Desperation

I’ve written before about how the recession does and does not affect me. However, I’m beginning to see some changes in the candidate pool. Unfortunately, I’m still seeing, as one manager put it, “the bottom of the barrel.” But, this bottom is different than the bottom from three months ago.

All around me I see DESPERATION.

My candidates are oozing desperation. On any given month there’s usually one or two of these types but  lately they’re crawling out of the woodwork. What makes these candidates different?

• They tell me how desperate they are.
• They call me daily.
• They don’t take the hint when I stop returning their calls.
• They send a new resume every two weeks.
• They apply for every job available.

Just like in dating, desperation is not a desirable sight. If you do this and think that you’re helping your chances of getting a job, you are mistaken. Even if your resume looks good, your desperation is a deal breaker. Yes, we want enthusiastic candidates, but there’s a thick line between enthusiastic and desperate and you’re either on one side or the other.

Apply the Same Standards to Job Selection that you do to Car Buying

I am currently in the throws of buying a new car. Buying a new car takes a lot of time and energy. We put this energy in because of the impact that a car has on our lives. Financially, it’s a large investment. We spend too much time in our cars and want to be comfortable with our environment. We want to feel secure in the car. And we want to know that down the road the car will stay in good condition and not cause us more hardship. So, we put that time and energy in.

We have similar expectations for a job. Your job has the single biggest impact on your personal finances. You probably spend more time at work than at home. You want a job that has the potential to last and does not cause you hardship down the road. Yet, we don’t put the same time and energy into selecting a job.

When we look at jobs we look primarily at job duties and pay. You wouldn’t buy a car if all someone tells you is that it works, it has 4 tires, the color is blue, it has rear windshield wipers, and it costs $15,000. So why would you select a job when all you know is that you’re going to do payroll, recruit and interview applicants, uphold state and federal policies, and get paid $35,000? When it comes to selecting a job we often settle before we know the details, before we’ve done the research.

The 4 major areas of car research are:

• Company Reputation
• Vehicle Reputation
• Comparison to Other Vehicles
• Test Driving

These same details should be researched before taking a job offer.

Company Reputation = Company Reputation

When you buy a car you ask everyone what they think of the company. Often when selecting a job we only look at the company from a surface level. We mostly care about the industry. Maybe we go online and look at the vague website but that’s just so we can pretend to be knowledgeable in the interview. We rarely ask around to people we know about the company, or check our their stock performance, or search Vault.

Vehicle Reputation = Department Reputation

Not only do you research the car company, but you also look at what the standards are for that vehicle. Does it have a good safety record? Does it drive well in the snow? Does it start breaking down after 50,000 miles? Think back to your last interview. Did you remember to ask why the position is open? Did you ask why people leave the department in general? Maybe you did ask and didn’t get an answer, that can be telling as well. Make sure you look at the department as a whole and make sure you can live with the standards of the office as well as your coworkers day in and day out. Otherwise, you might just be breaking down after 50,000 miles.

Comparison to Other Vehicles = Comparison to Other Jobs

It doesn’t matter if you have what you think is your favorite car, most people compare their favorite to several others before making a purchase. If you can avoid selecting a job just because it’s the first thing that comes along, then do it. Sometimes you need a paycheck and you don’t have time to be choosy. The easiest thing to compare the position to is to previous positions you’ve held. Do you really think you can stand doing payroll again? You should also compare the job to other open positions in the market. Are you taking the job because you’re settling or are you taking it because you think you’ll enjoy it?

Test Driving = ?

Lastly, you always make sure to test drive the vehicle and make sure it’s what you want. Sure, you probably can’t test drive a job. But, would it hurt to ask if you can shadow for a day before accepting the job offer? Have you ever tried? You could give it three months, but then you’re already stuck with having to put it on your resume. The best thing you can do is make sure there are on sight visits before taking the job, not just looking over the interview room but seeing the atmosphere at the company and in your department.

One fact remains true, it’s much easier to get the necessary information when buying a car than it is when selecting a job. That’s why it’s important that you put the extra time and energy into making sure you have a good fit before taking a job. It may save you from getting a lemon.

Vacation from Blogging

That’s right folks I’ve decided to take a week long vacation from blogging. For the next week I won’t be updating with new posts. You’ll still be able to find me on Twitter and commenting on other blogs.

The reason for this absence? I’m currently holding two part-time jobs as a bridesmaid (not to mention I just completed my job as party planner for my grandpa’s 80th last week).  I never knew being a bridesmaid could be such a hassle. This is it girls and boys. Never again. Good thing I only have one sibling!

See ya in a week.

Thanks Ma

I had another career first today. I went to call a candidate to phone screen her and reached her mother instead. Her mother took the message and then started with “I know I shouldn’t say this….” Oh no. Just stop there.

Well I got to listen to a 3 minute tirade on how great her daughter is. I don’t hold it against the candidate. We all have mothers.

However, if you’re a mom out there and think that you’re doing your son/daughter a favor by tell us how great your child is, you’re not.

What I do like to hear from mothers is the “Oh, Susie Q has been waiting for your call. She’s really excited about this opportunity.” Just stick with that.

You can only be a professional if you’re this tall.

Since we’re insulting SHRM, let me jump in!

Here I am a Human Resource professional with a Master’s degree in HR and almost 2 years of experience in HR. The next step in my professional career would become certified by SHRM as “Professional in Human Resources” (PHR). So why don’t I go out and take that test?

I’m not eligible. That’s right with a master’s degree and two years experience I’m not eligible. SHRM has decided that in order to receive certification an individual needs 2 years of exempt level HR experience. Yes, your ability to be eligible for the certification depends on how you get paid.

But, don’t worry they have a loop hole. If you’re almost done with your degree or have finished it recently, you can take the test at a discounted rate. Except, you have to get your 2 years of exempt experience in the next 5 years. Because we all know that recent college graduates get exempt jobs easily, especially in a field like HR. Oh wait, they don’t. So what if you can get that experience, have the recent degree, and take the test and pass? Well, you’ll lose you’ll owe money since that discounted rate seems to disappear and more importantly you’ll never get title until you have your experience in.

Let’s review this again: Students get a “discounted rate” they have to pay back. They get to take the test early but their results don’t count until they get the normal experience requirement filled. What’s the advantage of taking the test as a student again?

While I’m still in the time frame for taking the test as a student, you might understand now why I chose not to. So now I sit and wait. I’m still at least two years off from being eligible since both my HR jobs have been non-exempt. Meanwhile I attend trainings that would count towards recertification, if I were allowed to be certified in the first place.

But hey SHRM does have options, if you really feel strongly that your pay classification does not reflect your ability to perform HR functions, SHRM will let you and your current/former supervisors fill out paperwork to try and plead your case.

PHR certification - It’s not about what you know or what you’ve done. It’s about how you get paid.

My Opinion on Twitter

Twitter, twitter, twitter

Everyone’s talking about Twitter. Well, everyone in the blogging world that is.

What do they say about twitter:

It’s heralded as a Millennial thing. - Yet, no one cares to note that most Millennials have never heard of it. I have only one acquittance that twitters. Most of my friends have never heard of it. My roommate has learned about it due to it being in the news this week regarding the boy who used it to get out of jail. However, she notes “I didn’t really understand what it is. The article didn’t explain it that well. Is it like a text message thing?”

It’s will help you in the business world. - Myspace can be used as a business vehicle. Maybe even Facebook can. But, I would argue that Twitter cannot. Myspace and Facebook can work because they can be setup to be professional. There’s nothing professional about writing a blurb on what you’re thinking or doing. Do people really need to know that you were once bulimic? Will this type of information ever help you get a job or sell a product? Also, I’m not sure your boss wants to see that you were twittering during the day.

What twitter can do is make you seem more personable. You become a person with feelings and history rather than someone who types professional words on a screen. Although if you read Hillary Clinton’s twitter it doesn’t help display her personality (or maybe it does, which does nothing to help her campaign).

Twitter seems similar to LinkedIn in many respects. It’s one of those things that people do because they believe everyone else is doing it and that in the long run it may help them in some way.

Sadly, I have to say that I have joined the masses. Not because I think it will benefit me professionally in anyway (I think the opposite) but because many things happen in my life that I want to blog about but wouldn’t be appropriate in this forum. Maybe that’s why people do it? Another forum for their thoughts. But, how many forums is too many? Do we all need a Myspace, a Facebook, a LinkedIn account, a Twitter, a Blog, etc?

Using your Network for a Different Kind of Knowledge

Most people use their network to find job openings, but you shouldn’t stop there. If you’ve already found a job opening, you should use your network for more information on that job opening.

Last time I was looking for a job, I saw an exciting job opening and I mentioned it to a colleague. That colleague then informed me that the company’s local branch recently laid off more than half of it’s staff and that several of the HR staff had quit. Good to know.

This weekend I mentioned a job opening to my grandfather at his birthday party. This job opening was at the company he retired from so I was joking about having to deal with him as a retiree. Later a relative I see every five years asked me if there was seriously an opening in HR at the company. He then proceeded to tell me about how the HR department at the company is fractioned and that I wouldn’t want to work there. Turns out he used to be the Union Rep at the company. Who knew?

On paper jobs often look good and it’s difficult to get the real deal in an interview. The only real way to know more about what’s happening in a company is to get inside information. Many people think that their network isn’t useful because they know where their network works. However, they overlook the fact that each member of their network has a network of their own. Knowledge is power and your network has it. Don’t stop using your network once you’ve found the job listing, use it until you’re happy in the job.

3 Things Recent College Grads do to Ruin their Chances of Getting a Job

It’s officially that time in Spring when college seniors start sending out their resumes in a desperate struggle for a job. The goods news for them is that I have entry level positions available. The bad news for all is that these graduates to be and recent graduates all do similar things that prevent them from getting jobs.

1. They don’t make time for interviews - I once had a male friend that told me a girl he asked out told him she didn’t have the time for a boyfriend. I laughed and told him that if she really liked him she would make the time. The same applies for jobs. If you really want the job then you need to make the time. If I give you two days a week ahead of time as options for an interview, you better make the time to fit me into your schedule.
2. They want too much money. - These individuals love to tell me that they have a degree. Yes, you do. That’s why I offer you $5 more than minimum wage in our state. Sorry, but you’re not going to get $35,000 straight out of college if you have a liberal arts degree. I know many people who have +10 years of experience in their field that are barely making $35,000. Oh and your excuse that you have college loans to pay off, well maybe you should have started working while you were in college then you’d have experience and less loans!
3. They act immature in interviews. - I actually had someone in an interview this week say “holy crap” and “poopy.” Maturity does come with time, but often it comes down to common sense. It’s too bad they didn’t teach you how to act in a professional manner when you got that college degree.

We all make these types of mistakes when we’re starting out. I know I did. What makes the difference is how fast college graduates can learn not to make these mistakes. Let it happen once and then never again. Otherwise you’re going to continue to struggle to find a job. And hey, that poor economy excuse is only going to last so long.

Is Administrative Professional’s Day Out-of-Date?

Today is officially Administrative Professional’s Day, the most outdated holiday around.

National Secretaries week was created in 1952 to encourage recognition of secretaries in the workplace. In 2000 the name was changed to Administrative Professionals week. The fact that they needed to change the name, should have been an indicator that the holiday itself was out-of-date.

Don’t get me wrong, administrative professionals do great work. And there once was a time when they went under appreciated. But, I like to think that times have changed. Today, the holiday is celebrated out of mere guilt. Who wants to be the supervisor that does nothing on Administrative Professionals day? We’ve also reached a point where most of our jobs are under appreciated equally. Just look at Human Resource Professionals. If Administrative Professionals get a week, we should get a whole month.

Sadly Administrative Professionals day will never go away. Our own guilt towards people having lowering paying jobs will ensure that (of course, who cares about people in real menial jobs). I ask you all to consider, do we really need to single one profession out as deserving of praise and gifts for doing what they’re paid to do? Probably not.

The Negative Effects of a Lame Duck

In politics we think of a lame duck as

an elected official or group continuing to hold political office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor

Lame ducks are not limited to governmental politics, they appear in the office as well. In my organization the CEO announced at the beginning of the year that he would be retiring at the end of the year. While this has given us plenty of time to recruit and train a new CEO, it has created a lame duck situation. Things continue as normal, but I have witnessed several typical negative effects from this situation.

1. The lines are drawn. With any major change in personnel comes political jockeying. Those close to the power change form alliances and initiate in backhanded practices. This creates a unpleasant atmosphere for all employees as stress increases.
2. Productivity/creativity suffers. People start taking the easiest route. Instead of taking initiative the common statement becomes, “We’ll work on that when there’s a new CEO.”
3. Worry over the future. Most people fear change. A new leader will most likely come with much change. Too much time is spent worrying about the future than focusing on the present.
4. The individual becomes powerless. Knowing they’re on their way out, the lame duck is hesitant to make any changes and can become more of a burden than an assistance.

It’s no different than when we have a presidential lame duck, except these effects hit home. A lame duck in the office can affect your day to day life.