How to Find a Job
There are very important things that one must consider as they go about looking for a job in the current job market that is very competitive (Saunders, 2004). The first step is to take some time to build your qualifications by making the necessary revisions to your resume. A resume is a very important document that contains your personal and qualification details. It is important to ensure that your resume is up-to-date and complete with all the necessary details. The information provided in the resume should be true and well structured. It is important to proofread a resume to ensure that it does not have any format and grammatical errors (Saunders, 2004).
A person looking for a job will definitely go through a lot of interviews, and it important to be well prepared in case you are called for one. There are some common questions that interviewers ask job-seekers, and one must practice how to answer such questions in advance (Saunders, 2004). Job-seekers should also make calls or personal visits to prospective companies to find out if there are any opportunities. It is important to conduct some research on prospective companies to determine their mission and what they expect from their employees (Saunders, 2004).
Networking is another critical aspect when it comes to job seeking. Referrals from friends and relatives can help a person to find a job. Job-seekers should keep in touch with their friends and relatives as they find out if they have any information on job openings. Volunteering for a particular organization can actually land you a job when you least expect.
Job Performance
Job performance is the ability of employees to use their skills and competence to accomplish various activities within a particular organization (Wolman, 2008). The job description of a particular task must be related to the attitudes and knowledge of an employee who is assigned to carry out that particular task. The ability of employees to perform well in their respective duties is what constitutes job performance. Job performance is also a behavior that enables employees to make decisions and take control of their performance. Observable actions are not the only determinants of an individual’s job performance (Wolman, 2008). Performance should be aimed at achieving organizational goals and objectives. Each role within an organization has specific goals that are related to the overall organizational goals.
Job performance behaviors can be task-oriented, interpersonal, down-time, or destructive (Wolman, 2008). Job performance is classified into two categories that include task-oriented and contextual performances. A task-oriented performance is meant to fulfill all the obligations of a particular job, whereas a contextual performance is aimed at influencing the social and psychological conditions within an organization that is necessary for achieving organizational goals (Wolman, 2008).
In order for employees to perform well, they are supposed to be aware of all the principles and facts relating to their job. Procedural knowledge and interpersonal skills are examples of mental abilities that determine whether a person will perform well in their job or not. Some of the most common parameters of performance include quantity, quality, speed, and accuracy (Wolman, 2008). The parameters that are used to measure job performance vary from one organization to another.
Leadership
The ability of a person to influence a group of people towards achieving a particular goal is referred to as a leadership (Sadler, 2003). A leader must have the ability to organize, direct, and enlist the support of other people in their attempt to achieve a common goal. Leaders are made, and therefore the common notion that leaders are born is not true. Any person can become an effective leader if they have an inner desire to become one. Leadership training is also very important in helping a person to become an effective leader. The other ways through which one can develop their leadership skills include personal experiences, education, and self-analysis (Sadler, 2003).
A good leader strives to become better by always looking for different ways of becoming more effective. A leader should be knowledgeable and inspirational in order for them to have the capacity to lead their teams. It is not an easy thing to influence actions, and therefore leaders must have special leadership knowledge and skills which are needed to make that possible (Sadler, 2003).
Leaders must understand who they are and have confidence in themselves in order to be successful. It is difficult for leaders to inspire other people if they do not have confidence in themselves. Leaders should understand their followers for them to use different approaches to satisfying everyone (Sadler, 2003). Followers have different needs and emotions, and therefore leaders should know how to handle everyone. This can only happen if a leader understands human nature. Communication is a very important factor in leadership, and therefore leaders should have good verbal and nonverbal communication skills to give clear directions to their followers. Good leadership entails taking the right action according to the situation at hand.
Business Ethics
Every business environment has got potential ethical and moral problems that need to be examined in order to maintain the image of a business (Shaw, 2010). Employees and other stakeholders within a particular organization are supposed to behave and conduct themselves according to professional ethics. Business ethics entails all the aspects of business conduct that every person within a business environment is expected to follow. The normative aspect of business ethics involves different types of job specialization. The descriptive aspect of business ethics involves the expected business behavior (Shaw, 2010). Business ethics are supposed to address both economic and non-economic concerns. Business ethics regulates the conduct of individuals within an organization through ethics regimes.
The purpose of a business can be reflected in an organization’s ethical regime. Every business has got its unique philosophies that can only be enforced through business ethics (Shaw, 2010). There are different functional business areas that give rise to various ethical issues. The finance area is the most critical when it comes to ethical issues. Ethical issues in finance include corruption, bribery, and tax evasion. These issues can raise public concern and even ruin the corporate image of a particular business. Finance ethics should not be violated in a way because they can end up ruining an entire business (Shaw, 2010).
Human resources management is also guided by labor ethics that should be followed when conducting important exercises such as recruitment, training, and performance appraisal. All the ethical issues regarding health and safety within the working environment form part of business ethics. Business ethics are normally incorporated in company policies and regulations (Shaw, 2010).
Job Boards
Job boards are used by employers to advertise to the general public on the available job opportunities in their firms. The advertisements contain the required qualifications and job descriptions (Arthur, 2012). There are different types of job boards which include physical notice boards and online boards. Many companies prefer to use job boards because they are able to get more candidates to choose from. Companies can decide to come up with their own career websites or pay to list their job vacancies on already existing career websites (Arthur, 2012). Job boards have databases with resumes that employers can pay to access.
This makes the work of recruiters to be very simple because they can simply call a candidate of their choice according the resumes presented on the job board. Job boards have been around for a very long time and are here to stay. Some people argue that it is unethical to pay for services offered by job boards, but this varies from one job board to another. Job boards can lose their meaning when job seekers and employers use them during emergency situations.
Job boards are facing a lot of competition from online networking sites which have become very popular in recent years (Arthur, 2012). The social media has become very instrumental when it comes to job referrals. It is important to avoid generalist job boards in order to get candidates that match the required qualifications. The success rate of job boards is very low compared to word of mouth referrals and online networking sites. Recommendations from reliable sources save employers a lot of time as compared to going through a lot of CVs (Arthur, 2012). Many employers prefer using job boards because they are very cheap compared to recruitment agencies.
Interviewing
The current job market is very competitive and therefore an individual’s performance during an interview determines whether they will get a job or not (Fielding, 2003). Interviewers conducting a structured interview pose predetermined questions to interviewees in an attempt to find out whether the candidates meet the predetermined qualifications. Candidates are expected to test their interviewing skills by working towards improving their weaknesses before the actual interview (Fielding, 2003).
It is important to work on your appearance in order to create a good impression during the interview. It is important to practice answering some the common questions that interviewers ask before going for the actual interview. It is important to understand that an interview is a discussion between two parties. It is vital to create a good first impression because you may not have another chance to express yourself (Fielding, 2003).
Candidates are advised to get the necessary information in time by researching on the prospective company and getting their questions ready before the interview. Candidates should know when to ask questions during an interview so that they do not seem as if they are taking control of the interview (Fielding, 2003). The most appropriate time to ask questions in an interview is towards the end.
Answers in an interview should be concise and relevant to the asked questions. Answers in an interview should be illustrated with appropriate examples to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of what is expected from you. It is important to be sincere, polite and attentive during an interview (Fielding, 2003). Writing a thank you letter and making a phone follow-up are some of the things that should be done after an interview.
Resume Writing
Every job has got its requirements which have to match the information on a resume. A resume is a document that contains all the personal and qualification details of a candidate in a summary form (Sarada, 2005). The chances of securing a dream job depend on how effective an individual’s resume is. A good resume should not be more than two pages because many employers prefer brief and exhaustive resumes.
Resumes provide a good platform for candidates to sell their abilities and skills to potential employers. It is important to update your resume to meet the requirements of every new job application (Sarada, 2005). Candidates who do not have a lot of experience can state some of their positive traits, strengths and awards to cover for their inexperience. A resume is organized in such a way that the most recent information comes first.
A complete and effective resume should contain all the necessary information about a candidate. The first part of a resume contains the personal details of a candidate which include official names, gender, year of birth and contact information. The second part of resume includes the education and training details of a candidate. The most recent studies should come first in this part (Sarada, 2005). A summary of your history forms the third part of a resume. The most recent job should come first like other sections. The fourth part contains all your skills and abilities. The final part contains a list of referees who can provide positive recommendations. It is important to proofread the final copy as a way of avoiding any grammatical and structural mistakes (Sarada, 2005).
Teams & Change Management
Team managers need the right organizational and coordination tools in order to lead their groups towards achieving their goals (Griffin, 2011). Teams undergo different stages in their lifecycle and can break up if there is no good team management. A team leader should have the tools and techniques to lead their team throughout the entire lifecycle. Team practices should be adopted by all members for a team to perform according to expectations (Griffin, 2011). Team building activities are a very important aspect of team management that enhances unity and togetherness within a team. Successful team management entails observing all the standardized team practices especially when it comes to communications and structure.
Organizations and teams are bound to experience some change at point and it is important for them to adopt the right transitioning approach in order to manage change in the most effective way (Griffin, 2011). Change management is meant to minimize the negative effects of change using appropriate control structures and tools. Change management ensures that the recommended changes are implemented according plan.
Change is supposed to benefit an organization in one way or another. Modern technological innovations and globalization have influenced the majority of current organizational changes. Organizations should only adopt changes that increases profits or improves the working conditions. It is important to involve all the stakeholders in the change process to facilitate effective implementation (Griffin, 2011). Effective communication and training are very critical aspects of change management. Change managers should provide the necessary support and counseling to employees who fear change (Griffin, 2011).
References
Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, interviewing, selecting & orienting new employees. Chicago, IL: AMACON Div American Management Association.
Fielding, N. (2003). Interviewing. London: SAGE.
Griffin, R. (2011). Organizational behavior. London: Cengage Learning.
Sadler, P. (2003). Leadership. New York, NY: Kogan Page Publishers.
Sarada, M. (2005). The complete guide to resume writing. New York, NY: Sterling Publishers.
Saunders, R. (2004). Employment survival guide: How to get a job in Las Vegas. New York, NY: Llumina Press.
Shaw, W. (2010). Business ethics. London: Cengage Learning.
Wolman, S. (2008). Self-estimates of job performance and learning potential. New York, NY: ProQuest.