How to Beat the Stress of Hiring Remote Workers

How to Beat the Stress of Hiring Remote Workers The idea of hiring someone from the other side of the world to work for your company can be daunting. The thought of being unable to drop by their desk and see what they’re working on at any given moment can be enough to put someone off hiring virtual employees, period; but the benefits of hiring someone who isnt in your geographical vicinity far outweigh the potential downsides. Not being limited to just your town or city means that you can tap into the greatest hiring pool imaginable, the world. Being able to hire linux developers from London, customer service operators from Canada, and distribution managers from Delhi, means that you have the potential to hire the absolute best people for the job, rather than just the best people within a 20km radius of your office. What’s more, having employees spread out across the world means that your business can operate more cost efficiently. Remote workers can be managed as contractors, and require no 401ks, no employer contributed health insurance, and minimal overheads. But while you’re most likely aware of the benefits of hiring remote employees, there’s probably something holding you back from taking the leap and hiring your first one the thought, ‘are they really going to do the work?’. If that’s something that’s in the back of your mind, don’t worry, it’s a common thought. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to make sure that your first remote hire is a success. During the Hiring process: When you’re hiring employees who are hundreds, or thousands of miles away, it’s important to have a clear indication of exactly what skills and experience you’re looking for. Often, the times where remote work relationships don’t work out, the problem is that hiring managers or entrepreneurs are unclear of what they need from their employee. To avoid this, set clear guidelines for you to follow when you’re creating your job advert  and when you’re vetting applications. Make a list of the most important skills and qualifications that your employee needs to have, and use this list to shape your search and to separate out great candidates from the rest. 1) Research During the hiring process, look beyond a candidate’s resumé for indications that show that your potential employee actually matches your criteria look for blog posts or thought pieces about their area of expertise, look for memberships of industry groups, and evaluate their side projects to discover just how well they execute. Doing some extensive research into your potential candidates, beyond just reading their resumé and references, will help you to get a much better idea of what your potential remote employee is like as a worker. If you see that they consistently create small side projects that are well executed, then chances are, they will be able to work independently and execute well in your business. 2) Test Once you’ve highlighted which candidates most closely match your criteria, one way to be sure to remove any lingering anxiety, and ensure that your candidates are as good as you think they are, is to set them a short work-related test. Setting a test, whether it’s a live coding challenge, asking them to write a sample thought piece on a topic of your suggestion, or conducting a customer service role play, is a surefire way to let you know how your remote worker will perform if they are hired. Evidence suggests that almost 50% of job applicants embellish their qualifications in some way, so testing is a clear cut way of identifying which candidates are as great as they say they are. Not only that, but testing also helps to remove any lingering doubts from your mind about how, and whether, your remote employee will work. After the Hire: After youve made your assessments, analysed the test results, and made your offer to your top candidate, there are several things you can do to ensure that your remote employee works as well as you would like them to. We’ve spent the last 10 years managing teams of remote employees all over the world, and have found that there are several ways to ensure that you get the best results time after time; Clarity is key when setting projects, use the finest detail possible, and make sure to give your employee everything they need to complete the project successfully. Establish clear deadlines work with your employee to set clear, manageable, deadlines that offer enough time to complete the project. Always be available make it clear that you can be reached at any time to discuss the project. Being contactable will make it easier to avoid potential roadblocks or delays, and will make sure that the delivered project is exactly what you had in mind. Check in regularly keep up-to-date with your employee; this will help you to ensure that the project stays on course and within budget. Alongside this, using technology solutions like Basecamp, Asana, or Slack can help you to communicate with your remote worker as if they were at the other end of your office (rather than hundreds of miles away). Keeping clear channels of communication is crucial to ensuring that projects come off without a hitch. If you want the added peace of mind of being able to closely monitor what your remote employees are working on at any given moment, and to see the time they are spending on projects (and even on distracting apps like Spotify) consider investing in time tracking software like Hubstaff. These tools allow you to accurately view how much time is being spent working on a project, allow you to set time and budget limits (so that you can be sure that you don’t over spend), and make it possible for you to monitor your remote hire’s screen so that you can be sure that the hours they are billing you for are hours spent working productively. Feeling better? Fears about whether your new hire, who happens to be based on another continent, will actually work, are commonplace, and are probably similar to how you felt when you hired in-house employee #1; but rest assured that with a concerted effort to manage the hiring process carefully, and a commitment to being as clear and open as possible once you’ve hired, hiring remote employees becomes a painless process. Brief Intro Benefits of hiring remote workers the ultimate talent pool the World ?? reduced overheads (no need for office space etc.) ability to hire employees as contractors no need for employer contributions for health insurance, 401k etc. ability to hire in multiple timezones and have staff available at all times throughout the day Define Your Ideal Characteristics Clearly outline what you are looking for in your first remote worker this makes it easier, and less daunting, to find someone who is an ideal match for your company Sample characteristics Trustworthiness ability to keep sensitive information secret, be discreet etc. Highly Organized track record of meeting deadlines, working within tight schedules etc. Independence you want someone who can use their initiative and someone who won’t fill your inbox with hundreds of emails Use Your Network For your first hire, you’re probably looking for someone you can trust, and who is dependable. Reach out to members of your own professional network to ask for recommendations contact people who you believe have good judgement, and whose opinion you value… Sort Through Applicants Quickly Using your defined characteristics, sort through applicants quickly, and eliminate those who don’t meet the grade… Use grading criteria to rank candidates Invite high ranking candidates for Skype interviews Make judgements about culture fit etc. based on video interviews Conclusion Reinforce how if the process is managed properly, and expectations are clearly outlined, hiring a remote employee #1 doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. Stress the beneifts of reaching out to professional network for recommendations, and the merits of establishing clear criteria Author: Dave Nevogt is the co-founder of www.hubstaff.com, a time tracking  software  for remote teams. Dave has founded several multi-million dollar businesses and lives in Indianapolis. Hes built successful remote teams for 12+ years and writes a blog series that teaches everything he does to grow a 100% remote company. [Top Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Why you should think about making a will

Why you should think about making a will Why you should think about making a will â€" even if you’re only 30 When you think about your future, is making a will part of your plan? If not, you’re not alone. In the UK, research has shown that 59% of parents don’t have a will and 5.4 million adults wouldn’t know where to begin with writing one. Meanwhile, in the US, it’s been found that 78% of millennials and 64% of Gen Xers don’t have one. So why is it important to make a plan for your estate after you’re gone? Your kids will be taken care of One of the most important reasons to make a will is to ensure your kids are looked after if the worst were to happen and they were left without their parents. You can set out who you want to appoint as guardian to your underage children.   This ensures that they’ll be taken care of. It’s worth naming an alternate too.   In case something happens to your chosen guardian and they’re unable to take on the responsibility. What if you die without a will â€" known as dying intestate?   The courts will take on the responsibility of appointing a guardian for your children. When the situation revolves around something as important as your children’s lives, it’s essential you make the right choice â€" and that you make this known by leaving the information in a legally valid will. You can leave your assets to the right people You’ve worked hard for what you have. This is why you need to make sure it isn’t left to the wrong people. If you die without a will, it’s then left to the government to distribute your assets. And this may not be according to your wishes. Your immediate family members will likely receive the vast majority of your assets.   If you want to leave something to someone outside of this group, you’ll have to state this explicitly in a will. You may also need to think about making a will if your relationship comes to an end. If you don’t have one in place and the worst happens before the finalisation is legal, you run the risk of everything being passed to your spouse â€" even if that isn’t your wish. You’ll ease the stress for your family Your family is going to have to deal with a huge amount of stress when the time eventually comes. You don’t want to add to this by leaving them to work out what you may have wanted to do with your estate. Even the closest families can be torn apart by the disagreements that come from uncertainty and grief. By making a will and making your wishes known to everyone, you can help your loved ones start to heal sooner. You can set out a social media policy In today’s world, we all have digital accounts and social media profiles. Although they may not be a physical asset, you own yours all the same. This is why it’s important to establish what you want to happen to your accounts after your death. You can name someone you want to leave responsible for your accounts and state what you’d like to happen with them. You may want them closed and removed or you may want them to remain as a memorial page, for example. All you have to do is leave instructions on how to access your accounts and what to do with them in your will. Ensure your will is legally valid When you do decide to go ahead with making a will, it’s vital to ensure it’s legally valid. Going through the process of setting one up only for your family to find it won’t be legally upheld will only lead to more stress at what’s already a taxing time. This is where specialist wills, estate and probate lawyers can prove an invaluable help. They’ll make sure you’ve included everything you need to in your will.   They will ensure that it’s witnessed by the right people and that it’s legally valid. Once you’ve made your will â€" and made sure it follows the letter of the law â€" you should update it regularly. This will ensure everything is up to date and you can still rely on the people you’ve named in it. So although you may not see making a will as a priority right now, it should be. You already have so many aspects to your life that not having one in place will just lead to confusion and anxiety for your family. If you can make things easier for them, why wouldn’t you?

What the Olympics can teach us about Career Development - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

What the Olympics can teach us about Career Development - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The Sochi Olympics are starting today. In fact, the opening ceremonies are tonight. The Sochi Olympics are  a chance for  Russia as a country to show off their skills  in organizing and executing on  such a monumental undertaking. With an  expected cost running at over $50 billion dollars. Russia is putting everything on the line to show they are a modern country and ready to lead as a super power. But I want to focus on the athletes and the parallels to Career Development. Every athlete that is representing their country has spent many years perfecting  the skills for their chosen sport. A career takes a similar effort and requires a similar commitment. If we are to believe Malcolm Gladwell, it takes  10,000 hours to master a new skill. While this may seem like an odd connection I think there are a lot of parallels. Specifically related to three key points:  Passion, Commitment and Excellence. Before covering these three in detail I think Career Development has a lot of similarities to the commitment Olympic athletes make: Career Development is a skill and an art. Career Development takes time, effort and longevity is rewarded. Developing a successful career over the long term requires adaptation. Passion: Passion often starts early… we hear stories of these young athletes that have committed their whole lives to their chosen sport. When the times were tough… they often doubled down. Passion pulled them through. Commitment (which implies Sacrifice): Years of Practice. Often behind closed doors where the real blood, sweat and tears were shed Being  willing to suffer for your commitment  your sport / your career No one could tell them they were wrong. Excellence: They have a focus on being the best Even when they weren’t always sure how they would get there… they had a vision. They never settle. Because, in the case of an Olympian, they know their country won’t settle for 2nd best.  In our careers we also should never settle for 2nd best. One thing the Olympics may not teach us Adaptation. In the Olympics there is usually a commitment to ONE sport (unless you are a tri-athlete or dec-athlete). In the commercial world this does not always match up with reality. In order to succeed in our careers we need to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Adaptation is a skill that needs to be developed in our career development efforts. I would argue that adaptation is a skill athletes need too. Especially as they train and reach plateaus and also as they advance through the ranks as a first time athlete and then, if they are exceedingly good, at future Olympics. Change happens! The people that can adapt and adjust to changing conditions… whether they are changes in the rules for the way a sport is governed or changes in the way a technology or industry operates will be rewarded in the long run. Newness Breeds Opportunities In some cases they are brand new and may be at the early phases of creating a new market. Adaptation The Sochi Olympics will showcase 12 new sports that are  entering the Olympics for the first time at  Sochi.  I see these new events as mini-startups where everything will be up for grabs… including Olympic Medals. Putting it all together Thinking like an Olympian can fuel you to do your best. While the passion may not be understood by others you KNOW! You are committed. You’ll spend the time to learn a new skill, to understand a new market, to earn the right to compete. It doesn’t happen without a lot of work. This old saying is apropos: Overnight success often takes many years of practice. Like an Olympian Your level of commitment and your years of work may be overlooked. However, that effort, that passion, that commitment to excellence defines you. When done right your reputation precedes you. When done right people ask for you. People seek you out. People want what they know you can deliver. Career Development has a lot of parallels to preparing to compete in the Olympics. When done right… all that hard work pays off with Gold. Herbert Kratky / Shutterstock.com

How To Turn That Drab Office Into A Calm Workspace - Classy Career Girl

How To Turn That Drab Office Into A Calm Workspace Is your office uninspiring or, even worse, stressing you out? Especially in the early stages of our careers, it is unlikely that we will have total control over our workspace. We might get stuck in the middle gray cubicle, a cramped work station, or in a tiny office without windows. Even if you have a decent space, you may still feel that it is drab and not enjoyable to be in. Luckily, there are several tweaks that will work in any workspace to help you feel calm, focused, and more productive than ever. Let’s take a look. How To Turn That Drab Office Into A Calm Workspace 1. Keep a Clear Desk, but Personalize It In order to feel calm and focused at your desk, you dont want too many distractions pulling your attention away from your work. Your best bet is to keep only whatever it is you are working on in front of you, with ample space to spread out reference materials as needed. At the same time, dont make your desk space too impersonal! (We imagine that an office space that is occupied yet completely devoid of personal items would belong to that of a sociopath.) Add a few knick-knacks that make you feel good, such as a framed picture or decorative containers that can hold pens and paperclips. If you have a larger desk, you can go for more items, but be sure to blend pretty and motivational items with functional choices. 2. You Can Never Have Too Much Storage Space The key to creating a calm environment is to reduce clutter. Storage is critical to maintaining a clean desktop. If you have a larger workspace or office, opt for some open shelving. Make sure to keep the shelves well-organized and mix in decorative items for optimal effect. If you are working in a cubicle or smaller workstation, its time to get creative. Choose file trays and desktop storage that is both functional and beautiful. There are plenty of stunning file boxes that can be kept on the floor and pulled onto your desk as needed. 3. Organize! Organization may not be your thing, but its crucial to creating a functional and beautiful space. For those of you that love to organize, setting up a great system to begin with will also keep you from using tidying tasks as a means to procrastinate with work. Use drawer inserts to keep office supplies and files in a tidy order. Take the time to label files in neat handwriting and make a habit of returning items to their respective places. Periodically go through your documents to transfer older items that are not as important to an archive area, keeping current documents on hand and easier to find. One last thing, though: dont go TOO crazy with organizing. This can be 1) a good way to procrastinate and 2) a fantastic way to forget where you put what. Keep a list of what goes where so you know where you actually stored your stuff, and opt for a special time to reorganize and declutter. An hour every Thursday is probably a good choice. [RELATED: 4 Ways to Create a Habitat for Happiness at Work] 4. Add Some Green Adding some plants to your office space can go a long way toward creating a calm environment. Adding greenery to office spaces has been proven to reduce employee stress and to improve air quality, so go ahead and get a plant for your desk. Opt for an easy-on-the-eyes terrarium. Minimal care options great for office spaces include aloe, spider plants, and succulents. If you have a larger office, consider adding a larger plant such as a ficus tree. Working in a basement? Or maybe an office with one tiny, dingy window behind your desk? Try a pothos plant they thrive in low lighting and grow beautiful vines, making them a great option for shelving. If you need to put it on your desk, try using a pedestal to elevate it. 5. Splurge on a Chair Considering that you spend a lot of your time sitting, you want to make sure you have a comfortable chair. Being uncomfortable can contribute to feelings of stress. If you work for a larger company, you may be able to request a chair swap if the one you currently use does not suit you. If your company will not go for it, it may be an investment worth making to improve your personal work environment. Many office chairs are bland in appearance, but there are affordable ones on the market that also add style to your space. 6. Bring Your Personality In Be intentional. With every change you make to your space, ask yourself if it is reflective of your own style and who you are. The goal is to create a space that you feel comfortable in so pick items and storage solutions that you love. By using this filter, even changing a few items will go a long way to changing your drab office into a space that you enjoy.

Amazing Successful Careers Really Depend On Magic CareerMetis.com

Amazing Successful Careers Really Depend On Magic â€" CareerMetis.com Source â€" DepositPhotos.comEveryone looks for a silver bullet to have a successful career; the one piece of advice that if practiced consistently and correctly will predict a rewarding future.I’m not a believer in singularity; that there is one factor that explains the essence of anything in life. Ceteris Paribus â€" all other things being equal â€" is not an assumption that’s particularly helpful since all other things are NOT and never will be equal.Attempts at formularizing “messy” real-world outcomes have never been particularly effective since they rely on a degree of predictive precision â€" y = fThat said, I did develop a simple but very effective qualitative tool that was amazing in terms of helping me in my career; I called it “the magic question”.It was probably the one thing I did to navigate my way successfully through several positions in the organization and eventually reach the president of our data and internet organization. Of course, there were other fa ctors at play in my journey â€" right place right time, personal relationships, mentoring â€" but I am absolutely convinced that the magic question had the most influence.Are you ready for the question?“Now that I find myself in a new position in the organization, what do I have to do differently?”The need to ask the question is triggered by change. Whenever you find yourself in any of these common circumstances, pose the question and spend serious time answering it.There has been a major organizational change and you have been appointed to a new position;You are being moved laterally to another job in the existing organization structure;You are promoted to a higher level role;Your existing job role has been changed; you have either been given added responsibilities or the scope of your current role has been reduced;You, unfortunately, you have been demoted to a lower-level position in the organization. You need to include this possibility in your thinking even though it is unpl easant.There are 3 possible outcomes in terms of how you approach the magic question.1) You Don’t Ask the Magic QuestionevalYou continue in your new role acting the same way that you have in the pastirrespective of the new challenges that you face.You assume that the things that got you here will get you where you need to get to in the future. After all, you have attained success so far by practicing certain skills and competencies; why shouldn’t this work on a going-forward basis?Momentum continues as you practice what you are used to. There is no change in your behavior and you eventually fail.New challenges require new thinking and new ways of doing things; repeating “what got you here” in an entirely new set of circumstances will simply not work.2) You ask the magic question but answer it incorrectly the first timeevalIn this case, you are at least on the right track having asked yourself the question, and you enter the trial and error process of discovering the essentia l things you need to do differently to succeed in your “new” position.The result of your efforts might be an eventual success, but it takes a while as you iterate among several possible answers to find the right blueprint.You need to get on with finding the answers FAST if you are to survive long enough to see the final result.3) You ask the magic question and you nail the right answer the first timeYou discover and successfully execute the essential thing you needed to do differently to be effective in your changed position.Your bosses and others in the organization are amazed at how quickly you adapt and learn in the face of a new challenge.The results of your efforts produce success not only in terms of your productivity in the new position but also in the growth of your personal currency for future advancement in the organization.The magic question process is not an easy one. It requires honest self-analysis, development of options and selecting a path that you believe will yield the success you expect. And be prepared to modify it on the run as you experience results.Use the results of your 360-degree feedback programto decide what you have to differently. Be prepared to make agonizing decisions that place yourself at personal risk, but have faith that it will work out for you.The magic question requires dedication and discipline. You can’t casually approach it; you must be all in otherwise don’t waste your time.evalIn every leadership position I held, I coached my team to employ this process; the ones who chose to do the work were rewarded.

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone A few weeks ago I signed up for a networking cruise along the East River in Manhattan aboard the New York Health Racquet Club yacht. The event was produced by HRNY, the New York chapter of SHRM, and I was really excited about networking with HR professionals. But I wasnt excited about going on a boatIve never fared well on the high seas and I wasnt expecting this experience to be any differentI was definitely outside my comfort zone.But I decided that the value of the event was greater than my fear and I made the decision (sans Dramamine) to attend. And Im so glad I did because I was privy to some amazing conversations and industry debates including the pros and cons of being an HR specialist versus an HR generalist, the future of the video resume, new benefits programs that target boomers, and strategies for creating more meaningful candidate interviews.The point is this. Each time we prepare for a networking event, there is always some little voice inside of us that says Is it wo rth it to go to this event, Id rather stay home and watch TV, Im only going to stay for an hour, etc. etc. Theres always a feeling that you may be stepping outside your comfort zone. Thats ok. Push past the discomfort and attend. You will meet people who can help you in your search or general career development and you will capture some golden nuggets of information that will help you either personally or professionally. Just get on the boat, relax, and enjoy the ride.As for me, not only did I walk away from the cruise with some great new contacts and information, but I really did overcome my previous fear of boats. And while Im not booking a cruise to Bermuda anytime soon, I certainly feel that I have grown personally as well as professionally from the event.How do you overcome your fears around attending networking events?

Writing Career Objectives For Resume Sales Representatives

Writing Career Objectives For Resume Sales RepresentativesWhen you're taking part in a writing career development workshop, a career objective is one of the main things you'll be asked to write. It will act as a guide for your CV and help you get the job interview that you've always wanted. But how exactly do you go about developing a successful writing career objective?Writing career objectives for resume sale representatives is similar to any other sort of writing. You need to know what it is you want to achieve, and then give your CV a personal touch by talking about your past experiences. This will make it easier for your potential employer to form an opinion about your skills and qualifications.The first step is to set a goal. A goal will help you organise your CV and ensure that you focus on the strengths and achievements that are most relevant to the position that you're applying for. You should also keep your CV focused on these same abilities, as this will give you a strong argument when it comes to your application.Another thing to consider when writing career objectives for resume sale representatives is the important of clear, concise language. You don't want to be too long or too wordy. Instead, you should try to add as much detail as possible. By making your career objective simple, concise and to the point, you'll be able to convey your personality and demonstrate why you're the right person for the job.There are many different ways to develop your career objectives for resume sale representatives. Some people like to take dictation or use a program to help them brainstorm. Others find that they need to write down their goals every day in order to achieve them.Most successful career objectives can be written on a single sheet of paper. They may be presented as a presentation or as a slideshow, and the format should depend on the nature of the position that you're applying for. In some cases, the objectives may be presented in a document format. H owever, this should only be used when you're aware of the restrictions of the format.It's very important that you remain upbeat throughout the writing process, and that you use happy and positive terms when writing career objectives for resume sale representatives. You don't want to sound too negative, as this can put off a potential employer. Instead, write about achievements and encouraging aspects of your life, and make sure that you don't sound desperate.Using your CV is a good idea to create your objectives, but make sure that you provide as much information as possible. Your career objective should include a strong promise of the skills and achievements that you have already achieved. Once you've completed the writing, it's up to you to make sure that the CV has the best look possible.