17 Tips to Treat Candidates With Respect

By Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler

1. acknowledging receipt of an application
2. avoiding postings that say little or insult the intelligence
3. eliminating out of date postings
4. monitoring an application against open opportunities
5. staying in touch with relevant information

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9 Tips to Create a Civil and Animosity-Free Workplace

As Valentine’s Day approaches, employers and employees nationwide will be barraged with reminders about the prevalence and pitfalls of office romance. However, some companies are facing an entirely different problem: their workers have lost that loving feeling and the consequences can be dire.

A tight job market, combined with stagnant wages and less upward mobility can leave workers feeling frustrated. In this environment, animosity between coworkers stemming from personality conflicts, differing work styles, or competition can be amplified, resulting in a wide variety of workplace problems, from lost productivity to increased and open hostility, according to the workplace experts at global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Continue Reading

A New Kind of Respect for 2009

A lot of people are making resolutions for the new year like getting into shape, getting out of debt and becoming better people. One way we can all become better is by respecting each other more, and more often. In her article for Respectful Workplace, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” Ruth Ramos introduces a new way to show respect for others called the Platinum Rule. Unlike the Golden Rule that says, “treat others the way you want to be treated,” the Platinum Rule says, “treat others the way they want to be treated.” Be aware of cultural differences among employees in the workplace. Some cultures, Ramos points out, believe it is disrespectful to make eye contact while speaking, and others believe it is respectful to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek(s).
The Platinum Rule becomes increasingly relevant as workplaces become more diverse. Recent college graduates starting new entry level jobs and college students beginning new internships can both benefit and learn from employers practicing the Platinum Rule. Or they could be the ones to introduce a new trend that would make their workplaces more pleasant.
“In order to really implement [the Platinum Rule],” Ramos says, “you must have a conversation with the person(s) you interact with about what respect is to them. Understanding what respect means to [others] requires getting to know them well enough to understand their culture[s], life experience[s], and perspective[s].”

Sidestepping the Mentor

QUESTION:
I’ve been assigned a mentor and coach for my internship as well as my real job search. While this person is very talented and knowledgeable because of their vast amount of experience, I simply do not like them. As a consequence, I do spiteful things like pretending to have been working on a work assignment in order to have an excuse for not following the coach’s advice. In the alternative, I simply ignore what they’ve told me. The other thing I do is talk to them about coaching I’ve received from other people and how well the other advice proved to be.

Should I just tell them that I have no respect for them and that it’s best that we part ways?

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