Am I Dressing for Success at My Interview?

Interviews judge not only your answers to the questions asked, but also your professionalism, organization and poise. This includes creating an overall look that says you’re the right hire. What you wear should accentuate the fact you’re a pro who’s ready to get to work at a new job. Let common sense be your guide.

Interview Style Tips

In recent research, nine out of 10 employers said when all else was equal, they hired the candidate who best presented themselves during their interview. What you wear really could mean the difference between a job offer and a rejection.

Make your outfit your “visual resume.” Be sure it sends the right message about your talents and capabilities. It should convey competency, respect and appropriate boundary-setting. A conservative suit is advisable.
Consider the industry. How you dress may vary somewhat, depending on the industry and the specific position for which you are interviewing. For instance, in the auto or manufacturing business, it may be appropriate to make an exception to the suit rule of thumb; however, look as professional and conservative as possible. Try to determine company dress code ahead of time, and then polish it to perfection.
Details matter. From head to toe, everything you wear should either be new or freshly cleaned, pressed and in excellent condition. Limit jewelry, cologne and makeup. Invest some time and money in a suitable interview wardrobe. You will invite others to invest back in you.
Don’t be “color blind.” Conservative colors in various shades of grey and blue are your best bet. Black could be viewed as too serious, so if you do opt for it, also wear another color to soften the look. Brown also can be questionable as a business color and probably should be avoided.

Blunders to Avoid

Stay away from these fashion blunders that could damage your chances of getting to the next step in the hiring process:

Wild nail polish. Use a conservative color. Keep your nails short and well groomed.
Jangly jewelry. Limit earrings to one per ear and avoid face jewelry, ankle bracelets or anything which says, “too much bling.”
Open-toed or backless shoes or bare legs – even in summertime. The same is true for skirts that are too short, Capri pants and leggings.
Leather jackets. This goes for both men and women.
Turtlenecks on men. A tie is preferable or at the very least, a collared shirt.
Printed or trendy handbags. Like your outfit, keep your purse and/or briefcase conservative and in good condition. Similarly, avoid backpacks or anything that looks less than professional.

The professional career coaches at PrideStaff Fresno can guide you through your job search and interview process from start to finish – and help ensure that every step you take brings you closer to the job of your dreams. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Helpful Summer Job Search Tips

When it comes to your job search, summer doesn’t have to mean “slow.” Your time and effort can reap big rewards – and even land you the job of your dreams by fall. Remember, if you decide to take the summer off, you’ll be competing against candidates who take the same approach come September.

Debunk the Myth

Despite what you may think, it’s business as usual for most companies during the summer. Granted, it may take a little longer to get an internal consensus on a new hire due to vacations, but summertime can actually offer advantages to job hunters. For starters, it often gives hiring managers more “brain space” so they can pay more attention to resumes and job applications.

Summer may be prime hiring season for some employers. Many projects hit the ground running in the fall, and companies want to have their teams in place.

Tips for Success

To keep your job search moving during the summer:

Capitalize on seasonal events. Summer is a great time to network. Festivals, parties, weddings, graduations and other social gatherings are perfect times to connect with people. Use these opportunities to let others know you are looking.
Don’t get discouraged. Summer vacations may make it a bit more challenging to reach decision makers, but be patient and consistent. Leave polite messages and continue due diligence. Even if you slow the pace a bit, block out periods of time to devote exclusively to your job search and stay focused. Then, you can go soak up the rays!
Reassess your resume and skil Review your resume, cover letter and portfolio, and add any new skills, training and/or accomplishments. Consider taking a class or two. Not only will you enhance your qualifications, you also can network with your classmates.
Pitch for internships. Many companies offer “summer help” or internship programs to take advantage of the off-season and fill vacancies created by full-time employees who are on vacation. Tap into these as a means of getting your foot in the door.
Make the best of your vacation time. If you’re trying to find a new job while holding your current one, consider taking a few days off to conduct a wholehearted search. Of course, you can do this any time during the year, but it may be more feasible during the summer if your seasonal workload is lighter.
Summer offers a variety of events, from community clean-ups to fun runs and walks. Volunteering your services is an excellent way to boost your resume, meet people and even get involved with a nonprofit organization that can offer you an employment opportunity.

At PrideStaff Fresno, we’re passionate about helping you increase your opportunities and find a great job – temporary or fulltime – within our extensive client network. We’ll help ensure your search is successful, in any season. Read our related posts or contact us today for more information.

How to Interview Candidates for Soft Skills

The right hire is not based solely on a candidate’s education, experience, and technical prowess. Soft skills are equally, if not more important in determining whether a person will be a good fit at your company.

Soft skills are those transferable traits beneficial to many different types of jobs. These personal qualities and attributes enable employees to work well with others, be adaptable, and make an ongoing contribution. And while technical skills can be learned on the job, soft skills can be neither taught nor bought.

What to Look For

When interviewing for soft skills, use behavior-based questions that describe a candidate’s real-life experiences in past roles. By asking for specific examples, you gain invaluable insight into how well a person works under pressure, how they communicate, and their work style and ethic. Look for:

Flexibility: If your business or industry is evolving, look for employees who have the ability to adapt and the willingness to continuously learn. Ask candidates to describe situations where they learned something new and applied it to benefit their work. If there’s a skill a person is lacking, ask how they plan to actively improve on it.
Initiative: When problems arise, does a candidate proactively address them or wait until someone else steps in? Ask how they have independently identified issues at work, and what corrective actions they took.
Communication strength: To evaluate a person’s written communication skills, take a close look at their resume and cover letter. Well-written, customized documents are a good tip-off that an individual is a smart and adept communicator. Verbal skills and body language can be assessed during telephone and in-person interviews.
Ability to learn from mistakes: This shows intelligence, as well as flexibility. Give candidates a hypothetical problem to solve, or ask them to candidly describe how they learned from a past mistake. It’s an automatic red flag if they deny ever having done anything wrong!

Sample Questions

Here are some sample questions to help you assess candidates’ soft skills:

Describe a time when you had a problem with a supervisor and what you did to resolve it.
Tell me about a time you had difficulty getting others to work together on a critical problem and how you handled it.
Tell me about the best leader you have worked with, why you felt this way, and what you learned from that person.
Describe a problem you faced that was almost overwhelming and how you got through it.
Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?
Have you handled a difficult situation with a client or vendor? How?

Consider partnering with PrideStaff as you fine-tune your candidate assessment and hiring process. We offer workforce growth solutions that align with your unique staffing needs. From there, we can develop a customized recruitment plan that helps ensure future success. Contact us today to learn more.

How to Handle Bickering Employees

It’s unrealistic to think all your employees will get along famously, all the time. But you may be surprised to hear that typical managers spend up to 40 percent of their time on conflict resolution – and 60 to 80 percent of workplace trouble is due to strained employee relationships.

How can you avoid having a toxic environment at the office and mitigate bickering among employees?

Identify the Problem

Your first step in effective conflict resolution is to identify the reason employees are not getting along. Then, sit down with them and work toward a solution.

You may need an objective third party. If necessary, call on your HR department or another outsider who can assist with your conflict resolution process.
Follow up. Once you have pinpointed the cause of bickering and taken steps to correct it, follow up to ensure your solution sticks.

Know Your Employees’ Personality Styles

Among the most common causes of employee disagreement are one person not pulling their weight while another picks up the slack; gossip; unfair pay structures; jealousy; stress; and – last but not least – clashing personalities. Once you realize most workplace conflicts arise from personality differences, you can minimize negativity and keep your resolution process on track.

Do you see any of your employees in the following personality styles?

Direct: These employees prefer to address conflict head on. They value honesty, but not necessarily tact. They may become argumentative and inpatient, and raise their voices if they feel they’re not being heard. Don’t fight fire with fire. Match their intensity, but not their anger. Be candid and make it clear why you’re upset, but stick to the facts – and focus on actions and results.
Spirited: Spirited individuals are not afraid to engage in conflict, and they don’t hesitate to share their feelings. They tend to become dramatic and may monopolize conversations. Unless you have a similar style, you may feel overwhelmed or manipulated when dealing with them. Avoid letting their persuasive style and tendency to jump to conclusions dominate your thinking. Review the pros and cons of their ideas before making a decision.
Considerate: These team members try to avoid conflict at any cost. They are likely to give in, rather than face an unpleasant situation. While concerned with the feelings of others, they are unwilling to reveal their own opinion. This may make them appear weak or uninterested. Allow time for these individuals to work through their cautious nature to reach a comfortable solution. Show them how resolution will be achieved more quickly by focusing directly on the issue versus avoiding it.
Systematic: Likely to become entrenched in their own position, these employees will stick to the facts and may be uncomfortable with other people’s emotions. They may be perceived as rigid, insensitive or unwilling to compromise. Avoid becoming inpatient or reacting emotionally with them. Use facts to support your proposed solution. Don’t insist on immediate resolution; rather, give them time to process the situation.

The workforce development experts at PrideStaff can help you effectively deal with employee disagreements, confrontation, and conflict in your workplace. Contact us today so we can discuss the solution that’s right for you.

Thinking About Relocating? Questions You Need to Ask

Relocation can feel like a high-stakes proposition, with many unknowns. Whether you’re elated or slightly terrified at the possibility – or both – this is not a decision to be taken lightly. As you make a calculated, informed choice, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself. Just be sure to answer them honestly and realistically before saying yes or no to your move.

Do I really know what I’m getting into?

The more research you do on the job, the company, and your prospective new hometown, the better.

Ask questions and keep your eyes and mind open. Be sure you thoroughly understand the job description. Meet your future boss and at least some of your soon-to-be co-workers. Tour the workplace and get a good sense of the work environment and culture. If possible, find out how other employees there have handled a similar move.
Does the position offer growth opportunity? Try to determine whether the job offers sufficient upward mobility. Moving is worth the risk if it aligns with your long-term career goals.

Can I afford it?

You may have been offered a higher salary, but don’t let this unrealistically cloud your vision.

Create a realistic budget that accounts for your new cost of living. Make sure your financial package is competitive and worth the move. Unless the cost of living is significantly lower in your new city, you can generally be a bit more assertive in asking for a better salary. Research comparable pay rates for your job in the same geographic location. Remember to also take into consideration benefits, incentives, and related factors.
Do a cost/benefit analysis. Don’t forget to consider moving expenses. If the company is not paying for your relocation, weigh both the pros and cons of the financial sacrifice you’ll need to make. Recent data shows 90 percent of companies reimburse or pay at least some moving costs for transferees and new hires, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Am I willing to leave people behind?

Consider the personal side of the move and its impact not only on you, but also on others in your life. Be true to yourself and have realistic expectations.

Some people more naturally adjust to new places and people, while others need a friend or relative who can support them in their new hometown. Do a self-reality check, and also gauge how your move will impact others – your spouse or partner, children, other family members, and close friends. Have open, honest communication with everyone involved.

What is my gut telling me?

Most often, when you are struggling with a major decision, your gut instincts are right on.

Don’t ignore any red flags. If you’re doing a lot of second-guessing, you probably should reconsider the move. But on the other hand, if you have an unstoppable good feeling about it, go for it. But, put away those rose-colored lenses so you can see the full picture.

If you’re considering a relocation or want to strategize the best approach for your job search – or if you need help negotiating a possible move – consider a partnership with a career coach from PrideStaff. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Should You Allow Employees to Telecommute?

Workplace norms have changed dramatically in recent years. From 2005 to 2012, telecommuting grew by 80 percent, due in large part to technological advancements and the influx of millennials into the workforce.

Allowing employees to work from home or another remote location has its pros and cons. Will it work for your company?

The Plusses

By offering telecommuting, you can enhance your employer brand, as well as build morale and retention.

Recruiting and keeping top talent is easier when you’re not limited by geography or strict “timeclock” scheduling. If you require employees to work out of your office, you may lose out on people with the skill sets you need most. The option to work remotely can eliminate stressful commutes and build work/life balance – two high priorities for many of today’s workers.
Benefit from cost savings. Telecommuting reduces overhead costs and eliminates the need to pay relocation fees or purchase expensive office furnishings.

The Minuses

For telecommuting to succeed, everyone must understand it’s a privilege, not a right. As an employer, you need to encourage and support it, but be prepared to revoke it if it is abused.

You may be taking a hiring risk. Employees must be extremely self-motivated to effectively work from home. It can be tough to gauge such skills in an interview. Remote workers need to be comfortable with this type of flexibility. People who need structure and routine may not do well telecommuting.
Alignment with management style is key. Managing remote employees takes patience, understanding, intense communication, and self-awareness – perhaps even more so than on-site management. For instance, when an employee works remotely, a supervisor can’t simply pop over to their desk with a question.
Proximity to colleagues is a key driver of innovation. Both Yahoo and Best Buy changed their telecommuting policies so corporate employees could no longer work remotely. Much depends on the person and the specific position.

A Case Study

A recent study of 250 employees at a large travel agency illustrates both the pros and cons of telecommuting. Over a nine-month period, half of these team members were assigned to work from home while the others remained in the office.

Those who telecommuted worked an average of 9.5 percent longer than their colleagues who worked in the office. They were 13 percent more productive and half as likely to quit their jobs.
The company saved an annual $2,000 per employee in office costs.
However, telecommuters were only half as likely to get promoted. Fifty percent of them asked to return to the office at the end of the study, due to loneliness and fear of being overlooked for career advancement.

The Happy Medium

For the best of both worlds, you may want to consider allowing employees to telecommute on a part-time basis. Have them work at the office to collaborate with their teams — and from home to get more done and maintain work/life equilibrium.

Make sure remote employees have the resources they need. This could include everything from phone and internet connections to videoconferencing and document-sharing services.
Handle it on a case-by-case basis. Make sure an employee is ready for the responsibility of telecommuting. If a person is a poor performer on-site, they likely will be equally nonproductive at home.

The workforce pros at PrideStaff can help with your decision on telecommuting – and with how to hire accordingly and implement a system that’s right for you. Contact us today so we can tell you more.

What to Look for When Checking References

The cost of a poor hire can be as high as three to four times their salary. When you add in intangible costs such as stress and lower morale on the part of co-workers, you can easy see why it’s worthwhile not to skip reference checks as a key part of your hiring process.

All too often, resumes are embellished. This makes references – both those supplied by candidates and those you seek out on your own – an invaluable tool for ensuring the person you initially identified as a good potential hire is actually who they claim to be.

Do Due Diligence

Check out all references provided by a candidate. Google them or check them out on LinkedIn. When someone is desperate to land a job, they may resort to moves that are less than sensible or professional, including fabricated references.

What to Ask

Carefully and strategically plan the questions you will pose to candidates’ references. This will enable you to gain greater insight into a person’s knowledge and abilities from someone who has actually witnessed or worked with them as they performed.

Focus on core skills and success measures as outlined in your job description. Ask references about the same traits you ask candidates. For instance, if you question an applicant on their communication, time management or decision making strengths, ask their references for specific examples when your prospect successfully demonstrated these qualities.
You also can ask a hypothetical question. A strong, telling example is, “Would you rehire Mary if you had the opportunity?” The response to this inquiry can speak volumes. With this and all questions, pay attention to the reference’s tone of voice and whether or not they hesitate before answering, as well as their actual words. And, if a response sounds rehearsed or memorized, let that be an immediate red flag.

Don’t Put Words in Their Mouth

If you’re anxious to make an offer or think you’ve found the perfect person for a job, you still need to avoid manipulating the conversation to go in your favor. Steer clear of leading questions or comments such as “Mary works exceptionally well in team situations, right?” or “Jim sounds like an experienced customer service pro. Do you agree?”

Take Detailed Notes

You never know when you may need to refer back to some of the comments made by a candidate’s references – so be sure to take detailed notes of these conversations.

Look for consistency. If one reference gives a glowing report and another is negative, or even mediocre, go the extra mile and check with at least one more before making a decision.

The recruitment experts at Pridestaff Fresno can help you ensure your reference checking process – and overall hiring strategy – is geared toward success. And, we can help you find leading candidates so you start off strong when it comes to filling your business-critical positions. Contact us today so we can tell you more.

What to Say When You Got Fired

Being asked why you were terminated from your previous position is probably the most challenging interview question you’ll ever have to face. It’s an uncomfortable topic to discuss under any circumstances, especially when trying to explain it to a prospective employer.

Here are a few pointers to help you get past the sticky issue of being fired and return the focus of your interview to what makes you the best candidate for the job.

Be Honest

You may be tempted to embellish or gloss over the circumstances around your termination. While you need to tailor your response, you must be completely honest in what you say.

An employer will find out the truth anyway, via their reference check process.
Dishonesty can result in you not getting a job offer, having an existing offer rescinded, or being fired if your deception is discovered later on.

Be Brief

There is no need to give a lengthy explanation or provide too many details about what happened. Simply state the reason for your termination; then try to move the conversation on to another topic.

Less is more. If you ramble on or over-explain, you will look sketchy or like you’re trying to hide something.
Simply explain what happened and share what you learned as a result. Then, get back to discussing your skills and strengths. You might say something like, “After we lost the account, in part due to my error, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the customer experience and how to ensure that I keep my clients top of mind in everything I do. I believe this will be a tremendous asset in my next role.”

Take the High Road

No matter how tempted you may be or how strongly you feel you were wronged, never bad-mouth a previous employer. You will look defensive and bitter. Instead, focus on the positive and take time to recap the value you can deliver if hired.

Practice

You have to walk into your interview with a cool head – and maintain this calmness, even during the toughest questions. Practice will help. Spend whatever time it takes on the front end to prepare for success.

Everyone can improve in some way. This is what you want to stress to your interviewer in explaining your firing. If you are honest about what happened and explain what you learned from the experience, most prospective employers will be favorably impressed.

Interviews can be daunting, even under the best circumstances, but they’re just one part of your successful job search strategy. To help you design and implement that strategy, and access the best jobs in your field in the Central Valley region and beyond, contact the PrideStaff Fresno team today.

Are You Micromanaging Your Employees?

Are you a micromanager?

Knowing how much supervision to give can be difficult: too little, and people could become lost and unproductive; too much, and you could end up with freaked-out, demoralized employees. Despite good intentions, micromanagers ultimately hurt their business as their supervisory style results in low morale, wasted time and often, high turnover.

It’s All About Trust

Micromanagement implies a lack of trust. It begins with a manager giving too many instructions to employees and worsens over time until people mentally check out as they realize that whatever they do will be either redone or hyper-scrutinized and critiqued.

This leads to a vicious cycle: Employees start to avoid their manager because they become so frustrated. This makes the manager hover over them even more, because they aren’t getting the constant feedback they crave. It’s not a pretty picture.

If you have “checked-out” employees, you won’t get the same level of productivity, creativity or long-term loyalty you would from people who are encouraged to think and act on their own. In recent research studies:

70 percent of employees said micromanagement interfered with their successful job performance.
60 percent of employees said they had left a job due to micromanagement.

Recognize These Signs?

You might be a micromanager if …

You tell your employees exactly what to do – and how and when to do it – just about all the time.
Your team members lack the freedom to make their own decisions – even minor ones – without running them by you first.
Your employees spend more time reporting on their progress than they do actually working on projects and tasks.
You focus too much on mundane, unimportant things such as simple grammatical errors in a 20-page proposal, versus the overall content and its potential value.
You actually do your employees work for them!

How to Avoid Micromanagement

If you want to avoid being a micromanager or change your ways if you feel you’re headed down that path, here are some ideas to get you started:

Ask “why.” What is the underlying reason for your tendency to micromanage? Do you question your employees’ ability to get their jobs done or are you simply more comfortable when you’re in control? Once you pinpoint the reason, you can determine your next step to overcoming the problem.
Learn to delegate. Take a step back and realize your employees’ ideas can be just as good as your own. Or if you have team members who are not performing up to par, take the necessary measures to either train and improve or replace them.

The PrideStaff Fresno team can help you address your ongoing workforce development issues, including those related to management or performance challenges. Contact us today for a customized solution to your talent management issues and staffing plans.

Reeling in March Madness

Approximately 50 million Americans contribute to March Madness pools at work. This level of participation is estimated to cost employers more than $1.9 billion in lost productivity.

It may be tempting to bar all March Madness-related activities in your workplace, but … bah humbug! Experts agree this will not only hurt your reputation as a good boss, but also prove to be counterproductive in the long run – as workers spend time trying to circumvent your ruling.

Embrace the Concept of Knowledge Work

First coined by management guru and author Peter Drucker, knowledge work has its own set of productivity requirements. One is that employees must be given autonomy to get their jobs done. Another is that quality of work is just as important as quantity, if not more so. Quashing or banning employees’ indulgence in a reasonable amount of March Madness interest sends the message that work is no place to have any fun, which equates to no way to make people productive.

You should already have internet usage rules. If not, now is a good time to create your policy.

Make it reasonable, so people are not paying too much attention during the course of the workday. Of course, in certain jobs such as operating heavy machinery, such distractions must be taboo, for safety as well as productivity reasons.
Allow for the distraction and hype.

Recognizing the personal interests of your employees is an important sign of genuine care for their well-being. Encourage people to take breaks to watch the game for a little while, or go out to lunch and enjoy an update at a local restaurant. Maybe you can sponsor a productivity-related competition where winning employees get gift cards for this purpose. Or, throw a potluck lunch in the break room. Have the game on a big screen and ask people to wear their favorite team jerseys or colors. Use March Madness as an opportunity to boost engagement, morale, and loyalty. In one study, 71 percent of people said such breaks during the workday helped them achieve higher levels of productivity.
Consider creating a non-betting workplace competition.

Betting pools in California are an infraction, with a maximum fine of $250. The pool is not an infraction as long as it is not operated for profit, unless the same stakes are not available to all participants. The stake limit is $2,500 and pools cannot be conducted online.
Remember, not everyone is a sports nut.

Be mindful of those who are not swept up into the madness. Plan alternative recognitions for them.
Lead by example.
If your company policy limits non-business cell phone or internet usage, then don’t get caught in the “Do as I say, not as I do” trap. Your credibility will be shot – and it can lead to a domino effect that impairs morale and productivity, as well.

A short-term tradeoff in the interest of long-term success often makes sense. Your goal is to make people happier at work. Employees who are more satisfied tend to be more productive and less likely to burn out.

Need more ideas for building and maintaining top levels of engagement, morale, and productivity on a year-round basis? Read our related posts or contact the PrideStaff team today.