News
August 27, 2010, Blog Business World — After Blogger Wayne Hurlbert conducted an in-depth Q&A with HR expert Sharon Armstrong, and published the interview on his popular Blog Business World, the article got picked up by dozens of other bloggers this week. “It’s amazing to see the power of the Internet when it comes to spreading the word,” says Armstrong, the author of “The Essential Performance Review Handbook,” which is available on Amazon.com for about $10. Read the entire article on Blog Business World.
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August 19, 2010, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur — When asked by renown “Toilet Paper Entrepreneur” Michael Michalowicz, “What are the top questions to ask yourself before starting a business?” HR expert Sharon Armstrong said:
Market or Bust: The one question I would ask a potential business owner is: Do you enjoy marketing as much as you enjoy doing the ‘work’ of your business?
The one question I would ask a potential business owner is: Do you enjoy marketing as much as you enjoy doing the ‘work’ of your business?
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July 18, 2010, The Wall Street Journal — “If you’ve been marking time at work and hoping to get a new job, you’re not alone,” writes reporter Dennis Nishi in today’s issue of The Wall Street Journal. “But employment experts caution restless job seekers from jumping ship too soon. If you move too quickly you might end up in a new job that you dislike even more. Still, you can improve your odds of finding something worthwhile by planning ahead and doing some research.”
Nishi quotes Sharon Armstrong, owner of Sharon Armstrong & Associates and author of The Essential Performance Review Handbook, who says:
“When you land an interview, use the opportunity to learn about the company. You should get as much from them as they will try to get from you, says Sharon Armstrong, a human-resources consultant in Washington. Salary and benefits are important, but you also want to make sure you’re compatible. It’s difficult to tell what the workplace culture is like from casual visits. Don’t be shy about calling for more information and contact current and former employees, if possible, to get a feel for the company and opportunities.”
“If you get an offer, before you accept, consider doing more in-depth financial research on the company; try the Securities and Exchange Commission’s EDGAR Public Dissemination Service (www.edgarcompany.sec.gov).”
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July 8, 2010, The Examiner — In today’s issue of The Examiner,
July 8, 2010 HR columnist Eric Jacobson reviewed Sharon Armstrong’s new book, The Essential Performance Review Handbook.
“Armstrong’s book includes plenty of helpful tips and techniques, along with a host of sample appraisal forms that business can use to create a form and overall process appropriate for their business,” Jacobson explains.
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July 2010 — “Sharon Armstrong captures the essence of the issue in the first line of the Introduction (“It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way …”): “Performance appraisals can be one of the most anxiety-provoking aspects of work life – for both supervisors and employees,” writes Ray Seghers in the current entry on his blog. “Ain’t it the truth!”
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July 2010, SHRM — “Sometimes I feel like I am alone in my opinion of performance reviews. I like them. Yes, I said it. I do,” writes Denise Henderson, PHR, HR Manager for Oceana, in a July review for SHRM’s Dulles chapter newsletter. “They can be great for retention and career development; and when necessary, act as supporting documentation to help an employee succeed at another organization.”
“Because of this, I tend to think I have an idea or two about how to and how not to do them so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Sharon Armstrong’s latest book, “The Essential Performance Review Handbook: A Quick and Handy Reference For Any Manager or HR Professional.”
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June 25, 2010, Tip Jar at the Washington Business Journal — “Vacations can be blessing or bane, depending on whether you’re in the midst of one yet,” writes Tip Jar at the Washington Business Journal in an article entitled, Vacation skeds no day at beach.
“The curse comes at both ends of the time off — hurriedly finishing tasks so you’re not still pounding on your BlackBerry during the painfully long drive to the beach or tiredly returning to a messy desk, logjammed inbox, full voice mail, overworked colleagues and cross-examining boss.”
HR expert Sharon Armstrong, author of “The Essential Performance Review Handbook,” and co-author of “The Essential HR Handbook,” says the key to sanity amid a landscape of empty offices is lassoing more short-term help — calling all temp agencies! — or doing more with the lucky folks left in the office.
“Just make sure there’s enough cross-training that’s happened so it isn’t so desperate when someone wants to take off,” says Sharon Armstrong, who founded a D.C. human resources consulting and training business. “There should be some coverage.”
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June 25, 2010 — Management expert Eric Jacobson gave rave views to Sharon Armstrong’s new book, “The Essential Performance Review Handbook.Read more here.
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June 10, 2010, Cvent.com — Sharon Armstrong’s new book, “The Essential Performance Review Handbook,” was featured in an article posted today on Cevent entitled, “The Most Dreaded Annual Event in the Work World.”
What is it about annual job performance appraisals that makes employees and managers alike dread them more than a visit to the dentist? According to a post on the New York Times’ Well blog, one reason annual performance appraisals are dreaded, especially by employees, is because they’re too subjective.
It’s easy to understand why employees hate going through the annual job performance appraisal process. No one likes to be judged and many people take their job performance appraisals personally. So, a negative appraisal is inferred as a negative assessment of the person.
Increasingly, employers say it’s actually more important to hire people who are good cultural fits than it is to find people who meet all the skill requirements. Job seekers are following suit. When they interview for jobs, they’re not just concerned with whether or not they’ll like the work, the hours, etc., they’re also concerned with whether or not they’ll feel welcomed by and comfortable with their co-workers and bosses.
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June 9, 2010, SlatePC.com — Sharon Armstrong was featured in an article posted today by Karen Siwak, a Certified Resume Strategist and Executive Director of Resume Confidential.
Siwak wrote: Be aware that many recruiters and employers are suspicious of functional formats because they too often get used to hide issues such as career gaps or job hopping. Many recruiters that I spoke to had a clear preference for reverse chronological formats, because it requires the least amount of time and effort on their part to see what a candidate has done with their lives.
Sharon Rich is seeing much more savvy on the part of jobseekers in terms of résumés that quantify accomplishments and focus on transferable skills. HR Consultant and author Sharon Armstrong agrees.
“Executives, senior managers and professionals are really spending time highlighting their major achievements on their resumes. Not everything they ever did…just a few targeted ones…which they can quantify.“
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June 3, 2010, Federal News Radio — At 3 p.m. today, Federal News Radio reporter Christopher J. Dorobek interviewed Sharon Armstrong, author of new The Essential Performance Review Handbook, about how to make performance reviews a less painful process.
He explains:
“If you hate your annual performance review, don’t worry. You’re not alone,” he said. “Some employees dread that yearly meeting with their boss, where intangible topics, such as ‘future goals’ are often discussed. And we’ve heard tales that bosses don’t like them much, either.”
“But the performance review doesn’t have to be a chore . . . or torturous. They can actually be productive conversations that not only benefit the office, but the organization as a whole.”
“Sharon Armstrong is author of the Essential Performance Review Handbook, and has served as director of human resources at several organizations in the D.C. metro area. She says progress is being made when it comes to performance reviews, and successful organizations are making them really work.”
Click here to download the mp3 file, and read the article.
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May 28, 2010, The Inside View Book Review — In a review today of Sharon Armstrong’s “Essential Performance Review Handbook,” CNN book critic Salvador SeBasco, writes:
“Performance reviews have gotten a bad rap and rightfully so. There is a stigma of subjectivity with no standard measure for performance appraisal of a person’s effort versus business values; let alone apples compared to oranges. Sound familiar? Sure it does. And the proverbial they wonders why the economy is in an uproar.
The Essential Performance Review Handbook recognizes the performance appraisal approach is a human process. A parasitic tendency of appraisals is verbiage which could be construed as an attack.
Not one of the ten sample appraisals included in “The Essential Performance Review Handbook” has language which could be construed as an attack on one’s character. Isn’t character, after all, what a nation holds by the measurements of citizenship?”
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Washington DC, May 27, 2010 — “It’s not supposed to be this way,” writes HR specialist Sharon Armstrong in the introduction to her new book, “The Essential Performance Review Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for Any Manager or HR Professional,” published in May 2010 by Career Press (www.theessentialperformancereviewhandbook.com).
Although performance reviews are actually less popular than a trip to the dentist for most supervisors (see that study below), the good news is that Sharon Armstrong — the woman who began her career in Human Resources in 1985 as a recruiter/trainer in a large Manhattan law firm and launched her own HR consulting business in the year 2000 — has found a way to take the pain out of the process.
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May 2010, freestonesoft.com — In an article posted today on www.freestonesoft.com,# Job Sharon Armstrong offered information on how to build a good executive resume.
“Executives, senior managers and professionals are really spending time highlighting their major achievements on their resumes. Not everything they ever did…just a few targeted ones…which they can quantify.“
Read the entire article here.
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May 2010, Love to Know Jobs — LoveToKnow Jobs interviewed Sharon Armstrong this month about how to best prepare for a job interview. Sharon shared the benefits of her expertise on the subject of job interview preparation with readers. Click inside for the Q&A.
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Feb. 21, 2010, New Jersey Star-Ledger — Are cover letters important when you are applying for a job? Career experts have very strong points of view when it comes to this question. Unfortunately their opinions are all over the lot.
Sharon Armstrong, author of “The Essential HR Handbook,” suggests a two-column cover letter as a way to demonstrate that fit. The first column heading is “Your Requirements,” which lists each requirement set forth in the job posting.
The corresponding column is “My Qualifications,” which lists how the candidate satisfies each requirement. This format works, according to Armstrong, because:
1. You never know who is screening interviews and you’ve done all their work for them;
2. If the company is scanning, you’ve used all their key words
3. You already have started to prepare yourself for the interview by reviewing your background and how it applies to the needs of that position and the company.
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February 2, 2010, SHRM — “With the economy in a tailspin that some experts say will take months, if not years, to recover from, companies are more concerned than ever about maximizing the effectiveness of their staff,” writes Lin Grensing-Pophal in her article for SHRM. “Performance management (PM) is moving front and center as less emphasis is placed on hiring new staff, while more is being placed on utilizing the staff that are already on board effectively.”
She interviewed Sharon Armstrong, who explained: There is ample opportunity for HR consultants to become involved in this process, says Armstrong, particularly for those with a background in performance management and the ability to listen. But the complexities require more than just a passing knowledge of “performance evaluation.”
For those without extensive experience, Armstrong suggests partnering with “competent colleagues.” She notes that there are many facets of working on PM that draw upon varied skills, including writing, survey analysis and training.
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January 2010, Yahoo! HotJobs — “Whether the economy roars back in 2010 or slowly climbs out of the hole, HR professionals are anticipating fewer layoffs, more hiring, and, in some cases, a rush to the exits,” writes Yahoo! HotJobs reporter Larry Buhl, who interviewed DC human resources expert Sharon Armstrong.
Armstrong said: Conduct “stay” interviews. Too many companies only learn about employee gripes at exit interviews. Sharon Armstrong, an HR consultant in Washington, D.C., and author of The Essential HR Handbook, recommends surveying employees now. “But employees shouldn’t feel like there will be a ‘gotcha’ when they have complaints. These ‘stay interviews’ should be conducted by a third party, not the manager, or HR could hold focus groups in a safe setting.”
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January 13, 2010, Examiner.com — In Monday’s Washington Examiner, Kansas City Leadership Columnist Eric Jacobson featured The Essential HR Handbook as One of top 235 recommended leadership books from various LinkedIn members.
In today’s newspaper, he reviewed the book and its authors, noting:
It’s unfortunately too common for an employee to be promoted into a management position with little to no Human Resources (HR) training. Similarly, many small business owners don’t have a dedicated human resources person so they end up muddling their way through critical human resources issues while wearing the HR hat.
These are some of the reasons authors Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell wrote the book “The Essential HR Handbook,” described by them as “a quick and handy resource for any manager or HR professional.”
If you don’t have the time or funds to attend HR training at a nearby educational institution or if there is not within your workplace a qualified and seasoned mentor to teach you HR skills, this book provides the novice manager important basics, accompanied by real-world examples and templates that you can readily use as you lead your team of one or more employees. It’s also an excellent refresher for managers who need to hone their hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluating capabilities.
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Washington Examiner, January 10, 2010 — In today’s Washington Examiner, Kansas City Leadership column author Eric Jacobson featured The Essential HR Handbook as one of the top recommended leadership books from various LinkedIn members.
“Within the list of favorites you’ll find titles published decades ago and ones published last month,” Jacobson explained. “All the books are available on Amazon and through a variety of other sources, including via author web sites. Nearly 70 of the books on the list are linked here to Amazon. All will be in this list format within the next few weeks.”
Here is the list of all 235 books, in alphabetical order. It represents many of the vast approaches to leadership in practice today throughout the world. Take a look to see how many you’ve read. Perhaps you’ll find one of your favorites. Then, select a few to further research and to add your reading list for 2010.”
What’s Your Favorite?
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WASHINGTON DC, December 1, 2009 — Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell, co-authors of the popular human resources book, The Essential HR Handbook (www.theessentialhrhandbook.com), got word today that their 2008 book is so successful that it will go into its second printing later this month.
Nearly 6000 copies have been sold to date, an impressive amount for a business book, explains the publisher, Career Press. It plans to print 2000 more copies just in time for the holiday rush.
While many of the books are sold at national retail bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble, the majority of books are sold through Amazon.com. In addition to being available in paperback, the 224-page book is one of fewer than 300,000 titles that were selected to be compatible with Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader.
“We couldn’t be more excited that the book is doing so well,” says Armstrong, who is also the author of Stress-free Performance Appraisals, which is also in its second printing. Her next book, The Essential Performance Review Handbook will be published in the spring of 2010.
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WASHINGTON (AP) July 2, 2009 — In an Associated Press wire article posted today in several U.S. newspapers, Sharon Armstrong — author of The Essential HR Handbook and owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates — talked about ways older job seekers can overcome age barriers.
To avoid appearing out of touch, she explains, they can use their time between jobs to become familiar with the latest technologies and social networking sites.
“I don’t think anyone needs to know when you graduated from college,” she said. “Don’t give people reasons to discriminate against you.” Armstrong urges clients to prepare for questions like, “Aren’t you overqualified?” Older job seekers say they hear that frequently. Armstrong suggests they show enthusiasm for the job and make sure not to seem to be applying out of desperation.
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Project Manager Training blog, October 14, 2009 — On today’s popular HR blog, Project Manager Training, a reviewer gave a rave review to The Essential HR Handbook, by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell.
The reviewer wrote: I found this book to be a wonderful quick reference. I would recommend it – not only for HR professionals – but for managers and supervisors as well. It will help managers to start off on the right foot with new hires, prevent potentially sticky situations, and is a great resource for issues that might arise. The case examples are great. It’s concise and to the point. I found the section on performance evaluations particularly helpful.
Read all about it here: http://projectmanagertraining.wordpress.com
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WASHINGTON DC, October 11, 2009 — The Essential HR Handbook, by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell, was the Number 9 pick this week on the West Palm Beach Post’s list of top 15 most popular books.
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Systems Contractor News, Aug. 17, 2009 — In today’s Systems Contractor News, HR expert Sharon Armstrong was featured in an article entitled, “Fair Appraisals.” Reporter Carolyn Heinze wrote: “For many, the phrase “evaluation time” conjures up images of classrooms, report cards, parent-teacher meetings and, for those that didn’t do their homework all semester, the prospect of being grounded. It may be years, decades even, since any of us have been in school, but once the announcement is made that our work will be formally appraised, it’s difficult not to slip back into the mindset of a school kid.”
When done right, said Sharon Armstrong of the Washington, DC-based consulting firm Sharon Armstrong and Associates, and co-author (with Madelyn Appelbaum) of Stress- Free Performance Appraisals: Turn Your Most Painful Management Duty into a Powerful Motivational Tool, as well as (with Barbara Mitchell) The Essential HR Handbook, evaluations are ongoing. “That means that you are keeping this conversation going when people are doing the right thing, and nudging them gently when something needs to happen,” she said. “The performance evaluation is a culmination of all of those conversations.” The key factor, she added, is to train managers that the evaluation is not an annual event; it’s an ongoing conversation, one that should take into account how the business changes throughout the year.”
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July 9, 2009, Resume Confidential blog — As a Certified Résumé Strategist, I like to take the “pulse” of recruiters and HR professionals to ensure that the documents I create for my clients are going to be well received by the target audience – the people who will make decisions on which candidates will get an interview, a recommendation, an offer of employment. Ordinarily I do this as part of my week-to-week networking activities, but I decided that, in the face of a rapidly changing employment landscape, it was time to take a more broad-brush approach. Thanks to the wonders of HARO, I can share these words of wisdom from leading experts in recruitment, staffing and career services from across North America.
Following is advice from Sharon Armstrong, author of the The Essential HR Handbook, and owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates.
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BOOK REVIEW, June 24, 2009 — So, you’re thinking that maybe you’d like to be in Human Resources. You want to know more about the “must knows” of the profession. Yes? Well then, I have a book for you.
The Essential HR Handbook by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell is a cut-to-the-chase tell-me what-I-need-to-know primer that offers 12 chapters of human resource information, each touching on an element of human resources.
Peppered with right-on quotes at the beginning of each chapter, this handbook “provides practical information, tools and techniques to help managers and HR professionals excel.”
From strategic planning and mission statements to employee relations and diversity the authors provide a variety of checklists, forms and tables to assist the reader with process. Links, letters and laws (with the required caveats and disclaimers) provide the reader with further reading, reasoning and resources.
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Washington Business Journal, June 4, 2009 — “It’s one of those favorite half-full observations for a human resources department: A down economy is a great opportunity to pick up top talent that might not otherwise be on the market or in your price range,” writes Washington Business Journal reporter Jennifer Nycz-Conner. “That, of course, is easier said than done. But it’s a key move right now.”
Nycz-Conner interviewed several local firms, including HR expert Sharon Armstrong, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook and owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates. Armstrong said …
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May 21, 2009, Frederick News Post — In an article in today’s Frederick News-Post, reporter Ed Waters Jr. explained that the Frederick County Society of Human Resource Management will hold its Early Summer Conference from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 4 at Mount St. Mary’s University’s Frederick Campus, 5350 Spectrum Drive.
Authors Barbara Mitchell and Sharon Armstrong, who recently published “The Essential HR Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for Any Manager or HR Professional,” will also participate in the conference.
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Leesburg Today, Thursday, May 15, 2009 — In an article featured in the May 15 issue of the Leesburg Times, reporter Kara Clark wrote about HR expert Barbara Mitchell, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook who spoke at the May 14 Sterling Women luncheon about her experience as a business owner.
“Human resources expert Barbara Mitchell takes exception to the term “bucket list”. Instead, she refers to her list as things to do while I’m still living,” Clark wrote. “She encouraged the 100-plus women in attendance to make such a list. She said she got the idea for her list after reading a newspaper article and immediately sprang to action. She happily reported that she has been able to accomplish the top two priorities on her list: starting a business and writing a book.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2009
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations: www.inkandescentpr.com
703-346-6975 / hope@inkandescentpr.com
WASHINGTON, DC — Of the 7.5 million titles available on Amazon.com, only 272,438 to date have been selected to be compatible with Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader. This month, authors Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell learned that their 2008 book, The Essential HR Handbook, was among the titles chosen.
“We are incredibly excited that our book was chosen to be part of the Kindle collection,” says Armstrong, owner of the human resources outsourcing firm Sharon Armstrong & Associates. “We have sold thousands of copies on Amazon.com since the book came out last August, and we’re looking forward to reaching even more people with this cutting-edge book reader.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 27, 2009
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations: www.inkandescentpr.com
703-346-6975 / hope@inkandescentpr.com
The Essential HR Handbook author will share thoughts on how small business owners can handle HR issues in tough economic times
RESTON, VA — RESTON, VA—On May 14, human resources expert Barbara Mitchell will speak at the popular Sterling Women luncheon in Loudoun County, VA, about the value that human resource professionals contribute to making a business successful, the challenges of starting—and selling—a consulting business, and what she learned from writing her 2008 book, The Essential HR Handbook.
“HR professionals are trained to help manage employees, starting on their first day of work,” says Mitchell, who served in senior human resources positions with Marriott International and several technology firms in the Washington, DC area before co-founding the Millennium Group International, LLC (TMG) in 1998.
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HUMAN RESOURCE ASSOCIATION OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA, March 2009 — In their monthly newsletter, the Human Resource Association of the National Capital Area (HRA-NCA), an affiliated chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), featured Barbara Mitchell and Armstrong Armstrong, authors of The Essential HR Handbook, who spoke at a recent event. Following is the article that appeared in the March 17 issue of the newsletter.
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PRESS RELEASE
Partners in Business Conference, March 26-27 — Human resources expert Barbara Mitchell has been invited to speak on March 26 at the Partners in Business Conference at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. The co-author of The Essential HR Handbook will be speaking about “Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy.”
“This topic is so important, especially in today’s business climate, because too often companies don’t really consider their HR strategy until they have employees in place — and there is a problem,” Mitchell explains. “In the decades I’ve spent in the HR business I learned one important lesson: Those who are pro-active and plan ahead have a much better outcome than those who wait until all hell breaks loose. And sooner or later, that’s exactly what happens.”
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WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, March 13, 2009 — Layoffs are never pleasant and often scary. Stay upbeat, make a plan and get busy. This seismic shift could help push your career in a better direction, human resources training and consulting expert Sharon Armstrong told Washington Business Journal reporter Jennifer Nycz-Conner in a March 13 feature on pages 26-27. If you become one of the unfortunate ones, following are tips to help you bounce back that Armstrong offered:
Immediately after getting laid off: Listen. This will be a challenge because you experience a cacophony of emotions. But the information coming at you about severance packages, benefit continuation, the 401(k) plan and outplacement services offered by the company will be important survival tools in the coming weeks. Take notes and get as many details as possible.
Read the entire Washington Business Journal article online at washington.bizjournals.com.
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WUSA: DC Channel 9 News NOW — HR expert Sharon Armstrong appeared with her colleague Marshall Brown on December 30 to talk about the best approach to find a new job in the current economic downturn.
A human resources consultant, trainer and career counselor, Armstrong has interviewed and helped hundreds of job candidates land the perfect job. Brown, a certified career, executive coach, and author of “High-End Resumes,” focuses on strategies for succeeding in interviews and making it to the final candidate list in this tough market.
“Don’t panic,” Armstrong told WUSA reporter Mike Walter. “Just start working right away on a new plan.”
She also offered other tips, including the idea that a resume is actually a marketing brochure that should reflect your assets and offerings to a new company. Another thought is to ask friends what they see as your strengths. Finally, she says, “Stay strong — and never give up.”
Click inside to watch the clip, or view it on YouTube
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington DC, February 11, 2009 — Just released today was the list of Top HR Managements Books for 2009 from the Society of Human Resources Management Store (SHRM) — and new to the list of the Top 20 is Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell’s highly useful resource for HR execs and managers: The Essential HR Handbook.
Click here to order from SHRM.
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Washington Business Journal, February 20, 2009 — In this week’s issue of The Washington Business Journal, HR expert Sharon Armstrong was interviewed about “What is the best hire you ever made? How did you find the person and how did it work out?”
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PRESS RELEASE
Washington DC — If you or someone you know is having a hard time finding a job in this tough economy, tune in on Feb. 3 at 7:30 for an an audio conference: Interviewing In A Tough Market: Strategies For Succeeding In Interviews And Making It To The Final Candidate List.
“Many candidates are getting close to landing a big job, but in the final interview are having a tough time sealing the deal,” says HR expert Sharon Armstrong, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook. “That’s why my colleague Marshall Brown and I have developed a new 60-minute teleseminar revealing the secrets of Interviewing in a Tough Market. If you or someone you know is looking for a job in today’s brutal economy.”
A certified career and executive coach, Marshall Brown will focus on strategies for succeeding in interviews and making it to the final candidate list in this tough market. Human resources consultant, trainer and career counselor, Sharon Armstrong has interviewed and helped hundreds of job candidates land the perfect job.
For just $29, you’ll learn the following during the 60 minute audio conference:
• The Goal of Interviewing
• Preparation for Interviewing
• Employer’s 4 Fundamental Questions
• Types of Interviews
• Pre-Interview Checklist
• Interviewing Questions
• Things to Remember During the Interview
• A Powerful Close
• Post Interview Actions
• 5 Biggest Interview Mistakes
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WASHINGTON, DC, January 9, 2009 — In this week’s Washington Business Journal, HR expert Sharon Armstrong is quoted in an article on page 13 entitled, “Gotta make a plan for inaugural day madhouse.”
Armstrong said executives and human resource professionals have a joint mission: “Communicate, disseminate information, anticipate and get the word out.”
Work with your human resources team to keep your staff informed of our plans (“We’re closed,” “We’re open, but you can take a vacation day,” etc.) and what’s going on around them. Put together a contact sheet or online list of links to public information about inaugural activities, such as road closing locations and times, suggestions for travel and the like. Get the information to your staff as soon as possible. Then follow up with reminders leading up to Inauguration Day.
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PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC, January 7, 2009 — Insight into how her three books have helped HR expert Sharon Armstrong’s business is featured in a new book released this month entitled, “42 Rules™ for Driving Success With Books,” by Mitchell Levy, publisher of Happy About, a quick2publish book publisher based in Southern California.
“The authors in this book wrote content that allowed them to demonstrate innovation, share their marketing strategy, improve client retention, and share tricks and techniques on using a tool or service,” Levy explains. “The fact that they put this content in a book gave their ideas weight and increased their credibility and reputation. Having the books show up on Amazon, BN.com and other bookstores as well as personally delivering their books to clients/prospects really helped to drive the impact of their message.”
Armstrong is the author of three books: The Essential HR Handbook, 2007, Stress-Free Performance Appraisals, and Healing the Canine Within. For Levy’s book, she contributed the text for Chapter 25: Get Immediate Credibilty.
She writes: “I hadn’t planned on writing ‘Stress-Free Performance Appraisals’ back in 2002. But when an agent at Career Press read my first book … she liked it, and thought I could write another one for her. The next one was for HR professionals, and right up my alley … “
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PRESS RELEASE
Washington DC, January 1, 2009 — Hot off the presses is a free gift from HR expert Sharon Armstrong, “100 Best Interview Questions,” a guide that will help job candidates master a tried and true interviewing technique called behavioral interviewing.
“Behavioral interviewing is a technique used by employers that asserts that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation. More and more employers are using this approach to make solid hiring decisions. With the economy in the doldrums, I wanted to give job candidates a leg up on the interviewing process,” says Armstrong, who suggests job seekers practice answering the 100 questions on pages 2-5 of her guide.
Download your free gift today!
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PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC, December 2008 — “A well-written resume won’t guarantee you are chosen for a new job, but a poorly written one may eject you from the running,” explain the experts from Full Circle Communications in the company’s December newsletter. For advice, editors interviewed Sharon Armstrong, owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates, and co-author of The Essential HR Handbook.
Armstrong prefers job candidates start with a qualifications or achievements summary so that, as Armstong put it, you can “explain your uniqueness.”*
Pare it down: “A common problem is the tendency to include every responsibility in every job,” said Armstrong. “My advice is to select a few achievements that are directly related to the job you want so the achievements resonate with the potential employer. Quantify wherever you can.”
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IN THE NEWS
WASHINGTON, DC, November 25, 2008 —Washington Examiner reporter / columnist Heather Huhman interviewed several HR experts for a 2-part article that ran today in the Washington Examiner, including Sharon Armstrong, co-author of the Essential HR Handbook.
In part 2 in the series, entitled “What they expect,” Armstrong said: Listen, but also participate. “Supervisors expect someone who takes an active role in the conversation by being ready to acknowledge what went well and what could have gone better.”
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IN THE NEWS
WASHINGTON, DC, November 24, 2008 — Reporter / columnist Heather Huhman interviewed HR expert Sharon Armstrong for an article that ran today in the Washington Examiner entitled, “Surviving your first performance review: What to expect.”
Expect the good, the bad (and possibly the ugly), said Armstrong, president of Sharon Armstrong and Associates and co-author of “Stress-free Performance Appraisals.”*. “Employees should expect recognition for their accomplishments, as well as some discussion around areas where their performance might have fallen short.”
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IN THE NEWS
WASHINGTON, DC, November 24, 2008 — What are the biggest challenges facing human resources departments in 2009? The Washington Business Journal asked five HR experts, including Sharon Armstrong, owner of Sharon Armstrong & Associates.
“Three things come to mind. One is helping people recession-proof their lives. With the recent instability of the economy, how HR can be proactive in giving them information and resources in a non-alarming way? Another challenge is the rising cost of health benefits. A lot of my clients are grappling with this. It’s very upsetting for folks and it’s up to human resources officials to find the best way for employees and companies to deal with that. The third thing that will be critical for 2009 is retention. HR managers have to be concerned not only with recruiting, but keeping good people. This is a problem every year, of course, but in 2009 it will be a major concern.”
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PRESS RELEASE
RESTON, VA, November 15, 2008 — In these tough economic times, HR professionals and managers alike need a guide to help them create and keep positive relationships with employees, and develop attractive and fair compensation packages. That’s why Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell’s new book, “The Essential HR Handbook,” is the perfect gift this holiday season. It’s the perfect time to buy a copy for yourself — and your employees.
This 250-page reference guide, published in the fall of 2008 by Career Press, is a must-have for everyone who deals with employees on a daily basis, believe Mitchell and Armstrong, who wrote the book to shed light on the issues that keep managers up at night.
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IN THE NEWS
WomenEntrepreneur.com, October 1, 2008 — Before making the final decision to fire an employee, reporter Aliza Sherman of WomenEntrepreneur.com interviewed HR expert Sharon Armstrong about what to do to soften the blow. Find out what are Armstrong’s Top 5 Firing Don’ts.
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PRESS RELEASE
Washington Examiner, September 26, 2008 — Do you know what your references will say? In a Sept. 26 Washington Examiner article reporter Heather Huhman interviewed author and HR expert Sharon Armstrong about how to best handle the opportunity.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RESTON, VA, November 15, 2008 — This 250-page reference guide, published in the fall of 2008 by Career Press, is a must-have for everyone who deals with employees on a daily basis, believe Mitchell and Armstrong. “We wrote the book because, as human resource professionals with decades of experience, we wanted to shed light on the issues that keep managers up at night,” the authors say.
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