work Archives - Diane Hamilton

Companies Rewarding Employees for Entrepreneurial Ideas

Gone are the old days of having a suggestion box at work. Today’s modern company has set up some much more sophisticated ways of obtaining knowledge and creative ideas from their employees. The following list contains some useful tools that employers have utilized that have even replaced their need to go to outside consulting firms:

Innovative Management Programs – Sites like Brainbank, InnoCentive and Spigit are just a few of the popular sites that companies use to allow employees to submit and vote on ideas.
Idea-Management Websites – PriceWaterhouseCoopers created a company site to gather employees’ input about cost cutting, improving customer service and other ways to improve revenue. These sites can be very successful. IdeasAmerica, an association for suggestion administration, surveyed customers and found that ideas submitted by employees saved over $110 million or an average of $1256 per idea.
Set up Kiosks – Bruce Power is one of many companies who have set up idea kiosks. Resembling ATMs, these kiosks are easily accessible and allow employees to vote on ideas.
Create Financial Incentives – Companies may give rewards for employees’ ideas that result in cost savings. They may receive financial incentives or points to use toward rewards.
Set Up Idea Challenges – Allstate created an online challenge for its employees to come up with some good ideas about how to create their company app.

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Women Becoming More Successful Than Men

Women are passing men in their abilities to get a degree, handle families and garner success at work. As men are falling behind, women are making huge strides. CNN reported that, “For the first time in history, women are better educated, more ambitious and arguably more successful than men.”

Over half of college degrees are now being awarded to women. “In 1970, men earned 60% of all college degrees. In 1980, the figure fell to 50%, by 2006 it was 43%. Women now surpass men in college degrees by almost three to two. Women’s earnings grew 44% in real dollars from 1970 to 2007, compared with 6% growth for men.”

Women are becoming stronger entrepreneurs as well. Forbes recently reported: “As of 2011, it is estimated that there are over 8.1 million women-owned businesses in the United States. Overall, women-owned firms have done better than their male counterparts over the past 14 years. The number of men-owned firms (which represent 51% of all U.S. firms) grew by only 25% between 1997 and 2011—half the rate of women-owned firms.”

A study by Barclays Wealth and Ledbury Research may have some of the answers to why women are surpassing men. One of the reasons they found is that women are less likely to take unnecessary risks or make rash decisions. The Huffington Post backed up this point stating, “A 2005 study by Merrill Lynch found that 35% of women held an investment too long, compared with 47% of men. More recently, in 2009, a study by the mutual fund company Vanguard involving 2.7 million personal investors concluded that during the recent financial crisis, men were more likely than women to sell shares of stocks at all-time lows, leading to bigger losses among male traders.”

Boomerang Generation: College Graduates Giving up on Employment and Moving Back Home

via online.wsj.com

There has been an unusual trend with recent college graduates. After working so hard to become educated for their new careers, recent grads are not jumping into the workplace right away. This has caused an increase in the numbers for unemployment in this population. However, this unemployment has been influenced by some of these grads actively making the choice not go to work.

It’s not only that employers don’t want the recent graduates. In fact, Wall Street Journal reported, “Employers plan to hire 19% more new graduates this year than in 2010.” Part of the choice has been due to the graduates opting to do other things. In that same article, it was reported, “Career counselors at colleges say that in the past two years they have seen increasing numbers of graduates opting to travel, volunteer, or get unpaid work experience rather than head straight into a tenuous job market.”

Recent statistics show that up to 54% of those under the age of 25 are without a job. Many of them feel that the economy is so bad at this time that they would be wasting their time even trying to get into the workplace. This has caused a trend of young adults moving back in with their parents. The New York Post reported, “This year, some three million young people are expected to graduate from college. Facing a double-digit unemployment rate for young people, 85 percent of them will initially move back home with their parents, and that’s up from 67 percent in 2006, according to a poll by researcher Twentysomething Inc.”

Some have referred to this new generation as the Boomerang Generation. Just as parents think their children have left the nest, they turn around and come right back. Some students are holding out for the job they want rather than taking “just any job”. Having gone through the time and effort to get a higher education, they are not willing to take employment beneath what they feel qualified to do.

Using QR Codes to Get a Job or Promote Your Business

You probably have seen QR codes and don’t even realize it. Perhaps they were on a marketing ad or a flyer someone handed you. You might have seen them on a promotional piece or on a poster at a local store. It may have looked so under-stated that you probably passed right by it and didn’t give it a second thought.

Start looking for them. You’ll be surprised at how many places are using them. What are they? Think of them like a bar code that lists a lot more information and can direct you to specific websites. Companies are creating these codes to be used with smartphone apps. This is an example code that I created for my book, It’s Not You It’s Your Personality:

It’s really simple to make one. You can go to a site like Qurify.com and type in the information you want to be encoded. It may be something as simple as a website address. You can go to the Qurify site and type in your website URL address. If you don’t have a website, consider putting in your Linkedin profile page. Click on the Qurify button and then download the image it creates as a jpeg file. Now you can take this file and put it on your business cards, on your resume, or on any other information you create.

Anyone who has a QR Reader app on their phone can simply start the app on their phone and point it at your code. When they do that, they will be directed on their phone to the URL address you entered on Qurify. It couldn’t be easier.

This can really make you stand out from the rest in the job search. Just having that code on your resume will make those that don’t know what it is, look into it why it is on your resume. For those that do know what it is, they will appreciate how technologically you savvy are.

If you have your own business and want to promote different parts of your website, these can be useful as well. To show examples, I created several of these QR codes for Dr. Robert Spies’ plastic surgery site. To see how they work, first download a free QR Reader app onto your smartphone. Then open that app and point it at the codes listed below.

This code directs you to information about facelifts:

This code directs you to information about tummy tucks:

This code directs you to information about breast augmentation:

By having different QR codes like this, you can customize your marketing material to direct people to the appropriate websites. For companies like a plastic surgery practice, this can be a very effective tool to target people that have a strong enough financial background to own a smartphone as well as those that are interested enough to point their phone at the code for more information. It is a great tool to specifically target the appropriate population.

To find out more about how these codes work, check out information from the guys at how stuff works technology podcast.

You Are Only as Good as Your Last Deal: Top 5 Ways to Avoid Being Expendable at Work

There is an expression that is often used in sales: “You are only as good as your last deal.” What is meant by that is that management has a short-term memory and no matter how good you were in the past, they are focusing on what you can do for them right now. It may seem unfair to those who have worked very hard throughout the years to find out that their jobs may be on the line due to one poor month of performance. However, this is a reality in this market.

The new movie, Larry Crowne, with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, is about Hanks’ character, a top performing employee who has won the employee of the month something like 8 times. He is self-confident that management has requested his presence in their office to tell him that he has just won for the 9^th time. Instead, he finds out that they are letting him go due to his lack of a college education.

This is a pretty common situation that happens in today’s workplace. Employees are becoming concerned about keeping their positions. There are a lot of people with strong work histories out there that are in the market for a job…your job. There are some important tips to keep in mind when trying to avoid being expendable at work. These include:

Work harder than your coworkers. That may seem to be common sense, but it is surprising how many people overlook the fact that they may not be number one in the office. There is an old expression: I don’t have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you. Think of being laid off as the bear and you have to be better than your coworkers to survive.
Multitask. One way to be more efficient at your job is to multitask. Some may argue that there is no such thing as true multitasking but there is such a thing as combining small jobs together so that you get more done in less time. I often share an example with my students of how I would type my call notes while “dialing for dollars” so that I could make twice as many phone calls as my coworkers who waited until the call was completed to type up their notes. Find ways to combine things like this to be more efficient.
Add value through education. The Tom Hanks example is a good reason why you should consider furthering your education to compete. You might find that a certification is enough. You might find that an MBA would add value. Find the thing that makes you stand out from your fellow coworkers.
Put in the time. If you are the last one to get to work and the first one to leave, you may find that management has noticed. Look around your office and pay attention to who gets there late, who lollygags around and doesn’t work hard. Put in the hours but also be sure that management sees how hard you are working. There is no shame in copying them on things that show you have done well.
Work smarter vs. harder. Some people think that just putting in more work hours means they are working hard. If you are the guy/gal who plans the plan to plan the plan, then you are not efficient. A plan is important to keep you on track. Just be sure you don’t spend all of your time planning and none of your time doing.

If you do these 5 things, you’ll be well on your way to outrunning your coworkers and avoiding the bear (loss of employment).

Millennials Actually Utilizing LinkedIn Rather Than Just Having an Inactive Profile

Linkedin has a lot of people with profiles. Quantcast reports “Linkedin has 21.4 million monthly unique U.S. visitors and 47.6 million globally.” However, that doesn’t mean they are all taking advantage of the site. Dynamic Business reported, “According to the 2010 LinkedIn Career Trends Research, a staggering 60 percent of professionals surveyed on LinkedIn do not use social media channels when it comes to advancing their careers – despite 87 percent believing an online profile will help their professional identity and career progression. This mirrors results for business adoption of social media, with only 28 percent of small businesses surveyed using social media despite a similar number believing it would help their business.”

That may be changing. The day of looking for a job in the classified section has gone. Millennials are moving away from newspaper ads. SMH reported results from I Love Rewards and Experience Inc. that showed, “28 per cent say they will use LinkedIn to find a job, compared with 7 percent the previous year. Newspaper ads are moving in the opposite direction with 28 per cent saying they would turn to newspapers, compared with 34 per cent for the previous year.”

Millennials have been shown to have unique expectations in the working world. Mashable reported more information from this study showed, “Millenials about to hit the workforce don’t care what size company they work for and that 64% of them plan to stay at their new job for two to five years. Another 24.1% say they plan to stay with their employer for more than 10 years. However, the average tenure for millennials is actually 1.5 years, according to the Department of Labor.”

Millennials Education and Workplace Success – Improving Emotional Intelligence

In 2010, research from Pew Center showed Millennials were not only the happiest of workers but they were also considered the most educated generation in history. JustMeans.com reported, “Approximately 1-in-5 Millennials are college graduates while 26% are in school, and 30% are out of school but have plans to pursue a college degree. Some Millennials work, and others are in school– 24% do both and are employed while seeking an education. According the Pew Center, Millennials who are older and employed may be “the happiest workers in America.” More than one-third of employed Millennials describe their job satisfaction as “very happy,” while 29% of Baby Boomers and 27% of Gen Xers feel the same way.”

Even well-educated generations may not be savvy in all areas that could lead to their success at work. Part of what makes a successful and happy worker is having the ability to get along with coworkers, having strong interpersonal skills and being emotionally intelligent. The book, It’s Not You It’s Your Personality, addresses all of these important areas. By understanding personalities and the psychology behind “why” people act the way they do, Millennials and all generations have a better chance of success at work and beyond.

A big part of understanding relationships and personalities is to understand emotional intelligence. Authors such as Daniel Goleman have shown that one’s Emotional Quotient or EQ may be considered as important as one’s IQ. Phoenix.Edu explained the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace: “Emotions play a primary role in both conscious and unconscious decisions. It is often easy to be reactive instead of proactive, and in the workplace, if the wrong choice is made, this can quickly lead into a danger zone. An inability to keep emotions in check can result in problematic issues that can either harm the individual’s career or tarnish the reputation of an organization. Examples of situations where emotions can come into effect are conflict management, colleague tension, dealing with irate customers, organizational power struggles, negotiations, competition, organizational resistance to change and even coping with managers who bully.”

To find out more about understanding personalities and emotional intelligence in the workplace, click here.

Millennials Replacing Baby Boomer Workforce: Meeting Their Unique Needs

Big changes are occurring in the current workforce. The dynamic is shifting as companies are experiencing a shift toward millennials replacing baby boomer generations. According to Harvard Business Review /HBR.org, “The makeup of the global workforce is undergoing a seismic shift: In four years Millennials—the people born between 1977 and 1997—will account for nearly half the employees in the world. In some companies, they already constitute a majority.”

The book, It’s Not You It’s Your Personality, addresses the unique personalities and needs of the post-boomer worker. For simplicity sake, these post-boomer generations are given the title NewGens. It can get confusing when Gen X, Gen Y, Millennials and other titles are used. The term NewGens encompasses all of these groups.

Post-boomer generations have received a bad reputation at times due to their need for immediate gratification. Perhaps they are different but different isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many have high expectations but are willing to put forth the efforts it takes to achieve their goals. HBR.org reported, “Millennials have high expectations of their employers—but they also set high standards for themselves. They’ve been working on their résumés practically since they were toddlers, because there are so many of them and so few (relatively speaking) spots at top schools and top companies. They’re used to overachieving academically and to making strong personal commitments to community service. Keep them engaged, and they will be happy to overachieve for you.”

image via hbr.org

This new group of employees has considerable knowledge that can be crucial for a company’s success. Younger generations, unlike the boomer generation, tend to move around in their jobs more often. They are less likely to remain in a single company throughout their career.

Are companies doing enough to keep their current employees happy? Workforce.com stated the following about the millennial generation, “Large companies don’t move fast enough for that generation, which is [switching employers and] looking to expose themselves to new and different things. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show the average American will have 10.8 jobs from age 18 to 42. Many workers have clung to their jobs amid the recession and high unemployment. Still, the overall turnover rate across all industries was 16.3 percent in 2009, according to a survey from Compdata.”

Part of keeping this younger generation interested in staying at their current position is to keep their attention. Training must be aimed at their specific needs. This is a technology-based group that likes to learn that way. They also like to receive their information quickly. Shorter, 3-5 minute training videos, can be effective. This is the YouTube generation and employers must realize this and keep up with the trends.

Aimglobal.org suggests the following guidelines for employers when dealing with millennial workers:

Ø Training. If you want a job well done, employers need to tell Millennials how to do it. However, don’t just give orders. Millennials want to know the reasoning behind them and the training offered to be successful.

Ø Mentoring. Partner your new Millennial with one of your veterans. The veteran can show the newcomer the ropes and conversely the newcomer can offer fresh ideas.

Ø Integration. Involve Millennials in a variety of projects, assignments, and career opportunities. Mixing it up keeps their interest.

Ø Team Collaboration. Millennials are comfortable in team settings. They like to collaborate with others especially on team-based projects and environments.

Ø Support Future Pursuits. During their employment at your company, Millennials will face decisions regarding the next stage of their lives including marriage, buying a house, having children, etc. Developing a guidance program around these changes demonstrates how your company will be there to support them.

For more complete information on post-boomer generations in the workplace and how to deal with their unique personality needs, click here.

The Millennial Happiness Factor: Millennials are Happier with their Bosses than Boomers (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)
Generations 2010 Report Claims Millennials Not Only Tech-Savvy Group: Important News for Marketing (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)
Millennial Job-Seekers Have Unique Expectations (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)

Have you Googled Yourself Lately? Why LinkedIn and Google are Important for Your Job Search

If you are looking for a job, you probably have looked at getting on LinkedIn and some other social networking sites. If you have created a LinkedIn profile, it should show up on Google’s search engine.

In some recent talks I gave to job-seekers, I asked my audience if they had Googled themselves. Surprisingly, not as many people as you may think have done this. In my book, How to Reinvent Your Career, I discuss the importance of Googling your name to see what it displays. You can be sure that employers will do this.

It is nice that search engines like Google can help people find you. One way to help improve being found is to be on LinkedIn. There are other benefits to being on LinkedIn. According to a recent article in WSJ.com, “One of the least recognized aspects of LinkedIn, says founder Reid Hoffman, is the fact that it allows people to help other people.” I personally like the Q&A feature of LinkedIn for this reason. Not only can you ask a question, but you can offer your expertise and help others.

According to Hoffman, Linkedin is an important part of the career search. I agree. He also asked an important question: “There are millions of other people out there. What do you do to put yourself in the right place for people to find you?”

I often give advice for things you can do to be found. LinkedIn is high on my list. However, if you are interested in finding out more ways to be found, check out some of my career videos.

How to Get a Job by Understanding Emotional Intelligence

How to Get a Job by Utilizing a SWOT Analysis

How to Get a Job by Utilizing Camtasia and Powerpoint

How to Market Yourself by Using Social Media

Get a Job and Get Noticed By Taking Full Advantage of LinkedIn’s Capabilities (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)
Leverage Personal Qualities that Reinvent Your Career and Job Search with a Guide Book to Making More Money Doing What You Love (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)
How to Create a Strong LinkedIn Profile (e1evation.com)
Try Googling Yourself And See What Happens, Says LinkedIn Founder (blogs.wsj.com)

Top 15 Jobs in America

In researching information for my book, How to Reinvent Your Career, I found it interesting to see the types of jobs that are no longer on the market due to changes in technology. Just as jobs are disappearing, others are being created as well. If you are interested in seeing what the top most popular jobs in the US are, check out the recent article by jobs.AOL. According to their report the top 15 jobs include:

1. Retail Sales

2. Cashiers

3. Office Clerks

4. Food Preparation and Service Workers

5. Registered Nurses

6. Waiters and Waitresses

7. Customer Service Reps.

8. Material Movers

9. Janitors

10. Stock Clerks and Order Fillers

11. Secretaries

12. Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks

13. General Managers

14. Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

15. Elementary School Teachers

To find out more specifics about what these jobs pay and education requirements, check out the article by clicking here.

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