The Enlightened Manager

Why You Should Hire a Veteran

Hey Enlightened Managers!

I'll be getting right back to our blog series on Accountability, but I wanted to interrupt the flow for a moment to talk to you about something you might not have considered.  As you take part in your company's hiring process, have you considered the benefits of hiring a veteran?

I was pleased to see the news that the white house is proposing a tax credit for businesses who hire veterans.  In my mind, a tax credit is nice, but only a small incentive compared to the other benefits of employing former soldiers.

In the university classes I teach, I have many students who are veterans.  They've served their country, and now many of them are hard at work to earn a college degree, often times in addition to a full time job. What have I learned about these men and women as their professor?

1. They are deeply committed individuals, determined to do it right.  They don't just complete assignments to "check the box" - they genuinely want to absorb as much knowledge as they can.  They routinely ask hard questions, and go the extra mile to get the most out of every class.

2. They have a wealth of real life experiences.  While the language that veterans use may sound unfamiliar to civilian ears (we have projects and initiatives, they have missions) the typical 24 year old veteran has as much practical experience in teamwork and leadership as a civilian with three times as many years on the job.

3. They have managed unbelievably large projects.  I routinely meet veterans who had responsibilities for projects spanning tens of thousands of people.  Talk about responsibility!  Many of us in the civilian world don't get those opportunities until we're well into our careers, if ever.

4. They live by their values.  Excellence, mission-focus, teamwork, integrity, honor.  These are not just words, this is how they live.  How many of you can say that about today's civilian college graduates?

5. They are being dramatically underutilized today.  I have met veterans with incredible work experience, pursuing a degree on the side, and they are working entry level jobs that are *far* below their capabilities.  The transition from military to civilian life can be tricky, and we are not doing enough to embrace these strong and talented people into our workforces.

It is OUR loss as business people.  I don't doubt that for a minute. I hope this new tax incentive will begin to change that.

As we explore the idea of Accountability on the blog this month, I hope you'll keep this source of highly accountable and talented people in your mind.  Certainly each individual is different and not every veteran is a shining star, but the averages are certainly in your favor.

Employers can check out the VETS website for information on recruiting qualified veterans.

Of course I'd love to hear your stories about hiring veterans, or from veterans who have transitioned into the civilian workforce.  Why not leave a comment? :)

 

Ageism in the Interview: Tips for Avoiding the Stereotypes.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that there are a lot of unemployed people in the market these days.  In my conversations with some of them, a topic has risen several times, the idea that "my age is a disadvantage."

I wanted to write a bit about this, and offer some suggestions for people who are worried that their age is hurting them in the interview.

First, let me say that I acknowledge that ageism does exist, although I suspect it's a bit less common than people perceive.  In corporate environments, enthusiasm and malleability matter for some positions, and it's easy to feel like gray hair doesn't fit that "image" of a new employee.  That being said, it is my belief that most employers want the best fit, whether you are 19 or 95.

If you are an "older" individual (whatever that means to you) and you want to be sure that you are not fitting into a stereotype, here are a few tips to help out if you happen to interview with someone who is biased towards younger workers.

1) Dress appropriately- This is actually a good tip for any interviewee.  Look at how people dress at your target company and attempt to emulate it.  At a minimum, wear newer clothing.   A suit from the 80s may be clean and professional, but it can also date you.

2) Emphasize your interest in learning - A stereotype about younger workers is that they are more enthusiastic, better able to adapt, and more willing to learn.  By emphasizing your enthusiasm for the work and your openness to learning new things, you will help the interviewer avoid stereotyping.

3) Talk about experience situationally, not numerically -  Another tip is to give examples of your experiences, without making statements like "I've been in management for 20 years."   If you say "I got my degree in 1979" when your interviewer hadn't been born yet, you might intimidate them.

4) Don't talk about ageism -  I've been in some interviews where candidates spend most of the time talking about how they can't get a fair shake because of their age, and they are being discriminated against.  When someone walks into an interview talking about how they are a victim of discrimination before the interview has begun, the focus shifts from the candidate skills to the risk this candidate will sue - not a way to get hired.

Should you need to use these techniques?  No.  Interviewers should focus on skills and qualifications, not your birthday.  But because we know ageism is "out there" - these suggestions may help you overcome the invisible bias in the room.

Any thoughts or additional tips to add?  Post a comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

When a new employee isn't hacking it....

Has this ever happened to you?  You hire someone to work on your team and during the interview they seem exceptional.   Then to your surprise, they seem unable to grasp certain essential elements of the job, things that you assumed would be easy.  You wish you had made another choice, but they are already oriented to the job and you feel they are a nice person......

Should I fire the new employee?  Should I give them another few months to learn the job?  Should I cross my fingers and hope for the best?

This is a question you'll have to face a time or two in your career.  Interviewing is an imperfect science, with even the best process yielding at best only moderate odds of a good fit.  So how can you make the hard decision?  Here are a few questions to help you sort things out:

1. What isn't the new employee "figuring out"?  Be as concrete and specific as you can.

2. Is the issue one of training, intelligence, attitude, learning ability, or work ethic?   If the issue is that the employee needs some more training, then they are probably OK. 

Here is the trick though - don't fool yourself into thinking that you can "train" someone into having a better work ethic.  You're also unlikely to turn an introvert into a salesperson, turn a grouch into a customer service star, or turn a narcissist into the Dalai Lama.  Distinguish between long-held personality traits and trainable skills.

If you are dealing with someone who simply isn't a fit for the job because of their long-held traits, cut the thread cleanly and let them go.  If they need a typing class, that is another story.

3. Does the employee have strong points to balance out the weakness?  For example, if you like your employees to be wizards with a spreadsheet and your new hire isn't, but she has some really outstanding traits (fantastic phone skills) that the team needs, you might decide the compromise is worthwhile.

Here is my bottom line opinion.  If you have a new hire that you think was a mistake, and it's giving you that really horrible guilty feeling in the pit of your stomach, that is probably a sign that they are not a good fit.  Sit them down, tell them you're worried, tell them you feel bad because you may have put them in a job they are not suited for, and then ask them to work out a plan with you.  Perhaps the plan is that they redouble their efforts, or that they interview for a better fit elsewhere. 

Sometimes you just have to cut the cord cleanly to free everyone up for a better situation.  But remember that in these cases the error is more YOURS than it is the employee's!  You selected them after all, right?  So if you do let them go, do everything in your power to help them feel supported and respected through the transition. 

It's the least you can do, right?  And remember, if you are taking the kinds of risks that build a strong career you may find yourself on the other side of this discussion someday.  There is no shame in it.

First Impressions: Examining your Employee Orientation Process

I had a recent experience which highlighted for me the importance of a good first impression for new hires.  Often in leadership we are involved in the interview process but we turn our new hires over to our HR department to orient them to the company and handle the legal paperwork.  The experiences that our carefully selected new employees have once they hit the HR department can color their perceptions of the organization.  Here is the story that got me thinking about first impressions.

Usually as a consultant I bill for my services and thus don't need to interface with the HR process too much.  But recently I took on a project which required for accounting purposes that I be classified as an employee to do this work.  So I dutifully contacted HR to schedule the time to complete the required forms, and I waited for a response. The following is what happened.

1.  I scheduled my appointment for a Thursday, only to get a call from my client (supervisor) on Tuesday to say that HR had called and that I hadn't bothered to show up for my appointment.  So my first introduction to HR was that they made me look bad.  I was able to recover this by establishing that indeed my appointment was not on Tuesday, and by rescheduling.  At this point I figured anyone can make a mistake - so I was ready to let bygones be bygones.

2.  Almost as an afterthought, I am told that my orientation will be in the "south" campus.  I have no idea what this means, and no explanation is offered.  So I research this on my own and discover that I need to drive to an entirely different address than the place where I would be working.  So I map it out and take care of it.

3.  When I arrive for my appointment the receptionist asks for my name and then picks up the phone to tell HR that "Sarah Baker has arrived." (My name isn't Sarah)  This confuses things for a few moments until it gets sorted out.

4.  When I walk into HR I am greeted in a friendly enough way, although the HR director walks within inches of me about four times without any greeting or even any eye contact!  At one point I ask a question about where to get a name badge and the director looks at her employee and tells her to "Walk her over" but still hasn't looked at me, smiled, or made any sort of introduction.  I feel like a package that has been handed over to someone for processing.

4.  I am reminded a few times in a very polite way that I am welcome to call with questions, even though my HR rep has told me that once someone is hired she has "nothing to do with them" because she is just the recruiter.  As polite as her demeanor is, I'm a bit taken aback by this mixed message.

So what was the result of this little foray?  Admittedly as much as I am looking forward to this project and I am very favorably impressed by my client (supervisor), from the perspective of an "employee" entering this organization I was left with a sour taste in my mouth.  An HR director that won't show the simple courtesy of eye contact?  Talking about a person as if they are not in the room?  Disorganized introductions and poor scheduling?  Would you want to work in this place?

If I were a manager in this organization, I'd be knocking on HR's door ready for a serious conversation about the messages that are being sent to new hires.  After all, the unemployment rate in my area is about 3.8% right now, so who is going to come into this kind of an environment when there are other choices?  The experience of onboarding (orientation) can help integrate an employee or can conversely make them leery about their choice.  What do you want your orientation process to do?

I mention this story for one main reason.  As a manager - you may not be fully aware of the experience your new hires have during the onboarding process.  If you are not familiar with how your organization welcomes new talent - make a point of finding out.  Ask your new hires what they thought of the hiring process.  Sit in on a few orientation sessions to get a feel for what is happening.  Don't take anything for granted.

And if you find that your HR department is creating a poor first impression, sit down with them and talk about your concerns and expectations.  If your HR department is doing well - offer them some well-deserved praise.  Orientation is a joint responsibility, and it's likely that your HR department may not be able to offer every bit of training or preparation you might desire, but at a minimum they should offer a smooth process where employees feel welcomed, desired, and respected.

Your ability to get and retain strong team members begins with the process of hiring and onboarding.  Take a few moments to make sure that you are sending a strong message of professionalism right from the first moment.  Or else risk losing  your new people to someone else who will.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (Interviewee)

I find that as a former headhunter and recruiting manager I often get asked about how to prepare for interviews.  I wrote this article as a resource for friends, family, and colleagues who are starting the job search but are a bit nervous about interviewing.  Then it occurred to me: Enlightened Managers interview too.  Therefore I'm including this article as a resource for you as well.

Preparing for your Job Interview

Once you’ve been called in for a job interview, there are two major factors that will determine if you are hired for the position.  The first factor is the type of competition you have for the position, and there is nothing you can do to control this.  The second factor is how well you interview, and through careful preparation you can dramatically increase your success in interviewing.

Interviewing is a skill.  You may be the best candidate for the job, but if you interview poorly, the hiring manager may never know it.  This article is designed to give you a head start in preparing for a successful job interview.

What Employers Want

While not every employer is the same, when it comes to interviewing candidates, here is a common list of what employers want.

1. Employers want a candidate who shows up on time, is dressed appropriately, and who is relaxed and professional.

2. Employers want a candidate who has researched the company, and can articulate why this company and position interested them.
3. Employers want a candidate who answers questions honestly and authentically.
4. Employers want a candidate who can provide concrete examples of past experiences that relate to the job they are applying for.
5. Employers want a candidate who they feel will be a good match for the work environment/team/corporate culture.
6. Employers want a candidate who they believe can "hit the ground running" and who seems to be free of behavioral/attitude problems.
7. Employers want a candidate who they feel comfortable around, and who they can see themselves personally liking.

Preparing for the Interview

The art of preparing for the interview is mostly about identifying “stories” from your own life that you can tell during the interview process.  Rarely is interviewing like a test where there is only one correct answer.  Focus less on finding the correct answer and more about being yourself.  When “yourself” turns out to be the right answer, not only will you get the job, but you’ll have a better chance of being happy than if you had tried to mold yourself into a person you are not.

Most interviewers will invite you (explicitly or implicitly) to tell stories.  They usually won’t use the word “story” but that is still what they are driving at.  You’ll have the opportunity to tell:

Stories about your behavior:

“Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone you didn’t personally like.”

Stories about your work history:

“This position requires experience in financial analysis. Can you tell me about your experience in that area?”

I’ve included a sample list of “behavioral interview” questions at the end of this document.   To augment these more general qustions, you can find out what skills/experiences you are likely to be asked about during an interview by reading the job advertisement closely.  Some companies will send you a complete job description in advance of the interview if you ask them.  This can provide additional insight into what skills they will ask you about.

The key to preparation is to prepare your own true stories with regard to your behavior and skills in advance of the interview.  You can’t anticipate everything that will be asked, but you can prepare for many of the questions.  The reason why interviewing is hard is because when you are nervous, it is harder to “throw your mind back” and find the right example to talk about in that moment.  This is why you’re going to practice.  And it all begins with remembering the past.

Note:  Never “make up” an untrue story.  Even if this were not ethically wrong (and it is), you are likely to be exposed under further questioning or reference checking.  If you don’t have a good true story for a question, draw from your non-work (academic/life/family) experiences, or simply remark “I’m sorry, I can’t think of a good example for that.” Or “I don’t have experience in that area yet, but I am confident I can learn it.” 

The following two lists will help you prepare for your interview.  The first is a list of common behavioral/intro questions.  The second is an example of how you can take a job listing and use it to prepare for the skills portion of your interview.

Also keep in mind that when answering interview questions, it can be helpful to use the following format.

1. This is what happened.
2. This is what I did.
3. This was the result.
4. This is what I learned from it AND/OR This is what I’d do differently next time.

Frequently Used Behavioral Interview Questions

1. Tell me a bit about why you are interested in this job/company.
2. Tell me about a time when you failed.  What happened?  Who was involved?  What did you learn from it?
3. Tell me about a time when you had more work to do than was humanly possible.  How did you handle the situation?
4. Tell me about a time you had to work with someone you didn’t personally like.  What happened?
5. Tell me about a project you were involved in that didn’t go the way you expected.  What happened?  What was the result?
6. Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict at work?
7. What are your strengths?  (provide examples)
8. What are your weaknesses? (provide examples and/or how you are addressing the weakness.)
9. Tell me what your goals are.  Where would you like to be in five years?
10. I have a number of qualified candidates for this job.  Why should I choose you?
11. I see you left your position as (TITLE) back in (DATE).  Can you tell me why you decided to leave?

Sample Skills Based Interview Questions based on Job Ad.

CARE COORDINATOR

Putting people first – that’s what sets us apart. At

HEALTHCARE COMPANY

, providing the highest quality healthcare to all people and their communities is part of who we are. And that’s what healthcare is meant to be. We are currently seeking a F/T Care Coordinator to join our team! Requirements include: Bachelor's degree in nursing. Master's degree in nursing or a related field preferred. Experience in managed care field or in a hospital setting as a case manager is preferred

As part of our team, you will enjoy competitive compensation, a stimulating team atmosphere, and a beautiful Pacific NW location, just north of

Seattle

!

You can begin to dissect a job advertisement by taking terms/words out of this job ad that you think are potential interview areas:

“Putting People First”

“Highest Quality Healthcare”

Team

Managed Care

Case Manager

Insert these terms into basic interview questions to prompt you to prepare your interview stories.

“Tell me about a time when you put people first.”

“Tell me about your experience with high quality healthcare.”

“Tell me about your experience working in teams.”

“Tell me about your experience with managed care.”

“Have you worked as a case manager?”

Steps in the Interview Preparation Process

1. If you speak to the recruiter on the phone to set up the interview, ask him/her to share advice on how to dress for the interview if you don’t know.  In general, a suit or a dress shirt/tie/slacks (men) or  dress shirt/jewelry/skirt (women) are appropriate for professional/office jobs.  If the job is in management or pays more than 50K always wear a business suit unless you know there is a reason not to.
2. Pull the job description/advertisement down and highlight the skills/phrases that can “clue you in” to the interview.
3. Prepare your ‘stories’ for the general behavioral interview questions listed here.
4. Prepare your “stories” for the skills questions you’ve generated using the advertisement.
5. Practice saying these stories out loud until they sound casual and confident to your own ears.
6. Research the organization, learn what you can about the mission, values, and latest news.  Press releases can be a place to start.
7. Prepare a list of questions you have for the company.  Bring these with you.

Relax, and treat the interview itself like an opportunity to meet the friend of a friend.   The more you feel like yourself the better you will likely do.

Interview “Don’ts”

Don’t be late.  If you are late apologize and don’t dwell on it.

Don’t make any comments about race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, children, or disability.  (this applies to interviewees as well as interviewers - keep the conversation about the job.)

Don’t badmouth your former employer, company, or team.

Don’t lie or stretch the truth.

Don’t give out your references unless they ask for them.

Don’t call to follow up unless they told you they’d call by a certain time and that time has been passed by a week.

Don’t ask about pay/benefits/hours/working conditions during your first interview, unless they bring it up.

Interview “Do’s”

Do smile and make eye contact.

Do shake hands.

Do ask for accommodation (wheelchair accessible room) in advance if you need it.

Do ask “when can I expect to hear back from you?” at the conclusion of the interview.

Do thank the interview (ers) for meeting you.

Do ask in advance how long the interview will be if you have any time constraints.

Do print out good directions and bring a phone number in case you get lost.

Do ask them “tough questions” about the job/company if you have them.   This is your interview too!

Do be prepared to back up anything you've said on your resume with specifics.  Also be prepared to discuss your reasoning for switching jobs, explain any gaps in employment, and have your calendar ready if they ask to schedule a follow up interview.

These steps will help you be better prepared for the job interview.  Keep in mind that interviewing is a two way street.  Generally the first interview is all about the company learning about you, and as you progress through the process you should be learning more about the company.  With practice you can become a skilled interviewer.

Hiring: Whose Responsibility Is It?

When it comes to hiring staff for your department, who is responsible?  Is it HR's job to find the best talent for you?  Or it is your responsibility to seek the right candidate? As is often true in life, the responsibility is dual.  Today we'll discuss getting the most out of your HR team and avoiding the complacency trap.

One bad hire today is worth seven performance discussions down the road.  Yes, making one bad hire is going to mean that you will spend on average seven meetings talking to this person about how they are not doing well.   And most of you will agree with me when I say that interviewing is less painful than telling an employee they are not doing well.  I say this to put things in perspective:  Give yourself a break and spend more time interviewing and less time firing.  It's good for your mental health.

A Traditional View of Recruiting

Manager's Job:  Interview candidates and pick one.

HR's Job:  Everything else.

An Effective View of Recruiting

HR's Job: Sending the manager candidates that meet his/her specifications, providing a pleasant interview experience, assist with setting pay and writing the offer letter.

Manager's Job: Everything else.

Managers who view recruiting as an HR responsibility tend to make poorer quality hires. Why?  Because HR can never been as good at selecting the best candidate as the person who intimately understands the work and the department.

Getting the Most from HR

Here are some tips to get the most from your HR resource.

Insist that they meet with you - in person is best but the phone is OK.  Don't let them recruit just any "sales manager"  Be clear about what your ideal sales manager is - and ask them to find you matching candidates.

Review the job description and tell them if there are any "extras" you want from this person, or anything on the job description that is not relevant.  At a minimum you'll get better candidates, at a maximum you may also find the position demands a better pay grade than first thought.

Follow up regularly - You've heard the squeaky wheel gets the grease - and it is true that the squeaky manager gets the attention!  Most HR people are burdened by more open jobs than they can adequately fill - and by persistently and politely following up you'll stay on the top of your HR person's priority list.  If you are one busy bee, schedule 30 minutes for recruiting and tell your HR person that you can meet/call them weekly at this time to check in.

Take action quickly - There is little that is more frustrating than finding a slate of candidates for a job then having them sit for ten days while the manager does other things.  You'll lose the candidates and recruitment will need to start over.  Demand high quality candidates but leap on them when you get them.

Use Admin Privileges Wisely -  Most HR people won't be your administrative assistant,  but they will save you both time by setting up interviews for you if you can be reasonable.  Telling your HR person "I've blocked from 3-5 Monday and Wednesdays for Interviews, go ahead and schedule people you think I should talk to" is an efficient use of your time and theirs.  Ask them to set up blocks for you when they can.

Get Feedback -  Your HR person can save you time by helping you generate meaningful interview questions, giving you information on candidate behavior (IE: are they nice to you and mean to HR? Not a great sign), and feeling out the candidates on compensation issues.  Tell your HR person how they can help you and take advantage of their expertise.

HR tends to be either under or over used in the recruiting process.  Find the best balance and you'll be the one snapping up the best candidates while other managers are still running ads and scrambling to fill open jobs.