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!

How to Start Your New Job Off on the Right Foot

This month, LinkedIn’s Pulse articles feature the “My First 90 Days” series. So far, hundreds of LinkedIn Influencers and others have shared their insight and wisdom about making the right moves during those critical first few months on the job.

The initial training new employees receive used to be called orientation, but the new term is “onboarding.” According to the SHRM Foundation, “Research shows that organizations that engage in formal onboarding by implementing step-by-step programs for new employees to teach them what their roles are, what the norms of the company are and how they are to behave are more effective than those that do not.”

As important as this training is for the employee and the employer, companies often don’t offer it or don’t do it well. This means in order to succeed in your new job, you’ll have to take the bull by the horns and make sure you onboard yourself. Here are recommendations on how to start your job off on the right foot.

Do pre-work for your job. Even before your start date, there are things you should be doing. In the “My First 90 Days” series, Guy Kawasaki, author and former chief evangelist of Apple, recommends you “[a]sk your manager what you can do before you start.” Kawasaki also recommends many other pre-employment actions, such as researching the backgrounds of key company executives, following the social media accounts and news about your new company and learning everything you can about the company’s product or service. Use the product if you can. Every new hire is expected to hit the ground running, so anything you can do in advance of starting your new job will give you a head start.

Have a conversation with your boss. During the interview, you discussed many details about the job. Now that you have accepted the role, it is time to revisit your manager’s expectations of you. Ask your manager to review the department’s and the company’s strategic priorities and discuss his or her biggest challenges. Revisit your short-term and long-term goals, and ask what metrics will be used to evaluate your performance. Also be sure to inquire how your manager would like you to communicate with him or her and how often.

Build a 30- 60- and 90-day plan. Almost every productivity guide will tell you to put your goals in writing. This is true when starting your new job as well. Identify the most important actions you want to accomplish and add a target date.

The plan’s first 30 days usually spells out how you will learn the company's systems, procedures, people, customers/clients and overall culture. The 60-day section of your plan can outline how you plan to continue to assess the company and begin to use your strengths.

The 90-day section shows how you will take what you've learned and begin to put it into action; in other words, how will you meet some of the goals you and your manager agreed upon?

If you choose to, you can share your plan with your manager to gain agreement.

Listen and ask questions. Every company has its own culture. To understand how you can best position yourself for success, it’s smart to listen and ask questions. “Listen to everyone you meet” is the advice from Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, in his “My First 90 Days” post. Branson cautions not to try and meet everyone during the first week, but for those you do meet, be sure to learn about their personal interests as well as the practicalities of the workplace. As a new player on the team, you have to learn the rules, both written and unwritten. This requires you ask questions before you start implementing changes, criticizing or critiquing. Jumping in too early with solutions without understanding the “whys” may make you come across as a know-it-all. Remember, perception is reality, and your success is determined by how effective and likable you are.

Build alliances. You should never discount the importance of knowing the right people. If you take time to develop mutually beneficial relationships with managers, peers and your support team, the easier your job can be. When people respect and like you, they are much more likely to lend a hand, support your ideas and advocate for you. It sounds political and maybe even a bit phony, but think about the people you know who were let go and are no longer with the company. Why did that happen?

The facts are the facts. Studies show that almost half of new hires fail within the first 18 months. Very few fail because they are unable to perform the job, however. Most fail due to a lack of personal chemistry and cultural mismatch – things such as the ability to accept and implement feedback, manage and understand the emotions of yourself and others, and motivational issues. It is always better to leave on your own terms, so do what it takes to fit in. If it doesn’t work out, plan your exit. And by all means, don’t overlook the importance of the human connection.

Credit: Hannah Morgan

Recruitment is on (RadioGlobal).

RadioGlobal is a leading and fastest growing internet radio (www.radioglobalng.com) in Africa broadcasting from the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa.

RadioGlobal prides itself with rich content and up-to-date information and programmes that suit the desire of our large audience across the globe (America, Asia, Europe and Africa).

Our concept is designed to educate, inform, showcase and edify. Our programmes which run 24/7 are ethically packaged to the delight of our numerous fans and listeners. Our correspondents are spread across the globe to give up-to-date reports and our in-house presenters are the best in the industry. We have the binding integrity to sustain excellence in programmes and services by providing nothing but the best

In view of these, we are in need of Media Marketing Executives with discipline in Mass Communication, English Language and other related courses who are change agents with ability to drive business performance growth.

Interested person should send his/her CV to radioglobal2015@gmail.com not later than 30th of January, 2015

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Launching a Job Search

Credit:  Robin Reshwan

The new year brings motivation to start a new professional chapter. For some, it may be the pursuit of the first “real job” after graduating college (and taking a little time to travel, sleep on a few couches and so on). For others, it may be a desire to make a change in roles or industries.
Regardless of what brings you into the job market, the best success comes with forethought and strategy. Here are three things to consider before getting started:

1. Does your dream match your reality? It is very easy to paint a perfect role in your head. You work on exciting projects all day while enjoying free food, a flexible work schedule and outstanding pay. However, the truth is that most of the flashiest perks, such as free food, flexibility and fortune, typically require a stellar professional background, long hours and the need to respond to work issues 24/7 (or at least way more hours than 40 per week).
Employers, who are like the “house” at a casino, must always stay on the winning side of the employment relationship in order to stay in business. In other words, they will never give away more than the company gets back through your talent and results. With great perks comes great contribution.
Before you jump into the job market just because you think the grass is greener, take some time to consider your priorities as well as your qualifications. Priorities can be things like a manageable schedule so you can take care of your kids; growth opportunities to reward the tremendous effort you give relative to your peers; a fun culture because you want to make friends and have things to do after work; or high levels of competition if you are motivated by winning and visible success.
All priorities are valid, but only you know which ones are most significant to you. With a solid list of ranked priorities, you are in a much better place to evaluate your current role as well as future positions.

2. What can you expect? Once you know your professional priorities, research the requirements, goals and realities of targeted positions. An easy way to get started is to look up job postings and employers on sites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed and Craigslist. You will quickly notice trends in what employers are targeting and paying, and you will also learn more about the nuances of seemingly similar roles but at different employers, industries and departments.
The job market adheres to the laws of supply and demand. Highly desired roles, industries and companies will always have greater barriers to entry (because they can). They may also have lower pay, because more people are willing to do the work so high pay is not required to attract talent.
For example, many people aspire to work in the sports industry, usually because of a lifelong love of sports. However, if you want to get started in this industry, expect to be one of hundreds of unpaid interns. Why? Because so many people are willing to take any shot to get into this highly desirable, yet relatively small industry. After working for three to six months as an unpaid intern, only the very top performers have a shot at low-paid, temporary or part-time roles. These roles may result in a few people actually building careers in this field, but most fall away during the first year or two when they have to pay their bills or when they realize their development may be better suited in a lesser known or less appealing industry.
If you match a role to your priority list, you are able to evaluate how well the position fits into your big picture. You must also consider how valid your candidacy for the role is if you do not have the majority of the required skills and background. When a role doesn’t match up, do yourself a favor and remove it from your targets. If you throw up every time you fly, a pilot job is not realistic.

3. Who do you know? The most powerful equalizer in any career search is your network. It is important to have the right skills and requirements, but you can often move from being just another name on a résumé to the first candidate in line if you have a contact who can provide insight into the role and make an introduction to the right person. However, you do not have to be a career veteran with thousands of connections to have a useful network – you just have to know how to tap into the people you know.
Start with a list of at least 20 people who like you and would be willing to take a phone call from you. These can be classmates, relatives, parents of classmates, volunteers, previous co-workers and friends. Do not worry if they aren’t perfect matches for your ideal career path – they are your advocates and the people who know the best of you.
Contact these people, and ask if you can have a conversation to get their advice. In this meeting, present your new career interest, and ask if they have any advice regarding how you might learn more about these interests. This method is effective because the people who can and want to be helpful will likely introduce you to their relevant connections. On the other hand, if they cannot or do not want to be helpful, they can just give some surface-level advice. Either way, you avoided putting them on the spot.
Throughout your career consideration process, be prepared for every conversation, take notes, send thank-you messages and follow up on every lead or advice given. Polite responses and gratitude go a long way toward maintaining your network. Offer to be helpful to your connections, too. Most people like to be helpful if it is easy for them, so make it easy for someone to want to help you.
In summary, be realistic about where you are today, and become knowledgeable about where you want to go next. Research, planning and connections are very useful during a career search. If you map out your goals and prepare yourself for the time and effort required to land an ideal role, you will be in great shape in 2015.

4 Steps to Cope With Bad News at Work

Credit: Marcelle Yeager

Many things can set you off at work, from a boss's poor feedback on an assignment to a bad performance review. Perhaps you’ve received information that the company is not doing well and to expect a bad turn or even a layoff. It’s important to handle this kind of news with style and professionalism. At the same time, there is a time and place to react and take action.
You may not realize it, but your composure at work can have a lasting impact. Do you want to be remembered and referred for other jobs as a put-together, calm employee who handles bad news well? Or do you want to be known as someone who cannot control her temper? It’s not easy to deal with bad news at work, but here’s how to face it and proactively respond to it:

1. Take time. Just as when you receive unfortunate personal news, it’s natural and important to take time to work out your feelings. Whether you are angry or sad, allow those feelings to come out in the way you best deal with a bad situation. Talk it over with loved ones, exercise, take a personal day – do whatever you need to do to give yourself time to process the news. This will give you a clearer idea of the big picture, and it will allow you to put things in perspective and consider alternatives.

2. Reflect. Taking time off work and talking to friends or family will give you the chance to reflect on what happened. If your annual review didn’t go well, or you were criticized for your work on a project, think about what you could have done differently. Maybe you can learn from what you heard and approach things in a new way next time to improve your performance.
Ultimately, the choice is yours: Do you want to make the best out of your current situation, stay frustrated or consider other opportunities?

3. Consider. If you want to improve your current situation, take stock of your relationships. Which relationship would you like to improve? What past issues or conflicts can you clear up so you can both move forward? How can you take responsibility for past issues?
It’s a difficult conversation to have, so take steps to make the other person as comfortable as possible when you’re ready to discuss your relationship, what it means to you and how you’d like to work better together.
If you are still having trouble coming to terms with the news after reflecting on it, perhaps it is time to consider other opportunities. Do you enjoy what you do? Are you using your talents, skills and interests at work? If not, maybe you’re frustrated and should talk to your boss about better using your capabilities (if your boss is reasonable and that’s an option). If not, it may be time to search for jobs that will allow you to maximize your skills and interests.

4. Act. Even if you decide that this particular situation can be solved in the short term by a frank and specific discussion with your boss, it is probably a good idea to begin reaching out. It’s always a good idea to network while you are working (even when things are going well, because things could change rapidly).
Arrange brief meetings or coffee breaks with others in your company whose opinion you respect or who you know to be highly successful in their jobs. When networking internally, remember to be discreet about whether you are looking for other opportunities, so nothing gets back to your boss.
You can also conduct informational interviews externally by using LinkedIn as a starting point. Figure out who you want to talk to and send a three- to four-line message to introduce yourself and why you’d like to connect with them.
At this time, you should also consider updating your résumé, writing a solid cover letter and developing your LinkedIn profile. This will all come in handy if someone asks for you to forward your résumé for a potential opportunity.

The takeaway: While no one likes to get bad news at work, think of it as an opportunity to re-evaluate your job situation. Give yourself time to process the information and decide whether and/or how to react. If you choose to take action, do it in a positive way that will make a difference for your career. Have an honest, thoughtful discussion with your boss to ask how you can improve your performance or how your skills can be better applied within the company.
If that route is not an option – or even if it is – take this opportunity to jump-start your networking efforts. Maybe you'll come across something you enjoy more that will maximize your abilities.

Marcelle Yeager is the president of Career Valet, which delivers personalized career navigation services. Her goal is to enable people to recognize skills and job possibilities they didn’t know they had to make a career change or progress in their current career. She worked for more than 10 years as a strategic communications consultant, including four years overseas. Marcelle holds an MBA from the University of Maryland.

Few Minutes Before Interview: Get Your Focus

 Your suit is ironed, tucked and free of cat hairs. Your own hairs are combed, your padfolio is organized and your employer research is thorough. And your mind? For this interview, you've packed it like a filing cabinet: Answers to typical interview questions are filed under A; smart questions you plan to ask your interviewers are under Q; and examples of your achievements are under E.
But although you've set yourself up for success, a shiver of doubt may slink up your suit in that darkest hour before the interview. Nerves set in. You try to appear relaxed, but not boring. Enthused, but not abrasive. Prepared, but not canned.
Don't let last-minute anxiety spoil your long-term preparation. Follow this expert advice to feel calm and focused in the hour before a job interview:

Warm up your vocal cords. Talk about a quick confidence killer: introducing yourself to the interviewers only to have your voice crack or sound strained. Don't let a weak, I-woke-up-an-hour-ago voice set the tone for the rest of the day. Lewis Lin, founder and CEO of Impact Interview, an interview coaching service, suggests warming up your vocal cords, especially before phone interviews. Before the interview – say, on the drive to the office – speak through your talking points loud and clear, "as if you were an actor or actress getting ready for an audition," Lin says.

Do some last-minute LinkedIn research. Being likable in the interview is key, Lin says. After all, your interviewers are not only hiring, say, a product manager. They're hiring someone they'll encounter daily: at meetings, in the break room, at happy hours and in the buffet line of holiday parties. Show the interviewers you're someone they should want to work with. "A great way to build that chemistry, that rapport with the interviewer, is to be able to relate to the interviewer," Lin says.
He suggests using the hour before the interview to scan your interviewers' profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as any personal website they have or articles written about them. Did you and one of your interviewers attend neighboring colleges? Do you both know Pete from Boston? Did you attend the same conference last summer? Breathe easier knowing you have a shared connection to mention come interview time.

Strike a power pose. Consider your pre-interview posture, says Susan Joyce, an online job search expert. She suggests looking at the research and TED Talk of social psychologist Amy Cuddy, an associate professor​ at Harvard Business School. ​Cuddy's work shows that power poses can boost confidence, and as Joyce points out, what better time to feel confident than minutes before speaking to a prospective employer?
Joyce suggests ducking into a restroom stall before the interview and trying the starfish pose. With your feet spread apart, "you raise your arms up to the sky, you look up to the ceiling and you smile," Joyce says. "It’s an amazing quick fix to confidence."

Think happy thoughts. This will be easier to do after those poses, Joyce says. She and Lin say candidates often put tons of pressure on themselves: What if I blow this interview, and then I don't get the job, and then I don't get an interview for another six months, and then I can't pay rent? And so on. "End-of-world-type scenarios start dancing through our heads," Lin says, "and that’s clearly not going to be helpful when you’ve got that much pressure."
Lin's suggestion for showing you're passionate about the position, but not crazy-eyed and desperate? "Have that kind of kid-like wonder," he says.​ "Like, 'Hey, I’m just going to have this conversation with another professional in the industry. I get to share my experiences, the things I’ve learned and I hope we get a chance to learn about the other person and the experiences they’ve had.'”
Joyce recommends repeating a few positive affirmations. Think: "I'm perfectly qualified for this job. I'm perfectly qualified for this job. I'm perfectly qualified for this job."

Calm your nerves. "Nerves mess up a lot of interviews," Lin says. "Whatever ritual [or] routine or habit that works for you to get in the right mindset to come across as relaxed and confident is really important."  He suggests exercising if you have the time before suiting up or watching a clip from your favorite movie. Listening to music can help you focus, too. Watch pregame coverage of a professional sporting event​, and you'll see most players entering the facility while listening to music on their headphones, Lin points out. (Ray Lewis, former NFL linebacker once told Men's Journal that he listened to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" before every game with the Baltimore Ravens to get fired up.)
Whether you're about to tackle quarterbacks or a high-stakes interview, simply taking deep breaths will help settle your nerves, too, Lin and Joyce say. Before you enter the building, as you sit in the reception area and as you open wide in starfish pose, take a few long inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth.
As Joyce sums up: "Take a big deep breath, put a smile on your face and roll with it."