When Your Qualifications Are No Longer Enough

If you are not working to improve yourself and your job performance continually, future opportunities and competitors may pass you up. Whether you are an active employee or an active job seeker, there is likely someone working harder than you. Are you content staying stationary in your career while others surpass you? The reality is that there are millions of employees actively seeking a highly coveted promotion and millions of job seekers waiting for an employee to misstep. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but there are some elements you can control to end the cycle.

If you are tired of facing uncertainty, doubt, and the fear of being fired in your career, it’s time to do something about it. Here are three steps you can take to improve as an employee, prove your worth, or even reestablish your career:

Upskilling

Technology is always changing and adapting for the better, and there is no better time for you to follow suit. No matter your industry or job title, there will always be a new methodology readily available to enhance work efficiencies. Make a conscious effort to adapt alongside your industry and train yourself and your team. If you feel you are in a repetitive, vapid cycle, this is the perfect way to shake things up. Do your due diligence in researching new advancements and trialing new techniques. 

A great example of a resource I’ve used in upskilling is The HubSpot Academy. With hundreds of lessons and certifications available in topics varying from Customer Mapping, Inbound Marketing, Sales Strategies, Web Design, to Lead Generation, it is an excellent resource for bettering yourself and your organization. Additionally, adding new certifications and expanding your horizons is an enticing resume booster.

Let’s be realistic – No employer wants to fire their employees – but if you choose to remain stagnant for your career, you are only forcing their hand. A recent study by Employee Benefit News (EBN) revealed that the average cost of replacing an employee is 33% of their salary. For a $50,000 annual salary, this would amount to $16,500. That’s not a chunk of change management teams will comfortably be willing to relinquish.

Ask for More Responsibility 

Asking for increased responsibilities will offer the opportunity to put your new skills to the test and to learn even more. If you believe you can take a larger role with greater responsibility, communicate it with your boss. But keep in mind that if you are not 100% confident in your work’s quality, chances are he/she won’t be either. Reaching this step may require some upskilling and critical thinking. 

Although your qualifications may not yet be worthy of a salary bump and new job title, taking on a new assignment is the best step to getting there. Don’t let employers speculate on what you are capable of in a more significant role. Instead, show your aptitude for the work before you consider a promotion or new job. Not only will this provide a chance to show you are trustworthy and competent, but it shows initiative as well.

When making your ‘ask’ for increased responsibility, come prepared with an example. If your boss is on board, he/she will likely ask what you had in mind. Do you want your shot at running a project or managing others? Explain why you have what it takes. Did you identify a new problem that needs addressing? Have the beginning stages of a new solution ready. Lastly, don’t demand an immediate answer, but rather encourage your boss to think it over for the week. 

Revamp Your Networking Efforts

Update your social networks – everything from LinkedIn to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This includes contact information, location, biographies/career summaries, and adding work history, descriptions, and examples of your expertise to your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is always a great tool to make new connections in various industries and locations, but each of these platforms can help build name recognition. Don’t be afraid to reach out to interesting individuals and make an introduction. Do you think you could desire a career change soon? Use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and hiring managers, and toggle your ‘Career Interests’ to ‘On’ in the profile section.

Create or enhance your elevator pitch. Don’t simply share your work history and assignment you completed. Tell a story (using the STAR Approach) that demonstrates your critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and creative abilities.

“Your elevator pitch should consist of what you’ve done, what you’re doing, and where you’re going.” – Jason Patel

Studies show that 85% of all jobs are filled through networking. For more on this and additional steps to building and maintaining a strong network, check out these six tips from our friends at Northeastern University. 

Wrap Up

There is never a bad time to learn a new skill or improve on a workplace procedure. Keeping your mind fresh and avoiding career burnout starts with intentionality. Quit procrastinating and start today!

If your conversation for increased responsibility doesn’t go as planned, don’t lose hope. Asking your boss what goals can be placed to expand on your role is a great step to reigniting your motivation. In addition to setting goals for yourself, your boss will likely jump at the chance to throw new weekly or monthly objectives your way. When you surpass them, maybe it can be time for the ‘increased responsibility’ conversation again. 

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Active Job Seeker Lands A New Role Amid The COVID Pandemic

At NexGoal, we take the placing of our active candidates in their new careers very seriously – which is why our project coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we like to take the time to share that candidate’s experience with all of you.

Recently, our team had the opportunity to work with active job-seeker Ricky Simms in helping him find the next step in his career. Ricky was connected with one of our clients looking for a proven individual to fill a Mortgage Loan Processing role in their company. He joins the growing list of elite performers we have helped place into new careers.

When asked why he chose to work with NexGoal, Ricky said, “I chose to work with NexGoal because of Brittany [Brady]. Organizations are built by the employees they employ. To have an individual such as Ms. Brady working for them speaks volumes about the organization.”

We asked Ricky what he enjoyed most about his experience working with the NexGoal team. He reiterated affirmation for Brittany, “She was on top of all aspects of my checkboxes for working with a service like NexGoal. Over the course of my career in the industry, I have come to known of several headhunters and Brittany surpassed them by using technology to communicate in real-time. If it were not for her working for this company, I would have chosen a different firm.”

At NexGoal, we specialize in placing candidates from all walks of life with our various corporate clients. When we got into the specifics of working with Brittany and how she helped set us apart from traditional recruiting firms, Ricky had this to say, “I cannot convey enough as to how thorough Brittany was in working with me during the COVID epidemic. At the time of my placement, there were millions of people out of work. She put together a game plan for me; furthermore, she communicated each step along the process as to what to expect next. Plus, she gave me feedback after I spoke to the interviewing managers. This gave me the sense of having an inside person assisting me with employment.”

When asked why current job-seekers should come to NexGoal when looking for their next career, he stated, “Brittany Brady, Game Plan, Communication, and Clear Expectations.”

The NexGoal team would like to thank Ricky for his kind words, and we wish him continued success in his new role!

If you’re looking to take the next step in your career and need some help or guidance along the way, start by checking out our athlete-candidates page! We look forward to placing you in your next career.

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Interview Mistakes: What You Can Learn From One Job Seeker

Mistakes are bound to happen at some point for a job seeker. Between all of the cover letters, resumes and interviews, it is only human for a mistake to happen.

The key to making a mistake during the job seeking process is how the candidate reacts to it. Most hiring managers will tell you it is better to own up to the mistake and show how you can correct and move past it. Unfortunately, not all job seekers take that approach.

In a recent story he shared through a post on LinkedIn, Nextiva’s Vice President of Sales, James Murphy, shared an account that made me laugh at first—then ask, why?

Murphy posted, “…Had an interviewee show up 30 minutes late for an interview today. He did not attempt to contact us to say he would be late and when I asked why he was late he lied about his scheduled time. I asked to see the confirmation email he received and it clearly stated the interview time. I do not have time or patience for poor character, so I simply thanked him for his time and told him we were not interested. He thought I was joking, I was 100% serious. If you don’t have the ability to show up on time for the chance to get the job, you do not have respect for mine or my management teams time and you DEFINITELY do not have respect for the opportunity! How do you handle people who show up late for an interview?”

The humor I found in this post was in regard to the interviewee lying about the scheduled time. In the day and age of digital where you receive confirmation emails and calendar invitations, why would someone lie about something that could be easily verified with the click of a button on your phone?

Murphy’s frustration to the job seeker’s reaction is absolutely warranted. A simple phone call explaining why he/she was running late and asking Murphy if he would like to re-schedule would have been much better than showing up and pretending there was a time mix up of some sort.

What can you learn from this massive interview mistake?

No. 1: Have the common courtesy to let someone know you are going to be late

This rule should apply from the job seeking stage to your professional stage post-hiring. In this day and age of people having their phones in their hand 95 percent of the time they are awake, there is no excuse for not calling/texting/emailing someone if you are running late.

As detailed in Murphy’s reaction above, you are not only making yourself look bad—but you are wasting the time of key decision makers in an industry you are looking to work in. Imagine showing up at a networking event trying to grow your personal connections for a future sales opportunity, only to find out the person running the event is that person you lied to? Good luck to your reputation in that room.

No. 2: Always plan on arriving early for an interview

Growing up, I was always taught to “arrive 15 minutes early” for job interviews and appointments in business classes. This is an excellent rule of thumb to live by, but if you have trouble arriving 15 minutes early, I suggest aiming for 30 minutes if time permits.

Why 30 minutes, you ask?

Well, it will give you time to review your notes about the company and the job position. It will also show the hiring manager you are excited to meet with them and are prepared to meet earlier if necessary.

No. 3: Never lie if/when you make a mistake

Lying is the easy way out of a mistake. Employers and hiring managers do not want the person who takes the easy way out, plain and simple.

Sure, admitting a mistake opens you up to scrutiny and the potential for someone to be mad at you—but showing the ability and plan to rectify that mistake is going to be beneficial to you in the long run. It proves to those in a position of power you can handle problems when they come up, and can think on your feet in order to come up with a solution.

Final Thought

Seeing situations shared like this on social media provide excellent learning opportunities for both job seekers and those currently in the work force. Take the time to follow industry leaders on social media, because they are providing real-life examples and situations you can learn from before they happen.

In this case, not showing up late to an interview seems like common sense—but not lying about it is even higher on the common sense meter. So, do not be like the person in this example. If you make a mistake, step up to the plate and own it, then show the person in a position of power how you are going to overcome that mistake.

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3 Reasons Why Employees Are Quitting at a High Rate

In the employment field, one of the most difficult conversations to have for most is why an employee is leaving a company. The employee leaving usually does not want to hurt anyone’s feelings or burn any bridges on the way out the door, while some employers are unwilling to admit they could be to blame for losing top talent from their organization.

It is easy to say someone left for more money or because they could not handle the job, but if you truly want to understand why employees are leaving your organization, you need to dig deeper and pay more attention to warning signs when they first appear with your employees.

Recently on Inc.com, Elle Kaplan of Lexion Capital Management dug into “Eight Reasons Why Exceptional Employees Quit Their Jobs.” I will discuss three of these eight reasons (you can read the full article here), and why they are important for both job seekers and organizational leaders to look for on the job.

No. 1: “They Don’t Instill Purpose”

In her article, Kaplan pointed out, “Research has shown that there is a consistent relationship between a company’s profitability, productivity and how important an employee believes in the company’s mission and purpose.”

Many employers seem to think that an employee earning a steady paycheck is enough of a motivator for someone to show up every single day and give their best effort. While being able to pay the bills is an important factor for most people, they can do that working pretty much anywhere. Getting an employee to “buy in” to the overall mission and goal of your organization is huge when it comes to developing a culture employees want to thrive in each day.

How can an organization do this? From my experience at different companies, focusing less on the bottom line and more on what you are achieving as a group and how your efforts are impacting people in a positive manner goes a long way.

My co-workers used to laugh when I talked about how we were “changing lives” every single day when I worked at a local college immediately after I graduated from college. However, that was my driving factor every single day to go above and beyond. I would stay a little later if a student needed me to help, and it did not bother me one bit because of the reward of seeing them graduate and chase their own life goals one day.

My challenge for both employees and employers when it comes to purpose is to “find the why,” and then drive home that message in your organization.

No. 2: “They Don’t Provide Opportunities for Growth”

In this section, Kaplan pointed out the following. “A study in Harvard Business Review looked at why top performers are job-hunting, and they found that a lack of development opportunity is often the fuel that leads to early exits.”

Many organizations do not realize the impact that an employee growing up their corporate ladder can have on culture as a whole. Not only does it reward employees for hard work and effort, but it sets a tone within the organization that you want to retain and promote your top talent. This in turn can light a fire under your workforce without having to give any of those dreaded “do better” speeches.

From my own experience, where companies can fail with this is to pigeon-hole an employee into a certain ceiling of growth as well. For example, an old company I was part of used to promote people to “Project Managers.” There wasn’t really a true definition of what this entailed, but it was how they moved their entry-level employees up, in their eyes.

If you are going to reward employees with growth, make sure it still entails what they were thriving at before. Obviously part of getting a promotion is taking on new tasks and additional responsibility, but if you strip away the items someone is passionate about, you are playing with fire when it comes to keeping that employee happy.

No. 3: “They Micromanage”

“If you’re constantly trying to control every inch, you’ll detract from the work quality of everything, while quickly dissolving trust in your team.”

Let me preface this by saying, there are certain employees who need a level of micromanaging in their lives. Just like in sports where some athletes need a coach to stay on them to get the most out of them, some employees need a boss to make sure they are on task and to push them a little just the same.

However, not all employees are the same—and it is the job of the employer to realize this. Just because you are used to controlling every aspect of your business, does not mean you should do so—especially when in most instances you brought someone into your organization to do something you could not do or wanted to improve on.

How can an employer walk that fine line between being a manager and a micromanager?

Present expectations and goals for an employee from day one, and then measure them on a certain date. This will breed a culture of trust and personal responsibility to your employees. They will now understand it is their responsibility to complete their tasks and hit goals, and be measured on them at the end of the period. If you are over their shoulder every single day, you may suppress creativity and replace it with them needing to “look like they are working” every given moment.

Final Word

Kaplan’s article had a number of great reasons why employees are quitting at a rate of more than 1 in 5 employees—I highly recommend you give it a read at the link above.

At the end of the day, you cannot force an employee to stay in your organization. Some are naturally going to outgrow positions and get to a level where your structure no longer provides them enough of a reward to feed their desire.

The goal is to create a culture and environment where employees do not want to leave for the easy reasons. Giving them a reason to show up, opportunity to grow and the space to perform their jobs and be personally responsible for their actions goes a long way in an organization.

If you can do this as an employer, you will see employees who want to perform at a higher level for your company—and likely have a more profitable company as an indirect result.

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Steel Industry Leader Praises Recent NexGoal Placement

For those of you who are following NexGoal on any of our social media channels, regularly checking our website or are signed up for our eNewsletters, you often see our “success stories” feature. In these articles, our content team provides detailed feedback about the experience of a candidate being placed from the eyes of that candidate.

This is obviously great for other job seekers to find out what the “NexGoal Experience” is all about. However, often times our clients feel left out because they do not get to see what the employers who actually hired those candidates have to say about their end of the hiring process.

Well, today we would like to take a moment to share some feedback from one of our local clients here in the Cleveland area, Majestic Steel. Recently, Vice President of Sales for Majestic Steel, Tim Quinn, reached out to our team to discuss a candidate who was placed with their company.

Talking with NexGoal co-founder and CEO, Kevin Dahl, Quinn stated, “Kevin, thank you for the recent placement of John Mayer. He is very well educated for his new role with our company and brings a great amount of experience and information. What a perfect fit. Please keep bringing talented sales candidates to the table — cloning John would be acceptable!!!”

While cloning candidates is still not approved by the government (here’s to hoping it happens soon), we are happy that Majestic and Mr. Quinn are happy with their recent hire! We also appreciate the kind words from our client and the hard work of our recruiting team to find such a qualified candidate.

If you would like to learn more about how we can infuse excellent candidates like this into your organization, click here to schedule a meeting with our team!

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