Appraisals – an opportunity in disguise
Jane is a customer service rep for a mid sized software company. Her job is to make customers happy when there is some problem or issue that is causing concern. She has been with his company for just about a year and was told that her first performance appraisal will be tomorrow afternoon. Of course she begins to sweat and fears that she will be subject to much criticism about her skills and ability to make her customers happy. What Jane doesn’t know, is that performance appraisals are not just for criticism of her abilities or a reason to fire her, but to highlight her accomplishments and position her for a possible promotion and raise in pay. In fact, most people have the same negative opinion of appraisals including the managers who have to administer them. So if they are feared and disliked, why are they such a good thing?
When you submit your CV to a prospective employer, it needs to clearly show what knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications you have which make you a suitable candidate for the position for which you are applying. Jobseekers should think of their CV as their opportunity to sell their skills to a recruiter, whether it is submitted in response to an advertised vacancy or as a speculative enquiry to an organisation they would like to work for.
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking no matter how many times you’ve gone through the process. Being prepared for one means more than showering and dressing the part. It means having done some research on the organisation you’re applying to, reviewing your significant accomplishments to date, predicting what types of questions may be asked, and preparing your responses.
This short article describes a personal experience of a student graduating from university without any job prospects, and a developing fear due to loss of fulfilled goals after graduation. The article then goes on to describe how they chose to take control of their destiny by searching for their dream job while also overcoming that fear.
Some people who are searching for employment seem to get employed immediately, while others remain on the job search for months or even years. What makes one candidate so attractive to employers, and why can’t the other job seeker get a job offer? The answer may lie in the way the prospective employee handles the job interview and follow up correspondence. Job interviews are extremely important, and it is equally important to write a thank you letter after an interview has been conducted. Here are several key tips for potential job seekers to follow when writing an after interview thank you letter.