Office politics - play it right with diplomacy

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

So, you thought you could quietly go about working long hours with dedication, not bothering about others around you… and yet be successful!
Welcome to the real world where only job competence or hard work is not quite enough for achieving success. After all, don’t many employees with stellar records and all the necessary technical capabilities routinely lose out on lucrative project s, pay raises and promotions or are even fired for mysterious reasons, all attributable to ‘office politics’.
Ah! office politics - the bane of corporate life. It comes in whenever you have to deal with people and is a little akin to the peer pressure you thought you left behind in school. And, there is no getting away as manipulative office games impact your work environment, job effectiveness and also how others see you. You may scream yourself hoarse that, ‘I want to stay out’ or beseech, ‘Leave me alone’, but everyone gets dragged in by hook or by crook.
In fact, politics is everywhere - it is the personality of the company and about the way things are done. So, you can’t escape by quitting your job either. Politics will follow you and the next job may just be worse!
As writer, Paula Gamonal remarks, “Any time you work with human beings, you are subject to the complexities of relationships, trust, credibility, communication, and the other nuances of getting other people to do what you want them to, or not do what you don’t want them to!”

Make it work for you
Its been rightly said that, “The only losers in office politics, are those that refuse to play...” The stakes are high and you have no choice but to figure out how to be politics-savvy to save both your job and steer your career in the right path. It does not have to be bad either – you can do it right with diplomacy and coalition building. And, once you master the social dynamics of dealing with people and getting things done, you can not only survive in political situations but also use it your advantage. A few tips on navigating the political waters:
Build relationships – Build working relationships with people around you, be it co-workers, managers, customers, suppliers, receptionists, consultants or HR. Find a common ground like mutual interests to connect with others. Draw on your social skills and be nice to people always.
Let them get to know you by being approachable, empathetic, showing genuine interest and appreciation.
Network well and persevere in helping others get what they want. It’s all about fitting in and winning trust, as your ‘friends’ will surely support you, side with you and even root for you. You can count on them and even seek their counsel if needed.
No tittle-tattle – Participate in badmouthing colleagues, criticising supervisors, spreading malicious rumours or making people look bad and you will only get it back in spades. Keep yourself unattached in office gossip without taking any sides.
Instead of backbiting someone, clear differences, disputes or misunderstandings by talking it out directly with the person involved. Similarly, do not indulge in futile whining and complaining sessions; seek constructive criticism that can help you improve.
Raise firm objections – While you should not play dirty to advance your own motives or hinder others, do not let people take advantage of you either. Only if you value yourself and your skills, will others respect the same.
So, be assertive when required and raise firm objections to any opposition or nasty behaviour. For instance, if someone is badmouthing you, confront him with a level headed discussion, and you may just get him to make amends.
Hobnob – Things will not happen on their own, you need to do your work in a way that creates a positive impression on everyone else. You also have to hobnob to get the best opportunities – projects, assignments, bonuses or training. Cautiously watch your back by keeping your eyes and ears open for what people are saying about you. Log on to the grapevine to keep track of what is happening in the office. Or, get yourself a mentor who can help and advice you about riding out the tough ‘political’ spots.
Blow you own horn – In today’s times when most employees are expendable, you have two jobs – your regular job and your other job of chief promoter or chief salesperson of yourself. Cultivate a positive, simple and accurate image by being seen in the right way.
Publicise your accomplishments and let the right people know about the great job you are doing. Take pains to preserve a professional image, ethical reputation and credibility.
Last but not the least, office politics is part and parcel of the corporate game.
So, take it in a light-hearted stride without giving in to stress or emotional outbursts.
On balance, it’s all about power, politics and influence. It can even be said that people are hired for what they know and fired for who they are.
Julie Jansen, author of I Don’t Know What I Want, but I Know It’s Not This gives the best advice with, “Be an actor, play the game, follow culture and this is just as big a part of your job as anything else!”

PAYAL CHANANIA

Blogs emerge as the new job-hunting tool

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

With the Internet explosion knowing no bounds and the world shifting to online, blogs are slowly but surely coming of age.
It is true that blogs have earned a bad name and we are constantly bombarded with shocking ‘people-fired-for-blogging’ stories. But compared to the colossal number of people blogging, the damaging instances are few and far between.
The lesser-known fact is that more people are actually getting jobs thanks to their blogs!
Come to think of it, a text resume provides just a brief outline of a candidate’s qualifications, skills, accomplishments and experience, nothing more. The vague bulleted list of flat, static information does not shed light on the person’s personality, perspective or even actual contributions.
Comparatively, your blog conveys your voice to the world - to people who do not know anything about you. It represents who you really are and helps you get noticed, get hired, get promoted!
In fact, Adam Darowski, an ardent blogger goes as far as to suggest that, “The blog is the new resume”.
After all, both employers and recruiters are actively ‘googling’ candidates for background and discovery. They read blog posts to get an insight into what work a person has really done - how he used his skills to accomplish a certain task, what role he played in a project or how he transitioned in his career history.
All that anyone needs to know is out there. Employers can judge what a person is like - how he thinks, communicates and even handles disagreements (by the nature of his responses to negative blog comments). The choice of blogging topics also reflects on his opinions, passions and values.
Presented with a candidate’s true essence, they can judge everything from his thought processes, judgement and achievements to even his team spirit, ability to innovate or whether he can actually fit into the organisational culture.
As one recruiter says, “We have hired two people, fresh out of college in the past four months that we found through their blogs - one didn’t even have a formal resume.
Frankly, he didn’t need one. A blog trumps a resume every single time!”

Blogging is serious business
A blog creates a personal brand that sets you apart from the rest of the herd. It creates opportunities, connections and opinion about you.
You can get a better job or maybe even meet your potential employer via the blog – someone reads your post and leaves a comment/job offer.
But blogging can help you only if it is done correctly.
So, develop a mature, coherent and well-written blog that does not indulge in unnecessary flaming or venting.
Remember that the blog is part of your professional reputation and steer clear of divulging your deepest secrets, indecisiveness or other gory details that can come back to haunt you. Also, pay heed to your company policy on blogging as unconstrained online antics can land you in hot water.
Again, your blog should say the right things and not paint you in an unfavourable light. Be purposeful and specific in choosing what you will blog about.
It’s all about self-promotion; show that you are the best by exposing yourself, your ambitions, motivations, work history and skills to the world.
Write posts that delve deeper into your experience and document your accomplishments. Tell interesting stories about the projects you are working on and build an ongoing profile of your work.
Hit them between the eyeballs by showcasing your creativity, talent, spontaneity and the influence that you wield at work.
Also, incorporate your views on industry trends to prove your credibility and expertise on major issues.
Then again, while a blog is not just about what you ate for dinner last night, do round off your personality by blogging on personal interests outside of work.
You can pen your political views, social causes, hobbies or even the music you like, to generate a sense of what is relevant to you.
Maintain the blog on a regular basis and soon you will have a well-studied web presence that can augment your position no end.
And the next time, someone wants to know more about you, you can confidently flaunt, “Just Google my name and you will find me!”
Little wonder then that blogs are emerging as the new job-hunting technique with jobseekers actually taking to ‘blogging for jobs’. But, while its true that your blog can catapult your career to the next level and do more for you than the conventional CV ever could, it can by no means replace the resume completely.
Nor is the resume redundant; a blog only serves as an extension that supplements the resume information with a reference point for the candidate’s interests and professional activities.
For instance, you cannot send a link to your blog URL in place of the resume.
So blog away, but do not ignore the ‘cut-and-dried’ resume either!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Interview over lunch – may be casual but all rules apply

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

An interview by itself is very stressful; imagine the gut-wrenching panic if the interviewer casually drops a, ‘Lets meet for lunch to discuss the job!’
The social setting makes navigating the interview minefield all the more tricky and intimidating. Its no longer only about listening to the interviewer, appearing confident despite your nervousness and formulating intelligent responses. You also have to pay attention to which fork you use and how you look while eating.

Not a very appetising prospect, is it!
Well, if you are ‘devoured’ by anxiety over a lunch interview, here are some helpful tips for getting a job while actually eating.
First things first - Interviewing over a meal is definitely more casual than in an office, but general interview rules still apply.
You have to be punctual, dressed in business attire and armed with both the necessary documents and answers. Doing your homework and preparing intelligent questions about the company’s business, current trends and future prospects is all the more important as it enables you to glean necessary information as well as ride out any awkward pauses during the meal.
Social niceties – Its time to brush up the basic table manners your mother taught you as you are literally eating under a microscope.
Simple etiquette includes:
• Do not sit down untilthe host does.
• Place your napkin in your lap while eating and use it to wipe your mouth often; you do not want to interview with a blob of food dangling on your chin.
• Keep your elbows off the table.
• Eat small bites and chew with your mouth closed
• Do not slurp your soup or eat noisily.
• Never speak with your mouth full.
• Use the proper spoons, forks and knives (from outside in) or pay attention to others’ actions.
• Only reach for items that are in front of you and always pass to your left. Politely ask others to pass something that is out of reach.
When it comes to the actual dining – Follow the interviewer’s lead in behaviour, tone and ordering.
• Skip the extravagant items and order in a similar price range as the interviewer. If he insists that you order first, choose something moderately priced - in the middle of the menu range.
• Exercise caution and restraint over what you actually order; this is not the time for gastronomic indulgences. Steer clear of messy items like spaghetti or pizza that may splatter or require lot of cutting/chewing. You do not want to risk splashing sauce/gravy on your shirt front or lo and behold, the interviewer’s.
Similarly, avoid finger food, something that has a strong odour or is crunchy to eat. Settle on a small, conservative meal that is manageable with bite-like portions or can be easily cut into small pieces with a knife and fork.
• Also, be gracious when declining anything – drink, dessert or just a second helping.
Some more etiquette matters – The interviewer will pay attention to how you treat the wait staff.
Be polite, courteous and respectful to the servers, peppered with ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ as it will reflect on your professionalism and how well you work with others. As etiquette expert Robin Jay points out, “Anyone who is nice to you but nasty to their server is not a nice person. So, be polite to restaurant staff, no matter what happens!” Also, do not complain about the food or service.
Consume and converse – Take your time while eating and talking as it is difficult to do both at the same time. Give more attention to the interviewer and less to the lunch.
Look at the interviewer and not the food while speaking. On the other hand, ensure that your anxiety does not keep you from eating at all.
Keep pace with others on the table so that you finish eating approximately at the same time.
Go with the flow – Initiate small talk with thoughtful observations or impersonal questions.
Take your cues from the interviewer and let him prompt the interview discussion.
Listen actively and give focussed, concise answers that give both of you a chance to eat. Discuss your skills, qualifications and experience between bites, waiting until you have swallowed your food.
The unthinkable happens - If an embarrassing situation pops up – you spill food, knock over a glass, use the wrong fork or even something gets stuck in your teeth – stay composed, handling it with grace and good humour.
Request the waiter’s assistance after duly apologising and then move on to refocus on the interview. Finally, remember that you are the guest and never offer to pay. Pick up the tab only if you have initiated the meeting.
While leaving, thank the interviewer for the enjoyable meal and reaffirm your interest in working for his company.
Follow up with a thank you letter or card the next day.On balance, keep in mind that the interviewer is not there to assess your dining prowess alone. So, instead of obsessing with the etiquette to the exclusion of all else, just follow the basic rules keeping the accent on your job expertise and accomplishments.
Yet, you do have to sail through the meal with professionalism, formality and proper manners to be able to secure the job.
Happy dining!
Good luck too!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Develop a never quit attitude to be a winner

Published on Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Why are some people always successful at whatever they do while others live out their lives in failure? How can some people love their work and others abhor it? Again, how do some manage to live out their dreams when the rest spend their lives only dreaming?
We may morosely put it down to luck, but actually it is all a matter of attitude.
Be positive and the world will be in the palm of your hand! Being negative seems normal. All around us people are constantly cursing the world and its sister. Self-pitying edicts like ‘Poor old me’, ‘I hate my job’, ‘this always happens to me’ abound.
However, such pessimism is not healthy. In effect, negativity is a big turn-off.
It thwarts all opportunities and is not conducive to creative or productive work.
In contrast, ‘think positive’ is as cliched as it can get. Yet, it stands true that an ability to see the bright side of things helps you to cope more easily with any vagaries or adversities that life and work may throw your way.
Ability and talent also blossom in a positive environment. You are more likely to do well if you perceive the world as a friendly place with new opportunities waiting at every turn.
After all, Negative attitude says: You cannot achieve success. Positive attitude says: You can achieve success.
No doubt, there will always be days when you feel that nothing is going right.
However, this is not the end of the world. And, anticipating difficulties or failure will not help matters either. You have to stay optimistic and expect the best to happen.
Only changing the way you think will help you move up the career ladder and make your dreams come true.
Like a salesman who takes the approach of ‘just one more door’, no matter how many doors slam in his face. Well, that is a positive attitude!Living life with a positive twist
Work at being positive by harnessing your personal power and taking charge of your subconscious mind. Here are a few tips:
• Nip negative thoughts, behaviour, worries and jealousy in the bud. They are futile. Instead, be an optimist and feel good about what you do.
• ‘As you think so you are!’ Think in terms of ‘can do’ and ‘want to do’ rather than ‘cannot do’ and ‘have to do’.
• Display self-esteem and confidence by believing in yourself and your abilities.
• Always expect favourable things and visualise only what you want to happen. Make it vivid and focussed. Work on it and watch it become real.
• Face every challenge head on. Do not let petty upheavals get you down. Chin up and life can never get the better of you.
• Things go wrong all the time. You may fail to complete an important assignment, miss out on a project or even lose you job. But you can either be devastated or see it as a challenge that opens up new opportunities. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and put it down to experience.
• There are two sides to every coin. Look for the silver lining and things will not seem as bad as you think they are.
• Do not give up in the face of failure. See the problem as a blessing in disguise and focus your energies on seeking solutions. You have to learn to pick up the pieces and start afresh. After all, a winner is not one who never fails, but one who never quits.
• List out the things that you are grateful for in life. Focus on them when you feel you have been short-changed. Or, seek other distractions from your problems like meeting a friend or indulging a hobby. Time will give you a better perspective.
• Deal yourself the life’s best cards and turn your stumbling blocks into stepping-stones with positivity in the heart.
• Finally, concentrate on the future; do not dwell on the past. Life is too short to brood over what went wrong. Discard your ‘what ifs’ and ‘might have beens’.
An inspiring sign at an office entrance reads, ‘Negativity is what you leave outside the door’. Adopt positivity as a way of life, but exercise thoughtful judgement too.
Do not live in a fool’s paradise by viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses.
Finally, as Shakespeare once said, “There is nothing either good or bad; but thinking makes it so”.
So, decide your attitude right now. Choose to be positive!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Brevity key to effective communication

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

We frequently find ourselves in the company of people who not only talk for too long, but also insist on repeating every point ad nauseum. The same goes for their written output too.
Well, most of us are guilty to this vice and tend to go on and on. Chances are that you are already shaking your head in an instant negation; arguments of denial must have already sprung to your lips. And if that isn’t proof enough, just imagine having to sit through your own long-winded discourse or having to read your own copious reports and you will have your answer.We cannot help but marvel at the sheer volume of endless blubber all around us.
Everyone is talking, rambling discussions, prolonged meetings and elaborate presentations that are still missing the point, it can be said for prodigious memos, emails, reviews and blogs.
The problem lies in the fact that most people think that the number of words used better conveys a message. What they conveniently overlook is that content is what really matters.
In fact, good content often gets lost in effusive repetitions delivered at breakneck speed, hindering both decision-making and action.
So, brevity is the key to effective communication – both verbal and written. Plain and concise dialogue can be clearly heard/read and understood. Observing economy of words with a specific and goal-oriented approach not only saves time (which is of precious value in any organisation) but also leads to clearer views, wise decisions and immediate end-results. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do!”

How to qualify your use
Before speaking or writing anything, assess the needs of your audience and the extent to which they are acquainted with the subject. Think over what you want to write/say and try to paraphrase yourself immediately. There is no need for a long-winded repetition; people will get the message on the first hearing/reading especially if they are familiar with the topic.
Communication experts exhort the adoption of a minimalist style by combing for unnecessary words, phrases or sentences that can be reworded, restructured or even omitted entirely. Tightening yourself will ensure that the focus is on the significant points, making your argument clearer and more compelling than a complicated rambling.Do not write or say the same things again. Avoid flowery phrases or analogies in favour of a direct approach. Steer clear of vague expressions that actually hint at your nervousness or uncertainty. In short, speak to express, not to impress! But, do ensure that you do not sacrifice content at the altar of brevity.
Simply present the points or questions on hand and try to get opinions and answers. Never should you ignore what others have to say in the rush to present your piece. Make note of people’s views and objections as only when you are a good listener who pays heed to others’ words, will you win respect and attention for yours. Once you start making concerted efforts to qualify yourself with economy of words at all times – be it corporate gatherings, one-on-one or on paper, conciseness will start coming to you spontaneously!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Step up your work attitude, go beyond negativity

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

With fly-by-night jobs and transient employment becoming the norm, the ground is forever shifting beneath us. No longer able to take a job for granted or count on our allegiance to the employer to pull us through, we end up feeling victimised and helpless – completely unhappy with our life and situation.
Yet, in these perilous times, we still nonchalantly go with the flow, keeping ourselves at the mercy of the management.
I shudder to think Why? Will things change on their own? Is it right to depend on others to bail you out from the sinking quagmire of circumstances?
Sorry to shatter your hopes but the bitter truth is that there is no guardian angel or knight-in-shining-armour rallying round you. You are in the driver’s seat and have to steer your own life, that too under your own steam. As the quote by John Rohn goes, ‘You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
It’s all about “Me, Inc.” and shifting to a commitment to yourself alone will enable you to control your own destiny. There is no place for ambivalence anymore, you have to take charge, be responsible and action-oriented.
The new manifesto for ‘holding yourself responsible’ includes essential building blocks like:
Goodbye to the ‘not my fault’ syndrome – It is easy to sit back and criticise or complain incessantly. But will the blame game get you anywhere? Instead, eliminate the excuses and stop dodging the personal responsibility of your choices and actions. Assume ownership of the problem – be it unfinished tasks, missed deadlines or unmet goals. Once you realise that you can and should control your circumstances, you will transform from a finger-pointer to a problem solver.
No more wallowing – On a similar note, cynicism is no longer an option. You cannot hide behind lame defences like, ‘the boss is unfair’, ‘the company is responsible for keeping you contented’, ‘the manager is lax’ or ‘colleagues do not pull their weight’. You are in charge of your own morale and have to step up your work attitude by getting beyond the negativity.
Wing it - Get over your need for structure and certainty to be able to take on projects that are laced with ambiguity. You cannot even afford to completely depend on the manager to frame the situation and clarify things. Strive to make constant attempts, learn from your failures, improvise and move on.
Take in your stride – Education, accomplishments and track record take a back seat to adaptability. You have to be flexible, mobile and able to adjust to new situations quickly.
No free lunch – Your loyalty, tenure and good intentions are dispensable. Sticking to the same mode of doing things, waiting for others to call the shots and simply following direction will never augment your value. Instead, contribute more than your share by seeking to cut costs, improve productivity and innovate on your own.
The big picture – Simply aligning your objectives with the manager’s or department’s goals will not get you far. Look beyond to concentrate on the right things and their outcomes.
Lifelong learning – You cannot get by on experience alone. Keep your education relevant with constant courses and workshops that provide personal development.
Take personal responsibility for improvement and seek to grow. Continuous learning and retooling will increase your knowledge base and skills, thus keeping you competitive.
Role models – Study successful people and analyse their approach, attitude, work habits and skills. Benchmark yourself against their potential, achievements and how they operate to be able to get better and better.
Spend purposeful time on visualising a mental picture of your goals and what you want to be. This will fire you to turn them into reality Les Brown puts it best with “If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.” This is not to say that you don’t have to work effectively on the job, aspire to achieve organisational goals and contribute to its development. But, do it without losing sight of your commitment to yourself.
Needless to say, the going will not be easy; numerous potholes and detours will line your journey, detracting you from achieving career success. Stay focussed on commitment and accountability to yourself. Then and only then can you emerge as a flexible, dynamic and vital asset to yourself. As you will become valuable to have around, organisations will seek you out instead of the other way around!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Shrewdly turn sales-breakers into sales-makers

Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Every salesperson worth his salt will have a repertoire of instances where he tracks down prospects, approaches them, launches his sales call - only to have them start spewing objections on anything from the product, service, solution or even say, the delivery schedule.
Needless to say, it’s a nightmare come true as the customer lashes out with, ‘The price is too high’, ‘Product quality is not up to the mark’, ‘Company reputation is not good enough’. Even diversionary tactics like, ‘I am satisfied with another service’, ‘Send me more information’, ‘Call me after two months’ or simply, ‘I am not interested’ surface.
Discomfited and dejected, sales personnel often turn away in the face of such hostile rejection.
Well, sales opposition is uncomfortable and confusing, but as a frontline salesman, you have to realise that resistance is quite normal. After all, no matter how compelling the need, how good your product, how perfect your presentation or how persuasive your sales spiel is, prospects always have and always will reject and have objections. They may misunderstand your description, be sceptical of the product, stall (for maybe a better deal) or basically be sales-adverse.
While the objections are obstacles, you can still counter them effectually. Yes, all is not lost; you can still close the sale.The trick is to shrewdly turn the sales-breakers into sales-makers. In fact, top marketing experts actually welcome objections as the stepping stones to sales success. Not only does it open the door to further communication and clarification, but also presents an opportunity to establish the much-needed buyer-seller rapport.

When on the grill
Take the heat – Some emotional preparation is in order as customers will definitely upset you with their objections. Accept the nauseating remarks as a natural part of the sales process and do not take them personally. Keep your sense of balance and perspective by making a determined effort to maintain your composure despite the provocation.
In your stride – Recognise that the prospect’s needs are important and allow him to express his objections freely. Do not dismiss them as dumb protests with standard ‘objection handlers’ like, ‘You are wrong’ or ‘You don’t understand’. Pay attention to what he has to say and understand his problem instead of talking around the issue.
Line your ducks in a row - When faced with a valid objection, you cannot afford to shoot from the hip or just ad lib a response. It is advisable to learn everything about the product before you venture out to sell it. This way not only will you sound confident and knowledgeable, but can also fine-tune your message to meet specific needs. Again, it turns handy for reselling a product or shedding light on new advantages to overcome an objection. You can even go to the extent of arming yourself with prepared responses to all actual and anticipated objections.
Do not refute an objection - The resistance has face value and you have to keep what the prospect has said in mind when framing a suitable answer. Imagine yourself in the prospect’s shoes to be able to determine the cause and analyse it as a reasonable objection.
When responding, question the objection without offering any judgement on its validity. Try sounding them out with, “If we were to do this (for correcting the objection), then what?” This will help you to probe into the actual needs and discover the real hot buttons, as at times people tend to forestall with price or budget objections to cover their real ones.
Make it a point to address every objection with a plausible response; the best sales people are those who do not let any objection go unanswered. At times, you can yourself draw attention to potential objections even before they are raised, by say, emphasising other merits or presenting a logical rationalisation. You can go to the extent of ‘putting words in the prospect’s mouth’ or breaking ground with a radical perspective like in the case of Heinz: ‘When customers complained that Heinz super-thick tomato ketchup was difficult to pour, company leadership took a revolutionary stance by asking, “What if we did nothing?” Rather than getting worried about the complaints, Heinz simply turned this feature into a benefit. The resulting advertising campaign sent a clear message: If it comes out of the bottle too easily, then it must be low-quality ketchup!’
So, do not take a blow-off like - ‘I am too busy’ or ‘I don’t have the budget’ - lying down, but convert it into an opportunity to make a point with a mini sales message. But, whatever you say or do, remember that arguing with a prospect, lying or trying to degrade the competition is completely forbidden.
Also, while you should definitely not take ‘No’ for an answer, some objections will be insurmountable and some prospects totally unyielding. It is advisable to let them be; you don’t have to sell to every person you come in contact with. Give your best shot to mastering the opposition of the more likely ones and you will be in business pronto!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Answer all questions of a screener elaborately

Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

After the initial resume screening, companies employ a further assessment tool to vet applicants directly. By way of a screening interview, they weed out unqualified and uninterested candidates, thus narrowing the candidate pool considerably.
This preliminary step is used to qualify candidates before they meet with a hiring authority for possible selection. By separating the grain from the chaff, screening interviews prove to be a quick and efficient strategy that saves both time and money.
The result is a shortlist of qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements and should be called for interviewing, radically reducing the number of actual formal interviews.
Experienced and professional screeners - either a third-party recruiter or a member of the hiring company’s HR department, generally conduct a screening interview.
While most commonly conducted on the telephone, screening by video conference or online is picking up slowly.
At times, screening questionnaires (online or paper-based) with open-ended or multiple-choice questions are also used to determine candidate eligibility. On a rare occasion, companies do call applicants for a brief face-to-face meeting too.
Irrespective of the approach, screeners are primarily looking to verify candidate qualifications and other essential criteria along with judging real interest in and enthusiasm for the job. The emphasis is on learning more about the candidate prior to the actual interview – character, attitude, ethics, communication skills, professional style, reasons for job hunting - so as to determine whether he/she would be a good fit for the company, the job and the work culture.
Screening is basically a casual discussion, which can last for a few minutes to say, half an hour. The format is highly structured with straight questions and answers that can even be tape recorded for other interviewers. But, the screener will only pick out the best prospects, not hire anyone outright.

Hitting the right note
On the whole, applicants should understand that screening rules are principally different from the normal hiring or selection interviews.
The emphasis is on providing facts that corroborate with the CV and highlight your suitability for the position in question, not building a rapport or portraying your personality. As a career analyst puts it, “Save your winning personality for the person making hiring decisions!”
Candidates should basically conform to what they have already mentioned in the resume. Be confident and give straight-forward, succinct and focussed answers. But, ensure that you never deviate from the truth, as interviewers will verify them during the hiring interview and reference checks.
Understand that the interviewer is basically interested in corroborating your qualifications, experience, workplace preferences and salary expectations with the organisation and job in question, and proceed accordingly.
You can take the initiative to quickly point the interviewer to key areas in your resume that reflect the job needs and also highlight relevant qualifications/accomplishments. What’s more, this is your chance to provide additional information that is specific to the job and could not be covered in the standard resume.
Keep in mind that screeners also seek to identify potential red flags like inconsistencies and will surely dig for dirt like gaps in employment history or other inconsistencies in the resume based on qualifications, work background and experience.
You can reap the advantage of being well prepared by devising a list of potential questions and rehearsing eloquent answers for the same.
Common queries include but are not limited to your work history, leadership skills, key motivators, strengths/weaknesses, achievements/failures, preferred work environment, expected salary, description of your last job, why you quit, what interests you in the new position/company and what skills/contributions you can bring to the same.
While providing the crucial information, you can even seize an opening to ask targeted questions about the company, job role, goals, and responsibilities and work culture with the aim to land a further job interview.
Generally speaking, if your responses pass muster, you will advance to the next interviewing level. But, if the interviewer does not volunteer the information on his own you can tactfully inquire the same with a gracious, “I have really enjoyed talking to you and learning more about your firm. Should I expect to hear from you by a certain date?”
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PAYAL CHANANIA

Internal placement – gives growth chance for aspiring staff

Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

It’s a known fact that the lure of greener pastures beckons even the most-satisfied employees every now and then.
To keep from losing good workers to this exciting temptation, employers are proffering the proverbial ‘new wine in old bottle’ through internal transfers in the same old company. They give an exclusive first shot at openings to existing em ployees to provide the sorely-needed change. It can be by way of a new opportunity, a challenging assignment, a new boss, exposure to latest technology or just increase in salary.
Such in-house options either move employees up or about, ranging from reassignments and lateral transfers in a similar role or cross-functional moves to even promotions to a higher level.
Apart from the obvious potential as an effective retention tool, employers favour inside hiring as they are familiar with employees’ skills and ‘known’ performance who in turn are no stranger to the company culture, terminology and way of working. As such, internal transferees can fit into the new role without missing a beat, doing away with the customary orientation or break-in period for new hires. Moreover, as an HR expert points out, “Employee transfers are an essential mechanism for knowledge transition and the sharing of best practices.” With redeployment, vacancies are filled faster as employees are less likely to reject the offer, not to mention that hiring, advertising and skill assessment costs become negligible.
Again, an internal placement generally creates a ripple of promotions as many people are moved up to fill each vacancy, opening up more opportunities for everyone. This explicit motivation coupled with the perceptible interest in employees’ development and career enhancement goes a long way in bolstering company image as a foundation of long-term employment security.

What’s in store?
Internal recruitment does emerge as an attractive means of rewarding loyalty and performance even while meeting resource needs, but filling a vacancy with an existing employee is actually easier said than done. Scores of complexities need to be addressed like:
Self-service – When advertising internally, companies do nothing more than post openings on the intranet or on bulletin boards near the cafeteria. It is up to the employees to identify their needs and reach out for matching opportunities on their own. This self-nomination approach limits the effectiveness of internal recruitment as employers have no control over who applies, or more importantly, who doesn’t. The best employees may either be unaware of the vacancy or reluctant to pursue the same. They may even find it easier to seek out similar opportunities outside the company than within.
A more proactive approach is called for where HR managers can effectively seek out key employees or even look for the right employee in the internal talent pool.
Managerial possessiveness – It has often been noticed that managers feel a sense of ownership over the resources in their department, refusing to allow their best and brightest staff to be shifted to another division. They feel threatened by apparent employee disloyalty and may hold back internal mobility by vetoing the move or even punish workers for contemplating the move. Further discontent also stems from the prospect of having to recruit a replacement again.
Top management should anticipate objections from concerned managers and facilitate discussions that enlighten them on the bigger picture of broader success. Once managers understand the overall benefits (especially as employees may leave due to lack of new opportunities) they will embrace the change, at times even to the extent of initiating career planning dialogue with employees.
The ins and outs – Companies impose internal transfer restrictions based on tenure, performance rating or even managerial approval which can frustrate talented and ambitious employees to the point of jumping ship.
Sometimes, releasing a trained employee from an existing department or ongoing project is not that easy.
Infighting and jockeying for positions comes into play; employees even angle for transfers just to escape a boss. Managers are also known to indulge in favouritism, isolating the rest.
Internal candidates may bring familiarity, but still need time and space to pick up the finer aspects of the role. At times, they may need training and guidance to become acquainted with the new line of business.
Therefore, internal recruitment needs to be a systematic process that avails maximum benefits instead of further complicating the system. For instance, managers should conjoin employee career aspirations with internal job requirements and not use transfers just to aid retention. Then and only then, it can create an effective internal resource rotation that aids successful succession planning.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Constant reproach by managers kills employee initiative

Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

A tongue-in-cheek forward that is doing the e-mail rounds, ‘A team of managers was given an assignment to measure the height of a flagpole.
So the managers go out to the flagpole with ladders and tape. They are falling off the ladders, dropping the tape measures - the whole thing is just a mess. An engineer comes along and sees what they are trying to do, walks over, pulls the flagpole ou t of the ground, lays it flat, measures it from end to end, gives the measurement to one of the managers and walks away.
After the engineer has gone, one manager turns to another and laughs – “See this idiot. We are looking for height and he gives the length!”
Moral: No matter what good you do, Managers can always find fault in you!’
It ends with a postscript cautioning you to never forward this to managers!

Drawing the fault lines
Sounds funny, but the sad truth is that most managers come from the ‘fault-finding’ stable. They are always looking for one excuse or another to find fault with their employees – it can be poor performance, divergent work patterns or even just a failure to conform to their own thought patterns.
Managers may seek glory in finding faults, at times just to show off their technical or managerial superiority. But what they fail to realise is that the blind attitude is quite self-defeating. Vociferous criticism will not do anyone any favours; it actually alienates the staff who will avoid seeking assistance or another way to solve the problem. The fear of constant reproach is also a huge demotivating factor that not only kills initiative but also increases turnover.

Rise above the blame game
No one is infallible everybody makes mistakes. Moreover, it’s easy, in fact far too easy, to find fault. If you look hard enough, you can make employees look bad over anything and everything.
Instead of expending all your energy in finding faults and assessing blame, as a manager you should re-evaluate your management style and shift the focus to fixing the problem.
Move from ‘fault-finding’ mode to a ‘fact-finding’ one where the spotlight is on finding the root cause of the problem and looking for a solution.
Maintaining a degree of accountability is important and you should identify who was involved in the problem. Ask open questions about the error without jumping to judgements and attacking employees. For instance you can switch from “and you did….” to “let’s look at the facts.”
While determining the cause for a performance gap, dig deeper as it could be that the employee did not have access to the necessary information/resources or even the work system could be to blame. If so, make according changes in the work environment that will enable the workforce to be more productive and succeed.
If the poor performance is attributed primarily to an employee error, steps should be taken to hold the individual employee accountable, but without resorting to petty ridicule, sarcasm or malice. Steer clear of public humiliation by discussing the issue behind closed doors.
Here too, the accent should not be on fixing blame and pointing out failures, but on offering constructive feedback laced with thoughtful suggestions, alternatives and counselling.
Also, keep the communication lines open so that the employees can approach you for directions and coaching whenever needed.
Portraying a supportive tolerance that gives an employee the opportunity to succeed again inspite of the failures goes a long way in building effective work relationships.

Find what they are doing right too
To enhance alignment with employees and improve managerial control, it is imperative to acknowledge employee ideas, contributions and achievements with both compliments and rewards. For instance, while critiquing a fault, you should also comprehend the big picture by accepting the amount of thought, preparation and hard work that has gone into the assignment. Developing an encouraging attitude sans any confrontational overtones will not only earn you staff respect and admiration, but also pave the way for employee growth by harnessing their best abilities and skills.
So, remember that you may be an expert in finding faults, correcting and criticising, but such behaviour will never build a positive and motivating work environment. Handling performance problems by finding solutions is the real key to great management.
To quote an ancient Chinese philosopher, ‘A leader is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worst when they despise him!’

PAYAL CHANANIA