Q. I’ve been begging my bosses to pay my team quarterly or at least semi-annual bonuses. Their annual pay increase was stingy and I want to at least bring them up throughout the year. They’re worth it, they work hard and I don’t want to lose them. I’ve been told no. Are there other ways I can reward them?
A. Kudos to you for going to bat for them. Continue going to bat for them — talk to your boss and your boss’s boss often. Point out the time and energy, not to mention cost, to replace these employees if they resign along with the ramp-up time to assimilate new workers to your organization. I’d bet it’s a lot higher than a quarterly or performance-based bonus.
As for what you can do, this doesn’t cost a dime, you won’t need approvals and it can go a long way. Appreciate your workers by saying thank you, recognizing them, seeing them, hearing them and listening to them. Talk to your direct reports — tell them you’ve been trying and will continue to try to advocate for them in their salary. While recognition doesn’t equate to more money in the bank, it can translate into feeling valued as well as empathy from you, their boss.
Q. I’m looking for a new job. I keep getting rejected after the final interview. Can I go back to them and ask for feedback? I must be doing something wrong. Help!
A. First, congrats on multiple interviews with more than one employer. This is a win! Yes, you can go back to them and ask for feedback. Be prepared though; some may not give it. When I worked in recruiting, I never did. To give feedback to one candidate opens a can of worms — you should technically give feedback to all candidates and the same type of feedback, same in-depth or surface level. So, just keep your expectations low.
Next, it’s good that you’re doing some introspection without taking the rejections personally. You never know what could have happened during the hiring process — they went with an internal employee, the job was put on hold and more. This really isn’t in your control, so let’s focus on what is in your control: that last round.
See if your alma mater’s career office on campus does mock interviews or call a former boss or colleague. Upon recalling the last interview of each employer, did they have something in common such as a test? Or a lunch interview with the team? Maybe there’s a common thread that you can zero in on improving that wasn’t part of the first couple of interviews.
Usually by the third round you’ve gotten to know the employer a little and vice versa, so I’d focus on closing the deal with answering why they should hire you. It’s not only what you say, but how you say it — show enthusiasm for why you want to work there. Reference examples of how you’d be an asset both on and off the field (meaning the work itself, but also your clubhouse presence with morale and rapport with the team).
If you’ve already done research, do even more research with specific questions — it’s another way to demonstrate your high-interest level aside from saying it. Keep going! Continue sharpening your interview skills. You got this!
Tribune News Service