Start focusing on helping employees develop critical skills and capabilities as they work
If you ask a successful leader to recall his or her most impactful development experience, chances are it happened while engaged in real work. This was once reinforced during a project designed to help organizations transfer and retain the business-critical knowledge of retiring baby boomers. Interviews with more than 40 successful, long-tenured leaders confirmed the best…
The gig economy is gaining traction, for better or worse. Who needs benefits or job security when you can work on a high wire?
Are you weary of your reliable job? Do your paid vacation, company pension plan and full medical coverage leave you cold? Are you pining for the sort of precarious work that only self-employment can promise? Well, friend, you’ve come to the right place. Here, at GigsRUs, we won’t bore you with bromides about workplace security,…
Women may be the champions of warmth and empathy, but fall prey to these 10 common traps
A female executive was having problems dealing with her male colleagues. "They like me, but they never take me seriously," she complained. "It's as if they think I'm flirting with them. Which I definitely am not!" After watching her interact with various men on the senior management team, I saw the problem. She was trying…
But many leaders say it's a challenge to find skilled professionals and most will make project-based hires
Technology jobs are in high demand in Canada but companies are finding it hard to fill those positions. A survey by employment agency Robert Half found that 59 per cent of hiring managers plan to expand their information technology teams; 82 per cent say it's challenging to find skilled professionals; and 94 per cent of…
Not that important? Send an email. Important but not mission critical? Pick up the phone. Critically important to the success of your organization? Go see someone
In today’s business world of video meetings and teleconferences, the value of face-to-face encounters can often get overlooked. That is unless you, like Michael Massari, believe that face-to-face interaction is and will continue to be our most effective form of communication. Massari is Ceasars Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of National Meetings and Events, and he…
Employers like to hire candidates who have volunteering experience
Employers like to hire candidates who have volunteering experience. In fact, many companies encourage their employees to volunteer a few hours a week; others run their own volunteer programs. But the importance of volunteering for a worthwhile cause transcends a paycheck and career advancement. The true payoff is the heartfelt satisfaction that comes from improving…
Apart from looking good on your resume, summer work experience demonstrates that you have what employers want
Another school year is over. It’s time for high school and post-secondary students to land a summer job. The good news is there are lots of jobs. Walk down any commercial or industrial street and you’ll see “We’re hiring” signs in many businesses’ windows. Many of these jobs are entry-level with fairly low pay. And…
Leaders can sabotage a great presentation if they underestimate the power of body language
Once upon a time a group of rising-star executives gathered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to take part in a special competitive event. Each was to present a business plan to be evaluated by the entire group. The best ideas would then be recommended to a team of venture capitalists for final evaluation.…
Put vision, culture and pay/benefits together, and you have the essential ingredients of a perfect match
People often take jobs for reasons that are far different from the ones that keep them rooted to the same job. Unfortunately, most job-seekers never think about that. If they did, there would be far less turnover, not to mention angst accompanying job-changing. Why do career-builders choose some jobs over others? They match their skills…
Often when positions don't work out and workers are moved into lesser positions, they welcome them, even though it means a salary cut
One day out of the blue, your boss calls you into his office and says that you've been "reclassified." You have no idea what it means, but it sounds exciting. One thing is certain: You weren't canned. Maybe it's a new job, more power, and yes, a bigger paycheck. Sorry, it's none of the above.…
Stories are a compact way to communicate vividly, practically and persuasively
Stories are a compact way to communicate vividly, practically and persuasively. You can quickly capture people's attention, illustrate abstract principles in action, and appeal to emotions. However, telling stories well is often easier than finding good stories. Almost all of the books, articles, websites, and storytelling conventions on storytelling are about how to craft and…
Knowing which companies are hiring is meaningless if you're unsure about which career path to take
Knowing which companies are hiring is meaningless if you're unsure about which career path to take. Everyone knows dabblers who have tried their hands at countless jobs yet never settled permanently into one they really love. There are many reasons for job wanderlust. Often, it stems from impatience. The result is never sticking around long…
Job hunters who demonstrate proficiency in one or two areas – areas that also happen to be critical to organizational success – are in the best shape
Keeping your job when others around you are being laid off isn't easy. A 30-year Gallup survey, "Investing in Strengths," of more than two million workers revealed that employees who refined their talents stood a better chance of being promoted than employees who turned weaknesses into strengths. More specifically, rather than boning up on several…
Whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, out of work, no more paycheque
It's happening all the time: Workers get the proverbial boot. But whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, you're out of work, and there's no more paycheque. It means pounding the pavement and looking for a new job. It's natural to be overwhelmed with negative emotions –…
Answer in professional terms primarily; prepare, rehearse and then relax. Just let your personality and qualifications shine through
One question always makes an appearance at job interviews: “Tell me about yourself.” Almost without exceptions, candidates struggle to come up with a good answer. It’s almost as challenging as that other dreaded interview question: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Fortunately, there are ways to answer that are sure to impress any…
If you ask a successful leader to recall his or her most impactful development experience, chances are it happened while engaged in real work. This was once reinforced during a project designed to help organizations transfer and retain the business-critical knowledge of retiring baby boomers. Interviews with more than 40 successful, long-tenured leaders confirmed the best…
