4 Ways to Give Workplace Recognition

4 Ways to Give Workplace Recognition4 Ways to Give Workplace RecognitionOne of the top five reasons good employees resign voluntarily, a Robert Half survey points out, is a lack of workplace recognition. They simply didnt hear the two words they wanted to hear - thank you.If you want to keep your finance team motivated and happy in their roles, its wise to put some of your own efforts into workplace recognition. Here are four ways you can say thank you to your top talent1. Just say thank youPerformance reviews arent your only opportunity to thank employees for a job well done. Say thank you whenever the words are appropriate. For example, intense projects or a chaotic round of quarterly reporting can leave your accounting and finance crew feeling drained. Thats a perfect time to let them know you appreciate their work.2. Dont just appreciate, compensate - if you canVerbal appreciation goes a long way, but performance bonuses go farther. Think of it this way The scope of employees d uties is outlined in their job descriptions and what they are paid to do. But what if team members go well beyond that scope? Then theyre performing extra services that benefit the organization. And bonuses are recognition for that extra effort.3. Encourage employees to recognize one anotherOf course, a managers appreciation is important. But workplace recognition can come from colleagues too. Consider creating thank-you slips for your staff members to write notes of gratitude to coworkers. Expressing thanks, even for small helpful acts, can go a long way toward building a cohesive team.4. Get creativeWhy not take a step beyond notes and formal acknowledgements in staff meetings? You can thank your staff while spicing up your office culture, at the saatkorn time. For example, you could surprise your staff with pastries and a homemade banner. Or you might let employees leave an hour early on a Friday. Or even send out an e-card that turns your image into a character who sings and d ances. Employees will be able to see that you put some effort into thinking of ways to say thanks - just as they put effort into their work.Good managers will recognize that their ability to keep their teams motivated is a factor in their own job performance. Encourage job satisfaction - and a healthy corporate culture that increases retention - by making sure workplace recognition thrives in your office. Subscribe to our newsletterWhen you subscribe to the Robert Half newsletter, youll get articles and resources to help you build and manage a winning accounting and finance team - all sent directly to your inbox. Click the button below to sign up todaySUBSCRIBE NOW

Enlisting Recruiters to Support Your Candidacy

Enlisting Recruiters to Support Your CandidacyEnlisting Recruiters to Support Your CandidacyEmployers may be their clients, but recruiters may push back on behalf of the right job seeker. Heres how that can work to your advantage.Never forget this simple fact about the recruiting industry Recruiters work for employers, not for job seekers. Nevertheless, some recruiters are willing to take a chance on pushing for a candidate who doesnt precisely fit the job-description mold.Take Steven Landberg, for instance. His executive search firm, Claymore Partners, does something better than most of their competitors - Claymore says no to its clients.Actually, the firm positions itself as a strategic partner that is willing to push back. When the client is moving in what Claymore considers the wrong direction or refuses to take their advice, Claymore has made it a practice to end the relationship.The practice allows Claymore, an executive search and recruiting firm based in Darien, Conn., and f ocused on financial services, to offer their clients the best possible service, Landberg said. It also protects Claymores reputation and relationship with the candidates it needs for future opportunities.Landberg, Claymores managing director, said four principles guide his firm in maintaining a proper relationship between the executive search firm and its clients and lets Claymore say no when it must.1. Be a strategic partner, not just a vendor.Its difficult, if not impossible, for a recruiter to be effective if theyre treated simply as a vendor, Landberg said. They might get lucky flinging warm bodies at companies with open positions, but the quantity approach doesnt benefit anyone in the long run.For us to be effective, we insist on knowing not just the skills and qualifications needed, but the value proposition for candidates who might join the organization, he said. Why is the position open? What is the next logical upward move from that position? What is the culture of the orga nization ? Why would a candidate want to work there?Landbergs firm insists on holding thorough intake sessions with each of his clients before he begins any search, and hes refused to work with job seekers who are opposed to this practice.This information can be helpful when guiding the job seeker through the bewerbungsinterview stage.It has to be a collaborative relationship with in-depth intake sessions, ongoing reviews, open communication and feedback, so we are constantly refining and targeting what were looking for. One long-term client had a number of positions open, but they refused to do these intake sessions, so we said we werent going to even attempt to begin a search.2. Insist on a fair, respectful and positive candidate experience.Regardless of the economy, top-quality candidates are always in demand, Landberg said, and its as important to develop a strategic partnership with job seekers as it is with hiring managers.The experience candidates have with you and your clien t impacts their interest in joining that organization now and in the future, as well as when they interact with other potential candidates and other organizations, he told Ladders. Landberg said he has been shocked at the treatment some candidates have received at the hands of his (now former) clients.Over the last two months weve gotten rid of clients we felt were treating candidates poorly, he said. That creates a culture of negativity - one bad experience reaches many more people than a good experience does, so it affects their reputation as well as ours as a recruiter. We demand courtesy and respect from our candidates, and it should be no different with our clients.3. Create and use a feedback loop.This is closely connected to the development of a strategic partnership with clients, Landberg said. Constant feedback can help recruiters refine their approach, change their search parameters and make koranvers theyre delivering the best candidates to their clients and finding the greatest opportunities for job seekers.In addition to soliciting feedback from clients after candidates have interviewed to learn how closely that candidate matched the clients needs, Landbergs firm performs candidate surveys two or three times a year. We publish those results and input back to the candidates, to the HR community in general and to our clients specifically, so everyone is on the same page and is aware of what the hot-button issues are.4. Dont be afraid to walk away (or to tell your candidates to do the same).If we dont think a clients position is a great opportunity for the candidate, we will tell them that, Landberg said. Were not afraid to stop doing business with clients whose hiring and retention practices werent in the best interest of our candidates.This approach sounds harsh, but as a niche firm, Landberg and his staff aims to develop long-term, strategic relationships with a small number of clients, all of whom are leaders in their field.If they arent treatin g candidates well, that doesnt speak highly of their leadership qualities and their ability to attract and keep employees.

Social Media Manager Job Description and Salary

Social Media Manager Job Description and SalarySocial Media Manager Job Description and SalaryA gift for storytelling. Diplomacy zugnglich and off. Search engine optimization skills. Todays social media manager has all that, plus a knack for developing highly creative campaigns and measuring how effective those ideas are.The growth of the social media manager job is strong, and this important role continues to evolve as businesses expand their social media strategy and presence.Businesses use social media in many different ways today. Social media is used to generate sales leads, build brand awareness, provide customer service and recruit new employees. Many organizations recognize the need to find social media-savvy leaders who are capable of developing strategies for engaging existing (and profil) clients and customers. Social media managers are now an essential part of any successful creative team.Why?In many cases, the main (or only) exposure people may have to a brand is on soci al media. It can define the company and the brand more than any medium. The business consequences, therefore, are huge. Social media has the potential to make a company or agency into something human, something relatable, something so interesting that people feel compelled to share information about that brand with friends and colleagues. But because so many organizations have jumped into social media, its a noisy environment. And all that noise and competition means theres an even greater need to do social media right.Read on for a look at the social media manager job description and to see what the typical social media manager salary is today.Social media manager salary benchmarksAccording to The Creative Group 2019 Salary Guide, social media manager positions are among the hot jobs in the U.S. The midpoint starting salary for social media managers is $57,750. Use our Salary Calculator to find social media manager salary ranges and what you can earn in your city.SEARCH SOCIAL MEDI A MANAGER JOBSSocial media manager duties and expectationsTo be a social media manager, you need more than a creative mind and the ability to corral words, images and videos into compelling content. You also need a thorough knowledge of the most popular platforms. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are just a toe in the water. Keeping up with the latest developments not only means Snapping, Yelping, and shortening with Bitly, but managing on Hootsuite, tracking with Klear, using Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr and more.Strong management and strategic thinking skills are critical for social media managers. Companies want a social media manager who possesses elevated analytical abilities. Because social media is still a relatively new medium, the landscape is constantly shifting. As such, agencies and in-house creative departments prize those who stay up on the latest trends and emerging platforms. Adaptability, good judgment and online etiquette go without saying. The social media manager who lacks discretion and responsiveness will not last long in the job.The social media manager job description often includes the ability toImplement an organizations social media strategy, developing brand awareness, generating inbound traffic and encouraging product adoptionLead teams that create and publish content and maintain relationships with user communities on multiple platformsReport on the process of applying various social media tactics using a variety of digital analytics and media tracking toolsCollaborate with internal marketing and public relations teams to support their respective missions, ensuring consistency in voice and cultivating an engaged social media communityProfessional experience and skillsExperience counts for a lot because the skills in the social media manager job description have only recently surfaced in college curriculums. Most employers expect a minimum of three years of demonstrable experience in social media management and tracking. They often giv e extra attention to candidates with a four-year degree in marketing, communications, business or a related academic area.Job candidates for social media management opportunities should prepare to get personal. Hiring managers will want to see you in action by looking at your own social media feeds. Give yourself an advantage by using your online platforms to showcase campaigns for previous assignments, explaining how you created them and how and why they succeeded.Be ready to show you know how to monitor the effectiveness of a multipronged campaign and demonstrate that you can write for SEO. Employers look for experience with a variety of tools, such as Google Analytics, Klear and Buffer, to name a few.Also, highlight your expertise with common content production tools. Most often a social media manager job description will mention Adobe Creative Suite and social media management systems like Hootsuite.This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

3 shocking statistics from the first ever Hispanic Leadership Summit

3 shocking statistics from the first ever Hispanic Leadership Summit3 shocking statistics from the first ever Hispanic Leadership SummitBefore you can support Americas job creators, you need to know who they are.The line appears in a recent advertising campaign by the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), in which a bespectacled Hispanic man stares down the camera in a crisp white button-down and tie. He represents the huge number of Latino men and women who are quietly growing geschftlicher umganges in the United States.Our economy is critically dependent upon this U.S. Latino cohort, and nobody knows it, said Sol Trujillo, an American businessman and the co-founder and chair of the LDC.As the largest racial or ethnic minority in the U.S., the Latino community wields a lot of influence. And yet experts say the demographic is often misrepresented, attacked or ignored by the wider American population.When Claudia Romo Edelman, founder of the We Are All philanthropisch Foundation and speci al adviser to the United Nations, discovered that 82% of Hispanics believe their community is undervalued, she decided to hold an event with Latino bigwigs in business, politics and media. The first-ever Hispanic Leadership Summit took place on Dec. 10 at UN headquarters in New York and was comprised of powerhouse panels on how to bolster the U.S. Latino population.What if we move from invisible to visible? Romo Edelman asked. Lets dream together, because its possible. Though the summit focused on strengthening the collective power of Latinos in the U.S., some of the statistics cited by panelists and keynote speakers already emphasized the growing importance of the Hispanic community in America. Here are some of those more staggering numbers.Hispanics generated $2.13 trillion in gross domestic productin 2015Thats almost 12% of the U.S. total GDP.To put that in perspective, the U.S. 58.9 million Latinoscould have their own country and still rank high in terms of national GDP. On a li st of the top grossing nations, the U.S. Latino economy would fall eighth overall, according to recent estimates.Their economy would be akin to Indias - a country that hosts more than a billion people - and would outrank Italy, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Mexico and Spain.Latino purchasing power is projected to reach $1.7 trillion in 2020We all tend to underestimate our collective purchasing power. But Latinos especially are major consumers who should be able to influence the companies they patronize.Still, they gravitate toward industries where theyre not necessarily as represented as they could be. Latinos had the highest moviegoing rate of any ethnic group in 2017 - though they comprise about 18% of the U.S. population, they accounted for 23% of purchased movie tickets. But the year before, Latinos filled less than 3% of rolesin major flicks. That means that Hispanics are willing to pay for entertainment, even if they dont see themselves reflected in it.That trend can prove a prob lem, according to Raquel Tamez, CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. She said that when Hispanics need experts such as CPAs or lawyers, they rarely seek out other Hispanics. That means that the community is not supporting each other in one of the simplest ways possible By spending their money in ways that help them grow.U.S. Latinos accounted for 86% total net new business formations between 2007-2012During the great recession, as most new business formations declined by 2%, Latino-owned new business formations grew by 47%. Latinos in the U.S. are successful entrepreneurs, and theyre employing a lot of people - even more than their non-Latino counterparts.There are 11 Latino CEOs on the Fortune 500 list. To a lot of people, that number is surprisingly high. To others, its depressingly low. Either way, it signals that Latinos have been able to infiltrate the highest echelons of the business world - and will likely continue to do so as they become a larger percenta ge of the U.S. population and workforce.

Top Resume Valley Tips!

Top Resume Valley Tips I made a list of my transferable abilities, but still, my previous work experience didnt seem to be directly related to the new career which I was interested. Initially working with Cherie was a method to find a better job. How we spend our spare time. Make a custom of archiving portfolio-ready work. Aside from the appearance, the information also ought to be arranged in an appropriate way. Moreover, theres no information on when these papers will be delivered to you and the way in which they guarantee that youll get a high quality paper you require. The service is likely to make sure to format your resume the direction you want it. It makes sure that your paper will shine above the rest. Young stated the problem of the census comes up in conversation in virtually every library she goes to. I had not updated my resume for over 8 decades and had so many changes in my personal job which I didnt need to attempt to tackle it by myself. For a great start, you can have a look at the subsequent. Be certain to list the month together with the year. The Basic Facts of Resume Valley You should demonstrate how youve taken on responsibility before and the way you are able to be trusted to select the health and safety of your clients and colleagues seriously. It isnt easy to acquire the interest of the hiring manager, but with the support of the service, you can do it. Your colleagues have to trust you to work effectively in a team to present an awesome experience for passengers and to guarantee the security of the aircraft and everyone onboard. Youll discover our payout procedure to be fast, friendly and secure, and our staff always inclined to go the additional mile to satisfy your requirements. The result ought to be a well-rounded overview of your qualifications that make you distinguish yourself from the remainder of applicants. The better part of the wellness questions are identical. If you are experiencing doubts about the fo rmat you are using in your resume, you can ask the support of professionals. If youre asked to supply rationale behind your content choices, make certain that you include it. Consequently, it focuses on aspirants thorough understanding of and skill in a special area or activity. Whether you have experience in your usual day-to-day job or you must be slightly more creative make sure you demonstrate how truly great youre at delivering exceptional customer service to each customer, daily. The ability of collaboration cannot be ignored here either. The recruitment officer needs to be impressed with the very first appearance of the resume. Its highly crucial for a successful job search to comprehend which to use. It appears like I cant hold work. You will possibly decide to compose a skills-based resume, especially if your final job isnt totally related to where you wish to head next. After you have your initial resume drafted, make sure its adaptable for applying to other position s with distinct requirements. Its a dominant kind of identification which is used by candidates ready to submit an application for medical, scientific or governmental positions. Special varieties of concrete Research in the area of materials has created various varieties of concrete, from nano-concrete to polymer concrete and the workers who understand how to manage these new types have a competitive advantage in the event the project demands that sort of special skills. When theres a particular program or certification often brought up, be sure you include its name, even if you must disclose that youre in the practice of mastering it. Ensure each slide is simple to read. Glaciers are broken up into continental and alpline. Horn, like the famed Matterhorn, are formed by erosion by various glaciers simultaneously.A resume doesnt need to be ordered chronologically, doesnt need to cover your entire career like and is a very customizable document. You ought to be in a position to communicate with a multi-national team and passengers from the other side of the world. You get several revisions until your happy with the last item. So it seems newcomers cant get OFF or any absolutely free feature to try out the service.

Yelp Awesome Women in Engineering

Yelp Awesome Women in Engineering Below is an article originally written by Grace Jiras, University Recruiting Manager at PowerToFly Partner Yelp, and published on February 14, 2018. Go to Yelps page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn mora.As a recruiter, I talk to a lot of people about what its like to work at Yelp. Most often, I find myself answering questions about the work environment and individual growth opportunities. During my four and a half years at Yelp, I would summarize the people here as very sharp and intelligent, while also humble and open minded. This spirit has fostered an environment that encourages individuals to learn by trying things for themselves (new hires get to push code out their first week) and empowers them to ask questions.This collaborative work culture invites tremendous opportunity and gives employees the power to participate in the projects they are most passionate about, whether its specifically related to work, technology, communi ty or otherwise. This attitude is core to Yelps values and allows employees from every walk of life and every skill set find opportunity and growth.In an effort to foster community and build relationships across the organization, Yelp has a number of Employee Resource Groups. One of the groups that Im actively involved with is Awesome Women in Engineering (AWE). AWE is focused on building a strong community for women in engineering and their allies by facilitating professional career building activities, networking, leadership, and mentorship. Over the years, Ive had the privilege of learning more about this groups experience working in the tech industry as well as their experiences here at Yelp. As I heard more stories, I felt inspired to collect and share them with others outside of Yelp. Thus began the start of our hackathon project AWE the Book.As with any hackathon, the idea of creating a book welches pitched to a group of engineers and those interested joined to help turn this idea into a final product Our team came together to craft compelling interview questions ranging from childhood aspirations, what they love about Yelp, and helpful advice they wish they had received earlier in their career. We had over 60 women in Engineering and Product volunteer to participate Along with the interviews we had (very talented) Yelpers take portraits of each individual. After Hackathon we had even more volunteers, men and women, across the entire engineering organization help transpose, type, and edit the interviews. It was so much fun seeing everyone work together to make the book come together. The finished product was incredible to read - over 120 pages of stories, experiences, and advice shared by women professionals in tech.Here are some of my favorites Pictured above from left to right Yue Wu, Product Manager Ya-Lin Huang, Software Engineer Marianne Gosciniak, Software EngineerHow did you get into tech?Ive always been interested in tech, a lot of my favorite products are tech products. I used to be in consulting and data, working on heavy data driven roles. Then I went to geschftlicher umgang school to try to find a career change outside of consulting. I found a lot of good opportunities in tech. This is an area Im very passionate about. I had my favorite products as a consumer and Yelp was right on the top. Being able to work on one of my favorite products ever is awesomeYue Wu, Product ManagerWhat did you want to be when you were a kid?When I was a child, my parents wanted me to become a teacher because they thought it would be a stable job. Its a very regular job from 8-4 and you deal with kids - what possible trouble could kids get into? At that time, though, I didnt think too much about being a teacher. I played a lot of video games, a lot of Super Mario, so I wanted to be either the character Super Mario, or someone who creates Super Mario.Ya-Lin Huang, Software EngineerWhat is the most exciting thing you have worked on at Yelp?I really loved my internship project. I added addresses and street suggestions to the location suggest service. When I was presenting during the intern project presentations, a lot of people said they were wondering why we never had this. It was really exciting to help make a feature that a lot of people had been wanting and then later got to use.Marianne Gosciniak, Software Engineer Pictured above from left to right Alex Phillips, Engineering Manager Jen Wang, Software Engineer Ellen Heirbaut, Technical RecruiterWhat do you love about Yelp?When I was looking for a job, I was looking for four things that I really valued in a job. One was mentorship - I would love learning from other peoples experiences and I find that I can do that a lot at Yelp. There are so many different people with diverse backgrounds and diverse experiences that I feel like I learn something new every day. Two is problem solving - within Yelp and within Yelp Reservations, its a fun problem - Its relatable. Thirdly, I think the culture we have at Yelp is really extraordinary. The friendliness, the collaborative nature, the kindness, the relatability, and the welcoming feeling. Were always helping each other learn - thats so wonderful to have. The last thing was opportunities to grow and I think thats something that Yelp has been really focusing on lately. Those are the main reasons why I chose to work at Yelp and why I continue to work at Yelp.Alex Phillips, Engineering ManagerHave you ever broken Yelp?Oh, lots of times. Ive caused lots of codedeploy rollbacks. I tanked SEO for awhile. Ive also recommended changes that ended up breaking Yelp. I wont go into the specifics here, but one of the things I like the most about Yelp is the empathetic environment. It is OK to make mistakes, as long as you take responsibility for them and learn from them and dont keep repeating them. Better yet, teach others how to not make the same mistakes or build tools that safeguard against them. Ive broken Yelp many times, but Ive learned from all of them and made my peace. None of them give me nightmares now. Well, except, maybe the SEO one.Jen Wang, Software EngineerHow do you balance a personal life and work life?Im a working mom, so I always feel like I should be doing more. I do a lot of events outside of work, like the Expat Women meet-up. Its a lot of time management and balancing priorities. Some days I will have my son and on those days I have to leave right on time. If Im not on time, they can kick us out of preschool, which is not an option I feel like Yelp makes it easier for me. My manager is very understanding when I have to leave early, and other days I work longer. The nice thing is I have a very happy, fulfilling life with many different aspects to it.Ellen Heirbaut, Technical RecruiterMake sure to ask the see the book in person whenever you come by our HQ in SFFor more information about roles at Yelp check out o ur PowerToFly page. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer tha n steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potent ial/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employee

Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeAmazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeYou may want to think twice about having sensitive conversations in front of yur Alexa. The smart speaker may have a mind of its own. A woman in Portland, Oregon, said she feels invaded after herbei voice-controlled Amazon Echo sent a private conversation with her husband to her husbands employee without her knowledge.Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust itMy husband and I would joke and say, Id bet behauptung devices are listening to what were saying, a woman who only identified herself by her first name, Danielle, told Seattle-based news station KIRO 7.According to Danielle, she got a call one day from her husbands employee, who warned her to Unplug your Alexa devices right now, she said. Youre being hacked, she was told.The employee, who lived 76 miles away in Seattle, had received an audio recording of a private conversation between the couple abouthardwood floors.Before the incident, Danielle had Amazon Echo devices in every room of her home to control heat, lights, and the house security system. But after what happened, she does not want to outsource these tasks to a mind she does not feel she can fully control. A talk about home improvement is one thing - but what if it had been a more embarrassing, intimate conversation?I felt invaded, Danielle said. A total privacy invasion. Immediately I said, Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust it. Alexa is the voice-powered assistant that lives inside Amazon Echo devices. When it hears its programmed name, which is typically Alexa, it will start listening in, waiting for your request, such as, Alexa, call my assistant. According to Amazon, Danielle was not hacked. Alexa just misheard her request. Amazon said in a statement thatEcho woke up due to a word in hintergrund conversation sounding like Alexa, and the next conversation was heard as send me ssage. Then, when Alexa said out loud, To whom?, the device interpreted the background conversation as a name in the customers contact list. Alexa then responded, Contact name, right? Alexa again interpreted the background conversation as, Right.Alexa had wrongly interpreted words in the couples talk as a command.Amazon said this was an extremely rare occurrence that it was taking steps to make sure would not happen again.But for those of us who do not want to put our trust in a device that can broadcast our private conversations to our employees, an extremely rare occurrence may not be rare enough.

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge It

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItMost Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItYouve almost made it. Youre in the final stages of the interviewing process, sitting across from the person who could be your next boss, and then comes the zinger, the most dangerous question of them all How much did you make at your last job? Negotiation experts will typically advise you to dodge the question at all costs. But new research from PayScale shows that for half the population, thats the wrong move. When a woman is asked about her salary history and refuses to disclose, she earns 1.8 percent less than a woman who offers up the numbers. When a man is asked and declines, however, he gets paid 1.2 percent more. Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy for PayScale admits the finding threw her for a loop Weve always offered ways to disengage from that question Im super excited about this opportunity, and Im open to discussing a competitive offer. Giving women t his advice- maybe it wasnt the right advice? Maybe not.The good news is that, as employment-and-labor-news junkies likely already know, the salary history question is on its way out of bounds in a handful of cities and states. Massachusetts, Philadelphia, New York City, and, most recently, San Franciscohave made it illegal for employers to ask for a candidates salary history in hopes that it will continue to close the pay gap. Until this goes into full effect- and becomes widespread- heres what you should do. First, Know the Jobs Value, and Then How You Add to It Before you apply for any job, separate yourself from the position and research its market value. Katie Donovan, negotiation expert and founder of equalpaynegotiations.com, suggests Its not what youre worth, its what the jobs worth. We act like its some crazy idea for a job to have a value. Its like a house, it has a market value, and it changes when there are too many and too few available. Once you know the jobs value, then departure thinking about howyour skills and experience add to it. Use sites likeGlassdoor,PayScale, andFairygodboss to hone your numbers. Dont anchor yourself to your previous salary. The market could have changed since you were last hired. Frank says Its really important to discuss the value of the position- not the value your last employer placed on your skills. Understand where youre going company-wise, industry-wise, and the actual location. All of these should factor into expected compensation. Applying Online Zero It Out, and Never Lie When applying online, if you can skip the salary question, skip it. If its a required field, then try entering zeroes across the board. Donovan advises More often than not, that will take care of the requirement, but whatever you do, dont lie. People like to inflate, and its a risk. If they find out you lied, thats cause to rescind a job offer. If the form doesnt allow you to zero it out, then tell the truth. If and when you get to the interviewing process, Frank suggests saying something along the lines of Based on our discussions- or descriptions for this position- I think the range should abflug here- do you agree? Shift discussion away from your personal salary history by talking about the research that got you to your numbers in the first place. Use Recruiters and Headhunters as Allies These same rules apply when youre talking to recruiters and headhunters, as well as prospective employers. Recruiters can be in-house or agency-based, and while they serve as intermediaries between you and the company, keep in mind theyre not always a reflection of the company itself, says Frank. You want to get as much information from a recruiter as you give out.So, ask about the company, the position, the benefits package, and specific salary guidelines theyve been given, so you can better gauge the number you should expect to hear. If he or she is aggressive about getting your number, again, you can say something like This is what I was making, and I dont think its current market value for my position. It is more what Im thinking For the headhunters you reach out to, consider them more as your advocates and be as honest as possible. It is where you say I know Im a woman, and I want this job to be paid appropriately and with parity. Help me, guide me, and make this as equitable as possible. Im making $80,000, and I should be making $100,000- how do we address the fact that Im underpaid? Before Offering Numbers, Boomerang the Question Now, lets say youre in the interview with a qualifikation employer and the question is asked. Before taking a shot, put the ball back in their court. Rachel Bitte, chief officer for Jobvite, suggests Just because youre asked the question, dont hesitate to boomerang it. You know the position, the company, and youre getting to know me as a person- what are you thinking? Id rather the employer say a number before you start talking what youre going to make. Unless you ve seen what the budget is, youre going to underestimate. If Necessary, Hit the Pause Button Even though you want to avoid saying a number first, dont leave the compensation discussion until the end. You dont want to go through the entire interviewing process to find there isnt going to be a match. Its a waste of everyones time. However, if you think youre nearing the number you want to hear, but you need a little more time to seal the deal, then take a pause, says Bitte If you find yourself across the table, and you dont think its going to be fruitful- you two are not going to be able to meet in the middle or sign on a napkin- dont ever hesitate to say This is a really important decision, were both excited, and I want to be thoughtful about this. I want to come back to you and make this work. We can talk about this tomorrow. This move can buy you time to go over expectations, criteria and practice what youre going to say. It also sets up the conversation to be over the phone So metimes people are better negotiating on the phone with a script and data- youre able to hide the sweat. Thats advice Ive leveraged and advice for women in general- its good for the pleasers in us. When someone asks me a question, I think Im supposed to have an answer. Just because someone asks you that question, you dont have to answer it immediately.

Recommendations on Talent Assesments from the Treer Group

Recommendations on Talent Assesments from the Treer Group Recommendations on Talent Assesments from the Treer Group Most organizations use metric-based systems when reviewing employees, managing financials and doing business planning, but few do so when hiring new staff or considering promotions and reassignments, says Janet Treer, President of The Treer Group, a coaching, leadership development and management consulting firm based in Lancaster, PA. There are excellent talent assessment tools that can provide reliable insight into how successful employees will be in different types of jobs. Effectively using them can significantly improve business wertmiger zuwachs and bottom line results, especially as the employment and competitive environment changes.The most advantageous tools measure personal traits that are useful when predicting employee performance, with the maximum benefit being realized from a well-considered combination of metrics. At The Treer Group, we recommend a spec ific combination of metrics, continues Treer. Our ADVanced Insights strengths profiles combine three key personality dimensions natural talents, how people think and make decisions motivators, what they value and what drives them and behaviors, how they prefer to behave. Together, they reveal the what, why and how of personal traits.Greer adds, We know that certain personal traits are more compatible with some jobs than others. Performing a talent assessment before making a staffing decision can avoid inevitable problems and greatly improve the employees success.