How to Overcome a Weakness Gain Confidence in Your Skills

How to Overcome a Weakness Gain Confidence in Your SkillsHow to Overcome a Weakness Gain Confidence in Your SkillsThere I was, on an early Saturday morning, in front of a group of haggard, hung over, middle-aged men, presenting my companys new products to a key distributors sales gruppe.After the presentations, the group of men voted on the best and worst speaker of the day. And guess who was voted the worst?Me.I was humiliated and horrified, but honestly, it was a good decision- I was terrible.So, I immediately hatched a plan to find a new job that would never require me to speak in front of a group of people again. How could I go through with it?But, I also figured out an alternate escape route If I simply gained the confidence to speak in front of people, Id never again find myself in that horrifying situation in the first place.Im happy to report that the competitor in me prevailed, and I chose the latter course. And if youre in the same boat- maybe youve had a similar catastro phic experience, or maybe you just dont feel good enough in your day-to-day role- know that you, too, can boost your confidence in your abilities and face your weakness head-on. Heres how.1. Build Relationships and Trust With OthersWhen you build strong, trusting relationships with your co-workers (and even the clients you work with), youll gain an army of supporters- so even if you dont fully believe in yourself, your team will.After my career mishap, I approached my team to let them know how I intended to improve for future presentations. And suddenly, I had a group of raving fans who constantly encouraged me, gave me honest feedback, and shared their own trials and slip-ups with me. (When someone you trust says, Hey, I had an epic fail once- but I overcame it, and you can, too- its a pretty powerful confidence booster.)I also approached my customer and promised that Id never be the worst speaker again. He encouraged and supported me, and he trusted that Id follow through with my commitment.Having a team (and clients) that wants you to succeed is empowering. And with their motivation and votes of confidence, youll be encouraged to push forward.2. Have Clear Objectives and a Plan to Meet ThemWhile looking to others for encouragement is great, something that we often trap ourselves in when trying to overcome a weakness is looking to them for approval. On the contrary, when you set your own goals for success, you have something to grab onto and own yourself. You can be more concerned with reaching your own objectives than with meeting the approval of others.So, once you set your mind to something, put a plan in place to meet it. My goal, of course, was to learn to speak and present myself more effectively. To get to that point, I went to a local university and signed up for two terms of communications courses. And I didnt just sit in the back and take notes I asked for feedback on everything from my presentation outlines to the way I pronounced specific words.I t was a humbling and powerful experience- but the end result was well worth it.Whats more, I learned that with a goal, well laid-out steps, and self-directed action, I had more power and kompetenz than I ever imagined.3. Focus on Small Wins That said, as you work toward your ultimate goal, remember You do not need to win the gold medal on day 1.After all, did I return to the sales group the next week and knock them off their feet with a killer speech? Wishful thinking But no, I didnt.In my communications classes, the professor had us take baby steps and get small wins. So, we started by writing a good outline. Then, we gave a short speech on that outline. Next was a longer speech, then more complex and even longer speeches. Then, we recorded our speeches for feedback. And eventually, we attempted extemporaneous speaking (hows that for nerve-wracking?).Small step by small step, I gained experience, new skills, and confidence. Each small win gave me an opportunity to celebrate- which helped push me further.And you can do the same. As you work toward your goals, keep track of your progress in a journal or calendar- and celebrate each and every victory, no matter how small.4. Leverage Your StrengthsWhile you work on building your skills directly (like taking a few classes, as in my situation), surround yourself with opportunities to use your other strengths, too. This will amplify your sense of accomplishment- which will boost your confidence even more.For example, I wasnt a great speaker, but I knew I was good at building rapport, following up, and developing account management strategies, and I could help people understand complex situations quickly and easily. When I focused on these natural talents, it helped me build my confidence in every area of my work- including public speaking.Too often, we focus only on weaknesses (Im terrible at public speaking, so I dont even deserve this job), which dissolves any semblance of confidence we have and can impact our per formance in other areas. So, although your strengths will never erase your weaknesses entirely, theyll be a good reminder that you are competent- and that with those skills, youll be able to overcome any shortcomings.The takeaway? Even if youre faced with a weakness, dont be afraid to stretch yourself, try new things, and take more risks. The more things you try, the more choices and opportunities youll have- which pretty much puts the world at your fingertips.Most of all, believe in your ability to succeed. Once you have that confidence, youll roll with the ups and downs of your job without a second thought. Surprise presentation? Bring it onPhoto of man at work courtesy of Shutterstock.

8 Tips to Land Your Dream Job in Under 2 Minutes [video]

8 Tips to Land Your Dream Job in Under 2 Minutes video8 Tips to Land Your Dream Job in Under 2 Minutes Job seeking can sometimes be very discouraging and not necessarily easy. These 8 pieces of advice can help you to find the job of your dreams.The most important advice is believe in yourself. Dont feel like you are under experienced for a certain job. It is all about moving your comfort zone further. Be happy for the new challenges, do not be scared of them.To find the rest of our useful advices to find a job, check out the video below.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Why Goal Setting Most Often Fails

Why Goal Setting Most Often FailsWhy Goal Setting Most Often FailsWhy dont most people platzset and achieve personal goals, career goals, and business goals? Goal setting is a positive, powerful practice when it ignites enthusiasm and provides clear direction. When practiced poorly, however, goal setting also has a serious downside which can undermine your success. Poor goal setting makes people cynical, wastes their time and fosters confusion about where to concentrate on actions and energy. How does such a potentially successful practice as goal setting, go wrong, so often? This site is a proponent of setting goals and measuring your progress in achieving them. A recent exchange with William Hamilton, President of TechSmith Corporation, and several other executive managers (who wish to remain anonymous) reminded you that goal setting, executed poorly, thoughtlessly, or for the wrong reasons, can have a significant negative impact on both people and your organization business plan. Avoid these five misuses of a potentially positive, powerful practice goal setting for personal goals, career goals, and business goals. The Art of Intimidation Organizations often fail to achieve goals and strategic planning targets that are set top down, by executives who lack crucial information and are out of touch with staff challenges. The goals are unrealistic and they fail to consider organization resources and capabilities. Staff members dont believe that the rewards they will receive for goal accomplishment will equal the energy they invest to achieve them. Frequently, managers are intimidated when they fear job loss for failure. A former Siebel Systems executive says My favorite goal setting story of all time was how Siebel set abverkauf goals for its District Managers everyones quota was $3.5 million. There, no more thought needed to go into it, no discussion - just do it or youre fired So the District Manager calling on Citibank had the same quota as the District Ma nager calling on the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Guess which guy got fired? I also remember how I used to spend the last day of every sales quarter at Siebel performing unnatural acts to close business and save my job. At the end of the year, I had to work until 1000 p.m. on the last day of the sales quarter (while we had company over at home) to get one last deal closed. This deal saved my job. I was one of two state and local district managers that avoided the ax two weeks later. Goals Intended to Impress, leid Guide Efforts William Hamilton says During the roaring, crazy days of the dot.com nineties, using goalsto impress was commonplace, although organizations also utilized this technique long before the Internet arrived. In this process, management creates goals based on the desire to impress or mislead outside groups. According to Hamilton, this process is, also used to avoid serious analysis of the company and the marketplace. At the end of the time per iod, these goals can then be used by senior management to pass the buck and the blame for the failure to meet the goals. To internal staff members, who were often unconvinced and unmoved by the unrealistic, show goals, senior managements actions produced serious morale and competency-questioning issues. To staff members who bought into the euphoria, failure to achieve the goals was a deadly downward spiral. We Had to Destroy the Village In an effort to meet the current periods goals, the long-term viability of the organization is put at risk. Hamilton gives these examples of negative actions people take to meet unrealistic goals. They Focus development efforts on the next sale.Offer deep discounts on products to move future sales into the current period.Push expenses into the future, rather than accounting for them when incurred.Use expensivepromotionsthat actually generate less in sales than they cost.Fail to carefully develop long-term strategic efforts, when strategic means t he payoff is not within the next goal time period. A former IBM manager illustrates this point with this story. One ridiculous process was the way IBM used to set sales quotas. In the later years there, when the company was showing very slow growth, you could count on a 25% to 30% increase in quota. It didnt matter that most IT (Information Technology) budgets were stagnant, so the quota process was demoralizing in a big way The way to make dollars there was to find a job where they werent sure how to set the quota - some kind of new area - and clean up and move on. Some people specialized in this sort of behavior. Goal Setting Becomes the Plan, Not the Execution Hamilton says a potentially serious downside occurs when the ratio of energy, time and creativity that goes into creating the goal outstrips (and comes out of the hide) of actually managing the product. In one small manufacturing company, a management group decided to use Gantt charts to track goal accomplishment. After starting with a huge investment of time in making the charts for all of their goals, the management group soon abandoned the charting. When questioned later, they affirmed that the charting was taking too much of the time they needed to accomplish the goals. But, they had awesome charts while they were keeping them up. Another example of this is when an organization spends time and energy to develop a comprehensive business plan, and then the plan sits in a drawer. While the act of making the plan was important, the follow-up is the critical piece. Regular review and follow-up make a plan live - and serve. Too Many Goals Make Nothing a Priority In our work with small and mid-sized manufacturing companies, we often find that people wear so many hats, they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of goals they are expected to meet. We once facilitated a strategic planning session during which people analyzed and established priorities. They moved non-priority items to a B list and bel ieved they had successfully created an A list of the most important, achievable goals. You can imagine my consternation when, at the end of the session, the senior manager looked at the list of goals on the B list and said, These are all givens. We have to accomplish these anyway. People with too many goals experience these issues They never feel as if they accomplish a complete task.It is difficult to tie their goal accomplishment to a reward and recognition system that recognizes their accomplishments.They dont know what is most important to accomplish next.They sachverhalt prey to the check it off the list syndrome in which they check tasks off their list before the actions have been integrated into the organization. Goal setting is a positive, powerful, business practice when it tells your staff where you are going. Effective goal setting also demonstrates what success will look like during the journey and upon arrival. When practiced poorly, however, goal setting can negatively impact your organization in all the ways described and more.

How to Stop That Nagging Self-Doubt From Constantly Creeping In

How to Stop That Nagging Self-Doubt From Constantly Creeping InHow to Stop That Nagging Self-Doubt From Constantly Creeping InFeelings of self-doubt can plague all of us- and in some cases, these harbored doubts threaten to derail ur work lives. The chatter of these disconcerting pangs can become quite vocal as we approach (or settle) into a new challenge. While I dont recommend debating if this is worthy of your attention (it is), actively considering how to neutralize the negative by-products is both worthy and necessary.There is a personenname for this dynamic The imposter syndrome, or The imposter phenomenon. First documented by psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 70s- which explains how family experiences can serve as one instigating culprit- it illustrates how high achievement doesnt automatically translate into a deep sense of confidence. We can harbor experiences that make us feel vulnerable and unworthy. In fact, some us fear being discovered as less th an competent (even a fake) as we progress career-wise.Questions such as Do I deserve to be here? and Do I really have what it takes to succeed? can dominate our internal monologue. Research examining this recorded greater anxiety levels for those identified as imposters before a challenge, and greater loss of self-esteem after a failure- yet it did elend affect actual performance. Those examining IP further as it affects us career-wise found that IP decreased career planning, career striving, and the motivation to lead- all of which can spell trouble.Have you heard the urban legend of a freshly minted group of MBA students at a prestigious university? On the first day of class, a professor inquired if they entertained the thought that their acceptance may have been an error. Surprisingly, the majority of students raised their hand in response. They had unceremoniously diminished their hard work and accomplishments to something as capricious as an office error.The truth is, Ive been there- and in all likelihood, youve been there, too. We should make every effort to squelch our negative inner voice as it attempts to trump our hard work. In fact, we should unpack the whys and hows of the syndrome, because self-managing these pangs is an important task.Here are some things to considerUnderstand Where Your Doubts OriginateThis is an important, yet very tough question to answer. In many cases, past experiences are so ingrained in our daily lives that weve forgotten to challenge them. Has an early career failure or unhealthy family dynamic plagued you in some way? Take the time to examine the layers of the onion.Watch the Stress of TransitionsFeelings of anxiety can accompany new surroundings or uncertainty. Recognize this is completely normal and will likely pass as you become more settled in your new endeavor.Watch the Perfect TrapFeelings of doubt can be fueled by the penchant to achieve perfection. Try to determine if perfectionist tendencies cloud your judgement concerning your knowledge set, skills, and experience.Consider the FactsTake a deep breath and examine the facts. (In fact, sit down and review your accomplishments.) There is likely much more evidence that you are competent and can meet the challenges in front of you, than not. Remember that an organization chooses to engage you, betting you will succeed rather than fail. If you are not chosen for a valued role or task, realize that this does not mean you are entirely incompetent- just not the individual with the best fit.Learn to Process Setbacks in a Healthier MannerFailure is an ever-present possibility- and the greater the challenge ahead, the more likely your protective mechanisms will kick into high gear. Yes, there is a chance that you might fail. However, if all doesnt go well, be careful to unpack the low points without sacrificing yourself.Monitor Self-TalkWhat usually dominates your thoughts with a challenge? Excitement? Doubt? Negativity? Monitor (and auto-correct) the dialogue marching through your head.Share Your ConcernsIf you have nagging doubts about a specific element of your work life, put the cards on the table with someone with who can offer an impartial opinion. Go there and discuss the perceived weaknesses. This may offer you a much-needed perspective.Still Doubtful? Try to FocusIf you still have a suspicion that you may actually be lacking somehow (even though others may not share that assessment), explore methods to satisfy your inner critic. Carve out strategies to help you feel comfortable and build confidence, or circulate your ideas for review or comment. This may do your workplace heart a world of good.This article was originally published on LinkedIn. It has been republished here with permission.Photo of man nervous courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.

Consultant Resume at a Glance

Consultant Resume at a Glance Marketing assistant CV DayJob If you are only starting out, you need to use an entry level CV. Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. Its possible to also Simple Resume Template. With LinkedIn, all you have to do is a transition to a month-to-month subscription. If youre lacking a good deal of expert experience then it is even more critical you compose a flawless education section. Or one may need a skill based resume which helps to emphasize your abilities and achievements that are directly relevant to a certain job target that is also offered. Your resumes career objective should state that youre seeking to join a stable business in a standort that would provide you with the chance to expand your expertise and improve your abilities. A well-written objective will tell your prospective employer you have expertise within the field that you claim, and you ought to emphasize any prev ious experiences or skills that will turn you into a viable candidate. Get the Scoop on Consultant Resume Before Youre Too Late Employers will find a particular person who can fulfill their existing needs, so its sensible to be certain that you emphasize the simple fact which you have exactly the correct skills. Structure of the resume objective The very first sentence of an objective should have the ability to explain the employer why you are the very best candidate for the specific post and what would you like to do something good for the organization. Up in Arms About Consultant Resume? You are vital to the success of your customers business ventures. You might or might not have business skills at the moment, but youre going to be expected to train and learn how businesses work and the way you can make them better. Instead, companies will be searching for more specific expertise and advertising specialists. An organization may be looking to seek the services of a digital absatzwirtschaft and advertising consultant since they dont know the very first thing about digital marketing or since they want some of your particular expertise. You will need a completely different strategy, one specifically created for digital advertising consultants. 1 Actually, in marketing, its what you say and the way you say it. Your marketing resume should contain keywords which are searched by marketing managers if youre looking for suitable applicants. Marketing in the 21st century demands intimate understanding of social networking platforms. So it is an excellent idea to start your resume with some critical points that will capture the interest of the hiring manager. You also need to have the correct attitude for the job. If you are not happy in your work, learn why, for real. Even worse, you might be put in a job where youre unqualified. The Secret to Consultant Resume So when the hiring company hasnt provided a salary for work, we look at salary data from re lated businesses and locations to develop a sensible estimate for what it is possible to expect. While there are lots of expert CV and resume writing services available on the web, and theyll certainly do the task for you, it is going to cost you to get it written for you in particular. You also encounter different people on the job and as prospective buyers or sellers. Second, $15,000 is a substantial saving for smaller businesses. A free resume template is a kind of basic sample for a resume that an individual might need to develop. The option of not employing the comprehensive flusskompressionsgenerator architecture was made to decrease the developing time. No matter your degree of job experience, your resume structure is essential to making your program stick out. A premium quality sample marketing resume will contain a lot of the key terms and phrases employers are seeking, a couple times throughout their application. The Tried and True Method for Consultant Resume in S tep by Step Detail Management Analysts concentrate on CMSs internal operations with the purpose of improving organizational effectiveness. What the Car Sales Consultant Resume Objective Should Tell Prospective Employers A Car Sales Consultant ought to have a good understanding of all of the vehicles they give and their features so they can give the appropriate info to buyers. Finding a job as a Salesforce Consultant demands business knowledge, soft abilities, and most importantly, expansive Salesforce knowledge. Find out more about the business youre applying for A career for a business analyst can be very rewarding. That means you can see why the healthcare consulting sector is in an outstanding distributions-mix to grow and prosper. Market Research Analyst CV Focusing on the important abilities and competencies required for the job of an industry research analyst the instance is short, but includes all of the information employers expect to see.

Metromile Company Award

Metromile Company Award Below is a post originally written by PowerToFly Partner Metromile, and published on October 26, 2018. Go to Metromiles page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn mora.More exciting news for us at Metromile this week ????Metromile has been named to this years CB Insights Fintech 250, a list of the most promising fintech companies.Thanks to CB Insights for including us on this list were in great company One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. An d men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-divers e teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7 .7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69, 222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

A Six-Step Hiring Strategy to Identify Soft Skills

A Six-Step Hiring Strategy to Identify Soft SkillsA Six-Step Hiring Strategy to Identify Soft SkillsA Six-Step Hiring Strategy to Identify Soft SkillsBy Bruce Tulgan, author of Bridging the Soft Skills Gap How to Teach the Missing Basics to Todays Young Talent(Wiley)Never forget, one very good hire is much better than three or four or five mediocre hires. No matter where you are on the skill spectrum, build in soft skills criteria systematically in every aspect of your staffing strategy and hiring processStep OneFor every single position, build a profile and job description that includes not just the key hard skills for that role, but also the key soft skills. Use our competency model to start your brainstorming, but make them your own.Once you identify the high priority soft skill behaviors for each position, name them yourself. Describe them in detail. Build those criteria into the basic job requirements in no uncertain terms from the very outset. Be prepared to turn away candidate s who do not meet these soft skill criteria, just as you would turn away candidates without the necessary hard skills.Or, if you are forced to hire people without the required soft skills, make sure youhave a plan in place to address those soft skill gaps from the first day of employment, just as you would have a plan in place if you hired an employee without the necessary technical skills.Step TwoLook for talent from sources well known for the strong soft skills you need. If you are hiring out of schools and training programs, definitely find out which ones include soft skills in their standard curriculum.But dont wait for them to come to you. Be proactive about seeking candidates from those sources. Look for candidates If you can build relationships with key influencers in those sources teachers, career counselors, leaders, active members of organizations, military outplacement partienel, and so forth.Step ThreeInclude your high priority soft skills behaviors in your employer bra nding and recruitment campaign messaging. Thats why its so important to name your high priority soft skills to have meaningful slogans to capture them.Remember, the goal of any recruiting campaign is to deliver a compelling message in order to draw a sufficiently large applicant swimming-pool so that you can be very selective. Your goal is not necessarily to draw applicants who are all very smart and great team players but, at the very least, you want to draw applicants who aspire to be very smart and aspire to be great team players.You want to draw applicants who are looking for a job in which they can learn and grow and build themselves up. We call it a self-building job. You want to draw applicants for whom the idea of self-building is a big turn-on, not a turn-off.Step FourIn a tight labor market, the pressure to hire leads to hard-selling a job to a candidate, even if that person is not ideal for the job. In fact, so many employers are so starved for young talent that they jus t cant bear to turn potential employees away, even in the face of huge red flags.If someone comes late for the interview or falls asleep during the interview or has typos in his resume and timeliness, good health, or attention to detail are important soft skills for this job then those red flags are telling you,DONT HIRE THIS PERSONStep FiveBuild a selection process that places a heavy emphasis on high priority soft skills. Heres a shortcut Scare away young job candidates who only think they are serious by shining a bright light on all the downsides of the job.Whatever the worst, most difficult aspects of the job may be, start your selection process with vivid descriptions of those downsides. Then see which candidates are still interested in the job. They are the ones worth testing and interviewing.We recommend using research validated testing whenever possible to get a quick baseline reading of an applicants aptitude in key areas of the job, including high priority soft skills. W hatever test you settle on, just make sure you can implement and evaluate it with relative speed. And make sure you know in advance exactly what you are looking for.What are you testing for? If you need an employee who can write well, simply flosse the applicant a piece of paper and ask him to write something. If you need an employee who can speak well, ask her to prepare a brief presentation and then present it. If you need an employee who can solve problems in spatial relations, give her a puzzle. If you need an employee who can solve math problems, give him some math problems to solve. If you need an employee who can be on time, schedule three interviews, at three different times. And so on. Of course, some soft skills are harder to test for than others.Then comes the job interview, the one employment selection process almost every manager does, but very few do well. When it comes to interviewing, the best practice is still the simple model of behavioral interviewing. Although th ere are entire courses taught in behavioral interviewing, I often teach it to managers in my seminars in three minutes. Behavioral interviewing simply means asking applicantsto tell you a story and then listening carefully to the story.When you are doing behavioral interviewing, make sure to ask applicants, not only about their use of hard skills, but also their use of soft skills Tell me a story about a time you solved a problem at workor Tell me a story about a conflict you had with another employee at work. How did you solve it?Finally, consider one last stage of selection, we call the realistic job preview. This might be a probationary hiring period, or a prereal job internship, during which you can try out the employee and the employee can try out the job for a while. Make sure to assign the person real tasks that mirror the actual tasks, responsibilities,and projects he or she will be asked to do if he or she accepts the job. Make sure to include the grunt work.Another option is a period of job shadowing or tagging along with another person in your organization who is doing the same job this person will be doing if hired. This approach is sometimes used in hospitals.Step SixIf there is any lag time between the time an offer is made and accepted and day one of the actual job, take advantage of that time. Perhaps the employee needs to finish school or the employer must complete a security screening. Use the delay to keep sending the message about your high priority soft skill behaviors Send books or videos or other targeted learning materials. In every way you can, keep sending themessage that those soft skill behaviors really matter.From Bruce Tulgans new book, Bridging the Soft Skills Gap Teaching the Missing Basics to Todays Young Talent (Wiley/Jossey-Bass, September 2015.)Listen to a https//www.youtube.com/ Podcast with Bruce Tulgan The Importance of Soft SkillsAuthor BioBruce Tulgan is an adviser to geschftsleben leaders all over the world and a sough t-after keynote speaker and seminar leader. He is the founder and CEO ofRainmakerThinking, Inc., a management research and training firm, as well as RainmakerThinking.Training, an on-line training company. Bruce is the best-selling author of numerous books including The 27 Challenges Managers Face (2014), Not Everyone Gets a Trophy (2009), and Its Okay to be the Boss (2007). Follow him onTwitter brucetulgan.

7 TED talks to watch if you want to start your own company

7 TED talks to watch if you want to start your own company7 TED talks to watch if you want to start your own companyIf youve ever watched a TED Talk, you probably remember how touched or empowered you felt afterward. The distinguished speakers definitely know what theyre talking about, and sometimes you just need a third-party perspective to get your own life moving. Ready for some TED Talks that will get you thinking about your aspiring business adventure? Maybe youve always dreamed of opening your own bakery or starting a tech company. Whatever the dream, these seven TED Talks will help get you started.1. The Surprising Habits Of Original Thinkers - Adam GrantWhat it will teach youTo learn how other creative thinkers find their best ideas, and how to break through the bad ideas.2.Creative Problem-Solving In The Face Of Extreme Limits - Navi RadjouWhat it will teach youTo consider a new problem-solving technique calledjugaad, which comes from the Hindi word for an improvised fix, to help you reach your goals.3.How To Get Your Ideas To Spread - Seth GodinWhat it will teach youTo consider not necessarily whether your idea is the best since sliced bread, but whether it has the ability to resonate with a lot of people.4.5 Ways To Kill Your Dreams- Bel PesceWhat it will teach youTo recognize the five myths most entrepreneurs tell themselves that have kept them from reaching their true potential, and how to avoid those same pitfalls.5.Why Its Time To Forget The Pecking Order At Work- Margaret HeffernanWhat it will teach youTo reconsider your definition of success instead of using your own accomplishments to elevate a company, you need to focus on the success of your team.6.What It Takes To Be A Great Leader - Roselinde TorresWhat it will teach youHow industry experts shaped themselves into great leaders by asking the right questions, and how they took their companies off the ground by becoming models of what truly good leaders are.7.Dare To Disagree - Margaret Hef fernanTrue leaders will help move their companies forward by being honest in their differing opinions, even if they oppose a business partner or a crucial employee.This article first appeared on Swirled.

Boosting your Talent Acquisition in a Challenging Economy

Boosting your Talent Acquisition in a Challenging EconomyBoosting your Talent Acquisition in a Challenging EconomyBoosting your Talent Acquisition in a Challenging Economy Chinsky MatusonTalent acquisition is critical for business success, especially in a down economy when plenty of candidates may be available, but few to none with the skills you need. This is particularly true for small businesses, where making new hires countcan impactthe entireorganization.Small business owners can recruit great hires in a down economy with the right hiring process in place. Here are some tips to guide your talent acquisition process.Clarify your hiring needs before you begin Ask any business owner what they want in their next new hire and most will respond by telling you what they dont want. To successfully recruit new hires, you must define what a great hire looks like for your organization.For example, an employee who is extremely detail-oriented may be the perfect fit for an accounting jobwher e clients expect a high level of accuracy from their service firms.However, will this trait actually be a detriment to your hiring process if the goal of your talent acquisition is to hire top sales people? Most likely yes, as most successful sales professionals are onto the next sale before the details of the last deal are ironed out.Analyze the behaviors of your top performerswho are most successful in your organization and then describe the traits they possess. Do you landsee a pattern? Are your most successful people self-motivated, strong team players, customer-focused? Look for similar traits in your next hire.Seek talent where no one else is looking Even though we are still experiencing a high rate of unemployment, there are still many jobs going unfilled because of worker shortages in those fields. Many firms have made a conscious decision to hire only people who are employed. Thats good news for the small business owner who can leverage this short-sighted approach and hire the best talent available, regardless of their current employment status.Many great hires may be back in the job market due to circumstances out of their control. They may have been victims of a merger or a plant closing, or their retirement nest eggs may have cracked with the stress of the volatile stock market. These people are willing and able to begin work tomorrow.Some have successfully navigated their companies through previous recessions people who can help your organization steer clear of land minds that may be in front of you. They are also quite happy to have a job and provide employee loyalty to those who give them a ritterlich chance.Seek value Evaluate candidates in terms of the value they can bring to your organization. Someone with a few years of experience, who has implemented systems that have resulted in business growth, is much valuable than a candidate with more longevity on the job.Ask interview questionsthat dig for specific examples of how they have helped pr evious employers reduce costs and grow revenues. Then dig beneath the surface with interview questionsto ascertain if they can do the same for your business.Be decisive Thinking that a better candidate will come along when you have a terrific hire in front of you will result in loss of an excellent prospect. The order in which candidates come in to interview has bedrngnishing to do with whether or not they are the right hire for you. Go back to the list of traits you are seeking and when the right candidate comes along, be prepared to close the deal,and do so quickly.Do your homework upfront Research compensation information beforehand. This way youll know up front what you can and cannot afford to pay. For example, ideally you may want an experienced candidate with ten years of experience.However, your research shows that you will have to pay 40 percent more than what you have budgeted. It makes no sense to waste your time or the candidates time recruiting overqualified candidates who are out of your league.Involve your team Its easy to fall in love with a candidate, especially if hiring someone this week means you can join your family on vacation. Remember love is blind. Select a few people in the organization whose judgment you value and do a post-game reviewof candidates. Be open to their feedback and use this information when making the final hiring decision.Stay the course Hiring doesnt usually the top of the list of fun things to do for small businesses, unless of course they are in the business of recruitment. Most will do whatever it takes to make sure this process ends quickly, including hiring friends or family.This approach often results in hiring decisions that have long-term negative consequences. Be patient. Consider hiring temporary help until such time as you can find the right person for the job. Your patience will pay off and in the end, you will be thankful that you found a great hire who could turn out to be the best employee youve ever h ad.2011 menschenwrdig Resource Solutions. All rights reserved.Author BioRoberta Chinsky Matuson is the President of Human Resource Solutions and author of the highly-acclaimed book Suddenly in Charge Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around, a Washington Post Top-5 Leadership pick. Sign up to receive a complimentary subscription to Robertas monthly newsletter, HR Matters.