Nancy Brooks

Step by Step / Updated 04-03-2017

Select a consultant when you need added expertise to solve problems in your business. Which expert should you hire? When is a consultant a good idea? There are pitfalls to avoid and ways to ensure an efficient consulting process. Following these steps will help:

Article / Updated 05-13-2016

Screening and reviewing job applicants efficiently will make hiring and managing your employees easier and save time in the long run. Preparation and a reviewing system will let you get the job done with a minimum of hassle. Whether you are looking for entry-level workers or professionals, follow a few basic steps, obey federal and local laws, and you can find the best person for a job. Stay legal: Remember equal employment opportunity practices and company rules. Treat all applicants the same — what you do for one you must do for all. Do not hire or reject a person based on race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, age, ancestry or national origin, marital status, disabilities, arrests, military service, height or weight (unless directly related to job performance), political preference or membership in social organizations. Do not attempt to get around the law by asking for a photograph or posing “subtle” questions. You really don’t need to know if a person plans to have a family, cares for elders, has small children, has a stable marriage, or what sort of person they like to date. You can ask whether a person is eligible to work in the United States and for proper documentation. You can ask about felony convictions. Be sure you know company regulations, including policies regarding hiring family members. Start with an accurate job description and know the basic job requirements. It won’t help to hire someone whose skills match a job that doesn’t exist. When you advertise the job opening, be specific. Use appropriate application methods. Start with internal applicants. It’s good for employee morale, and you can save time. Post job openings internally before you look outside the company. Use the same application form for everyone to ensure equal employment opportunity. Online search services are usually consistent. If you asked for cover letters, read them. Review all applications. Make two piles: one for “Maybes” and one for “Not Interested” (aka rejects). Stop reading and put it in the reject pile if you find the following: Applicant left important areas blank. Applicant lacks an advertised job qualification. Certification or licensure is outdated. Application came after the deadline. Writing skills are required for the job, and you find errors in grammar or spelling. Neatness on the job is required, and the application is a mess. Sort the “Maybe” pile and put the best applicants on top. Applicants who have the required skills plus some experience Applicants who have the required skills plus some training, if applicable Applicants who write well, if writing skills are required. Reread those cover letters. Make an interview scale, a list or chart with the job requirements and a numbering scale or space for notes. Use it for every applicant. Save time; conduct phone interviews. A ten-minute conversation may help you screen out an applicant who isn’t really qualified, is vague about their actual experience, or is unable to communicate clearly. Schedule in-person interviews with the best applicants from the phone interviews and use your interview scale for each applicant. If an applicant does follow instructions, answers questions readily and clearly, and is clearly qualified for this job, keep in the maybe pile. If an applicant is late or a no-show, reject that application. If an applicant gives vague answers about employment history, reasons for leaving a previous job, or anything similar, reject. A good question: What would your previous employer say about you? Be ruthless about saving time. If it is clear the applicant is not going to get the job, end the interview politely but quickly. Uniform tests are great for screening. Give all applicants the same test and compare their scores. Check references and previous employers. You judge people during the first ten0 seconds of meeting, but that isn’t always reliable. Trust your intuition, but check on the facts. Online job search services can help you with this before an interview. Some companies will not give references or information about previous employees. Ask whether the person is eligible for rehire. If the answer is no, try to get details. If in doubt, interview again. Bring your three favorite applicants back for a second interview. Remember the good applicants and keep records. You may have to fill this job again soon.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Plagiarism is cheating. You plagiarize if you use someone else’s creative work. You have to credit every source, so use footnotes or citations for online or printed materials. Any time you use all or part of something someone else wrote, composed, drew, or invented, you must give them credit. If you steal writing or ideas and pass them off as your own, you can be caught. There can be serious consequences, too. Teachers, employers, and publishers use online programs to scan work and discover what has been plagiarized. Did you ever have a great idea or write a terrific song or something and then watch your so-called friend take credit for it? It’s just plain wrong. Here’s how to avoid the hassles and legal risks that can result from plagiarism. Avoid plagiarizing: Keep track of all the sources you use when researching a project. Make note of new ideas you find as well as where you found things you want to refer to or quote. Develop a system and keep the information in one place. Here’s what you will need: For books: Title, author, publisher, date published, city and country of publisher, and page numbers For periodicals such as magazines and journals: Article title, periodical title, date published, volume and issue numbers, and page numbers For online materials: Article or blog title, author, page number, if any, and the complete URL For music and video: The composer, lyric writer, music publisher, and date published or issued For a conversation, electronic or in person: Yes, conversations do count. Record the person’s full name and the date you talked, texted, or e-mailed. If you quote something word-for-word, put quotation marks around what you’ve copied. If you are using an idea or concept, you don’t need quotation marks, but you still must give credit — even for a conversation. The same thing is true if you don’t quote word for word. You don’t need quotation marks, but you do need to give credit. For example: John Doe wrote that flying saucers are real because he has flown in one. Create a footnote (or endnote) for every quotation. This is sometimes called a citation, as in, “Always cite your sources.” If you use someone else’s idea, create a footnote (or endnote) the first time you mention it. You don’t have to give credit for something that everybody knows. For example, if you write that the earth revolves around the sun, you don’t have to cite Galileo. At the end of a research paper or article, you will need a bibliography. This is a list of all of the resources you used. If your instructor or employer has given you a form to follow for footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography, you are a little ahead of the game. If not, there are various sources to help you. If in doubt, insert the citation. It’s better to give the credit than invite trouble.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

A career change is exciting, but it can be worrisome. A vision and system for starting a new career can make it easier and efficient. If you take time at the beginning to discover what you really want to do in your work life, you can then explore possibilities and move forward. Whether you are tired of your current work and just want something different, or you have a specific career in mind, an organized approach will serve you well. Whether you want an entry-level job or a completely new profession, these steps will help. Know what you do best. Make a list of what you enjoy doing and what you do best. They are usually the same things. Don't think about jobs yet, think about your talents and interests. List all the things you like to do, including what you think doesn't earn money. Think about what other people tell you about yourself. If friends say you are good at identifying birds, for instance, put that on the list. Make a list of the talents and skills those activities require — identifying birds requires observation skills and attention to detail, for instance. List your training and experience. Volunteering counts. Unusual classes count. If you know a little bit about a lot of things, list them all. Now think about jobs. What occupations require your talents? Search the Internet. Try terms in such as job skills, career skills, skills assessment, and whatever else comes to mind. Narrow the list to a few possible careers — no more than three or four. Keep changing your list until you feel confident that you'd love a job in those fields and that you would do it well. Then narrow your choices to one career and focus completely on that one. Learn all you can about your chosen new career. Search the Internet. Visit your local library. Reference librarians are terrific at helping you find information. Check with your local government employment office to learn about job possibilities in your new career. Ask about training programs, too. Interview people in your chosen career. Remember, you're not asking for a job, you are learning about the career itself. What do successful people like about it? What skills are most important? What is it really like? If there is a union, ask the local office for information. Changing your mind? That's fine, just go back to step 3 or 4 and start over. It will be worth the time in the long run. When you are sure about the career path you want, move on to the next step. Keep your old job if possible. Strange but true: you are more likely to be hired if you are already employed. Think about taking a lower-level job in your new field to learn what you need to advance. Do you need more training? Check out vocational schools and colleges in your area. Learn about specific training and what job placement services they offer. Ask about classes you can take while still employed. Night and weekend programs are often available. No training or classes in your area? Contact the human resources departments in companies that hire in your new career and ask about on-the-job training. It won't be a job interview, but treat it like one. Put your best foot forward, dress appropriately, take a resume, have questions prepared, talk about your skills and experience. Join a union or professional organization. There are organizations for people in just about any career. One more Internet search can lead you to local or national groups. When you have the skills and training you need, polish your resume and start your job search.