Newsletter March 2020

Recruiters for the Copier Channel® for more than 30 years, Copier Careers® has been the only recruiting firm exclusively dedicated to connecting Copier Channel employers with experienced service technicians, copier sales representatives, sales managers, service & operations managers, controllers, support staff, and MPS/MNS experts. Start your month off right with the Newsletter March 2020: Copier Channel news and career advice. Search copier jobs now.

IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER

• COVID-19: Best Office Practices
• Top 5: Good Boss Behaviors
• News from Xerox, HP, & Canon
• Sound Off: Why did you refuse your last job offer?
• Poll-of-the-Month: Are you planning to change jobs in the next 6 months?

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COVID-19: Best Office Practices

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic as of March 11th. However, as WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom emphasized in this announcement, “We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic” and “several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled.”

As we have seen in the past weeks, the spread of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on air travel, festivals, sporting events and many other aspects of life. But how does this affect the day-to-day business of the Copier Channel?

The Business Solutions Industry is inherently enmeshed with many other businesses. Industry technicians and sales reps visit offices and interact face-to-face with everyone from the reception desk to the copy room to the management or executive offices. As a result, the health and safety of other businesses will have a direct impact on your business – and vice versa.

Read more:

• How to protect yourself and others
• How employers can reduce risk

We’re All in This Together

Most importantly, we need to remember that this is not a problem for individuals to face alone but for families, companies, communities, countries and the world to face together. As Dr. Adhanom urged world leaders, “let’s all look out for each other, because we need each other. […] We’re in this together, to do the right things with calm and protect the citizens of the world. It’s doable.”

The Top 5: Good Boss Behaviors

It can be hard enough to spot red flags in your job hunt but how do you recognize a really good boss when you meet one? Look for these hallmarks of a solid employer in your next interview!

1. They run a smooth interview process. Whether you start from word of mouth, a job post, or through a recruiter; the process from the job description to interview(s) to offer letter should be well organized and executed. An employer who can keep appointments, has a solid understanding of the job requirements, and has realistic expectations shows that they can run their company/department/team in a similar fashion.
2. They show respect to superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. A solid employer will demonstrate good judgement and emotional intelligence in their interactions with other employees. Note how they treat the front desk staff or their fellow interviewers. Pay attention to how they refer to their own superiors or company leadership. If they are professional and respectful, that bodes well for how they’ll treat you!
3. They ask good questions. You can tell a lot about them by what questions they ask. Their questions should invite you to demonstrate your job-related knowledge and skills. Employer’s questions should show their strong understanding of the unique challenges of the position. Their questions should also touch on your personality, ability to work with a team, and how you’ll fit within their company culture. And all of these questions should absolutely be legal, professional, and appropriate.
4. They offer a path for advancement.A good boss will highlight professional development and advancement opportunities. This is because they aren’t just interviewing you to fill the current open role, they also see you as a professional capable of growth. Smart employers know that once top employees master their roles, they’ll be looking to expand their skills, take on more responsibility, and earn more. They also recognize that these qualities are not an expense but an investment with huge potential. And it goes without saying that high-achieving employees who aren’t offered these options will find another company that will. 
5. They offer reasonable compensation. A good boss will acknowledge the value your skills and experience would offer their company. If they want you (especially in this tight job market), they will give you a competitive offer. Moreover, they should be able to answer questions about future raises – do they have minimum raises to keep up with inflation, do they compensate for tenure, do they incentivize professional development, etc.?

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In the market for a new job? Our job board features hundreds of copier jobs with top employers, updated daily. Search jobs now.

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Xerox Tenders Offer For HP

On March 2nd, Xerox launched a formal tender offer to acquire HP for $24 per share. “Our proposal offers progress over entrenchment,” said John Visentin, CEO of Xerox. “HP shareholders will receive $27 billion in immediate, upfront cash while retaining significant, long-term upside through equity ownership in a combined company with greater free cash flow to invest in growth and return to shareholders.”

The HP board confirms that they will review the “unsolicited exchange offer” and advises shareholders to take no action at this time.

Canon Threatens to End HP Supply Agreement

According to Nikkei, “Canon will end its 35-year relationship with HP if Xerox takes over the U.S. office equipment maker.” HP relies on Canon to supply key laser-printer components. In turn, HP is one of Canon’s largest customers, generating nearly 14% in sales.

Canon CEO and Chairman, Fujio Mitarai, explains, “the foundation of this partnership is, above all else, built upon a relationship of trust between the top management of both companies. At the same time, it also involves a great deal of technological exchange gradually established over the decades-long relationship. It is not something that can be built overnight.” The implication being that a takeover, merger, or major change to HP leadership could threaten this long-held relationship. Read more…

HP Takes Poison Pill

In an effort to ward off any hostile takeover attempts, HP adopted a poison pill plan back in mid February. According to Reuters, the one-year stockholder rights plan “aims to stop investors from amassing more than 20% stake in the company. Among other terms, if any group acquires 20%, all shareholders outside the group will be able to buy additional discounted shares, diluting the ownership of the group.” Read more…

Read more news from around the industry on our News & Resources page.

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Sound Off

Our readers respond to last month’s poll question

We’ve recently discussed how to spot good and bad bosses during the interview process, so we were curious to hear your reasoning for the last job offer you rejected. We had a solid turnout of 9,121 votes this month!

The majority of voters (31%) said they rejected a job offer because the compensation was too low. Tied for second were “bad company reputation” and “not enough benefits” with 13% each. 11% rejected a job offer because there was no clear path for advancement. Another 11% spotted red flags in the potential future boss/supervisor. Only 1% turned an offer down because it was for a less desirable task or territory.

POLL QUESTION: