Personality testing is something that I have never taken too seriously. In my find, it falls right under the same genre as Cosmo quizzes to figure out what guy is your type or if you’re a good kisser. I know that these tests are not remotely the same, and that there is an actual science behind the official personality tests such as Myers-Briggs, but mentally, these are all lumped together.
I have taken simulated versions of these personality tests to discover I am an ISFJ, but honestly, these results were not a surprise because I already knew that I am introverted, perceive information by sensing, feel out my decisions and a “judger.” I already knew all of this because I am acutely aware of my own person. I know my traits and habits and how these have developed.
I think when applying personality results to the work place, having the answers to a test does not determine how well people will interact with others or their efficiency. I think personal interaction with your employees is the best way to determine someone’s personality. The test results may allow for an employer to have a basic understanding of how the person may act, but there is no guarantee that the person will melt into the mold like jell-o before it solidifies. A person who is typically very efficient may not be so if he/she comes to abhor their job. A typically friendly person may turn cold and snappy if constantly surrounded by people who have bad attitudes. I think a person’s environment has just as much effect on their work place interactions as their own personality.
Yes tests may be somewhat effective in giving an employer an overview of whom he/she may be hiring, but there is nothing to stop the employee from branching out beyond the bounds of the test results.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
conflict resolution
My work environment is pretty void of conflicts, which makes it a very pleasant place to be in that aspect. It’s not a “real job” though as much as it is an outlet for student workers, which is where my idea for potential conflict develops. Most of my co-workers are undergrads, and they tend to not care about actually getting any work done. There is very little supervision over my area so I suppose they don’t feel the need to bust their butts in order to get stuff done. Personally, I don’t care what they do. Their work doesn’t affect my work at all, so I do my job and let them do theirs.
There could be a problem, though, were our work-loads and responsibilities to ever intertwine, not just for me, but for anyone else who feels that the work performances were unbalanced. Conflicts could arise over who is pulling their weight and who is leaving their work to be done by others.
To solve this conflict, I think the best course of action would be to address the co-worker directly, without animosity, but simply to share the concern over the work not getting done. If this doesn’t help, I would approach the person again with more force and let it be clearly known what I felt about having to pick up the slack while trying to do my own work. If the issue still doesn’t get resolved, I would for a final time approach my co-worker and let him or her know that if he or she doesn’t start doing their own work, I would be taking the problem to our supervisor. If it came to telling our supervisor about the situation, I would explain my feeling about having to pick up the slack and either ask to be given more independent work or for my co-worker to be addressed.
Personally, I hate confrontation and would be doing well to follow my own plan of action, but conflict is a real part of everyday life and requires appropriate resolution to prevent further problems among co-workers. Being a snitch is never fun, but if your quality of work suffers because of other peoples lack of effort, then I think with fair warning it is a necessary attempt at resolving the problem.
There could be a problem, though, were our work-loads and responsibilities to ever intertwine, not just for me, but for anyone else who feels that the work performances were unbalanced. Conflicts could arise over who is pulling their weight and who is leaving their work to be done by others.
To solve this conflict, I think the best course of action would be to address the co-worker directly, without animosity, but simply to share the concern over the work not getting done. If this doesn’t help, I would approach the person again with more force and let it be clearly known what I felt about having to pick up the slack while trying to do my own work. If the issue still doesn’t get resolved, I would for a final time approach my co-worker and let him or her know that if he or she doesn’t start doing their own work, I would be taking the problem to our supervisor. If it came to telling our supervisor about the situation, I would explain my feeling about having to pick up the slack and either ask to be given more independent work or for my co-worker to be addressed.
Personally, I hate confrontation and would be doing well to follow my own plan of action, but conflict is a real part of everyday life and requires appropriate resolution to prevent further problems among co-workers. Being a snitch is never fun, but if your quality of work suffers because of other peoples lack of effort, then I think with fair warning it is a necessary attempt at resolving the problem.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Disaster Plan
Flood: Disaster Plan
These are the steps to be taken if disaster occurs during work hours. If disaster occurs during “off” hours, as soon as disaster is discovered, call Emergency Maintenance (704-555-9000), Insurance Company )704-555-4325, Manager (704-555-1331). DO NOT enter worksite until professionals have cleared building.
Minor/Moderate (such as leak or pipe burst):
1. Call Emergency Maintenance. Number: 704-555-9000
2. Clear room with burst as safe for entry.
a. Ensure electricity for room has been shut off to prevent electrical hazards.
b. Turn off water supply.
c. If water has reached level of standing, do not enter the area because of potentially hidden dangers.
3. Check for injuries.
4. Contact insurance company to come assess the damage. Number: 704-555-4325
5. Clear out all materials from room with burst, even materials that have been soaked, because there might be a chance to salvage these once dry.
6. Move all important materials (books, files, computers) to off site storage facility until pipe and additional damages are repaired.
7. Restrict spread of water by damming up area/room.
8. Record damage causes to materials: Books need to be recorded to include the buyer and sales-rep involved in order to keep track of material that is still to be used and material that will require to be replaced from another source.
9. When repairing damages:
a. Ensure there is no mold growth due to sitting water.
b. Ensure there are no additional health hazards due to dirty water (such as chemicals, sewage or dangerous unseen physical elements like glass)
c. Circulate the room with fresh air and/or fans.
d. Stabilize environment/humidity levels.
i. Keep temperate low (below 65 degrees)
ii. If water is removable, mop up.
iii. Keep stabilized for at least 72 hours before re-entry and returning materials.
e. Disinfect all surface areas
f. For damaged materials:
i. For books:
1. Attempt to air dry materials.
2. Determine if damage warrants washing and freezing. Cost of salvage may outweigh the cost of getting new materials. For rare books to be sold, take all salvage initiative. Wash (to wash run books in cold running water and DAB at mud, DO NOT RUB) and freeze until books can be properly dried. DO NOT attempt to separate pages of wet books until completely dried.
3. Allow for book-binders to determine if books are salvageable enough for resale. If not, the associate sales-rep must contact the buyer and inform them more time is need to fill the order.
ii. For computers: allow to dry COMPLETELY before attempting to reboot. Damage most likely to render computer useless, but all electronic should be backed up beforehand to jump drives and private Internet storage.
iii. For book-binding leather: cut away damaged areas and keep salvageable leather away from water.
Major (natural flood, fire system response damage)
1. Call 911.
2. Meet in designated location.
a. Flood: Conference room
b. Fire: Outside in parking lot beside organization sign.
3. Await for help and clearing of building.
4. Proceed with Minor/Moderate disaster plan.
These are the steps to be taken if disaster occurs during work hours. If disaster occurs during “off” hours, as soon as disaster is discovered, call Emergency Maintenance (704-555-9000), Insurance Company )704-555-4325, Manager (704-555-1331). DO NOT enter worksite until professionals have cleared building.
Minor/Moderate (such as leak or pipe burst):
1. Call Emergency Maintenance. Number: 704-555-9000
2. Clear room with burst as safe for entry.
a. Ensure electricity for room has been shut off to prevent electrical hazards.
b. Turn off water supply.
c. If water has reached level of standing, do not enter the area because of potentially hidden dangers.
3. Check for injuries.
4. Contact insurance company to come assess the damage. Number: 704-555-4325
5. Clear out all materials from room with burst, even materials that have been soaked, because there might be a chance to salvage these once dry.
6. Move all important materials (books, files, computers) to off site storage facility until pipe and additional damages are repaired.
7. Restrict spread of water by damming up area/room.
8. Record damage causes to materials: Books need to be recorded to include the buyer and sales-rep involved in order to keep track of material that is still to be used and material that will require to be replaced from another source.
9. When repairing damages:
a. Ensure there is no mold growth due to sitting water.
b. Ensure there are no additional health hazards due to dirty water (such as chemicals, sewage or dangerous unseen physical elements like glass)
c. Circulate the room with fresh air and/or fans.
d. Stabilize environment/humidity levels.
i. Keep temperate low (below 65 degrees)
ii. If water is removable, mop up.
iii. Keep stabilized for at least 72 hours before re-entry and returning materials.
e. Disinfect all surface areas
f. For damaged materials:
i. For books:
1. Attempt to air dry materials.
2. Determine if damage warrants washing and freezing. Cost of salvage may outweigh the cost of getting new materials. For rare books to be sold, take all salvage initiative. Wash (to wash run books in cold running water and DAB at mud, DO NOT RUB) and freeze until books can be properly dried. DO NOT attempt to separate pages of wet books until completely dried.
3. Allow for book-binders to determine if books are salvageable enough for resale. If not, the associate sales-rep must contact the buyer and inform them more time is need to fill the order.
ii. For computers: allow to dry COMPLETELY before attempting to reboot. Damage most likely to render computer useless, but all electronic should be backed up beforehand to jump drives and private Internet storage.
iii. For book-binding leather: cut away damaged areas and keep salvageable leather away from water.
Major (natural flood, fire system response damage)
1. Call 911.
2. Meet in designated location.
a. Flood: Conference room
b. Fire: Outside in parking lot beside organization sign.
3. Await for help and clearing of building.
4. Proceed with Minor/Moderate disaster plan.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
in box assignment
This is in the order of how I would handle the issues and how:
Highest priority—order reflected
1. Call Harold Harding at Perfecto Periodicals—apologize for late payment and promise to send fee; monitor the periodicals use for the remainder of the year to determine additional renewal. If use does not increase significantly, cancel
2. Call City Hall—reason for call unknown
3. Shut down the children’s technology center—keep shut down until after the Citizens for Public Decency approve of an updated filter system
4. Write brief letter of reference/recommendation for Jan Stevenson—won’t cosign for personal loan, but will confirm her reliability
5. Correct Leon Cooper vacation request—ask him if he knows about policy, take this opportunity to address his question about elementary school books in drop box—make a sign for our drop box and go ahead and return other books to school; also tell Leon to send flowers to Jean Stewart (both books and flowers are non-priority but can be addressed while Leon is present rather than taking time to meet with him again)
6. Write letter of reference about Leon Cooper—response may or may not depend on his vacation request response
7. Decide on Julia Brown donation—delegate with proper channels on whether to set up special room for her donation, push for acceptance
8. Set up meeting with Brenda Knight about filling Phyllis’s position (details of which are unknown)
9. Set up meting with Jerry Duke—discuss his future at the library (position availability depends on meeting with Brenda Knight if the position is the same as Phyllis’s)
Less priority—order does not matter
• Flowers and Elementary school books already addressed
• Thank Mr. McDow for his excellent reference response to patron
• Call John Pushey—the arrangement for Nov. 15th is fine
• Call L.C. Card from UNC—talk about potentially working at library (outcome depends on meeting with Brenda Knight and Jerry Duke)
Passed priority—events already occurred
• Science fair
• Hair appointment
Highest priority—order reflected
1. Call Harold Harding at Perfecto Periodicals—apologize for late payment and promise to send fee; monitor the periodicals use for the remainder of the year to determine additional renewal. If use does not increase significantly, cancel
2. Call City Hall—reason for call unknown
3. Shut down the children’s technology center—keep shut down until after the Citizens for Public Decency approve of an updated filter system
4. Write brief letter of reference/recommendation for Jan Stevenson—won’t cosign for personal loan, but will confirm her reliability
5. Correct Leon Cooper vacation request—ask him if he knows about policy, take this opportunity to address his question about elementary school books in drop box—make a sign for our drop box and go ahead and return other books to school; also tell Leon to send flowers to Jean Stewart (both books and flowers are non-priority but can be addressed while Leon is present rather than taking time to meet with him again)
6. Write letter of reference about Leon Cooper—response may or may not depend on his vacation request response
7. Decide on Julia Brown donation—delegate with proper channels on whether to set up special room for her donation, push for acceptance
8. Set up meeting with Brenda Knight about filling Phyllis’s position (details of which are unknown)
9. Set up meting with Jerry Duke—discuss his future at the library (position availability depends on meeting with Brenda Knight if the position is the same as Phyllis’s)
Less priority—order does not matter
• Flowers and Elementary school books already addressed
• Thank Mr. McDow for his excellent reference response to patron
• Call John Pushey—the arrangement for Nov. 15th is fine
• Call L.C. Card from UNC—talk about potentially working at library (outcome depends on meeting with Brenda Knight and Jerry Duke)
Passed priority—events already occurred
• Science fair
• Hair appointment
Monday, February 16, 2009
Termination Checklist
1. Gather all forms of documentation that justify the termination.
a. If termination is downsizing related lay-off, draw up documentation.
b. Go over documents and ensure termination is fair and justifiable.
2. If termination is conduct related, make sure that there have been ample warnings (3 written, 2 verbal) and that these warnings are part of the termination documentation.
a. Allow time for correction in conduct.
b. Hear all sides of argument related incidents.
3. Schedule immediate meeting with employee.
4. Directly tell employee purpose of meeting and explain the reason for termination and date termination is effective.
5. Have employee return all organization property used and reveal all passwords used to access organization workstations and records.
6. Go over benefits package, severance pay and vacation/sick day compensation. Have a written copy for both employee and self.
7. Have employee sign Reference check document to legalize references to other organizations.
8. Have employee fill out exit-interview sheet, to document employees time at organization, experience while employed and termination experience
9. Ensure final paycheck is delivered (whether at the termination meeting or after final day of employment).
10. Respectfully dismiss employee from meeting.
a. If termination is downsizing related lay-off, draw up documentation.
b. Go over documents and ensure termination is fair and justifiable.
2. If termination is conduct related, make sure that there have been ample warnings (3 written, 2 verbal) and that these warnings are part of the termination documentation.
a. Allow time for correction in conduct.
b. Hear all sides of argument related incidents.
3. Schedule immediate meeting with employee.
4. Directly tell employee purpose of meeting and explain the reason for termination and date termination is effective.
5. Have employee return all organization property used and reveal all passwords used to access organization workstations and records.
6. Go over benefits package, severance pay and vacation/sick day compensation. Have a written copy for both employee and self.
7. Have employee sign Reference check document to legalize references to other organizations.
8. Have employee fill out exit-interview sheet, to document employees time at organization, experience while employed and termination experience
9. Ensure final paycheck is delivered (whether at the termination meeting or after final day of employment).
10. Respectfully dismiss employee from meeting.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Now Hiring!
Job Title: Middle Man, sales representative/account manager
Organization: The Middle Men
Location: Charlotte, NC US
What are the Middle Men?
The Middle Men is a small organization that works on a grand scale to buy and sell used books to and from libraries and used bookstores across the southern region of the U.S. This organization allows for libraries and bookstores to purchase high quality used books at a price much lower than the market price. Books are bought from other vendors, from other organizations to individuals, and then resold to the libraries and bookstores. Damaged books are refurbished and all books are inspected to ensure like new quality of the material.
What is a Middle Man?
As a Middle Man, sales representative/account manager, you will handle the exchange between libraries and used bookstores and our organization. You will develop a relationship with your account holders that allows you to seamlessly negotiate sales and purchases between our organization and each particular vendor. Your primary purpose is to determine what book tiles your account holders want. You will take this requested titles, purchase them, used, from another venue, sign off on completed refurbishing, and sign off on shipment to your account holder.
What do you need to be a Middle Man?
A BS degree is needed, preferably in business. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. The ability to handle multiple accounts, a maximum of ten. The ability to search for titles and accumulate results. Willingness to travel on occasion, though most interaction with account holders will be virtual. No experience need. Excellent starting position. Accounts will be assigned to you as you prove abilities.
Salary: Negotiable base salary plus percentage of individual account revenue.
Contact The Middle Men:
Jessica Thompson, CEO
1234 Bookshop Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
jlthompson92386@gmail.com
704-555-1331
Organization: The Middle Men
Location: Charlotte, NC US
What are the Middle Men?
The Middle Men is a small organization that works on a grand scale to buy and sell used books to and from libraries and used bookstores across the southern region of the U.S. This organization allows for libraries and bookstores to purchase high quality used books at a price much lower than the market price. Books are bought from other vendors, from other organizations to individuals, and then resold to the libraries and bookstores. Damaged books are refurbished and all books are inspected to ensure like new quality of the material.
What is a Middle Man?
As a Middle Man, sales representative/account manager, you will handle the exchange between libraries and used bookstores and our organization. You will develop a relationship with your account holders that allows you to seamlessly negotiate sales and purchases between our organization and each particular vendor. Your primary purpose is to determine what book tiles your account holders want. You will take this requested titles, purchase them, used, from another venue, sign off on completed refurbishing, and sign off on shipment to your account holder.
What do you need to be a Middle Man?
A BS degree is needed, preferably in business. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. The ability to handle multiple accounts, a maximum of ten. The ability to search for titles and accumulate results. Willingness to travel on occasion, though most interaction with account holders will be virtual. No experience need. Excellent starting position. Accounts will be assigned to you as you prove abilities.
Salary: Negotiable base salary plus percentage of individual account revenue.
Contact The Middle Men:
Jessica Thompson, CEO
1234 Bookshop Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
jlthompson92386@gmail.com
704-555-1331
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Interviews
Interviewing
The interviewing process is one that is often met with anxiousness and anticipation. Preparing for an interview is like studying for a test, you can attempt to be ready for what questions you anticipate will be asked, but there is always the chance that you’ll miss something. I have been through multiple interviews, though only a few in my professional life. Being that I am still in school, my professional life coincides with scholastic learning. Before graduate school, the entirety of my job experiences were what I refer to as “summer jobs,” mindless jobs that earn me money, not a career and nothing that I feel like matters. Graduate school has opened up the doorway into the professional world, introducing assistantship positions and additional jobs that will lead into more permanent employment opportunities. There is a huge difference in interviewing for a summer job and a professional job, where specific skills are required.
For this assignment, I swapped interviews with my brother, a freshman in college. He will soon be entering the professional world, and though he knows his major, an exact professional direction has yet to be established so I figured he could use the practice. He indulged me by pretending that he wanted be a sales-rep for my organization. Being a business major, this wasn't too far of a stretch for him. These questions were ones that I have myself been asked and questions that were part of the recommended question list. I focused on experience level and his goals for the future. If he receives this job, how does he feel it will assist him in his long-term and short-term goals? I asked about his strengths and weakness. His strengths were easier for him to list, which shows confidence and allows me to anticipate what he can bring to the position, but he struggled to come up with weaknesses. Without knowledge of weakness, he is unable to know where he needs improvement, which does not let me, as the interviewer, know where he will have shortcomings until it may be too late. If hired, I would not know where to provide him extra assistance so he can learn from others. If his weaknesses are more personal, such as laziness or an inability to get along with others, it will affect his work and his colleagues. It was a different experience to be the interviewer rather than the interviewee. I rather like it better, because the pressure is alleviated from my shoulders. I did notice the importance of how questions were phrased and the importance of making him feel comfortable. From personal experience, I think that if the interviewee is comfortable, his/her personality will show through more, despite rehearsed answers, allowing the interviewer to perceive a more honest look at his/her character.
Having been on the interviewee side more than once, this part of the assignment was nothing new. Without the pressure of reality it made answering questions much easier, not only because I have given them before, but because I didn’t feel like they had to be perfect. My brother asked questions similar to the questions I asked him. The hardest one to answer, despite the practice scenario was the “long-term goal” question. I feel like if I honestly say, that I do not plan on being in this particular position forever, I will be taking something away from the offered job and detract from my appeal as a potential employee. For the jobs I have interviewed for, thus far, this has not been such a problem because it is obvious the position is only temporary and for instructional and experience purposes, but when interviewing for a real and permanent position, I am afraid of looking too flighty.
Overall, this assignment was a good one, useful for practicing my own skills and understanding the viewpoint of the interviewer. It is not their purpose to be intimidating, but to find the best fit for their offered position.
The interviewing process is one that is often met with anxiousness and anticipation. Preparing for an interview is like studying for a test, you can attempt to be ready for what questions you anticipate will be asked, but there is always the chance that you’ll miss something. I have been through multiple interviews, though only a few in my professional life. Being that I am still in school, my professional life coincides with scholastic learning. Before graduate school, the entirety of my job experiences were what I refer to as “summer jobs,” mindless jobs that earn me money, not a career and nothing that I feel like matters. Graduate school has opened up the doorway into the professional world, introducing assistantship positions and additional jobs that will lead into more permanent employment opportunities. There is a huge difference in interviewing for a summer job and a professional job, where specific skills are required.
For this assignment, I swapped interviews with my brother, a freshman in college. He will soon be entering the professional world, and though he knows his major, an exact professional direction has yet to be established so I figured he could use the practice. He indulged me by pretending that he wanted be a sales-rep for my organization. Being a business major, this wasn't too far of a stretch for him. These questions were ones that I have myself been asked and questions that were part of the recommended question list. I focused on experience level and his goals for the future. If he receives this job, how does he feel it will assist him in his long-term and short-term goals? I asked about his strengths and weakness. His strengths were easier for him to list, which shows confidence and allows me to anticipate what he can bring to the position, but he struggled to come up with weaknesses. Without knowledge of weakness, he is unable to know where he needs improvement, which does not let me, as the interviewer, know where he will have shortcomings until it may be too late. If hired, I would not know where to provide him extra assistance so he can learn from others. If his weaknesses are more personal, such as laziness or an inability to get along with others, it will affect his work and his colleagues. It was a different experience to be the interviewer rather than the interviewee. I rather like it better, because the pressure is alleviated from my shoulders. I did notice the importance of how questions were phrased and the importance of making him feel comfortable. From personal experience, I think that if the interviewee is comfortable, his/her personality will show through more, despite rehearsed answers, allowing the interviewer to perceive a more honest look at his/her character.
Having been on the interviewee side more than once, this part of the assignment was nothing new. Without the pressure of reality it made answering questions much easier, not only because I have given them before, but because I didn’t feel like they had to be perfect. My brother asked questions similar to the questions I asked him. The hardest one to answer, despite the practice scenario was the “long-term goal” question. I feel like if I honestly say, that I do not plan on being in this particular position forever, I will be taking something away from the offered job and detract from my appeal as a potential employee. For the jobs I have interviewed for, thus far, this has not been such a problem because it is obvious the position is only temporary and for instructional and experience purposes, but when interviewing for a real and permanent position, I am afraid of looking too flighty.
Overall, this assignment was a good one, useful for practicing my own skills and understanding the viewpoint of the interviewer. It is not their purpose to be intimidating, but to find the best fit for their offered position.
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