Evaluate a Job Candidates Social Skills

Evaluate a Job Candidates Social SkillsEvaluate a Job Candidates Social SkillsEvaluate a Job Candidates Social SkillsWhen it comes to recruiting strategies, hiring decisions often focus largely on candidates technical skills and expertise, with relatively little attention given to soft skills. This can result in hiring employees who have the cognitive firepower to succeed but lack the social skills required to effectively use what they know. These employees tend to either rapidly leave due to interpersonal conflict and frustration, stall out in lower-level positions due to their inability to handle the social demands of leadership or bulldoze through the organization, leaving a trail of poor morale and increased turnover.Hiring the right candidate based on technical knowledge without looking at social skills is like designing a race car with a powerful engine and substandard steering and braking systems. Your car is likely to go somewhere fast, but not necessarily in the direction yo u want it may even hurt a lot of innocent bystanders along the way. Fortunately, there are relatively easy and inexpensive ways to decrease the risk of hiring the cognitively skilled but socially inept.Social skills reflect a persons ability to work with others in a way that accomplishes near-term business objectives while strengthening longer-term working relationships. The concept of social skills has been around a long time, although it is periodically repackaged under titles such as emotional intelligence, tacit knowledge and interpersonal savvy. Social skills depend primarily on four fundamental characteristicsSelf-awareness Monitoring how our actions affect the behavior of those around us.Sensitivity to others Showing concern toward the needs and feelings of others.Social intelligence Understanding methods for influencing others behaviors and perceptions.Self-control Being able to control our actions and emotions, particularly when under stress.One need not be highly adept at all of these to be socially skilled. However, a serious deficit in any one area can result in major interpersonalissues with problem employees.There are several methods for assessing job candidates social skills, and an interview is the least complex. A candidates lack of social intelligence may show up during the interview process as social errors. Carefully observe how the candidate interacts informally with others. Create social settings such as group discussions or luncheons that require candidates to display social skills. Moderately low levels of social intelligence wont be a problem unless the job requires the ability to quickly develop rapport with others.Sensitivity to others can also be assessed during an interview, but it is a bit more difficult. During the interview, ask candidates to describe influences on their careers or interpersonal conflicts they have experienced at work. Pay attention to how they describe others in their answers. Answers that are highly judgmental or give little credit to the contributions and interests of others could be associated with low sensitivity to others. References can also be a good source of information. Ask people to describe what the person was like to work with. If they say things like highly independent or difficult to manage, you may want to probe a bit more.Self-control and self-awareness are perhaps the fruchtwein difficult social skills to assess. One of the best ways to assess these social skills is to use a role-play exercise. This involves having candidates interact with trained assessors in a simulated work scenario (e.g., having the candidate give feedback to a fictional underperforming employee). If properly structured and conducted, role-playing can be one of the most valid predictors of social skill.Social skills can also be assessed using standardized questionnaires such as personality tests and social style measures. These tests measure underlying beliefs, preferences and attitudes that affect i nterpersonal behavior. Many of these measures are relatively straightforward to use, fairly inexpensive and can be highly valid. There are a wide variety of well-designed measures to choose from, but its often difficult to tell the difference between a good measure and one that looks good but does little. Consequently, its a good idea to consult with an independent assessment expert when choosing this sort of measure.Once you rate a candidates social skills, its important to decide how much weight to give that information, depending on the position youre filling. The right decision will help ensure a smooth ride inside your organization.

Heres how to find out what your coworkers really think about you

Heres how to find out what your coworkers really think about youHeres how to find out what your coworkers really think about youToo many of us are operating under the illusion that our coworkers see us as we see ourselves. Were open books, we tell ourselves. Ask us anything. Psychologists call this the transparency illusion, or the tendency to overestimate that our intentions match our realities. And this illusion only gets stronger as we climb up the corporate ladder and our power over other peoples careers and reputations makes it harder for people to openly criticize us.But its important to find our how people really think about us.If we live in this la-la land for too long, we may get blindsided by negative feedback. He thinks Im competing for his job? But I thought we were great teammates. She thinks I dont listen to her ideas? I was all earsThe only way to stop these surprises is to test our assumptions about ourselves and gather feedback about our work and behavior. And that m eans not waiting for your scheduled feedback one-on-ones - and getting the courage to ask for real feedback from multiple people who know you professionally.To find out how co-workers really think about you, you need to askLeadership coach Kristi Hedges, author of The Power of Presence Unlock Your Potential to Influence and Engage Others, outlined how to do this in Harvard Business Review. She recommends selecting five people from all walks of life in your career - from your current co-workers and supervisors to your past peers and mentors - and asking them for a face-to face meeting.This can be an uncomfortable request for some individuals, particularly if they report to you, so give the participant a heads up of exactly how this meeting is going to go. Be clear that youll keep whatever the person tells you confidential, which will encourage honesty, and that youll be collecting feedback from several people to find themes, which lessens the burden for any one individual, Hedges w rites.Asking people who know different sides of you at work is critical to helping you see the full picture of yourself. And you need to hold these talks in person whenever possible. Although it may be tempting to email or text requests for feedback, tone can easily get lost in written workplace communication.What to askOnce you meet up with your colleague, here are the two questions Hedges said that you need to ask themWhats the general perception of me?What could I do differently that would have the greatest impact on my success?These are broad questions that may need specific follow-up questions if you are not getting the feedback you need to hear. If your co-worker tells you that peers think you can be rude, ask Can you give me an example of that? If your boss says youre doing a good job, ask her for specific instances of your success so you know what youre doing particularly well and what you need to improve.Honest feedback is a giftIts important to recognize that when you rece ive honest feedback, its a gift, regardless of how painful it may sound at the time. Hold back from showing your gut reaction if the feedback stings. Dont interrupt them with your version of the story. Listening to your colleague means taking notes so you can spot patterns and themes. If you lack clarity, ask for it, but dont debate your colleagues story. The Muse recommends repeating back what you think your feedback partner is saying with statements like, I hear you saying that you want me to provide more detailed weekly reports, is that right? That way, you know that you and your conversation partner are on the same page.Dont forget to say thanksAbove all, remember to thank your colleagues and co-workers for taking the time out of their day to help you with your career.It may not feel like a gift when you hear it, but knowing how other see you at work is necessary information you need to succeed.More from LaddersThese companies let employees work from the comfort of their homesTh ese are the 15 highest-paying jobs in the nation, LinkedIn foundWatch out for this disturbing new trend in job interviews

Silence How to find it at work, and why you might need it to focus

Silence How to find it at work, and why you might need it to focusSilence How to find it at work, and why you might need it to focusAchieving a balance of sounds can be challenging- especially if you work in an open office.Thats why some people have a tougher time focusing on tasks. But there are ways to get the silence you crave to get work done.Are you a highly sensitive person?People have varying tolerances to sound, but some are mora sensitive to it than others.Psychologist Elaine Arons researchhas shownthatone of the characteristics of a highly-sensitive person is an extreme reaction to loud noises - or in fact, any noises. The personality profile of the highly sensitive person is that of someone who is creative, needs a lot of time alone to recharge, and reacts very strongly to any strong sensory input, from caffeine to powerful smells to hunger.If you fall into this category, dont worry- its not a bad thing, it just means you have to work harder to preserve your peace and se ek balance at work. Seeking out silence is a healthy practice to start with.According to a2017 Harvard geschftsleben Review article, recent studies are showing that taking time for silence restores the nervous system, helps sustain energy, and conditions our minds to be more adaptive and responsive to the complex environments in which so many of us now live, work, and lead.What to do if youre sensitive to soundA little quiet time can go a long way. Heres how to achieve it at work.Move to a quieter spaceOffice conference rooms can be such a gift as long as there arent many people mingling and talking outside.To be clear quiet office spaces for individual work are a necessity, not an option.An articlefrom the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University highlighted the impact noise can have on the quality of our work. Noise distracts us and reduces our memory and comprehension.It said that performance studies indicate that tasks requiring reading comprehension and memory are the mos t sensitive to noise, especially noise sources related to co-workers speech, citing a specific study, and that research indicates that prolonged exposure to noise reduces office workers motivation to persist at a difficult task, citing other research.PracticemeditationBecause noise can be so unsettling, its important to have a strategy to counter it or calm it down. Heres how to practice breath meditation.According to Harvard Mens Health Watch, simple breathing meditation requires only that you find a comfortable position in a place with minimal distractions. You may sit, stand, or walk- whichever you prefer. Many people find the sitting position to be best. Two ingredients are required to make breath meditation work, which the article lists as a sustained focus for your mind such as the repetition of a sound, word, phrase, or movement and allowing everyday thoughts to come and go as you focus on the repetition.But if youd rather use an app, consider trying out Calm, Headspace, or A ura. You can also listen to binaural beats, or sounds set to helpful frequencies for relaxation, which are available on apps or on YouTube.Invest in headphonesA pair of giant noise-cancelling headphones, which can cost anywhere from $50 to $300 for an upscale pair, are the saviors of many people at work - not only do they drown out sounds around your desk so you can focus, but their giant size also visually signals to people that youre occupied.But headphones that fit in your ear might actually be more effective, according to Berkeley Wellness earphones that fit in the ear (like earplugs) are better at blocking background noises than are those that sit on top of the ear canal opening- as are any type of active noise-canceling headphones- so you are more likely to keep the music at a lower, safer level.For the highly-sensitive among us, moving to a quieter setting, meditation and headphones areways to get in the zone at work. Then just watch your work improve.

11 Tricks to Save Money on Paper and Printing

11 Tricks to Save Money on Paper and Printing11 Tricks to Save Money on Paper and PrintingWhen it comes to paper, dont just recycle- reduce and reuse too- tosave on paper and printing costs. Every time you use the printer you are not just spending money on paper but on toner and ink too. When you savepaper, youllsave on printer cartridges, and you will create a mora eco-friendly home office.The simplest ways to save paper is, of course, to print less stuff. However, it takes some discipline and rethinking to put this into practice. Try these 12 tips and spend less on paper and toner. 01Get to Know Your PrinterThinkstock / Getty ImagesLearn how to use your printer more effectively to savepaper. Before printing, choose print preview to check if one line is going to cause another whole page to print.Dont just blindly hit OK when the print dialogue box pops up. Reduce the print range to just the pages you need. You can also highlight only the text you need and choose print selection. Thi s is particularly useful when printing from websites because you can ?eliminate the ads.If you have difficulty printing, clear your printer queue once youve fixed the problem. That way your printer wont spit out the six attempts you made before you figured out you were out of paper02Use a Tablet or E-ReaderIf you are printing documents because it is easier or more convenient to read them on the go, consider investing in a tablet or e-reader. You can use them to read Word documents and PDFs and even make notes in them in many cases.03Take Notes, Screenshots and Bookmark Web PagesWhen viewing a website, jot down information rather than printing a whole page just for a phone number or address. You can also copy and paste information into a Word document or other organizing software. Or, if it is something you want to keep for future reference, simply bookmark it.04Proofread CarefullyBe sure to check your work before you hit print. If you do find a mistake, hit cancel quickly, so you on ly have one misprinted page. If the whole document prints before you find the error, only reprint the page with the error, if possible.05Send Electronic Invoices to ClientsSending electronic invoices will save money on postage, but dont print out a hard copy for your records, either. File them electronically on your computer and be sure to back up your records. While youre at it, request paperless statements for your bills to make your office as paper-free as possible.06Share Documents Online With Free Online Office ToolsUse these free ansprechbar office tools to send and receive documents via the web. These can be downloaded and filed on your hard drive or left online so you and your clients or coworkers can each make changes without ever using a piece of paper.07Print on Both Sides of the PaperThis may mean setting up for a two-sided print job- sometimes called duplex printing. This can also mean putting a new print job on the reverse of old paper. Fill the paper tray with old mis taken printings. After it is finished printing, flip your document over to the wrong side and mark a line through it, so that in the future you wont waste time reading the wrong side.Whileyou dont want to use this technique for something youd send out to clients, it works well for internal documents. ?08Reuse Old PaperWhenever possible, reuse paper. Not only can you print on the back side, as explained above, but you can use it for many other purposesCut it in half to make scrap paper for lists. Cutting it keeps it from getting mixed up with current documents, but you can also just mark a line through it.Staple it together to form scrap-paper notebooks.Give it to yourkids for drawing or scratch paper for math homework.Shred it to make packing materials.If you use electronic bill pay, save the return envelopes that come in your bills and use them to send in the kids lunch money or to organized small items.09Adjust Your MarginsUse narrower margins, smaller font, and closer line spacin g to get more to a page. Along these same lines, one tip for saving on printer ink cartridges is to use the draft quality setting or grayscale when printing.?10Use Email More Print It Less.Writing effective email is a key skill for a telecommuter, but a ?goodfiling system for emailis almost as important. If filed and backed up on your hard drive or online, emails will very rarely require printing. Set up folders in your email client and have your email automatically sorted. You wont just save paper youll save time too.11Put Your Fax Machine to RestSend and receive documents as PDFs rather than fax. The quality is better, and its easier, particularly if you dont have a second line for the fax. If you do have a second line, you can get rid of that monthly bill.

The Hidden Truth About Best Resume Templates 2018 Uncovered

The Hidden Truth About Best Resume Templates 2018 Uncovered Top Best Resume Templates 2018 Secrets Thus the use ofA Construction Resume TemplatesA is extremely beneficial for all applicants who would like to be employed. Zetys resume schablones are made with the assistance of recruiters and stick to the best practices in HR. Resume builder includes an instantaneous preview, and therefore you dont will need to save and refresh the page to see the way that it appears like. Below are a few of our resume samples that weve created for previous customers. So the expert references are obsolete. Also be sure to tailor the document to the job youre applying for. Try to remember, when youve finished personalizing your resume, youre not prepared to fill out an application yet. As soon as you have modified the standard resume template that you found on the internet, make it simple on your upcoming self and save numerous versions of your resume. The majority of the templates are suppl ied by named, resume writing specialists and thus the quality is quite good. In case the preceding templates do not satisfy your requirements then complexity is possibly the ideal selection. You can select the best amongst the many template samples out there. By utilizing a resume template absolutely free of clutter, youll only consist of relevant info. To look for similar image you may go to Resume page. By making use of a template, you receive a feeling of what information to include in your resume and the way to arrange it. You may change almost every part of your preferred template. For those reasons listed above, youre want to begin with a resume template. Have a peek at these examples to choose which format is ideal for you. When you add your private stamp to it through imputing your distinctive abilities, professional experiences, and wording, it is going to stand from the crowd for all of the perfect factors. There are lots of free creative resume templates youll be a ble to use, permitting you to focus your energy on everything else you should do. The initial two examples are created with creativity in mind. A complete option for candidates with lots of experience who want to have a really good one-page resume template. It is fantastic for highlighting to prospective employers each of the skills you have developed over the duration of your career, without needing to incorporate each and every workplace chronologically. Career profiles offer an overview of your region of specialization and useful skills giving employers a general idea about what you can actually do. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you will need a resume template you could inject a little more personality into to make it pop. A resume builder can help you rectify any errors and supply you with a working vision of the resume as you edit. If youre having trouble getting attention, be certain to have a look at our tips to receive your res ume noticed. However much or what kind of work experience youve got, theres a resume format that is likely to make your qualifications shine. Each resume format welches made to improve your odds to find the job in 2018. You likely have plenty of personal and expert information you wish to share to your upcoming employer. There are many strategies to create a more effective resume. So, all the advice on how best to compose a resume still stands. The absolute most hard step here is to determine which resume format is appropriate for you. Try to remember, you can eliminate any section you dont want or merely to keep the resume shorter. Just insert the info you require, and thats it. To do this, you want to organize that information first. Youve finally prepared all of the essential information.

The Ultimate Writing Personal Skills into Resume Trick

The Ultimate Writing Personal Skills into Resume Trick Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. Resumes ought to be short and concise. When you have backed up your skills, youre prepared to conclude your resume. Learn about the three kinds of skills its possible to highlight and the way it is possible to incorporate them into your resume. After youre done Get rid of all of the skills you simply have a simple grasp of. Some skills might be relevant while others arent. Needless to say, each job will call for unique abilities and experiences, so make certain you read the job description with care emphasizing the skills that align with this. 1 other means to describe hard skills is they are quantifiable or measurable. Professional skills are extremely important additionally to include on your resume. Writing Personal Skills into Resume No Longer a Mystery By applying the greatest personal resume templates, you should likewise do the exact s ame thing write a top-notch resume. By paying attention to the particular phrasing employed in the work description, youre know precisely what to concentrate on in your skills section. Regardless of what your age, and however much experience that you have, you always need to be ready to learn a new skill or technique. Double-check if youre employing the ideal abilities and experience keywords. The Basic Facts of Writing Personal Skills into Resume A personal resume have to be neat, and it ought to be simple to read. Writing your resume can be an extremely intimidating experience. 3 First, you have to select the best skills for your resume. Review their About Us page and see whether your soft abilities or attributes are aligned with the businesss core values. Facts, Fiction and Writing Personal Skills into Resume Youll find more details on various sorts of skills for a resume in the previous section. Look out for keywords to spell out your core qualifications, key profess ional and individual skills. There are three sorts of resumes, each with its own benefits and pitfalls. You might delight in trying to find resumes in your area.