Bone up professionally to re-enter world of work

Published on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008

You may have put your career temporarily on hold to raise a family, care for an elder, come to terms with bereavement or overcome a major illness. Else, it may have been a career break to continue your education or explore other options.

But, coming out of the self-imposed hiatus and returning to the workforce is easier said than done.

As you dust the dirt from your old certificates and draft a resume, the gap can engender feelings of reduced confidence and lack of certainty about your ability to perform a job. The very thought is quite nerve-wracking and daunting.

Even if you start out with hope in the heart, you cannot casually pick up your career from where you left off. Only if things were that easy…

Whether you have been away just for a year or ten, the rules will have changed. Especially stay-at-home parents and mid-life career returnees are shocked to find that their once-upon-a-time valuable education, qualifications and experience have now become obsolete and meaningless.

Trapped in the ‘over-age’ bracket, it is now difficult to compete with younger (read: enthusiastic, vibrant and energetic) candidates even for entry-level jobs.

With polite rejection behind every door, they find themselves facing a bleak future.

Making a comeback

Returning to the corporate world throws up difficult questions about childcare (for homemakers) and work-life balance.

Apart from these practical issues, here’s what you need to know and do to make a smooth transition:

Striking out anew – Since you have been away for a while it is not mandatory to go back to what you were doing earlier and continue in the same career field.

This career crossroad marks a perfect time to consider changing your work, particularly if it is out-of-date, too demanding or something that you don’t like. Figure out what you want to do in tune with your new interests, commitments, skills and personality.

Voluntary work, starting your own business, temping, freelancing or other flexible alternatives like working from home, part-time work and job sharing are appealing options that can help you to slowly brush up your skills while ironing out any hiccups in the transfer to the world of work.

You can even take self-assessment tests and meet with a career development professional to arm yourself with beneficial career tools as you step out in search of a job.

Making up for lost time – There would have been changes since you last worked; at times even the hiring parameters, preferences and work regulations can change drastically.

It is always advisable to keep track of what is going on even when you are not working. But, if you have negligently been out of touch, try to bone up professionally before you re-enter the world of work.

Read up industry news, professional journals and websites to keep abreast of your occupation, industry and working conditions. Research on what has changed, which skills are considered necessary and what you need to know to be competitive.

Talk to people in your network like former colleagues and supervisors about current trends, technology and expectations.

You will also have to refresh your skills, learn new ones and even retrain if looking for a new role.

Actual interview – Experts advise that career returnees should opt for a functional resume that highlights skills and work history instead of a glaring chronology of jobs. But, be positive and unapologetic about the gap in your employment history. Confidently explain that it was your choice to take time off to be a full-time parent or travel the world, as the case may be!

Get into corporate mode by promoting yourself and asking for what you want. Portray yourself as an effective and efficient worker who possesses the relevant skills and commitment even if you weren’t recently engaged in the workforce. But, be prepared, as you may have to start at a lower level or take a pay-cut initially.

Overcome the blues – Continue to be patient and optimistic, as it will definitely take time for you to land a job, especially if you are looking for flexibility to fit with your other responsibilities.

Steel yourself to handle the emotional strain, fear and depression as you can end up feeling torn and confused. Keep boosting your confidence and do not lose heart, as your perseverance will pay for sure.

This is a new chapter in your life with a good job waiting around the corner. Good luck!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Be flexible, adjust to new job requirements

Published on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008

Mr. Verma’s energy and enthusiasm is at an all-time high as he lands a plum new job. Ceremoniously quitting the old job, he excitedly embarks on the new journey.

But, the party goes bust in less than a week. Two weeks down, he dismally decides that the new job is quite different from what he had expected. Disillusionment sets in making him wonder how he ever even thought that this job was perfect!

Sounds familiar? Sometimes, it so happens that a new job fails to work out as anticipated. There often is a frustrating disparity between the job you thought you were hired for and what you actually have to do. Before you start kicking yourself for the mismatch, consider this:

Hang in there – Starting a new job is an awkward phase; don’t judge in haste or start panicking on the very first day. You have to be patient and give yourself time to acclimatise with the new environment, colleagues and processes. Learn to courageously cope with the change even when you are overwhelmed with unexpected responsibilities. Maybe all that our Mr. Verma needs is to get to know his co-workers better or take the time to adapt to the new company culture.

For all you know, you may even be displaying classic withdrawal symptoms of the previous workplace. Just remind yourself of why you left the old job every time you hanker to get it back! Give it a chance and things will settle down soon, the new job may even turn out as a better fit than you expected.

Experts suggest sticking it out for at least 90 days, especially as the first six weeks are used for training new hires. Making this initial phase an unreliable representation of how a job will eventually play out.

Take matters into your own hands – Even if things don’t get better, it’s up to you to pull yourself out of the pit. Speak to the manager; express your concerns and dissatisfaction without griping.

The situation is still salvageable if you can work on the problems together to make the work more challenging.

You can try tweaking the job priorities, commitments or even goals a bit and voila, there’s your perfect job.

Be flexible enough to adjust to an alien work atmosphere, pay discrepancy, unusual job demands or new skill requirements, especially if the job has future potential. Try to endure the struggle as you can work your way up the career ladder inching towards more responsibility or greater satisfaction.

Square pegs, round holes – Six months in, and things still fail to evolve. Well, it does not take extra intuition to figure out that the new job was a mistake. Do not try to force fit yourself in a dead-end if there are genuine adjustment problems, unacceptable work demands, lack of respect or appreciation, unorganised structure or the corporate culture clashes with your values. Once you have done everything in your power to make it a better experience, its high time you move on. As a job consultant observes, “If you’re worried about what you’ll lose if you leave, think what will you lose if you stay?”

If you resigned gracefully and parted on good terms in the old job, you may even get it back. Else, discreetly start circulating your resume and network with ex-colleagues, old bosses, alumni and other contacts. Also, be prepared to justify to your prospective employer as to why you are looking for another job only after a few months into a new one. You can honestly explain that the job was a bad fit (read: decision) and you would like to pursue other options.

Where did you go wrong? “What looks great on paper isn’t necessarily great in reality”, aptly applies to a job search. Avoid career pitfalls from such mistakes by taking a hard-nosed objective look at the jobs on offer. Thoroughly research the company mission, vision and organisational structure, evaluate the position and responsibilities, and talk to co-workers and supervisors before signing on the dotted line. Self-qualify yourself for openings and target only those companies where you can both fit in and succeed.

All said and done, you deserve to give yourself better. Find something that will utilise your expertise, achieve your objectives and is in tune with your personality. The possibilities are infinite, go ahead and find a job you enjoy!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Employee satisfaction keydriver of productivity

Published on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008

Woes of job-hopping, rising turnover and lack of employee loyalty are rampant around every corner. Nobody likes losing employees (to competitors or otherwise) and wrestling attrition is high on the corporate agenda.

Yet, even as organisations fight tooth and nail to retain employees, they are totally oblivious of staff allegiance and happiness.

Everyone from managers, retention agents to HR need to get a handle on employee loyalty and satisfaction – how committed is the workforce to the organisation and if workers are really contented with the way of things for gauging their likelihood to stay with the company.

Employee loyalty

Of the two, employee engagement is a tad easier to measure.

• The litmus test is to study turnover and average length of service. If turnover is on the rise, loyalty levels are low and vice versa. Comparing them to industry averages gives a good idea of attrition probabilities.

• Staff attendance, compliance with policies and confidence in leadership are other indirect indicators of allegiance while excessive theft and sabotage spell obvious lack of commitment.

• A top consultant says, “Look for pockets of higher turnover and disloyalty - by organisational unit, job type and level, length of service and demographics like gender, race/ethnicity or age.”

Employee satisfaction

When it comes to job satisfaction, measuring attitude and not behaviour is another ballgame altogether.

Keen observation of employee reactions and conduct is by far the most obvious and easiest technique. Casually walk around the office, watching employees working, interacting with each other and talk to them informally. Are they smiling, energised, cooperative and alert or listless, inactive and unhelpful? You can even employ a professional consultant as an objective third-party to assess the work atmosphere and compare with other companies.

Take simple observation to the next level by asking employees outright in attitude surveys, focus groups and exit interviews. Analyse the results to determine staff attitude, opinions and motivation. Employee satisfaction is the chief driver of productivity, profits, customer satisfaction and retention and vice versa.

Do something about it

While satisfied employees are not necessarily loyal or loyal ones always satisfied, it cannot be denied that job satisfaction fuels loyalty. After all its been rightly said that, the more satisfied an employee is regarding his or her working conditions, the more likely is he or she to develop a psychological attachment or commitment to the organisation.

Companies should try their best to evaluate why employees leave or what kindles their dissatisfaction. Examine the root causes – where does the problem lie? Is it earnings or benefits? Does it have something to do with job quality or workplace support? Or is lack of appreciation or growth to blame.The onus is on the management to keep employees engaged and happy, so as to persuade them to stay. In fact, this is critical to organisational success.

So, develop strategies that strengthen the work environment and make deliberate improvements to mould the company as an employer of choice.

Treat employees as an important part of the organisation and encourage their participation in various planning and decision-making aspects so that they can actively contribute to the organisational success.

Offer meaningful work and challenging assignments that will effectively utilise staff skills. Also, empower employees and ensure them of job security. Provide legitimate feedback, genuinely listen to staff concerns and make their interests a management priority.

For instance, Motorola’s ‘Individual Dignity Entitlement Program’ requires managers and supervisors to meet one-on-one with each member of their staff every three months. They discuss the employee’s answers to six questions about how they are treated. Then action plans to address issues are created and the progress toward previous action plans reviewed. A compelling mission, effective and regular performance reviews, corporate emphasis on employee learning and wholesome opportunities to advance and grow will encourage the workforce to identify with the employer and reduce defections.

Gaining employee loyalty and satisfaction is not easy; you have to first struggle to earn it and then strive to preserve it.

PAYAL CHANANIA

Know thy interviewer type, handle with care

Published on Wednesday, Aug 06, 2008

Most job hunters concentrate their energies on researching companies, practising answers, listing their achievements and deciding what to wear when preparing for an interview.

But this is not enough. To get hired in today’s business world, you also need to figure out the interviewer’s style and adapt accordingly.

Ideally, the interviewer should be an accomplished person who asks intelligent questions that draw out the candidate’s competencies, interests and experience. He should be focussed and informed so as to provide a proper understanding of the company and the position while steering clear of unlawful questions.

Unfortunately this is not always the case. Hiring managers come in all shapes and sizes with diverse personalities, styles and techniques. The differences present unique challenges that can leave the best interviewee rattled.

So, do you still think you can afford to walk into the interview without a clue as to what makes the interviewer tick? While the actual interview does not give you much time to decipher the type of interviewer you are confronted with, knowing what to watch out for can definitely help you beard the lion in his own den.

Here’s how to identify some common types of interviewers and how to handle them:

The greenhorn – At times, inexperienced or inept interviewers may have no idea what to ask. They themselves are uncomfortable, nervous and disconcerted as they stammer through the questions.

When faced with a ‘wet behind the ears’ interviewer, the onus is on you to take charge of the interview and get the ball rolling. Subtly guide it in the right direction by talking about your selling points or politely asking if you can discuss a few of your key qualifications.

The absentee – Some hiring managers conduct the interview on autopilot, they are distracted, disengaged and just not there. It is difficult to make an impression as they either mechanically ask questions from a list or even worse, field calls, send emails or conduct other work issues simultaneously.

Its up to you to involve the interviewer and develop a rapport by volunteering information as well as asking questions of your own like how long he has been working or what does he like about the job/company. If they are incessant intrusions, you can even ask for a reschedule.

The buddy – A friendly recruiter may smile, joke and talk a lot so as to put you at ease. He may either be hiding his own inadequacy or expertly trying to get you to open up. They usually have lots of family pictures in the office and talk at length about personal matters. At times, it is difficult to get in a word edgewise.

While you should act warm and friendly with extroverts, do keep your guard up and not reveal unnecessary information. Also, take advantage of any pauses to link back to the skills and qualifications that make you perfect for the job and guide the chatter back to professional topics.

The inquisitor – At direct odds with the connectors, some poker-faced interviewers dispense with small talk and totally focus on content as they bombard you with a stream of tough questions. The almost accusatory or adversarial tone creates deliberate pressure that can unnerve the most composed candidate.

Do not take the aloof behaviour personally or get intimidated. Be confident and positive as you calmly take your time to think about the response and answer in an even tone. But take care not to become extra social; just act pleasant.

The shotgun – This sort of interviewer characteristically fires a barrage of staccato questions, jumping from one topic to another before you can even finish answering. The tempo and interruptions make you squirm, as it is difficult to keep pace with the questions.

View this as your chance to relate your strengths on a variety of topics without going into details. But take care not to fumble under the onslaught and calmly answer one question at a time. You can even skilfully stem the blitz with a ‘As I was saying…’ to relate back to the key requirements of the job.

The laser beam – Occasionally, the hiring manager may latch on to an irrelevant/personal aspect of your background like your college, hobbies or sports experience. Refusing to let go, he will grill you with off-the-wall questions that are completely non-job-related.

You have no choice but to put his curiosity at rest by answering the obscure queries satisfactorily. Then try to redirect the conversation to more standard work topics.

The tester – Some interviews play mind games by being sarcastic and argumentative, asking tricky questions or keeping the candidate waiting to test how he handles pressure.

You have to be on your toes in order to deftly handle these tactics. Take care not to get flustered and maintain an aura of poised professionalism.

At length, only when you understand the different interviewer types, can you adjust your approach to match that of the interviewer.

Striking this balance will instantly create a positive impression, establish your credibility and build a rapport that can successfully land you the job.

PAYAL CHANANIA

---

Use exit interviews to get real information

Published on Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008

One of your employees has decided to leave and puts in his papers. Can you afford to let him walk out of the door without a single clue as to why he decided to leave?

Well, exiting employees are a source of valuable information and the importance of evaluating them cannot be overemphasised. This is where an exit interview comes in.

An exit interview or survey is a significant management tool that enables the company to meet with departing employees and siphon their knowledge even while gaining suggestions and feedback. Yet, most organisations either neglect to conduct a formal exit interview or carry it out rather haphazardly.

It’s a fact that by failing to ascertain the real reasons for departure, they are missing out on an invaluable chance to collect valuable data. Exploring employee opinions, attitudes, experiences, expectations and requirements when it comes to employment conditions and work environment will shed light on perceived deficiencies and other perceptions. As departing employees are more forthcoming, constructive and objective than staff still in their jobs, the organisation can actually use their issues, concerns and criticism to improve many of its HR policies. This also proves useful in recruitment strategies and retention actions.

Then again, there is also the opportunity to debrief the exiting employee and orchestrate a knowledge transfer. The company can tap into the employee’s personal connections and critical knowledge that he has gathered on the job and carries around in his head as well as reaffirm his responsibility towards confidentiality agreements. Even soliciting details on the job description, skill sets, training and experience needed to do the job will assist the organisation in recruiting a replacement.

As a career consultant sums up, “A successful exit interview will extract all the helpful messages that will ensure a culture of continuous improvement to achieve greater employee job satisfaction and to become an employer of choice.”

Its all in the details

Therefore, every company should make it a practice to invite departing employees (especially those who have resigned) for a ‘conversation’ with an organisational representative - functional head of his department or HR person. Participation should always be voluntary. Some organisations outsource the process to a third-party, while others opt for telephonic interviews or web-based surveys. While the latter have more scope for comfort and honesty, they can be quite impersonal and infuriating too.

For conducting face-to-face exit interviews, you should prepare relevant questions beforehand and choose a relaxed and comfortable place for the conversation. Maintain a respectful, balanced and dignified overtone to diffuse mistrust; be neither callous nor over-sympathetic.

Start with general queries on his roles and responsibilities before moving to questions about job satisfaction and real reasons for leaving. Ask open-ended questions that encourage honest and considered responses as well as elicit his views and feedback, while avoiding leading and limiting questions.

As LG Electronics’ HR head Y. Verma says, “Exit interviews are a tool of organisational diagnosis. The questions are laid in a manner to cover the strengths and weaknesses of the department in which the employee was working and also the company in general.”

Gently coax him (never pressurise) to highlight specific work situations so as to give the issues a proper context. Also, keenly observe his body language for telltale signs like hesitancy.

Let him gripe and let off steam for a while without defending, admonishing or arguing. This calls for maintaining self-control and composure, as you may not like what you hear.

If required, you can even try to make him change his mind with a counteroffer or highlighting current growth prospects.

Else, concentrate on understanding the important things he was working on and assessing the type of person that should replace him. Provide a proper closure to the association, appreciate his cooperation and leave the door open for him to return.

Some key questions can include:

• Why did you join this organisation?

• What did you like and dislike most about this company?

• How would you rate your supervisors and peers?

• What are the factors you think where the organisation is lacking?

• What are your suggestions for improving the organisation?

• What kind of changes would you have liked to make in your job?

• What did you learn here which you think will help you in the future?

• What is the main reason for your leaving?

• What prompted you to look for a new job?

• What is most appealing about the new position?

• Would you like to suggest a replacement for your position?

Once the interview is done, do not leave it at that. Collate the survey findings and comprehensively analyse them to identify consistent trends, patterns and themes. Use the aggregate results to redefine internal strategies and practices for recruitment, compensation, appraisal, motivation and retention so that more employees don’t quit!

PAYAL CHANANIA