Management’s Role in Effective Teamwork – Part I
Everyone knows that teamwork works. A team effort allows for the workload to be shared and distributed according to each member’s skills and strengths. It’s a manifestation of the “many hands make light work” idiom. A productivity-enhancing, efficiency-building proposition, described by the acronym: Together Everyone Accomplishes More. And of course, management plays a vital role in the success or failure of those teams the company is counting on. Because teams work—except when they don’t. But more about that later. How does the boss/department head pull together an effective team? The fact of the matter is that not every employee has…
The Value of Vacations
“Many entrepreneurs, executives, and self-employed people pride themselves on being too busy for vacation. They perceive it as a sign of importance and commitment,” shares Tine Thygesen, a Scandinavian entrepreneur who has adopted the opposite view. In her country, five weeks of vacation is not only the norm, it’s legally mandatory. This and other European models may cast shades of green across the U.S. workforce, where the average vacation time after five years of service is 14 days. On the flip side, the average U.S. employee takes only about half of their allotted vacation time. And of those who do…
4 Strategies – Snag the Brightest and Best of 2018 Grads
Results from the 47th annual “Recruiting Trends” survey notes the 2017-18 academic year will represent the eighth consecutive year of steady hiring expansion, the longest stretch since such stats have been tracked. “The overall hiring outlook is white-hot,” says Jeff Kauflin. While this is fantastic news for the nearly three million college students who will walk across graduation stages this spring, it’s a challenging time for recruiters and hiring managers. Will your company snag the brightest among this new crop of job candidates? What strategies will provide the best opportunity to get these eager young men and women on your…
College Grad: Ace that Job Interview! – Part II
Last week’s post tackled the homework basics that will pave the way toward a successful job interview. Now let’s focus on some strategies that will leave a lasting, positive impression long after the interview is over. Practice answering typical interview questions. Search for specific interview questions that relate to this particular field. If a friend will step into the role of interviewer, all the better. Ready answers will demonstrate you put time and thought into preparing for this important meeting. And the more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel during the real interview. Rehearse and memorize your “elevator…
College Grad: Ace that Job Interview! – Part I
You and thousands of other college graduates are gearing up for life after finals, when you’ll join the rest of the adult world as a member of the workforce with a “real” job. Your task? Outshine the competition and rise above the crowd of graduates clamoring for the best entry-level positions with the best companies, offering the most promising career potential. A tall task but one that’s far from impossible. The first step is an attention-grabbing resume that will land you an interview. See Resume 2018 – Part I and Part II for practical tips to creating a top-notch resume.…
Qualities to Expect in 2018 College Grads
The 2017-18 graduates will be awarded 1 million associate degrees, 1.9 million bachelor degrees, and 790,000 masters degrees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This group represents a bounty of young adults eager to launch or further their careers in the real world. Aside from the necessary skills and training needed for their open positions, what qualities should recruiters and hiring managers look for among this crop of potential employees? The 3 “Rs” Reliability Review the graduate’s work experience or extra-curricular activities for demonstrated evidence that he/she can be trusted and counted on to perform well consistently. Resilience…