In this day and age, where’s the time?

In this day and age, where’s the time?- Career Tips

Effective time management ensures productivity and reduces stress levels

How many of us constantly find ourselves envying our friends who seem to be having a good time despite their busy schedules? We may be doing lesser work compared to them, yet we never seem to finish on time and relax.

Simple and practical time management skills can help us manage our time well, be exceptionally productive and reduce stress levels at work.

Listed below are some tips on effective time management:

Follow the four D’s

Do it – the sooner, the better

Delegate it – if someone else can do it for you

Dump it – if it is not important, forget about it.

Defer it – if it is not urgent, come back to it later

Set personal goals – decide where you want to be six months from now.

Manage distractions – try to cut down on phone calls,emails, etc. They delay the process of reaching our goals.

Avoid procrastination – find an immediate action plan. If needed, divide you work into small manageable tasks.

Learn to say ‘no’ – don’t take on too much.

Avoid micromanaging – train your people and trust their capabilities.

Take a break – a short walk, a cup of coffee or a chat with a friend refreshes you.

Minimize errors   – it’s okay to make mistakes, just don’t repeat them.

Career Tips

Delegate so you can focus on other important matters

  

Minimize distractions and learn to manage interruptions

Set goals – decide where you want to be six months from now.

Social media and your prospective job- Career Tips

Social media and your prospective job

Use the power of social media to keep your career moving on and up

Post – recession, the working world has become an unpredictable place of constant change and shift. One of the most significant trends is the increasing role that social media now plays in hiring. If used wisely, social media can be a powerful tool that can lead you to your next job.

Ninety percent of employers use social media platforms to check on prospective candidates and to scout for potential hires. Linked in is the most popular social channel for hiring. But a whopping 70 percent of candidates get rejected based on negative content in their social media profiles. It pays to remember that when you post your online status. Likewise, exercise judgement before posting photos.

It works both ways too. What’s wonderfully democratic about social media is that you can also use it to research the next company you’re thinking of moving to. Check out their pages on Face book. How informative, open and positive is the chatter on those pages? How engaged do their employees seem to be? Their page can provide vital clues on what it’s like to work there.

Use Twitter and Face book to reach out and connect with people in your profession. Updates about industry networking events are regularly posted online and attending them not only connects you to other professionals, but can also be a valuable source of information on opportunities and movements within you field.

Build and manage your online reputation using social media. Share updates on your career-related activities. If you attended a major conference, met industry experts, won a pitch, delivered a speech or received an award, talk about it online. But use moderation and common sense – no one wants to be bombarded with constant updates from a show – off!

Career Tips

Social media can be a positive tool in your job search

Use it to stay connected with others in your industry

Manage your online reputation through status updates

What’s your offcial job title?- Carer Tips

What’s your official job title?

It’s your professional ID and a badge if authority

The awareness of one’s job title will help your evaluate employment opportunities and career progress. Career transition experts explain why it’s sometimes necessary to change your official job title when applying for a new job:

Be sure your job title describes your role

The official title of a lady responsible for managing the company’s overseas operations and saving them millions of dollars in potential legal costs was ‘’Sales Support”. On her resume, the career transition expert changed it to ‘’General Manager’’, as this was more accurate title for her role.

If you managed, you’re manager

If you’re looking to set up to management role, it’s important to stress and experience you already have in managing, recruiting, training or motivating others. If you did this outside of work, as a volunteer or in community activities, it’s still relevant experience. But only use the title’’manager’’ if it accurately describes what you have done.

Too niche or too broad?

A general job title such as ‘’Marketing Manger’’ does not make it clear what types of activities you were involved in. If you’re looking to move to larger company or more specialized your role, focus on your experience in specific areas such as market research, social media, database or CRM. On the other hand, if you’re joining a small company or start-up, you’ll need to do the opposite.

An upgrade in job title may or may not bring an automatic increase in compensation, or in the potential for future increases.

An inappropriate job title does not only undermine your standing,both inside and out side your company but also hinders your pursuit for future growth and career opportunities.

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A job title should accurately describe what you have done.

An upgrade in job title may or may not bring a pay rise

Ensure HR records reflect the change in your title