Feeling dissatisfied and praying for a change? These are some questions to keep in mind before you take the plunge and submit your resignation.
1. Has it been a year? Before you are ready to take the plunge, you may want to ascertain how long you have been at your company. Leaving within a year comes with negative connotations and may hurt your chances of re-employment in the long run. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and stay on a little longer. Give your employer (and yourself!) a fair chance to see if things improve. That being said, if you are acutely aware that this job is not right for you, you can make plans to leave as soon as possible. Rather than getting fired by continually putting in sub-par effort, it is sometimes better to just nip things in the bud and leave early.
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1. Make your own self-introductions
Most people wait to be introduced or brought around the office on the first day. Show that you are a high-performing team member. Take the initiative to introduce yourself to the team and to people outside the team. Don’t be afraid to knock on your boss’ door to introduce yourself and volunteer to take off some work off their hands. At your discretion, you may also make the extra step to schedule coffees and lunches with team members whom you would like to get to know better. Do this in the first 2 weeks of your arrival and you are sure to get some meaningful interaction with your co-workers. Pro tip: Try your best to remember everyone’s name. For university and graduate school applicants, a glowing reference letter from a work mentor or professor from school is necessary to separate you from the crowd. For internship and job applications, employers often contact referees before making the final decision on whether to hire you.
References are key to your dream school and dream job. Here are some ways to help you achieve a lasting and positive impression on your referees-to-be. 1. Get Noticed At school, be sure to speak up and get noticed by your professor. Volunteer yourself for teaching assistant positions. Teachers or mentors for your extra-curricular activities or volunteering activities can also be potential referees. It goes without saying that you should try your best at every internship or even part-time job, your bosses will be invaluable contacts in the future. It is easy to write a stellar CV if you have an excellent GPA and internship experience to show for it. However, a common conundrum that many students face is when they are applying for their first internship or job and they just don’t have enough points to fill their CV. Here are 3 suggested ways to remedy this problem.
1. Quick Fixes If you find yourself stuck with nothing to put in your CV, and you only have a couple of weeks before applications close, we can suggest a few quick fixes as follows: Attend a course / seminar o Most universities conduct seminars that are free to students o There are also hundreds of online courses available, the internet is your best friend o Bonus points if completion of the course results in some kind of certification Volunteer o There are many places can accept volunteers at a short notice (for instance here), you can also ask your local CC or library if they need extra help. o Another option is tutoring. You can offer to tutor needy students or even your neighbour’s children. Expand on existing points o Be sure that you have fully fleshed out the current points that you do have, be specific wherever possible o Another quick-fix is to list out modules where you obtained good grades It is important to note that even if you are desperate to add filler points, you should still be careful to only showcase your best points. Including poor grades or completely irrelevant experience (e.g. winning a 100m race in primary school) subtracts rather than adds to your profile. You’ve passed the first hurdle and secured the internship that you want! You are pumped and eager to impress your boss. Many students secure jobs from being converted after an internship and it is vital to make a good impression for future references. Here are 5 ways to impress your boss and secure a conversion offer!
1. First Impressions First impressions are vital. Arriving on time and dressing the part is important and there are no excuses. This extends to not being the first to leave the office, not taking an excessively long lunch hour and keeping up with your professional look even if other colleagues dress very casually. At the same time, strike and balance and don’t overdo it. Everyone is aware of how much work interns are actually assigned, staying excessively late in the office just makes you look foolish. Likewise, there is no need to turn up in a full suit every day. Be sure to be polite and introduce yourself to your colleagues even if they don’t make the first move. Talk to people you bump into at the pantry, say Hi to the receptionist and offer to help if someone looks like they need it. All of these small actions will help build an informal network and as people are more aware of your presence, you will have more opportunities to shine. The job interview is the last hurdle to securing an internship or job. These are 3 common mistakes that should be avoided!
1. Not Being Prepared There is a direct correlation between the amount of preparation and how well a candidate performs during an interview. A list of issues that every candidate should keep in mind is as follows: · Information on the company Go through the company website, paying attention to their mission statement and recent highlights that the company has chosen to spotlight. · Information on the interviewers Read management profiles. · Industry knowledge / Current Affairs related to your field It is expected that you possess the requisite knowledge about your industry and you should also keep abreast of any major news that affects your industry. · The job scope of your role This is critical and should be the number one thing in the back of your mind as you craft your cover letter, CV and answers during the interview. Everything should point towards the same end result of you being an excellent fit for the role. More tips on how to craft a winning resume and cover letter here. · Expected remuneration Wait for your employer to make the first offer. If asked, you can simply state that you expect a market-competitive rate or if you are applying for a role you really want, you can state that pay is negotiable. Taking your first job is an important milestone in your career. More often than not, landing a great job can set the tone and pace of your future trajectory. That being said, a “great” job is different for every individual, and here are four factors to consider in your job-hunt:
1. Your Job Scope Brand name VS. Job Scope. This is an eternal dilemma that many graduates deal with. A big company with a brand name can open many doors but taking a position in a boutique firm or smaller company can allow you to take on an enhanced role. Take a step-back and think about where you want to see yourself in 5, 10 years. While life is unpredictable, getting a sense of your big-picture goals can help you decide what kind of company you want to begin your career with. 1. Prioritize
Make sure you are organized about the deadlines. Plan ahead on how you should tackle your workload, and ensure that your strategy maximizes efficiency. You know yourself best and how you work. Be realistic about the amount of time required for each task. When your boss gives you an additional task but you honestly cannot manage, politely let him/her know about your current workload and ask him/her which task you should prioritize. This is an excellent way to subtly remind your bosses of your existing workload and he/she will usually re-divert the task once he/she is aware that you already have so much on your plate. If you have exhausted traditional ways of looking of a job or you have had no replies from companies, here are 3 additional ways to boost your job search:
1. Re-examine your Cover Letter and CV If you have had no call-backs from companies, it is time to re-examine your cover letter and CV. Are you giving off the wrong impression? Are you highlighting all your key strengths and accomplishments? (Additional tips on how to improve your resume here). It leaves a negative impression if you keep re-sending your application. So try and get it right the first time! If you don’t get a call-back, you can follow-up once (at most twice) to enquire about your application status. If you continually don’t get a response, just take the hint and leave it. Otherwise, you may end up on a HR blacklist. To stand-out from the crowd and get hired, there are a number of qualities that a winning candidate should possess. Follow the ‘AAA’ Rule and you will be set to succeed:
1. Aptitude The first thing that employers look out for is aptitude. This means the ability the do the job and do it well. Common indicators include GPA, academic awards or achievements, winning competitions, publishing papers, being a research assistant etc. Other factors that indicate that you can do a job well include showcasing skill-sets like time management, communication and interpersonal skills. This can be shown by showing that were able to juggle a busy schedule and balance co-curricular activities, or where you coordinated an event or mentored others. |