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A Case For Staffing: Temp Labor Force

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 16:18:04 GMT

Advantages:

1. Strategically balance labor needs and production levels by bringing in workers when they need them and then letting them go when they do not.

2. Convert a historically fixed labor cost to a variable one while shifting liabilities for unemployment, EEOC matters, benefits, and worker's compensation to a third party.

3. Use of contracted suppliers to manage low-skilled tasks leads to better outcomes at a lower cost.

4. Purchasing and finance departments save money on what companies pay for the hourly bill rate.

A Six-Point Guide To 2020 Hiring

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:27:13 GMT

As of May 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the current U.S. unemployment rate as 13.3%. While slightly down from April, unemployment is the highest it’s been since the 1930s.

For many working Americans, this is the first— and hopefully last — time that we have seen anything like this. With millions of Americans now looking for work, employers need to rapidly adjust their workplace policies to remain competitive with top candidates.

How Workplaces Have Changed

In just a few months, the face of the American workplace has changed dramatically. March saw employees divided into groups labeled “essential” and “nonessential,” while stay-at-home orders forced teams to adapt to remote work. While some are returning to offices, job sites and other places of work, many employers are planning to permanently close some, if not all, physical locations. On May 12, Twitter made headlines as CEO Jack Dorsey announced that employees could work from home forever. This is just one of many companies reframing its view of the modern workplace.

For those of us who have returned to our offices, we are met with sanitation stations, increased distance between desks, masks and other public health safety measures. Meetings are either stand-up only, with people practicing social distancing, or held virtually.

What’s On The Horizon

Some companies struggling with precisely how to adapt their current environment to new social distancing standards are considering adding staggered shifts to maximize space usage. In this scenario, multiple employees could share a single workspace but on alternating days, with a strict cleaning regiment in between. Along with creating a healthier environment (fewer people in close quarters), flexible schedules can allow for a reduction in office square footage. Businesses nearing the end of their lease can use this as an opportunity to downscale their office footprint and add to the bottom line.

Many office space designers are considering how the change will impact future plans. For years, open office environments have been the trend. Cubicles have been replaced with standing desks, portable partitions and lots of room to roam. While closed offices and cubicles likely won’t return, it’s possible office buildings could transform from daily use facilities to places where meetings and conferences take place. National organizations may also begin opening regional hubs to provide coworking spaces for remote employees to use sporadically instead of congregating regularly in one central location.

How Employers Need To Approach Hiring

1. Advertising And Follow-Through

Once your team has reviewed which positions will be mission-critical for the remainder of 2020, actively advertise these jobs . A small investment combined with regular candidate follow-through will help eliminate concerns some job seekers have about the longevity of a new position. The first few emails and calls to a candidate help to set the stage for the relationship and establish your company’s culture in their mind.

2. Be Mindful Of Social Media

How your organization is responding to the pandemic says a lot about your company’s culture and leadership. Candidates interested in working for your business are often actively following your posts, and their decision to join may be swayed by this content. Work with your social media manager to ensure posts come from a position of strength and positivity.

3. ‘What Have You Been Doing During This Time?’

While it may seem like an unusual question for an interview, the answer can tell volumes about the candidate’s work ethic and how serious they are about advancing their career . Many candidates are using this time to expand their knowledge and boost their skills.

As you begin accepting résumés, keep an eye out for any new certifications awarded in 2020. Applicants who have invested in themselves may be a better long-term fit.

4. Establishing A Work-From-Anywhere Policy

What once was a perk, the work-from-anywhere (WFA) concept may soon become the standard, and job seekers might consider it a necessity. Businesses that have put solid technology in place with clear WFA policies will likely be in a better position to attract top talent.

Fairly soon, competition for candidates will become fierce. A recent Gallup survey found that 54% of office-based professionals would leave their job for one that offered flexible schedules and remote work opportunities. If you haven’t already made WFA part of your long-term business plans, you should consider doing so.

5. A Clear Public Health Plan

A question bound to come up during an interview is how your company is helping to keep employees safe. While much of this article has focused on office-based professions, many of Ameri-Force’s employees work in the skilled trades, primarily in our nation’s shipyards. Most of the worksites have implemented rigorous health protocols, including daily temperature checks of all employees, frequent sanitation stations throughout the worksite, staggered shifts to increase social distancing and daily deep cleaning of surfaces.

Make sure you’re relaying the steps you’re taking to candidates applying for job openings.

6. Act Quickly

With millions of highly skilled Americans actively seeking work, now is the time to attract and retain the best talent. However, don’t wait too long to begin the hiring process. As states have begun to reopen, jobs are being added, and people are getting back to work.

If you wait too long to hire, you may miss out on promising candidates who could have made a significant impact on your company. If you’re considering bringing on additional staff, now is the time.

Article Provided By: Forbes

How to Handle Uncertainty in Your Career

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:14:07 GMT

The coronavirus pandemic has forced great change on professionals and organizations. Companies are evaluating how they get work done and the resources they need to do it. Professionals also are evaluating how they work best and whether they are satisfied with their work. There are questions, concerns and unknowns.

Uncertainty can create stress, but stress and uncertainty are a normal part of one’s career . Successful people know how to continue to advance in their career amidst uncertainty. Here are five ways successful people manage the unknown and continue to progress:

1. Talk about your concerns with trusted resources.

If you have concerns about your role and where your career is headed, consider speaking to trusted colleagues or friends. Talking out loud can help you think through the issues you are facing and invite another person to help you.

Be careful not to complain. Try to focus on the facts at issue and be forward thinking. While you may not know the solution to your situation at the moment, you know there can be a solution. People are more willing to help someone who is hopeful rather than a complainer.

2. Write down a few career plans or options, but embrace flexibility.

There will be things outside of your control that will impact your career trajectory. Try not to focus on what is out of your control but rather what is in your control, which is how you respond to uncertainty.

Think about alternate career paths you may want to take. Write down the steps you need to take to get a promotion, move laterally within your organization, secure a role at another company, move to a different industry or go back to school. Seeing the steps on paper can help transform an abstract idea into a concrete path that you can start following.

Have a few plans in mind because none of the ones you foresee may pan out. That is okay. Plans are not set in stone. Plans exist to motivate you to start moving forward and get closer to your goal. If the plan you write down is no longer realistic, update it. Edit it. Change it.

3. Continue networking, and engage in social media.

The benefits of networking take time. It is unrealistic and unwise to think that you can get a golden ticket to your dreams out of one conversation with a person. Networking is not transactional. Networking is relationship-based, and relationships take time. Use this time of uncertainty to create and cultivate professional relationships that may help you down the road.

Talk with specific individuals. Also, use social media to connect with other professionals. Not all networking has to be done one-on-one. Not all networking has to be done privately. You can start digital conversations by commenting on a colleague’s post, for example. Networking on social media engages everyone who has been attracted to the post.

4. Write and publish to showcase your expertise and skills.

Sharing your thoughts publicly through writing is a great way to display your expertise and skills. This will invite people to engage with you and, in turn, opportunities may come your way. An easy way to start writing and publicly sharing your thoughts is to publish on LinkedIn.

5. Keep your resume up-to-date so you are always ready for an opportunity.

The unknowns of your career also include unknown opportunities that may present themselves to you. Make sure your resume is current so that you are ready to share it and be considered for opportunities that may surprise you. When you are prepared, you will better be able to seize unseen opportunities.

Uncertainty is part of a normal career progression. Be prepared for it. Accept it. Try to embrace it so you feel more comfortable where you are in your journey. Share your concerns with others, think of some career options, be flexible, continue networking, write and keep your resume current.

Article Provided By: Forbes

The Best Investment You Can Make For Your Career

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 17:48:42 GMT

For many, the last few months have been an exercise in patience, especially regarding career progress. So much has been placed on hold, stalled and canceled, that it can be tough to find traction and forward movement to reach your goals. Rather than let COVID-related delays get you down, use this time to invest in the one thing that will impact your career the most: yourself.

Here are five easy ways to make the one investment you’ll never regret:

1. Get clarity and alignment on your goals

What do you want? It’s the first question to ask yourself because having clarity and specificity around your goals is essential to devising a plan to achieve them.

The best way to gain clarity is to slow down and reflect on what you want most. This can be surprisingly difficult, especially if you’ve wrestled with fear and insecurities about acknowledging your dreams or if you’ve never pushed the pause button on your busy life long enough to give yourself the space to do so.

Once you’re clear, you need to align your goals with an environment that supports them and helps you stay away from the things that can derail you. This starts with understanding how you’re spending your time and where and with whom you’re investing your attention. Ask yourself if this choice helps you move closer to your goals or prevents you from achieving them.

If the people in your world are holding you back from accomplishing what you need to do, let them go and find a new inner circle of those with positive energy who support your goals.

2. Dedicate time to reading

According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted last year, 27 percent of U.S. adults say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year. Contrast that with leaders like Bill Gates, who reads 50 books a year or Mark Cuban, who reads three hours a day.

Research suggests reading has numerous benefits. Readers build their intellectual capacity to reason and solve problems, have better people skills, and possess a broader perspective, allowing them to envision multiple possibilities. Reading is also one of the quickest ways to acquire and assimilate new information and grants you access to insights outside your area of expertise, which can fuel creativity and innovation.

3. Learn to say no

Always saying yes can leave you exhausted, stressed, and time-poor, wondering why you’ve been busy but not productive.

Billionaire Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, believes that “the difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

Notice that Buffett said almost everything. What he is speaking to is our ability to master decision-making and time management. He says we must choose, with intention, how to spend our time and then set boundaries to protect it. Since time is a limited and non-renewable resource, invest yours wisely by prioritizing and focusing your attention on what matters most.

4. Say yes to growth opportunities

Saying yes isn’t always bad. It invites collaboration and empowers and affirms others, and more importantly, can help you grow.

If you wait until you feel ready to pursue an opportunity, chances are it’ll pass you by. Saying yes means that you’re open to moving past your comfort zone and embracing a new challenge. By saying yes, you naturally adopt a growth mindset, leading with your curiosity.

Saying yes also creates an environment where it’s safe to try, fail, learn, and innovate. When you freely say yes, you become more risk-tolerant and encourage innovation by trying new things and using the successes and failures as learning opportunities.

5. Prioritize your well being

Living in a world of “always on” culture can wreak havoc on your well being. You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you’re having frequent headaches, are sick and tired (again), or unmotivated, those are all red flags that you need to take a break.

Encourage restorative slumber by maintaining a reasonable and consistent bedtime, limiting screen time, leaving your phone outside your bedroom, and keeping your bedroom’s temperature cool.

Nourish your body with proper nutrition and movement. Recharge your spirit through meditation, prayer, and reflection, by spending time in nature, and by visiting with friends and loved ones.

Learn to calm your nervous system when you’re upset by breathing deeply and putting your hand on your heart, which releases oxytocin, a hormone that makes us feel safe and connected.

Employ self-compassion, treating yourself the way you would a treasured friend, by swapping self-criticism for supportive self-talk. Remember, the stories you tell yourself are the most important words you speak. Words have power, so choose them wisely, and maintain a growth mindset to encourage progress.

Article Provided By: Forbes

How To Avoid Burnout During Your Job Search

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 19:07:00 GMT

Looking for a job is exhausting – physically, mentally and emotionally – which can cause you to experience burnout. Physically, a job search takes time, hours per week on a regular basis for months. Mentally, you need to stay on top of the industries and companies you are targeting, the people you have met and where you are in the process for various jobs . Emotionally, there will be ups and downs as some applications turn into interviews, but some go nowhere. Anticipate that your energy will wane during your job search , and plan in advance how you will get re-energized and re-motivated. Heading off signs of burnout ensures that you continue your job search efforts at a regular cadence, rather than start and stop. Regular and ongoing action will best help you land a new role.

Here are five ways to avoid burnout during your job search :

1 – Schedule regular breaks as part of your job search routine

You might want to research every company on your target list at once to get it over with, but if you don’t take a break, you are more likely to gloss over important details. If you plow through all your networking calls at once, you may sound robotic and therefore disingenuous. If you fill your day with back-to-back activity, you leave no space for an inspired idea to come to you – such as remembering a former colleague you can reach out to or recognizing that something you learned could be of interest to one of your target companies.

Whether you input specific breaks into your calendar or set an alarm to ring every one to two hours, actually schedule your breaks. In addition, make plans for your breaks so you are excited to take them, and you pick activities that refresh you. A walk, a special coffee, or one episode of your favorite sitcom are short ways to refresh. Also plan for a longer break every few days – go out in nature, or see a friend (you can have a virtual lunch if you’re sheltering in place).

2 – Tame your negative self-talk

Sometimes it’s not too much work, but not starting at all that you need to overcome. Many job seekers put off reaching out to their network or applying for jobs because the negative voice in their head tells them they’re not ready to start or not worthy of being hired. You’ll need to tame your negative self-talk before it talks you out of your job search .

Naming the voice is one way of taming the voice. When you name the voice, you put it outside of yourself. You can notice it and choose to let it go. You can even pick a funny name for your negative voice (like Newman, if you’re a Seinfeld fan) to give it less power. If you have a positive voice that comes up, name that one too, and call for it when Newman shows up.

3 – Keep a running list of wins

The emotional ups and downs of a job search can drain your confidence if you’re not careful. Keep a running list of wins – not just job search -related but in all areas of your life. Note even small positive moments of serendipity, like picking the fastest-moving line at the grocery. When you fall into a bad mood, refer to your list of wins for a pick-me-up.

Having a ready list of wins is a great tool for getting your mindset ready before an interview or networking meeting. Knowing your job search -related wins also gives you something positive to say when people inevitably ask you how your search is going. You can respond with a laundry list of what you have accomplished, and then people will know you’re on top of things and won’t give you unsolicited advice!

4 – Surround yourself with success stories

In addition to your own wins, you can lean on the wins of others. Look for articles of successful people in the industries and roles you’re interested in. Look for articles about people getting hired – regardless of industry or role. Seeing that other people have accomplished what you want to accomplish makes it appear more doable.

The professional association related to your industry or functional area may publish profiles of successful members. Or you can find profiles in business publications, such as Forbes, Fast Company, Inc, etc.

5 – Have a cheerleader to call

Everyone should have a cheerleader in their network (if you don’t, build your network to include this and other key supporters). A cheerleader is the friend who is always your champion. They may not have advice or ideas or feedback for you, but they always have encouraging words of support. Cheerleaders are optimistic and enthusiastic, so you can count on them for an infusion of energy.

Don’t have a regular pity party – you don’t want to drive your cheerleader away. But sometimes you may need to vent, or at least say candidly how you feel, and a cheerleader is someone who won’t be brought down by your negativity. In fact, their enthusiasm is often contagious and just speaking to them can help you bounce back, whether you talk about your job search specifically or not.

The job search is a marathon and a sprint

You want to have a cheerleader, success stories and the other three tactics available to you to keep you going in your job search so you don’t burnout. The day-in, day-out nature of a job search is much like a marathon, where you need to be prepared for a long journey.

That said, the most productive job search has a sense of urgency and speed – you want to be the first to apply, or ideally hear about jobs before they are broadly posted. In this way, the job search is also a sprint, and you can use these tactics as energy boosts to propel your search forward while avoiding burnout.

Article Provided By: Forbes

13 Tips For Employers Looking To Hire Fresh Talent

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 18:46:48 GMT

The best time to capture talent is right after they graduate. Hiring promising grad talent is a good strategy to bring in fresh, innovative ideas, which has worked out for several corporate giants.

However, as with all techniques for growing a business’s talent pool, it comes with its own pitfalls, and making a wrong hire can have severe consequences for an organization. Companies need this new blood to continue providing top quality services and products for their clients. But how does a company ensure that it lands the best talent to fit its existing ideals?

These 13 experts from Forbes Human Resources Council share their best tips to help a business narrow down the potential rising talent pool into the best fit for the company.

1. Lead With Culture

Today’s grads have choices and care about more than just titles and salaries. As an employer, it’s important to lead with culture and promote the work climate. What’s a typical day like? Do colleagues spend time with each other outside of work? Is a healthy work-life balance encouraged? Grads want a safe place to land after college and that means loving their job and wanting to come into work! – Polina Wilson, Unruly ®

2. Follow The Metrics

That means study your effectiveness. Recruit at schools that produce not only the type of candidates you want, but also where people have been successful and have remained within your organization. Target schools that you can realistically recruit from and be aware of where your competition is targeting, as well. Gen Z is better educated than any in history, but they have choices. – Russell Klosk, Accenture

3. Hire For Soft Skills

Hire for soft skills and train on the hard skills. Providing your employees with development and growth opportunities is not just a selling point for new grads, it also increases overall employee retention. It’s a win-win. – Jenna Hinrichsen, Advanced RPO

4. Establish Value-Add Relationships

Establish value-add relationships with the schools you’re targeting top grad talent from. Create opportunities for your leader, SMEs, etc. to volunteer their time toward value-add offerings such as complimentary job-search / career -planning sessions that can be held throughout the school years and/or at their career fairs. This will build trust and brand equity for your employer brand. – Bryan Passman, Hunter + Esquire

5. Showcase Your Top Talent Stories

Create short video bites of why your top talent loves working for your company. Showcase how internships have fostered full-time careers which in turn are fueled by continuous learning opportunities. Recent graduates offer myriad accomplishments. Assess new hires on top three grad accomplishments that jive with your company’s values. Use career stories to whet and net the right talent. – Jay Polaki, HR Geckos

6. Strengthen Your Internship Program

Internships are well known for fostering robust talent pipelines regardless of type, location or industry, but that’s not all. These programs also offer candidates hands-on opportunities to work in their desired field before committing. This allows both candidates and employers to “try before you buy,” which can reduce long-term operational and financial impacts related to vacancies or turnover. – Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, BMC Software

7. Look For Signs Of Excellence

Recent graduates don’t always have the opportunity to attain experience in a professional setting. When hiring , look for signs of excellence in at least one discipline, which is usually academic success in their chosen areas of study. Alternatively, look to athletic accomplishments or any other indication of putting in sustained effort and achieving results. – Rachel Lyubovitzky, EverythingBenefits

8. Consider Work Experience While In School

There is a tremendous value that new employees gain from their first work experience, whether a part-time role, summer internship, or a job unrelated to their field of study. While many may be new to the 9-to-5 career , students who have financially supported themselves through their schooling have already stress-tested their ability to overcome challenges and succeed. – Erald Minga, Kellogg School of Management

9. Look For These Willing To Learn On The Job

When considering recent grads, companies should prioritize candidates who have taken it upon themselves to research the role and have demonstrated an eagerness to learn on the job. Look for honesty and transparency in the hiring process — they may not have experience in a specific area, but they should be open about it and confident they can learn what they need to in order to succeed. – Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.

10. Offer Training And Promotion Opportunities

New grads have spent the last year or two anxiously awaiting the day they will join the workforce. Though they’ll be starting from square one, they’re looking for more than just a cubicle and a paycheck. Employers hoping to attract recent grads must be able to show what training opportunities are available to them, how these can lead to future promotions and how their work can impact the company. – John Feldmann, Insperity

11. Start Sooner Than Graduation

Top talent can be seen early in the college career . Companies need to be open to internships starting in a student’s second year, then bring them back for summers following. Don’t be afraid to offer a job for an entry-level role at the end of their last internship with you. Many companies do this and it gets them the talent they want early and creates an invested new employee. – Kelly Loudermilk, BuildHR, Inc.

12. Consider Personality, Too

Look at behavioral fit with the organization as much as current skills. Skill needs will continue to fluctuate; however, personality traits tend not to change at the same pace, if at all. So ensuring a good behavioral fit will enable better two-way engagement, a swifter start and will likely ensure a greater tenure. – Paul Phillips, Avanade

13. Check Out Technical Bootcamps

Another great place to find new talent is from technical bootcamps. These programs are usually looking for mentors and teachers, so create a volunteer program for your team. Your employees will be ambassadors for your organization, get management experience and get to personally know the students. These grads will then be familiar and excited about your company and anxious to apply to open roles! – Jessica Adams, Brad’s Deals

Article Provided By: Forbes

The Part Of The Job Search No One Talks About

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 18:38:39 GMT

When getting ready for a job search , most prepare by updating their resume, scanning the job boards and considering which accomplishments to share during the interview. If you’re more nuanced, you might also consider who you’ll call to be references and if your navy suit in the back of your closet still fits. But few, if any, job seekers prepare for the emotional journey of the job search . This is a very real part of the process and it can have a significant impact on your outcome. It’s very easy to sense a candidate’s defeat, frustration, and anxiety in the interview through subtle non-verbal cues, and unfortunately, many interviewers will interpret these as red flags (perhaps you’re hiding something?).

Chances are that’s not the case, but many assumptions go unchecked during the interview (very few hiring managers are adequately trained on this important skill), so you don’t want to leave it up to chance that you’ll be able to completely regulate your emotions during the hiring process. Even excitement can come across as desperation in certain contexts, so if you’ve not yet thought about how you’ll prepare for the emotional side of the hiring process, here’s your chance:

Know the data . In the best of times, a job search is a complete emotional roller coaster of high highs and low lows (even if you’re choosing to make a switch). If you’ve been forced to make a job change for any reason, it’s even more stressful. Layer on top of that an employer-favored job market, and it may seem more prudent to hire a therapist rather than a career coach to help with the journey.

While the stress is very real, you have some control over keeping it in check, the easiest strategy of which is being ready for the roller coaster. For example, when you know that an average application to interview ratio is about 20%, you’re not terribly disappointed when your phone isn’t ringing off of the hook. Or when you accept that the odds of landing the job when called back for a second interview are about 25% – 50%, you won’t feel crushed when the offer doesn’t pan out. It’s not about being pessimistic, but rather realistic based on job seeker data. On average, 250 applications are received for any advertised job, 4 -6 applicants secure an interview and one is hired. Recognizing the odds allows you to have a more balanced view, which means logic can temper emotions during the search process.

If you get more hits than the average job seeker , fantastic. In fact you can significantly tilt the odds in your favor by engaging your network (see below). But rejection is married to the job search process (just like error is married to trial), so anticipate it, and don’t take it personally.

Check your expectations . Emotional waves are a part of any change process, but we have some control over the level of swing, which is usually influenced by expectations. Expectations drive those waves to be much bigger since they cause you to become emotionally-invested in an outcome (e.g., if you deem a certain role to be “the one” in your mind, but it fizzles out, then you’re crushed).

Approach each conversation with curiosity and interest, but avoid visualizing yourself in the corner office, making the commute or earning the higher paycheck too early in the process because this increases the emotional investment. If you find yourself ruminating about a role, jot down the pros and cons, which can help you to see the opportunity from a more balanced view instead of a glamorized one, which can ultimately mitigate the massive ups and downs.

This can also help you avoid a potentially poor decision. Emotions are very powerful and can override our logic when making choices (anyone who has dated can attest!), so if you invest in an opportunity too early, you may miss (or dismiss) red flags.

Take responsibility (but only for your part) . The hiring process is broken. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) weed out up to 75% of applicants before they even reach human eyes, sometimes based on irrelevant things like how a resume is formatted. That said, if your primary strategy for the job search is applying online, you have some work to do. Networking has been shown to be the top strategy in uncovering new opportunities, and the only strategy to gain access to roles that are never published (which account for many more than you might think). In fact, 53% of candidates referred by a current employee landed the job and that number spiked to 91% when the person referring was at a Director level or above.

Another challenge beyond your control is that hiring managers often aren’t trained to interview and are subject to their own emotional biases when making decisions. Since interviewing and selecting applicants is likely a peripheral duty they engage in a few times a year, most hiring managers don’t get adequate guidance on how to identify their own unconscious bias, why it’s important to ask valid questions that relate to performance measures or how to dig into responses to check assumptions. This means that if you want a fair shot at landing the offer, it’s 100% your responsibility to show up to the interview ready to leave the information on the table that identifies your most relevant qualifications, regardless of the questions you’re asked.

Identify your triggers . And then, neutralize them. If a certain question throws you every time it comes up, this is an area that may need more attention. Developing a succinct, neutral response that is genuine and logical is a great first step. Rehearse it until you notice the feeling drain from the words, but be careful not to sound like a robot since an overly rehearsed response will sound canned and lead to probing follow up questions. Also, don’t forget to address the underlying issue of the trigger. If you’re angry about getting laid off, have a conversation with an objective friend, journal about your feelings or identify silver linings that help you move beyond the pain. Unaddressed emotions have a way of popping into the open at inopportune times, so simply masking them isn’t enough.

If your hot button tends to be the rising anxiety you feel when waiting on a response from the company, develop ways to mitigate this. A helpful strategy is having many balls in the air so that you’re so busy juggling applications, interviews, networking meetings and follow ups that you’re too busy to wait by the phone. Another strategy is clarifying “recruiter speak” so you both have the same interpretation. Hiring moves at a glacial pace, so “we’ll be in touch soon” may mean by the end of the week to you, but by the end of the month to the company. Instead of guessing, at the end of the interview when you’re told “We’ll let you know about next steps”, simply respond, “That’s great – I’m excited about moving forward and will check in at the end of next week if I haven’t heard.”

Practice being objective. Humans love to categorize and make meaning from experiences, often organizing them unconsciously as either good or bad, or some other label. These labels often elicit associated emotions (e.g., good = happy) and our brain continues to apply meaning to support these beliefs (e.g., this is a good job that would make me happy). While these strategies are often helpful in making us more efficient in daily tasks, they can get in the way of objectively viewing a situation. So, do your best to notice these categorizations so you can stop jumping to black and white conclusions, which can lead to emotional investment. Most things in life (including jobs ) have many shades of gray. It can lead to deeper curiosity (which can lead to useful data) when you suspend judgment as you learn more about the role, company and your potential new colleagues. And, it’s often the stories we tell ourselves that lead to the emotional responses we experience, so be careful with the narratives you whip up.

Get support . Sometimes we need more assistance than our friends or family, or even a career coach can offer. Humans are complex, the job search is anxiety-inducing, and life rarely tosses us one challenge at a time. If you have additional life issues complicating your job search or have experienced a particularly traumatic transition, you may decide that engaging with a therapist will help you to manage these challenges.

Emotions won’t stand to be ignored, so if you’ve been suppressing them, you may notice they’re seeping out in other ways including physical symptoms (e.g., sleep difficulties, digestive issues or headaches), relationship difficulties (e.g., increased irritability or arguments) or mental struggles (e.g., concentration or memory lapses). Your feelings will wait patiently for you, so while landing a new job is important, it may be prudent to put the search on hold for a short time to allow yourself some needed TLC.

Embarking on a job search can be exciting. It’s energizing to envision yourself in a new role that taps into your strengths and supports your values. And just like any major change in life, there will be several complex steps on the path before you reach the destination. The more prepared you are for the various twists and turns, the more likely you are to be successful, and maybe even enjoy the journey.

Happy hunting!

Article Provided By: Forbes

Soft skills to help your career hit the big time

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:26:30 GMT

You’ve got a reputation for being the best coder/editor/mechanic/whatever, but it amounts to little if you don’t work well with others. Some of the most important professional skills for workers and employers alike simply can’t be taught in a classroom or measured on paper. These traits are called soft skills and they’re more crucial to your job search and overall career than you think.

What are soft skills?

Unlike hard skills, which can be proven and measured, soft skills are intangible and difficult to quantify. Some examples of soft skills include analytical thinking, verbal and written communication, and leadership.

Research from the Society for Human Resource Management found that technical abilities like reading comprehension and mathematics aren’t prized as much as soft skills, meaning you have to bring more to the table than, say, great sales numbers, coding languages, or test scores.

One reason soft skills are so revered is that they help facilitate human connections. “Soft skills are key to building relationships, gaining visibility, and creating more opportunities for advancement,” says Kathy Robinson, founder of Boston career -coaching firm TurningPoint.

Basically, you can be the best at what you do, but if your soft skills aren’t cutting it, you’re limiting your chances of career success. Read on to learn which soft skills are critical to have firmly under your belt and what steps you can take to acquire them.

Soft skills for your career

1. Communication

Why you need it: Both written and verbal communication skills are of utmost importance in the workplace because they set the tone for how people perceive you. They also improve your chances of building relationships with co-workers. Communication skills boost your performance because they help you to extract clear expectations from your manager so that you can deliver excellent work.

Why employers look for it: Workers are more productive when they know how to communicate with their peers, says Robinson. If you can clearly express the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a project, you’ll be a hot ticket.

How to gain it: One way to hone your communication and presentation skills is to join Toastmasters, a national organization that offers public speaking workshops.

2. Teamwork

Why you need it: A company’s success is rarely dependent on one person doing something all by him/herself. Success is the result of many people working toward a common goal. When employees can synthesize their varied talents, everyone wins. (Bonus: Having friends at work can also boost your job satisfaction, a Gallup poll found.)

Why employers look for it: Employers look to team players to help build a friendly office culture, which helps retain employees and, in turn attracts top talent. Furthermore, being able to collaborate well with your co-workers strengthens the quality of your work.

How to gain it: To generate goodwill, lend a hand when you see a co-worker in need. (“Hey, I know you have a ton on your plate. How can I help?”) Another way to build rapport is to cover for a colleague while she’s on vacation, says business etiquette and career coach Karen Litzinger.

3. Adaptability

Why you need it: Soft skills help you manage reality. And the reality is, things don’t always go as planned. Instead of digging in your heels, you need to be able to pivot and find alternate solutions. “Successful leaders are the ones who know how to be flexible when problems arise,” says Robinson.

Why employers look for it: “The speed of change in any given workplace is so rapid,” says Joel Garfinkle, executive coach and author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level . Consequently, employers need workers who can adapt to industry shifts and keep the company current.

How to gain it: Push yourself to be an early adopter of change. “For example, adapting to technology without mourning what used to be true yesterday is crucial for people to be seen as someone who is capable of meeting new challenges,” says Garfinkle. Inquire about training sessions and offer to teach your co-workers what you learn.

4. Problem solving

Why you need it: When something goes wrong, you can either complain or take action. Tip: It’s the latter that will get you noticed. Knowing how to think on your feet can make you indispensable to an employer.

Why employers look for it: Nothing is a given. Companies rely on problem solvers—a.k.a. their top performers—to navigate unexpected challenges.

How to gain it: “Always approach your boss with a solution, not a problem,” says Robinson. So when an issue crops up, sit down and think through how you’re going to address it before bringing it to your boss’ attention.

5. Critical observation

Why you need it: Data doesn’t mean much if you don’t know how to interpret it. Is there a pattern emerging? What else should you be looking for? Being a critical observer can help make you a better worker all around.

Why employers look for it: Companies need critical thinkers—people who bring a fresh perspective and offer intuitive solutions and ideas to help the company get a leg up on the competition or improve internal processes.

How to gain it: To be a critical observer, you need to be able to analyze information and put it to use. One tactic is to try to identify patterns of behavior at work. For example, does your boss actually read the weekly sales reports? What was her reaction to bad news in the staff meeting? What’s the best time of day to approach your manager with a question? By observing how people respond to the constant flow of information you can better understand the critical aspects of improving business operations.

6. Conflict resolution

Why you need it: “Any time you put more than one person into an organization, there is going to be conflict,” says Robinson. “It’s human nature.” Therefore, being able to resolve issues with co-workers will help you maintain relationships with peers and work more effectively.

Why employers want it: Being able to constructively work through disagreements with people is a sure indicator of maturity—as well as leadership potential. Someone like this helps to promote a healthy, collaborative workplace.

How to gain it: The best way to resolve disagreements between co-workers is to address issues directly but delicately. So, when stepping in as a mediator, let both parties air their grievances in a judgment-free environment and then work together to find a solution.

7. Leadership

Why you need it: Having confidence and a clear vision can help influence your co-workers and get them on board with your ideas now and in the future. Displaying such leadership skills helps you gain visibility within an organization, which can lead to more opportunities for promotions or salary bumps.

Why employers want it: Bosses and managers are always looking for employees with leadership potential because those workers will one day be taking over the reins and building on the company’s legacy.

How to gain it: Being a leader isn’t merely about getting people to do what you want. Leadership means inspiring and helping others reach their full potential. One way to do that is to become the internship supervisor, which gives you the opportunity to manage people, learn how to motivate a team, and take on more responsibility.

Article Provided By: Monster

Is it time to pivot to a Plan B job?

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 20:14:17 GMT

You had it all planned. You figured out the right career path for you and made a long list of target companies to work for and ideal roles. You applied to dozens of jobs but heard nothing. You got a template “thank you, next” response despite having carefully customized your resume and cover letter; or maybe you even had a few phone or video job interviews but haven’t landed an offer yet.

You’re not alone. It’s normal for the job search process to take time, but for some people, it’s taking longer now because many companies have implemented hiring freezes or furloughs because of the pandemic. It’s likely that there will be more job opportunities as the country reopens, but in order to land the awesome new gig you might have to consider a different type of role or even a different industry. In other words, you might have to pivot to a Plan B job without ever really embarking on Plan A.

It can be disheartening when things don’t go the way you wanted, but you might find that pivoting in a new direction can open doors, expand your network, and offer you the skills that will help you find the right role after all. And in the meantime, you get a paycheck! So what do you do if you’ve plotted out Plan A, but to quote Phoebe Buffay from “Friends,” “I don’t even have a pla” when it comes to Plan B? Here are some tips.

Define your ideal job

Write down the qualities of your ideal job, such as company culture, compensation, work-life balance, and stress level. Don’t limit yourself to a particular title or company—think about what would make you happy. If it’s working with a large team, put that down. If it’s flexible hours, write that.

Now write down your top skills and strengths. Include hard skills like writing, math, editing, and anything else that is a teachable and measurable skill. Next, write down soft skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and other skills that are more intangible but are key to getting ahead in your career .

You could be good at anything if you try hard enough, but you’re likely to be happier and more successful if you find a role that requires more of your strengths than your weaknesses and a company that has the qualities you’re looking for.

Identify Plan A versus Plan B jobs

As you’re reading job postings, look for roles that will give you the skills and experience that you’ll need to land that Plan A job. For example, if you want to become a journalist but you can’t find the right gig, you would gain transferable skills and experience by working in public relations, content marketing, or advertising. Expand your search and set up job alerts for different positions to learn more about the responsibilities and requirements for each. At this point, you may find yourself spending a majority of your time applying to roles that fit Plan B, but continue to apply to jobs that fit Plan A. Read the postings for Plan A jobs that range from entry-level to exec so you can see the most common qualifications and experience that is required for your ideal career path. Then see if you can gain some of that experience in your Plan B jobs .

Be proactive and start gaining the skills and experiences you’ll need now. Read industry publications and take online courses and certification programs. If you have a passion project you’ve always wanted to pursue, start. It could make you more marketable when you apply to jobs or, if you start earning income, it could become your full-time role.

Expand your professional network

When it comes to job searching it’s both what you know and who you know. You might learn about a type of role you hadn’t considered, a company to check out, or simply gain insights into the industry that has become your Plan B through friends, family, professors, or former co-workers. Be sure to tell them about the industries and roles you’re seeking—both Plan A and Plan B to cover your bases. Ask if they have any advice, recommendations of companies to consider, or if they can connect you to someone at your target companies or people in the industry.

Expand your network further by making those recommended connections online and looking for new people through organizations such as your college alumni group. Ask everyone you speak with if they could recommend one or two other people you need to know and if they’ll make an intro.

Go on virtual informational interviews

The goal of an informational interview isn’t to get a job, it’s to meet with people in your new ideal industry who can offer valuable insights into their role, company, and industry. When you reach out to people, ask if they have time for a 15-minute call or video chat. Don’t be discouraged if they can’t accommodate you right away. Acknowledge that you know that these are difficult times and offer to follow up in a few weeks if they don’t have the bandwidth now.

Make the most of each informational interview by researching the person and the company so you ask questions that you couldn’t find through a quick Google search. , and always send a thank you email afterward. Since the purpose of an informational interview is to gather insights and information, write down questions in advance so you don’t forget to ask them. Smart questions about your interviewer and their company will demonstrate that you did your research and were prepared. And remember that although it isn’t a job interview, it could lead to one if you make a good impression by asking smart questions and speaking clearly about your experiences and goals. If you see a job opening at their company, apply and then reach out and ask if they would mind sending your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager directly.

Optimize your job search

If your number one goal right now is to earn an income, expand your job search further by looking for temp work, freelance, or part-time jobs that could lead to full-time positions.

Article Provided By: Monster

How Job Seekers Sabotage their Interview Chances

admin@devobal.com (DevObal Admin) — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 19:50:54 GMT

The job search process is unforgiving. It doesn’t matter how many things you might be doing right, it just takes one wrong move, one misunderstanding, or one poor decision to entirely sabotage your chances of getting the job.

As a job seeker , this reality can really be frightening — especially if you find yourself in a situation where you’re simply not getting interviews no matter how many job openings you apply to, and yet you don’t have a clue what you’re really doing wrong. So with that being said, here are the most common things job seekers are doing all the time that actually end up making them sabotage their chances of getting that all-important interview.

1. Standing out — but in a bad way

Standing out in a crowded field of job applicants is a smart move, but far too often the execution behind this concept ends up hurting job seekers more than it actually helps them. For instance, many job seekers try to stand out with their resumes by using fancy templates or even turning their resume into a full-fledged infographic. In the back of their minds they think, “With such a uniquely designed resume, I’ll surely get a leg up over all those other applicants with their typical uninspiring black-and-white resumes.” However, the reality is, uniquely formatting your resume just makes it harder for hiring managers to skim through your resume. Even more importantly, applicant tracking systems often can’t parse these fancy formats so your resume ends up being discarded completely.

2. Shooting yourself in the foot with an unprofessional online presence

Sometimes the reason you aren’t getting any interviews has nothing to do with what you’ve submitted in your application, but rather what job recruiters are finding out about you online. With how prevalent social media and internet culture has become, employers scour the online presence of all their serious candidates the way law enforcement would for a criminal fugitive. Whether it’s a vulgar tweet you might have made in the past or selfie showing you getting drunk at a nightclub, any of these sorts of things can immediately zero out your hiring chances.

3. Doing it all yourself

A “do-it-yourself” mentality is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s good to be independent and put your best foot forward when the going gets tough. But on the other hand, thinking you should always do everything yourself can blind you from the reality that sometimes it’s better to seek help.

Far too often job seekers struggle for weeks just to produce a subpar resume, when they could have been far better off hiring a professional resume writer to do the work for them. Of course, finding reliable help is oftentimes tricky in and of itself, so be sure to do your due diligence when it comes to picking out a resume service or career coach who you can rely on to get the job done right.

4. Failing to address the elephant in the room

Do you have long work gaps? Alternating experience in two unrelated fields? Or perhaps you come across as a job hopper?

While you might be tempted to just hope and pray that hiring managers aren’t going to catch on to concerning aspects of your work experience, it’s oftentimes better to take the initiative in addressing these issues head-on — especially if they’re something that can’t be missed.

The fact is, recruiters are trained to be skeptical and often assume the worst when left to their own imaginations. By offering a clear explanation in your cover letter, resume objective statement or your LinkedIn profile, you might just be able to convince hiring managers to overlook any glaring issues that may otherwise plague you.

5. Being inconsistent

Inconsistency erodes trust. One of the biggest blunders job seekers make is confusing recruiters with contradictory information. If your resume says you worked at a marketing firm from 2014 to 2017 as a “content marketing manager,” your LinkedIn profile better say the exact same thing, and not contradict your resume by listing your position as simply a “content marketer” or stating that you ended your job in 2016 for example. Inconsistencies like these often lead hiring managers to assume the worst — that you’re lying and not just making a trivial mistake.

Article Provided By: Entrepreneur