When it’s time to interview the shortlist of candidates for your vacancy, you need all the help you can get to ensure you eventually make the ‘right’ hire.

Interviewing is a skill, and just because you are in a managerial position, that doesn’t mean that interviewing comes naturally to you.

Likewise, just because you’ve been interviewing for years, this doesn’t mean that your technique doesn’t need honing.

Today, we share 6 clever tips for interviewers to help you make the best possible hire from your shortlist of applicants.

1. Review Your Company Mission and Vision

Companies with the strongest culture attract the best candidates; it’s a fact.

Reviewing your company vision and mission might be a case of refreshing your memory of the values and attributes that your business aspires to, but it could also be a case of rewriting them entirely.

Since the pandemic and the shake-up to businesses that this caused, many companies are finding that their mission and vision has changed – is this true in your business?

For example, in some organizations, communication between employees in the form of weekly in-person meetings might have once been an essential part of their business strategy. But since the introduction of remote working, this is no longer the case. Does your company recognize and appreciate the need for flexibility to allow for remote working, which is more vital than ever?

The first thing to do before the interview process starts is to review your company vision and mission statement for our post-pandemic world.

2. Get Familiar with the Job description

In an ideal world, you will have written the job description yourself and inherently understand what you need from your new hire, but this is not always the case.

In larger companies, there can be several people involved in the recruitment process, so it is essential that everyone involved is aware of what you are looking for in your open role and that this is communicated to candidates at every stage.

Especially now in our ever-changing world, the position that you are hiring for might be an entirely new role for the company – do you know the exact skills and attributes that you are looking for?

3. Use a Consistent Process

Interviewing candidates can be an emotionally-charged experience for both the employee and the employer.

Many interviewers by-pass red flags in the interview and go with their ‘gut feeling’ – but this is not the best way to hire the right talent for your business.

For every interview to have the best outcome, you must work to a method and stick to it. This means:

• Choose your questions carefully and don’t deviate. You can ask extra questions that might crop up in your mind at the end of the planned questions – this gives all candidates a fair interview.

• Practice your note-taking – taking accurate notes is an essential quality for all interviewers to have.

• Use a scale to rate candidate answers – you can give a score out of 10, or use ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’ at the end of each answer to remind you when you are looking back over your notes.

4. Be Compassionate

Interviews can be daunting, and this is something that interviewers and hiring managers can become desensitized to, especially if they have a lot of experience conducting interviews.

Showing compassion and consideration instead of the stony managerial tone some interviewers adopt will benefit both the interviewee and yourself.

Candidates perform much better in interviews when they feel at ease, and so making sure they feel relaxed is a great way of seeing the real candidate and allowing their best self to shine through.

So, don’t be continually testing the candidate or focusing on negativity and flaws to try and ‘catch them out’. Keep it positive, even if you plan on asking the dreaded ‘what’s your greatest weakness?’ question (we will look at interview questions in another next section).

Take your time, and allow the candidate to take theirs – allow enough time for a good conversation, don’t aim to get them in and out in 20 minutes.

And finally – smile!

5. Get Your Questions Right

There are certain interview question stereotypes, which it is best to avoid if you want better interview outcomes.

There are standard questions that many interviewers ask, such as ‘what will you bring to the role’, ‘tell us what you know about our company’ and of course, ‘what is your greatest weakness’.

Try asking the candidate to explain a passion of theirs to you – preferably work related. As this will allow them to demonstrate their communication skills and their interests. It can help bring people out of their shell and shows how effective they can be at communicating ideas to another person.

Another great question right now is to ask how they coped with the Covid-19 crisis, either at home or at work. We all had to make changes to our lives and routines – did they take it in their stride or did they find it hard to adjust quickly to new ways of living and working?

Additionally, aim to curate an interview environment which feels like a conversation rather than an interrogation – this will put candidates at ease and makes the interview experience more pleasant and productive for everyone involved.

6. Candidate Aftercare

Ensure that you treat each candidate, even unsuccessful ones, as you would treat a customer, even after the interview process is over.

This is a great way of looking after your talent pipeline – candidates who are suitable but unsuccessful on this occasion will be inclined to apply again if they come out of the experience with a positive view of your company.

Respond to candidates in a timely manner – this goes for successful and unsuccessful candidates both during and after the interview process.

Encourage unsuccessful candidates to apply again, and you can even keep in touch on LinkedIn, where you can share information and updates about your business.

As for the successful candidate – congratulations on your new hire; now it’s time to get them onboarded successfully.

Finally

If you are looking to employ new talent into your organization and you need help attracting the right talent – we can help.

For more information on how we can help you recruit the high-performing individuals you need, get in touch with us at 919-813-2454 or email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com.

Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape

All businesses have an employer brand, whether they actively work on it or not. If you haven’t been giving much thought to your employer branding recently, then now is the time to start.

Your employer brand is the way the world sees you; from your products and services, to your mission, vision, ethos and your team – yes, there is a lot to consider!

The question is – how should your employer brand be positioning your company in our post-pandemic world? The world has changed, and it is more crucial than ever that your employer brand is positioning you above your competitors.

In today’s blog, we look at the crucial elements of employer branding in our post-pandemic world.

What is Employer Branding?

Your employer brand is your talent attraction magnet. It’s also the way your customers view your business – the reason people interact with your organization and the way the wider world views your company.

But for the purpose of today’s article, we’re going to be focusing on employer brand in terms of talent attraction. And specifically, employer branding in our post-pandemic world. What worked pre-pandemic will not necessarily work now; the best talent is looking for certain things they weren’t a year ago, so let’s look at what they are.

A Considerate Brand

The pandemic has brought down barriers in ways that we could never have expected. Now more than ever what people are looking for from the organizations they interact with, and specifically the organizations they want to work for, is that they have a personal, considerate approach to being an employer.

People are now looking for reassurance and support wherever they turn – from their friends, their family, and especially their employer.

Transparency is key here too. If you’ve had to make lay-offs in certain areas, but senior management have received bonuses, how will this look to candidates who are researching your brand?

It can be tricky getting the balance here right, but everyone is aware of how tough things have been during the pandemic. Being honest and transparent about the decisions your business has made is key – candidates are increasingly turning away from brands that are seen to be dishonest about their practices.

A Focus on Health and Wellbeing

A big factor for candidates is how much of a focus you have on health and wellbeing. Wellbeing and particularly mental health have been gaining traction in the employment world for some time, but the pandemic has skyrocketed their importance. Your post-pandemic employer brand needs to ensure candidates that you are treating the health and wellbeing of your workforce with the utmost importance.

This includes:

– Prioritizing clarity and caution – the virus hasn’t gone away yet, and brands who maintain an excellent focus on physically protecting their employees with excellent Covid-19 procedures will be viewed by candidates favorably.

– Offering flexible working (where possible) – allowing employees to work from home, and being flexible on the matter is what the best candidates will be looking for.

– Offering real help to support employee health and wellbeing – do you encourage physical health in your employees? Do you champion mental wellbeing and strive to be a compassionate employer – if so, will candidates know this from looking at your website or social media?

Showing that you are dedicated to health and wellbeing is not about bragging about it on social media – it’s about demonstrating your values in a way that’s easy for candidates to find and communicate your wellbeing offering in an honest and transparent way.

A Communicative Brand

Communication was the one thing that kept us together during the pandemic, and the way you continue to communicate with candidates during the ongoing crisis and afterwards will be a significant part of your employer brand going forwards.

Your social media channels are the first port of call for candidates to contact you, and your followers (which will include potential future candidates) are still the number one place to maintain your employer brand.

But some organizations stepped away from posting anything on social media during the pandemic. Some thought it insensitive; others simply didn’t know what to post during the highly changeable time. But posting online to maintain your employer brand doesn’t always have to be about self-promotion.

There are many different types of content you can share on your social channels to alert candidates to what type of employer you are, and what your company is focusing on in our post-pandemic world.

This can include:

– Industry updates

– Helpful articles which could be of interest to your employees and candidates including think pieces either from your own company or from an industry thought-leader

– Updates about your company – have you launched new products or services? Have you celebrated a milestone recently? Moved offices? People love to see ‘human’ updates from real people about real people (your team).

– And of course – your latest job openings.

Giving Candidates a Sense of Purpose

Finally, a sense of purpose is another major factor that great candidates are now looking for in their post-pandemic employers.

Meaningful work is increasingly what millennials are looking for – and this section of workers now makes up the largest part of the worldwide workforce.

The Deloitte 2020 talent survey states that employers should provide meaningful work or they will struggle to attract and retain their workforce.

What is it about your company that makes your employees feel as though they are making a positive difference to the world?

Finally

If you’re looking for new talent for your organization and are struggling to find the ‘right’ candidates – we can help. Get in touch with us at 919-813-2454 or email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com and we will help you find the talent that you have been looking for.

Build a Thriving Workplace with DEI

The world of work has changed dramatically in recent years, and the pandemic has heightened awareness for the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Recently, there has been an increased realization from employers that they need to be doing more to promote diversity and inclusion.

There are numerous benefits for both employers and their teams when equality, diversity and inclusion are championed in your business.

Today, we look at why this is and how to build a more diverse team.

Keeping Your Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

It is no secret to employers that a diverse team is a productive team.

A Harvard Business Review report found that when making decisions, teams with a diverse make-up outperformed individual decision-makers 87% of the time. Plus, diverse teams are proven to have increased innovation and creativity, have higher employee engagement, and they generate increased profits.

But unfortunately, during the ongoing Covid-19 situation, diversity and inclusion have slipped down the list of priorities for many organizations.

Diversity, equity and inclusion has certainly gained momentum in recent years as an important issue and should not be treated by employers as a ‘trend’ to dip in and out of when it suits them.

It is something that needs to be built into the mission, vision and ethos of your company.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that no individual should be discriminated against in the workplace due to their race, color, religion, sex and national origin. And yet, there is still a lot of work for many organizations to do to ensure they are operating an entirely equal and inclusive working environment.

So, let’s look at how employers can ensure they are championing diversity, equity and inclusion in their place of work.

1. Create a Culture of Equality

One of the more challenging elements of creating a fair and equal environment in your workplace is changing the climate that may have been in place for many years, sometimes even decades.

Management styles can get passed down through generations in organizations, as one set of managers and leaders replaces another and picks up subtle ways of working, which can become set within the company ethos.

At best, this can include acting and behaving a certain way which only serves a few individuals out of a whole team, hiring the same type of people. At worst, it can mean actively shunning certain groups of people – and remember, this can be done consciously and subconsciously (we will discuss unconscious bias in more detail in the next section).

So, to combat inequality, and cultivate a culture of equality, this needs to be addressed at the most basic level by including an equality, diversity and inclusion article in your company mission statement.

But including an equality objective in your organization is just the first step.

Remember to continually review and evaluate your policies and procedures to ensure that equality is present in:

• Your recruitment

• Career opportunities and promotion decisions

• Learning and development

• Disciplinary procedures

• Performance management

Next, let’s look at tackling unconscious bias in your workplace.

2. Managing Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias can affect all of us, and it’s essential that it is managed effectively in your organization, from whom you choose to employ, who you choose to promote, which members of the team you ‘prefer’ working with and how members of your team engage with each other.

Of course, we are naturally attracted to people with whom we can find common ground, and this affects the way we interact with others both in the workplace and out of it.

You could look into training programs for the entire team on how to spot and tackle unconscious bias – this type of bias is so ingrained that we often don’t realize that it’s happening.

There are also some ways to spot and stop unconscious bias in your workplace, including:

• Being aware of the potential for unconscious bias – talking about it with employees and making them aware of how their interactions can affect others.

• Question yourself and the decisions you make regularly – have you chosen a certain individual for a new project because they are the best person for the job, or because you tend to favor them?

• Create a support network for employees – let them know that if they feel they have been overlooked or singled out due to a bias, that there will always be support for them and that you will actively work to remedy this.

Finally, let’s look at the easiest place to champion diversity and inclusion in your workplace – your recruitment process.

Championing Diversity in Your Recruitment Process

If you are committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in your organization, your recruitment process is where you can start to make positive changes.

Recruitment can be a complex and emotionally-charged event.

Many employers and hiring managers have very stringent ideas of whom they believe they are looking for, for a particular role. And of course, this affects the potential for a diverse workforce.

Whether conscious or not, it is a fact that hiring managers like to hire people who remind them of themselves. But this makes for a very un-diverse workforce.

What can be done to reduce bias in your recruitment process?

You can introduce blind skills challenges, make use of AI in your recruitment process or use new and different channels to advertise your roles. You can also work with a dedicated recruiter.

Working with a recruiter will allow you to reduce the amount of bias in your recruitment process, not only as they will work as a mediator between the company and the candidates, which allows for a completely unbiased selection process. But they can also challenge your ideas of the kind of candidate you are looking for and can locate candidates that you would never have been able to access when working alone.

To find out more about how to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in your organization by working with a recruiter, you can contact us at 919-813-2454 or email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com.

Remember – creating a diverse workforce leads to higher engagement, greater productivity and is better professionally and personally for every member of your team.

As we are now living in a world that has been changed by the pandemic, your employee retention strategy must be better than ever.

A pre-pandemic Retention Report by the Work Institute (2019) found that “one in three workers would voluntarily leave their job by 2023”. And this has only increased due to significant shifts in the market due to Covid-19.

The effects of the pandemic are going to be felt in organizations for years to come, and so employee retention needs to be a key focus in order to ensure you are keeping your team engaged and satisfied in their roles.

Hiring for replacement team members is not something any company wants to be doing right now, and so an excellent employee retention strategy is essential.

The following 6 strategies will help.

1. Discover Who You’re Overlooking

To ensure you are providing excellent leadership for your entire team and making them feel valued, first, it is essential that you find out if you are overlooking anyone in your team.

Teams will naturally include individuals with a variety of skills, experience and personality types.

But in most teams, there will also be team members who shine brighter than others – extroverts tend to get noticed more than introverts, some team members are more likely to speak up if they have a problem whereas others will try to work through challenges on their own.

As a leader, it is essential that everyone is getting the right amount of support that they need and that you are not overlooking anyone.

Leaders will naturally look to middle managers and other higher-profile employees, but to be a great leader, you must ensure the highest level of employee retention – remember that each and every team member must feel valued and supported.

2. Create Unlimited Opportunities for Growth

According to this LinkedIn Workforce Learning Report, 93% of employees would stay longer with their employer if they invested more in developing their careers.

Many employers will get to the point where they have a great team in place and think that their job is ‘done’.

But continual training and development is a key part of every employee retention strategy, and we find that talented candidates who look for new roles often cite a desire to develop themselves and their career further as a reason for leaving.

No-one wants to be stuck in a role where they feel as though progression is an unlikely possibility. So, invest in robust training and development for your team – it can be anything from personal development training to allowing them time to learn new skills.

3. Demonstrate Excellent Values and Ethics

The most desirable employees are looking for employers with meaningful values and ethics. And this has been accelerated by the pandemic. We are all thinking much more about what is really important to us, and working for a company they believe in is high on every employee’s list of priorities.

Employees are more empowered than ever, with social media and online review culture creating an environment where the need to be honest and transparent is more crucial than ever. How active is your company at demonstrating your values and ethics? Do you champion diversity and inclusion? Are you financially transparent?

Fail to demonstrate excellent values, and you risk losing your employees to a more ethical company.

4. Give Employees a Purpose

It is not enough to give employees a fair remuneration package – employees are increasingly looking for a greater sense of purpose in their work.

The best way to find out if your employees feel a sense of meaning and purpose in their work is to talk to them. Ask them what is important to them in their roles and make any alterations you can to help them feel a greater sense of purpose. This could involve introducing tools to make their jobs easier, and thus, more valued, or working together to identify stretch assignments or projects they can work on to continue growing in their career.

Also, create a mission statement which helps employees to understand how their work positively impacts the world.

5. Enhance Your Employer Brand

Your employer brand is the thread that links employees to the organization – all employees want to work for a company which they feel aligned to.

Look closely at what your competitors are doing – if you slip in terms of promoting and maintaining an excellent employer brand, this gives employees the opportunity to look elsewhere and to be tempted to leave to work for a brand with a better reputation and culture.

Your digital footprint is key in creating a strong employer brand which your employees will feel proud to be a part of. Think about what you post and how often. Employees like to see that their employer is actively engaged in current topics, is invested in the wellbeing of the team and is a transparent and communicative employer.

Get your employees involved in team strengthening events, use your social media to champion your current employees – celebrate birthdays, life events and little wins within the organization.

And finally, let’s look at how a great recruitment strategy is always essential when it comes to employee retention.

6. Get Your Recruitment Strategy Right

Employee retention all starts with your recruitment process. When you start your employees off on the right foot with an excellent recruitment and onboarding process, this sets the tone for a mutually beneficial employer-employee relationship.

Studies reveal that the better the onboarding process, the lower the turnover.

A shocking 20% of employee turnover happens within the first 45 days, and this is mostly due to a poor onboarding process.

Onboarding is part of the recruitment process, and yet many employers believe that recruitment stops the moment the candidate accepts the job offer. Invest in your recruitment and onboarding process, and you will start to see a higher rate of employee retention.

Finally

A certain amount of staff turnover is unavoidable. But follow the steps in this guide to improve unnecessary employee turnover in your organization.

It’s never easy to lose a great employee, but when you work with a specialized recruiter, they can help you create the right recruitment and onboarding process to ensure your retention rates remain high, increasing employee engagement and lowering your overall costs of recruitment.

To find out how we can help you find your next talented team member, get in touch with us at 919-813-2454 or email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com.

Applying for a new role, and going through the recruitment process can be a daunting task for even the most experienced professional.

Interview nerves affect most people, but they can make the recruitment process more stressful than it needs to be for you, the candidate.

Your next job might be the start of something amazing – so naturally, you will want to impress the hiring manager.

If you are preparing for an upcoming interview, we have created this guide to help you boost your confidence to help land you your next role.

1. Role Play Interview Practice

We all know that preparation is the key to success – and anyone who has ever had a job interview will have been told to practice their answers beforehand or at least have some specific examples ready to speak to.

But very few candidates ever actually go to the lengths of practicing a role-play style interview with someone, and yet doing this can help you significantly.

Practicing your answers while you are alone, or even writing down specific answers or themes are great ways to prepare – but nothing beats a real-life run-through beforehand.

So, get someone, a friend or a family member, to act as the interviewer and get them to ask role-specific or general interview questions – be prepared for both – and practice giving your answers.

You will not know until you rehearse in this way that you might want to add something into one of your answers, or that you need some extra practice when talking about a specific subject.

2. Boosting Your Confidence Before the Interview

Immediately before the interview is when candidates are at their most nervous.

So it is during this time that the most crucial confidence-boosting techniques are needed.

The following are great simple tips to help you in the hour up to the interview. Find somewhere private, either in your car or a private hallway to take a few minutes to practice the following:

• Picture yourself succeeding – visualization techniques are shown to be effective at helping reduce nerves and focus the mind.

• Breathing techniques – take slow, deep breaths to help calm any nervous jitters you may be having.

• Say some positive affirmations to yourself – saying ‘I will succeed’, ‘I deserve this job’ and ‘I am going to be successful in this interview’ will help you foster a positive mindset, which can significantly improve your confidence.

Once you are in the interview, let’s look at how some simple body language techniques can help you relax and be your most confident self.

3. Body Language During the Interview

The way you hold yourself will make you feel more confident so that you are able to give a better interview, plus it will also signal to the interviewer that you are relaxed and professional.

First impressions count, so smile when you say hello. Try not to perch nervously on the edge of your seat – sit all the way back in your chair, with a straight back, not slouching.

When you give your answers, talk with your hands as this will allow you to communicate your ideas more effectively. But also, be careful with the way you use your hands – don’t gesticulate too wildly, and when you are listening rather than talking, try not to fidget or keep touching your hair or your face, which people tend to do when they are nervous.

Remember to carry on breathing deeply, and always say yes to a glass of water – you can take a sip to compose yourself before you give your answers, or if you need a moment to pause.

Make eye contact with the interviewer, but not too much. And finally – smile during the interview – you want to look like you are happy to be there!

4. Be a Great Listener

There will be time during the interview when the interviewer is asking the questions or explaining about the company. During these times, remember to employ excellent listening skills.

An interview is about listening as much as it is about talking.

Nod when the interviewer is speaking and always make sure they have finished before you give your answer.

The interviewer will be looking for someone who will get along with the rest of the team – so an overconfident candidate who spends the entire interview singing their own praises can be a turn-off.

Remember that not every answer you give has to be perfect – but listen to what the interviewer is asking, and you can always ask them to repeat themselves or clarify if you aren’t sure what they meant.

Interviewers are human, and they don’t always give perfect interview questions.

5. Look to Connect, Not Impress

And finally, a great tip to boost your confidence is to not think about the interview as an interview – but a conversation.

Aim to connect with the interview, not to flat-out impress them with everything you say.

Building rapport with an interviewer is a great way to be a memorable candidate, and striking a meaningful conversation rather than stressing while trying to appear superhuman will allow you to naturally ease into the interview and will make the whole experience much more enjoyable.

Confidence is about being honest and transparent; it is obvious when someone is trying to be somebody they’re not.

Finally

Are you preparing for an upcoming interview? Or maybe you’re not quite there yet, and you’re still looking for a new role.

If so, we can help. We can help you will all aspects of your new job search, from resume help to arranging interviews, and of course – helping you prepare for your all-important interview.

To find out how we can help you in your new job search – get in touch with us at 919-813-2454 or at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com.

Naturally, we all go through periods of having exciting projects at work which make us fall in love with our roles again; and times when finding motivation is hard.

But if the thought of the end of the weekend and another week in work fills you with dread, this could be a sign that something is seriously wrong.

Either you’ve outgrown your role, your workplace has become toxic, or you realize that your passions lie elsewhere; in a different position or with a new company with different values. There are some signs to look out for which indicate that it’s time to look for a new job.

Deciding on a career move can be a daunting thing, and that’s why many people try to ignore the warning signs that they should move on.

Today, we share the six undeniable signs it’s time to look for a new job (and how to find one).

1. You Have Stopped Enjoying Going to Work

There can be many reasons people are reluctant to leave the house in the morning, from a commute that is regularly filled with traffic to a lengthy train journey.

But generally, travelling to work should not be a time where you dread the minutes counting down until your morning start time.

Have you found yourself stopping off for a coffee to delay getting into the office? Have you started taking the longer route to work? Does the thought of work in the morning keep you from sleeping at night?

Of course, many more of us are working from home now, and so the physical act of going to work might soon become a thing of the past in many roles. But this feeling of dread can become present in morning Zoom meetings, when you’re on a conference call or any time work-related messages pop-up on your screen.

A sense of dread when you think about your job should not be ignored – if this is happening to you, it’s time to make a change.

2. You Feel Disconnected From Your Role

High employee engagement is a characteristic of all excellent employers.

Great employers will ensure you have the right amount of work to do; that you’re not overworked or frequently find yourself with few tasks and unsure what you should be doing.

You should feel a passion and drive for your role, and a connection to your team and your employer which makes you want to give your best to the job – it was hopefully there when you first started in your role.

But over time, inadequate management can lead to employees feeling disconnected and then eventually stop caring. It’s hard to find enthusiasm for your role when you have become disconnected.

3. You are Taking Extra Sick Days

Taking extra sick days, or taking holidays simply to get away from your job is a sign that something is wrong.

It is estimated that 12.7% of all sick days are taken due to mental health problems, which can often be attributed to your current role in the first place.

If your mental health is being affected due to your job, first speak to your manager. They have a duty of care to you to ensure that your position is not causing you harm. Sadly, if the problems are out of your manager’s control, and they continue, it might be time to look for an employer who has an excellent wellbeing reputation.

4. You Don’t Get Along With Your Boss (or Your Colleagues)

Having a great relationship with your boss and your colleagues is never a given in any role – it’s always a nice added bonus when you find a role you love, and you get along with your team.

But negative relationships with the people you work with every day can quickly become draining, and they can turn a once dream job into a nightmare situation.

There should always be avenues you can explore before it gets as serious as leaving for a different company, but sometimes that’s what it takes.

Toxic workplaces are sadly more common than you might think, and although your job might look great on paper, if your boss regularly puts you down, and the atmosphere in the workplace is continually negative and is holding you back from success in your job role and your whole career, it’s time to find a company where you not only feel fulfilled but also happy.

5. You’re Being Underpaid

66% of employees feel that they are underpaid for the work they do – does this sound familiar?

When you start a job, the expectations might have been clear, but what commonly happens in workplaces is that over time, and as you become more experienced within the organization, you are tasked with more and more duties.

And your remuneration rarely increases with the amount of extra work you are now expected to do.

It might be a simple case of your manager not realizing how much extra “outside of your” role you are taking on – but this again is poor management on their part.

Suppose you are increasingly given extra tasks or are performing managerial duties and your employer tells you that you are not going to be paid any extra for it. In that case, this is a sign that your employer is taking advantage of you.

Not all employers behave like this – now should be the time to find one who doesn’t.

6. You Feel Undervalued

Aside from being paid a fair wage for the work you do; it is also important that you feel emotionally valued and supported by your manager and your colleagues.

Signs that you are being undervalued by your current employer include:

• your work is overlooked,

• your performance and pay reviews are continually pushed back,

• you’re not trusted to have autonomy in your role,

• those around you are promoted, and you get left behind.

Being undervalued can be a sign that your current employer is not going to support you in your career and that things are unlikely to change unless the entire company has a management shake-up – but you don’t have to wait for this to happen.

Next Steps

Many people stay in roles that are making them severely unhappy and impacting their mental health because they believe there is no other option for them.

The truth is there are always other options; you just might not know where to find them – and that’s where we come in.

Speak to a dedicated recruitment company – they will be able to offer advice and options, they can put you in touch with new potential employers and organize interviews for you – what are you waiting for?

You’ve been offered a new role with a new company – Congratulations!

There are a few things to do now. First, celebrate and inform your current employer of your resignation.

Secondly, is to think about how you’re going to make a success of your new role.

You know you have the right skills, abilities and experience that your new employer is looking for, so you can relax on that front.

But still, starting a new job can be daunting. You want to prove to your manager and your new colleagues that you’ve got what it takes.

Thankfully, there are a few strategies you can implement from day one.

So here are 7 strategies for creating success in your new role.

1. Knowing Where to Focus Your Efforts

Securing your new role is just the first step in this exciting new part of your career.

Although your recruiting partner will have helped you find a role which perfectly matches your skills, abilities and aspirations, it is not up to you to find out what is expected of you in your new role.

Things to think about:

• Find out what your manager’s priorities are – and then find out how this relates to you. This might be covered in the onboarding process, but it will help to have defined short, medium and long-term goals to work towards.

• What do you need to do every day in your day-to-day duties?

• What is your manager’s style, and how are you going to develop a relationship with them?

• What are your KPIs, and how will you be evaluated in your new role?

The more you can find out about where you fit into the business’ ultimate goals, the faster you will settle in and can start achieving success.

2. Demonstrating the Right Skills and Attitude

You will have been hired for your skills, and it’s time to put them to good use in your new role.

Think about is there anything you learned in your previous role that you could bring to your new organization?

You must also demonstrate that you can work well with your new colleagues – and this might mean navigating a few different working styles and figuring out how your new team works and how they communicate.

The key things to remember here are:

• Practice your communication skills and be patient with others – it takes time to form strong working relationships.

• Be flexible – you might have a fixed opinion from your previous roles about how to undertake specific tasks, but now is the time to observe others and fit in with how your new team operates.

• Be pro-active in problems solving – don’t be afraid to take on new challenges in your new role; it shows you are resilient and hard working.

3. Forming Good Habits

It is essential that you maintain professionalism in everything you do, and avoid getting into workplace gossip, even though it might seem like a good way to form initial bonds.

Focus on your results in the early stages of your role; don’t be afraid to ask your manager to clarify that you’re on the right path, but refrain from asking continually about things you aren’t sure of. Save up your questions and ask once a day. If you aren’t sure of what to do at any point, be proactive and find something to do – ask your new colleagues if they need help.

4. Active Listening

Active listening is different from the type of listening that most people demonstrate – that is, listening with the intent of responding, and not listening deeply to what it is the other person is saying.

You can learn a lot more when you focus intently on the things your new colleagues and manager say to you. You can absorb so much about the company, the people, your role and the industry when you actively listen.

So, never make assumptions – and actively listen to your peers; you might be surprised at how much you learn.

5. Always Learning

We can all be guilty of believing that we have nothing left to learn about a particular subject, especially if it’s an issue that you are very familiar with.

But the start of a new role should be a reminder than there is always more to learn.

Once you have your new role parameters and goals clearly in your mind, you can then look towards your ongoing development.

Speak to your manager about L&D and ask if there are any courses you can take or any in-house training extra to your onboarding that you can partake in.

Remember – every day is a school day!

6. Deciding What to ‘Let Go’ Of

Part of growing in your new role is in realizing what you can let go of.

Success is not always about refining your skills and developing new ones; it can also be an opportunity to let go of old habits and mindsets that could be holding you back.

Learn when to say ‘no’; notice when you are more likely to procrastinate or become distracted, and finally, say goodbye to the fear of failure.

Starting a new role is a powerful thing, and it can be the opportunity to be the ‘you’ you have always wanted to be.

7. 30, 60 and 90 Day Plans

And lastly, success will not happen on its own – is must be planned for.

The onboarding process in your new role should set the objectives of your position; however, the detail and specificity of onboarding programs can vary between organizations.

So, it’s advised that you set yourself some 30, 60 and 90-day goals – even if they are just personal goals that you want to achieve in your new Role.

Achieving personal targets related to your new Role is a great way to boost your confidence and draw success towards you.

30, 60 and 90-plan have been proven time and again to be a really effective way of helping people achieve their goals.

Finally

Are you just about to embark on the excitement of a new Role? Or perhaps you’re looking for your next opportunity and aren’t sure where to start your new job search.

If so, we can help.

We help candidates just like you find great new career opportunities. From resume help, and interview prep to career advice and organizing interviews for you. Get in touch with us at 919-813-2454 or at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com.

After days or weeks of getting ready for your interview, few things are more crushing than learning you haven’t been successful in getting the job. Rejection is difficult to deal with in any part of life, but it can be particularly upsetting when you’re striving for the perfect career.

However, rejection is also a common part of the job searching process. Learning how to respond productively to a lost job opportunity is the way to ensure you don’t keep making the same mistakes the next time you meet with a hiring manager.

Here’s what you can do to correctly handle interview rejections.

Step 1: Ask if the Role Was What You Really Wanted

First, it’s worth asking whether the role was right for you in the first place. When you’re keen to take the next step in your career, you might start applying for just “close enough” roles to what you really want rather than seeking the ideal role.

Perhaps you were attracted to certain aspects of the position but were a little concerned about the company culture. Maybe you were happy about the opportunity to find your first job in an industry you thought you wanted to be in, but the position in question didn’t really give you much scope to showcase your skills.

If you weren’t particularly passionate about the job in the first place, there’s a good chance the hiring manager picked up on that fact. Maybe you rushed through the research stage of preparing for the interview or failed to leave a lasting impression.

Ask yourself whether this role was right for you, and if it wasn’t, consider adjusting your job search accordingly. Applying only for the positions you truly care about will motivate you to showcase the best version of yourself during your next interview.

Step 2: Reconsider Your Qualifications

Even if you liked the idea of the role you were applying for and thought it would be good for your career, you may not have been perfectly positioned for the job. Take another look at the job description and highlight the qualifications the manager was looking for. Do they match your education and experience perfectly?

If not, this could be a sign it wasn’t what you did in the interview that lost you the opportunity. No matter how confident you appear during the interview, most hiring managers will still prioritize candidates with the right qualifications.

If you continue applying for similar roles in the future, the best thing you can do now is start working on adding to your skills. Make a list of all the talents and educational credentials you don’t already have and start seeking them out. Even showing your “would-be” employer you’re tacking steps to learn new skills can improve your chances of getting your next role.

Step 3: Brush up on Your Interview Confidence

If you did have all of the correct qualifications and experience for the role you wanted, the problem could be with your technique. Lack of confidence during an interview is a common reason why around 40% of candidates don’t make it past the first interview stage.

Look back over the conversation you had with the hiring manager. Were you constantly fidgeting, looking down at your resume, or failing to make eye contact? Your body language in an interview can say a lot about you and how confident you feel in your abilities.

Try practicing with a friend or colleague to prepare for your next interview. Make a list of common interview questions similar to the ones you were asked in your last interview, and practice responding to them. Come up with competency-based answers which showcase your abilities and the skills that hiring managers are looking for.

Most importantly, practice demonstrating an air of positive self-esteem. Sit straight, keep your hands still, and make eye contact regularly. A smile can go a long way in an interview too.

Step 4: Look for Ways to Improve Next Time

Outside of increasing your confidence for an interview, you can take several other steps to improve your chances of success going forward. Take the time to go back over the interview in your head and ask yourself where you struggled.

Were there certain questions you didn’t have a good response to? If so, you can practice generating relevant answers. Maybe you misjudged the dress code or arrived late to a video meeting because you were busy setting up your camera.

You may have failed to make the right impression because you didn’t have enough information about the company you applied for. Around 47% of candidates fail their interviews because they haven’t done enough research. Learning as much as possible about the business before you start applying for roles will help you tailor your answers and resume to the company’s needs.

Step 5: Respond to your Interviewer

Finally, a good way to improve your chances of success in upcoming interviews is to respond to your interviewer after they send you the rejection message. Thank the company for their time, and they’ll be more likely to think of you positively if you apply for roles with the same business. What’s more, this is a great chance to ask for feedback.

If you’re not sure exactly what you did wrong during the conversation, request a little bit of detailed information on why they chose someone other than you. This will help you to highlight the areas you need to address before beginning your next job search.

You can even consider talking to your recruiting agency about how the interview went and see if they had any suggestions.

Time to Refresh Your Career Plan?

Sometimes, rejection after an interview is a sign you need to brush up on your interview skills and confidence. Other times, you could be setting yourself up for failure by applying for roles you’re not suited to in the first place. Working with a recruitment agency should ensure you only apply for the roles you’re most likely to be chosen for.

Here at The Black Diamond Agency, we have been helping corporate retailers with their talent acquisition and helping specialty retail talent find their ideal roles for over 7 years. If you want to find out how we can help, email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com. We look forward to working with you!

3 Areas of Focus

Taking the right approach to training your new hires is one of the most important things any employer can do. The right education and guidance set your employees up for success in any role and ensure they can thrive in your industry.

What’s more, today’s employees crave training more than ever before.

According to some studies, around 40% of staff members worry their skills will become outdated in today’s quickly-evolving landscape. Moreover, 49% of employees want to enhance their skills but are unsure where to begin.

For business leaders, the focus areas for training an initial new hire should revolve around developing critical soft skills. Most of your new team members already have the technical talents required for their roles. However, you can always look into upskilling and expanding this knowledge later.

Your team members need help with the critical skills that will define their future with your business. Here are the three areas you need to focus on.

Skill 1: Goal Setting

Goals are critical in any role. According to research from Harvard Business School, people who successfully visualize and write down their professional goals are often 20% more successful. Goals act as a compass in any career, giving direction and guidance to your team members.

Start by providing your employees with clear insight into your business values and expectations for their work. This will help them monitor and measure their performance to ensure they’re delivering the right results. Next, arrange for a meeting during the onboarding process, where you can set different types of goals with your new team member, such as:

• Short-term goals: Define what your new employee should be working towards during the first few months of their position in your company. Outline what you’d like to see from them as a manager, and ask what they would like to accomplish during this time.

• Long-term goals: Ask about where your employee sees themselves in the future. Do they want to work towards a promotion or a higher-paying role? Together, you can outline a plan for how they can make their targets a reality.

• Development goals: Where would your employees like to improve their skills or become more proficient during their time with your company? What training opportunities would they want access to, and where do they feel they need the most help?

It’s also worth providing your employees with key tips on improving their chances of successfully reaching their goals. Discuss the difference between setting realistic and unrealistic targets, and look at how you can help your employee to become more focused.

One option could be to set your new team member up with a mentor, so they can constantly get feedback on their progress. It’s also worth having regular meetings with each employee throughout the year to see whether they’re accomplishing their goals and what you can do to assist them.

Skill 2: Relationship Building

Relationships form the foundation of strong company culture. Research shows positive relations between employees and their managers and colleagues lead to better job satisfaction, increased retention, and boosted productivity. However, many employees struggle with creating the right connections throughout the company.

During the initial onboarding process, when you’re bringing your new team member into your company, introduce them to the people they will be working with. Some bonding activities can be extremely useful during this stage to help with breaking the ice.

Next, provide tips on strengthening your team members’ relationships with colleagues and managers. For instance, you can encourage them to:

• Be proactive in offering help: Employees who constantly look for ways to support and assist their other team members are more likely to be appreciated by the rest of the team. Encourage your staff to be proactive team players.

• Take part in meetings: While not all of your business meetings may be mandatory, many provide networking and communication opportunities. Asking staff members to participate in regular video and in-person meetings will help to strengthen bonds.

• Develop emotional intelligence: Training your employees on how to demonstrate good emotional intelligence is fantastic for enhancing their relationship-building abilities. They should be aware of how to recognize and understand the emotions of others.

• Communicate constantly: Make sure your team has a strong culture of constant communication and collaboration. Everyone should feel included in business conversations, and every team member should feel as though they have a voice.

• Network whenever possible: Allow team members to attend events and networking opportunities. This is a good way to help them expand their relationships and feel more confident communicating with others.

It’s also helpful to have diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which highlight how each team member should show respect for their fellow workers. If any of your employees seem to be isolating themselves from the group or show a negative attitude towards others, jump in and see what you can do to fix the problem.

Skill 3: Productivity

All employers want productive, efficient, and engaged team members. While the support you give your employees in the form of the right technical skill training and tools will help to enhance productivity, there are also steps employees will need to take themselves.

Ask your employees how they currently pursue productivity in their workflows and where they’re most likely to struggle. If your team members are working in a remote or hybrid environment, they may need more assistance with scheduling their work and ensuring they adhere to deadlines.

Introduce your employees to different methods of boosting productivity, such as:

• Arranging their to-do list: Some employees will find it easier to tackle the toughest jobs first thing in the day. Others will prefer to start with easier tasks and work on complex challenges later. Encourage your staff members to discover what works for them.

• Taking regular breaks: While pushing your employees to be productive at all hours of the day is tempting, we all need breaks. Help your employees to take time out when they need it, by allowing them to step away from their schedule from time to time.

• Tackling one task at a time: Teach your employees that multi-tasking is rarely the best way to generate the right results when it comes to productivity. Breaking large tasks into smaller pieces and working on targets one at a time is more likely to generate results.

• Managing energy (not just time): Give your employees the freedom to adjust their work schedule according to when they have the best sense of focus. In today’s hybrid and remote work world, giving your employees more autonomy can boost productivity.

• Leveraging useful tools: Certain tools and technology in the workplace can assist with productivity. For instance, some team members might use time-tracking applications to discover how long they spend on different tasks. Others might organize their day with a centralized project management system.

If any of your employees are struggling with productivity, it’s important to reach out and find out what’s happening. The problem could be with their schedule and how they organize their day. Alternatively, you could find your employees are experiencing the early stages of burnout. Either way, you can work together to develop a plan to promote the best workflow.

Here at The Black Diamond Agency, we have been helping corporate retailers with their talent acquisition and helping specialty retail talent find their ideal roles for 7+ years. If you want to find out how we can help, email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com. We look forward to working with you!

Candidates are in an excellent position right now. With skill shortages plaguing the industry, there are more opportunities to move to great roles and companies than ever before. Moreover, you have more freedom about how you choose to work, with remote and hybrid roles emerging everywhere.

However, just because you have many options doesn’t mean defining the ideal company to join is easy. Countless factors can influence whether a business is a good fit for you and your skills. Fail to consider them carefully, and you could end up in a role that doesn’t suit you.

Researching potential employers and retail companies you’re considering joining helps ensure you take the right next step in your career journey. Here’s how you can get started.

Before You Start Your Job Search

Preparation is key when searching for any new role. Rather than simply browsing endless job descriptions in search of something that mentions your qualifications, you should go on the journey with a clear action plan.

Start by defining exactly what you want as a candidate. What kind of career path are you working towards? Is there a specific role or certain duties within a role you’re most drawn towards? Are you looking for a company that can help you work your way up through the ranks to a leadership position, or are you ready to start a management job immediately?

Working with a recruitment agency can be an excellent way to improve your chances of creating an effective plan. Your recruiter can discuss your career goals and help you define what you should be looking for in terms of benefits, compensation, culture and more.

What’s more, once you’ve defined your plan with your recruiter, they’ll be able to position you in front of the right companies, boosting your chances of the best job offer.

The 5 Signs of an Amazing Company

With your career plan in hand, you’ll be able to start sorting through your employment options with more focus. Following the Great Resignation, many businesses are currently searching for the top talent. Here are the signs to look for when narrowing your options.

1. Shared Values

Most of today’s employees are looking for more than just a good salary from their employer. They also want meaningful work which resonates with their values. Around 42% of employees say they think it’s important for an employer to be diverse, inclusive, and equitable, according to a recent Gallup survey. A further 43% of candidates say they’re attracted to a new job based on meaningful work.

Take the time to research a company’s core mission statement and its vision for the future. Find what it’s aiming towards, what kind of goals it’s setting, and how every team member plays a part. Researching the company will help you to determine whether it’s focused on values similar to your own, such as innovation or diversity.

You can also read reviews and testimonials from previous employees on places like Glassdoor.

2. Strong Company Culture

46% of job seekers say company culture is important when deciding where they should work. A further 86% of candidates also say they actively avoid a company with a bad reputation. A company’s culture refers to everything from its approach to work to how it treats its employees.

For instance, you might find yourself drawn towards a company with a strong wellness initiative designed to preserve team members’ mental and physical well-being. Alternatively, you may be more focused on a collaborative company culture, where everyone has a chance to contribute to the growth of the business. When seeking out good company culture, it’s worth looking for evidence you’ll be appreciated in your role. Stories published by the organization’s website about rewards given to high-performing team members show a commitment to good recognition.

3. Opportunities for Growth

While there’s always a chance you may need to move between different companies and roles to reach your career goals, every business you work with should contribute to your growth. Having plenty of opportunities to learn sector-focused and transferrable skills will ensure you can continue expanding your knowledge over time.

Look for evidence that the company in question is willing to train you on using new technologies and strategies as they emerge within your industry. It’s also worth discovering whether there’s room for lateral movement in your business as your expertise increases.

Find out whether team members are regularly offered promotions and opportunities to take on new challenges. This shows potential for a long future with the business and can give you a better sense of the stability and security your role can offer.

4. Excellent Benefits

While compensation is important for anyone looking for the ideal job, it’s important to think beyond the salary. The benefits offered by a company give you insight into what you can look forward to if you decide to join the team.

In today’s skill-short marketplace, many employers are beginning to offer a wider range of benefits, from flexible work schedules to four-day working weeks and stock options. If you’re looking for the opportunity to work in a hybrid (around 53% of US employees), or remote environment (around 24% of US employees), it’s important to check if the company can offer this.

Usually, you’ll be able to learn more about the benefits a company can offer by visiting the organization’s “Careers” page on its website, and speaking to your recruiter. You can also ask about benefits during your job interview.

5. Fantastic Leadership

Excellent leadership and good employee retention often go hand-in-hand for most businesses. This is because employees rely on their leaders to provide motivation, support, and guidance. If you know the leadership team in your chosen business is innovative, emotionally intelligent, and transparent, you’re more likely to feel comfortable in your role.

A good way to learn about a company’s leadership practices is to check its website for stories about group accomplishments and business growth.

Asking for an opportunity to speak to the people you’re going to be working with during the interview stage is also a good way to get a good idea of how they communicate and their general work ethic.