8/25/2010 - Annual Performance Review - Are your annual performance reviews a sham? Last week I listened to a short story on NPR titled "Annual Job Review...Total Baloney". NPR interviewed UCLA business professor Samuel Colbert who recently authored a book titled Get Rid of the Annual Performance Review. In this short interview, Mr. Colbert expressed his views that performance evaluations were "dishonest and fraudulent" and "plain bad management". I also read an excerpt from his book and some of the words he used to describe annual performance reviews were "insidious", "pretentious" and "damaging". In the interview, Mr. Colbert stated that managers focused on successes only in performance reviews and stayed away from discussion about lapses in performance...basically making the process a sham. Wow! I DISAGREE with most of what Mr. Colbert had to say on this particular topic. Written performance reviews are important and provide a foundation for continuous employee development. This "challenge" from Mr. Colbert is healthy for all managers and supervisors. It's a great reminder that performance evaluations MUST be truthful and include candid commentary about performance gaps and areas requiring development to be effective. As we turn the corner on the first half of this year and look toward year-end, it's a good time to reflect on the performance of your individual direct reports during the past 6-8 months. I've found it extremely helpful to add notes to individual files about performance issues as well as successes throughout the year so that year-end evaluations will include specific examples. Many managers find it difficult to discuss performance weaknesses. Specific examples will make those discussions accurate, easier and more productive.

7/13/2010 - FEATURE JOB - We are partnered exclusively with one of the premier employers in Des Moines in their search for a Team Leader of Recruitment and Hiring. This position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies and practices designed to attract and retain diverse, highly qualified candidates for positions within the organization. For more information please click on the link below.   More Information 

6/15/2010 - Contract-to-Hire - We have seen a definite increase in hiring activity during the past 3-4 months and all indications are this will continue into the last half of 2010. Interestingly, demand is spread broadly among all sizes of companies in various industries. We have seen the strongest demand lately in the areas of Technology, Sales, Engineering /Manufacturing and Human Resources positions. We are also seeing an increasing number of employers hiring via the “contract-to-hire” or “temp-to-hire” method as well as the traditional “direct hire”. Market conditions are ripe for this scenario on the heels of record layoffs in the past 18 months. Employers in general are not yet completely comfortable the economic upswing will continue and are reluctant to build back their “permanent” head count. But… they need more resources NOW and contractors/temporaries provide the flexibility they need; - Given the difficult employment marketplace during the past year, more top quality individuals are open to working contract/temporary assignments. - Most of these individuals, while open to contract assignments today, are looking for permanent employment long term. - Contract/Temp-to-hire gives you the opportunity to evaluate individuals “on the job”. In essence, these arrangements can be 30-90 day “working interviews”. - There is usually no firm commitment from the employer and you can (and should) continue to search for top quality candidates externally to insure you hire the absolute best person for your opening. As a business leader, hiring decisions are among the most important decisions you make. Companies with the best people are often the most successful. As the economy and job market continue to improve, we encourage you to consider the talented, experienced professionals currently available on a “contract-to-hire”…trial basis in addition to those who are currently employed but considering the next step in their careers.

5/27/2010 - Make Yourself Useful - Earlier this month I enjoyed a leadership conference here in West Des Moines. One of the main speakers was Jim Collins, author of the best selling business book Good to Great, plus several others. Many of you have likely read Collin’s work; he’s a great author and motivator. One of my takeaways from this meeting was a simple concept, but one that can be overlooked by ambitious, career-minded professionals and job seekers in general. Jim talked about the types of employees, co-workers, managers, and leaders that are statistically most successful over long careers. He referenced the great Peter F. Drucker, author and economist, who told him in the early 2000s to always “Make Yourself Useful!” What does that mean to you, in your work life, your personal life, on your teams, and individually? Are you an active participant, or a wallflower? Are you always looking for a way to help, or do you judge and criticize? One thing is for sure, in our 12+ years as a leading employment firm here in Iowa, we’ve found “useful” employees are the best team members of all. Employees and leaders who volunteer, take charge and take risks, work hard towards common goals, always find a way to get it done. What are your goals for today, this week, this month? We encourage you to take the initiative regardless of your job, and make yourself “useful” in every way you can.

5/12/2010 - Payroll Tax Holiday Effective Now! - Recently the federal government signed into law the HIRE Act. HIRE is an acronym for Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment. This new law is in effect right now and may provide your company with an immediate payroll tax break. There’s been little publicity surrounding this new act which is why I felt it appropriate for my note this month. - This new law will allow employers to receive a credit equal to 6.2% of wages for qualified employees hired after February 3, 2010. - Qualified employees are defined as someone that has not worked more than 40 hours in the 60 days prior to their start date. So, if you have hired someone that was unemployed for 60 days previous to starting employment with you, your company will receive a tax credit of 6.2% of their wages earned through December 31, 2010. - This credit may be received via your next quarterly payroll tax filing (form 941). - For example, if your company hires a qualified individual that earns $40,000 in 2010, the tax credit in 2010 is equal to $2,480. - There is “part 2” to this law which provides additional credits for retaining qualified employees for one year. As with any new tax legislation, there are more details, but this new legislation is relatively simple to administer and apply for the credit. Please call us with any thoughts or questions about hiring additional talent. We have outstanding professionals available immediately for direct hire, contract placement, temp-to-hire, or temporary openings.

4/19/2010 - Spring Resume Renewal - Spring is a time of growth, development and new energy. Spring also signals an increase in after-hours activities, outdoors events, reunions and family vacations. For me, spring triggers a psychological “acceleration”. Before we know it half of the new decade’s first year will be behind us. Early spring is a great time to dust off your resume, review your accomplishments from years past, and prepare for the future. Ask yourself a few easy questions: - When was the last time you reviewed and updated your professional resume? - Is my career on the path that best prepares me for a happy and prosperous future? - What would I do if faced with a sudden opportunity or material change in my job status? Please take a few hours now to review where you are in your career. The economy is improving albeit slowly. Have you positioned yourself to capitalize on the possibilities in the future? As always, please call us to discuss the job market in Iowa. Send us your updated resume and we’ll do our best to help. Thank you for your continued interest in Palmer Group.

4/9/2010 - Terminations... - What is one of the most important responsibilities? Emotions will be running very high throughout the workplace. It is to everyone’s benefit that the employee exit process goes smoothly, with as little disruption as possible. Important issues to address include the following: • security considerations • cleaning out desk/boxes • phone/voice mail issues • computer access • receptionist and work area responses to telephone calls • ID/security codes/credit cards/keys • leaving the building/ returning to the building • transportation home (not everyone drives) • "goodbyes” with remaining employees To learn more about the proper protocol necessary with terminations, contact Jack Textor for your complimentary copy of “Managing Employee Separations Effectively.

3/24/2010 - March Madness - What a great time of year… The snow is almost gone and temperatures are in the 50’s! It’s also time for the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament and the UNI Panthers are making a great run thus far! As a UNI grad and Panther fan, I’ve been “on the bandwagon” watching and reading about it all and found a quote from UNI coach Ben Jacobson that is great for hiring managers to think about when adding new people to your own team. After the Panther’s win over UNLV last Friday, Coach Jacobsen was asked about his overall approach to recruiting and why his program has been successful in keeping players around for their entire career. His response; “You know, we're working hard to find guys that really fit and that really want to be at the University of Northern Iowa. We've got a plan as to how we're going to play offensively and defensively and they have to fit that, but more important, you know, guys that are unselfish and guys that really care about winning. And that extends beyond the basketball floor, into the classroom, and how they represent our university, and that's really what we're looking for.” There are lots of similar “traits” between successful sports teams and successful teams in business. When it comes to winning, we have always bet on the companies with the best people. Hiring right and keeping your best employees does not happen without effort and commitment.

3/2/2010 - Job Interviewing Do's - • Do take a practice run to the location where you are having the interview or be sure you know exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there. • Do dress the part for the job, company, the industry. Err on the side of conservatism. • Do plan to arrive about 10 minues early. • Do shake hands firmly. • Do make good eye contact with your interviewer. • Do show enthusiasm in the position and the company. • Do brush your teeth, use mouthwash, or have a breath mint before the interview. • Do turn your cell phone off during the interview. • Do write thank-you letters within 24 hours to each person who interviewed you.

2/16/2010 - Time for an Employment Brand Check Up? - Is your company a great place to work? How would your employees answer this question? If you are not sure, this is a good time for an honest assessment. Slowly but surely, this employment market is gaining momentum. The economy continues to stabilize. Unemployment rates continue to drop and hiring activity is gradually increasing. There also seems to be increased focus on employment in Washington D.C. and who knows where that may lead? The cumulative effect is that your current employees will begin to see more and more external employment options. If your “employment brand” is strong, they will be much less likely to leave for another company. If not, you’re at risk. • Are you personally committed to building a strong “employment brand”? • Is the Senior Leadership at your company engaged in building a great working environment? • How would your line managers describe your employment brand? • Is Trust at a high level within your company? • Do you recognize and value your staff? All of the above must be in place to successfully build your company into a great place to work. I encourage you to begin this process soon. It will help you to retain your top talent and will also help you to recruit new talent when the needs arise…

1/26/2010 - 10 Top Job Search Tips - Have a detailed job search plan...work the plan. Focus forward...don't dwell on the past, smile, get going. Work on your job search daily...Mon-Fri, start early. Take the weekends off...recharge your batteries. Get networking...list, contact, track, stay in touch. Don't forget your goal...getting in front of people. Interviews...professional dress, listen to their needs. Know your strengths...at least three, with examples. Communicate clearly...30 second commercial. Be persistent...be positive, be flexible, be a winner.

12/15/2009 - Hiring "Overqualified" Candidates - One interesting and fairly common dilemma for hiring manager in today's market is hiring someone who was earning significantly higher compensation in their previous position, but has been downsized based on recent economic events. In the past, this would often cause enough concern for hiring managers to pass on candidates with significant experience and hire someone with lesser skills and experience that closely matches the original specifications. In doing so, hiring managers reasoned, they eliminate the risk of "overqualified" hired leaving quickly when another "higher level" position comes up. While I agree this situation should be evaluated carefully, many "overqualified" candidates deserve serious consideration. One benefit to employers from the uncertain employment marketplace is that candidates are taking a more "wholesome" look at career options. While compensation is still very important, financial stability, employee benefits and company culture are higher on the list now than ever before.

12/1/2009 - Interview Conversations - Over the years we’ve asked hundreds of hiring managers what they liked or did not like about specific candidates. One common theme that continues today is scrutiny on a candidate’s ability to listen. You’ve heard how important it is to “sell yourself” in an interview. What does that really mean? You have your elevator speech down pat…and have listed a dozen questions to ask. There’s limited time and you want to get through your “pitch.” Please remember, an interview is still a conversation. Healthy conversations are balanced and flow easily. If you find yourself doing more than ½ the talking, step back and consider asking more open ended questions about the company, job, or hiring manager. Good luck. Call anytime.

11/9/2009 - Structured Initial Interviews - Higher than normal levels of unemployment may lead to numerous interviews for a single opening. In an effort to best utilize your time, we recommend that interviewers establish an “agenda” to stay on task in initial interviews. Depending upon the position 30-50 minutes is sufficient for a first interview. Start with a welcome and small talk, move onto a brief description of your company and the position you are looking to fill and move into questions for your applicant. Once you are done provide an opportunity for the applicant to ask questions and then wrap up.

11/2/2009 - Thank-You Notes - One simple, easy and effective way to differentiate yourself today is to send hand written thank you notes. If you’ve received a personal note recently you know what I mean. It leaves a different impression than email. It’s better and more…personal! And, it will set you apart from the 95% of candidates that do not send personal notes. If you are conducting a search now, be sure to send personal handwritten notes to everyone that has helped you and everyone you interview with. Keep it simple, professional and brief and send it right after your meeting. Timely, simple, and professional will make you stand out!