Category: Career

Making the most out of our time is imperative, as we only have so many in a day. If you want to get
many things done, you may need to put more hours into working, which could lessen your time to do other
equally important things, or you could improve your time-management skills.

No one is inherently born with exceptional time-management skills, but it can be improved over time. Time-
management, if done right, can significantly increase your productivity. Time-management isn’t as
complicated as rocket science, but it requires diligence.

In this article, we’ll share with you some tips on how to increase your productivity starting with:

1. Track Your Progress on a Task and Set a Limit

Never rely on your ability to gauge how much time you’re spending on a project, no matter how much
you think you’re good at it. Research suggests that only a handful of people, precisely 17% can
accurately gauge and measure the passage of time. There are various apps and software available for
free that can track and let you know how much time you’ve been spending on your tasks, emails, social
media, etc.

2. Take Regular Breaks

Taking a break may sound counter intuitive, but studies have shown that taking periodic breaks of 5-10
minutes can significantly improve concentration. It helps you maintain performance at a continuous level,
which is essential for long tasks. As opposed to working non-stop on a long task will cause a considerable decline
in performance.

3. Set Deadlines

We often think of stress as a bad thing, but a manageable self-imposed type of anxiety might be the
help you need to push you through the tasks of meeting your deadline. Having a self-imposed deadline
can help you focus on the task at hand. This type of strategy still applies to you even if you have an open-ended project; you need to stick to it. You’ll be surprised at how much a deadline can help you
focus on the task at hand and improve productivity.

4. Obey the Two Minute Rule

Experts and successful people in all advice in following the two-minute rule to get the most out of your
limited time to work. The concept of this rule is: if you come across a task that can quickly be done in
under 2 minutes, you immediately focus and get the task done. Experts have said that completing the task right away cuts down the time you spend on a project by not having to back to that specific task.

5. Say No to Meetings That Aren’t Important or Necessary

Meetings are considered to be the biggest time-sucks, yet people still regularly attend them, book
them, and in the end, complain about the said meeting. When you go to a meeting, make sure that there’s
something to learn from it, or it’s essential if you’re in an office environment.

According to a statistic by Atlassian, an average worker spends a staggering 31 hours on unproductive
meetings each month. Before going to another meeting, try and figure out whether what’s discussed in
the meeting can be compiled and emailed to you, or if you can do your tasks remotely.

6. Avoid Multi-Tasking

Many of us tend to think that multi-tasking as an important factor in improving efficiency, but it’s the
opposite that’s found to be true. Research has shown that trying to take on several tasks at once results
in lost time and inefficiency. Instead of multi-tasking, why not focus on a single task and get it done as
soon as possible, then you move on to the next.

7. Make The Most Out of Your Commute

If you’re taking public transportation to work, or stuck in traffic, instead of playing or watching videos –
try to answer some of your emails, come up with a to-do list, and do some brainstorming while on your
way.

8. Avoid Trying To Be Perfect

It’s common for people to want to do things correctly, but the reality of things is, nothing can be done
perfectly. There’s bound to be flaws and instead of taking too much time in trying to achieve
said “perfection,” try to do your task as best as you could and move on to the next. Complete a task and
on to the next. If you have the time, you can go back to your previous completed task and improve it if
possible.

9. Exercise Breaks

There’s a study from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that shows – a quick
exercise during work improves productivity. Set a schedule during the week and take a walk, or get a quick gym session to boost your energy. Who knows? It may be just the thing you need to clear your head.

5 Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Job

No one is safe from making mistakes. Even the most careful person in the world will commit a mistake. But there are some mistakes, that would seem like a minor one, that could cost you big time – for example, your career and job.

Don’t waste your career and the opportunity that others have wanted desperately. This article hopes to inform people out there of these tiny mistakes that could end up being a huge headache if taken too far.

Here are a few mistakes that seem trivial at first but could come back to haunt you:

1. Stealing Office Supplies

Both employers and employees have a fair share of lifting a few office supplies and bringing them home. Well most of them to be precise. It’s so prevalent that some companies even expect it from happening. Rest assured that bringing a pen or a notepad home once isn’t something a company would make a big deal about.

The problem however, comes when that person doesn’t know how to stop and take things too far. When a rare occurrence becomes an “always”. If someone from the higher ups gets a wind of your actions, you could lose your job and your career.

2. Complaining or Ranting About Your Work On Social Media

Thanks to the internet, social media has flourished and almost anyone has an account on various platforms. Some use social media as a platform to connect, share, and communicate. But some use it as a way of blowing off steam.

And there’s nothing bad about ranting on social media, especially if It’s around the circle of whom you trust. But that’s not always the case – social media platforms are public and is open for everyone to see. Keep this in mind when you decide to bash, rant, or complain about your company – because if your company gets a wind of it, you could end up losing your job overnight.

This doesn’t mean you can’t seek sympathy when you’re working late or having difficulties with your project, or just having a bad day, but post it in a way that’s employer or company neutral. You can say something along the lines of “9 PM and still in the office”. But it’s not okay to directly attack your employer, or company in a public forum post.

Companies will want to maintain their image at all cost, and if it comes to firing an employee, they will do it. Know when to share things, and know when to keep things private. This will not only help you in keeping your job, but for other instances as well.

3. Being Too Talkative in The Office

It pays to be social at work. It’s a great way to help pass the time and create a positive workspace by creating bonds and strengthening relationships with your co-workers. With that said, being social and being too talkative are two very different things.

If you are spending way too much time talking with your colleagues even after break time, you might want to cut back on that. Chances are, you’ll be dubbed as the co-worker who’s annoying and distracting, as well as not get things done because you’re too busy talking.

4. Using Company Resources for One’s Gain

Every business that involves the use of equipment and materials that employees need to do their jobs is at risk of this. Personal use of company materials, equipment, and resources are to be expected. It only becomes a problem when it’s done in excess.

Most of us have used the company phone to do a personal call or have used the copier from time to time. If you do it occasionally, then there’s no cause for concern. But if you constantly do it, abusing the privileges that the company is giving you, then you might find yourself in deep water.
Using the company copier to print a hundred flyers of your son’s soccer match may be tempting – but the money you’ll save is not worth the risk of losing your job.

5. Drinking Too Much on Company Events

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a company, department, or team party, there’s likely a situation where alcohol is involved. There’s always that urge to indulge and enjoy yourself, which is a good thing if done moderately. There’s nothing wrong with having a few drinks really, but it becomes a huge problem when you let yourself get carried away.

Being drunk and intoxicated in a company party makes you look irresponsible. And when you’re drunk, you lack inhibition, which could lead into so many dangerous and career threatening scenarios. Take it too far and you’ll know what’s worse than waking up with a hangover – waking up jobless with a hangover. One way of avoiding this is having a colleague you can trust to be with you and stop you from drinking too much – or not drink at all.

Nonetheless, these are some deadly mistakes that could cost you your job. Hence, it is crucial to avoid making these mistakes at all costs.

When did you last visit your LinkedIn profile? If you can’t recall already, then keep reading as you might find this article informative. If you’re on LinkedIn, chances are people are checking it. When you start giving out your applications, then best believe that the company you’re applying for is doing an intensive background check on you, and it’s guaranteed that they’ll come across your LinkedIn page. And that could surely backfire on you.

On the other hand, a well-maintained and optimized LinkedIn profile can help tons on your quest for a job. Imagine this, almost 530 million users are registered on LinkedIn, and out of that 530 million, there’s bound to be people who’ll come across your profile. You’ll never know when and where your next job offer may come from.

Even when you’re constantly updating your profile, you can still do some minor tweaks, and even major ones to further increase your chances of landing that job.

With that said, here are a few optimization tricks that you can do for your LinkedIn profile:

Use Professional Headshots

Remember that you are your own brand now, and you must present your “brand” to others professionally. On top of that, one key component to a brand’s success is the “look”. Get your headshot taken by a professional who enables you to communicate yourself to your audience best – it’ll be worth the investment.

If you don’t have the funds to do so, you can approach a friend or an emerging photographer and strike a deal with him/her. They provide you with their services, and you do the same to them.

Remove Your Headline

When you create your LinkedIn profile, the headline defaults into your main job. Which is very limiting – especially when your current job title isn’t the one you want to be known for. Conveniently for you, that headline can be changed, and it’s imperative that you do so.

Choose a more engaging title, one that is easily recognized from anyone, anywhere. Not just engaging, but widely searched titles are what works best such as “Marketing Expert with the main focus on promotion and strategy”. If you want to highlight one or two more skills, feel free to certainly do so, but more than 4 titles aren’t advised.

Utilize your headline as a way to capture any of your visitor’s attention and to increase your value – this will make them want to read more about you.

Make The Most Out of Your Summary – It’s Prime Real Estate

Think of your summary as a professional biography where you provide support to your headline, as well as expand on other things such as skills, expertise, and experience. Never forget to put your references and an overall description of your different qualifications. Keep your summary short and concise – three to five paragraphs at best detailing important information that would make someone visiting your profile want to hire or contact you.

Experience and Past Roles

Highlighting and emphasizing your past roles and experiences is what we call – the main dish of your profile. Make sure to follow the resume guidelines of writing your past experiences. When writing your key accomplishments, make sure to use numbers and figures to support your claims. For example, “increased sales from 50% to 65% in 2 years”. LinkedIn has a built-in multimedia platform that you can use to showcase your online portfolio, as well as your presentations, blogs, and articles.

Take Initiative and Establish Your Reputation with Recommendations

Instead of waiting forever for your references to sing your praises, take the initiative and do it yourself. Approach your key contacts and ask them for a recommendation on LinkedIn. Make sure that the focus of their recommendation is on a specific skill. This ensures that your list of recommendations will showcase your well-rounded abilities and skills.

Showcase Your Success

LinkedIn has an accomplishment section where you can feature and showcase each and every one of your achievements that had a significant impact on your career milestone as well as what made you proud. List all the awards you got, special projects, and being able to learn other languages.

Endorsements

Getting your profile endorsed is a fantastic way to have your skills verified, validated, and acknowledged by others. Just remember to not overdo it as well as keep your list of skills updated.

Custom URL

When you create a LinkedIn profile, you automatically get assigned a custom URL. You can edit that URL to make your LinkedIn profile easily recognizable, shorter, and can easily be typed.

You can do this by going to your profile, and clicking on the edit public profile and URL button. Your custom URL should be something related to you. The most common example is your name, nickname, family name, or an abbreviation of your name.

5 Deadly Mistakes Job Seekers Make

There is no doubt that everyone makes mistakes. I mean, no one’s perfect, right? When it comes to the corporate world, making mistakes is not excluded. Most times, job seekers have often made one mistake or another. While we all make mistakes, there are certain types of mistakes that should be avoided as they could have a negative impact on your career journey.

So, what are these mistakes that should be avoided at all cost?

1. You are not Ready

One of the biggest mistakes you could make as a Job seeker is to look for a new role or job when you just aren’t ready. Perhaps, you quit your previous job because you couldn’t cope in a toxic or hectic environment – It’s okay to hurt from such situations. However, you’d be making a big mistake to go for interviews when you’re not emotionally and intellectually ready.

If you’re feeling emotionally down, going for an interview immediately may not be your best option. However, once you’ve accepted the fact that it’s time to change your present state and get a job that you truly deserve; only then should you go for interviews because you need all the confidence that you need.

 So, ensure you build your self-confidence before going for interviews.

2. Errors on Job Application Materials

Another big mistake you could make is to have errors on your resume or cover letter. As a job seeker, it is your duty to ensure that you avoid all kinds of errors. This includes spelling or formatting errors. Even though, making a mistake can be sometimes common, when you’re looking for a job, try your best to avoid any form of error on your job application materials

You definitely would not want your employer to complain of some sort of error on your application. So, avoid errors like a plague!

3. Not Knowing How to Handle Interviews Properly

Let’s assume you’ve made it to the interview stage which can be exciting and at the same time frightening, knowing how to handle your interviews properly is essential. Another mistake you could make is to go for an interview unprepared. Hence, it’s important to ask yourself questions such as –

Do you know how to handle interviews properly?

Do you know how to confidently sell yourself without exaggerating unnecessarily?

 Do you get anxious during your interviews?

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses here is crucial to ensure that you’re prepared for your interviews. As such, it is crucial to know how to handle your interviews properly. You could also consider getting a job coach like Arthur Gluzman who can help set you on the right path.

4. Poor Communication Strategy

Wait! Have you been sending out the same generic cover letter or resume for every application? Perhaps, you feel sending a resume template is not much of a big deal, right? Well, it is!

Your resume and cover letter tend to be your first point of contact with your potential employer. Therefore, if you have a generic resume, there’s a chance that your employer would find it hard seeing the keywords that they want.

 In fact, there’s a chance that your employer may easily detect when you send a generic resume, so avoid it at all cost!

Instead, you should aim to send out a well-thought resume that fits the job you’re applying for and that effectively communicates your strengths to the potential employer.

5. Poor Online Presence

It’s uncommon for employers to want to check out their candidates online. Therefore, as a job seeker it is crucial to think about the image you may be projecting online. The first social network you might want to work on is LinkedIn as this would inform their opinion about you whether good or bad.

It is crucial to ensure that you position yourself professionally and authentically on your social media profiles. This could be a huge advantage for you. So, if you are yet to position yourself in such a way that it puts you in a place of authority, then you’d definitely be missing out!

When applying for a job, you might want to consider these top five mistakes and ensure that they are in place. Try your best to avoid these mistakes when necessary!

HOW TO GET A PROMOTION AT WORK

Did you know that we are just a few months away from the year 2020? It’s amazing, how time flies. Sometimes, when we look back- you may begin to remember how getting your current job was thrilling or satisfying, how resuming work brought butterflies to your stomach and how blending in with the rest of your colleagues left you excited.

After working for some time, you’re probably stuck on that same position or even if you did attain a higher level; may be- it’s not a level that you’ve always wanted. You want something better. A better title that comes with an increase in salary or even perks.  However, when it feels like the promotion isn’t coming and you don’t even know how to go about it, then it could be quite frustrating. Nevertheless, you do not have to worry as we’d be giving you a breakdown of how to secure that promotion you’ve always wanted.

• Identify Why You Really Want a Promotion

When you aim to embark on the journey of getting promoted, it is most important to determine why you want a promotion. Now, it all starts with your objectives, goals and the reasoning behind desiring that promotion you’ve been eyeing for some time now.  We all have different reasons and opinions. There’s no doubt that the reason why you want a promotion would most likely be different from the reason why your colleague may also want a promotion. Hence, when you understand why you want a promotion; it makes it easier for you to work harder towards attaining it while sticking to your already set objectives

•  What Sets You Apart from Your Colleagues?

Now, have you ever asked yourself; ‘What exactly separates you from every person in your office?’. Well, not really what separates you from them but rather ‘What makes you better than them?’.

Are you just like every Tom, Dick and Harry out there?

Perhaps, you may have a unique selling point that helps set you apart from the rest. In this case, if you’re able to identify what makes you better than your colleagues, then it is time to embark on this journey. However, it’s okay if you’re unable to identify what makes you different. Nevertheless, an easy way to know this is by asking your colleagues what they think you’re best at when it comes to work.

•  Deliver More Value

 At this stage, you’ve activated your brain to know that you have decided to take your promotion journey serious. You’ve not only done that, but you’ve also identified what makes you unique and the goals behind such promotion. Now that you have all these, it’s time to deliver more value. This is because, when you deliver more value, it helps you have a significant presence in your workplace. When delivering value, it could be based on your unique selling point or anything that could help you stand-out. Nevertheless, deliver more value and be known as a showstopper!

• Have a Significant Presence at Your Workplace

Delivering more value when done well, could help you have a significant presence around your colleagues. At this stage, it is important to maintain your presence. Try to engage with your colleagues and offer to help when necessary.

•  Engage with Your Higher-ups

 You’ve started delivering value. You’ve started engaging with your colleagues more. You’re beginning to get noticed. Well, if you’re beginning to get noticed, then it’s time to engage with your Higher-ups or your boss. When doing this, try to provide value to them (your boss) in order to help you get noticed and stand-out in their sight. When necessary, never miss a chance to subtly promote yourself to them. Show them that you care about the organization. Show them that you want the company to grow at all costs. Show them that you have what it takes to handle that position that you’re eyeing (even if they may be unaware that you want it)

•  Ask for Feedback from Your Boss

 At this stage, your colleagues are not only noticing you, but your Higher-ups may have begun to pick an interest in you. This is the stage to ask for feedback. At this point, you would need all the necessary feedback to know where you can improve. This also gives you room to know what your boss genuinely thinks of you.

So, don’t be afraid. Move forward and ask for feedback. The feedback you get will give you a pointer as to whether you are on track to achieving your goals.

•  Allow Your Work Ethics Push You Forward

Here, you should aim to be the BEST in the room. The person with a significant presence and work ethic. Here, being punctual and attentive is highly necessary. Remembering, what made you embrace this journey is crucial. Hence, push your work ethics forward while being patiently on the route of getting that promotion.

• Show Interest

If there’s room for you to show an interest in getting a promotion, then by all means go for it! Perhaps, if there aren’t any signs of a promotion coming yet, you could show interest by talking to your boss about this. At this stage, you’re already known to be a significant employee, hence, it shouldn’t be too hard for your Boss to set an interview or a consultation to review the options of a promotion.

Now, we believe, you understand how to get that promotion you’ve always wanted. So, go for it because you definitely deserve it!

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ASK FOR A RAISE

Who wouldn’t want a salary increase?

If you’ve been an employee for years and you have not received any salary increase then, it’s time to contemplate on this. To start with, it is important for you to know that there’s nothing wrong in asking for an increase especially if you think your current salary doesn’t coincide with the kind of service you’re providing. However, it’s not only about the service but the value you bring to the organization.

Now, if you’ve contemplated asking for a raise then, there are few factors you need to consider. Here are the top three you should know.

1. Company Policy

Consider yourself blessed if your company has an annual appraisal of your performance which will most times correspond to the salary you are getting. There are companies that use a certain principle in giving a salary increase to their employees. We have factors like the bell curve, power curve, and so on. So, if your company practices such, then you must wait for the appraisal season. If not, then it’s okay to have a sit-down meeting with them and negotiate.

2. Performance

Make sure you are eligible to ask for a raise. When you ask for a meeting, make sure you have a good performance that can serve as a back-up for you. That is why it is important that you track your performance regularly. When you have the necessary data, you can never go wrong. Make sure you have a regular discussion with your boss about your performance. Ensure everything is documented.

3. Market Value

It’s not always about performance. You also need to know your market value. Your market value depends on your industry. You can try checking companies in your industry and compare. You can easily do an online research on this. In your research, consider not only your industry but also your position, tenure, and other factors. When you sit down with your HR team, ensure you have your data ready. They will most likely have a hard time disapproving the increase especially if your current pay way too low from the market value.

Once you’re done checking on these three factors, and you found out that indeed you are eligible for a possible salary increase, then it’s time to reach out to your boss and the HR team.

Here are some tips on how to effectively reach out to them.

1. Write a Formal Letter

You can start with sending an email, so that you won’t catch them off guard. Allow them to prepare too. What’s important is to make sure that everything will be documented from start to finish.

2. Schedule a Meeting

After they acknowledge your email, you can now ask for a face to face meeting. Regardless of the content of their reply to your email, request for a face to face meeting. Tell them that you respect their time and you will just wait for their most convenient time in case they aren’t available upfront.

3. Present your Case on a Positive Note

During the meeting, be rational than emotional. Professionalism is the key. Never be confrontational especially if you feel that they will say no. At the same time, assert yourself too, but in a polite and professional manner. It is important to let them feel that you know what you are doing.

4. Show your Data

We are now in the era of data. It is no longer difficult to obtain data most especially with the flood of resources online and offline. So, make sure you have your data with you. Show them your numbers to back up your claim. It is best to state the exact amount of salary you are expecting and then tell them why you are expecting that amount using series of data presentation.

5. Listen

Don’t just hear them out. Listen. When you listen, it gives you room to converse with them. Exchange thoughts and ideas with them. In this way, they will feel your sincerity.

6. Negotiate

Three things may happen. One is they will give in to your request. Second is they will give you a raise but not the amount you are expecting. Third is they won’t give you that raise. You need to be ready for these three. You should have your answers ready and prepare to negotiate.

Lastly, it’s important for you to know that your company may deny your request. If their reason is valid then it’s okay to accept. Some may not give you the raise in the form of salary. However, they may create a win-win situation by giving you some perks at work that can equate to a salary increase. You need to be considerate on that too.

Nevertheless, if you think you deserve that raise, then go for it!

Top 5 Ways to Achieve the Perfect Work-life Balance

Most times, maintaining the perfect work-life balance could be highly challenging. To some people, it would seem impossible to achieve such a ‘work-life balance’ especially for people who work hard to give their best. Although it may seem challenging at the beginning, it doesn’t mean that it’s not possible. Being able to maintain a good balance between your career and personal life is essential to enable you to ensure that while you put in your efforts into your career life, your own life doesn’t suffer.

In this post, we’d be sharing some quick and straightforward ways to achieve your desired ‘work-life’ balance.

1. Understand Your Employer’s Policies

To enable you to have the perfect ‘work-life’ balance, it is crucial to inquire and understand your company’s policies. It is vital to check if the company offers telecommuting or work from home options. If they do, then this allows you to work from home on certain days. In a case whereby they rarely offer such, you could try to negotiate or have an arrangement that will be beneficial for both you and your employer.

2. Know Your Work Hours and Stick to it

If you genuinely want to achieve the perfect ‘work-life’ balance then, it is essential to know your work hours and stick to it. No extra work activities. Once your work hours are over, then it’s time for you to focus on your personal life. You do not need to overwork yourself because you’d only burn yourself by doing that. Hence, it is crucial that you avoid any unnecessary work that doesn’t bring joy to you. It is essential to learn to say No to things that do not benefit you, and by doing this, you can maximize your personal life.

3. Prioritize Your Time

It is essential to know that time waits for no one. Hence, for you to have the perfect work-life balance, you need to know how to prioritize your time. Perhaps, you have a lot of things to do; however, doing them using a scale of preference could be helpful. To enable you to use your time effectively, it is crucial you know your work hours as stated above and stick to it. By doing that, it’ll enable you to become more efficient in your personal life.

4. Take a Break & Have fun Regularly

When working, it is essential that you take some breaks. Try not to skip your lunch break as this will help you become more productive. Also, when work hours are over, try to ensure you have a good rest before the next day. You could also plan a holiday even if it’s just for the weekend – it’s better than nothing.

5. Don’t forget your finances

Your finances are necessary. You wouldn’t want to find yourself struggling with cash flow. Hence, it is crucial to put your finances in order. You could do this by using some free accounting software to ensure that you plan for any miscellaneous expenses. You wouldn’t want to find yourself running out of money, so ensure you find time for your finances.

Conclusively, having a good ‘work-life’ balance is important in ensuring that you remain productive. It’ll also help you avoid being stressed out. Therefore, if you can maintain a good ‘work-life’ balance, then you’d realize that you can have the best of both worlds!

It’s very possible!