Question 1: What is CECL?

Question 2: What’s at stake with the accounting change?

As they say “knowledge is power”.  Knowing what the average banking positions pay can help you determine how you rank among your peers.  We have taken information supplied by Salary.com created a list of common banking position along with the U.S. average salaries including bonuses, compared to those banking positions in the Chicago area.

Now that you know some of the average banking salaries, are you happy with your current salary?  Do you enjoy current working environment?  Do you love going to work every day?  If you answered “No” to any of these questions contact The Symicor Group and discuss your situation and your options.  Let one of our banking recruiters (former banking executives) work with you to find that perfect position that matches your unique experience, skills and personality.  Submit your resume today to get things started.

The Symicor Group believes that bank culture is an essential consideration to would-be employees.  Is your culture congruent with that of your next superstar?

In a recent posting on June 25, 2015 by Stephanie Reyes on tribehr.com, Stephanie hit the nail on the head concerning the importance of whether culture actually matters in the work place.  You can view her posting at  http://tribehr.com/blog/assessing-organizational-culture

As part of our placement process, we at The Symicor Group,  make it a practice of ensuring that our Clients and Candidates are a cultural fit.  To learn more about or processes feel free to email us or give us a call.

Not everyone is cut out to be a mortgage processor. Find out if you or a team member has what it takes to be a dynamic processor.  Check out this article we found in AdvancingWomen.com by clicking the link below.

5 Characteristics of a Dynamic Loan Processor

The banking experts at The Symicor Group are not only available to help you find a loan processor position, but to provide guidance on your career path.  Submit your resume for review today and let our experts provide you some ideas as to which banking positions might be best for you and your career.

In this short YouTube video a Bank Branch Manager discusses his typical day at work, the qualifications needed for the job, the best and worst parts of the job, as well as advice that can be used by students and others considering this line of work.  Click link below to watch video.

So You Want to be a Bank Branch Manager!

As you can see a Bank Branch Manager does not sit in his office all day crunching numbers, but is out and about working with customers and the community.  If you have a desire to pursue a Banking position such as this, let’s start a dialog to explore your options.  Simply contact The Symicor Group to get started.

One of the most unenviable tasks of human resource managers is describing the job to prospective applicants. This is especially true if the job is being posted on social media websites. Some HR managers tend to be too creative, so much so, that the real intent is lost leaving the prospective hire confused. Sticking to standard descriptions without being too harsh on demands will certainly ignite interest in readers.

Yet another advantage to using standard words and phrases is that they make the description search engine friendly and therefore are more likely to be ranked on the top. The trick is to use words that are commonly used by job searchers.

1.  Stay with Standard Job Titles

Here are some common job title descriptions you can replace with standard ones: Replace Office Ninja with Administrative Help or Assistant, Deal-maker King with Regional Director for Sales, Magical Man with Human Resource Manager and Brand Trumpet with Social Media Specialists and so on.

2.  Give the Description a Conversational Tone

Generally it is better to keep descriptions at a conversational level though you may be advertising the job on many different media – social or print media for example. It is best not to use jargon. You can avoid using phrases like Job Overview, Job Requirement or demonstrate for example. Instead you can try to use words like “Why not join us?” or “Here is what you will be doing” or “Will be in charge of” and so on. These words will make your description more conversational and is more like to attract attention and response.

3.  Promote your Organization’s Brand Value

Though good salary and perks will attract many talents toward your organization, they are not the only incentives for prospective hires. Candidates like to be associated with well-known brands and if your business owns a popular brand, you can leverage the goodwill it enjoys in the marketplace.

Describe your company vividly but avoid saying things like when it was founded or how the business grew. Instead you can tell the prospective applicant what your organization’s endeavors are and where the business will be heading in couple years from now. This will help the candidate to visualize his participation in the process and how he or she will be able to contribute to the company’s growth.

4.  Tell the Candidate How they can make an Impact

Most candidates will want to know their working environment. If the position gives control over a large workforce, now is the time to tell them in very clear terms without mincing words. If for example the candidate will be controlling a big team or will be responsible for multiplying sales, you can tell that clearly. Say that they candidate will be responsible for multiplying sales upward of 10%, for example.

5.  Make your Descriptions Mobile Friendly

Little we need to remind HR Managers that the percentage of people who use mobile devices and phones is on the rise. If you are using social media websites for attracting talents, chances are your target audience is using it to read your message. It is therefore imperative to make your descriptions friendly toward mobile phones usage.

The Symicor Group stands ready to help in your recruiting needs.  We can help you write job descriptions, assess talent, formulate HR staffing models, develop compensation programs, and most essential, fill important senior level bank vacancies.  For more information give our office a call at (847) 325-5457.

One reward strategy you can employ that doesn’t involve following the popular drumbeat of negative messages and takeaways.   Other functional departments (i.e., Marketing, Engineering, Advertising) have already taken a different tract to deal with the new realities.   Innovative minds set themselves apart, pushing brand identification to carve out market niches away from the beaten path.

HR can lead the way!

A Different Mindset!

Companies fear wasting money on employees who don’t perform, so they often limit the administrative increases so often granted by their reward programs.  They feel they can’t afford a strategy that increases payroll without a corresponding increase in ROI.  However, they could increase the amounts paid to key employees while restricting the level of those who perform . . . less well.  That would place the high achievers at a fair or even generous pay level, but these winners would be only those who deliver an ROI back to the company.  You can afford to reward high performers, can’t you?

Employees who produce results are worth the money.  If you’re fearful of overpaying those who aren’t performing, you hold the solution in your hands / policy manual.  All it takes is the discipline to hold employees accountable and to take action against those who aren’t performing, who aren’t worth the money you’re paying them.

But that’s easier said than done!

Do you know what percentage of your workforce is rated at an average or lower level of performance?  50%? 60%?   If you still grant every employee an annual increase, you won’t be able to differentiate and properly recognize your key performers.  You won’t have enough money.  In that case the reward bar is inevitably lowered to cover the most common performance level.  Instead, why not raise the performance bar and make the tough decisions for those who can’t keep up?

If a manager has $10,000 for annual increases and tries to balance rewarding both high and average performers, the increases won’t be enough to recognize key players.   While the merit spend is calculated on average performance high performers need larger increases to feel recognized and appreciated.  A request to grant more than $10,000 will be denied, so what do most managers do?  They trim the increases of their best performers, in an effort to spread rewards as broadly as possible and keep everyone happy.

Is this effective?

Nope!   High performers will be discouraged and may rethink their future efforts as well as their commitment to your company, but your “Joe Average” will be pleased.  As behavior rewarded is behavior repeated, by using this make-everyone-happy tactic you’ll have encouraged more average performance and less high performance.  Does that sound like your reward strategy?

Okay you say, but if this concept is such common sense, why is the practice of holding employees accountable so seldom used?

The Management Fear Factor

Some managers fear what would happen if they took a tough line on performance = reward.

• They fear that employees are somehow “owed” annual salary increases.  “We have to give them something.”
• They fear their ignorance over how to conduct effective performance appraisals.  “Do these forms really measure performance?”
• They fear alienating  the majority of  average employees (see bullet #1)
• They fear what would happen if they exercised  the discipline necessary  to manage employees – because they want to be liked.

With a process designed to monitor and weed out the lower performers, and at the same time pay the higher performers well,  over time your new practice would retain more of those you want and rid yourself of those you don’t.  The employee performance bar would rise, fostering a more dynamic work environment that will in turn feed business performance.

You can (must) afford to do this.  Consider the impact of increased performance levels on your bottom line.  Isn’t it worth the initial outlay of money to make that happen?

Be Advised!

The bean counters (Finance) are perennially afraid of spending a dollar to save two — or in this case, spending a dollar to earn three.  They believe that, while the dollar cost is real the suggested gains are “soft”; promises that can’t be guaranteed.

There’s no easy way around this phobia short of direct intervention from the top.  Lacking senior management support compensation practitioners will face a wave of passive resistance, if not outright defiance by managers tying to “help” the average employee.

Providing high performing employees with greater rewards can create a win-win scenario, a greater attraction for talented outsiders, an improved  team atmosphere focused on pushing the company forward — and less inequities to drag and drain the goodwill you’ve established.

Try it.  Spend a dollar and earn four in return!

When you begin the resume process, you want to make sure it is professional looking.  Sloppy or disjointed resumes will usually get immediately passed on by the reader.

Before you start writing your resume, you should make sure that you have a professional email address like allen.john@gmail.com, rather than allenlikespizza@gmail.com. After you update your email address, you will want to make sure that you correctly update your personal information like your phone number and address.  You will also want to make sure that you do not put in your marital status, date of birth or photograph.

One of the biggest mistakes often made is showing your address in an area far from your current listed employer.  In doing this you may give the impression that you are working remotely.  So, if you have recently moved please be sure your last employer information shows you have left.

Next month we discuss the proper formatting of your resume to get the attention of the reader.

When you talk about hiring an employee, sometimes it seems that a job applicant prevails because of a favorable convergence of the sun, moon, and stars.

Or, maybe hiring an employee is just like a crap shoot. Or, hiring an employee is like throwing a bunch of darts and hoping that one of them sticks in the target. I have heard all of these references to the process of hiring an employee.

But the fundamental question remains.

What makes one applicant the winner in the job search competition? Employees who were hired did a lot of things right. Better, they did almost nothing wrong. How did Mary get the job?

When comparing candidates, an employer has to differentiate between well-qualified applicants. Applicants who appear to have the qualities, skills, education, experience, and knowledge the employer seeks are invited to interview. One is selected. How do you get to be the one?

Your Personal Presentation Must Make You Stand Out

An effective, targeted, customized resume and cover letter got you in the door. Perhaps a telephone screen allowed you to highlight experience and interest that matched the employer’s needs. You’re on track, and an interview is scheduled.

From this moment forward, the potential employer is assessing your fit for the job, the culture, and the needs and strengths of the team. At this point, the employer is giving you every opportunity to blow your chance.

Your physical appearance matters. It’s the first thing the employer sees. Your clothing, hair, makeup, jewelry, and accouterments make an immediate impression. Make the best possible first impression. Your presentation of yourself as a candidate must be flawless. Unpolished shoes do sink job searches.

Your Interaction During Interviews Either Nails Your Job – or Fails

Your preparation for the interview needs to include formulating specific, professional answers to potential questions. You want to sound knowledgeable, competent, and experienced. You need to be prepared to cite examples of what you have accomplished, contributed, and believe is important. This is not something most people do well off the cuff. Prepare responses.

Pay particular attention to the physical parts of you that will be in evidence throughout an interview across a desk or conference table. Dirty fingernails matter as does that faint stain on your shirt. They send loud messages about your attention to detail and personal care habits.

Relaxed communication is critical. Talk about workplace issues and goals that are important to you. Ask questions to assess whether the culture is a good fit for you. You don’t want to join every organization you encounter in a job search. Trust me; sometimes it’s better to keep looking.

Your Past Will Come Back to Haunt You

Before making an offer, smart employers send out a wide networking inquiry to find people who have known you in your past jobs, professional associations, and community involvement activities. Smart employers also do extensive background checking. What people say about you matters.

You may find it difficult to believe that how you live your life and comport yourself in the workplace matters. But, your values and their manifestation in your work life do matter. Living with integrity, playing well with coworkers, leaving friends – not enemies – in your prior jobs will support you in your job search.

And, when the employer who has the job you really want casts his net to solicit feedback, ensure what people say about you will win you your dream job.

Prepare your references and former supervisors to quickly and professionally return the call of your prospective employer. Smart employers call them and ask many questions. References who are unreachable can torpedo your job offer.

Employers customarily “google” their candidate’s names and do online searches to do a background check of the candidate. If you have odd Internet references to your work, your life, or your background, beware.

If you blog or write a website, your comments will impact hiring decisions. You may never know why you were not hired for the job. The interested employer will ask about their concern, however.

Behave as if Every Interaction Matters – Because They Do

From the initial phone screen or the phone call during which an employer sets up an interview, every interaction matters.

The receptionist has a vote. She or he makes statements like, “I really liked that candidate. He was so nice.” “Did you see how late he was and he never even apologized?” “I didn’t like him at all.”

Additionally, if you are a favored candidate for hiring, the HR staff or the hiring manager will stay closely in touch to give you feedback. They will let you know how the hiring process is progressing because they think you may be the one. When these calls start coming, you still have competition from other job searchers, but you are definitely on the short list.

These interactions and the relationship building are critical to the employer hiring an employee. When the eventual offer comes, you already have a relationship with the new employer. Building the relationship matters.

• By:  Susan Heathfield 

Finding the right job board is just as important as finding the right job, which is why reputable job boards are so important for recruiters and potential employees.

Whether it’s finding a job board with dependable listings or one where employers can seek out ideal candidates, reputation management can help.

Here are just a few ways reputation management is having a positive influence on job boards:

Providing the Best Results

Besides being some of the largest job boards on the Internet, sites like Monster, Indeed, and Career Builder have something else in common: inconsistent search results. The last thing recruiters want is to find themselves lumped in with less-than-reputable job posts or worse, spam posts.

In addition, the last thing job seekers want is to sift through hundreds of generic job postings just to find one that’s actually legitimate.

With reputation management, employers and employees alike can find job boards with the most reputable resources, which make the job posting and searching process more efficient.

Avoiding Outdated Listings

There’s nothing worse for job seekers than taking the time to track down a job post and fill out an application only to find out the position has already been filled. Not only is this a waste of time for the site’s visitors, it also makes the job board seem out of date and ineffective.

Cutting the Job Board Clutter

Although the larger job board sites suffer from it the most, even some niche job boards are plagued with clutter. This clutter comes in the form of paid advertisements, paid postings, and spam-like posts that don’t actually lead to the job offerings that are represented in the posts.

Reputation management is looking to cut the job board clutter by monitoring job boards and addressing problematic postings.

By using information based on search results and customer feedback, reputation management services can better represent job boards that pride themselves in clutter-free postings and up to date offerings.

Benefits of Reputation Management

Businesses and job seekers alike benefit from reputation management regardless of whether it’s through job boards or not.

Reputation management improves online job boards and hundreds of other websites in many different ways.

Among them:

• Customer Satisfaction – Reputation management provides websites the insight they need to improve customer satisfaction. By making sure customer feedback is monitored and the goods and services websites offer are legitimate, reputation management is helping to make the Internet a better place.
• Positive Perception – For those job boards that put quality first, reputation management services are helping to boost the online presence of sites that go above and beyond.
• Identify Drawbacks – Through constant monitoring, reputation management services can help job boards pinpoint negative practices as well as website drawbacks. This gives job board sites and other websites an opportunity to provide the best services possible.

When it comes to job boards, reputation management is helping to get the job done more efficiently.