Sunday, December 29, 2019

Make the Right Hiring Decisions for your Small Business

Make the Right Hiring Decisions for your Small BusinessMake the Right Hiring Decisions for your Small BusinessMake the Right Hiring Decisions for your Small Business ChildersYour small geschftlicher umgang may be growing by leaps and bounds. As you decide to add to your existing workforce, employment experts say its important to take steps to ensure you recruit and hire the right candidates.Small geschftliches miteinanderes need to be strategic when recruiting new hiresin order to avoid hiring pitfalls that can cost them time and money, says Mary Anne Kennedy, a human resources expert from Millstone Township, New Jersey, and author of Finding the Right Job A Step-by-Step Approach.I encourage small business owners to build a job descriptionaround the work that needs to be accomplished, and then look for candidates who offer that specific skillset.Since hiring employees you dont need can cripple a small business, consider the following before you post that job descriptionConsiderTiming . If you find your business is missing growth opportunities because you and your employees are short-staffed or you cant keep up with customer needs, it may be time to hire. While a good manager knows when to pitch in, that doesnt mean doing the work of three people.After building a job description, small businesses should set the standards and expectations for the job, Kennedy says. Note what the specific tasks are, whats required to perform them and how the employees performance will be measured.Assess Workflows. Before hiring new employees, Margaret Jacoby, SPHR, president and principal consultant, MJ Management Solutions, Mesa, Arizona, also advises small business owners to assess their current workflow, and then to hire strategically.All too often a small business owner will feel as though they are overwhelmed and need to hire someone immediately, Jacoby says. Theres nothing worse than to hire someone for a poorly defined role.Before hiring, Jacoby recommends assessing your com panys on-going business needs and what help you would require if your company suddenly experienced a growth spurt. Ask yourself what tasks could be taken on by existing staff, as well as areas where youd require additional assistance.Also, assess the stability of your business, customer base and budget, to determine if your company could retain new hires in the event of an economic downturn.Consider Outsourcing. Kennedy says filling a position isnt just about whom you hire, but how you structure the position. Outsourcing is often a good alternative to hiring a full-time staff member if you only occasionally need assistance or are seeking someone to work on a specific project.Hiring contractors and freelancers also allows small businesses to save money since they arent paying healthcare and vacation expenses.Recruiting IT workers is one area where small businesses often outsource. Instead of allocating resources to implement and maintain new IT systems, outsourcing allows small busin esses to focus on critical aspects of their business such as their products and customers.Know When to Keep Jobs In-House. Many small business owners have learned the hard way that no one sells their business as well as they do. If you want to grow your companys sales base, consider whether sales is a job that you can take on yourself, and perhaps delegate some of your other tasks to another employee.If you do decide to hire an outside salesperson, Kennedy recommends hiring a candidate who is a hunter rather than a farmer.Farmers are content to maintain the status quo and to harvest existing customer business while hunters have a ferocious appetite and are aggressive about finding potential new customers and seeking out leads, Kennedy says.Identify Tasks to Help Grow Your Business. Jacoby advises small businesses to hire based on their future needs, rather than just their current needs. Where do you see your business in the next year, the next five years, and what kinds of employees do you need to reach those goals?

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The True Harnessing of Steam

The True Harnessing of Steam The True Harnessing of Steam In April 27, 1865, the steamship Sultana welches chugging up the Mississippi with mora than 2,200 people on board. At 3 a.m., with the boat situated about seven miles north of Memphis, Tenn., three of the four boilers powering the craft exploded. The violent explosions caused a fire, and within 15 minutes the Sultana burned to the waterline. More than 1,500 people died.The cause of the explosion was never determined, and a nation far too preoccupied with post-Civil War reconstruction and rising industrialization cared little about a full-scale investigation. Since consistent operating guidelines and inspections for steam pressure systems were virtually nonexistent in this period of frenetic industrial activity and commercialism, many boilers in use were unsafe.Although it remains the worst maritime disaster in the nations history, the Sultana explosion was not an isolated incident in the United States. Boiler explosions occurr ed with alarming frequency in the 19th century, with 159 occurring in 1880 alone, the year that a small group of men assembled in New York City to found the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.Modest ObjectivesLegend has it that the group came together expressly to address the problem of unsafe boilers, but the initial objectives of ASME were modest. The founders were seeking a reliable system for technical information exchange as well as a social platzsetting.ASMEs founders were prominent machine builders and technical innovators. Erasmus Darwin Leavitt, Jr. invented more than 50 gears, pumps, and other mechanical components, and advanced the understanding of economic efficiency in pumping engines. Henry R. Worthington was another pump engine designer, who built the first duplex waterworks engine and went on to found the Worthington Pump Co. in New York City. Francis A. Pratt patented milling and gear-cutting machines and, together with Amos Whitney, created an engine manufact uring company that remains in geschftsleben today. Alexander Lyman Holley, the Societys first chairman, built steel plants from Chicago to Troy, N.Y., and came to be known as the father of American steel manufacturing.Holley and Robert Thurston, ASMEs first president, were the guiding lights of the fledgling organization. Beyond seeking an improved method of information exchange, Holley and Thurston were passionate in promoting mechanical engineering as a truly sophisticated body of scientific knowledge and as an engine for Americas industrial development.Boilers at the BaseAs ASME developed during the early 1880s, an increasing number of boilers were manufactured and installed to meet the needs of factory production and the fledging oil and steel industries. By 1890, there were some 100,000 boilers in service in the United States.While boiler systems proliferated and became indispensable to the rapidly industrializing nation, unfortunately, they were not much safer. The boilers wer e becoming increasingly larger and more complex, and in the absence of consistent operating guidelines many users cranked up the pressure ratings in an effort to produce additional work. The steam pressure rating for a prime mover in 1890 was typically set at 80 psi, compared to 30 psi in 1850.In ASMEs first decade, more than 2,000 boilers exploded. When a fire-tube boiler in a Brockton, Mass., shoe factory exploded on March 10, 1905killing 58 people and causing property damage in excess of $250,000a public outcry ensued.In those years, the U.S. government was reluctant to legislate rules and regulations for industry, so the job of standardization fell to the private sector and trade groups. Even before ASME was established in February 1880, the founders wrote papers outlining the symbiotic relationship between technical standards and a rational industrial order.The Societys founders discussed standards for screw threads, and pump and valve dimensions during the organizations first meeting and, by 1885, were considering uniform methods of testing boilers.Six months following the incident in 1906, ASME assembled a five-person Board of Boiler Rules, which drafted a brief document that was endorsed by the Massachusetts legislature. The rules specified pressure limits on boilers (cast-iron systems were limited to 25 psi) and included guidelines for the performance characteristics of plugs and rivets.In 1914, ASME produced the first edition of the Boiler Code, Rules for the Construction of Stationary Boilers and for Allowable Working Pressures. The formation of the code was no smooth process. Some engineers and company officials derided the code, complaining it was too regulatory or overly complicated. Some manufacturers of boilers were opposed to limitations on steam pressure. Several railroad managers who protested against the ASME effort sought a different set of inspection requirements than those established for stationary systems.A Philadelphia engineer involv ed in boiler manufacturing, John C. Parker, was vehement in his opposition to the code. In a letter to the Society in 1914, Parker expressed a strong protest against further backing of the propaganda for state control of boiler design, and went on to accuse ASME of devious and underhanded dealings and attempts to sabotage his company as well as others.Perfect TimingYet, for American industry, the timing of the Boiler Code was perfect. At the turn of the century, boilers of various sizes and performance capabilities were entering the marketplace, and mass production of boilers was in full swing.The publication of the first ASME Boiler Code in 1914 was a symbolic moment in the history of the Society, an event that would help define the organization and contribute to its stature and importance in the mechanical engineering community for decades to follow.While boiler systems proliferated and became indispensable to the rapidly industrializing nation, unfortunately, they were not much s afer.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

How to Confront an Annoying Co-worker - The Muse

How to Confront an Annoying Co-worker - The MuseHow to Confront an Annoying Co-worker There are the co-workers who are constantly interrupting you in meetings. There are the ones who dont seem to pull their weight. And there are even the ones who bbrde their music or chew their gum at the loudest possible volume.Whatever their annoying habits, these co-workers obviously arent all that self-aware. After all, if they knew how much of a nuisance they were, they might actually be embarrassed and put an end to their obnoxious behaviors.Of course, youre not one to be blunt in these scenarios. Speaking up to a co-worker whos annoying or disruptive isnt just a courageous act- its a risk in itself. It can either go over well or backfire on you, or- in the case of someone whos not in tune with themselves- your feedback just doesnt stick.So how can you ensure your comment both resonates and is received positively by a not-so-self-aware colleague? Here are four rules to follow. 1. You Have to Be Super ClearSince this person is already way behind you in terms of awareness, you have to work extra hard to explain clearly what theyre doing.Look, this isnt always easy. But tiptoeing around the real problem only means that the person on the receiving end is either confused, misinformed, or insulted.So, before you chat with them, get really clear on what exactly theyre doing thats driving you nuts. Is it what theyre saying or how theyre saying it? Is it something they always do- or only in certain situations? And, is it a habit that they can correct, or is it something thats out of their hands?2. You Have to Give ContextPart of how humans best process information is context. Context makes things easier to remember. Can you remember what you wore last Thursday? Probably not. But if I asked you what you wore last Thursday when you were at a bar with your friends playing pool, you could probably easily recall what your outfit looked like.Also, context helps explain the why. When you tell someone why what theyre doing is bothering you, distracting you, or insulting you, it carries more weight. Sure, you can tell someone to stop talking so loudly around your desk. But, if you tell them that their volume is preventing you from finishing that important report due tomorrow, they may have more empathy and actually turn it down a notch.Give the person something to work with when delivering whatever feedback you have. When and where were they doing said habit? What was going on at the time? Why did it affect you in this specific way?3. You Have to Do it NicelyOne, because this person really isnt meaning to do what theyre doing. As author Julia Chang of LearnVest states, Most people want to vilify low-EQ co-workers, but dont fault them for skills they dont have.Be the bigger person and assume that your co-worker is truly well-intentioned and not deliberately trying to drive you up a wall.Two, because niceness always pays off in the end. You know how I said earlier that addressing a not-so-self-aware co-worker can backfire? Thats a lot more likely to happen if you do it in a condescending or rude way.Lets put these first three points together. For example, lets say your co-worker is a bit too chatty at the desks. You might approach it in the following wayHey David I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second. While I love chatting with you at our desks- I could literally spend hours talking about dog tweets like we did yesterday- Ive been really struggling to finish this article thats due Friday. I personally have a hard time not getting distracted by what everyones talking about around me, so I need to call in a small favor Whenever you want to chat with our team about non-work stuff, could you move to the kitchen or Slack, or pop by toward the end of the day? 4. You Have to Recognize Their Efforts and Hold Them AccountableIts possible the first time you say something it still wont resonate. If thats the case, a simple poke reminding them of your talk can work wonders Just wanted to remind you that Id appreciate it if you could keep the talking to a minimum at the desks or Thanks again for listening to my concerns about being interrupted in last weeks meeting. I think your idea was great and I hope we can both throw ideas out there without having to talk over each otherBut if theyve already made moves to improve, dont forget to acknowledge that. Change doesnt happen overnight- if that chronic interrupter only jumped in once or twice in your latest meeting as opposed to every time, thats a step in the right direction. Recognize that their effort makes a huge difference for you and isnt going unnoticed. Doing so strengthens your work relationship and encourages them to keep doing better.My final piece of advice is, if this person just isnt budging, you may want to bring in another player- your boss or HR, for example. Because its entirely possible to have a co-worker whos both oblivious and self-centered, having that e xtra backing gives you more authority to shut the person down. And I highly recommend checking out this article to help you approach a conversation with someone higher up.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

10 Questions Employers Should Never Ask in an Interview

10 Questions Employers Should Never Ask in an Interview10 Questions Employers Should Never Ask in an InterviewConducting job interviews is a hard task. Most people dont conduct interviews all that often and so they dont get a lot of practice. Of course, if youre a recruiter, you should have refined skills, but for the hiring managers,most dont hire more than once or twice a year. So their skills are rusty- at best. While many articles focus on the interview questions you should ask, tzu siche are also questions that you should never ask. You dont ask some questions because of legal reasons and others because they arent helpful in selecting an employee. Here are ten questions that you should never ask. Some of them might surprise you. Oh I Went to South High School, Too. What Year Did You Graduate? High school graduation is a sticky question because it indicates your candidates age- give or take a year. Age discrimination for people over 40 is illegal, and the only age that you need t o know is if they are over 18 or 21, depending on the job.Most interviewers would never ask a candidate how old he or she is, but questions like this slip out, especially when the topic comes up in a normal conversation. When you find out that your candidate has something in common with you, its natural to try to build connections.Hold off on this connection, though, until after you have made a job offer. If you hire the person, you will have plenty of time to laugh about running laps in Mrs. Jones PE class. I Love Your Accent. Where Are You From? First of all, have you looked at the persons resume? That will give you an idea of where your candidatehas lived, but otherwise,national origin is a protected class. Lots of people love cool accents. You mean nothing discriminatory by the question. But, if you dont hire the person, they could look back on that question as national origin discrimination.Likewise, the saatkorn goes for an individual who looks like they arent from the United States. If their resume says their address is Pittsburgh, then as far as youre concerned, they come from Pittsburgh. How Many Kids Do You Have? This question often comes up in the small talk portion of the job interview or if you take your candidate out to lunch. The children subject is often brought up by the interviewee. Shell see a picture of your kids on your desk and comment, and the polite thing to do is to ask her the same question back.Except, in a job interview, you want to let that question go. The proper questions arerelated to the ability of your candidate to do the job. You can say, This job doesnt have good flexibility. Were pretty rigid about our hours. Will that work for you? You especially dont want to get into plans for future children,as pregnancy discrimination violates the law. Are You a US Citizen? The question you can ask regarding this issue is, Are you authorized to work in the United States? And the hiring manager shouldnt need to ask this question at all.Y our job application should ask this question, and the recruiter was responsible for weeding out candidates who cant legally work here.What Language Do You Speak at Home? This questionalso puts you into national origin discrimination territory. If youre hiring an employee for a position that requires multi-lingual capabilities, the question to ask is, What languages do you speak? And, for further clarification, How well do you speak that language? Ideally, you should have a current employee who speaks the language you are looking for tointerview the candidate and assess their language skills. Do You Have Any Disabilities? Some disabilities are obvious. If the person is in a wheelchair, youll know it. But, many disabilities that are protected under theAmericans With Disabilities Act arent obvious duringa job interview. Dont ask. Again, even though you would never intentionally discriminate against someone with a disability, once you know, you haveset yourself up for the accusation tha t you did.You can ask the candidate if they are capable of doing the job. If a candidate does have a disability that needs accommodation, the candidate should bring it up to you after youve made a job offer. What Would You Do if a Penguin With a Sombrero Walked in the Front Door?Some hiring managers like to ask these fun and creative questions they found on the internet. Please dont. Unless youre in the business of zoologischer garten animal fiestas, there is no answer to this question that will help you evaluate the candidate.Keep your questions relevant to the job. Dont try to pry into personality. Unless youre a trained psychologist, you wont even know how to interpret the candidates answers. Ask about knowledge, skills, and abilities instead. Do You Need Health Insurance? Yes, everyone needs health insurance. If youre asking because the job doesnt offer health insurance, and you want to make them aware, just say it flat out during the phone screen. This job doesnt offer health i nsurance. Are you still interested in interviewing?By waiting until the interview and asking your candidate if he needs health insurance, what youre doing is prying into their marital status, the employment status of their spouse, their health status, and their financial independence. Dont ask. What Did You Hate About Your Last Job? It can seem like a good question, as you can use it as a set up a situation in which you are extolling the virtues of the position youre offering. But, the question opens up the opportunity for your candidate to become very negative.Candidates dislike something about their current job, or they wouldnt be job searching. But, they are generally trying hard to stay positive. Instead, ask questions about what they are looking for in their new job. What are you looking for in your newjob? is a better, more positive question. What Church Do You Attend? Unless youre hiring for a faith-based organization, this question is a no-go. Again, it often comes up in sma ll talkand seems harmless, butyou cannot discriminate on the basis of religion unless its pertinent to the job. (So, yes, you can require that the minister for your Lutheran church is Lutheran, but you cant require that your grocery store cashier has the same beliefs as you.)The only time religion is relevant in a secular interview is if the person needs an accommodation, in which case it is their responsibility to bring it up after youve made an offer. Then, you can decide together if an accommodation is possible. When youre conducting job interviews, keep your focus on the actual job, and the skills you need the new employee to possess and you wont go wrong or off-track with your interview questions. These are ten examples of questions you dont want to ask and why you dont want to ask them. - - - - - - - - - - - - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journalist specializing in Human Resources. Suzannes work has been featured on notes publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider and Yahoo.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Executive Resume Samples 2018 - Overview

Executive Resume Samples 2018 - Overview Executive Resume Samples 2018 Regardless of the demand to advertise oneself uniquely, remember that many major organizations utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan submitted applications. Your resume needs to fix an issue for employers (which is the reason why theyre hiring). Well, youve got executive administrative assistant resume templates today to aid you. Your aim is to find the job. Many job seekers make the error of simply listing out all their responsibilities. Furthermore, you can learn more on the topic of administrative careers on Monster. Based on any industry there are many kinds of executives. In addition, you can look for secretary jobs on Monster. The Characteristics of Executive Resume Samples 2018 On the flip side, if youve got no resume written you have quite bad chances to acquire work. Just as youre more inclined to follow through when your targets are compelling, youre also more inclined to follow th rough whenever you have someone holding you accountable. When youre working at your existing job youre not stressed, seems like everything goes smooth and with no troubles. If youre thinking about how to create a resume, youre in the correct spot If youre, then you want to create your objective bewertung highly compelling. Some folks might believe that fancy is better, but in the event of a thriving executive resume, easy and professional is the best way to go. The saying, as it goes, is you dont get another opportunity to create a first impression. Consequently, the opportunity of interview is going to be diminished. Failure or success ought to be obvious. Not only are you going to look bad, but it is going to haunt you down the line with other future prospective employers. Pay attention when you subscribe, however, because most services offer you many different plans and a few plans limit the characteristics or number of resumes it is possible to create. If youre assist ing in an office, you will need to understand how to login to and operate the computers at work, along with use the phone especially transferring calls to and from other lines. The Basics of Executive Resume Samples 2018 Possessing a great resume format is crucial to organizing your info in a means which will help you become noticed. Zetys resume templates are made with the assistance of recruiters and stick to the best practices in HR. The absolute most hard step here is to determine which resume format is appropriate for you. Each resume format was produced to boost your odds to find the job in 2018. It is possible to create new sections, add in unusual info, or produce creative methods to present your qualifications. For instance, it includes a skills page at which you can use icons to demonstrate your proficiency in several categories. Even youre using non-traditional job searching approaches and dont use any on-line sources. Some elements might even be specific to you r area. A winning Executive Assistant resume should showcase a motivated attitude able to take on a lot of projects at the saatkorn time, and robust time management abilities. The Career Objective is intended to provide the hiring manager a reason to carry on reading your resume. Professional experience is quite important, especially if you would like to be an executive assistant. Any very good executive worth her or his salt would know a great candidate right away by simply browsing through the resume. Below you will discover the top skills needed to fulfill an administrative position. It is critical that you tailor your resume for each job application to raise the fit between you, the job and the employer. Simply because youve got zero experience or its your very first job. Highly relevant expertise in a field is the very first thing employers search for. When youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary using action verbs and rec eive a feel for what makes an effective accomplishment statement. Its tough to stick out in a crowded pack however strong your credentials are. Irrespective of your degree of work practical understanding, your resume structure is essential to making your application stick out. No matter which type of work youre searching for, the Gabriella professional resume template is a fantastic choice.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

What You Dont Know About Writing a Resume Career Builder

What You Dont Know About Writing a Resume Career Builder Most Noticeable Writing a Resume Career Builder While using the later method, employers arent going to read every detail in your resume. When you employ a professional writer to assist you with the application documents, the results will differ. While searching for a good resume template, be certain that you look at the details as to whether its totally free or paid. The template ought to have a section for writing skills and about the certification an individual may have. Writing a Resume Career Builder - What Is It? Its also important to think about the sort of work you really are interested in being hired to do. One must choose the appropriate tool to get best output in conditions of career building. Constructing a resume is an intimidating task should you do it alone. Building a resume isnt a task it is possible to leave up to chance. The Dos and Donts of Writing a Resume Career Builder To save a whole lot of h eartache later on, be sure that you use our resume builder to create a document that may be easily transferred to different job applications. Rule number one When tailoring a resume for a specific position, you have to study and understand the work requirement. If you make an application for a job which you saw advertised on the internet or in your lokal newspaper, theres a very good possibility that you arent going to be submitting your resume in person. Frequently, you are just required to send in work application or submit your resume. If youre looking for work and you have what it takes but do not actually understand how to sell it out then what you will need is a good resume. Saves Time When youre looking for a superior job, its always great to have a separate resume for every single job. If you believe you would prefer a more professional looking resume, and dont believe youre likely to do an effective job, then you could always outsource the undertaking. Typically, your latest job should take up the largest space on the webpage.