Why a Healthy Employee is a Happy Employee

Why a Healthy Employee is a Happy Employee Following on from our employees guide to staying healthy, this useful infographic from ChairOffice provides lunchtime inspiration for those aiming to get a head-start on their new year resolutions on keeping healthy and fit. Not only will you feel better overall but youll work more efficiently! Remember, keeping healthy  is 80% nutrition, 20% working out. Killer abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym! Takeaways: Feeling the 3pm fatigue? Eat iron-packed prawns may keep your energy level high! Meat can be part of a balanced diet. Treat yourself but everything in moderation. Carbohydrates shouldnt be shunned either, as they can slowly release energy throughout the day. Broccoli! Broccoli! Broccoli! Get those greens! The satisfaction of eating healthy outweighs cravings for sugar and salt and fat! Treat your body as a temple. RELATED: An Employees Guide to Staying Healthy

Why You Should Embrace The Power of Thinking Differently - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Why You Should Embrace The Power of Thinking Differently - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As long as we are willing, we may each learn from those around us. The eye opening lessons come from those who, in particular, think differently from us. Steve Jobs said it best, “think different”. Large Vision vs. Detail In one meeting, the question was posed about who the target audience of the new organization might be. The question was asked, “Are you speaking of startups or Fortune 100 companies?” The response came back, “No, I’m referring to the right contact title at a company.” The two thought processes were diametrically opposed. The coordinator of the meeting believes that by putting the details in place first, one has a defined process for moving forward. However, the problem with getting too caught up in detail upfront will cause added anguish. In turn, this slows down progress. By the end of the meeting, the leader was actually seen as being in a state of overwhelm for what lies ahead. The entrepreneurial mindset is to take calculated risk. On the other end, by looking at the largest vision imaginable, and then working backward, to put milestones and projects in place, you quickly recognize highly motivating reasons to advance forward quickly. The trade-off is that some details may be missing. But should you be willing to learn from trial and error, and experimentation, the details will soon become apparent. It is the motivated persistence that leads to a successful outcome. Black and White Thinking vs. Creative In another meeting, facilitators were expected to speak at length on a particular sales related topic. At one table, the people new to the sales profession had other questions on their mind. The facilitator, unlike those at other tables, took time to answer the specific questions. Her idea was to satisfy the needs of those attendees. Once the questions were answered, she brought the group back to the topic at hand. Other facilitators expressed outrage that the one leader went off-topic. More importantly, the one leader was concerned about how her methods were greeted by the creators of the program. The people in charge saw the diversion as a gift for the attendees at that table. It was agreed that the answers provided would encourage the attendees to return the next time. Your Story Doing things like everyone else will only produce average results. The question becomes, is your desire to be average? Should the answer be “no”, then take time to examine how you currently perform. Do you intuitively move forward in spite of what others say? Are you working on projects that you enjoy? Is there a larger vision in mind toward which you are working? As you become opinionated on how to proceed, and follow your gut, you begin to build a well-defined personal brand. By sticking to what you believe to be right for you, and in all you do, others know they can count on you. Witnessing you move steadily toward your vision, serves to inspire others to ask for your help so that they may accomplish similar results. By thinking differently, you will find your way to the Smooth Sale!

How to Rekindle Your Job Search Fire

How to Rekindle Your Job Search Fire When you’re out in the market, sometimes it can be hard to focus your job search and to feel confident in finding your next role. Here are some questions and thoughts from career consultants â€" to help you along your way. Have you focused your job search on one specific area of opportunity? Most of us have a range of things we like to do, and are good at, and â€" often â€" have done. Sadly, that does not help in terms of finding a job. If you go to market with an unfocussed offer â€" look at me, I can do a whole range of work! â€" you are unlikely to succeed in your job search. The alternative is to find the one possible position that you will be ideally suited to. Working with a career coach, they can help you explore your capabilities, connections and networks, and â€" using our joint creativity â€" design the ideal position for you. I believe this to be the essential first step in securing your next career move. What’s your target? Who are you going to concentrate on? I believe that in order to find a new job â€" not just any job, but your next career move â€" it is crucial to focus on one target. That’s because if you communicate that you are looking for a particular job, the person you are talking to â€" whether it’s someone in your network, a potential employer or a headhunter â€" can then use their knowledge of the world to assist you. They might offer you strategic advice, or analytical help, or access to their network. Whatever it is, it will be valuable, and is only available if you communicate a specific and focused message to them. So get focused! Do you know enough about your target? The industry, the role, the environment? Once you know your target area of opportunity, you need to research and get to understand it deeply. Get to know who the key players are in the industry. Make sure you know everything you can about your sector and the company you’re going after. Is the target area of opportunity growing or shrinking? Who in your existing network can you talk to about what is actually happening now in the target area of opportunity, so that you can position yourself as a person uniquely qualified to offer value to potential employers? What does the role involve? What unseen advantage do you have, that this research will enable you to play up so that you become irresistible to your target employer? What value does this opportunity bring you, and you bring it? Once you have established your value to target employer, everything becomes easier. You can now take an active role in securing a job. You can arrange to meet potential employers, and since your communication with them will be clear and compelling, they will recognise you as a person they want to â€" indeed, at times, have to â€" employ. In my experience, once that happens, a job offer and the next step in your career, will come naturally. Related: The Hunger Games Survival Lessons for Job Seekers.

The Biggest Recruitment Lessons of 2017

The Biggest Recruitment Lessons of 2017 As we dive head-first into 2018, it’s worth putting away some time to take stock, reflecting on the lessons of the year gone by.  High employment levels across the board have resulted in several emerging trends, including flexible working, pay increases and an emphasis on curated candidate care. However, Brexit, arguably the biggest issue of 2016, is still lingering in the unknown. With a decision seemingly imminent, there are set to be significant changes in the first half of 2018.   Here are five of the lessons we’ve learned in the last 12 months: Flexibility is the new normal and benefits are better than ever Flexible working has become increasingly common, with candidates looking for a better work-life balance and clients recognizing the value in offering their employees greater autonomy. This gig economy allows employers to find the best talent regardless of physical location and situation, thereby widening their candidate pool. It also means that candidates are afforded more choice in their job search. In the same vein, benefits have become a more prominent feature of employees’ overall package. A good benefits package helps to build a strong professional relationship between employee and employer, promotes best-practice habits and can help reduce turnover. Fitness, health, and wellbeing are prevalent influencing factors, with candidates placing greater emphasis on a health-conscious working environment. Other popular offerings have included a day off on birthdays, complimentary dry cleaning and supplied breakfast and lunch. The candidate is king With unemployment levels at an all-time low, finding strong candidates has become harder than ever before. As employers struggle to find talent by themselves, they are turning to agencies and creative candidate-sourcing methods. What’s more, the high level of permanent placements has had an impact on quality temporary workers, meaning candidate care has become more important than ever. Creating a seamless experience for candidates is essential for ensuring that the highest-quality talent remains loyal to your brand. The behaviors of every consultant a potential candidate meets must be consistent, along with the company branding and tone of voice. Most importantly, every engaged candidate must be followed up â€" a lack of response and communication is one of the most frequent complaints amongst candidates.  Failing to do this can be incredibly detrimental â€" a recent survey by CareerArc found 60% of the surveyed candidates had had a poor candidate experience, and 72% of those shared that experience online or by word-of-mouth.   GDPR is going to shake up the industry GDPR may not come into effect until May 2018, but it has started to dominate discussions within the industry as many realize the far-reaching effect the legislation will have. Candidates and clients will now need to explicitly consent to receive marketing material, meaning databases need to be built up from the ground once more. All other data will also need to be cleaned up, ensuring full compliance with the new retention and storage laws. Diversity and equality Diversity in the workplace continues to be a hot topic in 2017, as companies recognize its positive impact on employee productivity, loyalty, and creativity. Opening a job to all candidates, regardless of race, religion, gender, age, sexual preference or physical disability increases the potential pool and ensures the best people are considered for the role. Creating an environment where employees are included and represented helps to increase engagement and lessens the chances of an employee leaving. It is a recruiter’s responsibility to encourage diversity, considering applicants primarily on their suitability for the role and cultural fit. Likewise, encouraging equal opportunity policies in businesses is paramount and should be readily available if requested. Applying on-the-go and social media Considering we now bank, eat, chat, book and share on the run, what’s to stop candidates applying for jobs in the same way? Initiatives like one-click applications are making it easier than ever for candidates to apply for jobs, thereby increasing the potential pool and enticing those who might not even be looking. By reducing the hoops candidates must jump through, recruiters are able to speed up the recruitment process, satisfying clients’ needs quicker than ever. In the same way, social media continues to rise in popularity as a recruitment tool, with ever-increasing numbers of millennials using social networks to find work. Therefore, recruiters should be looking to platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to reach potential candidates, as well as emerging apps like Instagram and Snapchat. However, before engaging with anyone, it’s important to make sure the brand is presented in the best light, with consistent content and imagery. About the author: David Morel is the CEO/Founder of  Tiger Recruitment, one of London’s leading secretarial/administrative recruitment agencies. David founded Tiger in 2001 and has written extensively in the press and wider media advising both employers and job seekers on best recruitment practice.

Post-graduate job pressure could be ruining your prospects

Post-graduate job pressure could be ruining your prospects This post was written by an external contributor. Sarah Wilson helps relieve some of our fears around graduation and entering the real world (gulp) If you know a final year student, next time you see them give them a hug. Trust me, they need it. If the never-ending drizzle of the winter months weren’t bad enough, students currently in their final year of uni have the nightmarish prospect of finals looming. And beyond that there’s an even bigger fear: the reality of life and work in the real world… Type one: Headless chickens In my experience, students under this particular kind of pressure go one of two ways. The first involves career-frenzy; students who diligently attend every job fair under the sun with pre-prepared questions memorised and CVs in hand. They’ll apply to any job that comes their way regardless of how unsuitable it might be, spurred on by panic over potential unemployment. Type two: Heads in the sand For others this fear is no less present, it’s just that it sends them the other way. This kind of student, weighed down by the pressure of succeeding academically and landing the perfect job, will choose to stick their head in the sand. Memos from the careers service are swiftly deleted and talk of life after uni strictly avoided. But is any of this panic actually productive? Whilst firing off hundreds of job applications a week or ignoring the future to focus on exams might feel like the right thing to do at the time, it’s possible that post-graduate pressure might actually be ruining the prospects of soon-to-be graduates. Pressure comes from all sides The pressure to have it all figured out is piled on by parents, friends, and university itself. It’s also compounded by social media, which has a knack for making everyone else’s life look so much more successful and glamorous than your own. It leaves even the most level-headed of students spiralling downwards at the dreaded question: “So, what’s the plan after uni?” Don’t panic When you feel the fear setting in, the best thing to do is get some perspective. Remind yourself that Alan Rickman didn’t make it into film until he was 41, JK Rowling was 32 when the first Harry Potter was published and Amy Poehler didn’t make it onto Saturday Night Live until after she turned 30. The point is, that whilst it feels as though you’ll miss the boat if you don’t land your dream career straight out of uni, the reality is often far different. In fact, blindly applying to every grad scheme on offer could lead you down a career path you never actually wanted to take. On the flip side, filling out such a high volumes of applications will only diminish the quality of each individual one leaving you with nothing to show for all the hours you put in. What’s more by devoting large chunks of your time to job applications whilst in your final year, you take away time from academic study, risking your final grade and your employability. Of course, the opposite path can be just as bad; by completely avoiding the prospect of graduation, you’ll find yourself adrift when the day finally arrives. As with everything in life, moderation is the most sensible policy. By setting aside a couple of hours a week to think about the future or fill out applications, you’ll find yourself far less panicked and guilty when you turn your attention back to uni work and exams. Consider some time out There’s nothing wrong with taking a breather. If you really don’t know what you want to do, it’s worth allowing yourself the time to figure it out. But don’t fall into the trap of simply doing nothing time out after uni is about recovering and relaxing, sure, but you’ve got to keep one eye on your employability. Look out for volunteering opportunities or internships and take them if you can. Both are great ways of gaining skills that’ll look good on your CV as well as a means of dipping your toe into the world of work without committing to a contract perfect for figuring out your next steps. You’ll get there in the end Above all, don’t let the pressure get to you. Even if you don’t end up in the job or career you wanted straight away, there are almost always alternative routes in. Take it one step at a time and you’ll be totally fine and maybe consider an Instagram hiatus… Download Debut  and  connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

9 questions to ask your Manager during a performance review - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

9 questions to ask your Manager during a performance review A few days ago I posted a video with advice on how to prepare for a performance review if youve missed it, you can watch it here: https://interview-coach.co.uk/how-to-prepare-for-your-annual-performance-review/ Here’s another video with 9 questions to ask your Manager during a performance review. 1. “What do you think went well this year?” Some managers are lousy at expressing appreciation. If your boss is one of those, you may need to ask for her positive views. Practically speaking, it’s also helpful to know exactly what pleases your manager. (If the answer you get is “Nothing”, then you might want to start looking for a better boss!) 2. “What do you think I should do differently next year?” This is a much better approach than asking what you did wrong in the past. If your boss is uncomfortable giving critical feedback, this question will often help you learn what he’s really thinking. 3. “What could I do to improve my rating in this area next year?” If you get a low rating on some particular objective or attribute, find out what you need to change. Try to agree on specific things that you can do differently. Understanding the change that’s desired by your boss is usually more productive than arguing about the past. Unless your manager is more flexible than most, you’re not likely to get that rating changed during your review. 4. “How could I be more helpful to other people on the team?” In most work groups, the members are somewhat interdependent. Even if you have a great relationship with your colleagues, your manager may see opportunities for the team to be more collaborative. And just asking the question sends the message that you aren’t only concerned with yourself. 5. “What are your most important goals for the coming year?” Surveys have found that most employees really don’t understand what their manager’s goals are. If you know your boss’s priorities, then you can provide useful information or assistance, which certainly won’t hurt your next performance rating! 6. “Is there anything I could do to make your job easier?” If you ask this question, your boss might faint dead away, since very few employees actually think about how to make life easier for their manager. Most of us typically view this the other way around: how can my boss make life easier for me? 7. “How do you think our business is going to change in the future? What challenges do we face?” This question can help you see how your own work fits into the bigger picture and provide a heads up about future issues. It also sends the message that you are thinking about things beyond your own daily work. 8. “What new knowledge or skills do you think I may need to develop?” You need the answer to this question to plan for your own professional development. Or, if your job is changing in undesirable ways, you may need to rethink your career plan. 9. “What career opportunities do you see for someone with my background?” If you hope to develop a career path in your current organization, you need to initiate that discussion. Don’t wait for someone else to find an opportunity for you. Hope these questions will help you make the most of your next performance review. Please feel free to leave me your comments or any questions below. If you would like to get some help with your career challenges, please answer a few questions at  http://www.talkwithmargaret.com  to schedule your complimentary consultation. ____________________________________________________________ Margaret Buj  is an  Interview Coach  who’s helped hundreds of professionals across Europe and the US to get the jobs and promotions they really wanted. Margaret also has 9 years of experience recruiting for a variety of positions at all levels across Europe and in the US, primarily in technology and e-commerce sectors. If you want to find out how recruiters read resumes, why you are not getting hired, how to sell yourself successfully in a job interview, and how to negotiate your best salary yet, you can download her  FREE “You’re HIRED!” video course.

The Value of a Good Online CV Maker

The Value of a Good Online CV MakerAn online CV maker is a very important part of the application process. CV's are your opportunity to highlight your past and present accomplishments. Online CV makers can help you make your CV stand out to potential employers in this time of economic uncertainty.An online CV maker can make your CV come alive and show it off to hundreds or even thousands of people on the internet. People use online CV makers in their marketing efforts, and they make it very easy for you to make one that is unique to you.A reputable online CV maker can customize a CV to fit your specific needs. You can create a single document that has all of your most relevant experiences and accomplishments in your job search. You can also create a multiple page resume with customized sections such as education, experience, and training. Most online CV makers will allow you to create a resume as a sample and customize it to meet your needs.The key to using an online CV maker is bein g able to customize the information it presents about you and your past employment. An online CV maker will be able to write a compelling and personal letter of intent that shows your unique character and motivations.The content of your CV is a powerful tool that can help set you apart from the other applicants. With each section of your CV written specifically for you, it will be easier for prospective employers to see who you are and what you are all about.Another great benefit of making your CV online is that it saves time and money for you. Most businesses and organizations will have employees that they can provide a CV to that is tailor made to meet the needs of the applicant.Make sure that you make your CV as detailed as possible. Make sure that you include your educational background and personal history so that you make it clear what you are all about. Also, include details about any work experience that you have had in the past.Using an online CV maker can help you get noti ced and start making some real connections. Make your CV a standout and have a good chance of getting a good job interview when applying for one.