2023 was a roller coaster for many businesses. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, changing customer demands, political tensions, and overall economic uncertainty has left a lingering concern about stability in the future. With this future just around the corner (hello, 2024!), we anticipate slower growth than usual, high interest rates, lower customer spending, and see the likelihood of a possible recession. In short: 2024 may be a challenging year in which to set plans.
It's time to take a deeper look at your goal setting for the year, and implement it in a way that ensures your plan is manageable and effective. We have 4 tips for you, to get started!
Think Smaller
If there were ever a year to be very thorough and intentional about decision-making and planning, that year is 2024. This may not be the year for large, future-thinking goals, but instead a time for focusing on small-scale efforts. Table risks that you may have taken other years, in favor of those that are solidly attainable and don't involve a huge time or effort investment. Simply put: only efforts that you can afford to fail at should make the list this year.
In 2024, success will be encouraged not only by an attitude of acceptance and adaptability but also the ability to consistently evaluate progress and measure results. When setting goals and planning, establish specific performance indicators for yourself alongside each specific step, to provide easy opportunity for a change-up if needed. Document small and specific goals, and manage progress in a way that is validated at each part of the process.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Open lines of communication are critical, especially in a period of slow growth. Without as much opportunity to grow branches, focus on the roots of your organization and maintain consistent, regular meetings and check-ins with your team, using this time to evaluate their progress and schedule check-in points further down the line. To keep the forward momentum going, align employee strengths with their assigned tasks, and leave each meeting with goals set for that person. If possible, we'd suggest more 1-on-1 meetings in 2024. They're an excellent method for establishing trust and discovering what drives your team's performance, as well as good opportunities for open and honest feedback.
Meet Efficiently
Time will be of the utmost importance this year, so conduct your meetings with efficiency in order to value your team's time and keep things running smoothly. Before calling for one, ask yourself if a gathering is really the best format, or if the content is better distributed via email or other format. Nothing can hinder a job performance more than a poorly timed or unnecessary meeting. The easiest step to change it up this year: send an agenda beforehand, providing a clear framework and a subtle suggestion to prepare for the discussion.
Be Nimble
Don't get comfortable post-planning, feeling like the work has been done. Hit established milestones to measure success throughout projects and if those milestones aren't met, don't expect more time to make much difference. Use these moments to pivot, resetting milestones and readjusting expectations, even delegating differently if necessary. It can feel like a lot to be managing everything during a year that feels uncertain, but don't indulge in the overwhelm. Indecision and ambivalence might be tolerated in another year, but not 2024!
In a few days, the page flips, and we face a new calendar year full of potential. Remaining agile, effectively communicating, and scaling back on overly ambitious endeavors is the way to go. We hope these tips have helped, and wish you a prosperous New Year!
]]>It's no secret: this fall, good help might be hard to find. This fall, applications for jobless benefits fell to the lowest level in 8 months. What does this mean? The pool of people looking for jobs is quite small, so companies face tough competition for top talent, or an investment in keeping their existing workforce intact. Employee retention is the name of the game as we head into Q4, and though it may sound daunting, we've broken it down into some key areas that need attention to ensure your team remains truly happy and healthy as you head into the new year.
5 Employee Retention Strategies that Work
Keep communication lines open.
No, like really open. Set expectations for everything from high-level goals to working hours and availability, and establish quick regular check-in meetings. Keep your employees in the loop when something's going on or there's trouble in the industry. Keep them in the loop when there's good news to share.
Not only should you emphasize your openness to feedback with your direct reports, but try a more consistent and less demanding format like pulse surveys or HR chatbots, which allow for short and casual surveys and are open for employees to report issues in anonymous mode. An additional step in a project timeline could include post-project feedback collection: what could be improved about the process next time around?
Respect their time.
A broad statement that represents many other tips, boiled down to their core message: respect the time of your employees and they will be more satisfied. What exactly does this entail? Well, lots of things.
The first is to establish working hours and non-working hours. State them, share them, adhere to them. Working outside of these hours? Schedule your email for later. If you have flexible working hours overall, then set core hours people are expected to be available (they could be the middle of the day, like 10am-2pm EST, or could take place in both morning hours and afternoon hours, like 10-12pm and 1-3pm EST). Whatever works for your company – and hey, you can ask your employees – will do, just so long as you are setting boundaries that will allow people to protect their solitary work time and their home life.
The second is to make sure their "on" hours at work are used as efficiently as possible. Meaning: solid deadlines, no unorganized meetings, and goals broken down into actionable items. Before you call a meeting, be clear on what's to be discussed, and prepare any needed information so minutes aren't wasted searching for documents or data.
Emphasize the importance of wellness.
Job satisfaction is largely dependent on the vague measurement of "is this working for me?" Does it offer the flexibility I need? Does it offer the benefits that are important to me? Encourage the use of vacation days, offer understanding or time off when an employee is struggling, and learn (and teach others) the signs of burnout. Sticking to the set boundaries for work hours also displays a respect for the mental health and wellbeing of your employees.
Set a great first impression.
The onboarding process is a new hire's first interaction with the inside world of your company – set them on the right track, from the start. Educate them on their responsibilities and how they fit into the bigger picture, giving them ownership over their role. Put forth your company mission and values, and explain how you and your team achieves and monitors them.
An interesting idea to try: pair all new employees with a "buddy," someone else who works at the company, at any level or in any department, to meet with them, grab lunch, or check in to see how their time is going. Having an acquaintance from the start is a powerful step towards feeling a part of an open and welcoming environment, and one in which there is already an ally.
Encourage professional growth.
This can be done through the age-old practice of attending conferences, but also can be as simple as setting aside time for micro-development. An example: every Friday afternoon for one hour, members of your team are encouraged to learn something new related to their job. Some ideas that come to mind are learning a few new functions in Excel, watching an InDesign tutorial, or reading an article about the future of A.I. This freedom, with boundaries, allows for a break from work and an increase in knowledge, something workers today crave.
The simple act of asking your team if there's anything they'd like to learn more about can open floodgates to an invigorating work environment. Have them report back to each other, in order to keep the enthusiasm going.
Keeping a team satisfied is no easy feat, but making the effort is the first, and most important, step in ensuring your professional environment is one that retains employees. Try some of these suggestions, and let us know how it goes!
]]>Although generative AI has been around for years, its prevalence in daily life has increased since the explosive growth of tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Dall-E, and others in the last year. If you aren't familiar, generative AI tools have been trained on extensive amounts of data, much collected directly from the internet. Through exploring this data, it is capable of detecting patterns and relationships within the information, and uses that to generate new content, at the request of a user. Everyday people, creative professionals, and small business owners are exploring the potential of this powerful new tool, simultaneously amazed at its capabilities and increasingly wary of its effect on careers, lives, and our global future.
Its impact on humanity-as-we-know-it aside, we do see AI as a valuable tool for making certain tasks a little more effective and efficient. Exhibit A: the resume update.
Nowadays, hiring at 90% of large companies involves an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which processes applications from the hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of people that apply for each open position. Hiring managers and HR departments are using these systems to review stacks of resumes, eliminating "unqualified" candidates who don't meet certain qualifications or use specific keywords they have required. AI tools like chatbots can be useful to ensure your resume includes all relevant keywords and explains your qualifications as effectively as possible.
Cater your resume to a specific job description:
How to do it:
Gather your current resume and the desired job description.
Ask a chatbot to rewrite your entire resume, with this prompt:
"Rewrite my resume to tailor it to this job description. Here is my resume [paste your resume text here]. Here is the job description: [paste your job description here]."
After a rewritten resume is generated, you can request follow-up changes, like condensing it to one page, or emphasizing certain skills over other skills.
Write interesting bullet points that sufficiently reflect your work experience:
How to do it:
Paste a bullet point or paragraph from your resume into the chatbot.
Ask it to rewrite the bullet point, but pasting an existing bullet point, and then adding this prompt:
"Rewrite this bullet point [or paragraph] to be less than 20 words, including keywords from the job description, use compelling language, and include details from my resume. Here is my resume: [paste your resume here]. Here is the job description: [paste the job description here]."
After new bullet points are generated, you can request that it creates more than one version of that same bullet point. Pick your favorite, and repeat for other bullet points on your resume.
Identify important terms to use
Suspicious of AI, or just don't want to turn your entire resume over? Have it dig a little deeper into the job you're applying for, by asking it to review the job description and isolate key terms for your industry.
Try this prompt: "Review this job description and identify industry specific keywords. Job description: [paste job description here]"
Then, ensure you use those terms in your resume and/or cover letter.
Write a stellar professional summary
Your intro statement / resume headline / objective is your first impression. Have a chatbot review your resume and craft a compelling and creative professional summary.
Try this prompt: "Review my resume and write a professional summary for me. Resume: [paste your resume]"
Some tips for using AI to improve your resume:
The best part about chatbots like ChatGPT is that they are conversational. If you're unsure of what information it may need to assist you, you can just ask, with this prompt: "I'm a [insert your current role] that wants to work in [insert your desired field] in [city]. I want you to rewrite my resume. What information do you need from me to do this?"
AI tools can be an excellent starting point when tweaking your resume for a specific position. Try these ideas out, have some fun with it, and let us know how it goes!
]]>When it comes to finding a new job with a prospective employer, you have lots of questions specific to the job itself. What are the responsibilities of the position, what’s the day-to-day workload, what are the skills needed for the job, etc. But, there’s always a bigger looming question that demands answering: what is it really LIKE to work there?
The term "company culture" grew in popularity over the last several decades as the workplace became a second home to many working Americans. What was once an indefinable quality with less importance to a job seeker now bears weight for a potential hire. Are you completely qualified but not a “culture fit”? Does the company offer a work-life balance that works for you? Now more than ever, companies are making efforts to establish what makes them, them. Picturing yourself working somewhere should be easier than ever, but company culture is often the mystery puzzle piece at the end of an application process. How exactly can you determine what the company culture is like?
Understanding what "company culture" really comprises is essential to create a framework for evaluating if it is a good fit. The main components of company culture:
For many of you, the typical ways of learning about a company will be perfectly sufficient: look at their website to peek at their workspace, browse their mission and values, and see if their employee page is as diverse as they claim. Check their social media accounts for any indication of employee championing, camaraderie, or recognition. But if you're looking to get even deeper than the words their marketing team has very intentionally prepared, we have a couple places that will suggest even more about what to expect if you joined the team.
Dive into job postings
Job postings often require a company to sum itself up in a way that’s appealing to a prospective employee. Read about the company in one of their job listings to see what terms and phrases they've chosen to communicate as, potentially, a first impression to a prospective employee. What they decide to prioritize stating in a job posting could be considered at worst an unattainable intention, and at best a direct reflection of the essence of the company.
Much like real estate listings riddled with coded language like "charming" (old) or "cozy" (small), job postings can be excellent indicators of life at a company. Take a look, paying close attention to the words they use in a few different areas. First, what kind of benefits are offered? If they have a more lenient vacation or PTO policy than some, or flexible work hours, or even offer earned sabbaticals, they likely support a healthy work-life balance. Paid parental leave outside of the traditional maternity leave can indicate the same. Next, examine the required skills and qualifications listed. If there are several specific technical skills listed, they may place higher value on expertise and skills. On the contrary, emphasizing soft skills like collaboration, teamwork, or a positive attitude might suggest a supportive, people-oriented workplace. Also consider the tone of the writing - is it formal and traditional, or casual and conversational? In many cases, this is a direct reflection of the workplace. Last, review the level of detail provided about the role. A more elaborate and detailed description of the position may be an indicator that they value transparency and clarity. A much more condensed or succinct description may be your first clue that this is a fast-paced working environment.
Find their employees on LinkedIn
Look for employees on the team you're considering, as well as elsewhere in the company. Is there a diverse range represented? Are they active and engaged on LinkedIn? Do they belong to any professional groups or affinity groups? Do they share company news and events? Looks for signs of enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to both their fellow employees as well as the mission of the company. Sharing company news and projects with their network demonstrates pride and engagement with their work, and being supportive of others is a great quality to have in a work colleague. This is also indicated in the Recommendations section of a profile: have they written any thoughtful recommendations for others or received any from colleagues at their place of employment? A company is nothing if not a collection of individuals, so you might as well dig in and learn more about them.
Explore the path some of these employees have taken within the company. Have they been promoted or moved around departments? This may indicate that success is tracked and rewarded. If several employees appear to be moving up the ladder, the company may be growing and prioritize promoting from within. Employees' loyalty to the company, rather than jumping ship and working elsewhere, suggests job satisfaction. Overall, joining a team of supportive, collaborative, and passionate people will yield successful results in your career, and looking through LinkedIn profiles can reveal a lot about potential workplaces.
There are many different ways to approach evaluating company culture, and getting an accurate reflection of it can be a real journey. We encourage you to invest time into determining company culture before starting a new position, and don't be afraid to think outside of the box. Investigating job listings and LinkedIn profiles with a mission to reveal the true ethos of a company can be an enjoyable and informative process!
]]>Some standard must-do's from the job search process, like dressing professionally and sending a post-interview follow-up thank you are here to stay. The interview itself is pretty straightforward, but at the end of the chat, there's one last opportunity to leave a lasting impression: "Do you have any questions?" Ask nothing and you risk appearing uninteresting or worse, uninterested. Ask disingenuous questions and they'll see right through it. Here are some excellent, thought-provoking questions that will seal your deal as an intentional and curious must-hire.
I saw you worked at Company A for 10 years before this, but how did you get started in this industry, and why did you make the move to this company?
Show you went above and beyond the standard company research (while still skipping a complete recap of their career journey) and they will not only be grateful for your preparation, but will also appreciate your interest. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and inquiring about someone's beginnings reminds them of the often winding path they took. Asking a question like this allows them to leave with an empathetic and understanding attitude towards this meeting.
What types of personalities are the best fit for this role?
The answer to this question, while potentially not your preferred response, will give great insight into the type of person who is most likely to succeed in the role. If the given response is a distant description of yourself, maybe reconsider your interest, or be intentional about favoring certain habits and personality traits so you are better prepared for the challenges.
Can you give me an example of a time someone in this role failed? What did they do wrong and what could be done differently?
The answer to this question can be incredibly revealing. Not only will you hear specifics about a situation of disappointment for the employer, but you'll get insight on how they respond to conflict and challenges. Their answer will give a peek into how you'd be treated when failure is involved. Pay careful attention to how the employee was notified of any issues and what opportunities they were given to remedy the situation.
How do you ensure your team is continuously growing and learning new skills?
Burnout and stagnation are huge causes for job dissatisfaction and abandonment. A company that invests in their employees' skills and creativity is one worth joining. Find out what opportunities they encourage so you know the team you're joining will not only be professionally motivated, but also encouraged creatively.
Is there anything in my background that gives you concerns about my ability to fit well in this role?
Possessing an openness to feedback and a willingness to confront issues head on displays your worth as a collaborative team player. Addressing their concerns directly is an opportunity to exemplify the persona detailed on your resume: a well-adjusted professional who's willing to improve themself.
How often do employees receive evaluations and feedback?
Asking if they have a structure in place for company reviews and employee feedback provides you with an expectation for your first evaluation of success in the role, as well as an early understanding of how much they value the employee-employer relationship. You could also discover that their structure includes post-project debriefs to review anything that came up while it's still fresh in everyone's minds.
As a job seeker, having a supply of good questions can be what distinguishes you from the crowd. Be remembered, be intriguing, and be a promising candidate when you start with some of the suggested questions here.
]]>Hiring managers have seen it all. They've talked to every type of person, met every level of employee, seen every type of resume enhancing you can imagine. When it comes to hiring employees, there's no better gatekeeper than the hiring manager, someone who knows best what type of person is a good fit for the company. They have painstakingly weeded through resumes and spent hours crafting job postings, all in an effort to diligently grow their team in an efficient and thorough way.
That being said, there are just some parts of this hiring and job application process they could do without. Some trends they've been seeing for years just aren't doing it for them anymore, and releasing this information is only to your benefit, job seeker! Read on.
Etiquette for etiquette's sake
After an interview, for example, it's a knock against you if you don't send a thank you, but it's not necessarily beneficial if you do. Why? For years the trend has been to send a follow-up message post-interview, but sometimes it can sound a little... forced. Do your best to avoid your thank you sounding like a form letter or a thoughtless note. Use this opportunity to further the conversation - send a link to an article you discussed in the interview, or personalize it in a way that indicates you paid attention and genuinely enjoyed the interaction. Hiring managers read a ton of these, so keep it short, sweet, and to the (personalized) point.
Omitting location from your resume
Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people that primarily worked from home tripled. Some companies abandoned offices, others only tiptoed back into hybrid work once the world reopened. Many of us came to see working from home as the norm, assuming future employers will be completely open to a remote employee. But, what's the reality? Only 15% of work opportunities in the U.S. are remote jobs, with most requiring at least one day in the office. With the data showing some level of hybrid work as the model of success, it's no surprise.
You may think removing location from your resume goes unnoticed - maybe you're assuming, or hoping, the employer will consider a remote employee. Unfortunately, we have been seeing many resumes moving to the bottom of the pile specifically because the applicant has omitted their location. There's no detriment to being forthcoming with your geographical information - either a company is open to remote work or it isn't. And a company that's local may keep you around because they know you're local as well. Check the listing beforehand - if they don't mention remote work and you're not in the area, include your location.
Using a new job offer to increase your current salary
What's something hiring managers can't stand? Going through the entire hiring process, interviewing candidates, and finally offering the position to someone, only to have it turned down and used in a power play to increase their salary with their current employer. It's a risky move, and there are plenty of better ways to push for a raise.
Including every little thing on your resume
Take a look at your resume. Does it include your high school GPA? Positions you held over [ten] years ago? Time to revisit and evaluate what information is sensible to include. Around three to five years after you graduate, you can move the Education portion of your resume to the bottom of your resume, and remove your GPA. Any high school information is seen as filler content by hiring managers, unless you're currently a college student.
Microsoft Office is an assumed skill in this day and age, so no need to mention any programs unless you have, say, advanced Excel skills that would be relevant for a job. A quick mention of personal interests can be a great conversation piece for an interview, but avoid a lengthy list of everything you've ever cared about.
Unrealistic salary expectations
When the economy gets a bit rough and inflation is taking off the way it has, an adequate solution can be to seek a new job and give your salary a boost. We're all for warranted pay increases, but have seen an uptick in overvalued salaries. Do everyone a favor: do your research. What does someone in this position, with your experience, in this location, typically make? What do overall salaries look like at this company? Go in with a number or range and be prepared to justify it based on your experience, skills, and competence. There's nothing that can throw off a decent interview more than an overvalued salary expectation.
Hiring managers have a vast amount of exper
]]>Imagine: you’re a marketing professional. You’re starting out your job search and have a lot of nice things (probably too many) to say about yourself. You’ve filled your cover letter with keyword-packed copy, synonyms for “high-achieving,” and have emphasized your ability to organize, achieve results, and communicate properly. You hit the end of the page and feel like your message is still incomplete.
Enter: your website.
The Key to Job Search Success
Busting through the spacial constraints of a cover letter, a URL is a one-line, information-packed resource that exemplifies what you do best: marketing. But, in this case, the subject is *yourself*.
Look beyond the outdated concept of a portfolio as a vehicle limited to the traditional, cookie-cutter profession of “artist,” and open your eyes to the value an online portfolio can bring to a marketing position. We have some tips for getting started.
Skip the PDF.
Besides the fact that (we’ll say it) “You can do better!”, many of our employers aren’t accepting PDF attachments or links to more community-based sites like Behance, Dribbble, or Google Sites. Do your work a favor and present the full package. Consider the importance of digital presence in all areas of marketing these days, and stake your claim on a little corner of the world wide web to pitch yourself. Sites like Squarespace, Cargo, or Wix make it easy to set up a site within minutes.
Be intentional about the work you show.
When considering if you should include a project in your portfolio, think about what it is saying about you. Is this an example of your ability to collaborate? Your excellence in digital marketing? Your flawless copywriting skills? Include samples of all types of work (social media experience, blog posts, etc.) and if you're well-versed in different industries, make sure that's represented. A well-rounded portfolio should convey all facets of your expertise, but don't feel compelled to include everything you've ever done. Displaying three solid examples that speak to your professional qualities will go much farther than an abundance of smaller, less focused examples.
Develop a personal brand.
It doesn’t have to be eye-roll-y or complicated. If you’re in the business of marketing, you understand the weight placed on a first impression (sometimes the only impression, right?!), and your own site is no the place to skimp on branding. What kind of company are you looking to join? Borrow pieces of their branding. A familiar aesthetic will easily translate to a perfect fit when you have the opportunity to meet with them. Be intentional about your desired industry and align with that style (e.g. skip a hokey cartoon avatar if you're looking to land a position in the finance/insurance industry). Cohesive and intentional use of colors, fonts, and layouts across your portfolio will communicate an attitude of confidence towards your career, a valuable way to make a lasting impression.
Include context with all of your work.
When planning your portfolio, invest in writing explanations for each project, touching on your role, input, and analysis. Potential employers seek evidence of an informed and well-developed thought process, so describe the evolution of the project as well as your method for measuring success. As for team-based projects, don’t limit yourself to displaying only solo work. Rarely does a marketing professional work alone - there are always colleagues and teams supporting your work.
Keep your work updated, and your images clear.
These feel more like housekeeping suggestions, but they need to be said. There is nothing – we repeat, nothing – more indicative of someone's lack of attention to detail than pixelated images. If your portfolio hosting website has updated its template, do a quick audit to ensure your images still appear properly on desktop and mobile. Make sure your images are crystal clear, easy to understand, and explained in captions or text. Maintaining an updated portfolio is critical for quick movement when an opportunity arises, and puts your best foot forward.
An online portfolio for a marketing professional is an incredibly valuable tool for self-promoting, establishing credibility and building confidence for a potential hire. It’s still novel enough to help you stand out from a crowd, and in many cases can be a foundation for negotiating higher pay.
A new year often brings with it some clarity, perspective, or an overall refresh: great for a closet full of unworn clothes, but can be a little daunting for something like a job search. The search itself is only half the battle. The remainder of the struggle lies in what's behind your quest for a new position. What are you really after? Why aren't you coming up with a plethora of available options?
Borrowing an ounce of "New Year, New You!" attitude, the early weeks of 2023 can be a valuable time to reevaluate more than just your workout intentions. This post is for those of you who are feeling stuck in your job search (or haven't even started one), whether the situation is due to personal motivations or external factors. We're here to get you unstuck.
You're scared to move on.
Abandoning comfort is a frightening thing. The lingering effects of 2020 have given our post-pandemic lives a mission to be content and settled. Think about being in your current position three years from now. How does it feel? If you can't see that being a possibility, then get out now. Remind yourself that in three years you could be just as comfortable as you are now, in a completely new position at a different company. If you're hanging on because of benefits, that's a completely realistic strategy, but keep in mind that you might find the same benefits out there at another company.
You need to expand your pool of options.
Sometimes a major hurdle to overcome is determining what new role best fits your needs, wants, and capabilities. Do you want to own the same job title, just at a different company, or are you looking to expand yourself, bringing your current skill set to an adjacent or superior position? You may find more opportunities available in positions that differ slightly from your current role, opening the doors to more success in your search. While a more lateral move may make sense, a slight step out of your role would benefit you in the long run. Plus, changing jobs is a fast track to increasing your salary over time.
You feel out of control.
How do you walk on ice? Do you stride along like usual? Or do you take baby steps like a penguin, maintaining forward motion but with a lesser risk of falling? The illusion of control can feel lost in the unfamiliar (and icy!) landscape of a job search, and results seem so "out of your hands." Take baby steps where you are able to, and where it will make a difference. Instead of waiting around and then being forced to hurriedly prepare materials and apply the very moment something pops up, prep for this moment ahead of time by developing a few different versions of your resume and portfolio for different types of companies. Develop a system for tracking where you've applied and how it went, or standardize the time spent on your job search each day, or utilize a checklist to ensure you're doing everything possible. Creating order out of chaos in any way possible will calm your nerves and take back control.
You don't actually want a new job.
Sometimes a new job search is a reactive move after something unsatisfactory happens in our current roles. If you find yourself wanting to leave only when stuff hits the fan, maybe some part of you thinks there's hope left. You can make changes at your job, if you really do see the value in holding onto it. First quarters can bring an openness on management's part as well, as yearly company goals often encompass more than financial numbers. Company culture can always use an improvement and even a seemingly small change can have a big impact. See if higher ups are receptive to any critical changes needed for you to remain, and if they aren't, you can rest easy with the definitive knowledge that you've done all you can. Giving up on a job search is the same as giving up on a job: neither one feels great, but if you benefit from either decision then it's worth it in the long run.
You're setting goals, not intentions
We know, we know, what's the difference between the two? Well, goals are naturally infused with pressure and a binary success or failure conclusion that can be discouraging if, well, life gets in the way. Reframing your goals as "intentions" may relieve you of the inevitable [need a different word for discouragement] that may come with not achieving your expected results when it comes to your job search. Think of intentions as more of a starting point, while goals are treated as an end point. This is a journey, and all bumps in the road can be hit with stride.
A job search is a burdensome undertaking (though we know some people who can make it a little easier, *wink wink*), and it's very common to hit a rough patch or even to delay starting one in the first place. We'd suggest taking a look inward, ignoring outer influence, and evaluating if your materials are accurately and adequately portraying your professional self. There's no better time than a new year to do just that!
]]>Almost three years after the beginning of the world-altering COVID-19 pandemic, the ripple effects are finally starting to slow.
That's right: we're heading back to "the office."
The recent past has seen workers maintaining hybrid and remote positions, encouraged by companies attempting to please their employees, appear flexible, and embrace the data that stated productivity was not lost.
But many of these companies have had enough.
Long since mask mandates have been lifted, the draw of an office has returned, and with it a much stricter attendance policy. From a Microsoft Corp. survey of 20,000 people at companies around the world, only 12% of managers are fully confident that hybrid employees were productive. To management, a face in the workspace proves dedication, committing an employee to memory as an active and willing participant in company efforts. Even with a strong push from employees who refuse to abandon a hybrid work-life balance, managers are having doubts and reevaluating their work-from-home policies. Over two-thirds (69%) of small business decision-makers in a Capterra survey said they'd prefer their employees to be on-site three or more days per week.
An office presence is not only preferred, but in many cases critical for a satisfactory job evaluation. According to a Capterra poll of more than 500 managers at companies with some in-office requirement, 74% plan to factor office attendance into employee performance reviews, with 46% of all managers saying they have docked or plan to dock pay or benefits from employees due to poor office attendance.
So, what's the solution?
To us, the answer is as clear as it would be to quibbling siblings: compromise.
Employers
Newly established attendance requirements are largely due to doubts about performance, a lack of trust and transparency with their teams, and feeling out of touch with the day-to-day of your business.
1. Understand why your team likes working remotely. Is it eliminating a commute? Working different hours? Tackling nagging home tasks when taking a computer break? Polling your staff to understand their preferences may give you amazing insights into company morale and direct you towards working together more effectively.
2. Establish time together, whether it's everyone in the office once a week, twice a month, or gathering outside of the office however often you like. Your team doesn't want to be required to come in at all as much as they don't want to be working in a half-full office if their days don't overlap with many coworkers. Setting up time for in-person meetings, encouraging office camaraderie, and having face-to-face check-ins is the ultimate way to satisfy your need for contact and their need for a sense of normalcy.
3. Request more information from your team. If your doubts linger in the area of productivity, it's simple: just trade the freedom of some work-from-home days with the requirement that you are updated more often. Or, set some stricter core hours to be worked each day, eliminating any guessing games about who is working when.
4. Practice what you preach. Expecting your employees in the office three days a week? Go in yourself three days a week (and no more). An everpresent manager puts pressure on your team to be in the office even if you've reached an alternative agreement. Abandon any notion that your absence "looks bad." It doesn't.
Employees
Communicate, communicate, communicate. It may feel like overkill, but setting minds at ease is the name of the game on this side of the hybrid workplace debate.
1. Set regular, clear expectations. Yes, you can do your job. We know that. In theory, your employer knows that. But without seeing you in person, the mind can wander into "what are they really working on?" territory. Give them the comfort of knowing what you're working on each week, and update if something is or isn't completed.
2. Be transparent. Having a slow week because of tech issues? Don't wait to be asked about it. Working set hours and need to run an errand? Mark it on your calendar. Management is free to make assumptions that you're covering all needed hours, but being forthcoming with any unexpected schedule changes eliminates any and all doubts.
3. Be proactive. Talk to your supervisor more than you typically would. Set up a shared document or section of your project management platform where you have weekly tasks, and notify your boss so they can check in on project statuses without interrupting your workflow. Initiate meetings or quick calls or check-ins just to ease their mind and provide context for them to report to higher-ups. An employee who takes initiative can be recognized in or out of a physical workplace, so less time in the office won't hinder your ability to be recognized. If anything, hybrid work will spur more digital proof of the work accomplished.
Overall, this phase will be an adjust
]]>Informational interviews are an often-underutilized, but incredibly valuable tool in the process of searching for the next step in your career. They can solidify a contact as a link in your professional network, and provide personalized insights into your industry of interest.
The purpose of an informational interview is to gather information about a career path, company, or industry, through a casual conversation. It's different than a job interview in that it's completely detached from a job application process, usually being requested prior to any position being available, if at all. An informational interview is asked of a professional contact when you're looking to either build a relationship that may provide potential opportunities for you in the future, or to learn more about the path to reaching your desired position.
Finding someone for this conversation can be as simple as reaching out to a friend or family member, or as challenging as cold-contacting a distant connection on LinkedIn and hoping for the best. The perk of an informational interview, however, is that it's a low pressure situation for both parties. With more purpose than "meeting for coffee" and without the stiffness and formalities of a job interview, a contact is much more likely to take you up on the offer. If you decide to follow up with a previous connection from an event or conference, they may even welcome the chance to expand their network as well.
Prepare, prepare, prepare. Do your research prior to this meeting. Learn more about your contact and the company they work for. Even if you plan to ask about it, investigate how they reached their position by reviewing their LinkedIn profile. Review details about their company beforehand. This is an opportunity to get inside information about working in a particular field, and you'll want to avoid wasting any time collecting information that can be found on a website.
Conducting an informational interview, though it is a casual conversation, should be done in a professional manner. Dress nicely, but not too formally. Be punctual. Consider it an excellent confidence booster and warm up for a job interview in the future. Plan to keep the conversation brief, around 30 minutes, unless you've mutually agreed on a larger window of time.
Ask good questions. To be clear: yes, this is an informal meetup, but if you've requested it, you're expected to be steering the conversation. It shouldn't be a full blown Q&A, but your contact will expect questions to drive the conversation, so make sure you have well thought out inquiries to move the discussion along. Check our next post for some great starting points!
Post-interview, take notes for future reference. You may have received some useful tips for applying at this company, or valuable information about salaries, benefits, or challenges you can expect to face, and recording this information will keep your mind refreshed and allow for easy reference later on. Did they mention a word or phrase several times? Maybe it's worth including those words in a cover letter. Were there any concerns raised about your own experience? Figure out an action plan to address them.
An informational interview can take the edge off of future interviews and provide firsthand knowledge of a field or company you have great interest in. It can potentially give you an in for a future position or create a stronger arm of your professional network. Our next post is all about the questions to ask during these interviews - they can make or break the experience!
]]>Huge numbers of people are leaving their jobs.
Last summer, immediately following the release of nationwide vaccines, a return to a "normal" workday for many Americans brought with it clarity of professional and personal priorities. What became known as The Great Resignation marked a tidal wave of employees voluntarily abandoning their positions, leaving a record breaking 10.9 million jobs open last July, with 3% of the U.S. workforce resigning later in October.
Since then, a shift in the landscape has led to fewer employees resigning altogether, but many switching jobs in search of positions that better suit their needs. It's being called The Great Reshuffle, and many are considering it to be the biggest transformation the job world has seen in modern history.
What is going on?
As a result of the Great Resignation, a decrease in available workforce has given knowledge workers the power to be choosy about their next steps. People are happiest when they have control over when, how, and where they work, and the personal life shifts caused by the pandemic have really clarified those realizations.
School closings, mask regulations, and social-distancing recommendations have made daily life slightly more complicated, so it's no surprise that the employed workforce is attempting to simplify their lifestyle with flexible workdays. Since remote working was adopted by a large number of companies in 2020, employees are realizing a lack of employer flexibility can be a deal breaker. Many are leaving current positions or forgoing new opportunities if flexibility is not an option.
Having hybrid working options is critical for employers moving forward, but the benefits cannot stop there. Companies are now competing for a pool of employees who are more particular than ever, with a need to stand out by investing in a "company culture" that is admittedly very different than it looked even five years ago. In this case, we're not talking about ping pong tables, office swings, and free snacks; we mean fostering a supportive community of team members, with respect for personal time and encouragement of open communication.
But, when a workplace has no central location for its employees to gather, how can connections be maintained and a workplace culture thrive?
Zoom is not the permanent solution to replace all in-office meetings. (After all, how many of those in-office meetings did we realize could be replaced with a single email?) To keep up colleague relationships, allow for quick calls, short chat messages on your platform of choice, or other means of communicating outside of a formal Zoom room. Only having cringe-y "digital happy hours"? Mentally set aside a few minutes at the beginning or end of a meeting to catch up before moving on to other work, so it feels like you're still connected to the people you work with.
Being understanding of personal obligations will strengthen employee loyalty - just be sure to keep communication lines open and honest. A lot of trust needs to be built among teammates working remotely, and employees need their leader to be supportive and also transparent about expectations.
Let's face it – we're not all donning a full suit and tie every morning anymore. Part of the appeal of remote working is the time saved without a commute or need to be presentable. Respect fellow workers habits and give some notice for a video call, or accept the fact that someone might keep that camera off.
Employers paying attention to this massive workforce migration towards flexibility will thrive if they invest in a company culture that supports the professional and emotional needs of their teams. Job seekers don't just hope for it anymore, they demand it.
]]>During COVID, unemployment rose to obscenely high numbers, breaching any peaks this country had seen in almost 40 years. Government stimulus checks satisfied the need for immediate relief, but many issues caused the effects of a struggling job market to linger.
With vaccinations and booster shots on the rise and COVID cases trending down, the outlook is no longer so grim. Companies that have survived the last year are looking to ramp up their productivity once again, but they're finding a workforce with the lowest participation rate since the 1970s. This August saw a record number of people quitting their jobs.
From our perspective, lots of reasons.
Prior to the pandemic, around half of U.S. families reported having trouble finding care for young children. Mid-late 2020, and a global pandemic, saw that number rise to two thirds of families, but not much has changed since - it's still a challenge to find child care, and there are even more kids requiring it. Any school reopenings this fall were counterbalanced by a quick-spreading Delta variant and ultra sensitive school closings. Younger, more vulnerable children are in many cases kept at home, in an effort to mitigate risk or in response to schools and centers being closed. And working parents are left with the responsibility of daytime care for their children.
Many companies can't afford large salaries during this period of pandemic recovery. Their hiring might be back to 2019 levels, but that doesn't mean their employee package is enticing enough to draw a pool of applicants. Additional unemployment benefits were generous and only ended recently, in some cases providing more income than a previously held job had, so the unemployed were less tempted to jump back into the job market.
Alongside the decent unemployment benefits came multiple stimulus checks, dispersed over the last year and intended to ease this period of nationwide loss of income, removing the instability behind people's financial situations. A lessened incentive to find new employment, added to lack of child care and other personal struggles during the pandemic, means there are fewer job seekers.
Employees are demanding more from their employers, after time working from home held a magnifying glass up to their work-life balance. Commutes, pointless meetings, long hours, and meager salaries are keeping people from jumping into anything new without substantial consideration. Priorities have been reevaluated.
A less than ideal working situation pushed many on the verge of retirement over the edge. Boomer retirements more than doubled in 2020 from the previous year, removing a significant number of people from the workforce.
Being sidelined for so long keeps many people out of practice, losing skills needed for jobs they once had. Lack of time or ability to prioritize relearning these skills means lower self esteem and confidence, holding many back from applying to jobs similar to what they held previously. Even though a skill lapse during these times would be easily explained, it can be an inhibiting factor to putting oneself out there.
There are jobs out there. And there are job seekers out there. But with many micro-shifts in the priorities and needs of the unemployed workforce, it may take some time before companies see their applicant pools grow.
]]>After over a year of COVID-19's presence and its disastrous effects on global health and the economy worldwide, the job market has seen some steadying. Unemployment levels are much below the astonishing 14.8% we saw in April 2020, and the companies that survived are starting to see some relief. We hesitate to say "normal," but it feels like things are getting back on track.
Such a long time spent in this phase of uncertainty has surely affected the workforce. Remote working became much more commonplace, and this shift has lasting effects on job seekers. The market looks a little different these days, and hiring has changed along with it.
If you aren't open to remote working, you may find your candidate pool smaller than it once was. With the receipt of stimulus checks, many unemployed job seekers can be particular about finding their next position. At the same time, anyone considering a move to a new company may be hesitant to jump ship in an uncertain economy. Besides preferences about their careers, many candidates are still under obligations for home child care or schooling. Taking a new position adds stress and uncertainty, and many workers just won't consider it right now.
In the immediate future, you may need to allow for some working from home to satisfy the needs of the market, or be willing to choose from a smaller selection of candidates. The other solution, a much less appealing one, is to just wait it out. The stimulus checks will stop, unemployment will go back to normal levels, and job seekers will come out of the woodwork once again, willing to come back into an office full time. With the Delta variant, however, this may also be a challenging solution.
Are you allowing employees to work remotely? Great! Your talent market just got a whole lot larger. Even a hybrid model, requiring some in-person presence in the office, allows candidates staring down a long commute to more readily consider the job. But, while expanding your geographic considerations might feel like a relief to a tight candidate pool, you'll need to adjust a few things if this is a new policy.
Ensure you have systems set up to support a remote team. Improve communication, setting up regular check-ins and utilizing programs and technology to keep communication channels open and your team engaged. New-to-remote-working employees report feeling less connected to their coworkers now, so try to incorporate some solutions for the loss of social interaction. Be sure to emphasize your plans to all job candidates.
Understanding how hiring will change is critical to finding solutions to continue to attract the best talent. The pandemic has tested the flexibility and nimbleness of companies, and only the ones able to embrace change will come out on top.
]]>Our last post discussed the best ways for employers to incorporate feedback, working to include an analysis/reflection step in their project cycles so employees can stay informed of their performance level and thrive in a communicative environment. Preparing comments upon project completion is a great opportunity for identifying problem areas and spotlighting employees' needs for improvement.
What if your workplace doesn’t value open communication and healthy, constructive feedback? Asking for it can feel needy or unnecessary. The truth is, however, that feedback is critical to your vocational growth and an important component of your professional relationship to management. Most importantly, you present yourself as a committed and passionate member of the team.
We've gathered some tips for getting the comments you need and implementing changes efficiently.
Ask. Ask again.
Request a meeting to evaluate your work upon project completion. Next time, request again. Keep asking until it becomes the norm. Your boss should consider these discussions to be an investment in the success of the company, and even if they don’t have time for a meeting, suggest a quick one or two sentences on an area that could be bettered.
Don’t get defensive
Teams are supposed to be collaborative and supportive of all members, so comments that come your way should be taken seriously and not personally. Pointing fingers at others while deflecting useful feedback yourself just perpetuates inefficiency. Take each piece of advice and assume it’s coming from a genuine place.
Make a point to be better
Feedback and suggestions are useless if they aren’t implemented, so with each new project, set a small goal based on past calls for improvement. Targeting your focus will better indicate the success of your efforts, streamline the process, and organize your goal into actionable steps.
Be ready with questions
If you get the sense that management can't devote the time for proper evaluation, keep it simple. Ask a very specific question to direct their comments - something like "How did my timing feel on this project?" or "Would it help if I _____ next time?" This way, you're not demanding much of their time but still demonstrating your dedication and making moves to better yourself.
Try these suggestions to begin making progress towards improvement your performance at work. Your employer will thank you in the long run.
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":7049,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://cmaccessboston.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/employer-employee-feedback.jpg"><img src="https://cmaccessboston.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/employer-employee-feedback.jpg?w=1000" alt="" class="wp-image-7049"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Use specifics<br>No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Don't compare<br>In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Welcome critique<br>Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Remove their personality from the equation<br>Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!
Evaluating your performance after completing a project is crucial to improving your professional skills. But, it's not always easy to take a step back and look at the successes and the failures objectively. How can you know what needs improvement without a proper system of assessment? And employers, how can you groom a lean, mean, productive machine without your team knowing what's working and what isn't?
Our best suggestion? Build a project cycle that includes feedback and analytics. You have brainstorm/kickoff meetings, right? Consider adding in conversations to wrap up the project, including employee reviews as well as project analytics. Having a system that includes feedback makes open and honest communication much easier, and gives both parties an opportunity to comment on the process and final product.
Use specifics
No vague mentions of "doing better" are going to prompt any changes. Just like your meetings should end with actionable items for each person, these conversations demand takeaway points for improvement, if there are any. If you can provide numbers of any kind, even better. This makes the feedback less subjective, and gives evidence that improvement can be measured.
Don't compare
In a performance evaluation, avoid pitting employees against each other. A team should be supportive of each other, and, as they say "comparison is the thief of joy." Keep your team happy and collaborative by steering the feedback towards their individual work, mentioning specific points relevant to their performance, rather than pointing out a fellow team member's successes or failures.
Welcome critique
Being open to employee comments will make your team immensely more available to receive your feedback. Communication is a two way street, and there's no reason to target employees as the sole owners of the success of a process. Besides soliciting comments, regularly request specific points for improvement from everyone on your team after every project, whether it applies to you as an individual or the company as a whole.
Remove their personality from the equation
Try to address the behavior that needs changing rather than judging a personality. It's challenging, for example, to avoid mentioning someone's ego when discussing their tendency to interrupt, but “Your frequent interruptions stifle candid conversation,” is a more constructive comment than “Check your ego at the door.”
Your team will greatly benefit from an established system of evaluation as well as an environment that is collaborative in its efforts to improve. Be open to suggestions, and be sure to effectively provide the feedback your team is looking for. Let us know how it goes!