Here’s How You Can Determine ROI of Senior Manager Leadership Development

Okay, so let's start with the hard-core thing – the amount of leadership development courses programs, podcasts, books, articles, and blogs out there, and all the varying advice does not often trace back to results.

And you KNOW that!

If you've attended them, if you've read them, you think, “Oh yeah, I'll do that.” And then, the reality of your role as a leader kicks in and you DON'T do it!

One of the really important parts to consider around senior leadership development and ROI, and its outcomes, is to think about what is needed and to get clear about that.

You need to question yourself, “What knowledge is required to fill the gap?” And, “What integration or implementation looks like in its entirety.”

Now, most leadership development programs or interventions focus on imparting new knowledge. But that knowledge isn't always applicable to what you need – YOU NEED CLARITY!

And it isn't always the knowledge that can be transferred into action.

Why?

Because it's too highbrowed, or it's too hypothetical. Or it's based on theory but is not necessarily based on how you practice or implement leadership that results in better outcomes and a profitable ROI.

When it comes to leadership development and ROI, we have to think about the returns we are looking for. We have to start there and work our way back!

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

1. What is the return the company is looking for?

2. What is required to create those returns?

3. What is our area of focus?

And trust us, you need to be REALLY clear on that!

Answering these questions will help you understand the developments associated with a particular investment, and the expectations to yield desirable results.

Most of the time, people undertake a leadership development program which, in its entirety, is nothing but a process.

As though leaders, we need to exploit the lowest common denominator.

Well, what does that mean? It is a soft skill that everyone can grasp easily – new knowledge.

The knowledge can be either about themselves. In a generic sense, what type of leader you should be, or about the fundamentals of leadership, sharing the results of a study, or something else along that line.

However, the reality is for you to get results, to have an impact. You need to ensure your leadership development programs deliver on the investment that it sucks out of you, the time you spent. You need to assess the incongruence that happens in your brain when learning something new, and the effort it took.

To put it in a nutshell, your senior leadership development programs should be far more targeted and far more intentional!

Networking for Beginners: How to Network and Why Expanding Your Network is Important

When we think of networking, some of us might still go straight to those awkward mingling sessions after events and conferences, or awkward coffee meetings that never amount to anything, but it doesn't have to be that way.

The purpose of networking is to build long term professional relationships and strengthen your reputation in the industry and the general job market. The benefits of professional networking can make a world of difference when it comes to job hunting and getting your name out there.

So, how should you network? 

Being prepared is a good start. It’s not easy to put yourself out there to strangers, so having some talking points up your sleeve will give you the confidence to strike up conversations with others. Talking points could include asking opinions on recent news or changes in the industry or even talking about something more personal, like your favourite sports teams victory over the weekend. Take your business cards along with you, and even a notepad and paper in case you need to write down anything you don’t want to forget.

Listening is the key to being a great networker, remember - a conversation should be an equal balance of back and forth, so don’t bombard your new acquaintance with too much chatter about yourself without hearing what they have to say too. Ask questions and show a genuine interest in the conversation. 

Remember that you don’t have to connect with everyone you talk to. If you get the feeling that someone might not be the best fit for your network, don’t feel obliged to give out your contact details or take theirs. While it’s nice to be social, your objective is to expand your network, so think about this first and foremost.

Following up is probably the most important part of networking. Without follow ups, your connects will become dead ends and all your hard work would have been for nothing. Sending a simple text or email after networking to reiterate what you’ve discussed and to remind them about your business is the most important thing for you to do post-network. 

Why is expanding your network important?

People network for different reasons and everyone has different expectations and objectives when it comes to expanding their network, but one of the main reasons why we network is to strengthen business connections and build on existing relationships. Keeping up contact and regularly engaging with your network is what will make those relationships long lasting and fruitful. 

Showing your support and assisting your network is what it’s all about, and it should work both ways. By doing this, you are keeping yourself informed and learning from your network, thus building your connection to your community. As a result, your network should become a safe and helpful place for you to share your challenges, discuss changes and share opportunities with each other. 

Having a vast network of people from differing industries around the county and even around the world can help you get access to far more opportunities, work related or otherwise. Having strong connections to others in your industry isn’t just a great way to find out about available jobs, it’s also a great source of knowledge and a way for you to develop your personal growth. Perhaps you’ve been with your company for five years and connect with someone who has been there for twenty years, imagine the knowledge and insight you could gain from their experience. 

Finally, networking is one of the best ways to raise your profile and reputation within the industry. Having a shining reputation will put you well ahead of your competitors when it comes to looking for jobs, and it might even get you noticed sooner. Being a regular at events and gatherings is a great starting point. This will show your commitment and interest and also make you a familiar face that people will start to recognise. Listening to others, sharing information, and supporting your network are also key factors when it comes to building your reputation. 

Looking at networking online? Read about how to stand out on LinkedIn: https://impressivecv.com/blog/stadingoutonlinkedin

Is Working from Home Here to Stay

2020 has forced companies all over the world to adapt to remote working within a short amount of time, and while there were no doubt some hiccups along the way, it seems that the world wide transition to remote work has been quite successful thus far, but is it here to stay? 

The key to remote working becoming sustainable is investing in its success and focusing on the long term. Companies need to ensure they have more flexibility with their operational guidelines as they adapt to the online world. Company goals will need to align with the new working from home culture, and there should be an understanding of expectations between employers and employees. HR policies will also need to be reviewed to ensure they reflect the state of the world as it currently stands.

Adaptability is key, and company leaders will need to establish clear practices and lines of communication not just with employees, but with clients and stakeholders too. Communication between staff and management will be more frequent, and the use of current software, shared calendars and live chats will drive productivity.

Keeping track of employee morale and wellbeing is one of the most important aspects of remote work. The sudden change in working environment, going from being social and having personal interactions with co-workers, to having that lack of physical interaction is a big adjustment.

Companies should support workers through their challenges and monitor team culture to ensure workers are physically and mentally able to continue remote work. Ways to do this could include scheduled breaks throughout the day where workers switch their computers off and take a walk or have a coffee break, virtual after work drinks or even online games to keep workers spirits up and connected with their teammates. Ensuring employees are still maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important too. Switching off their computers at the end of business hours and leaving their workspace is vital when working remotely, and staff should not feel pressured into carrying their work over into their personal time just because they are working from home.

Remote working also has had many benefits that a lot of companies around the world probably never saw coming. There’s becoming less of a need for office spaces, less time is spent commuting, there are fewer business trips and expenses, shorter breaks, less sick days, and a greater focus from employees. 

The pandemic left many businesses with no other option but to adopt remote work, and while it has it’s pro’s and con’s, if companies can get the work-life balance right, ensure productivity and uphold their business goals and guidelines, there’s no reason why remote work couldn’t become the new normal.

Is the Job Application Dead??

Hiring and developing great talent has always been one of the most important things a company can do.

Job boards and untargeted cold emails might work well for entry level positions, but if you want to get top tier talent through the door, you need a new approach – you need to focus on candidate engagement.

Here’s why:

Why The Application Isn’t Working

Job adverts make a fundamental assumption that a candidate is actually interested in applying to your company. This is great for active candidates who are job hunting, but what about everyone else? What about the candidates that sees one of your tweets? The people that come to your careers page hoping to learn more about your culture?

Prospects that heard from a friend your company was “doing some cool stuff”? Do you think they’re going to click that apply button? They might do, but it’s more likely that they’ll just leave your website and go back to checking out cat memes! A shocking 98% of people that visit your careers page leave without taking any action at all.

Why? Typically, the only action visitors can take is an application. The main problem with this is that the passive candidates that hit your site aren’t “ready-to-apply”.

Online, but the same

AKA, the seemingly sensible ‘one-step at a time’ approach that utilizes online resume templates. After all traditional resume formats typed up in word-processing software have long been the common standard. This type of change could be better if done gradually (for the bulk of candidates and recruiters alike). Using such tools job seekers can start with a structured template, and finish with an impressive looking resume.

Pros

• Easier to have a structure than starting with a  blank screen

• Simple to share and track communications

• Less risky approach, well-suited to more conventional industries and less creative jobseekers

Cons

• Doesn’t give employers any more information than a conventional resume

• Templates that are too structured limits the ability of the job seeker to show their creativity

• A resume created with a Word processor is already in an electronic format

I see this as a useful tool for jobseekers, but too small a step at addressing current concerns to become a new standard.

Creative/Videos

There have been those who suggest that applicants should be as free as possible and put together their own creative presentation, with limited guidelines. This approach was recently adopted by Union Square Ventures, who have been requesting applicants to submit links representing their web presence and short videos when applying for jobs at the venture capital firm. They say this process “nets better-quality candidates.” UK job seeker Graeme Anthony was looking for a PR job when he put together a compelling video that attracted big audiences. “It shows off my personality in a way a paper CV can’t,” he said.

Pros

• Provides employers with a greater understanding of a candidate’s personality and style, as well as a more thorough story of what they have achieved during their career

• Candidates can choose a domain for their presentation, and utilize inbound marketing techniques so their target audience will find it

• Candidates can truly stand-out: no two applications can be the same

Cons

• For once-off low-volume applications geared towards a creative market, this can be a lot of fun. But what about everyone else?

• This style of application is difficult to manage within a company’s existing HR processes and systems. Companies who are hiring more than ten people may find managing and reviewing these entries simply too complicated

• Reviewing such presentations can be time consuming. HR professionals are already pulled in several directions, with not enough time in the day to complete daily tasks, let alone when they need to review 500 videos or creative websites

• They lack data that is important in determining a candidate’s fit for the job

• For non-creative job seekers, these are too difficult to put together

• Rarely relevant to positions outside technology, design, sales, marketing and PR

This may indeed become more common in certain industries, but will need to be a component of an integrated approach for the mainstream.

Infographic

As I mentioned in my last post, given that many enjoy reviewing data visually, we are increasingly being surrounded by infographics. Predictably, ideas have been proposed to replace resumes with graphics. This is one of the more visually pleasing options available.

Pros

• Can be exciting to put together, and allows creative skills to flare – for the right candidate

• Ability to portray a different side to a job seeker’s skill-set

• The end  result can look fantastic in contrast to current conventions

Cons

• The style can be confusing for resume reviewers, and could take too long to review in a volume situation

• Whilst they are sometimes superb introductions, they lack the necessary data behind them

• More attention will inevitably be given to the design rather than the data it represents

• Again, job seekers who aren’t creatively minded will find this concept difficult and frustrating

I see value in these for recruiters in being able to easily digest and review information, but surely these should remain the powerful book cover to the rest of the candidates’ information.

Social networks

With the web becoming more social by the day, where better to develop an online presence than using a social network, where users can easily interact with current and potential employers. As Allison Cheston correctly points out “networking is still the number one way people find careers.”  Further, these networks now offer features for users to easily apply for job opportunities.

Pros

• Powerful tool to develop relationships with potential employers

• Profiles are search-engine optimized, so users can be found easily

• Easy to update, as it is important to maintain these even when not necessarily looking for a job

Cons

• You only get one profile, and therefore it is very difficult to customize it for a particular position

• The information in such a profile is more at the introductory and narrative level; perfect for developing a network, but not detailed enough to get a job

• These networks often have a one design fits-all for the profiles, which doesn’t allow a candidate to show enough of their personality and style

• These are less useful for jobseekers earlier in their careers without a substantial business network

Online social networks have already changed the recruiting process. However, I see the use of these as complementary tools to the more general standard approach.

All of these approaches have creative products that are allowing jobseekers to change the way they apply for job opportunities. And sure, each of these has significant value and gaining traction in different industries and job types.

But what it takes to become the new “common ticket” is a combination of the above, with the flexibility for each industry to set their own standards within a designated framework. Here, I wanted to take products out of the equation, as this discussion is about something much larger – the themes. Within the next few years, a combination of the above will rapidly increase adoption, and we will start to see the end to the resume as we know it.

There are too many issues with the current passport to a new job, and too much innovation available, to prevent its evolution. Be ready for it.

Cover Letters: Yes, They are Dinosaurs, But They are Still Requested!

They say that the resume and cover letter are going the way of the dinosaurs and that digital portfolios are the way of the future. I agree! Once millennials advance in their careers to occupy the ranks of hiring managers, personal websites, LinkedIn profiles, and overall Internet presences (including social media channels…but you already knew to keep your spring break Instas to yourself — right?) along with the tailored questionnaire that many ATS’s* offers will likely constitute the whole of a job application.

For now, though, it’s important to have your resume and cover letter game on lock. Plenty of great resume templates exist around the web, so let’s talk the bane of every job seeker’s existence: cover letters

Cover Letters

Every job seeker’s nightmare

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. You CANNOT use the same exact same cover letter to apply for every job. The good news (!!) is that you can create a template that’s easy to replicate and creates the illusion of a super-tailored piece of writing every time. Plus, it can be fun!

Step 1: Figure out to whom you’re writing. When I ask you to figure out your audience, I’m suggesting that you not only take your best guess at the individual who might actually read your cover letter (by browsing the company website and/or LinkedIn for the head of recruitment or potential hiring manager) but also that you get a sense of who your audience is more broadly. You’ll want to adjust your tone to mirror the job description; it can be just as jarring to receive a stuffy, formal letter at a laidback startup as it can to receive a conversational note at a place where etiquette demands a sober tone.

Step 2: Write an opening sentence. So you’ve addressed a specific person and decided how you’re going to communicate. Now, you’ll state the position to which you’re applying and mention how you heard about it. Something like, “I’m writing with enthusiasm regarding the Marketing Associate position at Compass. I found the posting on AngelList and was immediately intrigued,” will do the trick. If you’ve decided to adopt a casual tone, a version like, “I’m reaching out to express my excitement about the Marketing Associate position at Compass. I’d like to think it was fate that brought this opportunity to my attention, but I found the posting on AngelList.”

Step 3: Mention some specifics to show you what this company is all about. The next step is to show that you have the work ethic, savvy, and enthusiasm it takes to write a truly tailored cover letter. This will entail some background research; if you do it right, browsing the website (the About, Team, and Press sections can be particularly useful) for a few minutes is sufficient to sound impressively knowledgeable. You just mentioned in your opening sentence that you’re pumped about the opportunity, so tell the reader why this company is where you want to be.

Here’s an example by ImpressiveCV of a brief, yet effective few sentences to do so:

One way to avoid the potential for your cover letter to become a dry block of text (other than to make it personal and specific) is to break up the formatting. The bulk of the content will be your explanation of your qualifications, so why not keep it clear and powerful by pulling out 3 core competencies of yours that most closely relate to the demands of the role. By keeping it personal and to-the-point, you’ve minimized the risk of the hiring manager merely skimming the letter, but it’s powerful to restate the most powerful parts of your “why me” argument nonetheless. Think of a synonym or word that captures the gist of each of your three competency bullet points. Then, figure out how to summarize the goals of the position. From there, simply put ’em together and tell your reader that your shining qualities will help you hit it out of the park as the newest member of their team.Now end it with an appropriate closing and your name, and — voila! — you’ve written a pretty badass cover letter!!

How to tailor your ATS resume

If you are a job seeker you would constantly be hearing “you must tailor your resume to every job application.” So, how doe one actually do this?

You’re probably wondering- Is it really necessary? It might be tempting to skip it, because yes- it takes time.

But it really will make a huge difference in the number of companies that call you back and invite you to interview I’m talking about an exponential increase in callbacks… not a slight increase. I’ve tried both ways for my clients, trust me.

Tailor your resume every single time

Don’t let your CV get lost in the pile of paperwork

What is CV tailoring?

Much like when you buy an item of clothing and then decide to make some alterations, tailoring your CV does not mean that you re-write the entire CV from scratch Rather, you amend, and shape it so that it fits better. Likewise, CV tailoring will allow you to use one or two main CV templates and make a few simple but powerful alterations so that it suits the purpose for each of the related roles that you are applying for.

In the same way that one size does not fit all when it comes to clothing, one size of CV does not fit all recruiters or jobs. Submitting job applications can be a numbers game (in that you may need to submit many before you succeed), but there are some powerful tools you can absorb into your arsenal so that you give your application the most chance of leading to an interview. One way of doing this is tailoring your impressiveCV, because:

• It helps target your application

• It assists the recruiter in seeing that you have the skills/training/qualities for the role

• Most importantly, it shows an attention to detail and that you have taken the time to review the job description and “answer” to its demands in your CV

Do not underestimate the power of tailoring your impressiveCV.

Given two candidates with similar or equal credentials, experience, skills, and training, recruiters will invariably prefer the CV that clearly demonstrates a faithful response to the needs of the role in question. Recruiters are short on time and often just scan CVs to check for key bullet points that show you are qualified for the role.
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For recruiters that utilise “sifting software,” those programs are doing the reading on their behalf, and sift out the undesirable candidates— all the more reason to tailor your CV, as a computer program cannot “join the dots” together and see that you can do the job if your CV is not tailored to spell it out loud and clear.

So how do you do it?

1. Read the job description carefully. Ensure you are a good fit

2. Pick out keywords and phrases. Have a look at www.jobscan.com to assist you with key words

3. Make your experience fit. Use examples to showcase

4. Put your most relevant experience first. ...

5. Research the company and its key phrases and words

6. Tailor your CV to the job description for the best chance of success

Cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Seriously. Many job ads include a line stating that a candidate should exhibit excellent communication skills. While there are many interpretations as to what this may mean, it may actually be a simple yes/no rating that could stop your application dead in its tracks. How picky do search committee members get? That depends, of course. It’s true that not everyone was an English major in college, but the broad assumption is that materials should be virtually free of grammatical errors and demonstrate a degree of writing proficiency -- with a clear sense of organization and some variety in sentence structure and words.

Take the time to read and reread your application materials; consider asking a close friend to proofread as a favor. Despite your accolades, some raters may push you to the bottom of the pile if your writing reads more like a hastily sent text than a polished, professional piece.

Director and Executive CV Writing

As a C-Level, senior executive, or a mid-level manager looking to enter the world of senior leadership, your years of experience, education, and personal development may seem difficult to fit into a 3-page CV. So what should you include, what should you leave out, and how should it be formatted to ensure it stands out in the pile of resumes the recruiter is likely looking at?

The first, and most important tip is to have someone else look at it. Working on one’s own CV usually results in one of two outcomes; either the CV is too humble, not making enough of your years of achievements and hard work, or it is too over-the-top with industry jargon, which a recruitment professional may not be able to adequately compare with competing CV’s. I’m sure it’s no surprise that I would recommend using a professional service such as impressiveCV to help with this, but this recommendation is more than just a plug for business.

Professional CV writing and career consultancy services offer something that your colleagues, family members, and friends usually can’t, we do market research with recruitment agencies, and we keep up-to-date with both local and global trends in best-practice application preparation. This may not sound important, however just the smallest faux-par in a CV can send it straight to bottom of the pile. Some examples include the use of a photo in a CV, while this is a common practice in Middle Eastern recruitment, particularly for senior level-employees, but in Australia it is not recommended.

Another example is the perspective of the writing, many, if not all job seekers are aware that that it is considered poor- form to write your CV in the first person (using ‘I’, ‘my’, etc), but unfortunately all too often we see self-prepared resumes that have taken this what not to do information, and created a CV in the third-person perspective, for example “Stacey is known for…”. This is considered equally poor form in the recruitment industry, and may again be the one thing that sees you miss out on a role against a similarly experienced candidate. For your reference, CV’s should be written in a style called ‘the passive voice’, with no forms of personal pronoun at all, if you’re not confident in writing this way, please seek professional assistance from impressiveCV.

Personal branding is another hugely important factor for senior staff, but how do you get it into your CV? Start by identifying your brand; what is your leadership style, what do you value professionally?

Think of your personal brand as an individual version of a company’s Mission and Values statements. Identify your own mission and values, and embed that theme throughout the CV, you can do this in your elevator pitch, a sub-heading under your name, and as a theme throughout your achievements within the document. Find examples of ways you have lived up to this brand throughout your career and highlight them within your CV. Additionally, ensure your LinkedIn profile and any other online presences follow the same brand. A true brand needs to be consistent. For more information or assistance with creating your personal brand click here.

Finally, know the company. I can’t stress this enough know the company you are applying to work for. Know their history, know their values and mission, know their development plans. Take the time to research all media on them, and read their 5 year plan start-to-finish.

There are no short- cuts if you want to ace the application and interview process for a senior executive or C-level position. If you don’t know the organisation inside and out, past and future, but another candidate does, you can all but wave the job goodbye.

This is an area that even professional and highly experienced boutique Executive CV firms such as impressiveCV are not able to help you with, because we can’t sit the interview for you. We can help you source the information you’ll need, and we can incorporate it into your CV and other application documentation (ideally aligning it with your personal brand), but at interview it is up to you to know and understand the company, what they need, and how you fit that need. More information on Senior level interviews can be found here.

Final tips if you are planning to do your CV without professional assistance:

• The top half of the first page is the first impression. Use this space effectively. Highlight all of the most important information; your name and contact details, brand statement/elevator pitch, core competencies/areas of excellence, and most significant career achievements. Always use measurables ($, %, etc) and show personal growth and contribution to company growth wherever possible.

• Use white space and design effects to highlight items of most importance. In the most senior roles, use of Applicant Tracking System software is rare, so you can afford to get a little bit creative in your design, with career timelines or infographics. These should be used appropriately, and even if you are a design professional, I strongly recommend having a recruitment or CV writing professional review the work (many will do this at no cost) to ensure it still meets industry standards.

• Be concise. Keep the CV to 3-4 pages at an absolute maximum (ideally 2 pages if you can). Write with purpose and avoid all unnecessary or doubled-up information. If you had some of the same responsibilities in two different roles, only include them once; if you have highlighted an achievement in a specific achievements section, then ensure the achievement notes the employer/role, and remove that achievement from the professional experience section. Remove or reduce to a timeline graphic all employment more than 15 years old, and include only qualification title, education institution, and year of completion for items in the education section.

Finding a Job in Dubai

Are you looking for a job in Dubai?

Well let’s be honest: thousands of others are too so you need to hold a royal flush. Many visitors who came here to seek employment say they want to return home as they are living off the generosity of Good Samaritans with little or no money left on them. I have been helping job seekers out for over 4 years now I will tell you what I have found to be a winning hand. Time is running out, so let me cut to the chase.

What Impressive CV Has To Say

First things first. You are a product. You need to define your personal brand and be consistent with your message of what you can do, what you have done, and where you envisage to be able to take a company. Your resume and your LinkedIn profile are your advertisements. I know I own a successful CV writing company, and yes this might sound like a sales pitch but, an impressive, professional resume should summarise and highlight your strengths, skills, and experience in a way that grabs the attention of the recruiter. He or she spends seconds skimming through hundreds of resumes - and that is only when it passes the rigorous screening tool of ATS. My humble advice is to invest in a resume written by a professional agency or consultant or spend the time going through various websites that give tips on getting it right. In a highly competitive market such as this, if you don’t you will more than likely fail.

Get active on LinkedIn

1. Put in the Time to Make it Awesome

   Simply put, the more complete your profile, the better the odds that recruiters will find you in the first place. So, completeness is important from that standpoint. It’s also important after a recruiter has found you and decided to click on your profile: He or she wants to know what your skills are, where you’ve worked, and what people think of you. So, don’t get lazy—fill out every single section of your profile. The good news? LinkedIn will actually measure the “completeness” of your profile as you work and offer suggestions on how to make it stronger.

   Get a Custom URL

   It’s much easier to publicise your profile with a customised URL (ideally linkedin.com/yourname), rather than the clunky combination of numbers that LinkedIn automatically assigns when you sign up. How to get one? On the Edit Profile screen, at the bottom of the gray window that shows your basic information, you’ll see a Public Profile URL. Click “Edit” next to the URL, and specify what you’d like your address to be. When you’re finished, click Set Custom URL.

   3. Choose a Great Photo

   Choose a clear, friendly, and appropriately professional image, and pop that baby up there. Not sure what “appropriately professional” means? Take a look around at what the people in your target company, industry sector, or business level are wearing.

   4. Write a Headline That Rocks

   Your headline doesn’t have to be your job title and company—in fact, especially if you’re looking for jobs, it shouldn’t be. Instead, use that space to succinctly showcase your specialty, value proposition, or your “so what?” The more specific you can be about what sets you apart from the competition, the better.

Register on company websites

Large international and/or local companies including aviation firms such as Emirates and Fly Dubai or hospitality companies such as Marriot; media and advisory ones such as Reuters, or finance firms such as KPMG, Emirates NBD, and PWC still have a fully functional career portal within their website. 

This is much more direct than going through a third-party website such as LinkedIn. Most of these portals can take a bit of time to submit applications as you have to be quite detailed on your entries for work history or qualifications, but the best part here is that you can directly track your application.

Join Digital Networking Events (there are plenty of Zoom calls being offered)

Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful. When you invest in your relationships — professional and personal — it can pay you back in dividends throughout the course of your career. Networking will help you develop and improve your skillset, stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, meet prospective mentors, partners, and clients, and gain access to the necessary resources that will foster your career development. Create a digital network and widen your community (here is a great site you can join https://www.signature-network.com/) )

Register for the Dubai Virtual Labor Market

The Virtual Labour Market is designed to support establishments that have excess labour, and offer job opportunities for labourers living in the UAE and are impacted by the precautionary measures taken to confront coronavirus. The MOHRE virtual labor market's electronic platform enables job seekers inside and outside the UAE to enter their CVs and create their own profiles. Job seekers can also see the vacancies announced by UAE companies at careers.mohre.gov.ae. and apply for these jobs. The use of AI will ease the process of matching the requirements of the jobs announced by UAE companies with the job seekers’ profiles, created and uploaded on the website in an interactive manner.  Recruiters can search for qualified candidates by creating their own page to display their vacancies and also by searching the website for job seekers. This way, it helps both, the recruiters and the job seekers to find what they are looking for.

Be aware that at the time of writing, no fresh visas will be issued. All residents in the UAE whose visas are expiring between March 1 and the end of the year will be able to stay in the country without penalties until December 2020 and will continue to be legal residents in the UAE, As per the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

My advice- prepare now for later!!

COVID-19 and Employment Evolution: A Three-Week Survival Plan.

When change is the only constant, adaptability equals survival, and panic can kill.

TODAY:

If you, like so many others, have just lost your job or had your hours cut, you probably hit panic- mode pretty quickly, maybe you raced down to line up at Centrelink, or you’ve had them on redial, trying to get through. Maybe you raced to supermarket to buy as much as you can while you still have money in the bank, or maybe you just sat down and cried. We all react differently, but in some ways the same – involuntary job loss and threat of job loss creates high stress levels, and the first thing you need to do is stop, breathe, and find a way to think and act productively.

So, take three deep breaths, hold each breath for 4-5 seconds, and release it slowly. Close your eyes while you do it. If you still feel panicked, try again but with your eyes open, chin up, chest out, and standing in a superhero pose while you do it. Seriously, find your centre, find some calm, slow down and start building a real plan. Next, talk with your adult family and members of your household, make sure everyone else is calm and managing ok, then talk to your kids about changes to schooling, about the things they are seeing on TV and hearing online or at school, and talk to them about how some things will change at home too – maybe it’s that they’re not going to school anymore (if they’re in Victoria, or vulnerable) or maybe that Mum and Dad will be home more, and that going to play with friends isn’t the right thing to do at the moment. Ground yourself in the most important things in your life and the panic will ease itself.

It’s not fair – it’s really not a fair situation. Nobody asked for this virus, nobody asked for any of it – I agree with you 100%. The only consolation is that - worldwide - everyone’s lives have been turned upside down at relatively the same moment. Lamenting on the unfairness won’t help. Cursing the government for seeming to help some individuals more than others won’t help either (there are genuine reasons why this happens, but this isn’t the place for that discussion).

DAYS 1-7:

So, what will help? Start with being as socially responsible as possible – STAY HOME. Supermarkets are staying open, and they have purchase limits, so whatever day or time you do go there, they will have most of the things you need – no more hoarding Australia. Centrelink phone and online services are running; they are frustrating and difficult at times – but they are running. Just know there will be extended hold periods, know there will be delays once you start. You can do your part to minimise it by being prepared*:

1. Have your last two years tax returns ready, your last couple of months of payslips, and download your bank statements to show the drop in income.

2. ID (passport/Birth certificate, driver’s licence, Medicare card, and a bank card will be enough).

3. If your employment has been terminated, request a separation certificate (these can be downloaded from: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/forms/su001 ). Send this to your employer and ask that they complete it and return it to you as soon as they can.

4. If your employment has not been terminated, but you have significantly reduced hours, you will need a letter from your employer advising these details.

5. Take photos of each of these documents on your phone, and upload them direct to Centrelink via mygov, or at https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/. If you can’t get online or can’t get through on the phone yet, be patient. Go do something else for 10 minutes, or for two hours, and try again. Stay calm, the new payments won’t be rolled out for weeks yet, eligibility is almost wide-open, and waiting periods to claim are gone. Your turn will come, and every time the line is busy, that’s one more fellow Australian whose gotten some support, and one more move up the queue for you. Your turn will come.

*If you already receive one of the below-listed payments then please move to the next paragraph – you will automatically get the additional assistance as the payments start rolling out and contacting services Australia to confirm this is only contributing to the logjam of enquiries.

• JobSeeker Payment

• Youth Allowance for job seekers

• Youth Allowance for students

• Austudy for students

• ABSTUDY for students

• Parenting Payment

• Farm Household Allowance

• Special Benefit

Ok, next: Go over your budget – many major banks are offering a freeze on mortgage repayments, your entertainment and eating out expenses are going to drop, but your supermarket/grocery expenses will go up a little, try to be honest with yourself about how much this will change, look up item prices online to get a realistic figure. If you are practicing safe social distancing, then your petrol/public transport costs will reduce, your weekly trip to the cinema is gone, Friday drinks after work are now - at best – a glass or two at home (at bottle shop prices instead of the $10+ per drink at the trendy bar down the street from work).

Check your current pantry/freezer stocks and get creative – all of a sudden that 3 year old tin of peaches and that packet of frozen pastry looks like it could make a decent desert, and that frozen meatloaf you’ve been avoiding in the back of the freezer looks like it will feed the family just nicely tomorrow night. If you’re not much of a cook – there are heaps of TV and online resources available, or just make it another of the many great reasons to call your parents and grandparents, I’m sure they’d love to share recipes and tips for both the kitchen and for saving money and living on less.

Check your first aid supplies, and any regular medications needed within your household too. If you can get through two weeks with what you’ve got, awesome; if not make a thorough list of what you need (only what you need) to combine to your shopping list.

When you go out to get what you need, follow all of the recommended guidelines on social distancing and hygiene, and when you get home think of yourself as having been in contact with the virus and act appropriately (wash hands, face, and other exposed skin, change clothes and put the dirty ones straight in the wash, etc).

DAYS 8-21:

Ok, you should now be able to survive at least the next few days, if not the next few weeks. Now start some more forward planning. If this virus remains active in the country for 2, 3, 6 months (as predicted) how can you get back to earning money? Will your job become available again eventually, or will it be gone for good? Which of the changes brought about this virus will be temporary, and which will be permanent? The truth is nobody knows for sure. There is no precedent for this - there are predictions and likelihoods, but nothing is certain. For now, let’s focus on some likelihoods:

1. It’s likely to be at least 6 months before things look anything close to ‘normal’.

2. Some job roles will increase in number at least during those 6 months, some indefinitely. These include government roles, healthcare roles, supermarket staff, delivery/supply chain, and of course, technology. The world is going almost fully online RIGHT NOW, this moment is monumental in human history. It is the new Industrial Revolution; the Technological Revolution has begun. If you already have skills and experience in these areas, AWESOME!!! Seriously, you may be in the first or second wave of new appointments, and I sincerely congratulate you; keeping as many Aussies in the workforce as possible is vital to our country’s eventual recovery. Especially to our healthcare providers – thank you, thank you, thank you. There are no words to convey my respect and gratitude to you right now.

3. If securing new employment is going to be a challenge for you, then start working on the new skills you will need to gain employment in the weeks and months to come. There will be a lot of competition for jobs, so prepare yourself as much as possible. Do online courses, use YouTube tutorials, ask your kids or your nieces and nephews for some tech tips, learn about Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, and webinars. Learn to code, or learn to use your excellent face to face communication skills to sell things over the phone. Especially important, is to practice your job interview skills for phone and video interviews – these are no longer ‘the future of job applications’, they are happening now and will be for a very long time (subscribe to our newlsettler/blog at impressiveCV.com for tips – my next post in in 2-3 days will have lists and links to available jobs, and to relevant education and training opportunities).

4. Update your CV and make sure it is as competitive as possible (another shameless plug for Impressive CV here – this is what we do, and we really can help you).

5. Look at ways you can really start to reduce your expenditure long-term – can you grow vegetables in your yard, or herbs in a window-planter – smaller investments in these ideas now might be a game-changer in a few months. Can you learn to sew to alter your clothes as needed? Do you really need to keep colouring your hair, or wearing a full-face of makeup every day? Can you learn to fix that squeaky hinge yourself, or to change the spark plug in your lawnmower? What many of us have now, that we didn’t before, is time – use it to learn how to change careers, and how to save money.

Good luck everyone – stay home and stay safe.

Written by Stacey Whitelaw.

Ways to Prioritize Your Workload

It is of utmost importance for every business to move on efficiently, but then there is every possibility that such business can be faced with challenges that may want to hinder the progress of the business. If you can come up with a well-structured workload, then you will be able to efficiently manage your time which in turn increases productivity and steady growth. Now let us discuss how you can prioritize your task and get things done properly.

To-do list:

You don’t have to note this on your head, ensure you jot down everything you wish to accomplish in that particular week, and how you to accomplish them. Try and prioritize your workload according to their urgency and importance.

Regular review of your workload:

Have you ever noticed that there is this particular task at the end of the list? Just in case you find yourself in a situation where you unconsciously avoid this, you can just try and delegate this to another person.

Do not forget 80:20 rule of workload:

It is important to take note of the 80/20 workload rule. This is quite simple, you have to understand that 80 percent of our work only makes 20% contribution to the value. All you need to do is to place your concentration on the most important aspect of the workload, if you can do this, you will have a strong performance and everything will work out fine

Set a realistic deadline:

In this aspect, you will have to take a proper look at the to-do list you have made, check the time limit that you gave to each of these tasks. You just have to be realistic about these things and set an achievable goal such that you will be sincere about what you can achieve in a day or week.

Give allowance to interruption:

The fact is that, if you are to round up a particular task in time, the best option you've got is to attend to the very urgent ones. After then you can just pick up at the particular place that you have left things not fully done.

Structure your workload:

To make things easier and efficient, you should avoid picking a task, doing it halfway, and then dropping it. Try and carry out the tasks one after the other, if you can do this successfully, your mind will be cleared that you have achieved something and get yourself prepared for the next.

Do not be interrupted by your inbox:

Just in case you get up to like 50 emails daily, will this be an indication that your day will be interrupted up to like 50 times? The discipline is that you don’t have to check your inbox every time you receive a message. Try and switch off the instant alerts and just set a specific time that you will use in checking out the mails that you have received.

Weight off your shoulder:

The more you complete the task on your to-do list, the happier you become. But then there are some situations whereby the easy tasks are the ones that you are sorting out first. It is probably challenging and it takes more time to finish up a demanding project, but the sweet thing is that if you can do this first, you will feel greatly relieved.

Minimize Multitasking:

When you start several jobs simultaneously, it is an indication that you are not going to give rapt attention to the majority of them. One thing that you will have to understand about multitasking is that it involves you dealing with more than a single task in a day, not that you will be getting it done at the same moment. Sort a task at a time, and you will be placing your focus on the task at hand efficiently.

Keep a log of your workload:

Just in case you are not very sure about how long a task is going to take, or you didn't have the absolute control over your focus or you get interrupted easily. All you need to do is to keep a log of your working week, this going to help you in making big plans for the future. Consult Impressive CV now for more help.

Work Smarter, Not Harder: 12 Time Management Tips that you wish you learnt yesterday

Time management is one of the most rewarding skills that will take you far in your life — both personal and professional. If you aren’t managing your time effectively, sooner or later you would enter into the state of pandemonium. Time, being such a crucial aspect of life, deserves to be treated in the most respectful manner. Only if we learn to master the art of time management, our life would experience a positive change.

To take hold of every single minute in your life, you must know what is effective time management and how to manage time. Find out more with Impressive CV.

What is time management?

Time management is the coordination of tasks and activities to maximize the effectiveness of an individual’s efforts. Essentially, time management is enabling people to get more and better work done in less time.

Why is time management important?

Learning the art of time management could yield a positive impact especially on your professional life — where most of us suck at giving due time to each and every task. So, let’s take a brief look at the benefits it offers:

• Better task management

• Higher productivity

• No stress levels

• Better work-life balance

On the contrary, if you are unable to manage your time effectively you could experience undesirable consequences such as:

• Missed deadlines

• Poor work quality

• Higher stress levels

• Work imbalance

• Lead to a burnout

With effective time management, employees can easily manage their hours to the best effect. When things go as per the plan, employees tend to be more creative, happier, and less prone to burnout at work. Thus, it makes sense to take some time out to learn about time management tips and techniques to benefit your career.

Time management tips at work to achieve your goals:

1. Wake up early — Make your day longer

All of us get 24 hours in a day. Though it’s not possible to change the number of hours in a day you can definitely try waking up a little earlier and make your day longer than others. Ideally, your body requires 6–8 hours of sleep to be at your optimum energy levels.

Start with setting up your alarm 15 minutes earlier than before and increase the time frame with the course of time. You can use this additional time to exercise, meditate, prioritize, or even to pursue a hobby. Gradually you’ll increase your daily productivity and time management will never be a trouble.

2. Set SMART goals — Don’t just wish, do

Do you know that there is a right and wrong way to set goals? When your goals are not reaping benefits, something is missing or lacking in your approach. Whereas if you set goals the right way, your productivity could reach the sky.

Set goals that are S.M.A.R.T. — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. These goals would bring a solid structure to your work life and prepare you for what’s in store for you today.

3. Keep mornings for MITs — Most important tasks

Mark Twain once said, “Eat a live frog every morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.” His point is to tackle the most important task as the first thing in the morning. And, if you have two or more frogs to eat, eat the biggest one first. Time management and prioritisation both go hand in hand. You can manage your time effectively only when you know what is supposed to be done when. The point is to take up a hard or time-consuming task, accomplish it, and focus on other things.

4. Discover your zone

You must have noticed that at specific hours you are as focused as an eagle and your productivity shoots up like anything. It happens when your mind is in complete harmony with the external conditions. Some call it ‘flow’ while others refer to it as their ‘zone’.

Discovering your flow or zone can directly contribute to the right utilization of your time. It helps you reach an optimal state of consciousness when you feel and perform your best.

5. Block distractions — Get them out of your life

Emails, phone calls, and social media messages are some of the common yet biggest distractions at the workplace. So much so, that you end up wasting 759 hours each year due to workplace distractions. All thanks to these distractions that a task that requires 60 minutes takes more than 3 hours to be accomplished.

Whenever you are working on high-priority tasks, put that phone in silent mode and turning data off. You would end up saving a lot of time and take your efficiency levels a notch higher.

6. Find a good time tracking software -

One of the easiest ways to keep track of every minute being spent at work is by employing a time management software. These time tracking software is designed to set time estimates, track time spent on tasks, and maintain a record of every minute you spend while working on tasks.

For example, if you are working on a project, you can set a time estimate for each task and subtask to manage your time efficiently. You can try time management software like ProofHub to manage your projects and time efficiently.

About ProofHub’s Time Tracking Feature:

ProofHub is one solution to tracking time for effective time management. It is a time tracking software that will bring all your time data in one place. What can you do?

• Add timesheets

Multiple timesheets can be added to record time data, which can be used for payroll, client billing, tracking, and even time management.

• Set time estimates

When you set time estimates, it is a good way to time management as you can define how much time it should take to get work done. You’ll have a clear indication if the time taken exceeds the estimated time.

• Track time manually

You can enter taken to get work done and track manually time spent for billable or non-billable hours.

• Track time with multiple timers

Start and pause timers when you switch between what you’re working and save it in timesheets.

7. No multitasking — Quality over quantity

If you pride yourself on juggling too many tasks at once, here’s news for you. Research suggests that only 2% of people can multitask effectively. For the remaining 98% of people, multitasking is actually wasting their time and lessening their overall productivity.

Instead of dividing your attention into three different things, it’s better to focus entirely on one thing and marvel at it. To make it more effective, try timeboxing them. It refers to the act of allocating a time-frame for every task which in return, increases the likelihood of its successful completion.

8. Take small breaks frequently — refresh and rejuvenate

It may sound counterintuitive but breaks are one of the effective time management strategies. How? Let’s assume two scenarios. In the first scenario, picture a team member working on a task for 5–7 hours at a stretch. And, another team member is working on the same task with frequent small breaks. Who do you think is using his time effectively? Of course, the later.

Smart time management isn’t always about doing something or the other. It also emphasises on the fact that little breaks after an hour or so can take your productivity to another level.

9. Find inspiration — quotes, videos, audiobooks

Following a to-do list or a specific pattern can be boring. It’s hard to concentrate at work when you aren’t fully motivated. Instead of wasting that time doing something unproductive, utilise it to inspire yourself.

Tape those cliched time-management quotes around your desk. Watch motivational or TEDx videos or listen to audiobooks talking about time management tips at work. Or, just go for a small walk.

We are familiar with the procrastination phenomena in which you either do nothing at all or engage in useless activities. The chronic procrastinators get an unusual high in putting important things for later and when it is too late, they start panicking. Don’t let procrastination take over your life and let it become a part of your lifestyle.

The best way to deal with procrastination is to break your work into a number of tasks. It not only makes it doable but also gives you a starting point to begin work. Also, try making detailed timelines that give you an exact idea of deadlines. When you surround yourself with people who take action and crush goals instantly, you automatically imbibe such habits and become more proactive with work.

10. Sleep at least 7–8 hours

Sleep is a detrimental factor that could affect many things both positively and negatively. When you get a sound sleep for six to eight hours, not only you feel fresh and rejuvenated but it also contributes to a healthy lifestyle. On the contrary, when you don’t get enough sleep, you are also increasing disease risks such as diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, and more.

The human mind and body make better decisions and perform more efficiently when they are well-rested. You can decide quickly what to do when and how. Develop a schedule for your sleep and stick to it every day. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time. There are many applications such as Calm, Sleep Cycle that tracks your sleeping patterns, help you get a sound sleep, and wakes you up as a more focused individual.

11. Do less but impactful

It’s never a good idea to take up more than you can handle. High achievers and great performers all over the world do less but better. When you prioritize tasks, it gives you clarity and direction so that you can start working on things, save time, and be more productive.

The next time you find it difficult to manage time, take a deep breath and take up a single task, complete it, and start another without stressing yourself too much.

12. Use an online calendar

One of the greatest time management tips for managers is to start using an online calendar. Long before, calendars have been used as a fundamental tool to manage time. With the advent of online calendars, one can easily manage his/her schedule, mark important dates and events, set up reminders, create time blocks, and whatnot.

The best part is that online calendars can be integrated with third-party applications and can be accessed from multiple devices. There are plenty of options to choose from such as Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Apple Calendar

TOP 5 TIPS FOR SENIOR LEVEL INTERVIEWS

Going for senior-level interviews can be quite a daunting task. In our current world, talking only about your experience in an interview for leadership roles is no longer ideal. You need to back the experience up with a whole lot of other credibilities such as your leadership skills, management style, and prove your words.

How can you prepare for the interview if the right opportunity arises?

CHECK AND UPDATE YOUR SKILLS

For one to get an interview for a senior-level position, he must have been one of the top candidates. How does one become a top candidate for a particular post? By having the right skills. As each job requires a certain level of qualification, before you are interviewed for a leadership role, make sure you are a qualified candidate with the necessary qualifications for that position. Are you looking forward to working in a senior-level position? Then, ensure that you are the best candidate now or before the interview. This mainly relates to the development of management skills, conflicts, problem-solving and feedback skills.

DO 100% RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY.

Applicants for all job posts are expected to be informed of all positions related to the company prior to the interview. When it comes to senior-level positions, this research is necessary. Due diligence is needed, not just a glance through the company's website.

Read up on the company, ask questions from a few employees and understand it better. Why work for an organization if you don't know much about it? How happy can you be about the job if you don't know if it fits your personality?

Learn and PRACTICE TO SELL YOURSELF!!

Whether or not you have an outstanding reputation in your industry, you must sell yourself in an interview. Show your interest in the organization and emphasize why you would be the perfect person for this position. Make use of storytelling. As more and more recruiters adopt competency-based interviews, you will undoubtedly be asked to reflect on the experience in your interview. Have some killers up the sleeve that emphasize your core skills, express yourself coherently and use the ERR technique (Example, Result and Retrospective) to answer.

 GET READY TO "DIG DEEP"

Employers tend to "dig deep"for a leadership role during an interview. That means asking questions like "tell me when you failed"or "what's your biggest challenge?"And "How do you deal with someone you disagree with?"

This tactic enables managers and employers to review your reactions and determine your confidence. Make sure you prepare well for these questions as your answers can either make or mar your interview. When in doubt, pivot to the requirements of the job. How do you see yourself performing and leading other smart, competent people?

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

An interview is not only about answering questions. You ought to ask questions, especially when interviewing for a senior-level position. When you ask questions during an interview, you can not only decide if the opportunity is right for you, but you can also prove that you are a thoughtful and passionate candidate who deserves the job. Higher-level positions may require deeper problem solving and leadership, even as an individual employee. By answering the questions you ask during the interview, with reflection and insight, you can tell the interviewer that you have everything you need to function at the expected level.

Expect to spend several hours of in-depth research on the target company and its competitors. Remember that networking is more important than ever as it provides behind-the-scenes information and potentially open access to unpublished leadership positions. Prepare to answer difficult questions about your professional career and personal values. Learn about your leadership style and give examples to help the interviewers make the right decision.

Finally, remember that these tips are useful for professionals at all levels of careers - especially those who are developing beyond their current position. Preparing for leadership intelligence lasts a lifetime, and it's never too early to learn more about your leadership style and storytelling. If the opportunity arises, you will be glad to make this investment soon!

 Do you need some help preparing for an interview? Drop me an email to Impressive CV at info@impressivecv.com

How to write achievements on your CV

You are more likely to be invited for an interview if your CV is focused on your achievements, rather than on your duties or responsibilities.

According to an interesting research conducted by the authors of “Brilliant CV: What employers want to see & how to say it”, the applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely to be shortlisted for an interview compared to candidates with duties-focused CVs!

So how do you write those first few lines of your resume—the summary section—to compel the recruiter to keep reading? How do you make sure you get the call—and not the toss? How do you make your summary memorable?

Here’s a checklist:

• Tailor your summary to each job application. Highlight your areas of expertise most relevant to that position.

• Then focus on specific results you’ve achieved in those areas of expertise—how other organisations have improved because of you.

• Note the types of organisations and industries you’ve worked in.

• Include years of experience.

• Avoid generic terms such as results-driven, proven track record, excellent communication skills, team player

Still not convinced your job description will do? Here is some more proof!

Stuck for ideas? Here you go ;)

Completed in-depth analyses for business optimisation projects, reporting tools, back-office programs and payment-processing apps. Measurable outcomes:

— 9.2% revenue growth (2016)

— Up to 45% in efficiency gains

— $575K capital-expense reduction

— $1.1M labor-cost savings

— 97% account-retention rates

— 10% increase in referrals

• Provided executives with analytics and decision-support tools used as the basis for reorganization, consolidation and relocation strategies.

• Partnered with developers to automate manual processes, saving time and money while decreasing errors. Credited as a primary driving force behind a 5% increase in margins this fiscal year.

• Collaborated with stakeholder groups across the organisation to ensure business and technology alignment. Proposed solutions meeting defined specifications and needs.

• Performed quality assurance, system integration and user acceptance testing facilitating on-time, on-budget and acclaimed “go-live” of enterprise implementations for up to 12,000 global users.

Remember:

ANYONE can Google or search LinkedIn for job descriptions. In this current market, you MUST show your value.

Still feeling overwhelmed?

Drop me an email: info@impressivecv.com