Take up the challenge, show how good you are at work

Published on Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009

Enough has been said about today’s turbulent economic times and the accompanying uncertainty. We all know that we are spiralling dizzily into a recession with a dismal depression looming on the horizon.
But what about the predicament on the personal front? With rampant downsizing, layoffs and pay cuts, the depth of our troubles ranges from finding a good job to holding on to the job you have to paying the unending pile of bills. Unhappiness and insecurity are rampant as people’s emotions dangerously seesaw between abject fear, worry, anger, stress and downright cynicism.
Well, it’s true that we have no idea what the future will hold or when the tide will change. It’s also true that our very innate sense of security has flown out of the window and there is no certainty at all. But does this mean that we are destined to be helpless victims, spending our precious time either catastrophising the ‘doomed’ future or even sinking into an utter denial?
My friends, the answer is a categorical NO! In fact, there are various small measures for dealing with the uncertainty – measures which itself will help us to derive a certain sense of certainty once again.
Making the best: The first step is to manage your emotional state and not let the troubled economic times drive you into a state of panic. Remember it’s all in the mind. So strive to maintain your sense of perspective by inculcating positive thinking and a healthy atmosphere. Talk about the difficult situation with people around you, but in a positive manner and not with a spell of doom.
This sense of positivity will definitely stand you in good stead as it is bound to come through in the interview as well as on the job.
Further, taking care of yourself by eating, sleeping and exercising regularly will help you to maintain a healthy mental attitude. When things do get to you, practicing simple deep breathing can calm down your worries to a great extent.
Empower yourself: The other trick up your sleeve is to empower yourself to take charge of the situation instead of being overwhelmed by it. For this, you have to start believing in yourself – you are valuable and competent, not nervous or doubtful. This will beget the confidence to approach problems head on and tackle them in the best possible manner.
Moreover, many forward-thinking companies encourage their employees to come forward and help address the challenges that lie ahead. You have to grasp the opportunity by thinking of useful solutions or alternatives and then expressing them as productive ideas and suggestions. As it has been rightly said, “We are all part of the solution, and in times like these,every challenge is an opportunity.”
For instance, you can explain that the raging uncertainty in the workforce where no one knows what will happen, is harming productivity and results. You can further put forth that involving employees in decisions that concern them or keeping them abreast with developments will foster some much-needed certainty. Such measures will go a long way in building your credibility and even secure your position in the organisation.
So, take the challenge and show how good you are. Learn to enjoy your job despite the uncertainty by focussing on what you can and will accomplish. This will increase your efficiency, thus leaving a lesser risk of being fired!
Also, keep yourself aware of what is happening and try to adapt accordingly. Be creative and look out for new possibilities thrown up by the changing economic trends.
For example, the downturn can actually open up fresh and lucrative domains if you are willing to change careers.
On a more personal level, it makes practical sense to assess your financial situation with a calm and clear mind.
The frugal times demand that you budget your expenses, minimise your debt and strive to build a safety nest for emergencies. This requires careful planning, wise choices and conservative investments – never operate out of fear or haste as it will only lead to poor decisions.
To sum up, it is vitally important that you should be prepared. After all, that is the only certain thing amidst the hysterical uncertainty!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Professional sourcers help cut hiring time, costs

Published on Wednesday, Apr 08, 2009

Many employers are realising that they are now actually weighed down by weary recruiters who have reached a dead-end when it comes to sourcing fresh job candidates. And why not, as the small pond of Internet job boards and resume banks are fast running dry. No matter what the job criteria, it turns up the same pool of jaded candidates who are approached by various recruiters left, right and centre.

This has spawned a new breed of ‘strategic sourcers’ or ‘power sourcers’ who have quickly realised that the job boards only account for a meagre 10 per cent of the entire working population. The vast ocean is still out there, calling your name and asking to be tapped.

Process: What these sourcers actually do is cast their web wide beyond the traditional sources like job boards, online postings, classified ads and job fairs because while these may spurn copious resumes, the results are often unsuitable or even dated or inactive.

Instead, the sourcers identify and uncover talented candidates hidden in untapped nooks and corners by using proactive techniques.

The most common mode is directly cold-calling possible candidates who are otherwise not accessible in any public forum like the Internet.

They also source the Internet, but rather than the ubiquitous job boards, they turn to harder-to-reach places like personal home pages, alumni groups, blogs, social networking sites and other forums. Apart from this, sourcers also regularly tap their own private databases and contact networks to track down new names.

This throws up a motley collection of potential candidates that are literally fresh from the oven. As in the words of Maureen Sharib, a top telephone names sourcer, “That person, many times, has never been contacted before by anyone from the ‘outside’ world offering them what you have to offer. That person, many times, is flattered you took the time to seek them out and many times will listen attentively to what you have to say”.

Candidate sourcing activity typically involves generating a list of untapped, suitable candidates with their name, job title, job function and contact information.

This is usually done by contacting people who hold specific titles in (specific) organisations. This is why sourcers are also known as name generators.

Sourcers also offer some preliminary screening where they contact the candidate to determine whether he suits the job requirements and also whether he is interested in new job opportunities.

The organisation has to apprise the sourcer of the particulars like job description, list of target companies you want him to penetrate (optional), special instructions, if any and other accoutrements.

Weighing pros & cons: Professional sourcing brings several advantages like heightened research skills, focused search abilities and layered knowledge of various candidates.

The solid experience coupled with an instinctive intuition keeps the pipeline brimming with additional volumes of latent talent.

Simply put, sourcing is nothing but primary research, which was earlier done by recruiters themselves. But, transferring this time-consuming burden to professional sourcers frees the recruiters to now concentrate on the screening, processing and interviewing of the candidates sourced.

It pays to leverage the considerable expertise of outside name generators, especially when your recruiters are struggling to find new leads or have no hope of finding them.

But, there are a few important things to consider before bringing in professional sourcers to complement the efforts of your recruiting team. The quality of the sourcer, reputation and experience in sourcing is quite critical. It is advisable to check out the sourcers’ and ensure that they implement best practices.

Also, consider the current recessionary climate and tightening purse strings before taking on the additional costs that professional sourcing is bound to incur. Still, some experts argue that external sourcing successfully fills hard-to-place positions only at a fraction of the cost of the long-drawn out traditional recruiting venues.

All said and done, at the end of the day, sourcing can only generate some good leads.

Recruiting will only happen when the middle-of-the-road prospects are subtly persuaded to accept job offers!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Beware of drowning in your own hype

Published on Wednesday, Apr 08, 2009

There is a lot of hype surrounding people in key jobs. The regular work-based hard-sell like, ‘Has a lot of people working under him….’, ‘Is responsible for a great deal of money….’, ‘People sit up and listen when he speaks….’, ‘Is constantly making important decisions…’ ‘Mobilises extensive corporate resources….’ can be quite intoxicating.

It is not confined to the executive suites either. Many a times, even middle-order job positions are touted as ‘Wielding great power and influence….’ to build up excitement.

The sailing is quite smooth as long as you are simply building the hype or even paying people to boost your image. But it’s quite easy to get caught up and carried away by the puff and glamour.

Trouble comes calling when you actually start believing in the propaganda yourself and act as if you are ‘the next best thing’!

The hype around you can make you feel quite good indeed. But once it goes to your head, it translates into a haughty and pompous attitude brimming with delusions of your ’exalted’ status, worth and importance.

Now you start insisting on asserting your status, demand special attention and expect others to act impressed, as you are a ‘very important person’.

This self-delusional sense of importance can be your undoing. Yes-men and followers who constantly reinforce that you are very important, soon surround you.

Yet, they will never respond honestly to you and may even keep bad news away from your ears.

On the other hand, the burgeoning egotism and arrogance paints you as a cold and hostile person, destroying all empathy, trust and support from your erstwhile supportive colleagues or subordinates. The supercilious condescension further instigates them to attempt to bring you down and put you in your proper place.

The end result is that your myopic view itself leaves you alienated from both your sycophants and rivals. Your stress and anxiety further accelerates, as you are paranoid about losing your importance.

What’s more, it also stands true that in today’s tough economic situation with the economy spiralling out of control, you are not doing yourself any favour by believing in your own hype.

Kick delusions: Tempting it may be, don’t be sucked in by the feel-good publicity. It’s downright foolish. What’s more, the hype is not even real; it’s simply an illusionary deception!

The trick is to rise above the hype by keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground and knowing where you stand in reality. Always strive to keep yourself in perspective – you are not irreplaceable at all; in fact the exact opposite is very well true.

This is possible only when you practice humility and detachment, even when you are in the topmost job. Be dispassionate and do not take yourself or your position too seriously.

Keep your focus fixed solely on your work instead of troubling yourself with what others think of you or how they treat you. This simple and calm outlook will help you to lighten up and free the overwhelming burden of self-importance from your shoulders.

This is easier said than done, but staying humble and focussed will open the doors to even greater success, which will sit lightly on your ego. To sum up with a popular proverb, “Don’t believe your own publicity. You can’t; you will start thinking that you are better than you are.”

Payal Chanania

Can counter-offers stop top talent from leaving?

Published on Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009

Today’s recession-hit times have ‘necessitated’ large-scale downsizing and lay-offs at all levels. Yet, while companies are voluntarily trimming down personnel, they still cannot afford to have their top employees walking out of the door, that too of their own accord.

The downturn itself has made retaining skilled members of the staff a topmost priority. And why not, after all you cannot afford to simply stand by and watch the organisation’s valuable investment in the employee going down the drain, as he is enticed away to greener pastures!

So, once a human asset announces his decision to leave, the management has to go all out to stop him at the door. They try to lure him to stay by sweetening the pot as much as possible, at times above and beyond the new job offer. This is what is known as the ‘counter-offer’.

Yet, convincing an employee to stay after he has decided to leave is tricky territory. It requires careful groundwork and handling to be successful.

The counteroffer should be prepared in such a manner such that it serves the company interest and also satisfies the employee. Let’s take a look at what goes into making a counteroffer a win-win situation:

What’s on offer?

It goes without saying that the organisation has to hold out something extra, something out of the ordinary to keep the about-to-leave employee from doing so. This unscheduled offer normally ranges from a salary raise, bonus, promotion, additional benefits to even stock options.

Yet, the attractive offer often does not eliminate the root cause of dissatisfaction that had provoked the employee to quit in the first place. As the problem is bound to crop up again, making a counter-offer will just prolong the inevitable. In fact, it has been proved that most employees who accept counter-offers leave within the next six months.

Instead, it makes sense to dig into the underlying discontent and try to solve the issues, thus actually making the employee ‘want’ to stay. Towards this end, you should determine the employee’s needs, interests and ambitions, examine his performance records, speak to his manager, colleagues or even the employee himself or even check out the new company and job to understand what has tempted him to move.

Then, try to make necessary changes that will address the problem and turn the situation around. For instance, if the employee abhors the lack of challenge, offering a tough project, top assignment or extra responsibilities will reignite the excitement. If its stress or burnout, an extended or paid vacation is just what the doctor ordered.

Similarly, opportunities for further training or career development can help one move out of a stagnating career. Again, if an employee is looking to start a family or needs work-life balance, options such as structured leave, telecommuting or flex time can do the trick.

Other underlying issues such as unsatisfactory office environment, personality clash with manager or co-worker and commuting dilemmas also need to be tackled appropriately, as simply offering more money or projects will not make them disappear.

Way to present it

Even if you have worked out the ideal solution, a counteroffer is a sensitive issue that screams handle with care.

You have to present it in a sincere, objective and trustworthy manner sans any ill will, for it to be accepted.

Be open with the employee even as you discuss the merits and demerits of the new job, the benefits of working for your organisation or the potential pitfalls for leaving.

After all, a counteroffer is a sort of recommitment and only fair treatment can help the employee to reconnect with his job.

Flip side

Well, the counter-offer is not without its inherent risks and consequences. It can send out the wrong message that employees only have to mouth the ‘I quit’ threat to provoke the desired raise or promotion.

Moreover, making constant counter-offers not only smacks of desperation, it can also wreak havoc with the company pay structures.

It even demoralises loyal employees who resent the apparent favouritism as benefits are doled out to ‘unworthy’ employees.

Yet, the jury is still out on the wisdom of making counter-offers. As a top HR manager remarks, “I’ve seen it go both ways.

We’ve had some employees who have accepted counter-offers and remained here for years and others who have accepted counter-offers and left after six months.

Managers should be in tune with each employee’s commitment to the company so that this type of thing doesn’t come as a big surprise.”

Companies should always evaluate the pros and cons of the situation without making a counte-roffer the common practice.

Restrict it to those employees who are critical to the success of the company or possess knowledge and skills that are hard to replace.

Above all, keep in mind that a counteroffer is actually only an attempt to buy time till you can yourself find an appropriate replacement!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Leverage on WWW for better business strategy

Published on Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009

The pace of technological development is rather mind-boggling. The possibilities of the Internet alone are enough to zap your mind, as the ‘World Wide Web’ becomes the latest buzzword.

Yet, don’t make the grave mistake of dismissing ‘jumping on to the Internet bandwagon’ as just another passing, if hugely popular, fad.

The cyberspace and its accompanying Internet technologies are dripping with potential, limited only by the extent to which companies can exploit them.

Tapping the advantages of the web will help in many, many ways ranging from daily operations to new business applications, from analysis to disclosure and from collaboration techniques to expanding customer markets.

In other words, utilising the Internet is a cognitive process that will drive value in any given situation. Add to it the current economic downturn and it remains the only viable avenue for maximising performance, cutting costs and maintaining profitability. So, embracing this new trend is quite imperative for remaining competitive in the changing marketplace.

Reshaping business: The realm of web impact knows no boundaries with everything from innovation to competition moving to an online platform. It opens up great opportunities in varied domains like:

Building presence: With the Internet spelling the dawn of the new market space, many organisations (depending on their nature and scale) have to build an Internet presence. This is possible by hosting a company website or blog that keeps interested people abreast of varied information like the company activities, operating hours, mission, goals, corporate culture and recruitment requirements.

Making connections: The net is the new medium for building and maintaining customer relations. The company can reach customers quickly, keep them informed and also collect data on their needs, satisfaction and other feedback.

As a top Internet consultant opines, “The web can help you reach more interested customers than you ever thought possible and give you unique ways of always keeping your business fresh in their minds.”

Promoting products: Companies are always looking for new marketing channels and the latest one is the net. Web advertising is indeed persuasive, timely and cost-effective as it eliminates the lengthy and costly process of designing, printing catalogues, constantly posting marketing literature to customers and so on. New offers and products can be immediately emailed to numerous customers or posted on the company website.

Expanding markets: People are increasingly turning to the net not only to research but also buy varied products and services. A professional website coupled with cutting-edge net marketing strategies is very effective when it comes to increasing Internet sales that too, often at lower prices. Everything from taking orders, filling them and collecting payments can be easily fulfilled on the online forum. This e-commerce also enables interested companies to expand their business to international markets.

Setting strategy: The Internet also proves very useful when it comes to mining information on the markets, fine-tuning complex pricing strategies or differentiating pricing structures.

Collaboration: Collaborative web technologies like teleconferencing, videoconferencing and the like have opened the doors for building alliances and cooperation among employees scattered in the remotest of locations. Again, company intranet systems help in connecting employees and sharing important communication within the organisation.

The Internet is also equipped to meet the demands of the connected world by enabling dissemination of information and gaining feedback, all at the mere click of a button, or may be two.

Flexibility: The net brings new paradigms into play as companies can offer their employees flexible work plans. Telecommuting is made possible, as employees can remain connected from their home base or even while travelling.

This proves especially useful for cutting down costs in today’s tough times.

Needless to say, the reach and scope of the Internet is not only unbelievable, but also expanding by the day. It can help you to accomplish business objectives, maintain efficiency and attain prosperity.

Yet, using the web as a business tool throws up some unique challenges.

You need to have a well-planned and executed strategy for utilising the full profit potential offered by Internet technology. It will require both new infrastructure and skills, as you first have to equip employees to be able to use the Internet capabilities.

This has also led to the mushrooming of a breed of trained and certified Internet consultants who can help companies to remodel their business and thus, increase their competitive advantage.

To sum up, the web is no ‘fashion trend’, but becoming a driving factor for businesses to stay viable and increase the productivity of their workforce!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Non-compete contract : know facts before you sign

Published on Wednesday, Mar 18, 2009

Among the first things employers do on hiring a new employee is to get him to sign a ‘non-competition’ agreement. Most often, the new hire is so gung-ho about starting the new job that he rushes through the hiring formalities, signing the numerous papers without a second thought.

That’s mistake number one. A while into the new job, the employee is already looking for a better deal and is quite prone to jump at the sight of a more lucrative offer.

That’s mistake number two. Even as he puts in his resignation papers/signs up with the new company, the management brandishes the ‘non-compete’ clause in the employee’s face, which immediately takes the wind out of his sails.

The end result is a long-drawn out legal tussle that may even finish off the helpless employee as he often has to pay dearly - sit on the sidelines and watch his promising career getting tattered and ruined!

Today’s tough economy is making employers more paranoid about losing their intellectual capital- staff to the competition.

They incorporate cast iron and legally enforceable contracts to guard everything from trade secrets, know how, critical research, customer information, client lists and other confidential information.

So, don’t kid yourself that non-competition clauses are restricted to technology and finance sectors or C-level jobs.

Increasingly, even entry-level employees in varied industries are required to sign the obligatory post-termination restrictions.

Though the constraints vary from industry to industry, they broadly restrict departing employees from working for competitors, setting up a competing business and canvassing old customers for a set period.

So great is the distrust that employers do not hesitate to renege on the job offer at the slightest sign of refusal.

They are also not beyond waving the contract in your face at the first whiff of departure, thus effectively controlling attrition rates.

After all, with most companies in the industry being considered competition, there is no place left to go. You have no choice but to stay!

High stakes: The non-compete clause effectively places shackles on employees, becoming an unassailable roadblock for future employment.

The organisation gets a monopoly on its employees as it can bar them from work and prevent them from earning a living.

Leave alone getting a new job in a competing company, you often cannot afford to moonlight either.

The slightest violation of the contract will entail legal action, which can not only cause you to quit the new job, but also pay monetary damages for the same.

After the monstrous cost and trouble, you end up quite unable to find a decent job, at least for a long while. In other words, you are locked in!

What to do:While you have no choice but to sign and agree to the restrictive covenants, doing it carelessly will only bring untold regret and despair later on.

It makes sense to carefully read and understand the fine print as well as clarify any ambiguities.

It is especially important to realise two factors – the time span and the geography of the covenant.

The specified period of time restraint generally varies from six months to a year, though in some cases, it can extend to even two years. Similarly, it will be applicable in a particular territory like country, state, city or limited areas.

Similarly, even the scope of prohibited activities should be clarified.

While the organisation can prevent you from doing similar work for the competition, it cannot impede you from engaging in other forms of employment even in a competing firm.

If possible, try to negotiate the terms to wiggle in some breathing space by narrowing the scope of the restrictions.

A top employment lawyer suggests, “In lieu of a traditional non-compete contract, try to angle for a ‘non-disclosure’ or a ‘non-solicitation’ agreement”. This is because non-disclosure provisions only inhibit you from revealing trade secrets and confidential details to outsiders while a non-solicitation agreement simply prohibits you from soliciting current clients of the company. In both cases, you can actually start working immediately after you leave the company.

Employment experts even suggest seeking legal counsel to understand the terms before putting your signature to the contract.

Though a costly avenue, it is actually worth it when it comes to safeguarding your future interests. What’s more, the lawyer can even attempt to negotiate more beneficial terms on your behalf.

But, you have to tread with great care as one wrong move can jeopardise the job offer, which none of us can afford today.

As a general rule, keep in mind that the organisation should be able to prove a valid purpose or legitimate business interest for implementing the restrictive covenants.

There should also be adequate consideration for the constraints, though often it can be as simple as the job offer, a promotion, increase in pay or some other perquisite.

Yet, broadly written and unreasonable covenants are not enforceable.

In all other cases, it is advisable to work in a related area as you ride out the restrictive time span without conflicting any of the terms of the contract.

The other option is to face legal charges… Make your choice!

PAYAL CHANANIA