Hiring of Right Person ...

Last week I was a Guest Speaker at a renowned university and during the session one student asked me what is one main trait that you usually explore, is in the right candidate while interviewing?  

And we usually hear that right person on the right job but who is the right person? At that time I could not answer her satisfactorily because there are so many factors which influence the decision for right person while on interview. So I started to research on that & figured out the following traits of the right person. 

Integrity

It is the core strength of any right person, it comes before anything like education, Personality, soft skills etc. Well to judge integrity of a person, it’s easy if you are going to hire employee internally as you must have his/ her employment records with you .But if you are going to hire a person from outside then you have to conduct his reference check , Social media checks & his views about his previous employers in personal interview. 

Trust worthiness

Trust worthiness is encompassing on competence & responsibility, if any one factor will be missing then person will not remain trust worthy. For instance someone is very competent & knowledgeable in his domain but s/he is irregular so such person can’t be a trustworthy because s/he is not responsible .It is the trustworthiness which make you inimitable from others .So while hiring a person one should focus on trustworthiness of candidate & judge from both scenarios s  i.e. Competence & responsibility .

Intelligence

Intelligence does not mean to solve some mathematical problems or high marks in IQ test. Here we relate intelligence with quality of questions asked by the candidate. In other words how much interview was interactive with candidate or it were only a straight interview in which interviewer asks questions & candidate only answer to these questions. If a candidate is showing interest in your organization & asking that what sort of challenges are prevailing for the position?  What is your expectation form the new incumbent?  What are future plans of organization for further growth? etc.

Maturity & resilience

Maturity can be attained, by the way, in any age. An 18 year old person can be immature and a seven year child can be matured. It is the circumstances, decisions and hardships which make a person matured & develop the quality of resilience against odds. Maturity will be showing from one’s sense of humor & family back ground. So must asked about one’s life hardships of life & how one overcomes against these odds.

Positive Energy & Enthusiasm

Again the most crucial thing which should be taken into account while hiring; it is positive energy & enthusiasm shown by the candidate. It is the positive energy & one’s enthusiasm which boosts the whole team energy into positivity. 

Gut Feeling

We can’t take it for granted, may be all of the above mentioned points  have been fulfilling the requirements but if you have any unusual or unrest feeling deep down then don’t hire the person. If you have “something still missing feeling” about any candidate then don’t hire the person.  And it should be clear to you that your decision is not based on any biases. Because if you were to hire a person against your feeling, your future working relationship may not be healthy and the decision making in any sense will get affected.

By : Syed Shahzad Ali 

HR Expert

Craft of Delegation

One of my friends is working on a managerial position with a team of 4 people who are reporting to him. But I have never found him free, calm or in leadership role. He always seems to be occupied with messy desk, working at different tasks. He is not doing a job from 9 am – 5 pm but rather 9 am – 9 pm. 

When I asked him “why don’t you delegate some tasks to your team & then you could be free to dedicate some time to your personal development as well”; he replied “they will not do it as good as I do” and I don’t have time to train people and then to check the whole task again. So I rather prefer to do it myself to save time.

Replying to his rather shoddy answer, “yes initially it will be time consuming but as the time will pass on, maturity will emerge in the subordinates to whom you have delegated.

Actually, delegation is the best possible use of time & talent of the employees - matching the right talent with the right job to accomplish the mutual organization objective and being a delegator, we add value. One thing is very vital that what tasks are being delegated, before delegation of task here are some questions which should be answered;

• Can this task be done by some other person?

• Can I contribute towards some other strategic and worthwhile objectives?

• What value will I add once the delegated task will be completed?

Delegation enhances empowerment and synergy among the employees which results in higher motivation, professional growth , successor grooming, Trust Building , Effective Span of Control & reduce the bureaucracy in terms of approvals & minor decision making. 

One manager by delegating his routine operational task to his / her subordinates can stay more focused towards strategic and worthwhile objectives. S/He can add value in delegated task on completion. It flourishes the abundance mentality – there is lot more for others and every one get the pie of cake equally. Effective delegation is a crucial tool for effective succession, it is a two way process in the real sense. It is the craft of delegation that it is Effective for Successor & Manager too. The main task of the Manager to grow his/ her subordinates and once people grow, the organization grow. When organization grows everybody moves on higher positions and when it fails to happen the succession and progression becomes dependent on bringing in new people from outside. Individual success will derive the team success & ultimately team success will drive the Organization’s success. 

Delegation is not happen for freeing up the boss’s time from his task or from worthwhile objects but it is an effective management tool to make one more responsible for his/ her delegated tasks.

Following are the Steps for Effective delegation;

Win/ win Agreement : It is the most important phase of delegation , first we have to seek the willingness of recipient - to whom we are about to delegate any task or responsibility and create the win/win situation because it is a two way process ,it will lose its effectiveness if we impose it to any one without getting others agreement. Mostly delegated task fails due to win / lose situation and to make it effective we have to create a win/ win agreement. Delegation should be done with the purpose to merely delegate the task but it should be done for matching the right talent for delegated task.

Desire Results: Once you get the Win/ win agreement on delegated task, then specify them the desire result / outcome – why the task has been delegated to them /someone? In this phase we should focus/ discuss on desire results and outcome rather than the method/ process for accomplishing a task.

Set Goals & time lines: After producing a win/win agreement & intimation of the desired results, we should ask recipient about his plan, goals & time lines – Start & finished dates. Kick of meeting should be done after having a win/win agreement on desire results .It is the responsibility of the delegator that he has to track the set goals & time line periodically & mentor him if recipient of task is being deviating from his agreed track.

Utilization of Available resources: It is not limited to the human resources utilization only - match the right talent with the right job, but also about the utilization of finances, environment, opportunities etc. we should provide all the available resources to the recipient to make him successful because best utilization of available resources is the key to success in delegated task.

Authority: Balanced authority is a must for the success of the delegated task. This means that the person whom you have delegated a task must have corresponding authority to the task, so that he/she does not refer back to you on petty matters and can make decisions on the spot, if required. This will boost the level of confidence for taking up even higher responsibilities next time by the individual and save so much time.

Accountability : Time to time updates on delegated task make the recipient accountable , we should not intervene in the method/ process of work which is being followed by the recipient rather effectiveness of desire outcome and results, otherwise recipient’s ownership will be hurt. Delegator should communicate him clearly; what is expected from him? And what is his actual performance against the delegated task?

“Supervision” the way you receive and agree to do delegated tasks is one of the central skills of 'Managing upwards'. Therefore while this page is written from the manager's standpoint, the principles are just as useful for people being managed.

Insights OF Performance Managment .
A research based analytical side of Perfromance Management rather than conventional one. for more details ;
http://slidesha.re/pmoTwk

Employee Engagement Activities for Managing High Performance

Research shows that Employee Engagement is directly proportional to the Organizational growth i.e. the maximum an employee will be engaged with the organization the more that Organization will grow.

Employee engagement is more than satisfaction & motivation but once engagement will bring in , satisfaction & motivation will emerge automatically by itself, in fact , these two will be a bi-product of employee engagement. Effusive Engaged employees work for the success & vision of the organization . It is all about development of Disciplined people, Disciplined Thought & Disciplined action by the inception of employee engagement activities. Because once you have disciplined People ,you don’t need “Hierarchies” ; when You have Disciplined thought in your engaged employees , you don’t need “Bureaucracy” and when you have a disciplined action people , you don’t need “Excessive Controls” on the engaged employees.

Employee engagement can’t be developed with money factor for that reason employer has to cover an extra mile & develop empathy not only with the employee but also with their families as well . Followings are some innovative & effective employee engagement activities for managing high performances .

• Appreciation Letter/ shield for Mother / Family Members for employee High performance.

• Birthday Cake & Gift on employee & his dependants.

• Half day on employee Marriage Anniversary with Dinner vouchers.

• Specified Fund for Team Dinner Dept Wise.

• Extra Holiday on Eid by company other than Gazette Holidays

• HR Manager / HOD visit on Child Birth at Home.

• Movie of the Month .

• Professional Trainings without any bond .

• Family Get –to- Gather .

• Ramzan Gift Packs .

• Flexi Hours inception.

• Indulge domestic benefits like Monthly Water Supply.

• Lunch with CEO .

• In-house recreational Activities like Swimming Pool, Table Tennis, Snooker ETC

• Parents Health Coverage.

As a result of the above innovative & effective employee engagement activities, the growth of the Organization will be self apparent and no will have to pin point the success that the organization will enjoy as a combined unit.

Manager's Tool Kit in Today's Corporate Environment

A manager is a crucial member of an organization who works by the coordinating with his subordinates to realize the goals of the organization & aligned the individual task with mission of organization .The new changing role of Manager is to  come true the dream of organization by utilizing the potential of human capital & develop the synchronization among the subordinates & organizational goals . These days manger role is not limited to the conventional activities which was supposed to perform by manager  previously rather he has to act as Leader .

Sets Objective  :
Manager  is responsible to make the  essential use of human capital in a effective way by strategic objectives setting .Manager delegates the task among the team according to the potential of employees . Then  guide and supervise them to acheive their objects in set time lines.

Organizes  :
Manager not only organizes the decision making & problem solving for the success of his team against the giving objects , but also play the vital role for the success of organization in the larger interest .Manager Organizes the performance objectives for individuals as well.

Built Relationships :
Manager fabricates the  relationship among the employees themselves & with the customers and non customers .The team attitude reflects the manager’s attitude . Manager brings the harmony among the team members & resolve their conflicts by  thorough wisdom .

Communicate & Motivate :
A manager motivate & inspire his Team through open Communication , his professional information  and knowledge .  

Measures :
Manager measures the performance of team members against assigned objectives and never blame any team member s for team failure. Manager take the appropriate Corrective & preventive actions to make the things happen and  get the desire results.

Develop People :
Bring the optimism and create competitiveness among the team to figure out the best performance ,  fine tune communication skills and make the team multi tasking. Manger give vision to team mates for the extreme success.

Strategically Sound :
Manager  should be strategically sound to anticipate the things before happen & s/he should prepare him/herself & team to face new situation and challenges. Manger confronts the brutal fact along with all possibilities .

“Behave like a manger means having command on whole management skills and applying them as they appropriate”  Herbert Simon -

By : Syed Shahzad Ali
HR Expert in Pakistan

Tips for Resume Writing - Create an Awesome First Impression

" First Impression is the last Impression " a very well known phrase , but  usually we get it wrong when we go for interview because we have already made our first impression over the recruiter when they received our resume , This is a resume which  craft our first impression then lands job interview call but unfortunately  we don’t give much significance to our resume as we should given it and we merely treat it as piece of paper  and we thought once we will get an interview call then we will make awesome First Impression , usually we wait for this opportunity to make the  first impression but in reality it’s been already developed. Being a recruiter we have only 40 - 60 seconds for resume short listing , yes 40 - 60 seconds only , so you make have only 40 - 60 seconds to land your job interview which will bring a job offer for you. 

What is Resume ?

• The answer to :
• “What can I do for you Mr. Employer?”
• “This is how I am going to make your money!”
• Highlights the relevant facts about you, your education, and your experience.
• Makes the first impression about you.
• Positions you in the mind of the employer, thus creating a value.
• The interview gets you the job, the resume gets you the interview!

 Page Set up Of Resume  ; 

# Use 8-1/2 x 11inch ( A4 size) white or off-white paper.
# No Need to show your picture until & unless not required by Employer.
# Print on one side of the paper.
# A resume of a Fresh Candidate should NOT BE more than one page & Experienced resume should be on 3  Pages , if experience is  less than ten years.
# Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.
# Use non-decorative typefaces and choose only one font.
# Avoid italics, script, and underlined words .( only main headings must be underline)
# Do not fold or staple your resume
# If you are going to mail your resume through courier, choose a large envelope.

What should be in Your Resume?

Put in everything that would point out why you would be good at the job.

 1) Contact Information

• Name (largest font)
• Complete Address, City and State
• Telephone Number
• Cell Number
• Email Address ( should be Professional one )
• lucky_sapna2002@hotmail.com ( Unacceptable )
• fahad_hotguy@yahoo.com( Unacceptable )

 Your Email should be your name preferably  , 95 % resume rejected due to unprofessional Email addresses.

2) Objective

• Your objective is a statement of what kind of job you are seeking.
• Keep it short & Clear.
• Aligned with the job applied.
• 
  
• Example:
• “ To obtain a position as an Administrative Assistant in a hospital setting.”
•  
• Example:( Not Recomended)
• “Contribute, explore, innovate, improve, profit and benefit in the management with an employer that can afford the luxury of having some one like me thinking out of the box.”

  3) Career Summary 

• It is a concise section about what you have to offer to a prospective employer in terms of , Education ,Experience, Skills, Results, Interests or you job Objective.

• Example for Professional :
• “About X years’ hands on Human Resources working experience with multinationals & local organizations. XYZ University’s Post graduate with MPA specialized in Human Resources. Proficient in HRIS (Oracle's Application software version 10.7), ERP (Oracle 8.1.7.4 based), MS Office, Windows XP and the Internet.”

• Example for Fresh Candidates:

• XYZ University’s Business Graduate with 3.5 GPA. Have done six months Internships in Local & Multinationals like XYZ , Proficient in MS Office, Windows XP and the Internet.”

  4) Professional Experience

•  It Include your work experience in reverse chronological order that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job. Include:
  
  
• Title of position ( can be mold)
• Name of organization
• Location of work (town, state if applying for out of station & abroad)
• Dates of employment
• Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills , details and achievements.  Check the Job Description web page for ideas.

Exclude

• Company Comprehensive History.
• Company Logos .
• Street address, supervisor names, telephone number or reason for leaving. 
•  

5) Achievements

•  During Employment mile stones

• Extra Mile; you have covered for employer
• Anything which feel you Proud.

 6) Education

• List most recent education first.
• Mention Date of Completion and University/College name.
• Percentage only if I class.
• Academic honors.
• Don’t include high school (unless this is your highest level of education).
• 
  
• Relevant Coursework (Optional)
• This is for new graduates or current students.
• This lets the employer know which courses you have already completed.
• Do not list every course, only relevant courses to specific skills.

7) Trainnigs & Personal Information

Avoid 

• Height, weight, place of birth, marital status, race, caste, religion and health.
• Fancy Fonts, Clip art or non-traditional paper.
• Don’t go for bordered paper.
• Don’t fold resume, don’t stuff into envelope, don’t crumple.
• Avoid Details of Travels.
• Any statement that begins with &;I ; or ;My;
• Reasons for leaving previous job(s).
• Picture of yourself.
• Salary Information.
• References.
• Religion, Sect affiliations, political affiliations.
• Don’t Under line every Heading.
• Grammatical Errors & spelling Mistakes

 Making the First impression

•  The way you dress is the single biggest nonverbal communication you make about yourself.

• Your dress conveys success, trustworthiness, intelligence and suitability.
• Lean towards the conservative side of style.
• Avoid loud colors and printed fabrics
• Make sure your clothes are nicely pressed.
• Bring an extra tie, shirt or coat just in case.
• Make good relation at Reception & office boys.

 By: Syed Shahzad Ali

HR Expert in Pakistan

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