Tips and Advice

By Genevieve Tyson, Pro Bono Australia

Just as a good resume can play a critical role in securing a job interview, a well-written Job Advertisement can make a huge difference in attracting great candidates.

It pays to remember that every Job you advertise is effectively a sales pitch for your organisation, so it is well worth your while to put some time and thought into your next Job Ad.

The aim of the advert is to attract interest from prospective candidates, communicate quickly and clearly the essential (and appealing) points, and to provide a clear response process.

First things first, you need to be clear about the role that you want to fill:

• What tasks will the person need to carry out?
• How often do you need someone to work – for example, will it be part time, full time, casual or contract/temporary work?
• Can you offer flexible hours such as work during school hours?
• Is the person required to work at your office or can they work from home?  
• How much are you willing to pay for experience and will this impact the hours the person will work?

Once you are clear on the scope of the role, you are then able to start writing your Job Advertisement. Your Job Advertisement should ideally contain the following components:

1. What does your company do? Why would someone want to work for you? Job satisfaction is critical to good work performance so paint a picture of your business and your work environment. By doing this, you will also have a better chance of attracting like-minded people who share similar passions.
2. What is the job: Specify the job title and tasks. It is important to be specific rather than general so job seekers can directly match their experience to the requirements of the job. This will help you when you are reviewing your applications. You should also provide a salary range as job seekers like to know upfront if the salary is in line with their level of experience and other similar roles being advertised.
3. Who are you looking for: What experience do candidates need to have? Does their experience need to be industry specific? For example, do you prefer candidates to have at least 5 years of experience in a similar role? Do they need to speak fluent English? Must they be an Australian citizen or is it ok if they having a working visa? Again, the specific nature of your requirements will help you to benchmark your applicants and the process of rejecting or accepting applicants will be simplified.
4. Flexibility options: Are you able to offer flexible working arrangements? The national skills shortage is making it harder to find skilled and experienced applicants. By offering flexibility, you can tap into return-to-work parents and mature aged workers. Consider the flexibility you are willing to provide for the right person.
5. Branding and contact information: Make sure that you add your organisations logo to promote your brand (Did you know that it’s free to attach a logo to all job advertisements on the Pro Bono Australia site!) It is also recommended that you include a contact name and phone number so that applicants have the option of calling you with any questions before applying for the role. This tactic can reduce the number of unsuitable applicants.
6. Request a cover letter: It is a good idea to ask all applicants to respond to the advertisement with a cover letter as well as a resume. The cover letter should address the applicant’s experience with the requirements of the job. A cover letter will also help you to assess their writing skills, which may be an important component of the job.
7. One final thing to take into consideration is ‘less is more’: The advertisement should be easy to read and the essential components communicated quickly and clearly. Bullet points and short bite-sized paragraphs can help to achieve this, and there is always an option to include more detail by attaching a Position Description (Did you know that you can attach a Position Description to all Pro Bono Australia Job Advertisements?). 

* Hint for our VolunteerMatch users: The same tips apply when putting together an advertisement for a skilled volunteer (minus the inclusion of a salary range of course!). The right volunteer can be difficult to find so it is important that you use your advert to sell your organisation and explain the specific skills you are seeking. For more information about posting volunteer opportunities, please click here.

 

 

 

 

By Susan M. Heathfield,  About.com Guide

Looking for talent? The smartest employers, who hire the best people, recruit a pre-qualified candidate pool of potential employees before they need to fill a job.

You can develop relationships with potential candidates long before you need them. Read on to discover the best ways to develop your talent pool and recruit employees.

1. Recruiting Your Ideal Candidate

A job description that tells potential employees the exact requirements of the position is useful. Even more useful is the process you use to develop the job description internally and the behavioral characteristics of your ideal candidate. Assemble a team of people who represent the best qualities of the people who currently hold the same or a similar position. Include the hiring manager.

Develop a job description that delineates the key responsibilities and outputs of the position. Then, define the behavioral characteristics of the person you feel is your ideal candidate. Finally, list the five - ten key responsibilities and characteristics you will use to screen resumes, perform phone screens and eventually, establish the questions for the candidates you interview.

Sound like a lot of effort? It is. But, you'll have a much better idea about the characteristics of the ideal candidate you want to attract to your company.

2. Tap Your Employee Networks in Recruiting Candidates

Spread word-of-mouth information about the position availability, or eventual availability, to each employee so they can constantly look for superior candidates in their networks of friends and associates. In this age of online social and professional networking the chances are you and your employees are instantly connected to hundreds and even thousands of potential candidates. Tap into this potential audience on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, to name just a few.

Use trade show booth time to meet and get to know potential candidates as well as customers. Encourage employees to gather business cards from, and develop relationships with, high potential possible employees. And don't stop with employees alone; tap the networks of your social, board, funder and academic connections too.

Make sure you publicize your interest in employee referrals. Posting all open positions, announcing openings at the company meetings and sharing growth plans with company members will help spread your message.

3. Take Advantage of Your Industry Contacts, Association Memberships and Trade Groups for Recruiting Candidates

Pay for employees to participate in and network in industry groups, conferences and trade shows. Periodically, create master lists of industry leaders and other potential employees from customers, colleagues, coworkers and friends. Develop a plan for contacting these people systematically and regularly. Be prepared to share your job description with them through mail, email, on the Internet and by fax. Follow up on every good lead.

Use extensive telephone networking. Bring people in for interviews before you have an available position. You may even want to consider starting a periodic company newsletter to keep your master lists of potential employees, customers and interested others up-to-date about company progress and happenings. You can use online and/or mail distribution to send these out.

4. Use Your Web Site for Recruiting Candidates

Does the "Join Our Team" section of your company website tell and even "sell" potential employees the vision, mission, values and culture of your company? Do you present a message about how people are valued? Do you express your commitment to quality and to your customers? If not, you are missing out on one of the most important recruiting tools you have to appeal to prospective high-potential employees.

Instead of the typical, dryly-written job listings about available positions, your website needs to include this vision, this information that sets your company apart from others in your industry. Your job listings must sparkle with personality so a potential candidate thinks, "this organization is for me." And, now that you have their attention, you also need to provide a way for candidates to easily submit resumes for consideration for future positions.

5. Maintain Frequent Contact With Interested Candidates

Don't let these potential employees submit their resumes and never hear from you again either. You'd lose all the momentum you just spent time developing with the favored few. Just as I recommended earlier with employee networks and professional contacts, continue and nurture the relationship.

Enable interested candidates to subscribe to the company newsletter; consider writing a mini-newsletter just for them. Follow-up all website submissions with a greeting that thanks the individual for their interest in your company. Send a periodic update about your job openings. Invite the potential employee to visit your organization when they are in the area. Your professional, ongoing contact with interested people ensures recruiting success.

6. Candidates

Think about what a potential employee considers before agreeing to join your organization or business. Are you stable and growing? Are you employee-friendly? Does your mission catch the mindshare and/or the heartstrings of the people you most want to recruit? Will a new employee feel part of something bigger than themselves if they join you? Will your organization nurture their talent and provide exciting opportunities for challenge and professional growth?

If you can answer these questions affirmatively, analyze every component of your recruiting process to make sure that you are sending these messages. If you want to be an employer of choice, you must act like an employer of choice. Further more, you must communicate this commitment to your prospective employees.

People look for little things - such as noticing whether you return phone calls promptly. They observe when all interviewers repeat the same questions. They are aware that you responded to acknowledge receipt of their resume. They appreciate a phone call when someone else is picked for the job they wanted (Yes, you still need to send a letter to the people you interviewed, but the more informal follow-up is appreciated). They feel welcomed when they can communicate with you via email.

In addition, being an employer of choice is a reputation you build in your industry that is a powerful tool in attracting top talent.

7. Recruit Using the Internet

The Internet, in addition to your own organization website, is in its infancy in terms of its usefulness to employers, potential employees and society in general. Learn how to use the Internet to find and attract great candidates, such as posting open positions on online Jobs Boards for the sector or via Social Media.

8. Use Headhunters and Recruiters

Sometimes it is worth your time to use headhunters, recruiters and employment placement firms. The best firms have done much of this homework and candidate pool development for you. Although you might have pay 20-35 percent of the cost of the new recruit's annual salary, for some positions and in some industries, the cost in your department's time and the time invested in a possible failed search are worth it.

Additionally, recruiters have an already-developed pool of candidates. They provide a second pair of experienced eyes to help you with your search.

When you work in an HR role, calls from potential recruiters come several times a week. I ask for references and check them. I also talk with non-competing firms to get referrals of recruiters with whom they've been pleased.

9. Use Temporary Agencies and Firms for Recruitment

Consider using temporary staff as a solution to "try a person out in a position" or to staff a position you are not sure you need for the long haul. Temporary employees can also provide a useful buffer for the ups and downs of the business cycle so that you do not have to affect your core staff during down times.

Temp firms will recruit and screen to your specifications and guarantee your satisfaction. They save your staff immense amounts of time as they provide testing, drug screening, reference checking, background checks, and anything else you'd like, for a nominal fee.

Additionally, as the firms become familiar with your needs, just as headhunters and recruiters do, they will seek out and suggest talent they believe meets your criteria for star candidates.

10. Find Out Where Your Ideal Candidates Live

Identify what your needed candidates read; notice the websites they visit and determine the industry magazines and newspapers they read. Identify their favorite news sources, forums, discussion groups and places to practice social networking. In other words, find out everything you can about the types of people who make up the top ten percent of your current employees and the best of your talent pool.

Use this information to screen resumes and to develop effective interview questions. Most importantly, use this information to develop creative, fun recruiting strategies for your potential openings. Sit with an interested group that includes members of the group you are trying to recruit and brainstorm other potential ways to locate a well-qualified pool of candidates for each position.

 

By Susan M. Heathfield  About.com Guide

The Credo of an Empowering Manager

Looking for real management advice about people? Your goal is to create a work environment in which people are empowered, productive, contributing, and happy. Don't hobble them by limiting their tools or information. Trust them to do the right thing. Get out of their way and watch them catch fire.

These are the ten most important principles for managing people in a way that reinforces employee empowerment, accomplishment, and contribution. These management actions enable both the people who work with you and the people who report to you to soar.

1. Demonstrate That You Value People

Your regard for people shines through in all of your actions and words. Your facial expression, your body language, and your words express what you are thinking about the people who report to you. Your goal is to demonstrate your appreciation for each person's unique value. No matter how an employee is performing on his or her current task, your value for the employee as a human being should never falter and always be visible.

2. Share Leadership Vision

Help people feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves and their individual job. Do this by making sure they know and have access to the organization's overall mission, vision, and strategic plans.

3. Share Goals and Direction

Share the most important goals and direction for your group. Where possible, either make progress on goals measurable and observable, or ascertain that you have shared your picture of a positive outcome with the people responsible for accomplishing the results. If you share a picture and share meaning, you have agreed upon what constitutes a successful and acceptable deliverable. Empowered employees can then chart their course without close supervision.

4. Trust People

Trust the intentions of people to do the right thing, make the right decision, and make choices that, while maybe not exactly what you would decide, still work. When employees receive clear expectations from their manager, they relax and trust you. They focus their energy on accomplishing, not on wondering, worrying, and second-guessing.

5. Provide Information for Decision Making

Make certain that you have given people, or made sure that they have access to, all of the information they need to make thoughtful decisions.

6. Delegate Authority and Impact Opportunities, Not Just More Work

Don't just delegate the drudge work; delegate some of the fun stuff, too. You know, delegate the important meetings, the committee memberships that influence product development and decision making, and the projects that people and customers notice. The employee will grow and develop new skills. Your plate will be less full so you can concentrate on contribution. Your reporting staff will gratefully shine - and so will you.

7. Provide Frequent Feedback

Provide frequent feedback so that people know how they are doing. Sometimes, the purpose of feedback is reward and recognition as well as improvement coaching. People deserve your constructive feedback, too, so they can continue to develop their knowledge and skills.

8. Solve Problems: Don't Pinpoint Problem People

When a problem occurs, ask what is wrong with the work system that caused the people to fail, not what is wrong with the people. Worst case response to problems? Seek to identify and punish the guilty.

9. Listen to Learn and Ask Questions to Provide Guidance

Provide a space in which people will communicate by listening to them and asking them questions. Guide by asking questions, not by telling grown up people what to do. People generally know the right answers if they have the opportunity to produce them. When an employee brings you a problem to solve, ask, "what do you think you should do to solve this problem?" Or, ask, "what action steps do you recommend?" Employees can demonstrate what they know and grow in the process. Eventually, you will feel comfortable telling the employee that he or she need not ask you about similar situations. You trust their judgment.

10. Help Employees Feel Rewarded and Recognized for Empowered Behavior

When employees feel under-compensated, under-titled for the responsibilities they take on, under-noticed, under-praised, and under-appreciated, don’t expect results from employee empowerment. The basic needs of employees must feel met for employees to give you their discretionary energy, that extra effort that people voluntarily invest in work. For successful employee empowerment, recognition plays a significant role.
 

From  EzineArticles.com  

Asking for a pay rise can often seem a tricky and difficult thing to do. However, the sad truth is that if you don't ask, you don't get!

Make sure the person you're asking for the pay rise has the authority to give it. Some things to do with finances and budget will be out of your direct superior's hands. Make an official appointment to sit down and speak with your boss. Do not forewarn your boss what the conversation is about (you will be the person taking the initiative here - don't allow your boss time to build defensive excuses as to why you can't have a pay rise). If they do ask you why you want to speak with them, tell them you need to talk about your performance.

Decide on a realistic pay raise that you would be happy with - then add a bit more on top. This will be your ASK figure. Your boss will most likely want to negotiate this figure down a bit. Let them, negotiations will go better if you appear to be giving as well as taking.

Don't make your request for a pay rise in any way to do with your personal finances i.e. you need more money for this or for that, your Mortgage has increased, you need to pay off Credit Cards, you have Medical bills to pay - none of these reasons hold any validity to anyone else but you. They certainly have nothing to do with your boss. We all have stuff to pay for.

Decide on your strategy (see Top 5 List below), go over the wording of what you will say and how you will say it the night before. Repeat your side of the conversation out loud several times, preferably in front of a mirror. Guess how your boss may counter. What objections may he/she raise? Anticipate the problems and come back at them with a legitimate answer. Be careful about being too pushy though. Keep calm and professional at all times. Be firm, be polite and be persuasive.

Go get um' tiger!

TOP 5 STRATEGIES - HOW TO GET A PAY RISE

5. You are being paid below the 'market rate'

Look at other similar job titles within your sector, both outside as well as inside the company and compare them to your own responsibilities and rewards. If there is a difference to what is being offered elsewhere compared to what you're getting, by all means use this in your negotiations with your boss. When using this strategy of comparing your salary to similar positions within the industry you operate - NEVER threaten to quit and join a rival company. Your chances of getting a pay rise will be greatly improved if you gently remind your boss of your value to the company and how much you enjoy your job and like working for the company, how you 'hope' to continue working for him/her and that the 'only' negative you have is that you are being paid less than your market worth.

This is reason No 5 as it tends to be its most effective during boom times. However, those who operate in highly skilled niches or in hot market sectors will have the most luck with this Strategy. 

4. Find out what Salary band you are in and try to Max it

 

When jobs are advertised, they are often banded into a Salary Range.

For example, let's say you applied (and got) a job as an Operations Manager. The advertised annual salary was 48,500 - 56,000 depending on experience. Based on your experience you were offered (and excepted) 50,000 as your salary.

For this position, the company laid out and specified what they were willing to pay a person like you to do this job and thus set an upper (56,000) and lower (48,500) limit which forms your salary band. Going off this example - You still have another potential 6,000 within your salary band to attain.

I recommend to readers that they always keep the original job advertisement for any position they accept, keep it together with your employment contract in a safe place.
Not only will the original job advertisement state the salary range for your job, it can also be used as a reference point as to what your responsibilities are within the role, and may state future opportunities for promotion. These kinds of details, although present on the job advertisement - are often omitted from your employment contract.

If you have taken on any extra responsibilities in addition to those that you were taken on to do - then make these known in the meeting.

Also, a powerful thing to remember is that you now have more experience than when you first took the job. Bare in mind, it would probably cost your boss a lot more in time money and company resources to take on someone else and train them up, than it would to increase your salary.

This is a good Strategy for those working in the Public Sector

3. Turbo Charge your efforts - Become the Company Golden Boy/Girl for a few months

OK, so this is somewhat of a players trick (don't hate the player, hate the game), but hey, there's no malice in doing what I am about to suggest, and if done with true intent, only good can come out of it anyway, so here goes...

Pick one day a week in which you turbo charge your efforts at work.

On this particular day each week, you must take on and own the status of Golden Boy/Girl of the company. Your mission - To network across departments, volunteer to help on extra things, socialize with your boss, offer to work late, suggest new ideas, offer solutions and help out your colleagues.

Do all of these things (preferably on your least busy day) at least once per week for a few months leading up to making your request for a pay rise.

Be honest and sincere. This strategy won't work if you go about it with maliciousness in your heart.

Yes, you do have an ulterior motive but your strategy here is to be genuinely helpful to others and improve the performance of the company by your actions.

In no time at all, you will have increased your value in those few months by working harder and better. 

2. Inflation

 

Inflation is the overall general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy. It acts rather like an invisible force and basically what it means in layman's terms is - Stuff gets more expensive over time.

In a relatively stable economy such as the UK or US, inflation is usually around 2-3% per year.

Inflation can be argued on two fronts.

Firstly, find out what the current rate of inflation is. After each year - If you're wages have not risen, at least in line with the rate of inflation - you are effectively accepting a pay cut (because your annual salary is being eroded by the rate of inflation).

If you ARE receiving an annual incremental pay rise in line with inflation, you can still argue that your are not getting a pay rise in real terms as your 'increment' only offsets inflationary rises - and what you want is a 'real pay raise'.

1. Performance

The Number 1 reason for asking for a pay rise has to be because you deserve it - because of your performance.

It would be very hard for your boss to argue against a pay rise if you have been constantly achieving quality results above and beyond what is expected.

Performance can often be subjective. So before going into see your boss to ask for that pay rise, spend the night before making notes on all the things you have achieved and all the things you have brought to the company, list all of your accomplishments, the targets you've reached (or indeed exceeded), mention those big deals you closed. Trumpet your achievements and bring all supporting documents with you to the meeting to back-up what you're saying.
 

By Kylus Maximus, Published: December 15, 2010 - View the original article here.

 

      

 

 

From www.ehow.com

1. Spot time wasters. Common culprits are instant messaging, web surfing, personal phone calls and chitchat with co-workers. The minutes spent on these distractions can become hours of lost time and lost productivity. Set limits on these activities and find ways to politely end conversations.

2. Limit distractions and interruptions. Schedule times to review and respond to mail, email and voice mail. If possible, turn off instant messenger programs and do not answer personal phone calls while you work on other tasks.

3. Organize and prioritize. If you are constantly searching for items on your cluttered desk, set aside time to organize files, tools and equipment. Keep paper and electronic files in labeled folders. On your computer, create shortcuts and favorites to help locate items quickly and easily.

4. Use a single portable calendar to track all meetings, appointments and deadlines.

5. Create a schedule to start and complete a given task and stick to it. Begin and end tasks on time. A daily or weekly "To Do" list can also be a helpful tool to stay on track and stay productive.

6. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses and then budget time and tasks accordingly. It can be helpful to do the tasks that you like the least first, since they may be more time consuming and you are more likely to complete more interesting activities.

7. Write agendas for meetings and stay within the allotted time. Inefficient meetings that go late are a major cause of productivity loss.

8. Write down all key information such as date, time, attendees, agenda items and action items when taking notes. This may save considerable guesswork later. When in doubt, document.

9. Learn to use new and better tools to do your work and invest some time in learning to use existing tools more efficiently.

10. Find a coach or mentor or take a class in time management, organizational techniques and productive business communication.

11. Take breaks. This may seem contradictory when you in swamped. However, "crunch time" is when it is even more important to remain clear and focused. It is easy to make mistakes and when feeling overwhelmed. Actually schedule breaks into your day if necessary. Even a short walk around the building can clear your head and reduce stress, which boosts productivity.

*Article sourced from http://www.ehow.com/how_2081512_be-more-productive-work.html

From  www.allbusiness.com 

Is there someone in your workplace — a domineering manager, a difficult coworker, or maybe even a demanding client or customer — who drives you crazy? Are there people at your job who make you feel inadequate, unworthy, or just plain miserable?

Difficult people exist at work as in all facets of life, and they come in every variety. Dealing with these types is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when their behavior affects more than one person. But it is much tougher when they personally attack you or undermine your professional standing.

While you probably can’t change such a person, the good news is that by following these 10 tips for dealing with problem people in the workplace, you can avoid being their victim: 

1. Identify problem people.

Learn to recognize when a coworker is “toxic.” Difficult people come in all shapes and sizes: Some talk constantly and never listen. Others must always have the last word. Some coworkers fail to keep commitments. Others criticize anything that they did not create themselves. A toxic coworker can take the form of a cut-you-downer, a two-faced backstabber, a gossip, a meddler, an instigator, or a nasty competitor.

2. Beware bad bosses.

Bosses are in charge, whether you like it or not. If your intention is to keep your job, you will have to learn how to get along with an arrogant or controlling boss. If you need to confront your boss, avoid putting him or her on the defensive. This is the most risky situation with which to deal.

3. Assess your situation.

 

Initially, you might be shocked that you are being treated unprofessionally. Take a deep breath, and try to understand exactly what is happening to you. Realize that you are not alone. 

4. Take concrete action.

Once you are fully aware of what is happening, deciding to live with the situation long-term is rarely an option. Your situation won’t improve unless you do something about it. In fact, left unaddressed, it usually gets worse. Let the coworker in question know that you are on to his or her game and that you will escalate it to a higher authority if necessary.

5. Don’t let the problem fester.

 

Make sure to take action swiftly. You may eventually become so angry that your efforts to address the situation could become irrational. It’s far better to tackle the problem while you can maintain some objectivity and emotional control. 

6. Safeguard your reputation.

Constant complaining about the situation can quickly earn you the title of “office whiner.” Managers might wonder why you’re unable to solve your own problems, even if their tolerance of the situation is part of the problem. If you are embroiled in a constant conflict at work, you may end up getting blamed for other problems.

7. Don’t sink to their level.

 

As problematic as the person may be, there are many dysfunctional approaches to dealing with them in which you do not want to engage. Some no-no’s: sending anonymous notes, gossiping about the person, bad-mouthing him or her to the boss. 

8. Keep it private.

Be sure to keep all of your dealings with the person private. Never lose your temper at work or engage in a confrontation in front of your boss or colleagues.

9. Make the first move.

 If you approach a difficult person with the belief that he or she is as eager as you are to restore harmony, you can make the first move. Start your conversation with Start your conversation with statements such as “I’m sorry for what I may have done to hurt you” or “I could be wrong.”

10. Agree to disagree.

If you personally dislike a coworker or boss, you can still learn from their opinions, viewpoints, and ideas. If you can find something to appreciate about them, comment on it in a favorable way. If that person senses your allegiance, they will be naturally drawn to you, and you may both learn to get along despite your differences. 

*Article sourced from All Business, http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/workforce-management-conflict-resolution/11133-1.html

 

 

  

 

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.  www.quintcareers.com

Are you planning to find a new job? Make a career change? Obtain a better education? Start your own business? Volunteer your time to help others? Retire? Or perhaps have some other major career goal?

It is very easy to make new year's resolutions - or resolutions at any time of year - but most of us find it much harder to keep them beyond a few weeks or months. It's possible that it's not so much your will power or desire to change as it is the resolutions themselves. Many people make overly ambitious resolutions that are almost doomed to failure from the start.

So, what are the keys to making and keeping resolutions? Follow these 11 tips to help draft and keep your career resolutions.

1. Agree to develop a plan.

The resolutions that have the best chance of success are those that are carefully developed through a series of steps, much like the ones outlined in this article. While spontaneity is a wonderful attribute in certain situations, studies show that impulsive resolutions are the least likely to be kept/achieved.

2. Make a list of all your goals.

This next step is the easiest one. Brainstorm all the changes you want to make -- all that you want to accomplish. You may only end up with a few goals, but if you are facing a key crossroads in your life, you may have a handful of goals about your future. Be specific here. Don't say your goal is to find a new job; say your goal is to find a new job with an employer that offer workplace flexibility.

3. Prioritize your goals.

You may feel you need to make a lot of changes to your life, but if you have too many goals, it is easy to lose focus and motivation when the hurdles simply seem insurmountable. Instead, once you make a list of some of the key changes you want to make, rank them both in sequential and priority order. (For example, if you want to change careers, but need to obtain further education or training to do so, your first goal should be going back to school, with the career change goal lower on your list.) Remember to keep your goals realistic, grounded in the reality of your situation – and focus on one goal at a time.

4. Break larger goals into manageable tasks.

A large goal can seem overwhelming and impossible to ever achieve, but the secret is to attack that goal and break it into smaller tasks that eventually add up to achieving your goal. For example, if your goal is to start your own business, you could instead make a plan to write a key element of your business plan each week.

5. Think of multiple ways to achieve your tasks (and ultimately your goal).

One of the most important things you can do to achieve your goal is to think of new or different ways of accomplishing it -- especially if it is a goal that you have tried and failed to accomplish in the past. For example, if you have tried several times to find a new job and have not been successful, then perhaps it's time to look at your current methods and develop some other job-search strategies. As Apple Computer used to say, think different.

6. Make changes in your lifestyle.

Once you've determined your goal and how you are going to achieve it, make deliberate changes in your surroundings to support your efforts. If you are considering a career change, you must cut your budget and trim your finances to prepare for the lower income during your career transition. Your efforts here are not to simply get rid of bad habits, but actually to reprogram yourself -- replacing old (and bad) behaviors with new behaviors. 

7. Request and accept support.

 

When possible, enlist the emotional support of your family and friends to give you the additional willpower and determination to stick to your plan and achieve your goal. If necessary, seek out a support group (local or online) -- such as a job club -- to help shore up your resolve and determination for success.

8. Document -- and celebrate -- your successes.

With each small step you take to achieving your goal, reward yourself with some small emotional reward. By recording your progress, you are creating tangible proof that you can succeed and that you are making concrete progress toward your goal. Use that document as motivation whenever you are struggling with keeping your plans or doubting your progress.

9. Prepare yourself for setbacks.

Whether you're trying to save money, lose weight, or find a new job, you will periods in which circumstances arise that cause you to lose a little ground toward achieving your goal. If you're mentally prepared for such a scenario to happen, you're more easily able to accept the setback and move forward -- rather than the more typical response of using the setback as an excuse to give up on your goal.

10. Forgive yourself if you lapse.

Mistakes and slip-ups are going to occasionally happen. Rather than beating yourself up for taking a step backward, take a moment to analyze why the slip-up happened and what you can do in the future to prevent it from happening again, and then move on with your life. Don't punish yourself for being human. Forgive and forget -- and keep your focus on achieving your goal.

11. Don't give up.

You may hit one or more points when your short-term plans are not working and your goal still seems so far away. Fight the urge to give up -- and instead persist. If the one technique you have been using is no longer working for you, go back and develop a new strategy -- with new techniques. The harder you work at it, the more likely you'll achieve it.

Final Thoughts

Only you can make the changes you want to make. Don't create resolutions to please others -- because you won't keep them in the end, and you'll be miserable and resentful until you do break them. On the other hand, once you make a resolution to change something about your job or career for yourself, accept the responsibility and demands that such a change will take -- if you truly want to succeed -- and use the 11 tips in this article to help you achieve your goals.

Finally, remember that you can make changes to your life at any point in time. While the new year is certainly a traditional starting point, don't wait for an arbitrary date to make the changes you need to improve your life.
 

*Article sourced from QuintCareers.com, written by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.  www.quintcareers.com

 

 

By Susan M. Heathfield  About.com Guide

 Choose to Be Happy at Work

Happiness is largely a choice. I can hear many of you arguing with me, but it's true. You can choose to be happy at work. Sound simple? Yes. But, simplicity is often profoundly difficult to put into action. I wish all of you had the best employer in the world, but, face it, you may not. So, think positively about your work. Dwell on the aspects of your work you like. Avoid negative people and gossip. Find coworkers you like and enjoy and spend your time with them. Your choices at work largely define your experience. You can choose to be happy at work.

 Do Something You Love Every Single Day

You may or may not love your current job and you may or may not believe that you can find something in your current job to love, but you can. Trust me. Take a look at yourself, your skills and interests, and find something that you can enjoy doing every day. If you do something you love every single day, your current job won't seem so bad. Of course, you can always make your current job work or decide that it is time to quit your job.

 Take Charge of Your Own Professional and Personal Development

A young employee complained to me recently that she wanted to change jobs because her boss was not doing enough to help her develop professionally. I asked her whom she thought was the person most interested in her development. The answer, of course, was her. You are the person with the most to gain from continuing to develop professionally. Take charge of your own growth; ask for specific and meaningful help from your boss, but march to the music of your personally developed plan and goals. You have the most to gain from growing - and the most to lose, if you stand still.

 Take Responsibility for Knowing What Is Happening at Work

People complain to me daily that they don't receive enough communication and information about what is happening with their company, their department's projects, or their coworkers. Passive vessels, they wait for the boss to fill them up with knowledge. And, the knowledge rarely comes. Why? Because the boss is busy doing her job and she doesn't know what you don't know. Seek out the information you need to work effectively. Develop an information network and use it. Assertively request a weekly meeting with your boss and ask questions to learn. You are in charge of the information you receive.

 Ask for Feedback Frequently

Have you made statements such as, "My boss never gives me any feedback, so I never know how I'm doing." Face it, you really know exactly how you're doing. Especially if you feel positively about your performance, you just want to hear him acknowledge you. If you're not positive about your work, think about improving and making a sincere contribution. Then, ask your boss for feedback. Tell him you'd really like to hear his assessment of your work. Talk to your customers, too; if you're serving them well, their feedback is affirming. You are responsible for your own development. Everything else you get is gravy.

 Make Only Commitments You Can Keep

One of the most serious causes of work stress and unhappiness is failing to keep commitments. Many employees spend more time making excuses for failing to keep a commitment, and worrying about the consequences of not keeping a commitment, than they do performing the tasks promised. Create a system of organization and planning that enables you to assess your ability to complete a requested commitment. Don't volunteer if you don't have time. If your workload is exceeding your available time and energy, make a comprehensive plan to ask the boss for help and resources. Don't wallow in the swamp of unkept promises.

 Avoid Negativity

Choosing to be happy at work means avoiding negative conversations, gossip, and unhappy people as much as possible. No matter how positively you feel, negative people have a profound impact on your psyche. Don't let the negative Neds and Nellies bring you down. And, keep on singing in the car on your way to work - or start.

 Practice Professional Courage

If you are like most people, you don't like conflict. And the reason why is simple. You've never been trained to participate in meaningful conflict, so you likely think of conflict as scary, harmful, and hurtful. Conflict can be all three; done well, conflict can also help you accomplish your work mission and your personal vision. Conflict can help you serve customers and create successful products. Happy people accomplish their purpose for working. Why let a little professional courage keep you from achieving your goals and dreams? Make conflict your friend.

 Make Friends

In their landmark book, First, Break All The Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (Compare Prices), Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman list twelve important questions. When employees answered these questions positively, their responses were true indicators of whether people were happy and motivated at work. One of these key questions was, "Do you have a best friend at work?" Liking and enjoying your coworkers are hallmarks of a positive, happy work experience. Take time to get to know them. You might actually like and enjoy them. Your network provides support, resources, sharing, and caring.

 If All Else Fails, Job Searching Will Make You Smile

If all of these ideas aren't making you happy at work, it's time to reevaluate your employer, your job, or your entire career. You don't want to spend your life doing work you hate in an unfriendly work environment. Most work environments don't change all that much. But unhappy employees tend to grow even more disgruntled. You can secretly smile while you spend all of your non-work time job searching. It will only be a matter of time until you can quit your job - with a big smile.

*Article sourced from About.com, written by Susan M. Heathfield    About.com Guide

 

 

Flickr image by Alex France via Creative Commons

Great interviews arise from careful groundwork. You can ace your next interview if you:

  Enter into a state of relaxed concentration.

This is the state from which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate. You'll need to quiet the negative self chatter in your head through meditation or visualization prior to sitting down in the meeting. You'll focus on the present moment and will be less apt to experience lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation.

  Act spontaneous, but be well prepared.

Be your authentic self, professional yet real. Engage in true conversation with your interviewer, resting on the preparation you did prior to coming to the meeting. Conduct several trial runs with another person simulating the interview before it actually occurs. It's the same as anticipating the questions you'll be asked on a final exam. 

  Set goals for the interview.

It is your job to leave the meeting feeling secure that the interviewer knows as much as he or she possibly can about your skills, abilities, experience and achievements. If you sense there are misconceptions, clear them up before leaving. If the interviewer doesn't get around to asking you important questions, pose them yourself (diplomatically) and answer them. Don't leave the meeting without getting your own questions answered so that you have a clear idea of what you would be getting yourself into. If possible, try to get further interviews, especially with other key players. 

  Know the question behind the question.

Ultimately, every question boils down to, "Why should we hire you?" Be sure you answer that completely. If there is a question about your meeting deadlines, consider whether the interviewer is probing delicately about your personal life, careful not to ask you whether your family responsibilities will interfere with your work. Find away to address fears if you sense they are present. 

  Follow up with an effective "thank you" letter.

Don't write this letter lightly. It is another opportunity to market yourself. Find some areas discussed in the meeting and expand upon them in your letter. Writing a letter after a meeting is a very minimum. Standing out among the other candidates will occur if you thoughtfully consider this follow up letter as an additional interview in which you get to do all the talking. Propose useful ideas that demonstrate your added value to the team. 

  Consider the interviewer's agenda.

Much is on the shoulders of the interviewer. He or she has the responsibility of hiring the right candidate. Your ability to do the job will need to be justified. "Are there additional pluses here?" "Will this person fit the culture of this organization?" These as well as other questions will be heavily on the interviewer's mind. Find ways to demonstrate your qualities above and beyond just doing the job. 

  Expect to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself."

This is a pet question of prepared and even unprepared interviewers. Everything you include should answer the question, "Why should we hire you?" Carefully prepare your answer to include examples of achievements from your work life that closely match the elements of the job before you. Obviously, you'll want to know as much about the job description as you can before you respond to the question. 

  Watch those nonverbal clues.

Experts estimate that words express only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate; facial expressions and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you. 

  Be smart about money questions.

Don't fall into the trap of telling the interviewer your financial expectations. You may be asking for too little or too much money and in each case ruin your chances of being offered the job. Instead, ask what salary range the job falls in. Attempt to postpone a money discussion until you have a better understanding of the scope of responsibilities of the job. 

  Don't hang out your dirty laundry.

Be careful not to bare your soul and tell tales that are inappropriate or beyond the scope of the interview. State your previous experience in the most positive terms. Even if you disagreed with a former employer, express your enthusiasm for earlier situations as much as you can. Whenever you speak negatively about another person or situation in which you were directly involved, you run the risk (early in the relationship) of appearing like a troubled person who may have difficulty working with others. 

*Article sourced from ASIACO Jobs Centre

 

So You Want a Not for Profit Job?  Joanne Fritz From About.com Gives Her Tips on How to Find the Not for Profit Job You've Dreamed of.  

Not for Profit jobs are gaining in popularity. The Not for Profit world is attracting more people, including new grads, career changers, and newly retired baby boomers who are considering capstone careers serving causes they believe in.

If you are among those considering a Not for Profit job, here are a few tips to help you in your job search.

 

 Find your Not for Profit job among the causes you are most passionate about.

You will be a much more desirable Not for Profit job candidate if you speak passionately about your desire to work on a particular Not for Profit cause. You are also likely to know more about an area if you have been following it for some time. So what do you care about most? Health care? The environment? Immigration? Poverty?

 Look for your Not for Profit job at organisations that share your commitment.

Start your Not for Profit job search with your own city or town. There are likely to be several grass roots organizations locally even if you live in a small or medium-sized city. In larger cities, you will find many local chapters of national Not for Profit . If you are in the mood to move, take your Not for Profit job search nationwide. Check out online Not for Profit job listings and subscribe to key publications. Most organizations now list their Not for Profit job openings right on their websites, so bookmark your favorite ones and check in regularly.

 Find your Not for Profit job by doing informational interviews.

Most people who are working in Not for Profits are quite willing to grant an informational interview to people who are looking for Not for Profit jobs. Use your current contacts to locate appropriate individuals. In an informational interview there is no pressure. You are seeking information...you are really doing the interviewing. However, it is not unusual for these interviews to actually lead to job offers. It is a great way to make some good contacts. Prepare ten questions before the interview and be sure to send a thank you note within 24 hours.

 Find your Not for Profit job by volunteering for your favorite Not for Profit .

Volunteering is an excellent way to try out an organization. You can tell a lot by volunteering, such as how organized the group is, how seriously it takes training, and what the level of resources is. The contacts you make will be valuable later in your job search. You may even have the inside track when it comes to knowing about openings. Many volunteers have become paid staff.

 Find your Not for Profit job through a Not for Profit internship or co-op.

If you are still in school, create your own internship by contacting Not for Profits and offering your services. Your college or university may be able to place you in a Not for Profit through its own channels. Many Not for Profit advertise their internship opportunities on their websites and in special interest publications, and you may be able to find them listed on the many Not for Profit job search sites. This is a great way to get the inside track to a Not for Profit job.

 Find your Not for Profit job through online social networking.

Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are examples of the social media you can use to search for Not for Profit jobs. It is the same as looking for any job using these methods, except that you will look for Not for Profit organisations and people connected with Not for Profits. Most Not for Profits now have a presence on Facebook and MySpace, and it is easy to search on keywords such as "Not for Profit " on all the social networking spaces. Follow some of the good Not for Profit job sites such as Opportunity Knocks, Idealist and Jobs for Change.

 To find your Not for Profit job, cast your net broadly.

There are Not for Profit jobs in just about any field you can think of. Consider higher education where they not only need teachers but also people with a broad array of skills. Think about health care where the need for services for aging Americans is nearing crisis proportions. Take a look at museums--the American public is visiting them in record numbers. Many Not for Profit jobs exist in social assistance agencies. More Not for Profit causes are identified each year and organizations to serve them are created at a rapid rate.

Article written by Joanne Fritz,  sourced from About.com  

 

    

 

  Draw up a job description, no matter how simple or low-level the job

The more information you put down, the better your chances are of getting the right person for the right job. Cover areas such as the level of skill needed, whether training is necessary, and how much experience or responsibility the job requires.

  Use specialist or trade publications to target your ads

If you are looking to fill a particular position, consider advertising in specialist or trade publications. Find out from people who work in that area what publications they read. If the job is not that specialised, consider advertising in a local newspaper, which will be cheaper. Word-of-mouth can also be useful and cost-effective.

  Always take up references

Before someone joins your company, ensure you get references. It can be a good idea to contact a referee direct on the phone as they are often more responsive than in a letter. Ask questions such as: ‘Would you re-employ this person?’

  Manage the change

Every new employee affects everyone else working in the team, and so brings about change. Some people don't handle change well, and might see the new employee as a threat, a burden, or even a competitor. Others will welcome the fresh energy a new employee usually brings. This can result in people 'taking sides', as the new person becomes known and settles in. As manager, it is important to 'short circuit' this process, by providing lots of information to the existing team about who the new employee is, why they were selected, the role they will play. Meet with the team before the new employee starts, to talk about how the employee is to be welcomed and inducted, and whether there are any issues or concerns people wish to raise. This 'early intervention' generally prevents any poor dynamics from developing. 

  Make your employees feel welcome

First impressions count and the first three months of employment with a new company are important. Make your new employees feel welcome. Consider setting up an induction into the company with on-the-job training and a buddy system to help a new recruit with any questions.

  An organisation is only as good as the people who work for it

As a small organisation, you can be closer to your staff, suppliers and customers than larger ones. Involve your employees in the work culture from day one and keep them up to date with the progress of the company and any developments that may take place in the near future.

  Use incentives other than money

A competitive package need not only be about money – flexible working such as job-share and flexi-hours can give you the opportunity to tailor benefits more suited to the individual. Look carefully at what motivates each employees – some may be driven by security, others by ambition. Group days out, or brainstorming sessions combined with a fun activity can also work well.

  Appraise your staff regularly

An effective appraisal system should allow for realistic, but challenging objectives. There should also be interim reviews to ensure objectives have not changed and to give an opportunity to identify training and development. Consider who is best placed to carry out the reviews – in some cases it may be more appropriate to use a middle manager.

  Enforce strict ‘absence’ procedures

In order to deal effectively with absenteeism, staff should be very clear about the company policy. A staff handbook is an ideal way to state policies clearly. Areas such as holidays, sickness and absenteeism should be included and clearly outlined.

  Create a culture of good leavers

Hold exit interviews, particularly for key staff, which will help you identify any problems going forward. The aim is to create a culture of ‘good leavers’: this is the type of person who will flag up any problems beforehand, tell you about concerns with work, and once they’ve left, will not say negative things about the company.

Article sourced from  smallbusiness.co.uk (*amendments made)