Career Update for November

►Job Search Support Group
A weekly gathering of Pathways/OI Partners, Inc. clients focused on the development and implementation of effective job search strategies through peer group support. (Does not require a RSVP)


Weekly Topics:
Week 1: Developing a Positive Attitude & Keeping It
Week 2: Re-visiting the Fundamentals on Ads & Networking
Week 3: Analyzing Current Effectiveness in Your Job Search
Week 4: Re-building your Self Marketing Plan


Facilitator:Ron Ennis, Ph.D, CMF
Every Tuesday, 9:00 -11:00 AM


► Career Transition Workshop
The CTW is a core feature of your career transition services. It is recommended, though not required, that you attend all of the workshops, and attend them in the order listed. You are welcome to repeat workshops as often as you would like.

CTW: Tuesday, November 3rd & Thursday, November 5th, 8:30-4:30 PM
Facilitators: Matt Morscheck, MS, NCC & Jean Walker Ed.D, CMF

Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Career Transition Workshop. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net


► Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Lab
Back on popular demand, we are repeating this lab for those who missed it last month! Join us in explore the risks and benefits of staring your own business and get the starting blocks you will need to start developing your business plan. Consulted in the past or owned your own business? Join us too!

Facilitator: Ron Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Thursday, November 12th, 10:00-12:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Entrepreneurship Lab. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net



►Technology & Transition: Facebook, Twitter, and Beyond!
Feel like your floating in cyber space? Have a Facebook account, but not sure how to use it in your job search or if you should? What is Twitter anyway? In this workshop, you will further explore Facebook and Twitter, the social media websites that are increasingly popular with job searchers, recruiters, and companies. Have a laptop? Don’t forget to bring it with you!

Facilitator: Matt Morscheck, MS, NCC
Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-3:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Technology & Transition Workshop. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net


►Resume Lab: Accomplishment Statements
Having a hard time getting over your fear of writing Accomplishment Statements? Fear no more! Join Jean and fellow clients in this working lab and get started tackling your accomplishment statements. Roll up your sleeves it is going to be a fantastic fight!

Facilitator: Jean Walker, Ed.D., CMF
Thursday, November 19, 10:00-12:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Resume Lab. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net

Weekly Email from Pathways

Hello All!

I have a story to tell. Reflecting on Pathways Mission Statement tonight from a meeting this afternoon and thinking how wonderful it is to be a part of something special, to be able to meet and work with so many fascinating, hardworking, and inspiring people like YOU…Our Mission Statement: “We believe that our greatest renewable resource is people. The needs of our clients and customers will always come first. Since our first day of business, we have made no exceptions and we never will. This is our ideal, and our practice.” Then I thought…OH NO, I FORGOT TO SEND OUT MY Weekly EMAIL!!!

How could I have forgotten you! Well, better late than never! Shhhhh, don’t tell.

Hope all of you had a wonderful Halloween Weekend, full of haunted places, scary faces, and the like. OH, and how about Day Light Savings? (How I love getting an extra hour of sleep!)

OK, it’s November and this month’s Career Update is out! Now, I know that all of you just can’t wait to print it out and post it on your fridge, so I’ve attached it just for that reason!

Look forward to seeing all of you this month!

“Life is full of challenge and frustration. But sooner or later you’ll find the hairstyle you like.” –Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges

Weekly Email from Pathways

Dear Clients,

BRRRRRRRRR, it’s cold out! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather!

Hey, did you know that clients just like you are getting jobs? Many of you may not know, but despite the economy and the negative news reports, our clients ARE getting jobs! This is always inspiring and uplifting news, so we would like to share some of those stories with you in a “Success Story of the Month” starting this month. (Next time you are in the office, make sure to check out our Job Board!)

Success Story of the Month-October:

Rob Kennedy is the new Marketing Manager for Audigy Group-

“The one ‘thing’ that I believe most help me during this transition was interview preparation. Early in the Pathways process Ron had given me a list of around 40 questions regarding my accomplishments. The assignment was to answer each question with two separate stories utilizing the C.A.R. (Challenge, Action, Result) method. These stories not only assisted me in writing my resume but also became my primary interview preparation study guide. During my unemployment a lot of my important accomplishment details were forgotten. Studying my stories prior to an interview refreshed all of those details so I could confidently answer those “experience” questions effectively, again using the C.A.R. method. It really took a lot of the stress out of the interviewing process. Thanks to the entire Pathways team for helping me manage this longer than expected "transition"!

Congratulations Rob, and best of luck!
___________________________________________________

Here’s what is happening this week at Pathways:

Job Search Support Group
Tuesday Oct. 27th, 9am-11am
Facilitator: Ron Ennis, Ph.D, CMF

Interviewing Series
Wednesday Oct. 28th, 1pm-3pm
Facilitator: Jean Walker, Ed.D, CMF
Please RSVP for this Lab!


Hope to see all of you this week!


The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."- Oliver Wendall Holmes

10 Top Reasons Why Newly Promoted Employees Fail

Many Are Not Prepared For Higher-Level Jobs

Portland, OR - October 19, 2009 - Newly promoted employees could be in danger of losing their higher-level positions and even their jobs, particularly if they were promoted to replace others who were laid off during cutbacks, according to OI Partners-Pathways (Portland), a global career transition and coaching firm.

About half of newly promoted employees could lose their recently acquired promotions due to their inability to properly manage and motivate others and achieve critical goals and objectives. Many newly promoted workers have not received adequate preparation to succeed in their new roles.

Their failures could end up hurting their employers' bottom lines and costing companies lost business in an already tough economy due to declines in morale, productivity, and customer relations, according to Jean Erickson Walker, Managing Partner of OI Partners-Pathways (Portland). http://www.oipartners.net/

"Many companies have promoted employees after making layoffs without giving them the coaching and training they need. Some newly promoted employees have been unable to make the transition from being individual performers to managers. Others have been promoted to the next level without getting an opportunity to improve their management, motivational, team-building, and communications skills," said Walker.

"In a good economy, about 4 out of 10 employees who are promoted usually don't work out. But workers who were advanced to replace higher-salaried, laid-off colleagues are at a greater risk for failing in their new positions without receiving adequate preparation," said Walker.

"Many employers are trying to conduct business as usual using their second-team players without providing them with sufficient coaching and training to perform their jobs well. The consequences could result in lower morale, decreased productivity, and bad customer relations," Walker added.

THE TOP 10 REASONS why newly promoted employees fail in their jobs - and can wind up hurting their companies' bottom lines, are:

#1: Do not know how to progress from being individual performers to managing others. They have not acquired the leadership skills they needed to succeed.

#2: Unsure of exactly what their bosses expect them to accomplish. They are unclear about the two or three most important goals they need to attain.

#3: Do not achieve desired results within an acceptable time frame. They don't fulfill objectives within a deadline that can be as short as just three to six months, or don't even realize what the deadline is.

#4: Lack adequate skills to manage others. They may be first-time managers, or have never had their leadership capabilities assessed.

#5: Unable to motivate others and keep them fully engaged in their jobs. They don't reach out to people and find out what will keep them interested in doing their jobs.

#6: Poor ability to relate interpersonally with others. They may have such toxic management behaviors as being too critical, abrasive, unpredictable, self-centered, arrogant, close-minded, or volatile.

#7: Bad verbal and written communications skills. Being able to communicate well both verbally and in written communications is an important foundation of good management.

#8: Not able to build good relationships with direct reports, colleagues, and other departments. They don't enlist the support of subordinates and peers to build commitment to their strategies.

#9: Failure to recognize contributions. Managers need to acknowledge the achievements of others and share their successes.

#10: Do not determine and use the communications methods preferred by their bosses. They don't find out whether their bosses prefer e-mails, weekly reports, lots of facts and figures, or just informal face-to-face meetings.

OI Partners Newsletter: Executive Coaching

Considerations for Executive Coaching

October 2009

In this issue:
• Reasons for Executive Coaching
• Case Study: Executive Coaching to Enhance Emotional Intelligence
• Coaching between Generations
• Executive Leadership Development: The Three Key Elements of Successful Business Coaching
• Executive Coaching for Inspirational Leadership: Four Uncommon Leadership Qualities


OI Partners is beginning to see signs of economic recovery, and many organizations are developing revised strategies and plans for the post-recession economy. As organizations reassess talent within the organization, a growing number are building coaching programs into those plans and strategies. Even despite a poor economy, we have seen that coaching has continued to play a role in some organizations seeking to maintain and improve organizational performance while under economic pressure. Talent management organizations such as OI Partners can be a valuable resource. Our highly experienced executive coaches as well as our eDevelopment Center coaching assignment tracking and management technology can effectively build capabilities within your organization to meet new business challenges.

This issue focuses on the return that the investment in executive coaching programs can have on an organization. We hope it proves valuable for your organization.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF


OI Partners Newsletter: Executive Coaching Summary

Reasons for Executive Coaching
Major companies now include executive coaching as part of their executive development. It is being used widely as a way to support top producers as well as help executives undergoing change in their career. Here are additional benefits for employing executive coaching in your organization.

Case Study: Executive Coaching to Enhance Emotional Intelligence
The Emotional Intelligence (EI) of senior management affects the bottom line and ultimate success of a company. Here is a look into how a project manager transformed his effectiveness in a company upon receiving coaching for enhancing emotional intelligence.

Coaching between Generations
Today's leaders must effectively work with the four generations of workers that exist in today's workplace. Coaching to bring about stronger relationships and reduce the friction that naturally occurs between people of different ages is, often, critical. Insight into the characteristics of each generation is a must.

Executive Leadership Development: The Three Key Elements of Successful Business Coaching
Effective executive business coaching is optimized when viewed within the context of achieving measurable business results. There are three key elements that are essential in having an effective executive coaching framework in a business.

Executive Coaching for Inspirational Leadership: Four Uncommon Leadership Qualities
Are you working in an organization where leaders model the characteristics of inspiring leadership? Inspirational leaders share the following four unexpected qualities. Coaching can help you become an inspiring leader who displays the qualities of good leadership.


OI Partners Survey Featured on CBS Evening News

A recent OI Partners survey that 40% of employers plan to re-hire laid-off workers was featured on CBS Evening News on Oct. 2. The story, by Anthony Mason, is about the continual rise in unemployment despite a recovering economy. Watch the video here.

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@PathwaysPDX

Financial Services & Manufacturing Companies Are Most Likely To Rehire Workers

Portland, OR - Sept. 22, 2009 - As the economy slowly improves, 40% of employers are planning to rehire some former workers they laid off as either full-time employees or as consultants and freelancers to add needed skills, according to a survey by OI Partners-Pathways (Portland), a global career transition and coaching firm.

37% of employers do not plan on rehiring any laid-off workers, and 23% are not sure of their plans, according to the survey of 318 organizations.

52% of employers have at least occasionally rehired laid-off workers as either full-time employees, consultants, or for project work. 16% of companies have frequently rehired some laid-off employees, and 36% have occasionally done so, while 29% rarely do, and 19% never do.

The top reason companies are rehiring, or planning to rehire, laid-off employees is that their skills are known to the employers. Other main reasons for rehiring former employees are: they fit into the company's culture and environment; there is a shortage of experts in specialty areas such as information technology, marketing, and finance; and it is less risky than hiring new employees.

As business picks up, employers may first hire employees for temporary and project work before hiring full-time employees, and they are more willing to bring back laid-off workers as contractors or staff. "This attitude represents a major shift in employers’ rehiring philosophy. In the past, companies would not rehire laid-off employees, but now they are more willing, and more employees may consider returning," said Jean Erickson Walker, Managing Partner of OI Partners-Pathways (Portland). http://www.oipartners.net/

"Rehiring laid-off employees is a way to keep hiring costs down, since there will not be any fees to be paid. Employers already know the workers' talents and skills, they can get back to performing their old jobs quickly, and have already demonstrated they fit well into the organization," Walker added.

Financial services companies are most likely to rehire some laid-off employees, while manufacturing companies are the second most likely. Government agencies and nonprofit institutions are least likely to rehire laid-off workers, followed by health care employers.

49% of financial services companies in the survey plan to rehire at least some workers who were laid off for reasons unrelated to their performance. 47% of manufacturing companies and 42% of services companies plan to rehire some laid-off workers. Only 21% of government agencies and nonprofits, and 24% of health care employers, are planning to rehire some laid-off workers.

"Financial services and manufacturing were among the industries affected most by the recession, and made the deepest workforce cutbacks. That is why they may be more ready than other sectors to re-hire some employees they had to let go," added Walker.

Employers have come to realize the advantages of rehiring employees they are familiar with over making potential bad hires. "The cost of a bad hire can reach as high as three times an employee's salary when including severance, unemployment compensation, recruiting expenses, lost business income and productivity, and potential wrongful termination lawsuits," said Walker.

"It pays for people who were laid off from their employers while in good standing to keep in touch with them, especially if the company's financial results improve and it begins hiring again," said Walker.

According to the results of the survey:

Plans to rehire laid off employees:
Yes: 40% plan to rehire some laid-off workers as full-time employees, consultants, or freelancers
No: 37% do not plan to hire back any laid-off workers Not Sure: 23% are not sure of their plans

How often companies have rehired laid-off employees:
Frequently: 16% of employers frequently rehire some laid-off workers
Occasionally: 36% of companies occasionally hire back former employees
Rarely: 29% rarely rehire laid-off employees
Never: Only 19% said they never rehire laid-off workers

Of those employers that re-hire laid-off workers, their reasons for doing so are:
72% hire back some laid-off workers because of familiarity with their skills 52% rehire former employees because they fit into the company's culture and environment 33% rehire laid-off employees because there is a shortage of good specialty experts 31% hire back ex-employees because it is less risky than hiring new workers Only 14% said they rehire laid-off workers due to a shortage of good management employees

Plans by industry for rehiring laid-off employees:
Financial Services: Yes (49%), No (28%), Not Sure (23%)

Manufacturing: Yes (47%), No (22%), Not Sure (31%)

Services Businesses: Yes (42%), No (38%), Not Sure (20%)

Health Care: Yes (24%), No (41%), Not Sure (35%)

Government/Nonprofit: Yes (21%), No (55%), Not Sure (24%)

OI Partners Newsletter: Performance Managment & Measurement

Performance Management and Measurement

September 2009

In this issue:

• Onboarding for Performance Success
• Motivating Your Workforce during Times of Adversity
• How to Make Your Performance Measurement Plan Realistic
• Performance Alignment and Accountability Process
• A Forecast on the Future of Rewards and Recognition

Given the pressures of the current economy, some may believe a door is opened for companies to reduce retention efforts without any threat to losing employees, even top-producing employees. Some employers may feel that employees should just be happy they have a job.

However, in times like these, just the opposite is true. Organizations are called to recalibrate their thinking around performance management and employee engagement.

The September newsletter is focused on providing a series of thoughts and practical suggestions for creating dynamic and powerful work cultures that engage employees and drive performance results. As fall arrives, it's an excellent time to recalibrate ones' thinking around the issues of performance management.

Happy Fall!

Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: Performance Management & Measurement Summary

Onboarding for Performance Success
By investing in onboarding, leaders demonstrate a deep commitment to new employees which ultimately results in a fully-integrated and engaged talent base. Here are four types of onboarding practices.

Motivating Your Workforce during Times of Adversity
Great leaders, striving to boost morale, know that a motivated workforce translates into better corporate performance. In these trying days of uncertainty, we see leaders typically using four methods to motivate employees.

How to Make Your Performance Measurement Plan Realistic
Measurement is a process that takes time and effort to do properly. You're better off not doing it at all if you don't do it properly. Here are five tips for making your performance measurement plan realistic.

Performance Alignment and Accountability Process
Too many performance appraisal processes today are fraught with difficulties which can negatively impact an employee's performance. What is needed is a process that results in concrete performance discussions between managers and employees. These nine critical elements help achieve that kind of process.

A Forecast on the Future of Rewards and Recognition
Decreasing revenues, shrinking profits, pressure from shareholders and competition are testing the mettle of companies. In order to retain the best employees, companies must narrow the focus of their rewards programs while expanding them beyond typical merit-pay and spot bonus programs.


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