CATEGORY: | Career Hacks |
Whether you're stepping into the job market as a recent graduate or transitioning careers midway, securing the ideal job requires a robust strategy coupled with effective tools. To help you succeed, here are some resources that can kick-start your journey towards finding the perfect role. Business Cards Business cards, digital or physical, can help you connect with your network or find a lead person who can recommend you for a job. Such business cards should contain your name, expertise and contacts (phone, mobile and email). You can have someone make a business card for you or better you can make your own. With specialized business card design tools, as well as comprehensive productivity applications that offer same feature at your disposal, you can effortlessly create professional business cards tailored to your unique brand identity. Google Sheet Monitor your job applications, interviews, and progress effectively by utilizing a well-structured spreadsheet. Google Sheets serves as an invaluable tool for maintaining a real-time, cloud-based tracker, eliminating the need for constant document opening, closing, and saving. You can effortlessly log essential information such as the date, company name, and application status. It can further aid job seekers by allowing the easy sharing of your tracker with career counselors or mentors, facilitating comments and feedback for improvement Job Board Job board refers to a specialized site for displaying and storing job advertisements. Here you can view the job title, expiration date, skills and experiences required, salary, location and company name. The site also includes a search filter to narrow down your search. You can sign-up, build your profile or upload your resume. One of the simple and easy to use job boards are Oh! Jobs.ph and Oh! Jobs.jp. Mock Interview preparation programs These apps can help you practice a mock or trial interview as you would in an actual interview. Mock interviews boost your confidence and prepare for the real thing. interview warmup Mockrabbit Pramp Map Apps If you’re new or unfamiliar with the place of the company’s office and interview site, chances are you’ll need a reliable map. Some of the best map apps include: Google Map Waze Here We Go Maps.Me Social Bookmarking Sites Saving an article or webpage can help you get to research and bookmark sites relevant or helpful to your job effort. Social Bookmarking sites let you post a URL and save them on an easy to access a website. Examples include: Facebook Flipboard Medium Pocket Pinterest Tumblr
CATEGORY: | Career Hacks |
Understanding the size of a company can be a valuable factor in determining where and when to direct your job applications. It can significantly contribute to aligning your career objectives and long-term goals. Career objectives may involve securing the right salary to cater to your living expenses and identifying opportunities for career advancement. On the other hand, your long-term goals might encompass considerations such as whether you envision a sustained tenure in the company. Therefore, discovering cues to ascertain a company's size becomes an essential step in your career planning process. Office building and location You’ll know this either through an online check, visitation and physical interview. You’ll know this when you pass by or enter their lobby or reception area. You can categorize the size according to these observations: Big companies Office space Owns several buildings in the home country Rents or owns several floor spaces or a building in other countries Websites Owns a quality website Owns several affiliate websites Medium companies Office space Rents or own a floor space or a small building in the home country and one in another country. Websites Owns simple to sophisticated websites Small companies Office space Rents a small office space in a low-cost commercial building in the home country Websites May not own a website or just rely on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Benefits You can know these things through internet research or from your networks – friends, former working colleagues, family. Big Companies Salary: Competitive salary package Healthcare: Provides health insurance benefits that might cover immediate relatives Food: Provides catering services that could be breakfast, lunch or dinner Learning: Provides educational grants or in-house training Transportation: Provides shuttle services Tool allowance: Provides money to buy or supply equipment essential to complete tasks Medium companies Salary: Above the minimum wage Healthcare: Provides health insurance Food: Usually not provided Learning: None Transportation: May provide but on limited fleet size Tool allowance: Available to seniors and/or management level Small Companies Salary: Below to slightly above the minimum wage Healthcare: None Food: None Learning: None Transportation: None Tool allowance: None Number of Employees The more the employees, the more the company is capable to run several branches or factories. These organizations might have different departments performing different roles such as HR, production, procurement, and administrative. According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Large enterprises comprise 250 people or more. Medium-sized enterprises have 50 to 249 employees. Small enterprises have 10 to 49 employees. You can know this figure through internet research or by talking to employees. Volume of sales A high volume of sales can mean that company is dealing with a large sales volume that may comprise millions to billions of dollars. A medium company can earn from thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. And a small company - thousands to a few million. These data can be available in a strategic report or a director's report. Some government agencies that regulate businesses publish data on companies. The bottom line Having clues about the company size, you can have a sense of direction on what to expect when you apply to a certain company. And realize your target job, salary and working environment. You can also gauge the quality of your career in that company.
CATEGORY: | Career Hacks |
Working and staying for the company for a long period of time is a virtue as it helps you show your loyalty to the company. Just like the laws of the universe, everything changes and that includes your will to continue your tenure in an organization, changes in economic and business conditions. There are circumstances that resignation is the last resort and the best logical course of action. But before you resign, it’s best to consider these things: Make sure you got a contingency plan Plan B or Contingency plan refers to the fallback where you can rely on whether it’s a second job, savings or business. Without Plan B is akin to a person falling down the stairs or attic without a trampoline on the ground. You can skip this part if you already own a stable business or have enough savings which we can say thousands to millions in your local currency. Pad your wallet Padding your wallet means saving enough to cover the transition period that is the time of leaving your job for a new one. Even if you've already started in your new job, you’ll have to wait for the salary cut off before you get your first paycheck from them. Without savings, you’ll end up indebted to your friends and relatives. The amount you need depends on your living condition. If you just rent an apartment and your owned house is in the province, then you must double your savings. Budget your savings and expenses Trim or remove your wants and maintain only your needs. Since you’re living in your comfort or money-protected zone, you’re at the risk of depleting your savings unless you got a new job already. Inform your company about your plan in advance Most companies, if not all, have this 1-month policy before resignation which is intended to prevent understaffing or workflow disruption. Your last month should be the time when you’re still doing your best to finish the job. It’s a different matter and urgency if you’re suffering from insomnia, serious illness, sexual harassment and physical abuse. Find out when you’ll get your benefits Ask the company’s admin or human resources when you’ll get your benefits which include last paychecks, separation pay and unused leaves. Clarify if such unconsumed leaves will be converted to cash. Find out when you’ll get your paychecks - this depends on the company. Some give it after 3 months or 5 months. Write a resignation letter Write a letter devoid of grammar and punctuation mistakes. State there that you’re thanking them and telling them that you’re still there to help. Here is a link from resumegenius.com Use your unused medical privileges It’s likely that your company has a medical or health insurance plan for regular or tenured employees. Use these medical credits to book medical checkups for you and your dependents, if applicable. Make a proper handover of smartphone and laptop If you’re working in the office or remotely, you likely use a company-provided laptop for office work, programming, writing and communication. Other gadgets such as smartphone may also be provided for communication, presentation and other work-related purposes. Delete your personal information, run disk cleanup and remove clutter from browser and desktop before returning these electronic devices. Politely decline counteroffers If you are resolved to leaving the company, you should politely decline any counteroffers that an HR personnel or manager may bring. This is likely to happen if the employer is minding about the short-term impact of losing you. Save samples of your work This can be your portfolio – art, articles, web design, motion graphics, photographs, blueprint and anything that can serve as proof of your work and skills. You can save them as softcopy, hardcopy or as a website in a web hosting account. Train your successor It’s a courtesy to make things easy for the successor while it’s boorish to leave a bunch of jumbled things to a newbie who doesn’t know how or where to start. Most companies follow a protocol of handover which is listing things that have been delegated to the newcomer. Make sure that Mr. A or Miss B reviewed the handover checklist, then train him/her about the following: Daily routines Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Client or customer relationship management Documentation or file organization Other specific tasks Update your resume When was the last time you updated your CV or qualifications in Ohjobs.ph? 1 or 2 years ago? If you can’t even recall when, it’s time that you update your work experience, competency, contact information, its formatting, etc. Add skills to your skills set earned during your tenure. Upload or add link to your portfolio, if applicable.
CATEGORY: | Career Hacks |
Layoffs refer to the reduction of staff size due to slow business or initiatives to save money. Layoffs can be permanent (the complete cessation of employment) or temporary (the cutting back of employment with an understanding that the employee’s position will be restored at a specific time. If you’re an employee potentially facing such problematic situation, it’s good to know the possible drivers of job insecurity. Buyout A large and powerful company can buy out smaller companies. They could buy the majority shares (in corporations). The larger company may replace or retain the employees of the acquired company. Employees of the acquired company could be terminated if their positions are redundant. If terminated, the employees will receive 30 to 60-day notice and notice of their rights, procedures, and severance benefits. If the employees wish to be retained, they might be transferred to other departments or hold a new position. Cost-cutting due to economic downturn Wages form one of the largest operational expenses. To save overhead and operating expenditures, the company will ask employees to resign in exchange for separation packages and employment search assistance. Those employees that perform redundant roles or perform unsatisfactorily are prioritized for layoffs. Employees who aren’t easy to replace will most likely be retained in the skeletal force team. Industry decline This refers to the slow economy of a specific industry - Agriculture, Commerce, Logistics, Information Technology, Healthcare etc. Pandemic, supply and demand and technological trends can impact industries. For example, two decades ago, landline phone boots and long-distance calls abound but as soon as the smartphones and internet advances came, the commercial telcos of the 1990s came into decline in the early 2000s. Project ends Projects are temporary. They may last from months to a year or so. When projects end, the participants’ employment ends. The participating employee or consultant will receive a regular salary or benefits until the end of the project. Examples of project-based employment include: Construction project - bridges, residential apartments, and tower Research project - Geological and social surveys Web development project for 1 year - A landing page and subpage for a pharmaceutical company Relocation A company may close down its branches in a country and transfer its assets to its remaining offices in the originating country. An organization could relocate because of cost-cutting and diversion of funds to the newly focused product and services segment. The company may not relocate employees due to redundancy and savings. Staff redundancy We have already mentioned the term a couple of times above. When staff perform identical tasks for a long-term project, their output becomes redundant, hence providing little value to the company’s goals. If an organization faces a slow business or possible bankruptcy, it may slash its workforce.
CATEGORY: | Career Hacks |
Unless you are already in a perfect job, quitting is a reality. Outside your current job, you’ll find better opportunities and offers. Having an exit strategy can help you find the right track and a better outcome. Here we present ways you should do after deciding to quit. Ask for recommendation If you’re on good terms with your coworkers or superiors, you can ask them for recommendations or networks. Ask if they know someone within their network that is currently working for a company that hires your skills. You can also get a referral from a direct network. Check for employee benefits When you resign, you may receive separation benefits that could be paid in cash or check. Some employers give post-dated checks so prepare for spare cash. You can also apply for unemployment benefits offered by the government. Make sure you have plan B Plan B or fallback plan protects you from the economic fallout of not having money to pay your bills during your unemployment days. Plan B includes savings, freelance or temporary work, or a low-capital business. Make sure that you have a backup plan since this period can make you more vulnerable. Make your official resignation letter Through a formal letter, tell your company or your immediate superior that you are resigning. Use proper format and typeface when you are writing a letter. Here are the things that you should say: Thank them for the opportunity, growth, and the years of working with them. Inform them that you have already oriented or scheduled the orientation with your successor for the things that he/she should do when the handover is complete. Remove your personal information If you have been working from home, you have already used your company’s laptop or hard drive. When you quit, it’s best to remove your personal info and apps stored on that laptop before returning it. Here are the things that you should do: Backup your password. Delete password and history in the browser. Delete quick access history. Delete the programs you installed. Settle your bills Bills such as rental, water, electricity and internet are recurring and best to be settled before you resign. You can use rental deposits to pay your last rent in case you decide to vacate your space. Other bills include cable television and streaming subscriptions. Also, you may want to retain your internet plan for sending applications. Go for vacation Quitting or resigning your job is also a period of contemplating your past and a time of relaxing from work-related stress. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. At this time, if you have enough savings and budget then take a vacation. Nature getaway can help you relax, reduce your anxiety levels and breathe fresh air - the freshly cut grass, the musky jasmin, and the fruity scent of ylang-ylang