Five Critical Components of Business to Ensure Operational Excellence – Business Operations Performance Management
In the day-to-day busyness of business, it is very easy to get mired in transactional stuff and lose sight of your mission and the reason you are in business and why you do what you do. How much more effective the organization would be and how superior the results if every person working on every task in the company can link it upwards stage by stage to the overall vision for the company ? If the person went home every day with a sense of fulfillment through finding meaning in work and knowing that his/her work contributed to a higher purpose? A shared vision is a very powerful motivator for people and operational excellence is possible only when there is a critical mass of people for whom business is personal.
Wishful thinking? Not really, when you consider that many studies have proved beyond a doubt that meaningful work leads to personal happiness, professional success AND profitable growth for the organization that provides this (clarity of vision, mission and inter-linkage to the efforts at ground-level). So, how do you align your day-to-day business operations to ensure that you and your people are finding meaning in work? It all comes down to how well you have thought through, communicated and implemented these components of business: Business Component #1: Vision Statement – A vision statement has the potential to become a rallying cry, a clarion call to unite every person in the company towards a higher purpose. Too often, vision statements are not clear enough or even inspiring enough to really become the powerful tool that it can be. Consider Nelson Mandela’s statement – “one team, one country” or Microsoft’s in the 90s – “A computer on every desk and in every home; all running Microsoft software.” A bold, definitive statement that shows people the destination and the purpose of their work is the starting point for everything. Coupled with a clear guidance on values and desired behaviours, a great vision statement can truly work to drive excellence in the organization. Read how Zappos.com CEO focused his team from “needing to motivate people to get things done” to “inspiring them to want to do things beyond expectations” (and so successfully) here. Business Component #2: Strategic Planning – This is the next step, moving from the “where” to the how. A good strategic plan provides the map to achieve the vision. Working through the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, it should outline the actions that need to be taken to meet the goals. The plan should have clarity (admittedly difficult in the flux that exists in business today) and well-defined accountability and timelines so that it becomes clear and easy for everyone in the company to enable them in the decisions they need to make today to arrive at to where the organization needs to be tomorrow. You will know if your strategic plan is clear if people around you understand what the story is – what leadership wants to do. Also, a strategic plan is not just about the future, referred to regularly, it can also be quite useful in assessing the current issues that are causing problems. Have a long-term strategy but refresh the plans operationally in shorter term periods so that the plan remains achievable and is not completely disconnected from reality. Business Component #3: Budgeting – I call this “putting your money where your mouth is” or walking the talk. There is no point having a strategy if you are not willing to invest in it. This is where strategic planning gets transformed to operational realities. The budgets should be completely aligned to the strategic plan and not just the target numbers – in the short term and the long term – and thus serve as the guideline for communicating and executing on the business strategy. Break down the budget into tasks with timelines, identify the stakeholders best suited for each task, align existing processes and design new processes to ensure sustainability in advance. Assign accountability within the organization not just at the senior levels but right up to the front-line staff to ensure everyone knows and is signed up for the budget. This helps in providing a clear line of sight for achieving the budget and hence the vision while building confidence in the budget within the organization itself. Business Component #4: Measurements or Metrics – Numbers keep you honest provided they are not manipulated. Metrics help measure the effectiveness of the plan and the execution but is important to measure what is important :). Care must be taken to set metrics that actually drive the desired behaviors and do not risk people running after the wrong goals. The choices of key metrics need to be reviewed periodically – business is dynamic, why should metrics remain static? What makes sense to measure in today’s scenario may be irrelevant tomorrow. Also, it is not enough to measure, you also need to act. No metric is useful unless there is an action plan that arrives out of it and is communicated and implemented with urgency. Otherwise, a metric becomes just another number on a report that nobody pays attention to till it is too late. Metrics also serve the purpose of “milestones” or “scoreboards” for your vision to keep a track of the successes along the journey, create competitive spirit and very importantly, serve as reasons to celebrate wins along the way. Business Component #5: Execution – And finally, the most difficult part of the process – execution and execution at the speed that is needed. Larry Bossidy, the former CEO at Allied Signal, Inc. and Honeywell, and the co-author of Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, said it like this: “Corporate strategies are intellectually simple; their execution is not. The question is, can you execute? That’s what differentiates one company from another.” I have written about getting things done in complex organizations earlier – the point in this context is injecting the right “dose” of urgency into the organization. Spread energy and enthusiasm into the organization through the execution phases to generate alignment, urgency, and engagement in a majority of employees in the organization – to answer the “what is in it for me” question and to make the work “personal” and hence drive operational excellence through meaning. The common important thread through all the above is of course, the culture that is built, lived and sustained throughout the organization – without the right culture, you may set everything up perfectly but the desired outcome will be far from reality. If people do not feel they have a safe environment or that there is mutual trust and respect, the energy gets drained out battling office politics, pacifying egos management and conflict management. There is no energy left for people who wish for meaning in their work, look for it and work towards it in their everyday activities. Operational excellence becomes a mirage. As Louis Gerstner said – ‘I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game—it is the game.’ What have you seen worked in finding meaning in work in your organization? What vision statements do you think are great examples? How do you give meaning to your own work? I would love to hear and learn from you. |
Recruiters’ Alert: Five Tools that Will Make Your Life Easier
Recruitment as a job can be an overwhelming process, with all the steps that need to be followed through before you can finally find the candidates you have been hunting for. While some procedures of recruitment require all your attention, there are other procedures that can be simplified, and gotten done with — fast. How? Technology.
There are several tools today, thanks to technology, which can help make recruitment a much faster, efficient and effective process. Here are some of the must have tools, with which you can do more in less time!
For some more great reads on recruitment hacks, read this article on Undercover Recruiter.
There are several tools today, thanks to technology, which can help make recruitment a much faster, efficient and effective process. Here are some of the must have tools, with which you can do more in less time!
- Applicant Tracking Systems
- While a lot of recruiters have started using ATS platforms, it needs to be on this list because if you are a recruiter and you still don’t use an Applicant Tracking System, you need to get one now! These can be basic platforms, or more advanced ones. What they essentially do is, screen through all existing resumes, shortlisting only the most relevant ones for you to review.
Zoho recruit, People Apex, Talent Cube are some of the top ATS software’s you can have a look at.
- Interview Scheduling Tools
- While you might believe that your sticky notes will suffice for this, some of these tools really do make the life of a recruiter infinitely easier. It can be difficult to find time slots for interviews which mutually convenient, especially when you have a big client base. You can use built in tools such as Google calendar, or tools like Calendly, that will help you find the perfect time for your interviews, and also send both the recruiter and the candidate timely reminders.
- Recruitment Process Management Tools
- With all the candidates you have to handle, how do you efficiently keep track of which candidate is at which stage of the recruitment process? Through recruitment process management tools. You can create a separate profile for each candidate, and add your personal notes to each. Check out Entelo.
- Email Finders
- Sourcing candidates can be a difficult task without having their emails. While social media today has made it more easier than ever before to access profiles of potential candidates, you still need to be able to reach out to them via their email IDs. Tools like Contactout and Hiretual enable you to view the email addresses of candidates when you visit their social media profiles.
- Productivity Boosting Tools
- With the number of things that seem to be demanding your attention at the same time, as a recruiter you may feel as multitasking is the only way out. Multitasking however is a myth. Today, it is harder than ever to stay focused and attentive with the task you have at hand. Tools such as Antisocial and Stay Focused limit the time you spend on social media and other distraction prone platforms, and hence bring you back to the task at hand.
For some more great reads on recruitment hacks, read this article on Undercover Recruiter.
What Makes for a Good Profile Picture
Social media today, is a crucial part of the world of work. It would not be far-fetched to stress on the inter-dependency of these two realms. It is true that a potential employer can decide whether or not to give you a chance for that much awaited interview simply by going through your social media profiles. Also, as a candidate, one would be extremely naive to think that potential employers don’t do a background check, of which your social media profiles play a big, big role.
When we speak about social media profiles, what is the first thing that stands out? Your profile picture. Your profile picture speaks volumes about you on social media. Why? Because that little image is what you chose out of the several, hundreds of photographs you may have of yourself, as your identity on the given platform. A picture speaks more than a thousand words. Therefore, it is true that your profile picture is the very first impression you cast on your employer.
So what makes for a good profile picture? Here are a few things that will help you.
When we speak about social media profiles, what is the first thing that stands out? Your profile picture. Your profile picture speaks volumes about you on social media. Why? Because that little image is what you chose out of the several, hundreds of photographs you may have of yourself, as your identity on the given platform. A picture speaks more than a thousand words. Therefore, it is true that your profile picture is the very first impression you cast on your employer.
So what makes for a good profile picture? Here are a few things that will help you.
- The resolution of the photographThe first, most basic requirement for a good photograph is that it should be clear and visible. Not grainy and pixelated. Ensure that the photograph you choose to use has your face visible in it. Ensure that the photograph has been taken in proper light, and is not a cropped out version of another photograph. Cropping a photograph renders it grainy and pixelated, in most cases. The idea behind a profile picture is that the person looking at it should know how you look, and not have to imagine a ‘version’ of you based on what is visible in the picture. The first most important quality of a good profile picture is that it should be high-resolution, or at least clear.
- You in the photographThe second most important thing about a good profile picture – how you come across in the picture, or what you seem to be doing. It’s very difficult to get this wrong, but strangely enough there are examples we have seen which compel us to include this pointer as a part of the post. Remember that regardless of which social media platform you are choosing a profile picture for, they are all fodder for recruiters or potential recruiters. Which means, irrespective of whether or not the said social media platform is a ‘professional’ one, it is highly recommended that you choose a professionally appealing photograph. While it doesn’t necessarily have to be a corporate head shot, take care that it isn’t at least a photograph of you playing beer pong.
- A selfie never worksYes, no matter how good it is. A selfie comes across as unprofessional. Let’s not be lazy and get a decent photograph!
- It needs to be a recent photographIt is probably not a good idea to have a photograph from years ago as your profile picture, in which you look absolutely nothing like you do presently. If in doubt, show the photograph to colleagues or friends. You know that it won’t work if you get a response akin to “no way, that can’t be you!” The whole point of having a profile picture is to be visible, be found. So make sure you look like who you look like, for real!
- Not inappropriate and not boringNow that is a real challenge. While you certainly don’t want to have a party picture on, you also don’t want to appear boring. It is a good idea to try and find a photograph which reflects your field of work in some way. Once again, if you are unsure about whether or not the chosen photograph would work, run it by a trusted friend or colleague.
Ending this post with a re-affirmation of why it matters so much to invest time in choosing the right profile picture.
5 Funny Things that May Happen to You at An Internship
Internships form a really important part of our pre-world of work days. No one can dispute this fact. It is true that internships give one a taste of what it would feel like to work full-time in the chosen sphere, and help you make your mind up about whether or not you would want to pursue the particular stream. Despite all its advantages and benefits (even the most irrelevant things come in handy, in retrospect!) an internship can be a comical affair. and here are five ways how –
- The most important task of your internship may be to copy pasteYou may be an intern in the Ministry of External and Foreign Affairs, and yet feel like a silly goose there. Looking back to the day of your interview, which may have felt like the most important day of your life, you might wonder how flawed your expectations were. As interns we all make the mistake of assuming or hoping that we will be entrusted with really important work. A month (or several of them) may pass by and you realize all you’ve done is copy paste / re-type documents.
But hey! Perk up, because only an intern would have access to these documents, and hence a cart load of learning material! - You could be the minion – and you can’t do anything about itCoffee and running other errands for your superiors may form a significant portion of your day. And you can’t do anything about it. No, we won’t say that there is anything inspirational about this. Neither are there any pearls of wisdom to share about this. Its just funny. Because its true.
- The unavoidable existential angstIn the journey of your internship, at least once (if not more!) you will be gripped by a terrible existential angst. You will ask yourself questions like “what am I even doing here?”, “will I ever get a real job?”, “will I ever be as good as these people?”. It’s funny because you are going to look back at those moments and realize you were being silly. Well, maybe we are wrong in calling those moments silly, because these are the moments when perhaps you come to terms with certain unsettling facts, and questions. These moments build up towards other important life decisions and choices. So, while we can’t say enjoy it while it lasts, what we can say is, this too shall pass.
- Money? What money? It is the experience that countsHa ha. This is by far the funniest thing that happens to an intern. You realize most (if not all) of your pocket money gets depleted in trying to ‘afford’ the internship – because you don’t get paid. And hence, you have to take care of the travel and your lunches, and the get-togethers (your ‘colleagues’ will probably invite you so you don’t feel left out) you most definitely cannot afford. And when you pop the question about whether the internship will pay you, at the interview, you are most likely to receive a poised and sophisticated answer like “no, but we will offer you unparalleled experience.”
Okay, then. - When you “pretend” to be busy and get caughtFew things can be as embarrassing as the CEO (or a superior) walking in on your screen while you are shopping on Amazon (lets hope that’s the most embarrassing it gets!). As an intern, there is only so much work you will have. Then again, as an intern, you most definitely cannot leave before time. So to be fair, you might have been just killing time; but for ages to come you will love with the guilt of coming across as a slacker. But hopefully you will look back and laugh at it, because it is funny!
The Undervaluation of Kindness in the World of Work
The world of work as we know it today, is increasingly fueled by targets, deadlines and achievements. We are in the midst of what can be called the crisis of modernity. And yet we have failed to acknowledge it, let alone work towards changing it. Today, we regard the human body working in clock work to ‘achieve’ and ‘deliver’, as normal. Which brings us back to the age old debate, as old as modernity itself, what then distinguishes us from machines? Two things which make us humane, kindness, and compassion, distinguish us from machines.
About two thirds of our day is spend at our work place. While many of us love our work place, there are many who dread it. While the reasons why one many not like ones workplace could be many, one of the primary reasons is the attitude and nature of the co-workers or colleagues. Many a times, we fail to understand how being sensitive, compassionate and kind, can make a world of difference to the people we deal with in the world of work.
Kindness is genuinely undervalued in the world of work. Many managers and leaders feel that elements of kindness and compassion are in direct conflict with professionalism. One couldn’t be farther away from truth. You can be professional and yet be a kind and compassionate human being. In fact, your productivity and work life balance are influenced a great deal by how happy you are in your work place. What are the three most simple things that you can do to practice kindness at work? Here they are –
ListenWhen someone speaks to you, listen. And not with your mouth so you can respond or react. Listen not just with your ears, but also with your mind. We mean listening not just in the effective communication sense, but in this case more in the humanitarian sense. Listen out of kindness. One example could be a form of miscommunication between you and your subordinate at work relating to non-achievement of established goals. The conclusion you see is that the work has not been done, however, give your colleague a chance to explain why the work hasn’t been done. Unless you listen, you will not know whether the reason was valid or not. More importantly, unless you listen, you will never know how you end up hurting someone who is already in a tough place. This has a direct effect on the productivity of the employee.
Reset when AngryIt is not easy to stay calm when things get chaotic at work. At times like that it is our individual responsibility to take charge of our own anger. Emerson said it best, “for every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” However, it is not only your peace of mind which gets affected, but also of those around you. When you are angry, even the smallest of errors can provoke unnecessarily exaggerated reactions – which you may regret later. More importantly, your reaction might pull someone down in a way you may not even have imagined.
Every time you feel angry and find that the anger is about to be directed at someone, reset. What does reset mean? It means go away from the issue, do something that brings you back to normal, and then look at the issue again. Allow a cooling period before you react or respond. If all us could put this into practice in our daily lives, and in the world of work, it would indeed be a much better world. While we can’t claim responsibility for everyone, we can at least do so for ourselves.
SmileYou would be surprised how therapeutic a smile can feel for someone who’s having a tough day. That one tiny gesture can make a world of difference in just saying, “it’ll all be alright”, or “it is going to be alright.” They don’t lie when they say, ‘you never know how your smile can brighten up someone’s day.’
We came across a lovely post on The Balance, on “Random Acts of Kindness at Work“. And here is a list of what our favorite random acts of kindness are, from the article –
Would we be able to spend a day at work without coffee? Doesn’t all hell break loose when there is no Wi-Fi even for a few minutes? God help us if the IT guy chose to take a leave on the very same day! This post is about 5 such people at work, who are definitely way more important than we give them credit for! Being grateful, and being kind, go hand in hand like nothing else!
One kind act a day, sure does keeps the blues away!
About two thirds of our day is spend at our work place. While many of us love our work place, there are many who dread it. While the reasons why one many not like ones workplace could be many, one of the primary reasons is the attitude and nature of the co-workers or colleagues. Many a times, we fail to understand how being sensitive, compassionate and kind, can make a world of difference to the people we deal with in the world of work.
Kindness is genuinely undervalued in the world of work. Many managers and leaders feel that elements of kindness and compassion are in direct conflict with professionalism. One couldn’t be farther away from truth. You can be professional and yet be a kind and compassionate human being. In fact, your productivity and work life balance are influenced a great deal by how happy you are in your work place. What are the three most simple things that you can do to practice kindness at work? Here they are –
ListenWhen someone speaks to you, listen. And not with your mouth so you can respond or react. Listen not just with your ears, but also with your mind. We mean listening not just in the effective communication sense, but in this case more in the humanitarian sense. Listen out of kindness. One example could be a form of miscommunication between you and your subordinate at work relating to non-achievement of established goals. The conclusion you see is that the work has not been done, however, give your colleague a chance to explain why the work hasn’t been done. Unless you listen, you will not know whether the reason was valid or not. More importantly, unless you listen, you will never know how you end up hurting someone who is already in a tough place. This has a direct effect on the productivity of the employee.
Reset when AngryIt is not easy to stay calm when things get chaotic at work. At times like that it is our individual responsibility to take charge of our own anger. Emerson said it best, “for every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” However, it is not only your peace of mind which gets affected, but also of those around you. When you are angry, even the smallest of errors can provoke unnecessarily exaggerated reactions – which you may regret later. More importantly, your reaction might pull someone down in a way you may not even have imagined.
Every time you feel angry and find that the anger is about to be directed at someone, reset. What does reset mean? It means go away from the issue, do something that brings you back to normal, and then look at the issue again. Allow a cooling period before you react or respond. If all us could put this into practice in our daily lives, and in the world of work, it would indeed be a much better world. While we can’t claim responsibility for everyone, we can at least do so for ourselves.
SmileYou would be surprised how therapeutic a smile can feel for someone who’s having a tough day. That one tiny gesture can make a world of difference in just saying, “it’ll all be alright”, or “it is going to be alright.” They don’t lie when they say, ‘you never know how your smile can brighten up someone’s day.’
We came across a lovely post on The Balance, on “Random Acts of Kindness at Work“. And here is a list of what our favorite random acts of kindness are, from the article –
- “Bring your coworker a cup of coffee when she looks like she needs a pick-me-up.
- Share your mid-afternoon snack with him or if you don’t want to share, bring an extra one (everyone gets hungry a couple of hours after lunch).
- Buy your coworker her favorite iced cold beverage on the first warm day of the year.
- Offer to stay at work late or come in early to help a coworker with a difficult project (don’t wait to be asked).
- Praise him for a job well done. No one can get too many compliments.
- If you see someone is about to make a mistake, try to intervene to prevent it.
- Offer unsolicited advice, especially to a new colleague who seems to be floundering.
- Stop others from spreading a rumor about someone.
- If you see something you know your colleague will absolutely love, a book about a topic in which he’s interested for example (nothing too extravagant), get it for him.
- Include a less experienced colleague in a meeting or on a project that can help her grow.”
- “Invite him to join your lunch group especially if he doesn’t have many workplace friends.
- Stop by her desk to say good morning.
- Stop by his desk to say goodbye.
- Hold the (otherwise unoccupied) elevator while your colleague runs back to her desk to get something she forgot even if you’re in a hurry to leave the building.
- Praise her to the boss who may not realize how hard she’s working.
- Offer to mentor an inexperienced coworker. Many people are too shy to ask or may not even think of it.”
Would we be able to spend a day at work without coffee? Doesn’t all hell break loose when there is no Wi-Fi even for a few minutes? God help us if the IT guy chose to take a leave on the very same day! This post is about 5 such people at work, who are definitely way more important than we give them credit for! Being grateful, and being kind, go hand in hand like nothing else!
One kind act a day, sure does keeps the blues away!
The 5 Most Effective Job Hunt Hacks
Yes, we know! There are no shortcuts to success. But if you are on a job hunt, this post is something you cannot miss. Based on our years of experience helping job hunting candidates like you land their dream jobs, we have put together some insider tips (or hacks as the current trend is) to help you on your job hunting journey. What are some of the best and most effective job hunt hacks that can fast-track your job hunting process ? Read on to find out exactly what they are, and why they make such a big difference.
Job Hunt Hack #1 – Use “Keywords”Go through the job description carefully and pick up on the keywords. Remember that when sending in your application online, in all probability, the first screening is going to be mechanized. In which case, you need to ensure that your application uses as many of those phrases/ keywords possible (in a relevant way of course) as possible. It is only after the initial sorting (the first two stages, at least) that your application will reach the higher-ups in the management. In order to ensure your job application gets there, be as specific and comprehensive as possible. Using keywords is a great way to go about it.
Job Hunt Hack #2 – Use both online and offline platformsDon’t stop once you have finished applying through the online sources. Start networking and spreading the word about your job hunt. Networking is one of the most effective techniques of offline job hunting. Reach out to your old and new contacts and have casual conversations with them about your plans. You never know what opportunities may come your way simply through those conversations. Also, make sure to avoid these 5 social media mistakes when you are job hunting!
Job Hunt Hack #3 – Modulate your applicationsWhat really hampers your job hunt process is using one stock application and cover letter for all the places you apply to. When you do that, your application depicts an acute lack of interest and enthusiasm. Even if the job profiles you are applying to are similar, there are some fine differences between each of these profiles. Mark them and customize your applications accordingly. This will be possible only when you are truly serious and enthusiastic about the job hunt process. Pay attention to details, and remember that that’s probably the only thing that will give you an edge over the others.
Job Hunt Hack #4 – Your LinkedIn profile matters (most)!Your existence, and activity on LinkedIn is crucial for a successful job hunt. You could reach out to scores of potential employers, and correspond with them about opportunities simply by making sure you are active on LinkedIn. By being on LinkedIn, you are not only “visible”, but also vested with innumerable valuable resources which you just need to know how to use. Still not convinced about why you need a LinkedIn profile? Here’s why. Have a LinkedIn profile but wondering how you can make it better? Here’s how.
Job Hunt Hack #5 – The magic word is “Thank You”Incorporating the practice of gratitude into everything you do is the best thing you can do for yourself. Including when you are job hunting. It makes a huge difference when you send in a personalized note, even if it is just two lines, after you finish interviewing (no matter the stage of the interview), to the relevant people. Just acknowledging the time they invested, saying that it was a pleasure having had a chance to communicate and that you look forward. These small things are what set you apart from other candidates, and make you the more like-able, and obvious candidate. However, do it genuinely. It isn’t very hard to tell when the candidate isn’t being genuine – which will just end up making things worse for you.
And the most effective job hunt hack of all – work closely with a great recruiter. A recruiter starts work every morning with one objective – find the best candidate for his/her client and fill the open position ASAP. A candidate hunting for a job wakes up with this thought – may today be the day when I land my dream job. Notice the similarity between the two objectives – so why not work together with mutual respect to achieve this common goal? Here is how you can help her help you.
If you’ve been looking for job hunt guidance and a lot of material has been coming your way, all of that is bound to be similar in one way or the other. Through all your efforts, remember that you can go a long way by just being yourself. Take your own self to the interviews, and let it reflect in your applications and conversations. Because you’re the best when you’re nothing but yourself!
Job Hunt Hack #1 – Use “Keywords”Go through the job description carefully and pick up on the keywords. Remember that when sending in your application online, in all probability, the first screening is going to be mechanized. In which case, you need to ensure that your application uses as many of those phrases/ keywords possible (in a relevant way of course) as possible. It is only after the initial sorting (the first two stages, at least) that your application will reach the higher-ups in the management. In order to ensure your job application gets there, be as specific and comprehensive as possible. Using keywords is a great way to go about it.
Job Hunt Hack #2 – Use both online and offline platformsDon’t stop once you have finished applying through the online sources. Start networking and spreading the word about your job hunt. Networking is one of the most effective techniques of offline job hunting. Reach out to your old and new contacts and have casual conversations with them about your plans. You never know what opportunities may come your way simply through those conversations. Also, make sure to avoid these 5 social media mistakes when you are job hunting!
Job Hunt Hack #3 – Modulate your applicationsWhat really hampers your job hunt process is using one stock application and cover letter for all the places you apply to. When you do that, your application depicts an acute lack of interest and enthusiasm. Even if the job profiles you are applying to are similar, there are some fine differences between each of these profiles. Mark them and customize your applications accordingly. This will be possible only when you are truly serious and enthusiastic about the job hunt process. Pay attention to details, and remember that that’s probably the only thing that will give you an edge over the others.
Job Hunt Hack #4 – Your LinkedIn profile matters (most)!Your existence, and activity on LinkedIn is crucial for a successful job hunt. You could reach out to scores of potential employers, and correspond with them about opportunities simply by making sure you are active on LinkedIn. By being on LinkedIn, you are not only “visible”, but also vested with innumerable valuable resources which you just need to know how to use. Still not convinced about why you need a LinkedIn profile? Here’s why. Have a LinkedIn profile but wondering how you can make it better? Here’s how.
Job Hunt Hack #5 – The magic word is “Thank You”Incorporating the practice of gratitude into everything you do is the best thing you can do for yourself. Including when you are job hunting. It makes a huge difference when you send in a personalized note, even if it is just two lines, after you finish interviewing (no matter the stage of the interview), to the relevant people. Just acknowledging the time they invested, saying that it was a pleasure having had a chance to communicate and that you look forward. These small things are what set you apart from other candidates, and make you the more like-able, and obvious candidate. However, do it genuinely. It isn’t very hard to tell when the candidate isn’t being genuine – which will just end up making things worse for you.
And the most effective job hunt hack of all – work closely with a great recruiter. A recruiter starts work every morning with one objective – find the best candidate for his/her client and fill the open position ASAP. A candidate hunting for a job wakes up with this thought – may today be the day when I land my dream job. Notice the similarity between the two objectives – so why not work together with mutual respect to achieve this common goal? Here is how you can help her help you.
If you’ve been looking for job hunt guidance and a lot of material has been coming your way, all of that is bound to be similar in one way or the other. Through all your efforts, remember that you can go a long way by just being yourself. Take your own self to the interviews, and let it reflect in your applications and conversations. Because you’re the best when you’re nothing but yourself!
5 Tips For a Successful On-boarding Process
Most recruiters believe that the toughest part of the recruitment process are the steps leading up to finding and hiring an employee. That however, is as far away from truth as can be. The first week after hiring a new employee is the most crucial time for the recruitment process. It is the on-boarding process that helps the employee settle in to his/ her new role, and more importantly the culture of the organisation. While the ‘settling in’ definitely takes much longer than a week, the induction or on-boarding week is what makes all the difference to how comfortably, and effectively the new employee adapts to your organisation. Here are five ways you can make the On-boarding Process a success.
- Personalize the On-boarding ProcessThe usual process of on-boarding to complete the process of recruitment, requires the new employee to go through and submit a pile of paper work and documents. That however, shouldn’t define the first day of a new employee. In the process of recruitment, on-boarding is not just about filling up a zillion forms to check off the recruitment checklist. It is also, and more so about showing the new team member that the organization is happy to have him/ her on board. Personalize the on-boarding process by introducing the new member to the rest of the team and by giving him/ her a tour of the work place. Having a small welcome process in place, could be a great way to make help build sensitivity about welcoming a new member into the culture of your workplace.
- Explaining the values and culture of the companyAre the values and the culture of the company more than just a few words on your website? If they are truly what you believe as the foundation of your organization, you will agree to the importance of ensuring that the new employee understands them. Speaking about the organizational values and culture to a new employee, as a part of the on-boarding process is a very important step towards stressing on how important it is, for the new employee to adapt to the values and culture of the organization. And of course, letting them know that you believe they are a great match and that’s why they are here in the first place!
- Explaining responsibilities and setting goalsWhile the role and responsibilities may already have been put down on the offer letter, this is another way of personalizing the on-boarding process. Having a conversation about the responsibilities attached to the role of the new recruit, and speaking about the expectations that come with it right at the outset is a good idea. This is also a great time to bring him/ her up to speed with the existing projects that they may be associated with and giving them a heads up about what to expect.
- Assigning them a mentorThis is yet another great way of personalizing the on-boarding process. Being in a new work environment can be quite confusing, as many of us would have experienced. Assigning a mentor to a new employee is an effective way of helping the new employee understand the workplace, and also to have someone he/ she can go to with their questions. It is important to put some thought into who you choose to assign as the mentor, since the mentor needs to be equipped with the knowledge relevant to the new employee’s role, to be able to guide him/ her accordingly.
- Equipping the employee with all necessary resourcesTo make the on-boarding process smooth, and successful, make sure that you have put together all the resources the new employee will require, a day prior to his/ her joining. Things like the HR policy, documents on the culture of the organization, any handbook your organization may be having for employees, the necessary software on his/her computer, and all other tools including stationary that might be required. Putting in some effort to get these things ready shows that you are excited to have the new team member on board, and want to make sure that they have everything they need!
Also, a nice note saying welcome, on the desk is a very sweet way to say ‘welcome’!
Saying ‘No’ at Work
Being able to say ‘No’ at work, without sounding rude, or unenthusiastic, or lazy, isn’t always the easiest thing to do. But saying ‘yes’ to everything you are asked to do, even when you are already crumbling under work pressure isn’t the wisest thing to do either. It is possible to Saying ‘No’ politely and avoid getting pummeled with work that isn’t yours to take care of anyway. How? Read on to know.
- Do a cost-benefit analysisIf the extra work that has come your way might be an exciting new project, which will add value to your profile, you might want to consider thinking about it. However, if it is something you feel is purely mechanical, and not worth taking on given your current work load – you may want to let it pass. Be objective about the work, and remember it is completely alright, and not selfish to think about it in this way. Taking something on purely under pressure isn’t going to benefit you in any way. Conversely, it may affect the quality of the work you deliver. Think about what you may have to gain or lose if you take on the extra work. If your pre-determined commitments are going to suffer because of the extra work, consider saying ‘no’ to it.
- Know your limitsNot every project that you see as a value add, or as a ticket to that ever elusive promotion needs to earn a yes from you. It is better for your productivity and peace of mind to accomplish whole-heartedly what you already have on your plate, than taking on more than you can chew. An honest assessment of your existing work load is something you have got to do before saying yes to extra work. And if you feel that taking on the extra work is going to stretch you beyond your capacity, it isn’t worth saying yes to it.
- Be clear in your responseIf you do decide to say no, make sure that you don’t ‘hint’ at it, or leave the concerned person hanging. This could create misunderstandings and you will in all probability come across as unprofessional for something that wasn’t your mistake in the first place. However you choose to tackle the issue, be unambiguous about whether or not you are taking on the responsibility being offered.
- How you say ‘no’ mattersHow you say no is important because this could determine a lasting professional impression on you. Being polite, yet firm and absolutely ambiguous is of course the first thing you must understand. However, saying ‘no’ up front or directly may come across as rude. There are two ways of responding that almost always work.
a) Saying – “I really wish I could help you out/ I would love to take this on, but unfortunately my week ahead is planned with the xxx project I am currently engaged with.”
b) In case you are unsure, ask for some time and ensure you respond within the time frame you have mentioned. Saying, “I am unsure about taking this on given the current status of my existing commitments. However I sincerely want to help you with it. Could you give me until tomorrow to confirm if I can take this on?” is a great way of letting the other person know that you are not disinterested, however you may not have the bandwidth to take on the extra work at this point in time. So that’s a win-win situation for both parties concerned! - Offer an alternative/ any help you canIf you do genuinely wish you could help, but aren’t in a position to, offer ways that might make the job easier for the person concerned. If there are tools, or specific material the person may benefit from – share them. In case you can offer some quick guidance to make the job easier, offer it. Without stepping on anybody else’s foot, if you feel that the opportunity may be of benefit to someone else who might take on it and deliver, recommend their name. However, it would be best if you first checked with the person concerned, before making the recommendation. Doing the best you can by helping in whatever way you have the capacity to, establishes the fact that you aren’t shrugging off a responsibility, rather, you sincerely aren’t in a position to do more than you have offered to.