In this issue...

• A ‘Motivating’ Issue of the ASM

• The Secret to Interview Success

• CSO to Support Annual Walk-A-Thon

• It’s Not About the Money,
Part 2

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A ‘Motivating’ Issue of the ASM

Motivation is often tricky to pin down. All people are motivated by something, but not everybody is motivated by the same thing. In this issue of the ASM, we examine this topic in a variety of ways, from how to make a great impression in an interview, to those characteristics that attract candidates to work for a certain company, to the reasons people make contributions to a worthy cause (in this case, the fight against animal cruelty). We hope that you enjoy this issue and that it motivates you to continue building toward a bigger and better future. As always, thank you for being a loyal ASM reader, and feel free to send us any questions you may have.

—Dan and Don

The Secret to Interview Success
(By Don Hunter)

Assuming you’re qualified for the job, the outcome of your employment interview will be dependent on your ability to discover needs and empathize with the interviewer.

You can do this by asking questions that verify your understanding of what the interviewer has just said, without editorializing or expressing an opinion. By establishing empathy in this manner, you’ll be in a better position to freely exchange ideas and demonstrate your suitability for the job.

In addition to empathy, there are four other intangible fundamentals to a successful interview. These intangibles will influence the way your personality is perceived and will affect the degree of rapport or personal chemistry you’ll share with the employer. They are as follows:

Enthusiasm—Leave no doubt as to your level of interest in the job. You may think it’s unnecessary to do this, but employers often choose the more enthusiastic candidate in the case of a two-way tie. Besides, it’s best to keep your options open. Wouldn’t you rather be in a position to turn down an offer, rather than have a prospective job evaporate from your grasp by giving a lethargic interview?

Technical interest—Employers look for people who love what they do and get excited by the prospect of tearing into the nitty-gritty of the job.

Confidence—No one likes a braggart, but the candidate who’s sure of his or her abilities will almost certainly be more favorably received.

Intensity—The last thing you want to do is come across as “flat” in your interview. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being a laid back person, but sleepwalkers rarely get hired.

Most employers are aware of how stressful it can be to interview for a new position and will do everything they can to put you at ease.

Other Important Factors

Since interviewing also involves the exchange of tangible information, always make sure to present your background in a thorough and accurate manner and gather data concerning the company, the industry, the position, and the specific opportunity

A worthwhile interviewing goal is to link your abilities with the company needs in the mind of the employer so you can build a strong case for why the company should hire you. The more you know about each other, the more potential you’ll have for establishing rapport and making an informed decision.

If you have any questions about this subject, feel free to email me at brg@charterinternet.com.

CSO to Support Annual Walk-A-Thon

For the fifth straight year, Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc., owner of The Animal Science Monitor and AnimalScienceJobs.com, is supporting the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) “March for the Animals” Walk-A-Thon. Dan and Debra Simmons of Continental Search, along with their dog Barry, are also participating in this 11th annual event. The Walk-A-Thon will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 2 at Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Md.

Last year, the Walk-A-Thon raised $175,000 for the Maryland SPCA, and once again, Continental Search will match all ASM reader donations, dollar for dollar, up to $500. We’d like to thank everyone who made a contribution to the SPCA in 2005, and we’re excited about the prospects of raising funds again this year.

The mission of the Maryland SPCA, a private, non-profit organization, is to prevent cruelty and neglect of animals through the fostering of a more humane relationship between animals and people. This mission is accomplished through education, advocacy, active direct care, pet population control, and screened adoptions. For more information about the Maryland SPCA, visit www.mdspca.org.

To contribute, please send a check payable to MD SPCA, c/o Continental Search, P.O. Box 43873, Baltimore, MD 21236. Please note that you can certainly make a donation after the Walk-A-Thon is over. Your generosity to this worthy cause is greatly appreciated.

It’s Not About the Money, Part 2
(By Dan Simmons)

In the previous issue of the ASM, I contrasted two fictitious feed mills, Reward Manufacturing and Run-of-the Milling. The idea for this article was spawned while I was making a client visit recently, when I noticed the proximity of two feed mills prominent in the animal science industry. The two mills looked nearly identical from the outside, prompting me to wonder what about the companies was different, and more importantly, what about them would make a candidate choose one over the other.

The overriding point of this two-part series of articles is that it’s not about the money, that when the compensation being offered candidates is basically the same, other factors are involved in their decision-making process. The key is to ensure that your company is doing everything it can to attract top-notch talent and then keep those star candidates once they make the decision to join your team.

A study in contrasts
Once again, I’m going to address several prominent areas in which Reward Manufacturing and Run-of-the Milling are different in regards to how they run their operations. And as you’ll see, those differences are the key to how well they retain their employees. First up is Reward Manufacturing.

“The officials at Reward Manufacturing strive to create a culture of recognition for their employees. They understand that consistent written and/or verbal recognition can go a long way. They also recognize that that their employees want to know how they can advance their careers within the company, how they can get to the next level. That next level might mean a promotion or it might not. Not every employee wants to be a manager, and Reward Manufacturing officials realize that. As a result, they have first ascertained the goals and ambitions of their employees and then communicated to them on an individual basis how they can best reach those objectives.

Reward Manufacturing’s management has also created a mentoring atmosphere at its company, another way in which employees can develop their skills at every level of the organization. Success is about succession, and Reward’s informal mentoring program starts with its entry-level positions and continues all the way through the company. Finally, the officials at Reward Manufacturing understand the importance of work-life balance, and they communicate that understanding in a variety of different ways. They expect their employees to enjoy a life outside the company walls. This will make their employees happier people and ultimately, vastly more productive and loyal, as well.”

Below is a synopsis of how Run-of-the-Milling regards these very same principles.

“Officials at Run-of-the-Milling only seem to communicate their opinion about an employee’s performance when that performance is sub-par. Competent employees, as well as those who excel, are generally left alone. Their continued employment is apparently their reward. Run-of-the-Milling doesn’t feel that it’s necessary to discover the career goals of its employees. After all, their goals should be the same as the company’s goals.

Run-of-the-Milling also doesn’t see the need to implement an informal mentoring program. In fact, the truth be told, that kind of program hasn’t even crossed the minds of its officials. They’re too busy trying to make each quarterly earnings statement look as good as it possibly can, and if that means some of the employees have to work overtime, then so be it. In fact, if those employees have to work overtime on a more or less consistent basis, they’ll have to do that, too. Company officials have never considered their employees’ personal lives as being relevant to the success of the corporation.”

Which one are you?
Like last month, I’m willing to bet that you can see which company is able to first attract and then retain more high-quality employees. One of the major keys to success in any marketplace has always been and will always be the people who are working for you. They are not to be overlooked or disregarded. They should be viewed as an integral part of the overall operation and success of your business and treated as such.

In other words, you want to be more like Reward Manufacturing and less like Run-of-the-Milling. If you’re unsure how you stack up, perhaps it’s time for an honest self-evaluation of your operations and your attitudes, especially how you’re being perceived by your employees. Such an analysis can only be beneficial and will help to give you an edge over your competitors.

If you have any questions about fostering a company culture conducive to employee retention, feel free to contact me at dan@consearch.com.