Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Key Questions to Ask Your New Hires

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Key Questions to Ask Your New Hires Designing an effective onboarding experience requires some trial and error, and you can hone your approach by asking new hires some specific questions at each phase of the onboarding journey. Although new hires are usually ramped up to productivity quickly, taking time out to address these questions will provide valuable information, a sense of investment and caring, and the perception that continuous feedback is respected and rewarded. Recruitment success doesn’t automatically ensure onboarding success, but if you don’t recruit well, the best onboarding strategies in the world can’t help you. Ask your new hires these questions to learn what’s working in your recruitment process â€" and what isn’t. Did our recruitment process teach you what you needed to know about coming to work here? Did our recruitment process present a clear vision of our company’s purpose and goals? Was anything about our recruitment process frustrating? If so, what? Why did you ultimately choose our company? The next set of questions should be asked â€" either by an HR representative or the hiring manager â€" at the conclusion of the first week of employment. At this point, you are checking for assimilation or the degree to which the new hire has been integrated into your environment. Do you feel welcome here? Do you have a solid understanding of your role and your place in the organization? Have we provided the right level of access â€" to people, processes, technology, and other resources â€" that you will need to perform your job to the best of your ability? What could we have done to make your first week less stressful and more enjoyable? Going forward, what aspects of your job are you most looking forward to? What aspects concern you? By the end of the second week, new hires should be well ensconced in their jobs. You still want to ensure that onboarding is proceeding smoothly, though, and can do so via the following questions. Does your job match the expectations set about it during the recruitment process? Do you now feel adequately prepared to perform your job responsibilities? Have you met a sufficient number of people to have an overall understanding of how our company operates and who you can tap for assistance? Are there any surprises that you wish you’d known about prior to starting the job? The next questions can be addressed both at the one month and three month marks. At these junctures, you are assessing whether the new hire is satisfied and engaged, and whether he/she felt the onboarding process was successful. Is there additional training or knowledge you’d like to receive to become even more proficient at your job? Do you understand your near-term goals as they relate to this position? Are you motivated to achieve them? As of today, would you recommend our firm to a friend? Do you see yourself working here for a long time? Why or why not? What did you like best about our onboarding process? Least? As you’ve no doubt gathered, at some point new hire interviews become stay interviews and the goal shifts from onboarding to retention. By orienting your new employees to a continuous feedback approach early, they will be accustomed to participating in a two-way dialogue throughout the course of their tenure with the organization.

On the Verge Resume Writing - Tips on How to Write a Good On the Verge Resume

On the Verge Resume Writing - Tips on How to Write a Good On the Verge ResumeIf you want to know how to write a good on the verge resume, there are some things you should keep in mind. No matter how brilliant your resume may look, if it doesn't have substance to it, it will be difficult for you to land that interview. Here are some tips that will help you out with the job search.When it comes to writing a on the verge resume, you want to take into consideration your goals as well as those of the company. You should also keep in mind what skills you have so that you will be able to easily position yourself. What you need to remember is that your resume should be like a picture of your personality. This will give the impression that you are the kind of person that will be ideal for the position you are applying for.When creating your resume, it is important that you write it all in one sentence. For example, you might want to use an opening like 'Just graduated from high school'Named o ne of the top three seniors in my class at my high school'. Whatever the case may be, this will help you in creating a concise and professional sounding resume.Another tip when it comes to writing resumes is using abbreviations. This can help in making your resume appear clearer. You can also put in some brief sentences about why you want the job and what qualifications you have. Just make sure that these are genuine reasons that you have.Since you want to create a very professional looking resume, always remember to use your best judgment. This means that you should not compromise on the quality of your resume as well as the information it contains. If you try to take shortcuts when it comes to creating your resume, it might leave an ugly and annoying impression.With the job market becomes more competitive, your resume should be of great importance. The first impression you make on the employers is important for them to decide whether or not you are the right person for the job. If you are applying for a job that is held by a friend, it will certainly be easier for them to hire you since they can speak to you more easily.Also, you can keep in mind that having a resume that does not have all the relevant information will only result in having people doubt about your resume. Employers need to see that you can provide the kind of service they are looking for. By giving all the information that is needed to get the job, it will be easier for you to land that interview.The tips given above will help you get started with on the verge resume writing. Make sure that you follow these tips and you will end up with a well-written resume that makes a good impression on the employer. Remember that any other way is worse than having an impressive resume.

Personal Branding Inteview Mel Robbins - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Inteview Mel Robbins - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke with Mel Robbins, who is a syndicated radio show host and a business success coach. Shes involved in so many different types of media that I wanted to get her impression of how they differ and what she likes the best. We also talk about what its like to interview celebrities like Donald Trump, how she got on the cover of Inc. Magazine and how you can succeed despite the recession. Shes very honest and open as she explains, from her experience, how shes become successful. Enjoy the interview! Mel, youve dealt with many different kids of media, including TV, radio, and blogging. Which one is your favorite and why? I love radio more than any other media because it provides me the opportunity to do what I do best â€" talk to people. I love helping people get what they want, get unstuck, spot opportunities and tap confidence. And while I’m busy talking to one person â€" millions of people can tune in to the conversation and be both entertained and inspired as they listen along. Radio also respects people’s anonymity. Unlike TV where it’s all about what the show looks like â€" radio is about the conversation. Its about story telling â€" both me telling the crazy stories from my life and you talking about yours. I’m an open book â€" and I talk about everything going on with me on the radio. But, most people aren’t as open. Radio allows people to be anonymous â€" so they are much more comfortable discussing deeply personal issues and telling the truth about how they feel about their lives â€" when their privacy is respected. And the more honest my callers are about what they want and how they feel, the better equipped I am to help. A close second is the social networking applications like twitter, facebook, etc. My company, Advice for Living, is actively figuring out the best way to marry the daily radio show â€" with the lastest technology online to reach the largest number of people. Please follow me on Twitter!!!! I’m @melrobbins How did you go from a criminal defense attorney to a technology executive, to an executive coach, to helping high schoolers with SAT prep and now to a syndicated radio host? Did you have a career plan from the beginning, or did it just kind of happen for you? I actually practice what I preach. When clients (or callers) ask me how to do something that they are passionate about for a living. I tell them â€" you start by picking something big and embarrassing. Something you like daydreaming about â€" but might not utter aloud at a cocktail party b/c it sounds so big. Mine (yes, its embarrassing) is that I want to be the #1 syndicated radio host in America. Rush Limbaugh has that spot and he currently has about 25.5mm more listeners and 600 more stations than I do…..so it’s a little daunting to put that goal out there in public. It’s easy when you say something that crazy for the establishment to laugh at you. But do it anyway. Once you have that big, embarrassing thing in mind â€" you start taking small steps toward it and watching for signs in all areas of your life that it is happening. You say yes to anything and everything that takes you closer to it (especially if you don’t think you have the time). And you let go of your timeline for how long it will take to get it done. And then, a funny thing happens. As you are on your way to achieving that big dream â€" all kinds of stuff will happen to you â€" and you’ll find out what you actually really want to be doing….you will bump into it while you are pursuing that big embarrassing thing. I bumped into being a coach, while I was busy becoming a criminal defense attorney in Manhattan. I bumped into being a syndicated radio host â€" while I was busy becoming the best coach I could be (you get the point!) What was it like interviewing Donald Trump for the first time? Was it easier since youve interviewed celebrities in the past or were you still very nervous? It was nerve wracking! Yes, I get nervous. Of course I get nervous. Whenever you are doing something that you care about, when the stakes are high, when you want to do well â€" you get nervous. Get used to it, nerves never go away. In the case of meeting Donald â€" we met up in his office first, before going down to conduct the interview in front of thousands waiting on the set â€" and right after we met he informed me that my false eyelash had come off and was stuck to my eyebrow. I thought I would die on the spot when he said it. After the initial freak out, the clean up job on my face and the lingering embarrassment. I just pushed forward despite it all. One of the ways that I have learned to push through my nerves is just to talk about how nervous I feel, make fun of it, break the ice with it and then when the cameras start rolling it’s out of me and I’m ready to rock and roll. You were part of the cover of Inc Magazine a few years ago. What lessons in PR can you give to the average worker, consultant, author, etc? That cover story came from an email I replied to one night. The kids were in bed. I was sitting in my office, drinking a glass of wine â€" and I received an email. A writer had put out a request to speak to coaches and my friend forwarded it to me. Now, by the time I got it, the email was 30 days old, but I thought what the hell â€" why not reply. So I just whipped off something stream of conscious and hit send. All too often we analyze things to death. Wait to get things perfect before we reach out. Stop that. Just hit send. Something about the “real” quality of my email â€" caught her eye â€" even though she had already spoken with dozens of other coaches already. She called me, the rest is history. Point is â€" stop thinking about the right way and just hit send. Get your ass out there. Subscribe to and comment on the most popular blogs in your subject matter area. Join the conversation. Reach out. Refer people, and be helpful to other business owners and it will come back -fold. And, say yes to every opportunity to speak to anyone about what you are doing. What advice can you give to people who have been recently laid off and are looking for work? You can’t control what just happened. You can’t control the job market or the recession. The only thing you can control is the attitude you adopt and the steps you take to pursue your goals. That’s it. I suggest you start looking at this as the best thing that could have happened to you. And realize, a year from now when you are back on your feet and settled into a whole new routine â€" you’ll look back and say, Thank God. Today â€" you should focus only on what you can control. You can control how you spend your time, how many people to speak to, and your attitude. Put yourself on a media diet and edit out the negative crap you watch and listen to. Tune into my daily radio show â€" it’ll make you feel empowered. Listen here. I actually have a workshop that I created with Success Magazine that hammers this exact topic. The workshop teaches you to build the right mindset to beat this recession. To take control. To spot opportunities. To join the elite few of us who see this recession as a time to pull ahead of the pack and make your mark. I invite you to check it out you can hear 15 minutes of it for free at www.success.com/mel. Consider it your personal bailout plan from me! And one more thing â€" if you are looking for work, you might as well look for something that you’d love to do. Not just limit it to the same old crap that you’ve been doing because you think you have to. And if you are thinking about launching a business â€" now’s the time. Check out StartupNation.com My buddies over there have all the information you need to get that business started. And if you really feel stuck. Just call me. 888-454-3378. I’m free from am-noon EST every weekday â€" and I’m here to help. - Mel Robbins is a no-nonsense life and business coach who has turned her expertise and love for helping people into an impressive media career. She is the producer and host of the hit syndicated radio show The Mel Robbins Show, broadcast in 40+ markets across the country. Mel has recently been tapped to host a Saturday morning show on Boston’s Talk Evolution, 96.9 WTKK and to serve as the spokesperson for Microsoft Office Live. In addition to the radio show, Mel and her company Advice for Living, Inc. are engaged with CNBC as a regular contributor, as a monthly columnist for Success Magazine, and co-developing and distributing personal improvement products with Success Media. Mel also hosts and produces an interview talkshow for Borders where she has interviewed high profile celebrities and authors including Barbara Walters, Dr. Oz, Donald Trump, Mandy Moore, and Bill Cosby.

What to Wear to Your Office Holiday Party - Classy Career Girl

What to Wear to Your Office Holiday Party Tis the season for the holiday office party. Do you know what to wear to yours? Holiday office party attire can be difficult to navigate for a variety of reasons.   You need to consider the venue, the weather, and most importantly, your daily office dress code. Here are a few tips to help you pick what to wear to your office holiday party: #1:  No Jeans Its the holidays! Its time to be festive! An office party is an opportunity to show your coworkers (and your bosses) just how classy and professional you are.   At the same time, dont overdress. You want to show your coworkers that you can dress appropriately for an occasion. No need show up in a ball gown and a fur stole to dinner. #2: Its December, and Baby Its Cold Outside You will not have any fun if you spend the entire night being cold. You can wear pants and still be chic and fashionable. Add a festive top (as I did with a jeweled collar blouse) and fun jewelry.   If you still want to wear a dress, consider tights or wear a coat that can be a part of your outfit if you choose to keep it on all night. #3: Remember Your Daily Dress Code! If you are not allowed to wear sleeveless tops at the office, dont wear sleeveless tops to the party.   It could end up being acceptable, but do you want to be the only one there showing skin? Keep your make-up simple and work appropriate this is not the time to experiment with false eyelashes. Holiday parties are a great opportunity to have fun and bond with your coworkers outside of the office. But remember, you will have to go back to the office on Monday, so dress appropriately, keep a two-drink limit, and stay classy. Here are a few examples of what to wear to your office holiday party: Dress: (similar here)  Bracelets: (exact)  Shoes: (similar)  Clutch: (similar here)  Coat: (similar here) Pants: (similar),  Top: (similar here and here),  Cardigan: (similar  here),  Shoes: (exact),  Bracelets: (exact),  Clutch: (similar here)

Writing a Management Resume

Writing a Management ResumeWriting a management resume can be a bit of a hassle but the benefits of being able to do it is worth it. The following are tips that you should be aware of so that you don't end up wasting your time and money on what can often be an ineffective way to get a job interview.Most employers will only go over the first page of a resume before moving on to the next one. They need to see a complete list of the relevant experiences and skills required for the job you are applying for. So, if you try to cram everything you can into your resume then you won't get to present yourself effectively. Write your resume in a way that gives a clear picture of you.Each industry has their own unique skills and qualities. It is important to highlight those to get you noticed by employers. If you want to have a career in a particular area then make sure that you research each industry before choosing one. Try to learn about the people and the business before you apply. You will find that employers can find out about your past experiences if you are too timid to ask them.To ensure you do not lose any points on a management resume there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. You need to make sure that your interests are relevant and easy to understand. People will have the same interests as you, so you need to be prepared to write a good summary of your personal interests. They should help to improve your chances of getting an interview.Even if you have some previous experience then you still need to take responsibility for what you wrote on your resume. Be honest with the information and it should show through in your resume. You need to make sure that you understand the requirements and how you can provide the information that is needed. A mistake is far more costly than a job.It is also important to understand that you need to prepare yourself for what the potential employer wants. This includes knowing what they expect and being confident that y ou can provide it. You need to know that their demands are reasonable and that you are ready to produce a suitable, professional-looking resume. Then you can move onto the next stage.If you follow these tips then you should be able to make a professional presentation of yourself. Don't think that if you put it together professionally that it will have a big impact on your results. It won't.There is still a lot of work involved in making a resume that is both professional and attractive. Don't be put off by this. A resume can become old very quickly so it is very important to keep up to date and learn the tricks of the trade.

Writing a Resume - What to Include Under Qualifications

Writing a Resume - What to Include Under QualificationsWriting a resume is a daunting task. There are a number of possible qualifications that you can include in your resume, but how to describe them effectively and what do you actually mean by them?The first thing that you need to know about your qualifications when it comes to writing a resume is that there are two kinds. They are educational and professional. A resume for a job seeker who has an education is the same as for a professional.But what about the people who have both or even more than one kind of educational qualifications? How do you write a resume for them? Well, the answer is to combine all of their educational qualifications into one. And this must be documented properly.We all know the most common situations where a person needs to include their educational qualifications. A potential employee who has had no education or no formal training is going to need a secondary qualification. A student who has completed thei r education and then studied for a specific period of time will need to have other information as well. There are even some new employees who may need to have acquired their skills as a trainer.A manager who was in a specific business sector in their career may be more qualified than someone who only started in the industry last year. Or a person who has been in a particular industry for many years may need to have their skills as a consultant. For example, if a person has been in the hair design industry for many years they may have more experience than someone who was just recently trained. This is where it is important to write your resume.So if you're looking for professional qualifications in a resume, there are two types. A person who has earned their certification and/or is a part of a trade group that makes statements to this effect is going to need a title for this qualification, such as Certified Hair Design. Then there is the person who has earned a degree in the field of hair design and then holds a license to practice.A professional qualification is what most people think of when they think of a qualification. A person who has their career as a hairdresser is going to need to have a title under which their qualification falls. The title can either be 'Certified Hair Styling Specialist'Certified Hair Designer.'What about those with B.A.P.B. degrees?

Is Your Brand the Ultimate Narcissism - CareerEnlightenment.com

But then, her idol Julia Child inspires her to take a second look at how she is treating those around her.As the Dalai Lama said, the more you focus on yourself, the more miserable you will be.So what is all this talk about Brand-You? Isnt that just the epitome of unhappiness?I believe there is a delicate balance, a middle way, between how much we ring our own bell and how much we focus on giving. After all, we dont live in a vacuum.As we build our brands online, writing articles, taking the voice of authority, commenting critically on blogs or LinkedIn Groups, remember we may not be good enough to be humble, but a bell that rings too loud gets silenced.

Plan Your Resume

Plan Your Resume With the current state of the economy, jobs are a bit more challenging to come by. For this reason, it is more important than ever that you have a properly planned resume. A poorly planned resume can result in missing out an interview, which can be devastating in this market. If you are an older job seeker, avoid putting certain dates on your resume. There is no reason to tell an employer how old you are, but if you mention on your resume that you obtained your bachelors degree in 1975, the interviewer will be able to do some quick math and determine that you are very likely in your 50s. Employers are legally not allowed to discriminate based upon age, but there would be no way of knowing that an employer had done so if you dont get the job. Instead of putting dates on your resume, simply put facts. For instance, list what degrees that you have, not when you obtained them. If you are an older job seeker, only list relevant information on your resume. For example, if you are a computer programmer, no one cares about how great you were with DOS back in the day. Listing all of the years of experience that you have with DOS only gives hints to your age. Instead, highlight all of the relevant experience that you possess. If you are in the field of technology, generally only the last ten to fifteen years of your experience is truly relevant to your employer. Focusing on the achievements that you have had in this time frame makes you look incredibly marketable while avoiding any possibility for age discrimination. If you are a younger job seeker, play up all of your experience, but leave your high school and college graduation dates off of your resume. There is no reason to give your interviewer a reason to write you off based upon your youth. As with the older job seekers, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against you, but if you dont get the job, there would be no way for you to know that you were discriminated against. Be certain that you mention all of the clubs that you are or were a part of, especially if you held an office or leadership position within the clubs. Play up any volunteer experience that you have. All job seekers should focus on listing their skills and accomplishments on their resume as opposed to simply listing their job responsibilities. Being a cashier does not sound like it would have much relevance when applying for a management position, but you can show how being a cashier brought out your abilities to multi-task and manage large sums of money responsibly if you play up those skills on your resume. Be sure to remember that your potential employer wants to see how you, your personality traits, your knowledge, and your skills will enable you to be an asset to their company. If you explain how you will be an asset to the company in your resume, then you are much more likely to grab the attention of recruiters, land an interview, and get a job. Dont give the HR staff at your dream job any reason to write you off before theyve even met you.