My top blogs of 2017 were incredibly personal and a bit painful to write. I narrowed last year’s blogs down to the top 5. In each of these my passion and commitment to small business is evident, as is the sacrifice and growth that comes along to it. So, take a gander and if you would be so kind…let me know what you would like me to write on in 2018.

Why you should quit your job
I got a bit of blowback on this one, apparently I shouldn’t be encouraging people to quit their job (they hate) to do something they love. I started 8THIRTYFOUR when I was in my mid (okay late) 20s and my age played a major factor in the beginning. As we age we become more risk adverse and this was something I most definitely didn’t contemplate at the time. Your happiness is more important than your age, so make the leap, be happy.

It sure is lonely
I wrote this blog when I was dealing with employee issues and I was at my wits end. I was frustrated, felt abused, disrespected and hurt – the outpouring of support that resulted from this blog, seriously restored my faith in humanity. It was obvious I wasn’t the only one experiencing these feelings.

❤️

Motivation in loss
This blog still gets me choked up. Losing Murphy, was and is one of the hardest life moments I have had to overcome. He was with me during my divorce, bankruptcy, move, multiple jobs, the start of 8THIRTYFOUR and more. He was my constant companion and he loved me when it felt like no one else did. Finding the lesson in the loss was difficult, but this blog and the responses from it…made all the difference.

Dress to impress
Let’s be honest, we are all judged by our appearance and in the professional world you can’t afford to be lazy about it. I was inspired to write this after we passed a dress code policy at 8THIRTYFOUR. I want my employees to be comfortable but first impressions are everything. Adding some wardrobe staples to your closet will make all the difference…and stop using the excuse you can’t afford it – I showcase multiple affordable options.

How to give a memorable interview
For anyone entering the workforce or those that are looking for a refresher/tips, this blog hits all of the key points while also being wildly entertaining…ok, mildly entertaining. After our second or third intern interview, my managing director and myself looked at each other and said “what just happened?” How could simple etiquette not be applied to all human interaction, much less an interview?

I really, really, really want to get your feedback on the Small Biz Musings blog. As much as I entertain myself with my own writing…I hope it gives you some worthwhile information and tips.

Feel free to email me directly, kim@834design.com.

Is it too easy to land a job? And I am not talking about those companies that do 6 hour interviews – that is ridiculous and I am not sure how it is legal.

When you first meet someone they say first impressions are everything, however I really think the second, third, fourth and so on are more important. When interviewing someone, they most often can present themselves well for an hour and usually another hour at the second interview. What really matters is how the person will perform once hired. I’m not telling you what you don’t already know.

An interesting idea was presented to me the other day about job “tryouts.” What does this mean? Well, as explained to me, the individual is given 3 months to perform the job duties as outlined, with very specific and clear measurables that need to be completed or achieved each week. At the end of 3 months they are evaluated on all of those metrics.

As part of this, you have the option to start the person at 30 hours a week versus full time and then they would work their way into full time. Instead of celebrating a person for being hired, you celebrate the individual for earning their place at the company and showing their true value.

Some of the benefits of this approach:

• If an employee truly earns their place at the company, they feel invested.
• Expectations are very clear and milestones give the employee something to work towards and achieve.
• There is no sense of entitlement. They are not entitled to the job, unless they earn it.
• Turnover is reduced.
• The employer truly gets to know the employee before they are offered a full time spot at their company. Many times an individual looks great on paper and in reality they are not a fit for your culture.

I’m not saying this is the right approach, I just find this concept very interesting.

What do you think?

We are in the process of hiring our summer interns for 834 which means lots and lots of interviews. Every interview we give is treated as important as if we were interviewing the Pope, we don’t discriminate based on position.

It still surprises me how unprepared individuals are, or the lack of research done before the interview. Here are just a few of the snafus we encountered.

Interview mistakes

1. Name is not included on the resume. I really don’t think an explanation is needed for this obvious mistake.
2. No portfolio or writing samples provided. If you are invited in for an interview, bring in work samples to share. I don’t care if you submitted it electronically before, print out hard copies and hand out along with your resume to the interviewer.
3. Research papers submitted as writing sample. This might impress your professor, but an agency doesn’t give a shit. In fact anytime I get something double spaced and indented, I cringe and stop reading.
4. Chewing gum. Spit out whatever the hell is in your mouth so you can speak in clear and concise sentences. If you are sitting there chewing your cud the whole time, that is distracting as all hell and unprofessional.
5. No cover letter. Always, always, always submit a cover letter with your resume and portfolio. Customize it to the company, use humor, explain why you are a fit and be memorable.
6. Arriving late. I don’t care if had to walk from Ada, if you aren’t on time or early that tells the interviewer that the interview is not a priority.
7. Eye contact. Look up and look the interviewer in the eyes. If you are staring down at the table that gives the impression you are incredibly insecure and lack the confidence needed to interact with clients.
8. ‘Like’ and ‘um.’ You are not a valley girl – so drop the use of ‘like’ and don’t use ‘um’ to fill the silence or to connect sentences. At some point the interviewer will stop listening and just start counting all of the ‘um’s.

Interview tips

1. Dress appropriately. See past blog on dressing to impress.
2. Follow the job posting instructions. If the posting asks for you to supply several writing samples when sending our resume, then supply the writing samples. If you are unable to follow simple instructions, agency life is going to kick your ass.
3. Creativity gets you points. In the last round of interviews we held, only one cover letter stood out – in fact it was the only one I read. It included a personal story, used humor and was incredibly well-written.
4. Research. Know the person who will be interviewing you. Have questions prepared to ask about themselves and the agency.
5. Follow-up. Send a thank-you email and note. If we don’t hear from you after the interview, it doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in your desire to get the job.

One of the reasons 834 has a well-respected internship program is because we only take the best of the best and the competition can be fierce. Always ask yourself, “how can I stand out?”

With growth comes hiring, with new hires comes lots and lots of interviews. How do you stand out from the crowd? How do you leave a good impression?

As a business owner what impresses me when I interview an individual for an open position are the below. If you really want to work for the company you are interviewing at, then you need to work for it.

1. Dress. Have you ever heard the saying “dress for the job you want?” When a candidate walks in for the first time, the very first thing they are being judged on is what they are wearing and how they present themselves. We are a laid back company, we don’t wear suits and we love to express ourselves through our style. That being said, overdressing will only help you. I would prefer to see a candidate with a suit on, it sends the message they are taking the interview seriously.
2. Homework. Do your homework on the company. Read their website, become familiar with the team and if possible research past projects. When asked if you have any questions in the interview, ask about the firm, culture, past clients or the owner’s background. It is impressive when a candidate asks an intelligent question. Keep in mind, people love talking about themselves.
3. Humor. Interviewing is nervewracking, anxiety ridden and uncomfortable – that being said, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. Share something personal about yourself (not too personal – no one wants to hear about an ex-boyfriend), like a hobbie or community event you just attended. Employers want to see how your temperment will gel with other team members, and if you are standoffish due to nerves that can hurt your chances.
4. Handwritten notes. Every time you are interviewed, send a handwritten note to each individual in the interview. It should be personable, interesting and memorable. If you show gratitude for the opportunity to even interview for the position, it may put you ahead of another candidate that was neck and neck with you.

Do you have other suggestions? Drop them in the comments below.