Here are the biggest mistakes most managers make when conducting a job interview -- and better questions to ask.
Why you should lend your time to industry associations and other causes
Ways to protect your job and department
E-mail overload is epidemic in the workplace today. Employees in this country spend more than 40 percent of their workday on e-mail, and they consider more than a third of that time a waste, per a survey of U.S. workers conducted by Guilford, Conn.-based Cohesive Knowledge Solutions. What’s more, the time employees expend on workplace e-mail is causing companies to bleed big bucks -- an estimated $300 billion a year -- in lost productivity and profits. Following are some simple strategies for ...
In M&C’s February 2006 Your Career column, I outlined the different skills planners need to develop in order to move their career to the next level. In this column, the focus is on the job search itself. Studies show the average number of candidates who likely will apply for an advertised meeting planning position is about 250. Your first goal is to get through the initial screening and land the interview. THE COVER LETTERWhen sending out your resume always attach a cover letter. This ...
When you decide to take the next step in your planning career, it needs to be the right one. As experienced meeting professionals well know, the higher the salary required and the higher the position aimed for, the more difficult it is to make that next move. This column outlines the skills and experiences that are most in demand right now. (A future column will deal with résumé writing and practical job-hunting tips.) Today, with strong competition for advanced, high-paying positions, the ...
Is your boss a micromanager? Join the crowd. In a recent workplace survey of 133 managers and 128 nonmanagers conducted for my consultancy, 80 percent of the 261 respondents know firsthand the woes of being shadowed closely by a boss. Micromanagers hurt productivity and morale — and often drive employees away. In fact, one out of three respondents have changed jobs to escape a micromanager. The good news? There’s a lot you can do to survive and succeed with a “my way or else” boss. The ...
It’s been a great year so far. All the meetings you’ve planned have gone off without a hitch, thanks to your creativity and problem-solving abilities. You believe you deserve a raise, but what’s the best way to go about bringing up such a delicate topic with your boss?The following tips will help arm you for the discussion and keep it from veering off course. Before the MeetingDo your research. Find out as much as you can about the salaries other people in your position are being paid. Ask ...
Soliciting staff ideas — and using them to improve your meeting planning and implementation efforts — can make you look good to your clients (and boss) and make your employees feel like valued team players. But there is an art to helping staff make meaningful contributions. Get RollingStart by asking staff members to consider how they might alter their jobs to improve productivity, slash expenses and increase attendee satisfaction. These employees have detailed knowledge of the day-to-day ...
How to wrangle a good seat at your organization's strategic table
Meetings & Conventions: Planner's Portfolio December 2002 December 2002 PLANNER'S PORTFOLIO: YOUR CAREER BY Rick Maurer THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE How to handle stonewalling naysayers and get them to hear your ideas Have you ever tried to plan an event, and no one wanted what you wanted? It all seemed so clear, if only your colleagues and bosses would have listened. The brick wall of resistance can kill compromise, no matter if you are trying to get the hotel staff to ...
Meetings & Conventions: Planner's Portfolio July 2002
July 2002
PLANNER'S PORTFOLIO:
YOUR CAREER
By Sarah J.F. Braley
FINDING A GOOD MENTOR
Who to turn to for valuable career advice, and how to make the most of the relationship
WHO TO TARGET
First, set priorities. Determine what you want to improve in yourself. Do you want to gain a skill? Increase knowledge? Change or improve an attitude?
If you’re looking to gain a skill, you don’t need a mentor, you need a ...