WorkPuzzle

Conscientiousness: A Trait Every One of Your Future Hires Should Possess

If you’re looking for a new blog to add to your daily reading, I’d like to suggest Eric Barker’s, Barking Up the Wrong Tree. Besides being listed on both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal blog roles, he has 45,000 email subscribers (it is very difficult to get to this subscription level) and his columns regularly appear in Wired magazine.

In addition to being a great writer, Eric collects and presents research-based content in a way that is easy to digest. He generally does this by picking a topic of interest and then summarizing the research on the issue with short, pithy paragraphs that make the case for his point of view. 

He recently published a blog on the character trait of conscientiousness that I found both interesting and compelling. Upon reading his insight, I immediately copied the content and sent it to all four of my teenage sons! I challenged them to start asking themselves, “How conscientious am I being as I do __________?”

While this information was helpful to my children, it is also a key trait that should be part of every hiring decision you make. Why? Because conscientiousness is highly correlated to success in all parts of life. Eric explains:

"Conscientiousness is the fundamental personality trait most closely tied to self control and it tracks with nearly every type of success across your lifespan.

It’s pretty crazy really:

Money and job satisfaction? - Check.

“Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious participants reported higher incomes and job satisfaction.“

Finding a job? - Check.

“…the personality traits Conscientiousness and Neuroticism have a strong impact on the instantaneous probability of finding a job, where the former has a positive effect and the latter has a negative effect.”

Long marriage? - Check.

“…our findings suggest that conscientiousness is the trait most broadly associated with marital satisfaction in this sample of long-wed couples.”

Healthier life? - Check.

“Among adults over age 45 (n = 2,419), Neuroticism and low Agreeableness were associated with metabolic syndrome, whereas high Conscientiousness was protective. Individuals who scored in the top 10% on Conscientiousness were approximately 40% less likely to have metabolic syndrome…“

Long life? - Check.

“Conscientiousness, which was the best predictor of longevity when measured in childhood, also turned out to be the best personality predictor of long life when measured in adulthood.“

And let’s not forget good grades and staying out of jail.

Via How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character:

…conscientiousness was the trait that best predicted workplace success. What intrigues Roberts about conscientiousness is that it predicts so many outcomes that go far beyond the workplace. People high in conscientiousness get better grades in school and college; they commit fewer crimes; and they stay married longer. They live longer – and not just because they smoke and drink less. They have fewer strokes, lower blood pressure, and a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease."

So, since conscientiousness is such an important trait, it might be helpful to know what it is! Here is the definition I sent my kids:

Conscientiousness is the trait that denotes being thorough, careful, or vigilant; it implies a desire to do a task well. It is manifested in characteristic behaviors such as being efficient, organized, neat, and systematic, also including such elements as self-discipline, carefulness, thoroughness, self-organization, deliberation (the tendency to think carefully before acting), and need for achievement. Conscientious individuals are generally hard working and reliable.

With this research as a backdrop, it only makse sense that you'd want to hire conscientious people. In fact, if you were to rank the importance of other traits, this may be the most important characteristic that leads to successful hiring outcomes.

Here is a quick application for this information: Ask some open-ended questions about conscientiousness during your upcoming interviews. For example:

Was your manager in your last job a conscientious person? How did that make you feel?

In your previous position, were your co-workers conscientious in accomplishment of their work?

Are there situations in the past where you were rewarded for your being conscientious?

These questions should spur some discussion and hopefully give you some insight into your candidate’s perspective on this important character trait. In our next WorkPuzzle, we’ll discuss the capacity a person has for improving his/her level of conscientiousness. I know I could use some improvement!

 

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Looking for Something to Read this Summer? Take a Suggestion from One of Your Favorite Business Leaders

Summer is here and many of us are looking for a couple of new books to pack along on vacation or even a long weekend. 

You could surf over to Amazon a pick up one of the current bestsellers such as Sheryl Sandburg’s new biography.  If you wanted something a little lighter, you might want to try James Patterson’s most recent novel.

While these may be good choices, I’m guessing these books probably won’t have a long-term impact on your life. I’ve always found it difficult to find the books that fit in this category.   Reading is a serendipitous exercise that I sometimes find frustrating—I usually have to read 20 books to find one that creates a lasting impression.

That’s why a recent article in Entrepreneur magazine caught my attention.  The article was written by Alyson Shontell and documents the books that had the greatest impact on several of today’s most prominent business leaders.

Here are some the leaders and the books they found most impactful:

Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.

 Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. 

Bezos once told Newsweek magazine:  "If you read The Remains of the Day, which is one of my favorite books, you can't help but come away and think, I just spent 10 hours living an alternate life and I learned something about life and about regret."

Tony Hsieh, Founder and CEO of Zappos.

Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization by Dave Logan, John King and Halee Fischer-Wright.

Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow  by Chip Conley

Hsieh recently said, "Tribal Leadership codifies a lot of what we've been doing instinctually and provides a great framework for all companies to bring company culture to the next level,"

Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft.

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker.

The Catcher in the Rye. by J.D. Salinger

Gates told the Academy of Achievement that The Catcher and the Rye is “…very clever. It acknowledges that young people are a little confused, but can be smart about things and see things that adults don't really see. So I've always loved it,"

Mark Zukerberg, CEO of Facebook.

He told the New Yorker in 2010 that his favorite book was The Aeneid by Virgil.

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle.

Napoleon by Vincent Cronin.

Ellison recently told the Academy of Achievement, "[Napoleon] is interesting to read about him for a couple of reasons: to see what one man of modest birth can do with his life, and to see how history can distort the truth entirely."

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.

Competing Against Time by George Stalk

Cook has been known to hand out copies of this book to Apple employees.

Jack Dorsey, Co-Founder of Twitter, and Founder and CEO of Square.

The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right by Atul Gawande.

When Jack Dorsey hires a new employee at his company Square, he gives them a welcome kit that contains this book.

Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple

Innovator's Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen

King Lear, by William Shakespeare

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

Steve Jobs’ reading influences were very extensive, eclectic and are well-documented in various sources in recent years.

You’ve probably not read every book on this list.  If you see one that seems interesting, it may be a shortcut to finding one that also has a significant impact on your life.  Regardless, it will make your decision on what to read this summer a little easier.

 Question:  What book (s) have you found to be the most impactful in the last 10 years?

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Gallup Update: Languishing Still a Powerful Motivator for Career Change

If you’re a Tidemark client, you’ve heard Dave Mashburn frequently talk about workers “languishing” in the their jobs.   His observations have produced one of the maxims we use to source candidates for our clients:

The individuals most likely to consider career change are those who are languishing in their current jobs.

This observation is based upon research conducted by the Gallup Organization.  The initial study (conducted in 2000) painted a depressing picture of life in the American workforce.  Unfortunately, things are not getting much better.  The Silicon Valley Mercury News recently reported,  

“Seven out of 10 workers have ‘checked out’ at work or are ‘actively disengaged,’ according to a recent Gallup survey.

In its ongoing survey of the American workplace, Gallup found that only 30 percent of workers ‘were engaged, or involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their workplace.’ Although that equals the high in engagement since Gallup began studying the issue in 2000, it is overshadowed by the number of workers who aren't committed to  performing at a high level….

The poll, released last week, examined worker engagement beginning in 2010 and ending in 2012. The previous poll period covered 2008 through 2010.

The survey classifies three types of employees among the 100 million people in America who hold full-time jobs. The first is actively engaged, which represents about 30 million workers.  The second type of worker is "not engaged," which accounts for 50 million. These employees are going through the motions at work.

The third type, labeled "actively disengaged," hates going to work. These workers -- about 20 million -- undermine their companies with their attitude, according to the report.

The general consciousness about the importance of employee engagement seems to have increased in the past decade, but there is a gap between knowing about engagement and doing something about it in most American workplaces… 

The level of employee engagement over the past decade has been largely stagnant, according to researchers.”

How can a hiring manager use this information to be more successful at recruiting? 

First, recognize that almost all of the candidates you interview or otherwise engage in the hiring process are languishing in their current careers.

Secondly, use this information wisely.  We have written frequently in previous WorkPuzzles about every person’s need to be “heard” before he/she will be able to “hear” (i.e.. accept and internalize information) about any solutions you may offer.

Of course, you can talk about a number of topics during an interview (work history, career goals, strengths/weaknesses, etc.), but the one you’ll get the most mileage from is languishing. 

If you’re able to quickly steer a recruiting conversation to what’s going wrong in their current career (this typically take 20 to 30 minutes during an interview), you’ll earn the right to thoughtfully craft a solution that is tailored to their unique needs.

A final thing to consider as you contemplate the role of languishing in the hiring process: 

Some of the most talented and desirable people you could ever hope to hire are currently languishing in their careers.

The Gallup researchers went on to report:

“… different age groups and those with higher education levels reported more discontent with their workplace. Millennials…, for instance, are more likely to be 'actively disengaged' than other age groups. Employees with college degrees are also more likely to be running on auto pilot at work.”

This research is a goldmine for the real estate industry.  Most real estate companies know they must hire young, educated new agents to replace their aging workforces who will retire over the next decade.  

The top end of the Millennial generation will turn 31 years old this year.   Don’t miss the opportunity to engage and hire these individuals.  An understanding of languishing is a key building block to making that happen.

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By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Can Your Real Estate Company Attract and Hire Veterans?--Part 2

Last week, I started a discussion concerning the noteworthy desire many real estate companies have to hire ex-military individuals.  There are some significant obstacles that make this process a challenge, and very few real estate companies have been successful in this endeavor.   If you didn’t catch the previous discussion, you may need some background to understand today’s WorkPuzzle.

While real estate companies have not been overly successful in hiring veterans, there are some other industries that have cracked the code.   For example, insurance companies and financial services companies have demonstrated success at transitioning military personnel into sales positions.

The compensation model for real estate agents (full commission from day one) is a “deal breaker” for most individuals leaving the military.  Other industries have overcome this hurdle by offering “commission draws” or startup compensation packages, but real estate companies have not embraced this practice.

So, are we at an impasse?  Perhaps.  However, I’d like to suggest you consider one more example of an industry that has been successful at hiring veterans—the franchise industry.

This may come as a surprise, but some franchises have been remarkably successful at attracting and “hiring” ex-military individuals.   This topic was recently identified as one of the top small business trends in the country.  Also, Michelle Obama recently promoted the marketing of franchises to veterans.

Why are franchises so interested in hiring veterans?  For the same reasons you’re interested in hiring them---they believe they are uniquely qualified to be successful in the role as a franchise owner. 

There is much to read on this topic (starting with the articles cited above), and I hope I have peaked your interest on investigating this connection on your own.  As I’ve studied this connection, I’ve noticed three things that franchises do well in attracting veterans.

The Cookbook Mentality.  Franchises are famous for promoting the idea that success is the result of closely following a proven system developed by the franchisor.  “If you meticulously follow these 50 steps, you will be successful,” is the franchise promise.

Military veterans connect with this line of reasoning because it is very similar to what they’ve experienced in the military.  A soldier is not expected to develop his or her own plan for shooting a missile at a target.  That would be crazy.  Instead, they are expected to follow a detailed specification that, if executed correctly, will guarantee the missile will hit its target.

If you want to be more successful at hiring ex-military individuals, develop your own “cookbook,” and then promote the idea by following the step-by-step procedure that will guarantee success.  Be ready to demonstrate how other veterans have stepped into this position, followed the cookbook, and experienced success according to the plan.

The Expectation of Camaraderie.  Some of the best memories I have from serving in the military center around shared experiences.  The solidarity in purpose allows relationships to flourish in a unique manner.  When people leave the military, they miss this feeling and often seek-out other individuals with military backgrounds with which to reconnect.

Franchise companies have noticed this pattern and use it to market to veterans.  Research this topic and you’ll quickly notice that franchise aggregators make a big deal of highlighting the number of veterans who are successful franchise owners.

It doesn’t stop there.  Some franchise companies highlight support and mentoring groups for ex-military personnel.  These companies are purposely attempting to duplicate the camaraderie the service members felt when they were in the military.

Convincing a person that he/she will be successful in a new role is an important selling point, but convincing a person that they belong there is a powerful attraction.  Notice the company highlighted in the graphic—this company produces a searchable list of names, branch of service, rank when they left the military, and location.  A candidate who goes on this company’s career site quickly sees how he or she could potentially fit into this community of veterans.

The Path to Financing.  As you may know, buying into a franchise is expensive. Start-up costs for most franchises are $50,000 and up.  There are very few veterans (or normal citizens) who are able to afford this expense as a lump sum. Every franchise company has to deal with the issue of providing financing options to potential franchisees. 

Real estate companies are fortunate that their startup fees for agents are not this substantial.  However, to a military member with a family living paycheck-to-paycheck, even $5,000 can feel like an insurmountable hurdle.  You’re in the same boat as the franchise company.

Franchise companies have become very creative on this issue.  Options include commercial loans, SBA loans, collateral-backed bank loans, crowd-sourced funding, angel investors, third-party lenders, etc. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the Department of Veterans Affairs runs a program called Patriot Express (it is called this because of the fast approval times for the loans) that makes business loans up to $500,000 to active-duty military preparing to transition to civilian life, as well as to spouses and survivors of veterans.

When a veteran makes contact with a franchise company, they are ready and well-prepared for the financing question.  They assume the candidate will not be able to afford the start-up costs, and they put time and effort into helping them solve the financing issue.

To successfully hire veterans, real estate companies need to adopt the same posture.  The financing issue needs to be “front and center” and addressed early in the hiring process.  To someone leaving the military, there is not much to talk about until this issue is addressed and solved.

 Summary

I had one of our readers write me earlier this week and mention (after reading the previous WorkPuzzle) she was looking forward to hearing about my “magic bullet” for hiring veterans.

I wish there was a magic bullet.  Unfortunately, hiring veterans takes strategic focus and a lot of hard work. 

Most real estate companies have not boiled down their process to the franchise “cookbook” level.  Often new agents are expected to be self-directed and creative in how they build their businesses.  This is a tough transition for most veterans to make.

Most real estate companies do not have groups of veterans working in the company who are ready and willing to provide the camaraderie that makes an ex-military person feel at home. This takes time, effort, and focus to build.

Most real estate companies have not thought through the financing challenges that veterans face in making a transition to the real estate industry.  On this issue, franchises are very proactive.   They know the challenges the candidates face and they’re ready and able provide solutions.

If your company is ready and willing to address these issues, you can be successful at hiring veterans. Franchise companies have proven it can be done.  Real estate companies could potentially have even greater success because the financial barriers to entry are not as significant as franchises. 

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By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Can Your Real Estate Company Attract and Hire Veterans?

One of the questions we often get from owners and hiring managers is this:

“Can real estate companies successfully source candidates who are leaving the military (usually because their service commitment is complete) and attempting to transition to the civilian employment world?”

The motivation for this question is usually two-fold.  Many companies (especially those in close proximity to military instillations) simply want to help veterans in their communities.  They feel a sense of gratitude towards those who have served our country and know many of these individuals have a difficult time finding a job in the civilian workforce.  If a company can offer a helping-hand at this critical juncture, many are glad to help.

The second motivation for seeking out the veterans is the perception that many of these individuals would potentially make outstanding real estate agents.  Traits such as integrity, self-discipline, attention-to-detail, persistence, and service mentality are many of the qualities that also make agents successful.  I’ve had several owners introduce me to new top-performing agents who recently left the military.  It is an impressive package when it all comes together.

I know what I’m describing sounds like nirvana.   If you could fill your company with these outstanding men and women, you’d be unstoppable.  Right?

I wish it were that easy.  The problem in this equation is the veterans themselves.  From their perspective, the real estate employment world does not look very enticing. 

How do I know this?  First, I am a veteran and I have many friends who are ex-military as well.  I have some personal insight into the military to civilian employment transition, but there are very clear indicators in military publications that also make this point.

Here are a several articles/publications to consider:

1.  Top 10 Ex-Military Employers.  Forbes and Payscale.com recently completed research benchmarking the top ten companies in the U.S. who hired “skilled labor” ex-military employees.  These are individuals who typically have advanced training that would equate to a bachelor’s degree or higher.  Here are the companies that made the list:

Booz Allen Hamilton

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Northrop Grumman

L-3 Communications

Lockheed Martin

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

BAE Systems

Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)

CACI International

The Boeing Company

What do most of these companies have in common?  They are all defense contractors or the government itself (i.e. DOD).    Many people who have advanced skills and training find it comfortable to seek employment in an organization that operates much like the military—both in the work they perform and company culture.

2.  Hourly-Wage Employment.  It’s natural to believe that specially skilled workers would seek employment in specific areas of their expertise, but what about “blue-collar” workers?  Military.com recently cataloged the most enticing jobs in this arena:

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians –Average Salary: $54,500

Boilermakers --Average Salary: $56,650

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas –Average Salary: $58,540

Commercial Divers –Average Salary: $58,640

Subway and Streetcar Operators –Average Salary: $59,400

Electrical Power-line Installers and Repairers –Average Salary: $59,450

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators and Gaugers –Average Salary: $60,290

Transportation Inspectors –Average Salary: $65,770

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation and Relay –Average Salary: $65,950

Elevator Installers and Repairers –Average Salary: $73,560

While some of these jobs require unique technical skills that can be transferred from the military (ex. aircraft mechanic), many do not (ex. subway operator, commercial drivers, etc.).  The common thread among these jobs is stability.  Employees show up to work, they’re told exactly what to do, and perform well.  Much of the military operates on this formula and many people joined the military because they want and enjoy this type of stability.

3. Corporate Employers.  As you might suspect, there are many traditional corporations (outside the real estate industry) who are trying to hire military veterans as well.  A military career site called GIJobs.com has tracked and ranked the top 100 corporate employers on this topic since 2003.  GIJobs (in partnership with a website called MilitaryFriendly.com) produces a list of the “Most Military Friendly Employers.” 

You’re welcome to page through this list (they broke the list into ten pages so it takes a while to load the pages one-at-a-time), but here are some things that I noticed: 

There are no residential real estate companies on this list.  None. Zero. Nada.   The closest thing to residential real estate is one commercial real estate company (CBRE..#79 out of 100).  Also, there is a secondary list of “Most Military Spouse Friendly Employers.”  No residential real estate companies made this list either.  This is surprising considering there are large, prominent residential real estate companies in areas that have high military populations (ex. Long and Foster in Washington DC, Prudential California Realty in San Diego/LA)

There are multiple insurance and financial services companies on the list.   The insurance industry (ex. USAA, Allstate, Hartford, etc.) and the banking/financial services industry (ex. Charles Schwab, JP Morgan Chase, CITI, etc.) seemed to have cracked the code on hiring ex-military.  Many of these companies hire ex-military personnel into sales positions.  

Many of the top companies hiring ex-military are brands you probably do not recognize.    Do you know these brands?

ManTech

Combined Insurance Company of America

J.B. Hunt Transport

All three of these companies are among the top ten companies who are most successful at ex-military hiring.   By the way, you’re not the only person who finds these brands unfamiliar.  Most military personnel have never heard of them either.

Summary

So, let’s get back to the original question:

“Can real estate companies successfully source candidates who are leaving the military (usually because their service commitment is complete) and attempting to transition to the civilian employment world?”

 The answer:  Yes, but not easily.

The greatest challenge to accomplishing this goal is that veterans are not familiar or experienced with the idea of being a real estate agent.  There is no job like this in the military and many will find the culture of a real estate company unfamiliar.  There does not appear to be prominent, widespread success stories of real estate companies turning veterans into successful agents.

The good news is other industries have figured how to accomplish this goal.  If others have done it, there is a possibility that you can do it too.  It is also good news that being successful in this arena does not require a nationally recognized brand.

In our next discusssion, I’ll give you some ideas on becoming more successful in hiring ex-military individuals. In particular, we’ll study a group of  companies (that have some close similarities  to real estate companies) that will teach us how to break through the barriers that keep veteran hiring from happening in your company. 

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Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network.  Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?  

By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust.   Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes).   To get started, click here.

Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Post Memorial Day Insight: To Do...Or...Not To Do

The WorkPuzzle gang has been a little slow in recovering after Memorial Day Weekend.  We'll be back to our normal publishing schedule next week. 

To wrap up this week, I thought I'd post something a little more eclectic than normal.  I found two "lists" this week that caught my attention.  Whenever I spend significant time away from the office, I tend to come back and question my priorities--what am I doing, and why am I doing it?  As I try to get back on track, rules that speak to priorities tend to resonate with me. 

The first list was orginally published in Reddit and was consolidated by Dina Spector, one of the Business Insider contributors.  It is an intriguing list of small things you can start doing to make yourself more healthy.  If you click through to the original article, most of the insights are documented with original research citations.

The second list is written by Jeff Hayden and published in Inc. Magazine. It is a list of things that you should immedietly elliminate from your daily routine. 

So, here is a slight adaptation Hamlet's famous question:  To do, or not to do.  That is the question.

To Do

1. Learn to drink your coffee black. Coffee is good for you (in moderation). Eliminating milk, cream, sugar, or flavorings will cut calories and maximize coffee's health benefits.

2. Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. This is an easy multi-tasking activity that can improve your balance. 

3. Spread avocado on your toast instead of butter. Avocados are a good source of healthy fats. The fleshy green fruit is a mainstay on the "superfood" list. 

4. Meditate for just 20 minutes a day.  At least a dozen executives swear by the relaxing technique.

5. Eat fruit instead of candy.  Candy is sweet because it contains processed sugar, usually high fructose corn syrup. Fruit is sweet because it contains natural sugar, while it's also rich in fiber and vitamins. 

6. Learn how to cook. You will eat healthier, save money on dining out, and boost your self-esteem armed with a new skill. 

7. Park farther away from your destination. This is an easy way to squeeze more physical activity into your daily routine. 

8. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. This will burn calories and tone leg muscles.

9. Shop on a full stomach. Studies show that people who snack before a grocery trip buy fewer unhealthy foods. 

10. Drink more water.  The benefits of staying hydrated are endless — healthier hair, skin, and more energy. Some fitness experts claim you can lose weight if you drink water before every meal. 

11. Turn off your phone from time to time. Occasionally unplugging can help stressed individuals achieve a state of complete relaxation. 

12. Read a book. Expand your knowledge, reduce stress, and briefly cut ties with the Internet. 

13. Walk faster. Power walking will help blast fat — and get you to your destination sooner. 

14. Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread.  Whole wheat bread is higher in fiber than regular white bread. Fiber helps with digestion.

15. Moisturize daily. A good moisturizing regimen prevents dry, flaky skin.  

16. Stretch every day.  Studies have shown that, in addition to enhancing flexibility, stretching makes you stronger and increases endurance. 

17. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water and dry properly.This simple step gets rids of germs and drying off prevents the spread of bacteria.  

18. If you are a regular public transport user, get on the bus one stop later than usual, and get off off one stop earlier than usual. Walking burns calories, reduces anxiety, and strengthens bones. 

19. Wear sunscreen. You don't want skin cancer. And you don't want to look like this. 

 Not to Do

1. Check my phone while I'm talking to someone.  Stop checking your phone. It doesn't notice when you aren't paying attention.  Other people? They notice. And they care.

2. Multitask during a meeting. The easiest way to be the smartest person in the room is to be the person who pays the most attention to the room.

3. Think about people who don't make any difference in my life.  Trust me: The inhabitants of planet Kardashian are okay without you.

4. Use multiple notifications.  You don't need to know the instant you get an email. Or a text. Or a tweet. Or anything else that pops up on your phone or computer.  They can wait. You, and what is truly important to you, cannot.

5. Let the past dictate the future.  Mistakes are valuable. Learn from them. Then let them go.The past is just training. The past should definitely inform but in no way define you--unless you let it.

6. Wait until I'm sure I will succeed.  You can never feel sure you will succeed at something new, but you can always feel sure you are committed to giving something your best.

7. Talk behind someone's back.  If only because being the focus of gossip sucks. (And so do the people who gossip.)  Spend your time on productive conversations. You'll get a lot more done--and you'll gain a lot more respect.

8. Say "yes" when I really mean "no."  When you say no, at least you'll only feel bad for a few moments. When you say yes to something you really don't want to do you might feel bad for a long time--or at least as long as it takes you to do what you didn't want to do in the first place.

If you follow the advice on both of these lists, your summer will be off to a great start, and you'll be making investments in yourself that will pay dividends far beyond the next few months.

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Be Happy--Become a Real Estate Agent--Part 2

Last week, our discussion focused on new research concerning where individuals find happiness in their careers.  Surprisingly, the “real estate agent” position topped the 2013 “Happiest Jobs in America” list.

How did the real estate agent position garner such a high ranking?  The position scored highly on the top ten factors that produce happiness at work:

1. Work-life balance

2.  One’s relationship with his/her boss and co-workers

3.  Work environment

4.   Job resources

5.  Compensation

6.  Growth opportunities

7.  Company culture

8.  Company reputation

9.  Daily tasks

10.  Job control over work performed on a daily basis.

In part one of this blog, we talked about how to use this information during an interview.  But, there is more to learn from this research; both from a retention perspective and a second recruiting angle you may have not considered.

Retention

Think about how the agents on your team would rate each of the happiness factors listed. It might be interesting to conduct your own research on this topic during upcoming coaching sessions. 

To mirror a job happiness study, use a five point scale (1-Unacceptable…5-Outstanding) and ask questions in the following manner….”How would you rate your work-life balance while working in our company?”

As you might suspect, retaining agents has a lot to do with maintaining an environment where people feel they can initially obtain and then later sustain a sense of personal happiness.  

Typically, agents won’t leave your organization because the company next door offers something better.  They leave (initially with their emotions) because something (or multiple things) is constantly irritating them. Once this irritation sets in, it’s easy to rationalize that the grass must be greener somewhere else.

To be successful at retaining your agents, be proactive and make sure that these irritations don’t take root in your organization.

Recruiting

From a recruiting perspective, there is a second angle worth considering in the jo happiness study.  It will always be difficult to lure happy individuals away from their current positions with a “life’s great over here” message.

A better strategy is to find those who are unhappy. 

Almost any message of hope has a good chance of resonating with these individuals.  The CareerBliss study documented the job positions where workers are most dissatisfied:

There are a few patterns worth noticing in this data. 

1.  Pay is not correlated to happiness.  The most “unhappy job in America” pays a six-figure salary.  None of the happiest jobs are particularly high-paying positions.

2.  Education level is not correlated to happiness.   Several of the jobs on the unhappy list require high levels of education (nurse, teacher, attorney, pharmacy technician).  Many of the happiest jobs do not require highly specialized education.

3.  Serving unhappy customers is taxing.  Notice that many of the unhappy professions regularly deal with dissatisfied customers or unhappy clients.  People typically interface with the legal, medical, and customer service professions when something has gone wrong.

Successful recruiting first involves finding people who are unhappy with their current employment and then engaging them by tapping into their feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration. 

Unless a  candidate first feels heard on these two topics, the positive traits of being a real estate agent will fall on deaf ears. 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Be Happy: Become a Real Estate Agent

I had the opportunity to spend some time with the executive team and managers of Ruhl &Ruhl Realtors in Davenport, Iowa late last month.  Caroline Ruhl and her team lead a highly productive company that is full of optimism and contagious energy.

Caroline’s company is very successful at attracting talented young professionals to the real estate industry.  They are far ahead of most of their industry peers and have a bright future emerging. 

By chance, I happened to arrive for a pre-planned speaking engagement on the day when the company surpassed a very aggressive recruiting goal they’ve been working on for several years.   

The impromptu celebration (which started at 9am) included cake, sparklers, candy, champagne, and balloons.  And not just any balloons, the meeting room was filled with balloons that each had the individual name of one agent in the company written on it.  It was quite impactful to look around the room and recognize the lives that have been impacted by the recruiting process.

Doesn’t this sound like a fun place to work?  Darcy Holle and Sally Atwell planned the surprise celebration.  Both of these ladies are great recruiters and lots of fun at a 9am party too!

I relayed this experience to you as a way of introducing some new research that was recently published in Forbes Magazine.  Not surprisingly, Caroline pointed me to this article during my visit.  It only makes sense that a fun place like Ruhl & Ruhl would discover this research!

The research was done by an online career community called CareerBliss, and it involved collecting surveys from more than 65,000 employees.  Forbes magazine reported:

“Employees all over the country were asked to evaluate ten factors that affect workplace happiness. Those include one’s relationship with the boss and co-workers, work environment, job resources, compensation, growth opportunities, company culture, company reputation, daily tasks, and control over the work one does on a daily basis.

They evaluated each factor on a five-point scale and also indicated how important it was to their overall happiness. The numbers were combined to find an average rating of overall employee happiness for each respondent, and then sorted by job title to find which occupations had the happiest workers. A minimum of 50 employee reviews was required to be considered for CareerBliss’ 10 Happiest Jobs in America, and executive level jobs, like chief executive, were excluded from the study. “

And the results…

"The happiest employees of all aren’t kindergarten teachers or veterinarians. They’re real estate agents. Professionals with this job title are typically responsible for renting, buying, or selling property for clients. According to the BLS, they study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. They make about $51,170 per year, on average—but top earning real estate agents rake in over $92,000.

With an index score of 4.26, real estate agents said they are more than satisfied with the control they have over the work they do on a daily basis. They’re also fairly content with their bosses.

Real estate agents have definitely weathered quite a financial storm over the past few years but right now [mortgage] rates are between 2% and 3% and inventory is low, making it a real estate agent’s dream as new homes hit the market and are getting multiple offers in the first week….  Happy times.”

This is great information to have in your back pocket during your next interview.  If you’re interviewing a “new to real estate” candidate, a high percentage of these individuals are leaving jobs/careers that make them unhappy. 

As we’ve discussed many times in the past, make sure you listen to their story first and address the unique points of pain that you uncover during the interview.  As a side point, after the groundwork is laid, it may be helpful offer this independent research as a way of driving your point home.

During our next discussion, we’ll spend some time learning about the most “unhappy jobs” in America and how this information can also improve your recruiting results.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

"New to Real Estate" Candidate Sourcing Reaches New Highs

As many of you know, our company’s core business is helping our clients source high-quality candidates for difficult-to-fill positions.  While we assist companies in several different industries, much of our focus has been on the hiring difficulties real estate companies experienced over the last five years.

This has not been an easy task.  It is difficult to get talented individuals to consider changing careers during a recession and during the subsequent recovery.

Employment Stagnation

This may seem counter-intuitive, but pervasive high unemployment and lousy job prospects in the economy  create stagnation in sourcing and hiring for real estate companies. 

On the surface, you might surmise that if there is a large number of people who are unemployed (some of whom are talented individuals), a fair number of them might be willing to give real estate a try. Our sourcing data doesn’t support this hypothesis. 

In reality, most people who find themselves unemployed are not in a strong enough financial position to start a real estate career. Instead, they pursue the quickest path to a steady paycheck.

But, what about the people who are in low-paying, dead-end jobs?  Certainly, some of those individuals would be willing to look at the real estate industry as a way of “upgrading” their career…right?  Our sourcing data doesn’t support this hypothesis either. 

Many people who are underemployed are thankful just to have a job.  They don’t feel comfortable taking a risk that would put their current financial situation in jeopardy.  The proverbial “bird in the hand” is good enough for them.

What’s Changing?

So, what’s changing?  Why are candidate sourcing metrics starting to improve so dramatically in the last 3 months?  

I believe there are two reasons for this change.  First, the real estate market has improved in many areas of the country.  The national media has picked up on these changes and started to report positive news.  Candidates perceive this change and are now more open to considering real estate as a career option.

While positive reports help, most of the momentum is being created outside the real estate industry.   It is related to how average employees in non-real estate companies feel about voluntarily leaving their jobs.

The data for this theory is buried in the metrics that are tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was recently highlighted in an article written by Vivian Giang at Business Insider:

“People are voluntarily quitting their jobs at the highest rate since the pre-recession era, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey — known as JOLTS — published by The Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The report says that 2.16 million people quit their jobs in the latest data, which represents 53 percent of all job separations — this includes quits, layoffs and discharges — when accounting for retirees. 

The graph below, published by Gluskin Sheff Research, illustrates the trend in the quitting rate and the number of people who have quit as a percentage compared to the total number of people employed in the past decade:

 

So what does this mean about our labor market? In short, it's an indication that people are confident that they can find other opportunities elsewhere and is a sign of sustained improvement in the labor markets…. This confidence happens when the economy grows fast enough…and people have [enough] faith in their own skills to make a living some other way rather than stay in a job they're not satisfied with.

So who are these workers? There's a good possibility that people are leaving their jobs to pursue freelancing, consulting or the entrepreneur route. This need to work for yourself is predicted to reach 40 percent of the American workforce by 2020, and is most common in sectors of the economy that are growing.”

As you can tell, much of what goes on in the labor market is out of our control.  When a positive trend happens (and in this case, two positive trends), it is important to take advantage of the rising tide. 

When engaging “new to real estate” candidates, now is not the time be on the sidelines.  Develop and deploy strategies for engaging the millions of individuals who are finally starting to feel less risk-averse about their careers.

Question: What strategies are you deploying to engage the 40% of the American workforce who lean towards working independently?

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Attracting New Agents: What do Working Parents Want in a Job?

Over the past year, I've written frequently about the need for the real estate industry to hire young, tech-savvy new agents to replace the aging workforce.  

In many one-on-one discussions with owners and managers, the aging demographic of their agents is quickly becoming the “elephant in the room.” If it is not addressed within the next five years, attrition rates will rise to an unsustainable level for many companies.

There is only one way to ultimately solve this problem—recruit “new to real estate” agents from outside the industry.  While it may be tempting to think hiring from competitors can solve the demographic problems, they have older agents too!  In most markets, there are simply not enough experienced young agents to make that strategy viable.

The companies that become proficient in attracting a constant flow of talented “new to real estate” agents to their organizations will have a distinct competitive advantage in the years ahead.

How do you become proficient at this task?  That’s a complex question we’ve sought to answer in WorkPuzzle over the past several years.   If you’re a new WorkPuzzle reader, you may have some catch-up to do.   Each piece to the puzzle adds new understanding to the realities of hiring.

I discovered another new piece to the puzzle last week that I thought you might find interesting.  It comes from a study recently competed by the Pew Research Center on the nature of modern parenthood. 

The study addressed many different aspects of parenthood, but the most relevant part was how young parents (ie. parents with children under 18 living in the household) interact with work.  More specifically, what is it that working moms and dads find most important in a job:

 

Many of the young, talented candidates who have the capacity to become high-performing agents in your organization will be young parents.   It only makes sense that you understand their priorities when considering a new job.

If you’re interviewing a candidate that’s a parent (by the way, it is technically illegal to directly ask a candidate about their family status, but most candidates will volunteer this information during the interview) be cognizant of these issues.

During the investigative part of the interview, be ready to ask open-ended questions around the topics that are most important to them, such as:

“Do you feel like you’re current job (or previous job) is secure?  Does that bother you?”

“Are you currently in a job that you enjoy?”  What parts of your current job do you find most irritating?”

“Is there flexibility in your current job?  If you had more flexibility in your job, how would your life change?”

By asking questions about these topics, you’ll uncover the unique pain the candidate is experiencing.  Until the candidate feels you understand their unique situation, he/she will not be open to listening to the possible solutions becoming a real estate agent may offer.

Also, notice that spending a lot of time on compensation issues has a low chance of impacting the candidate—especially if the candidate is female.  Don't avoid compensation issues to the point of being awkward, but steer the conversation back the issues that matter.

Finally, a real estate career has the capability of answering the needs that many young parents care about most.  Once you uncover the pain in a candidate’s previous job/career, be ready to articulate how working your organization can provide compelling alternatives to the status quo.

Question:  Would you rather hire a "new to real estate" agent who is already a parent, or hire someone who is not yet at this stage of life? 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.