Your Job Search Should Never End, Even If You Have A Job! Do You Know Why?

In a recent conversation with a friend, catching up with each other’s lives and leading on to talk about economics, a very odd question popped up. As the economic analytics moved on to depressions, unemployment, economic bubbles, and so, we came to a point where we asked ourselves; What if the next day, we are fired? And let me ask you the same, What if you do?

However unlikely it may seem to most of us, it isn’t unheard of and it isn’t a rare case either. Organizations are known to change strategies and priorities and many things, often, very abruptly. And a lot of times, it results in employees being laid off work and employment terminated. There may be many other reasons of it happening as well, the point is, things like these happen, and they may happen to just anyone, even the best of performers.

While it is highly unlikely for most us too, it certainly is a nightmare to be thinking of. Which brought us to the point, are we prepared for it, can we go on about our life and career irrespective of such events? Is it really so easy to bring us down? Well, no, neither it is nor should it be. And the only one counter-measure one needs is to be prepared always!

And to be prepared, the most important elements are anyway what we should have sorted. Let’s get over them one by one.

· Keep yourself industry ready.

· Keep yourself industry relevant.

· Keep yourself financially stable.

· Be updated with everything and everyone relevant to your industry.

· Keep learning, including cross-industry skills.

That is the simplest it could get. But doing them is equally complicated and needs regular and efficiently made efforts. The security itself will build up over-time, till then, it must be all a carefully calculated set of steps and tasks. These should be the first few steps that need to be taken among the standard practices of job search:

LinkedIn

One of the most powerful professional tools out there, LinkedIn will take care of two very important things for you. One, networking inside and beyond your industry, especially among the management and human resource personnel, Two, strengthen and keep your profile updated with the best and most targeted information about your professional prowess. The best practices to make these happen are:

· Starting with the basics, keep your profile updated with any relevant information, courses, certifications, achievements, and links. The catch here is, it can be used to enhance reputation via a very simple step, keeping the “Share Profile Changes” switched on and making changes, relevant ones, regularly. Even if a pool of changes comes together, make them with gaps segregated into sets. Why? Well, it’ll keep you visible and show a progressive professional life amongst your connections because most won’t be viewing your profile regularly yet they will know that you are moving forward.

· Network among your connections and their connections by engaging professionally in online activities and sharing good content. Little things like few words of appreciation, gratitude, and constructive criticism (toned down as suggestions with a hint to connecting for detailed discussions) go a long way. Engaging through industry-specific groups and experts give a significant boost to reputation. Also, incite one on one discussions to keep your visibility strong, need not spend much time but invest a little.

· Write and post content with the community. Give it a professional, and constructive and insightful touch. Become an inside expert in your industry and network. And make people engage with you as well.

And you will never run out of offers and opportunities, it is tried and tested by many.

Resume

Create a bunch of resumes, update them all and be ready to use them anytime. Also, have a copy of them in semi-public domains as well where recruiters can find you, like Job Portals (more on this later). Let the offers come, consider them but don’t waste anyone’s time with it. Let your contacts and everyone know that you will always be open to the “right” offer. And it should be more about growth and opportunity and money (lower on priority but a priority nonetheless). Give it a little time regularly and distributed as needed.

Network

Professional and personal networking is a great thing for anyone to grow but also takes resources and time equally. It will not grow you directly, but it can certainly help you grow by bringing opportunities, contacts, reputation, and so. Attend networking events, meeting, have meetups among professional groups, spend the breaks with colleagues and seniors, not every day but regularly. In short, spread the word, spread your charm!

Job Portals

Job search portals are a thing these days and some of them are really efficient at it. With numerous vacancies, if you keep your profile active and updated(with resume at best a month old) it can be very effective a measure to damage control. It is important to note that most portals deactivate profiles from mail alerts and viewability if not operated (log in) for six months or so. Shine network also facilitates linking your LinkedIn profile and keep itself updated accordingly, saving time. With privacy settings for contact and other info, you can keep your job alerts switched on, receive communications (emails and calls/SMS) from recruiters and be on the radar always. What’s important to note is, One, doing the former two will aid towards this profile, Two, if configured and used properly, the profile will invite opportunities and communications that will help grow the network as well.

And finally, Save and Invest

Just like your time and efforts, money is yet another resource that can be saved and invested properly to create substantial reserves to survive the emergencies. As a mature professional, it is in itself a sign of responsibility developed by handling money the right way. Make two kinds of reserves, One, savings, ready to be used anytime for emergencies, substantial enough to fund several months of survival, typically six at least, Two, invested carefully with a long-term goal, which grows with time due to returns on it as well as periodic additions for further investment. The second reserve will take time to process if a withdrawal is needed, maybe even a waiting period to be released, thus, the first reserve.

So, while things are going smooth around you, it is important to be prepared for the worse. Everyone has some ups and down in their store to be taken care of. And as big an up one hopes to go, as down they should also prepare to handle as well. A balanced approach to life and work is all that a person needs to keep going and be happy!

Job-Related Call From In-House HR Department and Consultants, Differences and Approach!

With the advent of technology, finding a job has metamorphosized into various strategies and moves one can make to ultimately find their place in the industries. And on the other side of the process, especially the congruency provided by the job search portals, recruiters have devised their own processes to find talents. And just like the portals, Human Resource Consultants were born out of these requirements of bridging the gaps between the two.

 And with that came the era of being searched for, as a job seeker, offers with opportunities if handled right. Being contacted with job prospectus even when the vacancy never crossed your sight is one blessing from the ecosystem technology has provided. And this means the older ways are not obsolete, rather better applicable. And the approach has evolved as well. So, when contacted by an in-house recruiter and a consultant can be two very different scenarios.

To understand better, here are the key differences between the two to look into:

•             HRs are a part and direct representative of the organization while consultants are indirect and contract partners, which gives an advantage to the consultants by working for both, the organization and the candidate. For the candidate, it makes sorting doubts and setbacks much more easily and prepare accordingly with support leading to a refined candidature, one reason why many organizations seek consultancy to research candidates.

•             Consultants can be much more informed about general queries but only HRs can evaluate a candidate’s actual resonance with the organizations. Thereby evaluating candidates in the initial contact and efficiently going through the process. The reason why most of the smaller organizations prefer in-house research and processing and invest in portal subscriptions instead.

•             HRs being the organization itself (the image, first touch, passage to it), they have limits and often, reaching out has limits too. While, consultants can be reached out more often and thus, handling of candidates is better on that side. Also, because of more communications and indirect affiliations, they have better information about candidate’s other search results and priorities. Thereby, being better equipped for not losing on opportunities for either side. Also, a similar flow of information is received from the organizational end as well, thus, being helpful to candidates.

With the above points in mind, here is a little guide to handling calls for job vacancies from either side, starting with HR Department.

What to do when HR calls with a job opportunity?

•             Maintain a positive professional demeanor, greet and listen carefully about the prospect. Respond briefly and efficiently unless asked otherwise.

•             Exchange basic information about self and the opportunity and the organization. Get your job description clear before confirming to anything, ask few but relevant questions. Although not really recommended, but can also ask for some time, a day max, to think over it. But it’s best to take things further with such little contact.

•             Work your way towards an appointment and get clear on the documentation and formalities. Also, a telephonic conversation with any team member can also be arranged and seeking it can be a good option.

•             Get contact details and seek permission to follow up appropriately.

What to do when a consultant contacts with a job offer?

•             A neutral demeanor with an inquisitive attitude to extract information about the role, company, pay and allowances, and other details. Similar details about self can be provided to be instantly reviewed by the consulting personnel. Also, inquire about any charges that may be payable by self (usually, being charged for a consultation before the selection is a known misconduct).

•             Exchange detailed information about every aspect of the process and even seek tips and reviews for them. Consultants are there to bridge and thus, can be very helpful.

•             Get an appointment scheduled and direct contact arranged from the employer/HR (for single use at least). Also, the consultants can be of great help in pay negotiations which should be taken into account.

•             Get other contact details of the consultant and follow up at least once in a day or two and more if it takes longer time. Can be done many times but two to three follow-ups should be the limit.

Direct recruitment is confining itself to lesser segments these days towards managerial positions. Fresher jobs and lower-experience/skill/post jobs have started to go through consultants more often. Mainly due to the volume of applications they can handle and are there and efficient initial screening and candidate preparation they can provide. While direct recruitment yields similar results, the process itself can become inefficient while handling larger volumes.

However, start to intermediate managerial jobs are mostly being handled by recruiters directly, although consultants do aid in research, leads, and initial contact but anything beyond that is mostly handled by HR personnel.

Also, with recent observations, consultants are providing probationary employment from their end as well known as off-roll employment or contract employment. This is a unique opportunity for many, especially freshers and freelancers who want to gain more initial and wider experience and network as well. It is one added advantage Consultants are providing these days but it is not for everyone.

This article is inspired by parts of another article which can be accessed from here.

Why Referrals Are Losing Value And The Value Itself, Explained!

Referral hiring has been one of the most effective methods for organizations to build reliable and enduring teams, especially on the management side. Referrals worked because it brought in people with proven or tested abilities and persona, to say the least. While many other aspects can be relied upon to test them, few factors (assurances) still remained missing. And with the advent of referral hiring and networking as a part of recruitment and job search, it has started to lose the charm. Let's understand it first.

Coming through an existing employee, an endorsement gives boost to the candidate and also makes the recruitment process a two-way test, 

One, to get the candidate from a person who knows the organization from inside and thus, the perceived connection of the candidate and team might work better, 

Two, testing the judgment and/or understanding of current employee(s) towards other members and needs of the organization.

But as time and technology went forward, standardized practices took over most of it, while referrals reserved a special spot in the job applications.

While still in use, extensive information about individuals is readily available, and thus, the overall judgment is majorly influenced by the knowledge. Exceptions are always there, but general cases and scenarios witness the influence.

In order to analyze whether referrals are still up for consideration, here's a look at the recruitment process with and without them:

·         Job Application without referrals goes directly with other applications and with the regular processing, while referrals go direct and have a faster processing due to point of contact available. Counting it as a neutral advantage, it does bring efficiency to the process.

·         Test and Interview Calls, especially pre-visit telephonic interviews can have positive results with a greater probability, considering the same conditions with a un-referred applicant. The advantage here is the positive image the call begins with due to the reference, which affects the overall process.

·         Interviews, again, may share the same overall advantage. But the profiles and other information (relative to other candidates) tend to shadow the fact and interviews become almost unbiased.

Seeing the above, while referrals certainly provide an advantage in the process but not so much as to substantiate recruitment itself. Job search without referrals is almost the same process after applying. Although, on the other side of the story, referrals can actually make a difference if processed properly.

The point to consider with references, be it the recruiter, the referrer, or the candidate, there is a broader analysis in the recruitment process, especially interview, that needs to be done. Its relevance depends on the amount of unique data it provides that can't be acquired otherwise. And bringing in the referrer in context can do exactly that.

Interviewing the referrer for why, how, and what will be the positives (and negatives) of hiring the candidate. It can lead to a better organizational setup whether or not the candidate is hired, because of the better understanding of the decision.

Opinion: With all the information available, references have lost their value in most cases. For upcoming times, unless the recruitment processes evolve, they will lose value further. However, getting a valuable reference will certainly lead to a substantial boost in the jobs search.

The value depends on, One, profile, if it is related and senior to that of candidate, Two, experience, the more the better, Three, position, at least a few ranks over the applied profile, Four, involvement, whether the referrer is directly or indirectly involved with the organization, Five, credibility, whether unproven or tested in past (not necessarily with referencing but work in general), and Six, relationship, with the candidate (professionally; personal doesn't make a positive difference) and with the organization as well.

If the six things check out, it calls for a very strong endorsement, getting which is not easy either, both the traits and the reference itself. Although, the most important of all these are Credibility and Relationship. A person whose work and/or judgment is proven is always bound to give more reliable and better recommendations. Similarly, the relationship of the referrer with the organization and the candidate will define the resonance of values that can connect them better. If these two criteria check out, especially for recruiters, it can be considered a good endorsement.

So, however, the value may have faded, referrals still hold a very high regard when it comes from the right people. And so, it is important to network inside and beyond the industries to create relations that help one grow. More on this SOON!

Indian organisations willing to adopt a flexible employment structure - It's True

The daily grind at work is about to get over. Jobs in the future will allow far greater flexibility and autonomy than what is allowed today. A few years down the line, people will have their own “brands” and will be selling their skills to those who need them. Some reports even suggest that two out of five people believe that traditional employment will not be there in the future. Interestingly, a few companies are taking the concept of the “gig economy” seriously, allowing their employees to choose projects and negotiate project terms and deliverables based on their skill sets. Compensation is adjusted based on the amount of time worked. The employees have the freedom to freelance but under the safety net of a larger organisation or brand.

According to a study by PwC titled Work-life 3.0: Understanding How We’ll Work Next, 41% of non-independent workers say they expect to become independent workers in the next year— and 53% say they expect to work on their own in the next five years. Two-thirds of employees agree that future career paths will be determined by workers themselves, not by their companies. Similarly, 63% say the eight-hour workday will become obsolete, and 68% say that work will be done remotely instead of in a traditional office. Moreover, 76% of workers believe that benefits and healthcare will be squarely their own responsibility, rather than their employers’. About 86% of respondents at least somewhat agree that they have a strong desire to work independently. That’s because independent work is perceived as allowing greater flexibility in schedule and control over work environment, the opportunity to earn more, and a better work-life balance.

Take the case of Chandrika Pasricha. She herself has been a management consultant for over 17 years, mostly at McKinsey & Co, Inc and is the founder and CEO of Flexing It, a global marketplace that connects over 32,000 highly skilled business consultants and experts to more than 1,600 organisations across the region for project-based and consulting assignments.

“The interest in and usage of our platform is across types of companies and also industries. Over half of the organisations registered with us are startups and SMEs, followed by MNCs/large companies, professional services firms and PE/VCs/investors. These organisations are from different industries – including consulting firms, development/not for profit, banking services and financial institutions, retail, IT and telecom, education and FMCG. From the projects posted on Flexing It we observe a spike in the demand for flexible resources for marketing strategy development, industry analysis and market assessment, project management support, data analytics, interim CXOs, business heads and talent acquisition and recruitment,” she says.

Organisations are realising the need to offer flexibility as a core strategy to retain high-performing talent. This flexibility could vary in terms of capacity, roles, options to work remotely, etc. This is a key expectation today amongst most senior professionals as well as the millennials ie, the ability to craft a meaningful portfolio of work while having control over their schedules, working style and balancing personal life along with the professional commitments, Pasricha says.

Most companies are now through their diversity programmes bringing women back to work. Start-ups too are looking for qualified professionals in an attempt to work within their constrained resources. Besides, it is a win-win for both. “Both organisations and professionals increasingly value learnings and skills, and each project executed builds on these, and increases the value organisations can get from experienced professionals,” she says.

Rakesh Deshmukh, CEO, Indus OS, believes that traditional employment is making way for a more flexible employment structure. Indus OS has espoused the gig economy in the real sense. It has both experienced seniors and gives employees the freedom to choose their project to build their own brand and expertise. “We have seen that this freedom is exercised especially by the technology, engineering and product teams. The employees have the opportunity to choose the projects they would like to be a part of depending on their skill set from within the current and future company projects, rather than the management assigning projects to them directly. Employees can choose the area of work relevant to them and their future aspirations,” he says.