Infographic - Interview Preparation

Infographic - Interview Preparation Ropella (Recruiting and Consulting for Chemical Allied Industries) have produced this infographic which is available on their website. Preparing for an interview  needs to be well organised and there are many factors which need to be taken care of, to make a successful impression at the interview and improve your chances of getting a job. This interview preparation infographic shows the soft skills that  you need to demonstrate during an interview. Infographic Powered by Ropella. 4K

How To Deal With Difficult Co-Workers

How To Deal With Difficult Co-Workers In a perfect world, youd probably love your job, your boss, and your co-workers. Alas, we dont live in a perfect world. With difficult jobs, sometimes you just have to take them to pay bills, learn as much as you can, and buy your time as you try and transition into something that doesnt make you want to  hyperventilate as you walk into work every morning.    With difficult bosses, well, you pretty much have to pretend youre part of a stage play and indeed play your part the best way you can until youre able to move on to bigger things. Difficult co-workers, however, can be tricky. Difficult co-workers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are the bosss pet and will report every minor failing on your part to make you look bad. Some are just lazy and you end up having to pick up their slack. Others are passive-aggressive in some shape or form which leaves you in a constant state of having to worry whether youve done something wrong or they are just having a bad day. Short of quitting, how does one deal with difficult co-workers? Well, I asked a few people who have some experience with this and here are a few suggestions: 1. Black out the noise/Put in headphones. This is so Gen Y but one person I talked to said the key to her survival at work is that she pretty much doesnt talk to her co-workers unless she has to. Plus it makes her work day go by faster when she doesnt have to endure their petty conversations. This might work if youre in a field where youre able to focus solely on your individual tasks. However, if you have a lot of group-related tasks in your work, probably not the strategy for you. 2. Kill them with kindness. One of my friends insists on killing his difficult co-workers with kindness. He said they tried to make his life a living hell when he first started working for the company. Given his often soft demeanor, they thought hed eventually crack and asked to be moved to a different department like a lot of newbies apparently end up doing. He used his soft demeanor to his advantage, and actually ended up making it a kind of secret joke. The meaner they were to him, the kinder he was offering to stay late, pick up on the slack, taking initiative despite very harsh criticism in all his projects. He also made sure to never do anything half-assed. He became head of his team within eight months. He who laughs last, laughs loudest. Id say this one is available to all of us if we actually have the stomach for it.  3. Focus on work-related tasks/Never take anything personally This was advice given by a mentor. She said in human relations, there is a tendency to make how other people treat us about us. She says no matter how someone treats you in relation to the work, focus on getting the task done and even if they have a mouthful about your personality, dont take it personally. She says people think, speak, and act according to their reality and perceptions and you fall prey to them when you respond in the manner in which they treated you rather than according to your own reality. Id say thats good advice for all of us. Have you had difficult co-workers? Howd you handle it? What would you change? And what advice do you have on this issue?

What is Employee-Level Empathy and What Can Your Company Do to Achieve it

What is Employee-Level Empathy and What Can Your Company Do to Achieve it The importance of empathy within a business context is an emerging trend. So much so, the Harvard Business Review shared the Empathy Index for businesses, which attempts to determine how empathetic your company is and whether empathy levels affect commercial success. So what do we mean by empathy at work? Empathy is the ability to experience and relate to the emotions or experiences of others. Empathy is the ability to step into someone else’s shoes, be aware of their feelings and understand their needs. In the workplace, empathy is about showing respect for employees and co-workers. It is about a company’s managers showing that they care about their employees as human beings, recognizing they have lives outside of work. In our one-on-one conversations with exceptional professionals, empathy was one of the most talked about topics. A phrase that kept coming up was “profits over people.” Employees are very sensitive to this notion. Either you are people first or you are profit first. The challenge is that sometimes a company or an employer brand says they are people first, but the company’s actions and communications say otherwise. There is no greater intelligence than kindness and empathy. Most corporate missions and values speak to how the company will work to ensure the full satisfaction of its customers, but they have failed to realize that it starts with the workforce.   Rita Kandamkalam, Media Professional Corporate versus employee Employees talk about two different types of empathy at work corporate empathy and employee empathy. Corporate empathy is how the company shows compassion for outside initiatives such as social causes, volunteer programs and environmental conservation. Most companies are aware that having a social cause is important to employees.   I say, pick a volunteer position, a mentorship, a charity or a cause that you feel passionate about and give it as much time as you can. Even if it’s 3 hours a week, that’s 156 hours of your help by the end of the year!    Lisa McCann, The Engine is Red. But what about the employees everyday experiences at work?  While employees appreciate and expect corporate causes, they also desire a spirit of empathy inside the work environment from the top down. This means that the leaders of the organization need to manage and lead through a lens of empathy, where the employee’s well-being and concerns are taken into account during the decision-making process. If I could fix the corporate world, I would start with putting people in leadership who are less interested in huge salaries and bonuses and are more interested in creating a culture of true respect and harmony, open and honest communication, healthy and engaging conflict, and ultimately with the understanding that without their people, the company wouldn’t be what it is. Irina Dzubinsky, Tech professional How to create an empathetic culture A critical aspect of developing an empathetic culture is for managers to have a clear understanding of the mandate and consistently lead by example. An empathetic culture must come from the top down for it to successfully spread throughout the entire organization. Re-evaluate your internal communications strategies to ensure there is an empathy lens on every message, especially on issues around profits, employee programs and corporate policies.   An empathetic corporate culture is not easy to achieve overnight. It takes time and a cultural commitment . Spend time learning about the concerns and needs of employees. Managers should set a tone and find a balance between people and profits. When managers take others’ feelings and opinions into account throughout the workday, they build a deeper connection with their colleagues. This leads to stronger loyalty and trust, which are the building blocks for improved retention and employee advocacy.   Not to mention, empathy usually leads to business success. Assume the best in others. Know what makes them tick. Serve their needs. Accept responsibility. Assume the best intentions Doug Heckman, sales professional. About the author: Jonas Fischer is co-founder of PeerCulture, a place where exceptional employees share their stories to help employers learn and evolve.

How do IT Professionals Keep up with the Constantly Changing Tech Industry CareerMetis.com

How do IT Professionals Keep up with the Constantly Changing Tech Industry Source â€" DepositPhotos.comTechnology is changing at a rapid speed, unlike any other industry. IT specialists have to put a lot of effort into staying updated, which seems to be close to impossible. How do you keep up when new technologies and solutions emerge every month, if not every day?IT professionals have outstanding, above-average analytical skills. They know better than anyone that staying up to date with technology advancement and refreshing their knowledge are inseparable elements of this career path. It can be daunting at first, but doable, and we will show you how.How is the tech industry changing?We have seen a lot of changes in the technology industry over the past few years. It wasn’t always like that. Before we even came up with the term ‘technology’ all the big changes in the world were happening at a very slow pace â€" one major invention per century. Every other invention was either a completely new idea or an improvement of the old one.evalThings started to gain technological speed with the invention of the Internet â€" this is when IT discipline emerged and shaped the future we know today. But who would have thought the tech advancement will progress at such a fast pace? In 1971 the first microprocessor was developed and since then its performance has doubled every two years. Today, we are living in a digital age and cannot survive without technology.It is difficult for ordinary people to follow this constant change, not to mention IT professionals whose lives depend on it. We no longer add a constant factor to it, but rather multiply each year by this constant factor. It is estimated that in 10-20 years we will jump from one unit to the next one that is 1000 times larger.With this rapid technological progress, three paradoxical effects are taking place. Techniques are not advancing at the same speed causing software technologies to fall into gaps, which further leads to frequent changes of techniques in systems. Therefore, the need for modularity emerged.Another effect of rapid progress in the tech industry is an incremental development of new solutions. This means innovations are being presented on a daily basis, and there’s no big improvement between the last version and the new oneâ€" more minor changes in lesser time.Finally, every solution will be tested in a digital world, which can sometimes be tricky. One thing is certain though, nothing will ever remain equal as technologies are constantly changing, making it harder and harder for IT professionals to keep up.Why is technology advancing so fast?Change is a never-ending process. One advancement will always lead to another one. The technology industry is very specific in terms of constant change as the possibilities are literally limitless.There are various reasons why the tech industry is changing so fast. A growing number of solutions are switching to the digital world. It started a while ago but is advancing at a rapid speed. Moving away from the ph ysical has become a norm. Online shopping, cloud technology, ebooks, digital money, smart homes you name it. Companies and customers see it as a more convenient option.evalEvery year brings new technologies, products, solutions. It is hard to keep up, and even harder to decide on the one you want to use or purchase. There is a big competition out there and you cannot rest on your laurels and do nothing. Kick-start strategic thinking and planning.Ways to Keep Up with the Tech IndustryTech industry is very specific. People working in this sector say that the only constant thing about their job is a constant change. Knowing how to keep up with the tech industry is essential not only to stay in the business but also to accelerate your career. We have gathered 9 ideas for you to add to your schedule.1) Read Relevant PublicationsevalWe all have heard that CEOs read a lot in order to be the best at what they do. IT specialists should take this advice seriously and subscribe to several trad e publications, industry magazines, blogs. They always feature IT-relevant news that every professional may find useful.This is one of the cheapest ways to be updated on new software, tools, solutions. There are many websites where you can subscribe to gain access to online publications, such as Mercury Magazinesor TradePub. All you need to do is fill out a qualification form.evalAnother way of keeping up with new trends is to read industry blogs. These are more likely to publish relevant information more frequently than magazines, and there are plenty of them available for free, which is highly beneficial if you are a beginner. A good practice is to start with authority blogs from industry giants such as Microsoft, Google or Adobe.2) Follow IT Professionals on Social MediaReading online magazines and blogs is one way of keeping up with the tech industry, but looking up to IT mentors and following their strategies and solutions is another one. It is beneficial not only in terms of b eing updated with new trends but also in terms of networking.You may also want to follow certain hashtagsrelated to your field and join groups on LinkedIn in order to learn more and meet other specialists. Seeking guidance is always recommended, so do not hesitate to ask questions. You can also refer to forums, FAQ sections, case studies where a variety of topics is covered.3) Attend TrainingWith today’s fast-moving technology, attending training and various courses is essential, not to mention such a certificate opens more doors for you. You can choose from free to paid courses available online. The most popular platforms offering training are Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn.The best and most convenient option is online courses, but do not underestimate training organized at local schools and universities. These can help you build grounds of a certain topic and being physically present means getting to know other professionals.4) Enable Google AlertsWhat can keep you notified on a daily basis better than simple alerts? Google is an extremely useful tool when it comes to notifications, and it is straightforward to set up. All you need to do is log in and search for any IT news. At the bottom of the results page, you will find a message saying ‘Create an email alert for …’.You then add the type of the results, such as ‘News’, choose how often you want the alerts to be delivered, how many you wish to receive and click the red button to confirm. You can always manage your alerts or add new ones. This useful tool will help you stay updated on current trends, new products, solutions, basically anything you need to know about the IT sector.eval5) Attend Conferences and Trade ShowsTrade shows may be one of the best opportunities to learn the latest trends from the tech industry. Such events usually hold a number of IT pros who share their knowledge and discoveries in the form of a speech or a presentation.Conferences are also great to network with other spe cialists, ask them questions, discuss various topics, find out how they solve problems, etc. You can find a list of trade shows and conferences online through professional associations. You do not always need to be a member, but being one can offer you discounts, so you should consider it.6) Get CertifiedevalA lot of IT specialists are against getting certifications as those quickly become outdated, usually within three years. New technologies and products emerge, and your qualifications become irrelevant. Many companies, however, need you to have a certificate as it is a confirmation that you have acquired all the necessary knowledge and mastered your skills.There is a list of best certificates you should consider getting in 2019.IT supportexperts from Morgan systemsstate that “computer viruses, like human viruses, evolve into increasingly sophisticated threats”, therefore a certificate of cybersecurity sounds like a good idea. Other fields you may be interested in are related to cloud computing, virtual storage, and virtualization. Add those to your list and you can be sure your career will accelerate.7) Listen to PodcastsIf you are not a fan of reading 9) Get Updates on New Product ReleasesOne part of an IT specialists’ job is to use the software. You cannot stick to one or two, as new products are being launched every single day. Keep up with the ones you already use and make sure you are notified when the new ones emerge.FINAL THOUGHTSKeeping up with the constantly changing tech industry does not have to mean a huge investment. While some ways we mentioned need to be paid for, most of them only require a little of your effort. Use your spare time to plan and schedule this process; it has become a routine. After all, you want to be in this business for a while, so keep learning to be earning.