The Top Job Searching Myths You Can’t Possibly Believe!

Finding a job is a stressful activity. Buying into false beliefs about the process can make it even harder. Enhance your job search by not believing these myths.

1. My Resume Will Automatically Get Through the Automated System

An applicant tracking system (ATS) screens out candidates based on keywords, dates and job titles. Therefore, an average of five of every 1,000 online applications pass through the ATS to the manager. Even if your skills and qualifications make you a top candidate, you are not guaranteed to be offered an interview. You are better off customizing your cover letter and resume, finding the manager’s email on LinkedIn, and sending your information directly to them.

2. The Hiring Manager Will Know I Am a Great Fit

Your cover letter and resume should point out specific reasons why you are a great fit for the role. If the hiring manager is left to connect the dots between how your information qualifies you for the position, they will move on to the next qualified candidate. Point out your qualifications in relation to the job posting. Do not leave anything to chance.

3. My Passion for the Job Will Outweigh My Lack of Qualifications

Although you may be called in for an interview without having every qualification listed in a job posting, be aware of how far off your background is from what the hiring manager is looking for. Some factors may be negotiable, such as having four years’ experience when the posting asks for six. However, if you have three years’ experience and the posting asks for 10, focus your energy on other opportunities. This is especially true if you are changing careers and cannot demonstrate many transferable skills to get the role you want.

4. A Cover Letter Is Unnecessary

Even with digital job applications, a tailored cover letter and resume are required. Your cover letter gives context to your resume and a voice to your stats. It needs to show the hiring manager what you are looking for, why you are qualified for the role, and that you would like to talk further about the opportunity.

5. My Resume Should Be One Page

Because a customized resume is the centerpiece of your job application, it should highlight the most important information for the hiring manager. Therefore, you may not be able to list your related skills, experience and career highlights all on one page. This is especially true if you have a decade of experience and/or work in a high-level role. Choose a layout that is pleasing to the eye and draws attention to your most important achievements.

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Is Your Employee Engagement Hurting Your Company’s Financial Performance?

How do you know whether your employee engagement is helping or hindering your company? Setting and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs), asking employees to fill out surveys, or implementing stack ranking may be among your solutions.

Key Performance Indicators

A KPI is a measure that reflects company success or progress in relation to a specific goal. For example, financial KPIs typically are based on elements of the income statement or balance sheet. They may report changes in sales growth by product groups, channel or customer segments or in expense categories. Revenue growth rate, net profit and return on investment are commonly used metrics for employee performance. A company needs to use non-financial KPIs as well. Non-financial KPIs are other measures used to assess activities that are important to achievement of strategic objectives. Examples include measures that relate to customer relationships, employees, operations, quality, cycle-time and the company’s supply chain. By aligning business activities and individual actions with strategic objectives, you can better determine whether employee engagement is benefitting or harming your company.

Employee-Centered Key Performance Indicators

Employee-centered KPIs, such as employee engagement, satisfaction and turnover are also important metrics. Higher employee engagement is linked to higher customer satisfaction. When employees are happy and believe in their company, it comes across in their work. For this reason, companies with high employee engagement levels outperform companies with lower engagement levels according to customer ratings. Plus, because engaged employees are motivated to achieve more, they produce more than disengaged ones. In addition, companies with employee-centered strategies are more likely to encourage innovation, autonomy and employee ownership than companies that do not implement such strategies.

Employee Surveys

To measure engagement, you may ask employees to fill out surveys. Questions may include, “How meaningful is your work?” “How much do your opinions about work matter to your manager?” Or, “Are you proud to be a member of your team?” Another approach may be analyzing engagement levels such as management quality and time investment, influence from colleagues, relationships and work schedule. The second approach is more comprehensive and likely to be answered honestly, rather than with answers employees think leaders want to hear.

Stack Ranking

Stack ranking is a system that ranks employees according to their performance. Top employees are put in line for promotions while the bottom 5-10 percent are let go. One objective is to encourage communication between managers and employees so employees know why they rank where they do and how they can improve. Employees may learn why they are not regularly being promoted or prepare to be laid off for continual poor performance.

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