Q.1. Have you already done the best work you are capable of?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should show confidence in regards to past work, believe that the best work is ahead of him, see this position, and the co-workers, as a positive way achieve more. Candidate should be modest, but confident.
Q.2. How long will you stay with the company?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should have researched the company and be able to explain how he/she will integrate themselves in the company.
Q.3. Who is your role model?
My Answer Tips: Applicant’s role model should contain the qualities and competencies employers would like to see in a successful candidate.
Q.4. What would you like to be doing five years from now?
My Answer Tips: Applicant should see themselves well integrated in the company. Candidate should have researched the company and explain their potential skills that could benefit the company.
Q.5. How would your friends describe you?
My Answer Tips: Answer should show focused and hard-working qualities and competencies. Descriptions should show the skills needed for this position.
Q.6. How would you react if I told you your interview so far was terrible?
My Answer Tips: This is a test to see how well the candidate can hold themselves together. Interviewer is looking for the ability to “think on your feet” and the skills to respond articulately under pressure. Applicant should be diplomatic notice that the interviewer used the word “if”.
Q.7. Why should I hire you?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should take the opportunity to sell their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Candidate should try to prove why t hey are perfect for the job, that they will do the job, and that they are manageable.
Q.8. What can you do for us that someone else cannot do?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should be eager to show his/her knowledge and interest in the company and eager to show that they have all the necessary skills and competencies to do the job successfully.
Q.9. What was the last book you read or the last movie you saw and how did it affect you?
My Answer Tips: Job seeker should emphasize his/her acquired skills, competencies, and interests. Some books or videos could demonstrate that the applicant is trying to improve their skills and knowledge.
Q.10. Can you tell me what things really bother you?
My Answer Tips: This question is similar to others in this section. The want to see if your answers maintain a reasonable level of consistency or if they are merely a façade. They are looking out for candidates with chips on their shoulder and repressed anger. The employer is seeking those who dislike under-performance and sloppy work practice.
Q.11. Do you feel you could have done a better job than your previous boss?
My Answer Tips: Candidates should not strongly criticize their old bosses. Their answers need to show diplomacy and tact with reasonable arguments. An enterprising attitude could be a positive option.
Q.12. What are some of the things about your boss that you disliked?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should remain calm and poised. They should not have strong, unreasonable emotions.
Q.13. As we still have some time left, can you tell me a story?
My Answer Tips: Candidate should maintain his/her composure and use the question to sell his/her abilities and skills to the employer.
Q.14. Could I ask you, how do you rate me as an interviewer?
My Answer Tips: This is a test looking for the candidate’s composure and ability to think on his/her feet. Applicant should be able to respond articulately under pressure.
Q.15. What is the worst thing you have heard about our company?
My Answer Tips: This question is designed to shock the applicant and test their composure and ability to think on their feet.
For mean time ask yourself;Why in the world should this company hire me over all the other applicants?How can I rise above all the other applicants once I've landed the job interview?
See ya soon!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Job Interview Questions On (Written Communication Skills)
Q.1.What resources do you use when it is necessary to expand and/or correct your vocabulary in a technical sense while you are writing at work?
My Answer Tips: Here,the applicant should be able to use a dictionary to ascertain the correct usage of a word and its spelling. They should also use a thesaurus to develop greater fluency and powers of expression. Candidate should have knowledge of any online resources that may be available for his specific profession.
Q.2. When writing business correspondence how do you make sure that the grammar is correct? Do you check for spelling errors?
My Answer Tips: Well, the applicant should understand the necessity of proofreading and be prepared to make adjustments to correct or clarify the content.
Q.3. Do you have goals to improve your technical and writing skills in the future?
My Answer Tips:Here the applicant should have a continuous commitment to improve written skills. They should have a plan on how they will improve their skills.
Q.4.What processes do you use to clarify your written work and verify its accuracy? Have you developed a precise routine to confirm this accuracy?
My Answer Tips: No doubt,the Candidate should demonstrate precision by insuring accuracy in the text, by asking others to proofread it, or by re-reading to check clarity and implication.
Q.5. Can you tell me about a recent writing assignment, what it entailed, and what steps you took to make sure the assignment was correct?
My Answer Tips:Candidate's answer should indicate that the job seeker is willing to expand their written proficiency, willing to proofread, and take the time to make sure facts are accurate.
Q.6. What specific benefit has resulted from your efforts to improve your vocabulary and writing skill?
My Answer Tips:Here the applicant’s answer should demonstrate an enthusiasm for being more accurate and precise in the use of terminology. They should want to have superior writing skills.
For mean time ask yourself;Why in the world should this company hire ME over all the other applicants?
See ya soon!
My Answer Tips: Here,the applicant should be able to use a dictionary to ascertain the correct usage of a word and its spelling. They should also use a thesaurus to develop greater fluency and powers of expression. Candidate should have knowledge of any online resources that may be available for his specific profession.
Q.2. When writing business correspondence how do you make sure that the grammar is correct? Do you check for spelling errors?
My Answer Tips: Well, the applicant should understand the necessity of proofreading and be prepared to make adjustments to correct or clarify the content.
Q.3. Do you have goals to improve your technical and writing skills in the future?
My Answer Tips:Here the applicant should have a continuous commitment to improve written skills. They should have a plan on how they will improve their skills.
Q.4.What processes do you use to clarify your written work and verify its accuracy? Have you developed a precise routine to confirm this accuracy?
My Answer Tips: No doubt,the Candidate should demonstrate precision by insuring accuracy in the text, by asking others to proofread it, or by re-reading to check clarity and implication.
Q.5. Can you tell me about a recent writing assignment, what it entailed, and what steps you took to make sure the assignment was correct?
My Answer Tips:Candidate's answer should indicate that the job seeker is willing to expand their written proficiency, willing to proofread, and take the time to make sure facts are accurate.
Q.6. What specific benefit has resulted from your efforts to improve your vocabulary and writing skill?
My Answer Tips:Here the applicant’s answer should demonstrate an enthusiasm for being more accurate and precise in the use of terminology. They should want to have superior writing skills.
For mean time ask yourself;Why in the world should this company hire ME over all the other applicants?
See ya soon!
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Most Asked Interview Q&A
Review these typical interview questions and think about how you would answer them. Read the questions listed; you will also find some strategy suggestions with it.
1. Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not,say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?
You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I’d like it to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I’m doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That’s the type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude.
23. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?
See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization,
violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections will
label you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is
no better answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities: Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?
Don’t get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include: Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want
another job more than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are: Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures: You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a success.Your boss tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if
you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get
the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems
later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself
future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about the deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive, salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make
it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An
example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind
spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do
their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about,bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the dispute you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.
Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show acceptance and no negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? Are examples.
(Excerpted from the book The Accelerated Job Search by Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D, published by The Management Advantage, Inc.)
Thanks!
1. Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players?
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly, should be based on the research you have done on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-term career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not,say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?
You are, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I’d like it to be a long time. Or As long as we both feel I’m doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any way seem like you like to fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to the organization versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the organization. Remember firing is not the same as layoff or reduction in force.
15. What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That’s the type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things about the people or organization involved.
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.
19. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other candidates to make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a real plus.
21. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude.
23. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?
See answer # 23
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization,
violence or lawbreaking to get you to object. Minor objections will
label you as a whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is
no better answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities: Loyalty, Energy, Positive attitude, Leadership, Team player, Expertise,Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem solver
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and develop a poor memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?
Don’t get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include: Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want
another job more than this one.
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are: Challenge, Achievement, Recognition
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures: You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are a success.Your boss tell you that you are successful
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if
you think there is a chance it may come up. Do not say yes just to get
the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems
later on in your career. Be honest at this point and save yourself
future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about the deep ethical and philosophical implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style.
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels, like progressive, salesman or consensus, can have several meanings or descriptions depending on which management expert you listen to. The situational style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make
it small, well intentioned mistake with a positive lesson learned. An
example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind
spots. Do not reveal any personal areas of concern here. Let them do
their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about,bring that up: Then, point out (if true) that you are a hard working quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive. Safe qualities are knowledgeable, a sense of humor, fair, loyal to subordinates and holder of high standards. All bosses think they have these traits.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the dispute you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic.
Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to get the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show acceptance and no negative feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for the organization.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization are good. How soon will I be able to be productive? and What type of projects will I be able to assist on? Are examples.
(Excerpted from the book The Accelerated Job Search by Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D, published by The Management Advantage, Inc.)
Thanks!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
THEY NEVER TELL YOU WHEN YOU START WORK .... AND WHY?
The Second Thing They Never Tell You
"#2).You'll never make good money working for other people."
How many senior managers are there at your place of work? And how many others are there? The ratio is likely to be anywhere from 40:1 to 200:1. So if you have their education, background, ability, contacts and perhaps luck, those will be your odds of making that kind of money also. If you lack any one of those parameters, the
odds increase exponentially. Then ask yourself how long you would have to wait before you started earning that sort of cash? By the time you start making
enough money to relax with, it's nearly time to retire.Pah! You want the cash NOW, just when you need it most - when you want to build a home, raise a family, do stuff, take activity holidays, drive a fast car or whatever. So what do you do about it?
Well, you could look to get into one of the more lucrative and growing business sectors such as computing, finance or recruitment. Or one of the traditional ones such as law or accountancy. Any of these may mean re-training. And you must be sure you are going to at least enjoy it a bit. Alternatively, you could put your efforts into Number 1, above, which may take years to develop, or… Have outside interests! This is much more fun. Don't fall for getrich quick schemes (because they are anything but) or homeworking schemes. And be wary also of MLM (multi-level marketing)
stuff.
Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk to friends. Can you club together and start something? Think about what interests you; what you already know something about. What have you learnt from your employer than you can apply outside? Can you trade your skills elsewhere? Are there certain elements of what your employer does that you could do better or cheaper? You certainly won't have the overheads they have and that will make you cheaper. Are there ideas and suggestions that would work but which they have failed to or refuse to take on board? "Ripping off" your employer in this way is probably the most common way of doing your own thing.Accumulate everything you can from them that you think might help. Keep these questions in your mind and sooner or later ideas will start to flow, often in the most unexpected places. I'm always on the look out for good part-time business ideas myself to pass onto ProFile members. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to divulge some to you in the future.
The Third Thing They Never Tell You
"The willing donkey carries the heaviest load"
Workplace stress is fast becoming the plague of the 21st century. You could fill your house with references on why this is so, but that's for the academics. We haven't got the time or the will to analyse it all. But what is important is how to you may avoid it. Basically, you need to work smarter, not harder. Here are a few
tips on doing just this. Pick out the key issues of your work. Identify and work on the important, priority items; the ones that will progress your career.
This is the stuff you should be focusing your efforts on in order to
make an impact; everything else is just treading water. However, you can't just ignore the routine stuff. This you should either systematise, delegate or ignore. Having a systematic way of doing the everyday stuff gets it done quicker, more efficiently and with far fewer errors or wasted thinking time. Write all your
procedures down, if it helps to get it clear in your own head. Then look for ways to simplify it. Once it is systematised, it is easier to delegate as well. Don't let people dump work on you. It's just laziness. Get them to take it to the boss (unless you are the boss), or suggest someone else is better qualified to do whatever it is. Just get them out of your space. Offer suggestions by all means - two heads are better than one - but don't do the work for them. They will usually find a
solution if forced to.
Delegate upwards. If you have tricky tasks to do, new stuff or things that require a lot of donkey work on your part, there are certain ways around it. Ask your boss for help, guidance and support. In the modern organisation, that is what they are there for, anyway. They will often ask you to "stick with it for now" or "do your best" - and then promptly forget about it. In which case, you are surprised, are you not, that they should shun an opportunity to improve efficiency and effectiveness by giving you the support you need.
•Ask for training. You'd be surprised what modern software can
do these days; you just need to know where to look.
•Tell your boss it is really someone else's job and outside of your
remit. You would do it as a favour, but as it stands, it is just too
time-consuming.
The Fourth Thing They Never Tell You
"They don't really mean it"
"They" applies more to senior than to middle managers. When they get ratty or annoyed, they often don't really mean it. Let's begin with the basics. There are 3 types of person in theworld:
. Those for whom the job comes first, regardless of who suffers or indeed who does it.
. Those who believe you should care for your people first and only do the job within such comfort zones.
.Those who don't care about the job or the people, so long as they are in control.
The latter category is the most dangerous. These are the politicians and the senior managers of the world and they achieve their position through a craving for power. The nature and success of both the people and the job are irrelevant, so long as they have the whip hand.
Many, many tactics are employed to enforce this. Getting angry is just one of them. A bit of well-placed rage can work wonders on the vulnerable and the more sensitive . which typically includes everybody else.
However, standing up to them will not break the façade. Maintaining a show of strength in all weathers is paramount to them. You just have to see it for what it is - play-acting - and take it in your stride.
The Fifth They Never Tell You
"Get noticed - Get promoted"
It's not what you know, it's who you know - and, indeed, what they themselves know. A few percent increase in the quality, quantity or thoroughness of your work can take a lot of effort. This is time that could be used to rub shoulders with those who have the power to promote you and whose opinion of you counts. I'm not saying you should creep and smarm, but there are two particular advantages in this.
1. You gain information and you "create" luck for yourself. You stand a better chance of being in the right place at the right time and of discovering the difference that will make a difference to your prospects; that one piece of information that can open doors for you.
2. You will gain in professionalism. Look at it from their point of view. Number 4 tells us that the more senior the manager, the more political they are. Do they take time out to tell you what a great person you are? That you're doing a great job? Or to grill you on the details of the work? No. They are only interested with their own progression. You do the work and they take it to show their bosses just how great they are at getting things done.
So the more work you take on, the better your boss will appear in their boss' eyes. A few tips on avoiding the graft are given in
Number 3. To also appear like a good promotional prospect…Get in early and leave on time. Staying late rarely gets you noticed. But being there before others certainly does. You use this time to work on the stuff that will advance your career - or even
your personal stuff. When the boss walks in, have something significant to ask, to
suggest or to comment about. Show keen interest and understanding.Request training. But you must give sound reasons, including an a im; i.e. what you intend to do with your new knowledge for the good of the company and, in particular, your boss.
Gain general knowledge of your company's operations outside of your own field or area, including the people. Getting promoted will mean a wider remit, so you will need to know more about a broader range of issues. The more you already know, the lower the risk to the managers in promoting you. In a nutshell, if you want to be promoted you have to start behaving like you already have been. Then it will become obvious to others what sort of material you really are.
The Sixth They Never Tell You
"You don't go to work to be liked"
That's not to say you have to be a miserable, awkward git to everyone around you. But if there are people who don't fit your desire to improve, you don't have to hang around with them or tolerate them.
There are a multitude of whiners, moaners, groaners, rumourmongers, gossipers and malicious corrupters in any organisation. These people are toxic. One bad apple can spoil a whole barrel. They also need the company to pour their scorn out onto. They will walk considerable distance to have a good old moan with someone who will sit and listen. Just watch them do it! Their self-esteem is so low, it is impossible for them to keep it to themselves. Misery must seek company.
Don't get sucked into this quagmire. Making a living is hard enough as it is without this drain on your motivation. Besides, these people are going nowhere; they will never gain in rank, so you don't need them. Instead, hang around with the optimists, the idea-generators and the energetic. This is where important and valuable information and the contacts come from.Besides, bosses (usually) know only too well who are the doers and who are the malingerers. Hang around with the malingerers and you'll be guilty by association. Hang around with the doers and you'll be part of a valuable network.
The Seventh Thing They Never Tell You
"Perception is reality"
How people perceive you is how you really are. If you dress like a slob, they'll think you're a slob; if you speak with firm authority (even though you may be churning inside) you will be perceived as authoritative. If you're perceived as a keen, early starter, that is how you will be considered, regardless of what you are actually up to. If you behave like management material (see Number 5), you'll be
perceived as management material.You should dress as, act as and talk as the position in the company that you wish to be. Get that picture in your mind and start acting it out from today.
The Eighth Never Tell You
"Information is power"
Oh, boy, don't they just know it. There are various forms of power and information is one of the critical ones. This is why there will never be open management. It is far, far more one way than the other. The information that managers hold is one of the principal pillars of their power base. We are in the information age. Companies that collect and rapidly exploit information have a distinct competitive advantage over their rivals. It's no different on the personal level. There are some ideas and details you should never divulge to your boss and some you should keep back for the right moment. Every time you let something go, a little of your "proprietary knowledge" (that which is unique to you) goes public and it loses its
value.
Think what happens in share dealing. If you were a broker with some hot, insider information, would you let everyone know just so you can look clever, well informed or to curry favour. Not likely. As soon as that information got out, the share price would equalise and you would no longer make a profit from what you used to know. It
has lost its value. So judge the value of the information you hold and keep it for the right moment or for your own use.
I myself have used the tips and tricks I am divulging to you here to work more effectively and efficiently and so get ahead of the game. That meant I could produce and then hoard reams of information, letting it out only at judicious moments to show regularprogress. In the meantime, I got on with my own stuff.
The Ninth They Never Tell You
"It's only a game"
Although this means you do have to master the technicalities of what you do, it also means there is nothing wrong with bluffing, cheating and rigging the cards. If the slack in the system gives you manoeuvering space, use it. If there is a way for you to make it look good without having to bust a gut doing it, then take it.
Let me give you a few examples.
. Whilst doing his degree thesis, a friend knew that, on balance, academic theory was more important than the scientific accuracy. So he used his knowledge to get a feel for what the results should look like. Then he drew on his 'key results graph'
three points for scale, filled in an arbitrary curve between them and then made the rest up. He got upper second class honours.
. I saw a technical supervisor alter test results to fit the tolerances. It wasn't important - it had been tested again since - but the gaps and the mistakes would lose the department compliance points in the QA audit if discovered. How often was this done and how much time, effort, worry and stress did it save? Who knows. But
it never showed.
. I've seen fabricated production data. Stuff that would be detected downstream anyway, simply by the poor nature of the material (and so wouldn't go to the customer), but which could never be traced back thanks to a management system with more holes than a warehouse full of Swiss cheese.
. I've known students crib reports from friends who took the course some time previously, even from back home in foreign countries.
. I've even known some to pay professionals to do the work for them. After all, what happens when you get a business problem you can't solve internally? You pay a consultant, right?
. I've also seen a yearly appraisal of mine that didn't even take place. And that's senior management making stuff up! So you see how commonplace this is. From beginning to end, top to bottom, people are bucking the system. Have you ever walked
over a "keep off the grass" sign? Have you ever done 40 in a 30 zone? Of course you have. You take little advantages wherever you can. Many rules are made just to keep you in your place. If you stick rigidly to every rule made for you, then people will take advantage of you.
The Tenth Thing They Never Tell You
"Watch the X-Files - i.e. Trust no-one"
Don't even trust the stuff in this report! Pardon? Well, it might all be true; then again, it might not! It's up to you to decide. Let me explain myself. Deep down, everybody has their own personal interests at heart. It's only human nature. Even when you get married, your spouse won't be doing it for your sake. On top of that, everybody sees things in a different light anyway - their experiences are viewed through their own personal "cognitive filter"; i.e. everybody is wired up differently according to his or her own genetics, upbringing, experiences, abilities, rationale and emotions.
Now that's quite a list of fairly hefty parameters and it is what makes everybody's perceptions different. This means you can afford to take nothing at face value. The key is to absorb, assess and make your own decisions. You shouldn't take prescriptions. Do you think newspapers report what's good for the nation or stuff that will sell their papers? Will an insurance salesperson decline to sell you a policy because they truly believe it's not quite for you? Hardly.
You can't believe what they say. No one has your interests more at heart than you do. That's why you need to filter the world before letting it in.
So the next time your boss says something is really important, ask yourself for whom? Can you do a quick job on it and still keep him or her happy? When something is a rush job, is that really the case, or have they just not considered the options? Or are they just kneejerking?
Or are they just trying to get you to work faster? Or is it down to their lack of organisation and planning and so their own responsibility to do it? Can you gain a favour out of doing it? And from a million other requests made to you during your tenure.
You may think this is being excessively cynical. And cynicism is often cited as being highly detrimental. But that usually comes form those who are trying to exploit you.
Thanks!
"#2).You'll never make good money working for other people."
How many senior managers are there at your place of work? And how many others are there? The ratio is likely to be anywhere from 40:1 to 200:1. So if you have their education, background, ability, contacts and perhaps luck, those will be your odds of making that kind of money also. If you lack any one of those parameters, the
odds increase exponentially. Then ask yourself how long you would have to wait before you started earning that sort of cash? By the time you start making
enough money to relax with, it's nearly time to retire.Pah! You want the cash NOW, just when you need it most - when you want to build a home, raise a family, do stuff, take activity holidays, drive a fast car or whatever. So what do you do about it?
Well, you could look to get into one of the more lucrative and growing business sectors such as computing, finance or recruitment. Or one of the traditional ones such as law or accountancy. Any of these may mean re-training. And you must be sure you are going to at least enjoy it a bit. Alternatively, you could put your efforts into Number 1, above, which may take years to develop, or… Have outside interests! This is much more fun. Don't fall for getrich quick schemes (because they are anything but) or homeworking schemes. And be wary also of MLM (multi-level marketing)
stuff.
Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk to friends. Can you club together and start something? Think about what interests you; what you already know something about. What have you learnt from your employer than you can apply outside? Can you trade your skills elsewhere? Are there certain elements of what your employer does that you could do better or cheaper? You certainly won't have the overheads they have and that will make you cheaper. Are there ideas and suggestions that would work but which they have failed to or refuse to take on board? "Ripping off" your employer in this way is probably the most common way of doing your own thing.Accumulate everything you can from them that you think might help. Keep these questions in your mind and sooner or later ideas will start to flow, often in the most unexpected places. I'm always on the look out for good part-time business ideas myself to pass onto ProFile members. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to divulge some to you in the future.
The Third Thing They Never Tell You
"The willing donkey carries the heaviest load"
Workplace stress is fast becoming the plague of the 21st century. You could fill your house with references on why this is so, but that's for the academics. We haven't got the time or the will to analyse it all. But what is important is how to you may avoid it. Basically, you need to work smarter, not harder. Here are a few
tips on doing just this. Pick out the key issues of your work. Identify and work on the important, priority items; the ones that will progress your career.
This is the stuff you should be focusing your efforts on in order to
make an impact; everything else is just treading water. However, you can't just ignore the routine stuff. This you should either systematise, delegate or ignore. Having a systematic way of doing the everyday stuff gets it done quicker, more efficiently and with far fewer errors or wasted thinking time. Write all your
procedures down, if it helps to get it clear in your own head. Then look for ways to simplify it. Once it is systematised, it is easier to delegate as well. Don't let people dump work on you. It's just laziness. Get them to take it to the boss (unless you are the boss), or suggest someone else is better qualified to do whatever it is. Just get them out of your space. Offer suggestions by all means - two heads are better than one - but don't do the work for them. They will usually find a
solution if forced to.
Delegate upwards. If you have tricky tasks to do, new stuff or things that require a lot of donkey work on your part, there are certain ways around it. Ask your boss for help, guidance and support. In the modern organisation, that is what they are there for, anyway. They will often ask you to "stick with it for now" or "do your best" - and then promptly forget about it. In which case, you are surprised, are you not, that they should shun an opportunity to improve efficiency and effectiveness by giving you the support you need.
•Ask for training. You'd be surprised what modern software can
do these days; you just need to know where to look.
•Tell your boss it is really someone else's job and outside of your
remit. You would do it as a favour, but as it stands, it is just too
time-consuming.
The Fourth Thing They Never Tell You
"They don't really mean it"
"They" applies more to senior than to middle managers. When they get ratty or annoyed, they often don't really mean it. Let's begin with the basics. There are 3 types of person in theworld:
. Those for whom the job comes first, regardless of who suffers or indeed who does it.
. Those who believe you should care for your people first and only do the job within such comfort zones.
.Those who don't care about the job or the people, so long as they are in control.
The latter category is the most dangerous. These are the politicians and the senior managers of the world and they achieve their position through a craving for power. The nature and success of both the people and the job are irrelevant, so long as they have the whip hand.
Many, many tactics are employed to enforce this. Getting angry is just one of them. A bit of well-placed rage can work wonders on the vulnerable and the more sensitive . which typically includes everybody else.
However, standing up to them will not break the façade. Maintaining a show of strength in all weathers is paramount to them. You just have to see it for what it is - play-acting - and take it in your stride.
The Fifth They Never Tell You
"Get noticed - Get promoted"
It's not what you know, it's who you know - and, indeed, what they themselves know. A few percent increase in the quality, quantity or thoroughness of your work can take a lot of effort. This is time that could be used to rub shoulders with those who have the power to promote you and whose opinion of you counts. I'm not saying you should creep and smarm, but there are two particular advantages in this.
1. You gain information and you "create" luck for yourself. You stand a better chance of being in the right place at the right time and of discovering the difference that will make a difference to your prospects; that one piece of information that can open doors for you.
2. You will gain in professionalism. Look at it from their point of view. Number 4 tells us that the more senior the manager, the more political they are. Do they take time out to tell you what a great person you are? That you're doing a great job? Or to grill you on the details of the work? No. They are only interested with their own progression. You do the work and they take it to show their bosses just how great they are at getting things done.
So the more work you take on, the better your boss will appear in their boss' eyes. A few tips on avoiding the graft are given in
Number 3. To also appear like a good promotional prospect…Get in early and leave on time. Staying late rarely gets you noticed. But being there before others certainly does. You use this time to work on the stuff that will advance your career - or even
your personal stuff. When the boss walks in, have something significant to ask, to
suggest or to comment about. Show keen interest and understanding.Request training. But you must give sound reasons, including an a im; i.e. what you intend to do with your new knowledge for the good of the company and, in particular, your boss.
Gain general knowledge of your company's operations outside of your own field or area, including the people. Getting promoted will mean a wider remit, so you will need to know more about a broader range of issues. The more you already know, the lower the risk to the managers in promoting you. In a nutshell, if you want to be promoted you have to start behaving like you already have been. Then it will become obvious to others what sort of material you really are.
The Sixth They Never Tell You
"You don't go to work to be liked"
That's not to say you have to be a miserable, awkward git to everyone around you. But if there are people who don't fit your desire to improve, you don't have to hang around with them or tolerate them.
There are a multitude of whiners, moaners, groaners, rumourmongers, gossipers and malicious corrupters in any organisation. These people are toxic. One bad apple can spoil a whole barrel. They also need the company to pour their scorn out onto. They will walk considerable distance to have a good old moan with someone who will sit and listen. Just watch them do it! Their self-esteem is so low, it is impossible for them to keep it to themselves. Misery must seek company.
Don't get sucked into this quagmire. Making a living is hard enough as it is without this drain on your motivation. Besides, these people are going nowhere; they will never gain in rank, so you don't need them. Instead, hang around with the optimists, the idea-generators and the energetic. This is where important and valuable information and the contacts come from.Besides, bosses (usually) know only too well who are the doers and who are the malingerers. Hang around with the malingerers and you'll be guilty by association. Hang around with the doers and you'll be part of a valuable network.
The Seventh Thing They Never Tell You
"Perception is reality"
How people perceive you is how you really are. If you dress like a slob, they'll think you're a slob; if you speak with firm authority (even though you may be churning inside) you will be perceived as authoritative. If you're perceived as a keen, early starter, that is how you will be considered, regardless of what you are actually up to. If you behave like management material (see Number 5), you'll be
perceived as management material.You should dress as, act as and talk as the position in the company that you wish to be. Get that picture in your mind and start acting it out from today.
The Eighth Never Tell You
"Information is power"
Oh, boy, don't they just know it. There are various forms of power and information is one of the critical ones. This is why there will never be open management. It is far, far more one way than the other. The information that managers hold is one of the principal pillars of their power base. We are in the information age. Companies that collect and rapidly exploit information have a distinct competitive advantage over their rivals. It's no different on the personal level. There are some ideas and details you should never divulge to your boss and some you should keep back for the right moment. Every time you let something go, a little of your "proprietary knowledge" (that which is unique to you) goes public and it loses its
value.
Think what happens in share dealing. If you were a broker with some hot, insider information, would you let everyone know just so you can look clever, well informed or to curry favour. Not likely. As soon as that information got out, the share price would equalise and you would no longer make a profit from what you used to know. It
has lost its value. So judge the value of the information you hold and keep it for the right moment or for your own use.
I myself have used the tips and tricks I am divulging to you here to work more effectively and efficiently and so get ahead of the game. That meant I could produce and then hoard reams of information, letting it out only at judicious moments to show regularprogress. In the meantime, I got on with my own stuff.
The Ninth They Never Tell You
"It's only a game"
Although this means you do have to master the technicalities of what you do, it also means there is nothing wrong with bluffing, cheating and rigging the cards. If the slack in the system gives you manoeuvering space, use it. If there is a way for you to make it look good without having to bust a gut doing it, then take it.
Let me give you a few examples.
. Whilst doing his degree thesis, a friend knew that, on balance, academic theory was more important than the scientific accuracy. So he used his knowledge to get a feel for what the results should look like. Then he drew on his 'key results graph'
three points for scale, filled in an arbitrary curve between them and then made the rest up. He got upper second class honours.
. I saw a technical supervisor alter test results to fit the tolerances. It wasn't important - it had been tested again since - but the gaps and the mistakes would lose the department compliance points in the QA audit if discovered. How often was this done and how much time, effort, worry and stress did it save? Who knows. But
it never showed.
. I've seen fabricated production data. Stuff that would be detected downstream anyway, simply by the poor nature of the material (and so wouldn't go to the customer), but which could never be traced back thanks to a management system with more holes than a warehouse full of Swiss cheese.
. I've known students crib reports from friends who took the course some time previously, even from back home in foreign countries.
. I've even known some to pay professionals to do the work for them. After all, what happens when you get a business problem you can't solve internally? You pay a consultant, right?
. I've also seen a yearly appraisal of mine that didn't even take place. And that's senior management making stuff up! So you see how commonplace this is. From beginning to end, top to bottom, people are bucking the system. Have you ever walked
over a "keep off the grass" sign? Have you ever done 40 in a 30 zone? Of course you have. You take little advantages wherever you can. Many rules are made just to keep you in your place. If you stick rigidly to every rule made for you, then people will take advantage of you.
The Tenth Thing They Never Tell You
"Watch the X-Files - i.e. Trust no-one"
Don't even trust the stuff in this report! Pardon? Well, it might all be true; then again, it might not! It's up to you to decide. Let me explain myself. Deep down, everybody has their own personal interests at heart. It's only human nature. Even when you get married, your spouse won't be doing it for your sake. On top of that, everybody sees things in a different light anyway - their experiences are viewed through their own personal "cognitive filter"; i.e. everybody is wired up differently according to his or her own genetics, upbringing, experiences, abilities, rationale and emotions.
Now that's quite a list of fairly hefty parameters and it is what makes everybody's perceptions different. This means you can afford to take nothing at face value. The key is to absorb, assess and make your own decisions. You shouldn't take prescriptions. Do you think newspapers report what's good for the nation or stuff that will sell their papers? Will an insurance salesperson decline to sell you a policy because they truly believe it's not quite for you? Hardly.
You can't believe what they say. No one has your interests more at heart than you do. That's why you need to filter the world before letting it in.
So the next time your boss says something is really important, ask yourself for whom? Can you do a quick job on it and still keep him or her happy? When something is a rush job, is that really the case, or have they just not considered the options? Or are they just kneejerking?
Or are they just trying to get you to work faster? Or is it down to their lack of organisation and planning and so their own responsibility to do it? Can you gain a favour out of doing it? And from a million other requests made to you during your tenure.
You may think this is being excessively cynical. And cynicism is often cited as being highly detrimental. But that usually comes form those who are trying to exploit you.
Thanks!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
THEY NEVER TELL YOU WHEN YOU START WORK …AND WHY !
There are a myriad of companies, both on- and off-line that focus on finding new jobs. BUT… to give yourself the best chance of landing a new and (hopefully) better job, you have to make the most of your current one. This is where we come in. It is our aim to accelerate your career by maximising your current value and so increasing your marketability – and that means bigger salaries for you. Increasingly, it is up to the individual to carve their own career, independent of any organisational "initiatives". This is because:
a).Job security is being eroded.
b).Job life expectancy is decreasing.
c). Organisations are geared up for flexibility.
This means you need to be flexible, too. It means you can no longer rely on blanket training programmes or on getting promoted. Each employees needs are becoming highly individual. It also means changing jobs at some stage is pretty much inevitable. So you will need to know how to market yourself. And the best way to do that is to have a highly saleable product – a high value "You".
We gives you the means to do this. You can:
•Give yourself unique, valuable and marketable skills with our
training courses.
•Accumulate daily working techniques with our e-mail training
course, "The Pro File" to give yourself an unsurpassable
professionalism.
•Devise your career plan through our exclusive blogpost.
•Market yourself with a killer ProFile CV.
•Plug those gaps in your career knowledge through our Free
Advice blogpost.
And there's our free weekly careers blog post, with up-to-date insights
on the employment market.I'm sure you'll find something to boost your career.
You only get one career. Protect it, nurture it, invest in it.
They Never Tell You When You Start Work And Why! You are about to discover some very useful insights into the world of work. Insights that should make your working days less stressful, more understandable and meaningful and quite possibly more lucrative, too. These few pages divulge some very valuable information. Information that could open your eyes to a new way of working if you so choose; certainly a new way of thinking.
This concise collection of no-nonsense disclosures about the world of work, its pitfalls, its peculiarities and its opportunities took me many years to accumulate and decipher. They could have saved me a whole lot of grief in the early years, had I known it all back then. But they certainly made life more tolerable in the meantime.It is written in my preferred style - open, free-flowing and
conversational, which pulls few punches. This booklet is after all
intended to expose a few home truths, so there is no point in mincing about.
You may not like some of the points made here and some you may not believe in or agree with them all. But whether you do or not,they do happen, every day, up and down the country. It all depends on your personal nature. If you're happy doing what you do, that's fine. If, however, you are looking to make life easier for yourself, or for ways to get on a bit, then you'll likely find the nuggets of information very useful.
As is explained in Number 10, application is the key to learning. So, as you read each one, give some thought as to how it applies to your own situation. I sincerely hope you find real value in these insights. They have certainly proved to be very valuable for me. Enjoy.
The First Thing They Never Tell You
#1."You will be paid the lowest possible amount
they can get away with." Why should this be so?
1. For a start there is little union power around these days to argue
otherwise.
2. You have to wait two years now before you get the employee
protection you used to get after 6 months.
3. There are plenty of other people waiting in the wings to take your
place for a lower fee if you refuse.
4. If you do protest, you can typically kiss promotion goodbye.
5. Employee costs are a significant percentage of total costs and
are usually monitored in budgets and reports. It is often a key
management performance indicator (like production, wastage,
stock levels and so on). So it is in their own promotional interests
to keep them as low as possible.So what's the answer? It depends on your view.
If you need security more than a stunning wage, stay put and argue your case at your annual reviews.
If you want the money, you need to build yourself a glittering CV and jump ship at suitable moments. This may mean volunteering for projects, taking extra responsibility, making suggestions, and sometimes swallowing your pride and compromising your better judgement.In the lower ranks, getting your way is secondary to getting promoted. The difference you can make is not significant, anyway.
The people who can make a difference and can get you promoted are higher up.
Besides, you will eventually have the last laugh when you become more marketable. And nothing annoys your antagonists more than agreeing with them! Be satisfied with that. And make note of No.9 here. Most of all, keep records of your work, your results and your improvements as evidence for your CV.
Whatever you do, you should realise that it is all a means to an end. Your aim is to build an impressive CV and to back it up with the facts and figures of your proof of capability for your next employer. To be cont...to 2# reason,
Thanks!
a).Job security is being eroded.
b).Job life expectancy is decreasing.
c). Organisations are geared up for flexibility.
This means you need to be flexible, too. It means you can no longer rely on blanket training programmes or on getting promoted. Each employees needs are becoming highly individual. It also means changing jobs at some stage is pretty much inevitable. So you will need to know how to market yourself. And the best way to do that is to have a highly saleable product – a high value "You".
We gives you the means to do this. You can:
•Give yourself unique, valuable and marketable skills with our
training courses.
•Accumulate daily working techniques with our e-mail training
course, "The Pro File" to give yourself an unsurpassable
professionalism.
•Devise your career plan through our exclusive blogpost.
•Market yourself with a killer ProFile CV.
•Plug those gaps in your career knowledge through our Free
Advice blogpost.
And there's our free weekly careers blog post, with up-to-date insights
on the employment market.I'm sure you'll find something to boost your career.
You only get one career. Protect it, nurture it, invest in it.
They Never Tell You When You Start Work And Why! You are about to discover some very useful insights into the world of work. Insights that should make your working days less stressful, more understandable and meaningful and quite possibly more lucrative, too. These few pages divulge some very valuable information. Information that could open your eyes to a new way of working if you so choose; certainly a new way of thinking.
This concise collection of no-nonsense disclosures about the world of work, its pitfalls, its peculiarities and its opportunities took me many years to accumulate and decipher. They could have saved me a whole lot of grief in the early years, had I known it all back then. But they certainly made life more tolerable in the meantime.It is written in my preferred style - open, free-flowing and
conversational, which pulls few punches. This booklet is after all
intended to expose a few home truths, so there is no point in mincing about.
You may not like some of the points made here and some you may not believe in or agree with them all. But whether you do or not,they do happen, every day, up and down the country. It all depends on your personal nature. If you're happy doing what you do, that's fine. If, however, you are looking to make life easier for yourself, or for ways to get on a bit, then you'll likely find the nuggets of information very useful.
As is explained in Number 10, application is the key to learning. So, as you read each one, give some thought as to how it applies to your own situation. I sincerely hope you find real value in these insights. They have certainly proved to be very valuable for me. Enjoy.
The First Thing They Never Tell You
#1."You will be paid the lowest possible amount
they can get away with." Why should this be so?
1. For a start there is little union power around these days to argue
otherwise.
2. You have to wait two years now before you get the employee
protection you used to get after 6 months.
3. There are plenty of other people waiting in the wings to take your
place for a lower fee if you refuse.
4. If you do protest, you can typically kiss promotion goodbye.
5. Employee costs are a significant percentage of total costs and
are usually monitored in budgets and reports. It is often a key
management performance indicator (like production, wastage,
stock levels and so on). So it is in their own promotional interests
to keep them as low as possible.So what's the answer? It depends on your view.
If you need security more than a stunning wage, stay put and argue your case at your annual reviews.
If you want the money, you need to build yourself a glittering CV and jump ship at suitable moments. This may mean volunteering for projects, taking extra responsibility, making suggestions, and sometimes swallowing your pride and compromising your better judgement.In the lower ranks, getting your way is secondary to getting promoted. The difference you can make is not significant, anyway.
The people who can make a difference and can get you promoted are higher up.
Besides, you will eventually have the last laugh when you become more marketable. And nothing annoys your antagonists more than agreeing with them! Be satisfied with that. And make note of No.9 here. Most of all, keep records of your work, your results and your improvements as evidence for your CV.
Whatever you do, you should realise that it is all a means to an end. Your aim is to build an impressive CV and to back it up with the facts and figures of your proof of capability for your next employer. To be cont...to 2# reason,
Thanks!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
How To Manage Virtual Workforce
Virtual Workforce, the latest boon of the technology and globalization, has questioned the very nature of employer employee relationship structure across the world. The concept of virtual workforce is fast welcome by a section of employers and working people in many countries.
An organization’s workforce is said to be virtual when its employees are geographically dispersed, or operating through the differences of time, place and organisational boundaries. In simplified terms, the members of the virtual workforce work from places distant from their offices (their homes, office branches in different states or even different countries) and collaborate effectively even after not being in physical contact with each other.
The emergence of multinational companies, new and flat organisational structures have fuelled the growth of global and virtual workforce, and the changed the very nature of the employer-employee and business relationships. We attempt to look at all the issues related to the concept of virtual workforces in organisations.
Advantages of having virtual workforce;Virtual workforce is proving to be a blessing in disguise for the employees as well as the organisations.
Employees can work from anywhere. Anytime!Technology enabled virtual workforce has helped the organisations to resolve and reduce various HR problems by enabling the employees (especially the working women and the new mothers) to take benefit of the flexible working hours. Now the employees can work from their homes and other locations at their convenience.
Facilitates hiring the best talent irrespective of the location;
Virtual workforce has opened the doors of attracting best talent from anywhere in the world (i.e. eliminating the limitation of distance and the physical separation).
Time and cost savings;One of the most significant benefits to the organisations and the employees is the cost and the time savings resulting from less commutation. Many organisations have admitted of registering reduction in the employee absenteeism. Most importantly, virtual workforce in different countries or locations helps an organisation to compete in the global industry and strengthen its position.
The role of technology;It is only because of technology that the concept of virtual workforce came to existence and also became successful. Technology supports virtual workforce through the hardwares and softwares like mobile phones, laptops, modems, wireless communication links like LAN, WAN etc. the software include the e-mails, remote access softwares, video and tele-conferencing technologies etc.
Technology provides the connecting links to the virtual workforce. Technological tools like video-conferencing enable people to see and talk to each other being spread at different places around the world at a given point of time. It would be apt to say that technology provides and creates the virtual infrastructure and facilities for the virtual workforce.
Issues in virtual workforce;Where the virtual workforce is a blessing for all, the baggage also contains some serious issues to be dealt with, in order to successfully integrate and manage the concept with the organisation and achieve its objectives successfully. When the employees are not physically present at the office every day, one of the issues that crops up is of trust. Away from the management scrutiny and monitoring, and with the management having no control over the working hours and daily monitoring of employees, there is a need on the part of both the employer and the employee to have faith in and trust each other.
Miscommunication problems;In absence of the physical contact and face-to-face interaction, miscommunication is bound to occur. Due to people present in different parts of the world, bringing them together virtually at the same time and the difficulty in contacting each other due to any reason like technological faults, communication gap can creep in.
Managing virtual workforce;The virtual workforce can be dispersed across the country or even to the different continents. The biggest challenge of having virtual workforce is to engage, integrate and manage them in alignment to the organisational goals and objectives. Being away from the organisation, peers and the organisational environment can make the employees feel isolated or not –valued by the organisation. The employees miss the happenings or events in the organisation. Miscommunication problems also arise in the virtual workforce.
The organisation needs to have a complete system or structure in place to effectively manage the virtual workforce which should have the following components;
Training for the managers to mange the virtual workforce effectively and efficiently.
Technology should be put to its best possible use in managing the virtual workforce.
Incorporating trust in the employees and the organisation.
Ensuring proper communication between the organisation and the team.
Conclusion;Virtual workforce has become an integral and inseparable part of the corporate world today. It is a blessing for the organisation and the employees, but only if the organisation handles and manages the issue effectively and efficiently. Stating the expectations clearly to the employees, maintaining constant contact, proper communication channels, periodic meetings are few ways to handle the issue effectively and make it a success.
Thanks!
An organization’s workforce is said to be virtual when its employees are geographically dispersed, or operating through the differences of time, place and organisational boundaries. In simplified terms, the members of the virtual workforce work from places distant from their offices (their homes, office branches in different states or even different countries) and collaborate effectively even after not being in physical contact with each other.
The emergence of multinational companies, new and flat organisational structures have fuelled the growth of global and virtual workforce, and the changed the very nature of the employer-employee and business relationships. We attempt to look at all the issues related to the concept of virtual workforces in organisations.
Advantages of having virtual workforce;Virtual workforce is proving to be a blessing in disguise for the employees as well as the organisations.
Employees can work from anywhere. Anytime!Technology enabled virtual workforce has helped the organisations to resolve and reduce various HR problems by enabling the employees (especially the working women and the new mothers) to take benefit of the flexible working hours. Now the employees can work from their homes and other locations at their convenience.
Facilitates hiring the best talent irrespective of the location;
Virtual workforce has opened the doors of attracting best talent from anywhere in the world (i.e. eliminating the limitation of distance and the physical separation).
Time and cost savings;One of the most significant benefits to the organisations and the employees is the cost and the time savings resulting from less commutation. Many organisations have admitted of registering reduction in the employee absenteeism. Most importantly, virtual workforce in different countries or locations helps an organisation to compete in the global industry and strengthen its position.
The role of technology;It is only because of technology that the concept of virtual workforce came to existence and also became successful. Technology supports virtual workforce through the hardwares and softwares like mobile phones, laptops, modems, wireless communication links like LAN, WAN etc. the software include the e-mails, remote access softwares, video and tele-conferencing technologies etc.
Technology provides the connecting links to the virtual workforce. Technological tools like video-conferencing enable people to see and talk to each other being spread at different places around the world at a given point of time. It would be apt to say that technology provides and creates the virtual infrastructure and facilities for the virtual workforce.
Issues in virtual workforce;Where the virtual workforce is a blessing for all, the baggage also contains some serious issues to be dealt with, in order to successfully integrate and manage the concept with the organisation and achieve its objectives successfully. When the employees are not physically present at the office every day, one of the issues that crops up is of trust. Away from the management scrutiny and monitoring, and with the management having no control over the working hours and daily monitoring of employees, there is a need on the part of both the employer and the employee to have faith in and trust each other.
Miscommunication problems;In absence of the physical contact and face-to-face interaction, miscommunication is bound to occur. Due to people present in different parts of the world, bringing them together virtually at the same time and the difficulty in contacting each other due to any reason like technological faults, communication gap can creep in.
Managing virtual workforce;The virtual workforce can be dispersed across the country or even to the different continents. The biggest challenge of having virtual workforce is to engage, integrate and manage them in alignment to the organisational goals and objectives. Being away from the organisation, peers and the organisational environment can make the employees feel isolated or not –valued by the organisation. The employees miss the happenings or events in the organisation. Miscommunication problems also arise in the virtual workforce.
The organisation needs to have a complete system or structure in place to effectively manage the virtual workforce which should have the following components;
Training for the managers to mange the virtual workforce effectively and efficiently.
Technology should be put to its best possible use in managing the virtual workforce.
Incorporating trust in the employees and the organisation.
Ensuring proper communication between the organisation and the team.
Conclusion;Virtual workforce has become an integral and inseparable part of the corporate world today. It is a blessing for the organisation and the employees, but only if the organisation handles and manages the issue effectively and efficiently. Stating the expectations clearly to the employees, maintaining constant contact, proper communication channels, periodic meetings are few ways to handle the issue effectively and make it a success.
Thanks!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
How To Building an Employer Brand
In today's present job markets, where companies compete for attracting the best of the talent, employer brand, sometimes, becomes more relevant when compared to various critical factors like job profile and the compensation package.
Employer brand is the image of an organization as a great place to work in the minds of its current employees and key stakeholders. It is the development of such an organizational culture which fosters a sense of belongingness with the company and encourages the employees to share organization's goals for success. In short, it is the value of the company in external marketplace. The goal of employer branding is to create loyal customers; the customers here being the employees.
An employer brand represents the core values of an organization. Companies that are considered good employers have a strong identity and an image in the marketplace. Building such a brand requires a lot of introspection by the company, and answering the questions, "what kind of company we are, and want to become?" and "how do we live up to the expectations of our stakeholders?".
What makes an employer a brand? Simon Barrow, who is president of a successful consulting firm in London that specializes in employer branding services describes four elements that work together to make an employer brand. The first element is the Employment Package which is the offer that an employee gets including job responsibilities, financial compensation, work/life balance, the employee's role in organization and professional development. Next comes the Culture and Environment which includes the physical working environment, the size of the organization, and the organization's approach to work. Then there is Integrity. Delivering what has been initially committed always counts. The consequence of a lack of integrity is seen in the form of high attrition rates. And finally Management Performance that plays as a vital role in the Employer Branding process.
Building a brand is typically a twofold process. One is for prospective employees and the other for the current set of employees. While building brand for prospective employees, initiatives are targeted at building a repute in potential recruits about the company as a preferred place to work. On the other hand, while building brand internally, the company has to live up to its standards and incorporate a culture of respect and trust for employees.
Growing Significance;It is said that an unsatisfied customer tells ten people about his experience while an unsatisfied employee tells a hundred. Employer branding reflects the work culture in an organization. It has become more critical in today's times, as most professionals are looking at a stable career and establishing a long-term relationship with the company. Research shows that employees of industrial brands feel a much greater sense of pride, attachment and trust towards their employer. They are also significantly more likely to recommend their company to others and claim it treats employees well. Through right branding, the company can recruit the best talent and reinforce its positioning amongst its employees. It helps build trust and reliability. A good employer brand makes it easy to attract good talent and curb attrition. The strength of an organization's brand has a significant impact on the performance of its employees. Working with one of the largest or most innovative companies in a specific industry acts as a motivator too.
But as one moves higher in his career, brand name becomes of little significance as job role takes over. Brand name is the most important factor but at entry level only. When one is a fresher and embarks on one's career, the brand of a company matters. It helps in reflecting a stronger resume. With career growth, one places importance on things that are more meaningful to one's sense of purpose. According to experts, for employees who have spent three-four years in the industry, brand is high on the list. It is easier to sell the company if it is a reputed brand. For those who have spent five years in any industry, it's the job role that's important and for those with 10 year behind them, the job role becomes the most critical factor.
It is also being argued that in most cases, companies treat employer branding as a mere short-cut for attracting the talent. Instead of self-analysis, the HR departments tie up with ad agencies to conjure up an image that may be attractive to their target market, even if not their own. While some argue that organizations like Google with strong employer brand hardly spend money in building the brand; instead they focus on living the brand. Shaken, for example, has a stated 'People First' policy to emphasize that employees are the focus. Fedex has a core philosophy of 'people - service - profit' to indicate what comes first. Some organisations does not get tired of repeating the founder's belief "Take care of the associates, and they'll take good care of the guests, and the guests will come back." These organizations reveal a high degree of trust in the management of the organization. Managements must understand that the core value offering of the organization is to engage employees towards being productive and responsive to customers. In the end, it is believed that if the company takes care of people, people will take care of the company.
Thanks!
Employer brand is the image of an organization as a great place to work in the minds of its current employees and key stakeholders. It is the development of such an organizational culture which fosters a sense of belongingness with the company and encourages the employees to share organization's goals for success. In short, it is the value of the company in external marketplace. The goal of employer branding is to create loyal customers; the customers here being the employees.
An employer brand represents the core values of an organization. Companies that are considered good employers have a strong identity and an image in the marketplace. Building such a brand requires a lot of introspection by the company, and answering the questions, "what kind of company we are, and want to become?" and "how do we live up to the expectations of our stakeholders?".
What makes an employer a brand? Simon Barrow, who is president of a successful consulting firm in London that specializes in employer branding services describes four elements that work together to make an employer brand. The first element is the Employment Package which is the offer that an employee gets including job responsibilities, financial compensation, work/life balance, the employee's role in organization and professional development. Next comes the Culture and Environment which includes the physical working environment, the size of the organization, and the organization's approach to work. Then there is Integrity. Delivering what has been initially committed always counts. The consequence of a lack of integrity is seen in the form of high attrition rates. And finally Management Performance that plays as a vital role in the Employer Branding process.
Building a brand is typically a twofold process. One is for prospective employees and the other for the current set of employees. While building brand for prospective employees, initiatives are targeted at building a repute in potential recruits about the company as a preferred place to work. On the other hand, while building brand internally, the company has to live up to its standards and incorporate a culture of respect and trust for employees.
Growing Significance;It is said that an unsatisfied customer tells ten people about his experience while an unsatisfied employee tells a hundred. Employer branding reflects the work culture in an organization. It has become more critical in today's times, as most professionals are looking at a stable career and establishing a long-term relationship with the company. Research shows that employees of industrial brands feel a much greater sense of pride, attachment and trust towards their employer. They are also significantly more likely to recommend their company to others and claim it treats employees well. Through right branding, the company can recruit the best talent and reinforce its positioning amongst its employees. It helps build trust and reliability. A good employer brand makes it easy to attract good talent and curb attrition. The strength of an organization's brand has a significant impact on the performance of its employees. Working with one of the largest or most innovative companies in a specific industry acts as a motivator too.
But as one moves higher in his career, brand name becomes of little significance as job role takes over. Brand name is the most important factor but at entry level only. When one is a fresher and embarks on one's career, the brand of a company matters. It helps in reflecting a stronger resume. With career growth, one places importance on things that are more meaningful to one's sense of purpose. According to experts, for employees who have spent three-four years in the industry, brand is high on the list. It is easier to sell the company if it is a reputed brand. For those who have spent five years in any industry, it's the job role that's important and for those with 10 year behind them, the job role becomes the most critical factor.
It is also being argued that in most cases, companies treat employer branding as a mere short-cut for attracting the talent. Instead of self-analysis, the HR departments tie up with ad agencies to conjure up an image that may be attractive to their target market, even if not their own. While some argue that organizations like Google with strong employer brand hardly spend money in building the brand; instead they focus on living the brand. Shaken, for example, has a stated 'People First' policy to emphasize that employees are the focus. Fedex has a core philosophy of 'people - service - profit' to indicate what comes first. Some organisations does not get tired of repeating the founder's belief "Take care of the associates, and they'll take good care of the guests, and the guests will come back." These organizations reveal a high degree of trust in the management of the organization. Managements must understand that the core value offering of the organization is to engage employees towards being productive and responsive to customers. In the end, it is believed that if the company takes care of people, people will take care of the company.
Thanks!
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