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A successful consultant is one who finds a market need and has the competence and passion to fulfil it

CATS Recruit in The Straits Times - September 12, 2009

Follow these tips and impress your boss and colleagues

CATS Recruit in The Straits Times - August 28, 2009

IT HAS never been more important, given today’s challenging economic climate, to be appreciated by your boss.

But if you feel your potential or skills are undervalued or overlooked, perhaps it is time to get noticed at work.

Now is not the time to be invisible and let your work fall under your boss’s radar. Hays, a global company that provides specialist recruitment services, recommends the following tips to help you get noticed:

Positive impact

Remember when you first started on the job? You were out to make a good impression at every chance you got through the quality of your work.

It is time to get into that frame of mind again and use every opportunity to impress your manager with the good work you produce.

What is important, though, is that people notice your positive impact. Sell yourself at work by using the positive results you achieve.

For example, in meetings, make sure everyone knows what you are working on and what the outcomes are for the business.

Add value

Businesses are understandably looking at increasing revenue as well as process and cost improvements, so look to where you can add value. For example, if you work in the construction industry, then demonstrate business development or bid skills.

Upgrade your skills

Take every opportunity to volunteer for additional tasks that will not only improve your own employable skill base, but also make you even more invaluable to your employer.

Be honest

Don’t panic, or worse, try to hide it. Everyone makes mistakes, but it is how you handle the aftermath that can show your real strengths. Be honest with your manager, and go to him with a plan of how you intend to rectify the error.

Remember the basics

Arrive for work on time, show enthusiasm, look and act professionally and be organised. Don’t watch the clock and be prepared to do that little bit extra — it does get noticed.

There are some other things you can do to boost your profile in the office, such as keeping a record of your achievements, volunteering for committees, staying updated with trends in your industry, exceeding targets, getting work in before the deadline and improving any skills that are deficient.

Also get to know people in other departments. They could prove to be powerful allies.

Follow these tips and get noticed

CATS Recruit in The Straits Times - July 28, 2009
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YOU hear about a friend landing a great job through a headhunter and you wonder what he has that you haven’t.

How does someone become a target for headhunters? What do they look for?

These days, employers are very specific about their needs, and using headhunters to locate talent has become a popular option.

Here are some of the more employable traits that employers and headhunters seek:

Expertise in your field

When headhunters start mapping an industry, they talk to people within that industry.

They ask these people to recommend who they think is the best or is known for a specific line of work.

This means you need to be visible and be among the best in your field.

Some people do this by attending industry events and conferences.

Others write articles and speak at conferences, so they are known and looked up to for their opinions and views.

Value-added skills

In this multi-cultural and diverse environment, some profiles stand out even more.

Headhunters seek people with skills, experience or exposure that can add value to their clients’ organisations.

This includes overseas postings, assignments or educational exposure and the ability to speak other languages.

“As headhunters, we often see one candidate losing out to another just based on some of these attributes,” says Mr Mark Lam, principal consultant at BTI Consultants.

He recommends that young managers gain overseas exposure and be willing to live and work abroad.

Positive image

While social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook are popular, people in senior or high-profile positions must be vigilant in monitoring what gets published about themselves.

Also monitor what your children say about you in sites like Facebook. Their comments may be fine in a social setting but if you are interviewing for a job, some personal information is best kept private.

Background

Where you come from in terms of education, family background and your social circles are important in some jobs.

Some headhunters want to know more about your background and family circumstances because they know that sometimes it just takes one family member to influence a candidate from taking a job.

Employment status

A company usually uses headhunters when it wants to reach passive candidates who are not actively looking for a change.

From a headhunter’s perspective, being unemployed can make you less attractive as a candidate.

However, it is prudent to discuss your desire to move from your current role only with those you trust.

People you know

The headhunting profession thrives on connections, so whom you know is important.

Stay on friendly terms with headhunters; they will remember you and keep you in their contact base.

Experience

You would have spent a substantial time in a role, job or company to make a sufficient impact and build a successful track record.

For a more senior position, employers are probably looking for depth of experience.

However, on the flip side, headhunters and employers can also consider breadth of experience a plus, as it can point to a candidate’s versatility and adaptability to different challenges and environments and cultures.

Strategic career move

Be strategic with your career move.

Don’t get enticed by just the lure of an attractive package or title. While you know this is common sense, even very senior-level candidates make this mistake.

Consider longer-term impact, employability and lifestyle changes when you accept an offer.

Credibility of headhunter

The term “headhunting” can be used rather loosely. Just approaching a prospect about an available job isn’t really headhunting.

Check out the headhunter before you divulge any information about yourself.

Company reputation, experience in the business and reputation of the senior leadership team are all factors that separate a good headhunter from one who is just trying to earn a fee.

Career decisions are big decisions, and getting headhunted is just the start of that process. Be open to discussion and be wise.

Article by Laletha Nithiyanandan, vice-president, Asia Pacific, Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group. She has more than 28 years’ experience in recruitment, search and consulting. For more information, visit www.kellyocg.com, www.bticonsultants and www.rogerkonopasek.com

Cats Classified Carnival is here again! Buy your dream car, accessories, take part in heart-racing contests, or take photos with CATS Race Queens at Singapore Expo this weekend.

Location: Singapore Expo Hall 4B & 5
Date : 12 July 2009
Time : 10.00AM - 8.00PM

Admission: Free

Check out more of last year's photos here

http://st701afterhours.blogspot.com/2008/07/cats-classified-car-nival-13-jul-2008.html

Stay tune for this year's event photos soon!

Working is such a pain!
No, not colleagues who are a pain in certain parts of the anatomy, but poor office ergonomics that give you aches and pains at the end of each day.

Written By Goh Mei Yi - July 6, 2009
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A 2004 survey by Singapore General Hospital showed that 70 per cent of office workers in Singapore suffer some form of back, shoulder and neck pain. In an office environment, poor posture, incorrect working habits and prolonged sedentary work seem to be the key culprits.

Here's a complete guide to bosses from hell.
Read 'em and weep!
Written By Linda Lee - April 21, 2009
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So, you have a terrible boss and want to break free from his clutches. You book an air ticket to Bangkok to get away from it all. But Murphy's Law will have you realise that the Thais actually have a worse boss than you (or so it seems) and that the capital is in fact, the very place you should get away from, as throngs of angry protesters create chaos on the streets hurling more than just shoes at anyone and anything remotely related to their leader(s) .

However, you don't give up. What's a small setback like this? You ask. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but shoes - surely, they can never hurt (too much)? So, you decide to escape the clutches of your boss once again by ignoring him and immersing yourself in cyberspace while at work. Bad move. While you need 1,000 boot-flinging clicks to crack his virtual skull, it only takes his one mudslinging shtick to give you the boot. Then what's an employee to do when there's nothing else to look forward to in (working) life? Well, my dears, dry your tears and address your fears by checking out the following list of loathsome boss types, and try at all costs to avoid them!

Read full article here: http://jobs.st701.com/articles/Hate-your-boss.html