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Where is the Interview Doctor in July?

July 7, 2017 By Marta Goertzen

Here is where Katherine will be speaking in July.

There are links to the events that are open to the public to register and attend.

July 20, 2017

Proactive Job Search and Behavioral Interviewing
Geauga County Engineering Department
All day – private session

If you would like more tips on a successful job search, check out a replay video of our job search training – it is free and has tons of job search tips in it.

Career Impact – Jim and the New Non-compete Agreement

July 5, 2017 By Marta Goertzen

A Must Read article about Signing Non-Compete Clauses.

Sometimes people think I make up the stories I share with you. I don’t have to make up anything. The world is filled with crazy stories like this sad tale I heard the other day.

Jim just celebrated his fourth year as a medical supply sales rep. He hit his numbers every year. Things were looking great for a rewarding career with this growing company, acquired last year by a larger competitor.

Until one week ago when every sales person received that fateful email. Everyone would be required to sign a non-compete by the following Friday. Out of the blue. No notice. No consideration for signing away his rights to work for a competitor or vendor or anyone who even sells batteries in a health care facility of any kind.

Jim was beside himself. The more experienced reps were terrified. No one was sleeping well.

I can imagine what prompted the new non-compete requirement. A good sales rep quit. The new president asked HR if that fellow had a non-compete. Upon hearing that the company did not require non-competes, the CEO ordered HR to make it happen immediately. HR, doing what it was told without comment, made it happen.

But these things should NOT happen. Not to hard working employees happy with their jobs and the company. This company did not have engagement problems or employee turnover. Sales were strong. Employees were relatively happy. Past tense.

The proper response from HR should have been, “Let’s figure out why that guy left. We will check our turnover and see if we have a problem then implement non-competes for all new employees. Eventually everyone will have a non-compete if that is what you want.” But that is not what happened.

Here is why this situation is a big problem for the company and the individuals.

Are the non-competes forced in this situation even valid?

A non-compete is a legal document that prevents employees from going to work for a competitor for a period of time. The purpose is to protect hard-won company assets, ideas and treasures from running off to competitors. Employees agree to forgo major employment opportunities to benefit the company.

This requires consideration: Like any legally enforceable contract, the side asking for the benefit (the company) should offer the person making the sacrifice (the employee) substantial consideration (that is a legal term) to waive future opportunities. Just keeping your job or receiving a bonus you would ordinarily receive is not sufficient consideration. It has to be something else, something special that makes the sacrifice worthwhile.

In Jim’s case, the company offered each sales person a guarantee that each employee would receive the commission they would normally receive anyway in their draw-versus-commission compensation plan. Any sales person worth their salt who make their quota would receive that commission anyway. How is that any kind of consideration for signing away Jim’s future employment opportunities?

Can’t be signed under duress: One side of the contract cannot force the other side to sign the contract without having time to review and consider the options. In this case, the company gave the employees one week to sign or be fired. Wow! Talk about pressure. One week is not even sufficient for the employees to seek legal advice much less decide to sign away significant future employment opportunities. Jim wasn’t sleeping or eating or even thinking clearly. He was a mess. The senior reps were in worse condition.

Could the new non-competes really bind the employees without proper consideration and being forced to sign under duress? It is hard to tell. The only way either side can really know is to take the case to court, an expensive proposition.

In the meantime let’s look at what the company achieved with this effort:

Sales go down. Employees are very upset and distracted. They are thinking and talking about non-competes rather than getting sales.
Employee satisfaction declines. Employees are talking about quitting or planning to get fired. Previously they were relatively happy and stable without a lot of turnover. Employee satisfaction is directly related to profitability.
Employee turnover increases. Employees are planning to leave even if they sign the agreement. Turnover is expensive. Calculate turnover at 1.5 times total annual salary. The idea is to reduce this cost, not take steps that will increase turnover.
Company brand takes a hit, impacting ability to recruit. Dissatisfied employees are spreading the word to friends, family and anyone who will listen. I heard about it at a social event because it is all Jim talks about to anyone who will listen. I didn’t even know Jim before that social event! Who wants to work for a company that treats people this way? I made a mental note of the name so I can tell clients to avoid that company.

My advice to Jim? SEEK ADVICE FROM AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE! This is what I would do. I would not sign the agreement unless they force me to. Then I would sign the agreement but cross out the two paragraphs about non-competition. The other paragraphs about trade secrets and confidentiality are fine. See what the company does. As a last resort, I would sign the agreement then start looking for a job because it won’t get better from here. I gave Jim a copy of my book, Job Search Marketing Plan.

My advice to companies? This is an object lesson. Learn from this foolish medical supply company. Avoid actions that undermine your brand and hit your bottom line.

My advice to HR? You don’t have to blindly do whatever the CEO says. Your job is to give good advice in a manner that convinces the CEO to do the right thing for the company AND the employees. Because after all, employees are your greatest asset. At least that is what we tell our employees.

I would be glad to help anyone impacted by this kind of situation in any way I can.

In the meantime, don’t settle for a mediocre career that you don’t want anymore! LinkedIn offers many ways to find the ideal job or career for you! Get your FREE copy of the LinkedIn Career Advancement Tips and find the perfect career today.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney. I am speaking from my own perspective. This article represents my own views and is not a substitute for legitimate legal advice. PLEASE SEEK ADVICE FROM AN ATTORNEY SPECIALIZING IN EMPLOYMENT LAW.

Shy Person’s Guide to Saying No

June 27, 2017 By Marta Goertzen

Some people find it difficult to say no when a request is made of them.

Here is my shy person’s dilemma.

The professional group I belong to puts on great programs. Nice people attend. I always learn something. So why do I dread attending?

At the end of every meeting one or another of the officers takes me aside and asks me to be on the Board. They point out that I attend regularly, seem to know everyone and have good ideas for the future.

“You seem to understand how to do marketing so maybe you could be the PR head?”

I smile politely and try to step away.

I know. I know. I should step out into the community and get more involved. But I don’t want to be on another board right now. My business is booming. Every minute away from the business and my clients seems like a distraction. Besides, I think I have finally found a good work / life balance.

How do I say no?

Right now I just mumble something under my breath and excuse myself to get a fresh drink or talk to someone else. That feels wrong. I am avoiding the opportunity to say no.

Saying no does not mean you are a bad person. You are not being unkind, rude or selfish. If you are like me, you dread disapproval.

Saying no is a blessing. It can be an opportunity. Just like saying yes more often can open new horizons you never thought to explore, saying no can be an opportunity to focus.

Sometimes you just have to say no. Even shy people.

Here are some tips to saying no:

Be true to yourself. Know what you want so you can fairly evaluate the request. Perhaps you should say yes.
Give the request a bit of consideration before saying no. This avoids hurt feelings. You don’t want people to think you blew them off but you do want to control your time. This doesn’t mean saying, “I’ll think about it” then never getting back. This means pausing for a moment as if you are considering it then saying no.
Once you decide, make it short and sweet. Say it fast and clear with a smile on your face. Then shut up. The more you blather about with excuses, the weaker your “no” sounds, leaving room for the other person to press you to change your mind.
Plan your response in advance so you know what to say when the opportunity comes. In fact, you can plan a generic response to have handy if you need it. Something like, “Thank you for the consideration but I am simply buried right now.” Then shut up.
Be as nice as you can. Have a pleasant but concerned smile on your face when you say it. You don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so take the high road and be nice.
Package your “no” with some flattery. “I am honored that you would consider me for this important role. I really appreciate your consideration but…”
Offer another alternative. Is there something else you can do for the organization / person other than what was asked? “I would love to support your organization in a different way.”
Change the subject or walk away to end the conversation. This might avoid that awkward shock when the other person expected you to say yes.

I will be testing these ideas myself the next time I go to that professional meeting. In the meantime, let me know if these tips helped bring you peace!

Here are some helpful references:

How to say no to anyone (even a good friend)

How to stop saying yes when you want to say no

The Ultimate guilt-free guide to saying no

10 Guilt-free strategies for saying no

3 ways to nicely say no without feeling guilty – this article has great examples!

If you are shy or introverted there is no shame in that but it may be blocking you from getting the career you want. There is help for you! Get your free copy of the “7 Tips for Career Success for the Shy Person” and begin to step out, beyond these barriers, onto a new career path today.

Using Influence for Win-win Results With Colleagues

June 20, 2017 By Marta Goertzen

Relationships between colleagues are not always pretty.

This article is an excerpt from our BizTV video, which can be viewed online, simply by clicking this link.

The way you get something done is often more important than what you get done.

The hard way is the bulldozer – straight on, most likely with a little figurative violence. The easier way is with the tractor, bringing people along to see your point of view. My husband always reminds me, “Be a tractor, not a bull dozer today”!

Influence is about action – getting things done through negotiation with colleagues.

Which are you? A bulldozer or a tractor? As a reformed tractor myself I would like to share some tips to get action through influence:

Observe what is going on around you. Act in a manner that benefits everyone and is aligned with your organization’s values, expectations and practices.
Know how your actions make other people feel. Do you repel people or compel people to work with you?
Understand what is important to others. Otherwise you bulldoze towards one-sided outcomes
Share what you are trying to accomplish then frame the discussion by linking your points to something important to the other person.
Be open to new ideas and other opinions without being defensive. Listen to others patiently. Check for understanding. Don’t assume.
Look for ways to meet others’ needs through partnership with colleagues. Incorporate the other person’s ideas into the ultimate solution. Give the other person credit. After all it was a joint effort.

Getting results through influence is not about you. It is about building long-lasting partnerships with colleagues to deliver results. We are all stronger when we collaborate over solutions.

In the meantime, check out this great resource to learn more about solving conflicts in your workplace or to view other videos featuring other strategic job search tips and tools from The Interview Doctor click here.

Stop Stepping in it at Career Fairs

June 13, 2017 By Marta Goertzen

There are some things that people need to be mindful of when they’re at career fairs.

My friend Bob posted a rant on Facebook today about rude job seekers at a career fair. I could feel his pain.

Here are some things that annoyed him:

In contacting applicants, he ran into more than one candidate who was unable to talk at the agreed upon time, forcing Bob to have to call back. What are the odds that Bob will call those folks back? Likely he will move on to the next candidate.
Three page resumes, hard to read resumes, two page resumes not staples together, resumes with typos (I added that part!), resumes WITHOUT CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE SECOND PAGE. Unforgivable.
Have a greeting on your voicemail with at least your first name. Otherwise how is anyone supposed to know they have the right person?
Smile and say hello when you meet someone. Sourpusses just turn people away. You want to build relationships.
Men, don’t button that bottom button. Not sure why. Just remember “sometimes, always, never” for the buttons on a 3-button suit jacket.
Always polish shoes – a big thing for Bob and most people.

Bottom line? The details are so important.

Little things like getting the resume right, the way you button a jacket, shiny shoes. Pay attention to the details and the rest falls in place. Otherwise you send a signal that you don’t pay attention to details.

Job search can be a soul sucking experience for both candidates and hiring managers. No one enjoys being at loose ends. Having a plan with attention to details separates you from the rest and moves you closer to your goal faster.

Is your resume the reason you’re not getting hired? Make sure it has the power to do it’s job; getting you an interview! Download our guide to “Avoid the Top 5 Mistakes with Resumes“.