Employers Say Skills Are Lacking In Candidates And New Hires Today, more than ever before, employers say job candidates are outside the company. If you can't accept feedback, handle lacking basic skills. They may have a degree or a diploma, but emotions, resolve conflict, and work well with others, you won't don't measure up to workplace standards. Several skills areas be hired and if on the job, could be fired. frequently mentioned include: Adaptability. Change is constant. We all have to adapt - Speaking skills. Many of us have grown lax and don't even to new things, new people, new ways, new technologies. If you hear ourselves use phrases like, "he ,---------------------, can't adapt and if you don't quickly don't", "it ain't right", "he and me bounce back after set-backs, you went" and so on. But others do hear it r.~'iIt--,\ won't last long.\tc'3~ and it will keep someone from getting Problem solving and critical a job or a promotion. thinking. Employers want employees-. Businesswriting. With Twitter and who can innovate, analyze situations, texting, it's easv-to-tall into-the -trap - - and find-solutions-to problems. With of shortcutting and taking liberties less people and fewer resources, with generally accepted writing rules. employees have to be self-directed, But, whether it's a letter, memo, work independently as well as in e-mail, phone message, or a report, teams, and think on their feet. employers expect employees to write, ~ These skills seem common proof, and distribute proper, clear, sense. But they are not transferring and error-free messages. into the workplace. Some of these Understanding numbers. Everyone is responsible for the skills can be measured, some observed, others are harder to bottom line and the bottom line is defined by numbers. Without assess. But all of them are essential. being well-grounded in simple and complex math, you won't One excellent program for assessing skills of job candidates have value. and skill gaps for employees is the Office Proficiency Assessment Interpersonal skills. Today's workplace requires teamwork - with people above and below your rank, people inside and ... see Skills Lacking on page 3 Susan Fenner, Ph.D. has made a career out of following workplace and workforce trends. For more than 25 years, she was the Manager of Education and Professional Development for the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IMP) and now serves as the Chief Learning Architect for Speakers you Need (SyN), a consortium of subject-matter experts who provide training to organizations. She was the Admin Support Advisor on Monster, and had columns in Office Solution s and OfficePro magazines. She was also the General Editor for The Complete Office Handbook. Susan has worked with business educators and corporations to prepare office professionals to excel in their roles. She has also worked with educators to develop a business/ administrative curriculum used throughout the U.S. and Can ...

1. Employers Say Skills Are Lacking
In Candidates And New Hires
Today, more than ever before, employers say job candidates are
outside the company. If you can't accept feedback, handle
lacking basic skills. They may have a degree or a diploma, but
emotions, resolve conflict, and work well with others, you won't
don't measure up to workplace standards. Several skills areas be
hired and if on the job, could be fired.
frequently mentioned include: Adaptability. Change is constant.
We all have to adapt -
Speaking skills. Many of us have grown lax and don't even to
new things, new people, new ways, new technologies. If you
hear ourselves use phrases like, "he ,---------------------, can't
adapt and if you don't quickly
don't", "it ain't right", "he and me bounce back after set-backs,
you
went" and so on. But others do hear it r.~'iIt--, won't last
long.tc'3~
and it will keep someone from getting Problem solving and
critical
a job or a promotion. thinking. Employers want employees-.
Businesswriting. With Twitter and who can innovate, analyze
situations,
texting, it's easv-to-tall into-the -trap - - and find-solutions-to
problems. With
of shortcutting and taking liberties less people and fewer
resources,
with generally accepted writing rules. employees have to be
self-directed,
But, whether it's a letter, memo, work independently as well as

2. in
e-mail, phone message, or a report, teams, and think on their
feet.
employers expect employees to write, ~ These skills seem
common
proof, and distribute proper, clear, sense. But they are not
transferring
and error-free messages. into the workplace. Some of these
Understanding numbers. Everyone is responsible for the skills
can be measured, some observed, others are harder to
bottom line and the bottom line is defined by numbers. Without
assess. But all of them are essential.
being well-grounded in simple and complex math, you won't
One excellent program for assessing skills of job candidates
have value. and skill gaps for employees is the Office
Proficiency Assessment
Interpersonal skills. Today's workplace requires teamwork
- with people above and below your rank, people inside and ...
see Skills Lacking on page 3
Susan Fenner, Ph.D. has made a career out of following
workplace and workforce trends. For
more than 25 years, she was the Manager of Education and
Professional Development for the
International Association of Administrative Professionals (IMP)
and now serves as the Chief
Learning Architect for Speakers you Need (SyN), a consortium
of subject-matter experts who
provide training to organizations. She was the Admin Support
Advisor on Monster, and had columns
in Office

3. Solution
s and OfficePro magazines. She was also the General Editor for
The Complete
Office Handbook. Susan has worked with business educators
and corporations to prepare office
professionals to excel in their roles. She has also worked with
educators to develop a business/
administrative curriculum used throughout the U.S. and Canada.
13 Tips For Facilitating
Successful Virtual Meetings
According to a survey conducted by Leadership
Strategies of 438 North American executives and
managers, 56% said their organization had held more
virtual meetings in the past twelve months than in
the previous twelve months. The results showed that
70% were either somewhat or very comfortable with
the process. The greatest benefits came from cost and
time savings, instant access to remote participants,
and ease of scheduling. And while most of the

4. meetings still took place by phone (83%), more than
half had graduated to screen sharing and about the
same percentage used virtual meeting platforms.
So what does that mean? For most of us, where
meeting participants are just down the hall or on
another floor, we'll most likely share reports in the
conference room. But those of us who have colleagues
in other facilities, employees who work remotely, use
contract workers, wantto interact with industry partners
and vendors, or interview out-of-town job candidates,
virtual meetings provide an excellent venue.
---- ~Hereare~ways you- can-improve- youPvirtual
meetings:
Establish a relationship arnongthe partici pants
prior to the meeting. Exchange personal information,
post short bios, clarify roles within the team.
Create ground rules, such as no multitasking,
no background noise, come prepared, and actively
participate.
• Make sure everyone has the agenda and all

5. the materials are distributed well before the meeting.
Identify who is responsible for reporting or supplying
information. No surprises.
Pre-test your technology and know how to
use it and deal with glitches. Have a techie nearby if
possible, and make sure everyone has the technology
needed to participate.
Display visuals to represent the participants,
if there is no live video. Pictures of the participants can
be sent or posted; even pins on a map can indicate
where members are located.
Choose a lead facilitator; have on-site
facilitators for off-site groups.
If possible, use a shared screen to work
online.
Use people's names and have them identify
themselves when they speak.
Get everyone to participate, even if you have
to invite them to contribute.

6. Begin on time, conclude on time, or adjourn
early.
• Build trust among participants. Make people
accountable for assignments and encourage people to
meet off-line for assignments.
Verbally sum up the meeting, display action
items online, or distribute minutes immediately after.
• Stick to a regular meeting schedule for better
attendance.
Many organizations are successfully using virtual
meetings and more will follow. The benefits are well
known and meeting technologies are getting easier to
use. Follow a few simple rules and your virtual meetings
will be productive.
The Invisible
Customer
Syndrome
A while back, I offhandedly said to a retail clerk, "It
must be fun to work here." Her answer, "Not really, I

7. can't wait to get out when my shift ends." My response,
"I hope your boss doesn't hear you say that." And just a
few days ago, while talking to an employee at a major
coffee cafe, I mentioned the seemingly high prices
and she said, "The XXX is a rip off. I don't know why
people pay $7.00 for a cup of coffee." I'm sure you've
had similar experiences of the Invisible Customer
Syndrome.
Let's look at the take-aways from these incidents:
* Everyone you come in contact with is either a
customer or a potential customer. And don't forget you
have internal customers you deal with daily.
* By poorly representing your employer (or worse
yet, trashing your company), you are steering people
... see Invisible Customer on page 3
INVISIBLECUSTOMER
continued from page 2

8. to competitors, decreasing sales and perceived
satisfaction of the products/services.
* If your company fails, you fail, and most likely
will lose a job through cutbacks or closures, or being
identified as a negative worker.
* Your words and actions won't stop with the
person you interacted with, but will spread far beyond
to his/her friends, family, neighbors, and anyone who
will listen. Like a bad virus, you have infected many
more people than you ever imagined.
* Your demeanor and words not only hurt your
company, they reflect poorly on you. Who would consider
hiring anyone so unsavvy, failing to comprehend the
implications of his/her behavior - not to mention the
display of disloyalty to the employer who pays them.
Whether we are talking about your employer, your
community, or your daughter's school, be fully aware
that no matter where you are, what you say, or how
you act, you are representing more than yourself.
Surrounding you are invisible customers, potential
neighbors, and supporters who are being influenced

9. (or not) by your presence.
I'll leave you with a final invisible customer story.
_While shopping at my favorite dollar store one-day, I
mentioned to the cashier who was counting the items
and totaling the sale, "It must fun to work here. I always
find things I either need or don't need, but can't pass
up." The teenager replied, "I love my job! And the best
part, we get a discount!"
I laughed all the way to the car and will remember
this conversation for years to come.
SKILLS LACKING
continued from page 1
and Certification (OPAC) program. OPAC can measure
Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
Outlook, Windows, and Access. It also evaluates clerical
functions, such as writing skills and customer service -
provid ing valua ble feed back·- before you hire or consider
promoting an employee. They also have specialty tests
for legal, medical, and financial settings.

10. Using OPAC is like having a competency expert
sitting in on your interviews. You don't have to rely solely
on what you see and read about them. You can delve
into what they can really do and the skills they bring to
your work team. Mention this article and receive 20% off
your purchase of OPAC(www.opac.com).
Worker
Engagement Is
The Passion That
Leads To Profits
Some statistics indicate that disengaged workers cost
U.S. companies up to $550 billion each year. In the
2013 "State ofthe American Workplace" report, Gallup
found that only 30% of the workforce is engaged.
That means that 70% are not giving their all to their
employers and are place holders, rather than true
contributors. In the study, three types of workers and
their effect on their companies were identified.
Engaged - They work with a passion and feel
a profound connection with their company. They drive
innovation and move the company forward.
Not engaged - They have essentially "checked

11. out", sleepwalking through the workday, putting in
time, but no passion or energy into their work.
Actively disengaged - They aren't just unhappy
at work, they are busy acting out their unhappiness.
Every day, they undermine what the engaged worker
accomplishes.
Of the three groups, only one, the engaged worker,
is truly contributing to the organization. The other two
are passively or actively undermining productivity.
Companies with a high number of disengaged workers
had lower customer ratings, reduced profitability and
productivity, high turnover and absenteeism, more
safety incidents and theft, and lower quality (more
defects).
So, how do companies engage workers?
Suggestions were to: 1) Make engaging employees a
high priority; 2) survey workers and define engagement
in realistic and measurable terms; 3) select the right
managers, coach them, and hold them accountable for
levels of engagement; and 4) have managers connect
with employees, interact with them, and hold them
accountable.

12. It is surprising that so many workers feel a
disconnect to their companies. But if employers can re-
light the fires of passion for work, reward involvement
and innovation, and replace those who refuse to
commit, not only will the workplace be a better place
to work, but companies will reduce behaviors costing
the organization money, produce better products
and services, increase revenue, and have happier
customers and employees.
No online copy. own words
Please READ this 3 page newsletter. You only have to respond
one time to this discussion. What I want you to do is READ the
newsletter then respond with four things you learned from the
newsletter andhow you plan to use information to assist in your
being a better and stronger employee.