Today I did a phone interview with a job applicant who spent a good part of the interview telling me why his close friend, who is also applying for a job with us, shouldn't get it and he should.
The friend, by the way, referred him to the job opening. He repaid him for the favor with statements like this one: "He didn't do anything last summer except go to Burning Man."
(Yes, these are recent grads.)
This is not a good strategy.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Carnival of HR
Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Carnival of HR. We've got 11 posts on a wide range of HR- and management-related topics, so here we go...
"Why the Girl Scouts Think HR People Hate Them"
Kris Dunn at the HR Capitalist, who has a serious talent for coming up with post titles that compel you to read, addresses how to handle solicitation policies in your company.
"Diversity Thoughts"
The Evil HR Lady presents her excellent Evil HR Lady school of diversity training.
"New Year's Resolutions for Managers and Supervisors"
Execupundit offers 10 new year's resolutions for managers. I'm angry that I didn't think of that idea.
"What would you do with Queen Frostine?"
The Career Encouragement blog says: "If you are a manager or just a professionally minded go-getter, it can be tempting to jump in when you see problems between co-workers and get involved with get involved with monkeys that don't belong in your tree. But think twice!"
"'Assist' is the Operative Word"
Lisa at HR Thoughts argues that those using HR's services need to bring something to the table too.
"The Apprentice Leader: Training for New Leaders"
Wally Bock at Three Star Leadership says that even though an apprentice leader will learn more on the job than anywhere else, there's still a need for training. Here's what it should cover and how it should be structured.
"China Specifics for 2008"
Talent in China teaches you what to expect if you do HR or recruitment in China.
"NLRB Rules that Employees have No Right to Use Employer E-mail for Union Solicitations and Announces New Standard for Discriminatory Policy Enforcement Charges"
The Pennsylvania Employment Law Blog examines a new NLRB ruling on workplace union activity.
"Transient Leadership"
"We believe it takes a single leader to make a difference and we've made superstars of business leaders such as Jack Welch who were in "leadership" positions at successful companies," writes Incentive Intelligence. "But I wonder if this is all history - and the future will be very different."
"Cognitive Reserve and Intellectually Demanding Jobs"
Sharp Brains explores how stimulating jobs can protect our brains against decline as we age.
"What to Do When You Make a Mistake at Work"
And last, I take a look at how to handle it if -- when -- you make a mistake at work.
The next Carnival will be on January 23rd and hosted by Deb at 8 Hours & a Lunch.
"Why the Girl Scouts Think HR People Hate Them"
Kris Dunn at the HR Capitalist, who has a serious talent for coming up with post titles that compel you to read, addresses how to handle solicitation policies in your company.
"Diversity Thoughts"
The Evil HR Lady presents her excellent Evil HR Lady school of diversity training.
"New Year's Resolutions for Managers and Supervisors"
Execupundit offers 10 new year's resolutions for managers. I'm angry that I didn't think of that idea.
"What would you do with Queen Frostine?"
The Career Encouragement blog says: "If you are a manager or just a professionally minded go-getter, it can be tempting to jump in when you see problems between co-workers and get involved with get involved with monkeys that don't belong in your tree. But think twice!"
"'Assist' is the Operative Word"
Lisa at HR Thoughts argues that those using HR's services need to bring something to the table too.
"The Apprentice Leader: Training for New Leaders"
Wally Bock at Three Star Leadership says that even though an apprentice leader will learn more on the job than anywhere else, there's still a need for training. Here's what it should cover and how it should be structured.
"China Specifics for 2008"
Talent in China teaches you what to expect if you do HR or recruitment in China.
"NLRB Rules that Employees have No Right to Use Employer E-mail for Union Solicitations and Announces New Standard for Discriminatory Policy Enforcement Charges"
The Pennsylvania Employment Law Blog examines a new NLRB ruling on workplace union activity.
"Transient Leadership"
"We believe it takes a single leader to make a difference and we've made superstars of business leaders such as Jack Welch who were in "leadership" positions at successful companies," writes Incentive Intelligence. "But I wonder if this is all history - and the future will be very different."
"Cognitive Reserve and Intellectually Demanding Jobs"
Sharp Brains explores how stimulating jobs can protect our brains against decline as we age.
"What to Do When You Make a Mistake at Work"
And last, I take a look at how to handle it if -- when -- you make a mistake at work.
The next Carnival will be on January 23rd and hosted by Deb at 8 Hours & a Lunch.
Monday, January 7, 2008
asserting authority with bullying employees
A reader writes:
I am a co-owner of two bowling alleys with my husband. I actually started working at the first one as an employee, because I was only friends with my husband at the time. I worked my way up in the company being promoted to general manager by my now husband and his wife at the time. They later divorced, and I began dating him after he was single so it's not like I slept my way to the top, etc. After we were married, we changed the officers in the company to reflect he and I as co-owners. We also purchased a second bowling alley of which I am the president and he is vice president.
My problem is, I have two part time employees at the first location who view my husband as the "Boss/Owner" and anything I do or say to them that they may have a problem with, they go to him and complain about me. Almost like they're expecting him to reprimand me. They also say things to me like, "What did Joe say about that?" Joe being my husband. I usually respond with something like, "It doesn't matter what Joe says, I'm telling you." But then they go and try to complain to him when I respond that way as well.
When Joe is confronted with a complaint he usually says something like,"What did Andrea say? And did you do it? Why not?" Or he'll say something like "If Andrea already told you why are you asking me?" But this doesn't seem to be working. Any advice or suggestions?
Yep: You need to assert your authority, because you're being bullied by your own employees. You need to stop allowing these employees to act as if you don't have the authority you do have. If you buy into their game, it's as good as conceding that you don't have authority! And since you do, you need to act like it.
What does that mean in practice? Sit down with these employees (individually) and say something like, "Bill, I'm concerned with a pattern I've noticed lately. You've been asking Joe to reverse my decisions when you're not happy with them, which makes me think we might not be on the same page about how we make decisions here. I make decisions about scheduling and policies (fill in anything else relevant here), and I expect you to abide by those, or discuss them with me if you have questions or concerns. We can't have you going to Joe when you don't like those decisions. If there are issues, I need you to address them with me, not with Joe. This is not negotiable. You've been a good employee and I hope you will be here for a long time, but that won't happen if we don't get on the same page about this."
If they argue with you, nicely explain that this isn't their decision to make, and that if they're not able to work happily under those conditions, this may not be the right job for them. See this post for some ideas on this.
This conversation will be most effective if you can do it without sounding angry. You want to sound matter-of-fact -- concerned but not angry. (There's no need for anger when you hold all the cards, which you must remember you do. You are their boss. You can fire people who aren't working out. Hopefully it won't come to that, but knowing that you have tool available to you should help your resolve.)
Good luck!
I am a co-owner of two bowling alleys with my husband. I actually started working at the first one as an employee, because I was only friends with my husband at the time. I worked my way up in the company being promoted to general manager by my now husband and his wife at the time. They later divorced, and I began dating him after he was single so it's not like I slept my way to the top, etc. After we were married, we changed the officers in the company to reflect he and I as co-owners. We also purchased a second bowling alley of which I am the president and he is vice president.
My problem is, I have two part time employees at the first location who view my husband as the "Boss/Owner" and anything I do or say to them that they may have a problem with, they go to him and complain about me. Almost like they're expecting him to reprimand me. They also say things to me like, "What did Joe say about that?" Joe being my husband. I usually respond with something like, "It doesn't matter what Joe says, I'm telling you." But then they go and try to complain to him when I respond that way as well.
When Joe is confronted with a complaint he usually says something like,"What did Andrea say? And did you do it? Why not?" Or he'll say something like "If Andrea already told you why are you asking me?" But this doesn't seem to be working. Any advice or suggestions?
Yep: You need to assert your authority, because you're being bullied by your own employees. You need to stop allowing these employees to act as if you don't have the authority you do have. If you buy into their game, it's as good as conceding that you don't have authority! And since you do, you need to act like it.
What does that mean in practice? Sit down with these employees (individually) and say something like, "Bill, I'm concerned with a pattern I've noticed lately. You've been asking Joe to reverse my decisions when you're not happy with them, which makes me think we might not be on the same page about how we make decisions here. I make decisions about scheduling and policies (fill in anything else relevant here), and I expect you to abide by those, or discuss them with me if you have questions or concerns. We can't have you going to Joe when you don't like those decisions. If there are issues, I need you to address them with me, not with Joe. This is not negotiable. You've been a good employee and I hope you will be here for a long time, but that won't happen if we don't get on the same page about this."
If they argue with you, nicely explain that this isn't their decision to make, and that if they're not able to work happily under those conditions, this may not be the right job for them. See this post for some ideas on this.
This conversation will be most effective if you can do it without sounding angry. You want to sound matter-of-fact -- concerned but not angry. (There's no need for anger when you hold all the cards, which you must remember you do. You are their boss. You can fire people who aren't working out. Hopefully it won't come to that, but knowing that you have tool available to you should help your resolve.)
Good luck!
why did a company say they'd call when they didn't?
A reader writes:
I recently had two phone interviews with a company, which went well from what I could tell. There was lots of talk about my experience and how I could apply that to the position. The hiring manager told me that the Department Manager would call me to set up the next steps and the company seemed interested in what I had to offer. Then almost an hour later a recruiter called and said they were passing on me.
So what I am trying to figure out now, is why end a call with false information regarding the next steps?
I wouldn't assume anyone deliberately gave you false information. The company could have decided to pursue other candidates after internal discussion, either about you or about other candidates.
On the other hand, sometimes an interviewer will end an interview with that sort of statement, because it's the "I'll call you" of the interviewing world. In other words, it's a way of avoiding direct face-to-face rejection -- which can be awkward not only for the interviewer but also for the person being rejected. I agree with you that it's nicer to get an answer up front if one is known, but I think this is a pretty understandable course to take, especially since they did get back to you with a clear answer.
I recently had two phone interviews with a company, which went well from what I could tell. There was lots of talk about my experience and how I could apply that to the position. The hiring manager told me that the Department Manager would call me to set up the next steps and the company seemed interested in what I had to offer. Then almost an hour later a recruiter called and said they were passing on me.
So what I am trying to figure out now, is why end a call with false information regarding the next steps?
I wouldn't assume anyone deliberately gave you false information. The company could have decided to pursue other candidates after internal discussion, either about you or about other candidates.
On the other hand, sometimes an interviewer will end an interview with that sort of statement, because it's the "I'll call you" of the interviewing world. In other words, it's a way of avoiding direct face-to-face rejection -- which can be awkward not only for the interviewer but also for the person being rejected. I agree with you that it's nicer to get an answer up front if one is known, but I think this is a pretty understandable course to take, especially since they did get back to you with a clear answer.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
what to do when you make a mistake at work
When you make a mistake at work, how you handle it can often say much more about you than the mistake itself.
Reasonable bosses understand that no one is perfect and mistakes will occasionally happen -- what they care about is how you follow up on that mistake. As it happens, there's a pretty foolproof formula for handling it well. If you follow this formula (and have a reasonable boss), you'll likely be surprised at how well he or she responds.
Here's the formula:
1. Tell your boss what happened -- immediately. Do not put it off out of fear. I will be far more upset if time is allowed to pass before I'm informed. Delaying sends the message that you value your own comfort over the needs of your work.
2. Take responsibility for it. Don't make excuses, and don't be defensive.
3. Tell me how it happened. Not only do I want to know, I want to know that you know.
4. Most importantly, explain how you plan to ensure it doesn't happen again.
This formula works because when someone makes a mistake, what a boss needs to do is make sure that the person understands the seriousness of it and knows how to avoid it in the future. If you take the initiative to cover those things yourself, then your boss doesn't need to do it herself (and having your boss impress upon you how serious a mistake was tends to be much less pleasant than saying it yourself).
In other words, do your boss' job for her -- eliminate the need for her to reprimand you by reprimanding yourself.
Why don't more people realize this?
Reasonable bosses understand that no one is perfect and mistakes will occasionally happen -- what they care about is how you follow up on that mistake. As it happens, there's a pretty foolproof formula for handling it well. If you follow this formula (and have a reasonable boss), you'll likely be surprised at how well he or she responds.
Here's the formula:
1. Tell your boss what happened -- immediately. Do not put it off out of fear. I will be far more upset if time is allowed to pass before I'm informed. Delaying sends the message that you value your own comfort over the needs of your work.
2. Take responsibility for it. Don't make excuses, and don't be defensive.
3. Tell me how it happened. Not only do I want to know, I want to know that you know.
4. Most importantly, explain how you plan to ensure it doesn't happen again.
This formula works because when someone makes a mistake, what a boss needs to do is make sure that the person understands the seriousness of it and knows how to avoid it in the future. If you take the initiative to cover those things yourself, then your boss doesn't need to do it herself (and having your boss impress upon you how serious a mistake was tends to be much less pleasant than saying it yourself).
In other words, do your boss' job for her -- eliminate the need for her to reprimand you by reprimanding yourself.
Why don't more people realize this?
Carnival of HR submissions due Monday
Just a reminder: The next Carnival of HR will be hosted here on January 9. Please send me your submissions by January 7.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
five things to leave off your resume
Here five things job seekers should leave off their resumes:
1. An objective
I've never seen an objective that made a candidate more appealing, and often they're downright horrible. They usually fall in one of three categories: (1) objectives that are all about what you want ("a position that allows me to develop my interest in international relations"), which is at odds with what this stage of the hiring process is all about (what the company wants), (2) objectives that aren't tailored enough to the position or even have nothing to do with it (which makes it look like you're blasting your resume out without enough of a focus), or (3) objectives that simply don't add anything compelling (and therefore just waste space). The resume is about showing your experience, skills, and accomplishments. If you want to talk about how this particular position is the perfect next step in your career, use the cover letter for that.
2. Any mention of references, including a statement that "references are available upon request"
This goes unsaid; no one assumes that references could possibly not be available. You're not causing any harm to have it on there, but it's a waste of space that you could use for something else (including some refreshing white space). The exception to this is if you have a particularly impressive reference (such as a local politician, head of a Fortune 500 company, or someone personally acquainted with the person reviewing your resume).
3. Any mention of high school
I don't care which high school you attended or how accomplished you were there. If you're more than a few years past your high school graduation date, no mention of high school belongs on your resume. Move on!
4. Extra documentation
Unless the company has specifically asked for something other than a cover letter and resume, don't send it. Candidates sometimes include writing samples, letters of recommendation, transcripts, even photos on occasion. Bring these sorts of extras (well, not photos) to your interview or wait to see if you're asked for this sort of extra documentation, but don't send it preemptively. In most cases, it won't help you, and in some cases it can actually hurt -- for instance, when a candidate attaches an unsolicited 20-page writing sample, it looks naive and makes me think he or she doesn't understand the hiring process.
5. A third page
If you're in your 20s, your resume should only be one page; there's not enough experience to justify a second one. After that, two pages are fine, but you go over that limit at your own peril. Hiring managers may be only spending 20 or 30 seconds on your application initially, so extra pages either (a) are ignored or (b) dilute the impact of the others. Yes, you have much impressive experience, but the resume is for highlights. Cut that thing in half.
1. An objective
I've never seen an objective that made a candidate more appealing, and often they're downright horrible. They usually fall in one of three categories: (1) objectives that are all about what you want ("a position that allows me to develop my interest in international relations"), which is at odds with what this stage of the hiring process is all about (what the company wants), (2) objectives that aren't tailored enough to the position or even have nothing to do with it (which makes it look like you're blasting your resume out without enough of a focus), or (3) objectives that simply don't add anything compelling (and therefore just waste space). The resume is about showing your experience, skills, and accomplishments. If you want to talk about how this particular position is the perfect next step in your career, use the cover letter for that.
2. Any mention of references, including a statement that "references are available upon request"
This goes unsaid; no one assumes that references could possibly not be available. You're not causing any harm to have it on there, but it's a waste of space that you could use for something else (including some refreshing white space). The exception to this is if you have a particularly impressive reference (such as a local politician, head of a Fortune 500 company, or someone personally acquainted with the person reviewing your resume).
3. Any mention of high school
I don't care which high school you attended or how accomplished you were there. If you're more than a few years past your high school graduation date, no mention of high school belongs on your resume. Move on!
4. Extra documentation
Unless the company has specifically asked for something other than a cover letter and resume, don't send it. Candidates sometimes include writing samples, letters of recommendation, transcripts, even photos on occasion. Bring these sorts of extras (well, not photos) to your interview or wait to see if you're asked for this sort of extra documentation, but don't send it preemptively. In most cases, it won't help you, and in some cases it can actually hurt -- for instance, when a candidate attaches an unsolicited 20-page writing sample, it looks naive and makes me think he or she doesn't understand the hiring process.
5. A third page
If you're in your 20s, your resume should only be one page; there's not enough experience to justify a second one. After that, two pages are fine, but you go over that limit at your own peril. Hiring managers may be only spending 20 or 30 seconds on your application initially, so extra pages either (a) are ignored or (b) dilute the impact of the others. Yes, you have much impressive experience, but the resume is for highlights. Cut that thing in half.
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