The Cost of Bad Hires How to Avoid Them

The Cost of Bad Hires How to Avoid Them When it comes to  hiring a new employee, pressure is well and truly on to fill the position quickly. However, by rushing the process, chances are you wont  find the best candidate for the job and a bad hire can have a series of negative implications for the organisation. Though there is always an element of risk when hiring a new member of staff and you can never know for sure whether someone will be the perfect fit for a role before they start, making a hiring decision should involve a lot of consideration. Not only can hiring the wrong person  cause a disruption among the team, but it can also have sever financial repercussions. Next Generation have put together this video which outlines  the true cost of a bad hire, from the salary, to lost business. The financial cost The average cost of a bad hire is 30% of the employees first year earnings. 10% of sales opportunities are lost. 27% of UK companies said that bad hires cost them more than £50,000 The effect on productivity Hiring the wrong person can cause a 36% drop in productivity. Hiring a replacement is time consuming, causing 40% lost time, recruiting and training  the new person. The cultural damage It can disrupt the  team dynamics and has potential to cause a 32% drop in employee morale. It can also be damaging for client relationships. How to avoid a bad hire Thorough preparation: Write a candid and detailed job description, so that candidates know exactly what the role entails. Be prepared to dedicate time to making the right hiring decision. Effective interviews:  Assess the candidate against specific criteria that is essential for the role your are hiring for. Evaluate not only their skills and experience, but also whether theyre a good cultural fit for the company. Psychometric tests:  18% of companies currently do psychometric tests and they could be the answer to finding well suited candidates. Related:  What Could a Bad Hire Cost Your Company?

25 Networking Conversation Starters That Never Fail

25 Networking Conversation Starters That Never Fail Many people find professional networking to be one of those things that’s easier said than done. Sure, we all know that a business connection can lead to future gains, whether it be a sale or a job opening that suits you perfectly; however, not everyone nails the initial conversation to seal the deal. Below, you’ll find 25 ways to kick-start your next professional chat in order to ensure that you network successfully. Now, get to talking! 1) Breaking into the circle: First, you want to narrow down the field and find someone that you want to speak to. “Hello, i’m (name).”  It’s so simple, and that’s why it works saying hello to someone is a surefire way to break the ice. Just make sure that your introduction is given with just enough confidence to ensure that both of you feel comfortable in the conversation. “Mind if I join?”  Networking events often have plenty of chairs and tables where participants can chat or munch on snacks. Try and find the person you want to talk to, and then join his or her table. “Well, you guys are certainly having more fun than the last group I was talking to.”  (Source)  Not all networking opportunities have to be boring. If you see a group of your peers having fun, there’s no harm in trying to work your way in on the joke. Besides, sharing a laugh with someone will help you feel closer. “Have you tried  the (food/drink name)?”  It’s no surprise that people love to bond over good food and drinks. Just make sure that you don’t overindulge in the drink department, as just two alcoholic beverages can result in slurred speech, and  that’s not going to help you network! “How do you all know each other?”  You might break into a circle, only to realize that you’re the odd man out of a group of colleagues or acquaintances. Luckily, this plays to your advantage if you ask everyone how they met each other. Once you ask the question, more people will chime in and become part of the larger conversation. Voila! You have networked effectively. 2) Going one-on-one: You’ve found a person who seems to have similar interests. Now what? “What do you do?”  Unless you’re approaching a well-known face in your field, it’s OK to ask someone what he or she does. In fact, it’s a great way to strike up a conversation that’s work-centric, which is, after all, the point of networking. “I like your…”  Perhaps the female engineer next to you is wearing an eye-catching geometric necklace, or the male designer has an immaculately laid-out resume. No matter what, a sincere compliment goes a long way in fostering a more meaningful conversation. “These appetizers are so great I think I’m going to grab another. Care to join me?”  This is a great way to get your intended networking partner away from the group for a more personalized networking session. Clearly, food is a great conversation starter, but it can also be used to strike up a one-on-one conversation. “What did you think about the speaker/conference?”  Industry functions with slideshows and speakers might not necessarily be set up for networking, but a question like this can make it happen. Ask those around you what they thought about the speakers, who was their favorite, what was the most interesting part, etc. The conversation should flow from there. “What projects do you have lined up?”  Again, it’s OK to talk shop when it comes to networking. In discussing upcoming projects, you can get to brainstorming and transfer ideas. Your new acquaintance will be sure to remember you if your idea helps an upcoming project go off without a hitch. 3) Getting deeper: You’re in! Now, find out more  â€œI saw (insert fact here) on your LinkedIn.”  Social-media research on an industry colleague is a great way to spark a conversation at a networking event. Perhaps you’ve seen that someone has received an award, promotion or grant. You can use this to kick off your conversation in a way that makes your conversation partner feel important. “What do you like about your job?”  This is a great question, for two reasons. One, the subject will feel important and be open to sharing his or her personal stories and beliefs. Two, you’ll get great insider information on the field in which you work or intend to work. “How did you get into this?” As previously mentioned, everyone has a story. Career-origin stories are great because they get just personal enough.  â€œWhat do you hope to get out of today?” You know what you want, but does everyone around you want to network, too? It’s great to know what others are looking to gain from a particular event, as it can help you hone in on and achieve reasonable, attainable goals. “Are you from here?” Use your acquaintance’s accent, attire, etc., in order to figure out where he or she might be from. Hometown stories and factoids are engaging, interesting and endearing. “I love your work.” You might be speaking to someone well known in your field. Acknowledge that you’re a fan of his or her work, citing a specific example of a speech, publication or design that has had an impact on you. “Where do you want to be in 10 years?” Unless you sense that you’ve met someone who wants to completely shift careers ASAP, then this type of hypothetical is a safe bet. It’s just personal enough without going overboard, and you can build a connection if you share some of the same hopes and dreams. 4) Out of left field: These might not be the most “of course” conversation starters on our list, but they’re interesting â€"  and they work. “Knock, knock …” Someone in your field might really appreciate that new industry-specific joke that you just wrote. Try it out â€" it just might get a laugh big enough to build a conversation. “What are you doing this weekend?” Again, no flirtatious connotations if you’re asking at a work function. You just might find that you share an interest or weekend plan with this person, which will give you something to bond over â€" and a time and place to see one another again. “Who do you have for the big game?” Most people love to watch at least one sport. Try your luck if you think you have a sports fan in front of you, and reap the rewards if you find someone who shares your passion for football, basketball, tennis, curling … whatever. “Don’t I know you from …?” This one works whether someone actually looks familiar or not. This type of conversation starter has pick-up line roots, but fear not: In a professional setting, it won’t be as see-through as it would be at a bar or dance club. Regardless of whether the person really does look familiar or not, you’ll probably start talking after you’ve learned his or her identity. “It’s so loud over there.” People tend to drift to the same side of a room when they’re casually conversing. Start a new trend â€" and conversation â€" by bringing some people to a quieter corner and chatting there. “I want to talk to someone besides My colleagues!” Everyone feels that post-work burnout, and colleagues sometimes remind us of that burnout just by being present. Use this universal feeling to your advantage by joining a conversation with completely new people, and explain to them why you’re doing it. They might get a chuckle! “Are you having trouble with the wi-fi?” At larger events, the wireless Internet routers might have trouble keeping up with demand. Use the chaos to your advantage â€" ask others if they’re having trouble, too. It’s your job to keep the connection strong after that. “I really hate networking.” Misery loves company. The guy in the corner sipping a beer and looking totally uncomfortable loves company, too. Why not bond over your mutual distaste for networking? You at least have one thing in common. And, to finish …  Remember that it’s easier than it seems. Just take a deep breath and walk up to the person you want to talk to. You’ll find that people are friendly, intelligent, open and conversational themselves â€" you have nothing to lose except a potentially helpful acquaintance. We wouldn’t suggest letting that one go.   Author: Sarah Landrum is a freelance writer and career blogger sharing advice on finding happiness and success in the work world. You can find her dishing out advice with a side of wit on Twitter @sarahlandrum and her career advice blog, Punched Clocks.

How to Get Into the College of Your Dreams and Hack it - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Get Into the College of Your Dreams and Hack it - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke with Cal Newport, who has already written two books for college students, and has a great blog on how to hack college.   Cal has a lot of knowledge when it comes to how to succeed at college, make the most out of your time in college and how you brand yourself as the top college graduate to get into grad school.   His advice is very interesting, especially his points about not majoring in business and how to differentiate yourself without having two majors.   He even helps us dissects the college admissions process, so high schoolers know what it takes to get into the top schools. This interview is a must-read for any ambitious college student! What does it take to be a standout student? At the college-level, this usually means two things: First, being a star within your major. You want professors in your department to write recommendation letters that begin: this is one of the top students Second, being involved in one really interesting, impressive endeavor. For example, organizing a conference, starting a new publication, launching a business, conducting undergraduate research. This combination is the most rewarded by the post-graduation market. Here are two things that do not make you a standout: taking an incredibly difficult course load or joining a huge number of clubs. The former makes it hard for you to excel within a single major (which requires that you can spend a lot of time on a small number of courses) and the latter makes it unlikely that youll do something truly original and interesting. Many students think the key to success is being able to say: I have three majors and am the president of 19 clubs. This bores people. What really shines is being able to say: I kick ass in Astronomy and wrote a computer program to help analyze radio telescope data. Heres the cool part: the latter path is actually really fun. The former path leads to burnouts. What is the difference from the college application process of 5- years ago and today?  What does it take to get into college?  Ivy league college? The college application process has undergone major shifts. There was a time when being class president and scoring really high SAT scores meant you could go to an Ivy League school, and everyone else went to their local state school.   As things got more competitive, we entered the age of the well-rounded student; elite colleges started looking for students that showed real aptitude in multiple different areas. More recently, this has given away to a star system: the elite college seek out the rare superstar student who blows away his or her peers in terms of raw intelligence and accomplishment.   The most widely used strategy for winning the modern admission game is to do more hard things than everyone else applying for the same spot. This leads to students with what one high schooler I know calls super resumes 15 clubs, 5 mission trips, 3 sports, 19 A.P. courses, etc. I call this the schedule-packing strategy. My problem with this approach is that it doesnt work very well. Sure, if you can do more hard things than everyone else applying to Harvard, you can get in. But most likely, there will be someone who did just a little bit more than you and all of your effort will be wasted. To make matters worse, this effort is very painful. In short: schedule packing is really hard. The alternative approach is to become what I call on my blog a Zen Valedictorian. These are students who eschew over packed extracurricular schedules, and, instead, stumble into areas that really fascinate them and end taking the pursuit somewhere really unexpected and cool. If you can couple this with the grades and SAT scores that match your dream schools expectations, then you have a good shot of getting in. Its also much less painful. For example, I met a student who got a full-ride scholarship to UVA because she spent her summers engrossed in horseshoe crab research. She did, basically, nothing else in terms of extracurricular, but she had these professors writing recommendation letters that were like:she is this fantastic researcher with a big career ahead of her. Her life was very relaxed (the research was 30 40 hours a week only during the summer), but to the admissions officers she looked much more impressive than the student who was up until 2 am every night during the school year trying to keep up with a crazy course load and too many activities. What are your top 3 college hacks to succeeding more by doing less? Study during the day, during short bursts (around 1 hour), in isolated locations. Do not study in long, uninterrupted blocks at night after dinner. Because your intensity of focus is so much higher during the day, you will accomplish the same amount of work in much less hours. Never perform rote review (silently reading your notes and reviewing your assignments). Instead, create quizzes such that the answers to the questions cover the concepts you need to know for the test. Study by answering the questions, outloud, as if lecturing an imaginary audience. Then check if you hit all the main points in your answer. This quiz-and-recall approach will cement concepts stronger and faster than silent review. Do less. Have one major. You think you need a double major, but you dont. Keep your courseload reasonable. Keep your extracurricular commitment low. Spend more time with friends, or reading, or just exploring things that are interesting. This will prevent burnout.   Youll also *do* much better in your classes because you have more than enough time to handle the work and in your small number of pursuits. What would you recommend to a college student in order for them to get the job they want when they graduate? Follow my advice about becoming a standout: be a star in your department and do something really interesting. Dont worry about matching your major to the job you want, if its not a technical field (think: engineering or programming), your major doesnt matter much. If you have your heart set on a specific field, make your one cool thing you do during college match that field. For example, if you want to be a journalist, you should probably make your cool endeavor center on writing. Though, for the most part, its hard to predict what youll be doing right out of college, so, in general, being a standout will keep options open. Dont, however, major in business. People are bored by this. If you really want a high-powered job in finance or consulting, major in math. This impresses these same people. Is straight As enough to get into graduate school anymore? Grad schools care about only two things: your grades in the relevant courses and your research experience. Thats it. Its not like college. The admissions committee doesnt want a well-rounded class. They dont care that you volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. They want students who can hit the ground running doing top-notch research.   If you want to go to graduate school, put most of your time into your major courses and getting involved with research. Cal Newport graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 2004, and is currently a Computer Science Ph.D. candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of How to Become a Straight-A Student (Broadway Books, 2006) and How to Win at College (Broadway Books, 2005). Newport has appeared as a student success expert on ABC, NBC, and CBS and on over 50 radio networks, including ABC Radio, USA Radio, and XM Satellite Radio. In addition, his award-winning blog, Study Hacks, is one of the Internets largest student advice sites, with over 4000 RSS subscribers and 30,000 50,000 unique monthly visitors.

Ensuring A Smooth Return To Work After Injury

Ensuring A Smooth Return To Work After Injury Returning to work after an injury can be hard: as well as the physical damage your body has suffered, there may also be psychological trauma to contend with, and it can really knock your confidence too.   The effect of an injury can be far reaching; a recent study shows that a workplace injury may  increase the risk of losing your job, not a prospect anyone wants to consider   so heres how to aid your recovery and make your return to work after injury a smooth one. Take It Slow Different injuries will have different  rest and recovery times your physician will likely tell you when you should be returning to work and if you need to do a gradual re-entry to the workplace.   Keep your employer involved so that they know what your limitations are a good employer will be happy to help accommodate a valued employee, after all they want to see you fully recovered and returning to full work as soon as possible.   Dont try to do too much too soon you could easily set yourself back and you could end up off work for even longer. Stay Involved If you have to take several weeks or months off from your job to recover from your injury, then it might be useful to have a fixed time every week where you can keep in touch with your employer.   Obviously injuries differ, but most will welcome you keeping yourself involved in the workplace as best you can.   Talk to your boss about if its possible for you to  do some work at home, or maybe even online training to help you stay current and up to date. Ask For Help Tait and Hall  explain the importance of reporting workplace injuries correctly. Make sure your employer has put systems in place to ensure the same accident doesnt happen again.   If you feel that they were negligent, or not taking you seriously enough then it may be time to ask for legal advice.  It can make for some awkward conversations with your employer, but speaking up now could prevent further injuries to you or anyone else. Smooth Return Remember that everyone recovers at their own pace: take it slow, ensure good communication with your employer and stay involved with work if possible.   Dont be afraid to ask for help, and seek legal advice if necessary to ensure your return to work after an injury is a smooth one.

The Role of Trust in Accelerating Your Success

The Role of Trust in Accelerating Your Success Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comAreport by Interaction Associatesin 2015 indicated that a paltry 40% of employees had enough trust in their management and organisation. Lack of trust between employees and their employers could be the reason many companies are perpetually stuttering.Trust is an essential ingredient of success both in and out of the workplace. It makes all workflow more productive. Here’s an interestingarticleabout productivity:How To Be More Productive In Your Workplace You will never be able to experience success in isolation. You need people to help you accomplish your goals. To create meaningful relationships with people, you need to establish a level of trust. You have to entrust them with your property, business or premises. They may then reciprocate by remaining faithful and loyal to you. You will meet goals because others are helping to thrust you into that direction.2.Trust improves performance inorganisationsIf you are heading a firm that doesn’t seem to be m oving in the right direction, the first thing to check is the trust levels. Your employees will work better and will be more committed to the goals of your company if you can get them to operate on the degree of trust.Trust them to meet deadlines, keep accurate records, report to work on time, and they won’t disappoint you.3. Shaping behaviourTrust buildspositive behaviourâ€" just what you need to succeed. You may have noticed that people tend to play by the rules if they don’t have to look over their shoulders all the time. The bookkeeper will strive to maintain accurate records all the time if they don’t see you poring over every bit of the records when they are done.4. Boosts accountabilityTrust and accountability go hand in hand. Your employees will take responsibility for their actions if they trust that you will understand them. O the other hand, if people can trust you, it means you are accountable for whatever you do.Everybody feels good when they learn that they have your trust, and this will drive them into striving to maintain the trust by accounting for every action and a decision they make.5. Cutting down on possible disagreementsIf anything has the potential to ruin relationships both at the workplace and at home, it is disagreements. One way of inhibiting the possibilities of constant conflicts is by creating trust among all parties. If you can handle your employees, fellow workmates, family members and friends without friction, then you are likely to succeed.6. Trust enhances self-esteemevalNothing can potentially thrust you on to the path to success more thanself-esteem. Low self-esteem means you will be afraid to make decisions or certain courses of action because you don’t trust your judgment. Consequently, experiencing success may be quite challenging.On the other hand, trusting our abilities inspires us into taking effective actions, such as investing in the stock market, which can result into huge payoffs. Trusting your employees will also pump up their self-confidence, resulting in more positive outcomes than before.7. Trust builds efficient leadership skillsA good leader is one who trusts and can be trusted by others. If you are heading an organisation, you should build trust in your team so as to inspire it towards the set goals. The modern workplace is currently tackling the challenge of employee engagement. You can solve such a problem by extolling the value of trust in your team. If you expect others to trust you, you have to show the way by trusting them first.8. EnhancingcorporatecultureThe first step towards improving thebusiness cultureof your organisation is trust. If you can manage to keep your team of employees together by trust rather than remuneration, you are likely to experience great success. As you inculcate other values, such as accountability and commitment, remember to infuse a level of trust in the organisation. It is one way of ensuring you have a conducive working environment.9. Trus t builds an efficient human resource teamevalWondering how to improve the effectiveness of your human resource team? Nothing can be more powerful in seizing new opportunities and overcoming challenges than trust between people working together. To create a high-performance team, let your employees appreciate the need to trust each other, as well as their superiors.Trust is an essential component of success. It does not only shape behaviour but also inspires accountability. It is also crucial in the formation of highly efficient human resource teams. That’s why it is important that you create and nurture trust as you endeavour to succeed.

Im writing my next book on Leading with Happiness - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Im writing my next book on Leading with Happiness - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I have just started writing my fifth book, tentatively titled Leading With Happiness.?I am of course writing it in my favorite caf? here in Copenhagen. The process is exciting and scary in equal measure :) Wish me luck! Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Resume Grant Writing Skills - The Key to Getting the Best Grant Writing Skills

Resume Grant Writing Skills - The Key to Getting the Best Grant Writing SkillsIf you are in need of free grant money, then you need to know how to find the best grant programs to apply for. This is the reason why many people look into resume grant writing skills to get a foot in the door of the financial industry. In this article, I will discuss some tips to help you find the best grant program for your needs.First, when it comes to writing skills, there are many things that you can do to make sure that you have great results. One of the best ways to start is by taking a look at your resume. In this type of writing, you will be able to include a resume grant in it. You should also have all of the details about yourself on the resume.It should be based on your current job title and a little bit about who you are and why you are applying for the grant. You should also include an introduction to your own story. The reason for this is that this is going to give potential grant applicants a clearer picture of who you are and what your qualifications are. It should be short and simple to read.Next, you should include in your application the how and why of the project that you are requesting the grant for. The more details you include in this section, the better the chances of getting a good response. However, you should not include too much because it can become confusing and give the reader a false sense of confidence.You should also make sure that you understand the program before you apply so that you know what your own specific requirement is. There are a number of different grant programs out there to choose from. This is one reason why you need to read about these programs online so that you will know the types of grants that you can apply for. You will also learn how to research the grant as well as apply for it. Another thing to keep in mind is that not all grant writing skills are created equal. Some are more difficult than others. The key is to focus on app lying for the best grant writing skills possible.As you can see, the key is to practice and hone these skills. This will allow you to gain experience and get better at writing for the grant. When you learn how to apply for these programs, you will also be ready to apply for more that you ever thought possible.The bottom line is that if you want to succeed in applying for grant writing skills, you will need to put the time in. Put some of your time in now and in the future to get the best results.