Interview Prep

THE BASICS 50%

Preparing for the interview

There are just as many wrong things that you can do when interviewing as there are right.

We all know the basics. A fresh haircut, clean shaven, warm smile, the feel of confidence, formal dress, firm handshake and correct body posture right?

As a hiring manager for over 20 years, I can tell you that today’s managers are looking to hire someone that will represent them when the need arises. Being a good culture fit weighs 50% of the hiring decision. No matter what your skill set is. At the end of the day, hiring you, means their reputation is on the line. If you are skills qualified, you have to show it more than ever that you are cultural fit qualified. You have to put your best foot forward. Seems simple, but today’s tech professional easily overlooks how important a good culture fit is to the hiring manager.

Most tech professionals know the basics of interviewing. But today’s hiring manager wants more than to just bring your skill set to their department.

They want:

An employee that is easy to work with

Someone that will promote the manager and company

A good attitude (can’t be said enough)

Ambition, desire and ability to learn and grow

Ability to work with existing team members

Creativity

Leadership abilities

Task and project ownership

Dependability

And in the end…they want to be recognized for selecting and hiring the right staff to support the team, department, organization and themselves.

CULTURAL FIT 50%

Did you know: Your first 15 -30 second critical to you getting the job! Hiring managers form an opinion in that time and 90% maintain that opinion after the full interview.

 

Interview Prep

Why Knowing a Good Recruiter Can Open Doors to Opportunity

You’ve probably heard the expression before: “It’s not what you know . . . it’s WHO you know.”

While that expression can be applied to a number of different situations, it’s also very applicable for those people who are conducting a job search, even if it’s a passive job search. There are a couple of reasons for this:

The ratio of applications to job openings in this country is perhaps at its highest level ever. Companies are looking for ways to find candidates who stand out.

More than ever, companies want to make sure that they’re hiring the best candidates possible, and hiring managers are more likely to trust the referral of somebody they already know.

While the advantages of networking are well documented and it’s highly recommended that everybody—regardless of their career standing—should continuously network, “who you know” also extends to executive recruiters.

First, let’s clarify this by stating that you should know a good recruiter in your industry. Recruiters who are experts in their profession and provide consistent value to their clients in the form of top-notch candidates are the recruiters that hiring managers trust the most.

This trust is just one reason why it’s in your best interest to align yourself with a good recruiter. Another reason is what the recruiter knows, namely the following:

The details and the specifics of the job opening

The company itself, including its history, its work environment, and its culture

The hiring managers who might very well be interviewing you (and hopefully extending an offer of employment)

The company knows (and trusts) the recruiter, while the recruiter knows the company, its employees, and everything about the job that you want.

While WHAT you know is certainly important, the statement above plainly shows why WHO you know is even more important, and knowing a good recruiter can help open doors to opportunity and put you on the fast track to career success.

via Why Knowing a Good Recruiter Can Open Doors to Opportunity – The Vet Recruiter.

Why Knowing a Good Recruiter Can Open Doors to Opportunity

Interview Tips - Selling Yourself

It’s your job to sell yourself.

If you don’t do it, then you can be sure that no one else will. Most of us understand this, but that doesn’t mean that we’re all comfortable with it. There is no need to bloat your accomplishments or make false claims, but there is every need to paint the best picture of yourself. If you’re feeling apprehensive about this idea, then remember: it’s not bragging if you did it.

Apply to fewer jobs.

When you need a job, it’s easy to shotgun your resume in 100 different directions. And that is exactly why the stack of resumes is so high for that job you want. Everyone is sending out the same resume to every job they can find. Slow down. Focus on a few jobs that you actually want. Then tailor everything about your resume and cover letter to each specific job.  

Cater your resume to each job you apply for.

A general resume does not work today no matter what your skill set is.  You should target the job you want and then make sure your resume reflects your past experience.  Staff Perm recruiters can help you with this.  They know that you can’t possibly write everything you do on a daily basis.  We can help by asking probing questions that matter to the hiring manager.  Never give this answer “its on my resume”.   The hiring managers spend 2 minutes on average reviewing a resume.  If the skills they are looking for don’t “jump off the page” you can bet your resume is the next basketball for the hoop on the back of the door.   

You need to do exceptional preparation.

Preparation is the number one thing that will set you apart from other candidates. Want to be more impressive? Prepare more. If you are obsessed with preparing for every aspect of the interview, then you will be ready to crush it.  It also means more than spending 5 minutes on their website.   Here are some winning ideas:  review website, company info, current stock rate, press releases, company events and LinkedIn profiles of key employees.  Do this each day for a few minutes to let it absorb.  Crash course studying hasn’t changed since your college days.  You will forget this too!

Know why you are applying for this job.

Yes, you want a job so that you can pay for your lifestyle. But what are your underlying motivations? Why are you driven towards this job? Why are you passionate about this position? How do your values match the values you will need to do your job? This is a deep question and if you know the answer to it, then you will understand what drives a lot of the answers you will give during the interview. You’ll have a better idea of why you’re a good fit for the job … and that makes it easier for you to tell the hiring manger why you would be a good candidate.

Show them that you are a good culture fit.

Interviewers are looking for qualified candidates and people who fit in well with their community and culture. They want to be able to trust you, so show them that you display values that are consistent with their group.  The hiring manager’s reputation depends on being able to select the right talent for the organization.  50% of the selection process depends on this!

Create an “I can handle it” list.

If you can convince the hiring manager that you can handle the job, then you’ll have a much better chance of getting the job. Print out the list of required skills and experience that comes with the job. Next to each item, write down an experience you have had that is relevant. It doesn’t need to be a perfect match… just an experience that proves that you can handle the task. This is also a good place to look for stories from your personal life or previous work that match up well with the “I can handle it” list. It’s a great way to keep your stories relevant to the position. The hiring managers want to make a good call because their reputation is on the line. You need to ease their fears and show them that you can handle the position.

Own your online reputation.

Everyone going through the job process is going to have their name searched. You don’t need to be an internet superstar, but it’s a good idea to have an online presence that puts decision makers at ease. You either need to be comfortable with having the hiring manager reading your tweets and browsing your Facebook pictures or you need to adjust your privacy settings so that those areas are hidden. Some people provide a lot of value through social media, so perhaps they want hiring managers to see that. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, but make sure it’s a conscious decision. This is one area of the job process that actually is under your control, so it would be silly to not take responsibility for it.

Voice Mail

If you’re a real professional, then your cell phone and home phone will have professional sounding messages.   It’s ok if your home message says that “Johnny, Bonnie and Ronnie” are out at the moment.  But you can’t have messages like “Yo, Yo Yo leave your digits if you expect a return call”.   Some opinions are implanted before you get to the interview.  Make sure it a good one.

Do as many practice interviews as you can.

It’s not fun — and it might even be more awkward than the real interview — but doing practice interviews with friends, family, or others is a critical piece of the puzzle. You need feedback not just on your responses, but also on body language, tone, and approach. You’ll never know how your answers need to change unless you deliver them a few times.

Hiring managers usually ask questions related to five categories.

a) Your background, so that they can understand your experiences, education, and overall qualifications.

b) Your knowledge of the job, so that they can test your understanding of the position, their company, and the industry.

c) Your personality, so that they can understand your work style and social style and decide if that fits in with their company.

d) Your skills, so that they can get an idea of your abilities and test your knowledge and competency for the job.

e) Your future goals, so that they can get an idea of your career aspirations and determine how motivated you will be in the position.

 

Interview Tips - Selling Yourself

Tips for Passive Job Seekers

I’ve had several conversations this week with people who should be passive job seekers, but haven’t quite gotten there yet. Their jobs are okay, but not terrific. They aren’t as motivated as they used to be. In one case, the company has a new CEO who has significantly changed the organization. In another, the individual isn’t as motivated as she thinks she should be.

Everyone I spoke to wondered if they should be searching for a better opportunity. My advice was to start carefully exploring options and gear up for a passive job search.

It’s important not to raise any red flags with your current employer and jeopardize the job you have now, but even if you’re not ready for an active job search it’s always appropriate to be a passive job seeker. You will be able to check out new job opportunities and see what is available in your career field. If you find a job you’re interested in, you’ll be set to apply.

In fact, everyone who is working should take the time to be sure they are prepared to job search because you never know when you might be in the position where you have to find a new job. If you’re not happy at work, it’s better to be in a position where you can leave on your terms when you’re ready to move on.

Here’s how to use passive job searching to your advantage.

Do you love your job? Don’t want to even think about looking for a new position? Even if you’re lucky enough to have a job you wouldn’t ever consider quitting, you should be prepared to move on. Companies reorganize or need to lay-off workers for financial reasons, management changes, you could get a new boss who isn’t as great to work for as your old supervisor, or your personal circumstances could change and you may need to seek employment.

That’s why it’s important to always be prepared to job hunt, even if you don’t have to today. It’s much easier to have everything you need ready to job search, to check out what jobs are available in your career field and preferred location and to know what those jobs are paying than it is to have to scramble to start a job search from scratch on a moment’s notice.

A passive job search occurs when someone who is currently employed is open to hearing about new career opportunities, but does not actively seek out and apply to specific positions. That’s a good model to follow because you will be prepared to job hunt at any given moment. If circumstances are such that it’s time to job search, it’s quick and easy to turn a passive job search into an active job search and you’ll be good to go.

Passive job seekers who invest a little time in staying job search ready will save a lot of time (and stress) getting up to speed when they need to job search. Here are my top 10 tips for passive job seekers.

 

Be an Active LinkedIn User

Build a robust LinkedIn Profile including education, experience, volunteering, skills, certifications and associations, etc. Your LinkedIn Profile is the online version of your resume, so be sure to proofread it carefully. If you’re new to LinkedIn, here’s how to get started.

Once your Profile is set, connect with everyone you know. The operative word is “know” – don’t connect with random people because they aren’t going to be in a position to help you.

Join relevant LinkedIn Groups. There are job search groups, company groups, alumni groups, college groups, and networking groups. The Groups are good sources of networking contacts, job search advice, and job listings. Since you’re not actively job searching, set the email notifications for each Group to a weekly digest so you aren’t buried in messages.

Write Recommendations

Giving to get works every time. Write LinkedIn recommendations for some of your connections. In return, you’ll get a recommendation back from at least some of the people you provide a reference for. Those recommendations show on your Profile and they are a reference in advance to a potential employer.

Tap into Social Networking

Don’t stop with LinkedIn. The days when Facebook was only used for personal networking are gone. There are apps like BeKnown and BranchOut you can for professional networking on Facebook.

Set up Twitter and Google+ accounts, as well, and use them to expand your base of connections. Here’s how to use social networking for career purposes:

• Facebook


• Google+


• Twitter

The stronger your social presence, the more likely you are to be tapped by companies using social recruiting to find candidates for employment.

Build a Career Network

You don’t have to spend a lot of time networking, but do take the time to add connections to your network on a regular basis. The bigger your network, the more opportunities you’ll have when you’re job searching.

Stay Connected to Your Network

Don’t build a network and forget about it. It’s important for your connections to know you are there. Post status updates on Facebook, tweet now and then, post interesting links to your social networking pages.

If you have a blog that’s appropriate for professional connections to read, feed it to your social networking pages. That way your pages will be current without you having to do much work.

Once a week, email or send a LinkedIn or Facebook message to five connections to ask how they are doing. Staying in touch reminds your connections of who you are and shows that you care about how they are doing. If you’re interested and engaged, your contacts will be more likely to give you help if and when you need it.

With the connections you are close enough to meet in-person, have a cup or coffee or lunch once in a while.

Check Out Companies

Do you have a company you would love to work for if the perfect job came along? It’s always a good idea to have a list of companies you’d like to work for. Have a list of target companies ready and check out the company website every once in a while to read the latest news and check out what jobs are available.

Check Job Listings

Once a week spend a few minutes using a job search engine to run a few job searches using your skills, job title and/or the location where you would like to work. You’ll see, at a glance, a list of open jobs that match your background.

Update Your Resume

Have an updated resume ready to go. Each time you change jobs or your educational status changes, update your resume. This way, you’ll always have a current copy of your resume to use, if need be.

Write a cover letter draft for a job that is a close match to your expertise. You’ll have a template ready to customize when you are ready to apply for jobs.

Be Interview Ready

Don’t use up all your accrued vacation or personal leave time unless you have to. Keep some in reserve, so you have time to interview if an opportunity that’s too good to pass up comes along.

Have an interview outfit ready to go to save time scrambling to find something to wear at the last minute. Also have a list of employment references ready. Some companies require references along with a resume and cover letter as part of the application process.

Start Over

Every few weeks go through these steps to make sure that your passive job search techniques are working. Is your LinkedIn networking growing? Are you remembering to reach out to your connections? Do you have a sense of what jobs you qualify for and what jobs are available? On a related note, are you skills and certifications current so you’re qualified for positions of interest? Are you ready to interview if you get an invitation from an employer?

The more prepared you are to job search, in advance, the easier it will be to start a job hunt and find a new job fast if you need to.

via Tips for Passive Job Seekers.

Tips for Passive Job Seekers

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job

You’ve done everything you can to make your current job work. But, your current job is not working. These are the top ten reasons why you might want to quit your job.

If any of these ten situations exist for you at your current job, they are difficult, if not impossible, to solve. You need to look out for your best interests. Your job consumes too many hours of too many days of your life for you to stay where you are – miserable.

No excuses, now. If these issues exist with your job or your employer, make a plan, conduct a job search, and change jobs. You can transform how you feel about work with the right job for you.

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job

Your company is experiencing a downward spiral, losing customers, losing money, and rumors of possible closure, bankruptcy and failure prevail.

Your relationship with your manager is damaged beyond repair. You have sought help to mend the boss relationship but you know it is too damaged for recovery. (Perhaps you were untrustworthy, missed work on too many days, or the manager acts like an untrustworthy jerk.) Whatever the reason, the relationship is irrecoverably damaged.

Your life situation has changed. Perhaps you have married or had a baby, and the salary and benefits no longer support your life needs. You need to move on to better opportunities to support your family.

Your values are at odds with the corporate culture. Perhaps your company is egalitarian and you believe in assigned parking spots for salaried employees. Your company does annual employee satisfaction surveys and you think these are a waste of time. Your company is hierarchical and you want to influence every aspect of your job. No matter where the clash is occurring, a lack of congruence with the corporate culture will destroy your attitude at work.

You’ve stopped having fun and enjoying your job. No matter what changed, when you dread going to work in the morning, it’s time to leave your job.

Your company is ethically challenged. Perhaps, the managers lie to customers about the quality of the products or the day on which product will ship. You become aware that the company is stealing information from competitors. Whatever the issue, don’t stay in an organization where your ethics are out of sync.

For whatever reason, you have behaved in ways that are considered improper at work. You’ve missed too many days of work, slacked off on the job, failed to maintain needed skills and just generally developed the reputation of a loser. That reputation, once earned, is unlikely to change, so you might as well move on, while you have the opportunity.

You’ve burned your bridges with your co-workers. Your group is not getting along in an environment that requires people to work together well. Again, at some point, the reasons don’t matter; start fresh in a new job and resolve to not let this situation happen again.

Your stress level is so high at work that it is affecting your physical or mental health and your relationships with your friends and family. Watch for the signs of burnout and if they can’t be cured, move on. Read this article, Tips for Managing Stress and Change at Work for some ideas about managing work stress.

And the top ten reason for leaving your current miserable job – you are unchallenged, need more responsibility, and seek opportunities that just don’t exist for you in your current organization. You’ve explored the current and potential options, and they are limited. It’s time to move on.

Ready to quit your job? You can resign from your job in a way that reinforces your professional image and keeps current employer relationships positive.

Ready to leave your job, or looking for ways to improve your current situation? Have golden handcuffs and feel that you are stuck in your current employment? Whatever you are thinking or feeling, please post in the forum.

via Top 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job.

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job

The Stealth Job Search: How to Job Hunt Privately on LinkedIn

One of the benefits of being a LinkedIn member is the opportunity to create a public professional presence. Your profile is a great place to highlight your marketable skills and is your vehicle for getting found by recruiters and hiring managers all over the world.

But, what if you need your job search to stay confidential, perhaps because you are currently employed? Never fear! I’ve got you covered, and rest assured there are still many ways to attract attention, tap your network and connect with recruiters on LinkedIn while maintaining your privacy. Here’s how.

1. Hide your activity updates

One way to become more findable by recruiters is to add keywords and phrases to your LinkedIn profile that are relevant to the jobs you seek. However, frequent or abundant changes to your profile may indicate to others that you are considering making a move. To minimize the likelihood that your connections will notice your profile improvements, head over to your Privacy & Settings area, which you can find by clicking on your headshot in the top right corner of LinkedIn, and click on the “Turn on/off your activity broadcasts” link. Uncheck the box that pops up here so your connections will no longer receive updates about changes to your profile or other actions you take on LinkedIn, such as posting in a Group discussion.

While you are keeping your activity private, you can still have visibility to recruiters and networking contacts. One way to attract positive attention while keeping your job search private is to regularly update your status. Post interesting articles related to your industry if you are job hunting in your current field or, if you are are a career changer, post articles and updates about general topics such as leadership, communication or technology trends.

2. Remain private while viewing others’ profiles

Whether your job hunt is public or private, I recommend exploring the LinkedIn profiles of people you admire professionally. Looking at those individuals’ profiles can give you a sense of what experiences, skills and groups could be most valuable to your own career. If you find someone you particularly admire — ideally someone with no connection to your current employer — you might even reach out to that person through an InMail to express your admiration and ask if that person might be willing to share some career advice with you.

However, if you are viewing the profiles of people who know your employer, and you are concerned they will discover you’ve viewed their profiles often and connect back with your boss about it, you have options. In the same Privacy & Settings area, click on the “Select what others see when you’ve viewed their profile” link. Here you can change the way you appear in others’ “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” area so that you will remain anonymous. Note: Unless you are a Job Seeker Premium subscriber, when you switch to an anonymous status you will no longer be able to track “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” and Profile Stats for yourself, so carefully consider this option and switch out of it as soon as your research is done.

3. Join new groups, but keep your memberships private

One of the most effective ways to land your next gig is through networking. One great way to make new connections is by joining LinkedIn Groups, such as your university alumni groups and industry networks. However, if you are joining many new groups, or groups related to an industry you are hoping to transition into, you may raise some red flags with your current boss or colleagues.

Fortunately, as you join groups relevant to your new career interests, you have the option to hide those new memberships so they do not appear on your Profile and your activity in those groups is not broadcast to your network. In Edit Profile mode, scroll down and click on the pencil symbol next to “Groups.”

Under each group name, you will see either the word “Visible” or “Hidden.” To change a group’s visibility on your profile, roll over that word and click on “Change.” On the resulting screen, uncheck the box next to “Display the group logo on your profile” to remove it from public view.

Keep in mind, however, that your fellow members of that group will be able to see anything you post within that group. So, the best way to enjoy the benefits of group membership while keeping your job search off the grid is to reach out to fellow group members privately. If you see a group discussion you’d really like to comment on — perhaps a recruiter has posted a question related to your area of expertise — you have options. You can click on that group discussion and instead of commenting publicly for all group members to see, you can click “Reply privately” and respond only to the person who posted the discussion or comment. Alternatively, you can send an InMail to the person and reference the group discussion in your message.

4. Contact people privately for networking

As mentioned above, sharing articles, thoughts, ideas and questions related to your job search with your network can lead to conversations that result in learning and professional growth. Public job seekers can also use status updates to announce or request help with their job searches. For the private job seeker seeking help from your LinkedIn contacts, I recommend reaching out privately to your connections via individual messages or using InMail to reach new contacts. Just keep in mind that your messages should be personalized to each individual (no one likes generic “Dear Everyone” messages) and be framed in a positive, grateful tone.

Here is an example:

Julie,

You’ve always been so supportive of me, so I wanted to reach out and let you know that I’m in the midst of a job search. I’ve had a great experience at my current firm, but I’m looking to join a larger company and ideally manage a national team. I’m really excited to make the move!

Would you have some time in the next few weeks for a brief phone chat so I can seek your advice on the transition? I’d really value your perspective.

Thank you,

Lindsey

Remember, the key here is to ask for advice and not a job. You can read some more sample messages in my previous post on tapping LinkedIn for your next opportunity.

5. Choose the premium LinkedIn badge

For those using LinkedIn’s Job Seeker Premium, you have the option to include the Job Seeker Premium briefcase badge on your profile to indicate that you are looking for a new position and help you stand out in searches. I highly recommend that you turn that badge on for public job searches, but if you’re seeking privacy, visit the Premium Badge section of your Settings page to select the general premium “in” badge instead. I also recommend opting for OpenLink, the small circular icon that indicates you are open to receiving messages from anyone on LinkedIn. It’s like having a toll-free number and ensures that you’ll never miss a message or potential opportunity.

Job hunting privately on LinkedIn takes a bit of additional effort, but the rewards are well worth it. I wish you all the best as you pursue you next opportunity. Good luck and see you on LinkedIn!

via The Stealth Job Search: How to Job Hunt Privately on LinkedIn | Official LinkedIn Blog.

The Stealth Job Search: How to Job Hunt Privately on LinkedIn

What Happened to Employee Loyalty?

I wrote a Q & A column advising a guy who was conflicted about his work obligations versus his commitments at home.

This fellow’s job put him in situations where on a moment’s notice, he’d have to stay at work until ten p.m. or midnight and often miss important family events.

“What’s my obligation to my employer, exactly, and what is my employer’s obligation to me?” asked the reader in his query. In the column where I answered his question, I talked about setting boundaries and creating realistic expectations for handling business emergencies (some managers set a very low bar when describing a problem as “urgent”). I answered the question “What do I owe my boss, and what does he owe me?” this way:

“Your job is to do your best work every day. Your boss’s job is to give you a reason to come to work tomorrow.”

Given my email inbox the next day, you would have thought I’d written “Your job is to spray-paint nasty things about your manager all over the walls in your office and mix up the color-coded filing system such that no one can put it right again.”

The horrified messages flooded in. “You think a boss has an obligation to give people a reason to come to work tomorrow?” asked incredulous managers from around the world. “Whatever happened to employee loyalty?”

I scratch my head when someone asks me why employees don’t jump at their manager’s slightest whimsical demand and fall over themselves thanking their employers for their jobs.

We hire adults and expect them to exercise solid, adult judgment on the job. Maslow taught us that people need security before anything else apart from air and water – that reasonable people can’t devote themselves to any cause (yours, theirs or the Man in the Moon’s) without knowing that they’ll have a place to sleep and be able to feed their families tomorrow.

Why would we gush and coo over an employee whose misplaced priorities caused him to damage his mental and physical health, neglect his family and make his job his life, especially in an environment where the average tenure on a job is slipping below the average time it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree?

Who would find that kind of behavior praiseworthy?

I understand why employees are loyal to bosses and organizations that treat them like valued collaborators. I worked for a company like that for ten years, and I remember what it’s like to know that your company has your back. I know the opposite scenario, too, the one where the loud and clear message is “Your personal problems have nothing to do with us – you handle those on your own. Now, where’s that monthly report I asked for?”

My dad worked for the publishing company McGraw-Hill from 1950 to 1985. I don’t remember him talking even once about changing jobs. As a raw sales trainee, my dad knew that if he worked hard for the company, the company would do the right thing by him, and they did. My parents are in their eighties now, and still using the retiree health benefits my dad earned over those three and a half decades. How many of us can look forward to that kind of comfort in our later years?

Employee loyalty during the Mad Men era was a function of the loyalty that employers showed their staff members. My dad gave his best at work because his job security was a non-issue, something he could take for granted. He knew he was valued at work and that his job would be there until he was ready to retire. After thirty-five years in the firm, Dad took early retirement to open a bed-and-breakfast inn with my mom — a leap made possible in part by early-retirement benefits that few if any employers offer today.

Loyalty, of course, is a two-way street. Now that job security is a theoretical construct rather than a solid thing we can take out a loan or make major life decisions against, it’s ludicrous to expect employees to put work ahead of self or family. (I’m not sure it was ever healthy or wise to expect that, or even to want it; when did stressed-out and emotionally-spent people ever produce anything wonderful?)

The horrified and angry people who write to me asking “Whatever happened to employee loyalty?” are barking up the wrong tree. The relevant question is “Why would anyone expect employees to be loyal to employers who can (and do) change their work arrangements, cut their hours, cut their pay, and lay them off at a moment’s notice?”

The general decline in employer-employee relationships is only made worse by the brutally impersonal way these life-altering decisions are communicated – layoffs via email, for instance, or mass bureaucratic termination exercises like the one the Cleveland Plain-Dealer pulled on unfortunate staffers a few weeks ago.

Shame on the so-called leaders who treat their talented and dedicated people so shabbily. They can’t hide behind corporate shields; individual, weaselly leaders make these decisions, and karmic payback doesn’t care how many Drone-Speak memos a pondscum leader blasts out defending his indefensible actions. There is no corporate edifice to protect these leaders-in-name-only from the human ramifications of their cowardly decisions. They can pretend there is, but the rest of us, still human and unzombified, won’t fall for it.

Thanks to websites like Glassdoor.com(a kind of Yelp.com for employers) job-seekers can evaluate the cultures of the companies they’re considering before joining a new team. The better the tools become for vetting prospective employers before signing on, the faster the downward spiral of talent-unworthy employers will happen, and the more eyes-open, human-focused organizations will benefit.

Employee loyalty is going strong in Human Workplaces around the world, and where it exists, it’s been earned by thoughtful leaders who understand the connection between passion and performance. Loyalty hasn’t disappeared, but it isn’t automatic anymore the way it was in 1950, because the assumptions on which that old-fashioned loyalty rested, the ones my dad took for granted during his career, have eroded to the point of nonexistence.

Smart employers know that employees are loyal to bosses who tell the truth, ethical leaders who take responsibility for both wins and losses, and teammates who can bring their best to work every day knowing that a rug won’t be pulled suddenly out from under them.

Humans are incredibly trusting, as it turns out. We get emotionally and intellectually sucked into our jobs, and that attachment benefits our customers and shareholders every day. At Human Workplace, we teach people not to be less trusting but to require employers to deserve their trust — to ask questions about a company’s long-term plan, for instance, or to treat an imposition on family time as a negotiation opportunity (“Sure I can stay late tonight, but if I do that I have to leave early tomorrow”).

This isn’t impertinence or hubris. We only think it is because we’ve sucked down so much toxic Kool-Aid that we believe every minor request for personal time or space at work is a major step out of the box. The Godzilla structure of rules, fear and control has done a good job of weenifying huge chunks of the working population, and I know this because people write to me every day asking questions like “How should I approach my boss about getting a week off for my wedding, twelve months from now?”

It isn’t difficult to earn the loyalty of our team members. We only need to be loyal, back. That doesn’t mean we must guarantee their long-term employment. No one can do that. Maybe there are lifetime employment guarantees at the Vatican — that’s what I hear — but virtually nowhere else is a job today a guarantee of a job tomorrow. That’s okay; new-millennium working people don’t expect lifetime guarantees. They expect more fundamental things, like transparency and honesty.

They expect their leaders to be human, empathetic and trustworthy. They expect their personal lives to have weight and significance to the people they work for. They expect to be treated like human beings at work. That isn’t really a lot to ask, given that every time we hire a new employee, we’re well aware he or she is human. If we want machine performance, we know where to find it. If we want human ingenuity and brilliance, we’ve got to acknowledge and celebrate human talent, human quirkiness, human power and human entanglements. They come with the territory, we might say.

 

via What Happened to Employee Loyalty? | LinkedIn.

What Happened to Employee Loyalty?