. “Other offers.” Applicants with multiple offers also get a concurrent offer from one of the top ten-rated firms in your industry at least 50 percent of the time.
9. Give away/take away ratio. Your organization hires away more people from your top five competitors than the competitor hires away from you (you win four out of five of these head-to-head battles).
10. Talent competitors talk positively about you. When managers at direct talent competitors are asked in surveys or focus groups about your firm’s people practices, they give a positive response 25 percent of the time.

Things You Can Do to Become an Employer of Choice

Focus your efforts. Unfortunately, your company can’t be all things to all people.  The practices that motivate one employee may actually cause another to walk out.  Start by identifying the qualities you need in “ideal” employees, then structure your management practices to attract and reward those types of people.

Reward teams and individuals. Establish programs that allow managers, supervisors and other employees to nominate staff members who go above and beyond in their jobs.  Programs can be monthly, quarterly or project-based.  Team awards should encourage unity and cohesive performance; individual rewards should foster personal and professional excellence.

Review compensation packages. Invest the time to review employees’ salary and total compensation packages, using a wide variety of data (e.g., BLS data, industry-specific pay scales, independent salary expert data, special compensation analysis reports, etc.).  Make sure that your employees are paid fairly, and that factors like gender, race, ethnicity, age and physical/mental disability do not affect employee pay rates.  When conducting performance reviews, give pay increases commensurate with attainment of measurable objectives.

Train management to measure and document employee performance. To become an employer of choice, HR should lead training efforts to ensure managers properly and regularly review employee performance.  Establish a cycle for individual performance reviews, during which managers/supervisors provide employees with written performance evaluations.  Formalizing these processes sends employees the message that your company takes them, and their contributions, seriously.

Examine and update your compensation policies. More than ever, people value workplace flexibility and an employer’s ability to help them maintain a healthy work/life balance.  To make your compensation plans more attractive, consider:

• implementing flex time options;
• offering or upgrading wellness programs;
• increasing vacation pay with tenure (thereby rewarding longevity)
• offering on-site day care;
• reimbursing employees for tuition.

Communicate honestly and openly. Keep all employees – from senior management through front-line staff – in the loop on major projects and events impacting your company, including financial performance.  Encourage bottom-up communication as well, so that employees at all levels know that their ideas and opinions are important.

There are literally dozens of ways to become an employer of choice.  No matter which of those listed above you choose to implement, let your employees know how important they are to you.

* Excerpted from “HR Metrics, the World-Class Way” by Dr. John Sullivan. For further information, go to www.employerofchoice.com. Source: Workforce Online, April 2003; http://www.workforce.com/archive/article/23/41/93_printer.php