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How To Handle Odd Ball Questions At A Job Interview

March 28th, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Careers | HR | Leave Management | Talent Management | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on How To Handle Odd Ball Questions At A Job Interview)

Odd ball questions at interviews have become the norm over the last several years, so much so, that job candidates almost expect them at some interviews. Of course no two companies are alike and while some recruiters like to think up clever ways to trip up candidates, other companies might simply have a set of questions (that’s devoid of trickery) that randomly use to help them determine if job candidates are a fit.

How To Handle Odd Ball Questions At A Job Interview

Now just imagine as a job candidate, you have aced an interview by proving your technical and educational proficiency, and have effectively (or so, you thought) answered how you can make an individual contribution to the company as a valued member of the team if you were hired. Then, all of a sudden the recruiter ask; “so where do you see yourself in 5 years?” The recruiter is likely trying to assess how serious you are about your career and how your ambitions fit within the scope of their plans. To some job candidates, this might seem like a natural question. Now image the same question being asked of a second year, university student who is interviewing for a job at a fast food restaurant. The university student know that they are the job in question is simply to help pay for tuition and so, this question might seem downright idiotic and would likely be followed by rolling their eyes, once the recruiter turns their back.

Here is a list of odd ball questions, written by Peter Jones for the Job Network that’s designed with the express purpose of catching an unsuspecting candidate off guard. Job hunters should be careful, not to come off as being snarky with their response, if they are faced with those questions during a job interview.

  1. “Why do you want this job?”

It is possible to have a good answer to this that talks about your passion for the company and the position and the field, but it’s also a pretty stupid way to phrase it—and not particularly nuanced. Get your revenge by quickly explaining your keen interest and then deflecting by ending your answer with another question. Such as: “I’d really love to hear more about what you’re currently working on here…”

  1. “Tell me a little bit about yourself”

Keep your response here short and sweet. Don’t actually talk about your life story. Instead, have an elevator pitch ready to encapsulate your career story—where you’re coming from and why you’re a perfect fit. Focus on the professional and finish it off painlessly and quickly.

  1. “Why should we hire you over all our other applicants?”

You can’t compare yourself to the other qualified applicants. You have no idea who they are or what their resumes look like. All you can do with this question is sell yourself. I.e. “I don’t know about the others, but I can tell you why you should hire me.” And then just pivot to your talents and value.

  1. “What should we know that isn’t on your resume?”

This is a curveball, and there are a lot of stupid ways to answer it, but it can also be a gift. Here’s your opportunity to explain gaps in employment, or to emphasize skills or experiences that would be relevant to this job but maybe didn’t make the cut on your documents. Frame your answer to show how you’d be great at this job.

  1. “How honest are you?”

This one is a real doozy. Who in their right mind would say: “Not at all; I’m a total liar.”? Get out of this one by giving a short and straightforward statement about your high ethical standards and remind your interviewer about your available references.

You can read the read the rest of the questions and answers from the blog Smart Answers to 10 Stupid Interview Questions

Bottom Line:
There is an art and the science to a job interview, try not to let (and be very delicate with that approach) the interviewer get carried away and become too artistic during the job interview process.

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7 Tips To Help Your Company Understand Millennials

March 21st, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Millennials | Talent Management | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto - (Comments Off on 7 Tips To Help Your Company Understand Millennials)

Millennials sometimes get a raw deal by some people. However, what that small minority of people who keep bashing them, fail to realize is that millennials are the future – and will someday control the levels of; government, private businesses and academia to name a few.

7 Tips To Help Your Company Understand Millennials

Here a poignant list of things your company should know about this next generation of bright and ambitious individuals. This list is extrapolated from an article titled Seven Things CEOs Need to Know About Millennials by Meghan M. Biro of Talent Culture.

  1. Benefits: It’s not all about the “Benjamins.” When Millennial employees were asked what they value most from an employer, you may be surprised to learn that money wasn’t most important. In fact, cash bonuses came in third with training and development and flexible work hours taking first and second place respectively. What’s more revealing is that almost three quarters (73 percent) of millennials favor the notion of being able to customize their benefits packages to better suit their individual needs.
  2. They want to be challenged: This generation wants to know that their job offers personal learning and development opportunities above everything else. They also want to feel confident that when accepting a new position, there will be opportunities for advancement within the organization. In fact, 52 percent said it would make a prospective employer more attractive.
  3. A pat on the back goes a long way: One of the strongest traits of many millennials is the desire of frequent feedback from their superiors, especially praise for a job well done. As the survey indicated, 51 percent said feedback should be given very frequently or continually.
  4. They aren’t impressed with your diversity: Generally speaking, millennials think you can do better when it comes to promoting equal opportunity in the workplace. More than half (55 percent) of respondents agreed that even though organizations discuss diversity, not everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
  5. They think you’re stuck in your ways: Millennials are continually calling out company leaders for their “old-school,” and outdated management styles. More than 40 percent of millennials surveyed felt their use of technology was not always understood or appreciated.
  6. They’re sensitive about what older workers think of them: Millennials sometimes get a bum rap and at work, 38 percent think it might have something to do with the inability of older senior management to relate to them. Whether it’s rigid hierarchies and outdated management styles (cited by 65 percent of survey respondents,) or not understanding the way millennials use technology (46 percent,) they feel misunderstood by older colleagues.
  7. They’re loyal, but only to a point: Many millennials (38 percent) admit that they are keeping an eye out for new opportunities even when they are not actively seeking a new position. In other words, if they feel their talents are being wasted or that their needs are not being met, they won’t hesitate to move on to other opportunities.

Millenials are not as bad as they are made out to be. Let’s remember that it was not too long ago that today’s, 50 year plus cohorts, who blame today’s millennials for everything that’s wrong with the workforce environment — was also criticized by the generation that came before them. Some might call this merely the cycle of life.

To learn about ATS and it’s Workforce Management Suite, go to our website. You can also register for a bi-monthly webinar or demonstration and gain access to a variety of time and attendance and attendance brochures.To reach us by phone call; 866.294.2467.

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Here Are Three Ways To Keep Your Remote Workers Engaged

March 19th, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Cloud Computing | Employee Productivity | HR | Millennials | Telecommuting Employees | Time and Attendance | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on Here Are Three Ways To Keep Your Remote Workers Engaged)

The traditional way of work is on its way out and is not coming back, much to angst of some. Many North Americans, in particular, millennials are ditching the traditional approach to work which usually involves driving one or two hours to an office. Today’s workers and are instead looking for companies that offer flexible work options and if yours does not, good luck in attracting a range of talent.

Here Are Three Ways To Keep Your Remote Workers Engaged

If your company has embraced the new way of work and has a remote workforce, you probably know it can sometimes be hard to make sure they feel part of the team.  Here are three ways to keep your remote workforce engaged:

  1. Consistently Communicate

A consistent line of communication between you and your remote team members is vital to ensuring workers are engaged, getting the work done are motivated. Occasionally e-mail your remote workers during the day or schedule one or two phone call during the course of the day. Not only does this help them to feel part of the team, it also means you are always accessible and this can help to avoid problems.

  1. Made Good Use of Technology

The latest workforce management solutions and HR applications can help with remote employee engagement.  In addition, cloud-based tools like Skype can provide your company and its remote workers to access a variety of presentations, or obtain important HR and data related information-thus, ensuring team members can remain up to date with the latest and most critical information wherever they are.

  1. Share Feedback

Include your remote workers in important decisions that are part of your company’s overall strategy and/or growth plans. When remote workers are not included in the decisions then can quickly become disengage, and begin to can feel unsupported and unsure of how much their efforts are appreciated by the company. As an organization, you should have faith that your remote staff can work independently and meet operational objectives.

If you work in the white-collar world, you will undoubtedly end up working with or supervising a telecommuting workforce at some point. How you handle remote workers will vary according to whether they work from home in the suburbs a dozen miles away, a few provinces or states away, or in another country.

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Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Need Employee Self-Service

March 8th, 2018 | Posted by ATS in ATS TimeWork OnDemand | Benefit Accruals | Employee Productivity | Employee Self Service | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto - (Comments Off on Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Need Employee Self-Service)

As a corporate executive, you can book your business travel and request your preferred seat-from the comfort of your kitchen table or from anywhere in the world by using through your smartphone or tablet. So, why it is that your employees have to call their supervisor or someone in HR to request time-off?

With ATS Employee Self-Service (ESS) employees can request time off by using their smart phone, workstations or tablets from anywhere.

Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Need Employee Self-Service

Here are 5 reasons to use ATS Employee Self-Service:

Good-Bye Spreadsheets- Your employees really hate filling out paper work each time they need time off. ATS Employee Self-Service simplifies and automates employee requests for time off. When a request for time off is made, an email alert is sent directly to the employee’s supervisor to begin the request review process. HR, payroll and managers have decision-making information at their fingertips.

No More Using Emails To Request Leave-With ATS Employee Self-Service your managers no longer have to waste time trying to find that email that was sent some time ago by the employee requesting leave.

Time and Attendance Update Review-Employees can update their availability for shifts, request time off, view schedules, overtime, and trade shifts – letting them better manage their work-life balance.

Your Company’s Communication Tool Of The Future- Engage your entire workforce with a user experience that’s easy to navigate, wherever they are. Let all employees communicate and collaborate, even without a corporate email address.

Approval And Message Centre-You can tailor approval processes to your organization and, authorized users can view and audit the progress and approval status of a workflow to make sure it stays on track. Send personal messages or create and save distribution lists to message multiple employees at once. Notifications, reports and actions requiring an employee’s attention will also be delivered to the ATS Employee Self-Service Message Center.

ATS Self-Service is a powerful tool that will empower your employees and make them feel more engaged, increase their workforce productivity and free up valuable resource within your Payroll and HR departments.

To learn about ATS Employee Self-Service go to our website and download the demo. To reach an account executive by phone, call 866.294.2467.

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Adopting A Corporate Cloud Mindset

March 7th, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Artificial Intelligence | ATS TimeWork OnDemand | Business Intelligence | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto - (Comments Off on Adopting A Corporate Cloud Mindset)

Change is never easy, especially when it comes to embracing and adopting cloud-based enterprise applications. But today’s executives (including many CIOs) understand that moving to the cloud offers efficiency, speed, and significant savings.

But what really makes cloud-based applications so different than those built and designed to work on traditional Servers with embedded legacy-type architecture?

ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud is the most powerful, unified solution available today. It redefines how you modernize, collect employee data, innovate, and compete in a face-pace digital world, delivering comprehensive and integrated cloud services that allow your users to cost-effectively build, deploy, and manage workloads seamlessly and—in the cloud.

Adopting A Corporate Cloud Mindset

Here is why companies rely on ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud:

Complete and Integrated Platform- Businesses need complete technology solutions that reduce complexity. They want robust time and attendance applications that can fully integrate to a multitude and platforms to deliver a seamless experience.

Open Architecture-ATS gives you more options for where and how you access the cloud. You can run ATS TimeWork OnDemand workloads, and connect third-party apps with those from ATS data centre.

ATS Adaptive Choice-ATS helps you realize the value of emerging technologies, including Big Data, machine learning and artificial intelligence. ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud helps –infuse business and IT operations with adaptive intelligence, intuitive business processes, and with lower operational cost and complexity.

Sensitive Applications and Data-ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud enables seamless path to the cloud with layers, throughout every aspect, of your cloud adoption. ATS cloud services make leading technologies available everywhere to organizations large and small.

Deployment-With ATS, deployment tool, you can manage apps through the cloud. ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud is managed by ATS, so that you can take advantage of the agility, innovation and subscription-based pricing, while meeting data-residency requirements.

ATS product developers and solution experts help you accelerate innovation and successful transition to the cloud. From project planning and deployment to connectivity, ATS— provides the support and services needed so you can maximize the value of ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud solutions for your business.

To learn about ATS Time and Attendance in the Cloud or to view a demonstration, go to our website. You can also register for one of our bi-monthly webinars. To reach us by phone, call 866.294.2467.

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Here’s More Evidence That We Need Sleep To Be Productive

March 6th, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Careers | Employee Productivity | Employee Self Service | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on Here’s More Evidence That We Need Sleep To Be Productive)

The benefit of a good nights’ sleep is far-reaching and yet, many of us tend to think four or five hours of sleep is all we need. We also know that going without sleep for too long makes us feel horrible, and that getting a good night’s sleep can make us feel ready to take on the world and tackle projects.  However, the always-on mentality in this current digital era of smart-phones and tablets, has given way to a false sense that less sleep is better.

Here’s More Evidence That We Need Sleep To Be Productive

Here are some tips from a couple of entrepreneurs, Doug and Polly White on the importance of sleep:

“Obviously, sleep is important. Humans need to recharge on a nightly basis to perform well. But work demands, family and personal issues and physical difficulties can get in the way of  a restful night’s sleep.

Quantity
As the numbers above indicate, adults need to sleep between seven and nine hours each night. We find that Doug needs seven while Polly prefers a bit more. To ensure that we get our shut-eye, we go to bed no later than 10 each night. If work demands a 4 a.m. start, we go to bed earlier to make up those zzzzz’s.

This takes discipline, but it’s worth it. Despite what many think, there really is no way to catch up on sleep. Sleeping in on the weekend won’t make up for a lack of sleep during the week.

 Consistency
While we may juggle our bedtime to accommodate an early start, this isn’t our preference. We find that going to bed and getting up at the same time each day helps us to fall asleep quickly and wake up naturally – without an alarm.

 Quality
The number of hours you sleep is important, but so is the quality of your sleep. Health issues, aging, hormonal changes and stress can deprive any of us of healthy sleep. One difficulty that occurs as part of the natural aging process is the inability to stay asleep. Older people may find that they wake up several times a night; however, this can affect younger individuals as well.”

Bottom Line:
Sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night, according to some expert, is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke whereas; longer sleep has been shown to improve many aspects of athletic and physical performance. And, the evidence is clear, a well-rested workforce equates to improved productivity, higher engagement and increased profits.

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