4 Tell-Tale Signs Youve Made a Bad Hire

4 Tell-Tale Signs Youve Made a Bad Hire Getting the right people for every job is one of the keys to business success. If you’re a business owner, finding the right personnel cannot only help you achieve your goals, but it can also help you expand your business and bring it to the next level. On the flip side, the hiring process is not as easy as picking an apple from a tree. It involves a lot of effort, time and money in order to achieve the results you want. Many business owners would tell you that the key to getting the best talents is by looking at the person’s attitudes, his or her background, and personal perspective on your company’s goals. There are a lot of companies that have succeeded in finding the right employees for them, but even more companies end up with a misaligned staff. In order to assess if you’re in a bad-staffing position, the best thing you can do is to check for signs and listen to what your employees have to say when a new employee joins your team. Here are the four telltale signs you made a bad hire. 1. Newbie is unable to blend in The importance of company culture has been highlighted by many business owners and researchers alike. A company’s culture reflects who the people in each organization are and what they value. Every organization, no matter its size, has a unique culture. Having good culture helps a company keep important team members in place, and it saves costs down the line in having to hire new employees all the time. Noticing a negative culture is one of the most obvious signs that you might have made a mistake in hiring an employee. When the new hire is out-of-place, he or she may begin to drop off the level of productivity and have a negative aura that can infect other people around him or her. Unfortunately, there are times when new hires tend to hurt a company’s corporate culture as they come in. They create a bump in the road when they focus on themselves too much or choose to work as a separate individual rather than be one with the team. Whether they do this intentionally or not, it can still disrupt the existing harmony within the company. 2. New hire always complains In today’s typical workplace, disengaged employees are the norm. In fact, a research poll conducted by Gallup shows that only 13 percent of employees worldwide are engaged in their work. When employees are not engaged, it can lead to negative attitudes and low output. It’s not that there’s no place for disappointment at work, but when your new hire complains a lot, he or she is not doing your business any favors. Disgruntled employees may talk negatively about the company to their fellow coworkers or find excuses not to do their tasks. They tend to push-off responsibilities that they don’t like doing. Disgruntled employees don’t take initiative or feel positivity about the company. When it reaches this point, you know you’ve hired the wrong employee. A disgruntled employee is just going to make your company a toxic workplace. It’s time to tell them where to look for another job, and show them the door. 3. Newbie doesnt work for companys success Often times, a company’s success hinges on your employees doing work outside of their job description. Although your employees probably know what their specific job is, you can easily spot a good employee if he or she is willing to go beyond and do more. In a dynamic workplace, job responsibilities sometimes evolve and change quickly. A new hire must be willing to adapt to this environment, and even handle tasks that arent in the original job description. On the flip side, you can easily spot a bad hire if he or she is always fronting with “it’s not my job” statements and repeatedly citing his or her job description. This is not only a bad attitude that you would not want to witness as an employer, it is also toxic for other employees who are trying to be productive for the company success. Bad news travels fast. The same is true with water-cooler tales of a new hires bad behavior. If one person in your company is unwilling to make things happen for you and your team, it is obvious that you’ve made a big mistake in hiring the sore thumb employee. 4. New hire is still in the old job There are times when you would want to hire an employee with great experience in your line of work. This is beneficial since he or she can impart his or her knowledge to other workers. However, there can be downsides with this hiring choice. When your new hire came from another company, there is one thing that you should always be on the lookout for. If the comparisons to his or her previous workplace never cease, then you’ve hit a big blunder. The “in my old job” line is always on the loose. This is not only a bad thing for your workplace. This makes it impossible for a person to fit in a system or belong on a team. This can only lead to conflicts, workplace drama, and, eventually, the demolition of your hopes to ever succeed with this employee. At that point, it might be a good decision to give the pink slip rather than keeping him or her just to save on hiring costs. About the author:  Susan Ranford is an expert on job market trends, hiring, and business management. She is the Community Outreach Coordinator for New York Jobs. In her blogging and writing, she seeks to shed light on issues related to employment, business, and finance to help others understand different industries and find the right job fit for them.

How A Professional Resume Writing Service Can Help You

How A Professional Resume Writing Service Can Help YouIf you need some extra help with your resume, try a resume writing service in Jacksonville NC. They specialize in professional resume writing services that can make your job and future life much easier.At an Orlando, FL based resume writing service, they are committed to giving you the professional resume you deserve. What could be more important to you than how you appear on paper? Many young professionals turn to hiring a professional in order to make sure that they get a great career without having to worry about the paperwork. Hiring the best can make all the difference in the world.However, these services are not just for you if you're looking for help in writing a great resume. Often, hiring a professional to create a resume can save you time and money when applying for jobs. Of course, this is just the beginning. The job you have waiting for you after graduation may be waiting for you, but it won't be easy to find without a n awesome resume.Getting a professional resume will also help you get a promotion or a raise at your current job. Having your resume edited and printed professionally will make you stand out from the rest of the applicants. Whether you are an employee or an employer, having a well-written resume is imperative to getting the job you want.If you are a college student who has no clue where to begin when it comes to making your resume professional, try a Jacksonville, NC based resume writing service. They will write your resume for you and then send it back to you. You don't have to worry about sending it, because they handle everything.Instead of learning a new way to go about doing the job of writing a professional resume, you will be able to do it yourself. This way, you can save time and money. A resume is a document that needs to be impressive, so make sure you hire the right company for the job.When it comes to the type of resume writing services you want, the most important thing is to find one who is specialized in just resume writing. This means that they don't take on a large variety of work; they have one specific area that they are trained in. The staff at an Orlando, FL based resume writing service for instance is all about writing professional resumes.After you've hired the services of a professional, you will feel much more confident that you are getting the resume you deserve. It doesn't matter whether you're an employee or an employer, hiring the right kind of person to help you with your resume will give you the edge that you need.

The Future Mindset

The Future Mindset In my previous post, I wrote about how Amazons drone delivery plan might change the way you order everything in the future. Drones are just one technology that may create thousands, even millions of jobs, within the next 20 years. How can you prepare your children â€" or yourself â€" for jobs that you can’t even imagine today? You can’t know the exact skills, training, or experience you’ll need, but you can develop a mindset that makes you more ready for what the future holds. Here’s how. Pick up the pace. If there’s one thing we know about the future of business, it’s that it’s moving faster and faster. In every work culture, there is a tension between people who want to get things done and the people who want to get it just right.   In the future, you won’t be able to afford the luxury of one or the other; you’ll have to get everything right and finish fast. Customer tolerance for slow response times is close to zero, and consumer loyalty is measured day by day. Your future boss will expect you to learn quickly, perform quickly and respond quickly. Learn to thrive when things change. How do you react when things change around you? Do you groan about changing policies and struggle to learn new technologies? Not an option if you want to be considered a top performer. The average lifespan of new computer technology is 3 â€" 4 years, but software updates come out yearly; bug fixes come out even more often. How many times a week do your smart phone apps upgrade? You can’t afford to be the guy that grumbles about every change to his comfortable routine or who longs for the good old days. It’s essential to develop the reputation for being open to change. In fact, if your equipment is not being upgraded when everyone else’s is, that’s a very bad sign. You may be happy that you didn’t have to adjust to the latest version of Windows or learn a new mobile desktop technology, but your company may simply not view you as part of its future. Make learning your personal responsibility. In the past, it was your employer’s job to teach you the new skills for your job. Learning was a passive process, from grade school through college and on the job. In the future, lifetime employability will mean taking responsibility for your own education. Information changes so quickly in fields like medicine and Information Technology that research and learning are part of the job. If you’re not moving your skills and knowledge forward, you’re falling behind; there is no standing still.   The same goes for regulations, polices and tax laws in many occupations. If you resist learning or feel that you shouldn’t have to spend your leisure time on work issues, you won’t be competitive in the labor market of the future. Learn to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity.  Steven Stosny, Ph.D., writing for Psychology Today, writes that “certainty is an emotional state, not an intellectual one.” Strong emotions, fueled by adrenaline or cortisol, make you even more certain that you are right, which explains a lot of office and family interactions. Stosny writes that, in order to feel certain, the brain must filter out much more information than it processes, adding to an already woeful error rate. “In other words, the more certain you feel, the more likely you are wrong.” He says that uncertainty, if we can tolerate it, “makes us more compassionate and more smart,” in part because we work longer at trying to understand issues and people when we are not sure about outcomes. We’re hard wired to feel anxious about not knowing what’s coming; that’s a very ancient â€" and effective â€" survival mechanism. If you can calm your anxiety, you can be more resilient in the face of change. And that’s the most essential skill for the future mindset. “Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” Voltaire

How to Interview With the PC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Interview With the PC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career And you thought a phone interview is challenging. How about the next phase, which will involve using Webcam also known as video technology? Many major employers have become more sophisticated in the use of such technology and are using the services of companies like Interview Stream for Webcam interviewing. The Webcam is an additional selection tool a company can use before it’s willing to commit further time and money. Here’s how it works: A candidate receives an e-mail invitation to click on a link that takes the candidate through the process. Some job seekers, though, are using older computers that can’t be quickly upgraded, and to work with a Webcam would generate an additional expense. What are they to do? Preparing for an interview is challenging enough by itself. Nowadays, there are several additional layers of difficulties that have been added on. In terms of a Webcam or video interview, first there’s the technical part. This involves setting up the Webcam, adjusting microphone settings, arranging for proper lighting and a background the lens captures, deciding on the angle that’s most flattering for you, and doing many other things an amateur videographer can’t even begin to imagine. Second, the candidate has to quickly learn how to become videogenic, since a big part of the hiring decision is based on a candidate’s image. In order to look good on video, the candidate has to look constantly at the video lens. This by itself is a monumental test of one’s ability to do so, since very few people are trained to appear on video camera. The next step happens when the program shows the candidate a countdownâ€"3, 2, 1â€"and then the words NOW RECORDING appear, as does a countdown for two minutes. The candidate gets five questions to answer. After recording the answers, the candidate gets one more chanceâ€"to redo the two minutes if not satisfied with the first go-round. The last step is to click Submit, and then the praying can start. Hopefully, you’ll hear back from the company. I’m wondering whether there’s an Academy Award for those who’ve mastered this 21st-century innovation whose use is limited to just being screened for employment.

Tips For How to List Writing and Research on a Resume

Tips For How to List Writing and Research on a ResumeWhen you're looking for tips for how to list writing and research on a resume, you'll want to start by knowing what to include. It's a big relief to know that you don't have to cram in all of your qualifications onto one page. However, you do need to make sure that you can provide a clear and concise description of the skills that you have.One of the most important things when it comes to listing writing and research on a resume is having accurate information. Remember that any job interview is an opportunity to display your ability to perform the task at hand. If you're unable to answer even the most basic questions or provide details about specific tasks, you will not be showing people how qualified you are for the position.As a result, you need to have the correct information on hand. The best way to accomplish this is to go back and review the key skills that you mentioned. From there, you'll be able to determine what types of skills are most valuable and what additional skill sets would help you to be the most effective lawyer.One of the most common mistakes that potential applicants make is failing to list any available education or experience. Instead, they typically only provide educational information or even fail to list it at all. While it's perfectly fine to provide some career-related education, you should never simply skip over it.Rather, you should provide a list of different fields of study as well as any job duties that you may have held within them. It's especially important to list your interests as this is a good indicator that you have a broader range of interests than simply focusing on a single area. You should also provide an explanation for any classes you've taken that relate to your career interests.In addition to listing all of your available education and experience, you should also perform an online search on companies in your field. By taking a few minutes to gather information on possible employers, you'll be able to find the most appropriate candidate. If you're unsure of what information to list, you can always consult a professional resume writer.Some of the most important pieces of information that you should include on your resume are your education level and certifications. When reviewing a resume, your first impression is most likely made on how you spell and punctuate your work history. To make sure that you meet the requirements of the company, listing your education and certifications will help you stand out from other candidates.Listing writing and research on a resume is a skill that all lawyers should master. While you may be tasked with writing a bunch of documents to accompany your resume, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't take advantage of your education. There are plenty of ways that you can ensure that you can provide a successful resume and help you get hired.

Convert Your Career Into A Visual Story

Convert Your Career Into A Visual Story Jeff Bullass Career  As A Visual Story Telling your career story isn’t easy. But once you’ve got it down, you want it to go viral, right? Or at least get heard and seen. This is why it pays to convert your career into a visual story. You have a career story. It may be your pitch, bio, or summary, or a combination of all three. Its the answer to the question tell me about yourself.  Your career story highlights the most important skills, experiences, and facts about yourself. And I know it isnt easy to create or tell. But, if writing isnt your forte, using visuals to tell your story is an option. Even if you do have strong writing skills, creating a visual summary of your career can help get the message out! Lets look at the example by Jeff Bullas, a well-recognized name in the world of online marketing. In case you don’t know who Jeff ishe has a widely read blog, Twitter following and presence on social media. Of course, he has a website with an about page. In written form, he talks about his journey from an unknown to his current state of popularity. But we can certainly learn from him and how he markets himself. One way to get more people to show interest and learn about him is to convert his about page into a visual story. You are not as widely known as Jeff Bullas, however, YOU can learn from him and how he markets himself. All the same rules apply to you. So why does he need to visualize his career? 1) It’s easy to skim 2) It’s highly share-able 3) It’s just more fun to look at Could an infographic help you tell your career story in a more share-able, entertaining, engaging way? Personally, I think the answer is YES! So let’s take a look at what information Jeff includes in his infographic, how it is presented and why this could absolutely work for you too! You can read more about how Visme converted Jeff Bullas’ story into an infographic here: The Visual Story of How Jeff Bullas Became a Digital Marketing Influencer Jeff Bullass Career  As A Visual Story The Infographic Basics The infographic headline contains his name. The infographic is clearly titled, his story. It’s easy for the reader to know at first glance, who and what this visual is all about. via Visme And at the top the includes a picture for even greater recognition. Granted, it is a cartoon, but it still looks like him. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: This is the easy part. Use the name as it appears on your resume and LinkedIn. If you already have a good headshot on LinkedIn use that. Otherwise, Ask a photographer friend to snap a bunch and pick the one you like best. You should use your name and headshot consistently online and across social media. If you are telling your career story, you could use that as the infographic title. Or if you want to be a bit more creative, you could use a title that conveys the message you are making. (Which by the way, is not, I am looking for a job). Your message is about the problems you solve, the skills you offer and your unique set of abilities. Never advertise your availability. It makes you look desperate. Plus, it isn’t good for SEO since no one would ever search the internet for “looking for a job” if they wanted to hire someone. Using A Timeline There are many different ways to show a timeline and in this case, Jeff’s timeline is grouped by date range and with a short narrative. Within each range of years, he includes visuals to tell his story. He talks about what led him into the field and people that influenced him. via Visme This visual (above) is a play on the sharing icon, an important strategy in online marketing. He has included visuals to represent what helped drive his decision. They correspond with the key points of the short snippets of text. Note, his story has been edited and doesn’t include every detail- just the most important points. Tips for the average joe/jane: Draft your story in written form first. It may be like a bio. I recommend looking at this project as a series of drafts. Your first won’t be your best, or final. If you must start by chronicling every step, that’s fine. Just know, you’ll have to go back and edit. Focus on the moments that were personally gratifying. Yes, it is ok to include some aspects from your personal life. It’s part of who you are. If you keep it all professional, it may be too dry or sterile. You could do reverse chronological (new to old) order or regular chronological order (old to new). Date ranges aren’t the only way to lay out your experience. You could choose to compile your story by types of experiences, sort of like a functional overview. The brilliant thing about this story is that is there are no rights or wrongs. It is up to you to tell the story in a way that connects with your audience. Story Line Bullas uses the story of how he rose to internet fame and walks the reader through the milestones or moments that helped his career from 2004 to 2016. He doesn’t include every achievement or misstep. He talks about “a-ha moments” and important achievements. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: Keep these questions in mind as you craft your written story. What you want someone to know about you and your career? Who or what inspired you? What was your “A-ha” moment? How did you overcome a personal/professional challenge? Building Credibility Recognition by industry publications, awards and other experts helps establish his credibility and positions him as an expert in his field. via Visme In the next section of the infographic, Bullas interjects value to the reader by sharing his top lessons learned. Educating and encouraging readers is an important part of his strategy and helps connect the reader who may be facing similar challenges. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: You probably don’t have the brand recognition that Jeff Bullas does, but don’t let that stop you. Have you won any awards? Presented at a conference? Has your work appeared in a company newsletter, blog or somewhere else? Did you ever make it into the newspaper? Any of these work. Video Video is huge! And what better way to learn about someone than by hearing them speak. Video let’s Jeff Bullas’ personality shine through. That’s why he embedded a video in his infographic. This happens to be an interview he did with a well-recognized expert in the marketing world. And it is short enough that people will watch it. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: How often have you said to yourself, “if I could only land an interview and prove myself?” Well, a short video can accomplish this.  It doesn’t have to be professionally produced. You can use your phone on a tripod or have a friend hold the camera steady. Plan you message and script it! Memorize and internalize it! Be energetic and genuinely yourself. You’ll probably record it many times until you get it right but it’s worth it. Stats and Logos It’s not enough for Bullas to say he’s great, popular or people like what he publishes. He punctuates his achievements with numbers. He uses logos of leading companies to further establish credibility. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: You can use the logos of companies you’ve worked for or clients you’ve served. The more well-known the company, the better for your reputation. If you are in sales, you have easy access to your sales stats. Numbers talk. Use Images Note that the graphics within this infographic all have a similar feel and color scheme. They are used to highlight a part of the message- not the entire message. Each graphic simplifies the written data.  It’s like a picture book you used to look at when you were a kid. via Visme Tips for the average joe/jane: Use icons, objects or graphics that have the same look. Now it’s your turn. As you can see, Jeff Bullas’ infographic was created by Visme. You can create a free account today and select from some of the templates available. With a free account, you won’t have access to more than 30 resume templates, but don’t let that stop you. You could use any infographic layout and modify it to tell your story. Heck, if you want, splurge ($7/month), and gain access to everything! You can cancel at any time. Since Visme wrote a how to article, let me reference that here “How to Create a Visual Resume” You can read more about how Visme converted Jeff Bullas’ story into an infographic here: The Visual Story of How Jeff Bullas Became a Digital Marketing Influencer

Common sense takes a beating - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Common sense takes a beating - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog In yet another telling blow to common sense, a recent study in British schools concluded that: there was no evidence at all that the teaching of grammar had any beneficial effect on the quality of writing done by pupils. This excellent article in The Guardian by Philip Pullman (author of some great childrens fantasy books think Harry Potter. only darker) has the whole story. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related