Why You Should Care About Career Adaptability

Why You Should Care About Career Adaptability There is a lot of research out there that looks at the reasons why people can effectively transition throughout their career and the reasons why not. It is something that has a lot of people interested in understanding purely because the research is saying that having a level of career adaptability as an individual appears to link to an individual’s ability to be successful throughout their career. What is career adaptability? In a nutshell, career adaptability is the ability for an individual to cope with current and future tasks, transitions, and challenges within their career. This definition is not specific to an age or cultural demographic as the research has looked across cultures and demographics on the value of career adaptability and identified the same definition. What is the value of career adaptability? Career adaptability has been linked to the ability to achieve more career satisfaction regardless of the situation the individual is in. This has included identifying lower levels of work stress, increased person-environment fit and other positive outcomes such as increased levels of overall career enjoyment. Amazingly, individuals do not link their ability to be adaptable to success, many times they look at the opposite being a career strength. What does it take to have career adaptability? There are a number of different components to career adaptability. These include having a concern about your career outcome, a level of control and control acceptance, curiosity and confidence. To become career adaptable you need to be focused on what it is that you wish to achieve. Specifically, people who are career adaptable show signs of being forward thinkers and planners about their career goals, the opportunities available to them and the possible changes in their chosen career that may require them to alter their current career pathway. How can you develop your own adaptability? As you can see by the different components of career adaptability, individuals wanting to develop this need to start with ensuring they have clarity on what it is they are seeking to achieve in their careers. This will include looking at your current skills and interest areas, how these will support them in the future, what is missing and what you can do to achieve this. Once you have this level of clarity then you can focus on building your confidence in your direction and in turn your own capabilities. Without looking specifically at your career plan it is very hard to build confidence which is one of the fundamental personal attributes needed to become adaptable, but also to be focused on your career development. What if I don’t become adaptable? The world of work is changing. It is volatile, it is dynamic and it is unknown. Regardless how much research we undertake, businesses are unable to state with certainty what their business will look like in the future. What the skills are that they will need to recruit into the business and in a lot of instances, what the business will be offering out to its client base. This level of unknown means that if you do not become adaptable you will not be able to transition with the business as it identifies the need for transition. Being adaptable is key to continuing to develop your employability and remain employable in the future. Can this guarantee my job? The reality is career adaptability on its own cannot guarantee that you will remain employed in a role. What it does guarantee you though is: The ability to focus on what it is that you need to be satisfied in your career The knowledge on what you have to offer as an employee The opportunity to develop confidence and remain confident in your own capabilities The ability to articulate to others what it is that you need, have or want in your career to remain satisfied To be able to transition at the times that you may need to To be innovative and supportive in new business environments How adaptability impacts and supports your career is unique to your own experiences. The benefits of this will be based on how you develop your adaptability and how you use that throughout your career. The reality is, however, if you don’t consider it to be important there may be a point in time where you are required to be adaptable and in not being able to do this your career may be impacted.

When You Should Tell a Client Youre FIRED!

When You Should Tell a Client Youre FIRED! The most satisfying scene in The Apprentice occurs when Lord Sugar looks at Dave, the cocky 22 year-old with a 2:2 in Social Marketing from Thames Valley University (who performed very poorly in this weeks sausage-making contest), and tells him, youre fired!. It is the absolute expression of power: telling the unlucky Dave that he doesnt deserve to work with Sir Alan. Because firing is an act of power, I believe that many recruiters dont think that you can fire a client. After all, a recruiter relies on the client to provide roles to be worked, and can only bill when a role is filled. This seems to put the power deep in the clients court: surely they can fire the recruiter, but how or why would the recruiter fire them? However, there are a number of good reasons why it makes sense to deploy Lord Sugars catch phrase with my top three below: How many agencies?! I recently saw a woman on Twitter complain about receiving emails from 10 recruitment agencies for the same job (it was very obvious who the client was). She directed her complaint against the agencies, and didnt think about who was actually at fault here: the client, for farming out its requirement to too many agencies. However, it was the agencies who suffered the reputational damage. One of the most annoying phrases a recruiter will hear during business development is: Weve got a PSL (Preferred Supplier List) for recruiters. I think clients like to think of PSLs as a carefully organised and vetted list of agencies, but in reality, many are not. I remember targeting a medium-sized company (c. 250 employees) to get onto their PSL for their IT requirements. When I asked the question, How many agencies do you have on your PSL?, they replied Oh, about 70 with about 20 IT agencies out of those. That answer stopped me dead in my tracks. 20 agencies, when they have about 10 IT requirements a year?! Not a chance. I said a polite thank-you, and put the phone down. When a client uses that many agencies, theres no point. You will be competing against far too many other agencies, making it hard to find decent candidates and very hard to talk to the hiring manager, so you will never build a decent relationship with them. In my opinion, theres no need for a client to ever engage more than 5 agencies (preferably no more than 3). Although its great to win new business, if the client has already handed that requirement out to a dozen other agencies, it wont be worth your while. Fire them, and focus on clients where you can build a relationship, because, as I have argued elsewhere, that is the key job of a recruiter. Is it a horse or a unicorn? When a client sets out to hire, they may think they know what they want, but actually dont. Frequently, it is only after they start recruiting that they decide precisely what they want, which is why job requirements often change during the process. This is ok, but in some cases, the client ends up with such a convoluted list of requirements and needs that, despite the fact the say they want a horse, what they really want is a unicorn i.e., a mythical creature that doesnt exist. I used to see this frequently in IT recruitment: I know we said we just wanted someone good with Photoshop, but now we need someone who knows front and back-end development, along with DBA experience and knowledge of the Oracle E-Business Suite I noticed that this was more common with smaller companies than larger ones. At a smaller company there is less division of labour, with each employee typically covering a larger spectrum of work than would be the case in a bigger company, so it makes sense that they want to hire someone with a broader spectrum of skills. Furthermore, hiring in smaller companies is often done by the company owners, who have both financial and emotional investments in their company, so are more picky. However, unicorn hunting is no fun for anyone, and if thats what your client wants you to do, then the first stage is to sit down with them and tell them that they are being unreasonable. If they refuse to budge, fire them you will end up putting far more time and effort than is reasonable into the requirement, sending over great candidates only to have every one rejected. I remember working a unicorn role once, and had an amazing candidate rejected who had everything bar one minor skill (which could ha ve been learned in a month), as he wasnt deemed to be perfect. Needless to say, I eventually stopped working with that client. Pareto Principle The Pareto Principle is a rule-of-thumb otherwise known as the 80:20 rule: 80% of effects are attributed to 20% of causes. In studies it has been shown to be reasonably consistent and applies across a range of fields: 80% of all complaints come from 20% of users, fixing the 20% most commonly reported bugs will solve 80% of your problems, and 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients. This last one was certainly true in the agency I worked for, and is probably true in your agency. If we apply the concepts of Lean to recruitment, then we cut costs by eliminating waste. Waste is defined as anything that doesnt add value to your processes. In recruitment, value is essentially your billings, so anything you do that doesnt lead to a billing is waste. If we think about that 80:20 figure again, we know that the majority of your clients are responsible for a tiny fraction of your billings. However, you will still spend an awful lot of time working with those clients, all of which creates cost, e.g. your time, buying job board adverts, racking up phone bills etc. Furthermore, if 80% of your clients are generating 20% of your billings, then in all likelihood the majority of your clients arent making you any money at all, despite the time and effort you spend on them. Heres a tip: do a client audit. Rank all your clients by the amount of money you have made from them. Draw a red line through the bottom 20% and fire them, and then dedicate the time you would spend on those accounts to your more successful accounts. It is hard to do this, because you have to get past the little voice in your head saying, but I worked hard to win those clients! And what if I suddenly make a lot of money from one of them?. Trust me, though quality is better than quantity. Dedicate more time to the accounts that deserve it, and it will pay dividends. Conclusions: Although it may sound counter-intuitive for an agency to fire a client, I would expect a good agency to fire clients from time to time, as it shows they take their work seriously. Sometimes, it can be an absolute pleasure (such as with rude and difficult clients), but for the most part, it should be done because you value your own time and efforts. There is no point wasting your time on unproductive roles when you should be focusing your efforts on building relationships with clients who do add value to your work. Lastly, these are just three of many reasons to fire a client feel free to share your own reasons or stories in the comments below.

How a Traumatic Brain Injury Can Change Your Life Forever

How a Traumatic Brain Injury Can Change Your Life Forever Most of us have dreams that extend well into the future. We might see ourselves holding a high-profile job, even if we started with various socio-economic disadvantages. We might see ourselves with a family and a balanced home-and-work life. Such dreams are not beyond the realm of possibility … until you find yourself the victim of a life-altering brain injury. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result from any number of incidents. Your brain is a large organ in your head that’s protected by they skull, but isn’t tightly secured by muscles, the way other major organs are. When you’re hit hard in the head or your gets head jostled by a sudden impact, your brain can knock against the inside of your skull with massive force, which may result in a serious injury. TBI cases are not uncommon, unfortunately. Every 23 seconds a person suffers one somewhere in the U.S. The resulting physical and emotional stress can change one’s life forever. Nearly 1.4 million Americans suffer a TBI each year, and 50,000 people will die from the accident. If you or someone you know has undergone a TBI and survived, you might wonder what the future will holds. Here are some of the ways at TBI can alter a person’s life. Chronic Physical Pain A brain injury will cause severe physical discomfort at the onset, of course, but depending on the nature of the injury, you might experience pain and discomfort for the rest of your life. The impact can cause bleeding and bruising that may never cease, and the result is headaches and migraines that may pose difficulties for as long as you live. Head injuries can also wreak havoc on other parts of your body. You could suffer stomach problems, sensitivity to light or sound, nerve injury, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), seizures, and fainting or fatigue. The length and severity of such symptoms will depend on the part of the brain that was injured. Severe Lasting Emotional Problems The emotional trauma can be one of the most debilitating aspects of your brain injury. People who have suffered such an injury might experience sudden mood swings, sudden anxiety and depression, unexplained emotions that arise without warning, and other surprising issues. Injuries to the brain can also lead to some strange responses. You might develop a condition that makes you cry or laugh for no reason. You might also experience anger-management issues, outbursts, or unusual irritability. Controlling your emotions might become a difficult challenge, even in the case of basic emotions such as sadness at a death in the family or happiness when a gift is received. Vision and Sensory Issues A study on the impact of TBI on vision at the Western Blind Rehabilitation Center in California revealed that about one-third of those who experience a TBI will experience vision problems. The brain is directly connected to your visual faculties, and a traumatic impact can lead to damage to your occipital lobe. As you recover from the injury, you may find that you suddenly need corrective lenses. You may also find you’re more sensitive to light or colors than you had been in the past. Although this is not as common in real life as it is in books or movies, a blow to your brain might result in total vision loss. Depending on the nature of the damage, the loss or alteration to your vision can be temporary or permanent. Memory Loss If your brain injury occurs to the prefrontal lobe, you might experience short-term memory loss, so that it becomes it difficult to remember conversations, phone numbers, and other details throughout the day. Loss of long-term memories is less common because such memories are stored in various places throughout the brain. You might forget some things that happened a long time ago, but you’re unlikely to experience complete amnesia, although it’s not absolutely out of the question. Like many effects of TBI, long-term memory loss can be permanent or temporary while your brain recovers. Lost Skills Skills and talents that once came easily to you might not be present when you wake up after your accident. It’s not unusual for people to have to relearn certain skills even basic ones such as how to hold a spoon, walking, or speaking. You could end up with a permanent limp or other disability because the accident damaged your motor functions. You might also have difficulty remembering certain things, so any job skills or talents that you’ve learned in recent years might be difficult to recapture. Reintegrating into the workplace can be a particular challenge (and potentially impossible) for workers who suffer memory loss or disabilities as a result of a brain injury. Experiencing a TBI is one of the scariest and potentially debilitating injuries there is. It will require a significant adjustment, but with the right help and guidance, you can live a relatively normal life, and still achieve some of the goals and dreams you’ve always had.

Why Not Add Other Dimensions to the One-Dimensional CV

Why Not Add Other Dimensions to the One-Dimensional CV Most employers I speak to find the recruitment process is getting harder and more complex. There is increasing use of algorithms and many ‘add-ons’ like psychometrics to identify the ‘hidden’ attributes and weaknesses to help understand the candidates better. We all know that the CV is now becoming a bit decrepit as a recruitment tool, as it really only looks at what someone has done in the past rather what they can do for you as an employer. No longer is longevity in a job a positive attribute, or a logical progression important for future success. Rather the ability to adapt and change and utilize a range of capabilities is becoming much more useful. I have thought for some time that rather than moan about the CV’s shortcomings I should do something about it. So I have. I want to simply start organizations to think of different ways to gather the information they need to identify candidates that are suitable, not just for now, but also for the future. My thinking led me to consider 4 areas that which would give much more information on who   the candidate is and what he/she has to offer: 1. Be more candidate-centric in the process: Candidate should know themselves what they have the potential to do, so ask questions to help them clarify ‘who they are’ for themselves. 2. Try to uncover a candidate’s values: We all have them but rarely are they understood properly. If expressed they can help recruiters see the potential ‘fit’ with the organisations culture. 3. Create some breadth of a candidate’s Talents (rather than skills): Employers can train people’s skills, but without talent, their performance will be mediocre. Plus, if talents are brought to the fore, an individual will be motivated to give much more of their ‘discretionary effort’ to the organization. 4. Gain some picture of a candidate’s aspirations for the future: What they want out of their job, what they want to achieve in both their work and life outside. Very useful for those development discussions. With the changes in technology that is resulting in organizations finding it more and more difficult to find the right people, they are having to look at the full range of capabilities a candidate has to offer. Also with the demands of the next generation of young people having a different attitude to the world of work, organizations are having to ensure that the environment they offer attracts the type of individual they want to employ. There is also a greater demand for organizations to be much more cognizant of how their recruitment process works to attract candidates in the first place, with an increasing emphasis on building a relationship with potential candidates earlier in that process. That relationship-building must engage potential candidates through building ‘trust’ early on. That a candidate is going to be treated with a degree of respect for who they are and what they want. Whereas in the past may I say from my own past in recruitment and in HR, it was much more an attitude of ‘you are lucky we are considering you’! We can all recognize the massive changes going on in the world of work. Yet, so far, the CV has not changed with time. Isn’t it about time it did? So, my questions to you are: ‘Does this make sense to you?’ ‘Are there other areas that might help you gain a better picture of your candidates before you decide to call them in for an interview?’ Is it time your own approach to the recruitment process needs re-examining?’ About the author: David Royston-Lee is a Business psychologist and director of recruitment start-up Future Resume. He works widely with CEOs as well as helping former soldiers rehabilitate and return to work.

Writing Skills on My Resume

Writing Skills on My ResumeDo you have writing skills on your resume? Do you think you are competent enough to do the job, but you are not really sure? You can always ask for a writing critique and get it done. The next part is how to improve your writing skills on your resume so that you can make a good impression on your future employer.When you have writing skills on your resume, the first thing you need to do is to learn how to use them effectively. No matter what it is that you are applying for, if you can use language that is clear and concise, you will stand out from the crowd. To do this, you need to make sure that you understand what you are talking about. Read books or watch videos about the industry that you are applying for. It will help if you use the most commonly used terms.Reading the writing style will also help in making sure that you do not misread the material. Having written for years, you know what kind of lingo is used in the trade. If you need to read over you r work, make sure that you make notes of what you see. This will also give you an idea of what is acceptable and not.When you write a resume, the last thing you want to do is look bad on it. Your resume is supposed to be used as a marketing tool. If you are using jargon that is not familiar to your reader, they will not take the time to read the entire thing. Instead, they will just skim over the page. By writing with clarity, you will find that your resume will speak to the reader.When you have writing skills on your resume, you will also be able to be more creative with your resume. You can easily add a little extra to the content and make it different. A lot of resumes are overly long and boring. The right way to create a resume is to break it up into easy to read sections that will attract the reader's attention.Your writing skills on your resume will also have a direct effect on the type of work that people think of when they are trying to get someone for a job and hiring proce ss, which in turn affects how many people end up getting the job. If you are a specialist in a certain field, such as medical malpractice, you can write a resume that talks about medical malpractice and how you got into it. Do not put anything on your resume that does not relate to the job. This will leave a bad impression on potential employers.There are many opportunities to practice your writing skills on your resume. One of the best ways is to copy down what other people write on their resume. This will get you in the habit of looking at your writing and knowing what is important. The following day, practice writing a new resume that is slightly different. This will help you become better at creating a professional resume.If you have writing skills on your resume, use them. They will help you get the job you deserve. Start practicing today and find out exactly how effective writing skills on your resume can be.

Practical Ways to Cut Costs to Your Small Business

Practical Ways to Cut Costs to Your Small Business Keeping costs low is as important as making sales if you want your business to succeed. Some business owners do not realize this when they are new to trading, but they soon find out as the money starts to disappear. Cutting costs can make a huge difference to the success of your business and over a year save you thousands of dollars.Use FreelancersIt is estimated that by 2020 more than 40% of the American workforce will be freelance. That gives you great opportunities to save money, but you do not have to wait until then. There are already many of them with skills such as writing, data entry, social media management, bookkeeping, and many other things that could help you. Freelancers only charge you for the work they do, so they can be a cheaper way of getting things done rather than employing more staff. Check Out Your Energy CostsIt is very easy to just keep paying energy bills for your business without taking too much notice of them. You should be looking a lot closer at the deal you have and seeing if there is not a better one you can sign up to.It also helps if you and your employees become aware of the energy you are wasting. For instance, a computer left in standby overnight will cost almost a dollar a week. Multiply that by how many computers you have and by 52 weeks in the year and that can amount to quite a bit of extra on your bills. Make sure lights are turned off when they are not in use, and perhaps change all your light bulbs to LED. These will not only cost you less to run, but they also last much longer than traditional light bulbs and are more eco-friendly when you have to dispose of them.Look At Your IT ServicesIf you are paying for IT services that you think is not up to standard, then look elsewhere. Ribbit Business Solutions is just one company that provides a se rvice you can rely on at a cost that is affordable. They will be able to explain the advantages, and savings, of using cloud computing rather than more traditional computing. Do You Really Need A Landline?As more and more services such as Skype and FaceTime become available you really have to consider if you need a landline and the costs associated with it. You can make free calls from your mobile on Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger, so why are you still paying or a landline that you could easily do without?  Certainly, many homes have done away with them and more and more businesses are doing the same. They are an unnecessary expense that you do not need.At the same time, you should be checking your mobile contract to make sure it is the best deal you can get. Ask around for a better deal, and quite often you will find that your existing provider will match it rather than lose your custom.There are many other ways your business could cut costs, including things like becoming paperless, asking for discounts on supplies, and probably many other things that have not been mentioned. Keep looking closely at what you do and how you do it, and be flexible enough to change if it saves you some money.

A new playmate - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

A new playmate - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Jodee Bock writes some very kind words about my post on The story so far. Thank you Jodee, Im truly honored! A while ago I asked How do you find your playmates, and increasingly Through their blogs is the answer. 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