Melissa Anzman's Blog, page 13

Best HR Advice and Chats – Part 1

Human Resources is a strange, strange world to be in most of the time. The things we see, the things we say, the things we have to do… There does tend to be some conversations and HR advice that I’ve had to deliver more times than I care to count, regardless of the company I was working. My friends have long encouraged me to share some of my top “HR Chats” with all of you – hopefully you find insight, guidance, and perhaps humor in them. And if you have been at the receiving end of an HR chat, I’d love to hear all about it (and maybe add another to my ever growing list).

Free HR Advice
Issue: Boss and employee not on the same page in regards to performance

To the employee: “I get that you think you are delivering at a high level. But unfortunately, your boss is seeing things a bit differently. You see, you are on this side of the bridge, and he is on the other side of the bridge. We need to find a way to have you both meet in the middle. Remember, that his perception of your output is critically important – so I’m here to help you both find a way to the center.”

To the manager: “We all want your employee to succeed. And I can see you are frustrated with the perceived level of output. We need to set very clear expectations to ensure that the employee knows exactly what success looks like and so you are able to objectively measure performance. Let’s get you both on the same page so we can go forward at the necessary performance level.”

 Issue: Employee refuses to sign their performance review/evaluation form

To the employee: “I understand that you do not agree with everything that is included in your performance review, and therefore do not want to sign your name to it. Remember that signing your name only indicates that you two have a conversation, not agreement – but I want to be sure your issues are addressed as well. Here’s what I would recommend: why don’t you write a one page response that I can include with the final signed copy of your review, in your employee file. If you would like to file an official complaint of any sort, let’s take care of that separately as well. And I’m always here to listen to your grievances if needed.”

To the manager: “Please review the form one more time to ensure that everything you have included is free of unnecessary superlatives and fully objective and documented. If you feel as though you could defend every sentence without issue, no updates are needed. To move forward, we need to get you both on the same page to ensure that the next review is not a surprise, so I’d suggest you make a few tweaks to your management style to help us all get there – mainly, you need to providing honest and open feedback on an ongoing basis to your employees. Let’s talk more about how that works.”

Issue: Employee demands a raise

To the employee: “I am happy to look into the possibility of a raise for you. You know that we typically do not award raises except during review time, but I’d like to give you the opportunity to share some insight with me about your request. First, let’s talk about why you feel as though you deserve a raise. Next, I’d like you to present me some examples that support your request – ways that you have gone above and beyond and exhibited output at the next level, from the past six months. Once we have all of that together, we will review it with your manager and move forward.”

To the manager: “How was this request brought to your attention? What are your thoughts on the employee’s overall output, performance, importance in the organization, and the urgency to retain this employee? Are they a critical member of the team/would we be ok if we lost him? Do you have the room in your budget to sustain this raise? How would this raise request fit when aligned with the corporate pay ranges and those on your team?”

Looking to loosen your white collar a bit? Email me to find out more about coaching or to sign-up for the monthly newsletter.

Practical Tactical Thursday: Cover Letters Galore Part Two

Part two has finally arrived, since there are so many ways a cover letter can go wrong. As I mentioned before, cover letters used to be optional – for me, I never had to use a cover letter to land a job until the last few years. Reason being? There are more qualified candidates now searching and applying for the same job – your cover letter should be your “one-up” against the competition. It should highlight your qualifications, show a bit of your personality and share teasers or hooks to engage the hiring manager to read more. I know, it’s a lot to fit into a small package. Be sure to read part 1 here and then continue below for even more cover letter madness. Part 3 will include an actual cover letter sample and template (want to get it sooner – sign-up for my newsletter).

Cover Letters Part Two

1. Your cover letter should be specific to each position. While I also believe in tweaking your resume for each application (if applicable), updating your cover letter for each application is a must. There is no excuse for you not to include only relevant information here – address the hiring manager properly, if you are applying directly, include the company name and the correct position title, and be sure that you address specific accomplishments from the required skills.

2. No one cares about the classes you took and other miscellaneous information. Being a new grad is ok – hiring managers have all been there too. But when you list “relevant coursework” in your cover letter, or even worse – on your resume, you look like a moron. Everyone knows that real life experience vastly differs from anything you have learned in a classroom. You are wasting valuable space in your cover letter when discussing “I got an A in Accounting,” or “I may not have real life experience, but I took many business courses in college.” These facts may help you when on the job, but it’s more important for you to SHOW how you utilize the skills you have learned.

3. Show, not tell. This takes practice and is not “natural” for many people. But your cover letter should show the hiring manager how you have accomplished things and a well-rounded look at your experience. Don’t tell me that you did something, tell me what makes it special that you did it. For example:

Tell: I was the top salesman at the company.
Show: I was ranked 1 across the 33 sales people at the company, increasing profits over 13% which equated to $30,000 of new business.

See the difference? The “Tell” does not provide me with a reference point, I am left asking… so what? When you show me, I am able to see the significance of your achievement.

4. Leave all of the BS (bull$h*t) off. There is nothing worse than coming across as a fake, phony, or conceited in a cover letter – and trust me, the hiring manager can spot it a mile away. Your tone should be professional, concise, and to the point. And above all else, it should be fact. Your cover letter (or any job-seeking materials) should be rooted in fact, not smoke and mirrors. If you include items in your resume that seem too good to be true (I am the best at Sales, better at Research and Development, and top-achiever in Marketing), you will be overlooked – even if it’s true. So be consistent about your cover letter topic so it doesn’t sound like BS.

5. Have some per-son-ality, you’ve got personality, walk personality… (did you sing along to that?). A boring form letter will not cut it anymore. Let your unique voice shine through. Your cover letter should be written in first person (no references like “Anzman does” or Melissa can”) and should come across as though you’re in an interview – condensed into three short paragraphs. Boring is easily overlooked but obnoxious will not win you any friends either. Be YOU, write about YOU, SHOW the hiring manager what YOU bring to the table, and you will have instant cover letter personality.

Looking to loosen your white collar a bit? Email me to find out more about coaching or to sign-up for the monthly newsletter.

Stop Hating Your Job

It’s official, launch day has arrived!

I am about to burst out of my seat I’m so excited that my first ebook, Stop Hating Your Job: How to Be Happy at Work without Quitting, is out today! Writing a book has been a long-time goal of mine, and something that I have had in the works since starting Loosen Your White Collar. I started this business to help people be happier at work – sometimes that means jumping into a new role, but most of the times it means making your current situation work for you. So that’s what my first book will help you achieve through a serious of insights, HR guidance, and activities.

Buy the book here!!!  and learn more about it here
Free Book Giveaway

Three lucky readers and supporters, will get a free copy of Stop Hating Your Job and a 45 minute coaching session ($250 value!) to help you implement the steps included in my book, and turn your work misery into meaning.

How to enter:

Share this post on Facebook
Share this post on Twitter with hash-tag #WorkHappy
Send along this email to your friends and family (double entry)
Sign up to my newsletter (double entry)

Then come back to the site and leave a comment below letting me know which actions you took, and tada – you’re entered! The contest ends on Wednesday, July 25th at 8pm ET.

Good luck and thank you to all of your kind words and support.

PS Bloggers: I have an awesome affiliate program where you earn 51% of sales. Check out the details here.

Looking to loosen your white collar a bit? Email me to find out more about coaching or to sign-up for the monthly newsletter.

Make Sh*t Happen – My Motivation and the Course!

Not quite a year ago, I came across a course called Make Sh*t Happen. The details of how I stumbled across the online course that changed my life, are still a bit fuzzy. But I remember seeing the website about it and the course’s leader, Jenny Blake, and I immediately grabbed up one of the last spots. It was fate, or so I like to think, as that one small decision literally shaped my life in a bigger way than I ever imagined.

At the time, I had just completed my coaching certification and was trying to figure out what to do next… get a job, work on my own business, do something. And I just couldn’t find my way, and even worse, I couldn’t find my motivation. I wasn’t even sure what the course was about, but the title spoke to me. Jenny, spoke to me. I just had to see what it was all about. And so, I became one of the very lucky people to be part of the inaugural Make Sh*t Happen class.

Without any expectations going in, I was a bit skeptical (as we all know I can be), but was ready to see what kind of guidance this course could provide. And I was hooked by the introduction. Jenny’s enthusiasm (and nerves) in her welcome video, connected me with her mission in a way I never expected. She was truly there to help guide ME in finding my way. She wanted me to succeed. And she kept saying things that I was certain, was the craziness in my head. And she then made me declare what my one, big, hairiest, scariest goal is – and I would make it happen by the end of the 10 weeks.  Wait… what? I had to share my inner most secret goal with people… online… who I didn’t know? Holy crapoly Batman!

It took me a few days to ponder, but when I did finally get around to posting my goal online, it was received with many cheers and support. And that support, to this day, has pushed me forward and was the biggest takeaway I received.

My big, scary, harry goal was… Write a book. I’m not sh*tting you. That was my innermost deepest desire at the time. Sitting here looking back, I am astounded. I didn’t think that I had made a lot of progress while I was going through the course. I did the work, I read the book, I hammered out the exercises, I participated in my accountability groups, but I didn’t think that I was actually “conquering” my goal day in and day out. But I learned HOW to.

And on Tuesday, my first book will be launched – Stop Hating Your Job: How to Be Happy at Work without Quitting.

Make Sh*t Happen (MSH) was truly life-changing. My biggest fans and supporters I have met through MSH – and together, we have continued to grow and conquer (our little part of) the world. I now have friends who are doing exactly what I am – even if their own goal is something different. We are still moving forward, together and supporting each other. They are the coolest and most inspirational group of people I have ever come across, and they are my support team! And guess what – you can be a part of it too!

Jenny has opened a new class beginning in August, but there are a limited number of people (and it’s already filling up). Below is a brief overview of the course, but here’s how I would sum it up. If you are thinking about doing anything, going after a dream – big or small, move past analysis paralysis, then you can’t afford to miss this amazing opportunity. It will open doors for you – both in your own mind of what’s possible and with the community around you. And if you are on the fence, or trying to decide if this is the right course for you, let me know – I’d be happy to chat with you about it.

And I believe it in so much, that here’s what I’d like to add on, in addition to the amazingness that Jenny is providing. If you sign-up for the course, you’ll get the following fun gifts from me, for free (you’ll need to email Jenny and me letting us know to be sure to collect your freebies):

My new book!
Resume critique
One 45 minute coaching session from me

More about MSH (from Jenny):

After running this course twice, I can undoubtedly say that it works if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. Our 60+ alumni have started businesses, built blogs, gotten knee-deep in writing books, quit their jobs, and one even lost 60 pounds! Beyond all the surface-level stats, we’ve created an incredible community that loves, supports and encourages each other at every step.

Enrollment basics:

There are only 50 spots open, available on a first-come first-serve basis.
You’ll receive 10 weeks of guided content: weekly videos, 5 live group Q&A calls with me, 100+ pages of reading material, reflection exercises, and group discussion prompts. You will also be assigned to a triad of three people to help you reflect on your progress and hold you accountable week-by-week.
The course starts the first week of August and will complete in September. Enrollment ends on Sunday, July 29 or once the 50 spots are taken (whichever comes first).
Each participant will receive a private 30-minute 1:1 coaching session with me (this alone would normally cost $250).

Want to learn more?

If you read no further: note that Jenny is hosting a free Make Sh*t Happen “Crash Course” webinar on Tuesday, July 17 at 3:30pm ET for those of you who would like the CliffsNotes version of the 8-steps to Making Sh*t Happen and creating a snowball of success for any big undertaking. At the very end she will answer any questions you might have about the program or my business — nothing is off limits! Register here.

Looking to loosen your white collar a bit? Email me to find out more about coaching or to sign-up for the monthly newsletter.