View more presentations from Jennifer Fisher
This is a presentation I gave last week to High School students at the Wells County Career Expo. It was featured on SlideShare as one of their daily featured presentations.
The Importance of Career Planning in a Crummy Economy
This is a presentation I gave last week to High School students at the Wells County Career Expo. It was featured on SlideShare as one of their daily featured presentations.
Will Millennials be Better off than their Parents?
Every generation has the same pressure; to do better than their parents did. We place expectations about job security, financial success, and multiple other factors on up and coming generations. For Millennials, who started with these same expectations, the ability to do better than their parents may not be within their reach.
Things Looked Bright…Until the Recession
Leading up to the recession, Millennials had high hopes, big dreams, and huge expectations. As they entered the workforce, they made ripples that created interesting perceptions about their generation, some of which are probably true, many of which are not. Of course, it wasn’t just their expectations of themselves that were high; we had high expectations about their success.
Their generation has been like no other. Highly entrepreneurial, we saw many of them starting their own businesses and finding a great deal of success. Their sense of community and volunteerism is unmatched. Times were good for the early Millennials.
Then the recession hit. Deemed one of the worst financial crises since the Great Depression, young adults have been hit the hardest by the Recession. 18-25 year olds have the highest rate of unemployment. 1/3 are underemployed. Many have moved back home with their parents. Research indicates that a large number of them are delaying adulthood activities like buying a house, getting married, and starting a family. While the cultural implications of the recession will be unknown for many years to come, the financial impact has had a detrimental impact on young adults trying to get their careers off the ground.
Years of Recovery
What may be the most unfortunate side effect of the recession for Millennials is the amount of time it may take many of them to recover financially from it. Lower starting salaries can often take decades to overcome, and for those Millennials taking any job they can get; their careers may never fully recover. Even those Millennials who were lucky enough to get jobs at the beginning of the recession aren’t making much more money now then when they started. The financial impact of this may be felt for many years to come as Millennials work to pay off debt with little left over to save for retirement.
One of the biggest problems for Millennials in this economy is they are no longer competing against other young adults for entry level positions. They are competing against professionals with far more experience who are willing to take any position just to keep food on the table. For a young person straight out of college with very little experience, the prospects may seem very grim, and for those who by-pass college altogether, well the question is, what prospects?
No Easy Answer
I wish I had an answer for this problem. I think the issues with the economy are much bigger than I can solve in a one page monthly article. What I do know though, is we need these young people in our workforce. Eventually Baby Boomers will retire, even if they don’t want to. If no plan is place to get young adults into a company and get them trained, the problems of the recession may grow even bigger.
I truly believe our business community needs to be involved now with our colleges and high schools to help students be prepared for the workforce. That means getting students immersed in organizations throughout Northeast Indiana. If local organizations are not working actively with educators to provide young people with skills to help them be successful, then we will continue to see young adults struggling in this economy.
So how can you help? Offer an internship, externship, job shadow, or class tour at your company. Volunteer to speak at local high schools and colleges. Get involved with local Career Services offices for mock interviewing, professional skills training, and other events. Connecting now may help you get your next superstar in the future! For more details on how to get involved with our local high schools and colleges, contact me at jfisher@fwchamber.org.
We have an opportunity to make a difference here but it takes all of us willing to step up to create change!
Follow me on Twitter for more information about this topic and others. www.twitter.com/jenfisherfw
Things Looked Bright…Until the Recession
Leading up to the recession, Millennials had high hopes, big dreams, and huge expectations. As they entered the workforce, they made ripples that created interesting perceptions about their generation, some of which are probably true, many of which are not. Of course, it wasn’t just their expectations of themselves that were high; we had high expectations about their success.
Their generation has been like no other. Highly entrepreneurial, we saw many of them starting their own businesses and finding a great deal of success. Their sense of community and volunteerism is unmatched. Times were good for the early Millennials.
Then the recession hit. Deemed one of the worst financial crises since the Great Depression, young adults have been hit the hardest by the Recession. 18-25 year olds have the highest rate of unemployment. 1/3 are underemployed. Many have moved back home with their parents. Research indicates that a large number of them are delaying adulthood activities like buying a house, getting married, and starting a family. While the cultural implications of the recession will be unknown for many years to come, the financial impact has had a detrimental impact on young adults trying to get their careers off the ground.
Years of Recovery
What may be the most unfortunate side effect of the recession for Millennials is the amount of time it may take many of them to recover financially from it. Lower starting salaries can often take decades to overcome, and for those Millennials taking any job they can get; their careers may never fully recover. Even those Millennials who were lucky enough to get jobs at the beginning of the recession aren’t making much more money now then when they started. The financial impact of this may be felt for many years to come as Millennials work to pay off debt with little left over to save for retirement.
One of the biggest problems for Millennials in this economy is they are no longer competing against other young adults for entry level positions. They are competing against professionals with far more experience who are willing to take any position just to keep food on the table. For a young person straight out of college with very little experience, the prospects may seem very grim, and for those who by-pass college altogether, well the question is, what prospects?
No Easy Answer
I wish I had an answer for this problem. I think the issues with the economy are much bigger than I can solve in a one page monthly article. What I do know though, is we need these young people in our workforce. Eventually Baby Boomers will retire, even if they don’t want to. If no plan is place to get young adults into a company and get them trained, the problems of the recession may grow even bigger.
I truly believe our business community needs to be involved now with our colleges and high schools to help students be prepared for the workforce. That means getting students immersed in organizations throughout Northeast Indiana. If local organizations are not working actively with educators to provide young people with skills to help them be successful, then we will continue to see young adults struggling in this economy.
So how can you help? Offer an internship, externship, job shadow, or class tour at your company. Volunteer to speak at local high schools and colleges. Get involved with local Career Services offices for mock interviewing, professional skills training, and other events. Connecting now may help you get your next superstar in the future! For more details on how to get involved with our local high schools and colleges, contact me at jfisher@fwchamber.org.
We have an opportunity to make a difference here but it takes all of us willing to step up to create change!
Follow me on Twitter for more information about this topic and others. www.twitter.com/jenfisherfw
Don’t Get “Spooked Off” By a Bad Intern Experience
Really, I get it. Not everyone has a stellar experience with their intern. Sometimes, you just don’t get the right person in the right position. It happens to everyone and I would be lying if I told you it will never happen to you. My hope is that the majority of your experiences with interns will be positive but for those times when it is not, there are some things you can do to help manage or avoid a bad experience again.
The Bad Intern (well not really that bad)
Now I’m pretty sure your worst experience with an intern isn’t to the level of a horror movie. No little “Jason’s” running around with masks on ready to chop people up into little pieces. If you’ve had that experience, let’s get together and write a book, which turns into a movie, and we’ll make millions of dollars together.
Typically, the normal story I hear about interns starts with, “our intern is just ____________”. Insert whatever you want there with a sigh on the end. Problems arise when you’re dealing with a new person who may or may not have the type of professional skills you are used to interacting with. Of course, we’ve already talked about how different generations view work and workplace etiquette on sometimes opposite sides of the spectrum which naturally causes conflicts.
Well, we’ll start here. I’d like to share a story with you of one supervisor who had a bad experience with his intern.
“Jeff” (names have been changed to protect those involved) was a younger supervisor who was new to the organization but very eager to have an intern. He went through the interview process and hired what he believed would be a rock-star intern. At first, everything seemed to go well and the intern exceeded his expectations. Very soon however, problems began to arise. The student started showing up late, seemed to have a more relaxed dress code approach, and Jeff felt like she didn’t respect him. As Jeff and I sat and talked about the problems he was having, I realized that this was a familiar scenario that I had heard others speak about. I probed a little deeper to get to some of the reasons for the change in behavior and a few things started to make sense.
It doesn’t have to be a blood bath
By no means is Jeff’s story the worst I’ve ever heard, but it’s a familiar one I hear occasionally from employers. Inevitably there comes a point when employers get an intern who doesn’t work up to their expectations. Sometimes it’s just that the student wasn’t ready for the internship or lacks the maturity to be in a professional environment. Sometimes, the intern isn’t a bad person, just not a very good fit for the job or the organization. And sometimes, it isn’t really the intern that’s bad; they’ve just picked up bad habits from other employees. I’d like to focus on this last one just for a second.
Let’s go back to our earlier story about Jeff. After talking to him, I learned that Jeff had initially created a very relaxed environment in the way he treated his intern. While attempting to be a good supervisor, he blurred the lines for the intern who thought they had become friends. It wasn’t that she disrespected him but rather, she was mirroring his behavior at work. I don’t really think anyone is at fault here but there were definitely some opportunities for both to step back into a professional mode in the office environment and after a few conversations with them, that is exactly what happened.
I’ve had other situations where supervisors have been concerned with a student’s lack of professionalism and it usually doesn’t take long before you understand that the intern is just taking cues from other employees. While employers may want an intern to act a certain way, ultimately they will become what is around them. That’s not to say that this will always be the case and certainly I know that there are times when interns show up with this relaxed attitude first, but there is an opportunity to provide what I like to call “teaching moments” for your intern which can help them become a better intern for you.
If you are having problems with an intern, you have to start with a conversation with them that includes what your expectations are, what the issue is, how they can fix it, and how you’ll monitor their progress. If a young person doesn’t ever receive feedback, they can’t make things better and you will have missed an opportunity to make them better for you and for them. If you have the conversation a few times and it still doesn’t sink in, maybe it’s time to put on the hat of mentor and really discuss with your intern if the job they are doing for you is really a good fit for them in the long run. So often, young people go into a career with no real understanding of what that career involves. It may take getting some experience for them to realize it’s not for them. That’s not a failure but rather an opportunity to save themselves (or their parents) a lot of money. Don’t be afraid to have that conversation with them. It may be a relief for you both.
If none of this works, then you can fire your intern. Please don’t feel like you are stuck with a bad apple. Again, sometimes young people aren’t ready for an internship. You may actually help them mature a little by allowing them to see the consequences for poor performance or behavior. There’s nothing wrong with that at all and you should not feel guilty if you get to that point. Although, I would definitely love to see you try the other ideas before you get to the firing stage. You’d be surprised how far a little direction and mentoring can go to help an intern succeed.
In the end, having a bad intern shouldn’t deter you from getting another one. Interns are like employees. You’ll get good ones and you’ll get not so good ones, but there will be some that will come along and knock your socks off. For those interns that don’t knock your socks off…train them to be good employees and you will still win in the end!
The Bad Intern (well not really that bad)
Now I’m pretty sure your worst experience with an intern isn’t to the level of a horror movie. No little “Jason’s” running around with masks on ready to chop people up into little pieces. If you’ve had that experience, let’s get together and write a book, which turns into a movie, and we’ll make millions of dollars together.
Typically, the normal story I hear about interns starts with, “our intern is just ____________”. Insert whatever you want there with a sigh on the end. Problems arise when you’re dealing with a new person who may or may not have the type of professional skills you are used to interacting with. Of course, we’ve already talked about how different generations view work and workplace etiquette on sometimes opposite sides of the spectrum which naturally causes conflicts.
Well, we’ll start here. I’d like to share a story with you of one supervisor who had a bad experience with his intern.
“Jeff” (names have been changed to protect those involved) was a younger supervisor who was new to the organization but very eager to have an intern. He went through the interview process and hired what he believed would be a rock-star intern. At first, everything seemed to go well and the intern exceeded his expectations. Very soon however, problems began to arise. The student started showing up late, seemed to have a more relaxed dress code approach, and Jeff felt like she didn’t respect him. As Jeff and I sat and talked about the problems he was having, I realized that this was a familiar scenario that I had heard others speak about. I probed a little deeper to get to some of the reasons for the change in behavior and a few things started to make sense.
It doesn’t have to be a blood bath
By no means is Jeff’s story the worst I’ve ever heard, but it’s a familiar one I hear occasionally from employers. Inevitably there comes a point when employers get an intern who doesn’t work up to their expectations. Sometimes it’s just that the student wasn’t ready for the internship or lacks the maturity to be in a professional environment. Sometimes, the intern isn’t a bad person, just not a very good fit for the job or the organization. And sometimes, it isn’t really the intern that’s bad; they’ve just picked up bad habits from other employees. I’d like to focus on this last one just for a second.
Let’s go back to our earlier story about Jeff. After talking to him, I learned that Jeff had initially created a very relaxed environment in the way he treated his intern. While attempting to be a good supervisor, he blurred the lines for the intern who thought they had become friends. It wasn’t that she disrespected him but rather, she was mirroring his behavior at work. I don’t really think anyone is at fault here but there were definitely some opportunities for both to step back into a professional mode in the office environment and after a few conversations with them, that is exactly what happened.
I’ve had other situations where supervisors have been concerned with a student’s lack of professionalism and it usually doesn’t take long before you understand that the intern is just taking cues from other employees. While employers may want an intern to act a certain way, ultimately they will become what is around them. That’s not to say that this will always be the case and certainly I know that there are times when interns show up with this relaxed attitude first, but there is an opportunity to provide what I like to call “teaching moments” for your intern which can help them become a better intern for you.
If you are having problems with an intern, you have to start with a conversation with them that includes what your expectations are, what the issue is, how they can fix it, and how you’ll monitor their progress. If a young person doesn’t ever receive feedback, they can’t make things better and you will have missed an opportunity to make them better for you and for them. If you have the conversation a few times and it still doesn’t sink in, maybe it’s time to put on the hat of mentor and really discuss with your intern if the job they are doing for you is really a good fit for them in the long run. So often, young people go into a career with no real understanding of what that career involves. It may take getting some experience for them to realize it’s not for them. That’s not a failure but rather an opportunity to save themselves (or their parents) a lot of money. Don’t be afraid to have that conversation with them. It may be a relief for you both.
If none of this works, then you can fire your intern. Please don’t feel like you are stuck with a bad apple. Again, sometimes young people aren’t ready for an internship. You may actually help them mature a little by allowing them to see the consequences for poor performance or behavior. There’s nothing wrong with that at all and you should not feel guilty if you get to that point. Although, I would definitely love to see you try the other ideas before you get to the firing stage. You’d be surprised how far a little direction and mentoring can go to help an intern succeed.
In the end, having a bad intern shouldn’t deter you from getting another one. Interns are like employees. You’ll get good ones and you’ll get not so good ones, but there will be some that will come along and knock your socks off. For those interns that don’t knock your socks off…train them to be good employees and you will still win in the end!
Surviving and Thriving in a Multi-Generational Workforce
I had the wonderful opportunity to present this presentation to the Allen County Health Department at their retreat today.
Millennials Don't Disappoint
I had the opportunity to have lunch this week with representatives from the company I mentioned in my previous post. Many of their interns have already started and the excitement at the company over these tremendous young people has been inspiring. I want to share their story because I really think it is a great example of just how incredible Millennials can be if you just set them up for success!
Let me just re-cap for you this company's story. Group Dekko made a decision a few months ago to have a relatively sizable internship program this summer. In a months time they had posted their opportunities on www.indianaintern.net, interviewed and hired more than 15 students, and trained more than 30 supervisors and mentors on how to manage Millennials. That's no small task and I'm sure it took a lot of work on their end. In the last few weeks they have already set up an excellent orientation program for their interns and, as I said, most of their interns have started and are now into their 2nd or 3rd weeks.
I asked one of the women we were meeting with how things were going. I was so excited to hear what she said that I felt that I needed to share it to inspire other companies to follow the lead of Group Dekko and their summer internship program. She explained to me that the students have been far more amazing than they ever thought they would be. She said that the energy they have brought to their company has been contagious and has everyone excited about the possibilities this summer.
I want to share one story in particular she told me that I think is the perfect illustration of just how engaged Millennials want to be with the companies they work for. She told me the story of a young man who had been with their company for just a week who came to her and asked if there was anything the interns could do to help the community know about all the wonderful things Group Dekko is doing. He said the interns wanted to make sure everyone knew how great this company was! He asked this particular person how they could get involved. How amazing is it that this new group of young interns, a week into their assignment wanted to promote their new company to the world. That's the type of loyalty that I think you can get from Millennials when you just let them get engaged with and excited about your company. What a great example of Millennial involvement.
I asked her how the information presented in the Supervisor Boot Camp (we talk about Millennial characteristics and how to manage them) compared with what they were experiencing and she said that it was scary how spot on the descriptions were. Their group of interns has thus far shown themselves to be highly interactive, high achieving, and wanting to make a difference.
I think a big part of the success so far though is Group Dekko themselves. They have a great culture for all their employees and this has translated into a great program for their interns. They are a great example of a company who is doing a great job preparing their interns for a great summer and it really looks like they are going to get high productivity from them!
As I was talking to the company representatives, it struck me that the energy, enthusiasm, desire to make an impact, and ability to share their opinions is what makes Millennials so special but there is a real opportunity that the very things that are so great about them could potentially cause some workplace conflicts because of the different approaches among different generations. I thought of it this way, I think most other generations would never think to come into a job and a week later start offering opinions, requesting meetings with the CEO's, asking for the big picture about what the company is all about, or even asking the employer what they are doing to make sure the community knows about them. But this is exactly what Millennials do. I can see other employees looking at this as over the top cockiness. They might ask "Who do you think you are coming in here and trying to change everything?" I would say most of else feel that we have had to pay our dues in order to have the right to do these things.
The truth is, like it or not we really have to foster this desire to be so involved. We have to be open to the request for the CEO's time in order to share ideas. We have to be open to hearing the suggestions that Millennials have. No longer can we say, "I would NEVER do that". Just because we wouldn't do that doesn't mean it can't be done. Provide the boundaries that you need Millennials to have but don't stifle their ability to bring in new energy and life into your company.
Young people are our future and we have a responsibility to help them grow into great employees. Let them have a voice in your company and follow the lead of Group Dekko by providing them the tools and training to not only be successful, but to really have an impact on your company.
Let me just re-cap for you this company's story. Group Dekko made a decision a few months ago to have a relatively sizable internship program this summer. In a months time they had posted their opportunities on www.indianaintern.net, interviewed and hired more than 15 students, and trained more than 30 supervisors and mentors on how to manage Millennials. That's no small task and I'm sure it took a lot of work on their end. In the last few weeks they have already set up an excellent orientation program for their interns and, as I said, most of their interns have started and are now into their 2nd or 3rd weeks.
I asked one of the women we were meeting with how things were going. I was so excited to hear what she said that I felt that I needed to share it to inspire other companies to follow the lead of Group Dekko and their summer internship program. She explained to me that the students have been far more amazing than they ever thought they would be. She said that the energy they have brought to their company has been contagious and has everyone excited about the possibilities this summer.
I want to share one story in particular she told me that I think is the perfect illustration of just how engaged Millennials want to be with the companies they work for. She told me the story of a young man who had been with their company for just a week who came to her and asked if there was anything the interns could do to help the community know about all the wonderful things Group Dekko is doing. He said the interns wanted to make sure everyone knew how great this company was! He asked this particular person how they could get involved. How amazing is it that this new group of young interns, a week into their assignment wanted to promote their new company to the world. That's the type of loyalty that I think you can get from Millennials when you just let them get engaged with and excited about your company. What a great example of Millennial involvement.
I asked her how the information presented in the Supervisor Boot Camp (we talk about Millennial characteristics and how to manage them) compared with what they were experiencing and she said that it was scary how spot on the descriptions were. Their group of interns has thus far shown themselves to be highly interactive, high achieving, and wanting to make a difference.
I think a big part of the success so far though is Group Dekko themselves. They have a great culture for all their employees and this has translated into a great program for their interns. They are a great example of a company who is doing a great job preparing their interns for a great summer and it really looks like they are going to get high productivity from them!
As I was talking to the company representatives, it struck me that the energy, enthusiasm, desire to make an impact, and ability to share their opinions is what makes Millennials so special but there is a real opportunity that the very things that are so great about them could potentially cause some workplace conflicts because of the different approaches among different generations. I thought of it this way, I think most other generations would never think to come into a job and a week later start offering opinions, requesting meetings with the CEO's, asking for the big picture about what the company is all about, or even asking the employer what they are doing to make sure the community knows about them. But this is exactly what Millennials do. I can see other employees looking at this as over the top cockiness. They might ask "Who do you think you are coming in here and trying to change everything?" I would say most of else feel that we have had to pay our dues in order to have the right to do these things.
The truth is, like it or not we really have to foster this desire to be so involved. We have to be open to the request for the CEO's time in order to share ideas. We have to be open to hearing the suggestions that Millennials have. No longer can we say, "I would NEVER do that". Just because we wouldn't do that doesn't mean it can't be done. Provide the boundaries that you need Millennials to have but don't stifle their ability to bring in new energy and life into your company.
Young people are our future and we have a responsibility to help them grow into great employees. Let them have a voice in your company and follow the lead of Group Dekko by providing them the tools and training to not only be successful, but to really have an impact on your company.
Using Internships to Teach Young People Soft Skills
So often, employers do not see themselves in the role of teacher/mentor during an internship experience with a student. The relationship is viewed more as an employment opportunity rather than a teachable period. If you find yourself leaning more on the employment side of the fence, I’d like you to consider the tremendous chance you have with your internship program to teach a student valuable, life-long employment skills that could benefit them throughout their entire career.
Let’s Start with the Basics
The types of skills we’re talking about here are often called “soft skills”. These include skills like communication, time management, problem-solving, critical thinking, team work, flexibility, and the ability to work under pressure. It also includes work ethic, a positive attitude, and self-confidence. Each of these skills creates value not just for the student, but also to any employer they may work for in the future. More and more, employers are looking for candidates not just with the technical skills to do the job, but also the skills that let them effectively interact with those around them.
A Model Company
I am always very excited about companies who really take their role as teacher/mentor seriously. One such company is Group Dekko in Garrett, IN. Making a recent decision to have an internship program this summer, and proving that it’s not too late to find great students, in the last month they posted, interviewed, and hired close to 20 interns. During this time, their CEO has created a culture that stresses the importance of being good mentors to their student interns. It’s not only about what the students will be doing for the company; it’s also about what the company will be giving these young people throughout their experience at Group Dekko. To get everyone up to speed, 30 supervisors and mentors have gone through training to understand their interns’ needs, and come up with strong strategies to manage their experiences this summer. What is great about this internship program is that each student has both a supervisor AND a mentor who will teach and train them.
Trust me when I say, this is a company who gets it. They know exactly what their job is this summer. They want to create awesome future employees, even if they don’t end up being their employees. That’s the kind of attitude that helps make all of Northeast Indiana successful. If we can develop the kind of future employees that we all want, pretty soon, companies outside of Northeast Indiana will take notice of it and we’ll become a model region!
Where to Start
Well, if the above story has inspired you to take on the role of teacher/mentor this summer for your intern, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get busy. You won’t be just idly sitting back this summer and watching what your intern does for you. You’re going to become a partner in their success and develop ideas and strategies to help them develop into a superstar employee. You’ll start with choosing a supervisor and mentor who has the desire and patience to work with your intern. Take the time to develop projects that provide the intern with a chance to interact and communicate at a high level.
Remember, it doesn’t matter if they become your employee or someone else’s. What truly matters is that they develop the skills and competencies necessary for their future careers. Oh, and by the way…when you take the time to help your intern develop great soft skills, you get an amazing return on your investment in the form of a happy, high performing student. It’s most definitely a win-win…win!
Need a little help getting started? Attend the Supervisor Boot Camp Wednesday, May 18th from 3 to 5 at the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. It’s only $15 to attend and offers you great information about how to manage your intern this summer. Have a large number of supervisors/mentors you’d like to train? Contact me at jfisher@fwchamber.org to discuss my on-site supervisor training at a reduced rate.
Let’s Start with the Basics
The types of skills we’re talking about here are often called “soft skills”. These include skills like communication, time management, problem-solving, critical thinking, team work, flexibility, and the ability to work under pressure. It also includes work ethic, a positive attitude, and self-confidence. Each of these skills creates value not just for the student, but also to any employer they may work for in the future. More and more, employers are looking for candidates not just with the technical skills to do the job, but also the skills that let them effectively interact with those around them.
A Model Company
I am always very excited about companies who really take their role as teacher/mentor seriously. One such company is Group Dekko in Garrett, IN. Making a recent decision to have an internship program this summer, and proving that it’s not too late to find great students, in the last month they posted, interviewed, and hired close to 20 interns. During this time, their CEO has created a culture that stresses the importance of being good mentors to their student interns. It’s not only about what the students will be doing for the company; it’s also about what the company will be giving these young people throughout their experience at Group Dekko. To get everyone up to speed, 30 supervisors and mentors have gone through training to understand their interns’ needs, and come up with strong strategies to manage their experiences this summer. What is great about this internship program is that each student has both a supervisor AND a mentor who will teach and train them.
Trust me when I say, this is a company who gets it. They know exactly what their job is this summer. They want to create awesome future employees, even if they don’t end up being their employees. That’s the kind of attitude that helps make all of Northeast Indiana successful. If we can develop the kind of future employees that we all want, pretty soon, companies outside of Northeast Indiana will take notice of it and we’ll become a model region!
Where to Start
Well, if the above story has inspired you to take on the role of teacher/mentor this summer for your intern, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get busy. You won’t be just idly sitting back this summer and watching what your intern does for you. You’re going to become a partner in their success and develop ideas and strategies to help them develop into a superstar employee. You’ll start with choosing a supervisor and mentor who has the desire and patience to work with your intern. Take the time to develop projects that provide the intern with a chance to interact and communicate at a high level.
Remember, it doesn’t matter if they become your employee or someone else’s. What truly matters is that they develop the skills and competencies necessary for their future careers. Oh, and by the way…when you take the time to help your intern develop great soft skills, you get an amazing return on your investment in the form of a happy, high performing student. It’s most definitely a win-win…win!
Need a little help getting started? Attend the Supervisor Boot Camp Wednesday, May 18th from 3 to 5 at the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. It’s only $15 to attend and offers you great information about how to manage your intern this summer. Have a large number of supervisors/mentors you’d like to train? Contact me at jfisher@fwchamber.org to discuss my on-site supervisor training at a reduced rate.
Using Facebook, Linkedin, and Google to Screen Candidates: Great Idea or Bad Business?
Let’s be honest, it’s very easy to look people up on the internet. In a few short minutes, you can run a Google search or look up a potential intern’s Facebook or Linkedin page prior to your interview and know far more about them then you might find out on an application. It seems harmless enough because a lot of people are doing it. These days, many companies use online searches to replace the traditional vetting methods like background and reference checks, even before they have met a candidate. In 2009, Careerbuilder.com reported that 45% of employers were using Facebook and Twitter to screen candidates. It’s possible that the number is even higher now, but is this ultimately a good idea or is there a potential legal problem brewing?
Let’s start with the basics. There are very specific employment laws which have been created to protect candidates from discriminatory practices on the part of employers. Employers are not supposed to have certain information about potential candidates prior to interviewing them. It’s why an I-9 is supposed to be kept in a separate file away from the application. Interviewers should be making decisions about who to interview based on candidates applications or resumes, references, job history, etc. They should not have access to information like race, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or other information which could place the candidate in a protected class.
Searching for candidates online, especially before you interview them, can provide you with information you are technically not entitled to have prior to an interview. Now of course you can argue, “But Jen, they posted that information up about themselves and put that picture up on their profile. Doesn’t that make it public information?” Well yes it does, but that doesn’t mean you have a right to look at it before your interview with them. Even looking after an interview is still a little sketchy to me but that’s a discussion for another time.
Honestly, I think a time will come when a candidate will accuse a company of unlawfully discriminating against them because of information that company gained through an online search. I really do think we will see a case like that at some point in the near future. What this means for you and your company is that you have to weigh the pro’s and con’s to screening candidates through internet searches (especially on websites like Facebook) and decide if it’s worth the risk. I always recommend being cautious and utilizing the more traditional methods of candidate vetting. Also, under no circumstance should you look up a candidate before you have interviewed them. It opens you up to potential liability and may mean that you miss out on some really great candidates that you judged before you had a chance to meet them. Remember what your grandma used to say? You can’t judge a book by its cover and in this case you can’t always judge a good candidate by their Facebook profile!
Let’s start with the basics. There are very specific employment laws which have been created to protect candidates from discriminatory practices on the part of employers. Employers are not supposed to have certain information about potential candidates prior to interviewing them. It’s why an I-9 is supposed to be kept in a separate file away from the application. Interviewers should be making decisions about who to interview based on candidates applications or resumes, references, job history, etc. They should not have access to information like race, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or other information which could place the candidate in a protected class.
Searching for candidates online, especially before you interview them, can provide you with information you are technically not entitled to have prior to an interview. Now of course you can argue, “But Jen, they posted that information up about themselves and put that picture up on their profile. Doesn’t that make it public information?” Well yes it does, but that doesn’t mean you have a right to look at it before your interview with them. Even looking after an interview is still a little sketchy to me but that’s a discussion for another time.
Honestly, I think a time will come when a candidate will accuse a company of unlawfully discriminating against them because of information that company gained through an online search. I really do think we will see a case like that at some point in the near future. What this means for you and your company is that you have to weigh the pro’s and con’s to screening candidates through internet searches (especially on websites like Facebook) and decide if it’s worth the risk. I always recommend being cautious and utilizing the more traditional methods of candidate vetting. Also, under no circumstance should you look up a candidate before you have interviewed them. It opens you up to potential liability and may mean that you miss out on some really great candidates that you judged before you had a chance to meet them. Remember what your grandma used to say? You can’t judge a book by its cover and in this case you can’t always judge a good candidate by their Facebook profile!
Awesome Blog I just wanted to pass along!
I thought this was great and wanted to share it with you!
Flip flops and Facebook breaks, the Millennial Generation invades the workplace
http://www.publicradio.org/columns/marketplace/money-blog/2011/03/maybe_youve_heard_about_the.html
Flip flops and Facebook breaks, the Millennial Generation invades the workplace
http://www.publicradio.org/columns/marketplace/money-blog/2011/03/maybe_youve_heard_about_the.html
Affecting Young People's Career Goals from a Different Angle
Industry to Educator Externship Program
Last week I had an opportunity to participate in the Industry to Educator Summit at the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. This event brought together teachers and companies who participated in an externship program last year for high school teachers in Northeast Indiana. It was great to meet teachers who are making a difference in the lives of our young people.
As I was listening to the teachers and industry professionals from Raytheon, ITT, Northrop Grumen, and BAE Systems talk about their experiences, I was excited to consider the fact that this experience not only affected these teachers, it impacted the students they teach. It's wonderful to know that a program exists to connect teachers to professionals who are in careers that many of their students want to do. Call it the "bird’s eye view" of a career. I think what really struck me most was one of the teachers explaining that she now had an answer for the student who asks "when will I ever use this information?” Now she knows exactly how students will use it because of her experience last summer in the externship program.
I think the real value here is that educators get the chance to see just how important their role is in teaching young people and inspiring them to pursue careers that are related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These careers are Northeast Indiana’s future. If we don't have young people who are interested in pursuing them, we'll already be ten steps behind other regions.
Ask a young person why they chose a major or career and often they will tell you that they had a really great teacher in that subject during high school. Our teachers are critical to helping our young people understand their career options and providing them with the skills they need to be successful. A young person who gets engaged in a career path early, and gets experience through internships will be more likely to have then type of skills companies are looking for in their employees.
I am so happy to know that the Industry to Educator Externship program exists to provide teachers with first-hand knowledge of the types of careers and projects that are taking place right here in Northeast Indiana. If you would like more information about this great program, go to www.industry2educators.com or contact jfisher@fwchamber.org.
TECHFEST Is Coming
Make plans now to attend the first annual Northeast Indiana TechFEST on April 16th at Sweetwater Sound. This amazing event, which developed from an idea between the Fort Wayne Mayor’s Office and Atos Origin, provides Northeast Indiana High School students with the opportunity to compete in video game tournaments, a problem solving competition, an IPOD “Battle of the Bands”, a Speed Texting competition, breakout sessions with guest speakers, informational tables about area careers and colleges with STEM related majors, and much more. Young people can register at www.neitechfest.com and the cost is only $10 to participate in up to 2 games. If you have a high schooler, get them involved in this fun and interactive day!
Last week I had an opportunity to participate in the Industry to Educator Summit at the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. This event brought together teachers and companies who participated in an externship program last year for high school teachers in Northeast Indiana. It was great to meet teachers who are making a difference in the lives of our young people.
As I was listening to the teachers and industry professionals from Raytheon, ITT, Northrop Grumen, and BAE Systems talk about their experiences, I was excited to consider the fact that this experience not only affected these teachers, it impacted the students they teach. It's wonderful to know that a program exists to connect teachers to professionals who are in careers that many of their students want to do. Call it the "bird’s eye view" of a career. I think what really struck me most was one of the teachers explaining that she now had an answer for the student who asks "when will I ever use this information?” Now she knows exactly how students will use it because of her experience last summer in the externship program.
I think the real value here is that educators get the chance to see just how important their role is in teaching young people and inspiring them to pursue careers that are related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These careers are Northeast Indiana’s future. If we don't have young people who are interested in pursuing them, we'll already be ten steps behind other regions.
Ask a young person why they chose a major or career and often they will tell you that they had a really great teacher in that subject during high school. Our teachers are critical to helping our young people understand their career options and providing them with the skills they need to be successful. A young person who gets engaged in a career path early, and gets experience through internships will be more likely to have then type of skills companies are looking for in their employees.
I am so happy to know that the Industry to Educator Externship program exists to provide teachers with first-hand knowledge of the types of careers and projects that are taking place right here in Northeast Indiana. If you would like more information about this great program, go to www.industry2educators.com or contact jfisher@fwchamber.org.
TECHFEST Is Coming
Make plans now to attend the first annual Northeast Indiana TechFEST on April 16th at Sweetwater Sound. This amazing event, which developed from an idea between the Fort Wayne Mayor’s Office and Atos Origin, provides Northeast Indiana High School students with the opportunity to compete in video game tournaments, a problem solving competition, an IPOD “Battle of the Bands”, a Speed Texting competition, breakout sessions with guest speakers, informational tables about area careers and colleges with STEM related majors, and much more. Young people can register at www.neitechfest.com and the cost is only $10 to participate in up to 2 games. If you have a high schooler, get them involved in this fun and interactive day!
Email vs. Social Media as a Communication Tool
So I admit, it's been a while since I last posted! I said in a previous post that I would get better and clearly I have not.
This months topic is based on a question I received today during a presentation I helped deliver at the 2011 Teaching Conference at IPFW. The basics of the question surrounded student usage of email (or lack there of) and are we enabling them to create bad habits now by our willingness to utilize social media to reach out and connect with them?
That's really a great question and one that has come up before. In a great article on Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/is-e-mail-dead.html the question is asked "Is Email Dead?" According to the article, people just aren't utilizing email as much (especially younger people) to communicate. Other social media outlets and text messaging offer a much quicker mode of communication and is more readily utilized by teens. That's not to say they don't use email, because they do. They just don't use it as much as other services.
Of course we realize that emailing in a business setting is not going away anytime soon, but there have already been some changes in the way professionals communicate at work. I'll give you a few examples:
How much do you want to bet that when email first came out, people thought we would never get rid of our face-to-face interactions and opt for the less personal written communication? Now, both are regularly utilized as acceptable forms of business etiquette. I'm sure there were some who thought email would just be a flash in the pan.
When IM came along, many companies began using that to communicate quickly internally. No need to wait for an email and then a response and then a response to the response...the whole conversation happened in real time.
In LinkedIn and Facebook, those who may never have met you or had access to your email address can now reach out to you and send you a message. If we were only using email, you might miss out on connections!
I read on Twitter that one company sent a text message to offer a candidate a position with their company...and the candidate accepted via text message. Without a single email, both the company and the candidate knew instantly if the person would be joining their team.
The truth is, emailing will probably not go by the way side, at least not yet any way,but the reality is there are a variety of other ways we can communicate with each other. Young people know this already, sometimes the rest of us just have to catch up.
So when the question is posed, are we letting young people get away with not acting professionally by ignoring their emails, because we're trying to reach them through Facebook, LinkedIn, Texting, or other avenues? The answer is yes and no. I think there is a balance here that we can strike between giving in and not budging.
Here's what I recommend...Continue to reiterate to young people that the main form of expected professional communication continues to be email. If they cannot learn to respond in a timely manner or they don't check it, then they might just be missing opportunities. There are always consequences for bad behavior and not checking or responding to email will have a downside. On the other hand though, don't be afraid to try some of the new forms of communication that are out there. Facebook, texting, and other more instant forms of communication can actually be very beneficial to you and young people.
In the end, we all know, email will not be going away for now, so eventually students will have to use it. For now though, maybe it's better that they at least hear your message, regardless of which communication tool it comes through.
This months topic is based on a question I received today during a presentation I helped deliver at the 2011 Teaching Conference at IPFW. The basics of the question surrounded student usage of email (or lack there of) and are we enabling them to create bad habits now by our willingness to utilize social media to reach out and connect with them?
That's really a great question and one that has come up before. In a great article on Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/is-e-mail-dead.html the question is asked "Is Email Dead?" According to the article, people just aren't utilizing email as much (especially younger people) to communicate. Other social media outlets and text messaging offer a much quicker mode of communication and is more readily utilized by teens. That's not to say they don't use email, because they do. They just don't use it as much as other services.
Of course we realize that emailing in a business setting is not going away anytime soon, but there have already been some changes in the way professionals communicate at work. I'll give you a few examples:
How much do you want to bet that when email first came out, people thought we would never get rid of our face-to-face interactions and opt for the less personal written communication? Now, both are regularly utilized as acceptable forms of business etiquette. I'm sure there were some who thought email would just be a flash in the pan.
When IM came along, many companies began using that to communicate quickly internally. No need to wait for an email and then a response and then a response to the response...the whole conversation happened in real time.
In LinkedIn and Facebook, those who may never have met you or had access to your email address can now reach out to you and send you a message. If we were only using email, you might miss out on connections!
I read on Twitter that one company sent a text message to offer a candidate a position with their company...and the candidate accepted via text message. Without a single email, both the company and the candidate knew instantly if the person would be joining their team.
The truth is, emailing will probably not go by the way side, at least not yet any way,but the reality is there are a variety of other ways we can communicate with each other. Young people know this already, sometimes the rest of us just have to catch up.
So when the question is posed, are we letting young people get away with not acting professionally by ignoring their emails, because we're trying to reach them through Facebook, LinkedIn, Texting, or other avenues? The answer is yes and no. I think there is a balance here that we can strike between giving in and not budging.
Here's what I recommend...Continue to reiterate to young people that the main form of expected professional communication continues to be email. If they cannot learn to respond in a timely manner or they don't check it, then they might just be missing opportunities. There are always consequences for bad behavior and not checking or responding to email will have a downside. On the other hand though, don't be afraid to try some of the new forms of communication that are out there. Facebook, texting, and other more instant forms of communication can actually be very beneficial to you and young people.
In the end, we all know, email will not be going away for now, so eventually students will have to use it. For now though, maybe it's better that they at least hear your message, regardless of which communication tool it comes through.
Beyond :"Poking" and "Like it"
Presented at the 2011 Teaching Conference at IPFW with Cindy Verduce and Heather Burgette from Indiana Tech. Great topic and a lot of fun to present!!!
Beyond poking and like it
View more presentations from Jen Fisher.
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