I recently celebrated my two-year anniversary with ETR. But it seems like I have been a part of this team much longer. Maybe it is because there is absolutely no other organization I would rather be a part of.

You see, I’m fortunate. I wake up every morning and look forward to going to the office to interact with the ETR team, to brainstorm new products and marketing ideas, and, recently, to talk about the new ETR website. (You’ll be hearing much more about that in the next few months.) I also enjoy attending and presenting at our conferences, and meeting our readers.

But not everyone feels the way I do. And when they aren’t happy with the work they’re doing, they often choose to get another job.

In my 20-plus years in business, I have seen many employees leave their jobs for many different reasons. Some were asked to leave, and some left on their own. Some left for good reasons, some left for inane ones.

But no matter why you leave a job, keep this in mind: There is a right way and a wrong way to exit an organization.

If you leave a job the wrong way, you could wind up ruining your reputation – or even making an enemy for the rest of your life. And that could affect any career you pursue. But if you leave a job the right way, you can preserve – even enhance – your reputation, strengthen your relationship with your new boss, and help ensure that you’ll get rave reviews any time a potential employer looks into your work history.

The right way to leave a job simply involves taking 3 key steps:

1) Announce your resignation.

It does not matter if you have been employed by the company for a month or 10 years… never e-mail your resignation or announce it with a phone message. Sit down with your supervisor and have a grown-up conversation. Explain that you need to move on, and thank her for everything she has done to help you in your career.

Bring your official resignation letter to the meeting. In it, include your end date. Make sure you allow for enough time to make an easy transition between you and your replacement.

The following is a good rule of thumb:

Yes, some companies may escort you out the door the moment you inform them of your resignation. However, most will thank you for your service, and even offer to help you with your next endeavor.

Whatever you do, do not tell any of your colleagues or subordinates that you are leaving before you have the conversation with your direct supervisor. Telling your supervisor first says that you respect her and appreciate what you have learned from her. (Keep in mind that this is the person you will most likely use as a reference in the future.)

2) Have a transition plan.

When you have that talk with your supervisor, be prepared with a suggested transition plan. Have recommendations for people who can take over some of your responsibilities until your replacement is hired.

Your transition plan should also include:

• A timeline of projects you have been working on. This should be as detailed as possible.

• Your job description, updated with any changes that have been made during your tenure. All jobs evolve, and your supervisor may not realize to what extent yours has.

• A contact list that includes the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of everyone you interact with in order to get your job done. Do not omit anyone because you brought them to the table. You did it while you were being paid by your current employer.

While discussing your transition plan, offer to help hire your replacement. After all, you know the kind of skills that are required to do the job, as well as the kind of person it takes.

3) Maintain your strong work ethic.

So many people make the mistake of slacking off once they give notice. This can negate your entire legacy.

Your last few weeks or months in a company is a time for you to shine. A time to present yourself the way you want to be remembered. You should come in early and stay late. Offer assistance to anyone who needs it. And do whatever else you can to leave a lasting impression of what a talented person and hard worker you are.

Most industries are more interconnected than you might imagine. If you do a great job after you have given notice, it’s practically guaranteed that your new boss will hear about it. And the same is true if you acquire an “I just don’t care anymore” attitude.

When I first started at ETR, I was looking to hire a graphic artist. One of the prime candidates for the job was a lovely young woman with a fantastic portfolio and what seemed like a fine resume to match.

The evening before my final round of interviews, I met a former colleague for a drink. During the course of our conversation, I told her about my potential candidates for the position. As it turned out, the young woman I was seriously considering had worked at my colleague’s company for a month. Not only that, but my colleague had been her supervisor.

Seems that while she was there, she did an okay job. But once she gave notice, she started coming in late. Not only that, but she found reasons why she could not complete her assignments before she left… and she spent a lot of her time bragging about her new job.

Instead of canceling my interview with her the next day, I kept it… without letting on that anything had happened.

When I asked her about an unaccounted-for month on her resume (the time she had worked for my former colleague), she told me she had been traveling. Imagine her shock when I told her that I’d had drinks the previous night with the supervisor she had omitted from her resume.

I thanked her for her time… and hoped she had learned a valuable lesson.

Remember: The final impression you make is just as important as the first one. No matter what reason you have for leaving a job, you want to leave on good terms. You don’t want to burn any bridges. And by taking the three very simple steps above, you can leave on great terms. That will help you maintain your reputation for excellence with your previous employer… and start out on the right foot with your new employer.

[Ed. Note: Making it in the business world requires a lot of trial and error - unless you get someone to show you the ropes. The ETR team has compiled their decades of business-building experience in one easy-to-understand resource. Get their step-by-step guide to creating your own business - and making it a success - right here.]

The other night at dinner, my seven-year-old son Connor asked, "Mom, is it easy to fire people?"

I told him it was the hardest thing that any boss has to do.

His next question was, "Then why do you do it?"

I asked him a simple question: "Do you remember when Delaine (his three-year-old sister) bit the little boy in the park and we took her home and gave her a time-out?" He nodded.

"Do you think I should have given you a time out as well?"

"Of course not," he said. "I didn’t bite the kid." 

I explained that I have an obligation to every single person in the ETR organization. I cannot let one person have a negative effect on 26 other people’s lives. And keeping an employee who is not doing his job properly, or who is disruptive to her co-workers, is not fair to the company as a whole. 

It seems like such a simple concept to rid your organization of sub-par players. Yet it is one of the largest problems I see among entrepreneurs and fledgling business builders. They have an extremely hard time firing people.

Instead of confronting the situation head on, they start taking over the sub-par employee’s tasks or parsing them out to the good employees. But instead of helping, this causes resentment and anger. And soon the good employees start jumping ship. 

Don’t let this happen to you. It is your business, and so it is your responsibility to create and maintain a culture that is conducive to productivity.

If you have been toying with the idea of firing someone but keep saying to yourself "It will get better"… if you have been on the fence for a month or more… you are wasting too much time and mental energy on a decision you have already made. You should be spending that time and energy on making sales and growing your company.

Fire the person. Make sure you do it with respect and compassion. Everyone in your organization will be better off for it.

[Ed. Note: It may be tough, it may be unpleasant. But you can't grow your company if you allow the bad eggs to stick around. Once you get rid of your sub-par employees, you can concentrate on taking your business to the next level. Learn how to get expert advice about what you need to do to create a blockbuster business from the ground up right here.

Is firing hard for you? Have you ever kept on an employee longer than you should have? Let us know in our comments section here.]

During the course of my business career, I have interviewed literally hundreds of candidates for various positions. Some people make the cut. But more often, I wind up saying, "Thanks, but no thanks."

I can think of dozens of reasons I might pass on a particular candidate. Maybe she’s rude during the interview. Maybe he shows up in jeans and a T-shirt to meet with me. Or maybe she just doesn’t have that "it" factor I’m looking for.

But many who seem to have the whole package still get passed over when they’re looking for a job. Because of that sad fact of life, young people often ask me for advice about how to ace the interview process. In fact, I got one such e-mail just the other day. Evan from Seattle wrote:

"Thanks so much for continually providing outstanding content and practical advice. Reading ETR is one of the first things I try to do once I get in the office. Thank you for pushing all of your readers, and especially me, to achieve more.

"I am 25 years old and graduated from college in English Literature, just over a year ago. While going to school, I worked for one of the major retail chains, which allowed me to pay for my own schooling. Straight out of college, I landed an internship with a promising but small start-up company. After my internship, the company hired me on full-time in marketing, where I have since been working. Though the company continues to grow, I often feel bored, a bit underutilized, and unchallenged. I have spoken with our CEO and other coworkers to see if there are more responsibilities I can take on, but to no avail.

"I am considering changing companies, and am looking into pursuing an opportunity in a more established Fortune 500 type firm. Being an English major (as opposed to having a specialized Business degree) gives me a certain degree of insecurity when applying and interviewing for jobs. Do you have any rock-solid advice on the job interview process? I know a few of the basics – like remaining calm and collected while selling my best qualities and showing how I will help improve the company. What else might you recommend?"

Here’s my response to Evan. (And if you are in a similar situation, pay close attention.)

First of all, Evan, before you jump ship, examine what is going on in your current position. You say you obtained an internship straight out of college – and after the internship, you were hired on full-time in the company’s marketing department. You also said that you have been out of college a little over a year. So you only have a year’s worth of marketing experience.

If you came to me as a job candidate and you told me all that… along with the fact that your employer’s company continues to grow (during a time where the majority of start-ups are failing)… and mentioned that you have asked others in your company (including your CEO) for more responsibility to no avail, I would wonder the following:

* Are you doing your current job to the fullest?

That means doing the tasks you don’t like to do… and the tasks you may not think are important but are still a part of your job.

Just yesterday, an ETR team member told me that he did not think he was moving up fast enough. During our discussion, I named three very specific responsibilities of his job that he has yet to do on a regular basis or has not done at all. I explained that until an employee does his or her current job to the fullest – and does so with pride and enthusiasm – I will not move them up or assign additional responsibilities. I did, however, make sure he knew why those tasks are important and how, by doing them, he would help our company’s bottom line.

* Do you have a good attitude?

I have written about this before in ETR.

Do you come in and complain about being bored and underutilized? Remember, not only does everyone dislike a complainer… they avoid complainers like the plague.

* Are you a team player?

If you have completed your tasks for the day and you see someone struggling to get work done, do you offer to give them a hand… regardless of how large or small their task may be?

Can you honestly answer yes to all the above questions, Evan? If not, you may want to take another look at how you’ve been approaching your current job. But if you can, then it is time to start looking.

And here’s some advice for your job hunt that will help you impress any prospective boss.

How to Ace a Job Interview

1. Don’t be intimated because you were an English Literature major and not a Business major.

I majored in Theater Arts in college, and that has worked to my advantage throughout my career. My theater background taught me how to look at situations, procedures, and challenges and make them my own. It taught me that things don’t have to be done the same old way. More important, being a theater major taught me how to think clearly and concisely. And that offering an idea that may not be useable at that particular time was better than offering no idea at all. The things I learned as a result of my major have helped me make a conscious decision to surround myself with people and companies that encourage and promote good ideas. 

A business degree can certainly be helpful, but it is not necessary. The ability to think on your own and come up with good ideas should be more important than any degree in the eyes of a potential employer.

2. Do your homework.

I am always taken aback when a job candidate shows up for the interview without first having checked out ETR’s website. If they don’t do the basic footwork up front, my feeling is they would not go the extra mile if they got the job.

So before you interview for any position, go to the company’s website. Use the information on the site to get a good understanding of their business. Look at their product line. Study their marketing. If they have an e-newsletter, subscribe to it. If they have a blog, read it.

But that’s not all the homework you should do. You should also go to the company’s competitors’ websites to develop a broader understanding of their industry. In the Internet Age, there is simply no excuse for not knowing this stuff – the stuff that will make you shine during the interview. 

3. Be prepared to discuss how you keep up with new marketing strategies.

I love job candidates who read. People who read books on marketing, read newsletters on marketing, and attend marketing conferences and events are clearly interested in the field. Plus, their love of learning shows me they won’t be happy with the status quo.

4. Listen.

I can’t stress this enough. Yes, you may be anxious to answer the interviewer’s questions. But don’t interrupt. You want to show that you respect your colleagues and supervisors.

In fact, interrupting can be a deal breaker for me. I don’t care how smart someone is. If they don’t respect the company and the people who work there, I don’t want them in my organization.

So, Evan, I hope this helps. Please let us know how your job search goes. And remember… I am always looking for smart, enthusiastic marketing people.

[Ed. Note: MaryEllen Tribby is CEO and Publisher of Early to Rise. Learn more about how new grads - or anyone starting out - can get a job or move up the ranks in their existing job in Michael Masterson's best-selling book, Automatic Wealth for Grads.]

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All the really smart businesspeople I know have exactly the same challenge when it comes to building a business. That includes every single attendee at the Michael Masterson Wealth-Building Retreat we held last April, regardless of their business sector or gross revenues.

The challenge: Finding good people.

One of the entrepreneurs at the Wealth-Building Retreat had a $20,000,000 printing business. Yet he was still working 60 hours a week (or more), and wearing almost all the hats in his company. Simply because he could not find the right people to help him run it.

Because hiring the right people is one of my core competencies, I am often asked how to do it. Now don’t get me wrong. It’s not easy. But it is extremely doable.

Finding good employees is like dating. It’s a numbers game. Unless you’re truly lucky, the first person you date doesn’t end up being your spouse. Think about all the uncomfortable dates you had to endure … the many times your heart was broken … and the frogs you had to kiss… before finding "the one."

Finding the right employees is no different. You are going to have to kiss a few frogs before finding the superstars who can help your business grow. And if you are not prepared to do that, you will have a staff full of mediocre employees… or continuous turnover. Neither of these things is good for your customers, your one or two good employees, your reputation, or your bottom line.

To make it much easier to get past the frogs to my ideal employees, I make sure I can clearly define three things whenever I’m looking to hire someone:

• The kind of person I want
• The level of the position and, thus, the experience the person needs
• The skill set required to do the job

Knowing the Characteristics of Your Ideal Employee

Regardless of the actual position you’re filling or the skill set the employee needs to have, everyone you hire should have three important traits:

1. A strong sense of urgency. A good employee is someone who understands that deadlines are made to be met and that speed is money. They also understand that business is business… and it is serious. We have a lot of fun here at ETR, but everyone is well aware that our customers invest their time and money with us. That means our primary mission is for our customers to reach their goals, whatever their goals may be.

2. A great work ethic. You want someone who shows up early and is ready to go, someone who is on time for meetings and appointments. A pattern of showing up late for anything is a sign of not caring.

When I explain this to job candidates, they often ask, "What if I am just not a morning person? Couldn’t I come in late and stay later in the evening?" My answer is "Absolutely not." Showing up early indicates eagerness. Staying late indicates disorganization.

3. Intellect. Your ideal employee is someone with great ideas. Equally important is that the employee is not afraid to express those ideas.

People are often surprised to hear that I require intellect in employees at every level of the company, not just management. But don’t forget that every single employee you have is an "ambassador" for you, a direct reflection of you. And at some time or another, they will speak to your customers, your competitors, and your industry associates.

Defining the Position You’re Trying to Fill

In addition to knowing the kind of person you’re looking for, you need to have a very good understanding of the position – and of the experience necessary to do the job properly.

I break down all positions into three categories: executer, manager, and leader.

1. The executer is an entry-level employee. She is not responsible for strategic planning, but rather the execution of the plan. This is generally someone fresh out of school or with little or no direct experience within your niche.

Some of her core responsibilities may include:

• Setting up marketing campaigns in your system
• Producing reports
• Posting website copy

2. The manager is responsible for managing processes and/or other employees. He usually has five to 10 years of direct experience within your niche. He can think strategically, teach others, and start developing big ideas.

Some of his core responsibilities may include:

• Analyzing reports, trends, and competitors
• Product development
• Creating partnerships and affiliate deals

3. The leader’s primary job – 50 percent or more of it – encompasses meetings with staff, brainstorming, and business planning. A few examples of people in a leadership role would include marketing directors, editorial directors, and IT directors… all the way up to the CEO. The leader is someone with eight or more years of experience within your specific niche. Someone with a proven track record of success. This is a person who can come into your organization and be up to speed and make a difference immediately.

Some of the leader’s core responsibilities may include:

• Creating a departmental or company vision
• Contract negotiation
• Hiring staff

Note: "Leader" may be a high-level position – but all of your employees should showcase leadership qualities.

Identifying the Skill Set Required

When people ask me to help them find a good employee, I am always amazed when they aren’t really sure what they want that person to do. You can’t find the right person for a particular job if you don’t know what the job requires. For example, if you are hiring a receptionist whose main duties are to answer the phone, schedule your appointments on your Outlook calendar, and type your speeches and companywide e-mails, you would not want someone with a hard-to-understand accent who has never seen a computer.

So before you can initiate your search, you have to write a job description. If you have never done this before, start by writing down everything you think you want your new employee to do. List their responsibilities. And next to each responsibility, write down the necessary skill. Be specific.

Let’s use the example of a receptionist:

Once you know the characteristics of your ideal employee and can define the job and the skills that employee needs… you start looking.

How to Find Your Ideal Employee

The first rule of hiring the right people is to be patient. Remember the old saying: "Hire slow and fire fast."

Think about what executive recruiters do. They build their Rolodexes. When they call Person A with a job opportunity and Person A is not interested, they end up with three phone numbers or e-mail addresses of people Person A knows.

So the second rule of hiring the right people is to think about all the people you know, especially when you’re looking to fill a middle- or upper-level position. If none of them are right for the job, call them anyway. They may know people who are. Keep collecting names and numbers.

If you are looking for more of an entry-level employee, advertising in a trade publication is good. But do some research first. Read the ads the publication normally prints and make your ad better. Make your position sound rewarding and exciting. If there is room for advancement, mention it.

You can also use Career Builder, Monster, eHire, and other online job search engines. Of course, you’ll probably have to sift through hundreds of applications, 99 percent of them useless. And you may luck out.

But you’re not going to find most of your potential superstars this way.

Even better than advertisements… and far better than online job search engines… is networking.

I will use ETR as an example. In 2007, we added seven new positions. In 2008, we have plans to add 10 additional positions. Because I know this, I look for possible employees everywhere I go.

When I attend industry events (which I often do), cocktail parties are my favorite networking places. (You get a real feel for the personality and style of the people you meet.) When I speak at industry functions, I tell the audience that I am available to talk about job opportunities. I talk to other parents while attending my kids’ soccer games. I have even talked to my doctor about having her write for our sister publication, Total Health Breakthroughs.

You can network ANYWHERE. Wherever there are people, there’s an opportunity. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends, colleagues, and competitors about people who might be a good fit for your company. You will be glad you did.

Remember, you don’t have to be the smartest person in the world to succeed in business. You just need to be smart enough to hire the right people to help you do it.