Beware.... the Busy Boss!!

Is it just me or are bosses more difficult to nail down? It used to be that most Executive Assistants had daily meetings with their bosses. Blackberries, cell phones, laptops — high level executives are always “on” and always busy. It’s not good if they are too busy to meet with you regularly as it impedes your ability to support them or get your job done. Need a strategy? Read on . .

It’s difficult to be effective when you can’t get time with your boss because of workload, travel schedules, or just poor communication skills. The best remedy: Learn to manage your boss! You may have to be inventive to create access, but you cannot be effective otherwise.

It is important to talk with your boss about his or her preferred style of communication and to determine which style (face-to-face, phone, e-mail) works for which circumstances.

You must adapt to your boss’s preferred form of communication — let go of your preference. With a busy boss you may have to depend on e-mail or voice mail — especially for quick instructions or answers.

Generally, face-to-face works best for complex issues or projects but you may have to accept that it may be difficult — try an e-mail with bullets and ask for complete instructions to proceed.

E-mail your boss an update on projects in progress and projects completed and ask for new priorities — that might be the best way to keep projects moving and gain trust.

You can resort to voice mail or a cell or work phone to get a response regarding urgent matters.

Remember, at least e-mail saves a paper trail so you know that you have yourself covered.

No single type of communication works all of the time, so be flexible.

Face-to-face communication is always preferred. The energy shared and bonding are irreplaceable — yet just not always doable for busy execs. These days, be creative and adapt!!! One must!

Build a Team of Mentors

In years past, it was much easier for employees to find a mentor – it was an older, tenured person at their organization who seemed to ooze experience and wisdom. These days, it’s tough to retain an employee for more than 3-5 years, so finding a mentor takes more work! A Wall Street Journal article suggested that those seeking guidance in their careers should build a team of mentors in their field, otherwise known as a development network. The concept of development networks is easy to grasp; many find the actual relationship building part to be difficult.

Tips for building a team of mentors
1. Develop a list. Although some of your mentors will naturally want to help you, it is your job to come up with a list of individuals who would be a good addition to your mentoring team. Select a variety of people to add to your network—both in and outside your department/organization— so you have different viewpoints to learn from.

2. Be the one to reach out, and do so often. Top-notch protégés are not shy to ask for guidance. You must be able to do the initial ask and keep in regular contact with your development network. When a mentor offers a suggestion, keep him/her posted on how the advice worked.

3. Come to meetings prepared. Now that you’ve gotten a mentor’s attention, it’s time to do some homework. Know some basics about his/her background and have applicable questions to ask when you get together.

4. Make it mutual. No one likes a person who only talks about his/herself. The same goes for mentoring relationships! Don’t make every interaction with your mentors about you. Be sure to offer help on a special project or share some knowledge that you might be able to impart to him/her.

5. Be personable and have a positive attitude. We have yet to hear someone say, “Gosh, I would love to mentor someone who’s incredibly negative and not fun to be around.” Not everyone is the most charismatic person at their office, but it helps to be a positive, upbeat version of yourself when working with your development network. Mentors are supposed to talk you down from a workplace ledge every now and then, but don’t make it a regular pastime.

No matter what point you are at in your career, it is beneficial to have a mentor or team of mentors help guide you along the way. Your mentors should be individuals in your field OR people you admire for their successes. Don’t be afraid to make a connection with a potential mentor OR take his/her suggestions and run with it!

Full article: “How to Be a Smart Protégé: Eight tips for setting up a network of mentors” by Dawn E. Chandler, Douglas Hall and Kathy E. Kram. Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2009

Improved Job Outlook for class of 2012

According to an article on USnews.com by Ben Baden, "Employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) say they plan to hire 9.5 percent more graduates from the class of 2012 than they did from the class of 2011."

If you are a student in college looking for ways to improve your chances of landing a job offer prior to graduation, take part in a paid internship! Another NACE survey shows that paid interns had the best success when it came to attracting job offers. Most students who worked in a paid internship had a job offer prior to graduation and also received a higher starting salary!

Keep in mind that temporary positions is a great way to "create your own internship!" Staffing Solutions, Inc. staffs in the St. Louis metro area, and we work with Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and non-profits in a variety of industries. Besides just earning a paycheck, temporary work is a great way to learn new skills, gain "real world work" experience, and network!

Visit our website to apply today www.staffingsolutionsinc.com



some information obtained from: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2011/10/07/job-outlook-improving-for-class-of-2012

SimplyHired.com Releases December Employment Outlook

© 2011 Simply Hired, Inc.
(click on the image to for larger view)

SimplyHired.com has released their December 2011 employment outlook report, and the forecast is STILL POSITIVE! Check out the full report, which highlights national and local market forecasts, and industry and employer trends! You view the full report here

A Few Report Highlights.....
* Job openings increased slightly nationwide, up 2.7% month-over-month and 7.4% year-over-year. The increase is a continuation of modest but steady job growth going back five months to July 2011.

* Nationwide job competition decreased in November, dropping from 4:1 to 3:1 job openings per unemployed person. According to the report, this improved ratio is likely because of a slight decrease in unemployment and a slight increase in job openings due to seasonal hiring.

*Hiring remains steady in most US metro areas. St. Louis's job openings per unemployed person remains the same as last month- a steady 4:1 ratio.

*Nationwide openings for community workers (including social workers, counselors and religious workers) increased 86%, by far the largest for all occupation categories! According to the report, this increase also coincides with a 15.8% growth in non-profit jobs. Both are likely related to the greater focus placed on community initiatives during the holidays.

Top hiring companies in St. Louis according to SimplyHired.com
1. BJC Health – 778 jobs (2.4%)
2. US Air Force – 431 jobs (43.1%)
3. Pizza Hut – 417 jobs (17.3%)
4. Taco Bell – 383 jobs (-6.0%)
5. St. Anthony’s Medical Center – 342 jobs (-11.2%)

We hope to see a spike in job growth next year! Let's see what 2012 brings!

Source for this post: "SimplyHired.com” http://www.simplyhired.com