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5 Questions to ask in an Exit interview (Ashley Turley)

When an employee quits, it always adds more stress to your workplace, even if you’re glad to see them go. But, in the hustle of wrapping up projects, shifting duties and searching for a replacement, don’t miss out on the opportunity to glean what could be the most honest feedback you’ve ever gotten from an employee. Exit interviews offer you the chance to learn what your workers really think of your business and its practices, and while it is too late to stop that particular employee from leaving, it does arm you with the information you need to increase the retention of your remaining staff.

Check out these five, must-ask questions to maximise your exit interviews and the information you garner from them.

What is your reason for leaving?

Basic as it sounds, you’ve got to start somewhere, and this is the best place to begin. Most likely you’ll receive a pretty basic answer such as better pay or more opportunities, but don’t discount what the interviewee says. As you talk with the exiting employee, you’ll be able to use their initial response as a benchmark to judge their other answers. You really do want and need to know why they’re leaving, since employee turnover is on the rise and costing employers in productivity and profitability.

Could your departure have been avoided?

Another reason you should conduct exit interviews is in an effort to learn of and address any harassment, discrimination or retaliations taking place in the workplace. Their response may help you dig deeper into their reason for leaving and ensure there is no hidden causes that they’re afraid to talk about. It will also give you steps to take in order to hopefully stop other employees from leaving in the future.

 

What will your new position offer that your current one didn’t?

As the turnover battle heats up, you have to know what your competition is offering that you’re not. Certainly, there will be benefits or perks that you can’t offer due to financial or other reasons. But, at least you’ll know what you’re up against, and may even be able to make a few adjustments.

 

What are we doing right?

This conversation shouldn’t be completely focused on bashing your company. You also want to hear what you’re doing right so you’re able to recognise your team’s strengths and can play off them as you work to retain other staff members and attract new employees. Most likely, every departing worker won’t give the same answer, but you’re goal is to look for and recognise patterns in their answers, both in what they do like and what they don’t.

 

Would you recommend this company to a friend?

This is a final shot at uncovering the employee’s reason for leaving, as well as how deep grievances run. There will always be turnover within every company, and some employees truly do leave on good terms, so this will provide insight into where they stand. If someone isn’t willing to recommend your business to a friend looking for work, there really is a problem that needs your attention.

Having that final conversation with a departing employee can be awkward, but don’t miss out on your chance to better your team and business. You might be surprised at how insightful and helpful the feedback could prove to be.

Minimising the risks of reference checks (Brie Hobbs)

As more job seekers continue to look for employment in today’s job market, businesses will continue to field reference check calls from other employers.

Today, responding to reference checks has become a tricky business. It’s important to minimise legal risks, like lawsuits that claim defamation of character, discrimination, infringement of privacy, or claims of negligent reference checks. Here are some basic steps you should keep in mind when providing reference information about a former employee.

 

Establish a Policy

The first step to minimising the risks is to develop a company policy. Second, is to ensure supervisors, managers and all employees adhere to it. Many companies have restricted reference policies in place to limit liability and provide guidelines for responding to reference requests. Policies often require supervisors to notify the human resources department of requests. HR experts recommend you designate a trained HR representative to handle all employee reference checks.

 

Proceed with Caution

Before responding to a reference check, review the company policy. If the reference request is made over the phone, take down the contact information of the individual requesting employment verification and return the call after you’ve reviewed the policy and contacted your HR department.

Company reference policies should require written consent from an employee allowing you to share certain employment information. Taking time to respond to a reference request will also allow you to ensure you have a signed consent form on file first. If an employee left on bad terms, it’s also important to seek legal advice before responding, to prevent negligent reference claims.

 

Stick to the Facts

The reference information you provide should be factual and relevant to the individual’s employment history with your company. Do not volunteer information and avoid sharing personal commentary or opinions. Don’t disclose sensitive information including information about race, religion, age, disabilities, sexual orientation or marital status. Stick to verifying basic facts like date of employment, salary, and title.

 

Make a Record of the Conversation

Be sure to make note of any reference information you provide to potential employers about a former employee and keep it on file. Document any pertinent information like the former employee’s name, the name and contact information of the individual requesting the reference, and a summary of the information you disclosed.

While it may be tempting to simply not provide information about a past employee, it’s important to remember that you can still be liable for negligent claims. To best protect your company from legal issues, minimise the risks by establishing a reference check policy supervisors and managers can follow.

Risky Business: Six Risks You Should Take When it Comes to Your Career

Finding and keeping a job can be two scary and challenging feats. Although there are steps you should take to do both of these, some risk is involved. Implementing some of the following risks to your career should provide some much needed direction and guidance.

1. Negotiate: Negotiating can be a risky situation because it needs to be approached with the correct attitude. Appearing too demanding or confident during a negotiation may leave the wrong impression, while allowing yourself to be pushed around is unsatisfying as well. Approach any negotiation with a calm, confident demeanor, understanding the fact that your request may be denied. However if you take the risk of losing a job offer – or job - to ask for what you want, you might just get it! That being said, if you are happy with where you are in your career, don’t negotiate for the sake of negotiation.

2. Disagree: Office disagreements can be difficult and awkward, but only if you allow them to be. Sharing your differing opinion with your employer and co-workers will establish yourself as an invested employee contributing to your company. Should a time arise when your disagreement is not appreciated, don’t panic. Collect your thoughts, attempt to explain yourself in a clearer manner, and keep your cool. Your office should appreciate your professionalism and voice.

3. Do what you love: Although this isn’t a foreign concept, not every individual applies it to their life. Discover your passion and go after it. You may falter along the way, but pursuing what inspires you is a great risk with an even greater reward.

4. Switch careers: As we mentioned above, loving your job is key. Leaving your current job for one more focused on your passions can give you a renewed sense of purpose and zest for life. Don’t be afraid to make the leap, even if it means taking a pay cut or starting at the bottom, again.

5. Vacation: Society has trained us to think of time away from work as an immediate career-killer. However, taking time for yourself allows you to reassess career goals and objectives, refuel, and come back refreshed. If you work hard while in the office, no one will question your taking a much-needed vacation.

6. Speak up: Volunteering to give presentations in or outside of the office will give you an edge. Countless researchers have found that individuals fear public speaking more than anything else. Although you may not enjoy the experience, being willing to speak publicly when others allow their fear to hinder them will gain you instant recognition in your employer’s eyes.

Although you may still have concerns about the above career risks, doing nothing can be just as damaging to your career and work-life balance. While you don’t need to do all of these things, accomplishing at least one in a timely fashion will give you beneficial insight into your career.

The Building Blocks of a Successful, Professional Résumé

When it comes to building a résumé, it’s important to know what to include and how to get an employer to notice yours. Typically, a hiring manager will form an opinion about you and your résumé within about 10 minutes, so your résumé needs to grab someone’s attention … and fast.

So, what does a great résumé include? Make sure you include these items to maximize your job search results.

The Basics. The basics for any résumé include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. And when it comes to listing an address, be sure to include a permanent address to ensure that if an employer sends you something, you will receive it. Also, for e-mail addresses, think professional. A great way to get overlooked for a job opportunity is to include a non-professional e-mail address, such as love2party@gmail.com. Instead, have a more professional e-mail address to include, such as jane.doe@gmail.com. Employers look at every detail on your résumé when deciding if you’re the right employee for them.

Educational Background and Experience. Include what your major is or what certifications and training you have received. The more you include the better. Also, list which school or votech you graduated from or that you’re attending. However, when it comes to your grade point average, only list it if it’s 3.5 or higher.  

Objective and Summary of Skills. It’s never a bad idea to include a clear, direct objective and summary of what you’re looking for and what you can offer an employer. Remember, when it comes to a résumé, your ultimate goal is to tell them what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.

For example, if you’re applying for an ad copy writer position, list your top skills that would showcase to the employer why you are the best choice for the job. Keep this object short – only a few sentences at most – and communicate your passion for the job. Grab their attention early on in the résumé.

List of Achievements. Once you’ve told an employer in your objective and summary why they should hire you, you have to show them why. This is the section where you can go more in depth about your skills and abilities. It’s also OK to brag on yourself a little here. Tell them about honors, awards, and recognition you’ve received regarding your area of study. List internships or major projects you worked on that got rave reviews? Did you showcase a major community project for your school?

If you received an award for being the best of the best, include that too. Let a potential employer know what you’re able to do! The more impressive you appear, the better. But remember, a cardinal rule of creating a résumé is to keep everything truthful. Don’t fudge the truth even a little to seem more impressive. If an employer ever finds out you did, your career with them would be over before it ever gets started.

Community and Extracurricular Activities. Be sure to list all the organizations you have been involved in at school and outside of school. Since you don’t have a lot of on-the-job experience yet, this is a great way to show how you’re putting your skills to use.

These are some basic must-haves that every résumé should include. One other thing to keep in mind is the format you use. Usually for recent college grads, a combination of a chronological and functional format  is a good choice. The chronological format lists your experience in a timely order, while the functional format focuses more on just your skills and abilities overall. Also, check out additional tips for getting past resume gaps.

Finally keep the overall design basic and try to keep your résumé to one page in length. The busier your résumé appears, the more distracting it will be. When it comes to the design, less is more. Also, create your résumé in Microsoft Word, but save your final copy as a PDF version.

Follow these tips to make sure you start your job search off on the right foot.

Posted by Miranda Wilson (Int HQ)

Tips for Interviewing Job Candidates

Answering the Questions No One Wants to Ask

                               

Before an interview, what you know about job seekers is mostly what’s on paper. And that doesn’t always match up exactly with reality, which is why the interview process exists. Have you ever realized that what most job seekers know about your company before the interview is mostly what’s on paper as well? In fact, job seekers are interviewing you just as much as you’re interviewing them. They want to make sure this job will fit their skills, needs, and career goals just as much as you do. No one wants to be in a job that’s not a good fit.

               

So, how can you make sure that you’re using the interview process to make sure both you and the job seeker are finding a great fit? One great way is to answer the questions no one wants to ask. Not sure where to start? Check out these five questions and how to answer them even when no one asks.

               

1) What’s the salary? Money is a big factor to job candidates. So address up front how much the position pays. Don’t wait until you extend an offer. If a candidate has more than one position on the table, they’ll be more likely to go with a sure thing than hold out for an unknown number. Many employers stay away from discussing salary in the first interview since it can be a touchy subject, and they lose great candidates this way. If you’re looking to negotiate a salary with high-profile candidates, consider naming a range and stating that the position has room for salary advancement built in. Or, start by naming your starting point, and let the candidate take – or leave – the negotiation process from there.

               

2) Is this a dead-end  job? The real question here is whether there’s room for advancement in a position or organization. Most job seekers won’t ask straight up if it’s a dead-end job, but some will ask you what career opportunities they might have at your company. You can answer this question best by being honest about how the process works at your organization. Some jobs don’t have career advancement built in, but many times, people change departments when they are ready for career growth. Try getting the point across by telling the story of someone’s career path within the company or within your department so job candidates know what sort of future they could have. 

               

3) Are the people  nice? The people someone will work with every day have a huge impact on their attitude, which impacts motivation and productivity. Unfortunately, most people don’t learn until after they’re on the job who they will be working with. One way to answer this question is to have a roundtable part of your interview, where you invite some members of your team to meet the candidate and ask them questions. This tactic helps job seekers get a feel for the type of people they will be working with and where they would fit in on the team.

               

4) What’s the real  job description? Job descriptions often do a poor job describing what the actual position entails. Sometimes, they are too broad and give employees the impression they’ll be doing virtually everything, when in actuality, their turf is not that big. Other times, they are too narrow and leave out important details – like the fun parts or hidden perks of the job. So, tell employees not just what projects and tasks the job covers, but try to help them understand what the job is like day-to-day. Some employers even let job seekers shadow employees in other similar positions for an hour or day to give them a real feel for the position.

               

5) What are the drawbacks? Let’s face it, most jobs have elements to them that people don’t enjoy. But usually, they’re not that bad in the grand scheme of things. Answer this question by describing all the functions a job requires, including the not-so-fun parts, so that the person you hire doesn’t end up resenting you for forgetting to mention they would be responsible for the morning coffee run or speaking in front of people. When people are prepared to enter a job knowing the whole picture, they are better equipped and you’ll get a better fit. 

               

It’s important to realize that answering tough-to-ask interview questions doesn’t mean your interview should take on a negative tone. In fact, most job seekers won’t see these topics as negative at all – it’s just tough to gather up the courage to ask. So, be proactive and answer these questions even if they’re left unsaid. While you’re at it, show your enthusiasm for adding someone new to the team with a positive attitude, and make sure to give job seekers time to ask questions of their own. You never know what they might ask, but you can be sure that the right candidate for the job will appreciate when you answer with honesty.

How to Handle an Interview After You’ve Been Fired!

Getting fired from a job doesn’t have to be a bad thing – look at it as a chance to start over. But, how do you start over with a new job with the looming question “why did you leave your last job?” lurking around the corner at every job interview? The question is most likely to be asked by most interviewers, so instead of dreading the inevitable, prepare yourself for the question and ace the interview.

To help you get through the unavoidable question of why you were fired, try these tips below.

Practice. Figure out how to respond to the question, and practice it over and over again until you’re confident with your answer. A good example of something to say is, “My previous employer and I agreed that the position and company wasn’t a good fit for me, so I took time to figure out the kind of company I would like to work for and here I am.”

Don’t lie. No matter what the circumstances were for your departure at your previous company, don’t lie to your prospective employer. Most companies conduct background checks and call references. So, if you lie to them about your last job, chances are they’re going to find out. So, tell the truth but keep it brief. You don’t have to go into every last detail.

Don’t hate. Again, no matter how much you dislike your ex-boss, don’t take the opportunity to bash your previous employer during the interview. Be very brief in your explanation as to why you are no longer employed and keep the negative circumstances and name calling out of the conversation.

Being fired is a bitter pill to swallow, but you need to accept it and move on, or you’re going to find yourself in a slump without a job. Most people have been fired one time or another, so don’t take it personally. Learn from the incident, follow these tips, and then get yourself right back out there and back into a new job!

Getting fired from a job doesn’t have to be a bad thing – look at it as a chance to start over. But, how do you start over with a new job with the looming question “why did you leave your last job?” lurking around the corner at every job interview? The question is most likely to be asked by most interviewers, so instead of dreading the inevitable, prepare yourself for the question and ace the interview.

To help you get through the unavoidable question of why you were fired, try these tips below.

Practice. Figure out how to respond to the question, and practice it over and over again until you’re confident with your answer. A good example of something to say is, “My previous employer and I agreed that the position and company wasn’t a good fit for me, so I took time to figure out the kind of company I would like to work for and here I am.”

Don’t lie. No matter what the circumstances were for your departure at your previous company, don’t lie to your prospective employer. Most companies conduct background checks and call references. So, if you lie to them about your last job, chances are they’re going to find out. So, tell the truth but keep it brief. You don’t have to go into every last detail.

Don’t hate. Again, no matter how much you dislike your ex-boss, don’t take the opportunity to bash your previous employer during the interview. Be very brief in your explanation as to why you are no longer employed and keep the negative circumstances and name calling out of the conversation.

Being fired is a bitter pill to swallow, but you need to accept it and move on, or you’re going to find yourself in a slump without a job. Most people have been fired one time or another, so don’t take it personally. Learn from the incident, follow these tips, and then get yourself right back out there and back into a new job!