HR Matters is a Malaysian HR magazine with big ideas and a global reach.  I spent a couple of hours talking to the editor about my ideas on talent management which boil down to two main things.

• Get the right people in to your business using advanced selection techniques and spend time gaining an understanding of exactly what you need them to do and how they need to do it;
• Treat people well when they leave and don't miss out on the opportunity to find out why they are leaving – information gathered through a well structured exit process has a direct impact on who you hire next.

To find out more about my take on talent management, you can read the article here.  Any comments welcome!

Katherine Wiid is the founder of Recrion, specialists in Career Management Coaching and Talent Management.  Telephone +44 1780 484910, http://www.recrion.co.uk.

Katherine Wiid qualified this year as a LAB Profile Practitioner and has been using this conversational profiling tool to help individuals to understand what triggers and sustains their motivation at work.   We have had extremely positive feedback which enables us to continue to strive to provide superior career management coaching to our clients. 

Katherine brought a great wealth of knowledge, understanding and focus to our outplacement sessions. She provided a calm and measured approach to the R2R (response to redundancy) process.
The LAB profile proved to be spot-on; the advice around developing my CV and networking was solid and well thought out; and the skills analysis accurate; most importantly I found her to be incredibly perceptive. At each of our meetings, Katherine’s style and knowledge base gave me the confidence to take my career to the next level.
I have no hesitation in recommending Katherine’s (and Recrion’s) work to anyone who is seeking a professional, empathetic and knowledgeable career coach.  
Dr Aaron Cranston, Head of Pharmacology, KuDOS Pharmaceuticals / Astra Zeneca

The buzzword in HR circles is about how to manage change and talent more effectively. Is this is a post recession syndrome?

Change management has always been there and various methodologies have come and gone over time. Kurt Lewin’s model of change talked about “unfreeze – change – freeze” which is useful in thinking about the need to break down rigid ways of thinking. However it wrongly suggests that leaders can make people change.

In my experience unless you figure out, together, how people should behave at work, and create the kind of language and systems you need to reinforce that behaviour, you never get there. The most successful companies I know understand that the most important business decisions they make are not what new products they launch or what new markets they enter. What really matters is who they hire — and how they create an environment in which everyone in the organisation can share ideas, solve problems, and develop a psychological and emotional stake in the business.

Take for example, the extremely creative and rigorous methodology Cirque du Soleil has developed for recruiting and evaluating new talent.  Lyn Heward President of the Creative Division of Cirque du Soleil describes their process as follows:

There are no stars here. The show is the star. That's why our evaluation goes deeper than a talent evaluation. We need to learn about the person behind the artist. How many somersaults you can do is not as important as open-mindedness to our process, the tough-mindedness to get through the job, and what we call a 'fire to perform.' That's what we're looking for.

The behaviours Lyn looks for can be identified utilising advanced profiling techniques such as the LAB Profile. And this can be done in normal conversation as part of the interview process not putting your candidate behind a computer screen filling out a psychometric test!

If you would like more information on how to predict how suitable a potential employee is for a job role as well as assess their job performance on an ongoing basis, contact Katherine Wiid of Recrion, a LAB Profile Practioner and Talent Management Specialist on +44 1780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.

A lot has been written about the traits that make one person more effective as a leader than another.  What are the traits or patterns of behaviour that enable these “natural” leaders and communicators to influence others effectively?

The answer is that they understand that Working with People Means Working with Emotions.

Whilst we are all aware of the unwritten rule: “Don’t bring your personal problems to work,” the leaders who base all their business decisions on information, logic and calm cool reason, with emotions kept to a minimum are often not the leaders with success stories around influencing or getting the best out of others.

It is unrealistic to suppose that emotions can be checked at the door when you arrive at work having over slept, missed your train and are late for an important client meeting!  By trying to be emotionally neutral, you may come across as rigid or detached. This is not necessarily bad in some situations, but it is usually not good for an organisation for such people to move into management roles. The same would be true for people who are excessively emotional, who tell you how they feel about everything. Simply being around them can be exhausting.

Developing emotional intelligence in the workplace is a skill that can be learned and perfected.  It means acknowledging that emotions are always present, and doing something intelligent with them. People vary enormously in the skill with which they use their own emotions and react to the emotions of others — and that can make the difference between a good manager and a bad one.

So how can you become better at influencing others?

A good start is to learn how to identify the Motivation Traits (those things that will trigger and maintain a person’s motivation) and Working Traits (the kind of information a person can handle and how they deal with it) within yourself and those you wish to influence.

The Language and Behavioural (LAB) Profile is an advanced communication tool which provides unique insights into the below-conscious motivational patterns we have in various contexts.

For more information on how to identify the patterns that will help you become a better leader and communicator, you can contact Katherine Wiid a specialist LAB Profile Practitioner and Director of Recrion, People and Career Management Professionals.  Telephone 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.

For many people who lost their jobs in the recession it has been a difficult two years. There is a new reality when it comes to jobs and careers. Simply put – job security no longer exists.

As a Career Coach and Skills Adviser I meet many people who look for short term gain when it comes to their careers – they focus on finding a job to pay the mortgage and might consider doing a quick course that will tick a box on their CV in order to get that job.

With job security increasingly unlikely in the world of work this is short sighted.  YOU are in charge of managing your own career. And career management should be ongoing throughout your working life.

In order to take control of your career you need to regularly evaluate what you are doing, where you want to go, and how you plan on getting there.  Having a career strategy is the equivalent of having a business plan in a successful business.

Here are four steps to include in your career strategy:

1. Set career goals and reassess them regularly. As the economy changes, industries restructure and global competition increases, do a reality check to see whether your goals need to change as well. Career goals should be moving targets – as you get closer you need to set your sights higher. This way you will be sure to continue moving forward.
2. Where are you now? Assess the work you are doing and the skills you have. Are you still enjoying what you do? Are you still learning? If you have redefined your goals, are there additional skills you need to move you further along on your career path? Are there courses that would enhance the work you do and perhaps enable you to stand out more? By continuing to grow professionally your job becomes more interesting and you become more fully engaged in your work.
3. Networking is the railroad that runs beneath your career. Continue to build and nurture relationships with others inside and outside your organisation. Extending your reach and exposure is a critical aspect and should not be limited to times when you are involved in a job search. Increase your visibility by networking with your contacts and introducing them to people you know will help them – this reflects positively on you. Reciprocity is bankable and the interest it bears is priceless.
4. Be proactive and not reactive.  By monitoring changes in your industry, you can invest in the relevant development you need to create opportunities for yourself.  Don't wait for them to come to you.

Investing time in getting your career strategy right, pays dividends down the line.  For help with formulating a career strategy  contact Katherine Wiid of Recrion at 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk.

At a recent conference in London on Engaging with Employees and Managing Talent effectively, we debated how to retain talent before they are lured away by competitors or increasingly, becoming self employed consultants.

New research reveals top professionals overwhelmingly want to move abroad – not to escape the recession, but to advance their career in a highly competitive, global market.

The 2010 Hydrogen Global Professionals on the Move Report reveals that for 60 percent of respondents the recession has had ‘no impact’ on their willingness to move overseas, and 94 per cent are either already working internationally, or want to do so.

Hydrogen Group surveyed over 3000 mid- to senior-level professionals earning an average salary of $125,000 USD to understand the mindset and motivations of highly qualified professionals at a time of uncertainty and flux in the global recruitment market.

Motivations of top talent included:

Mid- to senior-level professionals see international experience as a key means of fast-tracking their careers and boosting their personal development.

Greater earning potential is not in itself a top priority for this demographic.

The economic downturn is not a major factor in middle- and senior-level professionals' willingness to accept global roles

While more men say they would definitely move abroad, more women (34%) are actually in jobs overseas compared to 26 percent of men.

The issue facing Talent Managers is how to keep this elite group engaged by giving them the right level of assignments.  Having a strong succession plan and long term talent management strategy is essential to prevent these high fliers from walking into the open arms of competitors who are actively looking for talent with international experience.

For independent advice on how to proactively manage your talent, contact Katherine Wiid, Director of People and Career Management Specialists Recrion on 01780 484910.  Visit www.recrion.co.uk for more information.

The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) has released their latest survey on employee engagement in the UK and there are no real surprises.

Attitudes and trust in senior management seems to be at an all time low, and largely due to poor communication during the redundancy consultation process.   Download the free report here.

Employee engagement is really quite simple – so why can't organisations get it right?  It comes down to 2 behaviours – transparency and communication.  Studies on the science behind human motivation show that humans are motivated in the workplace by 3 main things – autonomy, mastery of their role and purpose.  Money comes stone last.

By not communicating and being transparent, the 3 key employee motivators are directly impacted.  Rumours, meetings behind closed doors, a CEO that no longer walks the floor and looks employees in the eye are interpreted as BAD news.  The normal Open Door of a senior manager, slams shut in the face of adversity as they only want to hear good news, not any news.

It's tough being on both sides of the door.  So why not reach out for expert advice on how to manage redundancy as positively as possible?

The Response to Redundancy scheme is a good place to start – and free in the East of England – find out more at www.recrion.co.uk/free. 

Katherine Wiid is a People and Career Management Specialist who has worked with hundreds of employees during redundancy situations.  She can be reached on 01780 484910 for confidential discussions.

In part 2 of our series on overcoming the “nos” around dealing with your salary expectations in an interview, let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the employer.They have 100% more applicants than usual and have to find a sifting method to whittle the list down to manageable proportions.

And the most basic sifting criteria is salary.

If you're out of the range they won't even move to the next step or interview. Because if you exceed their salary range, they fear they will not be able to keep you.  The consequence to the employer in hiring an "overqualified" person who doesn’t end up staying is the cost to hire, to train, the time they lose inducting a new employee, etc.  That is why companies instruct managers and recruiters to stay away from "overqualified" candidates.

The reality of the economic situation however, is that salary growth will remain static for the near future. In fact, most people can expect to take a drop.  But many company selection processes are lagging behind.

To avoid getting into a no win situation over salary negotiations consider these approaches:

• If you hear the salary range is not enough for you to survive on, then thank them and move on quickly to the next opportunity.
• If you are still interested at the salary level on offer and you're willing to take it to get your foot in the door, then the approach of “ I'm aware that my previous salaries were higher than what you are offering, but at this point in my career, it's more about the opportunity than the compensation”.  To make that statement credible, you have to reiterate your passion for the role, your unique value proposition and how you match up with the competencies of the role and the culture of the organisation.

Investing time in getting your job search strategy right, pays dividends down the line.  For more information on salary negotiations and Career Management Strategies, contact Katherine Wiid of Recrion at 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk.

So many people I coach come to me with the perfect job description they have just found and say “I am perfect for this role, can you help me with my CV and interview skills?”

They don’t often expect me to ask:  “Before we even start, does the salary they are offering match your expectations?  What is the company culture like?”

In this economy, with so many job seekers competing for the same jobs, YOU as the candidate need to think about the employer’s needs, financial situation and values and do hours of research before you apply - otherwise you are setting yourself up to fail.

By doing your research upfront, your aim should be to minimise the “nos” or long delays in decision making by the hiring manager.  Here are some of the” nos” you might be getting and what they might mean:

• Your salary expectations are too high (Overpriced)
• We cannot match your salary and career expectations (Unrealistic)

By finding out how closely you align to the employer and the job, you will be able to cut down on the length of time you spend chasing jobs that are never going to go anywhere.

Let’s start with the Overpriced "No".  Find out what they are paying.  If the salary scale is not advertised, call up HR or the recruiter and get an idea of what their ball park is.

"The job specification / advert does not list the salary range for this job. Can you tell me the salary range"? If HR tells you the range, and it falls within your expectations, then you can say "Thank you, that pay range is within my expectations." That way they will know there is a good chance you won't reject an offer based on the pay rate and you will know if the job is worth pursuing.

To avoid the Unrealistic "No" you need to know their drivers and how you see yourself adding value to their organisation.

When the interviewer gets to the salary expectations/previous salary questions and you know exceed their current salary scale, be honest. Let them know your previous salary but also let them know that you are flexible in what you are looking to earn. Tell them that because of their position in the market, you know they'll make you a fair and reasonable offer. You can reiterate why you want to work for this company: their growth, market share, innovation, what your skill set will bring to the team, etc.

Also remind them you understand in this economy, salaries have changed and that you know you may not earn what you did before, but you are looking to prove yourself, and possibly discuss a pay rise at your first review.  By doing this you will draw the focus back to the company, why you are interested in working for them, and why you are a strong candidate.

Investing time in getting your job search strategy right, pays dividends down the line.  For more information on salary negotiations and Career Management Strategies, contact Katherine Wiid of Recrion at 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk.

Many talented employees start their careers within an organisation with high hopes, and they may be lucky to have a boss who really notices that little bit extra that they put in.  Then a new boss comes along who is more focused on the competition, the customer – everything but YOU and the motivation you had to exceed their expectations fades away.

So how do you deal with these career blocks and still get noticed and promoted?

It’s easy – just start acting like an Owner of a business and your Boss will not only sit up and notice that you are doing your job effectively; they will be impressed that you are also worrying about the bigger picture. It will make you look better and it will also change your perspective on your job.

So where should you start? By putting yourself in their shoes you will realise that CEOs and Business Owners are juggling some or all of the following every day:

• Employee demands
• The future of the company
• The revenue
• The competitors
• How to lower costs
• How to increase profits

Fortunately, you don't have to worry about these things because you're not in charge (YET!), but it doesn't mean you shouldn't.  The good thing is that CEOs and business owners have so much to worry about that you could pick any one of these "problems" and figure out a way to improve on them:

• Costs
• Employee morale
• Competitors
• Office politics
• Technology solutions
• Efficiency

The bottom line is that if you really want to stand out and get ahead at work, you should look around and model yourself on someone who has already made it.

For help and guidance on managing your career strategically, contact Katherine Wiid, Career Management Coach on 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk.