The Bagg Group Blog

Interruptions are a fact of everyday work life. Between incoming email, texts, phone calls and a colleague stopping by for an impromptu chat, interruptions take up 28% of a knowledge worker’s day.  That’s the finding of a study by the US research firm Basex which also reports that interruptions cost US companies $28 billion in lost hours per year. 

It’s a hefty price to pay for often unnecessary email or unsolicited reviews on last night’s episode of CSI.  But there are also times when an interruption is helpful and contributes to productivity.

A job interview is a case in point. When candidates lose focus and talk too much, the biggest favour you can do for them is to interrupt.  

Yet many hiring managers say they’re uncomfortable cutting off an interviewee in mid-stride. However, The Bagg Group recruiters encourage their clients across the GTA to do just that when necessary.

Sometimes as an interviewer, you need to be blunt to be kind.  We know this from interviewing hundreds of thousands of candidates to successfully fill more than 57,000 full-time positions, contract opportunities, and temporary placements over 40-plus years.  

We have seen time and time again how common it is for people to digress or give too much information when asked about themselves. That’s why we always coach our candidates to stay on point, and be succinct.

It’s not surprising that people get carried away, given that an interview can feel like an exam.  And how many of us have answered exam questions by telling everything we could recall on the subject, in hopes of winning extra points. 

So while talking too much in an interview is understandable, it almost always backfires.  A real chatterbox can prompt just about anyone to check out of the conversation. For that reason, the nicest thing you can do for an interviewee is to cut off rather than cut out. 

Here are some tips from the interview experts at The Bagg Group for how to turn an interruption into a positive interaction.  

1. Identify whether the information is pertinent to you.  As you listen, ask yourself, “Is this important for my decision-making?”  If it’s not, cut in.
2. It’s not advisable to waste your time and patience waiting for the interviewee to take a pause. Instead, jump in.  The candidate will not be thrown if you thank them for their answer but say you must stop them there because you’d like to ask other questions, and you need to be mindful of time.
3. It can be helpful to tell chatty interviewees to bottom line their answers. A useful technique is to include the word “briefly” in your question. This alerts interviewees that you don’t want a lot of background.  
4. If the interviewee veers off topic, it’s beneficial to interrupt by reminding them that due to time, you’d like to focus on how they can relate their experience specifically to your team’s needs.

On the bright side, more challenging than having to interrupt an interviewee is coming face-to-face with a person who hardly says a word.    

Barbara Walters, who has interviewed almost every world figure over the past 50 years, reported that one of her worst interviews was with Hollywood movie star and director Warren Beatty.  “I asked him, ‘how are you?’  There was an interminable dead silence.  Finally he said, ‘fine.’” 

Now that’s a real problem interview.

In late December, Geoff Bagg, CEO of The Bagg Group, appeared on Sun TV’s The Roundtable with Pat Bolland to alert viewers to workplace needs and hot jobs for 2012.

For more than 40 years, The Bagg Group has been monitoring and anticipating the staffing needs of companies across the GTA.  We have been taking the pulse of the market for so long that we can spot trends as they form. 

Here’s a brief round-up of Geoff Bagg’s predictions for in-demand jobs this year across the GTA.

IT: 

At The Bagg Group, we constantly interview talented software administrators, developers and programmers to meet a demand that will only continue to rise.  

• Notes to share at the watercooler:  Last July, Apple announced that over 15 billion apps had been downloaded from its apps store.  There is no turning the clock back.  This number is expected to skyrocket.
• US research firm IBIS World  ranked e-commerce, internet publishing, and voice over internet protocol providers in the top 10 fastest growing industries and highlighted that all these share a need for IT specialists. 
• Moreover, as Geoff Bagg told interviewer Pat Bolland, in Canada, as around the world, there’ll be significant growth in quality assurance, data security and protection needs, particularly in health care and banking.  The data security analyst, who can anticipate and pre-empt threats to an organization’s information system, is going to be especially sought after, given concerns of data breaches and online attacks affecting operations, coupled with rapid growth in mobile devices and apps
• The findings of a global survey of 10,500 IT professionals, by International Information Systems Security Certifications Consortium — suggest that demands for IT security specialists will double as early as 2015.  The respondents also predict a gap in supply versus demand for qualified experts.

Business and finance: 

Events that led to the economic meltdown in the US continue to increase insistence on transparency in business globally, including Canada.  As a result, we know companies across the GTA will continue to seek auditors, accountants, and contract financial analysts / consultants  who are experts in ensuring adherence to good governance. 

As for business in general, this fall The Bagg Group saw a 25% increase in manager and director searches over the same period last year. We anticipate such demand will continue, particularly in the wake of retiring baby boomers.

• The Bagg Group recruiters concur with reports in The Atlantic that rank financial examiners as one of the top fastest growing careers.  According to the magazine’s research, jobs in this field will grow by 41% over 10 years.
• As Geoff mentioned on Sun TV and as we reported in an earlier blog,  there will be positions vacated as the first wave of baby boomers hit retirement age this year.  However, there are indicators that at least one-quarter of Canadian boomers plan to delay retirement, in part because of financial reasons and also because people are staying younger, longer.  It seems 65 is the new 55.

Health Care: 

 As the population ages, the need for health care providers grows. 

• In his interview, Geoff Bagg noted that US stats show 13 out of 20 of the fastest growing occupations are related to health care, and the situation is similar in Canada.

Communications:

Many of The Bagg Group clients — companies of all sizes across all sectors — use social media to connect and engage their target market.  We have no doubt organizations will continue to seek social media marketing experts who have know-how in multi platforms.  

• It’s no surprise to us that according to the Huffington Post, the term “social media” ranked number 10 on the fastest growing keyword in job postings. 

Trades:

Even though manufacturing is down, there are fewer people than before with expertise in various areas of construction and manufacturing, and we anticipate that as the economy strengthens over the next years, there’ll be greater demand than supply.

• Canadian colleges are saying that in the next two decades, 40% of new jobs will be in skilled trades and technologies.  
• Indeed, despite the downswing in manufacturing, The Bagg Group which      recently acquired Turn Key Staffing, is seeing steady demand for workers in the light industrial sectors.

The great news for 2012 is that we have the talent to take on the future. The Bagg Group recruiters know first-hand that there are excellent candidates for full-time positions, contract work, and temporary placements who are able and eager to rise to the challenges of the day.

To see Geoff Bagg’s interview, click here. Geoff’s segment begins at the 1:35 mark.

‘Tis the season to shake up the workplace and have some fun.  And according to The Bagg Group’s more than 40 years of meeting with the best talent in GTA, the ROP (return on party) is well worth the effort.

Yet, this year’s survey by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) reveals nearly 39% of respondents will not be making merry.  At The Bagg Group, we believe that even in tough economies, the need to celebrate a seasonal event doesn’t change—although the way you do so might.

Having successfully placed more than 57,000 candidates in companies across the GTA over our history, we know that employees who play together are more inclined to stay together.

A party doesn’t have to cost much.  In fact, in the US, it has become trendy to have a bash on a shoestring.  According to a recent MNSBC network news report, this year’s fashionable corporate holiday parties are smaller, more casual, and with less alcohol than in the past.

It’s not the lavishness of the party that counts. It’s the thought. Holding a holiday party is a way to show appreciation for employees, and to encourage staff to meet each other as people, not job titles. A mixer between managers and all employees reinforces the fact that everyone at a company is pulling for the same team.  And the best way to get to know team-mates is to take some time-off to chat casually over eggnog about personal and family news, not just work-related tasks.

We practice what we preach. The Bagg Group is famous for its staff celebrations.  And HR professionals nation-wide agree that having fun at company get-togethers is time well spent. 

HR Voice reports that 81% of HR experts, polled by HRPA and the Canadian HR Reporter, believe a holiday celebration is important to the morale of an organization.

According to the MSNBC report, 68% of US companies polled this year say they’re holding a party for good cause. They made it through rough waters and now their focus is to motivate and retain the employees who survived with them.  

A holiday hoe-down, even if inexpensive and informal, is also a show of optimism.

While companies with recent layoffs want to show sensitivity, those which don’t even host frills-free gatherings must be careful that their decision doesn’t leave employees dispirited, and fretting about possibly darker times ahead.

Whether you’re planning a last-minute office party or wondering how to spice up your event when you don’t have a budget, here are three great tips:

If you can’t go company-wide, make it a departmental affair:  You don’t need an outside venue; many companies are now holding the holiday gathering on-site.

Santa is popular for a reason:  A Secret Santa gets people thinking about each other and is an automatic mood-lifter.  Some companies do theme-based Secret Santas, such as a “stress buster” or “home-made.”  It’s a good idea to set a $10 to $20 limit.

Our Team’s Got Talent:  Turn the party into a local talent show for a way for people to get to know and applaud each other. Your X Factor doesn’t have to intimidate, expand the ‘show-off’ categories to everything from singing to magic to baking to funny poems. 

There’s an energy that happens when people get together for no reason other than to have a nice time. That energy lasts even after the party’s over. 

Best wishes from all of us at The Bagg Group for a great celebration this holiday.

It’s no secret that finding a great job can be far from easy, but technology companies confirm that they continue to hire and are always on the lookout for qualified people to enhance their teams. Check out what the Globe and Mail has to say about these positive trends in IT hiring.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/business-technology/tech-firms-still-hiring-bright-spot-in-ugly-jobs-market/article2227898/

The Bagg Group held its Annual Breakfast Brief, Boomer Bust, with panelists Gary Burkett of Fedex,  Lynn Roger of BMO and Warren Bell of Omers.  The HR experts spoke about the implications of having an enormous percentage of workers approaching retirement age.

There are many myths about the older employee, and the panelists debunked all of them.  They said the notion that the older employee is less engaged and committed, and is working with one foot on the golf links, is simply not true. To the contrary, the boomer brings a strong work ethic and experience to the company.  

A 2009 Ipsos Reid poll showed that one-quarter of Canadian baby boomers plan to delay retirement in part because of financial reasons but also because people are staying younger, longer.  Those in their late 50s and  60s said they still feel energetic and interested in contributing to the workplace.

What’s more, forward-thinking companies are offering such flexible arrangements as reduced hours, special assignments, temporary work, job sharing, part-time work, consulting and telecommuting as an alternative to full retirement,.

The ultimate strategy for success, say the panelists, is to focus on employee engagement, across the board. Mentoring programs, leadership training, and multi-generational teams that allow people to learn from each other are powerful tactics to promote engagement.

In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has set up a website to dispel any concerns about hiring older workers.  The site uses facts and figures to make the case that mature workers are significantly less likely to resign, call in sick less often, and experience fewer work injuries.  

Australian studies show that mature workers deliver an average net benefit of $1,956 per year to their employer compared to the rest of the workforce – a result of increased retention, lower rates of absenteeism, decreased costs of recruitment and greater investment returns on training. 

 At The Bagg Group, recruiters focus on skills and attitude, not age, to match the right person to the right job.  The result has been more than 57,000 people placed successfully over 40 years.   The panelists urged the large audience to take the same approach.

The current economic climate means that a surprising number of managers “in the trenches” have been laid off. Has this affected you? TechRepublic offers excellent advice on getting your career back on track http://tiny.cc/pd4m4.

Onboarding new IT hires?

Trying to learn your environment can be overwhelming for them. Minimize that stress – and help bring your your new IT staff up to speed quickly – by following these 10 points from Tech Republic as part of your onboarding process:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-tips-for-breaking-in-a-new-it-staff-member/2807?tag=nl.e101

Increased hiring activity is showing up in all industries and across Canada, according to The Bagg Group staffing service, which has seen a 25-per-cent increase in manager and director searches this fall compared with last year.

TBG VPs Jackie Chua and Joanne Boucher are quoted in the Globe and Mail‘s review of management-level hiring trends, October 28, 2011.

Read the full article:  Executive Recruiting Picks Up as Confidence Returns 2011 October

When I was interviewed by Pat Bolland on Sun TV recently, I was asked two key questions:  How do people get a job and how do employers retain the best talent?

In answer to the first question, I talked about the importance of mindset. In response to the second question, I talked on the one thing that The Bagg Group knows employees care about – a workplace that respects their potential and allows open communication between management and staff.

Steve Jobs drove the point home. Yet interestingly, with his untimely passing, there has been a great deal of talk in the media worldwide about what a “difficult” boss he was.  The New York Times described his style as “cantankerous”.

The British Daily Mail reported that it was a mistake to think “working for Steve Jobs was a walk in the park.  The Apple founder managed at once to create an atmosphere of teamwork and togetherness, while also demanding nothing but the best.”

However, according to research by Wired magazine online, the large majority of Apple employees approved of Jobs.  Job satisfaction ratings, and retention, at Apple have been among the highest in the industry for years.

The reason is simple:  Steve Jobs clearly respected people’s potential to be creative visionaries, just as he was one.  No doubt he was difficult.  No doubt his department managers had to work hard to smooth ruffled feathers after Jobs came down hard at meetings when his standards weren’t met.  But his belief in limitless possibilities inspired people to believe in their own abilities to excel.

James Allworth, who studied Apple at Harvard Business School, is quoted in the Huffington Post as saying, “The way he (Jobs) thinks about problems, the perfectionism, the attention to detail – that trickles down.”

Steve Jobs walked the talk and made it obvious that he knew his employees could do the same. As a result, thousands of Apple staff devoted their talents to help change the world.

Speaking with CNN before he became ill, Jobs said, “My job is not to be easy on people.  My job is … to take these great people we have and push them and make them even better, coming up with more aggressive visions on how it could be.”

And as for open communications:  The Bagg Group, having successfully placed 57,000 people in full-time positions, contract work and part-time placements over four decades is not surprised that Apple employees were loyal.

After all, Jobs was an advocate of company-wide communications.  He told CNN:  “I want them  (employees) making as good or better decisions than I would.  So the way to do that is to have them know everything, not just in the part of the business, but in every part of the business.”

Every Monday, staff was privy to a whole business review– what was working and what were proving to be trouble areas.

Ultimately, Steve Jobs bottled what truly drives employees when he said,  “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one of them should be really excellent.  Because this is our life.”

From experience talking with thousands of highly talented candidates in the GTA, at The Bagg Group we know that any employer who lives Steve Jobs words will motivate their employees to live them as well.   And that’s a gift of a legacy we would all be proud of.

Geoff Bagg,
CEO and President.

To see Geoff’s interview on Roundtable, click here.

Employee recognition matters.  We all know this from our personal experiences. However, if there’s any doubt, volumes of  studies confirm it.  According to recent research from the US Department of Labour, the number one reason people quit their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated.

In the New York Times bestseller, 12:  The Elements of Great Managing, the co-authors who work for Gallup revisited millions of employee and manager responses to surveys in 114 countries.  Their conclusion: People who are recognized for their efforts are less likely to leave their jobs, and more likely to devote energy to it.

The studies reinforce the findings of influential American psychologist William James who inspired countless motivation books. He famously said, “The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated.” 

As a staffing agency that has successfully placed more than 57,000 people in the best companies in the GTA over 40 years, The Bagg Group knows that job-seekers need recognition too.  That’s why it’s standard practice for our recruiters to listen extensively to candidates, acknowledge their interests, recognize their strengths, and identify their challenges.

We don’t process people, we pay attention to them.  That’s how we consistently deliver candidates who are a terrific match for our clients, whether they’re looking for a full-time employee, a contract worker or temporary placement.  And it’s how we consistently win awards for best staffing agency.

For the second year in a row, The Bagg Group won research firm Inavero’s Best of Staffing award, presented in partnership with CareerBuilder. This is the nation’s only award that recognizes exceptional service to job candidates.

The Bagg Group went through a rigorous candidate survey to earn the award.  Candidates gave us a satisfaction score well above the national staffing industry’s benchmark with most respondents rating The Bagg Group recruiters a 9 or 10 out of 10.

Fewer than 1% of North American staffing have named to the 2011 Inavero Best of Staffing Talent List.   We made the list because candidates championed us for providing a positive experience that includes “ample” communications.

All of our staffing solution experts at The Bagg Group are honoured that our candidates recognized our work.  And we are delighted to once again have proof that when you give  someone their due, they’ll return the favour.