Staffing Stories

I am not an actively social person. I am fortunate to have married a man who is equally private about his life so together we live a fairly introverted and quiet life. I like it this way because for the most part, I am not interested in the opinions of others when it comes to things that I feel are personal (child-rearing, religion, politics, money, etc). That said, I came to the realization over the weekend that even for those of us who run away to the country most weekends, we cannot escape the importance of community. You cannot and should not expect to "do it all" on your own, particularly when there are others available and interested in helping you in a way that makes your life a little better.

This really became clear to me over the July 4th weekend on a number of fronts.

• At That's Good HR, we like to have fun. In the spirit of originality in our quest for fun, two of our staff members decided to celebrate Christmas in July. They planned and executed an entire day dedicated to traveling around Indianapolis and spreading some July 4th cheer to our local client community. Without our loyal Indianapolis staffing customers, where would we be? This is a community of people call us for much more than simply need us to provide a service. They call us just to talk, to check in and to see how we are doing. They provide us with referrals to other customers and they are not afraid to tell us when we need to do something better.

• My husband has been searching for a boat to buy for over a year. This weekend he finally found what he was looking for and just in time for a perfect boating weekend. As we spent much of the weekend on the lake with a boat that we were still learning how to use, the importance of the boating community became clear. Boaters are wonderful people. Your ticket to entry is a boat. After that, anyone is willing to help you along in your quest to become an active and competent participant in this community. We had a number of little glitches along the way this weekend and there was always someone there willing to offer help. As I idled by the loading dock waiting for my husband to bring down the trailer, I observed the dynamics of boaters loading and unloading and the constant activity of strangers helping each other as challenges presented themselves.

• My neighbor is working on a website dedicated to supporting the cancer community. It is unique in many ways and as this site prepares to launch, testing of the site usability and functionality is in full swing. As we were talking about this project over the weekend, I was amazed to hear about all of the people who have experienced cancer in any way (patient, survivor, caregiver) who are so willing to participate in helping others in the cancer community. I have not personally had experience with cancer, thankfully, but if I ever do, it was heartwarming to hear that I would not be alone in my journey.

It was a thoughtful weekend for me as I believe that we can take for granted the strength of the communities that surround us. Typically I think about networks and support as it relates to Indianapolis staffing and HR as this is where my focus is day to day. These are important communities to engage as they will carry you through good times and bad in your career so take good care of the relationships you have within these communities. Don't forget to look around and recognize other communities that can help to make your life better in many ways big and small.

I have been the fortunate recipient of random acts of kindness recently so I woke up today with "pay it forward" at the top of my "to do" list. I came to work today and decided I would start with my That's Good HR blog post just to remind others to make sure they are doing the same.

My boys went to camp recently and as I engaged with the counselors I heard them say things to me like "I would rather spend my summer here with the kids than anywhere in the world" and I watched one of them take my 8 year old son's hand and make the experience of being away from home for a week for the first time in his life a truly awesome experience.

I witnessed a local weather personality taking her personal time on a Sunday morning, (after her own sleepless night due to thunderstorm tracking) to demonstrate to my son how she tracks the weather so he did not need to spend every rainy day analyzing the clouds, tracking the radar and shuddering with fear. She made him feel like he did not need to worry because she was taking care of watching the weather for him and would let him know if he needed to "go to the basement" or not.

Not sure how I can pay it forward on true acts of kindness and expression such as these, but I am sure going to try.

How does paying it forward apply to the staffing industry or your Indianapolis job search? Recently, I posted a blog titled "What People Say about You" that highlights the importance of having solid business and personal references - people who will say great things about you. What it did not talk about, however, is the equal amount of importance you should put on making sure that those who stand up for you know how much you appreciate it. Social networking sites are a great example of how important it is not only to stay engaged and network with others, but also to support, thank and shout out for those in your network who are most important to you.

Twitter is based upon a mutual exchange of support and encouragement. I post something interesting and cool, you retweet it and credit me and I thank you for doing that. You post something interesting and cool and I then do the same for you. You write a great blog post, I tell all of my Facebook friends to read it. I did a great job working on a project for you and you endorse me on Linkedin. Look for opportunities to support your friends and those in your network who do great things - don't wait for someone to do that for you first.

One word of warning: All of these acts of kindness must be genuine, however, because social networkers have become very savvy about false accolades and your endorsements will quickly go from credible to crap if you appear to only be a shallow opportunist vs a true fan.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find a reason to pay it forward, or just pay it forward for no reason at all!

What people say about you can be more important than what you say about yourself. Professional business references are among the most powerful tools you have in your quest for a new job or career change. Your Indianapolis job search must begin with the accumulation of solid references from professionals who can enthusiastically support your skills, experience, capabilities and even more so, your character. No one wants to hire someone who does not have strong support from those who have worked with them before. Getting other people to talk about you (positively) is the best way to convince a hiring manager that you are also a quality individual that will contribute much more to the company than simple work product.

Entry level jobs do not require the same skills and experience as Executive jobs in Indianapolis (or anywhere for that matter), but they DO both require that you have other people who are willing to back up your ability to do the job and do it well. Call any headhunter or staffing firm in Indianapolis for help in your job search and one of the first things they will request from you are professional references. That said, before you call your local recruiter for help with your Indianapolis job search, you should check their references as well. A little research online can go a long way in finding out what people are saying (or not saying) about you or others.

The access to information about most everything and anyone on the Internet is something to be very conscious of but not afraid of. Use this mechanism to your advantage in your career search. How? First you have to manage your online brand by checking out what comes up when you search on yourself. If nothing comes up, that can be as worrisome as if your late night inebriated tweets come up. If you don't exist in the vast universe of the Internet and you are looking for a sales or business development job or a management position that requires deep expertise in a particular area, you have some work to do on your online brand. Complete that LinkedIn profile and connect with professionals who know you well and start building that list of recommendations and referrals. Clean up your Facebook page to ensure that when stumbled upon, it is not in direct conflict with the image you are working hard to create.

So, as you are preparing for you Indianapolis job search, before you send that resume or plan your attire for your interview, get a handle on what people are saying about you and how you plan to manage it. Gather those great references and complete your online professional profiles by adding references. Then get out there and share it.

It seems like all of the best songs and stories come from pain, suffering and unhappiness. Why does it take a state of despondency to get the creative juices flowing? As a dedicated blogger for That's Good HR and for our local HR organization, IndySHRM, I am required to be creative on a regular basis. The problem I have been running into lately is that I am just so darn happy all the time that I do not have the inspiration of despair to reach my creative peak. Well, I have decided that sometimes people get sick of the negativity, the bad news, the woe is me attitude and every once in a while they just want to smile.

There are actual studies out there that hanging around with people who are negative and unhappy is actually bad for your health. As a matter of fact, I wrote a blog post last year called "You are what you eat" addressing the issue of toxic people. You may have noticed that my posts are all pretty positive and I like to make people smile. You will find that people like to have you around when you make the smile. Now that the warmer weather is coming and the sun might actually show itself, I encourage you to practice your smile.

So, without despair, where does the inspiration come from? You would be amazed at how much there is to talk about these days that is good news. For example, the job market and hiring trends are improving. Students are wrapping up for the summer (or forever) and are adding some new vigor and creativity to our workplaces. Central Indiana jobs are becoming more plentiful and we are seeing more and better offers coming for our candidates. Good people who may have lost their jobs during the economic downturn are going back to work. This is all good stuff and gives us something to be happy about. I am an avid Twitter follower and I have to tell you, no one wants to follow someone who is complaining all of the time.

My point? (Yes, I do have one, don't worry). Stop sounding like a bad country song, get happy and get creative and breathe some new life into your Indianapolis job search. If you are having trouble getting happy and creative on your own, get some help. Sign up with a staffing service or connect with a recruiter to guide you on your way. Read some good news and stay away from those stories that just get you down. Our owner, Harry Danz, publishes a weekly news update blog (find this week's here) that tries to focus on the good news out there. I encourage you to follow it.

If that is not enough, follow me...I will do my best to deliver reality with a good dose of sunshine regularly.

You did it! Your FINAL finals are done, your seminar papers are all submitted, you have your diploma in hand and you are ready to take on the world. One problem...you don't have a job. Maybe you had a great prospect that fell through, maybe you put the job search off a little too long and the next thing you know you are no longer a student AND you are unemployed, or maybe you have been looking for the right thing and it has not yet come along. Whatever the reason, if you need some guidance, direction or support as you venture into the world with nothing but bills, rent and gas to pay for, it is time to get some help.

We can help. How? Well, here are a few reasons to give us a call:

• Staffing is our life. This is what we all do for a living here. We find great people, we find great jobs and we connect the two. Rely on us to be your resource in navigating the landscape as you venture into your job search. I know it makes me sound old every time I say it, but just for example, I bring 22 years of staffing experience to the company and I am only one of many.

• We are locally owned and operated. That's right. We are home grown, so to speak. Our company was started almost 13 years ago by owners who are part of the local community. We are engaged in what is happening right here and we are huge advocates for local business.

• We are staffing industry veterans and we subscribe to the ethics and guidelines as outlined by the American Staffing Association. We focus on doing what is right for our candidates and for our clients and we are not afraid to speak up when things seem to be going in the wrong direction.

• We are honest. We will tell you if your resume needs work, if your interview skills are not up to par or if you background does not fit the needs of our clients. We conduct face to face interviews with all of our staffing candidates so you know exactly who we are and who you are working with. We will even tell you to change your voice mail message if we feel like it will get in your way of securing a job.

• We know what we are talking about. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN or subscribe to our blog. You will hear us talking about what is going on out there in the local and national environment on a regular basis. We make it our business to keep you informed. If you go on an interview for us, we make sure you are prepared. If you go to work for us, we give you more information that you might think you need. You can rely on us to provide the guidance you need in your Indianapolis job search.

We have already begun to see some of the talent coming out of school coming through our doors. It is a great big world out there -  make sure you have a good map or a living breathing GPS, like That's Good HR, go guide you.

Is it just me, or have we become a society that is all about appearances? What is the obsession with doing good only when someone is watching or someone notices? Facebook and Twitter have made it so easy for us to make sure that we are not alone in whatever we do, especially when we do good. It amazes me how many companies make sure that their charitable activities dominate the home page of their websites. Why?

Don't misunderstand, I am not just throwing stones - I am as guilty as the next person. I even pay someone to stand next to me during my workouts to make sure that I go the extra mile. If I am left to my own devices, I will simply stop when I got tired. I am not proud of that fact, but it is the truth. At the same time, I am fiercely private and other than my workouts, I really don't want people in my business. Does that stop me from random posting on Facebook about something that might be going on in my life? Heck no, I have the need to stay connected and this is a venue where I can without having to engage in a long conversation about the details of my life.

So is that it? Is it our need to be connected or is it our need to be validated? Would you volunteer or give to charity if no one else knew about it? How many anonymous good acts do you do? Do you clean the house when no one is coming over? Do you go on a cool vacation just to spend quality time with your family or do you invest in the opportunity just so you can tell others all about it?

Does it really matter? I think it does. I think that those who are happiest and most content in their lives are the ones who go that extra mile at work, help out a friend in need, go on an awesome vacation to get away and take extraordinary care of their loved ones without anyone else ever needing to know about it. My husband is one of those people so I know they exist. I strive to be one of those people too, do you? It is no easy task.

I recently read a blog post by Seth Godin called "self directed effort is the best kind" focused on this concept. He talks about the value of taking your own initiative to do things well, to go above and beyond and to excel only because you want to -  not because someone or something else is forcing you to. I love this idea but have some work of my own to achieve this level of competence. Those I know who are most fulfilled in their lives, personal and professional, exist with a zeal for life and success that is personal and not defendant upon others for approval. These people have a personal brand that is one of quality and hard work - you can just tell, you don't have to be told.

As you embark or continue on your Indianapolis job search or your next career move, don't clam up about your accomplishments - that is not at all what I am saying. When you fashion your resume or talk about your skills and experiences, however, make sure you own them and don't just focus on how others made you what you are today. Take ownership of your experiences and share them in a way that makes it clear that what you do you do for your own personal growth, not just so you can drop a name or tell a story.

Spring really is here now...maybe the sun will even come out soon. If at all possible, take a break from all of the stuff you are running around doing, even if that means some things don't get done. I am writing this blog while sitting on the porch at our farm in the country, watching my son hunt for tadpoles.

I am not sure you can even qualify it as hunting. You simply put on your favorite rubber boots, find a great big puddle and scoop them up. When you have gathered enough to satisfy your hunting urge, you pour them all back to continue their metamorphosis. Wouldn't it be nice if all we needed in life to grow and thrive was a muddy puddle? You would not even need to keep it clean.
 

Life these days seems to move at lightening speed and we find ourselves waking up each morning in a panic, already anxious about how in the world we are going to accomplish all of the items on our list. Working for a staffing company in Indianapolis we know that as the job market begins to improve and job opportunities in Indianapolis open up, job seekers and those looking for a career change are feeling like there are not enough hours in the day. You start to feel that the more you do, the more you will get done - but the truth is the more we do, the more we find to do and when the end of the day comes, we all feel defeated. We all run at this pace and teach our kids to run at this pace too until one day we realize that life is passing us by and we are just running from here to there and doing things, but things never all get done so we do more things and then there is no time to enjoy ourselves. No time to step back and look at all of the things we have been doing and enjoy the results.

Now, not everyone is like that. Many people have an inate ability to relax and enjoy life, all the while holding down a great job. My husband is a perfect example and he is the reason that I don't waste my life running around doing things all of the time. His dedication to the outdoors has turned this city girl into a part time country girl and it has become a survival tactic.The upside? It forces me to participate in his love for the outdoors and to truly appreciate a long walk in the woods and these days, stomping in mud puddles.

I recently read an article titled "Play Power: How to Turn around our creativity Crisis" in which the author, Laura Seargeant Richardson stated:

During my keynote speech at MIT's Sandbox Summit last year, I suggested that "Play is the greatest natural resource in a creative economy." In the future, economies won't be driven by financial capital or even the more narrowly focused scientific capital, but by play capital as well.

Clearly, hunting for tadpoles is good for you and for your kids. So, get up a little earlier than usual. Get that resume updated and ready to send. Contact your local friendly staffing agency, That's Good HR, for some help in your job search and then put on your rubber boots and go outside and play. Find a mud puddle and see if you can find some tadpoles. If even for an hour, it will energize you to get back to work with more vigor than before.

The most important people who work for your company are those who provide the first (second, third, etc) impression of your company to anyone who comes across your business in any way. If customers call your office, it is the person who answers the phone. If customers come into your business, it is the first person they see and/or engage with. If customers visit you via the Internet, it is the person(s) who design and maintain your Internet presence. If they learn about your company from someone they meet at a bar during an upside down margarita marathon, that is who is responsible for your first impression. Your brand is 100% dependent upon the impressions made by those you employ to provide the brand experience you expect. These are the most important people in your company. This goes for all industries and all companies, not just the staffing industry.

Manage this responsibility carefully and give your company no reason to worry about that first impression being anything but memorable (in a good way, of course). At That's Good HR, we are extremely fortunate to have Lori. One of the most difficult positions to staff in most companies is that of the front desk receptionist. In our company, this is the person who does so much more than answer the phone, they manage the office in a number of ways in addition to providing a top notch first impression to our callers and visitors.

Meet Lori - she is nothing short of remarkable. Lori is here at That's Good HR every single day with the exception of those vacation days that we almost have to force her to take. When you call our office, you can be confident that Lori will take care of you. If you happen to visit our office, Lori will greet you with her great big smile. In a word, Lori ROCKS and I make sure that we reminder her of that on a regular basis. I am dedicating the blog post to Lori as we approach Administrative Professionals week next week. I would like to remind all of you to take a moment next week to stop and personally recognize those in your organization who are the cogs in the wheel that keep it moving day in and day out. Without Lori, things just don't work nearly as well around here. I am guessing you have someone or many someones in your organization like that.

The very best way to manage your first (second, third, etc) impressions is to appreciate those in your organization who have the most impact/influences on your brand.

Ahh, Spring Break - that time of year to pack up the family and go. This year my boys and I took a trip to Sacramento CA with a stop in San Francisco to spend some time with two of my sisters. My baby sister (and I can say this because she was born when I was 18) lives in San Francisco and works at the California Academy of Sciences. We were fortunate to be able to visit Meg there and get the VIP tour which included a visit to meet Claude the Albino Alligator. Now, Claude is not just another resident at the Cal Academy. He is also a key part of the organization's marketing through the use of his personal brand. Everywhere you go you see Claude hats, T-shirts, stuffed animals and postcards. There is a Claude mascot who wanders around and mesmerizes the small children. Claude is known to all in the local area and is showcased in his own giant habitat on the first floor. "Beyond his albinism, which adds interest, Claude is pretty cool," said Brian Freiermuth, a biologist and one of Claude's handlers. "He's a quick study."

Of course, I could not go on vacation and get completely away from thinking about blogging, because it is during your downtime that the best ideas come up. I immediately sat down and my computer after this visit and created the title for my next blog post. That is where I stopped and did not come back to it again until today. Back at work and ready to resume my social media efforts for That's Good HR, I have been researching current news about hiring trends, staffing industry metrics and Indianapolis job openings. I noticed a trend in articles and blog posts about personal branding and one in particular was spot on with what I was thinking when I met Claude the albino alligator.  I posted a blog on this topic back in February and it is interesting to note, I referred to Dan Schawbel in that post and that is who I will refer to again - he is an expert in personal branding after all. I think this topic is important enough to mention on a regular basis.

Dan's most recent blog post, 5 Reasons Why Your Online Presence Will Replace Your Resume in 10 years is just a little scary...but I think he is onto something here. In this post, he states: "We’re seeing more and more recruiters use the web as a place to search for talent and conduct employment background searches. This trend is set to increase year over year and I’ve been predicting that an “online presence search” will become as common as a drug test since 2007." Yikes...better get out there and do some proactive searching on your online brand and get to work making sure that you own it and manage it appropriately.

Now, Claude has in his court the fact that he is unique and that is what makes him stand out. He has many other qualities that others work hard to communicate for him and therefore his brand is properly managed by others - which is especially important because he cannot type. I encourage you not to rely on others to manage your brand - other than supplying you with glowing recommendations for others to see. Don't just take my word for it- in his post, Dan says "By claiming your web presence, you’re protected from other people, with the same name, claiming it before you. You also gain control over how you’re perceived online, and thus what employers find out about you when they conduct their search." 

If you do not know how to manage your own online brand, find some one competent who you can trust to help you get started. Finding someone like Claude did, who has a vested interest in your brand is even better. What you cannot rely on others to do for you, however, is to figure out what your brand is. What makes your skills unique and desired and not just like everyone else's? What do you bring to the table that would provide an employer with a sustainable competitive advantage just by hiring you? What important information do you have to share with the world that you could contribute online? 

Get going, and if you need some help building experience on your resume or identifying what creates your personal brand, come and see us at That's Good HR for some advice. If you happen to be in San Francisco anytime soon, I encourage you to get some advice from Claude at the California Academy of Sciences - it will be time well spent.

My husband and I recently did something we have not done in longer than I care to admit. We were at a hotel and actually alone for about an hour (which is rare these days), and we decided to do something spontaneous and crazy. We had a conversation....with each other. Crazy, I know! Don't let THAT get out on Facebook.

It seems there is just not enough of this kind of rogue activity going on in relationships these days. Who has time for a real live face to face conversation when there are emails to check, tweets to send, Facebook pages to update, LinkedIn connections to make and texts to read and send? When we do get a break from all that chatter, we have blog posts to compose, stuff to order on line and school websites to check to make sure our kids are excelling. Sheesh! That hardly leaves any time to even Skype.

Don't get me wrong, as a 20 year Indianapolis staffing professional, I am a social media addict as much as the next guy. Keeping up on local hiring trends and central Indiana jobs requires a daily focus on social networks. I have to work very hard to compartmentalize all of those things listed above to make sure that now and then I return to my human form and have real, live relationships with those around me. There are certain things in life you cannot do with a computer, at least not very well.

Last weekend my husband and I took our boys to Great Wolf Lodge in Cincinnati and spent some quality time as a family - that is after the 2.5 hour trip where the boys played DS and watched a movie on the laptop. We really did "disconnect" once we got there and enjoyed life in the present. It was really nice to just sit and talk to each other over a nice plate of ribs and a cold Stella. We did not even turn the TV on in our hotel room. I know, hard to imagine, but I highly recommend it. If you have kids that seem to grow and inch a day like mine and are about to enter those "teenage" years (where the last thing they want to do is talk to you - that would be weird), I suggest you take full advantage of every word you can get out of them now.

I recently read a blog post where Frank Roche says: "Here’s what I know after doing employee communication work for a long, long time: There’s no substitute for talking to people. All the rest is a way to get people talking." He points to an excerpt in an article When Twittering Gets in the Way of Real Life, where writer Katherine Rosman says:

"One evening this week, my husband and I had a discussion that mirrors others we’ve had over the past few years. “Sometimes, it’s like you’re here and you’re not here,” Joe said to me. “Your mind and soul are in cyberspace, and all we’re left with is the husk."

That said, while I really appreciate you taking the time to read our That's Good HR blog post, I suggest you turn off your computer now and find someone to really connect with - live and in person.

You...yes YOU! We have been looking everywhere for you! We know all about you so you might as well come and join our team of qualified, dependable, hard working candidates. 

The news is out - the economy is continuing to recover and staffing firms are a bellweather for what is going on in the market so our business is really starting to look up. What does that mean to you? We are the perfect solution to your job search. All you need to have is a decent resume, a strong skillset, dependablility and good work ethic. We can help you take that killer combination to the next level. As hiring trends improve and Indianapolis job openings increase, it is time to take control of your next career move and we can help!

Not sure if you know this, but That's Good HR is a great company to work with. Of course, this is our blog and I work here so I have to say that, but I have proof from impartial judges. We received recognition as one of the "Best in Staffing" for our dedication to quality service delivery. What does this mean? Read my post on this award to find out. In a nutshell, we take good care of our clients and our candidates, some come on...join us!


Here is how easy it really is:

1. Take a look at our job board
2. Find a position that matches your skills and experience
3. Apply
4. Even better - find a friend that works for us already and have them refer you, we LOVE referrals so much that we pay for them!

Our requirements are clear and simple. Skilled, capable people who are dependable, flexible and hard working. Accounting and Finance, Administrative Support, Receptionists and Customer Service Reps skill sets are among the most needed. Come and see us soon!

Sometimes you just have to walk off the job. Career suicide? Maybe - but if you handle it professionally it could actually be the best thing for your job security. No, I have not lost my mind, but this is the time of year when people do the strangest things. The long, cold, dark winter has kept us down and out for long enough. At the slightest hint of spring, we are ready to jump out of our skin (or worse, out a window). Our creativity is at an all time low and I have proof of this based on the extended writers block I have been experiencing recently. You just need to do something crazy, something outside the box, something spontaneous.

At That's Good HR, we have been experiencing our own Spring Fever and while things do seem to be looking up for Indianapolis staffing and hiring trends, we would like things to improve faster than they are. The frustration of the economy over the past year+ combined with the natural lack of patience that is inherent in all staffing professionals makes anyone want to get up and walk out now and then. Sometimes you really just have to walk away to clear your mind of all of the cobwebs, negative thoughts and general feeling of hopelessness. You have to get it all out there and have the chance to come back to the job refreshed and ready to face the day with some renewed perspective. It is not only a healthy thing to do, it is in the best interest of the company.

Now, I am not talking about a one week hiatus from work just to clear your mind (unless of course is it during your Spring Break or other vacation time). Sometimes is it just a few hours out of a day when you can walk away and practice that primal scream. Everyone needs a chance to find a safe environment where you can purge yourself of all of the negativity that might be building up inside you so you can see things more clearly. Escape, purge and return with a clear mind. It is the right thing to do this time of year so supervisors, encourage it if and when you can. And those of you on the receiving end of said purging, be sure not to take things too seriously, it is just Spring Fever.

I have recently been working on an internal project around hiring trends in Indianapolis that has me pondering one of the key factors that really differentiates That's Good HR from the "staffing world at large".   Cultural Fit - that obscure business buzzword that has become a requirement to filling most any Indianapolis job opening these days.  How do we begin to understand, identify and capture this vague requirement and then successfully match a person to said "culture"?  And why does it even matter so much?

On my quest for clarity, here is a bit of what I discovered:

One source that dates all the way back to 2007 still rings true with the following observation:

"In any size company, in almost any industry, in any location, culture plays a significant role in both attracting and keeping great talent. When hiring employees, hiring managers have a major responsibility to ensure that each person they “invite to the card game” and introduce into their group has been effectively screened for both their ability to perform their job and their cultural fit within the organization."

This post makes an analogy of cultural fit as it compares the concept to the weekly "poker game" where a set group of acquaintances gather regularly to play cards and where there is a mutual understanding of the rules and the expected behavior.  When someone new joins the group, they too must understand the environment, the expectations, the rules AND they have to be willing and interested in joining under the terms of the "culture".  Without agreement on both sides, the relationship is doomed. 

This is where I think people get confused about cultural fit.  It is not a one way street where the company picks the candidate who passes the "cultural fit" test.  Many times, it is the candidate who picks the company based upon their personal cultural fit requirements.  So, where do we go wrong most of the time?  It is when you find the ideal candidate with the perfect skill set and experience and you alter your representation of the culture in order to fit the peg into the hole.  The match is made, the employee comes to work and within a month, both parties wonder why it is not working out and many times, part on not such good terms.  Money, time and energy wasted based on an avoidable mistake.

As a hiring company, you should never design the story around your culture based on what the perfect candidate wants to hear and job candidates should never sacrifice their own cultural requirements just to get the job unless they plan to live in harmony with the consequences.  Compromise is a short term fix to the problem - the company gets a qualified person to fill a seat and the candidate gets a job.  Long term, everyone loses and usually at a very high cost on both ends.

There is a great post on Fistful of Talent that does a colorful job of illustrating this point.  This post takes a "tongue in cheek" look at the reality of what cultural fit means by taking a look at hiring for the DMV.  While I am not in agreement of the full analogy, the story it tells is compelling.  Here is what they have to say:

"Cultural Fit is hard to describe for most folks. A company can have a culture that most observers say is “good,” but that doesn’t mean that all qualified candidates will be a good fit. And if you’re looking for an organization that gets hiring for cultural fit perfectly? I would suggest looking at… nope, not Netflix, not Google, not Target… look at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Surprised?  Think about it for a second."

At That's Good HR, we have developed a knack for understanding the culture of the company, department or office where our candidates are going to potentially be working BEFORE we even take the first step in making the match.  It is not rocket science, although we would like to believe that it is an acquired and very valuable skill.  It is not magic, but there is some mystery and intuition that goes into developing both customer AND candidate relationships to the level of being able to really "get it" when it comes to understanding the culture.  Working with placing candidates in federal government positions, this becomes critically important so we have spent years developing a true understanding of the culture and we are constantly reviewing our understanding to keep it current and relevant.

To further illustrate the impact of understanding cultural fit in the workplace, it is interesting to note that one of the most relevant articles I found in my research on this topic is global...this one comes from Australia and it is very applicable right here in the US.  I encourage you to take a look at the business case it offers...good stuff.

At the end of the day (another key overused business buzz phrase) be true to yourself, as cliche as that might sound. If you choose not to, as the client or the candidate, be ready to maintain the facade for as long as you want the relationship to stay alive....sounds a little like dating, doesn't it?

Here's a secret....and I won't even charge you for it. Free advice, right here from That's Good HR. It has to do with yet another "day" officially designated to recognizing people we should already be recognizing every day of the year. Our employees. Do you want to know the very best way to celebrate "Employee Appreciation Day" this Friday, March 4th? Here it is....

TALK TO THEM! Tell your employees that you appreciate them. Plain and simple. No flowers, cookies, movie tickets, plaques, poems or form letters needed. Just a conversation please, however brief. Just a few minutes to look them in the eye, learn something new about them and thank them.

Truth be told, I think it is ridiculous that we have dedicated a single day to employee appreciation. Seriously, if you are not appreciating your employees on a regular basis then A) you have the wrong employees or B) you need to review your priorities as supervisor.  Or both.  As an Indianapolis staffing company, it can be challenging to stay connected to our employees as the roster changes every day. The nature of temporary work is that there are many talented people who are your employee one day and are not the next. Add to that challenge the fact that they all physically work somewhere else.  As you can imagine, we really struggle with communicating to our employees how much we appreciate them.  That is not an excuse - we know it is our job to figure it out and manage our communications with our temporary employees so they know we care about them.

We survey every one of our candidates after they come to our office to apply and interview (yes, we actually MEET our candidates before we submit them for a job) and then we survey them again each time they complete an assignment for us. Do you want to know what is MOST important to almost all of those surveyed? You guessed it - communication. Keeping in touch, keeping them informed, keeping them connected. Now, I would be outright lying to you if I said we had this mastered. I am telling you the truth, however, when I say that this is the top priority that we discuss, brainstorm around and struggle to master every day. When we figure it out, that will be another secret for another day.

When you are a temporary employee, you suddenly become part of a bigger group of people who all want the same thing....gainful and meaningful employment. I read an interesting post on Fistful of Talent that talks about employee appreciation and I love what it has to say. It is called The World Is Bigger and We Are Smaller – The Paradox of Recognition and here is an excerpt:


I concur. Now stop reading this blog post and go talk to someone and make them huge.

We are a small Indianapolis staffing business. We do not have a multi-million dollar marketing budget and we do not have a marketing, PR or communications department. We have a tight group of intelligent employees who do their level best to communicate regularly with clients and candidates. Limited resources, however, do not need to translate to limited interactions. Being small helps you to keep things simple and we have also discovered, creates lines of communication that are more meaningful and more sincere.

We do not compromise our blog with ghost writers to have more content. All of our content is original and personal to our internal staff members, our clients and our candidates. We do not outsource our social media engagement. We divide and conquer internally. We don't engage an outside resource to create and distribute manufactured messages to our clients and candidates...when we have something to say, we write it and send it ourselves.

Now, realizing that this is not the most efficient way to manage your communications, there is a fine line for a company our size between what is efficient and what is effective. However, we have been told enough times from our audience how much they appreciate our personal touch and this has become a true competitive advantage for us that we strive to maintain.  We want our clients and our candidates to know that when we are talking to them it is really US talking directly to THEM.  We want them to know that we are smart enough and educated enough about or industry and our community that we can provide information of value to them.

I recently read a blog post by Clint Swindall titled "It's Your Turn" that emphasizes the importance of keeping in touch and the personal responsibility that we each have to make the effort to communicate with those who are important to us. In this post he talks about personal relationships rather than work relationships, but I would like to challenge you to make your work relationships more personal by keeping in touch. Your customers for life will be those for whom you provide value. By telling your candidates that they are important to you, by thanking your customers for their business and by providing interesting information now and again these work relationships will evolve into relationships of trust and engagement.

Yes, you read that right...I am blogging in my car today. I have about an hour to kill before my meeting this morning and I have to wait while my cell phone charges up so here I am, sitting in my car in the parking garage writing a blog. It struck me while I was sitting here waiting that there is never a bad time to write a blog. Anytime you have a good idea to share and a few minutes to spare, open up that laptop and blog away.

Today I wanted to quickly share with you some thoughts on the value of blogging. I have been fortunate in my job to have the time and the support to dedicate to the management of our company blog as well as our local HR organization, IndySHRM's, blog. Before that time, I had some personal blogging experience, but never for a public audience seeking helpful information about a specific area of interest such as Indianapolis jobs, Indianapolis staffing or information about the Human Resource profession. Now I find myself regularly scanning all of the industry websites and resources I can to gather good information to share with our respective audiences. My new interest in hiring trends, staffing news, Indianapolis job openings, HR rules and regulations and all matter of recruiter tips and tools has allowed me to expand my personal knowledge while simultaneously sharing helpful information with others. It sort of gives me an excuse to be a geek about a topic or many topics.

I have also found that my writing and communication skills have improved over the time I have been blogging. While writing a blog post does not have to be an exercise in literary perfection, you do have to consider your audience and make sure that you are at least delivering a product that is easy to read and that provides something useful to take away from it. I pay more attention to my grammar and spelling, my word choice and my sentence structure. Beyond that, I still find that I can go on a little long on certain topics so I am also working on brevity.

Your blogging hobby is also a great resume builder. You are creating original content in the form of mini "white papers" to share with others. Blogging is an exercise in creativity and original thought, even when you are re purposing the work of another writer, as you still add your own perspective to the topic at hand. Blogging demonstrates that you have specialized knowledge in a particular area that you have taken the time to consider and share with a public audience.  You will find that it boosts your confidence and provides you with additional conversation inventory.

I am not an extrovert and I generally do not enjoy social engagements that require small talk. I find that blogging is a great outlet for someone like me because while I enjoy sharing my thoughts and ideas, I am more comfortable in a one on one setting - just me and my laptop....sitting in my car.  I am interested in hearing about other personal experiences with blogging and how it has provided value to you - I know that at least a few of our That's Good HR reluctant bloggers (I won't mention any names) have found it to be one of the most valuable exercises they have gone through.  How about you?

Last week is lost to me. It is a hazy memory of sleeping, coughing, sleeping, aching, sleeping and then tending to my son who caught my germs and went through the same scenario. Being sick wreaks havoc on productivity and is really a colossal waste of time. My inability to even get out of bed for over 48 hours was one of the most frustrating experiences I have had in a long time. It is when you are sick, I mean really, really sick - that you truly appreciate what it is like being healthy. True to form, however, I was determined not to let my illness spit me out on the other side without something to say for myself. I realized that when you are sick and cannot do all of the things expected of you, this is perhaps the very best time to do some priority checking.

When you are down and out and simply cannot keep up with your responsibilities, someone has to step up and take on those most important items on your list. This is the time when you really have to decide what can be skipped, what can go without doing for a few days and what on your list is a non-negotiable. For the non-negotiables, who is going to cover for you while you are out of commission?  It is interesting to look at a few days in your life from this perspective and quite honestly, a little bit humbling because no matter how busy you feel like you are, life does go on without you.  As a veteran of the Indianapolis staffing industry, this is what we do for a living - we make sure the work still gets done, even when someone is missing.

Now, as you are reviewing your list of things for coverage while you are ill, if there are any non negotiable items on that list that no one can do but you, you have failed at the important skill of delegation. You should never put yourself in a situation where you are the only option for something important to get done and if it is something for work, your boss should never have someone on their staff who is the ONLY one who can get something critical done. I know it is good for our egos to be "needed" and it makes us feel important and secure in our roles, but the bottom line is, you are doing everyone around you a disservice if you hold the only key to important tasks in life.

For instance, I thought I was the only one who could get my kids ready for school with a proper breakfast and a healthy packed lunch but my husband did just fine getting them where they needed to go and it turns out they can pack their own lunches when they need to.  I also learned that I am not the only one who can go grocery shopping, cook dinner, read bedtime stories, check homework, and the list goes on (laundry is still questionable). Thank goodness I was wrong or life would have been miserable for everyone last week.

As far as work was concerned, the things that only I do are all in the important but not urgent category so they could wait for me to return. I found myself prioritizing my job by those things I really needed to get back and get done and those things that I really enjoyed doing and appreciated about having the job I did. As I was lying sick in bed, I was able to really focus on my job and the key elements of what I do and strip away those things that were good to have, but not urgent enough to take precedence when I returned. Being out sick for a few days really makes you recognize where you are wasting time on a regular basis and to get a better focus on how you really should be spending your time and energy.

I urge you to do a sick "trial run". No matter what job you might have, be it a part time job or a six figure job - pretend you are down and out for a few days and prioritize your responsibilities. Make sure there is someone there to back you up, both personally and professionally and most of all, don't be the only person who can do anything that is critically important. You will be glad you did, because I can tell you from experience, if you get what I got, you will not care if the whole world stops spinning because you can't get out of bed - you will just want to sleep through it.

One of the first things on my list was to write and post a blog on our website and as luck would have it, my illness provided some great content so that is one thing I can check off as of right now!

I am sure that I am one of many out there today sitting in their kitchens getting their work done at home instead of risking the weather and heading to the office. Actually, for me it is not so much the thought of going out in the weather, but more  the fear of leaving my two boys home alone if things get really ugly out there today. I hate to admit this, but anything close to 30 degrees these days almost seems warm...a clear indication that winter has been long and cold this year.

Anyway, this time of year it is even more difficult than usual to socialize, stay engaged and to build new networks. Let's face it - it is dark, gray, cold and nasty out there. Given the choice, wouldn't we all choose home vs. nature?  There has to be something in it for us to give up the comforts of home and our down comforters to go out there to meet new people and socialize.

Well, here is what is in it for you.  Your network and your personal brand are like living breathing organisms. They require constant nourishing and exercise in order to thrive in a way that is healthy and helpful.  These things evolve over time and become stagnant or even extinct if we do not work to maintain them. Even the most vibrant social creatures need to be planful and conscientious about the networks they are building and the personal brand they are creating for themselves.

As I was doing some research on this topic today, I came across a post by Dan Schwabel called Branding in a Personal World. Dan is an expert in personal branding so I suggest you take a look at this article for some good advice. Dan states "You have to manage your career as a brand if you want to be successful and compete in the global economy...

Personal branding is the process by which we unearth what makes us special and then communicate that to the right audience.

There are so many people competing for the same opportunities now. Personal branding teaches us how to stand out, be found, and align our true authentic selves with the careers of our dreams."

Remember when it was your resume and cover letter that needed to stand out from the rest in order to get noticed? Now it is how you brand yourself in many other ways. Your personal brand becomes your resume of sorts. It tells the story of your career, your capabilities and your value.

This concept can get scary for some if you think that the only way to accomplish this is through an online social presence. Well, that is definitely one way to do it and a quick way to reach a lot of people. However, this is not the only way. Personal interaction and networking is just as valuable and a healthy combination of BOTH is what is required to stand out in the crowd.  The risk we take in focusing only on our o line social network is that we stop communicating live, face to face, with other human beings. Nothing will ever replace the impact one can make through a real, live conversation about how they can add value in the workplace.

Dan refers to the 2010 Kelly Global Workforce Index (yes, I did just mention a competitor in my blog post - demonstrates maturity and confidence) which talks about the importance of soft skills and communication skills in the workplace. The importance of soft skills are outpacing the hard skills by a significant margin.  So get out there and show your face, engage others in the Indianapolis job market and get a personal handle on local hiring trends and job opportunities by TALKING to people.  Practice those soft skills and get to really know people who can help you in your career development and maybe even with your next step.

Remember, even if you have a job, your Indianapolis job search is never really over. As we have all experienced over the past 18-24 months, everything from management jobs to entry level jobs in Indianapolis have been affected by what is happening locally and globally in the economy. Do not be left out in the cold because it was too much work to get out there and network or because you were much more comfortable watching Jersey Shore reruns on TV, wrapped up in your favorite blanket on the couch.

At a minimum, L I F E can be worth as few as 3 points in the game of Scrabble. It can also be worth over ten times that if played strategically. I know this because my son and I recently purchased a new Scrabble game and we now have continuous games going as we come and go and the whole family is learning to think more strategically. We have the added bonus of doing something fun as a family which automatically increases our "LIFE" points metaphorically. How does this apply to hiring trends, Indianapolis staffing or That's Good HR? Well, you know I always have a point and here it is...

Just like you have control over how you place those letters on the Scrabble board to achieve the most positive outcome, you also control your own LIFE to a certain extent and have some impact on the outcomes. I recognize, of course, that in the game AND in life, there is the luck of the draw factor and some circumstances you cannot control. Life throws us those curve balls and we do our best to manage them as they come, but our actions and reactions to those curve balls have a direct impact on the outcome.

It seems that the big stories in the news these days focus on the job market, unemployment and employment predictions for 2011. It is interesting to note as I follow these stories that they seem to reside in two main camps. One focuses on the difficulties many are facing in finding employment, particularly if they have been out of work for an extended period of time. The other side focuses on the importance of employee engagement in 2011 as your very best workers who have held on through the tough times may be lured away by better offers.  Do you see the gap? One side cannot find work, the other side has many options.

So, if you are in the first camp and you are struggling to find work, how frustrating is it that many of the opportunities for employment are going to the already employed? Very, I am sure. What I see here, however, is a potential opportunity. If great employees are leaving companies for better opportunities, this leaves a gap for other great employees to move into the vacated role and the ripple effect of back filling and moving still leaves a gap somewhere. This is where you come in. The down side being that you may have to be willing to take steps back right now in order to get the chance to be that next great employee.

Sell yourself by just putting it all on the table. You understand how the market is working and moving these days and you understand that there is much talent movement expected in the market among the employed. This, in turn, will leave gaps in places that you are ready to fill.  Those who were employed and who were loyal and dedicated during the past very tough 18 months are in a position to be recruited, promoted or to move on to new pastures in other ways. Those who were impacted by the recent economy in such a way that displaced them from their jobs AND who have remained engaged in the job market and the changes that have come about in the workplace (both in technology and in cultures) are the next in line to cover the gaps.

Now, I know it is not just that simple and this blog post could become a novel if we wanted to analyze this fully. What I do know, however, is that Indianapolis staffing companies and recruiters like That's Good HR are here to help. That is what we do. We work with those who fall into both camps described above and help with what can be a very daunting stage in your LIFE.  So, review your game board, revise your game plan and play strategically. 

Let me start with a plug for our local SHRM organization, IndySHRM. If you are not yet a member and you are a local HR professional in any capacity at all, this is a network of people and resources that you need to engage. OK, end of commercial.

Recently I attended one of the several monthly program offerings that IndySHRM has on the agenda for 2011. The speaker, much to my excitement, was China Gorman. China was the COO for the Society of Human Resource Management for several years and is a known expert as a Global Business Leader. Her topic was focused on employee engagement and this was one of those sessions that really gets you thinking.

It seems that more often than not, I walk away from presentations like this one, where they showcase an awesome company (like Zappos) who do awesome things and you are all pumped up to do things exactly the same way....but then reality hits and you end up simply feeling deflated and defeated when you realize you do not yet have the same power and influence as, say Tony H., CEO of Zappos.

This time, however, China's presentation really got me thinking about how folks like me can take the cool example of a company like Zappos and apply it in a realistic fashion to our business at hand.  The timing on this one was perfect, as we all know that this is the typical time of year for performance evaluations and the creation of development plans for the coming year.  There are all kinds of great studies, stats and stories about employee engagement from resources such as Gallup, BlessingWhite and as China suggested, Dilbert. The sheer amount of information out there on this topic is overwhelming and would intimidate even....well, me. You have to boil it down to what is most relevant to your customer needs and your employee needs and how to best engage your employee to meet and exceed those customer needs.

For example, for a small locally owned and operated Indianapolis staffing company like That's Good HR, we have neither the time nor the financial resources to engage an outside consultant to help us work through all of the fine details of how to engage our small workforce. The cool part about being small, however, is that as long as you are keeping your finger on the pulse of what is going on around you with your staff and your customers, you likely have a good idea of where you stand and what needs to be done.

This is where the critical part comes in. Take this information that is at your fingertips and do nothing with it and you fail...you fall out of the boat, no life raft. Take this information and expand upon it in a useful forum with each staff member and custom design a development plan for each person based on this and you win. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? Well, it is. A development plan does not have to be (and should not be) complicated. It can and should be 1 page, focused on the strengths and interests of the individual and how they can be best applied to the goals and the mission of the organization.

Development plans...what a concept. So often we stop with the performance evaluation. A look at the PAST, not the future. What you DID do right or wrong, not what you WANT to do better in the future. In my opinion, if you have to choose, dump the performance evaluation and create a development plan the incorporates the strengths demonstrated in the previous year.  Engage your employees by knowing them and listening to them well enough to be able to create opportunities for development that are custom to them.  Give it a try and if I am wrong on this one, drop me a line and tell me about it.