Top 5 Questions Hiring Managers Expect You To Ask In An Interview

Top 5 Questions Hiring Managers Expect You To Ask In An Interview

There are a few ways you can impress hiring managers in a job interview. You can stand out for your answers, your personality, aptitude, and experience, your knowledge of the company, and the questions you ask.

But which questions do hiring managers expect you to ask?

According to a recent study by Zety, there are a handful of questions hiring managers expect you to ask before the interview concludes. Here are the top five:

1. Can You Show Me Examples Of Projects I’d Be Working On?

Why a hiring manager wants to hear this: They want to know you’re serious about wanting the job and excited to add value to the company from the very start. It shows initiative. If you’re already thinking about working on projects this early in the hiring process, that puts you way ahead of the other candidates who are just trying not to bomb the interview.

What their answer will tell you: You’ll get a sense of what your average project will look like. You’ll also be able to get a better idea if this is the type of work you want to do. Could you develop your skills working on these projects? Is this work that will challenge you to grow as a professional? If the hiring manager stumbles trying to answer this question, they might not have been completely transparent about what the position actually entails.

2. What Are The Skills And Experience You’re Looking For In An Ideal Candidate?

Man shakes the hand of the hiring manager before his job interview

Why a hiring manager wants to hear this: It shows that you’re curious and want to know exactly what you need in order to succeed in the position. You are interested in being that ideal candidate. You are interested in being a successful employee.

What their answer will tell you: You’ll know exactly what they are looking for, all the skills and experience they didn’t mention in the job description. It also gives you another opportunity to prove you have the skills and experience they’re looking for. A great way to provide proof is by using the STAR technique (or the “Experience + Learn = Grow” technique) we recommend job seekers use to answer behavioral interview questions.

3. What Are The Most Immediate Projects That Would Need To Be Addressed?

Hiring manager listens as the job candidate asks her a question during the interview

Why a hiring manager wants to hear this: Even more so than the first question on the list, this question shows that you are a proactive employee. You are already imagining yourself working for the company and contributing to its success. You are eager to add value and prove that you are an excellent employee.

What their answer will tell you: You’ll have a clearer understanding of what your first few months will look like on the job. It’ll help you imagine working for the company, and allow you to brainstorm ideas for the projects they mention. Also, it’ll help you plan ahead. In the case you do get the job, you’ll already be prepared to jump in and add value from your very first day.

4. What Does A Typical Day Look Like?

Man asks the hiring manager a question during his job interview

Why a hiring manager wants to hear this: They’ll know that you’re already imagining yourself in the position. Hiring managers are looking for serious job candidates. They’re not looking for candidates who don’t care what they’ll be doing day to day because those are usually the same candidates who are only interested in a paycheck.

What their answer will tell you: It’s simple. You’ll find out what a typical day in this position looks like. Don’t like what you hear? That’s probably a red flag. But if you like what the hiring manager says, that’s a good indication that you’ll be happy working the job.

5. Do You Expect The Main Responsibilities For This Position To Change In The Next Six Months To A Year?

Woman shakes the hiring manager's hand before her job interview

Why a hiring manager wants to hear this: You’re seeing if there is potential to stay at the company long term, either in the job you applied for or in a different position if you get promoted. They want to know if you hope to stay at the company for longer than one or two years because it costs employers a lot of money to hire new employees. They might get the impression that you’ll be a loyal employee.

What their answer will tell you: It’ll tell you whether you’ll be expected to do tasks you weren’t originally hired for or not. If the hiring manager says the main responsibilities for the position will change, you can ask them to elaborate. Do the changes align with your career goals? Is that how you want to grow in the company, in your career? If not, you probably won’t see any long-term career potential there, and it might be best if you look for a job elsewhere.

Never leave a job interview without asking the hiring manager a few questions. If you don’t ask at least one of the questions above, hiring managers might choose the candidate who does (if all else is equal). Just remember to ask the questions you really want to know the answers to, the questions that will help you decide whether or not you want to work for the company.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

What’s Your Workplace Communication Style?

What’s Your Workplace Communication Style?

Have you ever wondered about how you communicate with others? How you interact with others plays a major role in both your career and life in general.

It can be hard to categorize yourself, but it’s extremely helpful to have an idea of how you communicate with others and get a sense of how others perceive you. This type of self-assessment is important in figuring out how to market yourself as an employee that adds value to the workplace.

Fortunately, Work It Daily has a FREE Workplace Communication Style Quiz that can help determine your communication style.

What’s The Communication Style Quiz?

Coworkers talk in the office

The Communication Style (ISAT) Quiz allows you to understand your communication style so you can work more effectively with others. It has 18 questions about your personality and how you handle certain situations.

An example of a question includes:

What describes you best?

A) Do not like pressure situations.

B) Don’t mind pressure situations if can move things forward.

At the end of the quiz, you’ll get your result. An individual’s communication style falls into one of these four categories: Empathizer, Energizer, Contemplator, and Commander. Which one are you?

What Do My Results Mean?

Happy coworkers at work who know their communication style

The communication style results page gives a full rundown of each style, including each style’s strengths and weaknesses. Can you guess what communication style you are?

Here are a few characteristics of each one:

Empathizer: Warm, tactful, avoids conflict.

Energizer: Open, upbeat, and outgoing.

Contemplator: Calm and reserved.

Commander: Serious and direct.

You might be surprised by your results. The only way to know for sure is to take the quiz.

How Do I Apply My Results To My Career?

Coworkers meet and talk about a project

Understanding your communication style can help you better interact with your co-workers. Understanding how you interact with fellow co-workers is especially important if you just started a new job and are the “office newbie.”

Although you might think you have a firm grasp on how you communicate with others, you might not realize how you could be misinterpreted by co-workers, which could lead to some awkward situations and unwanted workplace conflict.

Having a better understanding of your communication style is also helpful for networking and job interviews.

Networking can be tough, so having a handle on how you communicate will help you adapt your networking strategy, while potential employers usually ask job seekers to describe themselves during job interviews.

Don’t Let Your Communication Style Hold You Back At Work

There are so many reasons to understand your communication style. In fact, if you don’t take the time to learn the pros and cons of your communication style, you could seriously hurt your career.

If you feel out of place at work or constantly get passed over for promotions, your communication style could be to blame.

We want to help. You deserve to know this information about yourself so you can unleash your career potential and get what you want from work.

So, take our FREE Communication Style Quiz today. Your career will thank you.

CEO’s Impact On Culture: 4 Things To Consider

CEO’s Impact On Culture: 4 Things To Consider

There are days when I am very excited to start the day and others where I wonder what is in store for me. Recently, I had one of those “wonder” days when heading to visit a very successful business owner. Many times on my visits the individual temperature and heart rate of this leader can be “summer Florida hot” even in the winter and other times it can be “Northern New England dark February cold.” By the way, this has nothing to do with the actual weather outside. I decided that on this visit it was worth exploring how this was impacting his organizational health given the continual external challenges.

The minute the leader turned the corner I could tell he was in a good mood which meant it might be time to have that “carefrontational” conversation that would be needed. I got greeted with that warm smile of excitement like he couldn’t wait to tell me something. After learning that he picked up some new clients and that revenue was back growing again, he made a side comment that caught my attention. “It is funny, Mike, despite this great news, I cannot get the leadership team excited about this. But that is okay. They will be happy when their bonuses come in.”

Right then, I decided to ask the “carefrontational” question with a qualifier: “Would you mind if we park it right here?”

He said, “Sure, what is the matter?” I asked if he would mind if we dug deeper into his comment about the leadership team not being excited and he said of course.

I asked him that “carefrontational” question: “What role are you playing in their lack of excitement?” At first, he was dumbstruck that I asked, yet I let the silence fill the car and did not try to say more. He shifted in his seat and looked out the window. We had built the TRUST needed for this to be okay or it wouldn’t work.

From there we dug deep into how I experience his moods when I visit and asked what does his team experience on a day-in-day-out basis? It led us to a very moving and emotional phase, yet it was also powerful. He expressed how he allows his personal situation at home (good/bad) and the business results (day to day) to positively or negatively impact his mindset or mood. The light bulb went off about how that roller coaster impacts the organization’s commitment to the goals and ambitions he has and also how at home his family might be feeling. It was so cool because he recognized it and articulated it versus me saying what I observed. He owned it…

4 Things CEOs Should Consider When Running A Company

CEO leads a team meeting about company culture

A few thoughts for those of you running a company, especially a family one, that might help improve the overall business performance along with relationships you have at work and home.

1. Judgment

Be careful to not attribute another’s actions to their character or personality. There are usually external factors that impact how people behave at work that impact how they are showing up that day. Invest time with your team to know what is going on personally and professionally so that when you notice a change, you can have that “carefrontational” conversation before it gets too far and they leave or you decide to fire them without understanding them. I have learned a new term connected to this called fundamental attribution error!

2. Vulnerability Space

If you as a leader are challenged with external factors contributing to your emotional feelings, so are other team members. Sharing that you are feeling stressed or concerned or experiencing some challenges at home can help your leadership team be more respectful and supportive. It can also help them share their situation. As a CEO/owner, I will assure you, over time, you will get a 2X-3X lift in individual performance when they know you care as much about their operational/financial performance as you do their personal welfare. Trust takes time but it does compound. The more everyone relates to each other the more connected the team will be, and when you need help they will be committed to it versus complying because you are their “boss.”

3. Structure with Flexibility

It may sound like a contradiction, yet what I mean is to put structure into your meetings with the team so they have a rhythm and cadence. We are humans and need connections and stability and knowing that there is a framework helps tremendously. That being said, during these get-togethers adding various exercises to keep people connected, reminding them why they are there, and adding some fun keeps people excited to attend and looking forward to the get-togethers.

4. Be a Learning Leader

Life is a journey and the fact that you are the business owner or CEO doesn’t mean you have all the answers. Nothing in your title says you should but many times we feel imposter syndrome if we don’t. My experience is intellectual curiosity and emotional intelligence are two of the most powerful traits a leader can and needs to develop. Ask for help and feedback, and listen to hear, not challenge. It might surprise you where in your organization the answers are. When you open up about what you need help with and are clear, there will be culture carriers who will rise up and help you.

The ultimate success of any SMB owner/CEO isn’t to always have the answers. It is to truly know your team well enough to know who can provide the right perspectives for you to make the most informed decision for the organization. Let me know if you want to discuss this further or debate the thinking above by connecting with me on LinkedIn or emailing me at [email protected]. I love connecting with high-integrity, growth-oriented business leaders who also care deeply about the environment and humanity.

Why Not Handle A Job Interview Like A Sales Conversation?

Why Not Handle A Job Interview Like A Sales Conversation?

As a candidate, can you really say you “enjoy” a job interview? From the moment you walk into the room, it’s the interviewer asking the questions and setting the agenda. You feel like a deer in the headlights.

This fear comes from feeling like you are not in control.

Take Back Control — Nicely!

Man smiles while the interviewer / hiring manager reads his resume during a job interview

It doesn’t have to be that way. When you attend a job interview, you are attending a sales meeting and selling your flagship product: yourself!

Do salespeople sit and wait for their customers to ask questions about their product, hoping they ask the right ones? No! They ask questions themselves! This is how they find out what their customers’ needs are so that they can present their product as the solution that meets these needs.

If you’re in a job interview, you need to do the same!

How Can I Do It?

Woman listens to the interviewer's / hiring manager's question during a job interview

Interviews normally follow the same format. The interviewer starts the meeting with a few words of introduction. They tell you something about the position. (Usually, it’s on the job description, which you have already studied in detail.) Then they will ask you questions. They will give you about five minutes at the end of the interview to ask questions yourself.

If you let them follow this plan, your opportunity to really influence the conversation will be in the last five minutes of the interview. That is too late.

To turn your interview into a sales conversation, you need to ask your questions while the interviewer is telling you about the company and the job.

A sales professional asks questions to find out what the customer might need from his product. You need to find out what the employer needs from this position.

Try asking questions like this:

“Ms. X, can you tell me how this position contributes to the company’s success?”

If you want to be more direct, you could ask:

“Ms. X, what problem does this position solve for the company?” or “What need does this position fulfill?”

Watch the interviewer’s reaction as they answer the question. If the interviewer seems happy to answer the question and gives you an in-depth answer, then you can ask for more details. Be sure to say, however, “I’m sorry for interrupting your flow,” and then ask the question.

One word of caution. NEVER say: “I’m sorry for interrupting your flow, but…”

The “but” is the killer. It communicates the idea that your apology was for nothing and that you didn’t mean it.

Use That Information!

Man treats his interview like a sales conversation

Once you get this information, refer back to it when you answer the interviewer’s questions.

If the interviewer asks you about your experience solving technical issues with customers, you can answer his question by saying: “That sounds a lot like what I would be doing for your customers. Am I right?”

If the interviewer asks you about your knowledge or experience, answer with: “I did something similar to what we were saying earlier about…” and then expand on your knowledge and experience as appropriate.

By referring back to the purpose of the position / problem it solves, this gives you the chance to position yourself as the candidate who is the solution to this problem.

Limitations

Man listens to the interviewer / hiring manager during a job interview

​You need to know your interviewer:

Many jobs require multiple interviews with different interviewers. Each interviewer may perceive the role from a different perspective, so be ready to ask this question multiple times, and get different answers from different people.

If you are in a later interview, your interviewer may question why you are asking this again. Respond by explaining that different interviewers have different perceptions of the role and you want to be sure you are on the same page.

Your interviewer may not be comfortable with the question:

Not all interviewers have been trained to interview candidates. They don’t always want to be doing this and they may think that they have better things to do with their time.

If their answers to your question are short, or they refuse to answer, then don’t press it. You might want to think about their reaction, however. The question is not unreasonable. Why would they refuse to answer it?

If they don’t want to interview you, then they don’t want you as a colleague.

If they think you should shut up and answer the questions and “know your place,” that’s the kind of company you’ll end up working at.

If they haven’t got the time to handle one simple question from you, then you have to ask how serious the position is or how serious the company is in recruiting someone for it.

They Are Buying You, But You Are Also Buying Them.

Man shakes hands with the interviewer / hiring manager after a job interview

This question is sometimes the human equivalent of a “ping” test: software engineers send a signal to a website/server, etc. The response he gets back tells him a lot about the connection.

When you ask this question, watch your interviewer carefully.

Don’t just listen to her answer. Watch her behavior.

This can tell you a lot about what kind of people you will be working with.

Let me know how you get on!

Further reading…

For more ideas about reading people’s behavior, please check out: Reading People’s Emotions: A Beginner’s Guide

23 Reasons Why You Can’t Find A Job In 2023 (Plus Tips)

23 Reasons Why You Can’t Find A Job In 2023 (Plus Tips)

Determining why you can’t find a job is easier said than done. For many, it’s a complete mystery that leaves them frustrated and unsure of what to improve on. This list of common reasons why you can’t seem to find a job will help you become a more competitive applicant, and ultimately receive job offers. […]

The post 23 Reasons Why You Can’t Find A Job In 2023 (Plus Tips) appeared first on Career Sherpa.

3 Easy Ways To Offer Value To Your LinkedIn Connections

3 Easy Ways To Offer Value To Your LinkedIn Connections

Those interested in career trends probably already know about the importance of making new connections on LinkedIn and optimizing their profiles. However, one thing that many professionals still struggle with is offering value to their professional network.

Offer value to your network? What does that even mean?

This means communicating with your network consistently, not just when you’re looking for a job and need something from one of your connections.

So, how do you offer value to your professional network?

Sometimes opportunities will present themselves where you’ll come across connections that are in need of knowledge or skills that you possess. Make a note of what they are looking to do and ask yourself, “How can I help this person with their business initiatives? What support, resources, or connections can I offer them?” Once you figure all of that out, you’ll be serving your network in no time.

Here are three SUPER easy ways to offer value to your LinkedIn connections:

Share An Article

Businesswoman reads an interesting article that she found on her LinkedIn feed.

This is the easiest way to start a conversation and/or keep in touch with a contact by offering value. Consider this person’s industry, interests, and special projects. What can you find on their LinkedIn profile? What have you learned about them in your conversations?

If you come across an article or video that you think they would find interesting or helpful, don’t be afraid to share it with them. You could say something like, “Saw this article and thought of you! Wanted to share. Enjoy!” That’s it—easy. They will appreciate the gesture and keep you in mind!

You can also share articles on your feed for your entire network to see, with a message like, “I thought this article made some good points. What do you think?” This could potentially lead to some good exchanges and meaningful conversations with connections that you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Posting content is also a good way to make use of your own profile and stay relevant.

Share Their Content With Your Network

Young professional on laptop shares content with his network on LinkedIn

Sharing content works both ways, and another easy way to offer value to your LinkedIn connections is to share their articles and posts with your network.

If you found a blog post from one of your connections really interesting, share it with your network by posting it on LinkedIn with a brief blurb explaining why you’re sharing it. (Don’t forget to tag the author with the @ feature!) They’ll appreciate the gesture, and will likely remember that the next time you share something.

Sharing or commenting on a connection’s article is also a great way to reconnect. It sure beats sending a message that says “just checking in.”

Another important thing to remember is it doesn’t matter if you’re sharing your own content or someone else’s. You’re still being active on LinkedIn and staying in front of people. This is a great way to build your personal brand.

Introduce A Connection

If you think someone in your network could benefit from connecting with one of your connections, you could shoot them a quick message saying something like:

“I noticed you’re looking to break into the entertainment industry. I’d love to introduce you to Jody Smith. She works as a talent agent out in L.A. and I’m sure she’d be a valuable addition to your network. Would you be interested in getting an introduction?”

Just make sure you ask your other connection if the introduction is appropriate before offering him/her up! This is known as super connecting.

Once again, this is something that could come back to benefit you if you find yourself in a position to make a career change and are hunting for a job.

Always be willing to offer value to your network when you don’t need it so that when you actually do your professional connections will be more than willing to help!

Also, the more you network, the better networking habits you develop.

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to network and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

6 Intangible Skills That Can Get You Hired Today

6 Intangible Skills That Can Get You Hired Today

Want to get hired? Of course you do! Employers nowadays are looking for a more holistic group of skill sets in the people they hire. It’s not enough to just deliver on your core skills anymore.

What will make you most valuable and have the most impact at a company is a combination of your core, personal, and intangible (soft) skills.

Here are six intangible skills that can get you hired today and certainly again in the future:

1. Adaptability

The “relentlessly changing” world we live in requires its workers to be able to flow with change, adapt to change, and navigate change with a can-do attitude. Those who can adapt the best to personal, policy, and leadership change will be valuable assets to their work teams and workplace.

2. Team Player

Woman greets hiring manager during a job interview

The most successful sports franchises all have a balance of veteran, experienced, and rookie players. Working together with people of different generations, cultures, and demographics is a coveted intangible skill that will become more and more important as the workplace becomes more culturally diverse.

Your “human relations” skills—be it developing rapport, listening, motivating others, or delegating with respect—will be what makes you an important part of any team.

3. Leadership

Man displays intangible skills at work while talking to his coworker

Owning the job you have and making things better and more effective, instead of just showing up daily to do the same thing, is an intangible that will make you stand out. You don’t have to be the “owner,” president, manager, or CEO to show leadership.

Just look at all the employees honored for their work in the awesome program “Undercover Boss.” Most of these workers just have a strong sense of personal pride and work ethic, regardless of their personal lives of showing up to do a great job and making a difference every day.

4. Multi-Tasker

Woman uses her intangible skills at work during a meeting

This is pretty simple. The workplace requires people to do more tasks and take on more responsibility than ever before. Expect it and get prepared for it.

Certainly, this should have realistic boundaries. It’s important for you to find work-life balance in whatever position you land. You don’t want to experience career burnout.

5. Open-Mindedness

Man talks about his intangible skills during a job interview / work meeting

Being open and flexible to learning new skills and approaches, interacting with new people, and trying new ways of doing things shows resilience and perseverance to do whatever it takes to do the job and get it done.

Nobody wants to hire someone who’s stuck in their ways. In the interview process, it’s important to come across as open-minded and coachable, especially if the company values a dynamic work environment.

6. Positivity

Coworkers talk about their intangible skills at work

“Whistle while you work.” Nothing is more attractive and powerful than someone who is a bright spot in anyone’s day and shows up with a positive attitude of gratitude. Leave the personal, heavy stuff at home and come to work ready to greet colleagues and customers and make their day brighter.

You can talk about your intangibles through specific personal stories that demonstrate how you used them. Nothing beats a great, real story that gets people to relate to you. This can be a huge competitive advantage in addition to documenting achievement and accomplishment in your core skills.

If you need some help discovering some of your intangibles, think about three jobs where you took on a project, made it your own, and were successful. Ask some of your current or past colleagues to tell you what they think your intangible skills are. If you need to practice, volunteer outside of work or ask your boss to give you a small project that can stretch you!

In today’s job-seeking world, there are your core skills, personal skills, and intangible (soft) skills. More often, if it comes down to you and someone else, the person who has the intangibles usually wins! What are the intangible skills that have impacted your jobs?

Need more help with your job search?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Everything You Wanted To Know About KPIs (But Were Afraid To Ask)

Everything You Wanted To Know About KPIs (But Were Afraid To Ask)

How many times does someone use a piece of business terminology which you don’t really understand? Everyone else nods sagely, so you think the best thing to do is to nod along sagely as well, instead of asking, “Excuse me, what exactly is a KPI?”

I’m going to explain what KPIs really are and how they work so that you can discuss them intelligently and make sensible decisions.

Let’s Start With The Acronym

KPI concept

KPI means “key performance indicator.” There are a number of origin stories. The most popular involves public sector management.

In 1980s Britain, where Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party were trying to find ways to run government more like businesses, they came up against the challenge of measuring the performance of organizations that don’t, and aren’t intended to, make money. So, they started using KPIs to do the job.

KPIs often focus on what happens within processes. Businesses realized that they could use them too. Information technology was becoming available to crunch the numbers. It was the perfect breeding ground for KPIs.

Basic Concepts

Woman uses KPI dashboard

KPIs (or “metrics”) measure something in numerical terms. Sometimes, organizations try to justify funding requests by “measuring” the unmeasurable. An organization may quantify “engagement” by counting how many meetings they have with their target audience, how many people were attending the meetings, etc. While this measures “activity,” does it necessarily measure “engagement”? How many people pay attention during the meetings? What happens because of these meetings?

When someone presents you with a KPI, ask how it’s calculated or what it is supposed to represent.

Lagging & Leading Indicators

Man looks at KPIs with his coworker

​Lagging indicators are used to measure what has happened while leading indicators are used to predict what is going to happen. Lagging indicators, which measure what has happened, are often used as leading indicators, to infer what is going to happen.

Average handling time (AHT) is a good example. It measures the average length of time a contact center agent spends working with each customer, including talk time, hold time, and after-call work. It is based on calls that have been finished, so it can rightly be considered a lagging indicator.

AHT is also used to infer how many calls agents will handle in the future. AHT is an integral part of forecasting and planning. In this way, AHT is also a leading indicator.

When someone quotes a KPI you are unfamiliar with, ask if it’s a lagging indicator or a leading indicator. And if they say it’s a leading indicator, ask why.

Aggregated Metrics

KPI, key performance indicator, graph, productivity, goal concept

Aggregated metrics or KPIs are those which don’t measure something directly, but instead combine a series of other metrics to come up with an overall score. Performance ratings are a typical example.

A contact center agent gets a quarterly performance rating. Her bonus depends on this. It is a combination of her AHT, how many calls she handled in the quarter (productivity), how many hours she worked in the quarter (attendance), and a quality rating based on one call evaluated per week by her supervisor.

Her performance rating doesn’t only depend on the four statistics shown above. It also depends on how important the person designing the metric thinks each statistic is. She might have perfect quality scores in all the calls evaluated, but if quality is given a 10% weighting and AHT has a 40% weighting, then her calls being longer than the average will work against her, regardless of her quality scores.

The choice of metrics is also important. Her “performance” depends on AHT, productivity, attendance, and quality. A contact center shift has a finite length, so if AHT goes up, productivity will inevitably go down, so the two metrics are more or less measuring the same thing.

The choice of metrics has an influence on behavior. I am an agent. If I know I am going to lose my bonus spending too long trying to help a customer, then I will rapidly escalate him to Tier 2 if I can’t solve his problem quickly.

“Every Metric Has Its Place.”

KPI, key performance indicator concept

To understand a metric, you need to know where it sits in the process you are measuring. Traditionally, there are four places where they can sit.

Inputs: They measure what happens to contributing factors before the process starts. Contact center classics are “number of calls offered” or “right party connects.” On the HR side, they can include “agent churn.”

Process: They measure what actually happens during the process. Most contact center KPIs are “process” KPIs. Classics in the contact center world include service level (percentage of calls answered within a specified number of seconds) or AHT.

Outputs: This is what the process produces as complete units of finished work. The contact center “classic” is “productivity,” the number of calls handled. Output measures should be hard numbers. If an “output” measure is a fuzzy aggregate KPI like “engagement,” then it’s worth asking what exactly the process produces.

Outcomes: These are intended to measure the consequences of the process. They do not always correlate with outputs. NPS scores are a typical example. High-tech contact centers may use customer sentiment scores. Outcome KPIs are more likely to be aggregated, which means they may be more subject to manipulation or bias. If you’re not sure what an outcome KPI means, try asking what it measures or how it relates to the process it’s measuring.

Wrapping Up

Done right, KPIs are a valuable tool to understand how processes are performing. They do need to be well considered and applied intelligently. If you’re looking to overhaul your KPIs and would like to bounce a few ideas around, why don’t we get in touch?

Adapt And Thrive With Project Management Skills In Any Workplace!

Adapt And Thrive With Project Management Skills In Any Workplace!

Project management skills are planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling projects of different sizes and scopes. They involve setting clear goals and objectives, defining roles and responsibilities, managing resources and risks, communicating effectively, and delivering quality results.

If you have project management skills, you might think they are only helpful for managing projects. But that’s not true! Project management skills are valuable for project managers and anyone who works on projects or leads teams because these skills are transferable to other job roles and industries. In fact, they can give you an edge over other candidates and help you achieve your career goals.

Let’s jump into what project management skills can help you plan, organize, execute, monitor, and control projects of any size and complexity.

Project Management Skills: The Secret To Success

Project management skills are necessary to successfully plan, manage, and execute projects. These skills include hard and soft skills to analyze project performance, manage resources, lead teams, and report progress and results.

Some of the essential project management skills are:

  • Communication: Convey messages clearly and effectively to various stakeholders, such as clients, team members, suppliers, and senior management. Communication skills also involve listening, presenting, writing, and negotiating.
  • Leadership: Inspire, motivate, and guide team members toward a common goal. Leadership skills also involve setting expectations, delegating tasks, providing feedback, resolving conflicts, and managing change.
  • Organization: Prioritize tasks, manage time, document information, and keep track of details. Organizational skills also involve multitasking, planning, scheduling, and following processes.
  • Negotiation: Reach agreements that satisfy the interests of all parties involved. Negotiation skills also involve persuasion, compromise, collaboration, and problem-solving.
  • Team management: Coordinate and collaborate with diverse team members across different functions, locations, and cultures. Team management skills also involve building trust, fostering communication, encouraging participation, and resolving issues.
  • Time management: Complete tasks within deadlines and budget constraints. Time management skills also involve estimating effort, setting milestones, tracking progress, and managing risks.
  • Risk management: Identify, analyze, and mitigate potential threats and opportunities affecting the project outcome. Risk management skills also involve contingency planning, scenario analysis, and decision-making.
  • Problem-solving: Find solutions to complex and unexpected challenges that may arise during the project lifecycle. Problem-solving skills also involve creativity, logic, analysis, and evaluation.
  • Budget management: Estimate costs, allocate resources, monitor expenses, and control spending. Budget management skills also involve forecasting, reporting, and auditing.
  • Motivation: Maintain enthusiasm and commitment throughout the project duration. Motivation skills also involve self-discipline, resilience, optimism, and passion.
  • Technical writing: Produce clear, concise documents communicating project information to various audiences. Technical writing skills also involve formatting, editing, proofreading, and referencing.

Project Management Skills: Benefits For You & Your Company

Project management skills are essential because they can help you achieve your professional goals and deliver value to your organization. By applying project management skills to your work, you can:

  • Improve your efficiency and productivity by planning, organizing tasks, managing time, and avoiding rework.
  • Enhance your quality and performance by following standards, meeting requirements, solving problems, and managing risks.
  • Increase your satisfaction and engagement by setting clear objectives, aligning your work with your values, motivating yourself and others, and celebrating achievements.
  • Strengthen your relationships and reputation by communicating effectively, leading by example, collaborating with others, negotiating win-win outcomes, and delivering on your promises.

Showcase Your Project Management Skills In Different Industries

Project management skills are transferable and applicable to any job role or industry involving projects or tasks with specific goals, scope, time, and resources. Here are a few examples of how you can use these skills in multiple industries:

  • IT: IT projects involve developing or implementing software or hardware solutions that require technical expertise, innovation, and integration. Project management skills can help you manage requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, and support.

  • Marketing: Marketing professionals often work on multiple projects simultaneously, such as launching campaigns, creating content, conducting research, and analyzing data. Project management skills can help them prioritize tasks, manage resources, coordinate with stakeholders, monitor progress, and measure results.

  • Finance: Finance professionals often work on budgets, forecasts, audits, reports, and analyses of financial data. Project management skills help finance professionals monitor and control tasks and ensure quality and compliance.

  • Healthcare: Healthcare professionals often provide care and services to patients or clients that involve multiple procedures, interventions, and follow-ups. Project management skills can help them assess needs, plan treatments, coordinate with other providers, document progress, and evaluate outcomes.

  • Automotive: Automotive professionals often work on complex and lengthy projects. Project management skills help manage project complexity, resource optimization, risk, and customer satisfaction.

Project Management Skills: A Competitive Advantage In Any Industry

As you can see, project management skills are versatile and valuable for any job role or industry. They can help you perform better in your current position, advance your career path, or enable you to switch careers altogether. So don’t limit yourself by thinking that project management skills are only for project managers. Instead, embrace them as an asset that can boost your professional growth. So, what are you waiting for? Start applying project management skills to your work today!

Many helpful resources can guide you along the way. A great place to start is the Project Management Institute website, where you can find a wealth of information and tips.

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Follow These Tips to Advance Your Career

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Advancing in your career can bring higher status, more money, and more personal fulfillment. However, how to achieve this might not always be clear to you, especially if the company where you work doesn’t offer a clear path for advancement. The tips below can help you get ahead. Choose Your Direction First, figure out what […]

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