With so many workplace (and other) shootings lately, I thought it would be helpful to revisit a survey I conducted about 10 years ago, "The Top Ten Things that Drive Co-Workers Crazy." The survey was a hoot to do, and I even did several call-in radio shows where people driving to work in the morning were talking on their cell phones in morning traffic while on the radio, for God's sake, instead of watching where they were going. It was hilarious the stuff they came up with. Things like farting in the office, eating other people's food out of the refrigerator, sleeping through meetings while appearing to be awake. One guy was so sick of people stealing his favorite pens that he would take them apart and write the word "Gotcha" on a little slip of paper, roll it up and stick it back in the barrel of the pen and put it back together. Then, when he found someone with one of his pens, he would confront them. They of course, denied any such thing as stealing a pen, whereby he ceremoniously unscrewed the barrel, and with great flourish, pulled out the piece of paper, and yelled, "Gotcha." Ten years ago, the #1 offender was not returning phone calls and emails on time or at all. Other transgressions included taking the last cup of coffee and not making more, resetting the copy machine for 20% and 1,000 copies and not setting it back to normal, and exploding their lunch in the break room microwave and not cleaning it up.
Now these may not seem like much, but string them together on a bad day and you have Bob from Accounting going out to his truck at lunch to get his shotgun (legal in the State of Georgia) and delivering his own sort of disciplinary action. The survey results will be interesting at least, and may help save some lives by serving as a warning to all the jerks in the office to clean up their act before Harriet, who needs at least 14 cups of coffee in the morning to even come near civility, finds out that the pot is dry. Sounds like there could be a public service award for this thing, and I might even end up on Oprah.
There is only one question....and you can complete the survey on Survey Monkey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CFKX7DB. I will share the results of the survey in a future blog, after I get back from the Coast when they turn this survey into a movie with Cameron Diaz and Bruce Willis.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
So You Want to Be In Pictures?
I saw an article this morning advising job seekers to jump on the latest trend and send a video resume. This was a video of you basically talking about your work history, experience while displaying your personality, communication skills and energy. Sounds like an interesting idea, but there are some things to consider before you call for, “…lights, camera, action.”
1. Putting down your attributes on paper in a professional but still personally anonymous way has its advantages. Your ability to do the job is what getting the interview is all about. Recruiters and hiring managers are comfortable with the written resume and may not be with a video.
2. Even the greatest actors don’t watch their own films. Why? They don’t like what they see. You can be the most talented actor, but the greatness is mainly in the viewer. What you think is a great delivery may leave someone cold. You are looking for a job, not a Golden Globe. And in this job market, the competition is much more intense.
3. A video will reveal things that employers can’t ask in an interview – age, race, color, sex, and other personal characteristics that can be discriminatory. In my years as a Human Resources Director, I occasionally received a resume that included a picture. Before forwarding it to a hiring manager, I always made a copy of the original and covered over the picture. This then became the official resume that was circulated. You may find that after all your efforts your video is never seen for fear of a future claim of discrimination.
4. Some positions require a video. When I was seeking a position as a contract trainer for an international training company, I had to send a video of myself conducting a class. Since I would be representing the company to clients all over the country, they needed to see my presentation style. On the other hand, sending a video for an administrative position may seem a little excessive and brand you as a Diva instead of a viable candidate.
5. YouTube won’t do for an interview. If you are going to send a video, or if one is requested, hire a professional to script, shoot and edit the film. A professional videographer can suggest the proper clothing, hair style, mannerisms and an appropriate setting for the position. Consider getting some advice from a professional career coach as well to review the video from an employer’s point of view.
6. Your job search may take awhile, so if you change your hair color or style, put on (or take off) a few pounds you need to update the video. Resumes customized for the position are more effective, so if you are targeting different industries or positions, you may need several versions of your video. This drives up the cost and time investment to keep things current.
7. Voice tone, body language, communication skills, speaking ability—you need to be at the top of your game for the video. If you are uncomfortable speaking in public, it will come across in the video and can work against you.
There is no substitute for a solid, well-written resume that showcases your individuality and accomplishments. Adding a video to your application can be risky but will offer a closer look that could work for you.
As posted on February 3,2011, BusinessWorkForceBlog.com.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a workplace consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and creating original gift items available on http://www.etsy.spoolhardy.com/. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
1. Putting down your attributes on paper in a professional but still personally anonymous way has its advantages. Your ability to do the job is what getting the interview is all about. Recruiters and hiring managers are comfortable with the written resume and may not be with a video.
2. Even the greatest actors don’t watch their own films. Why? They don’t like what they see. You can be the most talented actor, but the greatness is mainly in the viewer. What you think is a great delivery may leave someone cold. You are looking for a job, not a Golden Globe. And in this job market, the competition is much more intense.
3. A video will reveal things that employers can’t ask in an interview – age, race, color, sex, and other personal characteristics that can be discriminatory. In my years as a Human Resources Director, I occasionally received a resume that included a picture. Before forwarding it to a hiring manager, I always made a copy of the original and covered over the picture. This then became the official resume that was circulated. You may find that after all your efforts your video is never seen for fear of a future claim of discrimination.
4. Some positions require a video. When I was seeking a position as a contract trainer for an international training company, I had to send a video of myself conducting a class. Since I would be representing the company to clients all over the country, they needed to see my presentation style. On the other hand, sending a video for an administrative position may seem a little excessive and brand you as a Diva instead of a viable candidate.
5. YouTube won’t do for an interview. If you are going to send a video, or if one is requested, hire a professional to script, shoot and edit the film. A professional videographer can suggest the proper clothing, hair style, mannerisms and an appropriate setting for the position. Consider getting some advice from a professional career coach as well to review the video from an employer’s point of view.
6. Your job search may take awhile, so if you change your hair color or style, put on (or take off) a few pounds you need to update the video. Resumes customized for the position are more effective, so if you are targeting different industries or positions, you may need several versions of your video. This drives up the cost and time investment to keep things current.
7. Voice tone, body language, communication skills, speaking ability—you need to be at the top of your game for the video. If you are uncomfortable speaking in public, it will come across in the video and can work against you.
There is no substitute for a solid, well-written resume that showcases your individuality and accomplishments. Adding a video to your application can be risky but will offer a closer look that could work for you.
As posted on February 3,2011, BusinessWorkForceBlog.com.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a workplace consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and creating original gift items available on http://www.etsy.spoolhardy.com/. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
I'll Have a Cup of Coffee With a Side of Hospitality, Please
Last week, in an effort to stimulate my creative brain cells, I decided to take my laptop to a local coffee shop across from Forsyth Park. The Sentient Bean is a comfortable, worn-around-the-edges coffee shop with several seating areas. You can settle down at one of the many tables with wooden chairs or opt for one of the comfortable overstuffed couches scattered around the two rooms. Coffee is $1.25, with refills at $0.50 each. You get a real cup if you are “sipping in” with variety of coffees and teas to choose from. Quiet conversations between patrons can be heard above the key tapping on laptop computers, gently adding their own light to the sunlight from the large windows, filtered today by a sky wrapped in blanket of gray and white tweed clouds.
Hotels have always welcomed their guests to sit and lounge in their lobbies or lounges. Comfortable chairs, sofas, tables and chairs made it possible for a guest to escape the confines of their guest rooms, meet with clients or friends, or just have a quiet conversation with someone sitting next to them at the bar. Restaurants and coffee shops are now following suit, realizing that while customers still want the privacy and option of solitude, they like to be in the company of others, feel the energy and break the isolation that so many experience-- Entrepreneurs who are struggling to get their businesses going or need a place to meet prospective clients, home-based business owners who need to escape the proximity and distraction of dirty laundry or dishes piled in the sink. Students looking for a place to have a coffee and a sandwich, meet their friends, do some studying. Desperate housewives dishing the latest with their friends. These are customers in need of services with a side of hospitality.
Sitting here, I am struck by the fact that there are no intrusive wait staff checking back with me every few minutes. Now, in a conventional restaurant, that kind of attention may be welcome, but it can also give the impression that they are rushing you out the door. No one has come to my table to see if I am having more coffee or when I am going to free up this table. I am free to go or stay, and welcome to get some more coffee, have a muffin or sandwich. The atmosphere is more like being in a comfortable home with food available if you want it and no one waiting for you to get up and go. It is home without the solitude and the opportunity for social interaction on my terms.
Social networking is built on the premise that people like to choose who they interact with and share as much or as little as they like on their terms. Judging from the fact that all the tables and couches are filled, the hospitality at the Sentient Bean is just as popular as the coffee and muffins.
Originally seen on hospitalityjobsiteblog.com
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a workplace consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for Hospitalityjobsite.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and creating original gift items available on http://www.etsy.spoolhardy.com/. You can read more of her blogs at hospitalityjobsiteblog.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
Hotels have always welcomed their guests to sit and lounge in their lobbies or lounges. Comfortable chairs, sofas, tables and chairs made it possible for a guest to escape the confines of their guest rooms, meet with clients or friends, or just have a quiet conversation with someone sitting next to them at the bar. Restaurants and coffee shops are now following suit, realizing that while customers still want the privacy and option of solitude, they like to be in the company of others, feel the energy and break the isolation that so many experience-- Entrepreneurs who are struggling to get their businesses going or need a place to meet prospective clients, home-based business owners who need to escape the proximity and distraction of dirty laundry or dishes piled in the sink. Students looking for a place to have a coffee and a sandwich, meet their friends, do some studying. Desperate housewives dishing the latest with their friends. These are customers in need of services with a side of hospitality.
Sitting here, I am struck by the fact that there are no intrusive wait staff checking back with me every few minutes. Now, in a conventional restaurant, that kind of attention may be welcome, but it can also give the impression that they are rushing you out the door. No one has come to my table to see if I am having more coffee or when I am going to free up this table. I am free to go or stay, and welcome to get some more coffee, have a muffin or sandwich. The atmosphere is more like being in a comfortable home with food available if you want it and no one waiting for you to get up and go. It is home without the solitude and the opportunity for social interaction on my terms.
Social networking is built on the premise that people like to choose who they interact with and share as much or as little as they like on their terms. Judging from the fact that all the tables and couches are filled, the hospitality at the Sentient Bean is just as popular as the coffee and muffins.
Originally seen on hospitalityjobsiteblog.com
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a workplace consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for Hospitalityjobsite.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and creating original gift items available on http://www.etsy.spoolhardy.com/. You can read more of her blogs at hospitalityjobsiteblog.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
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