Health Intuition

Most people in Human Resources deal with job seekers everyday, and it seems reasonable to expect that they would have an edge when conducting their own job search. They spend their days sourcing candidates, screening resumes, determining (and negotiating) salary, and interviewing.  Considering their profession, they should know all of the tricks and be able to get a new position more quickly than people in other industries. Yet, as many people in HR know from personal experience, this is often not the case. Working with a job coach, specifically one experienced in the Human Resources field, can ensure that edge. First let’s look at a few different reasons for the disconnect from the two sides of the hiring desk.

People in HR have so much experience making the employment decisions that they completely forget what it is like to be on the other side. Here is where the inside tricks backfire. Anyone who has conducted interviews had certain answers that they were looking for. When HR people are in an interview they feel like they need to give that “right” answer rather than the honest answer that best describes them. A perfect example is the topic of compensation. Having presented compensation offers, they may know how much the limit is for most positions, but not know the negotiating tactics to obtain it for themselves.

Another weakness can come from a lack of objectivity. While people in all industries can struggle to articulate their accomplishments, it can happen to HR people more easily. People in human resources are very familiar with the process of hiring and the steps, but that is not that same as being able to nail an interview by clearly describing their talents and qualifications for a new position. Because of the illusion that they know exactly what to do in the job search, they often fail to recognize areas for improvement in the process.

Finally HR positions can be very competitive. Human resources positions are among the first to be eliminated during layoffs. After all, how much work can there be to do when a company has a hiring freeze? Even non-recruiting positions can be at risk when training budgets are slashed and benefits are reduced. This reality leads to an oversaturation of the market. Regardless of the state of the economy though, there are always jobs and you just need to know where to find them. As a coach, I recently worked with a client in HR that received interviews at eight companies. This many interviews is an accomplishment at any time, but especially in this time of layoffs. It is proof that the jobs are out there and a well conducted job search can yield results.

A career coach can let you know what the “rules of the game” are, and how you can use them for your own unique situation. While people in HR are experts in posting the jobs, they don’t always know where to find their own. A coach can target your search while also adding some tricks that rarely come up in a human resource job, like personal branding. Possibly most valuable, a career coach can serve as your accountability partner and cheerleader. He or she can keep you motivated and on track, identify and overcome obstacles, and guide you to develop a personally targeted plan. Some resources are available through career books and internet research, but if your job search isn’t going anywhere, or you need to get a new position fairly quickly, a career coach could be the solution for you.

As a coach a manager will be handing out suggestions to make improvements in specific areas. These areas will have to be identified by you. It is not a process which can take place in a day or two. It is a long term process. It cannot be a one way street. You have to develop a relationship with your co worker. To suggest improvements you will be analyzing the work performances. Your suggestions will include ways to improve this performance. Leadership is essential in these issues. Be supportive of your co  workers as well as help them by instructing them, guiding them and encouraging them.

All management training programs and management training courses specify that communication skills are one of the most important skills a manager can possess. This is one of the most important techniques used in coaching. You have to clearly tell your team members what your expectations are. Do not let there be ambiguity. Clear any ambiguity on the spot. Repeat yourself if necessary to get the message across. Do not leave any room for doubts. Clear them up.

Coaching is all about building relationships with clients. Do the same with your team members. If you feel there are certain areas where improvements can be, then go ahead and tell them. But, do so in a manner that does not seem to find fault, rather suggest the improvements as a way to enhance their performance. Fault finding is easy, encouraging someone to do better is not. Platitudes can be mouthed by anyone but only a genuine leader can give the correct kind of emotional support. You should only offer emotional support and should not yourself become the support.

If there are obstructions on the path to their advancement it is your duty to help remove them. After all you are also their manager and not just their coach. You can advice them on ways to remove these obstructions. Your guidance is necessary for them. Be gentle when you are advising them. Do not be harsh.

If you have attended management training classes then you would have had a session on leadership. A good leader knows the importance of Action speaks louder than words. If you want your team members to work to reach their goal, then you have to show them the way. Not by telling them how to do it but by showing how to do it. Tell them which part of their behavior or performance should be changed to show better results. Tell them how to do it.

All this advice that you have given is going to be useless if the team member is not committed to make those changes. It is your duty to ensure that the person or people are committed to making these changes. Explain to them the reasons that it is necessary for them to make this change. Tell them the benefits, if they make the change.

All management training programs or management training courses say that unless you appreciate people they are not going to be motivated to work better. So, this is another technique that a coach needs to do. So do not hesitate to appreciate the good performance and as a manager it is a good idea to reward the performance. This can do wonders for you and your team