Here are questions that several real-world managers use to encourage job candidates to reveal their true personalities: “What is your dream job? Describe it.” Brian Kautz of Arnold Logistics believes that the answer to that question gives him insight into the types of tasks people like. But, he says, be wary of candidates who disingenuously

When you’re facing an overwhelming pile of résumés to review, don’t focus on picking promising candidates right away. Instead, try to eliminate the weak ones first. Consider rejecting outright any résumés without the following characteristics: Flawless presentation. Look for correct spelling, grammar and attention to detail. Paper résumés must be on professional, heavyweight stock. Customized

Continue to help employees develop their careers as a way to improve both productivity and retention. Employees who feel stagnant are unlikely to contribute to moving the organization forward. When people are growing, their loyalty increases—plus, they perform better. Here are simple strategies to keep employee growth continuous: Hold short workshops. Ask employees who excel

If you aren’t spooked enough this Halloween, the following facts about workplace conflict will make your hair stand on end. Strained relationships between employees account for 60% to 70% of unproductive time and difficult situations, according to workplace experts. You are spending anywhere from 25% to 40% of your time managing conflict, The Washington Business

If you’re preparing to hire a new employee, take some time to craft the perfect job posting. Work with your HR department to write a job description that will attract the best candidates—those who will fit in with your team and who are prepared for the position’s requirements. Here’s how two companies got it right:

Halloween is nearly here, and it’s got me thinking about the most nightmarish problems a supervisor might face.  Prepare to be spooked by the following three (completely true!) Halloween-worthy stories from real-life managers: The Werewolf. A manager at a tutoring company supervised a woman who had strong body odor and very hairy armpits, which were

This is guest post by Jaimy Ford, business writer and editor. With bad weather right around the corner here on the east coast coupled with the still high cost of gas, I am reminded about the best perk of working from home: I don’t have to drive to work. Before we moved and my husband

This is guest post by Amy Beth Miller, freelance writer and editor. A young salesman hung a movie poster in his work area. It wasn’t obscene or offensive, but it was more appropriate for a college dorm room than an office selling expensive products. The manager could have used the incident to talk with the

This is a guest post by Amy Beth Miller, business writer and editor.  As a new manager, knowing there are one or two outstanding team members you can rely on in a pinch is a great comfort. The problem comes when you go to that go-to person too often. I knew I had reached that