Making friends in the office

I've heard lots of debate from both friends and clients on the topic of making friends at the office. What are the benefits or detractors of keeping your work and professional lives separate? It is true there are a lot of things to consider. Think about the following:

• How much do you have in common with your co-worker outside of work?
• What do you really like about that co-worker that would make you want to become their friend?
• How confidential are your responsibilities in the office?
• How often do you drink with your friends?
• Where do you draw the line between sharing with a friend and sharing with a co-worker?
• What are the pluses and minuses of venting about work to a co-worker over drinks?
• What are your short and long term career goals?
• How do you want to be perceived by others in the office?
• How do you want to be perceived by your friends?
• What do you like to do with your friends? Colleagues? 
• How important is a separation between your work and downtime?
• If you were to quit tomorrow, would the co-worker you consider as a friend continue to be your friend?

The reality in the fashion business is that it is almost impossible to completely separate your professional and home life. With casual, creative environments, client or vendor dinners,  and late nights, you will find yourself in social settings with your co-workers. It is only natural to start creating bonds. As you start to develop these relationships, keep in mind the answers to your questions above. Be selective and make sure you are making friends at work for the right reasons.

To learn more about career coaching, go to www.katekibler.com

Think about your reference

Building relationships are critical to business success; sometimes even more so in the apparel industry. A referral means more to most hiring managers than your degree and sometimes even your experience. Likewise, the referee carries more weight if it is someone the hiring manager knows, trusts and respects. Before picking your references, think through all the details. Talk with a recruiter you worked with to find out what type of referrals may carry more weight. Scour LinkedIn before your interview to see if there are any connections to anyone you are meeting with. If there are, reach out to your connection before the interview to see how they know the person you are meeting. Ask how their relationship with the interviewer is (I know you will be shocked to hear that not everyone in the fashion industry likes each other.) A liked common connection could put you on top of a large pile of resumes.

What are some other ways you could use this common connection to secure the job? If you were the hiring manager, how much would that connection mean to you?

To learn more about career coaching, go to www.katekibler.com

No room for rude.

Consider every contact regarding a potential new role a part of the interview process.  Manners and courtesy will always work in your favor.   There is no contact that does not have a potential impact on whether you are hired.

1.       The first email from an agency like Apparel Resource or a Corporate Recruiter.  Even if you have no intention of leaving your current role a polite response saying you are happy in your role but appreciate the contact is the best way to have a great network should your situation change.

2.       The first call from an agency like Apparel Resource.  I have had candidates forget the scheduled call and then speak in a rude tones because they don’t have time for the call they forgot about.  I have had candidates act offended that I need to actually “interview” them because I am not the employer.  I have had candidates treat the initial interview very casually as an afterthought doing other things while talking with me.  Make no mistake, when you are speaking with an agency about potential job options they are pre-screening you for their clients. 

3.       The Coordinator or Administrator that contacts you to arrange your interview and travel if it is required.  These people are very often asked how the candidates interact with them.  Courteous, prompt responses and flexibility will be passed along as positive feedback.

4.        The Receptionist at the front desk.  A receptionist once at one of our business partners told me, “Candidates from Apparel Resource are always so polite.” She told me about one candidate (not through our agency) that was very rude about wearing a guest nametag that was required.  He was condescending and argued with the receptionist who was only doing her job. The candidate interviewed very well but the receptionist shared her experience with the candidate to the hiring team and they passed on him.

5.       The Coordinator who walks you from one interviewer to another.  Feedback is often informally solicited from these folks. 

6.       Tour Guides. We have a client that gives candidates a tour of their campus. This tour is often given by HR interns or administrative assistants.   The President of the hiring company often asked how the candidate treated the employee who gave the tour.  Negative feedback would prevent the candidate from moving forward.  He and I were visiting about this practice and he said to me.  "We have no room for rude here.  I want to know how prospective employees are going to treat others day to day."

7.       Realtors.  Some employers refer candidates to local realtors who will show candidates the area if relocation is involved.  Whether informally or formally their opinion of candidates can make it back to the company and have an impact on whether to hire or not. 

Have you ever seen a candidate change their behavior based on who they were with?  The golden rule always applies.  Treat others the way you would like to be treated.  That means everyone!

For information on what roles we are currently recruiting for contact me at kari@apparel-resource.com

Listening

         

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

― Stephen R. Covey,

This week I have had feedback from multiple candidates and clients that they did not feel they were “heard” in an interview.   We cram a very important information exchange into an interview that is usually 30 minutes to an hour.  From the candidate perspective it is their next job/career progression at stake.  On the employer side it is evaluating whether the candidate is right for the job and the culture. Is this the right person to invest in?

Truly listening to understand by both parties is critical to make the most of an interview.  Here are some tips.

Interviewers: 

Prepare your questions.  More than enough to fill the time slot in advance.  It would be a terrible waste for you not to be listening to a candidate because you are thinking about what to ask them next.

Don’t have a single “right answer” that you are looking for.  Truly listen to the entire answer that is given and evaluate that answer on its own merit with an open mind. 

Clear your mind of your other priorities, silence emails, silence phones and interview in a quiet space without distraction.  Honor the time slot allotted.  These candidates have taken time and prepared for this visit.  They deserve your undivided attention.

Candidates:

It is good to have a list of things you want to share but not at the expense of not listening to and directly answering the questions your interviewer has prepared. 

Once you sit down breathe deeply, clear your mind and focus on the interviewers questions. Allow a pause when the interviewer is done speaking to be sure that was the entire question and to give yourself a moment to organize your answer.

Do not ramble and elaborate outside of the content of the question.  A direct answer and one example is plenty. 

It is typical for an interviewer to share a bit about the job content and the company.  Listen carefully, with an open and inquisitive mind.  Let them finish.  If what they shared brought questions to mind it is ok to jot a note and when they are finished you can ask your question.  Sometimes this starts a great dialog.

Both:

It is better to have a quality exchange than burn through a list of question without really listening to each other.  If you feel time is short and you want more information you can arrange to follow up with a phone call, an email exchange or a second interview. 

Have you ever been in an interview where you felt the other party was not listening?  How do you handle a rushed interview?

 Contact kari@apparel-resource.com to see what opportunities we are currently interviewing for.

Already Gone

Have you ever worked with someone who resigned from their job, gave two weeks’ notice and completely checked out for that two weeks? 

Your performance in the time between your resignation and the last day you work are as critical (maybe more) to your professional reputation than any other week of work.

Once you resign there is heightened visibility on you as an employee.  Don’t forget for a minute that the people you are leaving behind for now may be colleagues, direct reports or hiring managers at future employers.  They may be approached for networking references.  It is important to continue your commitment, focus and work ethic through your last day.  Make sure that your business is in order for the person who will take your place and that your performance is something to be proud of as you prepare for the next chapter in your career.

Have you ever worked with someone who had a radical change in performance after resigining?  How likely are you to recommend them for future roles?