Careers Tips

Careers Tips

5 Unprofessional Things You Should Never Ever Say At Work

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The Bible tells us that our words have incredible power. You can use your tongue to bring blessings, curses, and life. Through words, you can hurt or heal. Your words can inform, educate, motivate, unite and can divide.

The same Bible, therefore, instructs us not to use foul or abusive language. Everything you say should be good, helpful and encouraging to others listening to you.

Whether or not you agree with it, our tongues can be the most challenging thing to control.  Sometimes they may leave us with great regret if we are not careful. The good news is you can control the words you speak!

Remember you spend most of your time at the workplace and it is best to remain professional always to maintain a good reputation. You can’t afford to lose friends at work just because of some simple words or phrases that come out of your mouth.

In this article, I have compiled a few things you should never say at work and how to avoid them.

1. ‘That is not my job’

There are times your colleague or boss will ask you to do something that’s completely not related to what you do. It has happened to me, so I know.

Sometimes you may feel it is not your responsibility and you resist doing it.

So how do you react when you know you can’t do it? Do you pull the “This is not my job” response? If you say this, you will not portray yourself as a team player.

Instead, you can say something like “I have not done this before but I will do it for you.”

This is a bit professional as it indicates your willingness to collaborate and embrace new challenges.

2. ‘You look pregnant’

This is absolutely weird. You may have developed great friendships with your colleague to a point where you are free to ask or discuss anything with them. But the rule is, keep personal space between you.

Asking questions like “Are you pregnant?” doesn’t sound cool. It’s intrusive and disrespectful, to say the least. Just never say or mention something like this.

If your colleague is in that state, it is upon them to tell you when they are comfortable to. If you are wrong, things get really uncomfortable.

3. ‘I’m sorry’

Making mistakes is natural. There are several ways you can be in the wrong at work without even realizing it.

And when it happens, acknowledge your faults and apologize. This, however, does not mean just saying sorry openly. There’s a professional way of doing it. Say something like: “Excuse me. I know this was wrong, and it would not happen again.”

4. ‘That’s impossible’

This is one of the negative statements that can greatly affect your productivity in life.

You have probably heard successful people say ‘Everything is possible’. This is 100% true but why do you think yours is impossible?

Even if you have tried almost all the possible solutions and you think you are now exhausted, remember there are more than 1001 other options to do it better.

You can communicate through your words what you can do to improve the situation. Say something like “Let’s discuss and find out what’s possible under these situations.”

5. ‘I’m too busy’

I am not saying you are not a busy person. I know you have several things to accomplish within a short time. Sometimes you are faced with limited time that you are unable to attend to others. However, you should not use this as an excuse to avoid offering assistance to others.

Saying something like “I’m too busy” makes others feel less important. As a professional, your aim is to build and maintain positive relations with others.

Always, learn to exercise empathy when addressing other people.

In the end, you will realize that these are just but a few common phrases that come up in our everyday conversations at work but the trick is to be conscious and aware of the language you use. Be observant in meetings, presentations, and arguments and in no time you will be communicating positively with confidence.

How To Write A Great Career Objective That Sells You In 7 Seconds

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How To Write A Great Career Objective That Sells You In 7 Seconds

A career objective is one of the sections that your CV must have in order to capture the recruiter’s attention.

The main purpose of a career objective is to show the employer who you are, your experience, strengths and educational qualifications.

“Ideally, your career objective should not be more than 6 sentences. Keep it specific, short, simple and clear,” says Margaret Komora, a Professional CV Writer at Corporate Staffing Services.

You need to ensure that it matches the position you are applying for and it highlights your skills in a way that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

Having a well done career objective will help you impress the employer which will in turn help you land an interview.

In this article, find out how to write a great career objective that sells you as the best candidate for the job.

5 Things To Include In Your Career Objective

1. Who you are

When writing about who you are, you need to highlight a key strength that describes you. For example, “I am a highly organized…,” I am a highly reliable…,” “A devoted, highly efficient….”

This should always appear in the opening line of the career objective.

2. What do you do?

The next step is to talk about your profession. What are you currently practicing? What’s your background?

E.g. “I am a highly devoted Procurement Professional with a background in…”

Ensure that your profession matches the job you are applying for.

3. What are you good at?

It’s not enough to say that you are a devoted sales executive. You must explain to the employer which skills you have acquired along the way that makes you an expert in the profession.

Every employer will be keen to see what your skills are. What exactly can you do and how can you be of value to their company? Express that in the career objective.

For example, “I have acquired significant skills in procurement and sourcing, negotiation, supply planning and inventory management.

4. What Are Your Key achievements?

Your career objective should show the potential employer your achievements in similar position(s) that you have held before. This is what will sell you to an employer.

Employers want to know that you were a key factor to the success of your previous company in one way or another.

Therefore, highlight key achievements and milestones.

E.g. “ While working as a procurement Officer, I have registered remarkable success in ensuring timely delivery of results, improving customer satisfaction and meeting sales targets.”

5. What are your career goals?

As you conclude your career objective, state the career goals you have for yourself. Tell the employer where you want to go in your career and how the position will help you get there.

E.g. I am now seeking an opportunity in a suitable position in Accounting where I can implement sound Accounting Policies and interpret guidance in regards to financial transactions.

Sample Profile Summary

‘A dedicated Accounting Professional with a Bachelors degree in accounting option from XYZ University. I have gained knowledge in preparing financial reports, accounting and financial management standards, preparing accurate and timely reports and general ledger operations. I am seeking an internship with a well respected firm where my accounting knowledge will be utilized. I am committed to developing my career path as an Accountant and to expand on my work experience.’

‘A dedicated customer service manager with over 2 years experience in the customer service industry. I have a proven track record in resolving and reducing customer complaints and meeting customer service level expectations. I am seeking a position in Customer Service where my extensive experience will be further developed and utilized in accomplishing the ultimate marketing goals of the Organisation.

What You Need To Know About Job Searching in Today’s Job Market

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Job search is not easy it takes time, dedication and patience. This is made more difficult by the poor decisions we make as job seekers. In this article see some of the mistakes job seekers make when it comes to job searching in today’s job market.

I had a friend who would not take an unpaid internship because they thought it was a waste of their time and they were too valuable to work for free. Yet, she spent two years searching for a job and complaining about how every job opening she came across required someone with work experience.

Had she taken one of the internships, she would have gained the experience that the employers were always asking for. This was her biggest job search mistake.

Mistakes like these are what make the job search process more difficult for some people. In this article, read advice from a recruiter on what you need to understand about the job market.

1. Qualifications though important are not everything.

Blame our parents or the 8-4-4 system but since we were young we were made to believe that ‘studying’ is a sure ticket to success and riches.

They went a step further to ‘recommend’ courses that we should pursue. So many people were told that Medicine, Teaching, Engineering etc are the best courses.

The end product is you pursuing a profession that has no value in the job market. Some of the courses that are in demand are saturated and graduates don’t get jobs that easily.

Even if the course you were told to take is marketable, if you have no passion for it then you cannot really succeed.

Then you have those already employed and pursuing an MBA to make them ‘competitive’ as opposed to first gaining skills or specializing. Take it from me, today’s employment market is more focused on what you can do more than which school you attended and the certificate you got. Read here on the best time to pursue an MBA

Many of us are fixated on getting certificates rather than taking the time to learn about the job. You become competitive because of the skills you possess or your area of specialization. Bottom line; be open to starting at the bottom and keep learning practical skills.

2. Job Search takes time and dedication.

When I was in campus I was lucky enough to have gotten a part time job. I am saying lucky because the job though not well paying or glamorous was the foundation of my career.

I continued with the same job after graduation and the culture shock of graduating and sending CVs without getting a response did not hit me as hard. At least I could afford bus fare and brown envelopes for making applications.

Job search is a marathon and not a sprint. Unless you are desperate and willing to take anything, getting a new job can take a year if not more. Why? Because it takes proper planning and execution.

Remember this is not the 80s where you could count the number of graduates. Almost all professions in Zambia are saturated. It might mean you taking an odd job here and there. It might mean that your first job will not be in your area of training or you will end up working for an SME instead of a multinational organisation. It might also mean taking unpaid internships.

Do anything you have to do but for God’s sake don’t be idle. Desiring a new or better job is very different from doing something about it every day. From what I now know, you should embrace humble beginnings.

3. What do you want out of your career?

I have done an informal survey on what Zambian professionals trained for vis-à-vis their current jobs and my finding is that majority are working in careers that don’t match what they studied for or trained on.

In the modern job market, nothing prevents a law graduate from becoming an excellent customer service executive and making a good living out of it. I know of engineers who are excelling in sales and marketing.

Today’s job market rewards those who know what they want and are not afraid to go for it. An undergraduate in whichever field should be considered as a starting point to more than one opportunity.

The above list is by no means exhaustive. My goal is to help you have a different mindset when it comes to job search by understanding the current job market. As the good Bible says, my people perish due to lack of knowledge. I hope you are now informed.

The 5 Best Ways To Prepare For An Interview

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Just like anyone who has been looking or a job, you know better that to succeed in your job search, you need to improve your interview skills.

Better still, you need to know how to prepare for an interview

Practice makes perfect and the more you practice the better you will get at it.

I spoke to Ms. Lucy Mutungi, a Professional Interview Coach and she had this to say about how to prepare for any interview.

1. Consider an interview part you are not good at

What is that interview part that has always given you the chills? May be it the “Tell me about yourself” section or “What are your weaknesses?”

Whatever it is, there is always that part that you know has always failed you at any interview. Work on improving that. Go online and look for the answers to the common interview questions or ways to improve on your interview skills.

2. Make a list of your questions

When preparing for an interview, make a list of the common interview questions that you might be asked starting with “Tell us about yourself” to “Do you have any questions for us?”

About eight questions will do but the more you have to practice on the better.

Practice on how to answer these questions with confidence and prepare possible answers.

3. Conduct a mock interview

The best way to prepare for an interview, is to conduct a mock one on yourself. Choose someone you can trust and whose opinion you respect even if it’s something you would hate to hear

This could be a colleague, a friend, a relative or even a mentor. Someone who has experience in interviews, would be a better option though.

In case you don’t find someone to practice with, you could always DIY through your camera phone. It won’t be an easy thing to do but it will be something.

4. Consider the kind of interview you are attending

Chances are, interviews will always inform you ahead of time on the kind of an interview you will be attending.

Whether a phone, skype or a one on one interview.

The reason you need to think about the setting is to know what kind of preparation you are do and what you need.

Read more here on top 9 ways you can ace that skype interview.

5. Rate your self

Practicing thoroughly is the best way to get it right with interviews. After you have conducted your mock interview, rehearsed all the interview questions and answers, now you need to gauge your performance.

If you were the interviewer, how convincing would you say you would be? If you recorded yourself on a video camera, watch it again and see what you can improve.

If you have a friend taking you through the interview, ask them to give you an honest feedback and guide you on what you can improve.

Preparing for an interview should not be something that you only do when you have an interview coming up. Practicing even when you don’t have any interviewed lined up will take the pressure off when that time comes.

Are You Making These 4 Cover Letter Mistakes?

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Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. This is no different when you keep applying for hundreds of jobs with the same cover letter and hoping that this time round, you will miss the HR scrutiny and get a call for an interview.

In the current job market, we have thousand of job seekers all aiming for the same positions as you. It’s a sad fact but nonetheless one that requires you use your cover letter as the ultimate weapon. Otherwise you will just be another candidate complaining about how you have been applying for jobs but no positive response. Below are mistakes you could be making.

4 Cover Letter Mistakes You Keep Making

1. Using a Generic Cover Letter for Every Job

As a recruitment agency, we’ve always been in the front line advocating the need to have a tailored cover letter and fortunately, an impressive number of job seekers are giving it a little more thought nowadays.

But it’s far from over. You will find candidates insisting on using a cover letter meant for a Customer Service position to apply for Administration Assistant Jobs or one for an Accounts Assistant in Finance Officer Jobs. While the jobs may appear similar, they are all totally different; they have different job descriptions, roles and responsibilities and require different set of skills.

Solution: It may take a lot of work to tailor a cover letter for every single job, but if you really want to get hired, then you have to be specific in your cover letter. Remember the point of having a cover letter is you want to show the HR you have the qualifications for that ‘Particular job”

2. Putting the “Wrong Information” 

A CV and a Cover Letter are two totally different documents which should be addressed differently.
Don’t start explaining why you quit your last job or why you were fired on the second paragraph of your cover letter. In an interview when the HR wants to know these particulars, you will get the chance to explain yourself, but doing so in a cover letter is a big no no!

A little secret, recruiters and employers out there do not want to hear why you left your past or current jobs or why you can’t get along with your boss at the application stage. They want to hear about your now and future, and how you are going to become an asset to their company.

3. Having more than one page

A common question we normally receive is, “How long should a cover letter be?”

The answer to this is keep it to one page. Highlight your most relevant qualifications for the job and what you have to offer the employer and that’s about it. Truth of the matter is, you have no business having two pages or three pages cover letter unless you are listing things that should not even be highlighted.

Think of the HR manager and how many job applications she or he has to go through for one single job. Do they have the time and luxury to skim through all that?

4. It’s all in the details

An assumption or a small mistake may appear minute to you, but to a HR professional, it makes all the difference.

For starters, think about the grave spelling mistakes and typos. Always re-read your application before hitting the send button to make sure you don’t have any of this. Tell a friend to read your document for you because most times as is the norm, we do not see our own mistakes.

Secondly, pay attention to what you are sending to the HR. How many times have you applied for a job only to realize you addressed the wrong company? It’s silly, right? But it does happen and mainly because you’ve been using the same old cover letter for every job, or it was just a clumsy mistake. There’s no reversing the damage, so make sure this doesn’t happen in your next application.

Finally, remember your cover letter should always answer the one question that employers are looking for;”Why should I hire this person?”