A job search likely means you’ve spent a lot
of time preparing. You’ve rehearsed interview answers. You’ve revised and
polished your resume. You’ve notified all of your references and confirmed that
glowing reviews are forthcoming.
But no matter how prepared you think you may be, you’re not truly ready unless you’ve thought about the potential effects of a background check. Most employers today rely on background checks for information about candidates they can’t get from interviews or resumes. Some job seekers fail to consider what impact these investigations could have on their employment searches.
To avoid surprises, job candidates need to
know what these checks entail — or could reveal. For example, a critical step is
to scour your social media posts for anything that could be considered
unflattering or inflammatory. Companies almost certainly will take note if they
find something that potentially reflects poorly on them if they hire you.
If a hiring company solicits third-party
assistance, there is potential to gain information about your credentials,
medical records, driving records, criminal records and more.
For more tips on how to prepare for a
background check, see the accompanying guide. It details many crucial facts related
to what prospective employers can find when digging through your past. Author bio: Christian Moore is COO at Global Verification
Network. He has more than 20 years of investigative and
business experience with competencies including surveillance, competitive
intelligence, pre-employment and course-of-employment background
screening.
Just because you’re about to enter a saturated industry with
plenty of experienced competitors and established brands doesn’t mean that you
need to struggle to succeed. There’s plenty of room for everyone to grow at a
steady pace and even thrive, but only if you make all the right investments and decisions
on your way to success and affluence. To make these smart moves, you will need
to discover and implement the best practices in your field.
And the best way to do just that, and make your business look more professional and
appealing from the get-go, is to pick up the most important lessons from the
leaders in the industry. Let’s dive deep into the things that truly matter for
startups, and how to invest in these areas from the start.
Find, hire, and retain the top talent in the industry
You might be able to run a one-person show at the beginning,
but as soon as you start making progress and attracting more business to your
doorstep, you will need to allocate some of the workflow to an employee, or
several. What every accomplished business leader will tell you is that your
future depends on your ability to find and hire team members that bring true
value and quality to your business.
These will be the people who will drive your company forward
with their skills and expertise, the people who will guide the brand towards
its long-term goals. Needless to say, these people are your biggest assets, and
you cannot afford to lose them. You will need to create a winning company
culture if you are to boost employee retention and prosper.
Build a thriving company culture
The top brands in the industry are able to pay top dollar in
order to hire and retain their most valuable employees, but salary alone is not
enough to maintain a strong retention strategy. After all, there are a myriad
of job opportunities out there, and the millennial employee will have no problem
leaving a company if they feel underappreciated or if their true values and
talents are not being exploited to their full potential.
As a novice business leader, you might not even be able to
offer anything more than what’s considered standard compensation in your niche,
so your best bet is to build a company culture people won’t want to leave. Make
sure you build this culture on the pillars of equality, trust, transparency,
co-dependence, honest communication, and leadership in order to create a work
environment that nurtures and respects its employees. Make people feel
appreciated and never stop challenging them in healthy ways and provide
exciting projects to bring their true potential to light.
Use the web to expand globally
With the dawn of the digital age, global business has become
a reality for every company and entrepreneur with the dreams of expanding
beyond the local marketplace. It has never been this easy to trade on a global
scale and access faraway markets, especially with the rise of Ecommerce.
Nowadays, every business model can build an Ecommerce structure, B2C and B2B
brands alike.
For example, this new trend has allowed traditional big
businesses such as oil and gas companies to trade
in oilfield equipment and other products you wouldn’t normally see
in the Ecommerce realm, nor would you expect to be traded beyond the local
marketplace. What this means for you is that you have a unique opportunity to
capitalize on this trend by integrating an Ecommerce structure into your
operation from the start in order sell your products to a global customer base,
all the while making it infinitely easier to profit in the local market as
well. After all, customers in every industry are increasingly buying products
on the web, so make sure your brand is there too.
Listen carefully to customer feedback
The customer might not be right all the time, but that
doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do what they ask. Your customers will define the
future of your company, and any experienced entrepreneur will tell you that you
need to listen carefully to customer feedback on all digital channels, including social media, in order to assess the
true standing of your brand in the competitive field.
By tending to some careful media monitoring and analysis,
you can easily find out what the online and offline worlds are saying about
your brand. These kinds of insights will prove instrumental in shaping your
entire growth strategy, as they will allow you to adapt your approach and
deliver exactly what your customers need. You will also learn about the common
pain-points and discover your competitors’ weaknesses.
It’s all about the value of the brand
And finally, invest time and financial
resources to build a unique brand identity that will
resonate with the hearts and minds of your demographic. In a sea of competitors
and lookalike companies, you want to stand out as the brand people can connect
with on an emotional level, a brand they can trust and embrace as an
inextricable part of their everyday life. Your brand’s values and culture will
not only boost your acquisition strategy, but most importantly, it will help
you retain business and keep loyal customers at your side through thick and
thin.
In closing
Novice entrepreneurs have a long and winding road ahead of
them, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t follow the trails left by those
who have already reached the finish line. In other words, use these lessons to
even the odds against the leaders in the industry and future-proof your startup
for years to come.
Keith Coppersmith is a business and marketing
expert who has experienced both the rise and fall of many businesses. He enjoys
writing and providing insight based on both practice and theory.
The number of self-employed workers in the U.S. stands at 15 million but Freshbooks forecasts that an additional 27 million workers will go the self-employed route over the next two years. This is due to many people placing more value on maintaining flexibility and freedom. While being in control of your earnings can be rewarding, it is important to remember that high rewards comes with higher risk. Even as you try to safely transition your career into self-employment, the unexpected can happen and you will need an insurance policy that can protect your business, your health and your income.
Property Insurance
This type of insurance is essential especially if you have business property such as office equipment, inventory or other assets. For the cost of $500 to $1000 annually, this product can cover the cost of damage to your business due to a fire accident, vandalism, theft etc. You may also want to include business interruption as part of the policy in order to insure your earnings if the business is unable to operate. While insuring your business’s buildings is not mandatory, if you have a mortgage your provider may require a cover to be in place.
Short-Term Disability
A health insurance may cover your medical bills, but if you’re too sick or injured to work how will you generate enough income to sustain yourself ? Depending on your coverage, a disability policy will replace your income by paying about 60% of your usual income. The catch is that the payments can only last from nine weeks to a year and so it is important that you have an emergency fund in place.
Health and Relevant Life Insurance
In the regular work force, many employees find that medical insurance is included as part of their benefits package. However, as a self-employed person you will have to get your own coverage. Getting health insurance is not just important for you, but for your family as well. A policy will ensure protection for you and your family, covering everything from routine medical care to emergencies. On the other hand, life insurance can be similar to a typical employment-based life insurance policy in that your business pays the premiums instead of you. This policy is a tax-efficient way for your family to receive financial support in the form of a lump sum in case something happens to you.
General and Professional Liability
A product liability claim on average can cost about $35,000. This can cause huge losses to your business if you have no policy in place. Therefore, a general liability insurance is needed to protect your business from third party claims for property damages or bodily harm that may have been caused by your products or services. A professional liability (also known as errors and omissions insurance) is a must have if you offer advice or certain professional services. This type of policy will cover the cost of legal fees and compensation in case a client charges you with negligence, misconduct or mistakes made by you. In addition, if you want to land contracts with government agencies and enterprise clients, you’ll most likely need to present proof of liability insurance in order to bid.
Other types of Insurance that you may need
Based on your company’s specific needs, a business owner’s policy can reduce costs by packaging all the required coverage a business owner may need. If you handle sensitive client information, a data breach insurance can protect you in case of digital or physical theft.
If you are venturing into self-employment you will definitely need some type of insurance. It is also a good idea to review your coverage frequently in order to ensure that you have policies that meet your needs and can be sustained financially.
There has been, in recent years, a huge surge in the amount of businesses of all shapes and sizes embracing remote working for their employees. From a business perspective, it’s easy to see why. Remote working affords businesses an opportunity to significantly reduce their overhead costs. When employees aren’t in the building they’re not using energy or water or paper. They’re not making coffee or flushing toilet. What’s more, they’re not driving into work every day and so they’re helping their employers to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their green credentials.
Yet, the reasons for the widespread growth of remote working aren’t all down to benefits for employers.
The factors behind the growth
There’s obviously a technological component at play when it comes to the rise of remote working. In recent years, managed IT services have enabled even modestly sized business affordable access to robust and reliable cloud based solutions- read more about this here. This has made it easier for remote workers to do anything they could to from their desktop at work from their home PC or in some cases even through mobile devices.
Yet, perhaps one of the lesser known factors is the way in which remote working is so closely aligned with the millennial generation’s ideals for workplace success. For clarification, by millennials we mean those born between 1977 and 1997. As you can see from this infographic we posted recently, there’s some pretty neat correlation between the two…
Advocates for work life balance
Many millennials were raised by baby boomer parents who worked long hours for their money and it likely did little to convince their young minds that good money trumps time spent with friends and family. Thus, millennial workers are every bit as diligent as their baby boomer parents but focus on working smart over working hard and strive for work / life balance.
Remote work allows employees to be more productive while enjoying greater autonomy over how they use their time. Moreover, they save a great deal of time every day by not commuting to work.
Digital pioneers
‘80s and ‘90s kids grew up in an era of colossal digital and technological expansion. While Generation Z are digital natives who have never known adult life without digital technology, millennials are still excited by it and don’t take it for granted. Thus, they’re more likely to be enthused by the cloud based technologies that allow them to be at work… At home.
Team oriented and collaborative
Millennials are inveterate team workers and embrace opportunities to combine this with their enthusiasm for digital technologies. New digital applications can facilitate innovative collaborations through digital communications technologies. Millennials enjoy using the tools that enable them to collaborate with others even while working remotely such as Slack, Asana, Zoom etc.
As you can see, there are many reasons why millennials love remote working and why it loves them. While it will likely never take the place of the traditional office it nonetheless makes for happier and more productive employees as well as reduced overheads for their employers… So everybody wins!
Good communication is undoubtedly the skill that all employers value the most. Many great managers say the best skill set they have is to listen, especially to those who employ the roles most lucrative to the company. The symbiotic relationship between individual contributor and manager is there, but it’s up to you to ensure you are communicating so that your manager can play their part.
From the start of your employment journey, communication has
always been at the forefront of why you are successful. From answering the
hiring managers phone interview
questions in a clear and concise way, to the email you send after
your interview, and the communication you have regularly
after you’re hired. Without good communication, managers can’t place their
focus on performing their duties. For example, if you have a roadblock and the
manager could help unblock you, but they simply don’t know about it; then efficiency
is lost. Because of this, most managers reward communicative individual
contributors.
Email is a great tool because it
allows us to spend time thinking about what we’d like to communicate before the
other party has a chance to read it. In the moment, or in front of your peers,
you may feel more pressure to respond quickly. And with that pressure your communication skills may naturally
become stressed as well. I’m going to show you five email techniques you can do
to go above and beyond with regards to good communication. These communication
techniques take very little time, are impactful to your manager, show you have
leadership or promotion potential, show you are
proactive about your role, and best of all, you can do this passively. Meaning
you won’t place yourself into potentially stressful situations, like presenting
in front of a group.
#1: The priority check
in
In this email your goal is to ensure no new information has
entered the managers knowledge bank. And that you are spending your time the
best way you can. Here’s what your email should look like:
Hi Jeff,
Here’s my priorities. Let me know if I
should reorder some of them, remove them or add any other priorities in.
Redesign our
print flyers
Finish our sales
pitch deck
Improve our
homepage experience
Thanks Jeff.
You’ll need to place your own priorities in this list. Keep them
high level and something you and the team have already discussed. Make them the
top three most important objectives or tasks from your perspective. This one
you can send bi-weekly if your work doesn’t change frequently.
#2: The random thank
you email
In these emails your goal is to pick a team member each week and
show your appreciation for them. These random acts of kindness don’t go
unnoticed. When a manager asks your peers how they like working with you, these
emails are sure to be brought up. Here’s what you’ll say.
Hi Sarah,
I just wanted to send you a short note
about how much I appreciate working with you. You are so talented. Thank you
for all of your hard work.
Thanks Sarah
If you can use a more specific and recent moment that stood out
to you, the better. Like when Sarah worked on Saturday to meet a deadline.
#3: The weekly report
This will be your most valuable weekly email. Send this email
every Friday and recap the weeks work. When crafting this email. Think about
the questions your manager would have for you if you two were to talk. For
example they would ask, how’s the progress on our new homepage? Answer these
questions for them so you can save them time. Here’s what you’ll say:
Hi Jeff,
Here’s my weekly report.
New
homepage:
Finished our
design brief
Met with Nancy
in sales to prepare her on timing
Sent our
technical needs to the web developers
We’re on track
with regards to timing
Sales
pitch:
Finished 2 sales
pitches this week for Nancy and Kevin
Thanks Jeff
Let me know if you have any thoughts. Have a good weekend!
Keep it brief, impactful, informative and insightful.
#4: The request for
feedback
It’s imperative that you are always willing to hear feedback on
how you can do better. It shows you are leadership material. I wouldn’t send
this email more than once per month but be sure you are sending it.
Hi Jeff,
Would love to know if there’s anything
you feel I could be doing better. Or if there’s anything you appreciate that I
am doing, and that you’d like to see more of.
Thanks Jeff
This information gives you insight into how to beat perform for
the manager. Be prepared to take criticism you might receive, though.
#5: Asking if your
manager wants any other type of regular communication
After a while, your manager might start appreciating but
ignoring your weekly reports. That’s ok! That’s good! That means they’ve built
trust with you. But ask them what other communication they’d appreciate so you
are always moving forward. Here’s how to do it:
Hi Jeff,
I hope you’ve been appreciating my weekly
reports. What are some things you’d like to see in them? Anything I can cover
which may be most beneficial to you?
Thanks Jeff
And there you have it. Five simple communication techniques you
can send by email each week which will do wonders for your development within
the company. The good thing about these emails is that your manager has the
option to read them. You may be wondering, what if they are annoyed by all the
emails I’m sending them? Remember that these emails are insights, not strictly
discussion. They’re digestible action items your manager can choose to see or
not. They have the option to open the email if they’re curious or maybe lacking
insight into your work. And they have the option to ignore it if they feel they
already know enough. It’s a win-win for both parties!
Patrick Algrim is an experienced executive in the technology
sector. He’s helped to build some of the worlds greatest teams at some of the
fastest growing Companies in Silicon Valley. You can find out more about him
and see more content like this at Algrim.co.
