How to Talk to the Employee Who Thinks They Know Everything

As a manager, you inevitably have to deal with problem employees. One of the most challenging is the office know-it-all.

You know who they are: They always have to have the last word, they’re never wrong about anything, and in meetings, they speak up just to hear their own voice. When they think they have the answer to a question or problem, they don’t take well to being contradicted. It’s more important to them to win an argument than be part of an effective shared solution.

And yet, dealing with them can be tricky, because they may actually be hard workers and assets to their team. So, you need to curb their know-it-all tendencies gracefully and professionally. It may not be fun, but by taking the right steps, you can do it.

Start by hiring smart.

As is true of most problems in life, prevention is the best medicine. If you screen candidates carefully for this and other negative traits, you can avoid hiring a know-it-all and the related interpersonal conflicts before they begin.

• Look for applicants who are open-minded, calm, outward-focused, and willing to learn and listen. Avoid those who seem overly impressed with their own knowledge base and who launch into conversations unprepared, at top volume, and by interrupting what others are saying.

Meet with the employee in private.

Despite your best efforts, you’re bound to find a know-it-all on your staff at some point. Before the situation gets out of hand, meet with the individual in a private setting, away from their peers. This lessens the pressure on them from feeling on display or needing to once again prove that they’re right.

• Bring up the subject in a tactful but direct way. Try saying something like “I noticed that you didn’t back down from that argument even after your statement had clearly been proven incorrect” or “Your listening skills at team meetings could use some attention. Let’s work together and make a concrete improvement plan.”

Encourage honest, open communication.

By actively modeling the right style when you meet with a problem employee, you can lay a foundation of trust and begin to help them improve their own communication style.

• Begin by discussing the positive aspects of the employee’s performance. You will more effectively put them at ease and create a more open channel for two-way communication.
• Listen to their ideas before introducing your own. Don’t automatically disagree, just listen. Then, at the appropriate point in the conversation, be calm and clear about workplace expectations.
• If appropriate, question the validity of an employee’s ideas. When they provide know-it-all solutions, ask probing questions to encourage the use of logic and analysis. This may be a needed area of coaching to make it a routine process.
• Remind them that you’re both there to find the best solution. If they respond with disrespect, let them know this type of communication is not productive. If you think a session may turn volatile, include a higher supervisor or an HR rep in the meeting. It may be time to consider a verbal or written warning or another plan of action.

For more direction on how to handle difficult employees and negative behavior patterns – and hiring to avoid problems before they occur – contact the staffing and management experts at PrideStaff today. Your success is our mission.

7 Ways to Combat Sleep Deprivation in the Workplace

It should come as no surprise that a lack of adequate sleep negatively impacts your performance and productivity. As supported by research at Johns Hopkins and other leading universities, it can also result in potentially serious health issues. These include:

• 6,000 fatal auto crashes every year due to drowsy driving.
• A 50 percent higher risk for obesity in persons who get less than five hours of sleep a night, caused by the production of higher levels of hunger-producing hormones.

Sleep deprivation has also been linked to higher chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and dementia – and on a less frightening but nevertheless unpleasant level, the common cold.

Here’s to Better Sleep

These seven steps won’t make up for lost sleep, but they will help you power through your day – and begin forming habits that will have long-lasting positive health effects.

1. Cut down on caffeine.

Your first cup of coffee may perk you up – pun intended! – but subsequent caffeine fixes during the day can dehydrate your body and actually add to your overall fatigue. Substitute juices and other healthy alternatives for additional caffeinated beverages.

2. Stay hydrated.

By keeping your body hydrated throughout the day, you can better maintain your focus and concentration. Proper hydration helps replenish tissue and increases the flow of oxygen to your brain. Try starting your day with two glasses of water. You will quickly fall into this healthy pattern.

3. Have more, smaller meals and snacks.

Small meals are easier for your body to digest and they give you a sense of lightness combined with higher energy. Opt for healthy snacks, such as light yogurt, fruit, nuts or granola bars, every few hours. This will satisfy cravings and keep you from “pigging out” at lunch or dinner.

4. Move and stretch.

Especially if you spend long hours in front of a screen, take periodic breaks. Walk around, or at least stand-up and stretch. This rests your eyes and recharges your brain for the next stretch of concentrated work.

5. Take power naps.

Reset your biological clock with quick power naps when you start to feel drowsy. If your office policy permits, retreat to a couch or break room. Or, gently put your head down and allow yourself a short period of quiet and serenity. You’ll feel more refreshed when you return to work.

6. Listen to music.

Soothing music can have a phenomenal effect on energy levels and instantly pick you up when you’re dragging. It reduces tension, soothes your nerves, and calms your mind and your muscles.

7. Share some humor.

Take a few minutes to enjoy a good laugh. Share a joke or funny story with some co-workers, or surf your phone for a silly video or meme. Laughter provides an instant mood kick. And it allows you to forget stress and anxiety, or at least put it all in perspective.

To keep your performance levels at your personal best – whether you’re seeking to improve in your current job or explore new career opportunities – turn to PrideStaff Fresno for additional resources, tips and guidance. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Tips for Getting Over Your Fear of Confronting Employees

Confrontation is no fun, whether it’s in your personal life or at work. It can be tempting to try to cope by avoiding the underlying issues altogether, but that only makes matters worse in the long run.

A better plan is to change your mindset and do the right thing – in fairness to you, your employee, and your company – when something difficult involving a team member needs to be corrected. Here’s a roadmap of steps to follow:

Walk a mile in your employee’s shoes.

View the situation from the perspective of the employee. They may be unaware that a problem even exists. Think how you would feel if, out of the blue, your supervisor came to you and announced you’ve been failing to meet expectations – or worse.

• People would rather be told early on that their performance is lacking or their actions are unacceptable. If you allow a negative situation to fester, like an infection, it will only spread and worsen. Simply realizing this makes confrontation less intimidating and easier to bear.

Set up regular one-on-one meetings.

By meeting with your employees privately on a regular basis, you make ongoing communication part of everyone’s routine. It gives you the opportunity to practice constructive criticism and nip problems in the bud. And when bigger issues do arise, you can handle them without your “private meeting in my office” generating gossip, speculation, or rumors.

• Allow a set amount of time for each meeting. If you don’t use all of it, fine. But unless there’s a true emergency, avoid canceling these sessions. You may assume everything is rosy, but working based on assumptions is like walking a slippery slope. Things can come tumbling down in an instant.

Get your ducks in a row.

When you have to confront someone, steel yourself for the meeting by gathering ample documentation to support your case. Gather evidence to convince yourself first, then the employee.

• Write an outline of what you want to say and how you want to say it. Practice with a trusted friend or family member if it helps increase your comfort level. Or, consider involving an HR rep if the matter is highly sensitive or potentially explosive.

Realize that confrontation is part of your job.

Confrontation is not mean or unfair – it’s part of your job. Remind yourself that as a manager, one aspect of your role is holding your team members accountable for their work. It also helps to remember that you have to account to your own boss for achieving desired results.

A professional career coach can be invaluable as you develop your communication, confrontation, and conflict management skills – and help your employees do the same. The workforce development experts at PrideStaff can provide the guidance and training your company needs to stay ahead of the competition and maintain your winning workforce. Contact us today to learn more.

Looking For a Job Under the Radar?

Is it time for you to make a job change?

Making the decision is half the battle – and since you already have a job, you’re at an advantage, as long as you handle your search in an intelligent, mature and professional way. Be excited about moving forward in your career, but at the same time, be cautious as you look for a new position while still employed at your current one.

The Pros

Experts agree that most employers prefer candidates who currently have a job, because it gives them more confidence that you’ll be a good hire. If you’re unemployed, it raises questions and puts you in a more defensive position. Added benefits include:

• When you’re working, your professional network is working for you as you constantly interact with industry contacts. They can even keep you informed of potential career opportunities. If you’re not working, you can become out of sight and, therefore, out of mind.
• Quitting your job before landing a new one is a risk you should try to avoid. Most people don’t have an endless stream of income, so you may want to stay where you are until you get a firm offer for new employment.

Possible Cons

There are possible risks associated with job hunting while you’re still employed.

• Someone at your company may find out and tell others. If word reaches your boss, they may take it personally and see it as a lack of loyalty to them or the company. They’ll assume you’re unhappy and may seek ways to get back at you, such as freezing you out of plum projects, meetings and discussions.
• You may not give your full attention to your current responsibilities. This could negatively impact not only your company, but also your personal credibility.

Be Smart About It

Tread carefully into your job search, while not slacking off in your current role. Here are some tips to follow:

• Don’t discuss your job search with your co-workers. Even a trusted confidant could accidentally reveal your plans. You can’t expect other people to guard your secret if you can’t keep it to yourself.
• Don’t use work time or equipment in your search. Consider phones, computers, email, Wi-Fi, or other property owned by your employer off limits when it comes to your job search. As revealed by an American Management Association survey, there’s a good chance your company could be monitoring your communication. Make all calls related to your search away from your employer’s premises. Even though you’re using your own phone and data plan, someone may eavesdrop the old-school way – by listening.
• Use former bosses as references. A company that is close to hiring you may ask for references. Since you don’t want your current manager to know about your search, you obviously can’t ask them. Most prospective employers know and understand this. They will be satisfied with a reference from a previous employer instead of your current one.

Finding a new job while maintaining normalcy and peak performance at your current one poses a unique challenge – but it’s well worth it. To assist you through this critical transition, partner with a professional recruiter who specializes in your chosen field. For more information, read our related posts or contact PrideStaff today.

5 Resume Mistakes You Should Avoid

The quickest way to be eliminated as a job candidate is to submit a flawed resume. Whether yours is initially reviewed by a hiring manager or an applicant tracking system, you need to ensure your resume immediately conveys the value you would offer if hired. And this leaves no room for error if you want to emerge as the leading contender for your dream position.

Here are five resume mistakes that will take you out of the running for a job – and how to avoid them:

1. Typos, Spelling or Grammatical Errors

Thoroughly spell check and proofread your resume. If you’re not 100 percent comfortable with its accuracy, do it again. Have a trusted friend or colleague review it, as well. Reading it out loud is another option. Or, print it out, change the font and then copy it into a blank email. Whatever it takes, get it right before you send it out in response to even a single ad or post.

2. Not Enough Relevant Keywords

Keywords are words that related to the specific requirements of a job. They are the skills, abilities and qualities that employers require – and if they’re not immediately spotted in your resume, it will be automatically rejected.

3. Too Much Information

Limit your resume to one to two pages, unless you’re applying for a high-level academic or research position – in which case, you might want to create a CV instead.

• Focus on the highlights. You don’t need to supply every detail of every job you’ve held. For workforce veterans, a good rule of thumb is to limit your resume to the last 10 to 15 years.
• Use formatting techniques like bullets and short paragraphs to enhance readability. Used well, white space can also be very effective. Make your resume is reader-friendly from start to finish.

4. A Mismatch Between Your Resume and the Job

The contents of your resume should support your career summary – and your summary should clearly match the specific requirements of the job.

• Your summary statement should give a hiring manager, at just a glance, an accurate synopsis of your qualifications. Include concrete information detailing how you’ve added value to previous employers.

5. Accomplishments That Are Not Quantified

Quantify all the achievements listed on your resume with numbers and other concrete evidence to support your statements. Itemize how your role was connected to bottom-line improvements in each of your experiences.

• Use action verbs. Tell a compelling story by using words like increased, decreased, upgraded, reorganized, eliminated, accelerated, established and surpassed. For instance, make statements such as “Decreased departmental travel expenses by 25 percent” or “reduced staff turnover by 20 percent.”

At PrideStaff Modesto, our passion is helping people grow their professional opportunities and find great jobs. In addition to a vast client network, we offer unparalleled expertise in resume writing and mastering every step of your job search strategy. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Important Job Skills That Will Make You More Marketable

The world of work is changing at an amazing pace – and today’s employers are seeking employees who can change with it. When they assess job candidates, they look for those who can do the job today, with an eye toward what they also could contribute in the future.

Your success depends on a healthy blend of hard and soft skills. Incorporate both into every aspect of your job search – from your resume and cover letter to the dialogue you have during your interviews.

Among the most valuable job skills you can cultivate are:

Problem Solving

Employers want to know you can troubleshoot, think on your feet, assess problems early on, and then take sensible, decisive action to solve them.

• Cite specific examples from your past work history. If you’re just launching your career, consider times during course projects, internships or volunteer roles where you proved your strength as an effective problem solver.

Data Analysis

It’s a data-driven world – every day and in every industry. But numbers alone are useless. As a job candidate, you need to show you can interpret them in a way that addresses a prospective employer’s business needs and pain points.

• Offer some experience with data analytics and computational thinking. If necessary, take an online course in programming, coding or machine learning.

Social Media Literacy

Knowing how to get your message across on social media makes you a stronger candidate. Job seekers with strong online brands using content marketing have a clear advantage over their competition.

• During your interview, describe how you have successfully used social media. This includes sharing relevant content, interacting with influencers, and contributing to meaningful online conversations.

Creativity

Employers are always looking for people who can come up with fresh ways to approach their work. Show your creative mindset by describing innovative ways you’ve tackled projects and assignments.

• Use numbers and other details. Did you streamline an operating process, land new clients or cut departmental costs? If so, what new steps and calculated risks did you take? How much faster is that process as a result? How many clients and in what period of time? What dollar savings did you achieve?

Resiliency

Resiliency is a highly valued skill, as it indicates you can bounce back from failures, thrive in tough situations, and learn from mistakes. When you show resiliency, you often also show humility – another key skill.

• While it’s similar to problem solving, resiliency is more focused on your ability to recover from setbacks and find ways to make the best of rocky situations.

Understanding of Business Principles

As more and more companies simplify their organizational structures – breaking down walls between departments and between executives and rank-and-file employees – it’s important to understand how an entire company operates.

• Do your homework. Learn as much as you can about every aspect of a company that interests you.

As you develop your job skills and take your career to the next level, work with the expert recruiters at PrideStaff. Don’t just search. Succeed. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

How to Keep Your Employees Focused and Engaged

As reported by Gallup, only 13 percent of employees worldwide are engaged at work. And according to a recent State of the American Workplace study, just 33 percent of employed U.S. citizens can say the same.

Those employees who are engaged stand out as they willingly go the extra mile, work with passion, and feel a profound connection to their companies. They are the superstars who will move your business forward.

Listen to your employees.

We learn more when we listen than when we speak.

• Encourage your employees to share new ideas. If they find a project that sparks their interest, offer them the time and resources to pursue it in a thoughtful manner. If there’s a contract they want to bid on, encourage them to develop a plan to present to the team, so everyone can make a decision together. Keep your mind open to new directions and fresh thoughts.

Give them what they need to succeed.

Don’t just assume every employee has the tools, resources, training and support from management that they need. Check in with the regularly to be sure.

• Offer continuing education. Encourage employees and offer compensation for taking classes or tuition assistance if they decide to go back to school. Host brown-bag lunches where you bring in experts to share tips of the trade. These strategies not only increase company and individual knowledge, they also let your people know that you appreciate and value them.

Recognize and reward.

Incentive programs are highly beneficial to motivating employees. A major benefit is they can be based on actual performance and paid out only after a person has reached a desired goal.

• A study by the International Society of Performance Management showed that incentive programs can contribute to up to 22 percent performance improvement in individuals and 44 percent improvement in teams. They also help companies attract high-quality talent, who are them more likely to say with their employers.

Communicate well and often.

One of the most important – if not the singularly most important – part of a manager’s job is communicating effectively. Create a culture of communication in which supervisors and employees share goals and work together to meet them.

• Ask employees for their input and use their ideas. This way, team members have a vested interest in seeing a project succeed.
• Communication is always critical, but never so much as during times of change. Let employees know as much as possible about upcoming changes, in order to minimize uncertainty. And whatever the situation, be crystal clear about your purpose when you meet with them.

The workforce development experts at PrideStaff Modesto can help as you strive to increase employee engagement and build your winning workforce. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Learn How to Create a Personal Brand to Help You Find a Job

As you embark on your job search, personal branding is what sets you apart. It’s what makes you hirable – or put another way, likable – in the eyes of hiring managers and prospective employers. Make sure your brand is original, consistent and professional across all platforms, including social media and your application materials.

Start by Defining Your Brand.

A personal brand is much more than just a desired job or title. Think carefully about your values, your goals, and exactly what you want to create every day through your work. From here, you can craft a brand statement that will guide your all your career efforts going forward.

• Whatever it is that you excel at in your particular field, define it, own it and prepare to showcase it in the best ways possible. Only after you define your brand should you start working on the collateral tools to support it, such as your resume, portfolio or new headshot.

Overhaul Your Social Media Presence.

Make sure all your social profiles and content related to you reflect your brand. Begin by checking in across all media platforms and removing anything negative or detrimental to your career success.

• After you clean up your social media presence, update your sites as needed. This could mean uploading a new professional photo, adding a brand tagline, sharing some new work, or initiative conversations with colleagues in your field.
• Google yourself. Whatever comes up that you can access, change it to make your brand more prominent.
• Fill in any gaps. A LinkedIn profile showcasing your brand is essential, but it’s not enough. Make sure your professional image is visible and accessible in multiple online places.

Create a Personal Website – or Improve Your Current One.

Your website should give hiring managers a clear look at who you are and at the unique contributions, you could make to their company.

• An effective personal website comes up higher in search results than other online content about you. It readily provides positive, professional information, and hopefully buries any negative information that may still be lingering online.
• You have all the space you need to elaborate on your accomplishments. You can provide more detail on your resume, and you can show off more aspects of your individual personality.
• Having your own site shows how much you care about your career. The image it projects is that of a tech-savvy professional who takes the time to invest in their future. This level of dedication and initiative is enticing to employers.

For assistance in any or all of the steps in building your personal brand, consider working with a career development expert from PrideStaff Fresno. Among the fields we specialize in are administration, customer service, IT, finance, legal support, healthcare, and production and distribution. From brand definition to resume prep, website development and online career strategies, we can help you land your dream job. Contact us today to learn more.

Why Managers Should Have One-on-One Meetings with their Employees

During the course of an average workday, chances are you talk with your employees numerous times about whatever they’re working on – answering their questions, providing direction, and brainstorming with them to share ideas and solve problems. Why then should you also hold regular one-on-one meetings with each of them? Why take away even more time from both of your already full schedules?

One-on-one meetings actually save everyone time in the long run. Think of them as an investment in the future success of your company. They pay off as they help you keep people motivated and moving in the right direction. Consider the following benefits of one-on-one meetings.:

Creating a Productive Routine

Face-to-face meetings are a forum to better manage work, as well as develop your employees so they can grow in their careers. They establish a routine for discussing work progress and addressing any barriers to achieving results. Rather than having such conversations on the fly, regular meetings increase efficiency, accountability, and development.

Building Stronger Relationships

In order to lead effectively, you need to understand the unique personalities and needs of each individual employee. What are their priorities and top interests? What projects do they enjoy working on the most? Where do their passions lie?

• Talking with employees beyond the immediate job at hand is a critical aspect of building a better relationship with them. Gaining insight into a person’s perspective on their work, along with their personal motivators, is invaluable in leading and retaining good talent.

Giving People a Chance to Speak Candidly

Without a regular time to speak with you privately, your employees may be frustrated, as they have confidential things they need to share with you, but they can’t find the right opportunity. In a one-on-one meeting, this obstacle is eliminated. They can share whatever is necessary, and you can ask them what’s on their minds. In both cases, you’re more likely to get an honest, complete, and candid response.

Tips for Holding One-on-One Meetings

As you organize one-on-one employee meetings, you may wonder how often these sessions should take place and what your agenda should be.

• The frequency of your meetings depends on the specific needs of the job, the current workload, and, last but not least, the person. Some positions require more frequent contact, and some employees require more guidance. You and your employee should decide together how often the two of you need to meet.
• In addition to project updates, next steps, and any pressing concerns, leave ample time for open conversation. Remember, it’s as much about building rapport as it is about work progress – and of course, the two go hand in hand. Ask your team member about their family, their vacation, and their hobbies and interests. Numerous studies have shown employees want leaders who care about them as people, not just cogs in a corporate wheel. Even if this feels awkward at first, it will become comfortable, as well as increase your effectiveness as a leader.

Do you need additional leadership development tips for your company and team? If so, contact the PrideStaff team today. We can customize a plan to address your staffing and talent management challenges now and well into the future.

5 Resume Mistakes You Should Avoid

The quickest way to be eliminated as a job candidate is to submit a flawed resume. Whether yours is initially reviewed by a hiring manager or an applicant tracking system, you need to ensure your resume immediately conveys the value you would offer if hired. And this leaves no room for error, if you want to emerge as the leading contender for your dream position.

Here are five resume mistakes that will take you out of the running for a job – and how to avoid them.

1. Typos, Spelling or Grammar Errors

Thoroughly spell check and proofread your resume. If you’re not 100 percent comfortable with its accuracy, do it again. Have a trusted friend or colleague review it, as well. Reading it out loud is another option. Or, print it out, change the font and then copy it into a blank email. Whatever it takes, get it right before you send it out in response to even a single ad or post.

2. Not Enough Relevant Keywords

Keywords are words that related to the specific requirements of a job. They are the skills, abilities and qualities employers require – and if they’re not immediately spotted in your resume, it will be automatically rejected.

3. Too Much Information

Limit your resume to one to two pages, unless you’re applying for a high-level academic or research position – in which case, you might want to create a CV instead.

• Focus on the highlights. You don’t need to supply every detail of every job you’ve held. For workforce veterans, a good rule of thumb is to limit your resume to the last 10 to 15 years.
• Use formatting techniques like bullets and short paragraphs to enhance readability. Used well, white space can also be very effective. Make your resume reader-friendly from start to finish.

4. A Mismatch Between Your Resume and the Job

The contents of your resume should support your career summary – and your summary should clearly match the specific requirements of the job.

• Your summary statement should give a hiring manager, at just a glance, an accurate synopsis of your qualifications. Include concrete information detailing how you’ve added value to previous employers.

5. Accomplishments That Are Not Quantified

Quantify all the achievements listed on your resume with numbers and other concrete evidence to support your statements. Itemize how your role was connected to bottom-line improvements in each of your experiences.

• Use action verbs. Tell a compelling story by using words like “increased, decreased, upgraded, reorganized, eliminated, accelerated, established” and “surpassed.” For instance, make statements such as “Decreased departmental travel expenses by 25 percent” or “reduced staff turnover by 20 percent.”

At PrideStaff Modesto, our passion is helping people grow their professional opportunities and find great jobs. In addition to a vast client network, we offer unparalleled expertise in resume writing and mastering every step of your job search strategy. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.