Archive for July, 2011

What Do You Say About Your Former Employer?

Friday, July 29th, 2011

It is very natural to get emotional or feeling grief when you lose your job. You get angry and feel frustrated, irritation, anxiety or embarrassment. But you must have control over your emotions; if you don’t do this you will face difficulty in your job search. Your former employer will be the most likely target of your anger. And it is much dangerous in your job search to express those feelings about your former boss or employer. Follow these points to behave well in this situation.

The employer who is listening to you is taking you as the person who may leave them one day. If you speak poorly about your past employer means you are giving an indication to the interviewer that you may also speak in the same way about them. Your frustration and anger shows that you are still not focused on your job. Never discuss this with your new employer. Keep in mind that your employer has no interest in your problems with former employers.

Future employers are asking.

Many of the Hiring Managers or recruiters will ask whether you want to say something about your former boss. So choose your words very carefully and also keep in mind some of the common interview questions mentioned as under.

  • Why are you for the job and what did you disliked in your previous job?
  • Tell something about your former supervisors and boss
  • What were the major problems that you faced because of mismanagement of your previous employers?
  • Describe the worst quality of your former boss
  • What was your repute and what kind of references can be received for you from your former bosses?
  • What was the decision when you were in disagreement with your boss.

It is better that you appear with a proper plan in the interview. If you are angry with your former employers keep the following points in your mind.

Don’t use bad words

Avoid any kind of bad mouthing about your former employers, co workers, managers or boss. There are also many positive points that you can use in your interview like your contacts with other important personalities in the former job or your accomplishments.

Have positive energy in your discussion

Be positive in your discussion about anything. Try to keep your negative energy out of your discussion.

Avoid any negative discussions about your previous jobs

Never let the employer to have a long discussion on the topic. It is better to create your script before you appear in the interview, wrap it in positive aspects and move forward towards another successful career. Stay on what you say in your discussion and be positive.

Take some time to think about how you will handle the interviewer in answering the questions during an interview and prepare yourself beforehand about any negative questions asked about your previous jobs. Even if you have any bad experiences in your previous jobs, you should always avoid discussing them with your future employers.

The Secrets to reaching at the top in your profession

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

You may have seen many of the people who are at the top in their Job. Have you ever asked yourself that what is their way to success? They seem to have the same qualities as possessed by you. But if you look closely you will see that most of these people have three key qualities of discipline, focus and follow-up. These qualities enhance consistent performance and make your work superior which drives you on the road to success.

These qualities look very common and can be ignored by a common person. But these qualities can really set you apart. Notice all the successful men in their field they use these qualities in their work and are succeeded.

You must need focus and constant discipline in your work and always remember that follow up is a necessary step for having your desired results.

Your behavior and thinking about your work decides the result of your work. You are going in a meeting with your client or going to set your working strategy, your chance of success is decided by how you think, how you work and what is the way you adopt to do it? The outcomes will be the result of your focus, commitment, discipline and follow ups in your work. Your success depends less on your technical knowhow and more on how much organized you are and your focused thinking.

Take notes

It is the most important step in your business or Job. Keep in mind that your brain cannot be as powerful to remember all the things even if you feel that you are extra brilliant. It is better to have a note of your project analysis, your team work strategy and your colleagues working strategy. This will save you from many problems and will guide you on the way to success.

You will always see a notepad in the hands of all the seniors. They have this to note all the important points that help them later on their way. These notes also provide a record of important decision and also help to assess that what is the background of the issue and what is needed to be done next.

Do what you say

In the competitive market of today, you will decide that how and why you will get your things to be done. If you fail to perform any task, you are considered that you lack discipline and usually you are not trusted to assign any important assignment or project anymore. But if you complete your project successfully you will surely have better business relationships and responsibilities.

If homework is assigned to you, must do it with full attention. Also assign different projects to your employees. This step sets the tone of a leadership skill and a great way to get the achievement and sets you apart.

Be flexible in your business plan or job career

It is always advised to create your career according to a plan and be focused on it. Working with full focus in your plan is good but the plan should be flexible in a way so that you can accommodate any unforeseen. So create a plan but plan should be short termed consisting of 1 year. The same plan will work for years; you just have to make some minor changes according to your job or business requirements. Thus you will be focused and flexible in your work. The focus in your work will help you to get ahead and flexibility in your work will help you to meet the changes of the market.

Take your time to focus

Be careful in your decisions. Take your time to focus on minor decisions. When a simple decision is taken with proper planning, it actually works and saves your time in the end.

When you plan with focus, have discipline with good follow ups whether you are a business man or an employee this all help you for better follow ups. This works as a road map that helps you to reach at your desired destination at the top.

Practical Life Vs. College Life: Which one is better?

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

You are fed up with student life? If it is so then surely you would like to go out of the student life would like to enter the real life as soon as possible. You must save your college moments rather than racing them especially for the time when you will miss them and feel that how good these moments were, comparative to the professional life.

It is usually believed that student life is much better than professional life. There are several reasons for supporting student life but there are also many reasons to support the practical life. But it is also a matter of fact that every environment and life has its own advantages and disadvantages, charms and limitations.

Once you get into real life you get busy in the rat race. You get busy in calculations that are useless and have no charm and satisfaction in spite of more earnings. This is the stage you have to pay in some way to find happiness.  But in student life you are out of worries and enjoy every moment of life without calculations and limitation. Student life is free of responsibility.

On the other way we should also remember that freedom is good but independence in real life is even better. You have much time to enjoy freely in your student life but you are never independent. Your life seems easy when you are independent and free to choose something for yourself. Independence provides your personality a self confidence. The responsibility of you makes you responsible and enhances your sense to explore different things. On the other hand student life is more enjoyable due to the freedom that we cannot have after student life.

We may easily compare the differences between college life and real world. Every stage of life has its own advantages and disadvantages. But the fact is that everyone has to grow up and have to take responsibilities at some point of his life. So one should try to be happy in his/her present and be prepared for what future has to offer.

How to get ahead in workplace politics

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

It is strongly believed that every workplace or office has an environment of politics. Some workers say that they don’t engage in politics which is true to some extent. They intentionally do not get engaged in politics but unintentionally they are all included in this game. The word politics encompasses everything to get ahead. Office politics means building your relationships with your seniors and co-workers to get the things in right manner at work.

As an office employer your politics may differ from others who are supervised by you. While managing office politics is a difficult thing to do in companies. It is believed that political environment is a key to success for today’s work environment.

Top performers always master the art of politics. Here are some ways that will help you to win the political game ethically.

Find Art of self importance

When it comes the time of self promotion mostly people believe that there are only two ways to behave, either keep sitting under the table or showing your arrogant behavior. But both are not good. A self promoter always knows that he is the only one who can show his importance. He knows only he can plant the seed for his future. Others don’t realize that you are doing a good job till you don’t show them. Build your own professional way and track your own records. Don’t be consistent on your mistakes. Celebrate your success in a professional and graceful way. It actually works for you.

Don’t Stick with One Group

Try to have your relations with all groups in the office. Sticking with one group will keep you away from other important information or news about your company. Gossips with your co workers in lunch time or tea time is the best way to keep in touch with your co workers of the different departments of your company. Office politicians don’t stick to one group, they have art of conversations with their seniors and juniors as well.

Profile Power Figures

Some people have more power than their position in the company. Don’t judge the people with their position, sometimes a clerk or a minor position holder has more power than its position. Understand formal or informal behavior to become a good office politician. Observe carefully where the final power is and who the person is to issue his last words. Who respected and seems good by others? Once you observe this all then next step is to build your relations with the persons who have formal or informal power in the office but your relation should be based upon trust and respect. Have notice of their words, working style and work and then develop your strengths.

Be Real to Yourself and Others

You must be honest, dependable and good at your work. These are the real qualities of a true office politician. Be honest in your practice, speech and work. A good office politician always does what he speaks and practices what he preaches.

Be prepared in your office meetings

No one likes to attend the monthly meeting but when it comes to office politics these meetings are of much importance. You should come with full preparations in the meetings. These meetings not only provide you a chance to have views and news about your company but also give you a chance to promote your image. The way you behave in your office meetings, influences over your promotion. Don’t be silent in the meeting, if you have nothing to say prepare something for the meeting or discuss an issue about the company.

A list of employment references

Friday, July 15th, 2011

If you are searching for the job like many other job seekers then we don’t need to tell you that how much your CV and cover letter is important for you. But have you ever felt the importance of job references in your job search? Many of the job seekers don’t pay attention when they sit to set their CV or cover letter. They feel others two are more important.

Many of the people believe that no one cares or looks at the references included in the CV. This may be the case in some matters but many of the employers get an idea with your references that you are eligible to call for the interview or not.

You may use different ways to list your references but the best way is to list all your references with their detail and information shortly and to the point. The employer does not have any interest in the details of your references just give them a brief information so that they may go through quickly saving their time. The information should depend upon the contacts of your references so that employer may have a clear view.

Just sit down and make a list of your past employers and select that are better to list in the CV. The employers included should be good experienced with you as an employee. If you have any business or professional reference must include it in the list. The included people in the list must be honest with you and your employment history and record as well.

After listing your references you must inform these references that you are looking for a job and you have included their names in the reference list, also make sure that they are ok to including them in the list. If they have some problem then don’t list or recommend them.

Also make sure that you have typed correct spell and number of all the references. The address, e mail and especially phone number must be correct.

Once you are sure about your list of references then list them and your last employment should be on the top of the list. Try to have at least three references but not more than five. Your references should be single spaced rather than double space.

Your references should be typed with full name, industry or company name, position and phone number with a standard font of 12. If e-mail is available it should be listed on the last of the reference.

After making sure all of this, send your CV or resume with your references list. You should also make a call to make sure that employers have received your reference letter.

If you had requested for letters of reference then it’s a good idea to call the person and confirm whether or not they have sent the letter to make sure that it gets to the potential employer on time. You should also make a call to the potential employer to make sure that they did receive the letters of reference.

15 common Questions and Answers in a job interview

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

There comes a time when someone has to appear for an interview. So here are some typical interview questions that will guide you to think about what is expected to be asked in the interview. You will also have some suggestions with strategic questions.

Introduce yourself?

This is the most common question that is usually asked in almost all interviews. So it is better to prepare a short statement in your mind. But be careful that it should not feel a rehearsed one. After a short introduction of you, talk about your job and your duties. Give details about your experience.

What is your experience in this field?

Talk about the related experience about the field you are applying for. If you do not have a related experience in the job you have applied for then talk about close experiences that can help you.
What was the reason to resign from the last job?

Always be positive about your past experiences. No matter your previous boss was an ill mannered person but never discuss all these negative things in your interview. This will reduce your impression. Be positive and be cool and explain a positive reason like a better opportunity or a chance of growth.

Are satisfied with your work in previous company?

Briefly answer yes and explain that you were paying your duties well. A better answer can be that you were completing your set goals and projects before time so you are more than satisfied.

Why you have applied for the job or this organization?

Always research better about the organization you are going for interview. Find about their products, status in the market, issues and who are the key players? Answer in positive if they ask such type of question like you are eager to work in challenging environment or better opportunity of growth is appealing you.

What are the other jobs you are applying for?

If they ask such questions be honest but avoid talking too much about this. Keep your focus on the job you have applied for.

Why you are interested in this organization?

Think a little about its answer. But be careful your answer must be based upon research. Relate the purpose with your long term goals in your career.

Do you have a reference in this organization?

Be careful about the answer of this question. If you have a reference then be sure that he and his work is well thought.

What is your expected salary?

If you answer it first you may loose this opportunity. Never answer this first in your interview. Rather than answer like it all depends upon the responsibilities or details of job. After this give your range but not fixed one.

What is your strength or why should we hire you?

There can be several answers the only need is to stay positive. You may tell your positive points like your problem-solving skills, ability of work under pressure, ability of work in the tough environment, your ability to focus on projects, your professional skills with high qualification or certification, Your skills to lead a group or your positive attitude towards work.

Are you a team player?

Yes you are. Give numerous numbers of examples about your team work in different situations. Do not show off, be factual.

How long would you like to work with this organization if you are hired?

Never be specific in this answer but handle this like as long as we both feel comfortable in work and duties but you would like to work for a long time.

What is more important for you the money or the job?

Be truthful in this answer that both matters and you cannot choose any one among them. Money is important but job matters a little more.

What discourages you at a job?

It is a difficult question to answer but try to adopt safe areas like responsibilities out of your job area or a non serious behavior of your co workers.

What is your management style?

Don’t label yourself  like progressive or salesman. These labels have several meanings depending upon many responsibilities. Adopt situational style like you may answer that it depends upon the situation instead of single strategy.

Dressing professionally

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Many factors are involved to get ahead in a workplace.  Your way of working, your skills, qualification and values matters a lot in your job. If you can’t show or deliver all these in your work everything else is of no use as the company would not like to work with you. Not only this but your overall impression also matters a lot.  There are also many other things that you can do to maintain your professional image at your work place.

Dressing, a key to success

Your dressing is the result of your liking and disliking. How you dress and what is the way of your dressing say a lot about your personality to others. If you come in an unprofessional way it means you are a careless person. Your good looking dress will help you to look professional and interested in the job.

Just imagine if you are the boss of a company and two employees are working under your guidance and fighting for the same promotion.  One of them is always dressed properly with tie over pressed suit and polished shoes. Other employee comes wearing same suit and tie daily that are even not pressed with dirt or unpolished shoes. Both of them have same qualification, experience and skills and are working well enough in the company on the same level. When you need to promote one of them to whom you will promote? The decision will be much easy in the end. Dressing will be a deciding factor in this scenario.

Your dressing is a way of your first impression

In your work environment your dressing counts a lot in your first impression. So be careful in your dressing especially on your first day. Be professional in your dressing in the office. Go to your work in professional dressing and understand the way of dressing in the office. Understand the basic key, the working environment in the office. The working environment will lead you towards the right directions in the term of your dressing.

If you are working in a professional office or organization like a customer relations and you are rolling up your sleeves in the working hours or have rings or bands on your hands, it is obviously a bad idea. But the opposite rule applies in the opposite field as if you are working in a creative environment the tattoos or your turned sleeves can be considered as a fashion.

The basic need is to understand your working environment and culture. Proper and professional dressing will make you look nice but will also make your image among others in professionalism and attitude.

How to spend your first day of the job

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

It is a harsh reality that nowadays many of our people are jobless and in this situation if someone gets a good job he/she is lucky enough. But one should consider how to behave on the first day of job or to shine in his job on the first day? Keeping believe on “First impression is the last impression” a fresh candidate must do his best on his first day.

Here are some tips that will help to maintain your good impression in the workplace.

No employee should leave a bad impression of late arrival. So be on time on the first day of your job. In fact try to be there 10 minutes early and don’t leave before your official closing time.

During your preparation for the interview you must have done your search for the company, their products, their competitors and their industry. Take it as a step and stay up to date on their products and especially competitors. This will guide you in different perspectives like where your employer is heading and what are the areas according to which decisions are made. On the first day of your job show your research to your boss and ask questions. This is the way when your colleagues and seniors will take you seriously.

Dressing is the major key of your impression on the first day. Sometimes you know the atmosphere of the office and you know that mostly people come in casual dress, if it is so even then you should be professionally dressed. During first few days you should be professional in your dressing then assessing the dressing of others you can change your dressing accordingly.

Be clear in what is expected from you. When you get settled and start your working in the office you must get a clear understanding about your projects and duties. If something is confusing for you, ask it. It is better to ask questions and inquire about the things than doing it wrong. In initial stages when you ask something, try to write it on a piece of paper.  If any of the assignment is assigned to you that you feel difficult to complete don’t say a “yes” to it blindly. If you need help in completing the assignment, do tell it openly to your boss.

Keep in mind the basic thing that your goal is to make the job of your boss easier. There comes a time when you need to do clerical works like photocopies, if you face some of the situations like this do it without any complain. These tasks may seem very minor for you, but they may create a good impression of you on your boss.

And finally be realistic in your job and assigned work. If you can’t do an assignment, never say that you will do it quickly. Rather it is better to say “Yes, I will try to complete it as soon as possible”.

Your attention to detail on your first day will help you to create a better image of you. Don’t be shy about anything. Your workers and managers know that you are new and need their help and assistance.

Top Jobs, the women are working in to their best

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

­In the past women were only expected to work in some selected fields like teaching, lectureship or social work etc. but nowadays we are experiencing a rapid change in our society. We see women going towards other professions and management positions.

These seats require at least a graduate degree and as the ratio of women are getting higher education than males, so it is natural to see the women in different fields.  Many of the organizations are also proffering women to work on different seats like customer relations or human resources.

All these changes are reshaping the professional trends of the country. After this change we see number of professions where women are dominating over men. Here we will take a view of some professions in which women are working successfully and the ratio of women is increasing day by day.

Flight attendants

Flight attendants or air hostesses are members of different airlines that ensures the comfort and safety of the passengers during flights. Additionally they are also tasked with different duties such as serving drinks and meals as their responsibility.

Every flight needs a hostess for its passengers who may guide them to take different measures for their safety. The majorities of hostesses are female and are successful.

Medical sciences

Women are stepping forward in medical sciences as doctors, surgeons and nurses. We see a huge increase of the ratio of women in the world of science. In nursing women are larger in quantities than men and are performing their duties successfully.

Educational Administrators

Successful education systems demands for successful administration. Educational Administrator deals with day to day operation in an education center. Women are working successfully in schools, Colleges and universities as administrators.

Librarian

Schools, colleges, universities or different organizations have libraries. To handle these libraries a librarian is always appointed to organize the catalogue, books on shelf in proper arrangement and issuance and return of books. Profession as a librarian is a natural fit for women as they have a keen sense of keeping things organized.

Teachers and Lecturers

Teaching or lectureship profession is always associated with women and is considered the best profession for women. Women are working successfully in this field.

Human Resources Managers

Human resource managers play a key role between employers and employees and match the employees for the job he suits the best. Usually a graduate degree is required to get the job and women are working successfully in this job.

Convention and Meeting Planners

These people bring people together to work for a common purpose. Many of the women are working in this field successfully.

Accountants and Auditors

Keeping the public record accurately and ensuring that firms are running efficiently, ratio of taxes is good and is paid on time. Many of the women are working in banks, offices and different sectors to handle all accounts problems.

How to apply for jobs without any working experience

Monday, July 4th, 2011

We usually see jobs opening with specific experience requirements but here the basic and main question arises that how the fresh candidates can have experience without working in a firm or organization? Or we may say that the demand of experience for all the jobs is a way to demoralize the candidates.

But also keep one thing in mind that when a job is advertised that requires experienced candidates it does not mean that they are only demanding the applications of experienced ones. Look at the other side, if they have not specifically mentioned for inexperienced persons not to apply.

But one thing must be considered by everyone whether he is experienced or not while applying for the job that your CV plays an important role in your job hunting. Formatting the CV is a great problem, especially for inexperienced candidates. Some fresh and inexperienced candidates mention false experiences on their CV but here are some tips for how to write your CV. These tips will help to create a better impression of you and divert the attention from the requirement of experience.

Show your hard skills in your interview to the employers. You are an inexperienced candidate, so it is a better technique for you to showoff your hard skills to the interviewer in which you are expert. Use your hard skills as your positive point, your hard skills as your talents. You have gained these skills through experience and different training courses. Assess your skills, a good speaker, a good manager or a good computer programmer are worth mentioning about and valuable skills. You may use these skills to sell yourself. Never forget to add these skills in your CV. Also mention your special qualities like if you have ever worked in any organization voluntarily or participated in school/college organizations.

With your hard skills, your soft skills will also help you to take yourself far on the way. Soft skills are usually immeasurable skills and are usually appreciated by employers. Usually soft skills are God gifted but some skills can be taught. Good assessment about the things or attention to details is the skills that are usually born with people.

Highlight your inner values when you appear in an interview. If you show your confidence and right personality to the interviewer you can make all the possibilities for you.