Halloween Safety

10/25/2019 |

The wicked witch and Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) could be the least of your Halloween safety concerns for this holiday!

Just a couple of Halloween safety tricks so you can enjoy your treats:

  • Never trick or treat alone.
  • Use reflective tape on costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
  • Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.
  • Only eat factory-wrapped treats: do not enter the home of a stranger.
  • Never walk near lit candles or luminaries.
  • Wear a flame-resistant costume.

Be safe this Halloween when you go trick or treating!

Barbara Greene
GPS Safety Specialist

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4 Ways to Spot a Lie in a CV

10/22/2019 |

Lying on resumes and CVs has become so commonplace that around 85% of companies report catching applicants lying on their resume. While some lies might only rise to the level of obscuring the exact dates worked at a company, others wholly misrepresent a person’s skills or credentials. So, how do you spot a lie when you see one? Look for Incongruities One of the simplest ways to spot a lie on a CV or resume is to keep an eye open for incongruities. For example, they list accomplishments that don’t line up with their job title. Someone working in HR won’t realistically have anything to do with sales or production numbers. A massive jump in job title from one company to the next can also serve as a red flag for dishonesty. Takeaway: Incongruity doesn’t always mean dishonesty, but it should prompt some serious questions for the candidate. Universal Proficiency It’s the very rare candidate indeed who brings proficiency in every skill listed in the job description. Someone who works with spreadsheets might have seen a pivot table, but it doesn’t mean they’re experts at making them. By the same token, someone might have played around with HTML a few times, but it doesn’t mean they can write the code for your new website. Make sure you dig into these proficiency claims with some technical questions that can expose exaggeration. Get a Background Check If you think that someone is misrepresenting their education or credentials, the simplest way to vet the CV is with a background check. These checks can verify not only educational history but work history and even prior earnings. Background checks come at different levels of scrutiny, and more extensive checks cost more. You’ll need to decide how deep you want the background checks to go. Takeaway: A background check will prove much cheaper than going through the entire hiring process a second time when you discover the lie. Use Backdoor Reference Checks No one provides references who will torpedo them with a potential employer. That means that sometimes, you need to go with a backdoor reference check of someone who worked with a candidate but isn’t on their reference list. You can use a resource like LinkedIn to find former managers or coworkers. Takeaway: These backdoor reference checks often reveal a much more accurate picture of someone’s skills and accomplishments. With lying some common on CVs these days, you must remain wary for the lies. Keep an eye open for incongruities and claims of universal proficiency. Shell out for a background check on all serious applicants. Dig into their background with backdoor reference checks. It’s always better to avoid hiring a lying applicant than needing to replace them later.

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5 Red Flags That You Might Actually Not Want That Job

09/24/2019 |

Getting into the interview phase is often such a struggle that you may feel like you need to take any job offer that comes your way. In practice, though, a bad job can prove even more disastrous than waiting a little longer for another option.

Keep reading to learn some red flags to watch for when interviewing.

Your Duties Are Vague

You need clear information about a job and the expectations attached to it before you can make a good decision. If the interviewer can’t give you a clear set of duties, it means they haven’t thought the job through. It may also mean they haven’t thought through how you’ll be evaluated in the job. That’s a recipe for an unhappy work life.

Terrible Reviews

No employer will get stellar reviews from every former employee. That being said, most ex-employees won’t take the time and effort involved to craft a negative employer review unless their experience was truly awful. Multiple negative employer reviews are a clear sign of a toxic workplace. Steer clear.

They Dodge Your Questions

Every candidate should have at least two or three questions to ask during the interview. If nothing else, ask about where you’ll be working specifically or who you report to day to day. These kinds of basic questions should get answered immediately. If not, it could be a sign of trouble.

Expect You to Take the Job on the Spot

Unless you’re interviewing with a dream company for a dream position and a dream salary, no employer should expect you to take a job on the spot. This is especially true if the job includes relocating. An employer should be willing to give you a little time to think it over and discuss things with your spouse or partner.

They Actively Lie

It’s one thing for a hiring manager to overlook telling you something. It happens. It’s almost always an innocent mistake. It’s something else entirely if they tell you something that proves false.

You Might Not Want That Job

Getting an interview is a big step, but it’s not the only thing you should consider. You can run into situations where getting a job offer isn’t a good thing. Keep your eyes open for the red flags listed above. You could save yourself some serious frustration and a bad work situation.

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5 Social Media Red Flags That Could Cost You the Job

06/11/2019 |

Businesses and recruiters don’t just use social media as a way to find applicants. Around 43% also use it as a screening tool to weed out candidates. That begs the question: What are the social media red flags I should avoid? Keep reading and we’ll give some of the biggest red flags to avoid.

Illicit Drugs

While pictures of you drinking a beer with friends won’t kill your interview chances anymore, almost anything related to illicit drugs will hurt you a lot. Like or not, your after-work behaviors can impact your company’s brand image. No business wants an association with illicit drugs. That goes for liking posts about drugs as well.
Takeaway: You can like or support whatever you want, privately, but public announcements on social media make it fair game to disqualify you.

Complaining About Work

The occasional post about having a bad day at work probably won’t raise any eyebrows. If you posted complaints about your old job or employer on a regular basis, though, it can make potential employers nervous. Constant negative posts can make other potential candidates not apply for jobs at a company.

Charged Political Posts

As a general rule, most companies avoid associating themselves with any political position or party. Businesses can’t and won’t tell employees not to be involved in politics. That being said, they don’t want employees creating a hostile work environment with any brand of political speech.
Takeaway: Confine political posts to general comments, such as encouraging others to vote. Avoid bashing any specific politician or even bashing a political party.

Vulgarity

Off-color jokes and cursing might be fine at the local bar, but it doesn’t belong on your social media profiles. Recruiters view the overall tone of your posts as a sign of what to expect once you’re on the job site. Most employers and staffing agencies aren’t interested in hiring someone who curses constantly or uses crude humor.

Misspellings and Bad Grammar

It might seem trivial, but it’s not. Lots of typos and bad grammar send a clear message to businesses, staffing agencies and recruiters that you don’t value clear communication. Good communication skills are one of the top soft skills every employer looks for in a candidate. It’s a particularly avoidable problem, given that most computers and phones come with spellcheck features.
Takeaway: If spelling and grammar aren’t your strong suit, use spellcheck and look for a free grammar checker like Grammarly that will help you clean up those posts.

Make Sure You Use Social Media Correctly

Social media is a powerful tool that can help you land a job if you use it the right way. Avoid common mistakes like drug references and charged political speech. Instead, focus on subjects like training programs, volunteer efforts or your kids’ sporting events.

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These Soft Skills Will Get You Hired

06/04/2019 |

Your hard skills play a role in getting you the interview, but they won’t get you the job by themselves. These days, employers look for candidates who already have good soft skills. Why? Soft skills make people more effective on the job, for one. They’re also very hard to teach and all but impossible to teach quickly. So, which soft skills are most likely to get you hired?

Teamwork

Businesses don’t really employ individuals. They employ teams. Businesses expect the people on these teams to work together to achieve their goals. People who routinely show up late, for example, don’t make good team players. Showing up late inconveniences everyone on their team. People who make useful suggestions often make excellent team players.
Takeaway: Think of examples of times when you were a good team player that you can discuss in interviews.

Communication

Good communication doesn’t mean tossing out $10 words all the time or talking at length. Most people have worked with someone who talked a lot but never made a clear point. Good communication means you can explain your thoughts or the steps in a process clearly. Businesses place a premium on good communication skills because they make the work run smoother.

Problem Solving

No matter how well-run a business is, problems still happen. Equipment breaks down or people call out at the last second. All too often, work slows or even stops in these situations. If you can think your way around these kinds of issues, businesses want you.
Takeaway: Not confident about your problem-solving skills? Take up a hobby like playing an instrument or learning a second language to boost those skills.

Accepting Feedback

Getting feedback can prove a trying experience for you and your supervisor. Poorly delivered feedback can feel like open criticism and put people on the defensive. Even when poorly delivered, the whole point of feedback is improvement. Businesses want employees who can take feedback in the spirit of improving performance. Learn that skill and you move right up the list of preferred candidates.

Conflict Management

You can’t avoid workplace conflict. If you’re aiming for a supervisory or leadership role, however, start honing your conflict management skills. Businesses shell out more than $350 billion a year dealing with conflict in the workplace. If you can help reduce those costs even a little by preventing problems from escalating, you become an invaluable resource.
Takeaway: If you don’t already know conflict management techniques, start learning and practicing them.

Practice Your Soft Skills

Businesses know they probably can’t teach you soft skills fast enough to make a real difference. That means you must work on them yourself ahead of time. Look for hobbies or volunteering opportunities that let you practice soft skills in a low-stakes situation.

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Thank you Karen Taylor! GPS Gives Back!

02/11/2019 |

GPS Gives Back!

Thank you Karen Taylor! Karen is a Staffing Specialist at GPS Orangeburg. GPS encourages our staff to Give Back to their community by volunteering 8 hours once a quarter as a paid working day.

Thank you Karen for giving back at the Night to Shine event on Friday, February 8, 2019!

“Each year Night to Shine is hosted at our church venue for special needs children and adults. It has been quite an honor the last 3 years to have the opportunity to love on each and every one of them in our surrounding community! This past Friday, GPS allowed me to give more time to this cause and I got to assist the kitchen with food prep. It was such a blessing! Thank you GPS!!!” ~ Karen Taylor

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Thank you Terri Stone! GPS Gives Back!

02/06/2019 |

GPS Gives Back!

Thank you Terri Stone at GPS Corporate! GPS encourages our staff to Give Back to their community by volunteering 8 hours once a quarter as a paid working day.

Thank you Terri Stone (pictured on the right) for giving back at the Harvest Hope Food Bank on Friday, February 1, 2019!

Via Harvest Hope website:
“About Harvest Hope

We distributed 27.8 MILLION meals to provide hunger relief for individuals in our service area in fiscal year 2017

The mission of Harvest Hope Food Bank is to provide for the needs of hungry people by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion and education.

Harvest Hope began in 1981 as the result of a shared vision of business leaders and the faith community who set out to provide for the hungry in Columbia. Since then Harvest Hope has increased its mission to feed the hungry across 20 counties of South Carolina. Harvest Hope distributed over 27.8 million meals last year and fed approximately 38,000 people a week.

From our simple beginnings, Harvest Hope has continued to increase the scope of its operations and now provides food, comfort and hope to hungry individuals and families in the Midlands, Pee Dee and Greater Greenville regions of South Carolina.”

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The Smartest Managers Hire People Who Are Smarter Than Them

01/02/2019 |

The Smartest Managers Hire People Who Are Smarter Than Them

 

Nobody’s an expert at EVERYTHING — business is simply too complex and fast changing! Whether you engage them for an assignment or hire them full time, here’s how to effectively manage people with more experience or knowledge than youT– and make yourself, your team and your company even more successful:

Leading a team full of smart people is important for your personal success. However, it can be intimidating to manage people who have learned and achieved more than you. The key is to take the right approach so everyone pulls in the same direction.

Don’t Let Them See You Sweat

It is normal to feel nervous about hiring and managing people who might be smarter or more experienced than you. You can feel the fear, but take care not to let it show. You must project confidence at all times if you want others to feel comfortable with your abilities as a leader. When it comes to confidence, however, you must walk a fine line. If you aren’t careful, confidence can come across as arrogance.

Address Issues Swiftly

If you catch buzz that a member of your team is unhappy working for someone with less experience or knowledge, don’t let that buzz get out of hand. Even one openly hostile employee can quickly destroy morale, spreading ill will through the group.

Sit down with that employee for an open and honest conversation as soon as you’re made aware of the situation. Take care not to be hostile or defensive. Open by saying, “I know that you have X more years of experience than I do, and I understand that you’ve got some concerns about that.” Let the employee know you are there to support them, and find out what they want from you and do your best to provide that support.

Honesty Is the Best Policy

When your reports ask you a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t avoid the question and by all means, don’t lie. Offering poor direction or giving an answer that is just plain wrong can put you in a bad position, it could put the employee in a bad position, and it could lead to loss of respect among your team.

When someone has a question you can’t answer, do the same thing you’d want your employees to do in that scenario. Tell them you aren’t positive of the answer, but you’ll track down the correct answer ASAP — and then get to work finding it.

Solicit Input, Ideas and Feedback

Employees who have been with the company for a decade or more have been on the front lines of change. They’ve witnessed the evolution of processes and management, and they have seen what works and what doesn’t work for the department and the organization.

During one-on-one meetings with your team members, actively solicit feedback and input from experienced employees. When you are faced with a challenge, crowdsource ideas and input from the group, especially those who have been there the longest.

Don’t Micromanage

Micromanaging can be tempting, but great managers give their teams the space to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Delegate strategically, assigning tasks that align with each employee’s strengths — then trust them with that responsibility.

You must also remember that you were hired to lead the team. Just because you’ve got direct reports with more experience does not mean they should run the show. You’re still in charge of keeping the ship righted, so give them room to do the job, but don’t let them run roughshod over you as a leader.

When In Doubt, Ask for Advice

Hopefully, you have a mentor or close members of your professional network with whom you can share ideas, vent frustrations and celebrate successes. These people are incredibly important on your leadership journey and they can be a terrific sounding board. Don’t be afraid to tap this network when you need to. Schedule a weekly breakfast, coffee date or lunch with your mentor(s) to stay connected to your network and receive objective advice when you need it.

Be a Development Advocate

If you hire and manage people who are smarter and more experienced than you are, take an active interest in helping them grow their careers as well. During one-on-one meetings, familiarize yourself with each team member’s career goals. Identify people who want to take the next step, and help them map out a plan to get there.

Smart leaders hire smart employees. Pull from their experience and use them strategically to set yourself and your team on the path to success.

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Give Thanks!

11/01/2018 |

30 Days of Giving Thanks!

Give Thanks! November is 30 Days of Giving Thanks at Gallman Consulting!  As the holidays approach with much hustle and bustle, we would like to encourage you to thoughtfully commit acts of kindness in your workplace, home and community.

We wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!

#givethanks #30daysofgivingthanks

 

Random Acts of Kindness!

When you commit a random act of kindness, you not only touch the life of the recipient, but you inspire others to be kind, too.

Baudville has put together the list below of no and low-cost ideas to inspire kindness.

 

“NO COST ACTS OF KINDNESS

These random acts of kindness only require your presence and a smile!

 

1. Hold the door open for the person behind you.

2. Brush snow off someone else’s car in the parking lot.

3. Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk.

4. Pick up litter.

5. Babysit for free.

6. Leave baked goods in the mailbox for your mailman.

7. Donate a used book to your local library.

8. Send an ePraise to someone.

9. Return shopping carts to the store.

10. Run an errand for a neighbor.

11. Send a card to someone serving in the military overseas.

12. Help someone pick up items they dropped.

13. Donate clothes to Goodwill or Salvation Army.

14. Bake cookies for your coworkers.

15. Volunteer at a local charity.

16. Write and mail a thank you card.

17. Donate blood.

18. Collect canned goods for a food pantry.

19. Bring in your neighbor’s garbage can.

20. Let someone cut in front of you in line.

21. Give your leftovers from dining out to someone on the street.

22. Smile at strangers!

23. Say hello to the person next to you.

24. Give a compliment.

25. Help someone who is stranded on the side of the road.

26. Organize a group of friends to do yard work for a neighbor who is unable to do it themselves.

27. Clean up after yourself and someone else.

28. Invite someone who may be alone over for dinner.

29. Give someone a hug.

30. Encourage a child.

31. Praise your boss.

32. Write an inspirational quote on a post-it and put it on the bathroom mirror in your office.

33. Help someone before they ask.

34. Hold the elevator for someone running behind.

35. Introduce yourself to someone new.

36. Mow your neighbor’s yard.

37. Visit a local nursing home. Give handmade cards to all the residents.

38. Surprise a coworker with a free Baudville Print and Post with a handwritten note on the back.

39. Donate your time and skills to a local organization.

40. Take a box of hats, gloves, and scarves to a school for kids who need something warm.

41. Share your umbrella with someone who doesn’t have one.

42. Read to a child, or let the child read to you!

 

LOW COST ACTS OF KINDNESS

These random acts of kindness require a little funding but will make big change!

 

43. Add change to random parking meters.

44. Pay past due library fees for another person.

45. Buy the coffee for the person behind you in line.

46. Put change in a vending machine or tape a quarter to the machine for the next person.

47. Buy a pack of gum or mints for the grocery store checkout clerk.

48. Tape scratch-off lottery tickets to a gas pump.

49. Pay for the car behind you at a toll booth.

50. Buy a gift card for groceries and give it to the person behind you in line.

51. Drop off handwritten thank you notes and doughnuts to the police station.

52. Give balloons to children shopping with their parents.

53. Buy movie tickets for the person behind you in line.

54. Anonymously buy new sports equipment for a local child in need.

55. Pay for someone’s layaway items.

56. Deliver a goodie basket of treats and activities to a nursing home.

57. Hand out bottles of water on a hot day.

58. Send a care package to military men and women overseas.

59. Present a trophy to someone – just because!

60. Hide dollar bills in the toy section at a dollar store.

61. Hand out packages of treats at a local college student center during exam week.

62. Buy a copy of your favorite children’s book for the local hospital.

63. Give a coffee shop gift card to a parking attendant – it can get cold in those booths!

64. Pay for someone else’s dinner in a restaurant.

65. Bring your coworker a coffee in the morning as a surprise.

66. Anonymously send a gift card to a friend or community member.

67. Tape suckers and with a positive note to ATMs.

68. Buy cookies or muffins from a local bakery and take them to your local librarians.

69. Pay for lunch for the person behind you in the lunch line.

70. Leave diapers and wipes on a public changing table.

71. Pay for someone’s bus fare.

72. Anonymously send flowers to brighten someone’s day.

73. Buy doughnuts for a different department or office.

74. Plant a tree in your neighborhood.

75. Get to work early and leave a piece of candy at each person’s desk.”

 

Now that you have Random Acts of Kindness ideas, use them!

Practice acts of kindness year round and make a difference!

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