flyerjobs

[flyerjobs]

Most Important Skills You Need To Succeed At Work - Flyerjobs

Whether you're are a new graduate trying to figure out how to get a leg up in your career, or you're a mid-career professional looking to secure your next promotion, you might be wondering what are the most important skills you need to help you get where you want to go. While it's, of course, important to develop your industry-specific hard skills, what's just as critical to your success are your soft skills. Soft skills are how you function in the workplace and interact with others. And while they're not easily taught in a classroom or measured, they are key skills that we all need to have. Additionally, in our more globalized, fast-changing work environment, there is now a premium on the kinds of soft skills that allow you to keep pace with the future of work. So, if you’re looking to accelerate your career, here are the key skills that you need to succeed.

1.     Learnability

It is worth to begin with learnability because it is arguably the most important 21st-century skill you will need to succeed. Alvin Toffler said, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." That's because, in an environment where new skills emerge as fast as others fade, success is less about what you already know and more about adapting your skills by growing and expanding your knowledge base, so you can use new information and skills to respond to whatever is happening.

2.     Resilience

Setbacks and failures are a part of life, but how you choose to deal with those roadblocks is what is critical to your success. Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of obstacles and failures. When you are resilient, you don't focus on the ups and downs. Instead, you stay focused on your long-term goals, and you never lose confidence in your ability to prevail. By helping you face challenges and difficulties, resilience also enables you to handle stress more positively.

3.     Agility

As the work landscape shifts, learning to be agile is a critical skill, as yesterday’s solutions do not solve tomorrow’s problems. At the heart of being agile is shifting gears when the context calls for it and responding accordingly to the needs of your workplace, clients or industry trends.

4.     Collaboration

In our increasingly hyper-connected world, we’re no longer expected to work just as individuals or only in silos. Our projects have become more complex, so the ability to work effectively as part of a team has also grown in importance. Given the increasingly global nature of work, your ability to collaborate, share knowledge and contribute to teams that can capitalize on a diversity of thinking and perspective in ways that everyone can benefit and drive to the shared outcomes is critical.

5.     Verbal communication

Advancing in your career is not just based on what you do. There’s a good chance that at some point in your career you’ll have to use strong verbal communication skills so you can sell others on your ideas, products, or services. Whether you need to explain your value when you are being considered for a promotion, presenting as part of a team project, or speaking on stage, you need to be able to communicate well and convey strong, persuasive ideas.

6.     Written communication

We live in an era of tweets and sound bites, but good written communication skills still matter when it comes to your career. Whether you are sending professional emails, communicating with a client, trying to deliver a coherent business plan, or anything in between, you should be able to communicate quickly, accurately and effectively.

7.     Empathy

The ability to empathize with others, or see things from their perspective by understanding their emotions and reactions, is a fundamental part of how we interact with one another. Communicating genuinely and authentically with others is vital because even in instances when you disagree with your coworkers on elements of a work project, for example, empathy allows you to demonstrate to others that they are seen and heard.

8.     Creativity

Creativity is a crucial skill we all need because, in our fast-changing times, employers value employees who can look beyond the present and imagine future possibilities for their company. Creative workers are the ones who ask why. They question, they are curious, and in so doing, they develop new ideas and solutions.

9. Problem-solving

How often do you go beyond your immediate job as assigned and instead, use more knowledge, facts, and data to see gaps and solve problems? Being a good problem solver is essential because employers value people who can work through challenges on their own or as an effective member of a team by defining the issues, brainstorming alternatives, sharing thoughts, and then making sound decisions.

10. Leadership

The importance of building the right culture at companies cannot be overstated, so having the skills to be able to coach and empower others, and to motivate those around you do their best work,  is highly valued for success.

11. Negotiation

Whether you’re in salary discussions, finalizing a deal with a client, or trying to find common ground with your teammates during a project, having strong and effective negotiation skills are extremely important. Being a good negotiator allows you to get to reach goals while you build relationships, which is a significant part of being successful in your career.

12. Technology

Technology is changing at an unprecedented pace, so even beyond the technical skills you need to master for your job, keeping up with technology is essential because of the tools that help you manage your career, differentiate yourself in the market, brand yourself, and build the critical relationships that you need to be successful.

Regardless of your chosen career path, building your soft skills is critical so you can set yourself apart from others in a competitive landscape.

[flyerjobs]

Whether you're are a new graduate trying to figure out how to get a leg up in your career, or you're a mid-career professional looking to secure your next promotion, you might be wondering what are the most important skills you need to help you get where you want to go.

[flyerjobs]

Work Habits That Will Make You Better at Your Job - Flyerjobs

From optimizing our inboxes to streamlining meetings, we’re always looking for ways to work smarter.

[flyerjobs]

Work Habits That Will Make You Better at Your Job

From optimizing our inboxes to streamlining meetings, we’re always looking for ways to work smarter. But being productive isn’t only about tackling every task on your to-do list or having more downtime (though those things are great!). Freeing up time and mental energy also allows you to spend more time stretching yourself on bigger projects that grow your skill set, bring value to your company—and give you a greater sense of fulfillment.

We spend an average of 90,000 hours working in our lifetimes, according to the book Happiness at Work. So we may as well make them as productive—and enjoyable—as possible. The good news is, you don't have to overhaul your entire schedule. Incorporating a handful of super-simple work habits can help you get more done and feel more engaged at work every day.

Consider these simple ways to switch up your routine, help you focus, and boost your mood while you work.

1.       Start the Day With Something You Love

Your morning can set the whole tone for your day. Dedicate at least five minutes every AM to something you enjoy, like meditation, reading, or sipping a cup of coffee.

2.       Cut Back on Rapid Responses

In our uber-connected world, it’s easy to feel like you need to respond immediately to every email, text, or meeting invite. But it’s healthier to take time to respond in most situations. That also trains other people not to expect an immediate answer from you. It is recommended to block out time each day to answer non-urgent emails and calls, so they don't interfere with your to-do list.

3.       Do the Dreaded Tasks First

Tackle at least one unpleasant task early in the day. That doesn’t mean you have to do all the hard stuff at once, but you’ll feel more in control when you chip away at the onerous tasks instead of leaving them all for the end of the day when you’re more fatigued.

4.       Say Hi to a Coworker

A Workplace Trends study found that 60% of study respondents would stay at a company longer if they had more friends there. Socializing at work makes you feel more invested in your job.

5.       Don’t Assume Anything

It’s easy to misread tone in an email or misconstrue an offhand comment as a personal attack. Don’t be afraid to ask questions rather than assume or take things personally. Emotional intelligence will make your job a much happier place.

6.       Move More

Taking a few mini-breaks is essential to staying focused, energetic and engaged at work. Find easy ways to step away from work and move your body throughout your day. Set an alarm to remind yourself to stand up and stretch every hour, for example, or take a short walk at lunchtime.

7.       Declutter your desk

We’d all like to believe that a messy desk is a sign of a genius mind, but clutter also makes it harder for your brain to process information. Your workspace doesn't have to be spotless, but a more organized area will help you feel more in control.

8.       Cut down on social media scrolling

We’ve all done it. We hop onto Facebook or Twitter only to emerge 30 minutes later from a social media daze and wonder where the time went. To avoid distraction, set aside specific times—ideally at the end of the day or on your lunch break—to check your personal social media accounts.

9.       Be of Service

If you want to be better at your job, think beyond yourself. Ask yourself, “Is there a team or manager who could use an extra hand right now?” You’ll build goodwill, of course, but helping colleagues improves your mood, too.

10.   Keep a Gratitude List

Studies show that appreciating the upsides in your life can help you better enjoy good experiences and cope with bad ones. So take a few minutes to think about the positive side of your work life. Maybe you are thankful for supportive coworkers, your company’s mission, a flexible boss, even just a steady paycheck.  So write out a few expectations and a few things you’re grateful for every day.

[flyerjobs]

From optimizing our inboxes to streamlining meetings, we’re always looking for ways to work smarter.

[flyerjobs]

This is profound and yet so true. Urgent but unimportant tasks are major distractions in the effective usage of time.

[flyerjobs]

Urgency wrecks productivity.  This is profound and yet so true. Urgent but unimportant tasks are major distractions in the effective usage of time.

Last-minute distractions are not necessarily priorities.

Sometimes important tasks stare you right in the face, but you neglect them and respond to urgent but significantly unimportant things.

You need to reverse that if you decide to master your time.

Your ability to distinguish urgent and important tasks has a lot to do with your success.

Important tasks are things that contribute to your long-term mission, values, and goals.

Urgent tasks are tasks that have to be dealt with immediately.

These are things like phone calls, tasks with impending deadlines, and situations where you have to respond quickly. Responding to an email, when you have to do it, is usually an urgent task.

Important tasks are tasks that contribute to long-term missions and goals.

These are things like that book you want to write, the presentation you’d like to make for a promotion, and the company you plan on starting. The problem is that important tasks usually get trumped by urgent tasks.

Don’t Be Available All the Time--Does this sound rude?

Time is the raw material of productivity and creativity. Time, not money, is your most valuable asset. Invest your asset. There are 168 hours every week. Let that sink in for a moment. That is a monumental amount of time. Where could it possibly go? Or better worded, where are you spending all those hours?.”

Ultra-productive people focus on getting a lot done with every minute they have at their disposal. Allocate time to each task you need to get done every day. And don’t get distracted by everything other’s expect you to do.  You can’t let other people set your time in life. Each task of the day should be attainable, realistic, and time-bound. And most importantly every task should advance your goals for the day, week or month. The time constraint will push you to focus and be more efficient.

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage pleasantly, smilingly, and non-apologetically — to say “no” to other things. And the only way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside of you to choose your priorities.

But here’s the thing: making good use of your time isn’t always easy.

In your day planner, block out all the times when you’re committed to others to be at a certain place at a certain time, such as meetings, conferences, and other appointments. What’s not your obligatory time is your discretionary time. This is the time you can manage.

Your Super Connected Habit Is Wasting Your Time. Does this sound familiar?

We’re subjected to thousands of distractions throughout the day. Do you know that you can be distracted simply by hearing or feeling your phone vibrate, even if you don’t pick it up. Try putting your phone out of sight (and touch) for 10 minutes of uninterrupted productivity.

Modern technology sadly, has evolved to exploit our urgency addiction: email, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and more will fight to distract you constantly.

Turn off all your notifications. Choose to check these things when you have time to be distracted — say, during a break from work — and work through them together, saving time.  It’s not easy but once you build the good habit of turning off notifications, you can actually get to work and be more productive.

Schedule your priorities and stick to them.  Treat your highest priorities like flights you have to catch: give them a set time in advance and say no to anything that would stop you making your flight.

It pays to unplug. ----Really?

If you can be reached via smartphone, email, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, you’re way too available and all these outlets are possible connections that can distract you from your purpose.  Disconnect and watch as your productivity improves.

Your smartphone might be the biggest productivity killer of all time. If your phone is connected online, the temptation to stay updated about almost everything is very high. If you can, put down that phone (or power it off) for a while when in the office and witness the incredibly phenomenal effect that can have on your level of productivity.

The basic principle of success is to focus. It is what makes the difference between those who are successful and those who are not, regardless of how much talent, resource, and energy that they have.   The most accomplished and well-known people in history were known for something unique to them. Einstein pursued the theory of relativity like his whole life depended on it. Mozart was incredibly passionate about music. He was the very best for many generations before and after him. Even today, is there a second musician who could match his genius?

Spend most of your time on the right things and the rest takes care of itself. It’s not enough to just ‘work hard’. Hard work is not necessarily a bad thing. But hard work can be a waste of your life when it’s thrown at the wrong things. Decide what is good for you in the long term, and pursue it with all you’ve got.      Each time you have something extra to do or an additional goal to pursue, you further split your power.

The key to focusing on the essentials in life and at work is to limit yourself to an arbitrary but small number of things, forcing yourself to focus on the important stuff and eliminate all else.  The Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the nonessentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage.

When you are doing too much at a time, you are constantly switching from one task to another, constantly interrupted, constantly distracted. Do less; clear away distractions, single-task, and get more done.

When you do too much, your work is spread thinner, you have lower quality, and people won’t spread your work like they should. By doing less, you can create something remarkable. Something incredible worth sharing.

Start today — pick what you think is most essential, clear some space, and just work on your most important measurable and attainable goals .Prioritizing and optimizing your time during the day will give you more time to focus on what matters, getting more accomplished in a lesser amount of time.

[flyerjobs]

ARE YOU THE MASTER OF YOUR TIME?

Urgency wrecks productivity.  This is profound and yet so true. Urgent but unimportant tasks are major distractions in the effective usage of time.

Last-minute distractions are not necessarily priorities.

Sometimes important tasks stare you right in the face, but you neglect them and respond to urgent but significantly unimportant things.

You need to reverse that if you decide to master your time.

Your ability to distinguish urgent and important tasks has a lot to do with your success.

Important tasks are things that contribute to your long-term mission, values, and goals.

Urgent tasks are tasks that have to be dealt with immediately.

These are things like phone calls, tasks with impending deadlines, and situations where you have to respond quickly. Responding to an email, when you have to do it, is usually an urgent task.

Important tasks are tasks that contribute to long-term missions and goals.

These are things like that book you want to write, the presentation you’d like to make for a promotion, and the company you plan on starting. The problem is that important tasks usually get trumped by urgent tasks.

Don’t Be Available All the Time--Does this sound rude?

Time is the raw material of productivity and creativity. Time, not money, is your most valuable asset. Invest your asset. There are 168 hours every week. Let that sink in for a moment. That is a monumental amount of time. Where could it possibly go? Or better worded, where are you spending all those hours?.”

Ultra-productive people focus on getting a lot done with every minute they have at their disposal. Allocate time to each task you need to get done every day. And don’t get distracted by everything other’s expect you to do.  You can’t let other people set your time in life. Each task of the day should be attainable, realistic, and time-bound. And most importantly every task should advance your goals for the day, week or month. The time constraint will push you to focus and be more efficient.

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage pleasantly, smilingly, and non-apologetically — to say “no” to other things. And the only way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside of you to choose your priorities.

But here’s the thing: making good use of your time isn’t always easy.

In your day planner, block out all the times when you’re committed to others to be at a certain place at a certain time, such as meetings, conferences, and other appointments. What’s not your obligatory time is your discretionary time. This is the time you can manage.

Your Super Connected Habit Is Wasting Your Time. Does this sound familiar?

We’re subjected to thousands of distractions throughout the day. Do you know that you can be distracted simply by hearing or feeling your phone vibrate, even if you don’t pick it up. Try putting your phone out of sight (and touch) for 10 minutes of uninterrupted productivity.

Modern technology sadly, has evolved to exploit our urgency addiction: email, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and more will fight to distract you constantly.

Turn off all your notifications. Choose to check these things when you have time to be distracted — say, during a break from work — and work through them together, saving time.  It’s not easy but once you build the good habit of turning off notifications, you can actually get to work and be more productive.

Schedule your priorities and stick to them.  Treat your highest priorities like flights you have to catch: give them a set time in advance and say no to anything that would stop you making your flight.

It pays to unplug. ----Really?

If you can be reached via smartphone, email, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, you’re way too available and all these outlets are possible connections that can distract you from your purpose.  Disconnect and watch as your productivity improves.

Your smartphone might be the biggest productivity killer of all time. If your phone is connected online, the temptation to stay updated about almost everything is very high. If you can, put down that phone (or power it off) for a while when in the office and witness the incredibly phenomenal effect that can have on your level of productivity.

The basic principle of success is to focus. It is what makes the difference between those who are successful and those who are not, regardless of how much talent, resource, and energy that they have.   The most accomplished and well-known people in history were known for something unique to them. Einstein pursued the theory of relativity like his whole life depended on it. Mozart was incredibly passionate about music. He was the very best for many generations before and after him. Even today, is there a second musician who could match his genius?

Spend most of your time on the right things and the rest takes care of itself. It’s not enough to just ‘work hard’. Hard work is not necessarily a bad thing. But hard work can be a waste of your life when it’s thrown at the wrong things. Decide what is good for you in the long term, and pursue it with all you’ve got.      Each time you have something extra to do or an additional goal to pursue, you further split your power.

The key to focusing on the essentials in life and at work is to limit yourself to an arbitrary but small number of things, forcing yourself to focus on the important stuff and eliminate all else.  The Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the nonessentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage.

When you are doing too much at a time, you are constantly switching from one task to another, constantly interrupted, constantly distracted. Do less; clear away distractions, single-task, and get more done.

When you do too much, your work is spread thinner, you have lower quality, and people won’t spread your work like they should. By doing less, you can create something remarkable. Something incredible worth sharing.

Start today — pick what you think is most essential, clear some space, and just work on your most important measurable and attainable goals .Prioritizing and optimizing your time during the day will give you more time to focus on what matters, getting more accomplished in a lesser amount of time.

[flyerjobs]

Want to change career lanes-or even make a professional U-turn? Keep reading for tips to make it happen. For more info https://flyerjobs.in/

[flyerjobs]

Changing the Lane in Career

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swap your spreadsheets for saucepans? Or daydreamed about leaving your desk job to become a dog walker? Or wished your business card read “Pilates instructor” instead of “a Public relations officer?” If you’ve seriously contemplated a career switch, you’re not alone: According to a survey conducted about five years back, 80 percent of workers in their twenties and 64 percent of workers in their thirties want to change fields.

No matter the reason you’re unsatisfied with your current career-are it boredom or burnout or something else entirely-you don’t have to stay the course. Despite what you may think, it’s totally possible to switch paths no matter how many years you’ve already been in the workforce. With some savvy strategizing and expectation management, you can have that dream job. Here’s how, you can effectively switch the lane.

Want to change career lanes-or even make a professional U-turn? Keep reading for tips to make it happen.

Changing Career Paths is Possible

1. Figure out why you’re craving a Change

First things first: Do a little soul-searching and ask yourself, “why now?” Find out what’s actually driving your decision to switch careers. “Is it the boss? Is it the toxic environment? Is it the commute? Maybe you’ve been at the same company for years. If you did the same job at a different company that’s more innovative, it could re-spark the professional drive you lost. Sometimes you don’t necessarily have to switch your career.” If after you’ve done a thorough career consult with yourself you’re still determined to ditch the dead-end job, you have the green light to go ahead and seek super-new beginnings.

2. Find the Path of Least Resistance

As you think about how to rebrand yourself, it’s key to identify points of connection. For instance, if you’re a lawyer who wants to jump into journalism, the obvious (and probably easiest) transition would be to find a job as a legal journalist.

To change your discipline and also change your industry at the same time, it’s not necessarily setting yourself up for failure, but it’s so many more mountains to overcome. Find the path of least resistance so you can convince whoever is listening to you—whether it’s a recruiter or a hiring manager—that the job [change] is not actually as drastic as it may sound.

3. Start Making Connections

Networking, networking, networking. You’ve probably heard it a thousand times before. But it’s doubly important when you’re switching career fields. Think about it: After you’ve been in a particular career for 5 or 10 years, your contacts will be brimming with mentors, colleagues, and acquaintances willing to vouch for you professionally. When you switch lanes, however, those same people may not have the insight or clout to be of much help. So how do you go about finding new allies?

Ask good questions. Just say, ‘I’m in a career transition. I’m really interested in and passionate about this new field, but I want to ask you a few questions. Most people are willing to talk about themselves. Absorb as many bits of information as you can and make as many connections and you can. Do that 10 to 20 times, and eventually you’re going to find someone who’s going to be your mentor or who’s going to want to keep in in touch with you. That person can be the point of contact between you and this new industry.

4. Get Experience through Volunteering

It’s the unfortunate catch-22 of job hunting: You can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job. That’s where volunteering comes in. Many nonprofits are in dire need of help, and you’re in dire need of testing the new-to-you career waters.

Maybe take the first project unpaid, and that first client you can use as a testimonial to get your second [paying] client. Then you’re considered a paid professional in that field. And voilà, you have a new bullet point at the top of your résumé for your recent, relevant consulting gig.

Front-load your résumé with transferable skills, like analysis or communication or leadership that are vital in any job or industry.

Another tip for revamping your resume? Front-loading it with transferable skills—things like analysis or communication or leadership that are vital in any job or industry. Small tweaks like this can take you from the slush pile to the top of the heap.

5. Give Yourself Time

Don’t expect to land your dream job overnight. In fact, you can expect to wait 6 to 12 months before clocking in after a complete career overhaul. Furthermore, prepare to make some financial investment in your future; conference fees, networking events, and other job-hunting expenses can all add up.

In light of this, if at all possible, to not quit your current job while hunting for a new one. (“If you’ve been miserable at your current job for the last five years what’s another six months?”) But if you just can’t stand it any longer, make sure you at least have an emergency fund in place—most financial planners recommend a minimum of six months’ worth of expenses.

6. Manage your Expectations

That senior-level title? You may have to kiss it goodbye since your previous experience may not translate in the context of your switch. And a title change may bring about a salary cut, too—so be prepared.

You don’t have the 10 years of experience in this new field, and you’re just starting out. Is a salary cut a worthy investment if five or 10 years from today you’re going to be in a career that you’re proud of and enjoy? Use your answer to this question as an indicator of how confident you can be in your decision to seek a new professional beginning.

[flyerjobs]

Want to change career lanes-or even make a professional U-turn? Keep reading for tips to make it happen.

[flyerjobs]

While job-hopping used to be a negative term, its traditional definition may no longer apply in the current economy. for more info https://flyerjobs.in/

[flyerjobs]

What is your Opinion on Job Hopping

Over the years, work has changed drastically. Gone are the days when a job was viewed almost like a lifelong commitment, with the company promising to protect and provide and the employee pledging to be faithful and loyal. Such unions usually lasted until death or retirement. But that was during a time when companies stayed in business for several decades or longer. These stable companies earned stable profits and paid stable wages.

A variety of forces combined to change the workplace landscape.  The internet - the great disruptor -removed territorial boundaries and created global competition. The recession added a powerful body blow. Younger employees entered the workplace with radically different views regarding the role of work and the importance of work-life balance.

This environment gave rise to the increasingly common practice of job-hopping.

Redefining Job Hopping

While job-hopping used to be a negative term, its traditional definition may no longer apply in the current economy. , “Job hopping meant someone who had a tendency to move from company to company, and it was not viewed positively since loyalty and longevity were values managers looked for.”

But our current economy is flexible, and talented workers have many options. “Companies are more open to part-time, contract work and outsourced work, which makes the traditional loyal employee extinct.”

Such workplace changes also have altered our perception of job-hopping, resulting in much less of a stigma than in the past On average, we all spend much less time in a job than we used to - in fact, the average job duration  is now less than 5 years. That’s a drastic shift from the “30 years and gold watch” attitude of previous generations of workers. In addition to shifting demographics and the rise of a contingent workforce, automation within industries has helped normalize the notion of moving from one job to another at a much quicker pace than in the past.

One potential result: Job-hopping may eventually become the chic, trendy thing to do. As the workforce becomes more and more fluid, one can expect job-hopping to receive a new name, some cool term that is given to those who choose to live their life experiencing and contributing too many companies instead of focusing on one or two.

How Employers View Job-Hopping

Workers have a much more positive view of job-hopping

One factor that may shape an employer’s view of job-hopping is the reality that a worker who decides to leave represents a lost investment, and that’s why companies prefer that employees stay put. It takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to find talented people to do great work, and when an employer finds them, they certainly don’t want them to just pass through.

But while a number of short-term jobs may not make applicants appealing to every employer, some companies appreciate the drive of job hoppers to constantly grow and build their career, or the desire of previous companies to hire them.

Advantages of Job-Hopping

So what are the benefits of job-hopping? According to experts, there are several, including the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences, which can help advance an employee’s career. Advantages include the ability to take on new responsibilities, and thus learn new skills to add to the resume. And this is important because workers who remain in one job for an extended period of time without gaining new responsibilities can become complacent. Tenure is great, but not at the expense of building a more diverse skill set.

Moving quickly from job to job also serves to quicken the time it takes for career development – and subsequently, career advancement. And the more you increase your exposure to new opportunities, the more you can capitalize on those opportunities for growth, skill building, and advancement.

Job-hopping provides other benefits as well. Breadth and depth of exposure to different workplaces and environments helps overcome the ‘we’ve always done it that way’ syndrome.” By adapting to various work environments, the job-hopping employee is able to work well with an assortment of people and also bring new ideas to the table.

The broader your portfolio of work experience is, the more expertise you can bring to the table, the more likely your compensation can go up, too.

In fact, compensation is one of the major benefits of job-hopping.  This practice can increase a worker’s salary or provide an opportunity to gain a more prominent position in the workforce.

And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to increase their income?  And job-hopping can have a significant impact on lifetime earnings. Those workers who job-hop have the opportunity to experience significant increases in pay every time they change jobs.

The Bottom Line

As job-hopping continues to lose its stigma, workers are more likely to roll the dice when weighing their employment options. Today, there is a growing realization, especially since the 2008 recession, that individuals have the ability to chart their own path for career success - just because someone has left and started over again doesn’t mean they are not committed to professional excellence.

[flyerjobs]

While job-hopping used to be a negative term, its traditional definition may no longer apply in the current economy.

[flyerjobs]

The Importance of Writing a Meaningful Job Description

The job description is a critical document for every position. A good job description performs a number of important functions:

·         It describes the skills and competencies that are needed to perform the role;

·         It defines where the job fits within the overall company hierarchy;

·         It is used as the basis for the employment contract; and

·         It is a valuable performance management tool.

1. Job Title

The first fundamental element of the job description is the job title. A good job title will have the following qualities:

·         It accurately reflects the nature of the job and the duties being performed

·         It reflects its ranking order with other jobs in the company

·         It does not exaggerate the importance of the role

·         It is free of gender or age implications

·         It is generic enough that it can be compared to similar jobs in the industry for the purposes of equity in pay and conditions

·         It is self-explanatory for recruitment purposes (in most online job searches, the job title is the main keyword searched).

An example of a good job title is ‘Parking Inspector’. An example of a bad job title for the same position would be ‘Council Enforcement Officer’. This title gives you no indication of what is being enforced. In this case, the word ‘parking’ would be a mandatory requirement in the job title.

2. Duties

The job description should contain a list of the duties and responsibilities associated with the role, along with the amount of time expected to be dedicated to each task.

This should be represented as a percentage (i.e. filing 20%, data entry 40% etc). Descriptions of duties should be no more than two or three sentences in length and should be outcome-based, containing an action, an object and a purpose (eg ‘compiles monthly reports to allow monitoring of the department’s budget’).

The list of duties and responsibilities will vary in length, but as a rule, should be as short as possible, otherwise the document becomes an operational manual rather than a job description.

Roles in smaller companies (eg office manager) may have more tasks associated with them, due to their ‘all-rounder’ nature, but you should still aim to keep your list to around fifteen tasks and preferably less.

3. Skills and Competencies

Skills and competencies should be listed separately from each other, as they are two quite separate things. Skills are activities the candidate can perform based on what they have learned in the past, or from qualifications they have obtained.

Competencies are the traits or attributes you expect the candidate to display in the role. An example of a skill is the ability to give effective presentations. It is a skill that can be learned through study and practice.

An example of a competency, on the other hand, is strong communication, which is an innate characteristic displayed by a person. The modern trend towards competency-based job descriptions means extra weight is given to behavioral competencies such as leadership, teamwork, flexibility, communication and initiative.

4. Relationships

It is important to include reporting lines and working relationships in your job description.

Reporting lines clarify the responsibilities of the position by showing who the candidate reports to and who reports to them. This is important, not only in relation to compliance issues, but also to give the candidate an insight into the hierarchical structure of the organization and how their position fits into it.

Working relationships are the people and departments the position requires the candidate to work closely with. It is a good idea to give an indication of the size of such departments and the extent of interaction.

An organizational chart is a good way to represent relationships in a job description, with vertical lines between boxes demonstrating reporting lines and horizontal lines showing working relationships.

5. Salary

Rather than assigning a particular salary to the position, work out a salary range to include in the job description that is competitive with similar positions in other organizations and allows for variations in education and experience.

Obviously, this would need to be updated from time to time, in line with changing pay scales.

In closing…

A good job description is much more than a laundry list of tasks and responsibilities.

If well written, it gives the reader a sense of the priorities involved. It not only provides a clear picture of the position for potential candidates, but is also a useful tool for measuring performance and a vital reference in the event of disputes or disciplinary issues.

So, the more accurate you can make a job description upfront, the more useful it will become in the future.

[flyerjobs]

The job description is a critical document for every position. A good job description performs a number of important functions.