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Book Review: The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave

Editor’s note: This book review is a part of The Voice of Jobseekers content partnership with AMACOM Books, who sent it to me complementary. This is a non-paid review of the book.

The author Leigh Branham, CEO and Founder of Keeping The People, Inc., has written two other workplace books including the 1st edition of this book. The 7 Hidden Reason Employees Leave by Leigh Branham is not only for the employee, but is also for unemployed and under-appreciated job seekers.

Whenever I receive books from AMACOM Books, I consider the benefits of the job seeker value first. When I sent the inquiry, I went to YouTube and searched another site to see if there is practical for the unemployed. I agreed to review the book but it wasn’t a resounding yes, until I started reading.

BAM!

What a useful resource this is! It gives job seekers more reasons to research companies and continue the needed due diligence to find the ideal workplace.

Another factor is that there are job seekers who are ready to leave their current positions. As mentioned last week, job seekers are looking for new opportunities, despite the overall job outlook. For many of them, this is not a suggested career move. The study states that only 17% are prepared to tackle a job search.

Included with my thoughts on the book, I am offering reasons that job seekers should read and engage the principles that are included. Branham’s book should be read as a standard and reasonable advice for management professionals and non-management personnel looking to plan his or her career:

1) Job seekers must evaluate what he or she values, then pursue that career

Branham confirms that out of the many reasons that employees leave a position is not financially driven. Branham discusses that employees disengage from the position sometimes years before leaving the company. If you value training, promotions, or a flexible schedule more than your ideal salary, you must make that a part of your search criteria.

2) Job seekers must seek clear expectations from future employers as much as possible

Branham states that the #1 reason for employees disengaging and leaving is that the “job or workplace was not as expected. Exit comments from surveys said that, “Improper representation of the job description and hours of work” and “Things are not explained well by HR when you are hired” are noted by Branham as, “At the root of all these comments is an expectation that was not met.” Job seekers must ensure that expectations are written if they wish for guarantees.

3) It’s all about the relationships, networking, and feedback

Branham observes as indicated in the surveys mentioned in the book that the more coaching and feedback is given, the more engaged the employee will remain. Job seekers must accept and pursue relationships that sustain momentum in his or her job search. It is likely that a job search success means more when you talk to people than CareerBuilder results. As the workplace should be an environment of continual coaching and feedback, a job search that has that much engagement will be successful.

4) Whose responsibility it is to enhance your career path? Yours.

The book contains a number of studies and results that points away from the company and re-directed to the employee. Branham states that many of companies do not cultivate a clearly defined career path. Job seekers must own and steer his or her career path, no matter the decision the future employer makes.

The amount of detail included in “The 7 Hidden…” will provide much food for thought as it becomes clearer what each reader desires out of his or her career path. After reading this book each job seeker should learn and be advised:

How to ask and research questions about company culture and environment that helps define immediate and future expectations through networking contacts and informational interviews
Not only look for inconsistencies in what employers say about his or her company, but what is not said. What employers say they are willing to do and what they commit to are two different things
Grow clarity about tolerances and intolerances (what you don’t like but will put up with).

I can’t express the importance of reading “The 7 Hidden …” to gain additional insight to your job search arsenal. Since I am raving about this book, my content partners at AMACOM Books agreed for me to give-a-way a copy of the book. Here are ways you can qualify for a FREE COPY of The Hidden:

Share this review through your Twitter account and include me so I can see it (@MarkADyson)

Share the review through your blog and link to this article

Share the NEW “The Voice of Job Seeker” Facebook page on your business or personal page.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Keep Networking Contacts Close (And The Competition Closer)

Job seekers should be networking enough in their professional niche and networking contacts to know what and how their competition is job searching. As hard as it is to get job interviews, it shouldn’t have to take many shots to make one basket so to speak.

But it does, it will, and you must remember: Job hunting is competitive. Know what your competitors are doing and how if they are exceeding. Then do what they do when you can.

If you know how your competition is scoring interviews and getting job offers, then by imitating their techniques, you can achieve similar results.

OK. Maybe. But there is no shame in imitation. Not to be confused with plagiarism. Your network contacts are likely on your team and competition.

Job seekers must understand the uniqueness of his or her skills set and core competencies. Although job seekers can emulate strategy, you have your own accomplishments and results to showcase. If you have researched the company, know what it takes to succeed in the position. Bring solutions to the table so you can compete. If you don’t, you lose. You know your networking contacts could help you with your competition. That is if they aren’t the competition already.

Two job seekers can compete as part as a way to spur another person on so you can get double your efforts by sharing leads, employer profiles, and networking contacts. One has to keep in mind, that the job search is a competition.

Feelings could potentially get hurt while striving to get the upper hand. If two or more job seekers agree to spur each other to greatness in the job search game, they should agree that the competition is only to keep one another motivated.

If you don’t want to, then I hope you crush them.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Job Advice That Will Take You Higher and HIRED

“Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.”

Robert Greenleaf

Wrote essay, “Essentials of Servant Leadership”

I can’t tell you how much political bantering that I watched 6 months ago. I read so many articles that are politically related that I stopped reading. It was skewing my view of what is important: Clearing the pathway to understand the employment game. I even wrote two posts where I carefully tread the waters of why I wouldn’t take job advice from politicians.

Job Advice

You can talk yourself out of a good job advice and employment simultaneously. Whether seeking employment or thriving at your career, politics exists and not everyone who is good at politics practices good judgment. Talking too much seems to lead him or her down a road that is hard to recon, or return from. Too many words ultimately drive listeners away and turn your potential audience off.

What will NOT get you HIRED?

When job seekers and particularly serious job candidates talk too much and lack the self-control to think before speaking run into credibility problems. Every part of the hiring process should be approached with strategy and some personality (you want to be liked too). Job advice from people who can lead you to the right person, but the right elements will take you higher and HIRED.

Show that you have good judgment. Give specific instances of when you performed under pressure and under scrutiny. Although there are extremes that would impress an employer, I remember one client that I had two years ago explained to the interview panel how she handled her unit when it was time to evacuate the building on 9/11. The panel didn’t take long to hire her.
Choose your words carefully. If people told you that you were harsh, overly critical, or incessantly use inappropriate language, you should listen. You can’t take back offensive words most of the time. If you realize that you do, apologize. But many times, game over.
What you don’t say, ask, or glean is scrutinized too. Interviewers have different styles and sometimes will purposely test your knowledge, attention span, or response. Some will even spend 75% of the time describing the culture, environment. and job duties to test your memory, reaction, or patience. Others will give you verbal tests to see how well you comprehend. Most interviewers will include conversation to see how well you communicate. As a candidate, you must approach each phase eagerly if you wish serious consideration.
Gratitude gives you lots of latitude. Thank you notes that are hand written, personally delivered with a smile I’ve talked about before, but this standard rule is throughout the conversations with employers. Please and thank you season your presentations with salt making you memorable, cordial, and kind.
Listen for what is not said, not always what is said.Job seekers need to speak up, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. I heard of a story that the candidate was asked to give his password to his Facebook page. The candidate asked, “What is it that you want to know from my Facebook page that I can’t answer in person?” The interviewer was too stunned to answer the question. The candidate didn’t want the job because of the response. Who would want to work where the employer couldn’t answer a direct question.

How do you feel people talk too much, or talk themselves into trouble? Do you tend to say too much? Let’s talk. Please share in the comments section.