5 Steps to Dealing With Redundancy

5 Steps to Dealing With Redundancy Any form of job loss, particularly in the current job market, is challenging. Whether a highly educated senior executive, or a trainee, being advised that you no longer have ongoing employment will shock you. It can be stated that many individuals will go through some form of a grief period following redundancy; some of these individuals will be more resilient than others. With how challenging redundancy can be, understanding what a redundancy is and how to support yourself through this time is extremely important. 1. Understand what redundancy is The most important fact is to remember is that a bona fide redundancy is in no way a reflection of an individual’s capabilities or work skills. A redundancy is simply the result of a business assessing the ongoing organisational structure in line with future direction and strategy. A redundancy is the identification that a position and the tasks associated to that position are no longer required in the business. It is extremely important to be aware that a position is being made redundant; not an employee. A redundancy is the result of an organisation downsizing, rightsizing or changing their direction which may also include outsourcing various business functions. 2. Be aware of the possible stages of grief It is important to understand to a degree the possible stages of grief that you may go through following notification of a redundancy. One such model is the ‘Dancing with Sarah’ model of grief and transition. This is a very effective model to help individuals step through their feelings and emotions following events such as a redundancy. The ‘Dancing with Sarah’ stages include: Shock Anger Resistance Acceptance Help Traditionally, an individual will work through these stages at varying pace and will move backwards and forwards between stages before reaching ‘Acceptance’ and ‘Help’. A lot of individuals will remain in the ‘Anger’ and ‘Resistance’ stages longer than others and may transition with more difficulty before moving into the acceptance stage. When an individual is able to identify and categorise the emotions that they are feeling more effectively, they generally are able to seek possible alternative employment opportunities. 3. Seek Support For some lucky individuals, they will be provided a tailored outplacement support program to suit their requirements. For others, they may not be provided any support or the support they are provided does not suit their requirements. It has been identified that individuals who have support throughout the period of redundancy, as well as support in job search and marketing for a job, have a greater success rate in securing a new opportunity sooner. Accredited career consultants that specialise in tailored outplacement and transition programs are the best to provide personal support during this time. 4. Don’t wait Although for many a redundancy will include a financial component including severance pay, it is recommended to not wait until this benefit has been used to start looking for work. The recruitment period on average for an organisation is 12 weeks and for many, this reflects the amount of total time from application to a role, interview stages, to successful job placement. What this time does not include is a period where applications may not be successful. The current higher unemployment rates identifies that there are many individuals seeking employment, and this does not include those who are employed that are seeking alternative employment. If you immediately start looking for a new opportunity you will improve your chances of an earlier placement and reduce the risk of being financially impacted by the redundancy. 5. Remain Positive As difficult and as daunting as a redundancy is for everybody, remaining positive is absolutely necessary. Without a positive attitude individuals are unable to seek future work opportunities effectively. This can be reflected by individuals getting a “victim mentality” or a “Why Me” attitude rather than a “what’s next” attitude. You can remain positive through: Some key statement to support you in your positive thinking includes: Remembering that a position was made redundant not an individual. Becoming extremely active in your job search; including through the proactive and reactive job market. Look to developing your skills. This can be through formal training or simply by researching your industry or your target role online, through the media and at your local library. Continuing to operate as if you were employed. Wake at the same time and structure your day through having to do lists and scheduling tasks you need to undertake. Understanding redundancy and the stages and emotions that you maygo through improves your resilience following redundancy. Looking at the redundancy of a role as a benefit to open your eyes to new opportunities, rather than a job loss, will ensure that you get the most out of your own individual situation. Many individuals use this time as an opportunity to look for their ideal career and how to transition across utilising their existing skills or pursuing further training opportunities. When remaining positive and looking at all options as a result of the redundancy you will get the greatest and most suitable result for yourself and your career.

How to Stay Focused at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Stay Focused at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Every day you are sitting at your cubicle from 9am to 5pm and do you feel that you cannot get enough work done? Don’t worry! You are not alone. Many people complain that they are not productive enough during their workday. As a result, they work overtime in order to finish everything by the deadline. However, by doing small changes to your daily routine, you can increase your performance and use your time more effectively. Below are some useful tips which can help you stay more focused at work. Stay Away from Social Media: You should discipline yourself not to check your social media sites every time when something pops-up. This includes checking them from your mobile phone as well. Even if you only want to scan your news feed, you will probably see something that interests you and as a result, you will stay in that social media site longer than you think. As a result, by the time you decide to get back to work, you will need some time to refocus on that work. Therefore, don’t waste your time and check your social media accounts only on your breaks. Stop Checking Your Emails Randomly: The email message that pops-up on your computer screen can create urgency for many to check their inboxes constantly. Checking your emails frequently or the email pop-up on your computer screen can distract you. Unless you are truly waiting for an important email, you should schedule specific times to check your emails such as in the morning, after lunch or in the afternoon. The same holds for your smart phone messages and voicemails as well. Make Sure Your Desk is Clean and Organized: It is difficult to concentrate when your desk is full of papers, folders and magazines. Therefore, you should have a storage system in place and archive your papers and files in shelves or in drawers. On your desk, you should only keep the items that you really need at that time. You can also keep some water and snacks to keep your stomach full and happy! Take a Short Break Every Hour: According to a study by Gao (1990) and Floru and Cail (1987), performance starts to deteriorate after 50-60 minutes of continuous work. Therefore, taking a short 10 minute break every hour will help you clear your mind and prevent you from getting bored. As a result; after the break, you can continue your work with more performance and this increases your efficiency.

Secrets to Getting More Referrals Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Secrets to Getting More Referrals â€" Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Assessing Your “Referability” Factor Do you need new customers or clients but can’t seem to get enough of them? People generally want to make referrals when they can. It feels good to be able to connect those who can help with those who need that help. But, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. We’re all busy, faced with too much on our plate and not enough hours in the day, so the more painless you can make it, the greater your chances of getting the referrals you want. Here are four key questions to ask yourself to test the strength of your “referability.” 1) Are contacts able to reach you? Before LinkedIn, it was easy to lose touch with people as they moved around and changed companies. And despite the fact LinkedIn has over 50 million members, there are still a great number of professionals still not on it. Last year a friend asked for a recommendation to a commercial banker in New York City for a real estate deal he was putting together. The only one I knew had worked at one bank but had subsequently moved to another. Although he did send out updated contact information, it never made it into my address book. When I couldn’t find him on LinkedIn, I couldn’t make the referral. Being easily reachable is a necessary, but by no means sufficient, condition. Your business card in someone’s desk drawer or a connection to them via social media is not enough. The next three questions are even more crucial. 2) Can they describe what you do? Is your elevator pitch clear? Do your contacts really understand what you do? Not what your title is, but what problems you can help solve? By leading with your title as opposed to your solution, you lose people because they have either no idea, or an inaccurate idea, of what it means. Instead, focus on relaying the benefits of what you do so nothing gets lost in the translation. 3) Do they know whom to tell? Have you clearly described your target customer? This is where job titles may come in handy. Talk specifically about the kinds of people who are involved in the decision to hire you as well as the kinds of companies. Give examples of both job titles (e.g., “I usually work with the vp of marketing”) and company names (e.g., “Consumer technology companies like Dell, Iomega, and HP) 4) Will they? Once they have all of this information, the big question is will they act on it when they see an opportunity? This comes down to two things. First is their belief in the quality of your work. Because your contacts put their reputations on the line when they make recommendations on your behalf, they have to know that you’re the best person for the job. Second is the strength of your relationship. Have you developed enough rapport so they’d want to take the time to help you? I’ve said in Smart Networking that you don’t need a huge Rolodex if you have a responsive one. In next week’s post we’ll talk about more about point #4 and how you can build closer bonds with people you meet right from the start of a relationship so when opportunities come along, they think of you first and make the referral. Author: Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Connect with Liz on Twitter at  @liz_lynch and get your free Smart Networking Toolkit at  http://www.SmartNetworking.com.

How to Be an Effective Manager in 7 Simple Steps

How to Be an Effective Manager in 7 Simple Steps Being a good manager is all about running the show while producing effective results.  You are not only seen as a leader but are also expected to be fair and approachable.  For many managers, their duties are limited to  getting the work done, however, how you get the  work done is equally important and one cannot learn  to do so overnight. So unless you hail from a  management background or are trained to do so, you  may find yourself in a tight spot. The good news is that it is not impossible to become the perfect manager   following these  tips will help you understand management  more deeply and help you become a more effective manager. 1) Delegate work wisely: The key to effective management is to delegate the  work you should assign responsibilities and tasks to your employees. Most employers feel they have to control every small thing their employees do, and this can be disastrous at your position. When you delegate work to your  employees, you are multiplying the quantity of work that can be accomplished. Also, you  are helping develop your employees’ capabilities, leadership skills and confidence. 2) Set achievable goals: Every employee must have something to work for and therefore it is the duty of a manager to  set goals that his subordinate will strive for. Not only will these goals give the employees  a new purpose and direction, they will also ensure that all employees are marching  towards the larger organizational goals. So fix measurable goals and regularly monitor  the progress towards their accomplishment. RELATED:  How to Set AND Achieve Your Personal  Goals 3) Communication is essential: There are managers who do not understand the importance of communication this  can be bad for them as well as the organization. On many occasions, managers have  to serve as the link between the top management and the executive-level employees. Whether you have news related to work or whether it is an informal interaction, a good  manager always makes an effort to keep his subordinates in the loop. Employees must  remain updated as to what has to be done how in order to do their job efficiently and on time. READ MORE:  7 Phrases Employees Want to  Hear  from their  Boss 4) Make time for your subordinates: Management is mainly about making people work. When an employee needs to  talk to you, you must make sure that you make time to see him and step aside for a  discussion. It is okay to put your work on the back-burner for a moment and focus on this  person in need of your assistance. 5) Recognize achievements: Every individual is hungry for appreciation. The day you begin appreciating your team  for their efforts, you subordinates will be a happier lot. All employees are, at some point  or the other, seeking praise for the work they do. However, very few bosses understand  this need and do not do much to contribute towards recognizing and rewarding them for  a task done well. Thus, if you want your employees to have job satisfaction it is vital to  give them a pat on their backs.  To be a good leader, you must show your good qualities to the world and inspire others. You will have to be the change you wish to see in others. So start behaving as you  would want your subordinates to behave at work. However, do not forget in the process  that your role and position are different from the other employees. 6) Come up with lasting solutions: Managers must be effective problem solvers. No matter how huge a problem is, there  is always a solution to it. The trouble with coming up with quick fixes is that in your  enthusiasm to come up with quick solutions and move on to another task, you may  overlook another viable option that may have taken longer to develop and apply but  could have been a long-lasting solution. A good manager believes in dealing with the  root cause of the problem, rather than just superficially fixing it. 7) Stop playing the blame game: It will always be someone’s fault. Fingers can be pointed towards you. Not that you  should start pointing fingers to evade the situation! It is possible that you do not have  a stellar team, but that should not mean you should settle for mediocrity in work. You  must hold the power to inspire employees so that they exceed all expectations. You  do possess the power to sack people who aren’t doing what they were hired to do. However, you can’t go on blaming everyone in the team for one person’s failure to  perform or your own failure to lead. Bonus) Build on peoples strengths: A lot of managers target the weaknesses of employees and talk about how to improve  them. You should distinguish yourself by paying special attention to core areas that  represent the strength of your subordinates. This will encourage them and this is how  you will receive your biggest return on investment. Conclusion: Being a good manager can be a challenge sometimes and in order to succeed in this  position, you must realize that your success is directly dependent on the success of  your team. So go on and motivate your subordinates as happy workers bring more  productivity and respect to their manager. Author: Devika Arora is a prolific writer who compiles relevant  facts and analyzes the current state of affairs pertaining to education  and career building on behalf of Shiksha.com.

Executive Job Search Branding Ebook PRICE CUT! - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Executive Job Search Branding Ebook PRICE CUT! Many people look forward to catching up on reading over the summer. Light novels and other diversions are popular. But if youre in a job search, or think youre headed there, summer is a great time to strategize your search, do some career planning, and actually get a foothold and gain some traction. Your target companies may be hiring this summer . . . and they may be looking for candidates like you. To entice you to buy and read my ebook this summer â€" and learn some basics on how to navigate the complex world of todays executive job search â€"  Ive reduced the price.   Read about and purchase my ebook here. The ebook will help you pull together all the pieces: Targeting Branding Career Communications  â€" executive resume, biography, and other career documents Storytelling Online Identity Online Reputation Management Twitter Blogging Social Networking Social Media Networking Interviewing Along with taking a little time to recharge from your job search efforts, devote some of your reading time this summer to accelerating your search by learning how to better manage it. Happy reading! Happy summer! Related posts: Chapter 1 of My Ebook: 23 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search Why I Wrote My Executive Branding and Job Search Ebook 10 Things I Learned Writing My Ebook 00 0

A question for ya How can you go out with a (positive) bang - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

A question for ya How can you go out with a (positive) bang - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Mike Hoffman is in an interesting situation: Im currently in one of the worst jobs of my life. The majority of my co-workers reply with a negative response when asked if they honestly enjoy coming into work. Management seems miserable (overworked, stressed, and never caught smiling). You already know what kind of environment this creates. I already have a contract for another job within the next 90 days. I think my co-workers are good people and I feel that I have an obligation to leave a legacy, whether this means dropping off a case of your books on the way out or writing an honest letter to management about the work environment as a whole, to make their jobs (or their mindset to find another one) that much better. I want to be direct but not insulting. Do you have any suggestions on the best ways to leave a job while leaving a positive impact in its wake? What a great idea! When you know youre leaving, youre free to say and do some things you might not normally be able to. The question is, what can you do that is positive and inspiring, as opposed to bitterly slamming the door on your way out. What could you do in this situation? I would very much like to hear your ideas! Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Best Format of Resume

The Best Format of ResumeMany people are not aware of the formats of resume that they should use when it comes to their own resumes. This is a very important skill that you should learn if you want to be a successful job seeker.First of all, remember that there are two formats of resume you can choose from. The first one is a standard format where you can see your name, title, and job description. Your contact information such as phone number, email address, and home address are also in this format.Another format of resume is called an attached format. This format is where you have to fill in the rest of the resume. In this format, you have to put in your objective statement, education, skills, work experience, and other job-related information. You will also need to tell about your work history and other accomplishments.These formats of resume may seem a little difficult to use at first but when you practice, you will get used to using these formats of resume and will be able to sen d out a resume for any job you apply for. Remember that even if you are not employed yet, you can still apply for a job.Remember that you should only send the formats of resume that you know and have practice with. Before you try it, practice a few times and do it on paper or a computer screen. You don't want to send your resume and find out that you sent it out by mistake and will be rejected.When you are ready to send out your resume, it is advisable that you prepare it ahead of time. Do not just send it without doing some preliminary work. You will save time and energy if you have the resume ready before you send it.You can also use forms that are available online that you can use to prepare your resume. You can choose the best one that is available so that you will not waste your time or energy sending out an unprofessional resume. By using these forms, you will be able to customize your resume to suit your needs.Once you have completed the forms of resume that you have prepared , you should now start practicing on the forms that you use. Practice a few times on the forms of resume that you have prepared and send it out. It is important that you send your resume out in the best format.