How do you exactly make the employees more aware of their social responsibilities? It is a common headache among HR officers: they come up with drives, only to realize they will not be getting enough support from the personnel.
One should know that it will definitely take time for employees to warm up with the idea, especially at this day and age when the slogan seems to be “every man for himself.” You may, however, start the convincing process using the following tips:
1. Do not schedule social / community activities on weekends.
Many companies would schedule drives on weekends. After all, by this time, the employees are usually on their day-offs. However, this is quite a wrong idea. Employees do value their time, and weekends are sacred. These are the times when they can be with their friends and family.
2. Spare the cash as much as possible.
Consider encouraging your employees to donate clothes, food, or any material things, except for cash. Give them the chance to have more control over their salaries. Moreover, there is a good chance they have more things they’re willing to give.
3. Put up several volunteer forms on the board.
The employees themselves can be better advocates for the growth of the community. They just need someone to light the fire and they can do the rest. You can start by creating a volunteer group, which will spearhead social responsibility projects for the company. If a big group is too much for your organization, you can set up a mini-volunteer booth in your office or in the community you’re trying to help. As an information drive, put up a volunteer sign-up sheet in your office’s bulletin board. Don’t worry if only a few will register. Should the volunteerism activity becomes successful, it will not be long before the rest will follow.
4. Reward them.
You can create or develop special awards to those who participate in various activities. These include Leadership Award and Social Civic Award (or you can create your own names for them). Many employees are highly motivated when it comes to recognition. Handing them awards will be one of the best methods to capture their attention. Besides, it’s only right to honor those who are willing to contribute.
5. Know their best interests.
If your clean-up drive is going nowhere, do not immediately assume no one wants to take responsibility. One obvious reason for this is that the activity doesn’t really match the employees’ interests. You, as the HR officer, might want to take time knowing their interests. Also, determine which organizations you can help or can help you, and identify how you can align them to your company’s goals and objectives.
6. Make them part of the process.
Coming up with social projects does not happen overnight. It involves a lot of stages. While you are at it, you might as well encourage your employees to help you out. You can delegate tasks or ask for ideas on how to stage a certain activity more successfully.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Today’s review of top psychometric tests comes again from The Undercover Recruiter, written by Nisa Chitakasem, an all-round specialist in start-ups and business building.
To make a successful career change, you have to know what type of career is going to suit your personality. Psychometric tests are a quick, convenient way of “personality typing” – getting an idea of which specific personality group you fall into in terms of skill sets, ambitions and aspirations. Once you know which group you fall into, it’s easier to assess what type of career might be suited to you…
A lot of companies these days use phone interviews. With just a simple phone call, they can save time by eliminating the not-so good candidates. For the applicants, though, this is going to be a make-or-break step.
To breeze through the phone interview, consider the following tips:
• Expect a call.
You did not submit your resume for no reason. You somehow hope the company will contact you for an interview. Expecting the call is good for you. This will reduce the nervousness you are going to feel during the actual call. You will also be forced to make more preparations.
• Carry your resume around.
Some HR officers will call you beforehand, telling you the interview schedule. Most, however, do not. Just to be sure, have your resume ready at all times. Although you can keep all information in your head, you really don’t want to count on that. It is common for job-seekers to suffer from mental block when under a lot of pressure.
• Stay away from the crowd.
Also, stay away from places with too many people. These include the mall, market, department store, children’s playground, busy streets, etc.
It is very important for you to hear the caller’s voice very clearly. Requesting the interviewer to repeat the questions can sometimes be very awkward. A quiet environment will make the conversation more pleasant.
• Turn off call waiting.
To avoid any interruption during the conversation, turn off phone features that may cut the line. This includes the call waiting feature.
• Speak slowly.
There are two reasons for this. First, the slowness will give you enough time to compose your thoughts while you speak. Second, your voice will be heard very clearly on the other line.
• Give different contact details.
Besides your cell phone, provide your landline number. This way, if you can’t be reached through your mobile, the company has another alternative. Sometimes, a number of mobile phones do not function well and are very prone to lost signal, low battery, and frequent interference.
• Consider giving other alternatives.
Sometimes the call may happen while you are in a tight situation or when you are driving. If this happens, be frank enough to tell the interviewer of your condition and why you cannot take the call just yet. After declining, suggest another option or tell the caller to call you back within minutes.
• Practice the interview.
You can come up, prepare, and practice with standard telephone interview questions. Have someone call you up and answer the questions as if you are really talking to a company interviewer. Allow the other person to assess you. By practicing, you can minimize dead times and pauses.
• Take down notes.
If you passed the phone interview, you will be asked for another interview – this time it’s an actual one. Some of the questions asked during the phone interview might be raised again. Sometimes, you will be asked to confirm some of your previous answers. For consistency, take down notes during the phone interview. You can also record it. Just ask for the caller’s permission first to record the phone call.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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In today’s video Tom Wujec from Autodesk presents some surprisingly deep research into the “marshmallow problem” – a simple team-building exercise that involves dry spaghetti, one yard of tape and a marshmallow. Who can build the tallest tower with these ingredients? And why does a surprising group always beat the average?
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Of all the phases of the hiring process, the scariest would definitely be the panel interview. For one, it seldom happens. Thus, not a lot of people can really teach you what to do or say. Moreover, a panel interview could let you multiply your nervousness into several folds. After all, you might be facing more than five different personalities at one time. It is also a make-or-break situation for you. After the panel deliberation, it is either you get hired or not.
There are many ways on how you can breeze through the process and come out not only victorious but also very impressive. How is that for a good start in the company? You may simply have to keep in mind these tips:
Before the Interview: • Meditate.
Or do something that will make you release those jumpy nerves. You can practice visualization too. Picture yourself facing and talking to several people. Through this, you can already determine how you are going to act in front of the panel. The more you meditate and visualize, the more you will feel comfortable about the idea.
• Research.
You can plan yourself with a series of test questions, but nothing will completely prepare you. The key is to just research — the company, the nature of your job, and even the people who will probably interview you. Normally, a panel interview involves the top guns. These include the middle- and top-level managers.
• Dress appropriately.
There is really such a thing as “dress to impress”, and you should do this in one swoop. Dressing can also affect your own mood. When you look professional, you will also think and act like one.
During the Interview: • Maintain eye contact.
Here is the good news: the interviewers don’t talk all together during a panel interview. To show your sincerity, make sure you maintain eye contact to the one who’s asking the question. In the middle of your answer, you can then start shifting your focus to the rest of the interviewers. Then before you close, return your attention to the source of the question.
• Keep your hands on your lap.
When you are made to sit in the middle of the room, the best thing to do is to keep your back on the chair and place your hands on your lap. This way, you are free to move them when you want to make an emphasis. Crossing your arms is considered rude and inappropriate.
• Take time to answer.
But make sure it is not too long. You simply have to organize your thoughts. Remember, if you are going to mess up, you’re going to do so big time.
• Listen to your own answers.
Anticipate plenty of follow-up questions during the course of the interview, so your main goal is to establish consistency to all your answers.
After the Interview: • Give thanks to the panel.
Once the interview is over, take time to give everyone a very firm handshake and a gracious “Thank you!”.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Unless you have impressed someone so much, it is possible that you get interviewed more than once. Unfortunately, there are also times when you don’t even get past the first interview at all. Now before you whine about how companies can sometimes be unfair to potential candidates, you may want to assess yourself first. The chance to get to first base rest in your hands.
Here are the five possible reasons why you’re not given a chance to go through the initial interview:
1. It‘s all in your resume.
Your resume is and will always be a very powerful tool, especially when you are still trying to land a job. Any mistake can work against you. That includes misspellings and grammatical errors. You will less likely receive attention if your qualifications do not match those expected by the employer. Also, a resume without a list of references is considered inferior.
Before you submit your resume, make sure you have checked all the details. Be complete and truthful to all information. Some employers are good in scrutinizing resumes, they can tell which ones are fabricated.
2. You failed the written examination.
Some employers will conduct a written examination before the interview. There are a number of reasons for this, but the primary basis is that a written exam can eliminate those who don’t have enough idea about the job. This way, only the best among the batch of applicants can be prepped for an interview. Surely, you cannot proceed to the next level if you fail the tests.
3. There is someone much better than you.
You might believe that you have what it takes to land the position, but unfortunately, someone could be more qualified than you. This is something you don’t have a control of. You can greatly reduce the chances of being sidestepped by improving your skills.
4. You don’t have the personality.
Just because it is an accounting job, it does not mean you have to be Mr. Grinch. Friendliness, open-mindedness, and a high sense of comfort and trust to people around you still count. A lot of employers do judge people by their gut feel. If they think you are not friendly enough, they may be apprehensive of hiring you. After all, this might mean you are a hard person to talk to.
Certainly, there are some traits you cannot change about yourself, but you can try to be more approachable and confident in dealing with people.
5. You were not just nice.
This is one good reason why you should treat the receptionist or even the security guard properly. You may not be aware of it, but a number of them can actually put a good (or bad) word for you to the employer.
You don’t have to give them special treats when you submit your resume, but make sure you leave a good impression by giving them your sweetest smile or just a simple “Hi!”. This is also an excellent way to get to know more about the company’s culture. Moreover, if you land the job, you already have a potential friend to count on.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Another excellent article comes from TheUndercoverRecruiter written by Jorgen Sundberg, known professional in social media, personal branding, blogging, online engagement and digital PR.
Google Alerts is a fine tool provided free by Google for monitoring your online presence. It is very useful for anyone in to Personal Branding as you get alerts sent to you as soon as you are mentioned somewhere on the Internet. Other uses for Google Alerts would be to monitor news about your company, competitors, share prices, weather warnings and so forth. One often overlooked use of this tool is to monitor employers and what new job openings they post, this little article will teach you how to do this…
Great things can start in small packages. It can be as petite as your wallet or the pockets in your pants. What I’m talking about are business cards.
To many, business cards are meant only for those who are trying to promote their enterprise to strangers and possible partners. What they don’t know is that business cards can also be a very powerful job hunting tool.
Business Cards can Build your Connections
Not all jobs are found in the Internet or even in job posts inside newspapers or on bulletin boards. Some job vacancies can come from your friends, family members, and random strangers. That is why if you have such a huge desire to land a job immediately, you should also try to increase your network connection.
A business card is one of the best materials you can use for establishing connection for a lot of reasons.
• First, it is considered traditional and formal. No one is going to raise his or her eyebrows should he or she get one from you.
• Second, it is easier to carry. Potential employers can keep your cards in their wallets or pockets with a reduced possibility of losing them (unless they deliberately throw them away).
Get All Your Contact Details in One Location
Don’t you think it would be easy for your potential employer to get all your contact details in one go? The company’s HR manager does not have to open your resume just to have your phone number or email address. Instead, he or she may just look at your business card. A business card can contain as many contact details as you wish: home phone number, mobile number, fax number, e-mail address, and even your website.
Tell Them What You Know
When you think of business cards, you will probably just consider contact information when it comes to content. However, these are not the only types of information you can print there. You can also put down your list of services or excellent skills, perhaps in abbreviated or bulleted form. You can place this list on a two-fold business card. You can also utilize the back portion of the cards for these kinds of information. Make your business card the briefest and the most precise resume.
Share Your Portfolio
You really don’t know who you are going to bump into, so you better make sure you bring along your portfolio as often as possible. Nevertheless, that would be cumbersome. What you can do instead is set up a website, publish your complete resume there, upload your best samples, and add a website link to your business card. Ensure that you indicate that it is a portfolio link.
You have to remember, though, business cards can only get you this far. You will never get the job you like if you cannot prove to your potential employer that you deserve it. You may want to improve your skills, relevant knowledge, and level of education to further increase your chances of getting that dream job.
Here’s another great post that comes from AndrewHudsonsJobsBlog. Marketing, communication professional and career expert Andrew Hudson offers this long list of what he considers most effective career advice.
Over the past several years, I’ve collected a lot of advice and opinions from HR recruiters and from job seekers about what is the best way to go about looking for a new job.
Below is the most updated list of great job seeking tips. Be forewarned – this is an exhaustive (read: long) list but I think you’ll find a lot of nuggets of useful information in here.
According to the 2010 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, there will be, at the very least, 5 to 6 people fighting for one vacant position. This means more than 80% of the applicants will be rejected — and you can be one of them.
Admit it, any kind of rejection is bad, especially if it is something you really want for such a long time. Coping will not take overnight either. However, before you start wallowing in self-pity, learn how to deal with it more effectively using the following tips:
• Grieve and get over it.
Many of the so-called experts will tell you to move on. The problem is, since you did not deal with the emotion, it crops up a lot of times. In fact, a lot of people develop a fear of looking for jobs because of their past rejections.
When you are rejected and not that emotionally strong, grieve over it. If you feel like crying, then cry. Don’t bury your sentiments. Even if you’re a macho man or a guy with too many tattoos, letting your emotions out is not a sissy thing.
However, put a limit on when you will allow the pain to hit you. After grieving, pick up the pieces, move on, and look for another job.
• Know it is not your entire fault.
There are many reasons why you are rejected, so stop blaming everything to yourself. For one, there is definitely someone better than you. Your qualifications may have not matched to the needs of the company. Or the firm may be “reserving” you for a much better position.
• Be ready for it.
Of course, it is important to face every challenge with a positive outlook. Nevertheless, do not shut off your mind to negative possibilities, including rejection. It may hurt, but the set expectation will somehow soften the blow.
• Talk to someone.
If it is necessary for you to give off emotional loads, share the experience with someone. Grab a few beers or go out with friends. Spend time with your boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife. Have the warmth of your family over dinner. Allow positive energies to take over the negative ones. Before the day ends, there is a huge chance you will forget the feeling of rejection.
• Assess yourself. Use the rejection as a chance to evaluate yourself as a potential candidate. Perhaps you definitely need more education or training, or you lack considerable experience. You may even need to improve how you “sell” yourself to employers. Use the experience of rejection as a learning tool. In time, this will increase your self-value.
• Send a Thank You note.
Saying “Thank You!” to someone is an easy thing. But how about saying it to the one who rejected you? It may be the last thing on your mind, but it actually helps. It shows your integrity, level-headedness, and sportsmanship. It also allows you to inform the “rejecter” that you are just around should an opportunity that matches your skill will be available.
• Put everything behind you.
As much as possible, push all the bad memories off your mind, especially when you are going to have another interview. How you feel and see your rejection experience can have a positive or negative impact to your forthcoming interviews.
Check the different job ads on newspapers, magazines, posters, radio, and TV. Only a few isn’t it? During the 1990s, these media became the haven of job seekers. However, with the advent of the Internet, job seeking took a 360-degree turn.
If you have not noticed it yet, many companies are now publishing their job ads using the power of the World Wide Web. Most of these organizations also encourage their applicants to send their resumes online. There are even others that would compel you to open their database and create your own profile.
Now, the question is – “Can you rely on the Internet when seeking a job?”. Well, the answer is YES! You can depend on the web but don’t spoon-feed yourself. You must still exert effort and determination. Remember, the internet is just a medium – it’s not a sure way to get your dream job.
Watch out for Online Scam Jobs
Read the condition completely. Thanks to the World Wide Web, almost all information you need are available with just the click of the mouse. This includes a long list of job ads from people all over the world. Because of this, you now have plenty of opportunities to choose from.
However, you should be very careful because there are many job-scams found online. These are “positions” that will require you to pay up before you can receive your first assignment. These could also be companies that do not give salaries to their employees after rendering the agreed service. There are also others that will offer you hundreds of job openings — only if you have $20 – $100 to pay.
Fall into these traps, and you are already ripped-off of your money, time, and effort even before you begin working. Click only job ads from reputable websites such as www.Monsters.com. This site has the biggest online job databases to date and it contains millions of resumes from all corners of the globe. Submit one and you could be the next lucky employee.
There are also plenty of false data online. A cunning employer may appear compassionate and fair through his self-created reviews in various websites. He can also create a blog damaging another person’s reputation.
Aside from looking jobs online, you can ask support and help from labor unions and organizations. Most of them have tie-ups with the best companies within the state or even within the country. You can also ask help from your friends, ex-colleagues, family members, neighbors, association and alumni members, and former classmates.
Self-Gratification
It may look tiring, but online job hunting is fun and easy. You only need to have patience, willpower, and the eye for in-demand jobs.
When you’re already employed, nothing beats the words “You are hired” straight from your boss’s mouth. There is the feeling of gratification and fulfillment, knowing you have exerted effort and spent time pursuing the job that you have been longing for.
Ask any entrepreneur what it costs to make a hiring mistake and you’ll likely be met with a groan and a ‘double eye roll’. Everyone knows the costs:
The recruiting fees;
The job postings;
The time you spend interviewing;
Your turnover rate causing increased UC contribution costs;
The lawyer’s fees for the employment contract, figuring out how to break the contract, and sometimes additional fees–plus the tax on your time and patience–required to defend yourself against wrongful termination!
Think of these costs as ‘direct damage’: a real strain on any entrepreneur’s budget, but not an unexpected cost of doing business. Bad hires happen. But wait… have you considered the ‘collateral damage’?
No hiring decision happens in a vacuum. You need your team to be whole. You have a missing part. You seek to fill it in a way that capitalizes on the assets of your existing team members – and makes up for their deficits. That’s why prudent employers engage search specialists, scour resumes, do 360-degree interviews, personality tests, reference checks, and even credit checks (where allowed by law). But somehow, bad hires still happen, and when they happen to you, you’re naturally disappointed. Or worse. Because if you’ve pegged your hopes and plans on the wrong person, it’s the collateral damage that costs so much more than the hiring failure.
We all pride ourselves on being good judges of people, and we are — but only if we have the whole story, not just a collection of data components. If you have had the misfortune of more than one or two hires that turned out badly, you may even begin to doubt whether you (or your people) are even capable of hiring successfully. When all the signs–including ‘gut feel’ point to “YES”, and still a new hire turns out to be a dud, the first piece of collateral damage may be your self-confidence as an executive decision-maker.
And then there is the impact of the bad hire on the rest of the team. Here’s the worst part. The better your team is, the worse the collateral damage will be. If you have brought the bad hire in over people who are great performers, you’ll see the decline happening right before your eyes. And worse, it won’t take long before your they are plotting their next career move. And they aren’t likely to tell you because really – who is going to challenge the boss on a hiring decision?
Finally there is the adverse impact on present – and future – stakeholders. News travels fast, especially since the investor/entrepreneur ecosystem has the modern day equivalent of jungle drums and really knows how to play. You know what I mean: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and all those f-t-f networking events. Word gets around when someone (or some team) clearly doesn’t have the right stuff.
So in view of all this, wouldn’t it be great to know how someone will perform on your team – before you hire them? You can, but only if you are measuring for the right things: not just for individual characteristics – but for behavioral ‘Teaming Characteristics’, which are derived from a person’s Coherence and Role. (To our knowledge, TGI’s Role-Based Assessment is the only way to measure these.)
To minimize some of the collateral damage you have experienced in the past, consider this: there nothing wrong with your decision making. As an entrepreneur, you have a good sense of how to behave on a team because you know you can’t do it yourself. You respect people who apply their skills, their experience, and their deep commitment to your vision. Good decision making assumes good behavior. Since you are a team player, you’ll tend to expect others to be good team players–and unfortunately, some are not. In fact, some are truly toxic to team play. So keep on trusting yourself, and keep in mind that there is now a ‘new way to know’.
Find out about the ‘New Way to Know’ at www.thegabrielinstitute.com, where you can request a special webinar to learn more. Mention you read about it in Innovation DAILY for a special ‘no cost business solution’!
Follow Dr. Janice via Twitter!!, blogs on Wordpress at ‘Ask Dr. Janice‘, ‘CEO2CEO‘, and ‘Tools4Careers‘ and networks on LinkedIn.
You can blame it on the weak economy and intense competition. The bottom line is, jobs are scarce these days. Thus, jobseekers are forced to be less picky when it comes to employment. The bad news is, some of them fall into a trap of working over job scams.
How do you exactly avoid them? Here are tips you may want to remember:
1. Do not look for jobs on Craigslist.
Okay, let us not put all eggs in one basket. There are still a lot of good stuff in this free ad website; however, it will take some time before you can verify the authenticity of every job post, more so of the poster. If you are hunting for a job online, go to well-established ones with good reputations. It should also be recognized by companies.
2. Ask questions.
It is okay to ask questions, including about your salary, job description, and anything that pertains to your potential work, especially if you are not going to go through any formal interview. The legitimate ones can answer your questions willingly. In fact, many of them will provide you with the details even before you inquire. The fake ones, well, you will never hear from them.
3. Inquire about contracts.
Legitimate companies will ask you to sign a contract or sometimes non-confidentiality agreement. Nevertheless, take a look at the contract. Does it sound fair? Does it list down your responsibilities and the obligations the company has toward you? Does it bear the complete name of the business and address? Can you keep a copy?
4. Stay away from scam-prone jobs.
Some jobs are considered to be prone to scams. This means they are more likely to be false than true. One good example is data entry. Scam-prone jobs will usually ask money from you before you can begin the “work”. This money, as scammers will say, will serve as payment to the teaching / training / orientation materials they will send you.
If you want to do online jobs, you have better chances with writing, graphic designing, medical transcriptioning, and editing, to name a few.
5. Protect your resume and portfolio online.
If you cannot help sharing or exposing your resume online, make sure you protect it. Publish it only on trustworthy resume websites. It’s better if you’ll post it to your own website for added protection. It is common to hear stories of applicants whose works have been utilized without their permission.
6. Ask for recommendations or referrals.
You can save time and effort, and you’ll be less susceptible to scams if you ask friends, family, and former close co-workers if they can recommend a job to you. These people are those you trust and surely would not place you in a situation where you end up getting scammed.
7. Trust your gut feel.
They say that everyone is blessed with a sense of instinct. If you do not feel comfortable with the job, then there is a huge possibility it is your subconscious telling you not to go for it.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Today we’ve got more resume blunders for you. They come from AndrewHudson’sJobBlog. Resume’s main idea is to get you a job, not to make a Hiring Manager smile . Check your resume two more times once after you checked it twice already, so it never appears in such a list
If you are in a dilemma whether to work as an intern or not, do the former. Internships can be time-consuming and sometimes it’s not an easy thing to do. It is usual to hear cases of students working more than the required number of hours or doing workloads not related to the job they’ve applied. Nevertheless, it is still a blessing to any undergraduate and potential jobseeker for the following reasons:
• It gives you the necessary experience you need.
Most employers give more weight to experience than educational background (except on managerial or supervisory levels where both experience and educational attainment matter). When an applicant has an experience related to the position he or she wants, the company does not have to spend a lot of money for training. It also means that the potential employee will not have a hard time adjusting to his or her role in the organization. Experience is considered as an asset.
If you are asked to do some more jobs than what you are required during your internship, think a hundred times before you complain. You can actually include these details in your resume just to let the employer know you can do more and are willing to go the extra mile.
• It can boost your resume.
We have already said it. Employers look for those who have experience. An internship will give you such a huge edge over those who have not. In a time where there are millions of students who graduate each year, you definitely need to have that higher level of competitiveness.
• You may just land a job.
It is common for employers to hire interns as regular employees. They have seen how these people work, and they can gauge if they deserve to be part of the company or not without really spending money for the recruitment process. Another advantage of employing an intern is that he or she does not need to be trained or oriented anymore. The intern is already familiar with his or her job.
• You can get a salary.
In a study conducted by Career Service Office for the year 2008 to 2009, around 61 percent of interns received salaries from their employers. Although not that much, intern compensations can already pay for your water bills, transportation, and food.
What to Do with Your Internships?
1. Get a certification from your department and / or from the employer.
It is easy to make a claim about your internship. Your future employers will demand a proof from you. A resume can be more credible if it has several internship certifications with it.
2. Be very specific of your job.
When you are creating your resume, list down all the essential and huge internship tasks you’ve tackled before. If you can provide figures (such as helped increase sales to 10 percent), then include it to your portfolio.
3. Include the employer in your List of References.
This way, it is easy for the HR officer or the employer to check your claims.
Any organization cannot thrive without rules. You have to make sure your employees work according to the values and conduct you are trying to uphold. If one or a number of them decide to turn away from these sets of values, this will surely reflect on how people see your company.
Instilling discipline also ensures that there is harmony among different types of relationships within organizations: management to employees, supervisors to subordinates, and among employees to employees.
To encourage good manners and right conduct to your employees, you can begin with the following tips:
1. Develop a system.
There are two reasons for this. First, the system will be the basis for everything else: what type of penalty is given to a difficult employee and when it is going to be given. It also determines the kinds of offenses and their corresponding punishments.
Second, the system will serve as a guideline for the company. The rules found in the system will be their guiding force, making employees aware of the possible impact into their career or job when they break away from the imposed sets of rules.
But how do you come up with a system? • Create your policies. Normally, the creation of policies is carried by the HR department and the management, though feedback can be asked from the concerned employees. • Next, produce a manual or a handbook, which employees can read and bring with them. This way, workers will always be reminded of their responsibilities to their position and the organization.
2.Identify the kinds of employees you have.
Douglas McGregor limits the types of employees into two: X and Y. However, you know that employees are multi-dimensional. Because they are different from one another, the kind of discipline you are going to provide will also vary.
3. Address problems immediately before they go out of hand. Do not give your staffs the mind-set that certain attitudes can be tolerated. Again, you can go back to the system you set up. How many times should an employee commit a certain offense before his or her attention is called? As much as possible, do it instantly to prevent him or her from making the bad practice a full-time habit.
4. Know when to stay away from commonly tolerated practices.
There are times when you don’t have to go through the process for the simple reason that the action done is very serious. For instance, an employee turns out to be a habitual drug addict. Some systems may say that first or second offenses can be tolerated, but surely you do not want to keep such employee for a much longer time, do you?
5. Make your employees know.
Do not surprise them with your policies. Even before you’ll hire a potential employee, make your rules very clear. This way, they know what to expect once they decide to work in your organization.
6. Monitor.
As much as possible, you do not want your employees to get terminated or suspended. If they committed offenses, it is highly recommended you keep a close watch at them. If greatly needed, offer counseling and support.
Today’s post comes from Examiner, written by Andrew Hudson, a seasoned marketing and communications professional.
A new Associated Press story notes that more people quit their jobs in the past three months than were laid off and the government says professionals have newfound confidence; proof of more hiring and a strengthening national economy.
From my research and interviews with professionals, the main reason for quitting is employees being tied to a job they really don’t want to be doing in the first place; in other words, if you asked people what they REALLY want to do, they typically don’t list their current job as their passion…
You can have a gazillion products and services, but if you do not bring in people, your business will die a natural death. When we say people, we are referring not only to your steady stream of prospects and customers. We are also talking about your own team. Your own team matters. After all, you are not Harry Potter who can just wave a wand and do everything that needs to be done. Even a small business requires at least a person to help manage the enterprise.
However, for many years, business owners are viewing people as sort of commodities. Workers are needed simply to bring in profits for the enterprise. Though it is fundamental to have buyers and talents behind you to keep the business afloat, you should know once and for all that money should come second. The first thing you should focus on is increasing the value of your own business.
How to Do It?
You may ask, “Why is this so?”. When your business has value, it has sense for your consumers. They will instantly know the benefits they are going to get if they do business with you, such as buying products or availing services. Moreover, by having value, you increase your level of professionalism and credibility in the industry. The set of values you develop will also serve as guiding forces for the continuous betterment and growth of the organization.
Building up company values does not happen overnight. Nevertheless, there is always the “now” to start with. You can begin with the following ideas:
• Consider other motivating factors.
You should stay away from the idea that everyone works for money alone because if you remove it, you can expect your salespersons and supervisors to disappear in a snap.
What you can then do is to introduce other forms of motivation. For one, you can offer promotion to those who perform well. You can also give away special recognition to people who excel. Give them the trainings that will make them more confident about doing their jobs.
• Immerse them with the dirty work.
Employees will become more passionate to help the company out if they are given the chance to handle some crucial tasks. For instance, assign to someone the overall management to the upcoming trade fair. These types of projects bring about a different sense of fulfillment or satisfaction far greater than money, and many of your key personnel will likely contribute more and stick around a lot longer.
• Choose your people wisely. Do not take the hiring process for granted and in a hurry. If you will do just that, you will end up employing those who would work only for their salaries. Make sure that the staff you will hire has the same vision as you.
Today’s post on how to conduct a job search for better career while being still employed comes from the EmploymentDigest, and written by John Sanders, the Job Expert. Enjoy!
It’s true; most employers prefer passive candidates. A passive candidate is a gainfully employed professional who is open to hearing about career opportunities and would actually accept a new job if it made sense to them and their family.
Employers believe that a person is employed because they are the top of crop. When I say employers I refer to specific managers who maintain this mindset. I don’t personally know of any managers who think this way, but I have come across hundreds who feel this way…
Is there a difference among job, career, and vocation? The answer is yes. In fact, the difference is overwhelming it can be used to determine how long you are going to last in your current work as a recruitment officer.
Loosely defined, a JOB is anything that is paid whether by the hour or by the day. If you view recruitment as work, then you will surely lose the interest once the motivating factor, which is money, is removed from the equation.
You should consider it as a CAREER if you want or are currently experiencing growth as a recruiter. Usually, the motivation for seeking development is not limited to salary. It only means that you are looking for more, such as security of tenure or long-term employment, as well as more fringe benefits.
Those who are usually promoted are those who exhibit high level of leadership skills. This means your goal is to share whatever knowledge you have gained to your subordinates. This practice communicates that you want to take care of the organization more effectively. However, you are still bound by your own limitations. You cannot demand more of yourself because your leadership skills are derived from the motivating factors that are associated with your current position.
A job or career becomes aVOCATIONwhen you are willing to do more. Even if majority of these motivating factors are removed, your skill and drive to work don’t change. You are keen to go extra miles to perform your job well regardless if you receive recognition or not. You have the passion, and doing the job becomes the source of it.
Those who consider their work as a vocation last the longest. They are also the ones who achieve the greatest sense of fulfillment. Recruitment can be a demanding profession. If you don’t go beyond the job description, you cannot expect yourself to last long.
To help you out, you may consider the following tips:
1. Evaluate the path you want to take.
Do you see yourself working on the same job for many years? If you do not, then there is a huge chance you see recruitment as a job only. However, this does not mean you have to bail out early. By evaluating, you can determine for yourself if you need to work out on your mentality and change your attitude toward it to make it a vocation.
2. Work with highly dedicated individuals.
There are several recruitment employees who are very much dedicated to their line of work, treating everything they do as their passion. Working alongside them will help you see how they motivate themselves on a much higher level. You will also be more inspired to treat recruitment as a calling.
Another great review by Alina Dizik a freelance journalist and fiction writer, comes from The Wall Street Journal. This time she investigates Video Résumé services which are becoming more and more popular nowadays.
Are video résumés the next best thing to being there?
Companies are offering multimedia capabilities that go way beyond the old one-page paper résumé. Job seekers can upload videos, portfolios and even PowerPoint presentations all in an effort to impress employers before actually meeting them…
John is the “office jock”, Marian is the “gossiper”, Sam is the “lazy technician”, and Michael is the “yes man” — though some actually revel on the name calling, stereotyping should never be encouraged in the workplace for a lot of reasons. First, it limits your personality. If you are branded as the official tabloid person in the office, you cannot expect friends to open up with you. It also prevents you from interacting with others. Worse, stereotyping hinders you from succeeding. Seriously, no company would want to promote someone who is known to be very lazy.
The problem is, stereotyping does exist. The only way to rise above it is to know how to deal with it. Whether you are the one who is labeled or someone is, the following tips will surely be helpful:
• Get to know the person on a much deeper level.
Many people believe that “first impressions last,” but the truth is, this does not hold true at all times. You will, however, prove your first impression wrong only when you are willing to open yourself up to others and allow them to become part of your professional life.
There is nothing really wrong in building friendships. In fact, it is highly recommended. It only becomes disadvantageous if it gets in the way of your work.
• Know who you are.
If you do not want to be trapped inside the label, don’t act them out. You should be able to distinguish yourself from the others. You must be able to answer yourself if you deserve the moniker or not.
By knowing your strengths and weaknesses, you can learn to improve on the latter and downplay the former.
• Do not limit yourself. Show off as many different sides as you can. Surely, people will start calling you “Mr. Serious” if you can’t sway with colleagues or subordinates during office parties. You will no longer be “Ms. Shy” if you decide to head on some projects and contribute ideas during assemblies and office meetings.
• Avoid participating in office politics.
You don’t want to get involved in office gossips as they always lead to plenty of unfortunate events, from workplace conflicts to suspension and even lawsuit. Avoiding office politics will also prevent you from stereotyping people base on what you hear about them.
• Learn to be more open to criticisms.
Not everyone is going to like you, and majority of them will talk behind your back and provide you with labels. Usually, the best option is not to react, especially if they are not true and unless they harm your chances of getting better opportunities. It also helps if you will confront people in a polite way when settling issues they may have of you.
Who says being a superparent is one easy job? It is already difficult to handle several work-related tasks. Most definitely, work becomes more daunting if kids are around. But that does not mean you can’t manage both huge responsibilities especially if you are armed with these tips:
1. Try to have a flexible schedule.
It is common for companies these days to offer telecommuting positions to their employees. You can do your job at home for a day or two and report to the office for the remainder of the working week. It is considered a benefit. But telecommuting is at hand to actually help firms cut costs. So it’s a win-win-win solution for you, the company, and your kids.
As a parent, having a flexible schedule will be an advantage to you as you can have some time with your kids.
2. Free your weekends.
When it comes to work, consider Saturdays and Sundays holy and free. These are the best times to go out with your family or simply bond with your children. You can watch their weekend soccer or basketball games, play videogames, read great books together, watch movies, and other activities you may never get to do when you are working. This way, you will also notice that you feel refreshed the following Monday.
3. Leave your work at the office.
If you are reporting to an office, make it a point to not bring any workload at home.Consider it a sacred place where you can relax. This also helps you free up some time before going to bed and talk to your kids about school and their personal lives. You will also feel de-stressed. If you really really need to bring your job at home, check tip number four below.
4. Consider working at home.
Check the Internet. There are already plenty of work-at-home jobs you can take. This allows you to set up a home office where you can immediately check your kids anytime you like. But you should still detach your working time with your kids’ time. You can do this by separating your workspace from the rest of the house. Have a wall divider or a customized door and tell your kids you should not be disturbed on a certain time because you are working. For more of this, read tip number five below.
5. Work when it is time to do so.
You will never get to have anything done if you constantly allow your children to disturb you when you are working. Unless it is an absolute emergency, make sure your working time is focused on the tasks at hand. This way, you do not end up extending your working hours.
6. Develop a schedule.
As much as possible, allocate a good time to be with your children every day. It does not have to be long. In fact, 1 hour is already enough. After all, the most important is the quality of time, not the quantity.
7. Be sweet.
You don’t have to do anything grand just to tell your kids you love them. Before going to work, a note posted on the refrigerator, a hearty breakfast once they wake up, or a short stroll on the park on the way to school will be enough to make them feel you have not forgotten them.
This great and very touching story comes from ReThinkHR written by Benjamin McCall, an HR practitioner with specializations in Business Strategy, P&L, Change Management, OD, and Learning & Development.
I read an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer on Saturday about a 51 year old guy named David Tough. He drives an ice-cream truck for roughly 10 hours a day. He moved out here with his mother because she wanted to be closer to his sister.
He earns 40 percent of what he sells. On good days he has made about $250. But on the bad days, which seems to have occurred more than he would like, he takes in less than $100 (before taxes). In those cases, “You’ve just got to keep a cheery smile and a brave outlook.” Oh and he also has to take a cut out of his pay for use of the van…
If you are a graduate and you are still unemployed despite your fervent efforts, you may want to take a look at your resume and the career path you are taking. It is either the former is poorly made, or the latter is not the ideal one for you. It is also important that you are very much aware of what the companies are currently looking for in their employees. Like any relationship, employer-employee requires a perfect match.
Sandwich degrees are so much better.
It is already a given fact that having a degree or a certificate of completion gives you an edge over those who never made it to college or vocational school. However, those with sandwich degrees will fare much better. A sandwich degree is a course that provides at least a year of on-the-job training for students.
This is preferred by many employees since OJT training can already be counted as a working experience. They usually hire those who already know the ins and outs of their jobs and those who demand less training and less company expenses.
People skills are highly demanded.
Take a look at all the job ads. You will notice that virtually all of them need people who know how to speak, write, and listen effectively. Even if you are working behind the desk from 9 to 5, you still have to interact with your boss, colleagues, and even clients. You have to convey the right attitude and people-skill to everyone.
All it takes is initiative.
Companies do train their employees to do the job better. They will also provide troubleshooting tips when the going gets tough. Nevertheless, you cannot expect business owners to be always reminding their workers about a certain issue. Initiatives then come in. Those who show such trait on the job are often those who get promoted. This is because majority of employees with initiative also develop leadership and interpersonal skills. These workers also have a high grade for communication skills.
You have to be an IT-educated person.
Brick-and-mortar businesses are already adapting technologies to speed up productivity and improve accurate data. Every business maintains at least one computer. Thus, if you are computer illiterate, it will be very difficult for you to land a job. On the other hand, you are on a good head-start if you have intermediate or advanced IT skills. Therefore, it is best to pick colleges and universities that incorporate IT in their curriculum.
If you’re applying on a job that does not primarily revolves around IT (such as being an accountant, office clerk, HR manager, sales representative, teacher, and the likes), your computer experience does not need to be topnotch. As long as you know how to operate the machine, then you’re good to go.
Work ethics still matter.
In spite of the many changes in the workplace, certain things still remain. It is essential for would-be employees to honor working schedules, to show respect to their heads and fellow workers, to offer support to their subordinates, to follow the rules, and to never engage in office politics and gossip.
Here’s another good article that comes from The Undercover Recruiter written by Jimmy Sweeney, the president of CareerJimmy and author of the “Secret Career Document” job landing system.
Manners are not only important at the dinner table (use your napkin, please), on the telephone (listen as well as speak), in a theater (refrain from talking during the performance), but also during a job interview. Yet many job seekers forget the importance of being polite. They jingle the change in their pocket, click their tongue, stare at the wall or at their lap, or cut in when the hiring manager is speaking…
So what’s up with telecommuting? Surprisingly, there are many. If you are considering becoming a part of the industry or you are already at it, you may want to pay attention to the current trends. In any kind of job, one of the best ways to keep your work is you must learn how to adapt. You may then want to check out the current trends below and see how you can fit in.
Over 100 million people will be telecommuters.
Based on the report by Star Workforce Solutions last January 2009, more than 100 million Americans will be telecommuters for the first years of the new decade. This statistic will continue to rise, and the days the employees are out of the office will become much longer.
More employers are considering telecommuting.
Despite the popularity of telecommuting, thousands of employers still maintain an office, and employees are required to come to the office every day. Business owners are just making sure that their staffs are working for them.
Well, starting this year it may be quite different. Over 48 percent of employers surveyed by Gartner in 2009 said they are planning of incorporating work-at-home schedules into their corporate lifestyle. After all, 23 percent of the respondents are confident they can look forward to lowering their office, electricity, internet, maintenance, and rental budgets.
Telecommuting will be added as a benefit to workers, similar to what big-time companies like Yahoo and Qualcomm have been doing.
There will be more green jobs available.
It is time to add one more expertise or field on your list: green jobs. Because of issues about climate change, global warming, and health and wellness – which are, interestingly two very huge industries these days – people have become more interested about going green. On the other hand, entrepreneurs want to tap into this growing niche market using the skills of telecommuters.
Employers will search for specialization.
Smorgasbord writers may want to start thinking which fields they do well. Employers will start looking for “specialists.” These are people who are considered experts in their chosen niche – and companies will be adamant in looking for proofs.
Competition has been tough among Internet marketers as hundreds join online commerce almost daily. To make sure they can get the most attention from Internet users, they have to offer something very unique.
Remote office centers will be more in demand. Technologies play a big role in the flourishing of telecommuting, and with the continuous rise of demand from business owners, they need to have the right equipment and tools as soon as possible without spending a lot of money.
Thus, they operate in remote offices. These are similar to corporate buildings. The only difference is that telecommuters rent the space on hourly, weekly, or monthly basis. They can make use of the facilities – from the Internet connection to computers, printers and fax machines. Of course, they are given their own respective cubicles. This way, telecommuters can provide the best kind of service to their employers.
Great talents are assets, bad ones are liabilities. Ask any company. They don’t want the latter. If you think you and the employee are a mismatch and the latter has many work and personal issues, it is definitely time to say good-bye. You have to terminate the person.
However, you need to be very cautious. Unlike romantic relationships, professional ones are usually bound by laws and contracts that you have to honor. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the middle of a lawsuit or even public scrutiny (just check out the case of Debrahlee Lorenzana).
To make sure neither of them happens, take note of these tips:
1. Verify the state laws.
There are policies and regulations that are created by the state and have to be followed by any kind of industry. One of these is that you cannot terminate any employee without a just cause. This means that you have to come up with enough evidence to justify the action. Else, they can sue you for back wages and even reinstatement.
Since the laws can be pretty complex, a lawyer can come in handy. You do not have to hire him or her unless you find yourself in a lawsuit. What you can do is to ask for a consultation.
2. Confirm the rules on the rulebook.
Termination is one of the many reasons why companies, no matter how small, should have a rulebook. This ensures that everyone knows the infractions and their possible consequences. Usually, employees are given warnings to mend their ways before they are finally terminated. First warning can be verbal; second warning can be written.
3. Document.
Again, you need to have a just cause. You can never have one unless you investigate and document. If the reason for termination is absenteeism, you have to keep a record of his or her attendance and a projection statement showing how his or her absence affected the sales and productivity of the business. You can also ask for witnesses to corroborate your cause.
4. Listen. Employees should be treated fairly even if they are considered black sheep on the team. Before you fire someone, make sure that you have allowed the person to present his or her own defense. It will also keep you away from potential lawsuit.
5. Talk it over.
There is no easy way to say it, but you actually have to. Ensure that he or she understands the reasons for the termination, the effective date of termination, and the benefits and wages he or she can get after termination (if there is any). You also have to talk about the possibility of a rehire, though most companies do not do this practice. It is best to leave the conversation between you and the employee, as well as to his or her direct supervisor. Limit the news to a few people only as it can still be very hurtful for the terminated employee even if it is his or her fault.
6. Conduct an exit interview.
Exit interviews can provide you with plenty of information, including how to improve the productivity, skill, and motivation of the employees. Sometimes employee headaches are caused by lack of support from the company itself.
Another great guest post comes from The Undercover Recruiter, written by Kevin Donlin, Career Coach and Columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Some of the best employment advice you can get is as true today as it was back in your grandfather’s day. Here are three ways to find a job faster from two books published more than 65 years ago …
How many people are actually telecommuting? Based on the data provided by Gartner Request, in 2008, there were around 25 percent of employees who prefer to work at home for the preceding year. Because of this current trend, many workplace experts, HR managers, and even company owners stated that in this decade, more will find their jobs and businesses at home.
There are plenty of reasons why many workers prefer telecommuting. Topping the list is the fact that it cuts back at almost everything: transportation, food, and taxes, to name a few. You also have more control over the amount of time you spend on your desk and your personal life. A lot of telecommuters gush about how much this trend allows them to pick or continue on their hobbies and meet friends and family for lunch or dinner. Telecommuting also gives you a chance to determine how much you want to earn. After all, as long as you work hard, you can earn much more.
However, not everyone finds telecommuting the ultimate utopia. As to why, you may want to take a look at the four reasons below:
1. You don’t enjoy certain benefits.
Yes, when you work in an office, you are taxed, report to work early, and sometimes have to deal with office politics. Nevertheless, you enjoy benefits too, such as insurance plans, free trips to other places, trainings and seminars, a well-designed cubicle, allowances, and even a pension account. Unless your boss is very generous—and such a rare breed—you will never get any of these. Your income will usually equal to how much effort you put on the job.
2. For beginners – you don’t have free time all the time.
If you are one of those who think you can grab beers every night with friends when you are telecommuting, well, you are up for a major letdown. It is not common for people to spend close to 24 hours on their desk, especially when they are basically starting out. They have to search for their own clients, do the projects by themselves, and build their portfolio.
3. You tend to get used to it. Some people no longer meet up with their friends and family since they can easily update them about their lives in social networking websites such as Facebook. They do not have to sit down in cafes because instant messengers are already available.
Because of the deep attachment to the Internet, a number of telecommuters tend to get used to this convenient lifestyle and, in the process, let their personal relationships suffer.
4. Your job does not end.
When you are working in an office, you have the option to leave your work at the cubicle. You can put your papers at your desk so personal life begins once you leave the workplace. That is not the case in telecommuting. Your house will be your office for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
Is telecommuting worth it? Unless you share the same opinion as the list above, then it is not in your case.
Check out our Hot Jobs section for the latest opportunities.
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Todays’ guest post comes from U.S. News, written by Marty Nemko, known american career and education couch.
When seeking your true love, you had better look for someone with a compatible personality. The same thing is true when choosing your career.
As part of its Best Careers guide, U.S. News has selected the top careers for each of six personality types. Sure, everybody’s an individual, but researchers have observed that most people have certain characteristics that can be grouped into a small number of categories. We’ve used the methodology developed by respected career psychologist John Holland, who identifies six general types of people. For each, we’ve selected careers — both white-and blue-collar — with good job availability and respectable pay, in fields that offer psychological satisfaction and reasonable quality of life. Most people will recognize themselves in at least one of these categories…
Absenteeism is very costly. Based on a survey conducted by CCH Incorporated in 2005, the cost for every absent employee is around $660. In addition to this, more than $1 million a year was wasted by multinational corporations because of employee absenteeism.
Any entrepreneur or business owner, therefore, should know the ways on how to prevent employees from missing office works:
1. Keep them healthy.
Admit it, most employees who are absent do get sick. Though you really cannot stop them from suffering illnesses, you can reduce the risks. As much as possible (and if it is only feasible), limit the working hours. Introduce stress management programs. Keep the pantry and cafeteria filled with healthy food.
2. Delegate the tasks.
When employees know they are accountable, they would think twice before taking an absence because they understand the repercussions. Provide more challenging(but not too tiring) jobs to workers who are constantly absent from the office. Allow them to head mini projects or speak during presentations.
3. Be alert on workplace conflicts.
Fights of whatever kind in the organization creates a very stressful environment. Employees want to take a day off just to escape it. You don’t have to wait for social problems to escalate. Be mindful of any change in the relationship among colleagues.Encourage teambuilding activities within departments and in the organization.
4. Promote an open-door policy.
Do not expect all your employees to be very vocal about their concerns. As a boss, it is one of your responsibilities to encourage them to speak up. One of the things you can do is to develop an open-door policy. You can take it literally where employees can come up to you any time with their problems. You can also schedule a regular assembly to discuss important matters.
5. Adopt a work-at-home program.
Many businesspeople would like to maintain an office so they can properly watch the productivity of their employees. However, certain circumstances may prevent them from coming to work, such as sickness of their child, traffic, emergency, and other personal issues. You might want them to take advantage of the work-at-home plan. With technologies such as instant messengers (Yahoo Messenger, Skype, Gtalk, AIM, even Facebook chat) and e-mails, this should be easy to put up.
6. Reward their efforts.
You do not have to give them monetary rewards all the time. Sometimes, all it requires are certificates that can be used as proof of their achievement or contribution to the company. When employees realize they have done something good for the organization, they will be more motivated and won’t be susceptible to absenteeism.
7. Create a very friendly atmosphere. Follow Google’s lead. Schedule a dress-down day. Allow them to bring their pets and children on the job. Let them decorate their workstations or have a themed office day. Doing so will increase their creativity and productivity.
Ask any employee. One of the foremost reasons why they are working so hard is because they want to obtain a promotion. After all, it would mean a salary increase, more benefits, and a chance of finding a much better job should they decide to leave an organization.
However, promotions don’t come that easy. Some stay in the company for years and never experience it. To ensure you do not get stuck in a position and learn to climb the ladder, here are seven things you can follow to obtain promotion:
1. Increase your learning.
Higher jobs are the most coveted, but they can also be the most challenging. Most of the managers will be very apprehensive of promoting you if they believe you cannot handle the tasks.
To prepare yourself for the hurdles, as well as to prove you have what it takes for the position, increase your learning. That does not mean you have to wait for in-house training. For one, you can take up master’s or PhD degrees if you are holding lower academic certifications. You can also attend workshops and seminars. Find a good mentor. It can be someone within your office or just a person you look up to.
2. Go the extra mile.
Management loves it when you do more without asking anything in return. It just goes to show how much you love the organization and your job. Economic-wise, companies tend to save on costs since it may mean they do not have to hire someone to do some jobs.
3. Avoid office politics and gossip.
Seriously, you cannot expect the higher-ups to promote someone who could possibly be stabbing them in the backs. Besides, gossips in the office are usually the causes of workplace conflicts, a typical source of headache among managers and business owners.
4. Be on time.
In fact, be early and skip absenteeism. Having a bad record when it comes to attendance means you are not taking your job seriously, you cannot handle the work, worse you are not a productive individual. Conversely, an employee who is always late or absent commonly gets booted out of the organization.
5. Stop asking for salary increase.
Good companies strive to give their employees as many benefits as they can. That includes an increase in the salary. It is normal for employees, though, to request for one. However, do not overdo it. Otherwise, the company will think that you’ll be asking for a lot more than they can afford should they decide to promote you.
6. Quantify the efforts.
A common reason why you get or should be promoted is because you are doing well — you are productive and effective. In times where you are up to a very tight competition for a position, numbers tend to matter.Keep tabs of your sales, quotas reached, scores from assessments, etc.
7. Contribute.
Some employees love to play it safe by keeping their peace most of the time. If you are eyeing for a promotion, this is not the way to do it. Leaders are risk takers, contributors, and team players. You should embody these attributes.
Another great article by Karalyn Brown, Australian online careers agony aunty, who writes frequently on career issues for a major Australian newspaper and talks about job search tactics on the national broadcaster. This post comes from The Punch.
What do employers really want? After interviewing 25 hiring managers I am still slightly confused.
We asked all the questions anyone applying for a job should ask a prospective employer, hoping we’d find some simple – even sexily digestible – answers.
Not so I’m afraid. Instead we discovered bosses to be tough, fair, kind, strict, empathetic, funny, unreasonable, quirky, judgmental and contradictory – in short, very human…
They say that money makes the world go around. However, this may not be true all the time, especially when you are talking about motivating your employees.
Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, wages are highly important and usually one of the common motivators. They satisfy the immediate necessities of men such as food, clothing, and shelter. But what is really essential are the needs found on the higher levels, and they are not associated with money.
Here are the six non-monetary benefits you can provide to your employees:
1. Flexibility
It is a mandate for employees to follow their bosses, but if supervisors get all the say, they will immediately feel limited. Workers still require a room where they can voice out their opinion and ideas, as well as the liberty to be versatile on their approaches to conflicts and problems.
You can also emphasize flexibility in terms of work hours. Most of the career people these days are moms and dads who have greater personal responsibilities. To be able to work at their own pace will permit them to take care of all their obligations (both at home and at the office).
2. Recognition
Who does not want to be recognized? Yet many employees are not given even a pat in the back or a handshake by their bosses. If they give employers the privilege to criticize, it is only right for the managers to give away praises.
Recognition can come in different forms. A simple e-mail blast can already do wonders. You may also hold an informal appreciation ceremony for all those who have excelled expectations for a given month.
3. Training
When you train your employees, it means there is plenty of room for them to grow. They don’t have to feel stuck to a routine job. They can look forward to much bigger challenges. Trainings give good types of stress, something that motivates employees to push themselves to the limit. Personally, it gives them a good idea of their own strengths and weaknesses.
Trainings, however, should be in line with the career path the employee wants to take. Otherwise, they cannot use the learning to the fullest. It is best to conduct skill assessment before creating training programs.
4. Belongingness
Sickness is just one of the least causes of absenteeism. It is actually conflict and politics in the workplace that makes workers hate coming to the office. Though most employees understand the employee-manager relationship, it is also important to them that they can sense a feeling of friendship and belongingness.
Take time to come up with team-building activities. It does not have to be very long or tedious. Your team simply has to strengthen trust, respect, and accountability with each other.
5. Chance to Contribute
You can greatly motivate your employees if you can make them feel that the success of your organization also depends on them. You can do this by allowing them to head projects as well as getting their consensus on major decisions that can affect your business and organization.
6. Fringe Benefits
Fringe benefits include additional allowances, leaves, health insurance plans, and other perks that they can enjoy alone or with their loved ones.
OK, I’m quite prepared to be shot down in flames from all sides for writing this. Shoot me down anyway for starting this blog with a cliché, but here’s what I (as a former recruiter) and other recruiters can work out while we are reading your resume…
When we consider a new job, we inevitably think of contacting recruiters, trawling job boards and perhaps speaking to our network. One often overlooked channel is all around you in the office – your dear coworkers. I have come up with a few ways you can leverage your colleagues to get your next job, here they are:
Volunteer to give a reference
Tell your work mates that you are very happy to be a reference at the bottom of their resume, complete with your job title, email and phone number. Recruiters and employers love to call you up and take a reference, then casually seeing what you are up to and whether you would entertain a few opportunities. This way you get a win-win situation, you help out as a referee and you get headhunted in the process. Whatever happens to your colleague’s job search, you are now on the radar screen of the recruiter and/or employer and you have established a good personal contact that you would never have got from an online application.
Let them know you are open to suggestions
By the water cooler you will hopefully get the chance to speak openly about your career with colleagues. You want to let it slip that you have been ‘contacted by a headhunter’ and they had some interesting ideas that you are considering. This will let them know that while you are not desperate for a new job, you will keep your options open – perfect information to pass on to their recruiter contact.
Track their movements
Make it your goal to know what career moves people are contemplating. What recruiters are they talking to? Where are they interviewing? Ask recent leavers how they got their jobs. Ask recent joiners what other opportunities they were considering. Again, some people prefer to keep this very hush hush and others are very liberal with information. If you don’t feel like being that nosey in person, simply do some sleuthing online by looking people up on LinkedIn and see what recruiters, HR representative and competitors they are connected to, this will give you a pretty good idea of what the situation is.
Conclusion
These were only five methods you can leverage your colleagues, I am sure you can think of a lot more. The point is that everyone around can help you with your job search, don’t just rely on one channel for your search. You will only land your dream job if you really work smart and hard at it, you owe it to yourself to get that job that you deserve.
Unless you have a stellar record and you are well-known in your chosen industry, you have to go through a lengthy process to get a job:
1. Create and submit a resume,
2. Take examinations, and
3. Participate on an actual face-to-face interview.
Of the three, the most crucial is the last one.
The interview can have many different phases. Some companies compel their applicants to go through three various interviews. Regardless, interviews are the best times to acquaint the employers with the employees. Through face-to-face interaction, they can assess the personality, capability, and potential of the candidate. They can determine if their skills match the needs of the company or if they believe the applicant has enough talent to meet the demands of the industry and contribute to the growth of the organization.
For this reason, many job applicants hesitate to involve themselves in the interview process. Some end up stuttering; others don’t have a clue on how to act or present themselves in an interview. If you ever find yourself in these situations, then the Interview Survival Kit can help you.
The Interview Survival Kit is a free application from Apple. You can download and run it to your iPod, iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone. Its main job is to help applicants get over their tensed nerves by providing loads of tips, recommendations, and even answers.
Technically, the application is user-friendly. All the sections or menus are found on the bottom of the screen. They immediately react to touch.
As a program, it is considered the most perfect tool for those who are taking their interviews for the first time. It can also be used by candidates who have very little information on how interviews go.
The kit has its own checklist, which goes back to the things you have to accomplish at least three days before your actual interview date. This includes hunting the right dress to wear, as well as getting yourself acquainted with the nature of the company.
You can also read up tips and recommendations on what you should do on the interview day itself. In fact, suggestions can include the minutest details such as what you should eat before the interview.
You can watch plenty of videos simulating various interview scenarios. Through the Interview Survival Kit, you can learn the do’s and don’ts of the discussion. You can also scroll down the list of commonly asked questions and obtain another list of best possible answers.
Remember This
There is no doubt that this application will make you feel comfortable of going into an interview. However, you should remember that the tool can only do so much. The Interview Survival Kitwill never ace the interview for you.
The key to landing the job of your dreams still rests upon you. Absorb as much information and help as you can out of the tool, and identify the best ways on how you can maximize them to your advantage.
This review of Virtual Personal Assistants comes from WallStreetJournal written by Alina Dizik, a freelance journalist and fiction writer.
Productivity gurus have long stressed the need for virtual assistants that will do those online tasks you never seem to have time for—like getting a wedding gift or sorting out health-insurance claims. But sharing credit-card numbers or personal passwords with someone thousands of miles away can take some getting used to.
I tested four services (three based in India) that cater to personal requests like making customer-service calls or researching vacation details, or anything else that doesn’t need to be handled in person. Some even do wake-up calls.
After signing up, I could assign tasks almost right away via phone, website or email on a round-the-clock basis. Each assistant received several tasks, including an especially time-consuming one, from my to-do list. Monthly fees start at about $30 and are billed on a per-hour or per-request basis. All the sites offer a dedicated assistant option, where just one person will handle all your requests, for a higher fee…
As much as possible, companies should prevent employee layoff or exodus. For one, it shows unresolved issues in the organization. Second, it is costly to hire new employees since the company has to spend more funds for training. Third, it does not make any organization stable.
But how do you exactly retain employees? Does it have to involve money all the time? The answer is actually no. Here are the 7 most effective ways to retain employees.
1. Develop expectations.
Even before you hire employees into the company, make sure that both parties are aware of each other’s expectations. This way, you know what makes the employee happy within the organization and at the same time he or she has an idea how to get the rewards he or she deserves.
2. Come up with something more. Be extra generous when it comes to fringe benefits and compensation packages. For example, you can extend health insurance plan to the employee’s family. You may also help them set up their retirement or pension plan, as well as get them to stock options. When they know a lot are at stake, it will take so much effort at their end to leave the job and give it to somebody else.
3. Conduct a 360-degree feedback.
Any company performs employee appraisal. You use the information for promotion, demotion, and transfer. However, do not leave the task to managers and supervisors alone. Give everyone a chance to speak up and share opinion. Through the 360-degree feedback, the employees can also rate their department heads.
4. Increase your workers’ knowledge and skills.
As mentioned, money is not the sole reason for working and staying in a company. Many employees want to feel a sense of growth. It allows them to look forward to something new and makes them feel useful to the organization.
Make it a point to develop training and development programs according to their level of learning and skill. These plans should be in direct relation to the career path they want to take.
5. Hire a human resource manager.
You can do this once you have 100 employees or more. By this time, you can no longer keep tabs of your employees’ performance or even take time to evaluate the applicants properly.
6. Reduce workplace conflict.
Conflict among employees leads to stress, absenteeism, poor performance, and ultimately, resignation. You can reduce this problem by maintaining open communication, designing teambuilding activities, and establishing fairness to all.
7. Allow your workers to shine. Give them a chance to take on a role that is new and huge. This way, they will feel challenged and forced to test their limits and appreciate their efforts. For example, you may ask an IT staff to develop a new database for employee profiles.
. Check your resume two more times once after you checked it twice already, so it never appears in such a list 
