job fit assessments

Are Likable Leaders Really Effective Leaders?

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“If you want people to relate to you as an effective leader, focus on respect and likability.” Jeannette Seibly

When a leader’s primary need is to be likable, it’s a fool’s game. If this is your focus, you will make poor decisions, focus on yourself (aka ego), and accept mediocrity while failing to provide much-needed feedback to your team!

Over 90% of employees complain that communication issues make their leaders ineffective. (Inc.com) These leaders focus on being likable and are unable (and unwilling) to provide truthful feedback, acknowledge others’ efforts and ideas, and even fail to learn their employees’ names.

In other words, they are ineffective leaders.

So, what is missing? Respect!

To be an effective leader today, focus on developing both: being likable and respected! Being both requires YOU to focus on others while improving team development, customer satisfaction, performance, productivity, and profitability.

Common Ways to Boost Being Likable and Respected

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence. Be present and aware, and use mindful resilience to guide you in developing your teams and team members. Remember, as a leader, your focus is on having them excel.

Ask these questions:

  • What do they need? Ask, listen, and make it happen!
  • What are their professional and personal goals? Ask, listen, and offer them opportunities!
  • How can I acknowledge their successes? Look for ways to say, “Great work!”

Share Feedback by Talking Straight or Soften Your Approach. It’s best to tell the truth appropriately. While some welcome the straight-talk approach, some team members may be uncomfortable or intimated. Example: “Is that report done yet?” In these cases, soften your approach. Keep it short and simple. Example: “I have an early morning meeting and would like to review the report before my meeting. Is it possible to get it this afternoon?”

Ask for Input and Build Results. When you come across as a know-it-all, team members stop participating. It shows blatant disrespect! Instead of talking over them or ignoring their ideas, ask questions to learn more. Then, use their input to build better outcomes and results. (Don’t forget to say, “Thank you for your great ideas!”)

Give Assignments Based on People’s Strengths. Use a qualified job fit assessment to help you effectively manage and coach your team. Remember, assigning the “bad jobs” to people you don’t like, or the “fun or good jobs” to your favorites will cause dissension and possible litigation (e.g., EEO lawsuits). Also, you can use this same assessment to build a diverse team and train team members to appreciate everyone’s differences.

Seek Ways to Develop Each and Every Team Member. Use 1:1 meetings to ask about their goals and offer opportunities to develop required skills. Example: If someone wants to become a manager of a big project, offer to hire a coach NOW for the person to develop the right presentation, people management, and project management skills.

Make the Right Decisions and Share “Why” with the Team. Making win-win-win decisions is crucial—sharing “why” with your team builds trust. To avoid trial and error and common miscommunication, hire yourself an executive coach. You will broaden your perspective before, during, and after decisions are made (your decisions create an impact: good, bad, and not-so-good). Also, find one or two industry mentors to guide you along the way. Now, ask for help, listen, and be coachable!

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a likable and respected effective leader: Can you be both likable and respected? Yes! Both are required to be highly effective in today’s workplace. What do you need to develop for your team to like and respect you? Are you feeling challenged in this area? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

I’ve been interviewing people for jobs for well over 30 years. Although the economy and types of jobs have changed dramatically, many hiring practices have not. You will miss out if you have not upgraded your interview and selection processes to attract top talent. To improve your interviewing techniques, grab your FREE copy of 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

How to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today

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“Today, there are millions of job seekers looking for new positions! If you want the best, use the best hiring interview practices!” Jeannette Seibly

I’ve been interviewing people for jobs for well over 30 years. It was my first job out of college. While the economy and types of jobs have changed dramatically during this time, many hiring practices have not! The challenge is that many companies must level up their hiring and interview practices to attract top talent.

Americans are quitting their jobs in record numbers, and economists say the Great Resignation will likely keep up well into 2022. (CNBC)

And now, with so many job seekers on the prowl for better wages, benefits, and working conditions, your hiring practices need to improve. Or, you’ll miss out on attracting and keeping top talent.

16 Tips to Effective and Productive Interviews

Leveling up means updating your strategic hiring process. Start by reviewing the procedures and tools used and upgrades NOW  (e.g., applicant tracking system, job fit assessments, training interviewers, background and reference checks, etc.). The quality of your hiring process impacts candidates’ willingness to show up, ready for the interview.   

First steps. These are a must and often overlooked:

  1. Review and update your company’s vision and mission. I’m sure it’s been a while!
  2. What are this year’s short-term goals (Q2 and Q3) and long-term (Q4 and Q1-2023) goals? Then, review with the management team and get into action. Top talent wants to work with companies that have goal-focused and results-oriented intentions.
  3. Review and update job descriptions and related policies to reflect employment changes (e.g., diversity, onboarding, working from home options, etc.).
  4. Create a 180-day Success Plan for each position. Keep it simple and focused.
  5. Update structured interview questions and selection tools used (e.g., benchmarks for job fit assessments, etc.).
  6. Train all interviewers. Hold them accountable for following the process and ensuring positive candidate experiences.

Second steps. Do the prep work before the interviews:

  1. The process starts when an applicant applies and before the interview. Be sure your ATS is interactive and provides links to answer “knock-out” questions and complete initial assessments. It’s essential that you readily respond via email, chat, or video.
  2. Don’t wing it. Reread job description and structured interview questions before each interview. Hiring biases and gut reactions are stronger when you are not prepared. Remember, there will be new biases. Examples: Job candidates are being interviewed in their homes and not in a professional setting. Or candidates are leaving their old jobs without new ones.
  3. Send out ATS reminders with time and date, length of the interview, name of interviewer(s), and job title(s), plus the URL for the virtual interview.
  4. Test virtual connections. Request job candidates to “test” the URL connection before the interview and resolve issues. Remember, home internet connections may not be up to speed with Today’s conferencing requirements.

Third steps. Conducting the interview:

  1. For virtual interviews, be sure everyone is visible on your monitor during group interviews. They must stay on video and not multi-task!
  2. Turn off electronic devices and other distractions. When everyone does this, the interview is more productive and saves time.
  3. Start the interview by introducing yourself (20 seconds). If in a group, have each interviewer provide a 20-second intro. State name, title, and how this job impacts their area. For example, “Today I am (or, we are) conducting the first set of interviews for XXX position. This interview will take approximately 1 hour. Have you scheduled this amount of time for our conversation?” (If no, reschedule to ensure consistency in the interview process.)
  4. Ask your prepared, structured interview questions. This structure helps compare candidates and is a legal requirement.
  5. Deep-dive into the job candidate’s answers by using Rule of 3. It’s essential to know the quality of their skills and their ability to use them in different situations. Also, their response lets you know the training requirements for this person to succeed.

Example of Rule of 3:

  • What is one specific challenge you have faced?
  • How did you resolve the issue?
  • What specifically did you do?
  1. At the end of the interview, not the beginning, share the information below. Remember KISS (keep it simple and smart). Here’s why: You want job candidates to tell you who they really are … not what they think you want to hear.
  • Vision and mission of the company
  • Job title and top 3 to 5 job responsibilities (do not negotiate now)
  • Quick overview of 180-Day Plan with a specific focus on Q2 and Q3
  • DO NOT conduct salary and benefit negotiations until it’s time to make a job offer
  • Share what will happen next with selected candidates (e.g., future interviews with team members, reference and education verifications, job fit assessments, etc.)

NOW! And, I cannot say this enough! Follow-through as promised! If you don’t, job candidates will share their less-than-positive interview experiences on social media! And, you will lose out on hiring top talent.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select/PXT Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Note from Jeannette about conducting effective and productive hiring interviews today: Preparation is vital. The quality of time spent on the 16 tips listed will impact your company’s bottom line, customer and employee satisfaction, and your ability to sleep well at night! Are you uncertain how to begin? Experiencing roadblocks? Need help with interview training or assessment selection? Contact me today.

Being a top influencer can attract top talent and have you seen as a great boss. So become aware and develop the skills now! Grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

Focus on These Top 5 Attributes and Watch Your Sales Increase

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“If your salespeople are continually leaving money on the table due to poor negotiation or numerical skills, it’s time to get real about how you hire and manage salespeople.” Jeannette Seibly

Great salespeople have the attributes required to succeed in their jobs. They genuinely love what they are selling and have a genuine interest in their customers’ growth! They enjoy increasing sales results!

Given that we all want great salespeople, what is the #1 challenge to hire and manage them today?

First and foremost, too often, the person they hire is not the person they interviewed. So, how did they get hired? They looked the part and talked the talk! AND … You failed to use objective data to ascertain the actual ability, interest, and thinking style required to call, prospect, and close sales!

After talking with several business owners and consultants that manage great salespeople, they mentioned 5 top attributes (yes, this is not a scientific study, but it can provide important insights for a great year).

Top 5 Attributes of Successful Sales People

Hire for job fit. Job fit is crucial when hiring the right salespeople the first time. Nothing drains the energy of a top sales team and their customers more than hiring the wrong people. The challenge is hiring people with the thinking style, sales behaviors, and occupational interests that fit the job requirements. If they do not fit the job, you cannot train, motivate, or coach anyone to be a great sales success. Design a strategic hiring process and use objective data. Now, pay attention! Remember, you lose customers, not because you have a lesser product or service, but because they are tired of training your bad hires, over and over!

Be present. Being present in all conversations is a top attribute great salespeople have developed. It starts with excellent listening skills! It’s essential to emphasize that multi-tasking is a myth …  physically doing or mentally thinking of other things during conversations! Instead, train your sales team to engage their full attention in the conversation by actively listening and asking great business questions. These probing skills will uncover additional information and allow people to feel heard. And remember, this is all done before offering solutions.

Know your products and systems. Having a genuine interest in what you are selling and talking with people is critical. Otherwise, the buyer will experience “buyer’s remorse.” When your sales team is well versed in the legalities, systems, and other nuances of using your products and services, your customers will develop trust and rave about their results. Develop this attribute by keeping your team up-to-date with 15-minute morning sessions and monthly training programs.

Be persistent and persevere. Not everyone is ready to buy when your sales team meets with them. Develop easy-to-use systems to stay in touch regularly. Send prospects (and current clients) periodic articles or other noteworthy gems. Show up at networking meetings, and trade shows ready to brag in a business-savvy manner. Stay in touch on social media by “Liking” their posts and accomplishments. This is how persistence and perseverance pay off.

Develop great relationships. This attribute is more important today than ever before. Over time your sales team needs to be a resource for current and future clients to answer their questions. Always follow up and follow through within 24 to 48 hours. Building credibility and integrity is critical. These can be easily sabotaged when you and your sales team fail to treat people as VIPs (very important people).

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select/PXT Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time … including hiring and managing salespeople! Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about the top 5 attributes of successful salespeople: some people love selling while others look for the fastest way to a better paycheck! During the hiring and selection process, you must uncover if the candidate will call, prospect, and close a sale. Use objective data instead of relying on your gut or intuition (which is often wrong). The reason you lose customers is that they are tired of training your bad hires over and over! Do you want to learn the fastest and best way to select the right salespeople the first time? If yes, contact me for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. But now, you need to put the right action plan into place and follow it! So get started today with your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

2022 is the Year of Hiring!

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“Hiring the right people to fit the right positions creates stellar performance, productivity, and profitability.” Jeannette Seibly

This is the year of hiring! The Great Resignation saw a record 4.5 million Americans quit or change their jobs in November (Washington Post). Many of you are now attempting to fill these positions. Or review changes to current employees’ work assignments, which will lead to more employees leaving due to poor job fit with their new job duties.

It’s important to remember that this is a great time to level up, or your company will be left behind!

Here are 4 often overlooked tips as you move forward in your selection and hiring process. And, remember, when you use a qualified job fit assessment, you will improve your hiring decisions with objective data. If you have any questions or need someone to bounce off ideas, let me know. I’ve been hiring, coaching, training, and managing people for over 30 years.

Keep your word. Recruiters and hiring managers can give your company a bad name. While it may be obvious, there are way too many stories about recruiters and hiring managers not keeping promises. Or, they ghost candidates and/or lie about the job responsibilities. Consider how you treat candidates will impact your sales results and ability to attract top talent.

Can they work remotely? Not all employees are capable of working independently in a virtual environment due to a variety of reasons. Therefore, it’s essential to establish your expectations upfront and design your interview to ask the hard questions.

3 interview questions to get started:

  1. Why do you believe you would enjoy working in a remote job?
  2. Have you done this before? If yes, what did you like and dislike?
  3. Do you prefer working in a hybrid or fully remote position? Why?

Ask about mistakes. While everyone makes them, many job candidates don’t feel comfortable sharing them. But when they share the error and what they did to correct and learn from it, you’ll know they have the confidence and self-awareness needed for your company. If not, they will most likely become your future blamers and complainers.

One example (remember to keep the question open-ended): “Everyone makes mistakes. Please tell me about a recent one and what you did to correct it.”

Most expensive mistake companies make when promoting an employee! Failure to conduct due diligence before promoting employees IS a costly mistake. Avoid this by going through the same interview hiring process as an outside candidate. If you don’t, and they fail, they will leave taking other top talent and top customers. Use a selection process designed to include objective data.

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select/PXT Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. But now you need to put the right action-plan into place and follow it!  Get started today with your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

 

Leadership in 2022 … What Skills Do You Need to Embrace to Become Great?

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“Every leader, no matter how talented, has skills to develop. What are you doing in 2022 to grow as a leader?” Jeannette Seibly

Do you want to develop as a leader and go from so-so to good to great? Leadership in 2022 is changing how companies grow beyond crunching numbers and using data. Great leaders embrace developing themselves and their teams in less than obvious ways.

7 Key Tips to Develop Your Leadership

Pick one or two areas to focus on with your coach, and enjoy your progress!

Developing emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial. With a record 4.5 million Americans quitting their jobs in November (Business in San Diego), workers want leaders that develop them! But first, you need to create a genuine interest in their dreams and a willingness to help them achieve their goals. The key is to use objective data from a qualified job fit assessment as a foundational guide. This is the fastest and easiest way to appreciate each and every team member for who they are, not whom you think they should be. Sharing the results will create a new level of EI for you and others.

Stop relying on your job title to win people over. Many customers, teams, and businesses are no longer impressed by a person’s job title! In addition, titles say nothing about your character. Instead, focus on showing others you are trustworthy, have integrity, and achieve the results you promised. Remember, focused-actions and results speak louder than words!

Be able to spot shifts and be proactive in making needed changes. Being able to spot shifts in the market, financials, and the company’s culture can help you get ahead of the curve. Conduct meetings by asking good business questions and listening. This is not the time to be a know-it-all. Compile the data to support changes needed and think from a win-win-win perspective (e.g., customer, company, team).

Only give advice when asked. There are way too many people giving unsolicited advice today. People have stopped listening even if you’re an influencer and trusted leader. Realize advice or feedback or coaching often falls on deaf ears. People will resent you for it, especially when you’re right. EXCEPTION: As a leader and boss, it’s your job to offer feedback and make it specific, on-target, and actionable, whether requested or not! For help, contact your coach now.

It’s what you say, not how you look. Looking professional is essential. But building credibility is much more critical. Your credibility is how you engage and call your teams into focused-action. This is where your choice of words matter. Develop clear messages and share a plan to resolve problems. Remember, work with your coach to ensure nonverbal gestures, tone of voice, facial and other body movements convey the same message as your words.

Learning begins with listening. Talking too much is the fastest way to derail your credibility, and ultimately your career. While this isn’t new, leaders often feel the urge to say or post their opinions and feelings on social media. Many call it being authentic until it gets them in trouble. Remember, as a leader, it’s no longer about you. You represent your customers, team members, and company. Listen first.

Self-talk impacts your results. Remember, completing your brag work on a weekly or monthly basis facilitates healthier self-talk and self-confidence.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, her brags include being an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Ask questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a great leader in 2022. As a leader, your work is never done. That includes embracing and developing new skills needed to be a results-producer for your company, customers, and team. Do you have a question (or two) about how to get started or where to focus? If yes, contact me for a confidential conversation.

2022 is the year of the influencer! Become one by learning how. Grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

Create a Practice of Feedback and See Your Results Improve

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“Want to achieve dynamic results? Then, give and receive feedback.” Jeannette Seibly

Why do we hate giving or receiving feedback? Why are we so attached to doing things our own way … even when we produce mediocre results?

The answer is, feedback triggers our brains to react in flight, fright, or freeze mode. When our boss or team member (or someone else) provides any feedback, our points of view and self-perceptions often feel threatened. Yes, it’s unwarranted. But these fears get in the way too often … and our results suffer.

Many leaders and bosses hesitate and avoid giving needed feedback out of fear of retaliation. Jeannette Seibly

Why is feedback so important? It gives you the ability to …

  • Grow as a successful leader
  • Take your team results from good to great
  • Work with different types of people, including “difficult team members”

Remember, feedback requires tact and diplomacy and requires practice. Otherwise, you will escalate a conflict, create hurt feelings, or derail your career.

6 Tips to Give and Receive Feedback

1. Be Open to Receiving. People will provide feedback, whether you ask for it or not (or want it). Strong leaders listen to feedback regardless of their feelings. If you don’t, you will miss hearing important information. Ask questions for clarification while not sounding defensive. Then, review the feedback with your coach before making any changes.

2. Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. Objective feedback about your inherent leadership style is a gift! Take a qualified job-fit assessment and review the results with your executive coach. You will gain job clarity, uncover blind spots, and gain insider career insights into how to effectively work with others while appreciating their differences.  

3. Value 360-degree feedback assessments and conversations. Use these quarterly, annually, and/or after major projects. These tools provide confidential feedback when done right. Make sure to select the right tool that has the validation and reliability to provide laser-like feedback. 360-degree assessments are invaluable tools to provide feedback and improve results.

4. Ask for Feedback. This simple question can make a profound difference in your results. After a project, conduct a team debrief … or after a meeting, ask for feedback from the team and event host. Start by asking “What worked? and “What didn’t work?” Listen. Take notes. Then, review with your coach before making any changes.

5. Develop a Straight Talk Approach. When offering feedback, talk straight. If you filter too much, you camouflage the true issue.

For example, Dave, a VP-HR, provided feedback to Judy, a VP-Marketing, about her gossiping with employees and vendors. During the next coaching call, Judy’s coach could tell that she didn’t understand what Dave had said. He had sugar-coated it. Straight talk is important in order for behavioral changes to happen. Developing the skills to give and receive feedback takes practice … just like any other leadership skill.

6. Learn Different Feedback Methods. The same approach doesn’t work for everyone! Here are two good approaches to get you started:

a. Direct Approach works for people who want you to bottom-line it. Be clear about the facts and share them, after getting their permission to do so.

For example: “Josie, are you open to feedback from your presentation this morning?” She nods yes. “Super. There was too much information on your slides and you read it to us. It’s important to engage the audience, not lecture them, to learn about these new safety procedures.”

b. Sandwich Approach is for less tough-minded people. Share 2 positives, 2 specific areas that need improvement, and wrap up with 2 positives.

For example: “Joe, you’re a valued member of our team and we appreciate your involvement.” (2 positives)

“And, we need you to read the minutes before each meeting and put away your phone during the meeting. It’s very distracting when you’re not fully engaged in the conversation. Remember, multitasking is a myth.” (2 specific areas for improvement)

“Again, we appreciate your commitment to the project and look forward to hearing your ideas.” (2 positives)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020-2021

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about giving and receiving feedback. Many of you hate giving or receiving feedback even though you have a commitment to achieving dynamic results. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I not open to using this valuable leadership tool?” If you want to improve your ability to give and receive feedback, contact me for a confidential conversation. Your career will thank you!

Get Unstuck and Find Clarity to Pursue Career Opportunities that Fit

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“Being stuck in a job that doesn’t fit you doesn’t mean you should leap to the next one.” Jeannette Seibly

There’s been a great awakening during the past year for many workers. Work and business as usual no longer exist … The Great Resignation (Google for additional info) has occurred because many now value and are prioritizing their time, family, and life pursuits. The problem? Many remain stuck trying to figure out what they’d like to do. When you gain clarity, you will be able to pursue career opportunities that fit your talents and honor your newfound values.

Millie was fired from her job for no clear reason. For the next 7 years, she felt stuck. Because of her past successes, the first thing she decided was to become an entrepreneur. She started a company, but it failed because the work requirements didn’t line up with her desire to have more free time and do things her own way.

After this failure, she took any type of job she could find for the next few years. She also took free online assessments and listened to motivational techniques, but felt even more stuck and less clear about what she wanted to do with her career.

Finally, after all those years, she took the advice from a trusted friend. She hired an experienced coach and took a qualified job-fit assessment. With her new clarity and commitment, she quickly found a job she enjoyed.

Her comment, “Wow! The truth is, finding work that fits my values and talents isn’t hard … but it does require coming down to reality and developing clarity about jobs that fit me.”

Note: Millie represents many people I’ve worked with over the years that became resigned and stuck after leaving successful and unsuccessful jobs.

4 Tips to Get Unstuck, Find Clarity, and Confidently Move Forward

Talk It Out. Share your concerns with only a few trusted people and your executive coach. Too many opinions keep you stuck. First, complete this exercise by focusing on your career to date, “What Worked?/What Didn’t Work?” Second, share selected results with a trusted listener. Listen to the feedback and ask, “What do you hear?” and “What do you recommend?” Get into action immediately!  Critical note: Stay out of the common traps of overthinking it, believing what they did will work for you, or, grabbing on to every new idea presented!

Get Your Brag On. Many of us have no awareness of the results and the positive impact we’ve had during our careers to date. It keeps you playing small in your career and not pursuing jobs you’d enjoy. Use the five steps outlined in the book, The Secret to Selling Yourself Anytime, Anywhere: Start Bragging! These steps awaken awareness of your talents and build confidence in “selling you” to win new career opportunities.

Write It Out. Every job … no matter how well it fits you … will have times when projects, situations, and/or relationships become murky and confusing. Before you do anything, stop! Breathe. Take the time to write by hand your thoughts, feelings, and commitments to gain a broader perspective (e.g., no one is perfect and you cannot win every sale). Another way to gain clarity is by writing with your less dominant hand (e.g., if you write with your right hand, use your left hand). Ask a question. See what answers pop up. Now, take action to move forward with your new clarity (e.g., it’s better to work well with others than be right about how it should be done).

Hire the Right Coach. There are 100’s of coaches that promise you results. The key is to find the right one for you. Be sure to use a qualified job fit assessment to clarify why some professions are good fits for you, and why others are not (e.g., not everyone should be a financial planner or insurance agent or tech consultant, etc.).

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011-2021

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about getting unstuck. We all experience being stuck about figuring out what is the right career or job for us. Today, over 85% of workers are in jobs that don’t fit them. (It’s shocking, right!?) That has created The Great Resignation with many quitting their jobs. The problem? Too many leave without a plan and then stay stuck! The answer? Ask for help, listen, and take the right actions before taking the leap. Need help finding clarity? Contact me for a confidential conversation now.

Do You Need to Hire Salespeople … What Are 5 Key Tips?

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“Hiring the right salespeople impacts your customer’s experience and fulfillment … and your bottom line.” Jeannette Seibly

Hiring salespeople can be a challenge. Many will look and/or talk the part. But when hired, fail to produce the required results.

Remember, it’s always faster and easier (and so much less expensive) to determine their ability to sell before you hire them. If you don’t, you’ll spend too much money and energy, and face sleepless nights attempting to fix them (and this never works out well for anyone).

5 Tips to Improve Your Selection Process

1. Are They Listening? Can they hear you? Do they respond appropriately? Ask the candidate to summarize the interview or various parts of the conversation by asking, “Tell me what you heard?”

2. Do They Ask Questions? Do they have questions about your company, product, management style, etc.? If not, move on. Candidates that don’t ask questions lack the curiosity and skills to inquire further.

3. Are They Calm and Patient? Does the person squirm in his/her seat? Does the candidate rush the conversation or attempt to finish your sentences? Does the candidate look at you when speaking or listening? While closing is a required skill and requires the ability to not be too patient, failure to have the prospect feel comfortable is critical.

4. Do They Fit the Job? To determine key traits, most salespeople need prospecting, presenting, and closing. Use a qualified job-fit assessment. Can they do these things? Will they do these things? And, can they do these things for your company and product?

5. Do They Tell the Truth? To objectively answer this question, first, use an honesty/integrity assessment to uncover omissions that are not part of a public record. It saves time and money by not talking with candidates that stretch the truth (think, customer expectations and fulfillment). Second, with final candidates, check background, education, and other accomplishments.

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. If you continue to struggle to hire salespeople who can actually sell, now is a great time to contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about hiring salespeople that can actually sell. Many candidates for sales positions look and/or talk the part. The problem is, they fail to produce the required results. It’s up to you to improve your selection process to uncover salespeople that can actually sell your product and service. Need help? Contact me to improve your hiring and selection processes.

How to Improve Hiring Results Using Job Fit Assessments

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“Using the right job fit assessment can improve your hiring, coaching, training, and managing results…and your own career opportunities!” Jeannette Seibly

It’s been a difficult year for most hiring managers. Ghosting has become the norm and qualified job candidates overlook employers due to a myriad of reasons. One of the critical reasons is how employers select and use ‘job fit’ assessments during the hiring process. Right now, with so much competition, it’s more important than ever to improve your hiring results.

Q4 is fast approaching. Let’s get real and learn how to use “job fit” assessments to improve your hiring results.

First … What is Job Fit?

The most effective job fit assessment measures learning style, core behavioral traits, and occupational interests. The right assessment goes beyond the resume, application, interview, reference checks, education, work experience, and background checks.

It can also create a diverse workforce that has the key skills required to improve your hiring and business results.

It answers three important questions:

  • Can the person do the job?
  • Will the person do the job?
  • Can the person do the job successfully here?

7 Tips to Use Job Fit Assessments to Improve Results

Think Outside the Box. It’s critical to know what you’re looking for. The problem is too many are dusting off job postings and reposting! Not updating your job posting it’s crazy with all the changes that have occurred due to the pandemic. Get real: Take the time to brainstorm the results you’d like to achieve with the position. Then, add a job title and positive opportunities to entice them! Now, you’re ready to use a job fit assessment!

Select the Right Qualified Job Fit Assessment. Every assessment sales rep will tell you their assessment is the right one!* Of the 3,000+ publishers in the market today, most do not meet pre-employment requirements. Get real: Review their technical manual and compare it with the Department of Labor guidelines for pre-employment tests. Pay close attention to the number of people in the study, and the predictive validity and reliability of the results. The higher the numbers the better the hiring results.

*NOTE: While many test vendors market their tests as validated, just because the vendor says the test was validated, [this] does not mean that the test’s validation will in fact comply with the Uniform Guidelines.” (Source) Alissa Horvitz, Attorney, Roffman mentioned in June, 2016 SHRM article)

Create a Job Fit Pattern. Every qualified job fit assessment has a job fit pattern to help you determine the best fit for the job. Get real. To set up a job fit pattern, conduct a study of current talent that you’d like to hire more of OR create a new job fit pattern using a job analysis survey. This process saves time, money, and a lot of energy pre- and post-hire. If you’ve ever hired a sales rep that said all the right things, but couldn’t sell your products and services, you know the value of a good job fit pattern.

Couple Job Fit Assessment with an Honesty/Integrity Assessment. Using an honesty/integrity assessment along with a job fit assessment makes good business sense. Get real: Job fit tools have a “distortion indicator,” but do not assess for good work ethic and integrity. Qualified honesty/integrity assessments go beyond public records when conducting background checks and can reduce WC, UEC, and turnover costs.

Assess for Skills. The purpose of a skill assessment is to avoid surprises when the applicant states they have the skills required. Use these tools after assessing for job fit. Get real: Use skill assessments to determine the skill level the applicant currently has. When the person is hired, plan to provide online workshops, mentors, and coaches to improve these skill levels where needed.

Don’t Shortcut the Procedure! This happens way too often when someone says all the right things and your ‘spidey-sense’ says, “This is the one.” Then, the candidate is rushed through bypassing your company’s procedures. The problem? The candidate is rarely the right one! Get real. Train all hiring managers to follow the system and read the job fit assessment reports. Ask ALL the interview questions in the selection report for the job fit assessment. It will improve the interview and hiring results.

Don’t Overlook Challenge Areas! Many hiring managers have been embarrassed after hiring the candidate only to find the job fit assessment report indicated challenge areas. Examples include prospecting, closing, working well with a team, etc. Get real. Read the full report. Yes, read the full report! If you don’t, you will miss critical information. Remember, you cannot fix and change a person, no matter what they tell you in the interview!

Qualified job fit assessments provide in-depth insight into the whole person and their fit with the job. Choosing the most effective job fit assessment will make your job as the hiring manager much easier to attract qualified diverse talent and improve hiring results.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker for over 28 years. Her focus is getting leaders and their teams unstuck and able to achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation. 

A note from Jeannette about improving hiring success using job fit assessments. Why should you care about job fit? Qualified job fit assessments provide in-depth insight into the whole person and their fit with the job. Choosing the most effective job fit assessment will make your job as the hiring manager much easier to attract qualified diverse talent and improve hiring results.  Contact me for a confidential conversation on how to streamline the process for success.