Wednesday 30 March 2011

Employment Agencies

If you are short on time or want the opinion of a trained employment expert before offering a job to someone, an employment agency may be a good fit for you. There are other benefits, most notably the fact that prospective employees have been prescreened and tested for job skills. In addition, they have had their references checked before walking through your door. Once you have worked with an agency to place an employee, they will know enough about your business and the kind of work you do to find people for you quickly.
Most agencies offer a temp-to-hire option. This means that for a designated time, the employee is a staff member of the agency, but physically works at your location performing tasks that you assign. The benefit of this is that you can gauge the person's performance, work ethics, and dependability before making a job offer. Just because someone interviews well doesn't mean that he is a good fit for the job.
Temp-to-hire workers receive their paychecks from the agency and your company pays the agency for this service. They are employees of the employment agency, not your company. Generally, you pay the agency a per-hour rate for the worker. In return, the agency pays the employee a lower per-hour rate. The difference in the two rates covers employer taxes, workers' compensation insurance, benefits, and a service fee to the agency.

Fees paid to employment agencies can be costly. Most guarantee the placement of the people they represent. In this case, if you hire someone from an employment agency and the person doesn't work out within a designated period, the agency will find you a replacement.

Business owners who are fans of employment agencies appreciate the quick accessibility to a pool of qualified job candidates ready to be interviewed. The time saved by not having to place employment ads and check references is a benefit. Take the amount of money you would have spent placing an employment ad and consider the value of your time spent in the recruitment efforts. Calculate this into the expense an agency charges and you may see that it is money well spent.

http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/finding-the-best-applicants/employment-agencies.htm

Career Fairs

Whether it's called a career fair, employment expo, or job extravaganza, this is a resource that offers a good value for the dollar. Career fairs are usually sponsored by a school or university, government entity, or local chamber of commerce. Conduct a Google search to find the next one in your area. Early spring and late summer are popular seasons for job expos, when people are looking for employment after graduating or relocating. If you are hiring for a position that requires a college degree, attending an event at a university is your best bet. There isn't a better place to find a large room filled with college graduates eager and ready to work.

A career fair may focus on a specific discipline such as food and beverage, construction, or positions that require college degrees. Make sure that the theme of the event is consistent with your needs. Most fairs cater to an array of positions, but if it's not clear in the advertising, ask.

There are several benefits to these events. You are able to meet job seekers in person immediately, thus eliminating instances of someone who is impressive on paper but disappoints you when you call them in for an interview. Also, recruitment efforts can be accomplished in one day instead of sporadically over the course of a week. You'll be able to talk to job candidates away from the workplace and the distractions that go along with it. You may also meet other business owners in the community and share your recruitment ideas.

What to Bring

When you sign up to participate in a job fair, you should be told whether or not tables and chairs will be provided. If you are planning to have brief interviews, it's best if both you and the applicant are seated, but if you'll simply be manning a booth, it's most courteous if you stand. Wear comfortable shoes, especially if the ground is concrete. Here is a list of supplies that are handy to have at a job fair:

Employment applications
Tablecloths
Stapler or paperclips
Pens
Flyers about the company
Business cards
Sign-in sheets
Notepads

Some people may want to take an application home and drop it off or mail it the next day, so provide the company address on your flyers or bring a stack of business cards. Use the stapler or paperclips to attach resumes to applications. If you plan to conduct interviews, have a sign-in sheet available so that you can greet people on a first-come first-served basis, and use your notepad to take notes. Look ahead to Chapter 2 for a list of questions that you may not ask during an interview.
You can stay a step ahead of the other exhibitors and purchase a banner to hang from the front of your table. Keep it generic, with your company name and logo, so you can use it for other occasions, too. Many office supply stores sell customized banners or you can do an Internet search for companies and local print shops that specialize in these products.

Bring someone with you to help at the job fair. If the person you bring is a current employee, he is to be paid his normal wages for his time, or overtime if it applies. Ask him to take a walk around and look at the other tables for creative ideas for your next job fair.

Allow yourself ample time to set up your area prior to the start of the fair. For your comfort, bring some drinking water and inquire if there will be options for purchasing lunch. If you will be alone, bring a “Will Return at __” sign to place on the table when you leave for a break or lunch. If you brought a laptop computer or any other valuables, take them with you anytime you leave your assigned area.
It is a nice touch to provide a bowl of candy, tray of cookies, or attention-grabbing tokens to give away at your table. You can find inexpensive doodads by visiting www.orientaltrading.com. Seasonal items and pens go over well with an adult crowd.

People Watching

The environment at a career expo is usually casual and it's a great way to observe applicants when they are likely to let their guard down and be themselves. Once someone is comfortable at work, this is what you get, and it's good to see it before the hiring is done. Look for people who are courteous, respectful, and mature. If you are seeking “front line” employees — those who will have direct contact with your customers — look for people who appear to be friendly and approachable. If they'll be working in the back of the house, these issues aren't as important.
Although the atmosphere at these events can be somewhat relaxed, attendees should still take the experience seriously. Proper job-searching attire is expected, cell phones should be turned off, and this is not the time to be socializing with friends and family members. Beware of recent high school graduates who are being led by a parent or a person being pressured by their spouse; a job applicant who isn't there of her own free will is unlikely to be an enthusiastic employee.

Have Your Own Job Fair

You may also plan your own job fair. Schedule a few employees to answer questions about the positions that are available and pass out applications. You can briefly interview attendees while they are there, then follow up at a later date with more in-depth interviews with the candidates who may be a good fit for the job.

http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/finding-the-best-applicants/career-fairs.htm

Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

The Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is a software or online solution for the data entry, data tracking, and data information needs of the Human Resources, payroll, management, and accounting functions within a business. Normally packaged as a data base, hundreds of companies sell some form of HRIS and every HRIS has different capabilities. Pick your HRIS carefully based on the capabilities you need in your company.

Typically, the better The Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) provide overall:

Management of all employee information.
Reporting and analysis of employee information.
Company-related documents such as employee handbooks, emergency evacuation procedures, and safety guidelines.
Benefits administration including enrollment, status changes, and personal information updating.
Complete integration with payroll and other company financial software and accounting systems.
Applicant tracking and resume management.

The HRIS that most effectively serves companies tracks:

attendance and PTO use,
pay raises and history,
pay grades and positions held,
performance development plans,
training received,
disciplinary action received,
personal employee information, and occasionally,
management and key employee succession plans,
high potential employee identification, and
applicant tracking, interviewing, and selection.

An effective HRIS provides information on just about anything the company needs to track and analyze about employees, former employees, and applicants. Your company will need to select a Human Resources Information System and customize it to meet your needs.
With an appropriate HRIS, Human Resources staff enables employees to do their own benefits updates and address changes, thus freeing HR staff for more strategic functions. Additionally, data necessary for employee management, knowledge development, career growth and development, and equal treatment is facilitated. Finally, managers can access the information they need to legally, ethically, and effectively support the success of their reporting employees.

http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/a/hris.htm

Online Job Boards

It's an Internet world and the Web is where many people go for everything, including a job search. If you place an ad in the classified section of your local newspaper, inquire if a listing on the paper's Web site is included in the price. If not, it's worth the extra expense to make it happen. Here are some online job boards to consider:

Monster.com
CareerBuilder.com
HotJobs.com
Jobing.com
craigslist.org

Prices vary substantially amongst these Web sites. Some things to check out before making a decision are if they offer the flexibility to make changes to your ad before it expires; how much traffic the Web site receives (otherwise known as how many “hits” it gets); and if the board is the best match for the position that you have available. Some job boards have a higher concentration of entry-level, technical, supervisory, or managerial positions.
Applicants who check online job boards for employment opportunities can perform a search by position, status (part time or full time), location, or duration (temporary or permanent). On some boards, they can even search by company name.
http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/finding-the-best-applicants/online-job-boards.htm

Employment Ads That Get Attention

The first step in attracting a pool of candidates for a position is to prepare an advertisement for employment to be placed in your local newspaper or one of the other resources mentioned later in this chapter. An ad that simply states the position, rate of pay, and how to apply will not excite anyone. Chances are that the people who respond will be those who are simply looking for a paycheck with no concern for a rewarding career opportunity. They are the ones applying for any job that is available, regardless of whether it's something that they would enjoy doing. People who are not happy at work will not impress your customers. Customers who are not impressed are unlikely to come back because they will patronize the competition instead.
A catchy advertisement will grab the attention of the best applicants. If the job is fast paced, mention this in your ad because many people thrive on being busy. Flexible scheduling options are a hot item right now as many people struggle to balance work, family, and continuing education. A person who works well independently is likely to respond to an ad seeking a self-starter. Is there an opportunity for growth? Let people know. Adding these extra perks turns a dry announcement into an exciting venture.
Newspaper advertisements are most successful if they appear in the Sunday edition of the paper. When you place an ad, you will have the option of running it for Sunday only, weekends only (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), or in increments of a few days or a week or two. As long as Sunday is covered in the timeframe you choose, you will get the best exposure possible.

An advertisement for employment may be used to determine if someone pays attention to detail and follows instructions. For example, if your ad instructs applicants to send a salary history along with their resume and they don't do this, assume that this person will not be meticulous at work.

Before placing your ad, decide how you want people to apply, and let it be known. You may want them to request an application in person at specific times. For positions that are beyond entry level, you may want to see a resume by mail, fax, or e-mail as the first step. If you need someone with prior experience, stating this in your ad will save time for everyone involved. Use bold print or a bigger font for the name of the position to make it stand out. Short ads are likely to be skimmed quickly and overlooked. Invest in the space you need to draw attention to your ad.
Before placing an ad or taking advantage of one of the other resources for finding people in this chapter, make sure you have an ample supply of employment applications. Most importantly, ensure that the applications ask questions that are legal in your state! The laws may change from year to year. Your state employment or labor-relations agency can help you verify if your applications are in compliance if you are not sure. Most likely, if you order your applications from a reputable source and they are current, you will be in compliance. Beware of outdated applications that may ask questions that were legal a few years ago, but that you are no longer allowed to ask.
If the applications you use ask job seekers for their social security number, verify if this is allowed in your state. If it is, keep completed applications in a secure place for the sake of the applicant. Some states have strict laws about who in the company has access to this information.
http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/finding-the-best-applicants/employment-ads-that-get-attention.htm

Human Resource Management

Rights to protect employees have come a long way since the 1960s, and it's a good thing. There is now the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, to name a few. As a human resource manager, you need to keep all of your Acts in place, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it will keep you out of trouble, too.
Staying in compliance with Federal anti-discrimination laws is just one piece of the human resource puzzle, because the state is watching you, too! By the time you finish reading this book, you will see that there is a lot to learn about in this field.
In order to have a need for human resources, you need people in the workplace. You will learn where to find them and how to (hopefully) select the candidate most qualified for the essential functions of the job. Getting them to stay is another added challenge. Once they decide to stick around, you'll need to learn how to pay them because they are not keeping you company all day for free. No paycheck is complete without a benefits package to go with it, and some employers go a step beyond that and offer really great things like tuition reimbursement, personal concierge service, and retreats.
That's the fun stuff in this job. The not-so-fun stuff is disciplinary action and processing an employee's final paycheck due to an involuntary separation. And no matter what you may hear on television, it's not proper to say that you are going to “fire” an employee. Instead, you “release” or “separate” them from employment. You can even say that you are going to terminate employment, but don't get any more harsh than that.
Along with everything you need to know about getting people in the front door, you'll learn how to set-up personnel and confidential files, develop employees, and the importance of recognizing a job well done. This book recognizes the need to balance work and family life and discusses pregnancy in the workplace, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and alternative work schedules. Keep in mind that pregnancy applies to only some members of the female workforce, but FMLA and alternative work schedules can be a part of anyone's life at one point or another. There is much more to the FMLA than providing protected leave for a woman who has had a baby; it allows you to take care of yourself or a sick family member, too.
If you are a new business owner and need to build your human resource department, this book is for you, too. After all, you may actually be the only human resource (HR) department employee and you'll need some guidance to get organized. This book will arm you with the ammunition you need to get started. It's up to you to utilize the resources shared to take it all a step further.
You will find everything you need in The Everything® Human Resource Management Book. In addition to great information, you'll also find fun HR acronyms you can memorize and use to impress all of your friends (and other HR people), sign up for free electronic newsletters, and view samples of forms and templates that no human resource office should be without.

http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/

Job Specification Sample: Human Resources Director

This sample job specification for a human resources director provides an example of a job specification. This sample job specification for a human resources director describes the requirements for the appropriate person for your role. The job specification includes education, experience, characteristics, skills, knowledge, and an overview of the job requirements.
The following requirements (job specifications) were determined by job analysis and derived from the job description as crucial for success in the human resources director role. The successful candidate for the human resources director position will possess these qualifications.
Experience - Human Resources Director:

7-10 years of progressively more responsible positions in human resources, preferably in a similar industry in two different firms.
Experience supervising and managing a professional staff.

Education - Human Resources Director:

Bachelors Degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field required.
Masters in Business or Human Resources Management or a related field preferred.
J.D. a plus.
SPHR designation will receive consideration, but is not required.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Characteristics - Human Resources Director:
These are the most important qualifications of the individual selected as the human resources director.

Strong effective communicator in writing, business presentations and in interpersonal communication.
Highly developed, demonstrated teamwork skills.
Demonstrates a high degree of confidentiality and unusual common sense.
Able to direct the efforts of a team of diverse human resources professionals.
Demonstrated ability to increase productivity and continuously improve methods, approaches, and departmental contribution while being cost-sensitive. Commitment to continuous learning.
Expert in employment law and employee relations and communication.
Demonstrated ability to see the big picture and provide useful and strategic advice and input across the company and on the senior executive team.
Ability to lead in an environment of constant change.
Experience working in a flexible, employee empowering work environment. Structured or large company experience will not work here.
Familiarity and skill with the tools of the trade in human resources including HRIS, Microsoft Office suite of products, file management, and benefits administration.
Experience in organization development and change management.
Experience in multiple locations and globally is a plus.

High Level Overview of Job Requirements - Human Resources Director:
The selected human resources director must be able to perform effectively in each of these areas:

Guides and manages the overall provision of Human Resources services, policies, and programs for the entire company.
Overall talent management strategy including workforce planning; recruiting; hiring; training and development; performance planning, management, and improvement; and succession planning.
Organization development, change management initiatives, and company-wide environment for employees.
Oversee employment law compliance and compliance to regulatory concerns.
Demonstrated proficiency in policy development, documentation, and implementation.
Oversees employee safety, welfare, wellness and health.
Responsible for community outreach and communication, and charitable giving.
Managing external employment agencies, recruiters, and temporary staffing agencies.
Analysis of the effectiveness of all human resources efforts.

http://humanresources.about.com/od/jobdescriptions/qt/specification_hr_director.htm

Do I Need Certifications to Work in Human Resources?

No, you don't need any kind of certification to work in the field of Human Resources. Increasingly, however, Human Resources professionals are seeking certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). There are additional certifications available through professional associations in such areas as Compensation and Benefits management.
Keep in mind, going forward, that you will be competing in the job market with people who have earned these certifications that will be valued in the job market depending upon the company’s requirements and depending upon the job.
In my experience, many companies recognize these certifications as measuring transactional and administrative-type functions. Companies looking for more strategic, financial, and organization development skills in their HR staff don't advertise these credentials as essential for applicants. In fact, many post these certifications as optional or decide not to require them at all.

http://humanresources.about.com/od/schoolcredentials1/f/hr_certificate.htm

Fundamental Information About the Human Resource Management Function

Need basic information about Human Resource management as a function or department within a company? What is Human Resource management and what do people who work in Human Resource management do? Learn how Human Resources is organized and the contribution Human Resource staff make in their company. Here is all the basic information you need to know about Human Resource management.

What is Human Resources?

The number one glossary suggestion and question that people request is: "What is the definition of human resources?" Here's my most frequent response to the question about the definition of human resources.

What Is a Human Resource?

Image Copyright Nicholas Mono

The short answer is that a human resource is a person. Here's a bit more information about human resources.

What Is Human Resource Management (HRM)?

Human Resource management works with the organization's people and processes.

Image Copyright Shelly Perry

Human Resource Management is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment, management, and the direction of the people in the organization. Human Resources management is also performed by line managers.

What Is the Human Resource Department?

Image Copyright Catherine Yeulet

Departments are the entity organizations form to organize people, reporting relationships, and work in a way that best supports the accomplishment of the organization's goals. Departments are usually organized by functions such as human resources, marketing, administration, and sales. But, a department can be organized in any way that makes sense for the customer.

What Does a Human Resource Manager, Generalist, or Director Do?

Human resources are the people that staff and operate an organization. Learn about the people who work in Human Resources. Specifically, learn about the job description of the HR Director or Manager, the HR Generalist and the HR Assistant.

Sample Human Resource Management Job Descriptions

See Human Resource management job descriptions.

Image Copyright Curt Pickens

Sample Human Resource management job descriptions give you a basic template for developing job descriptions in your organization. Sample job descriptions also give you an idea about what other organizations expect from employees doing the featured job. See these sample Human Resource management job descriptions.

What Is Human Resource Development (HRD)?

Human Resource development is much more than classroom training like mentoring and coaching.

Getty Images / Manchan

Human Resource Development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development.

Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

HR coworkers work with their Human Resource Information System (HRIS).

The Human Resources Information System (HRIS is a software or online solution for the data entry, data tracking, and data information needs of the Human Resources function within a business. The Human Resources Information System (HRIS) helps HR staff manage the employee information needed to manage employees (Human Resources) and operate a business.

http://humanresources.about.com/od/hrbasicsfaq/tp/human_resource_function.htm

Why Human Resources Leaders Need Degrees

Human Resources leaders need degrees. If you are considering a career in Human Resources, or trying to advance your current career, a Bachelors degree, and even a Masters degree, will assist you to achieve your goals and dreams. Degrees have become more important in most fields, but nowhere has the shift occurred quite as dramatically as in HR. As organizational expectations of the potential contributions of an HR pro have increased, the need for the HR leader to possess both experience and a degree has increased, too. In fact, a degree is becoming essential.
I can’t say that I would never consider a candidate for a role in HR leadership who didn’t have a degree – never say never – but, why would an organization select a candidate who has experience and no degree, over a candidate with experience and a degree? (I am making the assumption that the organization likes both candidates and their cultural fit and experience are equal.)
In my experience in hiring, I have found college degrees, that have emphasized well-rounded understanding of the fundamentals, quite predictive of future success. We can all name an exception. My father’s best friend quit school after seventh grade, founded nursing homes, and is the richest person I know. But, he is an exception.

Hiring Human Resources Leaders, Who Have Earned a Degree, Sends a Powerful Message

A degreed HR leader will generally prove more effective and more sought after than a person without a degree. Here’s why.

The staff members the HR leader will supervise increasingly have degrees. An MBA and a Business degree with a concentration in HR or organization development are becoming more common. So are candidates with degrees in psychology, sociology, and other areas of liberal arts. Degreed staff will look up to an HR leader with degrees.
The staff members whom the HR leader advises will increasingly have degrees. As the HR leader progresses up the organization chart, his or her peers will increasingly have degrees and MBAs. Especially as a company grows and hires more professional staff, degrees become the norm. The HR leader needs to possess the same ticket to be a sought after confidant and advisor. The degree is step one in joining the club.
Especially for salaried positions, degrees plus experience rank highly among the traits, skills, and characteristics identified as needed and desired from people selected to fill most of the leadership positions in organizations.
A college degree and the coursework associated with earning that degree have long been touted as producers of well-rounded knowledgeable candidates who can think and solve problems, and who have proven they can stick with a goal and complete it. Just one college website advertises its graduates:

Among Skidmore College graduates, you'll find young men and women prepared to both think critically, and to apply skills practically and professionally in a variety of settings ... Skidmore's distinctive integration of the traditional liberal arts with preparation for professions, careers, and community leadership equips our students exceptionally well for excellence in today's increasingly complex world.

The HR leader is usually the education and development leader for the organization. The individual who leads in this role should be able to demonstrate the value of education in their own life.
The HR leader generally serves as the initiator of processes that identify and encourage high potential staff. This role includes encouraging employees to attend school to further develop their skills and capacities. Additionally, the HR leader assesses the need for and often delivers training and development sessions to others in the organization. The degree brings credibility to his or her ability to do these activities.
Recognize that this is an opinion, and I am unaware of data that support this opinion, but I generally find that HR people without degrees lack knowledge and experience in organization development, strategic business management, and management development. They lack some of the educational and developmental leadership background and skills of their more educated counterparts. At the same time, they often have deeper knowledge in transactional areas as they generally worked their way up over the years from an early payroll or administration job. Indeed, they usually have in-depth knowledge of employment law and policy and procedure making, too.

In summary, a degree is becoming essential for an HR professional who plans a leadership role in an organization. In fact, I believe that a Masters degree, a JD degree, or even a PhD. will eventually be the degrees of choice for HR leaders. Certification through the Society for Human Resources Management is becoming more common as well

http://humanresources.about.com/od/humanresourcesstrategic/qt/hr_degree_b6.htm

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Sample Job Description for Office Administrator

An office administrator provides clerical and administrative support in an office environment. Often providing support to management, Prospects report the role overlaps at times with that of a PA (personal assistant.) Office administrators are also referred to as administration assistants and may work individually or as part of a wider team. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) note that employment prospects are most positive for those with knowledge of computer software applications.

Education
- The BLS report that employers will accept those with a high school diploma and who possess basic office skills. The BLS notes that once hired, office administrators typically acquire more skills on the job. However, those seeking a career as an office administrator should be computer literate with strong communication skills. Many temporary placement agencies provide formal training in computer and office skills.
Responsibilities
- The responsibilities of an office administrator vary depending on experience, industry and size of the organization. Typical day-to-day tasks include responding to telephone calls and emails, copy typing, keeping diaries and maintaining filing systems. Prospects report that many office administrators are also required to book meeting and conference facilities and may also train, supervise and delegate tasks to junior office workers.
Skills
- The BLS report desirable skills for office administrators include those with good spelling, punctuation, grammar and oral communication. The ability to work independently and proficient typing skills are also important to the role. Multitasking is often required and is an integral part of the job when offering administrative support to a number of managers or departments.
Considerations
- Until 2018, employment has been predicted to grow by around 11 percent, according to the BLS . Although there has been an increase in technology, the BLS notes that administrative support relies on personal interaction, and therefore, can not be easily automated. Those with advanced computer skills should face the greatest career prospects whilst holders of a bachelor’s degree are in demand to act as assistants to managers and perform tasks that are more complex.
Salary
- Salary vary widely depending on the level of responsibility, experience, location and employer. The BLS reports the average annual salary of an administration assistant in May 2008 was $40,030. The highest earners where those employed to assist senior management of companies and those assistants earned on average $45,190. The lowest earners were those who worked in the employment sector who earned on average 33,820 in May 2008

Sample Office Manager Job Description

Office managers play an integral role in ensuring the smooth daily operations of a business by enabling others to do their jobs effectively. Job descriptions for office managers vary widely depending on the employer and the type of business. Office managers are also commonly referred to as office supervisors, administrative managers, administrative supervisors and office coordinators.

Duties
- Office managers are responsible for supervising, coordinating and assigning the daily activities of clerical and administrative support staff, ensuring that work is finished on schedule and up to standard and providing guidance. Depending on the employer, office managers may also handle accounts payable and receivable, resolve customer or client complaints, plan meetings and events, handle expense reports and take on other duties.
Education and Training
- Depending on the employer, minimum educational requirements may range from a high school diploma to an associate's or bachelor's degree. Some businesses may require additional training or experience in areas such as human resources or accounting. Many companies fill office manager positions by training clerical and administrative support workers, then promoting them to the position of office manager, so the person is well grounded in the work that goes on within the office.
Working Conditions
- Office managers generally work indoors in an environmentally-controlled office setting that may include cubicles or other types of work stations and separate offices. They deal with all levels of staff, from part-time clerical workers to executive directors and other top managers. Office managers typically work a full-time schedule (about 40 hours per week) and overtime is sometimes required to attend meetings or work on special projects.
Job Outlook
- According to a 2010 report from the Bureau of Labor statistics, employment of office managers was projected to slow through 2014. Technological advances were expected to eliminate the need for many office support workers, meaning less need for office managers to supervise them. However, those same advances were also expected to create larger and more technologically complex businesses, creating a demand for tech-savvy office managers.
Wages
- The national average annual wage for office managers was about $50,000, according to statistics published by the BLS in May 2009. Wages varied greatly by industry, however. For example, office managers at computer equipment manufacturing and natural gas transportation companies earned more than $65,000 a year, on average. By contrast, department stores and physicians' offices paid an average of less than $49,000 annually.

How to write a job description for an office manager

Few people receive training in how to write a job description, yet many people have to do it at least once in their professional lives. Having an accurate, thoughtful job description for an office manager and bookkeeper (a vital position) can mean the difference between attracting the right applicants for a job and attracting unsuitable candidates who could negatively impact the organization.

Use a "do not disturb" sign saved from your last hotel visit. do not enter image by Vonora from Fotolia.com

Prepare for the writing process. Sequester yourself in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Hang a sign on the door if necessary to guarantee you won't be interrupted. Allot at least a full hour to the task, preferably two or three. Breathe deeply, do a few stretches, and sit down with blank paper and a writing utensil.

Specifically describe any duties outside the usual purview of an office manager. brunch image by michele goglio from Fotolia.com

Make a list of all the things the prospective office manager and bookkeeper will be responsible for, including daily, weekly and sporadic duties. Neglecting to mention that the office manager at your company is traditionally responsible for setting up and cleaning up after the twice-yearly Employee Appreciation Brunch could lead to dissatisfaction and irritation on the new manager's part later.

Many workplaces want cheerful, positive employees. laughing on phone image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com

Augment your preliminary list by doing complementary lists. For example, make separate lists of the computer programs the manager and bookkeeper should know, the kind of personality traits that the position requires and company encourages (such as "sense of humor" or "highly organized"), and the type and extent of experience he should have in the field.

If possible, interview the current office manager to make sure you don't miss anything important. impiegato image by haruspex from Fotolia.com

To be reasonably sure you haven't missed anything, do a mental exercise where you walk through the office manager and bookkeeper's average day. Make sure you've written down that the office manager will need to water the plants in the morning if that is a task that will be expected of her.

Get feedback from as many people as possible. workers image by Daniel Wiedemann from Fotolia.com

Type up and revise the job description. Ask colleagues and supervisors to look at it and give feedback

Friday 4 March 2011

What is a White Paper?

In short, a white paper is a report. That’s it. Nothing fancy there. White papers are designed to do two primary things: educate and persuade. Here’s what I mean.
Let’s say your company released a new software package, and you want to increase sales to corporate clients (who will use the software company-wide). You aren’t targeting end consumers. You’re targeting executive-level professionals who are authorized to make that kind of purchasing decision.
What are white papers

They’re probably not going to buy your software on a large scale (or switch away from another software package) on a whim. Why? Because there’s a significant cost involved, both in purchasing the software and in training their employees to use it. They want to be educated. They want to know exactly why they need software like yours, and why yours is the right choice for them.
If you can’t make them better understand what you’re selling, and if you can’t show them the benefits in choosing your solution to their problem, you won’t make many sales. White papers help you to get around that because they can be longer and more detailed than other types of marketing copy (like a brochure).
There are two basic types of white papers: technical white papers and marketing white papers. In the end, they’re designed to do the same thing — sell your product (or service, or company). Technical white papers have to persuade a more technical audience. They’ll be filled with things like specs, whereas marketing white papers can be used to promote just about anything. For the scope of this article, let’s stick to marketing white papers.

What’s in a White Paper?

The Problem (or Opportunity)
Proof the Problem Exists
Additional Problems
The Basic Solution
Your Solution (the Marketing Message)

White papers can include more than those five elements, but they’re the most important, and the ones that should be included in any white paper you write. You might also choose to include a title page, abstract, illustrations (like charts and graphs), sidebars, a separate benefits section (instead of including benefits in your general solution), guidelines on how to choose a provider for the solution (before pitching yourself), and more. Since this is probably your first white paper though, let’s focus on keeping it as basic as possible.

Formatting a White Paper

Now that you know the basic elements to include in a white paper, how should it look? While I’m not sure if you’ll consider it fortunate or unfortunate, there’s no right way to format a white paper! Some white paper writers like to use a single format for all of their clients. Others adapt from one to the next. I often let the supplementary material decide.
For example if there will be a lot of charts and graphs I’ll go with a full page format to allow more room for the graphics. If it will have few graphics and I’d rather use pull quotes for visual interest, I might go with a two-column format where quotes and small charts might go in a sidebar area, keeping the main body text free-flowing.
white paper format

You also have to decide whether or not you want to include a title page and abstract (a short summary of the white paper content). Here’s the rule I go by: If I include a title page, I include an abstract. If I go right into the content on the first page, then I leave the abstract out. Why? Because if I’m going to put an extra page between my reader and my main problem paragraph, then I want to give them the gist up front — a reason to open it. Sometimes a title and sub-title will be enough, but not in every case.
A title page isn’t necessary, although many companies include them. What I suggest is that you choose whichever format you’re most comfortable with, but try to keep things consistent with white papers released through your company moving forward. Just make sure that if you don’t include a title page, your company name, logo, and contact information is clearly visible on the first page.
Speaking of titles, here’s a rule I follow and suggest: forget about catchy and cutesy. The white paper title not only has to get attention, but it should more importantly tell the reader what’s coming. Because of that, I believe it should always include a mention of the basic problem and the target market. You need to scream “Hey, this white paper is for you!” Save the fluff for consumer marketing if you must; not B to B.
How long should your white paper be? Again, there is no right answer. It might be five pages. It might be 50 pages. I’ve found that most of my clients prefer white papers in the 5-10 page range. However, the more technical the material, the more information might have to be included. So there’s nothing wrong with a longer white paper. Just keep your target market in mind. Ask yourself, “will they read this?” If you’re targeting busy executives, keep it short and get to the point. If you’re targeting technical professionals who want every little spec and detail, then give them what they want.

http://www.dirjournal.com/

Thursday 3 March 2011

Social Media Management for Small Businesses

Sendible is a platform for engaging with customers, measuring results and monitoring your brand across multiple social media channels at once.

Engage

Update multiple social networks and blogs at once.

Analyze

Track the success of social media and email campaigns.

Measure

Prove the effectiveness of every piece of content you distribute.

Monitor

Monitor what's being said about your brand online.

Manage multiple Facebook accounts from one place

Use Sendible to post updates to your Facebook Pages, Profiles, Groups and Photo Albums. Easily track results with Sendible's powerful analytics.

Schedule messages ahead of time

Schedule your email and social media campaigns ahead of time so that you can reach your customers when they're most likely to read and respond to your messages.

Use Sendible's interactive drag-and-drop calendar to easily plan your message schedule.
You can even configure Sendible to send your messages on a recurring b

Send professional-looking marketing emails & newsletters

Sendible is the easiest way to send and track email campaigns. Simply add a template or choose one of ours, compose your message and let Sendible take care of the rest.

Send out marketing emails and newsletters. Use one of our email templates or create your own.
Track opens, unsubscribes, forwards and more. Build and manage your mailing list.

Send 160-character SMS texts to any network in the world

Use Sendible to send customers promotional codes and announcements about deals and sales or use our API to integrate SMS into your own applications.

Sending an SMS text in Sendible is as simple as typing your message and deciding where to send it.
Add our sign-up widget to your website to gather new mobile numbers and potential customers.

Manage multiple users and clients

Manage accounts for multiple clients and contributors or create logins and allow them to manage things themselves. Create user hierarchies and manage permissions.

Sendible is great for agencies needing to manage multiple client accounts and perfect for businesses with small teams. Your users have the option to log in and manage things themselves or you can manage everything for them.

Download the Sendible iPhone app for free

Use Sendible on the go with our awesome new iPhone app. Available in the app store!

Update all your social networks at once
Publish content to any of the social networks you use and update your blogs - all from one app.

Access your Sendible address book on the go
Access any of the contacts you've imported into your Sendible account and reach them via Email, SMS and more.

Save for later
Ability to save unfinished posts to be completed when you get back to your desktop.

Share photos
Post photos to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Wordpress and more.

Message scheduling
Schedule posts to go out at a time you choose or on recurring schedules.

Campaign reports and analytics
Access your Sendible message reports and view statistics such as clicks, referrers, shares, comments and more.

All your customers in one place

Access all your social, email and mobile contacts in a single, unified address book.

Import your contacts from all the services you use including Gmail, Facebook and LinkedIn. Sendible creates profiles for each contact you import, allowing you to reach them on whichever platform you choose.

Easily distribute and share content from RSS feeds

Sendible allows you to add your RSS feeds and share posts with all your social networks. Links you share are automatically shortened and tracked using bit.ly.

Manually share entries from your RSS feeds or configure Sendible to post entries automatically at regular intervals.

Manage multiple Twitter accounts

Use Sendible to manage and track all your Twitter profiles in one place.

Read and respond to your Twitter stream in real-time or schedule tweets to go out later.

http://sendible.com/

Top 40 Free Downloadable Open Source Social Networking Software

SocialEngine

SocialEngine is social networking software powered by PHP and Zend. The script lets you easily create your own social network or online community. Includes customizable groups, photo albums, messaging, member profiles, videos, news feeds, a drag-and-drop CMS, and more.

iSocial is a free social networking script platform that allows you to create your own Friendster and Orkut like sites. Use bookmarks, dating and create groups with just one mouse click.
Mahara is fully featured electronic portfolio, weblog, resume builder, and social networking system for connecting users and creating online communities.

This is a Social Network module for xoops CMS. You have seen Facebook, Orkut, Myspace , try Yogurt for Xoops!

The PeopleAggregator

The PeopleAggregator is a next-generation social networking system that goes beyond the idea of social networks as mating games, and attempts to use open standards, network inter-connectivity and massive flexibility.

Appleseed

Appleseed is (augmented) social networking software, ie Friendster, only distributed. Sites running Appleseed will interoperate, and form the 'Appleseed Social Network.' Development is focused on privacy and security, as well as ease of configuration.
The Mugshot site lets you track what your friends are doing online across a variety of popular web crm, photos, blog posts, and more.
Web 2.0 bookmarking system, both social (with tags) and private (with folders). Import and export your bookmarks from Firefox, IE, Mozilla, Netscape. Admin management section, translations, groups, bookmarklets, Firefox extension, RSS feeds, and more!

spree

spree is an expert search engine where users ask questions to find other participating users, who are knowledgeable in that area and willing to help.
Akarru is a social bookmarking engine, is used to build social bookmarkings sites, like www.blogmemes.com. Users posts links and promote links to front page using voting system.

Scuttle

Web-based social bookmarking system. Allows multiple users to store, share and tag their favourite links online.

SemanticScuttle

SemanticScuttle is a social bookmarking tool (based on Scuttle) experimenting new features as hierarchical tags, collaborative descriptions or OpenID authentification.

AROUNDMe

Create collaborative social websites (like Ning, Myspace, Yahoo or Google groups). Each group can create a multiple web pages. They get a drop in guestbook, blog, forum and wiki. Each group is fully customizable using xHTML, CSS, Javascript and PHP.

Clonesumating

Clonesumating is the open source version of the code that runs CONSUMATING.COM. It features many state of the art social networking functions including user profiles, user tagging, matching and discovery based on quirky tag combinations, group activities such as weekly photo contests and blog questions, an event calendar, RSS feeds for everything, etc. It is written primarily in mod_perl.

BeWelcome Rox

Get to know the global village and other cultures, share your place. BW Rox is the platform driving www.bewelcome.org and other social networks, aiming to bring people together in real life. Organize your travel or stay abroad, travelblog, meetings, ...
ICEcore open team collaboration software uses social networking to unify team workspaces w/ real-time web conferencing. Collaboration for knowledge networking, program management, communities-of-practice, telework, ...

Memephage

Memephage is an automated web log (blog). It passively gathers and summarizes links from various places. Currently: IRC, social MUDs, e-mail, and web browsers. Uses the POE multitasking and networking framework for Perl.

InteractOLE

A platform for the delivery and support of online learning. It differs from many other elearning platforms in that its aim is to concentrate on the social/interactive aspects of teaching and learning rather than the delivery of content to students.

Elgg

Elgg is an open source social networking platform developed for LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) which encompasses weblogging, file storage, RSS aggregation, personal profiles, FOAF functionality and more.

CommunityNews

CommunityNews uses social bookmarking and bayesian techinques to provide periodic postings to blogs. Users can vote for or against RSS sources ti increase the chances that the source is used again. Spam filtering (bayesian) is provided by spam bayes.

OpenPNE

OpenPNE is a Social Networking Service Engine written in PHP. It has many features(friend control,friend invitation,diary,blog feeds,message box,etc).

MonkeyChow

Feed Aggregator Reader (branched from FeedOnFeeds) with Social Bookmarks (del.icio.us, Blogger, Newsvine, Technorati, mailto), Article Starring, Feed Tagging, OPML, Article Search, Reblogging and Refeeding, Aging, and Edit feed attributes.

NewsCloud

NewsCloud is an open source media platform for citizen journalism and the social news network hosted at NewsCloud.com.
Feed Me Links stores your bookmarks online so you can get to them anywhere. Import your favorites and share your links with friends. Add tags to organize your links. Discover new things.
WorldSpace is a user-extensible shared virtual environment, aimed at being a next-generation social networking system.

A networking site on the lines of Orkut.Right now we plan to build it on Jboss seam and use a Java content management system like apache Jackrabbit as the backend. It would be more of a POC than an actual commercial app.

Zoints

Zoints is intimately aware that online communities are the most important aspect of the internet. Our free software solutions are designed to help solve the three major problems forum owners face: Member acquisition, Member retention and Profitability.

S3B - Social Semantic Search and Browsing - is a middleware that delivers a set of search and browsing components that can be used in J2EE web applications to deliver user-oriented features based on semantic descriptions and social networking.

http://www.vivalogo.com/vl-resources/open-source-social-networking-software.htm

Wednesday 2 March 2011