Q: I am senior in high school applying for new jobs, and I don't feel comfortable sharing what I have made at past jobs because the ones I am looking at pay less. What should I do? Anxious in Anchorage
A: Dear Anxious, A well crafted cover letter to go along with your application can help answer any questions your employer has about why you are looking at a lower paying job. Try something like this.
Dear _________
I've worked at ________ for the past ____ years making _______ an hour. I'm interested in joining your company because of its reputation, the opportunity to learn more about the industry, and the location of your business in proximity to where I live (Or insert any other reasons you see fit here).
I realize that your business may not be able to pay me what I have been making in the past, but I am not looking for a job that necessarily pays the best; I'm looking for a job where I can experience working for the best.
Sincerely.
XXXXXXXXX
By including a cover letter, you are doing something very few people do in an entry level job. You will stand out amongst a sea of applicants and perhaps get hired before anyone else. Let me know how it goes!
In the past, I have discussed the importance of hiring events and running them properly. It goes without saying that hiring events can be hit or miss for both employers and potential employees. Very often, companies look only at the results of the hour or of the day and don't look at the potential of the "be back" as it is called in sales.
The "be back" sometimes has the greatest potential for selling products; the "be back" is the customer who is unsure if they want to purchase today, but more often than not is just looking around to make an informed decision. Very often when I was doing sales, the biggest and most successful sales were those that took 2-3 or more visits to convince it was time to buy and that our solution was best.
To use the "be back" approach at a hiring event, you should use the hiring event as an employer to sell yourself and your company, and offer resources for more information. Too often I have seen companies try to sell too much information at the table rather than selling the heart and soul of the company.
As a potential employee, having a sharp 1 page resume with a link to a more detailed portfolio or resume can get you in with the company while leaving them wanting to find out more about you.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (seen below in its entirety) is an amazing motivational tool for those who need inspiration. Taking inspiration from the Last Lecture, many teachers incorporate a "Last Lecture" into the final class of the semester. Similarly, this same concept can be used in company meetings, seminars, or farewell get togethers.
In the workplace, The Last Lecture can take the form of:
- having an inspirational speech at the end of a day of training
- giving employees leaving a chance to say goodbye to their teammates
- wrapping up a workshop with an inspirational speech or presentation
Watch the Last Lecture below if you haven't seen it already, and get inspired by a man who lived more while dying than many do living.
I've found so much value in being involved with the Saratoga Mentoring program. I was inspired to enter this program by my first boss, Tom Kelly, who mentored me unofficially from the time I was about 9/10. He took me to my first Yankee game, gave me my first job, and to this day still gives me calls every month or so to check up on me.
These kind of relationships endure, and give all parties the kind of support and confidence to face challenges that life brings our way. Because mentors are typically outside the family, they give people a more open and honest feedback system free of fear or judgment that may or may not come from the family.
Be a mentor! Check out a local mentoring program, or take someone under your wing at work. The benefits last a life time and are paid forward.
This video provides some excellent insight onto various incentives that can be implemented.
Two individual incentives mentioned:
Piecework - rewarding based on work developed or created
Merit - based on individual or organizational performance
When the merit program works best, it rewards the employee when they perform, and rewards the company companywide when the company's goals are met. If the employee doesn't perform or the company doesn't perform, the employee can still reap part of the benefit of the merit incentive.
Recognition based - financial and non-financial, when combined, work best
Online-reward programs - internet sites that offer rewards points that employees can cash in and customize.
Sometimes getting out of the office is enough to take the stress out of the organization. Some of my favorite events in Florida were simple, natural events that helped everyone get along better. Others, well...
Taking a walk together outside of the office was often the best recipe for getting some better communication going with the teams I have been on. Escaping the location where the problem took place made the problems go away quicker because problems were solved in the absence of people who didn't need to be involved.
Other times, a company outing for coffee or to a local restaurant for an after-work beverage contributed to getting rid of stress while not even discussing work at all.
One of the worst outings I've been on was ones where we all had to engage in activities in the water; I sink like an anchor in water, and I know some of my colleagues have felt the same, so make sure if you choose an adventurous activity that it is one that the entire team can feel comfortable.
What have you done for an enjoyable company outing?
One of my favorite answers to "Do you have an incentive program?" came in the early 90's when I asked one of my former bosses. He said "Yeah, if you work here 10 years, you get a 12 ounce soda, if you work here 15 years, you get a 16 ounce." (at least he was honest!)
What do you do to incentivize a small business? I'll share some of the best ways to do this, as well as mine, later this week. As well, I will debut my first video blog on this site later this week.
I previously posted about Internship Opportunities Out of State. Today, I'd like to share with you some strategies on how to find internships close to home.
Not all internships are posted; very often, if you are a college student, simply "casing" places and finding out what they need and sharing with them who you are is the first step to landing an internships. I encourage students always to seek out companies that they'd like to work for, and create an internship opportunity that they can then pitch to the company. I've seen this work too many times for it to be a fluke.
So if you are thinking of doing an internship, look at a company you'd like to do it for, and see what you can come up with for tasks, duties and responsibilities that match up with your talents and abilities and see if you can create a match!
One of the challenges of entrepreneurship is knowing when to bring others on board to assist. Over the 5 years I've been doing consulting, I've always been a one-man show and have used contractors to assist with web development and the like when necessary.
Recently, my business grew to the point where I knew it was time to consider bringing on an intern or a freelancer to assist with some tasks. I developed a structure where my intern will have the ability to work on their own schedule and provide me with the research and resources I need in a timely fashion. She works remotely, and we talk on the phone three times a week to check in and communicate via email between appointments.
After two weeks, I am very pleased with the arrangement. The working relationship is strong and the level of commitment I get is exactly what I needed; someone to take on some of the legwork of researching new business, working with existing clients, and exploring new ways of doing business.
I'll keep you updated as the summer goes on as to how this working arrangement progresses. I am already feeling better with what I have on my plate and am excited for the new opportunities bringing on a freelancer can bring.
Q: I recently interviewed for a job and was invited to an initial meeting where candidates were given a group interview. I didn't get selected for a followup interview. What do you suggest I do to improve so I can possibly get considered in the future?
A: I had a similar thing happen to me early in my career. I interviewed for an advanced internship in food and beverage, and it came down to me and another candidate who had the foods experience. They thanked me for my time, and I asked them if I could sit down with them to develop an action plan for what I could do to possibly be considered in the future.
The interviewer didn't directly meet with me, but instead referred me to the head manager of my department. He suggested that I pursue any experience at all for that summer in food and beverage, and to continue the dialogue with the company for the following summer. I did exactly that; I landed a job working part-time at a front-desk and part-time in a restaurant, and was able to get the experience desired. The next year, I was a shoe-in for the role.
So do what you can to ask the company you just interviewed with for feedback, and once you get that, do what you can to act on it and try again once you get some more experience or training.
Sometimes, it takes leaving your comfort zone to spend some time on an internship to make you more marketable to potential employers when you are finished with college.
I was blessed to have two internships with the Walt Disney Company, and also a summer internship/work experience with the Waterford Hotel Group in CT one summer as well. Each of these opportunities required a short-term departure from home and also a new way of looking at things.
Living far from home was a first for me, but I got a lot of practice at it while at college. But what made even a greater difference for me was these internships. I had the privilege of working with people from South Africa, Sweden, The Netherlands, China, Japan, and all parts of the US, just to name a few. I worked with people young, old, part-time, full-time, and because I was intern, they helped me make the most of my experience by sharing theirs with me.
Do what you can to get out of town, even if it is just for a week - believe me, it will open new doors for you...one of my students did an internship at a Ski Lodge over his spring break, and that lead to an internship this summer with another company.
Next week, I'll talk to you about local internships.
Recently, I asked readers "What does the future of education look like to you? Is it in a classroom? Is it online? A combination of both? Or in some park out in the woods?"
Here are some responses from readers
"I like online courses, but what I like even more is when I can still interact with my classmates in real-time. Not all online courses I have taken work that way."
"With having 4 kids and a full-time job, being able to go to school full-time used to be impossible. I enjoy being able to take a couple night classes and also a couple online classes when it is feasible. I also like (although they are rarely offered) short-term courses that squeeze a lot of work into a short period of time."
"I still prefer to learn in the classroom. I may sound old-fashioned, but I'm 20 and a traditional student who likes the way my teacher's teach. We leave the boring stuff like reading the text for our time, and come to class freely discussing ideas related to what we read. I wish everyone taught this way."
"Can't believe that I am back to school, but its because I am able to do it at my own pace and not feel I have to be online at a certain time."
"Your idea of taking a class in a park really could work. With internet access being available, it could either be a regular occurrence or help break up the monotony once in a while."
Next week, I'll share some of the new ways of learning I am developing and implementing in upcoming classes I am teaching.
I had an interview today with Word of Mobile for their podcast, and one of the discussions we had was around the concept of the change in education.
One of the key points I made is that training today needs to be much different from when we were beginning our careers. Training can't be finite; it may have a start and an end for a session, as well as a test or exam to ensure mastery, but training needs to live and breathe. No longer is a simple 1-2 hour workshop enough. After the workshop, there needs to be a continuing dialogue on what has been learned, and perhaps a relearning at a later date.
Recent Comments