5 Ways to Make Sure Your New Employee is a Perfect Fit For Your Company

5 Ways to Make Sure Your New Employee is a Perfect Fit For Your Company The key to improving your employee retention is hiring individuals who fit your company culture. They could be the most qualified candidate in the running, however if the work environment and team dynamics do not suit their personality and working style, they are unlikely to stay with the organisation for long. Your company culture is shaped  by  a series of factors, from your company values and processes in place, to the your employees themselves. It can be hard to form an impression of how an individual would fit in, based on your brief meetings in interviews; however there are a few signs to look for. Here are a handful of ways that you can assess a candidates culture fit: 1) Know what qualities you are looking for If you dont have an idea of the kind of individual you are looking to fill a particular role, how will you know when youve found someone suitable? Ahead of meeting candidates, construct a list of the qualities that you would like the ideal employee to possess, including their  personality traits and work ethic, as well as the  skills and experience required for the job. For example, is the role better suited to a studious introvert who works well independently? Or would someone who is a little more outgoing and good with people suit the culture more? 2) Ask open ended questions You will learn much more about an individual by asking open ended questions that get them talking about themselves, than closed questions that leave little room for elaboration. Try to ask questions both in relation to work and their personal interests and give them the opportunity to speak freely in order to get an insight into their personality and how they communicate. Asking them questions to do with culture, such as what they enjoyed about their last workplace or how they stay motivated, will help you to directly compare what they want from a workplace  and what you can offer. Some employers also like to ask slightly quirky and outside the box kind of questions, that may not have anything to do with the role, but can divulge a lot about the kind of person the candidate is. 3) See how they interact with others You and the candidate may get along  like a house on fire, but this doesnt necessarily mean that they will gel with the rest of the team. To get a better idea of how they would fit in at the company as a whole, get your  candidate to speak to a few other employees when they come in for their interview and observe how they interact with them. Dont just introduce them to the people  who they will report to, but also their peers and anyone who would be reporting to them, as this will build a fuller picture. It also means that you can pick a number of your colleagues brains about their thoughts on the candidates suitability when it comes to making a decision. 4) Compare them to your existing staff Think about some of your best employees. What qualities do they possess and what kind of personalities do they have? You can then use this as a model for the ideal candidate. You dont necessarily want your employees to all be clones of each other, as different people can bring different things to the table; however chances are that if your top employees are doing a good job and fit in well with the way the company runs, then somebody who exhibits similarities will too. The same goes for any problem employees youve had in the past. What went wrong? If it was  a personality clash, then somebody with a similar temperament may also struggle to fit in. 5) Make sure they are familiar with your company culture In order to find someone who is a good culture fit, you must have a clearly defined company culture that you and your employees agree on. Think about how you get work done, what kind of people work there, what hours employees work, what the office is like and how the company is structured. All of these factors contribute to the company culture and could impact how an employee fits into the running of things. Once you have defined your culture, you must ensure that candidates are informed on this upon applying. Job seekers want to find a job that is a good fit for them as much as the employer, so failing to be transparent about the company culture is not beneficial on either side. Providing information about the culture in the job advert and the interview will help to prevent a bad hire. [Image Credit: Pablo]

How to Earn From Home For Work At Home Moms

How to Earn From Home For Work At Home Moms I received the following email from a stay-at-home Mom last week.   I hope you find my suggestions helpful! Nicole, Are there any legitimate work-from-home jobs or are they all scams?   Im a stay-at-home mom who was laid off about a year and a half ago. I have a background in graphic design.   Thanks! Leah Leah, not all work from home jobs are scams.   At the same time, beware of get rich quick types of opportunities, or those that you need to pay to be part of.   If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS.   The worst part is that these con-artists have created compelling sales material, videos and testimonials that make it hard to walk away.   In my opinion, the most credible type of work-from-home job is kind that you create yourself. Before you do anything, read Gary Vaynerchuk’s “Crush It!” This advice isn’t only for Work at Home Moms.   Regardless of age or experience level, I tell every one of my audiences to read this book. While you’re at it, watch some YouTube videos of Gary.  Do you feel his passion radiating from your computer screen like I do?   Gary has proven that passion and hard work trumps just about anything else.   “Crush It” gives you straight forward advice and implementable ideas on how to cash in on your passion. People who are looking for a “get rich quick” solution need not apply. Income Ideas for Work-at-Home Moms 1. Become a Business Blogger Extraordinaire. Check out your local chamber of commerce, or just pay attention next time you are driving through your hometown.   There are a LOT of local businesses out there and I bet most of them have (or know they should have) a blog.   Of those that do have a blog, a vast majority have no interest in writing the blog posts themselves. Ease business owners pain by writing their blog posts for them.   Look for local business sites that have inconsistent or lacking blogs and then email the webmaster letting them know that you can blog for them for a low cost.   Teach the business owner that updating their website is important for to stay relevant and fresh with Google, which means more targeted traffic and more customers. You can also offer to blog for your favorite bloggers.   If the blog is big enough, the owner will probably be VERY happy for the help.   If you offer your services in a packaged discount, you may end up with a great stable part-time income. If this is something that interests you, I am starting a new website and am looking for reliable and talented content creators.   I know Im not the only one either! Post your services on sites like odesk.com, elancer.com, and even craigslist (although be careful on this one!).   In Leahs case, she should also post her graphic design services on sites like this.   Better yet, contact businesses directly.   Be ready to show a sample of your work if they ask- this could even be done with 1 free post. 2. Become an Online Marketing Manager: If the idea of writing blog posts bores you, perhaps you are better suited to be an online marketing manager instead.   Rather than writing blog posts, you can edit and optimize already written posts.   You would advise clients on where to spend their online advertising budget.  You can help your clients get publicity by creating lists of relevant bloggers in order to organize blogger outreach campaigns.   You can setup, plan and execute email marketing campaigns.   You can track traffic trends and setup Google Pay Per Click campaigns.   You could help your clients do the due diligence and research required to launch a new product or enter new markets.   You could take a word document and turn it into a flowing and visually pleasing e-book (and if you’re interested in putting together an e-book, I have a project for you!). 3. Become a Social Media Manager. From local “Mom and Pop” shops to the world’s largest brands, every company needs a social media manager.   Create some marketing material that demonstrates how you can ADD VALUE for your customers via social media.   Just remember that you will have many skeptics and that this market is a bit saturated right now.   Find a way to create a system or program that sets you apart.   How can your efforts get your prospects new customers?  Leah has a HUGE advantage on this one as she is also a graphic designer and can create beautiful images.  Consider charging a flat monthly fee for a certain amount of tweets, blog posts, Facebook fan page updates/contests, images etc.   Then ask for referrals and repeat. 4. Review Products and Services. There are many, ways you can get paid to review products and services.   But first, a disclaimer- I would not recommend signing up for random Mystery Shopper programs. Some will will charge you to be part of their network or sell you a silly guide and you will never hear from them again.   Instead, consider starting your own local review business. You can review anything from customer service at banks to food at restaurants to service at spas.Remind business owners that today word of mouth is the most effective way to advertise because people trust people they know (and see on social networks), they don’t trust advertisements.   Ask your prospects to consider spending part of their advertising budget with you instead of on ineffective newspaper ads and the like. There are also several websites and universities which you can sign up to be part of product reviews and focus groups as well. There should be no upfront cost to signing up! Generally focus groups pay very well for a small time commitment and can be done in conjunction with several other part-time gigs. 5. Start a speaking business. After a few years of practicing and perfecting your niche, being a paid speaker is a GREAT way for Moms to earn a living.   Although travel will be involved, the goal is to accept speaking engagements around your partner and family’s schedule.   Chances are if you are a great speaker, you will be able to make a full-time income speaking a handful of engagements per month. Don’t be fooled though.   Starting a successful speaking business is tough.   You must first be an expert, THEN a speaker.  It doesn’t work the other way around.   If speaking is something that appeals to you, create an awesome blog or other platform that positions you as an expert.   Also read Jane Atkinson’s The Wealthy Speaker for a step-by-step guide to making this dream a reality. 6. Book speeches for someone who already has a speaking business. If the idea of public speaking terrifies you, maybe you are better suited to promote and book speakers instead.   Most paid speakers have a lot going on at once and someone like you could be their hero. Create a clear arrangement with the speakers you serve.   Set a commission (whether flat rate per speech booked or percentage of speaker fee) and clearly outline your other promotional duties (writing e-newsletters, creating lists, blogging, tweeting, etc.).   If this is something that interests you, I’d love to talk to you. My own speaking business is always the first thing to get neglected when life gets crazy. 7. Become an online educator. People make a LOT of money by selling high quality e-books, guides and classes.   You can teach your specialty via teleconference, podcasts, workbooks and even stream live on the web.   Some choose to create a “premium content” website about a certain topic and charge members a monthly fee to be a part of it.   I’ve also seen people charge for mastermind groups targeted towards a very niche group of people.   For example, you could create an online group of WAHM Entrepreneurs in Chicago that meets once a week and gets access to all group members contact info, a specialized newsletter, free e-guides and discounts on local speakers and events. A WAHM like Leah has the ultimate advantage- she has a niche background in graphic design.   Therefore, Leah could monetize each of these ideas in a way that fits her graphic design background.   Here are some specific ways Leah can start earning money from home: Leah should become a freelance graphic designer- a very high demand work from home gig. Leah could review logos, graphics and web designs.   She could do this on her own graphic design blog, or she could offer to review business graphic designs for free in hopes that she can inspire change and get her reviewees as clients. Leah should start a professional blog about graphic design and then turn it into a speaking and products business.   I know plenty of people including myself who would sign up for a webinar on how to create my own logo or how to use new graphic design technology. Small businesses, Universities and large marketing departments could all benefit from Leahs blog, speaking, logo designs, reviews and classes. Leah could start earning commission by selling other peoples graphic design e-books, webinars and guides on her blog.   To sell other peoples products and earn commission, check out sites like shareasale.com or clickbank.com. Finally, remember to think outside the box.  There are literally dozens of creative ways to make some income while youre at home.  From renting your car out for extra income to becoming a personal yoga or physical fitness coach, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Good luck to Leah and all the other work at home Moms out there who want the best of both worlds!

Cliches 50 You Love to Hate

Cliches 50 You Love to Hate Your head tilts slightly.  Theres almost a screeching noise in your ear.  Its the dreaded word or term youve heard so many times that it went from clever or cute to irritating.  Cliches that have become so over-used and  result in losing half the audience in a pool of black annoyance. They seem to show up most frequently in business settings.  The office meeting that somebody has to do.  And in an attempt to make a point without expending too much energy, instead of grabbing a thesaurus they grab a copy of How to Entertain with Colorful Cliches.   Or maybe Cliches for Dummies. We live in a world where the movement of information is critical on both personal and business levels.  The attention span of our target audience has become ever shorter, and anything that causes the audience to disengage devalues the entire communication. This is not to say that a common word or phrase, even a bona fide cliche, has no place.   Think of the total communication as a finely prepared meal.  Spices may have been selectively added as part of a recipe that leads to a dish that is perfectly seasoned.  But too much of anything doesnt work, and if you grabbed the whole spice rack, nobody would partake despite all your efforts to entice them. If youre preparing a presentation and want to create an effective, memorable, and engaging product, make sure the recipe is balanced.  Even too much proper English or over-use of the handy thesaurus wont work.   Use tools that can help capture and maintain the attention of your audience.  Good examples can be use of media, webinars, and audience interaction. Cliches :  Dont Do This! We all are allowed to let our hair down and go with the flow.  But theres a time to bite the bullet and make sure your ducks are all in a row.    So even if you have a lot on your plate, lets get the ball rolling towards a win-win situation.  Think outside the box and at the end of the day, youll have better communications. In the meantime, pass this graphic around to your favorite offender.  Your ears will love you for it! Image Annoyed Guy by Christiano Betta