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4 Reasons to Recruit, Hire and Retain Mature Employees

By Jennifer Kenley on Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Over the next 10 years, it’s anticipated that nearly 76 million Baby Boomers will reach retirement age, and there will be less than 50 million workers to fill the void. A recent study conducted by Strategy One, a marketing research firm, learned Baby Boomers wouldn’t consider themselves “old” until 74. The study, U.S. Boomers Insights and Implication Study, concluded that 78% feel they still have opportunities in life once they reach retirement age. And according to a blog post by Baby Boomer Insights, 80% of boomers plan to continue working well past retirement.

Though employers may feel that it’s essential to focus mainly on fresh faces to ignite new ideas and stir things up, it is important to realize that recruiting, hiring and retaining mature employees can also help your business. Below are four reasons to keep older employees in your workforce.

Experience – Mature workers possess on-the-job experience. They’re detail-oriented, focused and attentive. And these qualities, which have been perfected over time, can trickle down to younger workers, making older workers excellent mentors for younger generations.

Loyal – Employees in the Baby Boomer generation don’t feel the need to job hop or look for better opportunities. They’re socially and economically stable. They know the value of a good employer, and a loyal and dedicated employee is more productive and more likely to stay with the company longer, which reduces turnover costs.

Mature – They’ve been around for awhile, so workplace drama doesn’t rattle them. They have work and life experience and typically know how to handle complicated situations and understand workplace politics. Their maturity can help ground your entire workforce.

Strong Work Ethic – Older employees take pride in their work. Boomers may not burn through deadlines, but you can be sure that they’ll take the time to do their jobs right and put in the extra hours to make sure it’s quality work, resulting in fewer mistakes that can be costly for your company.

Before you start thinking it’s time to throw out the old for the new, remember the attributes maturing employees have to offer, and your business will reap the benefits.

Career Advancement Workplace Relationships

Get Ahead by Becoming a Team Player

By summer on Monday, February 11, 2008

The workplace is made up of many individuals working toward a common purpose. As in sports, in order to have a winning team, the players must work together to achieve their goals.

Get Recognized.
Do you want to get noticed as an MVP? Then focus on developing a reputation as an employee who strives to help others succeed. When you build up those around you, you’ll foster good will among your co-workers and demonstrate to management that you’re a natural leader.

Be a Team Cheerleader.
When you go out of your way to cheer on your teammates and help them achieve the team’s objectives, it gets noticed. Your boss will be impressed when you demonstrate leadership skills like mentoring, training and encouraging those around you. And remember, many people can do good work as an individual but it takes an exceptional employee to be able to build others up.

Offer Your Support.
To become a better relationship builder, motivator and leader, look for opportunities to help your teammates. Is a co-worker stressed out by a tight deadline? Offer to pitch in to help complete the project. Does your boss seem discouraged? Lift their spirits by sharing good news or reminding them of recent team successes.

What type of team member are you? Do you cheer on co-workers’ successes or do you long for more individual recognition?

Career Advancement Job Interviews Workplace Relationships

Are You Trainable? 3 Qualities You Need To Learn Anything

By summer on Thursday, February 7, 2008

You may have noticed that a job offer or promotion doesn’t always go to the candidate with the most experience or best training. Instead, employers often hire and promote the candidate who seems most willing and able to learn the new role.

You might be asking yourself why a manager would ever pass up on a candidate with greater experience or more up-to-date skills. The reason is simple, really. While work history and capabilities are important, they’re no match for a willing attitude. In any new position there will always be new things for the employee to learn. That’s why the candidate who’s most trainable is often the preferred choice.

Becoming more trainable will not only make it easier to learn a new job, it will also boost your career by demonstrating to employers that you’re ready for any challenge. If you’re not sure how teachable you are, review the traits below and find out. If you fall short, don’t worry – once you know where you’re lacking, you can work on making improvements.

1. Enthusiasm – Eagerness to learn is a quality employers value highly in job candidates as well as internal recruits. A go-getter attitude makes learning any job easier, and enthusiasm increases a hiring manager’s confidence in potential employees’ abilities.

If your outlook toward work tends to be more ho-hum than vroom vroom, you can kick up your career a notch by displaying enthusiasm during interviews or at your current job.

Remember, it’s no fun to train someone who doesn’t want to learn. That’s why when someone comes off disinterested, it’s no wonder employers are skittish about offering a position. So, slap a smile on your face and show some drive by demonstrating excitement about your work.

2. Humility – It’s impossible to learn new things if you don’t think those around you have anything to teach you. Author C.S. Lewis once said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you.”

In order to be trainable, you have to come to new situations with an acceptance that you don’t know everything. Being humble isn’t the same thing as putting yourself down or having low self esteem. It’s important to feel good about yourself and to display confidence, but that doesn’t mean stepping on other people or refusing to listen to their instructions.

You can show your willingness to learn by valuing the opinions of others and asking for advice from time to time. When employers see that you respect the knowledge of those around you, they’ll be more inclined to hire and promote you.

3. Commitment – Learning new things isn’t always fun. Sometimes, training can be frustrating or boring. But, dedication is what enables you to overcome hurdles and succeed in a new role.

Do you stick it out even when times get tough? Hiring managers know that there’s a learning curve associated with any new position. That’s why they want to hire and promote individuals who are willing to stay the course.

You can increase your level of professional dedication by always following through on your commitments, turning projects in on time and keeping your word. Employers will be convinced of your perseverance when you can show a track record of dependability.

Do you want to be an in-demand employee? If so, focus on becoming more trainable by demonstrating enthusiasm, humility and commitment. Your efforts will be rewarded with interest and respect from employers.

Career Advancement

What Super Bowl Ads Can Teach You about Your Career

By tiffany monhollon on Monday, February 4, 2008

Whether you caught the Super Bowl or are just catching up on the buzz, you’ve likely already seen or heard about all the commercials. So if you’re looking for an excuse to check them out again, why not learn something in the process? Here’s what some of the ads from this year’s Super Bowl game can teach you about your career.

Budweiser Dalmatian Spot – What’s better than a Rocky-style story of a Dalmatian training a down-on-his-luck Clydesdale and helping him make the hitch? This No. 1 favorite of the night can do more than bring a tear to your eye, it can also teach you something about persistence and the value of mentors.
Career Moral: Don’t give up if you miss that promotion. With hard work, you can improve your career. And don’t underestimate the value of a workplace mentor who believes in you and will help you achieve your ambitions.
Carrier Pigeon Fed Ex Commercial – An employee showcases a cost-saving innovation to his boss, but it turns out to be a disaster.
Career Moral: We all make mistakes at work. When you do, it’s important to do what you can to remedy the situation and improve things. Also, don’t hide mistakes from your boss, learn to communicate bad news instead. They’ll find out eventually. It’s better to face problems head on.
Tide Talking Stain Spot – A qualified-sounding candidate’s job interview is derailed by an unsightly (talking) stain on his shirt.
Career Moral: In the interview, first impressions are everything, so don’t forget to check your appearance and hygiene before your interview. Make sure your clothes are unstained, pack some breath mints, spit out the gum and take a glance in a mirror. The little things can make the difference between landing the job and inspiring a Super Bowl commercial like this one.
NFL True Story with Chester Pitts – Ephraim Salaam discovers Chester Pitts in a San Diego grocery store. The oboe-playing grocery bagger was drafted in the second round and now plays for the Houston Texans.
Career Moral: This inspiring story of success, dreams and the power of having someone believe in you shows us never to underestimate the power of networking. You could find your next career-making relationship anywhere.
Coca-Cola Ad with Bill Frist and James Carville – The two politically differing figures stop arguing for a minute through the shared love for Coke and end up sharing some quality time in Washington together.
Career Moral: You can get along with people you don’t see eye to eye with in the workplace. The trick is finding commonalities and giving them a chance.
Taco Bell Fiesta Platter Ad – Two employees rush to a meeting with their lunch in hand. They’re encouraged to take time to savor their lunch instead.
Career Moral: Win at work life balance – take a lunch break!
Follow Your Heart CareerBuilder Spot – A woman at boring job watches her heart jump out of her chest and speak the truth to a horrible boss.
Career Moral: Sometimes, change is necessary. Listen to your heart to see if you need a change.
Gatorade Ad with Derek Jeter – Everywhere he steps, Derek’s surroundings are influenced by the game. He notes that for him, “… the next game begins when the last one ends.”
Career Moral: When you’re passionate about your work, it’s visible.

In case you missed them, USA Today has a rundown streaming all this year’s Super Bowl ads.

Career Advancement Workplace Relationships

Co-worker to the Rescue! 3 Secrets to Creating Allies at Work

By summer on Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Who’s got your back at work? No matter what your profession is, it’s helpful to have an ally in the workplace. At times, every job can be competitive, stressful or difficult, that’s why having someone close by who supports and encourages you is so beneficial.

Build relationships. Creating on-the-job allies takes time and effort. Just working in close quarters several times a week isn’t enough to transform a co-worker into someone who will be there for you when times get tough. To develop meaningful relationships with those around you, be on the lookout for colleagues who are accessible and willing to invest time in you.

For relationships to flourish, you must also be willing to give of yourself to those around you. Look for opportunities to lend a helping hand or a listening ear. Smile when you pass co-workers in the hall, strike up conversations with employees from other departments or surprise teammates with breakfast or lunch one day. These small gestures of kindness are the building blocks for solid workplace friendships.

Don’t take advantage of the friendship. Once you’ve formed a few connections at work, the next step is nurturing and deepening the ties. An essential aspect of any relationship is respect. And one way you can show esteem for your co-workers is by respecting unspoken boundaries.

Your new friends are probably more than happy to help you out when you’re in a pinch or in need of some guidance, but be sure that you’re not crossing the line with your requests for assistance. Before you ask for a favor, always remember the golden rule, and treat others the way you’d like to be treated.

Remember to give and take. To have an ally, you must also be an ally. That means you have to be willing to occasionally stick your neck out on your friends’ behalf or go the extra mile when they’re in need of help.

Reciprocating kindness is an essential part of developing allies at work, or anywhere else. There’s no need to keep score of who did something nice last, but a general effort should be made to look out for others’ best interests.

Having people at work who support you can make a big difference in your level of success and your job satisfaction. So make the extra effort to be a friend to a co-worker today. You never know when you might need the favor returned.

Do you have good relationships with those you work with? What do you think it takes to be a good friend in the workplace?

New Job Tips

5 Ways to Earn Respect from Your Co-workers

By shannon on Monday, January 21, 2008

A new job also brings new co-workers, and that means getting along with new people. Figuring out what to say and how to act around different personalities can be tough when you start a new job. Here are five tips to help you earn the respect of your co-workers.

1. Have a great attitude. Be optimistic at work, regardless of the situation. Your co-workers will respect you when you are positive about your work. Expressing a good attitude even when you need help from others, shows that you are humble and willing to accept that others may know more than you do. To stay optimistic, talk positively about others, your work and every situation. Show your gratitude, and thank your co-workers when they offer help or guidance.

2. Develop a strong work ethic. Maintaining a solid work ethic demonstrates that you are the type of person who puts your best foot forward each day. Doing your work on time and helping others lets them know they can depend on you. You will be respected for your work ethic and dependability when others can rely on you to pull your own weight and get the job done.

3. Demonstrate integrity. Building relationships with co-workers should be based on trust. Be honest with them, and act in a manner that shows your genuine character. Follow company procedures and policies, and make decisions that will allow people to trust you and your judgment. Don’t allow your co-workers to doubt you because of the way you act or what you say. After your co-workers see that you act with integrity, their respect will follow.

4. Embody professionalism. Your appearance, behavior and speech showcase whether or not you have the ability to represent your position accurately. Dress appropriately for your workplace by following the dress code. Be aware of your behavior around others and be careful not to act inappropriately at work. And, watch what you say to others and how you say it. Prove to your co-workers that you are a professional.

5. Respect others. Be polite and courteous to others you work with. Respect their personal space, possessions, opinions and work. Show the same consideration to others that you would want to receive, and refrain from criticizing others’ suggestions or viewpoint. You can have a great attitude, strong work ethic, integrity and professionalism, but without respecting others you won’t receive respect in return.

Following the five tips above will guide you to earning respect from your co-workers. Don’t forget to be patient. It takes time to earn respect from others in the workplace, but it’s worth the effort in order to build lasting relationships with new people.

What tips do you have for others to earn respect in the workplace? Have you been able to earn respect at your job?

The Daily Grind

Making the Most of a Job You Don’t Love

By Jennifer Kenley on Thursday, January 17, 2008

Whether you work for a Fortune 500 company or dry cars at a car wash, when you’re no longer satisfied, you’re not going to be happy. Your job can start to feel like a dead end when you no longer know what you’re working for, you’re under stimulated, there’s no room for advancement or the tasks you use to enjoy no longer excite you. If you find yourself counting the minutes until you go home, or you sit around daydreaming about finding a better job that best utilizes your talents, there are a few things you can do while working at your current job that will prepare you for new opportunities when they arise and help you focus on something other than not liking your job.

Evaluate and Improve. Take this time to look at yourself and honestly assess who you are as a person and your work ethic. Evaluate how you react in certain situations. See how others treat you and how you treat others. If there is tension between you and the rest of the staff, try approaching your co-workers and addressing the situation so you can better understand what it is that might need improvement. Often times, there is a common denominator and if you keep running into the same problems all the time, chances are it’s you. By taking this time to evaluate yourself and correct your own faults, you’ll be better prepared for opportunities when they arise.

Be Positive. You never know who you might meet that can advance your career, so try to stay positive even when confronted with negative situations or people. If you’re dealing with a dilemma or an angry co-worker, instead of complaining or lashing out, turn the situation around by challenging yourself to correct the problem. Learn to recognize problem areas and practice working things through to create a positive outcome. Optimism is contagious, and eventually you will begin to impact other people’s attitudes while creating a positive image of yourself.

Take on New Challenges. It doesn’t matter what new challenge you take on, just take on something different than your normal everyday tasks. Learning to do new things, no matter how small, stimulates your mind and boosts your self confidence. According to a report written by Helen Fisher, PhD, learning new things increases brain levels of dopamine, which increases feelings of pleasure. So, no matter how bored you are in your current job, try stepping out of your everyday routine and learn what your co-worker or someone down the hall does. Challenge yourself to come up with a new idea that can benefit you or your company. Offer to help a co-worker with a project, or ask your boss if there is anything you can do to increase your workplace knowledge. Keeping your brain active will ensure you’re ready when a new job opportunity comes your way.

If you feel dissatisfied in your current job, try following these tips and take this time as a learning experience to better yourself for your next job opportunity.