Why We Must Stop Talking About Hiring The Best

Why We Must Stop Talking About Hiring The Best I remember receiving a call from a client that I had worked closely with, building their IT team from a single member to a fully functional team. One of the first developers I had placed with them, an extremely talented guy (we’ll call him Bob for the sake of argument), had handed in his notice and they needed to replace him. I asked them if there were any changes to the job spec we worked from for the developer role at that company. “No”, came the answer, “we are essentially looking for someone exactly like Bob”.  This response is understandable after all, their ongoing business plans required a team with a specific skill set and knowledge base. Therefore, if a member of that team was leaving, it would be ideal to replace them with someone as similar as possible, to minimise any disruption. However, the kicker is that it is impossible. You will never find anyone with precisely the same skills, background, knowledge, approach to problem-solving etc. as someone else. Software development is a knowledge-based role that requires solving unstructured problems i.e., problems where there are no known right answers, and multiple ways to solve them. This is true of any role where there is a reasonably high expectation of discretion in how the employee carries out their activities. For example, a concept designer has a huge amount of input into what designs to exploit, and which to reject, when exploring new designs for future innovations, but factory workers on a production line have very little say in how they perform their duties. Hiring is essentially a planning activity. You are making certain predictions about the future, and what organisational resources you will need in order to be successful in that future. In this case, you are predicting what human resources you will need. You need to know what duties that human resource needs to perform, what skills they need to perform it, and how to motivate them to perform those duties. This involves placing certain bets on likely outcomes of the future. These bets may or may not pay off. For example, HMV’s MD famously bet in 2002 that online retailers and downloadable music were nothing but fads, and so failed to develop either the human or infrastructure resources to exploit this space themselves, until it was too late. However, the problem is that it is very difficult to predict how environmental factors will affect your business over time. Therefore, business owners have to make decisions on what they think will happen, and assume that those future scenarios are highly likely to occur. After all, any business is faced with an almost infinite number of possible futures, but you cannot plan for an almost infinite number of outcomes. In order to achieve anything practical, you have to pick a course, and hope for the best. To bring this back to the company I was discussing, they assumed their ongoing business required someone as similar to Bob as possible. This is understandable, as our predictions about the future are based on our experiences of the past, and these past experiences create an anchoring effect: for example, if a company hires a graduate into a non-graduate role, and the graduate performs well, the company may well only look to hire graduates for that role in the future. This also underpins the foundational concept of the job interview; by asking candidates about their past successes, you assume that past achievements act as a realistic predictor of future achievements. Unfortunately, as many struggling companies have found out when hiring CEOs from successful businesses, only to see little-to-no impact on their fortunes, past success is a poor predictor of future performance, as performance is grounded in specific context. No two companies are precisely alike, and academics who study ch aos theory within organisations assert that the likelihood of the exact same situation happening twice is so unlikely as to be impossible. Two situations may superficially appear similar to one another, but in all likelihood the people involved, the knowledge they have, and the external environment they operate in will all be different. So, most of the work in hiring activities involves creating a set of performance criteria to assess who is ‘best’ for a role. For a sales job, the key metric sales figures is an obvious and intuitive choice. But, there are different ways of achieving high sales. “Cowboy” tactics, which often involve lying to candidates, and hard-selling to clients, might well result in a high sales figure. But is that the kind of person you want working for your company? An almost universal problem for job roles, including software development, is that it is virtually impossible to come up with an objective measure for performance. In software development, there is a mythos of the 10X Engineer (the software developer who is 10 times better than his colleagues). However, as Shanley Kane notes in her superb critical evaluation of the 10X myth, the whole 10X concept was based on a single, highly flawed study of developers conducted in the 1960s. Whilst companies like to talk about hiring 10X E ngineers, this ignores how an individual’s performance is affected by a huge number of variables, and how the very concept of performance itself is left ill-defined. There is no objective way to determine who is the best person to hire, which begs the question, why are companies so obsessed with finding the best? Finding the best depends on your own individual assumptions about the future, and what resources you will need to bring into your organisation in order to effectively exploit the future. However, those assumptions can be massively limiting. The company I was discussing had decided that the ‘best’ person for them would be as similar as possible to Bob, and this meant finding his replacement was highly problematic. A number of talented candidates were rejected because they weren’t Bob. The recruitment for the role stretched out over months, until their desperation to fill the role finally outweighed their need to find Bob 2.0. Hiring requires a balance of flexibility and rigidity, and this requires a shift in thinking from best to good enough. Good enough typically carries negative baggage: ‘oh, you aren’t perfect, but youre good enough’. However, in this case, “good enough is a realistic acknowledgement that performance assessment can only ever be made retroactively; and, without the ability to accurately predict the future, the whole concept of best is meaningless and redundant. An organisation is not stable, nor predictable, nor mechanistic. It is messy, dynamic, nonlinear, and chaotic. So, hiring managers need to understand what their assumptions about the future are, and then use those predictions as guidelines for who to hire, rather than a rigid blueprint. Good enough is the best you are going to get, but the good news is that good enough may prove, over time, to be the best hiring decision you could have made.

How To Manage A Relationship When You Make More Money

How To Manage A Relationship When You Make More Money The following is a guest post by  Jasmine Diaz.  Her bio follows. Maintaining a healthy relationship requires an equal amount of skill and experience. But when matters of the heart include money, it can make for a very sticky situation. Being the breadwinner in said relationship can be more of a challenge than you desire, but you don’t have to compromise happiness for your career. You can find the balance between owning your love life and the bank account. Here’s 4 tips on how to manage a relationship when you make more money than your partner. #1 Take a step back and let him lead Most career women I know have a sincere problem with being dependent (i.e. less independent). They’ve climbed that work ladder and have found success on their own, but power in the workplace doesn’t always translate well at home. That drive to dominate is not an attractive relationship quality (for some men, at least). Your partner is not looking for a dictator, he instead wants a partnership. And when you’re in a partnership, you want to be respected as someone of equal value. If you’re the breadwinner in your relationship, it’s even more important that you communicate with your partner. Let him make important decisions without you interfering (where to order take-out is a good start). Let him pick up the tab instead of always reaching for your purse. I’m not saying you should sit back and be waited on, but there are ways to make your partner feel like they are an equal even if it’s not in the bank. #2 Don’t use money as a weapon Being with someone who makes more money than you can be a major pride-deflator, and when you use it as a weapon, it can create tension and/or resentment in your relationship. It may be difficult for your partner to cope with the fact that you out-earn him, so rather than make money the focus, acknowledge what he does bring to the table. Is he a great father? Amazing cook? Brilliant writer? Good in bed? Whatever it is, highlight it and make it a big deal. Being a great partner means being a great supporter, and by showing that you support their endeavors, achievements and life-wins, you are saying, “You are valued. I respect you. I appreciate you.” And being valued is worth more than gold. #3 Sharing is caring This tip mostly applies to couples, but any reasonable dater can come away with a few nuggets of value. In marriage, there should be an “us” and “we,” not a “yours” and “mine.” If you’re married to a man who makes less money than you, realizeâ€"in theoryâ€"that your money is his money. I understand that there are prenups and a need to protect one’s own interests. But people get married with the hopes of staying together, so don’t treat “your money” like it’s more valuable than your relationship. Instead of getting caught up in the legalize of personal finance, consider opening a joint account where you can both make deposits and withdraws. Talk about your spending habits together so there are no surprises, and let your partner use it as needed. Unity in this area of your relationship will help more than it will hurt. #4 Never argue about money Before I got married, my mother sat me down and laid out what she called, “The facts.” “Never argue about money. Dad and I never argue about money, and neither should you.” I have to tell you, I didn’t really believe it, because what couple doesn’t argue about money?! I can safely say that in my 14 years of marriage, my husband and I have never argued about it. What I have come to learn is that, A) Money comes and goes, and B) When it goes, there’s a chance it won’t come back, and if you’re broke, why add lonely to that mix? There is no purpose in fighting about the cause of a financial loss, because “my” loss is our loss. If your partner is a poor money-manager, consider establishing a monthly spending budget. A great way to do this might be with a prepaid spending card like Serve by American Express that you can deposit money into every month. This will put your spending habits in to focus, and will reduce the risks of being “out of funds” when you need it. Focusing on a solution is a far more productive way to resolve financial conflicts, so don’t argue about money. It’s just a waste of your precious time. About Jasmine Diaz: Jasmine Diaz is a celebrity matchmaker, author and dating strategist.  Jasmine has over 15 years experience helping high-profile celebrities, athletes and business professionals from across the United States. Determined to be more than just “a matchmaker,” Jasmine has quickly become a go-to dating expert and television personality.  Shes appeared on “TD Jakes Show,” “The Raw Word,” “For Peete Sake,” “Big Girls Club,” “LisaRaye: The Real McCoy,” Fox News, “The Loving Story,” and “Need Love Will Travel.” .  Jasmine resides in Los Angeles with husband Eddie and son Gray.

What is that thin line between freelancing and running your own business

What is that thin line between freelancing and running your own business So you’ve successfully set up your freelance business.  But do all businesses fall into the same basket? Or do people just arbitrarily interchange terms? The fact is that freelancing and entrepreneurship are two distinct, albeit very similar, things. Both are part of the “process to financial independence”, with freelancing being somewhere at the halfway point (yes, if you’re smoothly sailing through the freelance waters you’re already halfway there, so congrats!). Freelancing is a bridge between a day job and full-fledged entrepreneurship. If your ultimate dream is to eventually set up your own business, then freelancing is a fantastic way to start because it lays the groundwork to springboard you to the next level. The risk factor is considerably lower (the risk is limited to securing and retaining clients) than with full-fledged entrepreneurship.   And you can start earning straight away thanks to myriad resources and support for freelancers out there. It’s the most reliable form of non-employed income. Now, let’s take a look at key differences between freelancing and entrepreneurship and which type of (ad)venture would be more reflective of your career aspirations, personality and lifestyle. Freelancers trade time for money, entrepreneurs depend on systems that help them make money while they sleep  The main difference between freelancing and entrepreneurship is in relation to time and money. Seth Godin, a best-selling author, entrepreneur and a self-proclaimed agent of change, was quite to the point when he said: “Freelancers get paid for their work. If youre a freelance  copywriter, you get paid when you work. Entrepreneurs use other peoples money to build a business bigger than themselves so that they can get paid when they sleep.” As a freelancer you typically have a skill that you can exchange for money. This may be writing, designing, coding, etc. However, you only make money when you work. As an entrepreneur, on the other hand, you depend on systems, automation and, hopefully one day, your own employees (you can hire other writers, designers or coders) that work without your direct involvement. If you take yourself out of the equation your business should still work.   Hence, you’re able to make money in your sleep.  Freelancers sell their skills to established markets, entrepreneurs look for a gap in the market that can be filled  As a freelancer you fulfil your client’s vision by offering your skills as a form of service. And that’s about where your responsibility for solving the world’s critical issues ends. You don’t have to do anything more, your job has been done. As an entrepreneur you look under every nook and cranny in the search of your very own special place in the market. If you identify a need â€" a gap in the market â€" it’s your one of a kind opportunity to fulfil it. The more urgently people need your products or services turned into products, the more money youll make. “Freelancing is simple and more direct, entrepreneurship is juicier and more complex” These are the words of a man who dabbled in both worlds. Pardeep Goyal enjoyed both freelancing and entrepreneuring (this one a bit more, he admits) after leaving the nine-to-five corporate grind for good. He says that introverted specialists tend to thrive as freelancers, but once you decide to upgrade your career path and take the entrepreneurial plunge, you’ll need to become more of an extroverted generalist. This is because solid people skills will come in immensely handy when you finally decide to expand your empire by building a team (it’s always recommended to hire people better than you by the way). Being able to call yourself a generalist pays off, too, since running a little empire usually requires “fireworks of skills”. It goes without mentioning that another significant difference lies in earning potential. In the realm of freelancing, the only way to generate more income is to increase the price of your services. And even then your income has a ceiling because businesses and individuals are willing to pay only so much for the services you offer. In the realm of entrepreneurship there’s no income ceiling. Especially if you manage to hit the sweet spot and your business idea fulfils the right market need. These insights on freelancing and entrepreneurship   authored by Katarina Matiasovska Katarina Matiasovska writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for  internships. To browse our  graduate jobs London listings, visit our website.  

Your Job Description Is Your Baseline Try Exceeding It! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Your Job Description Is Your Baseline Try Exceeding It! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Most employees assume that their responsibility with their firm is to meet the criteria outlined in their job description. While it’s true that you will be appraised based on how well you meet this criteria and satisfy your requirements, that’s not going to make you stand out in today’s challenging job market. In years past, if you consistently fulfilled all the tasks associated with your job description, it would be enough to meet your managers’ expectations and could even get you a promotion.   Today this is not the case. According to SimplyHired.com, (a job listing aggregator) also cross-references Bureau of Labor Statistics data with its postings, and comes up with its own most-competitive metro area  list. It says there are 8 unemployed people per job opening.    This explains why in today’s corporate world you need to have a different attitude than your parents had in order to stay employed, get noticed, stand out from the crowd and move up in your firm. Every employee can improve their standing in the workplace by adhering to certain adaptable work place practices. These ideas may seem obvious at first glance but implementing them in ones daily routine is not easy.   It requires discipline and a conviction that your contribution can make a difference in your work environment and in your career advancement. Try using these strategies to reinvent yourself and become what recruiters refer to as “top talent.” The first thing I tell my clients who are starting a new job is this: Your main job should be to  KEEP  your job! At first glance, this statement may not seem so profound but in today’s economy it is a real challenge for many employees. It’s important to consider every day at work  why your company needs you and what you can do above and beyond  in completing your prescribed job description to take on more capacity and add value to your firm. Here’s a general rule about the most successful employees:  They come early and stay late, try harder, and continually advance their skills. The most valued employees don’t limit themselves (nor their work) by their job description. They tend to be flexible and find creative ways to help their department succeed. Here are five ways you can become indispensable at work and take your career to the next level Invest 10 percent of your time in personal growth: Focus on building new relationships at conferences, at networking events, doing charity work, blogging and by learning a new skill that could be useful to your firm. Make Your manager successful:   Do everything they ask and then ask for more ways to help out. Take on projects that no one else wants to do and make sure you get face time with him or her as much as possible. Become the go-to expert In your field Forbes columnist Dan Schawbel says that in order to have a successful career, now more than ever you’ll need to work as hard as you can to become indispensable at work because there will always be someone else in the world who will do the same work with a smile. When your manager, your co-workers, and executives view you as a valuable asset, it’s likely that you will get a raise, promotion, and have a very successful career. Become an expert in some essential field of activity. Become THE expert. Get yourself known as the first and obvious person to turn to on anything to do with your chosen subject. Read all you can about the subject. Speak on the subject whenever you are given the chance, at meetings and in presentations. Publish internal reports, making sure that the circulation list includes the top management. Make sure that your subject is essential to the company â€" to its manufacturing process, to its sales methods, to its essential competitive edge, to its debt collection. Whatever it is, make sure that you are widely accepted as THE expert. Above and beyond all this advice,  make it your driving goal to add value to your team.   Add value wherever you can!   Go above and beyond the call of duty:   In order to create trust and build respect in the workplace you have to do more than you’ve been asked to do. Come early, stay late and be faster than your co-workers and you’ll get noticed. Always be looking for problems you can help solve and for ways to expand your knowledge and skills so you can come up with solutions that will improve the organization. Try anticipating your bosss needs:  The more astute you become at recognizing and solving your bosss pain point the sooner youll be recognized as star talent. If youre not sure what the main problems are in your firm, find time to ask your boss and then make a point to find a way to help solve the problem. At the end of the day, remember that everything you do ultimately is for yourself. So assuming you like your job and you want to keep it, do whatever it takes to get known as a valuable team player.  Youll soon become someone who everyone recognizes as an asset to the firm and who is indispensable.  These are the people who typically get promoted and earn higher salaries. Why not aim your arrows in this direction so you become that person! Author: Beth  is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career.  Her coaching assists students and career changers to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  She is a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, Executive Recruiters, Outplacement Services, College Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com.  Beth’s Webinar was sponsored by George Washington University’s Career Services Dept. for their worldwide alumni association:  Leverage Your College Diploma.  You can follow Beth on twitter @BethKuhel

Resume Writing Service - Finding The Best Resume Writing Service In Canton Ohio

Resume Writing Service - Finding The Best Resume Writing Service In Canton OhioAre you in need of a resume writing service in Canton Ohio? Some of the best resume writers are just two phone calls away.Have you been given the position of 'HR Director' in Canton Ohio? If so, how many employees do you need to have to be able to run the department well? Where do you stand in terms of what it takes to run such a department?If you are in this type of position, you are going to need a resume. As is the case with most people who are applying for a job in the first place, you would rather not hire someone who does not have one. You also do not want to hire someone that has never even applied for a job before.You are in luck because there are many resume writing services that are available online. You will just need to find one of these businesses and talk to them about your needs. They will be able to help you by providing you with the best resume writing service in Canton Ohio.There are seve ral things that you will want to ask when you meet with them, but here are some of the most important questions that you should ask. First of all, you will want to ask them how long they have been in business. You will also want to know if they offer any sort of free sample resume writing service.Most of the services that you will find online are going to come with good resume samples that you can use. If they do not, it is time to move on to another company. Next, you should get to know how long they have been in business and how many other companies they work with.You will then want to check out the portfolio of resume writing services that they have and see what kind of resume writing services they have to offer. This will help you make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company.Resume writing services in Canton Ohio are available to you in many different ways. By using these tips, you should be able to find the resume writing service that is going to give you the resume that you are looking for.

Summary Sunday Networking, Hiring and Social

Summary Sunday Networking, Hiring and Social Im rounding up posts from around the web to introduce you to new writers and new ideas- hopefully these will reinforce some best practices as well! First, can I share a personal experience? Twitter totally rocks! As you know, I am a huge fan of Twitter! Heres whywith a lot of hustle and a dash of human touch, you can build a following and interact with great people! @garyvee (Gary Vaynerchuk) just announced he reached one MILLION followers on Twitter. And he responds/replies to almost every single tweet! Thats just amazing/awesome/incredible! So if Gary does it, so can you, and others do too! Networking via Twitter is one of the best ways to reach people you otherwise might have difficulty reaching! The Number One Way To Develop Context by Gary Vaynerchuk on LinkedIn So whether you are a job seeker or small business owner, please, hustle on over to Twitter and start networking! (And go pre-order Garys book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook  on Amazon! I highly recommend it based on his others, Crush It! and The Thank You Economy) Nope, they arent just for businesses, these books are for everyone! Networking What the Best Networkers Do (By Martin Buckland) on JibberJobber Martin spells out the four things the best networkers do! Are you? Explaining Hiring Why Cant You Hire the People You Need? Its Not What You Think on Intuit Quickbase by Anita Bruzzese According to recent data: There are currently four million people who are now considered long-term unemployed, meaning they have been looking for work for more than six months. Why is this? Bruzzese says it is because employers are lazy! But you already knew this, right?! This post should validate your frustrations, butread the rest of these post to find the work around! Social Networks 10 Tips to Use Google+ In Your Job Search on Undercover Recruiter This Is Why No One Follows You on Twitter on Mashable 4 Ways to Get More From LinkedIn on Aoljobs by Miriam Salpeter Want More? In case you arent on Twitter, either jump on and start following some of these sources or you can subscribe to see what Im sharing across all social networks here orget my regular updates via email here: Never miss a post! Email Address

Video Executive Job Search Top Mistake #2 of 6 -- Follow-Up is Missing in Action

Video Executive Job Search Top Mistake #2 of 6 -- Follow-Up is Missing in Action Executives, while you may be doing well in the departments of submitting resumes, networking, and interviewing, your skills in one of the most important aspects of the job search: Follow Up are abominable. Yes, most often completely missing or weak, at best. Im Dana Manciagli, author of Cut the Crap, Get a Job! and here are some examples of todays state of the art of executive follow up during the job search: Following a one-on-one networking meeting, when James asked for names of contacts, he did not send a thank you e-mail.Thats called using, not networking. Two weeks ago, Erica, a job-seeker, attended an evening network event whereby she exchanged cards with Bob and she committed to sending her credentials and a cover letter outlining what she is looking for. Nothing. After Frank helped Barbara secure an interview, Frank never heard how the interview went. Months later, Frank spoke to his contact at the interviewing company and he learned Barbara was hired. Bad form. Two best practices you need to start doing today and keep doing after you are hired: A. Daily Follow Up. Wake up every morning and review who helped you the day before and thank them. Regardless if it was an introduction to another person, a lead for a position posting, or just an idea. Send them a thank you. Then, put a meeting in your calendar for one month from today and three months from today. Give them an update and thank them. B. Hired! If someone helped you in a BIG way it is very appropriate to send a plant, flowers, gift certificate, gift basket or something to show a significant level of appreciation. A thank you note and announcement of your new job goes to everyone, regardless if they were directly helpful with that position or not. Executives, be gracious, offer help back to them and stay in touch for years ahead to build genuine, two-way relationships. Good luck!