7 P’S THAT WILL PROMOTE HAPPINESS AT WORK

  1. PURPOSE – Creating and focussing on a specific goal or purpose at work can foster passion and commitment for a particular target, rather than passively accepting the status quo. Define your career goals with your employer, set targets, take on more responsibility, engage in more decision-making.
  2. PRIORITISE – Focus on one task at a time to reduce stress levels. Prioritising tasks according to importance helps to combat stress and bolster productivity which goes hand in hand with happiness.
  3. POISE: Keep the workspace clean and tidy for an overall organised and positive vibe. Clean environments promote focus, motivation and happiness. A tidy desk is a tidy mind, keep your thoughts pure and happiness levels high.
  4. PEOPLE: People typically find their energy through other people. Talk to your colleagues and connect with them on a personal level. Reach out to your colleagues and see if they need assistance or support. Helping others will improve your mood and self-esteem. Social connection provides a sense of cohesion in the office. Happy team, happy me!
  5. PERSONAL: Request feedback from your employer to realise and identify your weaknesses and work on improving them. By working on your drawbacks at work, you can better yourself inside the workplace and outside, this will give you a sense of personal purpose whilst at work.
  6. PROMOTE: Promote yourself, attend training sessions, socialise at networking events, engage in work-related social events to dictate the direction of your career and personal development.
  7. PARTICIPATE: Participate in projects outside your comfort zone. Happiness can increase when you are doing something that is different, interesting, challenging and meaningful. Broadening your skill set can give you a sense of achievement which is crucial to boosting happiness at work.

 

7 WAYS A RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT WILL ADD VALUE TO YOUR NEXT CAREER MOVE 

  1. Consultants can tap into the wealth of information and experience that their agency has gained from working with companies across different industries and sectors.
  2. Recruitment Consultants have access to job vacancies and new positions that are exclusive and unavailable to the public.
  3. The team will know your local market, they have a network of connections to leverage and will connect you with prospective employers.
  4. A consultant will help you refine and write a more targeted and professional resume.
  5. Recruitment Consultants can advocate for you by highlighting your talents and vouch for your skills, you will not be treated as another face without a name.
  6. Your Recruiter will support you, guide you and address any concerns throughout the application process, offering stage and smoothly transitioning into your new role;
  7. Consultants (including ours at CBC Staff Selection); will stay in touch and be a valuable tool later in your career when you are chasing more senior positions or crave a career change.

 

7  INTERVIEW TIPS & TRICKS

  1. PRACTICE: Review the typical interview questions and practice your responses. Strong answers are specific and concise, drawing on concrete examples from your prior experience.
  2. RESEARCH: Research the company, the service offerings, the values, the culture, the interviewer. The more you know, the most prepared you will feel.
  3. DRESS: Look at your wardrobe, what is your most impressive work outfit? WEAR THAT ONE. Wear your most professional looking outfit to your interview, you will feel great and your interviewer will instantly respect your professionalism.
  4. BE PUNCTUAL: Being on time to an interview means arriving 10 minutes early. Plan your travel route, parking availabilities and take into consideration potential traffic. Use the first 5 minutes to check your appearance and calm your nerves, use the second 5 minutes to wait at reception for your interviewer.
  5. STAY CALM: If you are fidgety, uncomfortable and awkward, your interviewer will likely feel the same way. Stay calm, casual and relaxed, at the end of the day, your interviewer wants to get to know you and the easiest way to do that is to have a normal relaxed conversation. Maintain eye contact, give your undivided attention to the interviewer, do not cut the interviewer off.
  6. QUESTIONS: Prepare questions about aspects of the position, company and culture. This will show your interviewer that you are just as organised and engaged in the interview process as they are.
  7. FOLLOW UP: Always follow up with a thank you for your time email that reiterates and highlights your upmost interest in the position. This extra effort post interview could give you a competitive advantage.

 

7 ONLINE JOB HUNTING TIPS

  1. Know your ideal position: Take the time to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, passions and interests before leaping into mass applying. Make a list of the most important aspects to you for new employment, whether that be money, location, company culture etc.
  2. Be Selective: The more you know about your ideal position, the easier it will be to refine your search and focus on the jobs which are a perfect fit for you. Applying to millions of jobs does not necessarily guarantee better results. Spend your time focussing on the position which suits you.
  3. Preparation: Have your documentation and references prepared and ready
  4. Customise each application: Tailor your cover letter and resume to each job you apply for. Use the job description to break down the exact criteria that the employer is looking for and ensure your resume and cover letter reflect this criterion.
  5. Leverage LinkedIn: Activate your LinkedIn profile so recruiters know you are looking for employment opportunities. Update your prior work experience, modify wording and carefully select key skills.
  6. Apply with confidence: Looking for employment can be stressful so, be kind to yourself and find comfort in the fact that the more jobs you apply for and interview for, the easier the process will become.
  7. Persist: Send a follow up email through to reiterate your interest and commitment to the role. This will help you stand out from the other candidates.

 

7 SELECTION CRITERIA STEPS

  1. Step 1 UNDERSTAND: Start by understanding the process, don’t just jump into writing your selection criteria responses before understanding WHY the company uses selection criteria to compare applicants.
  2. Step 2 BREAK DOWN: Take the time to break down the selection criteria to have a thorough understanding of what the employer is really looking for. Take the time to see how many pages are needed, what formatting style is preferred and the type of language which is desired.
  3. Step 3 RESEARCH: Do your research into the position you are interviewing for, the company’s culture, mission and values, and the company’s recent achievements and news. The more you know about the company, the more you can tailor your selection criteria responses to the company.
  4. Step 4 EXAMPLES: Use solid and impressive examples from your prior experience that have a clear connection to the selection criteria. Highlight specific relevant skills that you learnt from prior experience which will ensure you excel in the position you are interviewing for.
  5. Step 5 BE CONCISE: A recruiter will likely have multiple applications to go through so choose your words carefully and use clear headings with the right words to catch your readers attention.
  6. Step 6 SHOW OFF: Do not be afraid to show off your capabilities, your reader wants to be convinced that you are the best for the job. Use powerful, passionate and persuasive words to convince your reader that you are the best applicant.
  7. Step 7 PROOFREAD: Spelling and grammar mistakes are a red flag to a recruiter, get a fresh set of eyes to proofread your responses.

 

7 ITEM CHECKLIST FOR A SUCCESSFUL VIDEO INTERVIEW 

  1. TRIAL RUN: Test your technology by video calling a friend to ensure your equipment is working perfectly.
  2. DRESS FROM HEAD TO TOE: An appearance impression applies to video interviews as well as an in-person interview. Dress for success from head to toe, doing so will make you feel more confident and will mimic an in-person interview feel.
  3. SET THE SCENE: Sit in a room or location with a professional background and zero distractions. Consider choosing a virtual background green screen on zoom if you prefer. Turn off all notifications on your phone and computer which could interfere with your focus during the interview.
  4. REFERENCE MATERIAL: Have your resume, cover letter, job description and speaking points or notes physically printed in front of you. Having these documents handy will reduce stress and increase your confidence.
  5. EYE CONTACT: Maintain virtual eye contact by looking directly into the webcam camera or by looking at your interviewers’ eyes on the screen. Do not look at yourself in the corner of your screen.
  6. PROJECT AND PAUSE: Project your voice by speaking clearly and slowly to account for any delay or lag in the digital connections. Pause for a few seconds after the interviewer finishes asking their question to avoid potentially cutting them off.
  7. FOLLOW UP: Just like an in-person interview, thank the interviewer for the opportunity by sending a follow-up email within 24 hours. Personalise your follow-up email by referring to aspects of the interview which show your engagement and commitment.

 

7 PERSONAL BRANDING TIPS FOR OUTSTANDING ONLINE PRESENCE 

  1. LinkedIn: Your LinkedIn account is your personal website displaying your personal brand and portfolio of skills. Here are 7 ways to improve your LinkedIn profile:
    1. Create a professional cover photo of yourself
    2. Carefully select your skills that suit your ideal position
    3. Max out your headline to grab recruiters’ attention
    4. Pack your LinkedIn profile full of industry keywords, sprinkle them throughout your headline, summary, skills list, descriptions and past jobs.
    5. Obtain references and endorsements
    6. Constantly connect with new people
    7. Get active: create content for your followers, repost posts which interest you, like & comment.
  2. Regularly google yourself to see what stories are out there about you and remove any unwanted mentions.
  3. Tidy up your privacy settings on any personal social media.
  4. Be consistent with your posts, and interact kindly and with positivity to others online to create a good online presence.
  5. Filter through your photos (including tagged photos) to ensure that nothing humiliating is visible to your new employer.
  6. Follow local organisations in your chosen industries and interact with their posts.
  7. Make sure that your resume and your online presence tell the same story.