How and Why to Recognize Employees with a Service Award

How and Why to Recognize Employees with a Service AwardHow and Why to Recognize Employees with a Service AwardAre you taking advantage of the overall value of a tafelgeschirr award as a component in your organizations employee recognition processes and program? The tafelgeschirr award is a valuable component of an organizations overall employee recognition efforts. You just need to understand, value, and appropriately utilize the tafelgeschirr award in your formal employee recognition mix. A service award is an opportunity for an organization to recognize an employee for his or her longevity or tenure with the organization. A service award comes in many variations as does the approach an organization uses to recognize an employee with a service award. Here is what you need to know about the who, what, when, where, and why an organization might want to supply a service award to an employee. Why not try it? Employees love service awards- theyre just one mora way to say how much you val ue your employees. Your employees want to feel cared about and that their longevity and loyalty deserve an award. Advantages of Providing an Employee Service Award Employers will want to consider offering a service award to recognize and celebrate the longevity of an employee for the following reasons. The service award should be the only bonus or compensation component that recognizes the length of time that an employee has worked for your organization. Length of service is generally only recognized in public sector jobs, and in the public and private sector in union-represented jobs. Employers may informally recognize longer term employees because of their higher salaries due to annual increases over a period of time. But, in a future that is driven by individual compensation based on contribution, merit pay will rule the day.? A service award recognizes that an employee has served an appreciated period of time in your organization. The service award allows the employer to tha nk the employee for his or her service. Consequently, you see employers recognizing a year of service with an award. Then, service awards recognize, depending on the organization, three years, five years, ten years, fifteen years and so forth with increasingly valuable presents and awards.Some organizations accompany a service award with a plaque, a written recognition letter, and additional paid time off. Historically, a service award was a celebration for the company, too. The service award acknowledged that it had successfully retained employees for a long period of time. This demonstrated that the company was a good place to work and deserving of employee loyalty and longevity. This served as a positive reputation for recruiting new employees.A service award is a way to acknowledge your solid performers who might not be earning the top bonus, or a spot award, or recognition for a knock-your-socks-off organizational accomplishment. For your top performers, the service award is ju st one more way to say thank you for your continued astonishing performance. A service award, as a form of recognition, originated during a time period when organizations and society venerated older people in their culture, perhaps more so than is done today. So, a service award lives out an older tradition from a slower time when wisdom, knowledge, and experience may have been honored and esteemed more publicly. This doesnt seem like such a bad tradition, even today to honor and esteem experienced employees for their knowledge and continuing contribution.Think about a service award as a way to acknowledge service, as a symbol of continuity and organizational memory. A publicly-given service award allows the telling of company stories and a walk for employees down a memory lane that they may or may not share.The service award ceremony is an opportunity for company members to reminisce about the organizations history and founding. It is an opportunity to enculturate newer employees w ith the legends and stories that have made the company what it is today.In some organizations, such as the US Army, Marines, and Navy, a military enlisted person receives a service stripe called a hash fruchtmark for each period of time served. The hash mark is worn on dress uniforms as a celebration and acknowledgment of service. By virtue of their long service, these employees who receive a service award are generally positive about working for your organization. They contribute to your organizations positive culture and environment, so it makes sense to recognize them and their continuing contribution. Recommendations About the Service Award Organizations do well to take advantage of the positive employee feelings that are generated with a service award. A service award that is quietly given, with no pomp and circumstances, fails to capture the advantages and opportunities available to positively affect employee morale. Rewards and recognition that are publicly extended enhan ce the value of the recognition for the employees receiving it. These are recommendations about how to provide a service award while creating the most positive impact and increasing employee morale and feelings of appreciation. Ask a cross-functional gruppe of employees to put together your service award program or process. These employees will know what other employees find rewarding and recognizing. Give the team a budget so that they can select appropriate gifts.Give the service award team parameters. For example, the service award must contain a component that lasts over time such as a plaque or additional acknowledgment of appreciation that the employee can look at for years. A gift of money is spent with no memory of why the money was given and has little lasting value as a positive employee memory.The same is true with gifts of merchandise. Once the suitcase or briefcase or watch is incorporated into the employees life, it has little value as a service award. So, merchandise must have a component that sets it apart from what an employee can purchase for him or herself in a store. Perhaps an official company plaque with the employees name will make the service award a proud memory. For the same reason, you will want to present a service award at an all-employee meeting or ceremony to enhance and publicize the value of the service award recognition. The ideal presenter is the company CEO, president, or division head, depending on the size of your organization.Every employee who reaches the designated years of service should receive the same service award. This is one employee recognition opportunity that should be consistent, fair, and equitable.Accompany the service award with a written acknowledgment of the employees service. This recognition letter should state the length of service, thank the employee, and provide memorable details about why the employee is receiving the service award. A service award program is a valuable and valued component of you r overall employee recognition efforts. Dont let the opportunity that a service award provides go by the wayside because you fail to take advantage of the opportunity to recognize employees appropriately- to your advantage and theirs.

How to Answer What Is Your Greatest Weakness in a Job Interview

How to Answer What Is Your Greatest Weakness in a Job InterviewHow to Answer What Is Your Greatest Weakness in a Job InterviewWhen preparing responses to common job interview questions, dont forget this tricky one What is your greatest weakness? Employers use it to get an idea of your self-awareness and to see if you keep cool under pressure.But since presenting oneself in the best possible light is of utmost importance, candidates get nervous that theyll say something damaging.Heres a look at how to answer What is your great weakness? in a job interview, and speak negatively while totenstill proving that youre the best person for the jobWhat to AvoidResist the temptation to say that you dont have any weaknesses. Everyone knows that isnt true, and youll come off as cocky.Likewise, steer clear of clichs. Interviewers tire of people trying to disguise strengths as weaknesses with statements such as I work too hard or Im too passionate about what I do.And, in case theres any doubt, dont say things that undermine your suitability for the position. Admitting that youre lazy, not good with deadlines, hate teamwork, or drink too much wont come off as endearingly honest it will just scare listeners.Building a Strong AnswerLuckily, there are ways to give a believable response and continue to sell your candidacy.Take the P.A.R. approach Problem-Action-Result, says Lavie Margolin, author of Mastering the Job Interview. Provide a relevant weakness that you may have had, what you have done to overcome it, and where you stand now.As illustration, Margolin offers this sample answerIve always considered myself a quieter person. While I am very comfortable talking to people one on one, or even giving presentations, I have always been intimidated to go over to people I do not know and introduce myself. Given my role in the business world, I knew that I had to get beyond that. Ive made a concerted effort to put myself out there and meet new people. While it can be intimidating to do so, I dont think anyone notices that I am uncomfortable sometimes and Ive made some great new connections.Another option is to choose a minor flaw unrelated to the job at hand. By doing this, you admit imperfection and demonstrate awareness of where you might need improvement- without raising eyebrows. Unless youre applying for an IT position, nobody should really care about your inability to troubleshoot tech issues.And regardless of your answer, deliver your words with confidence. Peoplewho maintain composure whether talking about positives or negatives demonstrate to employers an ability to handle whatever comes their way.Looking for more advice on interviewing? Take a look at our job interviewing tips category.

How Managers Can Become Effective Coaches of Employees

How Managers Can Become Effective Coaches of EmployeesHow Managers Can Become Effective Coaches of EmployeesCan a manager be an effective coach?Some professional coaches suggest that managers cannot and should not attempt to coach their employees. After all, the manager has too much of a vested interest in the outcome of the coaching and couldnt possibly be neutral enough to hold back on their opinions. Then again, a lot of managers think they are already coaching when what they are really doing is a lot of teaching, advising, and telling- or, in the worst case, micromanaging. They use the phrase coaching to describe just about any conversation they have with an employee. It helps to first understand the definition of coaching. Aligning on the Meaning, Behaviors, and Types of Coaching Coaching is the skill and art of helping someone improve their wertmiger zuwachs and reach their full potential. Coaching skills are often described as either directive or non-directive. Directive s kills include TeachingAdvisingGiving FeedbackOffering Suggestions Non-directive coaching involves asking questions and listening versus offering ideas or approaches. The real magic of coaching is when the coach takes a non-directive approach by asking challenging questions and listening as the individual works on solving his or her own problems. When people come up with their own solutions, they are more committed, and the fixes are more likely to be implemented. Additionally, this problem-solving experience helps individuals develop the self-confidence to solve similar problems on their own. Great coaches help minimize the noise and distractions that are getting in the way of someones ability to figure out whats going on and what to do about it. Great coaches know how and when to ask the right question at the right time, when to givefeedback, when to advise, how to get the person to focus, and how to gain commitment. Managers can do this, but they have to let go of a few beliefs an d pick up a few mindsets and skills. Here are five critical behaviors for managers who want to coach employees. Let Go of the Belief That Their Job Is to Have All of the Answers While many managers wont admit they think they know more than the sum total of their entire team, they still act that way. Its human nature. We all like to be advice columnists when it comes to other peoples problems. The problem is, when you dont give employees the opportunity to solve their own problems, they dont develop. Instead, they become dependent and never reach their full potential. Believe That Every Employee Can Grow and Improve A manager cant coach an employee if they sincerely dont believe in the employee. Instead, they should be readingHow to Coach an Employee Out of a Job. Be Willing to Slow Down and Take the Time to Coach Yes, its quicker and simpler to tell and give advice. Coaching does take a little more time and patience upfront, and it takes deliberate practice to get good a t it. However, its an investment in people that has a higher return than just about any other management skill. People learn, they develop, performance improves, people are more satisfied and engaged, and organizations are more successful. Learn How to Coach You cant just throw a switch and be an effective coach. You need to have a framework, and it takes practice. Most coaches I know use the GROW model as their framework. They like it because its easy to remember and provides a roadmap for just about any coaching conversation. While there are many versions of the GROW acronym, the one I use is G goalTell me what you want to get out of this discussion?R realitySo whats actually happening?O optionsWhat could you do about it?W whats nextWhat are you going to definitely do about it? By when? Managers Should Study the Experts and Practice the Techniques To learn how to coach, managers should experience what its like to be coached by someone whos really good at it. Then, read a good book on the topic. Then, practice, practice, practice, and get feedback. After a while, you become less dependent on a linear framework and begin to comfortably bounce from one step to another. It also helps to have a toolkit of favorite questions to ask for each step in the GROW model. The Bottom Line Managers who want to be effective coaches will most likely need to let go of some assumptions about themselves and their employees, be willing to learn and practice a style of management that will initially feel unnatural and awkward. However, the rewards will be well worth the effort. Updated by Art Petty

A Womans Guide to Successful Salary Negotiation

A Womans Guide to Successful Salary NegotiationA Womans Guide to Successful Salary NegotiationThe salary gap between men and women may have as much to do with how the sexes approach salary negotiation as with gender politics.By Lee E. Miller and Jessica MillerEDITORS NOTE This article is adapted from the just released A Womans Guide to Successful Negotiating (McGraw-Hill, 2010) by Lee E. Miller and Jessica Miller.Early in her career, Maria Dorfner, CEO of NewsMD Communications, asked her mother for advice about salary negotiations. Her mom told her, You need them more than they need you. So, when she entered into her first salary negotiations, she was afraid to ask for a penny. After determining that wasnt a particularly effective negotiating strategy, she decided to be more forceful in the future. So the next time she found herself negotiating salary, when she was asked, How much do you want to make? she replied with a number that was twice her then current salary. To her amazement, the individual she was negotiating with said simply, You got it. A year later, she learned that she could have asked for triple what she was earning, because that was what the guy next to her had asked for and had gotten. Maria, a communications and public relations executive, leides that she has never taken a job for the money, but it hurts to feel taken advantage of. Negotiating compensation is about knowing your worth and being compensated fairly. She adds Today, I know they need me more than I need them.A study of the job and salary negotiations of graduating professional school students at Carnegie Mellon University found that the male students were eight times more likely to negotiate a larger starting salary than female students. In part because women dont negotiate compensation as often or as effectively, according to the Women in Management Report (pdf), released Sept. 28 by the Government Accountability Office, women managers mucksmuschenstill earn only 81 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn, up only two cents from 10 years ago. It doesnt have to be that way. Women who successfully master the art of negotiating earn more money and are more successful in their careers. In fact, for some women who have learned to negotiate effectively these statistics have been completely reversed. According to the most recent available census data, single, childless women between ages 22 and 30, in major metropolitan areas, now earn 8 percent more than their male counterparts.Negotiating Isnt PettyOne of the biggest mistakes women make is not negotiating compensation whenever they have an opportunity to do so. In researching our newly released book, A Womans Guide to Successful Negotiating (McGraw-Hill, 2010), we found that failing to negotiate compensation not only hurt women financially, it held them back in their careers. The highly successful female executives that we interviewed emphasized not only the importance of learning to negotiate, but als o being willing to negotiate for themselves, not just their employers. Even women who are really good at negotiating for their organizations often feel that there is something unseemly about trying to get things for themselves that demanding more money is petty. This leads them to accept the first salary offer or to ask for too little when they do negotiate.Negotiating for a larger salary isnt petty. The women who are most successful learn that negotiating about compensation is not only appropriate, but expected of them. Employers may actually think less of them if they do not negotiate. A potential employer may even become concerned that they will not be able to negotiate effectively with vendors, customers and peers if they are hired.Employers expect all but entry-level hires (and, in recent years, sometimes even those) to negotiate. Therefore, they almost never start with their best offer - so women who fail to negotiate are probably accepting less than the employer was prepared to pay. This is true even in a weak economy. Even though it may be difficult to find a job when times are tough, once an employer decides you are the one they want to hire you are in a good location to negotiate.Your Mistakes Are Following YouFailing to negotiate your salary from the start is not only an intial mistake it is one that will continue to follow you and will be compounded over the years, disadvantaging you throughout the remainder of your career. Every raise you get, every bonus you receive and even the number of stock options you are awarded, will be smaller because these amounts are normally determined as a percentage of your artificially low base salary.Many women think they will accept a job, prove themselves and then ask for a raise. This approach may result from believing that they are not in a position to negotiate from being afraid that if they ask for more, they might lose the job offer from being uncomfortable negotiating or simply from thinking that proving t heir worth before negotiating is the most effective approach. Whatever the reason, in most instances, they will be wrong. Once you prove yourself in a job, you will be able to get even more money, over and above what you negotiate at the time you initially accept a job. By not negotiating at the outset, you are not only forgoing the money you could have gotten but also reducing the amount of the raise you will get after you prove yourself. Imagine that initially you could have negotiated a salary $5,000 more than the one you accepted without negotiating. When you get that 10 percent raise because of the great job you have done, it will be based on the lower, nonnegotiated salary- and will be $500 less than it would have been if you had negotiated in the first place. Moreover, that hard-earned first raise will still leave you earning $5,500 less than if you had originally negotiated, and then received the raise you deserve.When negotiating compensation, the only way to be certain tha t you get what you deserve is to know your worth in the marketplace, to understand how to negotiate compensation, to firmly and creatively negotiate a compensation package consistent with your market value and be willing to walk away if you do not get it.

Phone Interview Tips That Bring Success

Phone Interview Tips That Bring SuccessPhone Interview Tips That Bring SuccessPractice speaking.If you tend to get nervous during interviews, chances are youll speak faster. So practice speaking slower, taking pauses when necessary. If your voice sometimes get mistaken for Minnie Mouse, try lowering it an octave so you come across more professional.Put on a smile. Studies show that people who genuinely smile as they speak are more trusted. And that feeling of trustworthiness will come across in your voice during a phone interview. Not only will smiling while speaking help your inflection, it will also make you sound more friendly and positive.Rehearse in the mirror. If you feel awkward during interviews, trying rehearsing in the mirror first. Seeing your reflection as you list your career highlights will give you the positive reinforcement you need.Be prepared.Keep your resume in front of you along with your cover letter and any other talking points youd like to mention in the interv iew. Consider it a cheat sheet for your interview- just be sure not to audibly rustle the papers while speakingWrite it down. You might be asked to jot down an email address or to send your recommendation letter to another executive. So its good to have paper and a pen on hand to write down the info. After all, you dont want to put your potential boss on hold while you find something to write with.With just a little practice, phone interviews can be an easy, breezy way to interview, especially when youre looking for a telecommuting position to help achieve work and family balance.Readers, what do you like to do to prepare for a phone interview? Let us know in the comments below

Top Office Assistant Resume Skills Secrets

Top Office Assistant Resume Skills Secrets Office Assistant is a job which may rarely have openings due to the popularity of outsourcing. An attractive Administrative assistant resume summary is an ideal beginning to the interview session. Your resume should clearly communicate to a possible employer that youre ready to successfully execute the sekretariat assistant job responsibilities set out in the work specification. An Office Assistant Resume should showcase an assortment of qualities required to properly handle standard sekretariat duties. A health assistants key responsibility is to offer patients with clinical and administrative aid. Lets take a physicians assistant job opening. Indeed isnt a career cover legal advisor and doesnt guarantee job interviews or offers. Employers want to get office assistants that are pleasant and polite. An outstanding Office Assistant resume, including this example, will incorporate a range of important skills your employer is searching for in a candidate. Administrative Assistant Job Description plays a critical role in deciding the precise job an Administrative Assistant would perform. Type of Office Assistant Resume Skills Because most firms or organizations use large and complicated databases of departemental records and services like Banner, the office assistant may be asked to enter information and make certain the truth and completeness of the data entered, and in the exact vein generates reports of outputs as needed. For example, if you say you have strong organizational abilities, mention how you helped reorganize the filing system at your final job, and how this greater efficiency at work. Doctors offices always require help. Who Else Wants to Learn About Office Assistant Resume Skills? Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a few minutes. Have a look at the sample resume for office staff positions on top. The following two areas (we suggest a paragraph for each) g ive you a lot of room to produce your case. This example of a health assistant resume will give you a fundamental idea of the way to create a good resume. My pleasant personality makes me a superb candidate to generate a fantastic first impression on your clients, whether on the telephone or at the office. The new economy has altered the work search somewhat, making the subsequent skills even more important. The primary reason is that office assistants are the people who make koranvers the whole operational process in a business runs as smoothly as possible. You are just about to compose the ideal office assistant resume For the very first time in your life, you will have complete wellness, dental, and vision insurance. The Rise of Office Assistant Resume Skills Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. You should possess creative thinking ability to have the ability to resolve issues until they become full-blown is sues. The job is a superb match to my abilities and interests. Create a jobsDB profile Increase your odds of getting hired. Office Assistant Resume Skills Can Be Fun for Everyone Professionals should have the essential aptitude and the very same has to be reflected in the CV. Medical assistants are a valuable part of the health care industry as they provide essential support within healthcare facilities. Receptionists must have attention to detail and strong communication abilities. Employers start looking for business-related or law-related courses on the resumes of prospective candidates, and technological know-how in that they can successfully operate a computer. The Balance Letter uses cookies to supply you with a good user experience. Volunteer to work at no cost. The Most Popular Office Assistant Resume Skills If you would like to succeed as an office assistant, a good cover letter is essential. The cover letter examples below for administrative assistants can hel p you strengthen your application and discover an excellent job. To find that opportunity, you will require a terrific administrative assistant cover letter. Including a cover letter with your application materials can supply you with the chance to highlight and improve the info on your resume. The letter should open with an appropriate address to the individual in charge, followed by the organization address. If you do choose to create a handwritten letter, make sure its legible, neat and simple to read. Generally a typed letter looks better presented, neater and simpler to read, so in the event you have access to a computer, its probably an excellent concept to offer a typed covering letter. Developing an exceptional letter will help it become truly yours, suited to your personality and fashion.

Automation Threatens to Put Accountants Out of Work

Automation Threatens to Put Accountants Out of Work According to research conducted by Oxford University and Deloitte, two of the ten jobs most at risk of being totally automated in thenext two decades are financial accounts manager and bookkeeper.In light of this unsettling news, graduate jobs forum WikiJob issued a survey asking graduates interested in accounting careers how they felt about the threat. Arethey concerned? Is this issue making them consider alternative career paths where automation is a less significant threat?Machines Make Accountants NervousWikiJob found that three in four graduates (74 percent) looking to pursue a career in accounting are concerned that automation could make their role redundant within two decades. More than 50 percent of surveyed graduates said they believe bookkeeping is the area of accounting mostat risk of being replaced in the medium or long term by machines.This survey demonstrates the nervousness that many g raduates are feeling when they look at possible careers in accountancy in the longer term, says James Rice, head of digital marketing at WikiJob. It probably is true to say that areas like bookkeeping and tax will struggle to attract higher-caliber graduates as time goes on because the job security will look increasingly precarious. The profession is in good health currently, but it must do all it can to persuade new recruits that their roles are ones that cant easily be automated in the future. Otherwise, accounting could find itself facing a recruitment crisis in years to come.In a surprising turn of events, fewer than half of the graduates surveyed by WikiJob said accounting was a good career choice. (Remember, WikiJob specifically surveyed graduates who indicated they were interesting in accounting careers.) Almost 40 percent said that they were unsure about the prospects for an accounting career, and two-thirds of respondents were considering careers in alternative industries.A ttract Candidates by Downplaying the Bean Counter ImageMany graduates who are looking at careers in accounting realize that soft skills are increasingly important today. The survey suggests more graduates are interested in the consultative side of accounting, where there is much more menschenwrdig interaction and a high level of strategic planning, making the positions very difficult to automate.To assuage the nerves of candidates and assure new recruits about their long-term job security, the accounting industry needs to make a strong case for those accounting roles for which there will be long-term demand and which will be very difficult to replace with automation.Some of those roles may even be created as a consequence of new technology, says Rice. Accounting firms need to show how soft skills, networking, management prowess, and creative thinking will be fundamental to the future accountant and say how thats a good thing, as many of the more boring tasks will be taken away from workers, which should make their tasks more interesting.Although many training programs and educational courses have yet to change their approaches to accounting, those adjustments may be coming soon.In a way, it might help accounting as it shifts away from the bean counter stereotype toward an image based more on consulting, professional relationships, financial insight, and creative solutions to business problems, says Rice. I think training programs will start to focus more on areas where people can provide value that machines cant deliver.