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Reaction Search International BLOG |
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February 2, 2012
Finding Your Career, Fulfilling Your Destiny
In this economy may of us have been conditioned to take advantage of and appreciate any and all job opportunities that may come our way. But there is something to be said for finding a career that truly engages our talents and interests. Your career makes up a huge part of your life and if you want that life to be truly rewarding it is important that you find your work rewarding. It’s a mistake to spend your life doing work you neither excel at or enjoy. Within each of us lies a point where our strengths meet our interests and it is that point that we should aim to utilize in our career.
If you have yet to find that career there are a few steps you can take towards discovering it. First, don’t be afraid to ask for others advice. By networking with others and discussing what interests you and what they find enjoyable about their own career you may find yourself able to narrow down your options. A great way to do this is to set up informational interviews. If you think a certain job may suit your interests and talents contact somebody who currently holds that job, ask if they would be willing to sit down and talk with you about their career. You may be surprised how willing people are to talk about themselves and their lives. Second, apply for jobs you may not have otherwise considered. Perhaps the pay isn’t quite right or the location is a little further than desired, if the job is right for you it’s worth the extra expense. If you currently have a job but you aren’t enjoying the work you’re currently doing consider what it is that you feel like you are missing. Don’t be afraid to look for other opportunities even if you are comfortable in the position you are in. Lack of passion is enough to constitute a re-evaluation of your career.
If however you are lucky enough to have found a career where your passions and talent collide, think very carefully before leaving such a position. Chances are that if you have found this job you’re doing well at work and that could mean other offers including offers to move up the corporate ladder. This is not to say that you should reject every opportunity that comes your way, perhaps these opportunities will continue to utilize your passion and talents and offer you a chance to grow.
Robert Boroff is the Managing Director of Reaction Search International Marketing Recruiters Sales Management Headhunters a leading sales and marketing Executive Search Firm that assists both U.S. and International firms recruit all levels of sales and marketing experts Globally.
The Executive Search Consultants at Reaction Search International Executive Recruiters Sales successfully placing top performing candidates since 1995.
career advice, job advice, job searching, passion, talent, finding a career
February 1, 2012
Hold On To Your Super Stars
While there may be a plethora of available future employees considering unemployment numbers, there are some people who are simply irreplaceable. Many employers fear losing their most talented employees as these employees are in direct correlation with their company’s success. There are a few steps that you as a manager can take in order to improve your chances of retaining your top employees.
Remember that money is not the only thing that matters to people, especially your most successful employees. While bonuses and raises may certainly help you to retain employees making your employees feel invested in the efforts of your company will likely go a lot further. Make sure you communicate the company’s goals with your employees and make sure that their goals are in line with your. A good way to do this is to ask their input when making key company decisions. Everybody enjoys having their opinions heard and the ability to speak freely is a great asset for employees. It is also important to let your employees know that they play a key part in your company achieving these goals. A little praise and encouragement go along way.
Make sure that top employees feel like they are continually being challenged. Nobody likes doing the same thing day in and day out and if there isn’t an air of challenge inherent in their work they are not going to be satisfied during the work day. A great way to provide new challenges is to expand the responsibilities associated within a specific job title. Ask the star employee what it is they would like to do and which tasks they find most interesting. One great way to expand their role is to call on them to help with staff training, if they are truly a top performer you can be certain they have valuable advice to offer other employees. You should consider their skills and talents when defining this role. If people get the opportunity to exercise these talents they’ll likely take more pleasure in their work and you as an employer will gain high quality results.
RSI NEW YORK SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM, YOUR SOURCE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE RECRUITING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
RSI NEW YORK, NY SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10167 USA
Phone: 212.260.2720
newyork@reactionsearchinternational.com
January 25, 2012
Stand Up to Work Induced Stress
As the economy has struggled, employees have been forced to take on more work, get paid less and become increasingly aware of the fact that they are replaceable. There are always at least a few individuals who would happily step in and take over their job. A true sense of job security is hard to come by and subsequently the amount of stress induced by work has sky rocketed. We all know that stress isn’t healthy and that it can decrease the quality of your work, but there are some steps you can take in order to reduce the amount of stress your workday causes.
First of all, consider the way your attitude impacts your fellow employees. Nobody enjoys spending time with somebody who is always negative. Instead of letting your stress negatively affect your attitude and subsequently the attitudes of your co-workers, try and lend a helping hand when you feel like you need a break from your work. In you have a positive impact on a co-workers project you’ll feel more accomplished which can help to relieve stress and will improve confidence. It will also ensure that you stay social throughout your work day.
Second, try and find meaning in your work. Ask yourself why you chose this line of work in the first place. What did you originally set out to accomplish? Reminding yourself why your work matters can help to make the little tasks feel more relevant. Big picture thinking can help to relieve stress brought about by too much focus on accomplishing the details.
Third, make sure your expectations are realistic. Your job isn’t going to fulfill every single one of your needs. You’re likely going to need to venture out to find social and intellectual opportunities. If you find a close friend group at work that is fabulous but it’s not necessarily your employers responsibility. You may find yourself losing friends as you stay with a company longer as there is bound to be a certain amount of migration, and that can feel discouraging, however you should try to focus on your responsibilities at work and maintain those friendships outside of the workplace. It is certainly important that you maintain your social life regardless of how social your workplace is because it will help increase your satisfaction in life and decrease your stress levels.
Lastly try and view problems as challenges. When something goes awry look at it as an opportunity to overcome a hurdle as opposed to a problem that has to be dealt with. If you look forward to figuring out a solution as opposed to simply getting through something you’ll find your work a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable.
RSI NEW YORK SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM, YOUR SOURCE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE RECRUITING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
RSI NEW YORK, NY SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10167 USA
Phone: 212.260.2720
newyork@reactionsearchinternational.com
January 23, 2012
How To Help The Newest Hire Feel At Home
How To Help The Newest Hire Feel At Home
Do you remember your first day at your job? If you do you likely remember how stressed and anxious you were going into that day. Starting a new job is an exciting time of change and opportunity but it is also often uncomfortable and stressful. There is a reason why people always say the first day is the hardest. As an employee there are steps you can take to help new people feel more comfortable and to more quickly incorporate them into the team.
Make sure that if this new employee is reporting directly to you, that you are there to welcome them. Don’t just leave them to deal with all of the hurdles that Human Resources is bound to throw at them. Make time in the day to meet with them and answer any questions or concerns they may have.
You should also ensure that the new employee has a prepared and functioning workspace. It’s not fair to make them set everything up it is a waste of time and is extremely off putting. If you give them an office space that is ready to go they’ll be more likely to be able to get to work and will feel much more welcome.
Introduce them to everybody you work with. Don’t place them in the center of the room and make an announcement, that isn’t really an introduction and it places them on the spot. Personally introduce them to each person on your team. You should also arrange for a few people to take the new employee out to lunch, that way they can start making friends and they have an opportunity to ask questions without worrying about the boss overhearing.
Include your newest member in every group activity that goes on starting the first day. Whether it is a birthday celebration or team meeting they need to be included. If you don’t do this they will feel left out and disconnected.
Give the employee tasks and goals as quickly as possible. By giving them a list of things to do they will be least anxious and feel more productive. Even if the tasks are very simple and irrelevant to the position keeping busy helps the day go by faster and they’ll feel less out of place.
Help the employee get started with their new job. Set up short term and long term goals, and have arranged performance reviews set up. Let them know what you are expecting of them and then allow them to ask any questions that may come up. Don’t just expect them to get going after that, offer yourself up for further questions and make sure they know you won’t judge them for asking.
“The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.”
-Dale Carnegie
January 19, 2012
| Keeping Employees Engaged and Ready to Work
Engaged employees are happy employees. They are critical to a company’s success, especially with the struggling economy. Keeping employees engaged is also important for employers because when the economy does make a turn for the better, they will make a move if they are not happy. Motivated employees who are excited to do their jobs and to do them well are extremely valuable and committed, while those employees who become disconnected may demonstrate low commitment, involvement or productivity. While many managers focus on putting in an effort to increase engagement, most employees are missing the underlying issues that hinder their employee’s discretionary effort. With this said, it is extremely important to look at the various ways to keep employees engaged and alert.
Employees’ Emotions
According to employee engagement expert Michael Lee Stallard, “emotional factors impact employee engagement four times as much as rational factors.” Recognizing this fact can be extremely useful for managers who are looking to boost employee engagement. Even if employee engagement is not a current issue you are facing, it is important that you are still aware of these facts to continue avoiding this topic. It can also help knowing the facts and how to help if you feel that your employees are losing interest or motivation with what they are doing. Changing up activities has also proven to be quite helpful in solving issues like these. While common tactics such as company-wide parties or extensive training may be helpful, most do not address employees’ emotional factors or satisfaction with their actual job and work that they do.
So how do you attend to your employees’ emotional issues? The most important thing to do is to find out what sort of emotional issues are controlling your employees. Are they worried about their personal finances? Are they anxious about disappointing their significant other? Or maybe concerned that they are not living up to their personal expectations? It is important to know your employees well enough personally and in work-related situations. Whatever the case, it is vital that as a manager you discover the emotional pulls that your employees may be feeling. Instead of guessing, take the time to survey your employees and get to the bottom of their emotional restraints. Then you can begin to address their emotional factors and increase their engagement at the office.
Engaged employees are, for the most part, 20% more productive than average-performing employees, which can be a significant difference for any company-small, medium, or large. As a manger, aligning your efforts to improve your employees’ engagement with the needs of your employees is crucial in order to be successful. Reevaluate your current approach at handling these issues and make sure that you are addressing them as well. |
January 18, 2012
What Have You Resolved To Do This New Year?
2012 is here and hopefully off to a great start. Many of us are simply hoping 2012 is easier to handle than 2011. Everybody has an opinion about New Year’s resolutions some view them with disdain and ridicule and others view them as the perfect opportunity to start anew. For those in the latter group there are some tips and tricks to help you reach your goals and stick to your laurels especially if you’ve decided to commit to one of the more popular resolutions.
When deciding on a New Year’s Resolution there a few key tips to keep in mind:
- Set a reasonable goal. If you set a goal to wake up at 5 a.m. to exercise every single morning and you are not a morning person you are setting yourself up for failure. Consider what you’re capable of committing to and make that a goal. The more likely you are to be able to set a pattern the less likely that you’ll renege on your commitment.
- Stick with one goal, it’s extremely difficult to carry out one resolution, if you aim to change too many things you’re likely to get overwhelmed and give up all together. Focus on one thing and put all of your determination towards it.
- Assuming it’s not too personal in nature, tell the people who are a part of your daily life about your goal. They may have advice for helping you stick to your goal and you’ll have the added pressure of knowing others are watching you if you slip.
- Set up a rewards system. When you overcome a hurdle give yourself a reward, if you’ve decided to diet allow yourself to spring for dessert after a few weeks of healthy eating, if you’ve decided to cut your spending work an exciting purchase into your newly formed budget.
- If January 1st doesn’t work well for you set a date that does, if you’ve resolved to start running then perhaps you should try starting in the spring that way by the time winter comes you’ll have whipped yourself back into shape and will be more willing to deal with the bleak weather.
The most common New Year’s Resolution is unsurprisingly to get fit. This is of course an admirable goal, few things can positively impact your life the way getting in shape can, it’s also one of the most difficult resolutions to keep. Do your research when it comes to choosing a gym or piece of at home equipment, it’s important that you feel comfortable and safe in the environment you choose. You’ll also want to create a schedule and stick to, one way to do this is to hire a personal trainer or enlist the help of a workout buddy.
Another popular resolution is to improve your diet. This is of course another difficult task, unhealthy food is addictive and pleasurable. Instead of creating a strict diet try simply choosing healthier options. When grocery shopping choose healthier snack alternatives and when eating out try springing for a fresh dish as opposed to a highly processed item. Resolve to eat more whole grains, fruits and veggies and you’ll naturally consume less fats and simple carbohydrates.
The third most popular New Year’s Resolution is to save money. In this tough economy it’s more important than ever to set-up rainy day and retirement funds. A good one to do this is to set up pools of money for specific things, a certain amount of money for vacation, a certain amount for retirement and a certain amount for fun purchases such as clothing. Experts also suggest you only use your credit card for installment debt such as furniture, and other big yet necessary expenditures and using your debit card for smaller purchases such as lunch or gas.
Another popular resolution is to volunteer. This is a great goal it gives you the opportunity to enrich your own life by helping to enrich the lives of others. If you decide to take this route decide ahead of time on a specific organization you want to get involved with and get in touch with them. In making your decision you should think about what you are passionate about and choose an organization which is related to said passion. If you’re nervous about feeling out of place perhaps you should enlist a friend to get involved with you.
RSI NEW YORK SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM, YOUR SOURCE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE RECRUITING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
RSI NEW YORK, NY SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10167 USA
Phone: 212.260.2720
newyork@reactionsearchinternational.com
January 10, 2012
Asking for that Pay Raise
Many people may go unnoticed and go through many years of their career without getting a raise just because they did not know how to ask for one. Below are some useful tips that will help.
The Steps to Take
The first step to consider when asking for a raise is make sure it is done in a very professional manner. Make sure to set up an appointment with your supervisor and allow ample time to discuss all of the material you want to cover. Be confident going into this meeting and make sure you have a positive attitude and can show your supervisor what you do to immediately impact the company, as well as what your plans are for the future.
The second step to consider is that you must have reasons to support why you deserve a raise. Have a list prepared of all the contributions you bring to the team. You want to be able to say without a doubt that you have successfully completed all of your duties and more. If you can state the exact revenue that your contributions have brought to the company, that is also an extra bonus. You know what is important to your boss, so use those specific contributions to your benefit in negotiating your raise.
The third step is to be prepared to give your boss or manager the salary that people in your industry are currently making. Competitive wages and where you stand compared to the rest of the population with your abilities and background are important to know. This gives you an extra edge, which a supervisor may not be prepared for. This will come in handy if your boss is not convinced that you deserve a raise. An assertive, yet professional attitude can go a long way.
Following these steps may not guarantee that you will get the raise you want, but it should make the entire process less stressful. By documenting your accomplishments and presenting your value to the company, you will increase your chances to have your request for a raise granted. As you look to the future, it is also important to continue to grow your professional attributes, including taking relevant business classes, volunteering for more responsibility with your company, or anything that will contribute to your income growth throughout your career.
January 9, 2012
Skill Sets that will get you the Sale
The majority of sales executives know that every business discipline and profession is related to sales in one way or another. The successful sales executives know how to navigate across these fields with ease. “No matter how an organization is structured, all the business units will interact with the sales organization or sales professional at some point directly or indirectly to support the sale,” says the United Professional Sales Association.
“Since sales professionals are the focal point for driving the organization’s revenue, proper support (or alignment) of the business functions inside the selling organization is crucial to achieving a competitive position in the marketplace.” UPSA cautions sales executives to take the time to understand the multiple facets of their corporation:
- Marketing: When sales works with marketing, an organization will achieve greater profits and drive more revenue.
- Customer Service: Customer service professionals work alongside sales executives to create a positive buying atmosphere. Customer service is a value-added service that is often integral to the success of the sale.
- Information Technology: IT and the deployment and support of that technology will often make or break the effectiveness of a sales executive. IT employees will enable the sales process and will often help troubleshoot field sales calls.
- Project Management: Many solution-selling organizations and those organizations selling services rely on project managers to define the requirements, determine the scope, manage communication, and create the service offering. Project Managers work with sales executives to create the right service or product for the customer.
- Production: This is the crucial business unit that produces what the sales executive is selling. This could be the production facility, the organization that codes software, the custom database programmer, or the customization team, to name but a few.
- Training: Training provides a crucial link in the continued advancement of the sales executive.
- Administration: The administration of the internal forms, documentation, and other paperwork are crucial to properly selling the product and or service.
- Accounting/Finance: Accounting and finance organizations play a crucial role in helping sales executives build a return on investment strategy that resonates with the buying organization, as well as maintain competitive advantage in the marketplace
- Executive Management: Obviously, the proper executive level leadership is crucial to the overall alignment of the organization to support its sales executives.
- Human Resources: Human Resource functions such as compensation, hiring, and development practices for sales executives must encompass the entire continuum of the sales experience. The right talent must be hired into the best sales positions that fit individual strengths and weaknesses.
Mastering, having, or at least developing these skill sets and getting to know these fields will develop any young sales person into a successful sales executive.
RSI NEW YORK SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM, YOUR SOURCE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE RECRUITING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
RSI NEW YORK, NY SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10167 USA
Phone: 212.260.2720
newyork@reactionsearchinternational.com
December 30, 2011
Fostering an Educational Environment in the Work Place
Although the working day may already be packed with conference calls, emails, meetings, overtime, training, and much more, many employees may feel there is no time left in the day to participate in learning activities. Employees who are growing their minds are also growing their productivity. Learning enhances brain activity and promotes problem-solving skills, which is beneficial to all areas of life. Managers who create an environment that promotes lifelong learning will reap the rewards as employees are up to date with local market trends, industry inside information, and are expected to think about problems and strategy progressively. Management teams can intentionally promote an environment where learning is available and encouraged.
Accessible learning material is essential to foster learning in the office. A company library available to all employees will allow employees opportunities to obtain material that may have otherwise not been available to them. Material in the library should contain information relevant to your business as well as goal planning, management advice, or optimal health material to promote overall learning. Books are the classic form of reading material, but in today’s society where so many are pressed for time, audio books are becoming a more accessible and practical way to learn . Management that allows employees to listen to audio material at their desk, are encouraging multi-tasking and knowledge retention.
Basic knowledge is important, but alternative methods of gathering information are beneficial to be a well-versed individual. In positions such as sales, creating chemistry with the client is a key element in the sales process and employees who know the local news of the client’s residing city may come off as more personable than a sales call with no chemistry building material. Companies that have local or more prominent newspapers and magazines available for daily reading or scanning advocate for employees to be knowledgeable on current events. By providing learning material at the office, employees are more likely to take a few minutes to read the headlines then they may otherwise be at home.
To promote lifelong learning, many companies enable group activities that promote growth such as informal training sessions during the lunch hour, book clubs sponsored by the company, or even sponsoring employees to attend motivational or educational events. Tuition reimbursement is becoming more prominent within the corporate world as organizations are looking to attract the best candidates to their business and valuing the prestige of a college degree. No matter what area the employee is learning, whether he or she is reading a biography of a prominent politician, listening to the market trends for the upcoming year, or learning yoga, all methods and forms of learning are beneficial in keeping your brain active and sharp. A well informed employee will be prepared for networking events, gain self-confidence, and increase their productivity within their specified field due to enhanced industry knowledge.
RSI NEW YORK SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM, YOUR SOURCE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE RECRUITING IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
RSI NEW YORK, NY SALES RECRUITER EXECUTIVE RECRUITING CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10167 USA
Phone: 212.260.2720
newyork@reactionsearchinternational.com
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