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Posts from the ‘A Thought from our recruiters’ Category

Jul 22

Thoughts

TIPS FOR CONDUCTING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

TEN TIPS FOR CONDUCTING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

You’ve invested your time, your money, and all your energy into building your company. But no company can function for very long without a team of productive employees supporting it. It’s important not only that your employees feel appreciated, but also that they feel they’re progressing steadily in their careers.

One of the best ways to ensure this level of job satisfaction is by holding employee performance reviews at least once a year. However, as essential as these reviews can be for the growth of the company and the well-being of its employees, many small business owners remain uncomfortable with the entire process.

To make your performance reviews as productive and as painless as possible, follow these 10 tried-and-true suggestions:

  1. Be prepared. First of all, make sure you are fully prepared before sitting down with the employee. Decide both what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it.
  2. Lead with the positive. It’s important to reaffirm the employee’s strengths at the beginning of the review. Since job security is the number one concern of most people, the performance review is a good time to tell an employee how much you value their contributions to your business.
  3. Don’t be confrontational. It’s also important not to criticize the employee in general terms. The goal is to evaluate job performance and not the person. A performance review that turns into a gripe session misses the opportunity to raise employee morale.
  4. Keep it real. Human resource professionals recommend that you avoid detailed reviews that are too complicated and mechanistic, which can leave the employee feeling like a drone rather than a human being.
  5. Be consistent. Make sure to handle performance reviews in a consistent manner. Top performers should hear affirmations from you regarding their exemplary efforts; weak performers need to hear that their performance requires improvement. A simple approach to review criteria is to evaluate work based on quantity and quality relative to the job requirements. Secondary considerations might be employee attitude, willingness to help other personnel with their work when appropriate, and the ability to get along with others.
  6. Make it a two-way conversation. An effective performance review requires an interactive discussion with an open agenda. Try to formulate questions that seek the employee’s ideas and input. Remember, this will help the employee feel you value his or her opinions. The review should also be a forum for employees to voice their concerns.
  7. Address what’s important to the employee. Since job satisfaction is the most important factor affecting an employee’s attitude (and therefore his or her level of performance and value to your company), an effective review should delve into areas that include issues most important to that employee.
  8. Discuss work/life balance. The performance review is a good opportunity to show your concern for the employee’s work/life balance, and to jointly discuss solutions to improve that balance. It’s also a good time to create a plan for the employee’s career advancement and discuss what future opportunities might exist for him or her.
  9. Be a good listener. Remember to be an active listener and to pick up on your employee’s verbal and nonverbal cues.
  10. Review regularly. Reviews should be done proactively with the purpose of improving employee morale and productivity. When you conduct them on a regular basis, you avoid reviews prompted solely by the need to document an employee’s poor performance. This in turn can imply that the information is being collected as evidence to avoid litigation, should the employee ever be terminated.Thoughts

The sign of a successful performance review is an employee who leaves the meeting feeling motivated and excited about his or her job. If the employee’s job satisfaction needs are unmet, it’s less likely they will be motivated to focus on your goals for the company. But if an employee feels acknowledged, appreciated, and fairly rewarded for past efforts, he or she will indeed become a valuable asset to the future success of your company.

Jul 22

Interview Blunders

Top 10 Interview Blunders

1. Don’t Prepare
Not being able to answer the question “What do you know about this company?” might just end your quest for employment, at least with this employer. Background information including company history, locations, divisions, and a mission statement are available in an “About Us” section on most company web sites. Review it ahead of time, then print it out and read it over just before your interview to refresh your memory.

2. Dress Inappropriately
Dressing inappropriately can work both ways. You will certainly want to wear a suit if you are interviewing for professional position. When interviewing for a summer job at your local theme park or as a lifeguard, for example, dress accordingly in neat and casual attire. If you aren’t sure what to wear, visit the organization and watch employees coming in and out of the office to see what they are wearing.

3. Poor Communication Skills
It’s important to communicate well with everyone you meet in your search for employment. It is, however, most important to positively connect with the person who might hire you. Shake hands, make eye contact, exude confidence, engage the person you are speaking with, and you will let the interviewer know that you are an excellent candidate for this position – before you even answer an interview question.

4. Too Much Communication
Believe it or not, a recent candidate for employment, who, by the way, didn’t get the job, didn’t hesitate to answer his cell phone when it rang during an interview. Leave the phone behind or at least turn it off before you enter the building. Same goes for coffee, food and anything else other than you, your resume, your job application, and your list of references. They don’t belong at an interview.

5. Talk Too Much
There is nothing much worse than interviewing someone who goes on and on and on… The interviewer really doesn’t need to know your whole life story. Keep your answers succinct, to-the-point and focused and don’t ramble – simply answer the question.

6. Don’t Talk Enough
It’s really hard to communicate with someone who answers a question with a word or two. I remember a couple of interviews where I felt like I was pulling teeth to get any answers from the candidate. It wasn’t pleasant. So, even though you shouldn’t talk too much, you do want to be responsive and fully answer the question as best you can.

7. Fuzzy Facts
Even if you have submitted a resume when you applied for the job, you may also be asked to fill out a job application. Make sure you know the information you will need to complete an application including dates of prior employment, graduation dates, and employer contact information.

8. Give the Wrong Answer
Make sure you listen to the question and take a moment to gather your thoughts before you respond. Like the following candidate, you’ll knock yourself out of contention if you give the wrong answer.The interviewer had completely described a sales and marketing position to the candidate. She emphasized that cold calling and prospecting were the most important skills and experiences needed for the position. The candidate responded to the question about what she did or didn’t like to do in sales, with these words: “I hate to do cold calling and prospecting, and I’m not good at it.” That response ensured that she wouldn’t get the job!

9. Badmouthing Past Employers
Your last boss was an idiot? Everyone in the company was a jerk? You hated your job and couldn’t wait to leave? Even if it’s true don’t say so. I cringed when I heard someone ranting and raving about the last company she worked for. That company happened to be our largest customer and, of course, I wasn’t going to hire someone who felt that way about the company and everyone who worked there.

It’s sometimes a smaller world than you think and you don’t know who your interviewer might know, including that boss who is an idiot… You also don’t want the interviewer to think that you might speak that way about his or her company if you leave on terms that aren’t the best.

10. Forget to Follow Up
Afraid you didn’t make the best impression? Are you sure that you aced the interviewed? Either way, be sure to follow up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position and the company.

Finally, even if you do flub the interview, don’t take it to heart. I don’t think there is anyone hasn’t blown an interview or two. If it happens, look at it like it just wasn’t meant to be, learn from your mistakes and move on to the next opportunity.

The Hart Group, Ltd