Top Tips to Make Your Employer Love You.

It doesn’t matter who you are; whether you’re the office brown-noser or you just keep your head down and get on, we all still want our employer to love us.

The difference between your employer being your friend and being your colleague can be the difference between the subconscious decision of who to promote.

Just like you would trust your closer friends more than the person you’ve only known for a month, your employer will more likely trust you with bigger tasks, be more lenient towards you or even just look out for you more if they see you in a good light.

Dress the Part

Depending on your kind of office culture, something as simple as dressing the part can put you in a whole different light to your employer.

Even if your office tolerates a more casual attire, your effort will speak volumes. It will show your dedication and ability to take your role more seriously by taking your appearance seriously. Although we shouldn’t, we all subconsciously make snap judgements on people by the way they look, so keep that tone of “you can trust me” with a smart work attire.

Communicate

Some of us won’t admit it, but what can set some of us back is our ability to communicate. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t hold a healthy conversation, it means keeping your employer in touch with what you’re getting on with.

This doesn’t mean copying them into every email, or pestering them every hour with what’s next on the agenda. It simply means giving regular updates so that they are more coherently aware of the work you’re getting on with – and to prove that you’re not just procrastinating on social media all afternoon.

Admit your mistakes

Whether you answered a phone in a grumpy tone of voice or sent the wrong email to a client, employers will develop a great respect for you if you confess that it was your fault.

We don’t mean that you should take the blame for everything that goes wrong in the company, it just means that when a problem occurs and no immediate person is at fault, but you know that somehow you were involved, just admit your part and apologise in a professional and sincere manner.

Master the art of looking busy

Now, we aren’t giving you permission to do what you want for the day as long as you look like you’re doing something, we’re advising you to find ways to communicate your hard-working ethos without openly and obviously saying “I am such a hard worker.”

Things as simple as working through a couple of lunch hours; take a half lunch break instead and just do some odd jobs in the second half. Stay a little later at the end of the day, although you don’t necessarily get paid for it, show your dedication by spending a little longer at the office. If staying late doesn’t take your fancy, why not get in 30 minutes early; traffic may be better the earlier you are and it doesn’t hurt to show your enthusiasm for getting on with the day.

Lastly, don’t be the distractor or distracted. If you find yourself being the one that takes office conversations onto a long un-work-related tangent, then do your best to cut these conversations short. Interacting with colleagues is always good, but some employers can get frustrated when you’re spending most of your time chatting about the weekend rather than getting your work done.

In Summary

Getting your employer to love you doesn’t mean becoming ‘teacher’s pet’, it’s more a case of building a healthy relationship between you and your employer. It might mean you become more comfortable asking for advice or seeking consoling if something is troubling you. Healthy working relationships are essential to enjoying your job; for most of us, we spend a large proportion of our waking hours at work, so if you aren’t happy there, you probably won’t be happy the rest of the time.

The One Word That Will Make You Rich.

There is one word at work that arrives like a gift. It makes me feel happy and brings a jolt of joy to everyone who sees it in an email, IM, or text. I love reading this word more than any other -- it has always spoken to me more than “bonus,” “raise,” and even “promotion.” I bet you love it too.

The reason I love this word is that it's written every day. It denotes team progress, and is free for everyone, anywhere to use at any time. It speaks to our sense of accomplishment -- both as individuals and a team.

Before I share this special word, I want to tell you why it will make you rich. But let's be clear about what I think about wealth. Being rich is about achieving what you have dreamed of accomplishing. I tell that to our team at Aha! (which is a product roadmap software company) every day.

For many though, being rich means having $1M in the bank or buying that fancy car that they have wanted since high school. But for others, wealth is defined by their community service, overcoming addiction, or finally earning the degree that they abandoned 20 years ago.

I am not the only one who thinks broadly about the word rich. In a survey released last year, 90% of respondents said they believe that success is more about happiness than money or prestige. 60% of the same survey respondents said success means "loving what you do for a living"; just 20% said success is defined by monetary wealth.

So, do you know the one word that will bring you treasure? The one word you can write that will make you rich is, “Done."

You might be surprised, but stay with me so I can explain how powerful this little word is. The word "Done":

Builds confidence
The more often you complete a task, the more your confidence to achieve what's next grows. Writing "Done" to your colleague or boss who has asked for status on a task, means everything. It's similar to crossing items off a to-do list, but in a collaborative way. That sense of confidence allows you to take on new challenges and continue to grow.

Pleases others
Most colleagues don't like asking for help. But when they do, they probably really need something from you. You have an opportunity to thrill that person when you respond with "Done" as it means you completed their request. This helps them get to "Done" too. Writing "Done" reminds everyone that they are part of a team, and that you have a key role.

Highlights your value
Getting work finished is energizing, and when you write the word "Done," it reinforces your contribution. It also enhances your reputation for being trustworthy, reliable, and dependable. Ultimately, our accomplishments are what satisfy our internal ambitions and are rewarded at work too.

People who love and respect the word "Done" work hard and have deep reservoirs of stamina. They take great satisfaction from being productive and helping others along the way.

They also happen to be the people who are rich. This is because they are driven by their talents to achieve greatness. Their hard work drives them to achieve their own goals and ensure their teams are terrific too.

Do you agree that writing "Done" will make you rich?

How to Tell a Great Job From a Dud

By Robin Reshwan

When it comes time to look for a job, most people focus on how to convince the interviewer that they are the best candidate for a specific position. However, to maximize career success, job seekers must also select the ideal role for themselves. Here are some tips on how to pick a winner when it comes to job selections:

1. Know yourself. Yes, this sounds very Yoda-ish. (Actually, if Yoda was your career coach he would say, “yourself, know well.”) Either way it’s said, it's critical to remember that the person most interested in your career success is you. You also have the greatest responsibility in ensuring you are set up for success. Take some time to do the following before you go on an interview:

• Outline your priorities. There is no right or wrong, and this certainly is not the time to try to give the “right” answer, like “I want to save puppies” when you really want to make enough money to move out of your parents' house. Make a list of what matters to you, and then put those things in order. Some common priorities are meaningful work, opportunity for growth and fun environment. They can also be better work-life balance or long-term financial incentives. Whatever matters to you is all that is needed.

• Outline your natural strengths, and list the professional traits you would like to improve. The most engaging roles let you do what you naturally do well and help you stretch in new areas that appeal to you. Knowing these things before you interview allows you to evaluate roles for both immediate compatibility and long-term interest.

• Think a couple years ahead. Short-sighted job selection creates major long-term obstacles for many professionals. No matter how perfect a role seems, rest assured that you will most likely need to find another position afterward. It's just the order of the modern world of work – especially since most of us will need to be employed for 40 or more years, given current life expectancy. Determine what you need or want this year and what sets you up the best in the years following. A little long-range thinking can help you steer clear of the flash-in-the-pan opportunity that seems awesome now but has no future.

2. Evaluate the employer. Although a specific role may seem ideal, if the manager or the employer is sketchy, perfection may quickly become a mess. Look into the tenure of management staff; is there lots of turnover? If so, find out why and if it’s for the best. What is the company’s track record and financial history? Can you find articles describing customer complaints, lawsuits or financial issues? Is the business in a growing or declining industry? Declining industry is not necessarily a bad thing unless one of your goals is career growth in one company or a specific field.

Do some research on key management figures and your direct manager. Where have they worked before? Do you see evidence of a track record of success? Can they describe a clear vision for their business, department or for you? Think about it like this: Would you get on a bus with a driver who either didn’t know how to operate the vehicle or had no idea where he was going? Use that same test for a potential employer – can they drive, and do they have a map for the future? If not, you may want steer clear of that role.

3. Learn how success will be measured in your targeted position. In order to be successful, you need to know what things will be valued versus those nice-but-not-necessary tasks that hold minimal weight. Every position has some form of measurement. It could be customer satisfaction rankings, calls made, deals closed or error rates. Whatever it is, the best managers can describe how they will evaluate your performance.

If you are interviewing for a role without any predefined measurement, you really are entering at your own risk. Without written goals, the view of your contribution is solely up to the discretion of whoever manages you. In many industries, turnover can be up to 50 percent, meaning that you have a 1 in 2 chance that the person who hires you has nothing to do with your career within the first year. Written standards and metrics ensure that you stay on the right path regardless of to whom you report.

The increase in hiring and strengthening of our economy is a positive for many job seekers. Use this time to be selective about your next role versus just jumping at whatever is offered to you. You are measured professionally by not only your performance in a job, but also in how strategic you are in planning your moves. Before you leap, ask yourself how you will answer, “why did you make the move to Company XYZ?” If you don’t have a response that complements your skills and background, you may want to wait for a better match.

How to be successful in your phone and skype interviews!

 

Credit: Shortlist. 

An initial interview by phone is becoming increasingly common. Phone interviews offer employers an inexpensive and efficient way of screening candidates. If you are job seeker, it is highly likely that you will have to prepare for a phone interview at some point. Skype interviews too are growing in popularity. These offer employers the added advantage of 'face-time' but are a cost effective option.
The traditional in-person interview isn't going anywhere soon, but it still makes sense to have a game plan for how to deal with both phone and Skype interviews. Read on for tips on how to prepare.

Phone & Skype Interview Checklist!

 

Phone Tips

 

Technical Issues: Charge your phone! Sounds simple, but forgetting to do this could be embarrassing and make you look very disorganised and unprofessional! Also, consider using a headset, so your hands are free to take notes.
Consider your Surroundings: Find somewhere quiet where you won't be interrupted. Let people know when you have an interview, so that they don't distract you.
Keep a copy of your CV to hand: A great advantage of a phone interview is that you can read through notes. Take advantage by keeping all relevant information close by.
Enthusiasm: The absence of visual cues like body language and facial expression, can make it hard to gauge the interviewer's response. Try to ensure that you sound enthusiastic throughout. Even when listening, a few well timed "yes's" and "aha's" can make all the difference and indicate that you are really engaged in what is being said.

Skype Tips

 

Visuals: Your Skype username and profile picture will create the first impression. Make sure that both appear professional. A jokey username will not show you in the best light if you want to be taken seriously. Technical Issues: Check that you have good internet connection beforehand. Sign in to Skype well in advance of the scheduled interview. Make sure you know which of you is to place the call. It might be a good idea to invest in a headset or microphone for better sound quality. Have a plan B. If Skype fails, it may become necessary to conduct the interview over the phone. Be prepared for this.

Surroundings: For video calls, it's important that you find somewhere that is clean, tidy and most importantly well-lit. You don't want the interviewer to be distracted by a cluttered room. You need to appear organised and professional.
Work attire Although it might not feel like it, a Skype interview is still formal. Dress the part. Wearing smart office attire may even help you feel more prepared by getting you in the right frame of mind. Appearing too casual could create a poor impression -don't risk it!
Smile, sit up straight & make eye contact: The aim is appear approachable and professional. Be aware of your body language and try to convey confidence and enthusiasm. Look into the webcam rather than at the screen. Direct eye contact can make you appear confident and engaged.
Put your phone on silent! This is easy to forget. Make sure you won't be interrupted by phone calls.
Practice! Do a trial run with a friend.
So now you're ready to get through the first level interviews and make it to the face to face.

Goodluck!