How to Feel a 100% on the First Day of your New Job

How to Feel a 100% on the First Day of your New Job

by | Career, Job Offers, Life, Motivation, Performance, World of Work

The day you start a new job is a rather special day. It brings along with it a chance to live your precious dreams and is an important milestone in your life. Regardless of how nervous you may be about starting the new job, it is important to go in feeling an absolute hundred percent. Feeling a hundred percent on the first day of your new job sets the kind of vibe that brings you mindfulness – something you want to aim for everyday of your brand new work life. Here are five ways you can bring that vibe about. We strongly recommend getting started on these at least twenty four hours before your first day, for optimum results. 🙂

  1. Prepare well

    Even though you may already be well prepared and all set to get started, there are a few things that will help you being even better prepared. Re-read your employment contract and offer letter to ensure you have all the documents you require, in place. Go over your job description to re-acquaint yourself with your roles and responsibilities, brush up on remembering the names of your team mates. Remember that when you look good, you feel good. Dressing well, and being presentable makes a huge difference to your confidence level. Spend some time putting your outfit in place for the next day.

  2. Express gratitude

    This simple exercise in mindfulness will have a profound impact on your energy level and confidence – exactly what you need on your first day. Just before ending your day, think about all your reasons for applying to the job, recount the struggles you faced in the process and how you overcame them. One of the most powerful and humbling feelings is to feel gratitude for your journey, and for the circumstances which brought you closer to your goals. Write all that down, and when you feel like you’re having a bad day at work, reading what you wrote will never fail to put a smile on your face.

  3. De-stress

    Even if you may not be stressed, de-stressing / ‘doing things which make you happy’ is a great idea to conjure up the energy you want to carry with you on your first day of work. Read a favorite book, listen to some music, spend some time putting your thoughts in words, paint, garden – just anything that brings you joy. Spending a few hours on yourself creates a significant difference – for the better!

  4. Have a BIG breakfast

    On your first day of work, wake up extra early just so you can take your time getting ready at your own pace. Most important though, is to have a big, hearty, happy breakfast. Put on some music and make yourself some awesome breakfast. It is just the fuel you need before you launch into your new job, your new life, your new role!

  5. Wear your best smile

     No matter how impeccably dressed you are, a smile is what makes all the difference. Walk in with a smile everyone smiles back at. Keep it on your face all day, and put it on auto-repeat mode, until it is a part of you. A smile that is genuine is more miraculous than most other things in life. It fosters friendships, breaks barriers, dissipates anger, and opens doors where there seem to be none. Don’t believe us? Try and let us know if we are wrong.

Feeling a hundred percent on the first day of your brand new job means nothing more than feeling like you have it within you to give your new adventure everything you’ve got. It means that you appreciate the opportunity that has come your way (through your own hard work), and want show gratitude through your work ethics and self-motivation. As they say, morning shows the day!

What are your favorite things to do on/ before your first day at work?

The Importance of Gender Diversity in the World of Work

The Importance of Gender Diversity in the World of Work

by | Career, Feminism, Job Offers, Leadership, Management, Performance, Productivity, World of Work

We write this post assuming that we have come past the phase where we even refuse to acknowledge that gender inequality at the workplace is a very real problem, which requires an immediate solution. Unfair recruitment, unequal pay, the phenomenon of glass ceiling [The Federal Glass Ceiling Commission describes the term ‘glass ceiling’ as “the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements.”], are all very pertinent issues which hinder gender diversity in the world of work.

Gender diversity at the workplace, is a crucial pre-requisite in the globalized world of work we all inhabit today. And here are only some of the reasons about why it is so important.

  1. Increased organizational performance

    Any organization’s performance is a reflection of the core values and principles of the organization. In other words, the performance of the team is directly related to the organization’s attitude and investments towards the team. One of the most important aspects which have a direct influence on organizational performance is equality and inclusivity. The employees, irrespective of their gender, need to feel like they are equals. It is only then that the motivation and interest to give back to the organization can be sustained within them.

  2. Ability to retain a diverse customer base

    In order to help your business grow, it is important for you to be able to attract and sustain a diverse customer base. It is difficult to be able to meet that requirement unless your employee base in itself reflects gender diversity. It is a fact that men and women perceive things differently, with relation to certain key issues. Diversity in thought at the end of the organization is directly related to how successfully the organization is able to retain a diverse customer / client base. A gender diverse work environment is by default a more engaging and supportive work environment.

  3. Decrease in attrition rates

    One of the most important causes leading to high attrition rates for any organization is inequality, or just the overall work environment which may not be very inclusive. Lack of equality or unfairness breeds dissatisfaction within the workplace, thus contributing to reasons for higher employee turnover or attrition rates. This not only reflects badly on the goodwill of the organization, but is also a rather expensive error to rectify. Workspaces which are more inclusive and fair tend to have lower attrition rates.

  4. A better talent pool

    A more inclusive and diverse work space by default guarantees a richer talent pool. By being gender biased as an organization, you automatically forego a huge chunk of talent. You never know what attributes, and skills you’re missing out on by eliminating or limiting female representation or engagement at various levels in your organization.

  5. Reflection of the organizational culture and values

    As we move towards a more globalized world of work, the values and the principles that organizations play by have started gaining more and more importance. It is exactly these values and principles that set an organization apart from others. It is the culture and the values harbored by an organization which lend to it, its reputation. One of the primary reflections of the same is the factor of gender diversity within an organization. The values of fairness, inclusivity and equality while being the most basic expectations, also paradoxically end up being very rare to find. And surely enough, any organization which boasts of these values, is one worth aspiring to be a part of!

 

It is an understated fact that we need more women at work, in the world of work. We at OBOlinx are an all women’s team, and have a ton of inspiring ‘women at work’ stories which we would love to share with you. But before that, we would love to bring your stories to the world. Tell us what has worked for you, and what hasn’t worked for you, as a woman at work. You never know who you might end up inspiring and providing hope to, out there!

The 5 Most Effective Job Hunt Hacks

The 5 Most Effective Job Hunt Hacks

by | Career, Job Offers, Recruitment

Yes, we know! There are no shortcuts to success. But if you are on a job hunt, this post is something you cannot miss. Based on our years of experience helping job hunting candidates like you land their dream jobs, we have put together some insider tips (or hacks as the current trend is) to help you on your job hunting journey. What are some of the best and most effective Job Hunt Hacks that can fast-track your job hunting process ? Read on to find out exactly what they are, and why they make such a big difference.

Job Hunt Hack #1 – Use “Keywords”

Go through the job description carefully and pick up on the keywords. Remember that when sending in your application online, in all probability, the first screening is going to be mechanized. In which case, you need to ensure that your application uses as many of those phrases/ keywords possible (in a relevant way of course) as possible. It is only after the initial sorting (the first two stages, at least) that your application will reach the higher-ups in the management. In order to ensure your job application gets there, be as specific and comprehensive as possible. Using keywords is a great way to go about it.

Job Hunt Hack #2 – Use both online and offline platforms

Don’t stop once you have finished applying through the online sources. Start networking and spreading the word about your job hunt. Networking is one of the most effective techniques of offline job hunting. Reach out to your old and new contacts and have casual conversations with them about your plans. You never know what opportunities may come your way simply through those conversations. Also, make sure to avoid these 5 social media mistakes when you are job hunting!

Job Hunt Hack #3 – Modulate your applications

What really hampers your job hunt process is using one stock application and cover letter for all the places you apply to. When you do that, your application depicts an acute lack of interest and enthusiasm. Even if the job profiles you are applying to are similar, there are some fine differences between each of these profiles. Mark them and customize your applications accordingly. This will be possible only when you are truly serious and enthusiastic about the job hunt process. Pay attention to details, and remember that that’s probably the only thing that will give you an edge over the others.

Job Hunt Hack #4 – Your LinkedIn profile matters (most)!

Your existence, and activity on LinkedIn is crucial for a successful job hunt. You could reach out to scores of potential employers, and correspond with them about opportunities simply by making sure you are active on LinkedIn. By being on LinkedIn, you are not only “visible”, but also vested with innumerable valuable resources which you just need to know how to use. Still not convinced about why you need a LinkedIn profile? Here’s why. Have a LinkedIn profile but wondering how you can make it better? Here’s how.

Job Hunt Hack #5 – The magic word is “Thank You”

Incorporating the practice of gratitude into everything you do is the best thing you can do for yourself. Including when you are job hunting. It makes a huge difference when you send in a personalized note, even if it is just two lines, after you finish interviewing (no matter the stage of the interview), to the relevant people. Just acknowledging the time they invested, saying that it was a pleasure having had a chance to communicate and that you look forward. These small things are what set you apart from other candidates, and make you the more like-able, and obvious candidate. However, do it genuinely. It isn’t very hard to tell when the candidate isn’t being genuine – which will just end up making things worse for you.

And the most effective job hunt hack of all – work closely with a great recruiter. A recruiter starts work every morning with one objective – find the best candidate for his/her client and fill the open position ASAP. A candidate hunting for a job wakes up with this thought – may today be the day when I land my dream job. Notice the similarity between the two objectives – so why not work together with mutual respect  to achieve this common goal? Here is how you can help her help you.

If you’ve been looking for job hunt guidance and a lot of material has been coming your way, all of that is bound to be similar in one way or the other. Through all your efforts, remember that you can go a long way by just being yourself. Take your own self to the interviews, and let it reflect in your applications and conversations. Because you’re the best when you’re nothing but yourself!

7 Things “NOT” to have on your otherwise Perfect Resume

7 Things “NOT” to have on your otherwise Perfect Resume

by | Job Offers, Recruitment, Resume, World of Work

The resume is a faithful journal of your career trajectory – a record of all your successes and learnings at every stage of your working journey. A reminder of where you started, how far you have come and where you still need to go. So whether you need to apply for a job right now or not, it is always a good time to perfect your resume.
While we’ve written extensively on how to craft the perfect resume, we wanted to emphasize through this post on what to leave out of a resume to make it truly perfect. Here are seven things to leave out from your resume:

1. An unprofessional Email Address

If your email ID is still the one you had in high school, i.e., hellboy_irock@ya***.com, it is time to get another one. Make sure the email ID you share on your resume is a professional one. What is meant by a professional email ID? One that ideally has only your name and your last name in it, and in case that’s taken, a simple combination of your name and maybe a number, or special character or two.

2. Your Achievements in High School

Won third prize in an elocution competition? Aced spelling bee? Well, let’s put those achievements behind us and make space for newer achievements to show the world. Unless it is something of great significance and necessary, refrain from having your high school achievements on your resume.

3. Fancy fonts and colors, or anything fancy –

are an absolute “no”. Use a simple font, uniform font sizes and keep it unicolor. Unless you belong to an artsy profession and how you design your resume matters, keep your resume as simple and legible as possible. Even if you are a graphic designer, or a fashion designer, we’d say share links of your work on your resume, but maybe refrain from making your perfect resume a work of art itself.

4. Skills you are expected to have

Don’t add skills just for the sake of adding them and fluffing up your resume. Remember, at times, less is more.

5. Postal Address

Having your postal address on your resume is an unnecessary use of space. We have seen resumes which list their permanent address and current address as well. Your contact information should ideally just include your phone number and your professional email ID.

6. Hobbies

“My hobbies are cooking, reading and gardening” – this is something your resume would probably look better without. We’ve traditionally been taught to include it in our resumes, but there is actually no need for it. Your interview is when you get to speak about yourself and weave all this in. Unless there is something really specific about yourself which is also relevant to the job, refrain from having this section. Even if you do end up sharing what is akin to hobbies, put it under a section called “other Interests” or something of the like and not “Hobbies”.

7. Incorrect or false information

The first and foremost prerogative of writing a resume is ensuring the information you provide about yourself isn’t false or misleading. Regardless of whether or not a background check will be done, in the interest of professional integrity be completely honest in the information you furnish through your resume.

At OBOlinx, we believe that a great resume is one which is always a work in progress. There is always something you can do to make it better, regardless of whether you are writing one for the first time or if you have been a professional for years now. Here is an omnibus we have put together to help guide you to craft the perfect resume. But don’t forget the things you should “not” have on your resume!

What do Recruiters Want from a Job-Hunting Candidate ?

What do Recruiters Want from a Job-Hunting Candidate ?

by | Job Offers, Recruitment, Resume, World of Work

What do recruiters want ? A recruiter starts work every morning with one objective – find the best candidate for his/her client and fill the open position ASAP. A candidate hunting for a job wakes up with this thought – may today be the day when I land my dream job. Notice the similarity between the two objectives – so why not work together with mutual respect  to achieve this common goal?

This post is from the view-point of a recruiter for the job-hunting candidate (let’s for the sake of convenience, assume the sex of the recruiter to be female). She wants you to succeed because your success would eventually ensure her’s. And she has a few expectations from you, the potential hire, so that the common goal of a win-win job hunt for both can be reached. So here is how you can help her help you:

What do Recruiters Want – Craft a complete resume

Your profile should be tailored for you – please skip the long sentences with all the nice-looking buzz words. A recruiter will spend a maximum of 30 seconds to determine if your profile is suitable. Be direct and prepare your resume in such a way that your qualifications, skills and achievements are searchable and stand out. Link to your work portfolios or online profiles (Social media links, LinkedIn is a must, About.me, etc.) or blogs so that there is an additional outside reference for your skills.

What do Recruiters Want – Be Visible

Update your profile (and also your LinkedIn profile) regularly. A resume should always be a work-in-progress document and have your latest details – your latest contact details (make sure your email id is a professional one.- crazylover777@xxx.com is a sure reject in the first 5 seconds of a resume review), your years of experience, your preferred job location/s, new skills all help the recruiter shortlist your candidature quickly.  Regular updates also help keep your profile on the top of search results in job boards. Create a separate folder in your mail box for achievements to store those appreciation mails and promotion letters. Refer to this folder every three months for additional updates to your resume.

What do Recruiters Want – Be Responsive and Responsible

The common courtesy rule: treat people the way you would want to be treated – applies with recruiters as well. Do respond to emails and calls – even if it is a “no, thank you”. If you are busy, a short email or text stating your availability (even when it is “please don’t contact me ever”) will save the recruiter time and not keep her hanging. If you do give a time slot, plan ahead and be available – being late for an interview is just not professional. If you can’t make it, make sure you inform in advance.

What do Recruiters Want – Be Honest

Know what you want. Think it through before committing yourself. If you are not clear about which career path to take, be upfront and discuss this with the recruiter. She will respect this and may be able to provide you with options or opportunities that work for you. Nothing is more frustrating to her than last-minute surprises – if you are not interested, just say so. If you are not ready for the interview – let her know, her information and insights can help you prepare for it. If you have another offer (a promotion, another job) – let her know, it may help you get a better offer. If you don’t want to join after accepting the offer, let her know – don’t wait for the day of joining and then not turn up. Nothing could be more unprofessional.

What do Recruiters Want – Engage

Network with recruiters. If you have had bad experiences with one recruiter, don’t lump the rest in the same bucket. Find the recruiters who work in your industry and who understand your career goals and reach out. Keep in touch. Build a relationship – this is one person you need in your corner when you are looking out for a career change. Keep track of the recruiter and through her, her clients, just like she is keeping track of you. Refer your friends. Find out about hiring trends and upcoming opportunities from her. Give value and get value back – this can definitely be a mutually beneficial relationship. Maybe you don’t need a job now, but she could open up a few doors for you when you do need one.

All of the above will help you in building relationships with the Best Recruiters and make you the favourite go-to candidate for recruiters. Recruiters can be the wind beneath your wings when you need to change jobs or need to hire for your team. (And don’t forget all the great side benefits of having a friend for life :))

Drafting the Perfect Resignation Letter – Tips to get it Right!

Drafting the Perfect Resignation Letter – Tips to get it Right!

by | Job Offers, Resignation, World of Work

You’ve made the decision to move, have secured the job you wanted, and now have to do the most important bit – communicating it to your boss. How you draft your resignation letter is very important, it determines the terms of parting with the company you have been with so far, and also sets the tone for how tough or easy the notice period is going to be for you. Also remember, if your association with your current company has been a pleasant one, it is essential to communicate your decision to resign in a sensitive manner and not in an abrupt way. Even if your stay hasn’t been a pleasant one, you still must resign gracefully. It is a small world, and you do not want your next employer to hear about the nasty way in which you quit. If your reasons for quitting are due to valid discontent about the way you (or matters relating to you) have been dealt with at your work place, communicate it tastefully and in a dignified manner. Here are 3 basic tips to keep in mind while drafting a resignation letter.

  1. Drafting the Perfect Resignation Letter: The Tone –

    The tone of your letter must be polite and courteous. Repeating what we said earlier, never mind the reason behind your resignation. It truly is a small world and who knows some day you might well need the goodwill of your current employer. It is always more palatable to part on good terms. If you wish to pronounce your displeasure with the management, you can do so firmly, yet politely. Put aside your impulse to give your boss ‘a piece of your mind’, even if (s)he may well be deserving of it! Trust Karma to do the needful – and that would be our advice!

  1. Drafting the Perfect Resignation Letter: The Content –

    Introduce the letter by stating the purpose for your resignation (briefly, not more than two or three sentences. There will be a time and place to discuss the reasons in detail with your employer). In the same paragraph you should mention the position you are resigning from and the date of your relieving. Calculate the date of relieving you give carefully, keeping in mind the notice period you would need to serve. For example, if you are resigning on 1st July,  you should state your last working day as 15th July (in case of a two weeks notice period). Next comes the part where you thank your employer. Even if you need to do it through gritted teeth, you must do it. Thank your employer for the opportunities you have had as an employee at the organization. Also it is not necessary that your experience may have been a bitter one, in which case, a genuine, heartfelt thanks will be welcome and appreciated. And if it has been a bad experience overall, even then the job surely has taught you something. Say thank you in spirit. Lastly, conclude by asking for a confirmation of acceptance of your resignation and about details of the hand over and stating that you would, from your end try to meet the expectations set by the organization before you leave. Be careful not to commit to anything which may not be possible to achieve in that short span of time.

  1. Drafting the Perfect Resignation Letter: Precision –

    The language should be crisp and to the point. Do not beat around the bush or narrate a sob story in the letter. Be professional, clear, yet, polite.

These are the basic things to consider while drafting a resignation letter. There are many kinds of resignation letters. You may want to quit the job immediately with no time to serve the notice period, or you may not have the time to serve the notice period as per the company’s policy. We found this very resourceful site which has samples of various kinds of resignation letters. Have a look here- http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resignationletters/a/resignationlet.htm. This article could also help you if you have been struggling with your resignation letter- https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter.

We hope our post has given you some inspiration that you can use for drafting resignation letters!