Greater Fort Worth Area Chapter 260

 Employment Corner

Updated 7/22/2009

 The Employment Corner is an ongoing collection of questions and answers focused on employment and career issues.  If you have a question that you would like to submit, please send it to Steve Francisco at: sfrancisco@marshallcareerservice.com

   Steve Francisco, CPC is a Senior Consultant and Group Leader with Marshall Career Service.  He specializes in  manufacturing management and executive placement for clients in the North Texas area.

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       Question: I have been tasked with writing a job description for a key role in our company.  What do I need to know about how to write one and what are the key factors I need to make sure I include?   J. L.  Fort Worth, Texas

       Answer:. Well it’s pretty standard to include an overview of the duties and responsibilities this person has, as well as key requirements. One aspect of ALL job descriptions that is lacking...there's never a separation of the general overview of the skills needed just to be functional in the role and the two or three responsibilities that are ultimately the significant ones that will determine the long term success of the employee.  It is important for the job holder to understand what the top priorities are for the position by which they will be measured.  Other things it would make sense to include:  Reporting structure (who they report to and where they fall, you indicated this was a key role).  Additionally:

• Supervisory responsibility if any and titles of roles reporting to them.
• Special projects if any or as needs occur
• Travel if appropriate
• Need for flexibility in hours worked (i.e. critical projects or periods requiring (more hours).

 A website with some interesting example job descriptions is: http://humanresources.about.com/od/samplejobdescriptions/Sample_Job_Descriptions.htm

Hopefully, this will help you.

 Steve

   Question:  Many companies are planning layoffs or have already laid off people in this difficult economy.  What can a person do to make themselves indispensable?

   Answer:.   Great question!  This was my topic for a technical session presented at the joint meetings of the Greater Fort Worth and North Texas chapters of APICS in March, 2009.  Following is an overview of the key points in that presentation--"How to Make Yourself Indispensable in any Economy:" 

   We are in a competitive market.  It always has been.  It becomes profoundly so in tough economic times.  With layoffs in vogue, it is wise to consider your role in the company, the importance it has to the company's ability to be profitable, and the likelihood of being retained when your company determines who they must keep, and who may be done without more profitably. The real indispensable people are those who consistently deliver win/win solutions for their customers and profits for their businesses. So how do we make ourselves indispensable?

   First of all, it would make sense to be the one making the decision about who stays and who goes wouldn't it?  Rarely does the person responsible for that decision choose to part with themselves.    Naturally we all answer to someone, whether boss, customer or shareholder, and must perform to be rewarded and retained.  Positioning oneself where your personal contribution to the company's financial health is overwhelming is essential to indispensability. 

   The definition of indispensable is "not to be dispensed with; essential, necessary."  Just as there are foods indispensable to good nutrition; funds essential to completing a project; necessary tools and materials; there are people that a company cannot do without.  This implies that they are counted and relied upon.  Relied on for what?  Results that produce profits.

   The Pareto principle applies here.  Known as the 80/20 rule, in this instance, we find that 80% of the work is actually done by 20% of the people-often closer to 10%.  Now, all of the people are "busy" and working on the duties and responsibilities assigned to them, but in terms of the results that truly matter for the company, a minority of employees in the firm will create those results which produce profits through their own accomplishment.  We want to make sure we are in this minority.

   To do so, it is important to have a relationship in place with your boss where you know what she expects of you and what you are doing to meet these expectations and you are  meeting with your boss frequently enough to insure neither of you have surprises down the line.  The importance of this cannot be overlooked; you initiate. 

   It is also important to be able to outline your accomplishments, to know what you have done that impacts profits in a measurable and positive way.

   It's an interesting thing, after seeing many thousands of resumes, that most staff level people, up to the lower side of mid-management have resumes that focus on their duties.   While people from the higher side of mid-management up to executive level have resumes that focus almost exclusively on accomplishments.  Adding value in specific measurable accomplishments and being able to communicate these effectively, will do more to make you indispensable than simply getting done the list of duties you have been asked to do.

   By the way, it is your responsibility to make yourself indispensable.  This cannot be done by others.  Indispensable people will always spend their time working from cause where those "struggling" spend their life in  effect. True indispensability transcends employment with one company.   You should position yourself within your industry as a "go to" specialist, with earned credibility and respect.  You make yourself known through your accomplishments.  You get yourself involved.

   Finally, an attitude of continuous personal and professional development is vital to becoming indispensable.  Those who do the most at work are often those who are doing the most away from work to improve their performance at work.  Top Producers in business and any endeavor are constantly working to improve their knowledge and skills and thus their performance.    

   So how do I make myself indispensable in this market?

   Position yourself where your personal contribution to the company's financial health is overwhelming. Communicate with your boss; outline your objectives clearly. Know what it is that you do that produces profits and then produce. Be able to outline and communicate your accomplishments. Take personal responsibility for your career success-cause vs. effect.

Attitude of a lifelong learner-commitment to continuous personal and professional development. 

   "Keep interested in your own career, however humble, for it is a real

possession in the changing fortunes of time."   --Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

   Question: Our company has had a tremendously difficult time filling a key position. Seems we're able to interview and "hire"  great people, but our hearts have been broken now  multiple times by candidates we think we've hired who back out at the last minute, choosing to stay with their current employers.  Why is this happening to us, and what can we do about it?      DM, Fort Worth, Texas

  This is certainly a problem that many employers have faced, and having to scramble to cover for a position that was thought to be resolved, can be enormously costly.  What is obviously happening is that the individuals you have hired, upon resigning, are being presented with counter offers by their current employers that are motivating enough for them to choose to pass on their new opportunity and stay.

   Why is this happening?   Simple.  This is a highly competitive market, and there is a war for talent occurring.  Employers are painfully aware of the expense and the challenge involved with identifying and hiring great employees, and it is much easier to sweeten the pot to keep the one you have than to start over and hire on the open market.

   So the first thing you can do to create a different result, is to be aware that counter offers are occurring and assume that a counter is likely when your new hire resigns.  So, what to do?

   Start by understanding the candidate's motivation for leaving their current job.  In order for this to be a logical move for them, they will need evidence that this opportunity will improve their  lives in three critical areas-personal, professional, and financial.  When you can verify that what they are looking to accomplish in each of these areas will be fulfilled by accepting your company's position, only then can you operate with some confidence that the employee is going to show.   Beware of the candidates whose primary motivation to leave is money.  These are your most counter-prone people, and in fact, will rarely show.  The position must be an improvement personally and professionally as well.

   That being said, the one thing all successful counter offers include is a pay raise.  You should recognize that every employee has two values.  There is the value they are being paid today, and there is the value they SUDDENLY have when they walk in and resign.  So, when making an offer, consider that the typical counter offer is a raise of between 5 and 10% from the candidates current salary.  Thus, it makes sense that you would offer no less than a 10% raise to a candidate you are recruiting and hiring away, and it is smart to offer 12-15% of a raise.  What does it communicate to the candidate, if his current employer's counter is less than the offer they received from you.  If they were susceptible to a counter, they will be much less so under these circumstances.

    Many employers are finding that they are unprepared to pay what the market demands for key positions.  Salaries have gone up.  Supply and demand is on the candidate's side especially on professional positions), and some employers are still working with salary levels that could be several years behind market.  If that's the case, you could experience this problem for a long time to come.  In attracting good people, very little works like paying the best money you can to get the best person you can.

   Question:  I have heard that nothing much happens on the hiring front during the holidays?  Is this true, and if so, does it make sense for me to put my job search on hold during the holidays and  get started again after the first of the year when the market opens up?  S.B. Fort Worth, Texas.

   Thanks!  It's a great question, and one that comes up every year about this time. 

   First of all, is it true that nothing much happens on the hiring front during the holidays?  Well, yes and no.  It makes sense to acknowledge that there is  a collective tendency on the part of both candidates and employers to procrastinate whenever possible, and the holidays gives us an excellent excuse to do just that, and many do.

   Some legitimate excuses to wait till the first of the year can be found, for example,  many companies are passing out bonuses around  year-end, and if you must be there to win, then there is reason to stick it out till year-end before looking(although a company hiring an individual in that position may well be willing to postpone the start date to allow their new hire  to collect their bonus from the company they're leaving prior to giving notice.)

   Executive travel schedules, vacations, and holiday  time off provide plenty of  things to navigate around for hiring companies , and the challenge involved can motivate some companies to go ahead and wait till after the first of the year, when traveling execs are more likely to be available and the full contingent of the company's work force is in place.

   So yes, there are challenges on both sides of the hiring equation that can make procrastination attractive.

   On the other hand, quite a bit of hiring does actually take place during December.  Many managers face losing a position from their budget next year if not filled in December.  Many managers get replaced and upgraded at the end of the year if performance hasn't been up to snuff.  You may have heard the saying, "if you can make it through December, you've got a good chance of being with the company for another year."  And, if a position is critical to a company's business and it is imperative that an outstanding talent be hired, then waiting really isn't an option. 

   It is also worth mentioning, that while  many people/companies are "waiting" till the first of the year,  only those that are serious are looking now. Thus, the market is devoid of  "tire-kickers" and passive job seekers, and both the companies and candidates actively involved in the employment market in December benefit from less competition.  In fact, the better employers have figured out that hiring can become prohibitively difficult in the first quarter of the year, for no other reason than  the fierce competition that exists when everyone and their brother gets new budget money and gets into the hiring game.  Thus, hiring in December becomes a valid strategy in the war for talent, getting a jump on competitors by hiring first.  The better companies have actually become quite aggressive about end of year hiring.

   So, as a job seeker, it pays to remain active in December, as you are more visible to employers and stand out more readily than in a competition packed field.  As an employer, when at all possible, actively working to hire in December may allow you a competitive advantage as well.

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   Question:  I am 38 years old, do not possess a degree, and have been unable to compete for several great opportunities because of it.  At this stage of life, is it worth it for me to pursue getting a degree?

    Answer:  Naturally, it depends.  What you are committed  to?  From your question, it sounds like you have ambitions to accomplish something that at least so far in your experience has required a degree for consideration.  If that is the case, you may  well owe it to yourself  to commit and get after it.   Either that, or  pick a different ambition.

    Let's face it.  The degree is a "ticket" that allows a person to get into the pool of candidates considered.  Many careers are completely unavailable without the requisite credentials (i.e. accounting, most engineering positions, architects, etc.).  Additionally, the culture at many companies, is biased towards degreed people, thus rendering those without the four-year degree handicapped in their pursuit of advancement.  While we are all aware of non-degreed people who outperformed their peers to the level that they were promoted in spite of their lack of formal credentials, more often we see that the degree is a stumbling block to advancement.

    You are never too young to begin.  My grandmother went back to school as an adult, and graduated with her teaching degree at 55, then taught school for ten years before she retired.  It was what she wanted to do. 

    If you're starting from scratch, and you are employed full time, then you need to recognize that getting your degree requires  a ten year plan, going to school at night, 3 to 6 hours a semester at best.  It takes a certain amount of intestinal fortitude and iron clad will power to take on any more than that educationally for a working person.  So you just have to settle in.

    May I suggest, if you're going to go for it, choose a geographically fixed, name brand university to go to, and not one of these adult education, or online type universities.  While these institutions may offer a quicker, more convenient road to a degree,  you will find that a degree from a well known traditional university carries more real credibility, and will open those doors you're wanting to go through better.  Take the extra time to do this right.   Sorry if it is less convenient.  It will pay off.

    Here's the good news.  Once you establish that you are serious about this and begin to amass some credit hours, and put on your resume the University you are attending, the number of credit hours you have completed, and the fact that you are CURRENTLY enrolled, there are employers that will see that as strong evidence that you WILL get it, and will agree to see you on that basis, even though their job description requires the degree.  So you needn't wait a full 10 years to start getting the career benefit.  Just don't believe that telling an employer you plan to get it, or that you're willing to go get it is the same as saying that you're committed to getting it and you're working your way towards it RIGHT NOW. 

    So, if competing for the opportunities you mentioned is important, than yes, go get the degree.  If the time and commitment required are more than you're willing to commit to than of course, no.  But no fair complaining about not being considered because you don't have a degree.  The choice of course is up to you.

    Now, since we're on the APICS website here, let me add something specific to the APICS community.  That is, that on occasion, for Materials Management and Supply Chain positions, I have seen employers be willing to consider APICS certification, specifically the CPIM certification in lieu of a degree for otherwise qualified candidates.  So while a certification isn't truly going to replace having a four year degree, it may well open up some of the doors you'd like to walk through if you are on that particular career path.

  Whatever you decide, I wish you well in your endeavors, and will be supportive of your goals.

Steve Francisco, CPC
Senior Consultant
Marshall Career Service, Inc.
6500 West Freeway, Suite 200
Fort Worth, Texas  76116
PH:  817-737-2645
FX:   817-654-0067
sfrancisco@marshallcareerservice.com
www.marshallcareerservice.com