"Know this: your success will depend directly on the success of your staff. No one gets there alone. No one." ~ Bonnie Low-Kramen, Staff Matters As a 40-year veteran of the U.S. corporate workplace that spanned four industries (broadcasting, publishing, public relations and financial services), and was employed by Fortune 500 companies and mid-size businesses, … Continue reading DO YOU THINK YOUR “STAFF MATTERS”?
"Fashions fade, style is eternal." —Yves Saint Laurent With the trend toward dressing down at work continuing, it is important for women to remember that the power suit is still a thing. The Suit - The Great Equalizer The struggle for equality in the workplace is ongoing; but to make progress in all fields women … Continue reading The Power Suit – It’s Still A Thing
"Let no one think that flexibility and a predisposition to compromise is a sign of weakness or a sell-out." ~ Paul Kagame One of my favorite examples of compromise is a story told by many conflict resolution experts. It goes like this: Two sisters were arguing over who should take the last orange in the … Continue reading The Art of Compromise
Your Brand Name Is Only As Good As Your Reputation
~ Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group Ltd
Companies devote precious time and resources to marketing their brands to clients, prospects, consumers, shareholders, investors, underwriters and other important audiences. They target colleges and universities and other audiences for talent acquisition. Yet employers consistently overlook another very formidable audience: job applicants and candidates. How employers treat this audience during the recruitment process is crucial to their success not only in attracting talent but in enhancing their reputations across all audiences in the present as well as in the future.
Women and Salary Negotiation
The Feminine Negotiation Mystique
There’s a lot of buzz lately about the need for women to enter into salary negotiations when they receive job offers. This is due in part to Sheryl Sandberg’s modern bestselling manifesto, Lean In: Women, Work, And the Will To Lead, in which she describes nearly accepting Mark Zuckerberg’s first offer to join Facebook without negotiating salary and other terms. Ironically, it was at the urging of her husband and brother-in-law that she went on to “negotiate hard,” and the result was she received an “improved” offer, which she accepted.
Step Up to the Salary Negotiation
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
“Don’t leave money on the table,” is the advice of negotiators, and applies whether you're investing, navigating a business deal, applying for financial aid, making an offer on a house, wrangling over the sticker price on a new or used car, haggling with a market vendor, bartering over your allowance or negotiating your starting salary, benefits, perks and other fine points of your newly-minted job offer.
The Post-Interview Follow Up
“If you hesitate,
some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.
~ P.T. Barnum
Your interview is over. It’s time to walk the fine line of finesse and assertiveness. You should continue to express interest in the position, while avoiding the appearance of being a pest. Always be positive and appreciative, never arrogant or negative.
Therefore, before you leave the interview and send your written thank you(s), ask for the expected timeframe to make the hiring decision. This information will help you to plan your follow-up strategy.
The Luncheon Interview
“The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.”
~Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde's quotation is a metaphor for the choices he made. Its meaning for you is although you've made it this far, all can be forfeited if you fail the final test that many employers require: a demonstration of your table manners. Many positions require attendance at meetings and events that involve dining; exhibiting top-notch table manners proves that you can be trusted to represent the company well. In a close race, the smallest details can reveal the victor.
The Post-Interview Written Thank-You
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
~ James Allen
You’ve reached the end of your interview, or in some cases several interview sessions. Do you feel as though you’ve nailed it and the prize is yours? Or aren't you sure? In any case, now is not the time to drop the ball! You need to implement your follow-up strategy, starting with your written thank-you.
The Panel Interview
Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor.
~ H. Jackson Brown, Author, Life's Little Instruction Book
Panel interviews have become popular with many companies because it involves various stakeholders in the hiring process for a particular position and often cuts down on or eliminates the need for successive interviews. The panel interview can save time and money for everyone involved, including the candidate.
Jeanne Nelson 