Intern Interviews Is This The Standard (I hope not!)

Intern Interviews Is This The Standard (I hope not!) On a Yahoo Group Im on I saw this really intriguing email from Greg Brooks, a business owner who has done a fair amount of hiring.  Greg always has interesting feedback for job seekers, from an interviewer/owner perspective. From Greg (with permission): Ive talked to three intern candidates in the last couple of days well, two intern candidates and one guy who wanted a job, but acted like an intern. Common elements across all three: * All three acted like goofballs. I dont mean being unprepared although they were *manifestly* unprepared for the discussion. I mean not being able to talk without giggling or going off on rabbit trails or saying things that indicated they had done zero research. I dont need you to be a stone-cold serious interview zombie (sidebar: Interview Zombie is an awesome band name!), but I do need you to stay on topic. * All three did some variant of Well, Id like to get paid but really this project is so interesting Id work for free. Newsflash: You dont get to ride the fence on that either come to the interview expecting to get paid or dont, but if you try to do both all you end up with is some guy (me) sitting there thinking: Huh thats funny. She doesnt think her time is worth anything. * All three had questionable life skills. If your objective is to find an internship that will not pay your rent and groceries, and you dont have money saved up, then Im going to question your mad planning skillz. Anyway, thanks for listening to me rant. Dont be like this when youre looking for jobs and/or internships. Greg said to sign him off as: Greg Brooks, principal, West Third Group a marketing and PR firm that probably doesnt want to work with you, either. Personally, I think Greg is a brilliant thinker (Ive followed him for years).  He is candid and, honestly, Id love to work with him what you see is what you get. What do you think?  Are you doing any of the three things Greg is listing?  Those arent flaws that just interns can have Intern Interviews Is This The Standard (I hope not!) On a Yahoo Group Im on I saw this really intriguing email from Greg Brooks, a business owner who has done a fair amount of hiring.  Greg always has interesting feedback for job seekers, from an interviewer/owner perspective. From Greg (with permission): Ive talked to three intern candidates in the last couple of days well, two intern candidates and one guy who wanted a job, but acted like an intern. Common elements across all three: * All three acted like goofballs. I dont mean being unprepared although they were *manifestly* unprepared for the discussion. I mean not being able to talk without giggling or going off on rabbit trails or saying things that indicated they had done zero research. I dont need you to be a stone-cold serious interview zombie (sidebar: Interview Zombie is an awesome band name!), but I do need you to stay on topic. * All three did some variant of Well, Id like to get paid but really this project is so interesting Id work for free. Newsflash: You dont get to ride the fence on that either come to the interview expecting to get paid or dont, but if you try to do both all you end up with is some guy (me) sitting there thinking: Huh thats funny. She doesnt think her time is worth anything. * All three had questionable life skills. If your objective is to find an internship that will not pay your rent and groceries, and you dont have money saved up, then Im going to question your mad planning skillz. Anyway, thanks for listening to me rant. Dont be like this when youre looking for jobs and/or internships. Greg said to sign him off as: Greg Brooks, principal, West Third Group a marketing and PR firm that probably doesnt want to work with you, either. Personally, I think Greg is a brilliant thinker (Ive followed him for years).  He is candid and, honestly, Id love to work with him what you see is what you get. What do you think?  Are you doing any of the three things Greg is listing?  Those arent flaws that just interns can have

Is Fat Cat Pay Putting Employees Off

Is Fat Cat Pay Putting Employees Off The furore over the tax affairs of the Prime Minister got me thinking about executive pay. The CIPD  published some research at the end of last year about what employees really think about their CEO’s pay.  CEO pay is now 183 times higher than the average salary, compared with 47 times in 1998. Around 7 in 10 workers believe this is too high and almost 60% said it demotivates them, while more than half think  that high executive pay damages an organisation’s reputation. The CIPD survey suggests 7 in 10  workers want greater pay transparency generally, and more than half (53%) want reward information  published for all levels. It is interesting to note that for FTSE 100 CEOs there is no statistically significant relationship between pay  and company performance. Across the FTSE 100, rises in estimated executive pay outstrips rises in  company value; increased executive remuneration does not produce increased company performance. Why it matters Current practices in executive remuneration don’t work in the best interests of companies and may  suppress company performance by damaging motivation of both executives and the wider workforce.  Of course, shareholders can voice their opposition to executive pay policy but the average vote against  pay awards across the FTSE 100 was just 6.4%. To me it seems the institutional investors who manage the  savings of most of the population are not very effective in managing the issue, nor do they seem  concerned about the impact of excessive executive pay on the economy and societal fairness. We have a productivity problem in the UK and perceived unfairness damages employee engagement.  Judgements about fairness are part and parcel of organisational life but research shows that inordinate  wage gaps are associated with lowered productivity, loss of group cohesion, lower quality and even  theft. There is firm evidence as to the effects inequity of all kinds has on organisations a group of  employees temporarily assigned to lower status offices during an office relocation, lowered their  performance; lower-status employees assigned to better offices increased output. It’s not just engagement that is affected, recruitment and retention become problematic if workers don’t  feel they have a stake in organisational success. Less-skilled, qualified and experienced employees earn  less, that’s fair. Given training and development they increase their worth and employability. Most  employees are eager for such opportunities but many feel that routes for development and progress are  not available, it’s a major reason for job change. The organisation that does not support workers to grow  in their roles and fulfil their aspirations will struggle in the war for talent. Fair reward Research indicates that organisations providing career development opportunities are six times more  likely to engage their employees than those that fail to do so. Employability and professional  development are increasingly important to staff at all levels who tend to think in broad career terms with  a view to mobility, career agility and flexible work-life options.  Some maintain we are “all in this together” but those struggling on minimum wage don’t see it that way. Stefan Stern, director of the High Pay Centre, suggested last year that, “Outlandish pay sustains the myth  that a single, heroic individual is somehow running a big business on his or her own. Thats simply untrue.  Leadership matters, and good leaders should be well rewarded. But the workforce does the work. Leaders may not want to think about executive pay as a social issue, but as a corporate issue it is clear  that employees who feel valued by their employer are more likely to feel engaged at work and satisfied by  their role. If you don’t believe it is a social issue read The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate  Pickett. This shows how the gap between rich and poor is bad for everyone including the well-off. Also look out for the upcoming documentary based on the book The Divide which looks at how economic  division creates social division. Image  credit:  Shutterstock

5 Ways To Scare Away Your Career Mentor

5 Ways To Scare Away Your Career Mentor Wherever you are in your career, seeking out a mentor is a great way to boost your career and expand your network. In fact, 75 percent of executives say  mentoring  plays a major role in their career â€" and  95 percent  of Millennials just starting out their careers want a mentor.  Through your mentor, you’ll likely meet new people, learn new skills, and maybe even find new job opportunities. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well  having  a mentor doesn’t guarantee automatic success. Being a mentee comes with responsibility and takes care to create a successful relationship. And it can go south fast if you’re not careful. So make sure you aren’t scaring off your mentor and consider the following behaviors to avoid: 1. Being vague with your needs. Be specific about what you need from your mentor. These needs could include professional development, access to opportunities and networks, desiring a role model, or even just a safe space to discuss experiences or career issues. Don’t expect your mentor to know or understand automatically just by reading your resume and meeting you. Otherwise, neither of you will gain anything from the relationship and you’ll likely just frustrate them. 2. Not taking advice seriously. Remember, you’re not the only one in this relationship. So be kind and respectful of your mentor’s time and advice. You might not always like or agree with what they have to say, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or trying to hurt you. Carefully consider their advice and be thankful for it. If you brush your mentor off too often, you likely won’t be getting any more help. 3. Calling or emailing too often or too little. No mentor â€" or anyone, for that matter â€" likes someone who contacts them too much. On the other hand, don’t be passive in this relationship either. Your mentor is a working professional and may have his or her own family, so keep that in mind when trying to contact them. It’s helpful to establish communication guidelines at the beginning of the relationship so you know what’s too much (or too little). 4. Expecting help instead of asking for help. You aren’t necessarily your mentor’s top priority, so be open and vocal when you really need guidance. Your mentor isn’t psychic and won’t always be checking in on you. So leave any feelings of entitlement at the door, or you will only scare your mentor away. 5. Misappropriating or sharing private information. As previously mentioned, a mentorship is often meant to provide a safe space for conversation. But if you plan on divulging any company secrets or using your mentor’s business ideas as your own, think twice.  Misappropriating or sharing private information  is probably the single best way to scare off your mentor. If you had a discussion in confidence, keep it that way. You could not only ruin your relationship with your mentor, but also their entire network. Take caution when moving forward with a career mentor. You have a lot to gain from the relationship. But if it goes south, you also have a lot to lose. Have you ever had a poor experience with you career mentor? Related: Professionalism in the Workplace: Myth, Mystery or a Must?   Image: Shutterstock