Now that the days are longer and the heat of summer can be felt, finding the work-life balance can be even more difficult. After all, there are so many fun activities during the summer and it’s usually the time of year when families can travel to see one another, but if you’re not careful, managing it all can leave you feeling worn out. There are several things you should remember as you punch the clock on a daily basis to avoid that feeling of burn out.

1. There are still only 24 hours in a day. Just because it stays light outside longer, doesn’t mean you have to find more work to do. It’s a common problem among people who are prone to overworking to see the light outside their windows and feel the urge to keep up the fast pace. The time could be late in the evening but because the sun is still shining, they will feel the need to continue working.
2. Take a vacation. It is a great time of year for travel deals and even local attractions offer package deals for residents, so take advantage of your accumulated days off and get-away. Planning ahead for a fun trip can be just the right tool for staying motivated but also being able to scale back while you’re away.
3. Stay away from distractions. It is important to stay focused, even in the summer. You may find yourself more easily distracted as there is usually more going on during these months. Recharge with people you truly care about, not just acquaintances who want to benefit from your relationship. They will suck the life out of you and can be a drain on every aspect of your life.
4. Don’t give up on your routine. Things may happen in the summer that are out of the ordinary; you may have family visiting from out of town or the kids may be home from school during the days but do your best to stay in a routine. This means not neglecting your work-outs, meditation time or other quiet time, or getting into an unhealthy eating pattern. The routine you establish throughout the year carries you on a daily basis and it is helpful during the summer months as well. You may need to modify it slightly but tossing it to the wind will not be helpful to you in the long run.

As summer comes and goes, it is important to stick with your goals and resolutions that you’ve set for the year. It is an easy time to get distracted and either work or play too much and both can be detrimental to your overall success.

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The interview process isn’t easy for the one being interviewed or the one performing the interview. Most hiring managers will tell you they have a feeling one way or the other within the first five minutes of the interview but many will continue the interview process to be considerate to the candidate. If the candidate isn’t hired, they may come back with questions. Those who truly want to improve in their job search can sometimes come back to the hiring manager with questions such as “why didn’t you hire me” or “what can I do to improve?”  Some hiring managers will reply with a generic statement but it can be beneficial to provide honest answers to the questions, in order to improve the overall job applicant pool.

Role Reversal
Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate and consider how it would help you to know the weak areas of an interview. It could be something simple but was a negative factor in the interview, yet it could be changed. When you’re given the opportunity to provide feedback, always do so in a tactful and gracious manner. Here are some guidelines to answering the tough question of why you chose one candidate over the other.

1. Start the conversation with a positive tone. Provide them with information about their resume, experience, and interview techniques that they did right. If you are sending an email, start it off with something simple that builds them up as a person.
2. Point out areas where the candidate can improve. If their education wasn’t up to company standards, explain how the company prefers to hire candidates with an advanced degree. This is something they can change and rather than stating they don’t have enough education, give them a way to remedy the problem.
3. Tactfully explain the qualifications the hired candidate possessed that made them more desirable to the company. It can be helpful to explain the hired candidate had more experience in the field or a stronger educational background.
4. If they were a viable candidate, when the problems could be remedied, invite them to re-interview in several months. Otherwise, wish them luck in their search.

No one likes to be rejected, especially for a promising new job, but as a hiring manager, you can provide insightful feedback to candidates when they ask and ease the rejection a bit. Be kind but also remember it won’t help if you are misleading with your answers. You have the chance to be a mentor to another person in their job hunt so take advantage of that by giving them constructive criticism and guidance on how they can improve.

Have additional questions on hiring in the new year? Contact the experts at Pinnacle Workforce!