Traits for successful entrepreneurs

Q:  The corporate track isn’t right for everyone.  In your work, what do you see as the required traits of successful entrepreneurs?  I think I would be nervous, but excited about starting my own business.  I am a senior in college now and can’t see myself in a very traditional company. 

A:  It sounds like you have the entrepreneurial bug!  Starting a business is fun, frightening, exciting, exhilarating and nerve-wracking.

Many entrepreneurs have grand ideas, which are just that — grand ideas.  Turning a grand idea into a profitable business can be a challenge though.

I am lucky in my role.  I have been able to work with many successful entrepreneurs across many industries.  I think the “must have” traits for a successful entrepreneur include:

• focus/determination/tenacity – able to focus on your business, and be determined in launching and building your business
• strong work ethic, WIT (whatever it takes) – few successful entrepreneurs are able to get it all done in 40 hours in a single week
• resilience/grit – able to pick yourself up after a setback and work through tough issues (few successful ventures are easy)
• understanding that missteps are part of the journey – failing is part of it, no journey is a perfect upward trajectory
• adaptable – flexibility in changing your path, based on what your customers tell you
• business development/networker – a pipeline of new business is key to most entrepreneurial ventures
• able to execute – taking an idea and putting a plan in place
• experience in the industry – knowing your industry and your marketplace will give you credibility
• listening skills – others will give you advice, you may not always agree, but always listen
• passionate – although an overused word in business, being passionate about business keeps you energized

I consulted Jon Carson, serial entrepreneur and CEO of CollegeVine and Carson added, “Entrepreneurship is often over-glamorized as there are many more losers than winners.  It’s pretty risky to go out on your own unless you have an idea you are truly passionate about getting strong response from the market with paying customers clearly in sight.  Unless you have that I would do it the old-fashioned way and work on it nights and weekends, preferably with a partner.  The best course for you to take may be to find a great early stage company getting traction and learn the ups and downs on somebody else’s nickel.”

Good luck in finding the best path for you!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Can you “undo” an email sent in anger?

Q: I recently applied for a job that was posted online.  I participated in several interviews.  After several interviews, I was told (by email) that another candidate was selected for the role.  In the email, the recruiter told me that the company would keep me in mind for future openings.  I was annoyed and replied “Thanks but no thanks.”  Then, several weeks later, the same role has been posted.  I realize now I should not have emailed that reply.  Is there a way to undo this?  I was really angry that I had not been selected because after three interviews, you think you have the job.  Now what should I do?

A: Oh no.  When I talk with job hunters, one of my pieces of advice is to avoiding burning bridges.  Usually this means leaving a company in a professional manner.   Although you may have had disagreements with your former company, manager, coworkers, etc., it is important to share your concerns in a professional way.

The same holds true for when a candidate is not selected for a job.  Even though you may be hurt, angry, annoyed, insulted or irritated (and sometimes all of the above!), don’t share that with a prospective employer.  Instead, express your displeasure to your spouse, partner, parent, therapist, dog, cat or parakeet.  The most appropriate response would have been something like: “Jane, thanks for getting back to me regarding ABC’s decision to hire another candidate.  While I am disappointed, I remain interested in future opportunities with ABC.  May I contact you in a month to inquire about other roles at ABC?”

Companies make hiring decisions every day.  Those candidates who leave a positive impression with a company are sometimes considered for other opportunities, either with that company or through that recruiter.  There have been times, when I have had a client reject a candidate yet I can then present that candidate to another client.  Sometimes, the candidate gets hired by the second client.  Yet, I would never present the candidate to the second client if the candidate behaved in an angry or unprofessional manner with the first client.

It is important to avoid burning bridges.  It almost always comes back to haunt you in the job-hunting process.  It is a tough lesson to learn, but now you know responding when you are angry is almost always a bad idea.  Instead, let your emotions stabilize, and the respond.

It is difficult to “undo” a sent email.  You can reach out to the recruiter, but I would be surprised if they gave you another opportunity to interview with the company.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Understanding options after a job elimination

Q: I have a question and was wondering if someone can help me in answering it.  I was recently told that my position was being eliminated at one of the big four accounting firms.  I was told that they are going to look in another city in the country to staff my position out of.  I was not offered to relocate or to apply for this position but asked to help train my replacement.

I am an employee at will and not sure if this is legal or not, could someone help me in understanding my options?

A: It sounds like you are in an unfortunate situation.  First, I have to make the assumption that you work in Massachusetts.  Employment laws differ between states, and there are significant differences between states with respect to employment at will.

Most employees within the US, and in Massachusetts, are employees at will.  Employees working in an at-will arrangement, do not have an employment contract.  An at-will employment arrangement gives both the employer and the employee the ability to end the employment relationship at any time. In your situation, since you are an at-will employee, your employer can terminate your employment at time.  However, your employer still needs to be careful of other employment laws.

If you are at-will, your employer does not have to find you another role in the US.  They also do not have to offer you relocation.  However, that does not mean you cannot ask about open positions elsewhere and if they would offer any type of relocation assistance.  Although not legally required, I would also ask about severance if you do not remain employed with your company.

Employers still need to exercise caution when terminating employees.  If an employee participated in a protected activity like whistle blowing, and then was terminated, this termination could certainly face legal challenges.  Terminations should also be reviewed to ensure that the termination is not based on an employee’s membership in a protected class (e.g., age, race, color, etc.).  Also, a termination could face legal challenges if the employee was on a job-protected leave or the employee participated in an investigation of a discrimination complaint.

Employees are terminated for a variety of legal business reasons, including a company’s financial performance,  moving a company’s operations, outsourcing a function, or a change in business strategy.  However, a careful analysis should be performed in advance of a employee termination.

For more information about Massachusetts laws and employee terminations, visit http://www.mass.gov/courts/case-legal-res/law-lib/laws-by-subj/about/termination.html

You may contact an employment attorney to review the specific facts around your termination.  One resource that may be helpful is the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Services (www.masslawhelp.org).

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Help for those who need a fragrance-free workplace

Q:  I have moved into a new role within my company.  There is a woman who wears an excessive amount of perfume who sits very close to my new cubicle.  She also has plug-in air fresheners within her cubicle.  I have noticed that my migraines react to certain strong fragrances.  Right now I avoid that area, however I can’t avoid her forever.  How do I gently her encourage to reduce the fragrances in her area?  I am not her boss but I am her peer.  Others joke about it but it’s not a joke to me.

A:  Fragrance sensitivity issues are now a more commonly discussed topic within our workplaces.  Those will allergies, asthma or other respiratory disorders are often especially concerned, as fragrances can be detrimental to their condition.  Those who suffer from migraines can also be affected.

Many employers have adopted a ban on fragrances in the workplace.  The American Lung Association has a sample Fragrance-Free policy on their website (http://action.lung.org/site/DocServer/fragrance-free-workplace.pdf).  Employers can use this policy as a starting point or as a template for their own policy.  It is a bit more difficult to ask visitors to comply with such a policy but most will comply if they are aware of the policy in advance.

Many employees wear colognes, perfumes and other scented products without ever intending to cause harm to another person.  However, these products can adversely affect another person’s health.

Ask your employer if they have considered issuing a fragrance-free policy.  Some health professionals have compared fragrance-free workplaces to that of smoke-free workplaces.  I expect that we will see more employees asking employers for workplaces which are free from excessive fragrances.  Health care environments, in particular, are at the forefront of this movement.

It is difficult to ask another coworker to change their habits, like their use of perfume or body lotion. However if they understand how the use of these fragrances impact others, this may help them appreciate your concerns.  You can also speak to your Human Resources department to ask your co-worker (and maybe even others) to limit their use of fragrances, air refreshers, etc. in the workplace. Additionally, some employers are asking their janitorial service to use fragrance-free products when cleaning offices.

For more information about chemical sensitivities, visit The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation at chemcialsensitivefoundation.org.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

At resignation, how final wages are calculated matters

Q: I just quit a job and received my final paycheck and noticed it was a lot less than expected. I was owed one week of work pay and pay for six vacation days that I earned but did not take. When I reached out to the company to ask, they informed me they prorated my final check and are calculating it by taking my bi-monthly salary and dividing it into how many total days in my final pay period. I tried to explain to them that I believe it should not be the total calendar days in the pay period (15), but how many working days (11) as this is a salaried position, 40 hours, Monday-Friday job and I did not work seven days a week. They also used this calculation to get the day rate to pay my vacation day payout.

The way they calculated it seems to artificially lower my daily rate, but they claim this is how their payroll company has always treated salaried employees and have so for many years. They claim to not understand what I’m talking about when I politely explain the error.
Is this normal for companies to calculate prorated salary and vacation time in Massachusetts? What should I do?

A: You have raised a good question, which we have responded to before in our column.  Unfortunately this same issue pops up again and again!

It sounds like your employer is miscalculating your final pay as well as your final vacation pay.  The result is an underpayment to you.

I contacted Attorney Valerie Samuels, a partner in the employment law practice with Posternak Blankstein & Lund in Boston.  Samuels explains: “Assuming you are an exempt employee paid on a weekly salary, and that your salary typically covers a five-day work week (even if you sometimes work more or less), you should have been paid for 11 days.  Accrued vacation time is also considered wages under Massachusetts law. The correct calculation would be to divide your weekly salary by five (based on a five-day work week), in order to determine your daily pay rate, then multiply that amount by eleven. You should have been paid that amount minus normal tax witholdings on the next regular payroll.  If you had been terminated, and not resigned, your employer would be required to pay you immediately upon termination.”

Samuels said that you may collect mandatory treble damages under the Massachusetts Wage law if you are not paid in full by the first regular payroll after your resignation. You may also receive payment for any attorney fees you incur in collecting the money.  Another option, and it may be an easier alternative would be to file a wage complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General. This can be done online and without an attorney.  The Attorney General’s office will help you recover the proper amount due to you, but probably not treble damages.

A third option is to share this blog post with your former employer and give them the opportunity to make it right before you take further steps!   They need to begin calculating these wage payouts correctly.

It does not matter whether this error was intentional or not.  Employees have the right to prompt payment of wages owed to them.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

No feedback after internal job post

Q:  I recently posted for a job internally.  Another employee was selected.  I never heard back from the hiring manager or the internal recruiter explaining why I was not selected.  Is this typical?  I would like to know why so I can learn from this experience.

A: In general, companies post open positions internally to encourage employees to advance into new roles within the organization.  Employers are then able to retain talent and institutional knowledge (fancy words for the way the company works!).

Employers have different policies and practices for their internal job posting systems.  Most employers don’t post every single job.  However, many companies post many open positions, because job posting systems are an effective way to communicate to employees that the company is hiring and also the system encourages employee referrals.  Many companies have an internal posting period, maybe 7 or 10 days, which gives employees a first chance at applying, before they look at external candidates.  Some companies will look at external candidates at the same time, but will give internal candidates preference.

If you interviewed for the role, you should have absolutely been given the courtesy of a reason for why you were not selected, especially since you are an employee of the company.  I am not clear, based on the detail provided in your question, if you were interviewed or not.  If you submitted an internal application, you should have still received a response on whether you met the “cut” for interviews and if not, why.  For some roles, the candidate response can be overwhelming and not every candidate can be interviewed.  However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be notified why.  Unfortunately, sometimes that might be an automated response (which no one likes, I know), but when you post a job and over 400 candidates apply, it is difficult to respond to all of the candidates in a meaningful way.

I think you should reach out to the recruiter and ask.  I would recommend sending a quick email with a gracious and professional tone.   Explain when you applied, for what role and that you never heard back (either after your application was submitted or after your interview).  Share that you had heard another candidate was selected and that you were hoping to understand the reasons why your candidacy did not advance.  I would hope then that you would receive a response from the recruiter with helpful feedback.

It is frustrating.  It is the number one complaint I hear from candidates.  It is what I call the “black hole” phenomena.  A resume or application is submitted and then a candidate never hears back.  It is especially disheartening though when it is your current employer.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Preparing for a resignation

Q:  I have been working for three years in a role where I have been increasingly dissatisfied.  This is a first for me in a 20-year career.  Prior to this role, I had two eight-plus year stints, where I was quite happy and satisfied.  This has been a different experience for me.  The man I have been working for has been controlling, vindictive and distant.  I have never experienced anything quite like this before.  It has been a wake-up call.  I have accepted a new position and am starting in mid-September.  When I have resigned before, I gave plenty of notice to ensure a smooth transition.  I am not sure I can do that again.  My nerves are frayed and my stress level is at an all-time high.  What do you recommend?

A:  I am sorry you are so dissatisfied.  At least the end is near.  After three years, it sounds like you have given this role plenty of time to improve, but it still has not met your expectations.  It is time to move on.

First, develop a written transition plan.  Think about who can assume tasks, responsibilities and projects which you are now handling.  There may be some projects which may need to be postponed or deferred to a later date.

Second, compile a list of your most important contacts, both internally and externally.  This list should include name, title, context, email and telephone numbers.  Assuming your employer decides to replace you, this will be helpful to your replacement.

I would give two weeks’ notice but not more.  It sound like you may need to take some time off to recharge your batteries before you start a new role.  You want to begin a new role with lots of energy and enthusiasm.  You will need time off after you leave your current role — time to decompress and spend on yourself.  This will be important to your mental health and your stress level.

By developing a transition plan and leaving it behind, you are being a responsible corporate citizen.  You are making it easy for someone to step into your shoes and assume many of your old responsibilities.  You may also choose to leave your new company contact information in case your replacement has questions for you after you have left the company.  Good luck in your new role.  Please take that time off.  It is important to do!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.