Jason Monastra's Posts - RecruitingBlogs2024-03-28T21:13:03ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastrahttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1526821306?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=3nidb60dvl8n7&xn_auth=noWhy do we lie about unemployment?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-07-28:502551:BlogPost:13042332011-07-28T16:17:13.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>There are things that seriously I do not understand….let me re-phrase, I understand why they are done. What amazes me is that people believe the people the spit the garbage out to us like we a herd of cattle waiting to be fed. Unemployment – what is the situation? It is a total crap shoot. Sectors are rising and falling more than any historical average, we have no known correlation anymore between the economy and jobs due to technical productivity gains, globalization, and of course the debt…</p>
<p>There are things that seriously I do not understand….let me re-phrase, I understand why they are done. What amazes me is that people believe the people the spit the garbage out to us like we a herd of cattle waiting to be fed. Unemployment – what is the situation? It is a total crap shoot. Sectors are rising and falling more than any historical average, we have no known correlation anymore between the economy and jobs due to technical productivity gains, globalization, and of course the debt we keep borrowiing to artifically make this place look like it is doing “okay”. None of the old rules play anymore. Supply and demand has evaporated with the takeover of speculation. And the whole time people are hearing from the regime that unemployment is doing alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How about some factual figures for all of you that enjoy the truth? We are currently in the fastest job loss cycle than ever in the history of the country. People talk about who did what, who inherited this, etc. Time for finger pointing and half measures is over. Since the start of the Obama administration – we have experienced the fastest cycle of job loss (even with the recovery act that was to create jobs) than any other president in history. How does that happen – easy. Keep taking from the people that work and give it to the people that do not. How do you lose 559,000 jobs in one month – that is unheard of!! And people still look around thinking it is getting better. We are suppossedly out of the recession. Garbage. Recession is a state of mind, not an actual state. Recession is the loss of jobs, companies not spending money, and GDP downturn. Take away our false foundation of borrowed money and increased debt ceilings, we would be in a DEPRESSION.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This all ties into the current job environment that is speculating over the debt ceiling and government bailout monies. Where does that stand? Well we look like idiots if we increase it and we look like idiots if we do not. Nice job – not many options there. Unemployment sits atop many of the voters minds, and look at what Congress and the president are doing now to fix the issue. Put a plan in place that bandades the situation so we can make it through the 2012 fiscal years. Or better put – the election! So can we believe anything that is pushed our way since the focus is to drive our economy into the bottom feeder but present a situation that says everything is under control.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Take a look at the latest article from Forbes – really puts it out there for those that want to see what is going on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/louiswoodhill/2011/07/27/the-unemployment-situation-is-getting-worse/">http://blogs.forbes.com/louiswoodhill/2011/07/27/the-unemployment-situation-is-getting-worse/</a></p>Do We Really Need Personal Pages?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-04-28:502551:BlogPost:11862752011-04-28T15:40:54.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I'm not talking about Facebook or other forms of social media, I am referring to the people that think designing a web page or home page to find a job using services like about.me and flavors.me. Enough is Enough! Employers are not looking for flashy pizzazz, they are looking for someone that can do the job. Technology is integrating itself into our lives more and more everyday but the workforce and hiring managers, they still use a calculator and pick up the phone. It's not that using a…</p>
<p>I'm not talking about Facebook or other forms of social media, I am referring to the people that think designing a web page or home page to find a job using services like about.me and flavors.me. Enough is Enough! Employers are not looking for flashy pizzazz, they are looking for someone that can do the job. Technology is integrating itself into our lives more and more everyday but the workforce and hiring managers, they still use a calculator and pick up the phone. It's not that using a personal homepage isn't trendy but will it really target the people you want?</p>
<p>The economy isn't in the greatest place and unemployment is still struggling mainly because the law of supply and demand is in effect. There are a great supply of employees and a limited demand from employers. The competition is great and I can see why these personal homepages have an immediate appeal but once again employers want to know "can you do the job?". Resumes get a quick glance, most positions are gained through networking, and these are the people that are finding jobs, not the ones using a personal homepage as a desperate plea "look at me". There, I said it this trend is overkill and appears desperate. Here is a perfect example of how we ruin our uniqueness and personality, pick up the phone, shake somebody's hand, I'm telling you the people that do the hiring are not as trendy and technology savvy to get into your flashy homepage. These homepages are almost like a full sleeve of tattoos, not going to work in the professional environment. Five, ten years from now when a new generation of hiring manager that grew up in this technology era are in charge homepages may have more clout. But until they get there, keep your audience in mind. </p>
<p>When your personal homepage can show work ethic and provide a value to employers it may have a greater foundation but for now leave your personal stuff, socializing flashy marketing to yourself.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www,workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>How do I Recover from a Bad Job Interview?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-04-13:502551:BlogPost:11790772011-04-13T13:39:30.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Going on a job interview is nerve racking and I am certain dreaded by most professionals. Where do the nerves and stigma come from? Previous interviews that didn’t go well and the position that wasn’t offered, that’s where. </p>
<p>Think about it, you have finally gotten the dream interview for the job you have always wanted. 5 minutes in, things start going south and fast. Stumbling answers, twisted tongue, and the sweat - the company can see right through you. They know all your…</p>
<p>Going on a job interview is nerve racking and I am certain dreaded by most professionals. Where do the nerves and stigma come from? Previous interviews that didn’t go well and the position that wasn’t offered, that’s where. </p>
<p>Think about it, you have finally gotten the dream interview for the job you have always wanted. 5 minutes in, things start going south and fast. Stumbling answers, twisted tongue, and the sweat - the company can see right through you. They know all your faults and so do you.</p>
<p>So what to do?</p>
<p>Prepare, prepare and prepare some more. We all know that the hiring manager is going to throw in the random question that you didn’t prepare an answer for, don’t let this be the question that ruins the interview. Understand the basics of the company and your skills, think about how they apply to the position and answers will come easier. </p>
<p>Listen more than you talk!! Pay attention to the hiring manager and their responses, both verbal and physical. Remember we communicate 60% via non verbal actions. If it appears things aren’t going so well keep your composure until the end of the interview (remember to breathe). Ask for some feedback and express your concerns during the interview, if you think you’d do better having a second interview because this job means the world, then ask. </p>
<p>When it is over, remain calm - seriously. I have seen people vent to their friends verbally, talk about it online, etc and that is a bad mistake. Word travels fast in this digital age of ours and nothing can be more of an issue than your own words coming back to bite you. Gather yourself, think positive, and send a thank you note to the company. Regardless of the outcome, you did the right thing and are prepared to move on.</p>
<p>Not every opportunity you go after will fall into place according to plan, it’s you responsibility to get back on the horse and practice some more. Take into consideration all of the feedback you’ve gotten and apply it because it’s what the market expects and if you don’t deliver, you’ll never get the job!</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Why Men Earn More than Womentag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-31:502551:BlogPost:11728702011-03-31T17:25:00.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I agree that you should be paid for the job you do, if you are a Doctor you should be compensated as such, if you are a mid-level manger or a fast food employee you should be compensated as such. In 2011, male or female can hold many of the same positions, but women only earn 80% as much as men. It could be for traditional reasons but studies show that the gap is closing and women are no longer accepting these statistics.</p>
<p>Moneywatch.com stated that a MBA study showed that men and…</p>
<p>I agree that you should be paid for the job you do, if you are a Doctor you should be compensated as such, if you are a mid-level manger or a fast food employee you should be compensated as such. In 2011, male or female can hold many of the same positions, but women only earn 80% as much as men. It could be for traditional reasons but studies show that the gap is closing and women are no longer accepting these statistics.</p>
<p>Moneywatch.com stated that a MBA study showed that men and women graduate and begin earning around the same but after 10 years men earn significantly more. The reason stated motherhood, more days off, and career breaks. I must say this is a very strong argument for the men. If women are not gaining the experience or working the hours, they will not increase their salary, motherhood becomes a greater priority than getting ahead. Women also tend to take lower paying jobs like teaching, nursing the study showed 1out of every 8 followed this career path. I also think it’s because men are better negotiators and demand their worth in a way that’s respected, women are less forceful and don’t get the same type of respect, even if they do demand it, they can be perceived as bitchy. Don’t give up hope women of the working world!</p>
<p>The study also mentions that because of the recession and the smart women in the world the gap may be closing. The recession knocked out many predominantly male jobs, like construction and high level management. This lessens the confidence of men and the careers like teaching and nursing become more appealing because they offer job security. Women are also out numbering men in college attendance and we all know that a degree will put you in a better negotiating position and offer a higher salary; women are also moving away from the barefoot and pregnant life role to the success roles in the work force. Watch out gentlemen the ladies are defying the behavior of previous professional females and demanding the salary gap be decreased and call it bitchiness if you want, I call it being confident, and asking for respect just like any man would. </p>
<p>Many men and women both work in many roles across the world and considering all variables align why should men still be paid more than women?</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Fixes for Employee Moraletag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-29:502551:BlogPost:11708602011-03-29T13:01:31.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Keeping people happy especially when it’s a group of people is a difficult task, combine that with all of the other uncontrollable factors in business and you’ve got yourself a challenge. In a recent article published by Kate Page, she defines results from a study asking employees and managers to rank 10 job characteristics, and then posted the top five (Page, 2011). They are as follows:</p>
<p>Employees seek:</p>
<ol>
<li>Appreciation for their work</li>
<li>Feeling part of…</li>
</ol>
<p>Keeping people happy especially when it’s a group of people is a difficult task, combine that with all of the other uncontrollable factors in business and you’ve got yourself a challenge. In a recent article published by Kate Page, she defines results from a study asking employees and managers to rank 10 job characteristics, and then posted the top five (Page, 2011). They are as follows:</p>
<p>Employees seek:</p>
<ol>
<li>Appreciation for their work</li>
<li>Feeling part of things</li>
<li>Sympathetic help on personal issues</li>
<li>Job security</li>
<li>Good wages</li>
</ol>
<p>Managers believe employees desire:</p>
<ol>
<li>Good wages</li>
<li>Job security</li>
<li>Promotion/growth opportunities</li>
<li>Good working conditions</li>
<li>Interesting work</li>
</ol>
<p>I look at these responses and I see two types of people, leaders and followers, employment at a management level, and employment at an employee’s level both have different characteristics and skills that define them, management personal probably have the leader personality traits and vice versa. Managers expect good wages, job security and growth opportunity, those job characteristics got them into the management position, which is also a position of control reducing the importance of working conditions and interesting work. Employees, the followers expect fair wages but are not necessarily motivated for the money making positions in management, maybe it’s because there is also extra responsibility. This type of person accepts fair wages and other offered benefits but are they recognized regularly for their work? Probably not, there are many followers and very few leaders to praise everybody. Feeling as if you’re part of something is a natural human desire, management already feels that way because of their position. How can you bridge the gap here without hurting anyone’s feelings, maintaining morale?</p>
<p>Communication will always boost morale people are interested in what is going on, employees chose your company keep them interested. Management is usually looking at the big picture; the cost involved using a risk reward model. Managers are trained on many procedures and possibilities for morale improvements and other management techniques. Employees are hired to perform a daily responsibility, they focus on the present task, and that’s what they are trained to do. Human resource departments in many companies offer a hotline for employees, this is a great way to get valuable feedback from employees but it is a cost to the company and if the feedback isn’t reviewed, there is no value. The article also mentions that staff recognition should occur regularly not focused on a monetary reward but a more simplistic approach. I don’t think this is truly possible, especially if it’s a large company; it’s almost counterproductive the employee is getting paid to do the job after all. Demonstrating the employee’s value I think is the most efficient way to accomplish all of the job characteristics above because it can be done quickly and cover more ground. If employees understand, their efforts there are more likely to have pride in them and during the project updates, managers and other employees can offer praise. This is part of communication; morale can remain high if everyone is aware of what is going on and what the desired outcome should be. Updating the team to let them know they are on track and the job is getting done once every couple of weeks will make employees feel part of something. By doing this managers can satisfy the top two characteristics an employee seeks and at the same time lead a team to complete a project.</p>
Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a>Why People Leave their jobs - #1 Reason!tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-28:502551:BlogPost:11703422011-03-28T12:32:19.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>After combing through countless books, articles, and various online posts - the #1 reason for people leaving a company is their direct boss. Bosses have the ability to change, enhance or ruin a work environment. And they can do it quickly. So if bosses are the number one reason, why do we have so many poor ones? Training. Let me put it better, the lack of training. Bosses, leadership, or management - however you describe the people that oversee your day to day life; are the glowing…</p>
<p>After combing through countless books, articles, and various online posts - the #1 reason for people leaving a company is their direct boss. Bosses have the ability to change, enhance or ruin a work environment. And they can do it quickly. So if bosses are the number one reason, why do we have so many poor ones? Training. Let me put it better, the lack of training. Bosses, leadership, or management - however you describe the people that oversee your day to day life; are the glowing star in the sky that keep you happy or are the gloomy cloud that hovers over your head and forces you out. Which one do you have?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the bosses reading this article, TAKE NOTES. There are various foundational elements that cross all borders of management. Whether a factory manager, a shift lead in a fast food company, or an manager at a FORTUNE 100 - the basics remain the same. So take a quick look at why the people say they leave and then we can discuss how to solve the issue. Professional staff members leave due to the way they are treated - something that has little to do with their duties. How the manager looks at them, speaks to them, associates with inside/outside the office, encourages them, etc. all were the largest factors when determining how an employee evaluates a boss. If you do not think these factors matter, look at this. One of the reports written states that 75% of employees site their direct manager as the most stressful part of their day. So how does a manager truly manage people?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I believe that there is so much more to managing people than simply overseeing them in their tasks. The question is engagement, how does a boss engage the people he/she oversees is the real factor that makes all the difference. Engagement covers all the intangible interactions that we mentioned above and weigh the most on how staff assess their leadership. The old school thoughts are management up here and the rest of the people down here. If you are looking to keep losing people, remain in that school of thought - they will fall away in droves. Lack of engagement is the core foundation of the old school way of management. So why engage? People are people, one of the forgotten principles of management in today's business world. To influence people and get the job done, managers need to engage people. To do so, you must treat people the right way. Sounds simple enough - does it not? Why is it so hard then? In addition to change management, training, and the fear that all of those bring - technology is one of the single largest factors in the inability of managers to be able to engage. Email, phone, tele-conference, etc all remove the need for engagement and place people in isolated verticals without management training. All this equals people consistently ranking their bosses low in performance ratings and leaving their positions for "the grass being greener" on the other side. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Look for future articles addressing how to be better boss. Check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a> for more information.</p>5 Quick Steps to Get Your Job Search kicked Offtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-25:502551:BlogPost:11696692011-03-25T18:12:46.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Searching for a job can be very stressful but just as any stressful situation there are things a person can do to relive some of the pressure. There are five quick steps that I think should be utilized when starting your job search, it will help keep you motivated.</p>
<p>Step 1: Get a notebook and a pencil! Start asking yourself what it is you want to do and what it is you’re good at! What would be your ideal position and what will you need to do to get there? This notebook should stay…</p>
<p>Searching for a job can be very stressful but just as any stressful situation there are things a person can do to relive some of the pressure. There are five quick steps that I think should be utilized when starting your job search, it will help keep you motivated.</p>
<p>Step 1: Get a notebook and a pencil! Start asking yourself what it is you want to do and what it is you’re good at! What would be your ideal position and what will you need to do to get there? This notebook should stay with you through your job search so you can write pros and cons for the companies you interview with also keep yourself organized.</p>
<p>Step 2: Inspect your resume! Keeping a resume updated is something that most people don’t worry about until they are searching for a job, update it during and after every position then all you will need to do is make any adjustments that apply to a certain position you’re interested in. Have friends and family read your resume and give you suggestions, always get a third party opinion. Keep your resume on a zip drive so it’s with you when ever you need it. Post your resume to job boards and contact your network of business professionals. Work with a recruiter!</p>
<p>Step 3: Act the part, Review job boards, talk with your network, and take advantage of social media, do what you can to get your name out there. Dress for success at every interview or meeting you have with any professionals, peers or not. Maintain a schedule and stick to it, if you’re not currently in the job market, slacking on your daily routine will make you lazy and less motivated. </p>
<p>Step 4: Do your research! Know the market; invest time in current events, and promoting yourself. The more you research and explore your options the more personal encouragement you will have and this will lead to the confidence employers are looking for. Educating yourself will only add to your value, be prepared and go for it!</p>
<p>Step 5: Don’t give up! Searching for a job is difficult, searching for a career is even harder, but you cannot give up in your search. I’m sure you’ve heard before that you should smile when you speak to someone on the phone, even though they can’t see you they can hear the enthusiasm in your voice and it’s hard to stay in a bad mood if you smile long enough. Every day is a new day and it deserves 100% so stick with it and follow these steps they will help keep you on your game!</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Why to Interview the Company More Than They Interview Youtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-24:502551:BlogPost:11684182011-03-24T14:46:51.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>You’ve been working hard to put your resume in the best noticeable format, you’ve contacted everyone in your network, and you’ve posted to every job board you can think of. Within a few days, the calls start coming in and you have first interviews scheduled for all of next week. You have prepared studying interview questions, and looking into the company to have some idea who you might be working with in your future. You get to the interview, sit down, your hands begin to sweat and…</p>
<p>You’ve been working hard to put your resume in the best noticeable format, you’ve contacted everyone in your network, and you’ve posted to every job board you can think of. Within a few days, the calls start coming in and you have first interviews scheduled for all of next week. You have prepared studying interview questions, and looking into the company to have some idea who you might be working with in your future. You get to the interview, sit down, your hands begin to sweat and everything you studied the night before is out the window with the first question…”Why do you think you’re qualified for this position?”</p>
<p>Breath, and start thinking about the company, think as if you’re already working there as the CEO. This will immediately take the focus away from you and put it back onto the company, trust me your blood pressure will drop. You were asked to interview, this is an important step, and if you keep the focus on the company, it will continue to prove that the hiring manager chose the right resume to interview. Sure they care if you can do the job but if you are inquisitive about the company, its policy and what the job can do for you, your confidence will sky rocket with little effort because you’re taking the spotlight off of yourself. If you start to visualize yourself in the role, naturally you can talk about the value you’ll bring and at the end of the day, that’s what the company cares about. </p>
<p>Another important reason to interview the company, this new job will consume majority of your time, consider it an investment. You wouldn’t invest money in something that had no return would you? I didn’t think so! Why treat this investment any different? Ask questions about your work environment, expectations, benefits, vacation, job location, management, mission statements, the list goes on. A clear understanding of the company is your responsibility as an investor, during the interview these questions should be asked because you should expect value too, at the end of the day, that’s what you should care about. </p>
<p>I believe in the philosophy of finding a career, something that you’re good at and have passion for. If you don’t ask questions and just run after the first offer I believe you are only looking for a job and in the long run that doesn’t bring value to anyone.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Where is the talent in IT?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-23:502551:BlogPost:11679032011-03-23T21:06:52.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Information technology, although it’s been a part of business for many years it has been a stronger influence lately. Business has accepted that information technology is here to stay and that a budget needs to be allotted for IT. While that seems like a simple concept we must consider that IT is its own world with its own language and it changes very rapidly, this can be difficult for business. IT has been in business for some time and there is talent out there that knows everything…</p>
<p>Information technology, although it’s been a part of business for many years it has been a stronger influence lately. Business has accepted that information technology is here to stay and that a budget needs to be allotted for IT. While that seems like a simple concept we must consider that IT is its own world with its own language and it changes very rapidly, this can be difficult for business. IT has been in business for some time and there is talent out there that knows everything there is to know about Mainframes but they are lost when it comes to client server networks or programming in C#. Many organizations have adapted an IT guru that wears all hats but in larger organizations, they want someone with specific skills to work on a project. Technology changes so fast and without experience and education the Mainframe guru may find they are out of a job.</p>
<p>IT talent is out there just but because they are in IT, doesn’t mean they know it all and if they do have varied experience is that enough for human resources? If the role is focused on an out of the box, software and administration of that software like Microsoft’s SharePoint for example then the search is on for a SharePoint administrator. Your three top candidates have SharePoint experience and have done some small environment administration, one candidate has 5 years of experience of SharePoint Administration for a large organization, but the rate for this person is $45 an hour. The non-IT management that would like the rate to be $30 to stay in budget for the project, this will work for the less experienced small environment candidates but HR doesn’t feel they have enough experience. This scenario stops hiring in its tracks more often than once passing up possible assets in information technology for the company. The talent is there but turned away because they don’t fit perfectly.</p>
<p>Information technology professionals work very hard to get involved in as many areas of IT as possible they love the field and most have been exposed to a great deal of different platforms, software and operating systems simply because not every business uses the same technology. They really can do multiple tasks and do them well, but once again, if the hiring manager is looking for specifics they may over look someone that would be perfect for the role because their resume doesn’t look appealing or they don’t have a specific focus. A quick point technology changes rapidly many times companies are just finishing an upgrade and a new version surfaces, the IT gurus want to learn the new version and stay current. Do you notice as a human resource manager that IT is slightly different? Will you notice the talent even if there experience is with the older version? It’s not that the talent isn’t out there it’s that it’s not noticed by decision makers because they are looking for the perfect fit and in IT I don’t think that’s an easy thing.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Sending Employees to an IT Conferencetag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-22:502551:BlogPost:11669062011-03-22T20:17:46.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Should you send just any employee to an IT conference? The answer is no! A conference is a great place to build networks by meeting other industry leaders and contacts. Attending a conference is a great way to boost employee morale and give people a break from the daily grind, should you really send every employee? Will you foot the bill for a party weekend or a weekend that will bring long term added value to the company? Not to mention deciding who should attend is an important…</p>
<p>Should you send just any employee to an IT conference? The answer is no! A conference is a great place to build networks by meeting other industry leaders and contacts. Attending a conference is a great way to boost employee morale and give people a break from the daily grind, should you really send every employee? Will you foot the bill for a party weekend or a weekend that will bring long term added value to the company? Not to mention deciding who should attend is an important because whom you send is a direct representation of your company. Ask yourself some out of the box questions when determining who will bring value and not become a liability. </p>
<p>Conferences are great for networking but networking requires conversation, and how many subject matter experts (SME) in information technology have an extrovert personality? Send these folks, that are quiet and like to work alone to a conference and you will not benefit from networking. Will they captivate the audience as a public speaker? If your company’s SME is a poor public speaker I don’t think they should be appointed to speak at the conference, this won’t draw a crowd or sell your company. Do they want to attend the conference or is it mandatory? If they don’t want to go then you are wasting your money, you should ask first. They won’t truly represent your business and convey its abilities if they don’t want to be there. I hate to say it but there are usually cocktail parties at conferences, how many employees may have just one too many adult beverages? I think we all have heard a horror story or two about behavior at a cocktail party and I doubt you want your company involved in the gossip so avoid it all together. Conduct a quick survey of employees ask them about previous conference highlights, thoughts on attendance, networking and public speaking. Bring it up in a meeting; ask for feedback, areas of interest including participation from previous employee conference experiences.</p>
<p>Taking the time to do this will only save you money and embarrassment in the long run, if your team understands they value of a conference and is excited to mingle with industry peers and other SME’s than those employees should be asked to represent your company. They will create a presence for you and enjoy speaking to people about the industry and listen to ideas of improvements and opportunities. They will engage exhibitors and encourage people to visit your company, help you market your capabilities this is someone you want at a conference! They return to the office with knowledge and clearly relay it to the rest of the team; they strive to incorporate the value of the conference and its networking abilities. Either way you look at it, you’re spending money on either sponsorship or attendance, why not get more “bang for your buck”, do some due diligence, and send the right employees!</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Is a Talent Pipeline Important for Successful Hiring?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-14:502551:BlogPost:11597092011-03-14T12:26:23.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>The talent pipeline, an overused phrase developed by larger professional staffing firms that produces the idea that you need a strong set of professional people waiting at a moment's notice for the new position, the right job, the next career step. It has become so engrained in our minds that this "best practice" is a must have. But does it really work? Think about it, are the best people simply waiting for the next role or the next step up the ladder. I challenge you to re-think your…</p>
<p>The talent pipeline, an overused phrase developed by larger professional staffing firms that produces the idea that you need a strong set of professional people waiting at a moment's notice for the new position, the right job, the next career step. It has become so engrained in our minds that this "best practice" is a must have. But does it really work? Think about it, are the best people simply waiting for the next role or the next step up the ladder. I challenge you to re-think your thoughts and ideas about the subject. How, why, and where to find the best people and most importantly how to get them to come work for you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was reading this most recent article by one of the largest career portals on the net, speaking of the immediate proactive need to create a talent pool that is ready and willing to move now. They spoke of not waiting too long, placing commitment on getting a pool of people together so that when the hiring comes, you can move at the pace of the market. Are you kidding me? I have been in the business as a staffing provider and now as an integrator for over 10 yrs, and never in that time has creating a talent pool allowed for me to select the best and brightest of the group. Why you may ask? The best, the most talented people are always being courted by companies, it is a never ending process. And the companies that seek that level of talent are not waiting for the market to turn around, they are hiring as soon as they can get those professionals to commit. The best companies hire the best people, timing is not the discussion, the discussion is around who is the best person to move their company in the right direction no matter the state of the economy. </p>
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<p>Think about it from a sales perspective. Company Y is strategically considering growing its sales staff by 10 people in 2011. Their internal recruiting staff places together a group of 100-200 potential applicants in 2010 preparing for the new hire. All the while Company X is thinking the exact same thing, however as they locate the best people - they hire them, then and there. So they hire an extra few in 2010, and continue having their entire staff hired by mid Feb. Company Y comes off the holiday break, takes a look at their pool of candidates and says I want to speak with these top 20. Unfortunately, 10 of those 20 are already gone to Company Y and any other company who hired the right person when they surfaced. If you are looking for a great sales person that can sell 10MM a year, does it make a difference if you hire them in October of 2010 or March of 2011. The answer is yes and no. No to the company that jumps all over them and gets that person up and running ASAP. Yes, to the company that waited and watched their competition pick up the best talent the market has seen.</p>
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<p>So does the pipeline work....for those that are looking for a commodity staff member that matters little to the overall success of the company. But for the companies that want the best and brightest, pipelines do not work because the best do not stand in line. Figure out what you need and then go find it. When you do, hire it and never look back.</p>
<p> Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>
<p> </p>Why are Companies so Slow in Adopting Remote Workers?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-10:502551:BlogPost:11578242011-03-10T16:56:25.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>The gas price national average is $3.53; the commute for most is about 30-45 minutes, miles put on a vehicle. How much does that cost every person per year that commutes to work? The buildings and energy it takes to house a business, how much does that cost every company per year? These costs have no prejudice; they are fixed except for gas that will probably be higher after you read this. Information week provided these statistics; the US could save $38 billion dollars annually if 53%…</p>
<p>The gas price national average is $3.53; the commute for most is about 30-45 minutes, miles put on a vehicle. How much does that cost every person per year that commutes to work? The buildings and energy it takes to house a business, how much does that cost every company per year? These costs have no prejudice; they are fixed except for gas that will probably be higher after you read this. Information week provided these statistics; the US could save $38 billion dollars annually if 53% of white collar employees worked from home. Makes sense let’s all work from home and we can save our economy and put more money in our pockets!</p>
<p>Not so fast, can employees actually be productive from home without management there to manage? Companies are slow to incorporate remote opportunities because the school of thought is in the office; daily meetings, a social aspect of the office environment, “water cooler” conversation, social media and other “non-work” related web sites use while at work, is any of this productive?</p>
<p>Telecommuting is a relatively new concept and many organizations have c-level managers that have built careers coming to the office and working diligently. As management they just can’t see how being home could provide such success. Managers like to lead and manage; many of them don’t know how to manage without having a team in front of them at all times or don’t know how to solve a problem if they aren’t there to review it. Most people don’t know how to effectively plan and manage a day in their personal lives, trying to do so for a work schedule will be just as difficult. Some people already know they wouldn’t get anything done if they worked from home, these people are wise to admit but probably still don’t plan very well. This is an individual problem, people are just uncomfortable thinking outside of the box, and scared their neck will be on the line if something fails. Reality check, this all happens in business when people work remotely too.</p>
<p>Considering the vast savings of remote employees, I think it’s time for companies to step it up and incorporate remote opportunity where feasible. Here’s an idea, <b><i>train</i></b> managers and employees teach them how to use technology effectively and clearly define in writing what is expected. Productivity will be increased because people can spend the time focused on the task not gas prices, a failing economy, a overstuffed day, traffic, and socializing but the projects, timelines, obstacles, and objectives. Training AKA education, it never gets old!</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Government Worker Benefits vs. Private Worker Benefitstag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-03-08:502551:BlogPost:11566412011-03-08T19:01:30.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p> It’s not expected that benefits should be equal with every opportunity or position out there but is it possible that the benefits offered for government positions are better than private positions. It depends on what benefits and opportunities you’re looking for, what appeals to you. I will say this; can you ever reach a government employee after 5pm even 4pm if you’re calling on a Friday? For most of us working tirelessly, to make enough money for the government just to have a bit left…</p>
<p> It’s not expected that benefits should be equal with every opportunity or position out there but is it possible that the benefits offered for government positions are better than private positions. It depends on what benefits and opportunities you’re looking for, what appeals to you. I will say this; can you ever reach a government employee after 5pm even 4pm if you’re calling on a Friday? For most of us working tirelessly, to make enough money for the government just to have a bit left over for ourselves, I think this is an over looked benefit. Paid holidays, they observe each and every holiday and then some other holidays. Vacation, 4 weeks minimum and I recall some reports that government employees have abused tax money for their vacation; I also call that a benefit. Retirement, early retirement can be taken at 50 years old after x amount of years of service, quick point do you know how hard it is to get fired from the government? Healthcare, has anyone actually read the details of the proposed healthcare bill? The government will be sure to satisfy themselves first. Let’s recap, government benefits = 6, private benefits = 0. </p>
<p>As I start a fire about the government, I can’t disregard the private sector and the struggle they face to find and retain quality employees by offering as many benefits and perks possible. They do this facing absurd costs and poor third party services, a stress to any business owner or employee, especially if they are trying to deal with an agency that closes at 5pm, 4pm on Friday, yeah, most people are still burning the oil at 5pm because they were on hold with customer service all day talking to a voice recorded message. The private sector has become creative with benefits for example allowing people to work remotely, setting office environments to be more “fun”, splitting or covering healthcare, offering competitive 401K options, vacation, and sick days typically, two weeks all to remain competitive in the workforce. The biggest problem here is cost, something the government doesn’t appear to be concerned about, there can be no argument here, look at our debt; I know I added another branch to the fire. The benefits of working in the private sector are valued based on the burden to the company which anyway you look at it is greater than the burden to the government. I give the private sector a 10 for effort but in this rat race, government worker benefits vs. private worker benefits, the government clearly takes the cake. The fortunate part, not everybody wants to work for the government and they value the benefits and creativity of companies’ especially small business. Keep working hard the government needs you, yes folks I’ve added the match, let’s discuss.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Smarter Employees or Impatient Brats?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-02-14:502551:BlogPost:11466782011-02-14T13:54:48.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>The adoption of the new social media platforms by many employees is of great concern to IT leadership across the country. New technologies can be easily utilized by employees most usually at the expense of the enterprise security, but that is very often not spoken about. I read continuously about the smarter employee, the better employee, etc… yet find little information discussing the enterprise effect of such adoption. Social media though important does not offer the large benefit or…</p>
<p>The adoption of the new social media platforms by many employees is of great concern to IT leadership across the country. New technologies can be easily utilized by employees most usually at the expense of the enterprise security, but that is very often not spoken about. I read continuously about the smarter employee, the better employee, etc… yet find little information discussing the enterprise effect of such adoption. Social media though important does not offer the large benefit or measureable ROI that most experts would like to see. Continuous improvement of the platforms and the leverage of their contacts are key, but best practices are yet to be established in a traditional business environment. Many strategists see the impact for already well branded companies only, providing little impact on direct sales for new brands. So why is the need so important for all business?</p>
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<p>Our current employee environment is going through a demographic shift in terms of age and technology. Older employees being replaced by younger and more ambitious professionals with a more fluid work methodology that is strongly inclusive and dependant on various technologies. Social media being one of the newest, however one of the most debated has been adopted with concern yet everyone believes it is here to stay. The most recent article I read spoke of the smarter employee defined as one, that adopts these social media platforms despite company policy and leverages them for the workplace, but to what end? Most staff members that take the time to engage in Facebook, MySpace, etc are used to doing so for the benefit of the personal network, not the professional. LinkedIn has proven a strong aid to the sales professional and certain recruiting environments, however with all transparency and available information comes the risk of competition. </p>
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<p>So are the professionals that see these technologies as a benefit really smarter than the leadership of their companies or are they inpatient in not allowing a true discovery of their potential, good and bad, to be adequately uncovered. I think back to the DOT COM days, the overzealous nature and adoption of these must have technologies sites, and other web enabled services. Most turned bust while a small few changed the way we do business today. This came with a large amount of pain through the process, seeing companies fall, stock markets crash, and people elevated and ruined in their careers over night. So why rush? Do we fear being beat out by competition? If that is the case, there are methodologies for safe adoption quickly that allow for limited network access. Test cases specific businesses could show the strongest return given what we understand about the technology now. </p>
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<p>Smarter employee or impatient brat? I go with that latter, professionals rarely understand their business at a level that is truly holistic or global. They see their small world, the specific business area, but not that of the enterprise. To conform to simply appease the smaller adoption friendly group is not the correct choice. However, neither is to avoid them nor not give them audience. Companies need to listen more closely to their employees and leverage their best assets, yet employees must follow policy and understand the impact of technology is much larger than many of them realize.</p>
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<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>How to avoid Age Discrimination?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-02-07:502551:BlogPost:11334852011-02-07T13:50:45.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Age discrimination in the workplace is one of those issues everyone knows about, few every admit, and no one speaks about. Why all the hush hush? It is against the law however much harder to prove then say racial and sex discrimination as the factors are vague that surround the reasoning. The whispers in the corner, the discussions in the boardroom, and the smoking breaks all contribute in their separate ways towards the practice. The executives are thinking cost, the "old timers" taking…</p>
<p>Age discrimination in the workplace is one of those issues everyone knows about, few every admit, and no one speaks about. Why all the hush hush? It is against the law however much harder to prove then say racial and sex discrimination as the factors are vague that surround the reasoning. The whispers in the corner, the discussions in the boardroom, and the smoking breaks all contribute in their separate ways towards the practice. The executives are thinking cost, the "old timers" taking the smoking break are thinking of the "young punk" managers who don't understand how it used to be, and the new management is seeing a point of resistance that can be easily be removed by their dismissal. Sounds crazy, but it a real life issue causing a shift in the workplace age levels and a growing number of lawsuits.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Solution. Nothing hard wired into the system will simply change the mindset of all the groups involved. Executives continue to look at cost cutting measures and older workers doing independent roles that can be done by less skilled and lower cost workers as low hanging fruit. Pensions and other benefits for an aging workforce is a continued focus for budget as it's percentage of spend continues to increase. Healthcare is also affected by the age of the group. In the corner office these discussions are happening daily, and call them business decisions or discrimination, the older the workforce - the more they cost. In a global market that is a problem. The young and evolving management amongst the mid level roles are keeping a close eye on the "old timers". They see them, understand their knowledge base of the company, and however address them as points of resistance in many cases. They view their lack of change and inability to keep up with new technology as a critical obstacle in their groups' or teams' success. When looking at these professionals in terms of hiring additional ones, managers look for reasons to screen them out especially if their cost is higher than a younger counterpart. How does one avoid these traps or loopholes? Let us take a look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Interview preparation for an older or more experienced professional is much more complicated than that of the younger professional coming straight from school. It involves past performance, references from key points of contact, progressive track history, overall compensation, and communication. Communication will be the key aspect we address for this as it will keep you from getting a new position when a younger manager is interviewing you. Even if the manager is open minded and has no real issue with hiring an older professional for the role, there is in her/his mind a "profile" in his/her head about what you are like. Older means expensive, has their own way of doing things, and not very good with technology. Key - change their perception. This is not an easy factor but there are some things that you can really push in your interview that will assist them in seeing you differently. When discussing your past performance, explain how you had to learn new technology and utilize it on the fly with each new objective. Processes are always changing and their is never a time where they are not being optimized or whole sale changed out, and most importantly you have been a driving force behind this innovation. Most importantly, compensation is only important if you do not offer savings to offset the overall budget. Use hard figures, showing them gains in past environments due to efficiencies you pushed through, and your bonuses were directly tied to the overall success of the company.</p>
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<p>None of these are clear cut ways ensuring you will get the position on every interview you take. However, most interviews are lost with communication errors. Someone asks a question, an answer is given with no justification and wal-lah you are out of the process, no longer considered due to one answer. The chips might not be evenly weighed right now but that simply means more preparation. Keep away from the pitfalls of so many others and you will find yourself sitting at your new desk before you know it. </p>
<p>Read More content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Do You Really Want This Job?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-02-03:502551:BlogPost:11318102011-02-03T15:56:19.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
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<p>I must say this is one of the best lines I have read in a long time and such a forgotten trait of an experienced manager looking for the best people. Take a look at this: Before Selling Candidates on the Job Sell them out of the Job. Bottom line - I love it. Professionally it has been a method employed in my own tool box for over a decade and it…</p>
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<p>I must say this is one of the best lines I have read in a long time and such a forgotten trait of an experienced manager looking for the best people. Take a look at this: Before Selling Candidates on the Job Sell them out of the Job. Bottom line - I love it. Professionally it has been a method employed in my own tool box for over a decade and it works more so than any other when determining the true reasons and drive behind a candidate's move or decision to make a change. Managers are so interested in making their job attractive (which is important) that they forget to uncover all of the nit and grit about a person. They run into the interview looking to please, rather than looking for all the reasons why it might not work out. Best thing a manager ever did was talk someone out a position. You know if they could do it during the interview, how long would it take for someone else to come along and steal them from your position? Selling against your job during the hiring process increases the average length and tenure of professionals in their roles as it peers into the bottom line reasons why someone would want to work for a company.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Hiring Site through CareerBuilder discusses the subject and a book called Hire on a Whim most recently on their blog page. Though all of the reasons and discussions I would not turn to as best hire practices, the art of selling people away from a job is critical. And it is equally important to know when and when not to do this. Timing is the key and essential ingredient when figuring out the best time to employ the method. Doing it to early will give the candidate a bad taste for the manager, making them believe they have no faith in the company or the manager is simply a poor executive. Do it too late and the "WOW" of the role might already be set it and you could not pry the person away no matter what was said. The key is right after the person believes he/she is the person the company wants. When that moment comes, then begin the process of asking them "WHY" and explaining to them all the reasons why this role is challenging and people typically shy away from challenge.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I get the question - why would you want scare the candidate away. Simply put, you are not. You are only scaring away the people that will leave the role after shortly joining when they find out all the nuances of the job. If you can "unsell" the job and the candidate still has strong interest despite the obstacles - you have a winner. An interested and now "educated" party on the position that understands the culture, obstacles, and points of resistance before taking the position can anticipate the role and their integration into the new environment. With that mindset coming in, surprises are less impactful and professionals are prepared to attack all sort of issues with creative solutions overcoming what others would deem impossible. Managers need to understand that the best candidate is not always the most motivated or emotionally tough candidate, characteristics needed in the right hire. Take some time to turn them off from the job, and you will be amazed at all of the benefits (less turnover, happier culture, etc.)</p>
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<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Workplace Bullies - Part 2tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-02-01:502551:BlogPost:11300252011-02-01T15:49:41.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
This subject is becoming an ever increasing subject across the blogs. Honestly, I never knew this was such an issue till I wrote about it a few weeks ago. My previous post spoke about the increase overall in bullying across the workplace. However, in the midst of reading some additional articles, I found yet another blog written at HR Capitalist, speaking to the point again, this time to different types of bullies at the workplace.<br />
<p> </p>
<p>Take a quick look at part of the post from HR…</p>
This subject is becoming an ever increasing subject across the blogs. Honestly, I never knew this was such an issue till I wrote about it a few weeks ago. My previous post spoke about the increase overall in bullying across the workplace. However, in the midst of reading some additional articles, I found yet another blog written at HR Capitalist, speaking to the point again, this time to different types of bullies at the workplace.<br />
<p> </p>
<p>Take a quick look at part of the post from HR Capitalist: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hrcapitalist.com/2011/01/dealing-with-workplace-bullies-theres-a-lot-of-fake-tough-guys-around-here.html">http://www.hrcapitalist.com/2011/01/dealing-with-workplace-bullies-theres-a-lot-of-fake-tough-guys-around-here.html</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>-The deadline bully (creates false deadlines and then pressures you to die on the hill attempting to accomplish them)</p>
<p>-The resource bully (sucks up all the resources for her own purposes, leaving you with not enough manpower to get things done)</p>
<p>-The attention bully (craves attention for himself and perhaps his team, to the point where there's limited recognition oxygen for the rest of the organization)</p>
<p>-The budget bully (also known as the sandbagger, budgeting so he'll hit his number by September, leaving you to deliver on real numbers and all the pressure that comes with it)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>These are interesting concepts of bullying...and I never thought about it along these lines. However, the type of bullying is not as aggressive as what we discussed in our last post, but these are areas that I never considered. The concept of the professionals being false is very true, these people are driving you or others to do a role that cannot be accomplished without the proper resources or timeline. Most people would not consider this bullying, they would call it an over aggressive manager or someone being unfair. But in retrospect, it really is bullying and most importantly it is an issue that can cause even more issues than typical bullying. Resources being misallocated, false deadlines imposed, over-worked staff, etc all will cause efficiency and effectiveness issues throughout the company.</p>
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<p>So no matter your definition of bullying, the real issue is how a manager makes people feel about them. And in that situation, it is the responsibility of the manager to work fairly with all employees to ensure a professional work environment where no one feels intimidated.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Will the phone ever ring?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-31:502551:BlogPost:11297062011-01-31T12:53:20.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I must say I get more phone calls from professional IT staff looking for new opportunities this year than we did last. I was asked by one why we do not call every single person that applies back. I thought about it a moment and actually believe that it would be a huge difference between us and other companies if we simply called each and every applicant. But the time involved with the amount of applicants would pull key staff away from tasks that are essential to the operations. I looked…</p>
<p>I must say I get more phone calls from professional IT staff looking for new opportunities this year than we did last. I was asked by one why we do not call every single person that applies back. I thought about it a moment and actually believe that it would be a huge difference between us and other companies if we simply called each and every applicant. But the time involved with the amount of applicants would pull key staff away from tasks that are essential to the operations. I looked across the internet, read some blog postings on the subject and although I agree with some of the conclusions, I believe they are all missing one of the most important reasons the majority of professionals do not get calls back from resumes that are submitted.</p>
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<p>Referencing it before and I will certainly do it again, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.glassdoor.com/">www.glassdoor.com</a>, had a great post on the subject. Take a look at the post called "Why Employers won't call me back" and they cover most of the basics. However it appears to me that one of the most critical reasons is consistently or intentionally being left out. Possibly because it is politically incorrect, or people do not want to address the issue head on. Applying for roles that you are not qualified for is the biggest issue when looking at the volume of applicants today. HR and hiring managers must take time to sift through hundreds of resumes per position, only to quickly realize more than 50% do not meet even the lowest level of screening. That takes time, wasted time, and it causes HR and managers to not want to call applicants back simply out of frustration. Why are cooks applying for IT jobs requiring 7 yrs experience when all they have is an Associate’s degree? Possibly the applicants do not realize the negative impact this behavior causes but there are several situations which arise from this method of applying.</p>
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<li>Managers cannot adequately take the time needed to screen the resumes that are solid fits, as they have a limited time slot to review resumes. This causes quick reviews and the possibility of missing qualified applicants due to the shortage of time managers have for such activity.</li>
<li>Frustration building reference finding the right candidate. When the first 10 resumes reviewed do not meet the skills, managers might stop reviewing fearing the entire stack is the same and the effort is a waste of time.</li>
<li>Blasting resumes out and applying for anything and everything also works in the negative for the emotional perspective of the candidate applying. "I sent out a 100 resumes and no one called me back". That breeds a behavioral outlook that no good jobs matching your skills are available even though that might not be the case at all.</li>
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<p>Apply for jobs that you fit. Apply for jobs that you have the basic skills for. Apply for jobs in your industry or ones where transferable skills are allowed and match up. Be smart; do not waste your time or the managers. It is better to send out 10 targeted responses, follow up with those resumes with a phone call, try to meet a hiring authority, and have a plan to address the position than it is blanket the city with resumes and have no focus. You might here more is better, but that is not the truth. If you want responses, stay focused on what you do well and the skills you know. This will allow for your search to gain traction and supply you with some much needed positive momentum</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www,workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Empowering your Employees - How to and Does it Work?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-26:502551:BlogPost:11283002011-01-26T13:42:56.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Empowerment of employees - does it work and should you do it? Being part of an integrator gives me a view into the minds of some of the most interesting managers, some great, some just poor. What makes the difference, empowerment? Every company has a different calling for the people they empower, from SMEs to HEROs, etc. but they all do the same thing, they are trusted professionals in their field capable of making decisions and ad hoc adjustments for the benefit of their customer base…</p>
<p>Empowerment of employees - does it work and should you do it? Being part of an integrator gives me a view into the minds of some of the most interesting managers, some great, some just poor. What makes the difference, empowerment? Every company has a different calling for the people they empower, from SMEs to HEROs, etc. but they all do the same thing, they are trusted professionals in their field capable of making decisions and ad hoc adjustments for the benefit of their customer base and their employer. How many companies have these professionals and more importantly - how many actually leverage and use them effectively?</p>
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<p>Take a look at one of the most recent surveys conducted, 4000 professionals surveyed yet only 20% are empowered and capable of making decisions. WOW, what a shortfall of talent. We, as real world people, experience it every day. Simply look at each time you call support; someone takes you through a process, solves nothing and then passes you on to someone else. Does that make the professional any less capable of solving the problem – NO! They are stuck in a position where they have no authority due to the bureaucracy of their company, holding them to a finite solution set that assists nearly no one. This is the opposite of empowerment; this is stripping people of their capability of making decisions and benefiting from the work force that is currently in place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The success of a company can ride on the empowerment of the employees. However it is a double edged sword - one must be careful with whom it is assigned and ensure the proper people carry that power. Given in the wrong hands, say Wall Street professionals with little or too much training, we develop our current economic crisis. Give it to few, and your competitor who trains and embraces it beats you out and places you out of business (several retail stores come to mind). HR has a focus of handling internal employees and handling their development. Few HR areas actually handle and have a true talent development program, one in which the employees are trained and mentored to move within the company and benefit the overall vision. So individual managers must make the sacrifice of time and effort but the benefits are large. With proper oversight, the ability for a manager to increase efficiency and overall customer satisfaction through workforce empowerment is strong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Bullying on the Jobtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-25:502551:BlogPost:11275612011-01-25T13:03:02.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I read this amazing article yesterday on one of my favorite blogs (glassdoor.com). Take a quick look at the survey that was conducted by AOL - According to an AOL Jobs Survey,”22 percent of the respondents have personally felt threatened or bullied at work. Of those, 57 percent state it was from their manager, while 47 percent say it was from a peer, and 79 percent say that the abuse they experienced was verbal. Twenty-five percent have witnessed someone being bullied at work. Out of those…</p>
<p>I read this amazing article yesterday on one of my favorite blogs (glassdoor.com). Take a quick look at the survey that was conducted by AOL - According to an AOL Jobs Survey,”22 percent of the respondents have personally felt threatened or bullied at work. Of those, 57 percent state it was from their manager, while 47 percent say it was from a peer, and 79 percent say that the abuse they experienced was verbal. Twenty-five percent have witnessed someone being bullied at work. Out of those people who witnessed it, 59 percent reported it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This marks one of the growing trends in the workplace due to the continued unemployment across the US marketplace. Bullying per say has always been an issue, from the boss down, we have all heard the stories about who and when someone has been forced into something that was against policy through such actions. But now, the behavior and the frequency has changed. Some people believe there are several reasons, my focus is on one. Unemployment. There is a sense of desperation surrounding almost every company environment in the US. When will the next cut be? Will I have a job tomorrow? Who is going to stab me in the back and cost me my job? These feelings, these environments, breed resentment in people and cause a long term cultural spiral downward that includes bullying. People will do anything to keep their job, and that means anything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bullying sounds adolescent, but the truth is that the behavior is very similar. From mouthing off, to group bullying, etc. - the actions are identical causing people to conform back to their child hood ways. And if someone was the product of being bullied as a child, then that pattern can repeat itself in the workplace causing a negative work environment for that professional. In the same manner which it causes negativity for the one, it causes a sense of security for the person performing the action. I am in no way supporting the action, but the action becomes understandable when you see the root cause. People are looking for security and that causes professionals to do very odd things and act out just as a child would do. So what to do?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most companies have a formalized policy manual specifically discussing the topic and a process for reporting it. But look at the downward trend - managers are the largest group of professional abusers. This in turn leads to a lower turn out of people reporting the abuse for the fear that was listed above. Companies must create a sense of comfort as well as an internal reporting system that tracks these incidents regardless if they are formally reported. The company internal security force, camera systems, and HR are a good place to start. Combining them and getting them working on the same page can begin the process of creating a culture of safety and removing such actions from the workplace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Change Your Career Todaytag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-24:502551:BlogPost:11272452011-01-24T13:45:28.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I went home this past weekend and I felt like Dr Phil for about the whole time with my brothers and sister. Not about feelings and family issues, but about career management and decision making. Not the position any of else wishes for however turned out to be a good way for us to bond. With a large family, six siblings spread across 17 yrs there tend to be some lost communication and relationships differ. That being said, this weekend in career counseling might be more difficult than…</p>
<p>I went home this past weekend and I felt like Dr Phil for about the whole time with my brothers and sister. Not about feelings and family issues, but about career management and decision making. Not the position any of else wishes for however turned out to be a good way for us to bond. With a large family, six siblings spread across 17 yrs there tend to be some lost communication and relationships differ. That being said, this weekend in career counseling might be more difficult than your personal situation. With three of them having very distinct career issues (one looking to change employers due to starting a family, one feeling under-employed, and the other just out of college looking for work). I found that there are some very strong similarities in all of their situations whether 10 yrs of experience or my sister really just getting started.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Don't settle. What does that mean? Do not allow yourself to settle for less than you are or more importantly what you want to do. Do what you want, you live longer - just wrote about this earlier. I find that the two truly making career changes is that they had settled, had allowed for themselves to be stuck in roles that were not them. They had taken roles out to school, not sure what they were doing but instead of looking at those first roles as "first jobs", they had stuck with them for the long haul and not found themselves unhappy with their role, their life, their career. "How do I know where to go?" was the question and here are some easy steps to figure the first part out:</p>
<ol>
<li>What are you good at?</li>
<li>What do you enjoy?</li>
<li>What career fields exist in the areas you listed in the answers to #1 and #2?</li>
<li>What skills do you have that apply to the career fields you listed in #3?</li>
<li>What education or other skills do you need to fill the gaps that you have (we never have all the skills)?</li>
</ol>
<p>So now that you have an idea of the career and what you want to do that makes you happy, where do you go from here? Unfortunately this is where most people stop their search and never really find themselves. They do some internal searching but when it comes to external execution, they stop the process out of one thing - fear! FEAR is a deadly destroyer of lives and careers. When I read some of the most interesting posts and comments from people, I see fear being one of the largest factors in decision making reference careers. I was scared to move, I was scared to change jobs (known vs. unknown), I was scared of leaving my friends, etc. All of these things should have nothing to do with the RIGHT career move, however feelings dictate more about a person's career life than anything. This is good and bad. Feeling will and could get you started on the right path, however those same feelings will have you running for home when things get tough. You need to know when they are good to listen to and when you need to push them aside.</p>
<p>Lastly, believe! Always Believe! Faith is an interesting promise and sometimes hard. As a Christian, faith sometimes is harder than I would like it. However, without it, I would never be able to take a step. I find the harder things are, the more faith I have, and it makes me stronger for the next challenge. You can never believe that the obstacles in front of you are unbeatable. If that is your view, never start down the path, as we all hit the wall and wonder how we will make it through. Faith brings you all the way.</p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>IS TECHNOLOGY THE MAGIC BULLET FOR RECRUITINGtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-20:502551:BlogPost:11264162011-01-20T13:41:47.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>Technology is becoming an increasingly strong asset in all areas of business. As companies become more complex, the need for technology grows and management is turning to technology for answers in all verticals. Have we asked ourselves - is technology the answer at all? Managers look to technology approaching issues with the question "What technology will solve this issue?" They need to ask if technology is the answer at all, and then ask what technology might be the appropriate…</p>
<p>Technology is becoming an increasingly strong asset in all areas of business. As companies become more complex, the need for technology grows and management is turning to technology for answers in all verticals. Have we asked ourselves - is technology the answer at all? Managers look to technology approaching issues with the question "What technology will solve this issue?" They need to ask if technology is the answer at all, and then ask what technology might be the appropriate response. This is never more obvious than in the recruiting and talent management verticals. Each day more applications arise from various vendors promoting their software as the best management tool for finding, on boarding and then managing talent. Some do it all, others do part of the process, but I believe the point is being missed all around. Technology will never replace the human element of the recruitment and talent management sector. No matter how many fields, how many applications, nothing replaces the human interface which is the core of recruiting employees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Social networking, applicant tracking systems, etc are all executed by people. These tools, though effective, are not stand alone. They rely on the people that work within them and develop relationships based on the introductions they produce. Communications will never be replaced with advanced systems. People are people, phone calls and in person meetings are required for the most effective recruiters to acquire the best talent. Recruiting is not a scientific algorithm, but an art in which skilled professionals effectively understand the human factor of recruiting - one in which matches more than simply hard skills but soft skills and company culture - characteristics that cannot be measured nor tracked by a computer. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Recruiting is a knowledge based business, a true business intelligence solution. This requires a professional with a diverse set of skills that can manage the systems that are used to assist with the massive amounts of data, but also the brilliant communications ability that can bring full circle the ability to not only locate people, but win them over to come and work for your company. This skill cannot be measured by systems and can never be replaced by IT. No automatic email will ever get someone to come work for your company. In fact, it is more likely to turn someone off than actually assist the company. Hiring decisions are not made on skill sets alone, actually it has been shown that most hiring decisions are made on non-essential elements (alumni, association, referrals, etc) when a capable candidate pool has been established. How can all of these elements possibly be tracked? They can't. It requires a person to know another person, then and only then will the proper hire take place. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Dress for Work vs. Dress for Interviewtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-19:502551:BlogPost:11256972011-01-19T15:28:01.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>I laugh continuously at the tenuous debate over what to where and when reference work. Is this the red carpet, are we attending a formal reception, do we need to know the dress according to what time of the day the marriage ceremony is? It is simply another issue to add to the useless list (that is becoming exceedingly long) that are thrown on to the shoulders of workers across the country by mindless drones in corporate America that think up what is the formal dress code for their…</p>
<p>I laugh continuously at the tenuous debate over what to where and when reference work. Is this the red carpet, are we attending a formal reception, do we need to know the dress according to what time of the day the marriage ceremony is? It is simply another issue to add to the useless list (that is becoming exceedingly long) that are thrown on to the shoulders of workers across the country by mindless drones in corporate America that think up what is the formal dress code for their company. Are you serious - is there one anymore? How do you define formal - black tie, suit, or jeans and a blazer? All three to some are formal, so what is reason behind having all of this debate. I even read on one of the largest job sites a recent post about the subject, can it be that difficult to understand? What to wear and when?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Let us start with dress for interview - simple, easy, straight forward. Dress to impress always. No matter the environment unless specifically told you place on a suit for men, women have more liberty but remain conservative and professional. This is the simple answer, not the only answer. Some environments such as start ups or certain manufacturing or process driven companies do not want to see suits, you can look too stuffy or not able to roll your sleeves up and do the work. Start ups are abandoning the entire professional culture so a suit is a slap in the face. If you are uncertain - call HR or if you are using a recruiter, talk to them about the culture and what is appropriate. 9 times out of 10 it will be a suit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now dress for work, sometimes not as easy but should not take a whole lot of time to digest and understand. Business casual - vague and ambiguous term that means nothing offers no truth into what management really wants. It was a conceived branding line by HR to have their companies’ look and feel more approachable and laid back so candidates wanted to come work there. Easiest way to handle this - come to work dressed like you did for the interview day 1. Once you are there, look around - I guarantee you will see a great disparity in what people are wearing depending on their role and success at the company. Look for people in similar roles, people that are doing well with the company, and most importantly what your boss is wearing. From there you should be able to figure it out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>DO SOMETHING YOU ARE GOOD AT, YOU WILL LIVE LONGERtag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-18:502551:BlogPost:11255782011-01-18T14:26:56.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>The constant motto when people graduate college or the whispers over the years from concerned parents is "Do what you love!" Well, let us just put it out there - that is wrong! Do what you love is such a generic phrase it nearly applies to all situations and to pin that upon one of the most critical parts of your life - career choice - let us just say is not a wise decision. Why don't people say "Do what you are good at"? Does it sound corny or mean spirited? I don't believe so and I…</p>
<p>The constant motto when people graduate college or the whispers over the years from concerned parents is "Do what you love!" Well, let us just put it out there - that is wrong! Do what you love is such a generic phrase it nearly applies to all situations and to pin that upon one of the most critical parts of your life - career choice - let us just say is not a wise decision. Why don't people say "Do what you are good at"? Does it sound corny or mean spirited? I don't believe so and I believe it offers a great deal more benefit. Doing something you love is everyone's dream, including mine. I would have loved to fly planes, be a Navy Seal, or even at times think I should be in the Peace Corp (I know conflicting but let it go). But do those align with my skills and gifts - maybe somewhat, maybe not at all depending upon whom you are asking. The fundamental truth is that people should not do what they love; they should do what they are good at. And when they do, they find that they are happier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>WHY? I get asked all the time...why would someone not do what they love. I never said that, it just happens to be that people tend to love things that they are not very good at. Things that make them less capable of making a living, raising a family and having a retirement. I know it sounds cynical, but that is not the point. The point is to make your life happier and how best to do that. Success breeds better feelings, period end of story. So how better to reach success than to do something you are good at. Sounds simple, but how many people you know actually do that? They chase dreams of the perfect job, the career that is what they love and changes the world at the same time - while also making a wonderful pile of money. Let us move beyond dreams and focus on what is truly important - the use of the skills in which God has granted us and how to apply them to the world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So how do we align the stars? Begin by simply looking at what you do every day and what people say you are good at. People compliment others a great deal, but few people take notice. Our focus is always to remember the bad and forget the good. So take a look at what people say you do well all the time. If it is communications or being calm under pressure, those specific skills directly correlate to jobs that are in the marketplace. Look at who you are and then you can determine what you do. Remember the two are not the same (never mistake what you do for who you are) and that contributes to a great deal of the confusion we are discussing. People think that if the role they play is not important or less important than someone else's, they are therefore less important. Wrong again. Someone's worth is not measured by their role; but who they are - so never confuse the two.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In closing, listen. Listen to yourself, to others (people that truly care), and be open minded. Most people do things for a living they never could have dreamed of. Trust me, I am one of those people. As I sit here now, never did I think I would be writing blogs and running an IT company. Never crossed my mind one time! So be fluid, remain calm, and do what comes naturally. You will be happier, you will see success, and you will live longer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Communications at Work: Part 3tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-17:502551:BlogPost:11243612011-01-17T13:34:33.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p>After you understand the big picture of what you have been communicating with your audience about, the essential next step is to truly understand and empathize with your audience and their motivations. Communications are far more than verbal, one must be in a position to read non-verbal signs and understand the motivations that are driving the communications. True motivations are far more difficult to understand unless a foundation of trust has been established between the parties. …</p>
<p>After you understand the big picture of what you have been communicating with your audience about, the essential next step is to truly understand and empathize with your audience and their motivations. Communications are far more than verbal, one must be in a position to read non-verbal signs and understand the motivations that are driving the communications. True motivations are far more difficult to understand unless a foundation of trust has been established between the parties. Professional communicators especially during negotiations will be very non-direct in their true motivations. They look to keep their counterparts off balance in effort to achieve their true objectives. But what if you could understand those motivations before the communications really began? This would remove obstacles up front and provide immediate credibility to the conversation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The key is having the knowledge to do this. This may appear simple, too simple, to the skilled professional - but the answer is to ask and close your mouth. Ask the hard questions. What are the hard questions? That will depend solely on the subject and situation at hand but the truth of the matter is all hard questions are typically the most direct and simplest. The hard technical or detailed ones are ancillary and can be answered once the hard questions have been exposed. Uncovering your client’s objectives is the focus of this article. The person or people sitting across the table have concerns in addition to their objectives. Concerns are the largest part of understanding the objectives of the other party. Fear is the single largest contributor to the lack of trust between parties. Fear leads to lack of trust, lack of trust to surface communications, surface communications to not getting their objectives. You can see the downward spiral. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So open up the conversation with the purpose of uncovering their true objectives and truly look to them for buy in and understanding. Ask the questions, close your mouth, and listen. Once the true objectives are on the table - offer solutions and a good deal of them. Not final solutions, ones that are defined and definite. But collaborate with the other party, bring ideas that lead to solutions and help them involve themselves with the solutions development. Sound simple enough, why don't people do it more often? Pressure for results is the leading cause for poor communications. Professional sales professionals are under high pressure to produce results, and produce them now. This leads to a very pressure cooker environment, one that develops a culture that does not allow true communications to take place. The pressure results in sales professionals embedding themselves on one side of the fence in their ideas which in turn causes the opposite side to develop a strong sense of resistance. Time is the answer and none of the 3 parts we have discussed can be pressured to occur quickly. One must remain calm, show patience, listen, and stay the course. Allow the communications the time they need while setting expectations each time you sit down.</p>
<p> Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></p>Communications at Work: Part 2tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-14:502551:BlogPost:11242122011-01-14T13:50:18.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
We discussed yesterday the need and understanding of your audience, and how that plays a foundational role in ensuring the success of any communications made within the workplace. The rest of this series is based and built on the previous pieces, so 2 building on 1 and so on. The next major step in becoming a better communicator is that of understanding the big picture. That is a widely used expression however few people actually define the big picture in the manner in which it is meant to…
We discussed yesterday the need and understanding of your audience, and how that plays a foundational role in ensuring the success of any communications made within the workplace. The rest of this series is based and built on the previous pieces, so 2 building on 1 and so on. The next major step in becoming a better communicator is that of understanding the big picture. That is a widely used expression however few people actually define the big picture in the manner in which it is meant to be understood. What do I mean - I mean the big picture is more than you, or your group, and it is more than simply a task at hand. The big picture is the task, the people that will perform the task, the political landscape of those people interact and the perceived importance of the objective at hand. Great communicators understand all of these nuances and are capable of addressing them in a manner that brings the person or group into alignment with the objective.<br />
<p> </p>
<p>The single most important factor in achieving "the understanding of the big picture" is for you to understand it first. Managers start on an project or objective thinking that XYZ project that has been assigned is the big picture. If you believe that, you are wrong and headed down a poor path of communication. The big picture is a painting; the project is simply the landscape. The paint used, the brushes selected, even how you will frame the piece when finished is what makes the masterpiece. So how we define and get to know what the big picture is. WE ASK. Two of the scariest professionals words in the business. People inherently do not want to ask questions of their management when assigned a duty for a number of reasons. From not wanting to look stupid to simply thinking they got it under control, they forget this step and a great deal of times miss the target. When communications begin, begin by soliciting input from the people around you that will be involved (management, peers, staff) so that you take in ideas that can not only assist in achieving the objective but in many cases provide value in shaping the objective. It is amazing what comes from getting input on all sides, talking to ALL people affected by the objective and then turn the single project into a "mission" for the team rather than simply a task. People feel involved, they feel empowered, most of importantly they feel responsible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The above can be taken too far. As the leader of communications, it is imperative to understand when something is over analyzed and discussed to a point where nothing is being accomplished. That can as detrimental to the objective as not having discussions at all. Remain in control, however in a manner that does not use an iron fist. Set times for everyone to speak, communicate why you are giving everyone input, and then collaborate to an ending point where everyone knows the final decisions and is in marching order. From there on out, people will view you as a true leader and an excellent communicator, someone to come to when things are needed to be done. The benefits in the workplace for this skill are limitless and it will establish relationships that pay dividends moving forward for years to come.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more content like this at</p>Communications at Work: Part 1tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-13:502551:BlogPost:11236052011-01-13T14:59:50.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As the head of operations for a systems integrator, communications in all its forms are key to the most challenging obstacles we face daily. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with and watch first hand great communicators, professionals capable of bringing together all groups and sides to a common goal and objective. In the same, I have…</span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As the head of operations for a systems integrator, communications in all its forms are key to the most challenging obstacles we face daily. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with and watch first hand great communicators, professionals capable of bringing together all groups and sides to a common goal and objective. In the same, I have seen the reverse and watched a great deal of people fail due to poor communication whether by email, phone, conference call, or in person. No matter the forum, communications must be managed and then presented in a way that brings the total audience that will your message into alignment. The next few posts will describe and discuss communication skills that will assist in all areas of the workplace.</span><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The key to being able to communicate is to understand your audience. Without this, all communications will fail as the words spoken or letters written will address or not relate to the reader. This in turn births the downward spiral where some managers find themselves on projects, negotiations, etc that can never be undone. When someone receives a message that does not relate to them, they you are not listening or just made assumptions - all poor characteristics of a great communicator. We must uncover the audience and remove the invisible wall that separates the parties so that you can understand them and they understand you. From that point, the true process of communications begins. It allows for people to speak openly, without fear, and most importantly they know they are being heard.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 1.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Communications is a lifelong event that crosses all boundaries, work and personal. When you understand this, the best communicators begin investing in the skills to become effective and strengthen their position. This is no short path, nor easily done. Most people do not invest in this area at all, then some do it half way, but the best spend each and every opportunity to create value and improve their ability to communicate. These professionals are your leading CEOs, the best managers, the mentors of today. If you want to continue to move your career forward, impress your client, or bring disputing parties together - learn to communicate. Make it your mission and you will see the results with even the smallest improvements.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 1.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Read more content like this at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic.com</a></span></p>Economic Expansion and Jobs: Is there a link?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2011-01-12:502551:BlogPost:11228952011-01-12T14:18:38.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">We operate under the impression that the past continues to repeat itself and therefore patterns can be traced and the leveraged to make more informed decisions when a similar scenario presents itself. But what if the scenario is the same but the architecture that has repeated itself…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">We operate under the impression that the past continues to repeat itself and therefore patterns can be traced and the leveraged to make more informed decisions when a similar scenario presents itself. But what if the scenario is the same but the architecture that has repeated itself for years has changed, possibly without the world recognizing it? We have heard consistent comments and dialogue over the past year of the jobless recovery - where are all the jobs people keep asking? I sit back and question the same, but the picture seems clearer and more concise than most people want to admit. IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND EXPANSION WITHOUT A STRONG GROWTH IN OVERALL JOB INCREASE. Now for the traditional professional, one might question the theory however the facts are straight forward. The economic links that are drivers across the international community no longer are connected in the same manner allowing for actions to take place without the traditional or expected reactions. The economic expansion and job increase link is now broken, let’s take a look at why.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Major factors that contribute to the link being broken are the business verticals that drive economic recovery have changed, business is now completely capable of being integrated worldwide, and the US is no longer the sole economic driver in world economics. To address these in short, let us look at each individually.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Business has changed over the past 100 years in such a wave that it is impossible to track all of the major impacts. For the purposes of this article, let us look at the traditional business model of the 1900s - industrial based production. Industrial business was the core and foundation of US growth over the past decades. The focus on the development and production of major products laid the tracks for a business synergy of supply and demand. Major products consistent of trains, railroads, steel, appliances, houses, etc. all were part of the wealth generation that pressed the US forward during the industrial business generation. When people needed more products, companies hired more people to fulfill the demand. But now, the focus has changed - businesses are no longer industrial, they are knowledge based. With an ever increasing knowledge base the increase of jobs actually goes in reverse with less people capable of doing more work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Worldwide Integration is the secondary major component of the jobless recovery. Most Americans believe that good jobs are not available or coming around anytime soon. They might be right if they are looking for the traditional manufacturing positions. Manufacturing has become a worldwide business allowing global enterprise to leverage low cost wages to sure up profits in the production of their profits. So are the jobs coming with the increase in demand? YES. But the better question is where they are being generated and the answer is not in the US. International companies exploit low wage countries to handle production keeping the knowledge based work here in the US thus increasing jobs however not on a local basis for people to see.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Lastly, the US has ceased being the center of all economic decisions in the world. Albeit, still the leader in GDP, debt and other government policies have hindered the ability for the US to remain competitive in a global market. These reasons are far too elaborate to discuss in this brief however trade policies, currency manipulation and off-shoring certainly play their part. Americans need to review the political leaders that allow for the most structured collaboration with other countries however with the same protection based policies other countries build into their agreements ensuring national security and prosperity. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The game is not over, but the results are very real. The stakes could not be higher and one must ask what is next. As a country we must address all of the three major factors listed above in a cohesive plan that allows business focus to have more local opportunity and lead government to develop policies where the US can compete fairly. This will not be an easy walk, nor a short path. The requirement of people to stay the course, remain informed, and elect the right people sounds simple but it is far from. Start at the local level with yourselves, and then move to the city, then state, regional and national. A formalized plan can work but it requires more than just "a movement", we require a structural re-design.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 1.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 1.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Read more content like this <a target="_blank" href="http://www.workfanatic.com">workfanatic</a></span></p>Has the workforce changed forever?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-01-22:502551:BlogPost:8586172010-01-22T13:00:00.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
The evolving US economy, cyclical change, and the worldwide distribution of wealth and business have caused what some experts are claiming to be an ever changing and fluid workforce. Stability and permanence are washed away to the low cost countries beating down our doors offering value and efficiency. But is that the case, or are we not noticing the widespread change that is taking place with our off-shoring efforts and what is likely to be a huge windfall (long long term) if the US can…
The evolving US economy, cyclical change, and the worldwide distribution of wealth and business have caused what some experts are claiming to be an ever changing and fluid workforce. Stability and permanence are washed away to the low cost countries beating down our doors offering value and efficiency. But is that the case, or are we not noticing the widespread change that is taking place with our off-shoring efforts and what is likely to be a huge windfall (long long term) if the US can maintain position in the world as a place of innovation.<br />
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One of the most recent articles detailing the permanent temporary workforce cites all of the global reasons why fluid and transitional workforces are the way of the future. It is how everyone will work. But is that true or is that just for the US? Look at the readings, they do not speak of the developing worlds coming to a point of fluid workforce. They are the areas where permanence is going, leaving a trail of confusion in the wake. However the developing world is being held hostage to the idea that stability is of the past and we need to change our mindset.<br />
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For the people that are 15 yrs or less to retirement - I could not agree more. After which, the winds will be changing in a way most people are not discussing or even talking about. Look at India, the powerhouse of outsourcing for the past 20 yrs. It is now considered by many global companies too expensive to continue to operate. There are strong technical staff, built up infrastructure, and a good overall business comprehension. But as the middle class has grown, so as the pay, and thus the cost of outsourcing to another country. With the inherent issues with outsourcing ranging from dialect and time zones, the cost (which is the huge benefit) begins to erode, causing companies to flee and seek new havens of savings and movement. The new hot spot is Manilla. Young and full of life, companies are building offices and mass hires to gather the skill sets that make outsourcing successful. What happens when Manilla becomes the next India...they will move somewhere else and then somewhere else.<br />
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The idea that in 50 yrs this country will not be welcoming back jobs in the thousands, you are looking short sighted. The US has continued to make a strategic mistake that other countries simply do not allow, and that is the outsourcing of the truly best and brightest. We do not place caps on business ownership and allow foreign companies free access to capital, both physical and intellectual. They borrow and leave us hoping that one day soon the good ol days will return. Simply put, we are kidding ourselves.<br />
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Strategic thinking bodies inclusive of government and commercial business need to align in partnership to achieve the results that people want. Job creation, less reliance on foreign energy sources, and stability. Without the two, we find ourselves in the upheaval we have now. Laws would need to be placed in effect that will challenge business to keep things here, plus allow foreign investment. A balance vs a free for all. Restrictions on foreign investment and ownership, excise taxes - all the things China and other countries freely do to us must not be done in spite, but for balance of the world market. This will allow retention of our intellectual property and position the US for returning jobs when low cost countries become obsolete in the face of US production.<br />
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Let us not remind ourselves that in the very near future we are facing the largest amount of exodus in the workforce this nation has ever seen. Technology will assist in releasing some of the strain, however the pure body count will send shock waves through this nation and the world. Entire class lines blurred, wealth generation passed on to be created or destroyed, and a new flock of leaders.<br />
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If we have learned anything, my hope is that the people understand the short and long term. Our mind set has become short term, immediate, bottom line at any cost with little offered for the long term. Rights vs. privileges, expectations controlled, and the US could see a bright future of stability and permanence.Unemployment and the Government: Which is worse?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-10-09:502551:BlogPost:7775322009-10-09T15:02:17.000ZJason Monastrahttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JasonMonastra
Unemployment is a mounting issue that continue to steal the headlines of papers and blogs across the nation, and the world for that matter. Jobs being lost, outsourced or simply disappearing overnight are every day events. Plants shutting down, companies closing their doors, and the most financially stable name brands we grew up with calling it quits are on the tips of our tongue. So how do we address this? The free markets that we have come to understand are the driving forces of the western…
Unemployment is a mounting issue that continue to steal the headlines of papers and blogs across the nation, and the world for that matter. Jobs being lost, outsourced or simply disappearing overnight are every day events. Plants shutting down, companies closing their doors, and the most financially stable name brands we grew up with calling it quits are on the tips of our tongue. So how do we address this? The free markets that we have come to understand are the driving forces of the western world. The markets have grown to expand and touch every nation, and have integrated a world economy that was formally fragmented. With that comes a great deal of change, both positive and negative, for countries around the globe. Economies are shifted in moments, and the effects can be disastrous. As we all know, with such change the opportunity for upside is well present. Risk is not bad, it simply needs to be managed. So when people, companies and countries manage their risk responsibly, we hear of the tales of riches made in days or months. All this to say, there is good and bad with a global economy that is changing.<br />
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However, there is another side of the economy and that is the government. Governments are involved in every nation taxing business, setting up social responsibility, and governing the people within their borders. But in recent years, the governments of the free world have taken a change in their approach to risk and are now in the business of mitigation. People have come together that do not like the risk others are taking, and now are taking their position to the government to ensure that legal changes are made to prevent such action in the future. Issues such as compensation regulation, off-shoring legislation, tax issuance, and other topics all surrounding business are now in the hands of the government. The government does not have a proven track record of success when it comes to managing finances of the people. So why should we be placing the finances of free market trade into their hands? Bottom line we should not. This is a larger mistake than anyone can realize. When we revisit history and look at the past performance of the governing parties – there is no reason that any government should be running free companies or dictating their policies.<br />
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Unemployment is high and there are various reasons why this is, but the government stepping in is not going to solve the issue. Look back at the Obama administration statement that without government intervention, unemployment would hit 8.8%. Then why WITH intervention has unemployment hit over 10%, and in some cases 12%? Conventional wisdom was that by pouring money into the system, companies would not need to let people go but rather further there investment for the future. But the government did not consider the “mind of business” and rather used a very academic approach to the subject. When companies saw things were going south, they took money and stabilized their balance sheets. This did not change the business climate of the world and therefore the jobs were still cut. How the government arrived at the idea that throwing money at something was going to solve it, I have no idea. But with this sort of approach have they also begun looking at the other subjects I mentioned above. Simply put, we need another solution.<br />
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I am not saying the free markets are perfect. Far from, and I believe that the government should have governance to ensure that the consumers are not taken advantage of or pushed into a no win situation. But that is the extent the government should play – there it begins and there it ends. A government that exceeds those rules and begins to dabble in things they know little about becomes a government spread to thin, and thus not effective to the core responsibility of ensuring the peoples’ safety. Where does this leave us…it leaves me with a mind full of ideas and no way to implement. There are ways to head off unemployment and steady the strength of the nation without government interference. Take for example the following idea. Infrastructure projects that have countless dollars allocated to them have seen little headway in the recent year. Albeit this was the cornerstone for the creation of many jobs the administration boasted about. Why the lack of movement? Too many people running the projects, no direction. If the government is giving money, they need to place conditions on their loans or injections of cash. We are giving you 50MM for this project, you must hire 1000 people to handle this, we are assigning a project manager from the government to run and oversee it, and then we will sub contract the remaining. But that is not how they play out. 50MM is handed out, no direction given other than a statement and nothing happens. It is like giving 200 dollars to a 5 yr old and telling him/her to get food for the week. No car, no understanding, no idea what or where to buy things – that is the way our government recklessly assigns money.<br />
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In the midst of the heavy debate, I will side with government being the worse of the two. What do you think – please let me know. Check out www.workfanatic.com to follow all the news related to the workplace.