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Posts Tagged ‘job fit’

You Say You Want A Great Company…

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

But you know how it goes. You can’t have a great company without great people.

This past week the NY Times columnist Tom Friedman wrote an OP-ED titled, Americans Want the Greatness Back. He presented some startling statistics that nearly half of the Americans who vote feel that our best days are behind us, not ahead of us. And though his OP-ED is more about what changes may need to happen in our political process, his message is clear. Greatness as a nation can only happen when we each recommit to personal greatness.

So back to my opening line, you can’t have a great company (country, town, organization, family, etc), without people who choose to be great. How do you inspire each employee to choose greatness over just showing up?
Consider these ways:

1. Clearly define what your company believes in and its commitment to greatness in all it does; this attracts like-minded people. You set a standard and belief that guides not only who you hire, but what behaviors are expected once they are hired.

2. Hire the best people for the job; hire based on talent and fit, not just on experience. This way you hire people capable of greatness because their work matches what they are intrinsically good at. Employees who feel capable and competent perform at greater levels.

3. Connect employees emotionally by customizing their jobs around what they love and are interested in. There are few jobs that employees love everything about. But if jobs are sculpted around employees’ interests, passions and values, employees become more emotionally invested in their work. This raises their effort, interest and performance – their greatness.

4. Openly value your employees by building strong personal relationships with each through constant communication and contact, performance feedback and honest interest (see this issue’s Recommended Read). Employees who are personally connected to their managers, team and organization, feel more part of the team and therefore commit greater effort.

Personal greatness must be inspired, encouraged, developed and applauded – this is part of management’s role. And the more personal greatness grows, the more organizational greatness will grow. Great organizations realize that they are great because their employees have chosen to bring their best and to make an impact – they have chosen to be great. And if we can rekindle it in the workplace, we may be able to rekindle it across the nation.

Please share this with someone who can benefit from it and contact me to help you learn how to activate the personal greatness of your employees. More information at FireUpYourEmployees.com.

Tags: bottom line, employee performance, greatness, hire the right employee, impact, job fit, management, managers
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

The Case for Hiring Overqualified Candidates

Sunday, September 12th, 2010

The recession has brought up many odd workplace perspectives. Here are a few:

1. Don’t hire someone who is currently unemployed – they are that way because they are unemployable.
2. Tell your current employees they are lucky to have a job – this encourages them to work harder.
3. My favorite – and what I want to talk about: Don’t hire people who are overqualified – they will just leave when times improve.

Though a person may have qualifications in excess of what a specific job currently requires, it is the future potential that should also be considered. No job remains static. Today’s responsibilities are quickly outdated by changes brought on by competition, technology, social trends and other variables. The greater impact and performance an employee can bring to an organization the better. Hiring is not just for today – it also for the future.

Today’s best employees are not those who just show up and do the defined job. Today’s best employees use their talents, strengths and perspectives to continually look for opportunities and areas to augment the business and its success. Employees who have more qualifications, and are coached to use these qualifications in addition to their regular jobs, help the organization become more competitive, more responsive and more creative. Consider changing the term overqualified to “significantly qualified.” How can a significantly qualified candidate add value for your organization? Shouldn’t you always look to have the best talent for your organization?

Consider: A previous sales manager is now hired for a customer service role. In addition to handling the role well as defined, he/she could also:

o Redefine the service standards and host departmental training.
o Initiate a needed and yet to be implement customer survey process.
o Mentor other employees in more significant service responses.

It is management’s responsibility to keep this capable employee focused on reaching for greater
performance – to understand the employee’s other qualifications and find ways to connect him making a difference using his best talents and strengths.

Not taking advantage of the best person for the job – even “overqualified” – is like selecting a cheaper quality used car when a better car is available for the same money. For the same money you can dramatically improve your experience. For the same money you get the job done and bring in someone capable of helping you grow in areas that you may have never considered. For the same money, you expand the performance capacity of your team. This doesn’t mean that anyone who is overqualified is a fit – nor anyone who is overqualified is not a fit. It just means consider everyone who can make the most significant difference.

Remember you are investing in your people. Consider each candidate for both current and future impact. Hiring is both for performance AND potential.

Please forward this to someone who can benefit from it and contact me to help you learn how to use talent-based hiring to bring in the best talent.

Tags: hiring, job fit, overqualified candidate, recession, talent-based hiring
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Stand Out and Get Hired in 2010 – Week 2 of the Plan

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Week 2: Know your talents and passions – learn what you are great at and love doing.

Most people continue to apply for the wrong jobs because they don’t know what they are good at. And today, to have the best performance, you must work in job that needs what you are great at and are passionate about. Without these, you don’t feel capable, competent or excited in your work – and it shows.

So here is how to proceed:
1. Write down what you think you are naturally good at – your talents – this will be things like connecting with others, focusing on details, committed to big performance, great at listening and relating to others, creating order out of chaos…etc. Don’t be humble. List everything you are good at; things that come naturally to you. This is difficult for many people so try these other two options:

o Take a talent assessment. These are on-line assessments that ask you questions and preferences to help you see what you are naturally good at (part of the way you think). If you purchase Stand Out and Get Hired on this website, you will have access to my on-line talent assessment. Or consider using others on the market. Or,

o Have three other people who know you well list five talents or abilities they find in you. Because our talents are so much a part of us, we frequently don’t identify them as talents. Others see them in us.

2. Next, write down what you are passionate about. What do you love to do – what gets you out of bed in the morning and what you could do all day? It may be teaching, helping others, running a business, writing, painting, cooking, selling…whatever you love to do. List as many as come to mind. You will find that you generally do not need help with this – each of us is far more aware of our passions than our talents.

Now: look for the intersection of your two lists – what are you good at AND passionate about doing. This is the starting point for finding a job that fits you. This is key to finding a job AND loving your job.

You may be great at connecting with people and passionate about sharing stories. A job in sales, customer service or retail in any industry may be a good fit. You may be great at focusing on details and precision and are passionate making a difference. You may find that careers in the medical field, IT, law or similar fields will play to your talents and passions.

Know yourself – because your next step is to learn what the hot jobs are – so you can determine which jobs are a good fit for you and which needs what you are great at. This will give you a competitive advantage in getting hired.

Click here for the full “Get Hired” Plan. See all the “Get Hired” resources at www.LiveFIredUp.com, click on “Job Seeker.”

Tags: employee performance, get hired, job fit, passions, talent assessment, talents
Posted in For Employees, For Individuals | No Comments »

The Seven Steps to Finding the “Right” Job – steps 6,7

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Work, ” for many people, is a four-letter word. Most people don’t believe that it is possible to love your job – to love what you do and to be passionate about doing it. Most feel that work is how you make the money to have the life you want. But in today’s world the right job is one that plays to your strengths, activates your passions, allows for your best performance and adds great value to your life. Finding the right job is not complicated but it does require you to take the time to know your talents, strengths, passions and interests. There is no reason for you to hate your job; with a little direction, you can learn to define and hired into your dream job. Now is the time to find the right job and a job you love.

Today, I introduce the final two steps.

Find the right job Steps 6 and 7:
6. Apply only for jobs that meet your criteria. Highlight your “fit” on the face of your resume. Use a talent-based resume – one that highlights your talents (what you are great at) and then presents how you have used your talents in other jobs. This helps a hiring manager easily and accurately assess your job fit. Since the job also activates your passion, applying for the job is now exciting, empowering and engaging. Applying for jobs that activate your passions encourages your best job application, resume and cover letter. This is your moment to show your fit and passion. Don’t miss this opportunity – this is where you get their attention.
7. Go into your interview with great confidence. You know the talents needed in the job match your talents. You know you love the nature of the work as it appeals to your passions. You have used these talents in other roles so you can easily show how they look to others. You have everything going for you. You know you are a good fit – and good fit is exactly what the hiring manager is looking for. Be confident. Don’t over prepare. Talk candidly, honestly and openly about your performance, your talents, how you fit and what value you can provide. This is how to stand out and get hired.

Seven steps to finding the right job – or, the job you love. Jobs you love allow you to perform better – they use what you are great at. Learn how to define and play to your strengths – it gives you a competitive edge. For more information see “Stand Out and Get Hired” . Know yourself, what you are great at and what you are passionate about. Then find a job that allows you to use these. That is the “right” job for you.

Tags: boring jobs, find the right job, get hired, job fit, job interviews, resumes, stand out and get hired, talent-based resume
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »