Dispelling the Myths That Hold Back Seniors
Older workers are easy to typecast because the myths persevere:
Resist the Urge to Take Employees for Granted
We’ve been here before, the point in an economic cycle when managers need to take special care. The job market is awash with candidates and the competition for available jobs is intense; it’s a recruiter’s dream. This type of situation always encourages managers to become lazy about how they treat their employees. As business psychologists,
How to Gain Control Of Your Job Search
Only 25% of all positions are found through published and defined markets, such as employment ads, placement agencies and recruiting firms. Unfortunately, job seekers favor these markets even though they face less competition for the remaining 75% of jobs found through networking and direct unsolicited contact with employers.
Finding Family Support After Losing Your Job
If you’ve been downsized, you may have decided that you’ll just be able to survive what comes next. Congratulations. But your family may not have the same confidence. Anxiety, uncertainty and fear may be gripping your spouse at this moment. Partners try to put up a good front, but down deep they’ve been shaken. Knowing
How to Avoid Search Stress During the Holiday Season
he holidays can be stressful, but job hunting often compounds the problem. Well-intentioned friends and family can hover with questions such as, “Hey, Harry, did you get a new job yet?” As if the external pressures aren’t enough, your own internal thoughts, beliefs and feelings can drive you to distraction.
The Best Managers Balance Just Two Needed Skill Sets
During the 23 years that I was the chief executive officer of Hewitt Associates, an international human-resources consulting firm, one of my favorite subjects was how to best develop managers. When I promoted or hired managers, I looked for two skills (after first reviewing their general intelligence and experience qualifications). I knew that if they
Consultant’s Layoff Leads To Deeper Understanding
Things were bad in consulting: The end was coming, but I had so much fun in my job, I couldn’t bring myself to bolt. I led a global information-technology team, and my task list was rich and varied. While it wasn’t my “ideal” job, it was a good one, and I hoped I could keep
Why Contacting Recruiters Is a Waste of Your Time
It’s a scene that’s played out all too often these days: You’re looking for a job and you’ve read or heard that you should contact executive-search firms. After all, they recruit people for jobs, and you’re looking for a job. You send a well-worded letter or leave a polite voice mail for the recruiter, and
How to use direct marketing techniques
All commercial organisations have an interest in maximising market awareness. With the development of the internet and search engines, it has never been easier to find a particular firm.Recruitment is a sector that has widely used web traffic and search engine optimisation as a way of building awareness and attracting new business and candidates. Historically,
Holiday pay – what options do you have?
The European Court of Justice found in March that payments for minimum annual leave through a system of rolled-up holiday pay are contrary to the Working Time Directive 1993 (implemented in the UK as the Working Time Regulations 1998), and therefore unlawful.
Taking the first offer?
First, let’s get something straight. There’s nothing wrong with taking the first job you’re offered, as long as it’s the ‘right’ job. And what with parental pressures (“We’re not supporting you any more”, “It’s time you found your own place” etc), the burden of student debts and the desire to join your peers on the
Starting salary
“Can you give us some idea of your salary expectation?” is the question that strikes fear into the heart of every interviewee. Just how do you answer? Pitch it too high and you look unrealistic and overly confident, pitch it too low and you undervalue both yourself and your ability to do the job.
Perks
To truly assess a job offer, you need to look at the whole package rather than just the size of the first pay cheque. Are you being offered the following perks?
Multiple job offers
The good news is you’ve got a job offer. The bad news is you’re not sure if you should accept. There are interviews you are still waiting to hear back from. There are still more interviews at which you fancy your chances. What should you do? Take the bird in the hand? Wait to see
Nepotism
Nepotism is an ugly word. It reeks of old school ties, cliques and clubs; daddy putting a word in with the boss, or mummy pulling a few strings. In our new flexi-friendly, high-tech egalitarian corporate world it might seem that there is no place for nepotism any more; success is based on skills, creativity and
Verbal CV
Before approaching potential employers direct, take time to brush up your ‘verbal CV’.Consider the time and effort that you’ve put into your written CV, detailing your skills and experience. Yet this could all go to waste if you’re asked to say something about yourself when you call a recruiter or meet them socially or at
Speculative letters
If, as is claimed, only 30% of the total number of job vacancies are advertised, your best bet could be to job-hunt more creatively. Many job-hunters resort to sending off speculative letters to relevant companies. And many employers would rather turn to their pile of speculative letters than spend thousands of pounds on advertising. The
Networking
Any job-hunter can develop a network of useful career contacts without a company director in the family. Networking is easy if you know how, and job-hunters who develop their own employment contacts need never be short of career advice and job offers. Here are five networking opportunities which everyone can take advantage of:
Inside information
Come on, let’s be honest, most of us love to have a good goss. There is something deeply satisfying about getting the latest lowdown on so-and-so or such-and-such. Much of this tantalising tittle-tattle tends to centre on family, friends and so-called celebs.
Company presentations
Company presentations are rarely a formal part of the employer selection process, but they are your crucial chance to add a face and personality to a paper CV.So what are the golden rules for impressing employers over a vol-au-vent or two?