Managerine
  • Home
  • Learn
    • Blog
    • Subscription Box
    • Cheat Sheets
    • Online Courses
    • Management Academy
  • Connect
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
  • About

Book Review: Help! I'm a Manager

2/24/2020

 
It’s not often that I read a book and immediately wish I had read it several years ago. However, that is exactly the reaction I had when I finished Help! I’m a Manager. This book is hands down the best guide to navigating the transition of team member to manager I’ve ever read.

The book navigates a range of topics, from how to handle your first six weeks in the role to developing your team. All these topics are presented in a clear, no-nonsense manner and really transparently show the challenges and rewards of management. 

What I really appreciated about the book is the authenticity of the author. She shares her past mistakes and how you can learn from them. She also is straight-forwards about the dynamic shift when you move into management. A new manager needs to learn how to approve time cards and schedule shifts, but they also need to learn the dynamics of their team and interact with them appropriately. This book sums this shift up beautifully. A must-read for any new manager.

​These opinions are my own and in no way influenced by the author or publisher. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through the link above.

My Two Cents on Salary Expectations

2/19/2020

 
Picture
Interviews are stressful. We've all been there- your palms are sweating, you're in the stiff suit you pulled out of the back of your closet, you're hoping you say the right thing and don't mess up. You feel as though you're on display, being quizzed and trying to guess the right answer. And then the dreaded question comes: "what are your salary expectations?" Many of us are at a loss and feel like it's a game of "pin-the-tail on the hiring range," where we need to guess a number that's not too high, but not so low that we undersell ourselves. So here's my proposal for hiring managers: stop asking this question!

You may be thinking "but Julia, how do we find out if the candidate is expecting more money than we can pay?" Here's my solution- just tell them the range. When I set up the initial interview, I disclose the hiring range, hours worked, and any other essential info about the job I feel candidates need to know up front. This lets them chose whether or not they want to continue in the hiring process based on the realities of the role. While perhaps not conventional practice, this has been extremely successful in practice for me!

When it comes down to it, applicants feel put at ease when you are transparent throughout the process. It allows for better communication and for candidates  to evaluate if the role is a good fit for them. ​Interviewing is a two way street- why not be open and honest? And if you're hoping to offer a lower salary by not disclosing the range, rethink your practices. Employees deserve to be well compensated. This practice also disproportionately affects women and minorities, which is discrimination. For the sake of retention, equity, and just good business practices be direct. Be clear. State the range. 

Book Review: The Essential HR handbook

2/17/2020

 
As someone who is up to her elbows in management every day, I frequently come across situations where I want a second opinion or reference a general guide to what the heck I should be doing. For me, this book is just that. While it's not the most comprehensive text out there and certainly doesn't deal with your more wild workplace scenarios, the Essential HR Handbook is just what it claims to be- a great starting point to dealing with HR issues. I especially love their guide to interview questions. They have one of the most comprehensive selections of sample questions I've ever seen and they're all behavioral questions that are easy to incorporate into your own hiring practices. For the brand new manager or HR professional, this reference book is a great starting place. 

Thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the author. I receive a small commission if you purchase through the link provided here. ​

Static Leadership

2/14/2020

 
Picture
I was reading an article by Chris Ferguson today when a line caught me. He remarks "leadership is about discerning what should and should not be changed." In looking at my own journey as a leader, I think my own failings have mainly been not in the things I've neglected to do, but in what I did that wasn't necessary. I'm a creative thinker who's brain is always buzzing with new ideas and new things I want to try. When I get bored, I seek out problems to solve. However, sometimes there just isn't anything going wrong at the moment. It's in those situations that I end up redesigning things simply to redesign them, even though they were perfectly fine to start with and perhaps better than before I began tinkering. 

This tendency is frequently referred to as "shiny object syndrome"- I have a need to chase new goals and ideas rather than stay the course and continue down the path I'm on. I've started and gotten board of at least a dozen businesses. I've re-written the SOP's at my day job more times than I can count. So for my own development, I'm proposing a new idea- static leadership.

We've all heard of dynamic leadership. This can be a great thing- many organizations need new ideas and big overhauls. But once the dust dies down and the course is straight, that's when static leadership comes into play. A good leader learns to recognise when things are going well and stay the course rather than continuing to seek out exciting nw projects that the company isn't ready for yet. Maybe a controversial idea- shouldn't leaders be visionaries, constantly on to the next big thing? I say no. A good leader recognises what the company needs and gives them that. That's true leadership. 

Overcoming Overwhelm and Mastering Productivity at Work

2/12/2020

 
Picture
Sometimes, the hardest part about work is just getting started. Need some help? Read our guest post on Work It On for advice on how to get motivated and stay productive!

BOOK REVIEW: HOW TO GET A JOB

2/10/2020

 
Picture
One of my favorite bloggers of all time is Allison Green of Ask a Manager. She offers practical advice, hilarious workplace stories, and hours of entertainment scrolling through her blog. I have religiously read her blog for years and it's my morning routine to check and see what she's writing abut. 

For those of you that are job hunting, I highly recommend her eBook, How to Get a Job. It's full of practical advice on everything from answering interview questions to explaining why you were fired from your last job.

For those who have never been on the other side of the table, it's a valuable insight into what the hiring manager is thinking and what you can do to make them see your value. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out exactly what your interviewer is thinking and trying to "hack" the interview process. However, those of us who hire know that gimmicks aren't the way to a job. This book offers the alternative- real, solid advice that works. Definitely worth a read if you're on the market for a new job!

​Thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the author. I receive a small commission if you purchase through the link provided here. 

QUICK GUIDE TO VIDEO INTERVIEWS

2/7/2020

 
Picture
I've been doing video interviews all week to fill an open position and while some of them went seamlessly, others were less successful. While the concept of a Skype or other video conferencing software interview isn't brand new, it certainly has become far more common in the past few years. Personally, I prefer them to a phone interview as they allow you to connect with the candidate more fully. I tend to come away with a better sense of who the candidate  is. However, some candidates don't realize that while it's from the comfort of your home, these calls are still interviews. Here are my top pieces of advice for prepping for a video interview.

1. Treat It Like an Interview
Yes, you're at your home, but i can still see if you're wearing pajamas or haven't brushed your hair yet today. Dress like you would for any other interview- the interviewer will appreciate that you put the effort in to present yourself well. You'll also feel more confident- personally, I tend to present myself more professionally when I dress formally. 

2. Location is Key
Try to find a neutral background with few distractions. When a candidate is in a busy room with lots of activity, it detracts from my ability to focus on them. Lock any cats, dogs, or wandering tiny humans out of the room- while I may want to meet Mittens, it does distract from the interview and show a lower level of professionalism. If you must do it from your car on your break, try to park somewhere with minimal distractions and keep the phone level and steady.

3. Test, Test, Test!
Make sure you have the software needed for the conference downloaded ahead of time- I use Blackboard Collaborate, but other companies may use Skype, Zoom, or other platforms. Ensure that you have a working webcam and decent quality audio. If possible, test your equipment ahead of time! While we all know tech issues happen, you'll be more relaxed if the interview goes off without a hitch and you're not panicking, trying to get the conference to even start. 

    join the book club

    Picture
    join now

    Categories

    All
    Around The Web
    Book Reviews
    Current Events
    Featured Friday
    Hiring
    HR
    Job Hunting
    Leadership
    Management
    Organization
    Performance Issues
    Productivity
    Salaries
    Self Growth
    Working From Home

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019

Learn

Blog
Book Club
Cheat Sheets
​Management Academy
​

Support

Contact
About
Icons made by Pixel perfect from www.flaticon.com
  • Home
  • Learn
    • Blog
    • Subscription Box
    • Cheat Sheets
    • Online Courses
    • Management Academy
  • Connect
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
  • About