Archive for Hire

First Impressions Count!

If you’ve been following my last few articles, then you know I’ve been sharing success tips for both hiring organizations and job seekers in the candidate/job search process.

Here’s a recap of what I’ve covered so far:

For hiring managers:

  • Be sure that you review and update job descriptions before posting to ensure that they align with your needs today and into the future.
  • Don’t rely solely on applicant tracking systems – they often overlook good candidates through their keyword filters; leverage your networks.
  • Train all interviewers, and prepare good questions that evaluate skills, experience, and behaviors that are a fit for the job and the organization.

For job seekers:

  • Before updating/posting your resume, take time to gain clarity about what you want next – the skills you want to use, the type of organization, the work environment, etc.
  • Do the research (or work with a coach) to ensure that your marketing tools (resume, LinkedIn profile) reflect your career vision and that you have a job search plan; leverage your networks.
  • Spend time before each interview researching the company, preparing answers to anticipated questions, and preparing questions to ask. Practice, practice, practice.

Now I’d like to talk about the importance of making a good first impression.

These tips apply to both the hiring organization (HR, hiring manager, all interviewers, even the receptionist) and job seeker.

Be on time. Whether it’s an in-person interview or, as so many are today, a Zoom interview, be ready at least 5 minutes in advance so you can start on time.

Test your technology. For remote interviews, be sure you are familiar with the technology being used and that you are set up in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Don’t forget to turn your camera and speakers on.

Dress for success. Whether in person or remote, dress professionally.

Pay attention to your body language. Nonverbals speak volumes. Sit up straight, make eye contact, smile, and convey that you are engaged in the conversation. Consciously suppress any little habits you may have, e.g., tapping your pen, as these can be a distraction.

Are you planning to look for a new opportunity in 2022? My Landing Your Dream Job career coaching package includes all the job seeker tips I’ve talked about so far and much, much more.

Contact me today and schedule a meeting to learn how my services can help you. https://calendly.com/michellemendoza-connecttohr. You can also reach me directly at michelle@connecttohr.com.

Closing the Wage Gap – What Employers and Women Can Do Now

On April 15, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R.7). If it becomes law, this legislation will require employers to prove that pay disparities between men and women are job-related. It would also prohibit employers from screening job applicants based on their salary history or asking about their previous salary during the hiring process. Additionally, it would prohibit employers from retaliating against workers who discuss their pay with other employees.

Passing in the House is an important first step to narrow the wage gap nationally. In California, where Connect to HR is located, the state passed two measures that strengthen California’s commitment to achieving gender pay equity.  When California passed the Equal Pay Act in 1949, it was considered a pioneering piece of legislation meant to address pay inequity.  A few years ago, the state passed The California Fair Pay Act which went into effect on January 1, 2016.  The purpose of this law was to help eliminate the longstanding loopholes around pay equity and move toward eliminating the gender wage gap.

Although at both the state and Federal level there is current or pending legislation to create more pay equity, employers do not need to wait any longer before taking action to support female employees.

Here are some things you can do:

  • Implement parent-friendly policies with access to paid sick days and paid family leave that go above and beyond what the state mandates. Often women are punished for taking time off to care for their child or family members.
  • Consider job applicants’ experience and value to the organization when setting compensation rather than basing it on salary history.  In California, salary can’t be your only basis for making hiring decisions.
  • Eliminate the employment gap penalty that often results in women being paid less than their worth.  Take into account and give credit to non-professional experiences that an applicant has that can translate into the workforce, e.g., running volunteer events, holding leadership roles on the PTA, budgeting, etc.
  • Initiate an annual compensation review and make adjustments to achieve pay equity.
  • Promote more women to leadership positions.

Women: you can also help yourself by being more vocal about the value you provide and by advocating with your employer for equal pay.  I heard a really good example of this recently during a forum I participated in on professional women returning to work.

The closing speaker, Raylene Nisbet, told us how she returned to the workforce after being out of it for more than 10 years. Prior to her interview, she did some research on the salary range of the job she was applying for. She got the job, but at a salary she knew was in the mid to lower range of the scale for that job. She accepted that salary because it offered her an entry back into the workforce. She justified it based on her employment gap. This is a typical situation for women who have been out of the workforce.

After only a few months on the job, Raylene had already demonstrated her value by her personal results and the results of other team members, whom she was coaching and mentoring. She went back to her boss – with data – and asked for and received an increase in pay to where she should have been in the first place!

So, women:

  • Do your research – know what the job should pay
  • Recognize and articulate your value
  • Keep track of your accomplishments
  • Consider hiring a coach, finding a mentor or sponsor for support
  • Prepare your case and have the conversation!

If you would like to learn more about this very important topic, plan to join me at a legal seminar where we will discuss pay equity from both a legal and HR perspective.  The law firm of McManis Faulkner will host the seminar on May 19, 2021.  I will be co-presenting with my colleague, Michael Warren, who leads the firm’s labor and employment litigation and compliance practice. 

Additional information and how to register for the seminar will be announced soon.  In the meantime, please save the date.

Thinking of Hiring Employees? Start with a Strong Foundation

One of the things that I think has helped my business grow and thrive for the past 10 years is that I spent significant time at the beginning building a strong foundation.

As I mentioned last time, I went to a SCORE workshop to learn about the requirements (and challenges) of running a small business. I also made sure that I put the proper systems in place to manage my finances, do required reporting, etc. I invested in getting a basic website up and developing quality marketing materials to create Connect to HR awareness. I researched and joined relevant networking groups to build business connections.

Starting and maintaining a strong foundation will help see you through the good times and the challenging ones.

If you have or plan to have employees, there are additional foundational steps you need to take. Here are some key foundational HR items you need to address.

Effective hiring. As you identify the need to hire employees, be sure that you have developed a workforce plan that clearly defines job roles and requirements. Check out my previous blog about effective workforce planning for some tips.   Don’t forget, in California there are required notices and forms that employers must provide new hires.  Connect to HR offers a new hire tool kit that makes it easy for companies to understand their compliance requirements in the new hire process.

Job descriptions. Detailed and up-to-date job descriptions will help you recruit the right talent and assess their performance. They are also key in ensuring that you are legally compliant. A detailed job description not only protects you when you terminate an employee for non-performance, it also ensures that you comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other legal requirements.

Goals and objectives. Setting and communicating clear goals and objectives for employees (that are tied to company goals) will help reduce performance issues and keep employees engaged.  Goals are a great tool to help monitor performance with clear standards.  We suggest you review them with employees monthly, at a minimum, to ensure they are still relevant over time.

Labor law posters. Be sure you post all the required federal and state employment posters and have a system in place for managing your HR records. These posters are required for all businesses with two or more employees. 

Employee Handbook. It’s important to have an Employee Handbook that includes basic employment policies as well as policies specific to your company. You can avoid employee and legal issues if you clearly communicate expectations about work hours, conduct, etc.   

Health and safety. Company management is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. In California, all employers should have an Injury Illness and Prevention Program (IIPP).  

Terminations. Just as it’s important to have an effective hiring process, it’s important that you have an effective (and legally compliant) process for terminating employees. Creating and following a Termination Checklist will help ensure that you cover all the bases. Terminating an employee is never easy, but putting some structure around it can make it less stressful for both you and the employee.

Please reach out to me at michelle@connecttohr.com if you need guidance on any of these items.

When Hiring, Be Clear About Work Environment

Now Hiring Sign A red sign with the word Now Hiring with an arrow on a brick wall

One of the areas I help my clients with is performance management – both setting up performance management processes, and dealing with performance issues.  Lately I’ve been finding that a number of organizations are struggling with issues related to new employees adapting to a small company work environment.

In small companies, where a gap in resources can make a huge impact, hiring managers are often so focused on filling the gap that they don’t take the time to go beyond simply matching qualifications to requirements. However, if they neglect to give the candidate a clear understanding about the work environment, they could be looking at performance issues down the road.

Take, for example, a candidate who is used to working in a large, structured organization, where roles are narrowly defined, and processes and procedures are well-established and documented.  They are deeply knowledgeable about their own role, but have traditionally delegated to others responsibilities that don’t fall within the definition of that role.  Unless they are told otherwise, when this candidate becomes an employee they may assume that it’s “business as usual.” I do my job and others do theirs.

A small company environment, however, is very different from a large, structured organization. People wear multiple hats, processes are often established on the go, and there are typically many things going on at once. The ability to prioritize is essential.

One of the most important components of effective performance management is managing expectations. This begins in the hiring process. As a hiring manager, help potential employees understand not just what the job requires, but also what working successfully in the company environment requires. Present them with realistic scenarios about what they might be asked to do in their role. Ask behavioral questions to determine how flexible they are, and how they prioritize. Ask them to describe a situation when they were asked to do something out of their job scope. How did they handle it? What was their comfort level?

Performance issues generally have one or more of these three root causes: 1) lack of ability, 2) lack of training or information, 3) lack of motivation.  Do your best to avoid these by taking the time to ask good questions, and provide clear expectations during the hiring process.

If you need help with developing an effective hiring process, please contact me.

 

 

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