Pros and Cons of Probationary Periods
With unemployment still high, probationary periods – short-term periods employers use to try out job candidates before rewarding them with full-time status and associated benefits – are becoming increasingly common. Those workers who agree to being hired on this basis are often recent college grads or people who have been out of work for a while and are simply desperate to get back into the world of work.
This is a great scenario for the employer as they get to “test out” an employee before having to commit to investing in them, but often not so good for the employees involved. Before you agree to take a job on a “trial basis” there are some things you should consider:
Fighting Workplace Negativity
Over the last year or so a great many companies, large and small, have been forced to make some changes to keep their heads above water and ride out the recession. Unfortunately it often means inflicting a certain level of “pain” on employees. This can mean layoffs or reassigning duties, titles and tasks in order to try and keep the business on an even keel. Doing so can be a difficult balancing act for managers. The changes have to be made but you still need to keep the goodwill and loyalty of those staff that remain.
This is often where negative energy begins to creep into the work environment. It commonly displays itself in one of four ways:
- Sheer fear amongst employees that their jobs may be gone tomorrow, even this afternoon, and that fear becomes all they are focused upon.
- Employees feeling helpless because although they know how to do their jobs properly some of the resources they are used to have disappeared.
- As resources and staff are cut people on the team begin to fight with each over jobs not being done properly.
- People are unhappy in their jobs but feel they cannot leave because the poor economy limits their choices.
As a manager it is up to you to counteract this negativity so that the whole department/company/team stays together and pulls through the bad times in the best shape possible. Some tips:
Handling Holiday Time Off Requests
As the holidays roll around human resources departments have to invariably start dealing with an increased number of employee requests for time off. With all the hustle and bustle, all the shopping to be done and party arrangements to be made it is natural for workers to want to use their vacation days at this time of year.
Although you may feel that you should honor these requests in many cases doing so would leave the company critically understaffed. Here are a few hints for administering a holiday leave policy that is fair for all parties involved:
Holiday Job Hunting
Many jobseekers believe that the period of time between Thanksgiving and New Year is a dead zone, that hiring ceases during the holiday season and they should put their job search on the back burner until mid January. This is however a myth; the holidays can provide the jobseeker with a number of season specific opportunities, here are a few:
Interviewing with Employment Agencies
Prior to an interview you most likely spend some time preparing: reviewing interview questions, answers, and company information. However, do you handle an interview with an employment agency the same as you do with a direct employer? Do you practice interview questions the night before? Do you dress in a suit? You are not meeting your next potential boss so do you need to take it seriously? In short, yes. Impressing an agency recruiter is just as important as it is for a potential employer. Here are few things to consider before your meeting with an agency:
Employers Checking Your Facebook Page? Survey says Yes
By now most job seekers have heard the advice that they should be cautious about what their personal Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or other social networking pages contain as inappropriate content may kill a candidates chances of obtaining their dream job should a potential employer decide to include browsing the Internet for a candidates online history.
Many jobseekers shrug off this wisdom believing it to be media hype rather than reality. Why would a hiring manager waste their time on MySpace? However according to a recent CareerBuilder survey more of them are indeed including social media site activity as a part of their pre-employment background checks.
Job Fair Tips
Job fairs differ a great deal from one another, as does people’s opinion of them. To some they are a pointless waste of time, while others have had great success and have even been hired on the spot. Whatever your general thoughts on them, in a time when unemployment is still rising, any chance to get out and showcase your skills really might be worth your time. As long as you do a little preparation beforehand.
Before the career fair, check and see if there is an official website for the event (more often than not there is) Make a list of the companies who will be represented at the fair and spend some time researching those that interest you. Check for “maps” of the fair once you arrive to locate each employer’s booth.
The Importance of An “Old Fashioned” Cover Letter
In the 21st century a large portion of employment applications are submitted online. Although there is almost always a section to attach a cover letter, many of today’s job hunters skip right over the opportunity. They want to get right to the resume submission, saving time so they can move onto the next application.
Others may submit one but are guilty of the copy and paste method. Saved on their computer, it is very tempting to just copy and paste, using the same cover letter to each job applied. Although both methods certainly save time and energy,other person it is not likely to help you get the job.
Considering Fractional Employment as A Way to Get Ahead.
Consider this scenario: As an employer you know you need someone to oversee your human resources issues but, your staff is a too small for you to need a full-time person. These days more and more companies are finding themselves in this situation and are turning to a new breed of worker – the fractional employee.
Recovering from “Layoff Survivor Sickness”
Congratulations! You survived a round of layoffs at your company and you are still at your desk while others are cleaning theirs out. You should be relived. So why do you feel so bad, like you were laid off yourself?
These feelings experts say are normal. They even have a name for it: “layoff survivor sickness”. Symptoms may include guilt, fear and anxiety that often leads to sinking morale and a decline in productivity.
When certain members of a team are let go, the usual first reaction of those left behind is sheer panic. They spend every day wondering when their turn is coming and their psyche and work begins to suffer.
