Friday, January 25, 2008

Construction Executive Search Firms

Construction is a highly competent sector in Asia, requiring qualified as well as professional workforce. In other words, construction field is continually looking for efficient candidates with the capability to shape the industry at its highest level.

However, it is quite difficult and complicated task to select the right candidate. Here comes the importance of construction executive search firms.

Executive search firms are companies that are solely engaged in recruiting and appointing senior level executives as well as board members for the construction industry, such as, board directors, C-level executives, chairman, presidents and vice presidents, project executives and senior project managers, chief estimators, CEOs, and project as well as field engineers.

Broadly speaking, construction executive search firms assist you in identifying, evaluating, and recruiting construction personnel of highest caliber.

With impressive workforce coupled with most sophisticated technologies and adequate expertise and knowledge in the industry, these search firms serve construction clients of all levels including local and international builders and contractors, architects, real estate developers, and manufacturers and distributors of building materials.

Further, these firms cater to the recruitment requirements of such arenas as estimation, project management, engineering and business development, general management, and accounting and finance.

Asian executive search firms also recruit and appoint professionals with adequate experience in fields such as industrial, retail, office and commercial, multi family housing, bridge construction and parking structure, hospitality and health care, and manufacturing and heavy civil industries.

Also, services are rendered to recruit construction executives for assisting contractors, from general and specialty contractors to highway and engineering contractors.

Based on the requirements of clients, different types of executive search firms are available. For instance, there are search firms solely engaged in providing suitable personnel for home construction industry.

Further discussed in this article are some of the services rendered by firms. Most prominent among them is carrying out construction executive search for finding high quality candidates that suit requirements of client firm.

Some Asian construction executive search firms may have access to a chain of professional firms, which in turn help them to effortlessly find a candidate that goes with a particular skill set. Interviewing the potential personnel, coordinating the optimal results, and following up are the other services offered in connection with the recruitment of personnel for construction industry.

Also, many of them boast of sections exclusively for conducting research and library science. Apart from finding permanent personnel for this specific industry, these executive search companies also focus on staffing and appointing contract executives and corporate directors for consultations as well as short term projects.

In some instances, these construction executive companies even provide such services as undertaking research to analyze project cost, budgeting, and analysis of overall costing.

Despite the aforesaid services, majority executive search companies provide services like evaluation of management team, delivering proper guidance and training for effective team building, conducting retention programs, and development of soft skills, all of which ensure maximum productivity from your staff.

Mostly, a nominal fee is charged by these types of executive search companies for the services offered, which is mostly either 20% 0r 30% of successfully appointed workforce's annual gross income, covering allowances, incentives, and commissions. But, it is important to carry out a thorough research before approaching a construction executive search company, with regard to its reputability, services rendered, and fee charged by them.

Further, it should be enquired whether the firm you have chosen possess any membership from a professional association like International Council of Shopping Centers. It must also be ensured whether the company consists of a workforce capable to undertake research and all necessary facilities and resources such as sophisticated management tools, to select appropriate personnel for your firm, which in turn match with your company requirements as well as individual preferences.

A knowledgeable as well as experienced executive search company can undoubtedly supply right candidates for your firm, which in turn helps you to achieve your goals in a short span of time. It also helps you to obtain benefits such as minimized financial risk, enhanced retention, and considerable savings in time. Above all, it guarantees maximum efficiency to your organization.


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Human Resources Planning - It's More Than Filling Vacancies For The Next Few Months

Constant planning is what most business people do so they are ready for changing circumstances.

Is human resource planning or workforce planning up there with the budget? Possibly not. Quite often, with workforce planning, it will be treated as another budget line item and not taken much further.

The reality is, if it is to be done properly, there are long lead times and it should be a regular feature of any manager's role.

Workforce planning for many people is just about looking at new jobs coming up and how they might fill the vacancies. For those less fortunate, it may be about how they lose surplus staff.

However, to do it effectively requires a little more forward vision coupled with a rigorous approach to ensure you have captured all the information possible - and that will never be enough!

A few of the steps you may wish to include are listed below.

Strategic Plans
Revisit your plans for the business and look at each objective and strategy from a workforce perspective. Do you have the people to carry out the plans? Do you have enough of them? Do they have the experience, are their conditions appropriate? Do they have the right competencies? (a combination of knowledge, skills, aptitude and motivation)

Are they going to stay with you to see the plans through? When do you need to start recruiting? Is there enough in the budget? New people may cost more.

Succession Plans
Have you reviewed your succession plans - not just for immediate replacements but looking ahead at future needs and recruiting accordingly?

Maybe when you recruit your next Accounts Clerk you should be looking for your future Financial Controller. Immediate replacements are a must as anyone may leave your business for a number reasons and some of them may cause a sudden departure. What happens if several people leave at the same time?

Building some depth in your talent pool is good insurance. Often it is better to have a surplus of talent and lose people due to lack of opportunity rather than have people suffer because of overwork, stress and uncertainty caused by too few resources. Do you have development plans to bring people up to the level your business needs?

Employment Conditions
Are employment contracts and general conditions appropriate for any new people being sought? Do you need full time or part time people? Will you be able to attract full time people?

Flexible work arrangements often work well for all parties - make sure you have policies and procedures that allow you to do this.

Rewards
Can you attract new people with new skills? Has the market moved since you last took on new people? Will they integrate into existing salary structures? Do you need a blend of fixed and variable pay? Do you offer the right benefits? Young people are not particularly enthusiastic about superannuation but older people may be obsessed by it.

Recruitment
Do you have a recruitment process that includes a range of techniques for identifying the new skills and competencies required? Do you know where to look for people now that we're in a full employment market? Are all line managers skilled in recruiting? Do they "recruit" constantly, even when you may not have current vacancies?

Training and Development
If you are recruiting new people there will probably be a need to carry out some sort of training - even if it is just induction training to give your new investment the best possible start. Have you looked at the possibility of developing your existing people for the new jobs?

Often we find unexpected talent in our own ranks - people who are waiting to be given an opportunity. On going growth of staff is necessary and part of this is planned training and development. They expect it and will seek it elsewhere if you don't provide it.

Defining the Jobs
Are jobs defined in terms of the results they are going to produce and how they are going to be measured?

This process will help you design your organization and avoid the mistake of continuing with positions just because you've always had them.

Defining what has to be done is part of it. Defining how is equally important. This is why you need to revisit the core competencies of the business and check that they are what you need for the future.

Whilst the current values and culture is a good starting point for this, Generation Y may not want to work for a business that has been built solely around baby boomers.

Performance Management
Once jobs are designed and people recruited, will you be able to manage them? Do your managers have the required skills? Do you have a performance management process?

Are you prepared to listen to employees and make changes as a result of their feedback? Are you linking this information back into your workforce planning?

There are many aspects to planning for your people however if you start with these key factors and work on the action points that will come out of them, you will be well on the way to building your future workforce to deliver your business plan and proving valuable insurance against those unexpected events that always sneak up on us.

In today's tight labour market it is especially critical that as business leaders we can present our workforce plans as confidently as we present our strategic and operations plans. They are integral to our long term business success.

Talent Management Best Practices

Some people say Talent is god's gift for a person. A person is said to be talented if he possess awesome ability in a particular activity or field. Every one is talented in one or another way. Nourishing the talent and utilizing it to the best is a challenge. Talent levels will vary from person to person. There is a scarcity of talents in all areas. Competition is always there for getting the talents between organizations, that is why the talent management attains significance.

Every organization needs talented persons in different levels to enhance the efficiency of the company. In this globalized era talented personals are having demand and are offered good remuneration. For discharging specific tasks talented and work ethic specialists are needed. In every field the case is same. It is not easy to find the right talent needed for the organization, it takes a wholesome effort involving lot of human resource to find the talents and recruit them.

Talent management is simply a process of recruitment of talents, developing the skills of existing workforce, promoting and retaining the employees, attracting highly talented and rated employees from other companies etc. Talent management is practiced by human resources department of each and every company.

Performance management is directly linked with talent management. In every organization the challenges as well as strategies are entirely different. Hence the focus is mainly on getting and connecting the talent with the organizational set up as well as making sure that the person can cope up with the organizational challenges and deliver the might.

For a successful organisation team of talented dynamic executioners, passionate leaders in right roles will make sure effective execution of strategies and correction if needed as per the situation. That means talent should be there in executive, middle and lower level of the organization. But setting up and maintaining this kind of persons for longer periods is not easy.

Senior human resource executives are dealing with the talent management and it is very important for companies as there is practice of rival companies luring away the talents. So motivation and retention of talents in an organisation is a real challenge for HR officials. With companies becoming global with overseas acquisitions, keeping the upward growth will depend on cost effectiveness, internal execution of strategies precisely with existing workforce as well as integrating new talents.

In good olden days the talent management was not a priority and hence it was taken care by personnel management departments in the organization. However in this new era talent management has become one of the top priorities of the organizations. Impact of talent management is directly visible as many companies are spending a chunk of their revenues to disburse wages as well as benefits. Wages are increasing every year rapidly for maintaining the talents in the organization.

Talent management best practices are competency based and some of the competencies are skills, personal traits, experience as well as knowledge. Talent management is for the optimisation of the resources in the organization, henceforth achieving good business results. Always there is chemistry between better talent in workforce and better business outcome. Leaders are developed through the talent management system.

Keeping the workforce satisfied is an important aspect which can't be neglected by any organization. Success profiles should be the main criterion for promotion. There should be some planned strategy for talent management since human resource is an asset for the organization in this new age business world.

Top level management including CEO and senior leadership should support the efforts of human resource department for developing talent pool. Line managers have a proactive role in talent management. They are the ones who can spot talents within organization for higher levels. Developing the talent within the organization is cost effective than really recruiting new ones in some cases and it can be termed as one the talent management best practices.

The demographics of the workforce across the world are changing as many companies are turning global and cheaper workforce with talent. This process is one of the talent management best practices. Hyper competition is the main factor which drives companies to have talent management best practices to keep the competitive edge.

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How To Select the Right Person For The Right Position

Critical to business success is selecting the right people, especially executives, managers and supervisors, for leading and managing the work that needs to be done. Selecting someone ill-suited can cost tens of thousands of dollars and much wasted time.

Mistakes are made when a rigorous selection process is not used.

Often, the selection process consists of a relatively few questions sometimes thought up in the moment and conducted by one interviewer over a relatively short time. Likeability, rapport, interviewee expressed interest in the work convince the interviewer that this person should work out.

A shortage of qualified people doesn't make the selection process any easier. How can this process be improved?

Here are some ideas:

Written Job Description

Take time to write a detailed job description. Include specifics on required and desired education, work experience, specific skills, intellectual characteristics, personal characteristics, interpersonal relations, additional personal specifications, and physical requirements.

Writing crystallizes thought!

Determine Person Specifications

Extract between 20 and 30 of the most important person specifications from the job description and create a written list. For each specification, determine the desired competency level using a scale of 1=poor to 10=excellent.

Written Interview Guide

Create a detailed written interview guide using behavioral based questions to gather data about the person specifications. Include questions on culture and character compatibility with the company.

This guide should have space for writing interviewee answers. The number of questions should ensure that the interview is two hours long (you want to 'know' the interviewee when the interview is over).

Now you are ready for the interview. After appropriate candidate screening, the hiring interview can be held.

Here are a few ideas to enhance that interaction:

Interviewers

Hold the interview with no less than two interviewers (one to ask questions and one or more to observe and write answers or collect data).

The person asking questions will be focusing both on the process and collecting data and therefore may miss important clues.

Rate on Person Specifications

Immediately after the interview, individually and silently the interviewers review their data and rate the candidate for each of the person specifications listed in item 2 above using the scale of 1=poor to 10=excellent. A note on each item could be valuable in comparing ratings and developing averages.

Determine Qualification

Discuss and average or set the interviewee competency level for each person specification. Then compare to the desired competency level to see if the candidate is a good match for the job position.

A few low ratings do not necessarily disqualify the candidate but employee development and coaching areas have been identified.

The ideas presented here turn the interview process into a more objective way of matching the person to the desired work requirements. It ensures that emotions and likeability are not the prime hiring motives.

Could these enhancements to your hiring process lead to better decisions and matches to your work? Try it, you'll like it!

By: Joe Farcht

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Executive Search For IT Positions

An executive in a firm refers to a member of the professional body, who in turn is responsible for the firm's actions, policies, and regulations, along with other members of the body. Executives usually take up such positions as president or vice president, secretary, chairperson, director, treasurer, and committee member or board member.

In other words, executives are visionaries who form the back bone or driving force for the success of a business organization. From the above mentioned discussion, it is evident that how much important is an executive position for the success of a business firm. It is therefore vital to seek assistance of an expert while making executive search.

Here comes the importance of executive search firms, which are alternatively known as headhunters, recruiters, and third party staffing firms. Executive search firms are simply job search consultants who are hired by large companies and corporations to find most suitable candidates to fill the executive positions within the industry.

With a team of expert as well as world-class team, these firms render a variety of services that go with the specific needs of the client companies. Mostly, executive search companies assist in recruiting multi lingual, senior level, and multi cultural executive for the following areas like, Finance, Sales and Marketing, General Management, Manufacturing and Engineering, and Operations and Human Resources. Nowadays, it is seen that, executive search firms are also widely hired to fill the MIS (Management Information System) and IT positions, apart from these areas.

Executive search for IT positions usually include finding top-level personnel such as Managing Director, Director, Manager, Sales Director, and Marketing VP, for industrial sectors such as Information Technology (IT) and software firms engaged in developing software including Shrink Wrap Software, Business Intelligence Software, Multimedia and Graphics Software, Accounting and Financial Software, Handwriting and Speech Recognition Software, Language Learning and Machine Translation Software, Engineering and CAD Software, E-commerce and faxing software, Sales and Marketing Software, Network Management Software, and Business Management Software.

This category of executive search firms also sometimes provide services to IT-Enabled Sectors, which include searching candidates to fill positions like voice and sales coach, technical specialist, site director, operations manager, inbound and outbound sales manager, team leaders, transition manager, technical and customer support personnel, and area manager.

One of the salient features of IT Executive Search firms is that they have extensive domain knowledge, covering industrial and embedded automation, mobile computing, networking, telecom, and storage and security. Also, a prime feature of these executive search firms is that their management team excels in almost all areas of IT, such as, databases, operating systems, ERP, IT infrastructure, data warehousing, and business intelligence and reporting.

Further, they also possess vivid knowledge in Microsoft and Application Servers, including windows programming and web services, Framework, DCOM, Apache and Tomcat, WebLogic, Lotus Domino, Notes Application server, WebSphere, and Application Server Administration.

Now we will discuss some of the services these firms offer in connection with executive search for IT positions. Assessment of clients' requirements, understanding the culture and business of the clients, determination of search strategy, identification of suitable candidates, preliminary evaluation, short listing or benchmarking, conducting interviews, performing referral checks, and follow up with clients as well as candidates, are among the services with regard to executive search for IT positions.

Hiring an executive search firm to fill an IT executive position can fetch you a continuum of benefits. Executive search firms are usually adept in performing a discreet job search, which in turn is advantageous to large business firms who do not want to reveal their requirement for a position.

In addition, utilizing the service of an expert executive search firm will enable a business organization to concentrate on their core business activities. Another great benefit of these firms is that since they have thorough knowledge on recent market trends, executive search firms can effectively assess requirements of a job.

However, the aforesaid benefits can be derived only if you are successful in selecting the most competent IT executive search firm. Hence, it is important to make a thorough analysis, prior to the selection of an executive search firm.

Primarily, it must be checked whether the executive search firm you have chosen possesses a professional team that are able to understand your requirements as well as able to identify exceptionally talented executives that match your company's needs. In case, if you require executive personnel for a start-up venture, then it must be ensured whether your executive search consultant can deliver executives in stipulated time and location.


Benefits Of Professional Talent Hunting

Retained search is different than any other type of 'talent hunting' in the market. If done properly and professionally, it is much more effective than any other mechanism to find 'the right fit'. Today there are more and more internet sites linking people and companies, on-line ads, networking sites for CV placements, popping up like mushrooms.

It is more than enough to convince you that everyone is on the Web job hunting, and if you're not, well, you'll lose that dream job that pays USD500K plus your own private jet to use the company villa in St Bart's. Sad to say it doesn't work like that- pasting CV's all over the Internet dilutes one's marketability, lowers credibility, and instead gives a patina of childish playfulness, not strategic marketing.

Companies, and candidates both partake of such posturing, but it has a very limited and passive effect; to stand back and see who comes a'knockin' on your door. It reminds me of the cartoon ads decades ago that used to show a muscular man on the beach kicking sand at a wispy guy, telling you that if you want to be strong and confident, send in $10 and all your worries will be gone Ah, if only life (along with perfect abs and the perfect job) was that easy.

The best companies get the best talent by going out into the market and looking for it! Do you, as a hiring manager, really believe that you will find the best people to come into your organisation by taking out an ad and hoping your wishes are filled, or even by looking in a database and having an 'ah ha' moment, having found a perfect fit? Do you, as a strong candidate, think that the best companies will send you back a note on-line, telling you that you're what they're looking for, and the job is yours?

That is the attitude of 'whoever comes along'..You are faced with a search process that warps the selection process; hiring those who come along rather than those you really think would be the best fit for the company.

Now, of course, I am aware that people have gotten jobs and companies have found people over the internet. I'm not a Luddite and think it is an amazing tool to get information. But the higher up one goes, the less likely that your next career move will be from the internet-it will be from your interpersonal ability to position and market yourself skillfully.

Part of that process is to work with a credible and trustworthy search firm. Whilst that is often synonymous with retained search, the truth is that a knowledgeable search firm mitigates a happenstance hire, and pivots towards the best content and the best fit.

Companies hire people based on their ability to think, not technical aptitude. Working with a like-minded search firm that can think, and allow a targeted search strategy to evolve, is antithetical to that passive approach. That, by the way, is why retained search often seems to be the last resort for companies, when it should logically be top of the list.

A good search firm will be able to consultatively understand not only the position, but the history of the role, organizational chart and how it works, the pluses and minuses, must haves, culture, future, growth, benefits, peers, and be able to articulate it [to the right people] better than the client!

For me personally, unless I have a mental picture of whom I'm looking for, I cannot do a successful search-it cannot get more intimate than that, yet unless you are truly under the skin of the organisation, you can't explain, much less promote it, to a viable candidate.

Lesson #1-Don't wait for whoever comes your way, whether you're a client or candidate. Use the internet as much as you want, but it's a chimera to think that technology will get you in the door.

By: Wolfgang Jaegel

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You Need Great Workers

This article is an introduction to the fact that you need great workers to help you in your business. If you have great workers your business will have a much greater chance of succeeding.

No matter what type of business you are in, you have probably heard the saying, The customer is always right. Many business owners and managers base their policies around this belief, and do everything in their power to make their customers happy. However, a better strategy would be to put all your efforts into making sure your employees are happy.

Your employees are the foundation of your company. If customer satisfaction is important to your company, you should direct your attention to your employees -- because when they are happy with their jobs, they make your customers happy. Anyone who loves his or her job, and loves what they do, is going to make sure the people they interact with on a daily basis are satisfied.

This is just one of the many reasons you need great employees for your company, whether you are a two-person operation or a multi-million dollar conglomerate. Have you ever walked into a business where all of the employees are frowning, moping, doing things that obviously are not work, or ignoring you? As a customer, this probably did not make the best impression on you.
In most cases, this type of on-the-job employee performance is a sign of unsatisfactory job conditions. If you want your company to be a welcoming and pleasant place for customers, you need to hire good people and treat your employees well.

Hiring good people is absolutely essential for a thriving business. Aside from the obvious horror stories you could end up with if you hire the wrong people, the benefits of hiring and retaining a fantastic employee pool, whether it is two people or two thousand, are enormous.

You need to make sure that you take your time and hire great workers so that your business doesn't suffer.

Remember, it only takes on mad customer to go out and tell all of their friends that your business is horrible to start spreading the negative word about your business. You do not want that so make sure that you get good people working for you right from the beginning. Great worker represent the difference from being in business temporarily or being in business for years to come, so please choose carefully.

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Using The Print Classifieds To Find That Perfect Employee

This article will show you the tricks of the trade when using the newspaper classifieds to find good workers.

One of the oldest and most established methods of advertising open positions is through print classified advertisements. Many job-seekers still turn to the classified section of the newspaper or the back section of trade magazines to look for career opportunities.

Newspaper classifieds are generally inexpensive; trade magazine classifieds can run from a low to considerable cash outlay. If you intend to place a classified ad, it is important to make sure you compose an effective ad that will bring in the most qualified candidates, in order to make sure you get your money is worth.

How do you write an effective classified ad? In most cases, space will be limited to three or four lines (though you can typically get extra space for an additional charge). This means you will want to make every word count!

Here are the basics you need to include in your classified ad:

1. The job title you want to fill (manager, accountant, assembly, administrative assistant, etc.)

2. A brief description of the job duties

3. Pay rate: You do not necessarily have to list the exact amount you're offering, and often it's preferable to simply say competitive pay or salary DOE (depending on experience)

4. The name of your company

5. The name of the person to contact for an interview

6. A phone number, and an e-mail address, for the prospective employee to get in touch with you (it's amazing how many classified ads forget to include contact information!)

Another important consideration when it comes to print classified ads is the publication in which it appears. If you're looking for general employment, often the best place is the local newspaper. Trade magazines offer an advantage for filling specialized positions, in that few people who don't have experience in the fields you need will be reading them.

It's a good idea to ask the publication you're considering placing a classified ad with for information on their circulation and demographics. That way, you'll have a better grasp of the size and type of audience you'll be reaching.

Those are the key points that you need to consider when using the paper to source workers in your business.

Great worker represent the difference from being in business temporarily or being in business for years to come, so please choose carefully.
I wish you the best in your search on hiring the right people.

By: Dionisio Gomez


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Using The Internet To Find Workers

This article will give you some great tips for using the Internet to find employees that work well in your business.

Make sure you pay attention to everything discussed here because it's important when using the net for employee searching.

Our world is becoming more digitized every day, and online venues can be great places to look for good help. However,you will need to be sure you tailor your message to attract the kind of help you need, and you should be prepared to weed out quite a few applicants who don't understand what you're looking for, no matter how carefully you word your job listing.

With online ads, the "where" matters more than it does for print classifieds. In most cases, a free online classified will not generate much interest. You can check with your local paper to see if they have a website with a classified section, many of them do, and listing on them is less costly than print; in some cases it's free. Job boards and forums are another good place to post classifieds, because job seekers can search listings by location and generally employers can post for free.

Typically, you can include a lot more information in an online help-wanted ad than in a print classified ad. Here are some tips on writing effective employment ads for online forums and classified sections:

1. Keep your language clear and concise. Use action words to describe what you're looking for, both to ensure job seekers understand, and to portray your company as a great place to work.

2. Create a detailed job description, so the candidates know exactly what is expected of them. This will also help to reduce the number of unqualified applicants you receive.

3. Target the forums and message boards where you're most likely to get qualified candidates. There are plenty of places online where like minds gather, and the more closely the people who will see your message are to your industry, the better the applications you'll receive.

4. Job banks are a great place to start. Places like Monster Jobs and Yahoo hot jobs attract a large number of job-seekers from many different areas, so you will probably get local talent and interest there.

5. Remember, you want your company to look good, so be sure to list any benefits and perks, including a great work environment.

6. Don't forget to include contact information! Make sure it's easy for potential employees to respond to your ad, the job market is fiercely competitive, and there are plenty of other companies waiting to get the best employees for themselves.

You now have a bunch of tips for safely using the Internet to locate potential employees. Make sure that you use all of these strategies so that you have the best chance of getting a great employee.

By: Dionisio Gomez

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What to Look For When Looking For An Employee

This section will give you all of the tools you need for properly evaluating an employee.

What makes a good employee? There are several things you can look for during the application and interview processes that will help to ensure you hire good people the first time. The screening process should start with the initial application or resume.

One step you definitely shouldn't skip is the background check.Though there may be a small cost involved in this, it's important to make sure anyone you are considering hiring has supplied you with accurate information, and doesn't have a criminal background (or has sufficient record of dismissal).

Here are a few alarming statistics from HireRight, a company that verifies resume information and conducts background checks:

1. 10 percent of applications and resumes contain serious background misrepresentation

2. 30 percent of job applicants exaggerate accomplishments to look good on paper

3. 34 percent of applications and resumes contain outright lies regarding ability, education, and experience.

As you can see, background checks are an important step in the hiring process.

Nice people make the best employees. In general, they are fast learners, easy to teach, and fun to be around. If it comes down to choosing between an exceptionally qualified and rude candidate, or a nice one who may need a bit of extra training to get up to speed, it's in your best interests to choose the nice person every time.

Other than being nice, what qualities should good employees possess? Here are a few examples of qualities and characteristics to look for:

1. Responsibility: Seek people who will see their tasks through to the end, and will claim responsibility for their work and their actions on the job.

2. Initiative: Does the candidate demonstrate an interest in self-starting? Look for someone who will find something to do when they run out of work, rather than someone who'll wait to be told what to do, and then rush through the assignment.

3. Discipline: Good employees are able to focus and complete a task or assignment thoroughly.

4. Positive: The best employees are generally cheerful, even when working on an assignment they don't particularly enjoy.

5. Consistent: Look for employers who are dependable, show up on time, and will put in extra effort when necessary to finish the job.

6. Empathetic: Your employees should be able to recognize when coworkers or customers are having trouble, and be courteous and aware of their needs.

7. Modest: Look for people who give credit where credit is due, and don't try to claim all the recognition for the work of the team.

This set of tricks for evaluating employees before you actually hire them should give you an extremely high chance of finding that perfect employee.

By: Dionisio Gomez


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Can Non-Financial Incentives Work? You're In Trouble If They Don't

The Oxford English Dictionary defines an incentive as "Something that arouses feeling or incites to action". If the only thing that will do this for your employees is money then you have problems. Of course people want financial returns for their work - they have to live and, yes, financial incentives work in many situations, but let's look at some of the other reasons people may come to work.

It is worth considering volunteer organizations when we want to look at peoples' motivations. They don't get paid yet many volunteers devote much time and hard work to their favourite causes. Often they risk their lives in fire and rescue type organizations.

Some of the jobs they do are often boring, and have low skill requirements yet they turn up week after week to work on the stalls, repair equipment, clean the premises or answer the phones. These people have found a cause they are interested in, can be passionate about and feel is worthwhile.

Why can't we manage the same level of engagement at the business workplace?

Well, quite often we can - there are many good employers who, while they may not pay the highest wages or provide financial incentives, do manage to generate loyalty and passion in their employees.

Back in 1966 Frederick Herzberg conducted some research which has turned out to be very useful for managers. He was interested in the importance of work and working conditions to working people. His study covered 300 accountants and engineers and collected extensive information on what experiences made them feel good about their jobs and what made them feel bad. Fourteen factors were uncovered which influenced job satisfaction. What was surprising about the analysis was that the factors which led to satisfaction were different from those which led to dissatisfaction. This led him to believe that the opposite of job satisfaction was not dissatisfaction but rather just no satisfaction.

While inadequate financial rewards definitely caused dissatisfaction, increasing it did not necessarily lead to satisfaction.

The factors that provided the satisfaction were identified as: a sense of achievement; recognition; being given responsibility; advancement and promotion; awareness of prospects for further growth; interesting work.

If we are going to look at incentives, financial or non financial, the best starting point is defining an objective - what are we trying to achieve?

If what we are trying to achieve is retention of staff and productivity, or having them focus on a particular area of the business, and we feel for whatever reason that financial incentives are not the answer, then we should review a few factors.

Has the organization defined where it is going and what it stands for? If people can relate to what the business is aiming to achieve they stand much more chance of being able to relate their individual work to it and consequently finding it more interesting. Managers can help them make this link.

Do people really understand what we want them to do in terms of what is to be done and how they do it. Are there clear job descriptions which focus on what is they need to achieve. Are the organization's core values described in terms of how successful people behave? If these are in place then there is more chance of someone knowing what they are aiming for and reaching that sense of achievement.

Is there a process in place to provide feedback to people on their performance - a process that systematically measures what people do and how they do it so that when they receive recognition they know it was for something worthwhile. The frequent pats on the back and "well done" are very powerful tools and the additional, more formal recognition, will add a significant boost to them.

Are there plans in place to help people develop and grow? Starting with a Succession Plan for the organization this should lead to evaluating the aspirations, performance and potential of individuals and putting a plan together that meets these along with the needs of the business. These plans can map out training, job expansion, promotions - whatever the business needs and align with the abilities and interests of the employee.

Having processes in place for all these factors will cover the key issues identified by Herzberg and provide the satisfaction that should lead to improved performance.

If you wanted to add further recognition, which are commonly referred to as non financial incentives such as awards, flexible hours, movie tickets and dinners, then these will certainly help, but on their own, they are not often a sustainable way of providing motivation.

So, in addition to the money, people generally want these other factors in their job and their workplace. If you don't provide them they may well find them somewhere else. This can have major consequences for your business and may well be part of a gradual absenteeism or staff turnover problem that you already have.

You may wish to rate your business using our diagnostic tool which you can access from the web site shown below.

By: Paul Phillips

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Office Stress, Good Riddance

All jobs come with a stress level that sooner or later may escalate to physical health related problems. As an employer stressful workers can reek havoc on not only your office productivity but ultimately your bottom line. A badly designed office space can foster stress and un-comfort, increasing the possibilities of employees increasing errors and accidents, turnovers, higher group insurance premiums and decreased productivity.

Preventing this in your business is relatively easy as changing/ upgrading your office furniture. Ergonomic tables and chairs are the most idealistic furniture today considering the importance of computers. Ergonomic furniture helps to prevent injuries due to cumulative trauma from repetitive tasks as typing, escalating the increased risks of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Many believe that office furniture with such positive benefits cost a fortune, and a lot of sellers of improved office furniture would make you believe that it does. Fortunately, thanks to the World Wide Web you can find exceptional product quality at low cost. Low cost, high quality office cubicles, chairs and other office equipment are well designed to promote comfort, posture and circulation throughout the body.

On top of that you can teach your employees different techniques to reduce stress. By doing these simple techniques it will add to the physical benefit that ergonomic chairs and desks provide in your day to day business.

1. To begin with, offer ways for office staff to be more organized and foster time management skills. This is a skill that should be mastered by not only the new intern but as far up as the CEO and owner of the company.

2. Relax and breathe deeply; before you dive into that huge pile of work that awaits you, step away from your desk for a brief moment and take a deep relaxing breath in and out. This will help you target your work load more strategically and efficiently.

3. Take small breaks during your day. Whether it is to take a brisk walk outside or just stretching your muscles, this will help the creative juices to flow and create less stress on the body.


4. Fix your environment; proper lighting and bright colors can help provide a warm atmosphere

5. Get more sleep; in the United States we are better off known as sleepless zombies. More and more over the counter drugs are being prescribed to induce sleep because of us never taking a break or slowing down the amount we take on.

6. Find a mentor. Everyone has an idea where they would like to go in your career and life. The best way to get there and avoiding the pitfalls that so many others fell into would be to find someone you would like to model after, a Mentor of sort that will help you, and your employees get to the next level.

By: Sam Inci



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Flexible Job Schedules for Boomers-and Employers

Baby Boomers, those Americans born between 1940 and 1960, make up about 50% of the US population. They represent a significant part of the American labor force. These men and women are not ready to stop working and they are set to change the definition of "retirement".

Q: What will happen when the Baby Boomer generation retires? Who can replace them?

A: This is a pertinent question because one out of every four workers will be reaching the age of retirement in the next ten years. Certain industries may take a hard hit when these valued employees retire. There is a risk of a huge knowledge gap as the highest leadership positions may soon be empty.

Luckily, studies have shown that many Baby Boomers do not want to quit working at age 65. A survey by The Associated Press found that while most Baby Boomers expect to "retire" at about age 63, more than two thirds expect to work after retiring. Forty-three percent will work because they want to, 27 percent will keep working to make ends meet, and 19 percent will work to have extra money.

This generation is healthy, well educated, and living longer. This longevity gives Baby Boomers the opportunity to continue pursuing their passions and working past retirement.
With this trend, you will not have to replace your "retiring" employees! But do plan on finding ways to accommodate their changing needs.

Q: What can I do to keep my employees who are nearing retirement age happy and working?

A: Baby Boomers are less interested in working long hours and are defined less by their careers. They are looking for alternative work schedules that provide them flexibility to adapt to their changing lifestyles.

As you have noticed, corporate America is slowly realizing the value of their Boomers. Companies are beginning to place an emphasis on retaining Boomers by creating a favorable work environment for them that includes all variations of flextime. Offering alternative work schedules like job-sharing and part-time work benefit your employees and you.

Q: How can I explain to my family the benefits of continuing to work part-time past retirement?

A: You are not alone! Most people reaching the age of retirement do plan on continuing to work. Whether this is for financial reasons or because they simply want to keep working for personal satisfaction, these workers prefer a flexible schedule that will allow them to gradually retire.

Baby Boomers are changing what it means to "retire". You and many others are on the path to reinventing retirement into a combination of part-time, flextime, telecommuting, and consulting work.

Just explain to your family that you are on the cutting edge!

Q: How do I benefit from allowing Baby Boomers to work flexible or part-time schedules past retirement?

A: Employers may enjoy financial perks by retaining experienced employees on a flexible, part-time basis. Some flextime employees may not need the same health benefits as full-timers and this allows employers to save some money.

Baby Boomers have a wealth of knowledge, skills, and work experience. If you are ready to move from a 9 to 5, 40 hour per week schedule for them, you could retain motivated, loyal employees. These workers will continue to contribute to the workforce as they enjoy working flextime that fits their lifestyle.

By: Kathleen Wiant




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Ask Kathleen-Answers to the Most Asked Questions About Flexible Work Schedules

Tired of working the 9-5 grind? Struggling to balance work and family? Why not look into alternative work schedules with your employer?

More and more companies offer flexible work schedules, or flextime, for their employees. These alternatives help employees balance their jobs, their families, and their personal responsibilities. Flextime is different for everyone and can be used in different ways to fit your lifestyle.

Q: I have heard a bit about flextime from my friends but am still not sure how it works. What exactly is flextime?

A: Flextime is simply a work schedule that is not 9-5, Monday through Friday. Flextime can be either a full time commitment or a part time one.

Two common types of alternative full time work schedules are variable work schedules and compressed work weeks.

A variable work schedule consists of core hours and flexible hours. Core hours are times designated by the employer that all employees must be at work. Flexible hours are hours when employees can choose when and possibly, where to work. These are the hours that allow employees to work around their personal responsibilities.

A compressed work week is fewer work days each week with longer hours each day. For example, an employee could work four 10 hour days and have a three-day weekend.

And there are many other variations both in full time and part time working arrangements. You and your employer are only limited by your imagination - and, of course, the job that needs to get done!

Q: I have been working full-time for 15 years and have never thought about a more flexible schedule. What are some of the benefits of flextime for my employer and myself?

A: Flextime is a wonderful opportunity that benefits you and your employer.

Benefits of flextime for the employer include longer business hours for customers to accommodate different time zones; decreased overtime costs; decreased tardiness and paid time off; increased productivity and employee satisfaction; and increased recruitment opportunities and employee retention.

With flextime options, you and your fellow employees will enjoy personal control over work schedules; the ability to adjust work schedules to meet personal needs; the opportunity to work at personal peak times; less stress; increased job satisfaction; and easier work life balance.

Your family and friends will also benefit from your flexible work schedule. You will be able to spend more time with those who need you and better perform the role of a father and husband.

Q: I work a full time 9-5 job. How do I know if a flexible work schedule is right for me?

A: Alternative work schedules may not be for everyone but they are great for those who have other responsibilities during the regular 9-5 work day and who still want to continue working full time.

Do any of these situations sound familiar? You have an elderly parent who needs medical treatment or your child gets home from school at 3pm to an empty house, or you would like to return to graduate school taking some classes during the day?

Flextime could provide a flexible work schedule so you could be with your parent at the doctor's office, meet your child at the door when he/she returns home or attend classes for that coveted advanced degree. It could provide this flexibility while also keeping a full-time salary, status, and the potential for advancement.

If this sounds like something you struggle with, then flextime might be just the thing you need!

Q: I am a working mother and want to be able to spend more time with my kids when they get out of school. My employer does not currently offer flextime. How can I ask about flextime opportunities?

A: The first step is to ask your employer about flextime so you are on the right path! Focus on this as an accommodation and not an entitlement. Your job performance and excellent work ethic will prove that you can handle a more flexible schedule.

Concentrate on solutions and benefits of flextime and not the things you dislike about your current schedule.

Have a thought out proposal ready for your boss. What are your needs and your job responsibilities? You can offer your boss a time frame with measured results. Set aside time each week to discuss the flow of information and overall job performance with the new schedule.

Offer benchmarks so your boss knows that your job responsibilities will be met.

Most importantly, be positive! Many companies have benefited from flextime. It is an inexpensive and successful way to improve employee's job satisfaction.


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Policies And Procedures Can Save You Money, Time And Possibly Expensive Claims

The idea of a shelf full of dreary policies and procedures that tie everyone down in unnecessary bureaucracy does not usually sound too appealing. It doesn't have to be like that. Splitting the task into two will help work out what you need.

First, there are practices that are legislated for and it is necessary to be aware of these and ensure all your people follow them. They normally relate to the provision of a safe and fair workplace and every employer has an obligation to take reasonable steps to provide this. These reasonable steps may include having policies and practices in place.

Then there are the policies that provide guidelines for your people on how to manage to reinforce the culture of your organization and attract, retain and develop your people. These can save a lot of time spent in making decisions, dealing with ad hoc issues and ensure that you use a consistent approach across the organization.

The policies to support the employment legislation should include Equal Employment Opportunity, Discrimination and Harassment, Bullying and OH & S along with the various types of leave and pay entitlements. Having these in a format that can be interpreted easily by your managers and staff will save them from having to access the legislation directly or breach it inadvertently.

Regularly communicating the key aspects of these policies to employees will lessen the chances of people breaking the law and, if they do, will provide you with a reasonable defence which could save you many thousands of dollars.

The other policies which can provide consistent guidelines for managers also give you an opportunity to promote a positive and professional image of your organization. Rather than rely on individual managers to workout out how to recruit, develop people, pay them, manage performance and determine what appropriate professional behaviour is, clear guidelines should be available for all.

Rather than try to distribute these policies in hard copy it is relatively easy these days to have them on an Intranet or at least in a shared folder on your server.

A summarised version of these can also be used in an employee handbook to establish understanding for all employees at the beginning of their service and help reinforce their decision to join your organization.

By having appropriate and effective HR policies and procedures in place, continually revising and communicating them, you free up time and resources to focus on delivering business results.



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