Tag: management

The Future of Recruitment

They say that it takes 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to make a lifestyle.

At the beginning of March 2020, a lot of companies started social distancing and started moving to virtual meetings, and a lot of our clients offered virtual interviews to job seekers who were not comfortable with face to face meetings. It certainly was an interesting venture to embark on, and people around the world were suddenly trying to figure out how to host a meeting, what software was the most professional, and what etiquette to put in place to make the meetings and interviews as professional as possible.

By the middle of April, most companies had passed the 21 days and the habit was firmly entrenched in the business practice. More than being a way that they had to operate to merely function, virtual meetings have become a welcomed connection with colleagues, staff and clients. Many festivals and conferences have gone virtual, and the exercise industry has exploded into the virtual meetings space. In short, for most people, connecting on Zoom, Google Meet, Google Hangout, WhatsApp Video Calls, Teams, Skype or similar platforms, has become to equivalent to popping into the office next door, or catching up over a coffee to discuss an idea.

Whether or not you are going back to work in June, Social Distancing is here to stay for the rest of the year, to a greater or lesser extent, and as we leave 2020, virtual meetings will be a part of normal business.

What this means for recruitment, is that the majority of job interviews are going to be done via video interview in the future, especially as a first-round interview. Some of the advantages to virtual interviews are that employers can now look at applicants out of the area; at applicants that could not get time off work to attend an interview; they are able to record interviews easily to refer back on; they are able to conference in more that one manager to interview, and it is far more efficient on time management and productivity.

What this means to job seekers, is that if you want to position yourself ahead of other job seekers, you need to be proactive and get comfortable with virtual interviews. RESOURCE recruitment has been doing virtual interviews throughout lockdown, assisting and coaching job seekers on this new platform, and the response has been unanimously positive and motivating for job seekers.

In January 2020, if you had tried to fax your CV or look in the Sunday newspaper for a job, you would not have been highly effective in securing interviews and employment. That is how things were done 20 years ago. It is time to evolve and embrace the new technology. Create a professional online presence on platforms such as LinkedIn, load your CV onto job portals, and get comfortable with virtual interviews. You will be pleasantly surprised at how this new change in the way things are done, benefits you.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”. — John F. Kennedy.

Why use our Recruitment Agency?

We have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

RESOURCE recruitment was established in 2002, after the owner, Kirsten Glen, has been working in the industry for a number of years. RESOURCE recruitment prides itself in having an exceptionally low staff turnover, which means that our consultants have developed long term relationships with our clients, and are seasoned professionals in the industry. Our team interviews job seekers all day, every day, and consultants with our clients on their requirements and job specifications. This experience translates into being able to often detect irregularities and discrepancies in applicants CV’s and reasons for leaving jobs, and often insights into the best person to fit our client’s vacancies.

We save you time and make your recruitment efforts more efficient

There is often a misconception out there that the market is flooded with job seekers. While this may be the case to a certain extent, it does not mean that the market is flooded with good applicants with the required skills, experience and work ethic that you are looking for. With the volume of job seekers that we interview, and have interviewed over virtual interviews throughout lockdown, we have an extensive database of job seekers that have been reference checked and screened, saving you time and getting you straight to the interview stage! We pride ourselves on always striving to get you CV’s within 24 hours of receiving your applicant requirements.

We thoroughly background check all our applicants.

Having been in the industry for over 20 years, it still amazes me that recruitment agencies still market CV’s to their clients, without having interviewed the job seekers. In a world inundated with fraud, it is essential to do extensive background checks- telephonically with previous employers, ITC and criminal checks, as well as ID, drivers and qualification checks where needed. If you are wanting a mentally healthy employee, and one who hold the morals and values of your company heart, and will fit into the team, it also means checking their social media footprint and obtaining a clear character assessment. We also offer psychometric tests, if this is something that you value.

We are flexible

RESOURCE recruitment has been operating for almost 20 years, but we are still a small, personal business at heart. This means that we cut the red tape, and meet our clients in the recruitment process, where they need us. We are constantly innovating and adapting to the constantly changing marketplace; researching new jobs and industries, advertising on new platforms and trying new assessments and recruitment methods. We also have a variety of flexible fee options, including our “Employ Now, Pay Later Option” (DM us for more details)

We are leaders in e-recruitment

We are aware that you need to be on every platform possible, to attract the best applicants for your job, so we have worked extensively over the past decade to build a huge following on Facebook (over 20 000 followers), LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram; in addition to our bulk mailer of over 35 000 active job seekers and a WhatsApp Broadcast list of 10 000, in addition to the traditional job portals that all employment agencies use. We do not know of another local employment agency that comes close to competing with our e- footprint, which means when you let us submit CV’s for your vacancy, we submit different applicants, from a fresh new source.

We are passionate about what we do!

Words cannot portray exactly how much we love our jobs and what we do. We are passionate about helping both clients and job seekers and are very aware that we have the ability to change the lives of both, and take the whole process incredible personally. We see ourselves as being partners in our client’s businesses and the careers of our candidates. We are so excited about showing you what we can do!

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Let’s Chat

The world is changing and so is the way we do business. 2020 has seen businesses globally, from big to small, being given the “virtual shove” into changing the way that they do things- working remotely and communicating electronically.

Since the day I opened RESOURCE recruitment almost 20 years ago, we have prided ourselves on being leaders in e- recruitment. With a Facebook Following of over 20 000 job seekers, almost 10 000 connections on LinkedIn and a Bulk Mailer of 35000 active job seekers (in addition to the regular online portals most employment agencies use), we have a very big digital footprint. All that being said, I have always been adamant (and still am) that we need to maintain the human connection and personally meet our clients and candidates, get to know their businesses and them as people, and not be tempted into communicating exclusively electronically.

But, 2020 has had different ideas for me, and I am being forced to grow and evolve and embrace video meetings like Skype and WhatsApp Video Calls.

Here are some tips that I have researched that will help you prepare and ace your next video job interview!

Dress to impress
It is so tempting to not dress up for your interview, if you are sitting at home in casual wear. There are two reasons why you should dress to impress. The most important is the way that it makes you feel when you power dress in a smart outfit, versus the t-shirt you were going to wear. The second is that research shows that on video job interviews, the details are amplified. The person on the other side of the camera is more likely to notice your makeup, earrings and nail polish; than a person would face to face. I have also read that shades of blue, black and white are the best colours to wear, because red, orange, yellow does not always appear good to other screens.

Avoid interruptions

Most important- PICK A QUIET SPOT WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS. Tell people that you are having a video meeting and that you cannot be interrupted. If you can, lock the door so that no one walks in mid-meeting. Personally, when I have tried to have a conversation with someone and there is a child screaming, or what feels like a party going on in their background, and I am battling to hear them, I get irritated at the lack of respect and professionalism that they are showing. I can also only imagine how distracted they are feeling.

Prepare your surroundings
In a traditional interview, you are going to a company, or inviting them into your meeting room. But on video interviews, you may be inviting them into your home. Make sure that your backdrop is neat, uncluttered and does not reveal too much about you personally. Be authentic. I once had someone send me a video interview with some motivational books strategically placed on their desk to impress. When I asked about their opinions on them, it was clear they had never even read them!

Close other programs on your computer.
Getting notifications during your interview is distracting and unprofessional. Before your interview, make sure all other windows on your computer are closed (especially if they make a noise).

Look at the camera, not the screen.
It is very tempting to watch yourself or your interviewer during a video session but looking directly at the video camera is the only way to maintain direct eye contact with your interviewer.

Use notes, but not too many
Don’t be afraid to help yourself with post-it notes or a copy of your resume handy when you interview. A benefit of having a video interview is that you can have a cheat sheet in front of you so that you don’t have to memorize everything and can keep your focus. However, avoid having scripts written out and being so concerned about the notes that you disrupt the flow and human connection of the interview by awkward pauses and papers flapping.

Keep your profile professional.
Unlike face-to-face interviews where your first impression is made by arriving well-presented and smiling as you shake someone’s hand, when you do a video interview it is different. The first impression is your profile, your username and your picture and before the call even clicks through you have made an impression. If your profile is not professional- create a new one.

Watch your body language.
Sit up straight, but keep your shoulders relaxed. Chose a desk chair over a comfy couch. Try not to fuss with your hair or fiddle with things on your desk.

Practise makes perfect.
The job interview itself or meeting is not the time to test the audio settings and internet connection and if your Skype is working. Do that beforehand. Video call some friends and ask them how you look, what the background looks like, and how they can hear you. Get comfortable with seeing yourself as you talk to someone, and not getting distracted by that image, while you make a connection.

Stay connected and engaged
It’s easy to lose the connection with the person on the other side of the screen when you are talking too much, or not to notice when their interest has been lost. Try have a two-sided conversation, rather than launch into long speeches.

This is new to us too, so we would love to hear any hint, tips and hacks you may have for video interviews or any experiences that you would like to share.

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Interview Nerves: The Psychology behind it and how best to harness it.

Although not always a comfortable experience, being nervous can be a good thing and if used correctly – even productive. Nervousness, unlike anxiety (which is something very different), is a common emotion that occurs very naturally in the body when your normal state or system is ‘threatened’. This can occur in situations that challenge your comfort zones such as a job interview or giving a speech. The fear that accompanies these situations is biologically designed to actually assist you more than it is to hinder you and links back to your fight or flight response. When you feel nervous your brain does an incredible thing of preparing your body for a response to the adverse stimulus by triggering a sequence of events that ultimately leads to the production of adrenaline. So how exactly would you utilise this response so that it works to your advantage?

Think of yourself as excited, rather than nervous.

So often we think the best way to handle being nervous is to try and calm ourselves down but studies show that this isn’t actually the most effective way of handling those situations. Instead, get yourself excited! If you think about it, it makes sense: the emotional charge being used for nervousness is the same that is being used for excitement. In these moments you already have your endorphins going and heart racing, so it’s harder to get yourself to calm down than it is to turn those nerves into excitement by channelling it in a different way. By seeing the task as an opportunity rather than a threat you trick your brain into responding in a more productive manner.

Develop a ritual

Think about a professional golf player – do you notice the small rituals they are performing before they hit the ball? These small acts form a part of a valuable function of neutralizing nervousness. Before an interview, a ritual for you might be to straighten your jacket or put your hands on your lap and straighten your posture. See these as acts that focus your concentration on the task at hand and counter your mind that is racing and overthinking.

“Fake it till you make it.”

You might have heard this one already, but there is actually a lot to be said for tricking your brain into thinking positively and expecting the best outcome. Even the smallest cues you give yourself, such as smiling, and nodding can have a massive effect. By creating an affirmation and telling yourself “you’ve got this” your physiology will follow suit.

When you think about all the good things that have occurred in your life you will notice that nerves have been present for them. Starting a new job, your wedding day, meeting a new person, becoming a parent, your graduation- the list goes on. Nerves will always form a part of your life, but it doesn’t always need to be in a negative way. If you learn to become comfortable with being uncomfortable nerves can be your biggest tool in pushing your boundaries and reaching your goals.

Article by Chrissi Preuss, Psychology (Hons.) – November 2019

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CV Fraud Punishable by Law

In August 2019 an Amendment to the National Qualifications Framework Act was gazetted, which will have a direct impact on job seekers and employers. Among other things, the act makes direct mention of job applicants and employees misrepresenting themselves on their CV’s and job applications, and such misrepresentation may be punishable by fine and/ or imprisonment.

Below is a summary of what the amendment says with regards to this. If you would like a copy of the amendment, please feel free to email us or visit the department of labours website (www.labour.gov.za)

A person will be deemed guilty of an offense if:-

A person makes or causes to be made a false entry in the national learners’ records database; is a party to the falsification of; or with a fraudulent purpose, knowingly provided false or misleading.
A person or training provider is guilty of an offence if they claim to be offering a qualification or part qualification registered on the NQF whereas that qualification or part qualification is not so registered.
A person is guilty of an offence, if they falsely or fraudulently claims to be holding a qualification or part-qualification registered on the NQF or awarded by an education institution or obtained from a lawfully recognised foreign institution.
Any person or training institution is guilty of an offence if it falsely claims to be registered and accredited as an education institution.

If a person or training institution is convicted of any offence under this Act, the court that imposes the sentence shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the offence was—

committed with the intent to gain financially, or to receive any favour, benefit, reward, compensation or any other advantage; or
gained financially, or received any favour, benefit, reward, compensation or any other advantage.

Any person convicted of an offence in terms of this Act, is liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years, or to both fine and such imprisonment.

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START TODAY

Looking for a job can be overwhelming, especially when you have been forced into the job market. There are so many things that you can do, yet it seems impossible to get started.

When you are trying to accomplish any goal, it is important that you have a map. You need to know where you are, where you are going, and what “landmarks” you need to pass to get there.

If you don’t know where you are, how can you start?

If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you have arrived?

And, breaking the job seeking- journey into smaller goals, or “landmarks” makes the whole journey a lot less overwhelming.

Start with where you are at?

The first thing that you need to do, is to draw up a CV. You need to make a list of all the things that have gotten you to this point. I will address this in more detail in the next newsletter, because the topic is big enough for its own newsletter, but start by downloading the free template off our website, or using one of the templates in either www.canva.com or MS Office. Don’t think about it, or you will get overwhelmed! Just download the template and start data capturing. You will find it is a lot easier than you thought. Put as much detail as possible and make it as detailed as possible. You can edit it later, but for now, just let your mind run wild! We have a saying in recruitment- if its not on your CV, you never did it! (Read the next newsletter on how to prepare a CV, and edit the information before sending off this version).

Where are you going?

Job seekers are under the impression that they need to have it all figured out. They need to know the title and the job description of the job they are wanting…. And no one ever does… so they suddenly get stuck. Let go of the unrealistic notion that you will know what you dream job is called, or even what it is. I have been in recruitment for 20 years, and every day I get a new job across my desk that I did not know existed. The marketplace is changing faster now than it ever has, and looking for a specific job or job title, is limiting.

That said, you still need to know where you are going. You need to know who you are and want you are good at. Ask yourself the following questions:-

What duties did I love about my last job? Or, if someone phoned your previous boss or work colleagues, what would they say your greatest strengths were? (These will be your strengths and what you want more of in your next job).
What duties did I hate about my last job? Or, if you could have given one part of your last job to someone else to do, what would it have been? (These will be your weaknesses, and things you want to avoid.)
Which company that you have worked for was your favourite, and why? (This is the type of company you want to work for.)
Which was the best and worst manager that you have worked for? (This is the kind of management style you enjoy).

When you combine all the skills and experience that you brain stormed and put on your CV, and add it to the answers of these questions, you have your destination.

Easy.

You don’t need to know the title, but you do need to know what it looks like. You need to be able to do to an interview, and say, “I am open to all possible positions that match my skills and experience, but I have found that I have always been really good at ….., and don’t really enjoy….. Put me in a company where I have a mentor/ can work independently, and I will excel.”

The Landmarks

These are the next things that you need to do:-

Draw up a comprehensive CV (NOT two pages), and possibly more than one version of it depending on the job you are applying for. (see CV Newsletter)
Set the privacy settings on your social media accounts, especially Facebook, and update your LinkedIn profile. (This is important- future employers WILL cyber-stalk you!)
Upload your CV onto as many job portals as possible. The more people who have your CV, the quicker you will find a job. Job portals are the fastest way to get your CV out there. The main job portals in KZN are pnet.co.za; www.careers24.co.za; www.careerjunction.co.za www.executiveplacements.co.za; www.jobmail.co.za Complete these application forms in full and in detail! (See the newsletter on online portals to find out why).
Brainstorm a list of companies that may benefit from your skills, visit their websites and send them your CV. A lot of companies also have a “careers” section on their website, where they advertise positions.
Use social media. Whether you like social media or not, this takes discipline. Set yourself a goal to spend a set amount of time specifically looking for a job- not getting sucked into all the other stuff happening out there! Facebook has fantastic groups dedicated to job seeking that you can join; and employment agencies have pages where they advertise jobs. On Instagram you can follow hashtags, companies and recruitment agencies. On LinkedIn you can network and you will be surprised that people will start connecting with you as soon as you get active. If you are confident enough, you can even “advertise” that you are looking for a job on these platforms. There are also a number of Whatsapp Groups that broadcast job vacancies (you can join RESOURCE recruitments group by messaging your name to 063 716 7062), and websites like Gumtree that have pages of vacancies.
Activity breeds activity. Few people find a job the day they put their CV online, or even in the first few weeks. This is a process, which is why you need to start TODAY. You will have plenty of opportunity to go back and edit and add to your CV, update your profiles on your portals, and each interview you attend you will learn more about the kind of job you are looking for. But start TODAY. And then once you are out there, set yourself weekly goals of how much time you will spend online and updating your CV, how many CV’s you will send out and how many phone calls you will make. Do it yourself- don’t let family members do it do it for you.
Get out there. The final step in looking for a job, is to know when you have done enough for the day. You need to actively look for a job each day or week; you need to check your emails daily and jump at the opportunity for an interview. But, you also need to have a balanced life and not get overwhelmed by the job seeking process. Volunteer for an organization. Work for free for a friend’s company to gain a different type of experience. Take on temp assignments. Join social groups like Park Run, running, yoga and gym clubs; church courses and groups; community projects or anything else that gets you interacting with different people and keeps your mind positive. Surround yourself with people that build you up. I can pretty much guarantee that binge watching TV series will not get you a job, make you happy, or be something you can talk about at the next interview you attend.
Stay positive. The last one is the most important one, and one that takes daily work. Stay positive. People like happy people, and people employ people they like. Often anxiety and stress is disguised as procrastination. The only way to beat anxiety and stress, and keep moving forward, is to keep positive. And the best way that I personally know of to stay positive, is to write down five things a day that you are grateful for; get out and physically active (when last did you walk around the block?); and surround yourself with positive people- physically and on social media.

Don’t worry about tackling everything at one time, or getting it right the first time. Don’t worry about knowing all the answers or what you want to be. Don’t worry about how long it will take to find a job, or what will happen if you don’t. All these things are in the future, and you have no control over it. It’s a complete waste of your time and energy and leads to anxiety and depression. You do have control over today, so start today! Draw up that CV. Put your CV online. Set yourself job seeking goals (write them down and keep a track of them). Get out there and start networking and speaking with real people. Stay positive.

The National Minimum Wage Act

As of January 2019, the first ever National Minimum Wage Act came into effect, and while most employers have embraced this initiative, we thought that we would give you a summary to re-cap.

What is the rate?

The legislation stipulates a minimum national rate of R20 per hour, or R3 500 per month, depending on the number of hours worked.

The R20 an hour rate will be phased in slowly in the agriculture and domestic work sectors, with workers earning R18 and R15 per hour respectively. Employees who are on volunteer programs or learnerships are exempt from the act.

This means

DAILY MINIMUM WAGE R20 x 8 hours = R160 or R20 x 9 hours = R180

WEEKLY MINIMUM WAGE R20 x 40 hours = R800 or R20 x 45 hours = R900

MONTHLY MINIMUM WAGE R800 x 4.333 = R3 466.40 or R900 x 4.333 = R3 899.70

Employees are also entitled to be paid for a minimum of 4 hours, even if they work fewer.

Allowances that make an employee able to work such as tools; equipment; transportation and accommodation) will have these allocations included when calculating their wage; as will bonuses, incentives, tips and gifts be excluded from the minimum wage.

No employee may make deductions in excess of 25% of the employee’s remuneration.

When did it become law?

The National Minimum Wage will be applicable and enforced as from 1 January 2019

What happens if you do not pay the minimum wage of R20.00 an hour?

The minimum wage is law, so if you do not pay it, your staff can report you to the department of labour or the CCMA. Even if your staff agree to work for less, or to get paid for fewer hours than four hours, they are still legally entitled to it, as it falls under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

The Act does allow for an employer to make an application to be exempt from paying the minimum wage, for not longer than one year.

When will the Minimum Wage Increase?

The Act states that the minimum wage must be reviewed after 18 months and increases in two years. The review will specifically take into account inflation, productivity, the effect on employment and businesses ability to cope with the increase in wage expenses.

If you would like a copy of the National Minimum Wage Act, you can obtain one from the Department of Labour’s Website. (http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation/acts/national-minimum-wage/national-minimum-wage)

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LISTEN BEFORE YOU SPEAK

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

The Fifth Habit of Highly Effective Job Seekers is to stop and listen.

When you finally get that invitation to attend an interview, there is a lot at stake. Nerves start kicking in and you probably start rehearsing how the interview will go in your mind. You will probably start dreaming how things will play out when you get the job, the money, the promotion, the status. Visualization is great and positive. But then adrenaline kicks in!

I cannot tell you how many interviews I have done over the years, that have felt more like therapy sessions. The job seeker sits down, and before I have even had a chance to ask a question, they are telling me all sorts of things. As they speak, they feel like they are saying it wrong, so they talk some more. The job seekers that are in a bad employment situation, or have just left one, are particularly vulnerable for falling into this trap. The more they talk, the interview becomes about their previous boss, and not about them. All interviews (and therapy sessions) have a limited time span, and before you know it, the interview is over and I know nothing about the skills that I was really interested in, because you keep going off, talking about other stuff.

Job seekers that have also not take a few minutes to think about who they are, what they have to offer, and what they are looking for in their careers, will also be inclined to not listen to questions, and just tell me what they think I want to hear.

The job seekers that succeed at interviews, are the ones that stop and listen. They make sure that they understand the questions, and what information the interviewer is looking for. They know who they are, so they answer authentically, and they stay in the present moment, so they don’t get pulled into past employment relationships.

The jobs seekers that Seek First to Understand, make sure they know what the job is all about. They ask the right questions about what will be expected and because they have taken time to figure out what they are looking for, they don’t jump into jobs that they wont like.

The next time you go into an interview, try and be more mindful. Take a few deep breaths. Consciously stop yourself from speaking without listening first. Listen to questions and ask for clarification if you are not 100% what is being asked. Take your time to answer intelligently. When you are told what the job involves, ask questions. Not questions about what you will get out of it (salary, working hours, etc), that comes later when you are offered the job. Rather ask questions to clarify what they want to get out of it, if they employed you.

Knowledge is power, and you gain knowledge by listening, not talking.

(inspired by “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey.

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GO FOR WIN/ WIN

In life- what you give, you get. When you start looking for a job, focused only on what you are going to gain, things are guaranteed not to go well in the end. Habit Four from “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers”, is WIN/WIN.

In any interaction in life, you can aim for a number of outcomes- I “win” at all costs; you “win” and I lose; we both lose; no deal; or WIN/WIN. Naturally, the outcome that everyone wants is the last- win/ win.

There are three aspects to this that you should focus on: –

Character- yours and theirs

To start with, you need to go back to the first three habits. Are you being responsible? Do you know what you actually want, and how you are going to get there? If you don’t know what you want, how will you ever know if what you have achieved is win/win?
Both parties need to have the maturity to take a step back and look at the situation with perspective and maturity. There are two sides to every story, and if you try and empathise with where your employer is coming from, or why a future employer is skeptical, it will give you far greater advantage, then blindly going after what you want (a win for you only).
The biggest key to win/win situations, is to acknowledge ABUNDANCE MENTALITY- knowing that there are enough opportunities out there for everyone. It’s the opposite of scarcity mentality that has everyone trying to trip up the competition, hoard the resources and secretly wishing their friends and family were not so successful. Having an abundance mentality means practicing gratitude for what you have, where you are and what you have accomplished.

Relationships

Win/ win relationships start with YOU. In your current job; with the network that you will reach out to assist you in finding a job; and with future employers and colleagues- the win/ win relationships start with YOU. Even if you feel like you are the only one making an effort, in the end, it will pay off. Relationships are like a jar of sweets. Every positive thing someone does, adds to the jar, and everything negative, takes from it. Sometimes you, or the other person, takes more from the jar than they put it, but if you had already added enough sweets (good deeds) to the jar (relationship), it wont matter. You can add to this relationship or jar by doing simple things like greeting people sincerely; making a stressed colleague a cup of coffee; remembering to follow up with a client about how they are doing after an illness or big event; keeping commitments; being sincere. I always tell my staff- if you are always 15 minutes early for work- how can I be upset when you ask to come in half an hour late for work or get caught in traffic?

Win/ win relationships may not change your actual situation, but they eliminate the negative energy around you, that ultimately leads to attracting more negative situations and poisons your mindset. The biggest mistake job seekers make in interviews, is to bring the negative energy from their most recent employment into the interview. People like proactive, positive people. People promote and employ happy, positive people!

Agreements

When it comes to making agreements- be it in your current job, a counter offer; with the company you hope to work for; or with your family and friends, it is important to use the above points. Separate yourself from your position/ opinions/ wants, take a step back and look at the key issues at hand. Money is always a factor when making an employment decision, but should be the end result, not the driving force. Desperation is the biggest opinion that you need to separate yourself from, because that is purely about you winning, and the second you have the job, desperation disappears and with it the reason you made the decision. If you have followed the first three habits, you will know what you want to do and how you want to achieve it. Now you need to make sure that you are going to have the resources to do it; be clear on what competencies you will be help up against; and what outcome will be expected from you for there to be a win/ win agreement. In other words, do you have the skills, want to work in the area doing that kind of job, and can make a commitment for the salary offered?

If not, you can seek a compromise, or go for “No Deal”. But in all things, act with integrity, and seek an outcome where everyone wins.

(inspired by “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey.

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PUTTING FIRST THINGS FIRST

Habit 3: Putting First things First

In the first habit we discussed the importance of taking responsibility for your life and what happens to you. The second habit looked at leadership- accessing your right brain and creating a mental picture of what you want for your life. The third habit is about management of that vision, and making it a reality.

We often tell job seekers that looking for a job, is a job in itself.

There are four generations of time management:-

To do lists and tasks
Diaries and planners
Goal setting
Prioritizing

If you want more time to spend on the important things in life and achieving your goals, then you need to take control of your life and start scheduling in what is important. If you are not proactive and take control of your activities, your activities start controlling you, and you will spend most of your time in crisis management, and less time in planning and making your goals a reality.

Have a look at all the aspects of looking for a job:-

Creating a vision or mission statement for what kind of job you want (habit 2)
Drawing up a professional CV
Getting your CV to potential employers
Succeeding in interviews
Taking control of the feedback

Next, set at least one goal for the week ahead for each aspect that you have listed as important:-

Creating a vision or mission statement for what kind of job you want (habit 2)
1. Draw up a list of all the things you liked and disliked about your last/ current job
2. Do a behavioural profile to determine what jobs you are best suited to
Drawing up a professional CV
1. Re-type your old, hard copy CV in a document that is easy to edit and update
2. Get a professional photo to put on your CV
Getting your CV to potential employers
1. Send your CV to three employment agencies
2. Load your CV onto one job portal
Succeeding in interviews
1. Research three commonly asked interview questions, and write down answers
Taking control of the feedback process.
1. Follow up with two companies that you have sent your CV to

Finally, schedule the goals that you have set for yourself into the week ahead. Make them a priority. When you are offered a less important way to spend your time, act with integrity towards yourself, and honour your commitment to yourself.

Make sure to schedule some time in your week to uplift yourself and work on yourself. People get too wrapped up in achieving goals and ticking items off their to- do list, that they forget that it is important to spend time on yourself and your spirit.

You can apply the above method to any role that you play in your life. If you are a parent, and it is important to spend quality time with your children, schedule to read them a bedtime story, and make it a priority. If you want to get healthier, schedule to take a walk twice this week at lunch time and make it a priority. Honour your word to yourself.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

(inspired by “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey.

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