We’ve all been there; you have to fill a position, and it needed to be done yesterday. Any warm body will do, right? Wrong.
Poor hiring decisions mean decreased profits, lost sales, productivity and costumers, increased costs and a decrease in employee morale - costly mistakes for any employer. The average cost of a bad hire is 2.5 times the person’s salary.
If you don’t want to incur unwanted expenses and grief, pay heed to the 7 deadly sins of hiring:
1. Not understanding the job thoroughly
If you don’t fully understand what the position you’re hiring for does, how will you know what to look for? In order to understand the job thoroughly, you need to conduct two types of analyses. A job analysis will not only provide you with detailed information about the duties and responsibilities of the job, it will also identify the key soft and technical skills required to perform the job successfully. It will also tell you what experience, education, attributes and physical skills are needed.
The organizational analysis will provide you with information about the company, its business practices, culture, mission statement and vision. This information will help you determine what type of person will fit the best into your organization.
Once you have this information, you can start writing interview questions that focus on the key skills and attributes needed to be successful on the job.
2. Not developing a comprehensive hiring plan
Prior to conducting your search, it’s critical that you develop a comprehensive, well thought out plan. This plan should spell out the methodology you’ll be using to source candidates and include written interview questions based on the key skills. It will also include the interview format and questioning strategies you’ll be using as well as a mechanism to rate the candidates.
Employers often tell me that they don’t have time to put a plan together. If you’re going to be successful, you need to find the time. It’s a short term investment that will pay huge dividends in the long term. As the saying goes, 10 minutes spent planning will save you one hour in execution.
3. Not having structured interviews with prepared, pertinent questions.
There is nothing worse than an interviewer who likes to “wing it”. The scenario goes like this. The interviewer shows up for the interview late and appears to be harried, harassed and disorganized. The interviewer apologizes, requests a couple of minutes to read the resume and proceeds to develop and ask questions based on whatever comes to mind at the moment.
This type of interview lacks structure and consistently. As well, it may be legally indefensible if the hiring decision is challenged by one or more of the applicants.
In a structured interview, the interviewer has a set of pre-prepared questions that follow a logical progression. The same questions are asked to all candidates, ensuring a consistent approach. It also makes it easier for the interviewer to evaluate the interview answers.
4. Asking illegal questions
Illegal questions can occur in two places: in the interview and on the application form. Usually, they involve matters that are considered to be prohibited grounds of discrimination in provincial human rights codes. They include questions about age, sex, marital status, disability and so on.
The best way to avoid these questions and to stay legal is to visit the website for your province’s human rights commission. Take some time to read up on the issues. Become educated. Ignorance of the law is not an acceptable defense.
5. Ineffective listening skills
The Greek philosopher Epiceticus once said: “God has wisely given us 2 ears and one mouth so we may hear twice as much as we speak."
Unfortunately most interviewers don’t practice this philosophy. They spend huge amounts of time talking about the company, the job and themselves and precious little time listening. As a result, they learn very little about the candidate and their ability to perform the job. They have very little upon which to make an educated decision.
Active listening skills are critical to effective interviewing. You need to listen carefully to the answers given so that you can probe for additional information. You need to get a clear picture of the candidate’s skills and abilities. The only way you can do this is by asking questions and listening to the answers.
6. Failing to conduct a realistic job preview
The purpose of the realistic job preview is to provide candidates with accurate information about the job and the organization. This includes providing information on the negatives and positives of working at your organization.
The goal of this exercise is to improve the person and job fit, to allow candidates to opt out if not interested and to prepare them psychologically for the negatives and positives of the job.
The interviewing process is a two-way street. You are evaluating the candidate and the candidate is evaluating you and your organization. If you don’t tell the candidate about the negatives and they join your organization and quickly find out that the job contains a number of things they don’t like or know about, they could quit.
7. Making hiring decisions based on “gut feelings”
This type of decision making is not based on objective criteria, but rather on subjective factors like feelings, stereotypes and biases. This approach is not legally defensible and usually results in a poor hiring decision.
Gut feelings do have a place in the interviewing process. Instead of using them for hiring decisions, use them to ask more questions. If you get a gut feel that something is out of place or wrong, ask a question about it. Don’t let the “gut feeling” go un-answered. Probe into it by asking good opened questions.
Hiring good qualified candidates in today’s marketplace requires a major investment of time and resources. Avoid these 7 deadly sins and you’ll be sure to improve the quality of your hires while at the same time providing a return on your investment.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Building Effective Teams, By Marc Belaiche, C.A.
Teams can be an extremely effective method for accomplishing goals, motivating employees and problem-solving.
This article covers some tips on how to build effective teams for your organization.
Make sure team members are committed
A team is sure to fail if the members aren’t committed to meeting the objectives of the team. Imagine a hockey team whose players aren’t committed to winning games – the team won’t do well.
Appoint a team leader
Regardless of how strong the individual members of a team might be, it is usually best to appoint one team leader who is accountable for the team achieving its goals and staying focused. Some teams may be effective when the various members share or rotate leadership responsibilities – this will depend on the strength of the members.
Expectations should be clear
What is the objective or purpose of the team? Is there/are there a particular goal(s) to achieve? How will you know if/when those goals are met? Are there ongoing goals or just one goal for the team? Team members should be clear as to the expectations and goals of the team, if/when/how will they be achieved and what happens if/when they are achieved? Does the team continue, does it change or does it disband upon meeting objectives?
Who will team report to?
Is there someone that the team will be accountable to or report to? How often should that reporting happen and in what method?
Budget
Does the team have a dollar or resource budget to help it meet its objectives? If so, who decides the amount and how often is it reported on?
Who are team members
Who decides who will be a team member? Is it based on a certain skill or experience level or on some other criteria? You need to also decide who will create the team and who will decide if/when someone should be removed from the team.
Let team members get to know each other
Teams become more effective the more they trust one another. As such, allow for time for members to get to know one another on a personal and not just professional basis.
Introduce new members
The team leader should introduce any new member to the team, explain the reason(s) why they were added to the team and allow for the new team member to say a few words. Each team member should welcome the new member.
Encourage idea generation
Team leaders should encourage everyone to contribute. Brainstorming exercises should allow for team members to not be shy about generating ideas even if, on the surface, an idea might not be viable. Someone else might take that idea and adjust it to come up with something better. Team leaders should prompt each team member at meetings for ideas.
Acknowledge differences in team members
Each team member will bring different strengths to the table. Differences in team members’ experience, age, education, work ethic, etc. should help the team, not hinder it.
Schedule/Format of the meetings
Agree on the format and timing of the meetings early as well as the length of each meeting. There should be an agenda for each meeting and you should also decide how frequently the teams need to meet. Meeting too frequently or too infrequently can have negative effects on the team.
Team members should be competent
Each member of the team should be competent in the specific skill set that is useful for the team. They should also be experienced enough with the organization to anticipate problems with implementing ideas generated by the team.
Ensure appropriate training
The members of the team should either be already trained in their areas relevant to the group or should be trained before or during their involvement with the team.
Take minutes
Ensure that someone is appointed to take minutes and distribute to team members on a timely basis.
Create sub-groups
If there are too many members on a team or if there are too many inherent projects as part of a bigger objective, it might be better to create subgroups and assign team leaders to each of those sub-groups. Perhaps you may only need the sub-groups meeting regularly and then have the team leaders of the sub-groups meet periodically to share updates instead of having everyone meet all at one time.
Empower the team to make decisions
Give the team the power to make decisions or implement recommendations that come from the team, or make it clear what decisions need to be approved by upper management. Encourage the team to take risks as well as think outside the box to come up with ideas.
Stay focused
Ensure the team stays focused on the objectives. Regularly review what the original purpose of the team was and be flexible to change direction if necessary. The team leader and all members should be responsible for making sure the team stays focused on goals.
Use Technology
Use technology to improve the efficiency of the team. Perhaps meeting virtually such as via skype or using telephone conferencing can be more efficient than trying to get everyone to meet in person. Also, minutes and project updates can be uploaded to your organization’s shared networks so anyone can access at any time, especially if someone missed a meeting.
Reward the team
Team leaders and/or management should reward the team for meeting their objectives or upon reaching certain stages.
Conclusion
When set up and managed properly, teams can be an excellent way to generate ideas to improve organizations or come up with solutions to difficult issues. Make sure to follow the tips noted above to maximize the use of teams.
Marc Belaiche is a 1990 CA and is President of TorontoJobs.ca, an Internet recruitment business and recruiting firm located in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada. Marc has been in the recruitment industry since 1995. TorontoJobs.ca allows companies to post their positions online, search a resume database to find candidates, provides outplacement services and full temporary and permanent recruitment services. It also allows candidates to search and apply to positions directly online and get career, interviewing and resume tips all at no charge. Marc is also President of TorontoEntrepreneurs.ca, an organization geared towards business owners (see www.TorontoEntrepreneurs.ca). You can reach Marc at marc.belaiche@torontojobs.ca and check out TorontoJobs.ca at www.TorontoJobs.ca.
This article covers some tips on how to build effective teams for your organization.
Make sure team members are committed
A team is sure to fail if the members aren’t committed to meeting the objectives of the team. Imagine a hockey team whose players aren’t committed to winning games – the team won’t do well.
Appoint a team leader
Regardless of how strong the individual members of a team might be, it is usually best to appoint one team leader who is accountable for the team achieving its goals and staying focused. Some teams may be effective when the various members share or rotate leadership responsibilities – this will depend on the strength of the members.
Expectations should be clear
What is the objective or purpose of the team? Is there/are there a particular goal(s) to achieve? How will you know if/when those goals are met? Are there ongoing goals or just one goal for the team? Team members should be clear as to the expectations and goals of the team, if/when/how will they be achieved and what happens if/when they are achieved? Does the team continue, does it change or does it disband upon meeting objectives?
Who will team report to?
Is there someone that the team will be accountable to or report to? How often should that reporting happen and in what method?
Budget
Does the team have a dollar or resource budget to help it meet its objectives? If so, who decides the amount and how often is it reported on?
Who are team members
Who decides who will be a team member? Is it based on a certain skill or experience level or on some other criteria? You need to also decide who will create the team and who will decide if/when someone should be removed from the team.
Let team members get to know each other
Teams become more effective the more they trust one another. As such, allow for time for members to get to know one another on a personal and not just professional basis.
Introduce new members
The team leader should introduce any new member to the team, explain the reason(s) why they were added to the team and allow for the new team member to say a few words. Each team member should welcome the new member.
Encourage idea generation
Team leaders should encourage everyone to contribute. Brainstorming exercises should allow for team members to not be shy about generating ideas even if, on the surface, an idea might not be viable. Someone else might take that idea and adjust it to come up with something better. Team leaders should prompt each team member at meetings for ideas.
Acknowledge differences in team members
Each team member will bring different strengths to the table. Differences in team members’ experience, age, education, work ethic, etc. should help the team, not hinder it.
Schedule/Format of the meetings
Agree on the format and timing of the meetings early as well as the length of each meeting. There should be an agenda for each meeting and you should also decide how frequently the teams need to meet. Meeting too frequently or too infrequently can have negative effects on the team.
Team members should be competent
Each member of the team should be competent in the specific skill set that is useful for the team. They should also be experienced enough with the organization to anticipate problems with implementing ideas generated by the team.
Ensure appropriate training
The members of the team should either be already trained in their areas relevant to the group or should be trained before or during their involvement with the team.
Take minutes
Ensure that someone is appointed to take minutes and distribute to team members on a timely basis.
Create sub-groups
If there are too many members on a team or if there are too many inherent projects as part of a bigger objective, it might be better to create subgroups and assign team leaders to each of those sub-groups. Perhaps you may only need the sub-groups meeting regularly and then have the team leaders of the sub-groups meet periodically to share updates instead of having everyone meet all at one time.
Empower the team to make decisions
Give the team the power to make decisions or implement recommendations that come from the team, or make it clear what decisions need to be approved by upper management. Encourage the team to take risks as well as think outside the box to come up with ideas.
Stay focused
Ensure the team stays focused on the objectives. Regularly review what the original purpose of the team was and be flexible to change direction if necessary. The team leader and all members should be responsible for making sure the team stays focused on goals.
Use Technology
Use technology to improve the efficiency of the team. Perhaps meeting virtually such as via skype or using telephone conferencing can be more efficient than trying to get everyone to meet in person. Also, minutes and project updates can be uploaded to your organization’s shared networks so anyone can access at any time, especially if someone missed a meeting.
Reward the team
Team leaders and/or management should reward the team for meeting their objectives or upon reaching certain stages.
Conclusion
When set up and managed properly, teams can be an excellent way to generate ideas to improve organizations or come up with solutions to difficult issues. Make sure to follow the tips noted above to maximize the use of teams.
Marc Belaiche is a 1990 CA and is President of TorontoJobs.ca, an Internet recruitment business and recruiting firm located in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada. Marc has been in the recruitment industry since 1995. TorontoJobs.ca allows companies to post their positions online, search a resume database to find candidates, provides outplacement services and full temporary and permanent recruitment services. It also allows candidates to search and apply to positions directly online and get career, interviewing and resume tips all at no charge. Marc is also President of TorontoEntrepreneurs.ca, an organization geared towards business owners (see www.TorontoEntrepreneurs.ca). You can reach Marc at marc.belaiche@torontojobs.ca and check out TorontoJobs.ca at www.TorontoJobs.ca.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Top 5 Things you Should Implement in your Job Search for 2012
2012 has arrived and with a new year comes new aspirations, new opportunities and new growth in many areas of both your personal and workplace life. It's time to evaluate your current career objectives, whether you are currently working, or seeking full or part-time employment. 2012 is set to be a growth year for positions in many industries throughout the Greater Toronto Area and now is a great time to take a closer look at your current "work-life" balance and find ways to improve your life both personally and professionally.
Our Top 5 Job Search Tips Include:
1. Create Professional Profiles on Social Networking Sites: Social Networking has exploded over the last few years. Many Recruiters are now using social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to recruit, network and to also do background checks on current candidates they may be interviewing. Social networking sites are a great way to follow and track company profiles. Following companies that you want to work for might increase your chances of being visible and being one of the first candidates to see their current openings.
2. Set Realistic Goals for 2012: Write down a one year plan which should include goals, how these goals will be achieved and how often successes and progress will be tracked (should be every 2-3 months). Setting goals will not only keep your focus but will also increase self esteem and confidence as goals are achieved.
3. Develop a “Plan B”: Always keep the idea that “anything can happen” in the back of your mind. With uncertainty in the employment industry over the past few years it’s a good idea to be prepared. Get your resume up-to-date and have family members or friends review the document for accuracy, ramp up your networking, practice your elevator speech, research common interview questions, and apply to companies that you would like to work for even if they aren’t hiring.
4. Focus on Developing your Professional Network: Most career changes are as a result of networking. It’s a proven statistic that approximately 80% of jobs are found through who you know. Keep in touch with old friends and family members as you never know who might be able to help you down the road in your job search. Joining associations within your field will also allow you to develop relationships and gain contacts within your line of expertise.
5. Develop a Proactive Approach for Development: This might mean spending less time on personal activities such as shopping and hanging out with friends and spending more time on developing new skills, acquiring knowledge by participating in assignments (personal or professional), volunteering and reading industry related books and news articles.
www.TorontoJobs.ca
Our Top 5 Job Search Tips Include:
1. Create Professional Profiles on Social Networking Sites: Social Networking has exploded over the last few years. Many Recruiters are now using social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to recruit, network and to also do background checks on current candidates they may be interviewing. Social networking sites are a great way to follow and track company profiles. Following companies that you want to work for might increase your chances of being visible and being one of the first candidates to see their current openings.
2. Set Realistic Goals for 2012: Write down a one year plan which should include goals, how these goals will be achieved and how often successes and progress will be tracked (should be every 2-3 months). Setting goals will not only keep your focus but will also increase self esteem and confidence as goals are achieved.
3. Develop a “Plan B”: Always keep the idea that “anything can happen” in the back of your mind. With uncertainty in the employment industry over the past few years it’s a good idea to be prepared. Get your resume up-to-date and have family members or friends review the document for accuracy, ramp up your networking, practice your elevator speech, research common interview questions, and apply to companies that you would like to work for even if they aren’t hiring.
4. Focus on Developing your Professional Network: Most career changes are as a result of networking. It’s a proven statistic that approximately 80% of jobs are found through who you know. Keep in touch with old friends and family members as you never know who might be able to help you down the road in your job search. Joining associations within your field will also allow you to develop relationships and gain contacts within your line of expertise.
5. Develop a Proactive Approach for Development: This might mean spending less time on personal activities such as shopping and hanging out with friends and spending more time on developing new skills, acquiring knowledge by participating in assignments (personal or professional), volunteering and reading industry related books and news articles.
www.TorontoJobs.ca
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
10 Ways to Avoid Being “The Talk of the Water Cooler” at the Holiday Office Party
For Immediate Release: December 6th, 2011
10 Ways to Avoid Being “The Talk of the Water Cooler” at the Holiday Office Party
December 6th, 2011 – TORONTO, ON – 'Tis the Season' for Holiday Parties! As we all know there is always that one employee who stands out from the crowd and behaves completely inappropriately at the annual Holiday Party. We have all heard tips of “How Not to Behave” hundreds of times before, however according to the statistics below, company staff still aren’t listening to sound advice to stay out of trouble.
A recent survey of Office Holiday Party Goers, conducted by TorontoJobs.ca found that:
• 79% of party attendees have witnessed extreme cases of intoxication by co-workers
• 67% observed co-workers inappropriately dressed for the occasion
• 63% of party goers observed unsuitable behavior (co-workers flirting, associate verbal fights, etc.)
Given the stats, TorontoJobs.ca felt it was necessary to emphasize appropriate behaviour. Our top 10 tips include:
1. Show up. Don’t pass up the invitation to the annual Holiday Party; not attending could hurt your reputation.
2. Dress appropriately. Remember this is a Holiday Party and work function not a Saturday night club outing with friends.
3. Drink in moderation. 1-2 drinks at maximum. Excessive drinking could be cause for future complications within the workplace.
4. Absolutely no gossiping about other co-workers – you never know who is listening. Keep in mind that with the evolution of social networking; news travels fast!
5. Create a conversation that doesn’t involve business. Research current news and show your co-workers you have a life outside of the office.
6. Don’t flirt. An office party is the #1 time NOT to try and swing a date with the girl from Accounting or the guy from Sales.
7. Watch your language. More people than you think take offense to profane language.
8. Eat carefully. Nothing screams unprofessional like shrimp sauce on your shirt.
9. Avoid controversial topics such as politics and religion.
10. Don’t overstay your welcome. Arrive shortly after the start time and mingle but don’t overstay your welcome by partying until the wee hours of the night.
TorontoJobs.ca is a full-service recruitment organization, including TorontoJobs.ca Online Job Board, Recruitment Division and Outplacement Services. The local focus and advanced features make TorontoJobs.ca a vital asset for both job seekers and employers within the Greater Toronto Area.
10 Ways to Avoid Being “The Talk of the Water Cooler” at the Holiday Office Party
December 6th, 2011 – TORONTO, ON – 'Tis the Season' for Holiday Parties! As we all know there is always that one employee who stands out from the crowd and behaves completely inappropriately at the annual Holiday Party. We have all heard tips of “How Not to Behave” hundreds of times before, however according to the statistics below, company staff still aren’t listening to sound advice to stay out of trouble.
A recent survey of Office Holiday Party Goers, conducted by TorontoJobs.ca found that:
• 79% of party attendees have witnessed extreme cases of intoxication by co-workers
• 67% observed co-workers inappropriately dressed for the occasion
• 63% of party goers observed unsuitable behavior (co-workers flirting, associate verbal fights, etc.)
Given the stats, TorontoJobs.ca felt it was necessary to emphasize appropriate behaviour. Our top 10 tips include:
1. Show up. Don’t pass up the invitation to the annual Holiday Party; not attending could hurt your reputation.
2. Dress appropriately. Remember this is a Holiday Party and work function not a Saturday night club outing with friends.
3. Drink in moderation. 1-2 drinks at maximum. Excessive drinking could be cause for future complications within the workplace.
4. Absolutely no gossiping about other co-workers – you never know who is listening. Keep in mind that with the evolution of social networking; news travels fast!
5. Create a conversation that doesn’t involve business. Research current news and show your co-workers you have a life outside of the office.
6. Don’t flirt. An office party is the #1 time NOT to try and swing a date with the girl from Accounting or the guy from Sales.
7. Watch your language. More people than you think take offense to profane language.
8. Eat carefully. Nothing screams unprofessional like shrimp sauce on your shirt.
9. Avoid controversial topics such as politics and religion.
10. Don’t overstay your welcome. Arrive shortly after the start time and mingle but don’t overstay your welcome by partying until the wee hours of the night.
TorontoJobs.ca is a full-service recruitment organization, including TorontoJobs.ca Online Job Board, Recruitment Division and Outplacement Services. The local focus and advanced features make TorontoJobs.ca a vital asset for both job seekers and employers within the Greater Toronto Area.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Tips to Consider When Pursuing an Inter-Office Romance
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is in the air. With approximately 2/3 of one’s day being spent at work it’s only natural that relationships will develop within the workplace. Working with others to successfully complete projects, taking lunch breaks together and working in a close environment on a regular basis are definite ways to assist in the development of sparks!
TorontoJobs.ca recently polled over 100 Employees throughout the GTA and found that over 26% of those surveyed have admitted to have had or are currently engaged in an office romance with a co-worker.
Given this statistic, we at TorontoJobs.ca felt that we should share our top tips to consider when pursuing an office romance:
1. Investigate Company Policies: It’s a good idea to find out what the organization’s take is on inter-office dating before jumping into a relationship with a co-worker. If the connection is serious it’s a good idea to let your boss know before they find out by way of the “water cooler gossip”.
2. “Breaking up is Hard to Do”: Dating a co-worker or boss might seem like a great idea at first, however, think about the repercussions if the relationship ends in failure. Entering into a relationship with someone you work with that ends on a sour note could lead to awkward boardroom meetings and tension in the workplace.
3. Do your Research: You may work with your colleague but how much do you know about them outside of work? It’s a good idea to do some research on your potential “love interest” to ensure they aren’t married with children or living a secret life you may not know about.
4. Play it Safe: Starting a relationship with a co-worker may have to be kept a secret. Between the hours of 9-5 be prepared to act as if nothing is happening between each other. Avoid intimate contact and make sure guidelines are set up front to ensure you are both on the same page to ensure that problems don’t arise that may affect your job.
5. Keep Social Networking in Mind: In today’s society information travels fast. Ensure that your professional and personal profiles are kept separately on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking tools. You never know who might be connected to you that could break the silence of your new relationship.
TorontoJobs.ca recently polled over 100 Employees throughout the GTA and found that over 26% of those surveyed have admitted to have had or are currently engaged in an office romance with a co-worker.
Given this statistic, we at TorontoJobs.ca felt that we should share our top tips to consider when pursuing an office romance:
1. Investigate Company Policies: It’s a good idea to find out what the organization’s take is on inter-office dating before jumping into a relationship with a co-worker. If the connection is serious it’s a good idea to let your boss know before they find out by way of the “water cooler gossip”.
2. “Breaking up is Hard to Do”: Dating a co-worker or boss might seem like a great idea at first, however, think about the repercussions if the relationship ends in failure. Entering into a relationship with someone you work with that ends on a sour note could lead to awkward boardroom meetings and tension in the workplace.
3. Do your Research: You may work with your colleague but how much do you know about them outside of work? It’s a good idea to do some research on your potential “love interest” to ensure they aren’t married with children or living a secret life you may not know about.
4. Play it Safe: Starting a relationship with a co-worker may have to be kept a secret. Between the hours of 9-5 be prepared to act as if nothing is happening between each other. Avoid intimate contact and make sure guidelines are set up front to ensure you are both on the same page to ensure that problems don’t arise that may affect your job.
5. Keep Social Networking in Mind: In today’s society information travels fast. Ensure that your professional and personal profiles are kept separately on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking tools. You never know who might be connected to you that could break the silence of your new relationship.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Top 5 Things you Should Implement in your Job Search for 2011
The New Year is fast approaching and with a new year comes new aspirations, new opportunities and new growth in many areas of both your personal and workplace life. It's time to evaluate your current career objectives, whether you are currently working, or seeking full or part-time employment. 2011 is set to be a growth year for positions in many industries throughout the Greater Toronto Area and now is a great time to take a closer look at your current "work-life" balance and find ways to improve your life both personally and professionally.
1. Set Realistic Goals for 2011: Create a one year career plan for yourself. Your plan should include your career goals and how you are going to achieve them over the next year. Be sure to note how, and how often you will track/measure your successes (should be every 2-3 months). For example, you could set the goal of attending at least 2 networking events per month, and/or to apply to 5 - 10 positions you are qualified for per month. Be sure to follow your goals all the way through. Simply submitting a resume for 10 different positions is not the end of the application process. Doing a full job application includes following up with the company after applying as well! By setting attainable goals you will increase your self-esteem as you begin to recognize the competence you hold in achieving the goals you have set.
2. Have a Clear Direction: The basis to any successful job search starts with a clear direction. What is your ideal job or career? Use your interests, education, and experience to determine the direction you would like to go career-wise. After determining your direction you should be able to answer the question, "what type of position are you looking for" in a specific, and concise manner. Having a clear direction will help you perform a more thorough and successful job search with more rewarding and suitable results.
3. Create Professional Profiles on Social Networking Sites: Social Networking has exploded over the last two years. Facebook, alone, has over 500 million active users worldwide. LinkedIn, has 85 million. Recruiters are now, more than ever, using social networking sites to recruit, network and to also do background checks on current candidates they may be interviewing. Take advantage of this opportunity! Create professional, complimentary profiles for yourself, highlighting your qualifications and successes, and stay active on each site. Join groups, participate in discussions and following companies that you want to work for. This will increase your chances of being visible, and will help you be one of the first candidates to see their current openings.
4. Brand Yourself: Branding yourself is important, especially when you're visible on social networking sites where your "brand" will be on display. Branding yourself will set you apart, which can help you get noticed in the job market. Make a list of what you personally and professionally represent, and learn how to express what's different about you. This could mean putting a personal brand statement on your resume stating who you are and what audience you serve, or creating a dynamic summary incorporating your personal brand statement on your LinkedIn summary or other social networking profiles. Remember to stay genuine, clear and consistent, and your brand will help you stand out in the crowd.
5. Stay Positive: Searching for employment is a difficult task -it can become a fulltime job in itself. While this may be trying on your attitude and at times, you may feel down about the whole process, it's important to try and stay positive throughout your search. Not only will a positive attitude keep you in a better, more confident state of mind, but you will also portray yourself to employers in a better light. There is nothing recruiters like less than desperate, pushy and rude job seekers who will "do anything" for a job. Keep a smile on your face, and a clear direction in your search.
1. Set Realistic Goals for 2011: Create a one year career plan for yourself. Your plan should include your career goals and how you are going to achieve them over the next year. Be sure to note how, and how often you will track/measure your successes (should be every 2-3 months). For example, you could set the goal of attending at least 2 networking events per month, and/or to apply to 5 - 10 positions you are qualified for per month. Be sure to follow your goals all the way through. Simply submitting a resume for 10 different positions is not the end of the application process. Doing a full job application includes following up with the company after applying as well! By setting attainable goals you will increase your self-esteem as you begin to recognize the competence you hold in achieving the goals you have set.
2. Have a Clear Direction: The basis to any successful job search starts with a clear direction. What is your ideal job or career? Use your interests, education, and experience to determine the direction you would like to go career-wise. After determining your direction you should be able to answer the question, "what type of position are you looking for" in a specific, and concise manner. Having a clear direction will help you perform a more thorough and successful job search with more rewarding and suitable results.
3. Create Professional Profiles on Social Networking Sites: Social Networking has exploded over the last two years. Facebook, alone, has over 500 million active users worldwide. LinkedIn, has 85 million. Recruiters are now, more than ever, using social networking sites to recruit, network and to also do background checks on current candidates they may be interviewing. Take advantage of this opportunity! Create professional, complimentary profiles for yourself, highlighting your qualifications and successes, and stay active on each site. Join groups, participate in discussions and following companies that you want to work for. This will increase your chances of being visible, and will help you be one of the first candidates to see their current openings.
4. Brand Yourself: Branding yourself is important, especially when you're visible on social networking sites where your "brand" will be on display. Branding yourself will set you apart, which can help you get noticed in the job market. Make a list of what you personally and professionally represent, and learn how to express what's different about you. This could mean putting a personal brand statement on your resume stating who you are and what audience you serve, or creating a dynamic summary incorporating your personal brand statement on your LinkedIn summary or other social networking profiles. Remember to stay genuine, clear and consistent, and your brand will help you stand out in the crowd.
5. Stay Positive: Searching for employment is a difficult task -it can become a fulltime job in itself. While this may be trying on your attitude and at times, you may feel down about the whole process, it's important to try and stay positive throughout your search. Not only will a positive attitude keep you in a better, more confident state of mind, but you will also portray yourself to employers in a better light. There is nothing recruiters like less than desperate, pushy and rude job seekers who will "do anything" for a job. Keep a smile on your face, and a clear direction in your search.
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