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These 3 Stress Factors at Work are Impacting Your Mental Health – Here’s How to Avoid Them

May 25, 2022 by Amber Lamb

Each May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, where people all over the nation join the movement to raise awareness about mental health. This recognition serves to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness as well as their families. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has dubbed 2022’s Mental Health Awareness Month’s message as “together for mental health.”

As part of the movement, Blue Signal asked our followers how their work environments and related stress impact their mental health. In 2019, the American Institute of Stress found that 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress. More alarming, 2022’s stats revealed that 25% of workers say that their job is the #1 stressor in their lives. Our followers specifically noted career and job ambiguity, their workload, and lack of recognition as their top stressors. In this blog, we will review these stressors and discuss some of the best mechanisms for choosing and thriving within a healthy work environment.

Stress Factors at Work Blog Poll Results

#1 – Stress Surrounding Career Ambiguity

Due to the turbulence set in motion by the pandemic, career ambiguity and job insecurity have become prominent issues for all professionals everywhere. Even today, layoffs are commonplace and many are unsure if they could be affected next. Based on our poll results, career and job ambiguity were listed as the #1 stressor for 34% of respondents. This reflects similar findings from 2021’s AIS reports, with 52% of people saying that growth and development-related factors had a significant impact on their stress levels at work.

Although the worry is well-founded, there are ways to feel more secure in your job or career – starting with selecting the right employer. Whether you’re looking for a job today, or are re-evaluating your current situation, here is what you should look for in an employer.

Transparency

Every good employer displays some degree of transparency. Whether it’s regarding the overall performance of the company, or their plans for the future, a healthy work environment will make the status of the company’s stability common knowledge among all employees. If not, it can leave workers wondering where they stand – resulting in stress.

Clear-Cut Progression Plans

Companies should have clear-cut progression plans in place when it comes to departments, teams, and promotions. If you join a company at X level, you can expect to move up to Y, then Z after meeting pre-established criteria. If an employer doesn’t have a plan like this in place, it’s a recipe for disaster as far as career progression expectations are concerned.

Actionable Feedback

An organization’s leadership truly sets the tone for all operations. Seek out organizations that promote regular and actionable feedback from leadership – like regular one-on-one meetings. This should help affirm how to move up in the company, the importance of your role, and the overall encouragement of communication and idea sharing. The more consistent the feedback, the more stable you will feel.

#2 – Workload Stress

In a close second place, 32% of our respondents listed an excessive workload as their #1 stress factor at work. Unfortunately, this seems to be an issue that’s stood the test of time. In 2017, Statista found that 39% of workers said that a heavy workload was their main cause of stress. If this sounds familiar, here’s how you can improve that environment for yourself.

Talk to Leadership

If you are feeling overworked in your current role, you should ask for help from leadership. If you have good leaders, it shouldn’t reflect poorly on you that you want to better manage tasks. Try to come up with a solution together, whether that’s hiring more help, offloading responsibility to another less-utilized individual or department, or by streamlining processes.

Delegate Tasks

If you find yourself overworked, and you are the leadership – delegate! Handing off tasks can be difficult; many people believe that time invested in bringing someone up to speed could have been the time used to just do the task yourself. However, while training someone up on a new task can be time consuming in the short term, in the long term it will benefit your workload for the better. After all, this is what junior team members are for! Utilize them.

Prioritize

This may seem like the easy answer, but prioritizing tasks can truly have a positive impact on time management and ultimately easing your workload. Schedule out blocks of time for recurring tasks, and set the expectation with your team that you will only devote that amount of time to the task per day, week, or whatever you decide. By setting firm boundaries, but still prioritizing the right tasks, you can better manage your workload.

After completing these steps, if your employer is unable to help alleviate this workload stress, it signifies poor management on their part – that could be present in other areas of the business. In this case, it’s probably time to move on and prioritize your mental health.

#3 – Stress from Lack of Recognition

In many work environments, particularly in team settings, it can be an unfortunately common occurrence to not receive recognition for individual actions and successes. In fact, 23% of our respondents credited this lack of recognition as their main form of workplace stress. Research by Deloitte confirms this, finding that “the top driver of burnout... was lack of support or recognition from leadership.”

Therefore, in order to avoid these pitfalls in your next role, ask your interviewer how they work to recognize individual contributions to greater goals. Good employers should have programs in place that help support their workforce. Look for things like quarterly awards, awards based on something other than metrics, room for merit-based promotions, and individual recognition.

If you are in a leadership capacity today and don’t have programs like this in place – make them! Whenever a success is achieved, congratulate each individual and thank them for their personal contributions in front of the team. This will help them feel recognized, valued, and can help with retention.

Remember – leaders set the tone. To avoid stress from lack of recognition in your next role, look for leadership that puts in the extra effort to celebrate individual performance and achievements.

TLDR – What to Remember

Ultimately, every workplace is different. This list does not encompass all stressors experienced by workers, however it’s a good place to start. If you’re looking for further support and tools, the CDC has created a great set of tools for stress management in work settings that covers all the bases. Just remember and put these key indicators to practice in order to help you find and join a healthy work environment.

Whether you’re looking to make a career move due to stress, are just wanting to improve your current situation, or are seeking better ways to build up your team as a leader – working with a recruiter can help you achieve those goals. They can give insight into what it’s actually like to work for a company in your industry, and will advocate for you to land in your best situation. Blue Signal’s talent acquisition professionals are experts on spotting green flags and will get you headed on the right path to achieving workplace mental health. Reach out today to get started, and alleviate your work-based stress.

How To: Negotiate a Flexible Schedule During a Job Interview

October 6, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

Updated research shows that 55% of global businesses offer some capacity for remote work. Since the pandemic, workers have been redefining work/life balance and targeting opportunities with a flexible schedule. It has now become extremely important for companies to loosen the reins on what a typical employee’s work schedule and location look like.

Remote work, hybrid schedules, increased and/or more relaxed PTO options, and unconventional working hours are just a few types of common flexible schedules job seekers are looking for in today’s job market. It’s critical for employers to cater to these common requests and present job opportunities as negotiable when it comes to a flexible schedule. Doing so will also grab the attention of those passive candidates who currently have an ideal flexible schedule, and aren’t looking elsewhere for fear of not having that same flexibility in a new role. For those looking to make a career move but will require an atypical schedule or work environment, we’ve laid out a few ground rules on how to tackle the discussion with your hiring manager. Read on for tips on how to sway the conversation in the right direction and negotiate a flexible schedule during the interview process.

Make a Plan:

The first step in the process is to map out a detailed plan to present to the company and/or hiring manager you’re interviewing with. Start by reflecting on your personal must-haves and differentiating between your nice-to-haves when it comes to the flexible schedule you want. Next, clearly map out how this flexible schedule would work logistically. Be prepared with an answer for all common situations or questions that may arise. When building your case, make sure to gather personal data and specific experiences to share. These will give real-life examples of how and why you’d be successful in this type of flexible schedule. Also, be sure to ask yourself if what you’re proposing makes or breaks whether you accept the role. If a flexible schedule is a “nice-to-have,” be sure you aren’t presenting it as an ultimatum. When drawing up your plan, be sure to compare your request to the insight you gather through past interview discussions. Then prepare for questions/concerns based on those findings.

Prepare to Compromise:

After you process what terms in your work schedule and expectations are must-haves and what are nice-to-haves, start preparing to compromise. In most negotiations, the end result will tend to include some sort of halfway point between both parties. Prepare for what you’re willing to give up so you don’t end up agreeing to terms you aren’t happy with. Though you’ll be hoping your ideal flexible schedule can be achieved, go into the conversation with a few revisions to the proposal in your back pocket. We suggest preparing at least two alternative options to present. These will be useful in case the initial ask is too far off from the company's standard routine/comfort zone. If the employer is skeptical, a great compromise strategy is to suggest an initial trial period. This helps set both parties at ease. It gives you the opportunity to prove your ability by showing how successful you can be working a flexible schedule. With this deal, the employer won’t feel any pressure to commit to a permanent change.

Assess the Situation

Your next step in preparation should be to assess the situation and evaluate who you're negotiating with. Does the company you’re applying for embrace forward-thinking principles that align with a flexible schedule? Or do they encourage the traditional 9 to 5 work schedule? When the floor opens up for you to ask questions, take advantage of diving deeper into this topic. Present strategic questions to be answered that will give you further insight into their working culture and outlook. Questions surrounding what the typical working day looks like, whether you will be given portable equipment/computer, if you’ll be required to access emails outside of the office, as well as what it’s like interacting with team members and cross-functional departments. These questions usually lead to insightful responses from the interviewer that you can dissect.

Another topic that will help you gain further insight is asking about COVID-19 protocol. See how the company handled moving to a remote or flexible schedule. Ask how this may have changed their outlook on work, and the success it may have had for some departments. In most cases, the hiring manager’s facial expressions, tone, and body language will tell the whole story.

Present the Discussion:

Be absolutely sure to only present or mention the discussion around a flexible schedule after you receive an offer letter. This will ensure there is no animosity or negative inclinations when the employer is making their final hiring decision. When presenting your case, clearly map out what the options would look like. Ensure you're communicating your ask in a confident and positive way. Touch on how this flexible schedule will benefit them as an employer and as a company. This will help shift the focus from your personal needs.

As mentioned before, this is the time to use tangible data. Prove how you’ll be successful in an unconventional working environment. With any negotiation, remember to stay practical, not emotional. Leave your ego at the door. Don’t let pushback or skepticism throw your confidence. Keep a level head throughout the discussion and continue working toward a result you’ll both be happy with. In closing, reassure your continued commitment to the company. Share your appreciation for the job offer, and excitement to be successful in the role. Afterward, consider sending a thank you note!

Confirm the Consensus in Writing:

Though we’re sure companies will have the best intentions in mind, it is always important to get the discussion result in writing. You never know what kind of communication can get caught behind the scenes. It’s always best to cover your bases. A great way to do this is to kindly ask them to update the offer letter. Have them include the flexible schedule agreement you came to in your discussion. This protects both you and the company as it will include terms and conditions like initial trial periods and timelines. This will set expectations for progress reports down the line to discuss how it is going. This means no one will be caught off guard when the follow-up discussion is presented. Your manager will also stay diligent in monitoring how your flexible schedule is working throughout that trial time.

The typical working environment of 9 to 5 in the office is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Though it is still possible for a company to reject the idea of working remotely or offering flexible hours. Be prepared for this outcome and, if it happens, don’t get discouraged. This is why mapping out your must-haves early on in the process is important. This will help everyone come to a decision that they’ll be confident in long term. If you’re unable to reach an agreement and a flexible schedule is on your must-have list, it’s most likely not a great fit overall. In the end, the most important thing is to trust your gut. Understand your needs when it comes to choosing your next employer. As always, reach out to Blue Signal for any further guidance on how to facilitate conversations with hiring managers and negotiate terms that are beneficial to both yourself and a potential employer.

Career Connectors Staffing Panel – Top Firms

August 30, 2019 by Lacey Walters

Earlier this month, Blue Signal had the chance to be represented at Career Connectors’ August Staffing Panel by one of our top Executive Recruiters, Trevor Gamble, to touch on and debunk the Myths about Working with Staffing Firms.

The event began with Career Connectors CEO and founder, Jessica Pierce, introducing the four panelists to the room of over 80 professionals. The panel consisted of CEO LT Ladino-Bryson with vCandidates, our own Executive Recruiter Trevor Gamble with Blue Signal Search, CEO Graham Greytak with HireRising and Area Manager, Brendan Naper with NESCO Resource.

After introductions, the panelists were asked a variety of questions ranging from “How Candidates Can Build a Relationship with Recruiters” to a “Favorite Success Story.”

With such an open forum for questions and ideas, attendees were able to ask the panelists questions about their own experience and how to deal with niche industries and skill sets. With the array of staffing firms and industry experts in the room, attendees were able to get a clear and concise look into the world of recruiting from a recruiter’s point of view. Although recruiters are well-known in business industries, the average person may not be aware that staffing firms give them more options and take off some of the pressure when searching for a new career. The informative panel gave people who have and who have not worked with recruiters in the past a more positive outlook about the benefits of working with recruiters.

In addition to the great benefits attendees received from the panel, recruiters also received some insightful information that could help them with their own searches. They were able to openly discuss the different styles and tactics other recruiters use to source candidates and the type of relationship they build with candidates.

”The topic of the event was as relevant for the job seekers as it was for people in steady careers looking for a change. The audience got to hear from recruiters across different industries and ask the tough questions about what it is like to work with staffing firms – the advantages and challenges. I feel the group left the event with much more information and tools for their career search toolkits,” Trevor recapped from the event.

Regardless of if you were an attendee or panelist, the information presented served as a valuable resource for all who attended.

Read here to see the panelist’s informative responses to the top asked questions!

About Career Connectors: The Panel was organized by the nonprofit organization, Career Connectors, who strives to connect professionals in career transitions to top resources and hiring companies. Since the organization’s establishment in 2019, their vision has remained the same; “Connecting Real People with Real Careers”. Career Connectors’ helps people by providing outreach programs that offer career connections, hiring companies, education workshops, networking, resources and job leads in targeted networking groups. In addition to these aides, CC also offers an online web portal of career resources, job leads and social media connections.

About Blue Signal Search: Blue Signal was founded in Chicago in 2012, and since then, has grown into a multimillion-dollar executive placement firm with offices in the Phoenix and Chicago areas. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, technology, and related industry niches.

At Blue Signal, we believe hiring the right people is the best way to transform business. Our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. Our team has decades of combined experience in finding the right people for each unique company culture and industry niche.

Our team works with both candidates and hiring managers to find the right fit. Contact us today to let us know how we can help.

Millennials in the Workforce

August 17, 2018 by Lacey Walters

For years, people have argued over how millennials will fall into the professional world, and how the generation of technology and diversity will change the way we see business. Over time, research has started to indicate how some of these changes may take shape.

Millennials are the largest generation in the United States labor force. According to Pew Research Center, U.S. Census Data shows that one-in-three American labor force participants (35%) are millennials. As of 2017, 56 million millennials were working or looking for work. Research suggests that the millennial population, accounting for immigration, will peak at 75 million.

The Disillusioned Generation

Millennials are the first generation to have less consumer sentiment and optimism than older generations. Baby Boomers entered the workforce believing the future would hold a better world. Millennials lack that confidence and feel compelled to instead “save the world.”

Research states that, “49% of 18- to 29 year-olds hold the view that the next generation will be worse off, while 61% of Americans aged 50 and over believe the next generation will be worse off.”

Contrary to popular belief, this lack of sentiment doesn’t reflect millennials’ tenure. According to Pew Research, millennials aren’t job-hopping any more than Generation X did in their early careers.

Actually, among the college-educated, millennials have longer track records with their employers than Generation X workers at the same age.

Sadly, this increased tenure does not correlate with job security or higher wages. As a result, millennials are the most likely to leave their jobs in the next 12 months if the job market improves.

With this information, it’s no surprise that the workplace will change over the coming years to better reflect millennials’ ideals and goals. It seems that the general attitude of millennials in today’s workforce is realistic – they know what they deserve, and what they need to achieve, and aren’t willing to compromise for less.

Desire for Purpose

The largest problem facing anyone in the workplace, no matter the generation, is engagement. Unengaged workers pose a threat to productivity, and in turn lead to higher turnover and loss of profit. Gallup estimated the cost of disengaged employees at $350 billion/year in lost productivity. Gallup research also shows that millennials are the least engaged generation; 72% are disengaged in their work. Lots of factors can affect this measurement, yet Gallup’s research shows that focusing on “opportunity to do best” and “mission and purpose” are the strongest factors for retaining employees. In addition, “opportunities to learn and grow” is an important element for millennials. Currently, only 28% feel their organizations are making full use of their skills. More alarming – 42% of respondents believe they will not be able to learn the skills they need for their careers at their current job.

Millennials feel unengaged in their jobs, yet they are confident that better options exist. Research shows 63% of respondents believe they could find a job as good as the one they have if they left their current company. Therefore, a focus on engagement initiatives will certainly begin to take precedence over other tasks of management and companies.

Communication with Upper Management

Another way to combat loss of engagement is to create more communication between employees and management. Research has shown that “the process creates buy-in and helps employees define success in their roles. Accomplishing goals created with a manager feels even more gratifying to employees because they are ‘our goals,’ not just ‘my goals’ or ‘your goals.’ This shows in their engagement. While a mere 30% of employees strongly agree that their manager involves them in setting their goals at work, those who do strongly agree with this statement are 3.6 times more likely than other employees to be engaged.”

Millennials hold 20% of all leadership roles, and this number is growing. They will define a new standard for leadership, with conviction, collaboration, flexibility, and open communication.

Greater Diversity

Millennials are the “diversity generation.” Millennials actively pursue philosophies, politics, and social equality in all aspects of their lives — even the workplace. Reports show that 83% of millennials are actively engaged when they believe their organization fosters an inclusive culture. Only 60% of millennials are actively engaged when their organization does not foster an inclusive culture.

Millennials make up 27% of the minority population, including 38% of voting-age minorities and a whopping 43% of primary working age minorities. This means diversity in the workplace will not only be more prominent but will define the corporate culture of many companies. The number of millennial leaders is growing, and they want to expand inclusion in the workplace. The general belief is that past generations have handled diversity poorly in the past. Two out of 3 millennials chose their current company because of their organization’s overall purpose. Without a shared set of values and ethics, they are unlikely to engage with a company.

Millennials + Automation

A major trend in the last 20 years is the increased presence of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. Will millennials embrace or regulate the use of AI and other automation when it comes to business practices?

Research shows a split sentiment. Automation is more consistent, measurable, manageable, and cost effective than many traditional work allocations. However, people will always drive products and services. Technology cannot compare to people’s ability to tell a compelling story, communicate with color, recognize and respond to context, make and maintain connections, be emotionally competent, and of course guide with an ethical focus. It is up to the next generation of leaders to shape this technology.

The torch has passed to the millennials. They have made their desires clear – more purpose, collaboration, innovation, and flexibility. Companies that wish to survive the new age of business will have to adjust accordingly. Only the future will tell what millennials do with this new influence. But if research holds true, the future will be more inclusive, collaborative, rewarding, and technologically advanced.

What do you think? How can society empower millennials to make a positive impact? Let us know in the comments!

5 Signs that it’s Time for a Career Move

August 10, 2018 by Lacey Walters

Something they don’t teach in college is how to know when to move on. After graduating, many people’s initial focus is finding a job – pretty much any job, particularly if they have debt looming over them. If it’s relevant to their studies, all the better. This causes people to settle early and often, making the promise of skills being applied be enough to sign on to a company. And once you’re in it, there is always the fear of losing tenure if you move on too quickly. Shockingly, research has found that 70% of the US workforce is not reaching its full potential, with 52% of those workers unengaged, and another 18% are actively disengaged in their current jobs. This costs an estimated $450-550 billion in lost productivity each year.

Here’s how to decide if a career change is right for you.

1 – “My heart isn’t in it.”

Sometimes, the work that you thought you signed up for can fall short of expectations. You may enter a job and realize that this sort of position may not be right for you. This can be discouraging, greatly impact your productivity, and make it hard to keep work exciting. Especially when starting your first career-path position, you can be surprised by how the job compares to your expectations.

The best way to go about these apathetic feelings is to define what you want from the position. Maybe you were looking for a certain skill set or were looking to advance within a company. Whatever your initial motivations, list them and look at them critically in accordance to what you are gaining currently. Make a list of what the job provides you, mirror that against what the job promised (maybe in a job posting or offer letter) and identify the focus.

For example, if you took a sales job to gain experience working with a certain client, write that down. Did the hiring manager promise this client to be part of your job scope? If so, and you haven’t made contact with them, it could be time to reach out to a superior and ask about your responsibilities. Having this initiative will show how prepared you are to move forward within the company, and achieving this initial goal will surely revitalize your drive. However, if the company can no longer provide you this opportunity and network, consider whether or not it meets your other career needs and think about how you could achieve this goal, even if it is with another company.

2 – “I’m not receiving proper reward or recognition.”

If you take a job that promises promotions, bonuses, and other compensation or movement and you have been with the company for quite some time, you may be wondering when those perks will appear. It’s hard to approach this topic with a superior, because you know that these things are earned, not given. However, if this was what drew you to the company and it has not been attained, you may start to second-guess your employment decision.

The first thing you need to do is know your facts. Dig out your offer letter from the company and find any material you can on their compensation scheme and benefits. Go online and use tools like Glassdoor’s Compensation Analyst or LinkedIn’s Salary Estimator to see how your compensation package compares to what other companies are offering in your industry and location. Set your expectations based on real-time facts and figures and analyze how your company may meet or exceed these standards.

If you are making above average in your qualifications and title, this should give you a new appreciation for your company and position. You may be luckier than you think! Perhaps your job has fallen short of industry norms or your company hasn’t fulfilled their promises of retention bonuses or perks. Approach your manager or HR and discuss your concerns in a respectful and constructive way. The worst thing you can do is remain inactive in your worry.

3 – “I don’t trust the company” or “I don’t fit the culture.”

This can be a tough situation. What people typically run into with a new position is the insider’s view they can get of a company’s philosophy. Something you must remember when starting a new job is that the first 90 days isn’t just the company watching to see if you’ll be a right fit, but for you to watch and see if the company is the right fit. Research shows that, “only 41% of employees felt that they know what their company stands for and what makes its brand different from its competitors’ brands.”

There are a few outlets to research the culture of a company, including looking up their employee reviews on Glassdoor; reading their client reviews on Yelp, Google, and Indeed. Look at the company’s website, social media pages, and LinkedIn to see how they interact with their industry, community, and employees. These give you an idea of what the company stands for and prepares you before accepting the offer.

However, just as individuals post idealized images of their lives on Facebook, companies can construct the perfect workplace image online. When your company turns out differently than you expect after signing on, you can approach HR and discuss your concerns. The same applies if you are uncomfortable with your company’s ethos or atmosphere. A big part of career satisfaction comes from the workplace environment. If you are uncomfortable with it, chances are you are not the only one. Speak up. Use your resources. Consider moving elsewhere if no improvements can be made.

4 – “I’m not living up to my full career potential.”

According to Gallup research, “an alarming 70% of American employees aren’t working to their full potential.” This feeling is something many people have but are reluctant to face. Perhaps when you entered the position, you thought you would be gradually given more responsibility and/or visibility and have since felt like your hard work has gone unnoticed or doesn’t support your company’s goals. The important task here is to define what you want to be doing, and then plan ways to get there.

What is your potential? What skills can you offer that aren’t being put to use, and how can they be put to use? Know your worth and become your own biggest supporter. If you think you can handle a larger portfolio, ask your manager for an extra client. If you want to showcase your abilities in design, ask. Take a stab at a proposal before the company presents to the client. Sometimes it may not be a lack of management’s interest or confidence in your abilities. Your potential can be overlooked if it goes unknown to the company’s decision makers.

However, it can always be possible that this position does not fit your capabilities. Maybe you are meant to be in another role with more clientele or creativity. If that’s the case, a change could be the answer to living up to your full potential. Never assume you are undervalued if you haven’t proven your value, but never settle if you aren’t challenged and engaged.

5 – “There’s no room for upward movement.”

A greater problem still can come from a position where you are familiar with the company, have gained a lot of rewarding experience, and are passionate about what you do. Yet, you’ve moved to the top of your department and cannot experience any more vertical growth. This is always heartbreaking, because it’s likely that if you have been with the company long enough to grow that far, you are comfortable with all other aspects of the company.

But maybe that’s the problem. Being too comfortable can limit your achievements. If you have asked all the right questions, gone to the CEO about further growth, and have gotten everything you can from the position, it may be time to search for another career opportunity that can provide you with new experiences.

No matter the case, making a career move can be difficult. If you relate to any of the issues above and have not been able to find a fix within your current company, know that the job pool is large. We want to encourage you to look for your perfect fit.

Need help in your search? Have questions? Contact us at info@bluesignal.com.

You Just Lost Your Job — Now What?

August 11, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Whether it was expected or came as a surprise, losing a job is never welcome news. For most people, losing a job means also losing financial stability, pressure on savings accounts, and uncertainty. It’s easy to let emotions run wild and take over. Don’t lose hope. The last job is over, but the next opportunity is waiting. Here’s what to do once the bad news hits.

Don’t make a plan just yet.

Give yourself at least a few days to process the initial emotions. Everyone needs a different amount of time to recover. Some personalities love to rise to the challenge and throw themselves into job-searching right away. Other people don’t. Know yourself, but don’t give in to the temptation to let sadness take over your schedule. An old saying goes, “Don’t make promises when you’re celebrating, or decisions when you’re mourning.” Emotions can cloud your judgment, so let yourself process them before you leap into action.

Set a deadline that by the upcoming Monday, the Netflix binge ends and the full-time job search starts. Try to stick to the same schedule you had leading up to the termination. It’s easy to fall into a cycle of bad eating and crazy hours, but this will negatively impact discipline, energy levels, and motivation. Everyone keeps a schedule and meets deadlines as part of a job, so you can do it now as a job-searcher. And just like a real job, leave it behind at the end of the day. It’s not helpful to let job-search anxiety follow you everywhere you go. Find job-search resources here.

Set manageable goals, but re-evaluate them first.

Once the shock has faded, take a look back through old career goals. What was at the top of the list? Where are you in that trajectory? If you have never made a career plan, think about specific career goals for 5 years, 10 years, and retirement. Most people just want to make enough money to sustain their lifestyle; try to think beyond that point. What age do you want to retire at? Do you want to leave money to your kids, or a cause you believe in? What kind of difference do you want to make in the workplace?

Since employees are hanging onto their jobs longer, keep a long-term outlook. During a job search, short-term demands like bills and family create pressure to make a fast decision. In reality, a job search is an investment in the next five years of your life and livelihood. Making the right choice is just as important as taking care of immediate needs.

Quality over quantity.

During the 2008 recession, conventional wisdom said to send out thousands of applications to get a job. In reality, this is no longer a great search strategy. The best bet is to invest heavily in company research and target hiring managers with customized messages that revolve around your skills and their needs. Make it easy for them to see why they should consider extending an interview invitation. Update your LinkedIn to be keyword-heavy and focus on work achievements and skills, not just job history. Switch on the “Open to New Opportunities” function to help recruiters find you easier.

Reach out to your network.

Leverage your professional network where you can. This includes old bosses, coworkers, colleagues at other companies, customers, and anyone else who may have a connection. An easy way to start the conversation is just to let them know you lost your job, and ask if they would be willing to act as a reference during the interview process. This lets people know to keep their eyes out for opportunities that could be a fit. Be direct. Don’t beat around the bush when asking for favors. Be polite, and offer to reciprocate where possible.

The same goes for recruiters: get in touch with two or three carefully chosen ones within the right industry, rather than blasting thirty at a time. The best recruiters work on a carefully chosen portfolio of jobs, so they may not have something for you right away. If so, ask them for a recommendation for another recruiter, and move on. Look at their posted jobs beforehand, and contact them with the top few openings in mind.

Know that the job market is in your favor.

BLS reports that median job tenure has been increasing since 2000.

Our perception is that the labor market is unstable and that employers never hire anyone without years of experience. Many people also think that employees would never consider hiring anyone with a gap in their resume. The truth is that the job market has made big strides since the recession. Employees are keeping their jobs longer, and the economy is growing. The current labor market is a candidate-driven market, which means that there is a candidate shortage, and they hold more power than the employers. Many employers are reporting difficulty in filling their job openings. This means less competition for jobs and competitive wages. It also means that you’re more likely to stay longer at your next job. Know that you have options, and a gap between jobs doesn’t automatically disqualify you for great opportunities.

Consider consulting or freelance work.

Been meaning to try life as your own boss? About 1 in 10 people in the US workforce is self-employed. Freelance or consulting work has many benefits. It offers a bridge to cover the resume gap since the termination. It provides an opportunity to work on new projects that were not available in your last position. It develops new skills. It allows people who want to change industries a chance to restructure their skills

The drawback of consulting work is that it can take a while to ramp up and build a client base. Much of successful consulting depends on self-marketing. For professionals with a large professional network, it may be a great opportunity. For those who hate the idea of promoting themselves, beware.

One other note: unless your goal is to change industries, stick to consulting in an area that is as close to your ideal full-time job as possible. Job loss can seem like a good time to make a break for it and try out a career as an artist or starting a business in a brand-new industry. In reality, dramatic career changes have a much higher success rate when you prepare for them while you still have a steady income. If you’re absolutely committed to a big change, get a part-time job to cover basic expenses while you ramp up. It will buy you extra time to build up your skills and experience in your new venture.

Commit to making it easier on yourself next time.

Many people are let go through no fault of their own, and are let go even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong. With that said, job searching is stressful and difficult. Once you get back on your feet, there are still steps to take to make the transition easier, if it ever happens again.

Most Americans have less than $1000 in savings. For most households, this is not enough to pay the bills for even a month. Having no back-up plan gives you tighter deadline and shortchanges you potential opportunities. Make a promise to invest in an emergency savings plan once you get back on your feet, and put away enough money to last until the right job comes along, to avoid having to make a decision out of desperation and be stuck in a bad-fitting position for the next few years. Saving is hard, but living on no income is much harder.

Invest in future career goals while you have a job. Stay connected with industry professionals. Stay in touch with what the job market is doing. Know what kind of salaries the industry is paying. Work hard. Develop in-demand skills even when it cuts into free time. Many great employers will invest in training their employees, but in the end, they have a greater responsibility to the business than to their employees’ future career aspirations. Keep your resume updated and list top achievements on it at the end of each year. Compare yourself to people in your industry who have achieved what you want to achieve, and do what they do. Follow in their footsteps.

Many employees don’t take recruiter calls, which means if they lose their jobs, they don’t know the market rate, they don’t have relationships with good recruiters, and they aren’t aware of which skills are in high demand. It pays to take recruiter calls and keep a healthy relationship with a good recruiter, even when you are happy with your current job.

It’s not easy to lose a job. That said, there is a lot of opportunity out there. It can be a time of regrouping, recovering, and recalibrating to better achieve your career goals.

Looking for a job? See our openings here, or contact us directly at resumes@bluesignal.com.

Job Ads Should Look More Like Dating Profiles – Here’s Why.

May 26, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Picture seeing an online dating profile like this:

Requirements:

Must do all chores (laundry, all cleaning, bills), plus more as needed.

Must be willing to make sandwiches on demand and cook all meals 5+ times per week.

Minimum 700+ credit score and excellent budgeting skills required.

Must be able to handle difficult in-laws.

Who would swipe right on a profile like that? Any sane suitor would swipe left on that person as if their life depended on it because no one in their right mind would list requirements like that on a dating profile. It just isn’t a feasible way to find a successful match. So why are job ads being written like this?

Take a look at the description below, taken from real job postings:

Requirements:

Minimum 10 years of experience.

MBA required.

MUST be willing to work long hours on nights and weekends.

Must handle all regular duties plus others as needed.

Self-starter who can work with minimal direction.

Proven success in consistently landing top-level enterprise clients.

Natural ability to thrive under high pressure.

Please do not apply if you do not have qualifications listed above.

More like a prison sentence than a job ad. Not a single top performer would be tempted to apply to a job like this, and yet this continues to be the standard in the job ad world. Instead of showcasing a company’s passion, mission, and opportunity, they aim to scare off all but the most dedicated candidates. Demanding job ads became the norm during the 2008 financial crisis. Job ads were full of intimidating lists of hefty requirements, because the labor market was so bad that even top people were willing to take any jobs they could get.

The trouble is, this approach has stopped working.

The economy has shifted to a candidate-driven market, and companies are finding that the talent market is more competitive than ever, especially in fast-growing market segments like emerging technology, wireless/telecom, and programming. And due to tightening work visa restrictions, employers cannot always rely on the pool of H-1B workers. As a result, companies are having a harder time attracting talent.

Better to have too many choices than not enough.

Of course, there are some non-negotiables in both dating and employment. Everyone has standards. But highlighting the negative aspects of the job to “scare away” unmotivated applicants will make a top candidate question why they would bother applying to an apparently horrible job.

Experts estimate that up to 80% of candidates are passive. This means they keep options open but usually stay put unless something great comes along. Companies who write hardline job ads cut out 80% of their possible applicants. The best employees almost never have to make a career move, so companies with bad job descriptions automatically eliminate the best candidates right off the bat.

Image: Ernest Shackleton’s 1901 newspaper ad for the first successful trip to the South Pole.

Writing more attractive job ads will naturally cause an uptick in the number of applicants. Sometimes this is the reason companies write harsh job ads – they want to reduce the flood of applications. However, this strategy is flawed. In the world of easy online applications, companies who demand too much will still get flooded with applicants, but the majority will be desperate or underqualified applicants. It is better to have too many choices than not enough.

By the way, getting overwhelmed by applications is one of the best reasons to consider using a recruiter to weed through hundreds of applicants. Recruiter fees are expensive, but so is a hiring manager’s time.

Bad attitudes are expensive.

Focusing on the minimum qualifications is insulting to top candidates who have worked hard to build their skillset and bring extra to the job. Telling someone that they have met the minimum standard is hardly motivating in the dating world, and even less in the professional world. It is far better to tell them what the reward will be if they exceed expectations. Instead of focusing on the minimum bar, focus on the things that will set the job apart and how the company rewards its best people.

If employees have to jump through hoops during the hiring process, expect to pay a lot more than market rate to attract high-performing employees. Even then, many people will eventually leave a high-paying job for a job that treats them well. High turnover might work for minimum-wage employees, but it gets very expensive for salaried employees. Consider the direct costs of replacing an employee (advertising the job, interviewing, travel costs, background checks, and onboarding), plus the indirect costs of low morale, poor branding, decreased service quality, and the negative effects of stressed and dissatisfied employees.

Just like in real life, there is a spectrum of what works. Antagonistic, authoritarian work relationships can sometimes produce results (take Amazon’s notorious work culture, for example), but candidates in today’s market have lots of options. Companies who take a hardline attitude should not count on attracting top performers.

Show personality, not gimmicks.

Once upon a time, “Coding Ninja” job titles and ping-pong tables were the hottest way to attract up-and-coming talent. It worked for a while, but in the end, employees mostly want to make sure that a job will meet their real needs. That means money, time off, career advancement, and a good workplace environment.

What should companies focus on instead? Start with opportunities, rewards for top performers, career paths, benefits, work culture, and brand ideals. The top attractors in the United States have strong branding around how they’re changing the world. They don’t always pay the most or have the best benefits, but they maintain strong ideals about their mission.

Most companies only put effort into considering what they want out of an employee, and no time thinking about why anyone would want the job. This is unfortunate, because every company has something unique to offer. Start with the hard numbers, like salary package, benefits, PTO, and bonus structure. Go on Glassdoor to see what people are already saying, and pick out some of the top positive comments describing the culture. Plan out the realistic career path for the person who will fill this position, and note in the job description what opportunities they will have.

Focus on the relationship.

Even the most formal professional relationships are still relationships. They are based on people understanding each other and cooperating. When someone takes a job, they sign up to spend hundreds or thousands of hours of their life to pursue the company’s goals, and the company agrees to be that employee’s livelihood.

Investing in employees is expensive, but it also produces great results. Many studies have shown that unhappy employees do a bad job at work, and happy employees give better service. It takes time, effort, and hard work to attract top people, but the payoff is enormous.

Want more tips on how to write a great job ad? Check out Blue Signal’s top 5 tips for building a better job description.

Sales Reps: Ask These Questions in Your Next Sales Interview

May 11, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Many sales reps are great interviewers, since they excel at building relationships and having targeted conversations. One of the best ways a sales rep can stand out from the competition in an interview is by asking great questions. Research the company’s products and brands well ahead of time (try out the products firsthand, if possible), and then spend the interview time asking questions that will help both parties to determine whether the job is a fit.

These questions are designed to jumpstart conversation about company culture specifics. Listen carefully to what is said, and what is not said. Be ready for a range of possible answers, and have responses to guide the conversation.

“What is the usual progression for top performers in this job?”

Sales roles often have high turnover, especially at the lower levels. But asking simply about tenure can give a bad impression in an interview. Instead of asking a question that focuses on the worst performers, ask about the best performers. This question does double-duty: it demonstrates a commitment to succeed, and it also uncovers how the company treats its highest-performing salespeople.

Another variant on this question is, “What do the most successful salespeople do in their first month on the job?” Both variations of the question emphasize that the candidate has every intention of doing a good job.

“If you had an extra 20% added to your budget, how would you spend it?

An engaged hiring manager will know what they would love to spend more money on – product training, marketing materials, extra reps, prospecting software, or extra incentives, for example.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but it will indicate the top priorities (and possible pain points) of the team’s management. Someone from a technical background may prioritize product knowledge and technical support. A manager who is actively engaged with their team may focus on skills development. A data-driven manager may invest in analytical software and tracking tools for the team to find out where the problem is. Listen carefully to the “why” in the interviewer’s answer, and think about what was not said as well as what was said.

“What is the top skill you wish you could improve in your sales team?”

Every team has weaknesses, and most sales teams struggle with a similar set of challenges across the board. This question gives insight into which weaknesses the manager focuses on. Common answers to this question include: product knowledge, prospecting, actual salesmanship, and better documentation/follow-up. An engaged hiring manager will answer this question in detail because they know where the team’s weaknesses are.

A sales rep who is interviewing can use this information to guide future questions, especially if they are strong in an area where the rest of the team is weak. It pays to follow up with a question about how the sales department compensates for this weakness—additional training, regular coaching, bigger incentives? It says a lot about the overall approach of the team.

“Which departments does the sales team work with on a regular basis?”

Some sales teams operate in a bubble and focus purely on selling, selling, selling. Other companies have a more collaborative culture, and their sales teams meet with R&D to brainstorm solutions to common customer complaints, or with marketing to come up with better materials and marketing strategies to help reps sell better. Neither approach is right or wrong, but it says a lot about how the company integrates sales into the rest of its culture.

“What kind of support personnel does your sales team have?”

Sales is not an easy line of work, and it gets even harder when reps are bogged down with non-sales work. Support personnel help a sales team to run like clockwork. This includes sales engineers, technical support, customer service, admin, data entry, product managers, and pre-sales/post-sales support coordinators. Even a small number of support personnel can mean a huge difference in a rep’s workload, and that translates to more sales and more commissions.

“What percentage of reps hit their quota each year? How does the top 10% perform?”

Not all sales departments set realistic quotas for their team. If the annual quota is $5 million, but the average rep only closes $3 million, the target is unrealistic. A very high OTE is great, but only if it is achievable. This question also helps to feel out how in touch a hiring manager is with their team’s numbers.

It pays to know how the top 10% performs compared to the average rep, to get a realistic idea of how much to expect in sales and commissions.

“What is the sales workflow?”

This question gives the hiring manager a good opportunity to talk about what tools and procedures the company uses in its sales process. A good sales funnel is straightforward and simple. Beware of a complicated process with unnecessary twists and turns. Another red flag is a high amount of follow-up, which takes a rep’s time away from selling.

Get an idea of the company’s sales stack. Even the best salesperson can have a hard time selling if the company’s software platform is outdated or difficult to use. On the other hand, a modern fully-loaded CRM shows that the company is serious about investing in its sales team.

“Why are you hiring for this role right now?”

The easy answer to this question is, “We’re growing,” which is what most hiring managers will answer. But instead of stopping there, dig a little deeper. Ask how much they have grown, and how it compares to past growth. Why now? This is also a good opportunity to find out the size of the sales team.

The other possible answer is that someone left. This is not automatically a bad thing – the hiring process usually moves much faster for replacement roles than for newly created roles. If the role is open because someone resigned, see how the hiring manager responds. If they speak negatively about the employee or air grievances (which tends to be uncommon), take it as a red flag. The best professional response is to briefly explain that the person moved on to other opportunities.

“What is the biggest challenge your team has faced in the last year, and how did your team overcome it?”

The sales profession is not easy, especially in the roller-coaster market of the past 10 years. Every team has faced challenges. Find out how they responded, and more importantly, how the hiring manager speaks about the difficulties on the job. Some managers ignore or minimize problems, some face them head-on, some like to get their hands dirty on the front lines, and others like to analyze the problem carefully and take a targeted approach. Again, this question is all about getting down to the personality and work culture of the team.

“Tell me about some of your key metrics.”

Selling is a numbers game, and a great hiring manager is on top of their team’s metrics. Good metrics to talk about include the cost of acquiring a new customer, conversion rates, and average deal size. For long-cycle sales, be sure to get an estimate of how long deals usually take to close.

The interviewee should have their own numbers ready to discuss, so that once the hiring manager begins talking about their metrics, the interviewee can respond with how they can improve those metrics. This is a good opportunity to trade stories about big milestones and key successes in the past few years.

“What keeps you motivated and excited to come to work every day?”

This is an easy one to pull out to break tension or to follow a complex question. People who work in sales are all about motivation and excitement (if not, they are probably in the wrong profession). What they say is less important than how they say it. If their answer is motivating and exciting, they are probably a good match.

Interviewing soon? Read more about how to excel in a sales interview. Find even more interview tips here.

Before You Hire an AWS/Cloud Engineer, Read This.

March 10, 2017 by Lacey Walters

Cloud computing is growing faster than ever. The cloud market reached almost $150 billion in 2016, and is growing at 25% annually. Traditionally, companies’ top concern was security. But this year, the #1 challenge reported by cloud adopters is a lack of people with the right skills.

At the forefront is Amazon Web Services (AWS), the public cloud division of Amazon. Their business-friendly cloud options ranked #1 in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant. AWS has been around since 1999, however, with the spike in cloud migrations, demand for qualified people has exploded.

The natural response is to scramble to get approval for a new top AWS/cloud migration expert. But many companies run into trouble by hiring the wrong type of person, hiring without a plan, or hiring before their infrastructure is ready. This leads to poor retention and an expensive cloud-based disaster.

How to lay the groundwork for a new AWS/cloud project:

What is the goal?

AWS has many modules; its tagline is “A platform for virtually every use case.” It is the CTO’s job to set a goal and narrow the focus. Too many companies jump into new technology because everyone seems to be doing it, but the reality is that no project can succeed without a clear, realistic goal.

The worst possible approach is, “We need to invest in cloud. What should we do with it?” The goal should address an existing problem that ties directly to revenue. For instance: streamlining a data center, improving security, speeding up data processing, or meeting compliance standards. AWS and cloud-based technology cannot solve every problem, but it brings many exciting tools to the table.

What are the options?

Cloud technology is not an all-or-nothing investment. After defining the goal, choose the features and modules that make sense. For many companies, a hybrid solution is best for their needs, especially for companies with existing infrastructure and assets. Smaller companies can simply rent or buy into existing cloud platforms and software, especially for data storage and security needs. Enterprises and companies doing large cloud migrations will more likely need to hire an expert.

Who is driving?

Without a clear leader to head up the effort, a cloud project will quickly fall apart and become a chaotic, over-budget mess. A director or department head may seem like the obvious choice, however it may not be the best choice if this person already has a totally full schedule, travels a lot, or does not understand the technology.

The best person to lead is someone who is highly project-oriented and a big-picture strategist who communicates well with many types of people. Someone detail-oriented risks getting lost in the weeds. Ideally, they have technical experience or manage technical people.

Now what?

With the groundwork in place, the hiring need should be clearer.

Before interviewing, know the right questions to ask, and have at least one interviewer who can ask technical questions on the AWS technology. This is for two reasons: it screens out underqualified candidates, and it gives the interviewing company legitimacy. Experts gravitate towards companies who have done their research and ask the right questions. It is an indication that the company will treat them well and respect their expertise.

Beware of hiring a complete team of outside people to manage a brand new big-budget technology project. Even if they are experts in the technology, they are not familiar with the company culture and team. Even the best person can run into problems if current employees perceive that an “outsider” is coming in and trying to change everything overnight. A more neutral strategy is to hire an engineer or architect who reports to a trusted leader within the organization who can act as the liaison.

Train some, hire some. Who can be retrained? Competition is so fierce that some companies will inevitably be stuck with a person who has the technical skills but is not the best cultural fit, or vice versa. Therefore, the lower the budget, the greater the need for flexibility.

Work to change technophobe attitudes before the project starts. Share responsibility and ownership in the project with the whole team, and get as many people as possible on board. Take their ideas and try them out, where possible. New technology can feel like a threat and a burden, so open communication does wonders to make current employees feel more at ease.

Lastly, have a follow-through plan. Once the cloud project is complete, have a plan in place for who will maintain it and run it. Hire or train them with plenty of time. Success in the early stages is critical for employees to get on board.

As with any complex project, it pays to work with a recruiter who knows the space well and can locate the best talent for the company’s budget. If your company is considering a large-scale cloud or AWS project, contact us for a free evaluation of your hiring needs. Reach our cloud specialists directly at info@bluesignal.com or give us a call at (480) 939-3200.

7 Subtle Motivation-Killers of Top Employees

February 17, 2017 by Lacey Walters

“Highly motivated” is a common requirement on job descriptions, but in reality, “built-in” motivation is a myth. While an employee’s internal drive is important, the other half of the equation is a joint effort by the employee and the manager to foster a productive workplace.

Employee engagement is a top buzzword of recent years, and there are many obvious killers of motivation: below-market pay, crushing workload, delayed wages, unfair management practices, and oppressive bureaucracy. But for highly paid top performers, some team managers miss more subtle killers of motivation. In an increasingly competitive job market, these top employees have more options than ever, so it is important to address motivation killers and build a productive, healthy environment that lets high performers shine.

1. Unclear advancement plans

In the modern high-level interview, hiring managers often ask for a prospective employee’s career goals. Not everyone wants to go into management, so this interview question is critical in uncovering what motivates the employee. However, many managers never follow up on this initial conversation.

Regularly discussing where the employee wants to go and how to get there is important, but it is only the start. High achievers are good at setting and reaching goals, so they need to have measurable targets to hit and a specific timeline. If an employee feels they are indefinitely treading water, or that they have no prospects for advancement at their current company, they will move on. Tip the balance by giving top performers a realistic idea of their growth timeline and what they can expect as a reward for their hard work.

2. Unaddressed conflict

High performers often have well-rounded communication skills and are good at coping with set-backs and frustrations. That said, a toxic work environment will quickly frustrate someone who is trying to focus on achieving good results in their job. A sudden change in an employee’s performance or an abrupt drop-off in communication is a telltale sign of a toxic situation. Toxic workplaces kill employee engagement.

Promptly address conflict. Meet face-to-face with involved employees and be prepared to discuss what is bothering them in honest, blunt terms. Many times, good communication with a mediator will take the fire out of a bad situation. At other times, more drastic measures are required. Either way, when a top employee is sending distress signals, ignoring the problem destroys trust along with motivation.

3. Lack of feedback and/or indifference to new ideas

When employees come up with new ideas and find new ways of doing things, it is a sure sign that they have good motivation and are engaged in their jobs. A quick way to kill that motivation is to gloss over their ideas. Even if the idea is totally unworkable, enthusiastic acknowledgement of their effort is critical.

Meet regularly with high-performing employees, not just to assess performance, but to build trust so that the employee feels confident enough to share new ideas. Top performers often provide advice that is just as good as a pricey consultant.

4. Poor industry reputation

A company rarely has a bad reputation without something else being wrong. Negative press or a poor financial outlook can cause employees to start searching before a crisis hits. This correlation is stronger with senior executives. Executives are generally more in tune with market conditions and the company’s industry reputation. Senior employees are also impacted more strongly by performance-based bonuses and budget cuts, so a stream of bad press can jumpstart a new job search.

Interestingly, the past few years have seen the market become much more politicized. In a report titled “The Dawn of CEO Activism,” KRC Research found that almost 40% of American consumers say CEOs have a responsibility to publicly address hot-button political issues. Depending on whether employees support or oppose their company’s views, political involvement can bolster or kill motivation. Senior executives in particular may come under fire for comments by the company, or have to clean up messes as a result of an unpopular comment.

In fast-moving industries with shorter tenure, especially technology, top performers look ahead to make sure that the experience they are building now can get them a job down the road. Tech professionals have learned the hard way that even giants like Myspace and Netscape can hit hard times and turn a star resume into one that looks dated and unfashionable.

5. Being passed over for a key promotion

Top performers are less of a flight risk than underperformers. However, sudden departures are often due to missing out on a promotion or award. If a hiring manager is interviewing internally and interviews three top performers for a juicy promotion, and only one of them gets it, the hiring manager risks losing his other two top performers. The solution is to take time to give them a good explanation as to why they were passed over. Reevaluate their career path within the organization together with them.

Ironically, top employees sometimes leave because of a promotion or salary increase! The HR analytics software Workday found that a significant percentage of high-performing employees had a higher risk of leaving the company after a promotion.

Several scenarios can cause this phenomenon:

After transitioning into the new role, the employee runs into one of the problems above.
The employee takes on more responsibility than they could manage.
The promotion or raise comes too late or fails to meet expectations.
The new job title or award makes the employee more attractive to recruiters or motivates them to explore even better options outside the company.

When interviewing internal candidates for a high-level position, it is critical to spend time with the rejected candidates to reevaluate their growth plan within the company, so they do not take it as a sign to move on.

6. Insufficient mentorship or development opportunities

Networking is still the #1 way that people get a new job or advance at their current one. It is important to help top employees build mentor relationships within the company.

A mentor fulfills many roles in an employee’s professional life: they coach, train, give advice, brainstorm, encourage, and correct. Having strong professional relationships within an organization is a powerful incentive for a high achiever to work hard and stay with the company.

By contrast, companies who fail to invest in their top employees’ growth lose twice. Their top people gravitate to the competition, and they fail to attract top employees to replace them. Today’s employee knows that demand for new skills is fierce. Top employees have to reinvent themselves several times in the course of their careers. If an employer is not investing their skills, they lose the motivation to invest their best effort in growing the company.

7. Too little work or uninteresting projects

A mediocre employee will happily take a paycheck without enough work to keep them busy. Top performers want to be challenged. Even if an employee believes wholeheartedly in the company’s mission and loves their work, they will quickly become frustrated if they are bored or perceive that their work is unimportant.

If a high performer is consistently hitting goals without much effort, they have outgrown their current role. It can be tempting to keep them where they are to save the cost of replacing them when they move up the ladder, but this will frustrate the employee and usually lead to a drop in performance or a resignation letter. Reward employees’ growth by helping them to reach their desired career goals.

Many employees would rather leave than complain, so pay attention to early warning signs. Do not rely on employees to set their own workloads. It is the manager’s job to invest time in the employee to match their workload to their ability, drive, and personality. Find out what aspects of a project or of a client the employee enjoys working with, and seek out ways to maximize it for that employee. The investment is well worth it. Motivated employees who like their jobs will happily go to bat for their company to get the best results.

Change is difficult, and even top employees are reluctant to jump into a long job search process that may or may not pay off. A high performer will send many signs before they feel frustrated enough to start job-searching. Employee engagement takes an investment of time, thought, and resources. But the reward is that a manager who engages employees will have far better results to show than a manager who focuses on the results instead of on the people who produce them.