Nobody Likes Your Performance Review!

Nobody Likes Your Performance Review

 

Whether you believe so or not, employees generally do not like the performance reviews conducted by their employers, no matter how interesting or ‘fun’ the company thinks they are. No one within a company wants to hear how they performed below expectations on an annual basis, even if they actually performed well. On the other side of the desk, many managers dread dealing with the backlash, arguments and lessened morale that are a result of these reviews.

Read on to learn some way to make performance reviews more productive and likeable.

Name Expectations Off the Bat

One of the best ways to make performance reviews more productive is to name expectations right off the bat. This means that you should tell the employee what the agenda will be for the duration of the review. Also, make sure you talk about how well things have been going. Then, move into what needs to improve in the coming year. When you begin the performance review by discussing the agenda, it shows the employee that there will not be any surprises.

Offer Specific Feedback

Make it a point to offer the employee specific feedback that can be put to good use once they return to their desk. Begin the conversation by mentioning specific work-related skills the employee is excellent at performing. This shows the employee that you have noticed how well they are performing and that their work has not gone unnoticed. Opening the discussion on such a positive note helps to lessen the blow of constructive criticism that comes later in the meeting.

Ask the Employee Questions Too

Another good way to start the performance review is to ask the employee how they are doing at work. This is perfect if you want the employee to open up and offer any areas where they are struggling. It can also help you understand or learn of any issues occurring at the office you might have been unaware of at the time.

There is Always Room for Improvement

You must understand that even your strongest employees have room for improvement. Even though they might not think so, this is a fact that you must keep in the back of your mind. You cannot coast through a performance review with a stellar employee because others will find out and begin to resent you for it. You also provide a disservice to your employee by coasting through a review without offering any constructive criticism.

Outline Future Expectations

As the performance review begins to close, be sure to outline the expectations you have for the employee in the future. Do not come up with any that will overwhelm the employee, but ones that can definitely be attained with a little bit of hard work and dedication.

The bottom line here is that no one likes the performance review at work, even if they know it is going to be a good one. Try to make the discussion as stress-free as possible by putting some of the tips above to good use.

 

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Using a Career Mentor to Get Ahead at Work

Using a Career Mentor to Get Ahead at Work

 

An excellent way to get ahead at work is by identifying a career mentor early on in your career development. A career mentor is someone who works in the same or similar profession as you and who has years of experience in the industry. This person either works at your company or within your industry. They can be a co-worker, a former supervisor, a former professor, a hired career coach, or even a family friend who works the same type of career as you. In this week’s focus, we will discuss how to effectively use a career mentor to get ahead at work.

Create Your Definition of Success

One of the first steps in using a career mentor to get ahead at work is to create your definition of success. You will only succeed at work when you have your own definition of success and do not follow someone else’s definition. Your definition will include ideas about money, work-life balance, company culture, recognition for work performed and control over your creative juices. You need to decide which of these areas are most important to you because not everyone will succeed in all of them.

Identify the Mentor’s Problems

The second step after choosing a mentor and creating a definition of success is to identify the mentor’s problems. No one is perfect and this goes for your mentor too. You need to figure out what your mentor’s shortfalls are by befriending their critics. When you befriend their critics, you will be able to learn what it is they need to work on in order to be more successful in their careers. If you can learn their shortfalls early in your career, you can do your best to avoid them at all costs.

Strive to Be as Good as Your Mentor

Another important tip to using a career mentor to get ahead at work is to strive to be as good as they are, but not identical to them. Do not try to become this person in all aspects of life. Only work your hardest to be as good as the mentor while on the job. This will help you perform well and impress your employer so your career can catapult to a new level.

Switch Activities You and Your Mentor Perform

Make sure the activities you and your mentor take part in vary as much as possible. You do not want to get into a set routine with a mentor because this will not benefit your career at all. Consider having discussions with your mentor about past experiences, issues at work, how to impress clients and much more. You can also review resumes, cover letters and articles written about the job.

Do your best to find a mentor who is truly dedicated to helping you succeed in your career. When you do so, be sure to express your gratitude towards them and never take advantage of their time.

 

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Is Your Salary History Killing Your Shot at a New Job?

Is Your Salary History Killing Your Shot at a New Job

 

One of the biggest discussions, and arguments, in the job search world today is whether or not a job seeker should disclose their salary history during a job interview with a potential employer. On one side of the argument, some experts say you should never disclose your salary history when speaking with a potential employer. The other side of the argument says that if you do not disclose the information, it could cause your resume to be thrown in the trash. We will debate this issue here.

Disclose for Screening Purposes

The side of the argument that says you should tell a potential employer your salary history believe in this method because it is used as a screening purpose. For example, if your previous salary is more than the company is willing to pay, then the employer might come to the conclusion that you will not accept anything less than what you earned in the past.

Reasons to Worry about Disclosing Salary History

There are two major reasons why job seekers do not want to disclose their salary history to a potential employer. The first of the two reasons is that the salary history might be lower than what the employer has budgeted for, and the job seeker is worried they will be lowballed by the employer during negotiations. The second of the two reasons is that the job seeker might not be able to negotiate a higher salary because the employer knows what the job seeker made in the past.

Disclose Full Compensation

As you search for a new job and decide that you will disclose your salary history to the potential employer, make sure you disclose your full compensation. This includes salary, benefits, 401(k), commissions, bonuses and insurance provided by former employers. Have your salary numbers from all prior jobs at the ready to divulge so you can be completely honest with the employer. Also, when you ask about the compensation, make sure you ask about more than just the salary.

Never Lie About Salary History

Make sure you never lie about salary history, especially if you do not want to disclose the numbers. If you have it in your head you will not disclose salary history, do not provide fake numbers to a potential employer. The employer will be able to find out what your work is worth and even find out the actual numbers when calling former employers to ask about you.

The bottom line here is that your salary history might hurt your chances at landing a new job even though it is not fair to you as a job seeker. Think carefully before disclosing salary history, especially if you have the slightest idea that it could cost you a job. Always err on the side of caution and provide salary ranges when asked.

 

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Exit Interviews: Do you know why your employees are leaving?

Exit Interviews

Employees leave companies for many different reasons, but sometimes the HR team won’t be able to explain why past employees left. In some cases, employees leave for better advancement opportunities or because they are not happy with their current employer. The only way a company can know or learn why employees are leaving is by taking advantage of the exit interview, and then learning from this feedback.

Encourage Honesty

The next time you hold an exit interview, make sure you encourage honesty on the part of the employee who is leaving the company. Few employees will be brutally honesty during an exit interview, especially when leaving smaller companies, because they do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Try to encourage honesty as much as possible so the employee explains the exact reasons why they decided to leave.

Ask These Questions

The following questions should be asked of the employee during an exit interview:

  • What will you get from your new employer that you didn’t get from us?
  • How do you feel things went here for you?
  • How are your career goals being fulfilled at your new job?
  • Can you give us any suggestions for improvement?
  • Would you like to be notified of any opportunities here in the future?
  • Is there anything we could have done to prevent you from leaving?
  • In what areas did we come up short?

Reveal Undiscovered Problems

For all you know, there could be some major problems hiding at your company. The only way you can find out about these problems is via the exit interview. The questions from the previous section could help to reveal these problems, which could include issues with the culture and competition that continues to aggressively recruit your talent. An outgoing employee will be able to shed light on these issues and much more if you ask the right questions and encourage honesty.

Make Appropriate Changes

Once you conduct the exit interview, you should begin to make appropriate changes to the company. This could include improving the company’s culture, offering better benefits, increasing salaries and offering more opportunities for advancement.

Companies need to know why their employees leave for other opportunities. They also need to know if an issue at the office led to the employee searching for a new job. The exit interview is the perfect time to find out this information.

 

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Are You Fishing in the Right Candidate Pool?

Are You Fishing in the Right Candidate Pool

 

With the spring season right around the corner, now is the perfect time to throw the fishing metaphors into the fray. When it comes to searching for potential employees, companies must fish in the right candidate pool if they want to be successful with new hires. Here, we will discuss the best places to find the right candidates when jobs become available at your company.

Offer Value to Communities

Companies need to not only join industry communities, but should also provide valuable information for others. This is especially true on LinkedIn and other networking resources. Groups on LinkedIn are an excellent place for candidates and companies to mingle within the same industry. Companies cannot use the communities simply to post open jobs and then disappear. The companies need to provide content and discussion that impresses candidates and motivates them to apply for jobs.

Use Social Media Wisely

Companies must also use social media, but not in a fleeting way. Get involved in Twitter chats, Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, or forums. Also, browse blogs within your company’s industry and see if you can provide a guest post or create a member account to enter the discussion at the end of a post or article. Create a positive culture around your company to lure great candidates to your company, and also take advantage of the already active social networks of a well-known staffing company like Advance Staffing Solutions.

Get More Employee Referrals

When companies utilize an employee referral system they are fishing in the right candidate pool. The reason for this is that employees will not put their necks on the line for just anyone because their reputation is at stake each time. Even though employees will be rewarded for successful referrals, it does not mean they will take advantage of the system.

Target Skilled Tech Candidates

Candidates who know technology make some of the best employees today. Technology is such a major part of our lives, and jobs, that it can no longer be overlooked, no matter the type of job your company has available. A pool of candidates with tech experience makes it easier to fill some of your open jobs and that they will be of excellent help to your company’s goals if they remain on the staff for a prolonged period. Work with Advance Staffing Solutions to secure some of the best technical candidates in the Detroit MI area.

Remove Barriers for Passive Candidates

Some of the strongest job candidates are passive candidates because they are already displaying how well they perform their job functions at high levels. A major issue with passive candidates and getting them to look at your job opening is the fact that they are always busy. Your company needs to work around the passive candidate’s schedule in order to fish them out of the pool. This includes offering them a first-round job interview via video. It allows them to schedule it during their free time and they do not have to take time to travel either.

Finding the right pools to fish for candidates can be difficult today for companies, but it can be done if the tips outlined in this post are put in place.

 

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Job Seeker Tips – Who Should You Use as References?

Who Should You Use as References

As a serious job seeker, you may have encountered plenty of job applications that ask you to provide a few references. This often stumps some job seekers, because they are not entirely sure whom they should list here. On the one hand, not providing a reference could cause you to not get considered for the job; on the other hand, providing the wrong references could cause you to not look favorable to a recruiter. How do you decide whom to use as career references?

There are a few ways to determine the best people to include as references, when searching for work. Read on to learn how to pick the right references that will impress a potential employer.

Think About Your Career History

Before you start listing all your best college buddies as references, consider if any of these people have ever actually been part of your work history. If not, then they don’t belong on your reference list. Instead, your references should be people you’ve worked with in the past. They can be former co-workers, clients, and mentors.

Choose Credible References

Another factor to consider when providing references as a job seeker is how credible they are. Think about courtrooms and when lawyers pick a witness they go for people who are viewed as believable. Former college professors, members of public office, religious leaders, doctors, and business owners are often great references because what they say about you holds more weight.

Make Sure References are Reliable

The last thing you need are references who are difficult to get in touch with, or whom do not care about your career success by responding to an inquiry. You also don’t want a reference who says odd things about you to a recruiter. Instead, choose people who are reliable and care about you enough to be good references.

Get Those Reference Letters 

While you still may need to have a few people listed as references, you can save yourself the time and worry about waiting for the recruiter to call everyone by providing written reference letters. If you can get the letters before you leave a job, that’s good, or you can simply reach out by phone and ask for one later on.

Use Your Recommendations on LinkedIn

A more modern way to determine who would be good to list as a reference is to choose some people on your LinkedIn profile who have recommended you with written testimonials. Reach out to some former colleagues or your professional networks and get some if you don’t already have a few recommendations.

If you are still struggling with knowing whom to use as a job reference, consider anyone who you know that works at the company you are applying to now. Then put them down as a reference.

 

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The Three Keys to Conducting a Background Check

Hiring new employees can be an exciting adventure.  However, one bad hire can be damaging to your business and in some cases, costly too. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to protect your business and recruit the best candidates during this process.  A good way to do this is to run thorough background checks for any potential new hires in Detroit MI before you bring them on board.

Conducting background checks doesn’t have to be complicated.  Here are the three keys to running background checks for all new hires.

#1 – Use a standardized and legal, background screening process.

There are certain pre-employment background checks that you can and cannot perform on candidates, under current employment laws. The Small Business Administration provides these guidelines to help simplify this concept. Keep your focus on criminal background checks, drug screening, credit checks, and workers’ compensation claims are permissible, but on a limited basis.

#2 – Get every candidate’s written permission to perform any background checks.

Remember that all candidates must give their consent by signing off on a permission form before any background checks can be completed. This usually involves a permission clause during the application process or a chain of custody form that they take to the drug screening agency. Use a third-party company that is approved to conduct criminal background, credit checks, and workers’ compensation checks — don’t try to do them yourself.

#3 – Never release the results of any background checks to the candidate or others.

The background checks you perform are considered to be your company property, and the information is of a privacy matter with any candidates. Therefore, you are not under any legal obligation to provide candidates with access to this information at any time. In the case of credit records, the candidate does get a letter stating they are eligible for a free credit report due to information determined during the credit check only. If you decide not to move forward with a candidate, simply state it is to pursue other candidates. Do NOT state it is because of something on a background check, which could open up a discrimination lawsuit.

Performing background checks on candidates is something that all recruitment professionals face at some time, but it’s a solid practice. Use a staffing agency to handle details like this and your company will have one less thing to worry about.

We hope you enjoyed this post and share it with your networks! Also, we look forward to your comments and feedback! Want to learn more? Explore important recruitment and employment topics by reading a few popular posts from Advance Staffing Solutions – a premier temporary employment agency in Detroit, MI.

Please feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter for industry news, job leads and featured updates.

Transform Manufacturing with Smarter Robotics

The manufacturing world has been through many transformations over the years. From mass production of cheaper parts and lean manufacturing principles to the inclusion of robotics and technology, there is always a better way to build a mousetrap. Now that there are more efficient ways of managing robotics in the manufacturing space, a new breed of smart robots is emerging on the market that is once again making big changes in manufacturing.

A new generation of industrial robots makes its debut.

Meet “Baxter”, a 300-lb 6-foot tall robot with built-in facial expressions designed to work in a plastic manufacturing plant in Connecticut. By using a simple human-computer interface, every employee at the facility can easily see if Baxter is working correctly and teach it new tasks without complicated programing. In the future, robotics like Baxter will be able to perform unlimited tasks to augment the skills of human employees, making it more cost effective than the specialized robots of the past.

What about manufacturing robotics and cloud computing?

Additionally, the use of cloud computing is making it easier and cheaper for manufacturing companies to utilize robotics. Instead of sending work overseas to take advantage of cheap labor, many assembly work can be done by robotics operators in the USA. And these manufacturing robotics are not merely limited to standard robot stations confined to the plant floor. Mobile robots, which include aerial and autonomous units are making their way to manufacturing plants around the nation. In the past, robotics were criticized for being cumbersome and requiring a special database to operate, but now cloud-based robotic software enables robots to be adapted for human work purposes.

How will new robotics in manufacturing affect the job market?

The International Federation of Robotics released a special report entitled Positive Impact of Industrial Robots on Employment, which indicated that the industrial robots currently in operation (nearly one million) have been directly responsible for the addition of new jobs. The report also goes on to state that, “Robots will help to create jobs in some of the most critical industries of this century: consumer electronics, food, solar & wind power, and advanced battery manufacturing.” It is estimated that another one million in human jobs will be the result of adding more smart robots to industrial organizations over the next five years.

If you are looking to work with manufacturing staffing agencies in Michigan or Ohio, contact Advance Staffing Solutions today.

What You Need to Know About Social Hiring and Recruiting

Social media began over a decade ago as a way to engage with others, find old friends, and connect with people all across the world. Over the years, it has changed dozens of times and is now being used by many organizations for recruiting employees. Not only does social media give recruiters a chance to find out more about potential candidates, but it allows them to reach more people as well.

Many job seekers are going past online job boards and looking for employment through sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. As a recruiter, to go after the best candidates you’ll need to keep up with the times for successful social hiring and recruiting.

The Rise of Social Media in Recruiting

One of the primary reasons social hiring exists today is because of how much social media is actually used. According to a recent career survey conducted by a career job portal, two in five employees found their job through a social media site. The statistics also showed that 39 percent of companies are successfully using social media for recruiting. The fact remains that everyone is using social media sites more, job seekers and employers included. By incorporating methods for finding great employees through social media, you are reaching more candidates.

Educate Yourself on Social Media in Recruitment

As a recruiter, you need to start out by educating yourself on the different social media sites use for finding employment. You are probably aware of LinkedIn, as it is used by millions of people for finding employment, as well as by businesses seeking top level candidates. But that isn’t the only site to use for social media hiring and recruiting. You also want to employ other social media sites and really find out how the sites are being used and which are the most popular. Some recommended sites to use are Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.

Watch Your Competition

Another great way to start recruiting through social media is by watching your competition. If you know of other businesses in the same industry that recruit through social media sites, take a look at their accounts and see what they are implementing. This gives you a hint as to what methods work, and which you can implement to stand out from them. Think of unique ways to reach potential job candidates so that you can keep up with your competition’s recruiting efforts.

Develop a Long-Term Strategy

Finally, make sure you have a solid recruiting strategy and that it has good long-term effects. Just because you start out with one method of recruiting, doesn’t mean you have to maintain that method. Perhaps over time, you have found that certain techniques of finding candidates isn’t working for you as well as they used to. Move on and find another way, such as posting on a different site, connecting with industry specific groups and social members, and searching through tweets of individuals announcing their need for employment.

Social media hiring and recruiting has proved to be successful for many companies, and you can do very well with it with regular practice. The most important thing is to have a plan, rather than just jumping in and hoping for the best.

If you are looking for staffing agencies in Monroe MI, contact us today.

HOT JOBS in Production and Materials Handling | Monroe Michigan Manufacturing Jobs

While much of the USA recovers from what has been a tough season, the good news is that there are a number of exciting entry and mid-level careers available in Michigan, a state that has been hit hard by the recession. Some of the top growth industries include manufacturing and logistics for top industrial companies in and around the Monroe area.

Career Outlook for Production and Material Handling Professionals

Candidates who have an interest or background in material production and handling can find rewarding assignments that have above-average starting wages and on-the-job training opportunities. The US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics advises that there will be 48,700 new jobs created in materials handling by the year 2020, with a vast majority of these pros working in warehouses and factories managing product inventories to increase business revenues.

Requirements for Working in Shipping and Receiving, and Production Jobs

Material handlers must have at least a high school diploma or GED, and be able to stand, bend, and lift materials throughout the day with minimal supervision. Material handlers often work indoors, in climate controlled environments as part of a team of workers. Strong mathematics, hand-eye coordination, and time management skills are a plus. Production and shipping workers can expect from 1 to 6 months of training, average salaries of $24,000 USD annually, and rapid career advancement for top performers.

HOT Jobs from Staffing Resources

Think you’ve got what it takes to succeed in production and materials management careers? This month, we would like to highlight some “hot” jobs in the production and industrial fields that are available now for qualified candidates. Please click on the links below for more information and to apply. We also appreciate referrals!

Shipping and Receiving Jobs in Monroe MI

Production Worker Jobs in Monroe MI

These and many other rewarding temporary and temp and temp to perm assignments in Michigan and Ohio are available by visiting our career portal at Advance Staffing. Find out why we have been rated as a leader in staffing and recruitment in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan for over 20 years! If you are looking for Michigan work opportunities, contact Advance Staffing today.

4 Tips for Onboarding Temps | Temporary Employees Toledo Ohio

Many companies have onboarding programs designed to welcome new employees to the company during the first few weeks on the job. Yet, they forget that temp employees can also benefit from an onboarding process.

Multiple workplace studies have shown that when temporary employees have access to onboarding support, they often perform to higher standards sooner and they stay actively engaged in their assignments. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) released a report that advised that almost half of all new hires quit within the first 4 months on a new job when an onboarding process is not offered. On the other hand, when onboarding of temporary employees is part of the formal orientation program, the benefits to organizations include:

  • Saves co-workers the time and hassle of training all new temporary employees, increasing productivity from day one.
  • Clears up any miscommunication about the job itself, and demonstrates the reason behind all temporary assignment tasks.
  • Improves overall morale for the entire workforce, while showing the temp employee that he or she is a valued part of the company.

A temporary employee onboarding program does not have to be a complex one. In fact, putting together a temp worker onboarding process can be accomplished in 4 ways.

#1 – Create a welcome package specifically for all new temps.

The first day in a new assignment can be intimidating for temps. You can help to alleviate any stress and create a structured temp onboarding process by putting together a welcome package for temps. In this welcome package include: a welcome letter that overviews the company, a job description and task list, new hire paperwork, employee handbook, technology instructions, safety guidelines, and a directory of workplace contacts.

#2 – Schedule an orientation week that includes participation from supervisory team.

Temps often fare better if they are provided with a thorough orientation during the first week at least (sometimes more depending on their role). Create a schedule for this orientation and work with your supervisory team to best cover all aspects of the new temp’s job duties. Clearly explain and demonstrate every task. Go over company policies and procedures in depth. Set goals for temps and make the supervisors accountable for their success.

#3 – Set up a mentor for each temporary staffer for on-the-job guidance.

Before a temp has reported for work, have a voluntary member of your team assigned as a mentor. This person can oversee any challenges that the temp has, offer guidance for performing tasks, and help the temp with any troubleshooting at work. Over time, the temp will become self-reliant and the mentor will help facilitate their integration into the team structure.

#4 – Regularly provide feedback to the temp employee and staffing agency.

Each week, meet with the mentor and supervisory team to gather feedback on the progress of the temp. If you are getting negative feedback, relay this back to your staffing agency so they can schedule an on-site visit to work with the temp to improve. In rare cases, a temp may need to be replaced, but very often a little extra support can help bring them up to speed quickly.

If you are looking for temp agencies in Monroe MI, contact us today.

3 Tips to Improve Your Job Descriptions and Attract Top Candidates

As the recruitment leader for your organization you are keenly aware that you must create accurate job descriptions based on the actual responsibilities and requirements of each assignment.  Unfortunately, often these job descriptions are very dry and not very appealing to the best candidates.  In today’s job market it is absolutely vital that you are creating job descriptions that attract the top candidates to your company.  Therefore it’s time to take your job description to the next level and write them in such a way that they will attract the top candidates.

Here are our best 3 tips to improve your job descriptions and attract high performance candidates to your business.

Number 1 – Use an eye catching headline

Online marketers and recruiters know that when it comes to catching the attention of consumers and job seekers that the headline counts the most. Therefore, you will want to use an attention-grabbing headline that will peak the curiosity of the best candidates out there. Start things off with the right tone that fits with your corporate culture and make sure that the best job title is included for ease in searching online.

Number 2 – Keep the job advertisement short and sweet

When designing your job advertisement take the time to stand out from the crowd with a well-designed advert that takes advantage of plenty of white space. After your initial description of the job’s requirements include a bulleted list of traits and skills that you desire in the right candidate. This will help to weed out the best candidates from those who are less suitable for the assignment.

Number 3 – Include the company branding and industry keywords  

Remember that every publication that you put out there is a representation of your company brand. This means you will want to share pertinent information about your company, including its status in the industry, any leading innovations you’ve created, and the outstanding work environment, compensation and benefits package you offer to new hires. Use the most common industry keywords to help top performance candidates find you on social networks and online search engines.

Of course, if you find your job advertisements falling flat, you do have the option of hiring through a temporary staffing agency like Advance Staffing Solutions in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. This can be a way to get around an otherwise frustrating experience of trying to recruit the right candidates on your own. You’ll have access to highly skilled and pre-screened candidates in Michigan and Ohio, without the worry of having to write so many job advertisements.

If you are looking for Michigan employment agencies, contact Advance Staffing Solutions today.