ARE SA MILLENNIALS RUINING THEIR CHANCES OF FINDING WORK?
While millennials are still looked at as the now generation and we expect great things from them, they are, most of them at least, finding it tough to find jobs.
SOCIAL MEDIA – THE ADDICTION VS THE BENEFIT
Every business should utilize social media in some capacity, but where do you draw the line? We’re all guilty of loving our phones or computers a little too much, right? I feel a constant compulsion to check my email, text messages and social media feeds throughout the day. I use FB, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to recruit and head hunt good people and personally find it difficult to always be disciplined and stick to recruiting when on these platforms. Keeping in touch with prospects on social platforms is no easy task. I could be having up to 40 conversations at any given time across several platforms. The main advantage of social media is connectivity. People from anywhere can connect with anyone, regardless of their location. Now that we’re connected wherever we go, we don’t have to rely on our landlines, answering machines or snail mail, to contact someone. You can share your issues with the community to get help and guidelines. Just like it can tarnish the reputation of any business, it can also improve business sales and reputation. Being able to post and share things on social media gives us a feeling of purpose and a means to feel connected with those around us. Having a LinkedIn profile and social presence can connect you to employers and business contacts in every field. However, I do feel that there needs to be a line drawn between social media for personal use and social media for business use. If it’s not utilised for business, social media should be restricted to during breaks and after hours. Between 60 and 80 percent of people admit that they don’t go online for anything necessary, but rather to kill time or to be entertained. This is taking time away from valuable working hours. One of the disadvantages is the possibility of the company network being exposed to malware. Allowing employees to access social media platforms at work makes your organisation more vulnerable to potential breaches in confidentiality, or the possibility of a tarnished image. With so many people currently on social media; tweeting links, posting selfies and sharing YouTube videos, it sure can get quite noisy. Becoming overwhelmed by too many Facebook friends to keep up with or Instagram photos to browse through, isn’t all that uncommon. Over time, we tend to rack up a lot of friends and followers, which can lead to a lot of bloated news feeds with too much content that we’re not all that interested in. Since social networking is all done on some sort of computer or mobile device, it can sometimes promote too much sitting down in one spot for too long. Likewise, staring into the artificial light from a computer or phone screen at night can negatively affect your ability to get a proper nights’ sleep. If you find that social media negatively impacts aspects of your life, like work, it’s a problem.
TEAM COLLABORATION – HOW TO GET THE RIGHT MIX
Building a team is much like building a marriage, well a marriage of a few people, that is. Team collaboration is key! While we are not condoning polygamy marriages or dissuading them, it makes one think that to make that work, there has to be great teamwork. Everyone has a part to play, and everyone has to see the other person’s part as just as important as theirs. How can you ensure your team works as one unit? CHEMISTRY There has to be a certain element of chemistry between all the parties, otherwise the collaboration will be a flat and lifeless entity. Sure, there is a game plan in place, each has a job to do, each knows the ideal outcome, but we are all human, and working together isn’t always easy. We are so different. But, if there is a something that connects us, drives us and a chemistry that links us, then you have a great team. Ensure you put a team together that has chemistry. You need to sit back and analyse whether they do. It takes time and experience, but its possible to see. COMPANY VALUES It should always come back to what your company values are. If there is a team member that doesn’t fit well into your mix of values and culture, then they shouldn’t be there. This should be made clear from the onset. GET OUT Putting people into situations that are generally outside of their comfort zone can help you to assess what their real and true self is. Organise an outside activity that involves a team aspect. Get them interacting with each other and solving problems. Observe. Don’t get involved, just observe. Then ask them questions as to how they found the experience. Dependent on their answers and what you see, you should be able to ascertain whether this collaboration fit together or not. CHECK IN There may not be a 100% perfect team out there, and sometimes it can take a little time, with a little effort, for a few people to get on and work together. You have to be able to see the potential in each and as a whole. Keep checking in. Keep testing them, asking questions, and taking a vested interest in what their concerns may be. If its a creative collaboration team, you will find a lot of passion, which is typical of creatives. So, when they are all together, it can become quite a heightened and electric situation, but in saying that, this can be what makes them a great team too. See that. Nurture that and help them work towards the greater good.
HURRY UP AND WAIT – JOB APPLICATION ETIQUETTE
The best way to follow up on a job application. The interview went well. You are feeling confident and excited. This job is yours! But, a week has gone by and you havnt heard from anyone. What do you do? Do you email, call? Is it too soon? Will they be irritated by you? Will they be happy that you followed up? It is always a difficult time – that period between interview and the call that will tell you that you succeeded or you failed. So, what is the proper protocol when following up on a job application? And, should you follow up at all? The consensus is that, yes, you most definitely should follow up. Its in the when and how that makes all the difference. As for when, it appears, according to a study with various HR Managers, that the best time to follow up is around 1,5 to 2 weeks after the interview. Ok, cool, so its been almost 2 weeks, now what is the best way to follow up? 1. Insider Info Check with anyone you know inside the company as to what the talk has been. This will give you a better understanding of how to approach the powers that be. 2. Go to the top If at all possible, get the decision makers details. That may be the HR Manager, the recruitment agency head, or the boss himself. They will be the best people to advise you on the job application. 3. Craft the perfect email You may not be a writer or linguist but a well crafted email can make a great impression. Ensure you include the following: – make your subject line clear i.e. Position of Sales Consultant – Follow up – address the person by their name – express that you hope they are well (its just nicer to start off that way than to jump straight in) – thank them for their time in the interview – ask politely if they have made a decision on the position – express in a short sentence why you still feel you are the perfect fit for the job – end it off with a thanks and that you hope to hear from them soon – don’t do the Yours faithfully bit – its old school – simply, all the best, and your name, will do 4. Follow up Call So, no response after another week after your email on the job application, what now? Now, you call. Ask to speak to the person you emailed and if its a good time. If not, phone back when it is. Asking them to call you back can lead to you not taking the call, missing the call for whatever reason, and that will just frustrate the caller. You call back. Once you have them on the line, pretty much follow a similar format to your email. Ask whether they received the email first, then let them tell you like it is. If they say there are still busy and to follow up in another week, well, then do that. And, ask whether you must email or call. Whether you get this job or not, you have followed a polite and non-invasive process. While you may not have succeeded here, keep pushing on and keep following up in this same way. Good Luck in your job hunting!
HOW TO SMASH YOUR NEW JOB
You’re the new kid on the block. You need to impress and show some mettle in your. How can you smash your new job before you’ve even started then? No worries! We have the dope right here for you. KNOW THE COMPANY INSIDE OUT From when they started, why they started, who the big dogs are, who the juniors are, know their products and services backwards, and any other key features and unique elements that make them who they are. LEARN WHAT YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR NEW TEAM This may require some trolling on your part to see who the key players are in the company, what their background is, what their values are (often professionals divulge this via their LinkedIn profile and posts that they send out) and also see who you will be working with, so that you can learn how to fit in quickly at your new job. HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT You know what your job entails – you should know this! So, have a plan of action. You may not know the exact project details or what clients you will deal with, but you know what your job description requires. Put together a matrix of strategies that will help you achieve your goals within the company. Believe us, it will impress! HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS READY No one expects you to understand and know everything, so be ready to ask questions about your new job. People who are placed in a position of authority can be very helpful. Show them that you are wiling to learn and are open to suggestion too. Your new job can feel like an old job even after the first day – good luck!
5 FAB COMPANY CULTURE ELEMENTS
Company Culture – the buzz word of the decade! But, what does it mean and why should you be focusing on it? If you take only one thing from this then know that a hostile, negative environment is not a good place to be. Developing a company culture needs to address that, first and foremost. However, in creating a company culture, you need to also look at your, the owners, personal values. If you haven’t already gone through this exercise, I suggest you do this first. List what you consider your top 5 values in life and convert those into working values for your business. There are obvious ones, that should be … well … obvious, such as integrity, honesty, ethics, but you can dig deeper and find others that speak to your unique value system. 5 Elements that you need to ensure you apply, once you have your company culture values intact, are: 1. Be upfront about what your company culture is about – right at hiring stage Employing the people that fit your company ways is vital to sustaining good staff. You can ask certain questions that will let you see just whether they mix well with you, your business and the other already established employees. 2. Let existing employees know what the company culture is all about Maybe you have worked about-face and only now decided what it is your company values are. Well, don’t leave your workers in the dark. Tell them, make it clear, and even consider visualizing it on your entrance wall or as a screen saver on their computers. 3. Let your team know that they are a team Many businesses exist in an island scenario, with management sitting so far away from the rest of the people, that they cannot bridge the gap. And, we don’t mean literally only here. We mean in terms of actually connecting and engaging with staff. If they feel isolated, then they wont do justice to your business and they certainly won’t stick around long. 4. Be the voice You cannot expect others to follow a methodology you have instilled when you don’t live it. If you want openmindness, then you need to show you are openminded. If you insist that there be a casual, you-can-talk-to-me-about-anyting attitude, then don’t be slamming doors in your staff’s face. Live by what you profess are your company values. 5. Communicate it over and over again Make your company culture an integral part of everything you do, and bring it into meetings, projects, client liaisons, and all that your business gets involved in. Reiterate the values whenever you get the chance, lest anyone forget them.
DO THIS WHEN YOU HAVE NO MOTIVATION LEFT
It happens to the best of us. It can hit you in a blast or it can slowly creep up on you, knocking you down inch by inch. Staying motivated can be tough. When you have looked for all possible pick-me-ups, when you have listened to all the podcasts you can find, and yet you still cannot find the motivation to get up and busy, then you need to dig deeper. First, look to what has worked for you in the past. Either replicate that method or find something new but similar. It may trigger you into that same mode of movement towards a positive end. Connect with at least 5 people that you know can help you. Schedule a coffee, ask them when you can Skype call them, or simply pop them an email and reach out. People can be your greatest saving grace. Give yourself a break. You don’t need to be perfect all the time. You are allowed to have moments where you are down and out. Sometimes, your body and mind is telling you to take a break. We are not promoting that you give up – no! Not at all. But, taking a breather, a respite, can help you to reboot and carry on. Take a look at your health situation. Your low mood may have much to do with your fitness and health status. Assess if you have been eating well and if you are getting in at least some exercise every second day. Even a brisk walk can help you to clear your head and set you on the path to recovery. If you find that no methods are working, you may want to seek professional help. Insomnia, lack of appetite, low libido, stomach cramps, headaches, and the wish to be alone are all signs that depression is setting in. While independently they may be because of other issues, its best to have yourself checked out soonest. In ending, thinking about what could be the source of your low motivation could be just the trick to getting you out of the bad mood. Fix it as quickly as you can and try to move past it – telling yourself that it is just a phase. Please note, as well, that we are by no means giving you qualified professional advise here, but rather our insights after many years in the entrepreneural zone.
HOW TO BE A BETTER MENTOR
We all are mentors to someone, whether we realise it or not. Ensuring you keep your mentor skills honed is important so that you can give of your best to others. Whether it be your child, your employees, your colleagues, or a friend, you want to know that the way you mentor them brings on results. LISTEN Having two ears and one mouth may be just the way we were created for aesthetic appeal, but using them accordingly is also a good idea when it comes to mentoring. Listen to what your prodigy is saying, where the issues are, why they are needing your assistance, and then before giving them your insights, collate a proper detailed response. SET EXPECTATIONS Having a goal or goals to aspire to is helpful for you as the mentor and of course helpful to the mentee. Have the mentee write them down and constantly go back to them to gauge how far they are nearing them. CHECK IN – OFTEN While this may not be your full time job, as a mentor you want to be checking in with your student (as that is what they are) on a regular basis. See whether they are on the right path according to those goals. Send a quick message. Make a phone call. Or even pop them an email. Being available is also another way to help them. LEARN HOW TO BE EMOTIONALLY TUNED IN The art of empathy does not come naturally to most, so learning to understand others situations and feelings is a great tool to have. One mustn’t get too involved though, so stepping back and assessing the level of interaction can help the mentee. NEVER ASSUME Always ask. No matter what you think or have an opinion on, always ask your student first. Assuming something can be the undoing of months of mentoring. Once you have all the information, then you can devise a plan to moving forward. BE HUMAN No one expects you to be perfect, and in fact, its best that you are not. Showing that you have made mistakes and aren’t infallible, will put you in good light with your mentee. Open up and let them know that you can relate.
Write a CV recruiters and HR will love
You have a few seconds to make an impression. A Recruiter or HR Officer sometimes receive hundreds of CVs per day. If your CV is missing information, presented poorly or difficult to read, you are relegated immediately. So, write a CV they will sit up straight for. SUBJECT LINE Before we get on to writing a good CV, remember the subject line is also important. Make your subject the heading of the advert you are applying for, your name and surname and the date, this makes searching easier for us consultants. It also gets us to click on your CV COVER PAGE OR INTRO A cover page or intro in the body of the mail is important and this should include salary expectations, notice period and why you are suited to this vacancy. PERSONAL DETAILS Make sure your personal details at the top of the CV are correct. We often find a good candidate, but there are no or old contact details. CVs are stored in files or extracted from mails by systems, make sure your number is on the CV attachment, not just on the mail. ACHIEVEMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS When you write a cv list all academic achievements, courses, qualifications and computer packages you have worked on. USE KEYWORDS Recruiters often use search methods that use key words to search, if your CV exclude these key words, you are not found. INTERESTS, HOBBIES ETC. List interests, hobbies and sports CURRENT AND PAST EMPLOYMENT List each position you worked at, the company name, your title at the company, your starting and finishing date, a detailed job description (remember key words) and your reason for leaving. REFERENCES Include references when you write a cv. These references need to include your direct report. MISSING AREAS Do not omit jobs from your CV. Recruiters and HR officers do pick up these omitted jobs in our verification checks. We don’t mind gaps, so long as there’s a sufficient explanation. PICTURE Include a pic on your CV if you can, just a head shot. People remember a face easier than a name. No cat pics, no holding a beer, no wedding pics, just a ID style pic. ID NUMBER Include your ID number, passport number or work permit number CONTENT – Make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes – Use a simple and easy to read font, on a blank background – Also use a simple format, word or PDF. Fancy formats can be painful when you receive bulk CVs. Company applicant tracking systems peruse your resume for information and convert it to pure text as the most immediate viewing format – Avoid mixing up first and third person or present tense and past tense. – We see some real shocking email addresses and they give us an instant negative perception of a candidate. Try to stick to using your name with an email address. START AND FINISH DATES You must ensure that when you list your jobs that you have accurate start and finish dates, usually stipulating the month and year will be sufficient. A CV without this information will be rejected because the recruiter will simply think you are trying to hide something LEAVE OUT REAL PERSONAL DETAILS You’re not pitching for a date, so a recruiter does not need to know your age, height, weight, religious or political affiliations, marital status or sexual orientation ENSURE YOUR RECORDS ARE TRUE More and more businesses are now carrying out extensive background checks prior to taking somebody on board. Nearly everybody embellishes their achievements in jobs on their CV, but stretching the truth could land you in hot water. We have seen many candidates trip themselves up. KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter. They want a nice punchy CV that quickly gives them all the info they need. They don’t want to plough through long paragraphs, nor will they probably have the patience to do so. KEEP CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Another classic faux pas is when candidates put their CV in the wrong chronological order. You should always list your most recent employment and latest achievements first within that position. NO QUOTES PLEASE We have even come across CVs where people kick off with a Winston Churchill or Shakespearian quote. A guaranteed way to quickly get your CV binned. CREATE THE HOOK A snappy introduction should mention which industries you have excelled in and what skills you would bring to your new role. Don’t waste this chance to impress by just rolling out some meaningless soundbites. And always take the time to make the introduction bespoke to the role that you are applying to.
IS HIRING A FREELANCER A GOOD WAY TO GO?
There are times where you don’t necessarily need to employ another person, but when a big project comes up, you do realise you need more hands and heads. Hiring a freelancer could be the way to go. Stats show, in the US alone, that 47% of millennials are freelancing. In South Africa there is a large freelance workforce available to you too which can help your business on an adhoc, contract-style basis. With a freelancer you don’t need to worry about recruitment contracts, UIF and PAYE payments, and all the other permanent employee legalities. There will be paperwork involved though, so know your rights and what legal aspects must be attended to. In terms of hiring a freelancer, one must also look at the worker as someone who can add vast value to your business as a whole and not just the project at hand. Do not make the mistake of treating the freelancer like an indispensable commodity. You never know the impact they may have on your business. Very often people who choose to freelance, whether on a permanent basis or part time, choose to do so because they either do not find they fit into the mould of 9-5, cannot work with others in an office environment, prefer their autonomy and independence, and like flexibility. Freelancers are a different kettle of fish and companies should realise this when going into a contract with them. They cannot be moulded into a role that doesn’t fit a freelancer pattern. The parameters of the contract must be viewed quite differently and be adaptable to give the freelancer freedom to work as they need to. This can be scary for a business where keeping to budget is key, so a clear brief, a clear quotation for services, and a clear contract must be laid out upfront. A few quick pointers to take note of before hiring a freelancer: 1. Clear outline of the hours to be worked 2. Ensure your permanent staff and the freelancer meet and are aware of the rules 3. Have regular and set meetings to prep for the week and recap after a week