Month: April 2020

Your office desk is often a reflection of your personality and habits. Some workspaces are sparse and orderly. Others are colorful and highly personalized. Then there are those cubicles that are so cluttered, you wonder how any work can get done there. Organize your desk? Bring in a forklift!

Regardless of your preferences or inclinations, your workstation should be set up for the best time management, productivity and, yes, comfort. After all, whether you work in a cubicle or a private office, you may spend more time at your desk than you do in your own bed.If you’re frequently overwhelmed by disorderly files, stacks of paperwork and general disarray, what better time than now is there to do something about it.

Triage your stuff

Your physical desktop is prime real estate, and you probably don’t need half the stuff that’s taking up valuable space. Here’s a method for culling your things: On Monday morning, remove nonessential items from your desktop and put them on the floor. As you get busy working, put back on your desk only what you need for completing each task. At the end of the week, find a new home for anything still on the floor — a drawer, supply closet or even the recycling bin.

Go with your workflow

Many people have a left-to-right tendency. This means incoming items — telephone, inbox, computer, other devices — on the left, a clear workspace in the middle, and outgoing items such as staplers and completed paperwork on the right. The best way to organize your desk depends on how you operate. Experiment with various arrangements until you find one that feels natural and streamlined for you.

Save the space

When you need to sign or spread out paperwork but don’t have empty space, your stress level can increase. Designate a section of your desk as a no-parking zone, and get into the habit of not letting things sit there while you aren’t working on them. This clean-up tip may require you to think vertically, such as getting a wall shelf and using it to house non-essential files and other items.

Reduce visual clutter

Even if the desktop itself is orderly, you may not be as efficient as you want to be if there are too many things competing for your attention. For example, some workers love sticky notes, putting them on their desks and around their computer monitors. One or two are fine. But when you have too many, they become a distraction and make it hard to concentrate on what’s truly important.

Add a personal touch

Though clean, your workspace need not be sterile. Marie Kondo, author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” is a fan of items that give people joy. Put a few meaningful objects — photos, cartoons, inspirational quotes or a favorite action figurine — on your wall, bulletin board or desktop. But keep them to a minimum, or else your desk will look too messy and possibly unprofessional.

Go digital

Paper is still the biggest culprit of cluttered workspaces. If you haven’t done so already, migrate your calendar, to-do list and memo pad to your computer — and sync them with your smartphone for greater accessibility and utility. The beauty of digital productivity tools is that they come with notification options, so you can set up alerts for meetings, appointments and tasks.

Check under your desk

Don’t underestimate the importance of leg room. All those cords and cables under your desk don’t just contribute to the mayhem — they’re also a safety hazard. Use Velcro wraps and cord tamers to prevent tangles and give your feet more wiggle room. And if you’re using the floor to store stacks of files, move them to a filing cabinet or, better yet, digitize them and shred the papers.

Wipe it down

Keep a few supplies handy and get into the habit of giving your desk, keyboard, monitor and phone regular cleanings. Sitting down to a fresh-smelling, dust-free work area improves your mood and boosts your productivity.

An organized workspace is not a magical time saver, but it helps you get more done, because you know where everything is, aren’t overwhelmed by visual distraction and can focus on the task at hand. Plus, an organized desk helps create positive mental energy that can spread to your enthusiasm for your daily duties.

With the current need to work and socialize remotely, online events and conferences are popping up everywhere. With so many of us used to networking and learning at professional events in person, transitioning to remote events may be tricky — and may seem less productive.How can you make connections with people through a webinar platform? How can you prioritize a virtual event that competes with meetings, emails and urgent projects? Once you learn how to do it right, attending an online event can be just as valuable as in-person professional development training or a networking opportunity.

You’re likely very familiar with webinars and online learning courses, which allow you to join presentations and educational sessions from anywhere, often for free. Now more professional conferences are moving online and becoming more sophisticated and engaging. Depending on the conference platform, you can log in to a portal (or a lobby), find online networking rooms, visit a virtual exhibit hall, and attend numerous professional development and informational sessions all from the comfort of your computer.

Block your time

Block off time before and after an event so you won’t need to rush from one appointment to the next, and you’ll have time to browse the event’s features and network with attendees. If the event or conference runs all day, block your calendar for the full time. It’s also a good idea to let your manager and team know that you’re treating this as an in-person conference and set up an out-of-office message, asking a colleague to be your backup contact. And if an urgent, unavoidable project or meeting does come up, plan to watch recordings of the session on-demand so you don’t completely miss out.

Explore the opportunity

Before attending a virtual event or online conference, learn about all they have to offer. Many of these conferences will provide a variety of content opportunities, like keynote presentations, workshops, panel conversations or open Q&A forums for attendees. Distinguish between programs you’d like to attend live to engage with the presenter and attendees and those you can watch on-demand at a later time. Can you get continuing professional education (CPE) credits from any of these sessions? Are the slides or other materials available before or after the presentation? Find out as much as you can so you can prepare ahead of time.

Engage with the content

It can be difficult to pay attention to someone talking indirectly to you through a screen, while you’re sitting at your desk and messages are flying into your inbox. To help you connect with the content and practice good conference call etiquette, turn off email notifications and put your phone on silent to avoid distractions. Take notes and participate in the discussion by asking questions during the Q&A or sharing challenges or experiences in the larger group chat. You could also ask one or two colleagues if they’d like to join you for a 15-minute debrief after the presentation to discuss key points and takeaways.

If the event has a virtual exhibit hall or trade show, dedicate some time to browse through it. Companies exhibiting at the virtual booths offer an array of content, including videos, surveys, documents, website links and sometimes even prizes and games. Depending on the platform, you can also chat one-on-one with a live representative, which is a great networking opportunity (and segues into our next tip).

​​​​​​​4. Network with attendees

You may not believe it, but it can be just as easy to network at online events as it is at in-person events. You can’t make comments to the person sitting next to you at a keynote presentation, but you can directly message someone who asked a particularly interesting question during a webinar or Q&A forum or set up meetings with them in a virtual breakout room.

If the conference or webinar platform doesn’t provide these built-in networking capabilities, take note of a potential contact’s name and follow up with them on LinkedIn. You now have something in common with people attending the online event, so it should be easy to make a connection.

​​​​​​​Determine your takeaways

After you attend an online or virtual event, think about how it can benefit your career or business. What leadership advice from the speaker can you incorporate into your management style? How can you apply new industry strategies to your current business challenges? If you think your team or colleagues would also benefit from anything you’ve learned, ask them if they’d like to receive an email with detailed notes.

Time set aside for professional development is always time well spent, whether in-person or virtual. Now you’ll know how to approach online conferences and take full advantage of the educational and networking opportunities there.

Many of today’s creative professionals face an interesting dilemma. They’d like to work from home more frequently but, at the same time, prefer to communicate with their teammates during in-person meetings. Talk about trying to be in two places at once.

Of course, creative pros can do both: embrace remote work and place a premium on in-person interaction with their teammates. Being in two places at once can be simulated if you’re willing to substitute “in-person” for face-to-face interaction via video conferencing. To make the most of virtual meet-up time, creative professionals — and especially leaders — must master one crucial skill: knowing how to run a meeting effectively.

Employees surveyed in our research said that 25 percent of the time spent in meetings is wasted time. Just think what you and your creative teammates could accomplish if you got back just some of that time each month? Or, at the very least, imagine the progress you’d make if you turned pointless meetings into highly productive ones? You can put an end to this wasted time for good simply by learning how to run a meeting.

How to run a meeting with a clear purpose

Before you even schedule a meeting, determine why you need to get together in the first place. For instance, should you convene to make a critical group decision? Do you feel it’s necessary to have a team brainstorm? Do you want to present and discuss a new business strategy or direction? Or are you just holding the meeting because it’s what you do every Wednesday at 10 a.m.?

Learning how to run a meeting effectively starts with identifying if there’s an actual need for the meeting. More than likely, you’ll find that some of the tasks you want to accomplish can be handled via email or a chat tool.

That said, sometimes there is simply no substitute for in-person communication and collaboration among creative team members. And if you rely on tech too often to conduct your creative meetings, you risk numbing or dialing down human interaction, which is essential to the creative process.

Preserving the human connection, to the extent possible, in everything creative teams do — including meetings — can have a positive impact on design. “The soft power of influence, for example, is a really powerful way to move people in design. You can pull people into the experience,” Designers are at risk of losing touch with those “human factors” if they reduce their own person-to-person interaction in the workplace.

Sort the logistics

Once you decide a meeting is in order, the next step is to think about the amount of time you need and the right people to invite. Each participant should either have valuable input to offer or a stake in the outcome of the discussion. And after you decide all that, you need to pick the format.

The meeting format will depend on the topic to be discussed, the number of participants, the location of those participants and any timing sensitivities. If you want your telecommuters or remote freelancers to be physically present, be sure to give them ample notice. And if it’s too difficult for far-flung team members to make it to your meeting, make sure their virtual participation is as seamless as possible.

Check your tech and secure your space

If you’re hosting a meeting via video or conference call, make sure you know how to use all the tools. If you have any doubt about the technical requirements, ask for help in advance. There’s nothing worse than a meeting that goes awry due to a technical hiccup.

And don’t forget to provide participants dial-in or connection information in advance of the meeting. Also, remind remote attendees to test their own video and audio connections prior to the call.

Another tip: If you’re getting together with your team in person, be sure to reserve a meeting space that’s suitable for the number of attendees (and comfortable enough for the duration of the gathering).

Create and circulate a meeting agenda

Part of knowing how to run a meeting is recognizing the importance of the meeting agenda. You need to convey the purpose and format of the get-together in the invitation to your team.

Sending out a brief but clear agenda and any supporting materials in advance is a win-win. You’re setting expectations, while also giving people adequate time to prepare. That will make for a more focused and efficient gathering.

Mind the clock 

Another step in the process of learning how to run a meeting effectively is to improve your time management skills. Starting and ending your creative team meetings on schedule demonstrates respect for attendees’ valuable time and makes for a more productive gathering. While a little side chatter is normal, don’t be afraid to tactfully rein in tangential conversations if they’re eating up valuable minutes.

Help ensure that meetings start on time by sending a reminder the day prior to your meeting, or set your calendar invite to automatically remind those who will be attending. That will give everyone the chance to reconfirm that they’ll be attending as well — or let you know if they might arrive a little late.

It’s also crucial for creative leaders to set a good example for meeting etiquette. For instance, putting your phone, or anything else that could distract you, away speaks volumes to the participants. It will also encourage them to do the same, so everyone is fully focused on the meeting.

Encourage participation — from everyone

Be as inclusive as possible during your meeting. It’s important to get the views and thoughts of many participants — not just your most opinionated creatives.

Also, provide opportunities for less-outspoken team members to contribute to the conversation. They often have innovative ideas but might not be inclined to jump into discussions without prompting. And be prepared to ask individual participants directly for their input.

Creative leaders should be willing to be inspired by great ideas coming from any team member because it can inform their own work — and help them maintain a fresh outlook on projects. “I am always learning from my team, including while I am teaching them,”. “I think it’s important for creative leaders, no matter how experienced they are, to constantly remind themselves to keep learning. Why? Because that’s what helps them stay relevant.”

Encouraging team members to speak up and share their ideas can also help them to refine their soft skills, which are important for long-term career success.

“The term ‘soft skills’ makes it sound as if those skills aren’t valuable,” “But they have incredible value. Effective collaboration and communication are so important for moving people around an idea or a certain initiative or strategy. Also, the courage and strength to speak up and share ideas, and really explore those ideas, are important to the actual day-to-day part of making things — more so than any technology you might use in the process. A creative team needs strong communicators, influencers and discerners to move an idea or project forward.”

Don’t fail to follow up

Sharing a recap of the creative team meeting and action items, even if it’s just a quick email with bullet points, is incredibly valuable. A thorough, well-organized recap is an effective way of reinforcing the outcome of the meeting and what’s needed to move that outcome forward.

Capturing ideas and to-do lists helps prevent misunderstandings and holds people accountable for their action items. Your busy colleagues will appreciate this extra effort more than you know.

Knowing how to run a meeting helps to ensure team productivity. So many creative professionals today want to work remotely. And creative organizations increasingly find they must tap talent from far and wide for their projects. Both trends make getting together for meetings more complicated. So, it only makes good business sense to never waste a moment of meeting time with your teammates, whether you’re sitting at the same table, or communicating through video.

You have the abilities, attributes and experience to wow any hiring manager on paper and in person — except for that one time you were fired. What to do?

When the rest of your resume is impressive, it’s frustrating to know that a gap in your employment history might jump off the page and leave doubts in the minds of many hiring managers. While you don’t want to hide — or worse, lie about — such a blemish, you may be able to turn this negative into a positive. A little preparation and attention to detail can go a long way. Here are some tips on how to get a job after being fired.

Shake up your resume

The best way to write a resume that compensates for an employment gap is to use a hybrid format that lists your relevant skills, experience and other qualifications first. Then detail your employment history in reverse chronological order. When you list your strong points first, there’s a better chance that hiring managers will be impressed enough to want to talk with you despite the gap.

You might also consider including work-related activities you participated in while you were unemployed — perhaps taking online classes or volunteer positions at local nonprofits. Treat these as you would any other position: Note the dates and list your responsibilities.

The same goes for your cover letter. Describe your volunteer work or coursework as things that make you a good fit for this opening, just like relevant work experience. The point is to show that you used the time to do something productive that enhanced your qualifications for the position.

No matter what you do, though, don’t go out of your way to explain gaps in your employment history at this stage. Save that for the interview, as it’s always easier to explain these kinds of situations face-to-face.

Have your answer ready

If you’re called in for an interview, you can pretty much guarantee the hiring manager will ask about your employment gaps. Be prepared with a strong response.

First off, it’s important to be honest. If you provide a less-than-truthful reason for leaving your job and get an offer, the employer could easily get the information about your termination while performing reference checks to verify your background, and that could cause the company to withdraw the offer.

Second, keep your initial answer short and succinct. If you ramble and overexplain the situation, the hiring manager might wonder whether you’re covering something up. The best response is a simple, direct one, such as, “Unfortunately, the company terminated me.”

Third, explain briefly the circumstances, what you learned from the experience, and how you’ve grown in the aftermath or made changes in your life to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. For example, if you were fired for performance issues, explain that you may not have had a full grasp of the company’s expectations for the position, then describe how you’ve developed and honed the areas where you were weaker — especially if they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for.

And be very careful that you don’t badmouth the manager or company that fired you. It never helps. Presenting yourself as a positive, accountable person who learns from setbacks is a key part of understanding how to get a job after being fired.

Ask for recommendations

Your boss may have fired you, but there are probably other former colleagues who would speak to the many professional skills or positive attributes you have to offer. Ask former coworkers for LinkedIn recommendations or to serve as references as you look for a new job, as long as you left those relationships on positive terms. 

Having a recommendation or two from former colleagues can demonstrate to future employers that your work was valued by those other than the individual who terminated your employment. Just keep in mind that some companies don’t allow employees to offer recommendations for legal reasons. 

Addressing other work history blemishes

Getting fired from a previous job isn’t the only work-history issue that can be challenging to describe in a cover letter, resume and interview. Other hiccups can be explained to a potential new employer just as easily.

Job hopping — Employers have traditionally considered holding too many different positions as a sign of career instability. The good news is that attitudes are changing. In a survey, 58 percent of respondents felt that job hopping could be beneficial to their careers, especially if it helped them gain new skills. Be sure to highlight the growth opportunities you found by switching jobs, and avoid comments like, “I was offered more money.” It might make the hiring manager believe that you’d leave any position for better wages.

Sticking around too long — Having the same job for many years shows some desirable traits, like dependability, loyalty and consistency. However, it might also cause a hiring manager to think you resist change. If this is your issue, use the cover letter, resume and interview to describe how you grew in your role. For example, if you were an executive assistant for 15 years, perhaps you gained more supervisory responsibilities over the years, starting with one employee and eventually managing six, which allowed you to develop managerial skills and a deep network.

Don’t be intimidated by work history blemishes. Thoughtful answers that demonstrate your growth, development and willingness to accept responsibility may actually work in your favor and help you get a new job after being fired.  

Payroll specialists take leaves of absence for various reasons — raising young children, caring for aging parents or going back to school, for example. If you’re one of many professionals who has taken such an off-ramp, it’s natural to have questions and even some anxiety about getting back to work and into the swing of a full-time job — not to mention finding new employment.

The good news is that, unlike a decade ago, the job market for payroll professionals has been thriving the last few years and shows no signs of stopping. Demand is still high as companies grow and seek more skilled employees to administer payroll, handle reimbursements and withholdings, generate reports, and help maintain compliance.

At the same time, it’s normal to feel hesitant about diving back in. Is your skill set out of date? How do you talk with potential employers about your time away? Does anyone even want to hire you when you’ve been out of the game? These seven tips can help you successfully get back to work and restart your payroll career:

Rediscover the requirements for payroll jobs

If you’ve been away for a year or more, be prepared for significant shifts in accounting technology when you return to work. The essentials of the position remain more or less the same, but the tools are continually upgraded. Cloud-based platforms are the norm now, including QuickBooks, ADP, Paylocity and Workday. Excel still reigns for spreadsheets, although many companies have moved away from desktop versions and use cloud-based Office 365. To see what other new software employers are using, peruse job postings. Then study up so you can talk about them in an informed manner.

Get up to speed on legislation

Tax codes and payroll-related compliance requirements change every year. Catch up by reading trade magazines, industry blogs and payroll newsletters. If you’ve let your membership in a professional associations lapse, rejoin so you can access their informative articles, webinars, courses and conferences.

Take advantage of LinkedIn

Reconnect with former colleagues and letting them know you’re re-entering job market. Be sure to update your social media profile and work history. As you re-establish relationships, ask trusted acquaintances for endorsements and recommendations. Boost your reputation by joining groups and participating in online discussions. The more visible you are, the easier it is for recruiters and prospective employers to find you.

Revamp your resume

If it’s been a long time since you’ve been working, you may wonder what your accounting resume should look like. Make sure it’s is written for applicant tracking systems (ATS) as well as human readers. This means rather than having one generic resume, you need to customize it for each position. Scan the job post for keywords and use them organically in your application materials to maximize search-friendly language and terminology. For example, “payroll hotshot” doesn’t mean much to talent management software, but “ADP specialist” and “multi-state and Canada experience” does.

Include non-paid work experience

Some hiring managers see gaps in employment history as a red flag. To lessen that kind of impact over an extended leave of absence, list volunteer work that shines a spotlight on your accounting skills, organizational abilities or leadership traits. These could include heading up a community fundraiser or serving as treasurer for a parent-teacher organization.

Focus on your added value

Prospective employers don’t want a long-winded justification about why you off-ramped. They want to know that you can handle the demands of the job. So whether you’re writing a cover letter or interviewing for a position, address your time away head-on — but don’t dwell on it. Keep the focus on how you’ve stayed active professionally, how you’ve kept current with regulations and industry software, and why you’re the best person for the job.

Go back to work gradually

Consider easing back into the workforce with temporary or part-time jobs. Besides offering greater flexibility, working as a temp allows you to re-acclimate after a long hiatus.

Let’s say you were a payroll administrator but quit your job five years ago to raise a child. To ramp back up, you could accept a few short-term assignments through a specialized staffing agency like us. This approach allows you to learn the latest software and get up to speed on legislation, all while sampling various industries. What’s more, a significant percentage of contract work results in an offer for full-time employment.

The bottom line is that if you take the time to do ample research, upgrade your resume and spruce up your social media presence, you’ll clear most obstacles to your transition back to work. Then you can get ready for the next chapter in your payroll career.

The cover letter is a tool to help introduce yourself in a memorable, personal way during a job application.

A well-crafted cover letter goes over information on your resume and expands this information for the reader, taking them on a guided journey of some of your greatest career and life achievements.

When starting to write any cover letter, it is always best to plan the content of your letter based on the requirements of the job you’re applying for.

This guide will cover: the essential elements of a successful cover letter, how to write a unique cover letter, what to include in cover letters, what not to include and how you should submit your cover letter.

What is a Cover Letter?

Your resume is intended to lay out the facts, but your cover letter is meant to convey more personality. The cover letter is your first introduction to the person who may hire you, and its goal should be to make you as memorable as possible, in a good way.

That means writing a unique cover letter for every job you apply to. No templates. No pre-written nonsense. The format of your cover letter should also match the company and the industry you’re applying to. 

There is no “official format” for your cover letter or the information you include in it, but your cover letter should be visually organized, and orderly in its presentation of information.

Successful cover letters go something like this:

1. Memorable introduction
   
2. Specific, organized examples of relevant work done and problems solved
   
3. Concise conclusion with a call to action
   

The rest is up to you. As we’ll go over in the next section, “What to Include in Your Cover Letter,” successful cover letters prove that you are qualified for the job by telling stories that demonstrate your skills and experience.

What to Include in Your Cover Letter?

You shouldn’t try to fit your whole career and life into the space of a cover letter.

Your cover letter should be a carefully curated selection of stories from your career that gives the reader a clear idea of who you are and how you can add value to their company.

The Society for Human Resources surveyed organizations on resumes, cover letters, and interviews and found the top three things that must be included in a cover letter are:

• How a candidate’s work experience meets job requirements.
  
• How a candidate’s skills meet job requirements.
  
• Why a candidate wants to work at the organization.
  

Your cover letter needs to provide this information and leave the reader convinced that you are the right person for the job.

To accomplish this, you should be using the requirements of the job to dictate the content of your cover letter and following these best practices.

Show how you can solve specific problems

Saying you’re a ‘problem-solver’ is about as helpful as explaining your preference for chocolate croissants over regular croissants. Don’t tell them about your amazing problem-solving skills. Explain the details of a particular problem you were key in solving and how exactly you employed your skills to solve it. Better yet, if you know the company has a particular problem you could help solve, outline how you can help solve it.

Pick an appropriate voice and tone

You should write like yourself, but you should also pick the appropriate voice and tone for the company you’re applying to.

Researching the company will help dictate the tone you want to use, which may differ greatly, depending on where you apply. For example, the tone of your letter for a legal consulting firm will likely differ from a tech startup.

Tell your story

Telling stories from your career is a great way to demonstrate your skills and give hiring managers some insight into your personality and work style.

When looking for the right stories to tell, always look to the requirements for the position in the job description.

It is also helpful to research the company further online to get a sense for the company’s culture. Before drafting your cover letter, compare your skills with the requirements for the position.

It can be helpful to use Venn diagrams to brainstorm and find what competencies you want to highlight and what specific experiences you want to share. After you create this diagram and identify what falls into both circles, overlapping subjects will direct and inspire the content of your cover letter.

Let’s say you’re applying for a marketing director position. Among other aspects in the description, the job requires several years of marketing experience, a deep knowledge of lead generation, and strong communication skills. Describe how, in your previous role as a marketing manager, you ran several campaigns for your clients and exceeded their expectations of lead generation (with specific numbers, if possible), and how you also trained and mentored new associates on how to manage their own accounts, which improved client retention rates.

Your anecdote is accomplishing a lot at once—it’s demonstrating one of your top hard skills, lead nurturing, and showcasing how you can collaborate with trainees, communicate effectively, and educate new employees on processes and client relations. You’re proving that you can meet the communication standards and marketing knowledge they’re seeking.

Honesty is the only policy

Dishonesty on your cover letter isn’t in your best interest.

Implying or stating that you have a skill that you don’t actually have will come back to bite you upon being asked to use that skill in the interview or on the job.

Don’t sound like everyone else

“Hi, I’m ___. I’m a detail-oriented, multi-tasking, natural-born leader and I am perfect for your company.”

Hiring managers are going to read the same basic cover letter repeatedly, and you don’t want to be the last template email the hiring manager discounts before lunch. Adding a little word variation helps you stand out against other applicants.

Instead of describing yourself as creative, try imaginative. You’re inventive, not innovative. You’re not determined, you’re tenacious. These word variations at least show that you can think beyond what the average applicant is willing to do.

End with a call to action 

End your letter with a reason for them to contact you. But don’t add remarks like, “I’ll call to schedule an interview.” This doesn’t make you a go-getter, it crosses a boundary.

Instead, let the call to action be polite and open ended, suggesting that you are excited to offer more information and that you’re looking forward to talking with them.  

Proof your cover letter

Always proofread your cover letter for errors and have friends and family read through the cover letter.

How to Make Your Cover Letter Unique?

When thinking about how to make your cover letter unique, keep the following statements in mind:

• You should make your cover letter unique and show the reader who you are as an individual.
  
• You should include experience and skills that relate directly to the job posting.
  

These might sound like opposing statements, but they’re equally important for writing a successful cover letter.

Your cover letter needs to be highly related to the job you’re applying to, but the way that you prove your qualifications should show who you are as an individual.   

Tell a compelling story

Everyone loves a good story, and recruiters and hiring managers are no exception. Telling compelling stories from your career will make your cover letter unique and memorable for whoever reads it.

Just be sure that the stories you choose demonstrate proficiency with the skills, tools and concepts that are required by the job you’re applying for.

What makes this company your go-to choice? Why is this company special to you? Perhaps you’re attracted to the workplace culture, or perhaps you’ve always admired the business philosophy that the company lives by.

Address the recruiter or hiring manager by name

Now it’s fine to just use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” when addressing the recruiter. In fact, I can tell you from experience that most people use precisely these words. However, I can also tell you that most people don’t get the job. If you want to make a strong impression, then take the time to find out who you’re addressing. 

You may have to make a few phone calls or try several searches before you find the right name, but, the harder they are to find, the less likely other applicants are to do it and the more impressed they will be with you. 

Give your cover letter a unique visual format

A unique visual format for your cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates in a positive way. Just be sure that the unique format you use is appropriate for the company you’re applying to and their industry. 

In addition to combating the physical aspects of COVID-19, many employers and employees still find themselves contending with a lot of work during the pandemic. This is exactly what The Headhunter Staff is doing right now!

Call us determined, highly energetic or even workaholics, but we are here and we are burning the candle in both ends just so we can help people find work and provide for their families during this crisis the world has been found in. Our staff is going the extra mile by finding and promoting job positions for people qualified in different areas of the labor market so they can have easy access to these job vacancies.

The Headhunter is on the front line to help people find jobs they have always dreamed for. These jobs are only one application submission away! Our staff is here to consult, orientate and light your path towards the right workplace for you. For us, nothing is more important than making our clients happy, this is why we are here to help you find the best nutrient there is for life, WORK!

As an old saying goes: “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” So even while dealing with the emotional repercussions of the pandemic, we are still here to help you find the perfect workplace and just like a crow seeking shiny bits of enlightenment, we are indiscriminately and continuously snatching job offers for you!

Asking your manager for a raise can be nerve-wracking, so much so, that some people wait for months or even years before asking for a raise they deserve.

The truth is, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise that reflects the hard work that you do, but there are some approaches and best practices that will always get better results than others.

How to Prepare

You should never ask for a raise without preparing for this conversation. No matter how good your relationship is with your manager, they will be expecting you to prove that you deserve the salary you’re asking for and won’t respond favorably if it seems like you did not prepare.

Before broaching the subject of a raise, always:

Build your Case: Look back to recent projects and periods of time where you went beyond what was expected and provided real value for your company. Always use specific performance data when possible.  

Know your Worth: You should have a clear idea of the raise you should be asking for, by finding an objective figure to compare your current salary against.

When to Ask for a Raise

Picking the right time to ask for a raise is just as important for preparing for this discussion.

When picking a good time to ask for a raise, find out when your company’s fiscal budget planning takes place so you can be sure that you aren’t asking for the impossible.

A few great times to ask for a raise are:

Annual Performance Reviews: A natural time for this conversation may be at your annual performance review, when the topic of salary is not only timely, but often expected.

After Completing an Important Project: A great time to ask for a raise is after successfully completing an important project or showing excellent work.

When your Manager is Happy: Asking for a raise during of a stressful or hectic period will guarantee that your manager is short on time and patience. Wait to ask for a raise until the dust has settled and you have, once again, proven your worth.

What to Say to Get a Raise

After preparing your evidence for why you deserve a raise and choosing a good time to talk to your manager, it’s important to think about what you’re going to say during your raise conversation.

You don’t need to have a strict script, but you do need to be clear and specific in your delivery and it helps to have a few phrases up your sleeve to help guide the conversation.

Be clear

An easy way to begin a raise discussion is to say something like: “As I’m looking forward to working and growing with the company, I’d love to discuss my salary.” Or “I’m interested in discussing my salary, is now an appropriate time?”

Be specific

Mention your desired salary number and specifically outline how you came to this conclusion. Also, be clear about when you’d like your new desired salary to be effective, and any other details that are pertinent to your desired compensation.

How to Act

The way you act during a raise conversation is just as important as the tone of voice you use, so be sure that you balance confidence, graciousness and enthusiasm for the work you do.  

Be confident

How is an employer going to feel comfortable giving you a raise if you’re unsure yourself?

Express gratitude

Expressing gratitude and appreciation for what you currently have at the company is a gracious and professional preface to an ask for more money.

Express enthusiasm

Sharing excitement for your future goals, and for the future goals of the company, is a way to show you’re invested in doing your job well.

How to Justify Your Raise

Justifying your desired salary will be accomplished with specific examples of work done well.

• Use specific, recent accomplishments and the value you’ve brought to the company as reasons for why you deserve the salary you’re proposing.
• Quantify your value with data and awards/accolades so you can demonstrate more tangibly how you’ve contributed to your company’s bottom line.
• Present the points for your justification for a raise in a logical, compelling way.
• Respond to questions from your manager about your raise logically and tactfully to further justify your request.

What to Expect

If you have chosen an appropriate time to ask for a raise and have built your case for a raise with specific evidence of your great work, you should expect your manager to give your proposal serious consideration.

You should also expect:

Questions: Expect some direct questions about the accomplishments you’re using to justify your raise, your plans for your future at the company, as well as the classic, “Why do you think you deserve this raise?”

Negotiation: You will probably have to negotiate on the specifics of the raise you are asking for.

Compromise: You may not be able to get the raise you want today, but a compromise will help you take a step in the right direction. Make sure that any promised or conditional future raises you discuss are documented in writing.

As our current job market is shifting and experiencing layoffs and companies are moving to remote work to combat the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), many are wondering, “How do I even search for a new job during this uncertain time?” In chaos, anxiety and uncertainty it’s normal to be discouraged from developing a strong job search. 

Although hiring has slowed down, companies are still actively recruiting and looking for strong new talent to problem solve and continue to be resilient in the face of adversity. While less hiring means a more competitive search, you can also leverage this time to stand out within your job search by being strategic, intentional and nimble to land a job that you’re passionate about. Remember that you have options. In addition to full-time employment opportunities, companies are hiring to fill project and contract-based positions. During this tumultuous time you have the opportunity to enhance your expertise, build your network and reflect on your next step professionally. Hiring during a crisis also means a quicker hiring process and cycle. 

We can’t, obviously, predict when this virus will subside and the job market will steady itself, but we can choose to adequately equip ourselves with information to gain job stability. Follow our tips for conducting a job search during uncertain times, to gain the confidence and clarity to move forward in your career. 

Create a timeline for your job search

If you are currently unemployed, it’s likely you feel a sense of urgency. If you truly need a job fast, consider your job search itself a full-time job. To keep your sanity, set a timeline for when you’d like to get a new role to level-set expectations while simultaneously benchmarking career goals. Instead of blindly applying, focus your efforts on leveraging your network to source additional opportunities and keep track of your progress.

Strengthen connections with your networks online

Tap into your networks that might include friends, professional mentors, and old colleagues to see if they know anyone hiring or organizations with open roles. Seek out like-minded professionals that you admire online to spark conversations about possible opportunities and virtual networking events and chats. Join professional groups online (Facebook and LinkedIn) to expand your job search and network. During this downtime, it’s the perfect opportunity to make new authentic connections and revive old ones. 

Identify and apply to growth industries and specializations

Now is the time to identify and apply to companies that have adapted well during the uncertainty and are also uniquely positioned to add value to our new normal environment. Most tech companies are equipped to transition their in-office roles to remote ones in efforts to keep things going as usual. Additionally, healthcare and manufacturing companies are also hiring rapidly as the demand for resources continues to spike due to COVID-19.

Revamp your resume and online profiles

Take the time to revamp your resume and online profiles to highlight your current career accomplishments, education, passions and skills. Lean into developing your brand to give employers a sense of your narrative and mission, which will differentiate you from many applicants. When applying for remote jobs, read the job description carefully to showcase the specific skills that match the job description.

Add to your professional toolkit by taking online courses

Use your free time to take online courses to expand your professional toolkit. It’s important to take advantage of the opportunity to bolster your qualifications by learning new skills. Having a few certifications under your belt will be helpful when applying for new roles. Given the current climate, several online learning companies have offered to share professional training and courses for free, like Coursera. 

Be flexible, and consider temporary opportunities

Consider gig work or freelance jobs to tide you over. If it’s your first time entering the realm of freelance, take stock of your top transferable skills and then search for opportunities to leverage these in a different capacity. Think of a passion or a potential side hustle that you haven’t tapped into yet. How can you spin that activity into a part-time job or freelance opportunity? Be agile enough to pivot as needed. 

Prepare to interview virtually, and start work as a remote employee

While we’re all social distancing, virtual interviewing will be our new normal, so be prepared. Dress appropriately, as though you’re heading into the company’s office,  control your environment and find a place that’s quiet, clutter-free and well-lit. Stay ahead of the curve by downloading video platforms like Zoom to ensure your interview goes over smoothly.

Be patient with slower processes

Try to be patient with yourself and employers. This is a tough time for us all and companies are experiencing challenges undergoing so much change in a short time. Recognize that processes will go slower than usual, given that companies are trying to adapt to our new normal. 

Sometimes, all it takes is an unfortunate turn of events for a company to go from thriving to struggling, and once that happens, layoffs are often inevitable.

Of course, the greatest victims of layoffs are none other than the folks whose jobs are eliminated. But being a layoff survivor, so to speak, isn’t exactly easy. After all, how are you supposed to go about your business as usual when each day brings another dose of bad news?

If your company is going through layoffs, it’s important to remain cool and levelheaded in the face of all that upheaval. Here are a few tricks that will help you do just that.

Focus on Your Day-to-Day Tasks

It’s easy enough to get distracted when your office is filled with closed-door meetings and rumors continuously abound. But you can ease some of your mental anguish by focusing your efforts on the things you need to get done each day. So dive into that research report, and hammer out your upcoming presentation as best as you can. The more time you spend thinking about your actual job, the less you’ll spend worrying about losing it.

Strategically Take on More Work 

The downside of working for a company going through layoffs is getting more work dumped on you as folks depart. The upside, however, is getting a real opportunity to buy yourself some job security. If you aim to take on new tasks that are crucial to your company’s operations, you’ll become more valuable, and your employer will have a harder time letting you go. So rather than waiting for other people’s work to land in your lap, volunteer for key tasks as they open up.

Boost Your Savings

The biggest problem with getting laid off is losing your income and not knowing when you’ll begin collecting a steady paycheck again. To help alleviate that concern, make an effort to sock away as much money as possible once your company starts letting people go. To achieve that goal, you’ll probably need to cut back on expenses or take on a side job to drum up some extra cash. But the more of a cushion you build, the less worrisome your loss of a paycheck will be. Incidentally, getting a second gig could be just the thing to buy yourself some additional peace of mind. This way, you know you have work to fall back on if you end up becoming a layoff victim yourself.

Network — But Only Outside Business Hours

When your company is going through layoffs and your role is precarious at best, the last thing you want to do is get caught tackling outside tasks during working hours. But when you’re not at your desk, you should make a point of reaching out to your various contacts and associates and seeing what openings might be available at their companies. If you manage to gather a number of leads, you’ll have options if the worst-case scenario at your company comes to be, so be sure to network as aggressively as you can.

Dealing with layoffs is never easy, so be kind to yourself during that period. Maybe you’ll end up hanging onto your job, or maybe you won’t. Just remember that there’s a world of opportunity out there, and if your company has become a sinking ship, getting let go may not be such a bad thing after all.