Discrimination is treating someone unfairly based on prejudicial ideas about a certain class of people. Going through the interview process is stressful enough without also wondering if you were just discriminated against. Many times blatant discrimination isn’t always at hand, as there may be subtle comments or a change in demeanor when meeting first face to face that can suggest you are being discriminated against. Throughout the course of the interview, you’ll be asked many questions. Any interview question that doesn’t directly relate to the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform well on the job are generally a no-go.
What is the question? Asking questions around race, ethnicity, religion, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status and salary in some locations should be off limits. The reality is the answer to any of the questions isn’t indicative of your ability to perform on the job.
Salary negotiations can often be the most dreaded part of the pre-hire process. A little work beforehand can help to ensure that you remain as confident through the negotiation process as you did the interview stage. Below are a few things that will help ensure in the end you’re satisfied with the offer you receive.
1. Do know your number. Some employers will ask upfront what salary you are looking for, while other employers may not ask because of local legislation. Even if you are or aren’t asked, you should have at least a range in your head you are willing to accept.
2. Be prepared. If you give the employer a salary number, be prepared to state why you are worth that amount. Let the employer know that based on your research and considering your skills and experience, you are looking for “x” dollars. Research is the key to a great offer if you don’t know what your worth or willing to accept, how will you know if you should accept the offer?
There is no magic formula of how to perform within your job and not get fired. Every company is different, with different managers, employees, situations, and laws that apply to each based on their location. Can you be fired without warning? The short answer is it depends.
Generally, once an employee has committed an act of gross misconduct, the employee can be fired without warning. For example, stealing from your employer, hitting another employee or vandalizing office equipment may land you with a pink slip in a hurry. Gross misconduct rules should be equally applied to everyone from the top to the bottom of the organization. In addition, being a top performer doesn’t exclude one from the consequences of gross misconduct. If an employee is the top salesperson but uses illegal drugs at work, that employee may not have a secure job. Aside from steering away from gross misconduct, there are a couple of additional actions you can take that will help decrease the likelihood you’ll be fired without warning.
Congratulations! You’ve just been presented with a job offer for a new position. You have reviewed the compensation and benefits package, and everything seems great. Before accepting the position, are there any other factors you should take into consideration? Here are some common job offer questions to ask yourself:
1. What’s the location/ schedule of the new position? Does the new position allow you to work from home or does it require going into office? How long is the commute? Do folks stay late or leave at 5 o’clock? These are important considerations. Some folks are okay with a commute and longer hours, and others not so much. Be sure to be honest with yourself about what you’re comfortable with, because over time it could take a toll on your enthusiasm for the position.
2. What in the world will you be doing anyway? Make sure you fully understand the details of the responsibilities of the position. Don’t wait until the positions begins to learn about your new role! The moment you realize there is an aspect of your position you didn’t expect can be a rude awakening.
If a performance review conversation isn’t your favorite chat out of the entire year, dutiful preparation and ongoing conversations are the key. Contrary to popular belief, performance reviews shouldn’t be contained to one conversation between manager and employee at the end of the year. At the start of the performance year, employees should meet with their manager to discuss goals for the upcoming year. These preparations for performance appraisals should start at the beginning of the performance cycle, and continue all year. If you find yourself at an organization where performance reviews are an after-thought, consider scheduling meetings with your manager to plan your year and to discuss performance along the way.
In conjunction with your manager, develop specific goals for the upcoming year. Keep in mind that by attaching specifics to each goal, you’ll be more likely to achieve them because you have defined exactly what you are aiming to accomplish. While forming goals for the upcoming year, it isn’t a bad idea to reflect upon your performance last year. Try to incorporate any improvement opportunities to your current performance improvement plan you discussed with your manager the previous year.
Chances are if you’re in the market for a new job, you’re looking to bring home a decent paycheck, with a few extra perks, right? While compensation isn’t the only reason folks job hunt, it certainly plays a part in the position someone might accept. Most folks don’t work just to kill time, and no one ever said, you guys are paying me too much. With that in mind, it is important to know the etiquette and the ever-increasing legal landscape of talking dollars during the process.
Before going into any interview situation, you should know your worth and have an idea of what the market will pay for the position you’re applying for. Also, have a few reasons in mind of why you are worth the number you’re requesting. If you don’t start out with a solid reasonings of what you’re worth and why, you may accept any number offered to you, leaving you dissatisfied in the end. In recent years, several states have made it illegal for employers to ask about an applicant’s salary history. If an applicant has experienced pay discrimination in the past, or was simply underpaid, they don’t want their previous salary to undercut a current job offer. Knowing the laws in your state may help you navigate this dilemma.
Unless you have a finance degree, the topics of a 401l(k) and investing are generally tedious topics for most folks. Learning about some of the key terms can make the topic a little easier to digest. While I am not a financial advisor and do not aim to give financial advice for investing in a 401(k), the only qualifying tip that I can give is that the earlier you start investing, the more prepared for retirement you’ll be.
What is a 401(k)? The name 401(k) is derived from the Internal Revenue Code, section 401, subsection k, which talks about qualified pension plans. A 401 (k) is a pre-tax account that allows you to set aside money on a tax-free basis. Though note you will have to pay taxes on the money once you take the money out. In 2017, the IRS set the contribution limits to $18,000 per year and those age 50 or older may contribute an additional $6,00 per year.
Performance reviews typically aren’t most folk’s favorite day on the job, but they do serve as a valuable opportunity to check in with your manager. If you’ve ever had a poor performance review, you know that can be an especially devastating day. Having a less than stellar performance review isn’t the end of the world, there is still ample time to turn your performance around. Below are some tips for getting back on track.
Don’t make excuses.
Being confronted with less than desirable performance might lead you to give excuses for why things haven’t been going smoothly. It’s a good idea to avoid the blame game and it’s time to show your boss that you are serious about being a great employee.
A day in the life of an ag HR professional may not vary at the surface from industry to industry. There will always be positions to fill, new hires to orient, performance management objectives on which to coach, training initiatives to meet, and another fire to put out. And of course, these things are to be expected in day-to-day HR and for most HR professionals, these challenges are what attracted them to the field. While to the outside world, the world of agriculture HR can look like any other industry, on the inside, things can look much different.
