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.

Picture this: An IT manager and his boss are interviewing a promising candidate.  As the manager provides some background on the IT department, his boss rolls her eyes and says, “For heaven’s sake, get to the point, nobody has all day to listen to this.”   

And with just that one sentence, a good candidate may be ready to speed out the door.   

Some might grumble that the candidate is too easily scared away.  But not so.  According to studies, research on the effects of rudeness in the workplace shows that it negatively affects those who observe it as much as those who are a target of it.  

Second-hand rudeness is not unlike second-hand smoke, it can harm everyone in the room.  And candidates interviewing for full-time positions, contract work or even temporary placements seek out healthier environments.

A few years ago, management professors at University of Florida carried out an extensive study on rudeness.  They found when employees just observed a boss browbeating a subordinate, their level of performance decreased.  The study concluded: “Simply observing discourteous behavior can erode the ability of fellow employees to think creatively, solve problems and act as team players.” 

At The Bagg Group, we have 40 years of helping clients at the best companies across the GTA interview the top talent that we refer to them.   When our clients set up interview panels, we offer these suggestions. 

Have a game plan:  Before the interview, all those in the room should be clear about who will ask which questions, and who is tasked to give what information.  Everyone should be aware of the length of time allotted for the interview. 

The reality is you may be unable to quell the rudeness of an abrasive boss or colleague.  But with a game plan, they will know what to expect and can decide when to come and go during the interview if they are impatient to be doing other things.  

Give interviewees a heads up:  Candidates want to prepare for interviews.  It is helpful to alert them ahead of time if they’ll be meeting with a number of people, and to give them the names and roles of each person.  Like any business meeting, people want to know who will be at the table before they walk through the door.  

Role model:  At The Bagg Group, we hold a long track record for great placements.  That’s because we never forget that a good fit isn’t just about getting someone with the right skills.   

The person also needs the right disposition for the relationship to be successful.  The way the members of your panel interact gives the candidate a sense of how people work with each other at your organization, and whether your company’s inter-personal dynamics are right for them.

While the Donald Trump blunt style of leadership may result in good ratings for The Apprentice, it wouldn’t do much for attracting and retaining great talent in the GTA.  

Browbeating just doesn’t help with the bottom line.  As management professor Amir Erez who co-authored the study simply says, “ Being nice to people has a lot of advantages.”

 A recent Belgian survey of 1,200 employees says loud and clear what many just mumble about …working alongside people from other generations can be irritating.

The study conducted by a recruitment firm in Belgium found that 48% of employees are annoyed by colleagues of another generation.  People over 30-years-old showed a greater frequency of irritation than those under 30. 

In our latest Ask a Recruiter blog for candidates, we noted that today’s workplace is a mish-mash of four generations:  Traditionalists  (also known as Greatest Generation) born before 1945, babyboomers, born between 1954 and 1964, Gen X, born between 1960 and 1980, and Gen Y, born after 1980s, who are also known as millenials. 

Each generation has its particular values, aspirations and approaches to work.  For hiring authorities who aren’t part of Gen Y, interviewing these candidates can be a whole new ballgame.

The reputation of Gen Y, fair or not, precedes them.  In a US poll of hiring managers and human resource specialists, 85% reported they believe this generation has a greater sense of entitlement. 

The survey showed the great majority of respondents think the youngest employees expect more flexibility at work, more personal time, faster promotions and more money than older employees.

It’s true Gen Y may have attitude, but it’s not all bad, says Ron Alsop, in his book The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace. 

Alsop says a characteristic of Gen Y is that they are “bred for achievement.”  As well, this group understands the wired world better than most and they’re born multi-taskers. They have much to offer the workplace.

At The Bagg Group, we have successfully placed people, of all ages, in all types of positions with the best companies in the GTA for more than 40 years.  We know that regardless of their birth year, every individual ultimately wants the same thing – to take pride in what they do.

Still, when interviewing Gen Y candidates, for either full-time position, contract work, or a temporary placement, The Bagg Group recruiters suggest keeping these four tips top-of-mind:   

Talk purpose:  Be sure to tell the candidate, in detail, how they can make a difference, and why this job is important to the company.  A paycheck isn’t the key motivator for these young workers; they want to know their efforts mean something. 

Set out a game plan:  Gen Y expert RonAlsop notes that it’s opportunity that attracts and retains the millenials.  Let them know what they can strive for.

Spell it out:  Make no assumptions.  What older employees take for granted, studies show that Gen Y doesn’t. Discuss the expectations of the company.  For example, these multi-taskers, who easily text while working, don’t necessarily know to park their cellphones during meetings. Similarly, if there’s a corporate dress code, explain why it’s in place. Typically, this generation needs to understand the reason behind the rule before they’ll respect it.

Welcome ideas:  They want to be heard. Let the candidates know about forums for sharing their ideas.  The best managers of Gen Y staff listen to their younger employees’ opinions, and let them have some say in decisions. 

These strategies don’t just favour younger employees.  At The Bagg Group, we know they work for everyone.

In fact, Gen Y’s insistence of having a voice is doing everyone a favour.  They are prompting greater communication and openness in the workplace.   And that is what, in the end, will keep people of all ages working harmoniously together. Studies show the only way to keep irritation to a minimum in the multi-generational workplace is to make sure people communicate.

One-third of the workforce has been hit hard by spring fever this year. 

At the end of March, the insurance provider MetLife released its ninth annual Employee Benefits Trends Study.  While the survey polled US organizations, the findings highlight trends that are sweeping across all of North America. Restlessness is happening in Ontario as much as elsewhere. 

In the MetLife poll, no less than one in three employees reported that they want to work for another employer in the next 12 months.

Loyalty to employers has been ebbing over the last several years.  The survey showed that three years ago 59% of full-time employees said they felt attached to their employer. But in the last quarter of 2010, only 47% reported the same devotion.  

In reviewing the study, Anthony J. Nugent, executive VP at MetLife, attributed the loss of loyalty to the legacy of “do more with less” demands placed on downsized workforces of the past years.

 At The Bagg Group, we get many calls from employees seeking new opportunities because they are worn thin by having to shoulder the workloads of those who were let go as part of a restructuring. 

Interestingly, it’s the highest performers who are more likely to shop for new opportunities in the GTA.  The MetLife survey noted the same phenomenon in the US.

After speaking with hundreds of A-level talent, The Bagg Group recruiters confirm that it’s never hard work that defeats the best employees. Instead, top talent look elsewhere when they are forced to devote too much time and energy to tasks that don’t require their skill or expertise.  As a result, they’re frustrated because they’re unable to focus on work at which they can make the most difference, and which offers learning and growth potential.  

Yet many employers appear unaware of the downward trend in loyalty.  About half (51%) reported that their employees feel the same strong loyalty toward them today as they did several years ago.

The reality is nobody can afford to take anybody for granted nowadays.  Loyalty isn’t a given, it needs to be fostered.  And with four decades of experience in best workplace practices, we know that the way to nurture loyalty is to open the line of communications between employees and their direct reports. 

The most effective solution to workplace frustrations always start to take shape during candid conversations between employees and their employers.

In the case of work overload, there is always an answer. The Bagg Group staffing solution experts work with organizations of all sizes, across the GTA, to create and fill new positions, hire experts on contract to take over projects, or bring in temporary placements to handle tasks.  The result is higher employee retention and greater productivity.

But we can’t emphasize enough that an employee-employer relationship is just that – a relationship.  And we all know that when two people in any relationship don’t communicate honestly and openly, at least one will dream about leaving.  So in these times when high-performing employees say they are dreaming about jumping ship, start talking about how to make the relationship work.

Recently, The Bagg Group won research firm Inavero’s 2010 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.  The candidates gave us a satisfaction score that is double the national staffing industry’s benchmark.  More than 70 percent of survey respondents rated The Bagg Group recruiters a 9 or 10 out of 10.

What’s behind their rave review?  We believe it is the art of listening.  We listen when candidates talk about their goals, interests and values. And we respect what is important to them.  As a result, we are unparalleled in making the right fit between job-seekers and organizations. 

We are thrilled to get this vote of confidence from our candidates.  But we share the honour with our clients across the GTA. 

It is thanks to our clients that we serve our candidates well. Hiring authorities willingly engage with The Bagg Group recruiters in conversations about their organization’s challenges, needs, and culture.  And these exchanges are invaluable for giving us the insight we need to compile the best possible shortlist for our clients.

The Bagg Group recruiters are known in the industry for their approach as partners of hiring authorities, committed to finding the perfect staffing solution.  However, we couldn’t excel in our role if our clients weren’t willing to take the time to talk with us. 

Our clients give us much to listen to, and that makes all the difference. All recruiters at The Bagg Group take to heart the advice of one of the best all-time interviewers, Larry King, who said, “I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.”

New Ipsos Reid data that shows 27% of working Canadians plan to job-hunt mirrors The Bagg Group findings

A new study by Ipsos Reid confirms what we have long known at The Bagg Group—that employees who feel they are being stretched too thin on the job are eager to jump ship.

Ipsos Reid’s Build A Better Workplace poll, conducted last month, revealed the following:

More than a quarter of employees (27%) said they are likely to seek a new position in the next six months. Among employees who work for organizations where there has been a wage freeze, this figure jumped to 34%.

• At 31%, managers were even more likely than rank-and-file employees to indicate they plan to look elsewhere.
• Sales people and IT professionals also registered levels of discontent higher than the average.

An astounding 31% of managers reported their number one reason for wanting to leave their company was life/work balance. Among other respondents, 26% cited work /life balance as their leading cause of dissatisfaction, and 29% cited compensation.

Greg Leach, senior VP at Ipsos Reid and author of the study, echoes The Bagg Group’s observations that the economic crisis took its toll, not only on those who lost their jobs, but also on those who stayed.  In reviewing the data, Mr. Leach notes, “Amid cutbacks, layoffs and the search for greater efficiencies, employees are feeling that they are being asked to work far too hard for the compensation they are getting.”

Compensation isn’t only measured in dollars.  The poll also showed that 22 % of employees, or just over one in five, stated they are feeling less optimistic about their own future within their organization.  Only 7% stated their optimism is increasing.

From The Bagg Group’s hundreds of interviews over the years with managers and employees, we know there is a direct correlation between the way a company supports its employees, and employee commitment and productivity.

It’s not news that losing good talent costs a company in numerous ways.  It’s also documented that companies increase employee retention when they help people prioritize and make it possible for them to delegate projects and tasks.  That’s why the most competitive organizations in the GTA hire contract workers and temporary placements to lessen the load on those who have too much on their plate. 

These organizations know that overloading top performers with additional tasks that compromise their focus and don’t require their skill level is counter-productive.  It’s far more economical to hire additional support than it is to lose the people who are good for your business.

Every now and then, we hear stories of employees who have made dramatic exits from their job. Of course, none are in the league of the Steven Slater’s public departure from JetBlue this summer.  After being berated by a passenger while still on the tarmac in New York City, the long-time flight attendant quit, using choice words, over the plane’s PA system and slid out the emergency chute.  

Now the term “Slaterize” has made it into the urban dictionary, the web-based dictionary of popular slang words and phrases.  The definition: “When you are so fed up with your job, the people you work with, the people you work for that you instinctively and temporarily go bezerk and quit.”

There are those who secretly harbor fantasies, not of going bezerk, but of delivering their version of the famous rant, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”  (From the movie Network.)  That explains why a young broker became an internet sensation this summer for quitting her job by posting captioned pictures, many criticizing her boss.  It didn’t matter that it was later proven to be a hoax, thousands applauded her for doing what they dreamed of.

While any kind of dramatic departure may make for an interesting story at parties, it’s bad news for both employees and employers. Those who leave in this way burn their bridges on the way out.  Those who stay are distressed that the organization didn’t resolve a situation before it blew up.

There is only one way to deal with the aftershocks of a high-profile exit.  Talk about it.   

Join in the discussion with employees. Acknowledge that sometimes stresses at work can build up, and identify people in the organization to whom people can talk if they are feeling overwhelmed.

• Remind employees that there are alternatives to “slaterizing.” Those who are successful in their careers leave a job on good terms, even if that involves taking a few deep breaths before handing in a resignation. 
• Note that storming off decreases the chance for a good reference, and can damage reputation.  
• Avoid speaking ill of the person who left in a huff. Instead, show good will. Also, remind the team that it is much more effective, not to mention professional, to use the exit interview to officially inform the company of concerns. 

It doesn’t matter whether people are in permanent positions,  doing contract work, or in temporary placements, employees can get overwhelmed by demands and pressures at times.

After 40 years as staffing solution experts to companies of all sizes across the GTA, we’ve heard it all at The Bagg Group. And we know the most in-demand workplaces are those that champion employee well-being, and that includes encouraging employees to share their challenges and concerns, as well as their successes, in good times and in tough times.

Sometimes it’s not what you say, but the words you use to say it that can work for you or against you. 

When working with hiring authorities at companies across the GTA, our staffing solution experts at The Bagg Group often help our clients find the right words for everything from a job performance review to a job description. 

That is because we know from more three decades of interviewing candidates that words have the power to either inspire and motivate, or overwhelm and defeat.  

It’s often surprising to bosses, but not to us, how employees can remember word-for-word line that a boss said to them, even years after it was spoken.  Many top talent have picked up the phone to call The Bagg Group after a manager said something to them that left them feeling dispirited. Sometimes, when our expert recruiters probe further, we find that the manager simply used the wrong words to convey a message.

For example, telling employees they have a problem can trigger defensiveness and concern.  But if you use the word challenge instead, people are likely be intrigued and open to tackling the issue.

In the same vein, if you tell someone that they are working for you on a project, they may feel as if they are meant to just fulfill orders, and their initiative and ideas aren’t necessary.  But when you tell someone that they are working with you, they feel as if they are a contributing team member, whose input is valuable.

Richard Gallagher, author of How to Tell Anyone Anything: Breakthrough Techniques for Handling Difficult Conversations at Work, says the key to good communication in the workplace is to speak to your employees as if they are part of the solution, not the problem.  He mentions, as an example, the internal employee slogan at WestJet, “We succeed because I care.”  In other words, the employees view themselves, and are viewed, as key to the company’s success.

In his book, he cautions managers who want to seek improvement, or need to deliver bad news, from using standard workplace phrases that set a negative tone from the get-go.   Telling people, “I hate to tell you this,” prompts them to put up a mental shield to prepare for bad news.  But if you say, “There’s something you need to know,” the listeners will pay attention to discover the benefit to them in what is to follow. 

Likewise, “I have no idea” suggests the conversation isn’t worth time or effort.  Conversely, “I wish I knew”  makes the listener feel like the speaker would help, if they could.  

The simplest way to choose the best words is to put yourself in the place of the employee who will hear them.  Do the words suggest possibility or make you feel defensive?

Finally, just ask yourself the question that almost always opens the door to improved communication, “Is there a more positive way for me to say this?”  It’s amazing the difference a good word can make.

At The Bagg Group, we know that giving your employees a high-five can make all the difference

It’s been more than a month since the Vancouver Olympics, but the cheering that took place in offices during the Games doesn’t have to stop.

During the Winter Games, our clients across the GTA saw employees interact in new, more positive ways.  Staff from different departments who rarely exchanged two words found common ground.  Cheers rang out office-wide when Canadians won medals.  Team spirit was high, and so was morale. 

In fact, the Winter Games were terrific for team-building in the workplace.  But like all team-building activities, the real challenge is to ensure the bonding continues long after the exercise ends. 

At The Bagg Group, our staffing solution experts talk to candidates every day who say they want to feel connected to their workplace, to be part of a community.  That’s why when there’s not an outside event to bring people together, our recruiters suggest creating one.

Here are two tips that our clients have implemented with great success over the years.

Get a company team together to participate in a fun-run:  Spring heralds the beginning of fundraising marathons, and now is the time to get organized and to get staff in shape and training.  As the Olympics proved, nothing brings people closer together than a physical challenge.  

Launch a Spring into Shape challenge:  Volumes of study prove that physical fitness improves productivity and morale.  Keep Olympic medal fever alive by setting up awards for employees who meet measurable, attainable physical fitness goals — like getting to the gym regularly for one month — and who buddy up to help colleagues meet their goals. 

An article entitled Finding the Right Fit that appears on the Canadian Bar Association’s website examines how some law firms are rewarding employees for getting into shape.  At one firm, staff voluntarily record their runs, yoga classes, power-walks, etc. on a special card, in exchange for points that lead to prizes.  

The most important reward, however, is nothing more complicated than a high-five.  And that’s been confirmed by a recent University of California study that shows the best teams in the National Basketball Association — the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers — recorded the most high-fives and slaps-on-the-back among team-mates. 

The researchers conclude that acceptable physical contact, like a high-five, reduces stress and increases good feelings.   

It’s been great cheering on our country’s best athletes, and now it’s time to cheer on each other for any and every professional and personal accomplishment.

The art of writing a good resumé is taking on renewed importance as unemployment rates remain high and the number of candidates vying for the same job increase. Yet many job hunters are making mistakes that eliminate them from the short list, say recruiters.

“It is a very competitive landscape,” says Jackie Chua, general manager of the Full Time search arm with The Bagg Group in Toronto. “There are lots of resumés to be reviewed.” Spelling and grammar mistakes, fluffy or vague language and bad formatting are still prevalent when sifting through a stack of resumés, so many recruiters say there is a need to get back to the basics….

Many organizations use applicant tracking systems that will automatically search for certain keywords used in the job postings. If those words don’t appear in a job hunter’s resumé or cover letter, they could be weeded out, so make sure to read the posting carefully.

Tailor your resumé to each organization and align it and your cover letter with the needs of  the organization and the posting, demonstrating you have done your research. It all starts with the first document a recruiter will see.

Cover letters should be no longer than three concise, succinct paragraphs outlining your skills, education and experience in relation to the job posting. In the last paragraph, outline why you are interested in the job and the company by showing you have done your research on the firm.
Most recruiters advise against using a functional resumé that groups skills; instead, utilize a more effective chronological resumé that highlights jobs individually. Professional experience and education should be first and second on the resumé. Avoid using corporate job descriptions, since your job has likely evolved or expanded during the time you have worked there. Instead, use concise language to be as specific as possible about key roles and the achievements you have reached, such as milestones and performance targets.

In both cover letters and resumés, make use of white space to avoid clutter. Similarly, avoid long bullet lists and compress the points into smaller groups that are easier to read.

The standard format is Microsoft Word, but pay attention to the job posting. There has been a trend toward using Adobe Acrobat (.pdf ) documents, but Word is preferred unless an alternate format is requested in the posting.

Stick to the past 10 years, other than any very important previous experience, since you can elaborate on older experience if asked.

Use positive language and make sure all dates are accurate, since recruiters often verify this information. If you fudge a date, it could come back to haunt you if you get the job…. it’s more important than ever to keep in mind most resumés are not just submitted electronically, but also viewed in that format. Too many people leave the spelling, grammar and formatting functions turned on when submitting a document, only highlighting and magnifying mistakes and generally cluttering the document.

Job hunters can set themselves up for success long before they even start looking for a job if they keep their resumé current. It’s easy to forget key information as time passes, so keeping a document updated on a regular basis will help ensure it stands out and includes all relevant information.

Finally, check with references that they are OK with you using them, but don’t list their names and contact information on your resumé. Just note that references are available upon request, and tell your references what you are applying for so they can have some thoughts prepared if contacted.

Throughout the process, keep in mind the person reading the document. And remember the document’s purpose.”A resumé isn’t to get you a job, it’s to get you an interview,” Ms. Chua says.

excerpts from the National Post, FP Careers, Wednesday November 16, 2009