WORK LIFE

HR as the Chief Happiness Officer

2012-02-03T20:12:00.000-08:00

[published in Manila Bulletin, January 2012]

One of the best advices that I have ever received on leadership is from a long-time client of ours who regularly invest in training for his people. He had a simple philosophy when it comes to people management. He said, "Take care of your people, and your people will take care of you and your business."

Being a business owner myself, I find that this piece of advice, when applied properly, does wonders for your company. As soon as we adapted this philosophy, running our business and managing people became easier and fun.

That is why I now see the role of HR practitioners as not just transactional or strategic. HR people are present in our companies not just because we need someone to process our salaries and keep our employment records. HR people are here not just to make people productive. More importantly, HR people have the important role of ensuring that the people are well taken care of in the company.

HR leaders are Chief Happiness Officers. They occupy the important role of ensuring the employees' well-being, while the employees work tirelessly in marketing, selling, finance and operating the business. The logic behind this is that "Happy employees stem from good morale. Good morale leads to enthusiastic employees and a harmonious workplace."

Thus, the challenge for Chief Happiness Officers is this: How do you make employees happy and productive without spoiling them to a fault?

Well, here are a few important guidelines that Chief Happiness Officers follow...

Cover the Basics

Salaries and benefits are important things that need to be processed promptly. The reason people get up day in and day out to go to work is so that they can earn a living for their families. They work hard and the last thing they want is to worry about is getting paid or not. They are employed, that's why salaries and benefits must be given regularly, without delays and difficulties.

This rule is basic and yet not all companies have efficient systems for this. A group of employees from a popular internet company I know was not happy with their HR because of delays in salary and benefits administration. They did not have a high regard for their HR because of this. Fortunately, their big boss realized this early enough and approached our company to help iron out the issues and develop a more efficient system. As a result, they were able to retain key people in their company.

Encourage a Fun and Caring Environment

All work and no play, makes a dull workplace. In our company, we try to provide fun activities for the team that isn't just centered around work. There are movie nights, periodic raffles, teambuilding activities, sports fest and other programs just to break the monotony of work.
Fun activities, rewards and gimmicks are HR's creative outlet. This is where HR people can unleash their creativity and establish a dynamic and vibrant image for the department. There are many HR departments who are thought of as boring and unexciting. That is why when they hold in-house events, they generate yawns and it's difficult to get people involved. So I suggest overhauling your image by creating fun programs with a little more noise for a change.

Meanwhile, it is also important to project a caring image. it's quite easy to show people that you care, but another thing to show that the company cares. It's easy if you get naturally caring leaders. I'm quite lucky because one of my business partners really excels in this. One of our new staff recently had a heartburn episode and rushed to an emergency clinic. My business partner took the time to call her and see how she was which the new employee really appreciated. It may look like a simple gesture, but it does wonders to a person's sense of worth. Who wouldn't want to work for a caring leader?

Help People Grow

Employees spend one-third of their adult lives at work. It's easy for them to stagnate if the work environment does not encourage learning and growth. This is why, no matter how busy we are, it's important to take some time to provide learning opportunities for employees.

One of our corporate clients takes this seriously. They invest in "extra-curricular" seminars and workshops for their people that's not necessarily work-related. They provide money management seminars, livelihood workshop and even language classes. They focus not just on the professional growth of their employees, but also the spiritual, emotional and financial aspect. That is why people stay with the company. They are happy, which is what HR as Chief Happiness Officers' role is all about.

After I started viewing HR work as a Chief Happiness Officer's role, managing the HR department became more fun and exciting. More importantly, it improved our company's morale and made running the business easier. I hope leaders out there will open their minds to the idea as it really works. Take care of your people and your people will take care of you and your company!

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Special Note: Allow me to take this opportunity to invite leaders, managers, administration personnel and HR practitioners to the second annual HR leadership conference to be held on February 9-10 at the Grand Auditorium of the Philippine Stock Exchange Building in Ortigas Center where you can network, benchmark and explore ways and means to develop your team, retain and keep them happy! For inquiries, call (632) 6874645 or visit www.hrleadershipconference.com

How to Discipline Employees

2012-02-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

[published in Manila Bulletin, January 2012]

All bosses will eventually have to correct their staff whether they like it or not. It simply comes with the territory. As a leader or a manager of people, your role is to guide your people towards the right direction. This often means supervising and monitoring your staff closely. If they make mistakes, as their boss, you need to correct them. If they exhibit negative attitude or behavior, you need to deal with it. If they are stagnating, you need to find ways to motivate and help them grow.

To a certain degree, being a leader is a bit like being a parent. When your child makes mistakes in the process of growing up, you are responsible in correcting them so that they will learn. If they are acquiring inappropriate behavior, you need to set them straight or else they won't grow up to be well-adjusted and productive individuals. If you go with the easy route and just leave them be, you'll have more problems in the long run and you are giving your child a disservice.

There is no doubt that some form of discipline should be instilled upon people, whether young or old, at home or in the workplace. The question, however, is not why discipline is important, but rather, how do you instil discipline.

How do you properly correct the mistakes of others without hurting their feelings? How do you admonish an employee who has been slacking off on the job and still show respect for his dignity? How do you keep your own emotions in check when you are angry yourself? How do you maintain a positive vibe when you need to discuss negative things? And more importantly, how do you ensure that the person improves after you've disciplined him or her, instead of just ending up with a deflated and disgruntled employee? --- These are just some of the issues many bosses have to deal with on a regular basis. See, it's not easy telling people that what they are doing wrong.

It's not easy being the boss. But once you develop the skills to lead and manage people, your work life becomes easier. Once you have mastered how to discipline your employees the proper way, you will reap the rewards of having competent and happy people.

Here are a few things I've learned in the art of Employee Discipline...

1. Do not admonish at the heat of the moment

Bosses often get upset with stupid mistakes of others. It's normal to feel angry since you need to spend valuable time and effort managing the damage. But at the heat of the moment, do not talk to your staff or write a memo. Pause for awhile. Things will get clearer the day after and you'll be glad that you didn't embarrass yourself, your staff or issued a demoralizing memo that’s not easy to take back.

2. Listen to all sides

If there is conflict between your people or a mistake is committed by an employee, don't lash out immediately and tell them what they should have done. Instead, ask questions first and listen to find out why the employee did what he or she did. When you open your mind and listen, your staff may surprise you with good reasons for doing his or her thing. Who knows, he or she may have come up with better solutions. So listen first, before correcting.

3. Look at the big picture

Mistakes are not all equal. There are petty and minor ones; there are also major business-threatening ones. Although equally irritating, mistakes should be measured. Try to look at the overall picture. If it's petty, don't make a big deal about it. Don't sweat it. If you perceive that all mistakes are major catastrophes, the more stressed and angry you will become. So spend time correcting major mistakes, but be more forgiving towards petty ones. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

4. Correct and Count

One of the board members of a company I used to work for has a simple but practical guideline in disciplining employees. He advised, "If you tell a person to do something the first time and he makes a mistake, talk to him. Perhaps you failed to communicate it properly. If the same person commits the same mistake the second or third time, correct him. This time, he already knows what is expected of him and needs to be corrected. If he does the mistake the sixth time, fire him. This means that he already knows the mistake but cannot or would not follow you.

5. Monitor Improvements

So you need to monitor your staff closely. After spending time and effort in disciplining a person, what results can you see? Has the person improved? If so, then you are doing things effectively. If the person's attitude or performance deteriorates, re-examine your methods. Perhaps the discipline method you chose is not suitable for that particular staff. If you've tried everything and there is still no improvement, perhaps the problem is not how you communicate but instead the person you are communicating with. If the person is the problem, you have to decide whether he or she is worth keeping.

6. Motivate or Terminate

There are employees that only need a nudge to get back on track. These are the people that will benefit most from progressive employee discipline. So seek ways to motivate and encourage them to improve. Meanwhile, there are those that no matter what you do, it seems like a hopeless case. When you find yourself spending too much time and effort fixing things and correcting problematic employees instead of focusing on your main job or business, you seriously need to think about letting the person go.

7. Know the Labor Law

Should you decide to let the person go, be sure to know and abide by the Labour Code of the Philippines. There are important keys steps that you need to take to legally terminate an employee, be sure to follow them to avoid future problems and DOLE complaints. Every business owner, boss, manager and supervisor should know the basics of Human Resource Management. There are important guidelines that will help you manage your people better.

Correcting the mistakes of people is not the easiest task in the world, but somebody has got to do it. Disciplining your people will feel awkward and painful most of the time, but it is something that needs to be done if you want a harmonious and effective workplace. So it is important to take the time to learn explore effective methods of disciplining employees. To learn more about best practices in progressive employee discipline, I encourage you to join HR Club Philippines's upcoming HR Leadership Conference on February 9 and 10 at the Philippine Stock Exchange Auditorium in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Do visit www.hrleadershipconference.com for more information.

How to Professionalize Your Business Through HR

2012-02-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

[published in Manila Bulletin, January 2012]

When business owners and entrepreneurs establish their companies, their main challenge is to survive. This means that they have to focus on sales and cash flow first and foremost to stay in business.

Because of this, Human Resource is often placed as low priority. Aside from the initial hiring of people and computing for salaries, the business owner tends to move on, busy operating the business and solving problems encountered on a daily basis.

This may go on for years until the business owner gets burnt out and realizes that one of the best ways to improve sales, to make your company run smoothly and to avoid having to keep on solving problems is by professionalizing your business through good Human Resource practice.

Like many business owners, I went through this. My partners and I were too busy micro-managing our business to the point of exhaustion. As a result, we encountered many problems within our company and we couldn’t make the business fly at the start. That was until we focused on HR. Once we developed the HR side of our business, sales got better and our people became equipped to solve day-to-day problems, allowing us to take a breather and work on other important matters in our business.

So here are the seven keys that I have learned to professionalize your business through HR…

HR as Strategic Partner

Fortunately for my partners and me, we realized in time that HR is not just about computing for tardiness or absences and preparing the payslip. Instead, HR is a terrific tool for business progress. HR can and should be used by businesses as a way to make important changes in the company and to improve the effectiveness of each employee.

Through HR’s help, leading the company towards the direction that you want to take it is easier. You’ll be able to manage people better if you don’t just look at HR as just a transactional department, but instead look at it as a strategic partner.

Every time we have a new product, a new system or new division that we want to introduce, we include HR input into the mix because it is critical to our success.

Develop Your HR System

Many functions of HR are repetitious and transactional. To save on time and effort, our company created an HR operation manual and toolkit that has a complete compilation of templates, letters and contracts that we may need in our business. This way, every time there’s a new employee or there’s a disciplinary action that we need to take, we don’t have to start from scratch to do the paperwork.

We consciously designed a system for Human Resource that guides us in processing the regular needs of each employee. Due to this system, we found more time to focus on creative programs that motivated our team and increased morale.

Let the Law Work for You

Every business owner and entrepreneur should know the basics of the Philippine Labor Code. I attended the extensive seminar on Labor Law that was being offered publicly by our training company and found it very useful.

One of our trainers mentioned that the Labor Code was designed to protect employees since that is the mandate of the Department of Labor and Employment. But upon studying it, I realized that it also serves to protect the interest of business owners, as well.

By knowing the law and being guided with knowledge, it makes it easier to run your business. The Labor Code provides specific guidelines on leaves, separation pays, etc. All you have to do is know it and follow it, then you should be able to avoid labor problems and complaints. My two-days of learning saved our company from expensive lawsuits and it was worth the time and effort to learn it.

Recruit the Right People

If you want capable people running your business, the solution is finding the right people for the job and your company. This includes job and value fit---the process of hiring people with the right skills set, but also a value system that matches that of your company culture.

When you find the right people who have the ability to stay in your company for a long-time, you’ve hit the jackpot. The reason why I am able to work from home when I choose to is because we have very good people that I can rely on at work. This is why I personally manage recruitment in our company. It’s not easy finding the one, but once you’ve found him or her, life becomes so much easier.

Train Your People

Once you’ve found the right people, training must be done continuously and regularly. As soon as we hire people, we give them an orientation about the company, basic sales and customer service training and product knowledge training. Aside from this, they get trained on the job and get additional training on skills needed for the job.

The key to have a professional team is to invest in professional training. And this should be done on a regular basis so that they do not forget what they have learned and the training can adapt to the changing needs of the company.

Employee Discipline

This is probably one of the most difficult areas of people management. Many Business Managers and HR practitioners have asked, “How do I correct my staff without hurting her feelings?”, “How do I discipline a habitually erring employee?”, “How do I fire someone the legal way?”.

If you have been in business long enough, employee discipline is something that every manager, whether specializing in HR or not, should master. It is something that you will have to do time and time again.

Interestingly, there’s a legal, humane and professional way of doing it. Do learn about the many styles available and prepare yourself to avoid grief and heartaches.
Recognize and Reward

Having great programs that reward employees with sufficient compensation and benefits are very important if you want your people to stay with you for a long time. Balancing it with how much you can afford to give and making sure that your employees remain grateful is the challenge.

There are many companies who offer great compensation and benefits, but I noticed that sometimes, employees take it for granted or become “spoiled”. So instead of becoming a positive HR program, it becomes counter-productive.

It is therefore critical to present programs in a way that people will appreciate. It is important to let your people know that you are taking care of them, so that they can take care of the business.

By focusing on these things, you will be on your way to having a professional and successful business.

Top Ten Work Life Resolutions for the New Year

2012-02-03T19:19:00.000-08:00

[published in Manila Bulletin, January 2012]

Another year is passing and after the merriment and festivities of the holiday season, we are faced once again with a chance to start a new leaf. A fresh start, a new perspective and an opportunity for new beginnings await us as we celebrate the new year with hopeful cheers.

Here are a some of the most popular work life resolutions that people around the world make. If you have not thought of your own new years resolution, take your pick below and see if you can make it stick as you go through life in the coming year.

Resolution Number 1 - I will be on time at all the time.
One of the most basic but difficult habits to develop at work is being prompt. Perhaps due to the long ingrained culture of Filipino time or maybe the unforgiveable traffic that we have in the city, most of us find it hard to be on time to start the day at work, meet people and keep appointments.

Should you wish to improve in this area, allocate 30 minutes extra to what you would normally budget for travel time. Bring a book or gadget that you can work or play with, just in case you arrive early. This way, you will not get bored waiting for your appointment.

Resolution Number 2 - I will work better with my boss and co-workers.
We all want to be in a happy work environment. One of the keys to work happiness is acceptance and respect by our bosses and co-workers.

If you want to be able to work better with others, be helpful. If you want be respected, give respect. At the same time, you also need to respect and protect yourself. Go the extra mile to assist others in their tasks but don't overdo it to a point where you start becoming miserable. Stay happy.

Resolution Number 3 - I will learn something new.
Life is more exciting if we continue to grow and learn new things. When we learn something new, our minds get sharper and our value increases. If you want to develop yourself, make it a point to read books, attend seminars and learn from other successful people.

Resolution Number 4 - I will build a stronger network of friends.
Success isn't just about what we know, it is also about who we know and associate with. Having a strong network of friends, associates and connections can bring us more success in our career. But a strong network of friends takes time and effort to build.

So to build your network, invest the time and effort to meet and connect with people. Join associations and community organizations. Use social networking to keep in touch with people and stay connected.

Resolution Number 5 - I will invest in a new look and image.
There's nothing like a trip to the salon or barber's chair to revitalize our looks. A new haircut or makeover does wonders to our mood and self-esteem. This is a quick fix that can easily make us feel great.

This new year, take a trip to the salon or barbers shop. Invest in new work clothes and grooming tools to greet the year with an amazing look that you can continue through out the months ahead. Look good, feel good.

Resolution Number 6 - I will lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
This is one resolution that can significantly improve the quality of our lives. If we can eat right, exercise well and remove the vices that we have like smoking, excessive drinking and too much television or computer games, our mind, bodies and moods will be lighter.

If you want to improve in this area like I do, it takes a lot of resolve to stick to a healthy diet and to keep exercising. Get a buddy or a coach to help you stay on track. Keep reminding yourself and find your source of motivation to keep at it.

Resolution Number 7 - I will spend less and save more.
We all want to have enough money to live a good life and to take care of our families. We all want to free ourselves from money woes and worries. We work hard to earn a living and more often than not, we spend more in the process.

If you want to learn proper money management, invest in a notebook and calculator and record your income and expenses. This will also allow you to keep track of where your money is going and figure out what you can do to save for a rainy day. Make this a habit and you should be able to take charge of your finances soon enough.

Resolution Number 8 - I will spend more time with my family.
For the workaholics among us, this is one resolution that will improve our hearts. Sometimes, we get so caught up with our careers that we push away the most important people in our lives. They become second priority and we lose the chance to witness our children grow, to spend time with our parents and to make good memories with our brothers and sisters.

If you care about family, cut back a little from work, stay offline and turn off your mobile phones for awhile. Balance work with life. Give your time to your family so you won't lose your family's warmth.

Resolution Number 9 - I will go on a fun and exciting trip.
After working day in and day out, it is also important to enjoy life through adventure. What better way to do so with an exciting trip out of town or even abroad. This resolution is quite easy to commit to but it requires a bit of preparation. As early as now, check out the public holidays so that you can schedule your trip. Grab deals from group buying sites and enjoy a great vacation with your family or friends.

Resolution Number 10 - I will nourish my soul.
Inner peace and happiness comes when we find joy in the simple everyday things that we do and when we are able to have quiet time for ourselves to reflect, commune with God or nature, to get to our center. This holiday break, find the time to just be on your own even for a little while. Get some quiet time before you face the hustle and bustle of the year. We all need it to nourish our souls.

New years resolutions often do not stick because we try to do too much or forget them along the way. In order to improve our lives and stick to our resolutions, we should just keep it simple. Choose a couple from the list above or create your own. The point of new years resolutions is to improve our lives. It feels official to start on a new year. But remember that every day is a new one so we get to start over again every day. Isn't that great? Happy new year to all!

Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Co-workers

2012-02-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

[published in Manila Bulletin, December 2011]

I did my Christmas shopping early this year. I didn't want to join the December madness, brave through the heavy traffic and rush to buy gifts from crowded stores. This year, I was prepared with my shopping list and I was able to get cool stuff at good prices in a leisurely manner. Aside from retail shopping, I even researched online and got good deals.

Since I'm done with my buying and some of you may just be starting this week, let me share with you a few gift ideas that you can give your friends at work.

Personalized Items

Simple things like towels, mugs, pens, shirts, stationary and bags can be made special by just adding the name of your recipient on it. When you choose personalized gifts, it shows your friend that you took the time to plan your gift and it was made especially for him or her. The best part is, with today's technology, you don't have to wait too long to have this done. Most personalized items can be done in less than an hour or so if there isn't a lot of pending jobs. You can have this done and shop while you wait.

Novelty Items

Interesting and unique novelty items like statement shirts, couple statement pillows, toothpaste tissue holders, keyboard style bowls, animal shaped lamps or coin banks add the fun factor in gift-giving. One of the memorable gifts my husband and I received is a towel set that says “The Boss” on one and “The Bigger Boss” on the other. We had a blast deciding which of us should take the bigger one. There are many stores that carry these interesting items. Not only will you amuse your co-worker, you will also have fun shopping for these gifts items.

Decorative Items

Decorative items add personality and warmth to the workplace. Indoor plants, photo frames, mobile phone holders, decorative cork boards, bottled scents with sticks are lovely gifts that your co-worker can display in their cubicles and remember you by. These gifts will surely brighten your friend’s year and best of all, it won't deplete your budget since most of them are very affordable.

Practical Office Things

Anything that your co-works can use to make their work more efficient always make good gifts. Daily planners, memo pad set, business card holders, calendar mats, desk sets are very useful for work.

You can also give your co-workers something they can wear to work such as neck ties, polo shirts, belts, watches, handkerchief for men or shawls, jackets, office bags for women.

Utility items also make practical gifts such as water jugs, airtight food containers, lunch boxes, toiletry bags and umbrellas. This are things they can bring to work.

These things are so useful. Most of these do not end up as recycled gifts because you can never have enough of these. People use it all the time.

Goodies and Sweets

Yum. These things will only last a few minutes, but they surely will be well appreciated. There are many baked goodies that are being sold during the holiday season. But I would veer away from fruitcakes unless your recipient loves it. These things get passed on from one person to another and they are so yesterday (as in 1980's yesterday).

You can go for interesting treats like colourful French macaroons or cake pops with Christmas designs. Last September, I personally grabbed an exciting coupon deal at half the price for cake pops---dozens of bite-size cake lollies that you can have custom designed. They make for fun and tasty gifts.

You can also go for classic baked goodies and treats such as hot fudge brownies, food for the gods, lemon squares or Filipino favourites like polvoron, ensaimada, lengua de gato or creamy cassava cakes. Mmmm... I’m getting hungry just writing about it.

Goodies and sweets are great gifts for clients, group of people in departments and important people in your line of work.

Gift Baskets

If you have the budget and time you can even make gift baskets for special people at work. There are many unique themes that you can do, so you don't have to limit yourself to the grocery basket variety. For movie lovers, how about a movie night basket filled with DVDs and popcorn. For dog lovers, why not create a pet care basket with treats and toys for the dog. For spa lovers, an aromatherapy basket with a good book would be great.

This type of gift is relatively more expensive so reserve it to important customers or friends you hold very dear.

Cocktails, Wines and Spirits

This is my go-to gift for men or older couples whom I have no idea on what to give. Red wines or sparkling wines are good. But since I'm no wine connoisseur, I often end up giving non-alcoholic beverages in wine-like bottles to be on the safe, but slightly boring side. Hey, some of us like those grape sparkling juice. And those bottles are inexpensive too!

There are so many things that you can give colleagues, business associates and customers. Whether you choose to give gifts or choose to send simple greetings instead, the point of Christmas gift-giving is to show that you are thinking about your co-worker and you care enough to share your Christmas Spirit with them. Happy shopping!

Dealing with Retrenchment

2012-02-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin, last November 2011]

Retrenchment, downsizing, early retirement---whatever you call it, it is one news that many employees dread to hear in their careers. This is because news of such means that you or your colleagues can get fired. And that is hard to swallow.

If you are part of the group that will be let go, this means loss of income, uncertainty and worries. Suddenly, it would seem as if the rug has been pulled underneath the ground you stand on. You will experience the pain of rejection, even if the termination is not about your work performance. You will experience great stress, knowing that you will lose your main source of income. You might even get depressed for awhile until you realize that life goes on. Losing your job is not the end of the world. It is only the beginning…

So how can you deal with retrenchment? How can you overcome this unfortunate experience? What can you do to survive such a fate and come out victorious in the end?
Here are some tips for people who are going through this stressful event in their lives:

Ride Your Emotions

As a natural response to job loss, you will experience many emotions such as:
Denial – “No, this is not happening to me.”
Anger – “How dare they do this to me after all the hard work and years I’ve given them?!”
Bargaining – “Maybe they made a mistake… if I talk to them, they’ll see this is a mistake.”
Depression – “I feel really really bad. I want to go home and sleep this off.”
Acceptance – “I guess this is for real. Now what do I do?”

The best thing to do is to allow yourself to grieve. Feel your pain. Cry if you have to and dwell on it for awhile. It is important to acknowledge what you are feeling and I’d advise you to ride it out. But I’d give it a timeline. Give yourself a few days, a week or a month at the most, depending on your threshold for pain. After that, you got to pull yourself together and stop dwelling on the problem and start moving forward.

Reflection

While you’re at it, start reflecting on your work life. Ask yourself questions: “What type of work do I enjoy? What talents and skills do I have? What new skills do I want to learn? Do I want to do the same work as I did before or is there something else that I would like to do or a new career that I want to pursue. How’s my family? How will they feel about this? What can everyone do to cope with the situation.”

Taking time to think about the past and the present will help you with your future. So pause for awhile. Find a quiet place and reflect on your life.

See the Silver Lining

Sooner or later, you will see the silver lining if you open your mind and heart to it. For one thing, your retrenchment comes with a severance package and perhaps some benefits depending on the generosity of the company. If you’ve worked with the company for a long time, then your years of service will give you a sizeable payout that can tide you over during this transition.

This also gives you the opportunity and time to take a short break. It will allow you to spend precious time with family. It may even give you a chance to begin anew.

Clean House

I’m not talking here about sweeping your floors and purging your stuff (although that may prove therapeutic during this time). Nope, this is where you roll up your sleeves and look into your finances. You have to organize your bills, check and update your bank accounts and see where your finances are at. You need to check how much money you still have. Check if you have loans or mortgages to pay, as well as, how much will you need to pay for monthly expenses. It is important to do this step so that you can preserve the severance pay you received and not waste it all away. This will help you survive the uncertainties since you are not sure how soon you can have another job right away.

Talk to Your Family

I know of some men who after losing their job, hide the fact from their wives. They do this because they are either ashamed or afraid to tell their wives. I think this is not a good idea. At times like these, you need your spouse on your side. She can provide you with emotional support and she will also find ways and means to save money. She can also teach the kids to scale back a little and even make it an exciting journey if she is creative enough.

Of course, not all wives will react positively at first. Like you, your spouse will also go through the emotions and she’ll have to ride it out. Just expect some stressful discussions and try to be understanding. When you show patience and understanding, sooner or later she will understand and even support you in your next decisions.

Plan Your Next Step

Once you’ve spoken with your family, you can then plan on your next move. There are generally two options: find another job or start your own business.

If you want to find a new job, you’ll have to update your resume. You can also find a head hunter to help you or you can post your resumes online. If you have a good network of friends and associate, let them know you are now free to work for another company. You can also continuously look at the job opportunities in Manila Bulletin Classified Section and submit your resumes to potential employers.

If you want to start your own business, you will have to decide whether you want to start if from scratch, buy a franchise or an existing business. Now working as an employee is very different from entrepreneurship. I suggest that you read books, take seminars and talk to entrepreneurs first before your take the plunge.

Move On

If you have no ill-feelings with your former employer and understand the reason for the retrenchment, exit gracefully and maintain contact. Who knows, they can even refer you to their friends who can give you a job or even be your customer for your business.

Of course, there are some cases wherein employees oppose retrenchments and they battle it out in court with their former employers. There’s really nothing wrong with that if you have the legal basis and resources to do so. If in case you want to battle it out, think about it carefully and fight for your rights if you must. But don’t make it your career to stay stuck in battle. File the legal charges if you will, but you have to move on still. You have to deal with your emotions positively, you still have to find sources of income and make sure that your family is well-provided for. So don’t stay stuck. Move on.

DOES JOB SECURITY STILL EXIST?

2011-11-16T00:15:00.000-08:00

Years ago, our parents and grandparents found stable jobs, worked continuously for twenty or so years and retired at the ripe old age of sixty. Employees simply needed to work diligently and they were assured of keeping their jobs. Meanwhile employers didn't have to worry too much about employee turnover because most of their people were very loyal and stayed with the company during good and bad times long enough.

During that time, it wasn't uncommon for people to work for one company for twenty to thirty-five years. Many have worked for only one to three companies in their lifetime. It was the norm for employers and employees to take care of each other for a very long time. I guess things were simpler then.

But times have change. The business climate is definitely tougher and more competitive now. In the last decade, we've seen more mergers, changes in management, outsourcing and lay-offs from many companies.

Employers are trying their best to survive and gain profit by increasing sales or decreasing expenses. The latter of which seems easier to control. That is why some companies have resorted to outsourcing or even contractual employment. Honestly, it's cheaper with lesser obligations and headaches. However, it has its downside too. If you outsource, you pretty much depend on an outside party. If you offer contractual employment, you'll have to keep on training new hires and make sure that your company's service quality doesn't go down.

On the other hand, employees nowadays are not necessarily loyal for the sake of being loyal to their companies anymore. If a better opportunity comes along, most people nowadays will jump ship with another company. Many professionals move from one company to another in order to increase their salary level. Younger generations, perhaps because they have more options, ultimately work for themselves and use companies as stepping stones for career growth. That is why employee turnover is a lot higher now. Companies invest in training their people and they lose time and money every time an employee resigns.

So job security, in my opinion, for employees and even employers seem to become a greyer area nowadays.

The Labor Code of the Philippines, however, provide protection for both employees and employers. So to a certain extent, your expectations on job security can be based on what the law says.

For instance, in layman's terms, the law secures that any employee cannot be immediately fired on any bosses' whim or unjust cause. Due process on termination must be followed or else the employer can be faced with an expensive lawsuit. The law also differentiates the types of employment that employers and employees can arrange. Regular employees can enjoy more job security over contractual employees. Thus, it is important to choose your type of job wisely.

Another important provision in the labor code specifies exactly situations that are allowed if a company wants to terminate an employee or a group of employees. These include prolonged and contagious illness of an employee, gross violations of company policies, financial losses of the company (this has to be file and proven to DOLE) or business closure.

The Labor Code does have a say on your job security, so does your company policies. These provide a guideline on what your employer can legally do and not do to you. I urge you to read these to know how you can best protect yourself.

So going back to my question... Does job security still exist?

My answer would be, yes, to a certain degree... but I wouldn't count on it as an absolute right. I think it's good to expect the best but plan for the worst when it comes to your career. See, we ultimately have to be responsible for our means of living. Your current job will help you pay for your living and hopefully your family's expenses but nothing lasts forever. Do your best and hold on to your job as long as you can if it is rewarding. On the side, create a safety net in preparation for your retirement whether I comes early or later in life. You have to adapt with the times, be competitive as an individual. Depend on yourself not on others when it comes to your future. Secure yourself.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

2011-11-16T00:08:00.000-08:00

A reader asks: As an HR, do you think it is right for some employees to use the book “Art of Seduction” at work? Do you think, superiors have to tolerate those who are following or practicing that book? Thank you.

My response: I personally have not read the book so I cannot comment about its content.

Regardless, HR people do not really have any right or obligation to disallow or ban people from reading books of their liking. Employees are adults and they are old enough to decide what books to read. Plus we live in a democratic society where people are free to read whatever book fancies them.

The only time HR can get involved is if a sexual harassment complaint is filed. For example, as a result of reading and applying the book, someone crosses the line and commits inappropriate behaviour towards a co-worker. If the co-worker feels that she was sexually harassed and she feels uncomfortable working in that environment, she can file a complaint with HR. The HR will then organize a committee to investigate the matter and if the person is found guilty, appropriate sanctions based on company policies and the law will be implemented.

So HR can discipline people for inappropriate behaviour, however, they cannot ban or sanction people from reading books.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

The reader's question inspired me to write about an extreme form of bullying in the workplace and that is, Sexual Harassment. Although the reader's situation does not yet constitute sexual harassment, I'd like to shed some light on the matter.

So what is Sexual Harassment?

According to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, “Sexual harassment is committed usually in the form of physical abuse such as malicious touching, overt sexual advances or gestures with lewd insinuation.

It may also be committed through verbal requests or demands for sexual favors, and lurid remarks. Or it may be visual, using objects, pictures or graphics, letters or writing notes with sexual underpinnings.

This can happen in the premises of the workplace, office, school or training institution. It can happen in any place, business or social functions where the parties were found as a result of work, education or training. It can happen while on official business outside the workplace or training-related travel, or at official conferences, symposia or training sessions. It can also happen by telephone, cellular phone, fax machine or electronic mail.”

So let's say your boss hugs you and gives you a kiss on the cheeks to congratulate you on closing a sale, can you call that sexual harassment?

The answer is, it depends on how the hug and kiss was done and more importantly, the situation you find yourself in.

Sexual harassment is considered as such “if it is used as a basis for any employment decision such as matters related to hiring, promotion, raise in salary, job security or benefits; if it interferes with your work performance; if it creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment; or cause discrimination, insecurity, discomfort, offense or humiliation."

I have a friend who works as a bookkeeper of a company. An external auditor kept asking her out to meet him for coffee and have a “good” time after. While working with her, he kept on asking intimidating questions about her work and making her feel incompetent because she wouldn’t go out with him. At one point, after rejecting several invitations, he asked her “Magkano ba sweldo mo sa trabaho? Kung gusto mo ako na lang ang bubuhay sa iyo?” (How much salary do you get? If you want, I can pay for your living.) She is a married woman.

Because of this, she felt so stressed at work and couldn’t sleep at night. She didn’t want to see the auditor and started feeling anxious and dreadful at the thought of going to work and possibly seeing him. She couldn’t work properly.

Would you consider this a form of sexual harassment? Although he never touched her physically, he made her uncomfortable with his advances and he spoke with sexual innuendos. Lucky for her, when she discussed this matter to her boss and showed proof via voice recording, management sided with her and immediately found a replacement auditor. She didn’t want to file charges, she just wanted him out of her life. So peace was easily restored.

Many victims do not file complaints because going through the process of complaining and discussing the incident rocks the boat and may cause further embarrassment. I personally think that people should choose their battles. There are forms of sexual harassment that are truly unforgivable, but there are also some that are just slight or belong to the grey areas. To a certain extent, it also depends on the victim’s sensitivity and culture. If you want to tolerate this form of bullying instead of fight, you may have a good reason for it and should think about it thoroughly. But if you want to fight, it is good to know that there are laws to help you with your battle against sexual harassment.

Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace can file a complaint against this form of bullying and your HR department should be able to help you. The Anti-sexual harassment act of 1995 further discusses the rules, guidelines and procedures for filing complaints. To read the law governing sexual harassment, you can visit www.chanrobles.com

WORLD CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE

2011-11-16T00:06:00.001-08:00

I was having breakfast with a trainer one day and she kept on complaining about how bad the service in the Philippines was, in general. She kept on harping about examples of world class service of great American companies and compared them to the service that she gets in the Philippines.

I then asked her which state she visited in the United States and she revealed to me that she hasn’t actually traveled there. But based on the business books that she has read, they have superb service.

Having just come from a US trip, I quickly shared to her my experience in the hotels that I stayed in. Except for a few quality hotels like the Hilton, most of the hotels I stayed in did not have great service. Most of their guest relations officers were not really that friendly. Some were bordering on indifferent and rude. Interestingly, the most helpful service crew that they had were in fact, Filipinos.

I then told her, don’t believe the foreign hype. Never think that our people are not world-class. Contrary to what you think, Filipinos are much more helpful and polite in general.

In our country, even three-star hotels have friendly staff ready and eager to assist and carry your baggage which was sorely missing in most of the US hotels that I stayed in. I was actually surprised that I had to drag my luggage there. In the Philippines, we have many bellhops who will approach you as soon as you go in the hotel to help.

Here, you go to a gas station and a gas boy is there ready to greet you, fill up your tank, clean your windows, pump air into your tires and give road directions. In the US, it’s do-it-yourself.

Grocery shoppers in our country even get extra help from bag boys who will bring your shopping cart to your car upon request. They are even willing to carry everything themselves if they can’t use the cart. The help that they provide makes shopping so convenient.

They don’t normally have that in America. In their country, you are left to fend for yourself. It’s all do-it-yourself because labour is expensive in their country.

So, you see. The Philippines’ brand of customer service isn’t so bad. In fact, I think it is at par with some of the world’s best. What makes it special is that most of the service is given with willingness and sincerity because Filipinos are naturally friendly and helpful. In terms of attitude, most Filipinos have it right.

Of course, there will always be room for improvement. Philippine customer service can be world-class if business establishments look into these areas…

Product Knowledge
Even if the customer service representative is friendly, if he cannot help because he doesn’t know the products fully or is unaware of promos and pricing, it will be impossible for him to give superb service. Good customer service is not just about smiling. It is about being able to help customers and answer their questions.

Business Etiquette
Not a lot of people are aware of proper etiquette. Usually, people who are rough around the edges do not mean to be impolite. They just need a little polishing and education of business and social etiquette. Good manners will greatly improve the company’s image to their customers, so it is wise for companies to invest in training their people.

Communication Skills
Most Filipinos are eager to help, but they may have problems with communications skills such as listening, comprehension and articulating what they want to say. There are also times where, faced with a foreigner, they may get tongue-tied. This can easily be improved through practice, exposure and learning.

Customer Service System
Often overlooked, this is a critical part of great customer service. World-class business establishments invest in gadgets and tools that will help their people provide the best service to all their customers. They have customer tracking systems, spiels, operation manuals for customer service and even a customer complaint reporting system.

Customer Solutions
Customers who encounter problems are the most in need of good customer service. World-class business establishments track and anticipate the most common problems encountered by their customers. They then equip their people with Customer Solutions Protocols that will guide them in solving their customer’s problems. Hence problem-solving is systematized.

The Philippines have what it takes to provide Great Customer Service. With a few improvements here and there, we can be at par with the world’s best. Filipinos are world-class, we just have to believe and appreciate our own people. In terms of service, we’ve got it good in our country! Don’t let other people tell you otherwise.

CAN HR PREVENT WORKPLACE BULLYING?

2011-09-02T01:11:00.001-07:00

[Worklife Column, Manila Bulletin, September 2011]

Bullying causes a lot of stress and wasted energy for many people. Instead of focusing all efforts in doing their jobs well, the bullies and the bullied engage in emotionally draining social politics that could not possibly help make the company and its people prosper.

It is a real concern in the workplace. It lowers morale. It cripples productivity. It increases employee turnover. It is a major cause of employee resignations. That is why it makes sense for HR practitioners to bully-proof their companies or at least set policies and processes in place to deal with this issue.

HR practitioners are in charge of the overall welfare of employees. This includes developing a happy and enjoyable work environment. Yes, HR can and should prevent workplace bullying. We are in a unique position to positively influence the workplace through creative programs and policies.

A reader shares her bad experience against workplace bullying and asks for HR solutions to her problem. Let’s see how we can help her.

Good Day Madame!

I just want to ask what is the best thing to do in these situations:

-What if you have co-workers (group of boys) bullying you every day (ex. Throwing tissues at the work station). The superior can see what these boys are doing but he’s doing nothing about it.

-If you have co-workers, including an immediate superior, spreading rumors and gossip about you, that you are a hooker and a mistress. (The employee is not a hooker and not a mistress, actually, the girl is a Christian and never had a boyfriend and never had sex with anyone)

-Is it okay to file a case to these people who've been spreading malicious rumors?

Hope that you can site me HR solutions on this matter. Thank you and God Bless! --BB

My Response:

Thank you for emailing your work issues. Bullying in the workplace is a real issue for a lot of people as it affects not just the happiness of individuals but also the team's morale as a whole.

There are many ways of dealing with bullying at work. I wrote an article with excellent strategies against bullying for my column awhile back. Do check out my blog at http://hrclubonline.blogspot.com/2010/09/dealing-with-workplace-bullies.html.

If after using the strategies I mentioned to protect yourself against bullies, you still find yourself under attack. Then it may be time to use administrative actions and escalate it to your management.

Companies with structured human resources have policies and protocols in dealing with issues and grievances at work. The first thing you should do is check your Employee Handbook or Policy Manual. Does it state policies on employee conduct and culture? Does it include disciplinary actions for violations of policies? Does it have a section on how to report grievances? If it does, then put your handbook to good use and follow procedures and be guided accordingly. Employee Policies are there not just to protect the company, but more importantly, to guide and protect employees.

Next, try to gather your own evidence. Whether you plan to solve it on your own or escalate the matter, evidence will give you solid grounds for your complaint. Without evidence, the disciplinary board will have to deal with a he-said, she-said scenario which is difficult to deliberate on.

Normally, protocol will dictate that you deal with the problem amongst yourselves first. If you can't resolve it, talk to your immediate supervisor. But if this doesn't improve the situation or the immediate supervisor is the problem, then it would be best to talk to HR or the Boss of your immediate supervisor.

If you want to escalate it, simply follow your Employee Handbook on how to file grievances. Make sure that you are also in good graces with your HR and top management. If you are a valuable and hard-to-replace employee, these people will back you up or find immediate solutions to your problems.

But what if, your Employee Manual does not have any provision on bullying or worse, your company does not even have an employee manual? Well, you will then have to do it informally and maybe even suggest to top management to issue a memo or create a more comprehensive policy manual.

There are basically just five ways of dealing with workplace bullying issues:
You may quietly accept it, but this will eat away at your job satisfaction.
You may seek revenge, but this will worsen the situation.
You may speak up to the bully and hope to change your situation.
You may fight, get management involved to fix the situation.
Or you can resign, if you can be sure that doing so will give you better opportunities, benefits and peace of mind.

Whatever you decide, there are of course consequences to every action that you take. So just be prepared to handle the worse-case scenarios of each. Bullying in the workplace is a real concern for a lot of people. But if you learn how to deal with it without quitting right away, you will become a better, stronger and more successful person. May you have the strength and wisdom to do what is best for your situation. Good Luck!

CONQUERING AGE LIMITS In my past article, I wrote about age limitations in job ads that many older job hunters are

2011-09-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

[Worklife Column, Manila Bulletin, September 2011]

In my past article, I wrote about age limitations in job ads that many older job hunters are facing. It is a real issue for many and I explained why companies do this and the process HR practitioners go through to set job requirements and specifications. If you are interested in the behind-the-scenes activities of job design as well as reasons for age limits, you can read my article on “Age Limitations” at http://worklifenow.blogspot.com/2011/07/age-limits.html.

TODAY, I’d like to discuss how older job hunters can deal with age limitations. I’d like to explore the many opportunities that abound and how you can conquer this issue. So let’s get started!

What’s Going for You?

Before entering the battlefield, you need to know your strengths. Why should companies hire you instead of younger job applicants? Once you figure this out, you can then capitalize on them. That is your competitive advantage.

So, what exactly is going for you? In order for you to answer this, you need to look inside yourself. List down the positives---your skills, knowledge and accomplishments. What are the skills that you have gained in the many years that you have been employed? What special trainings have you had from your previous work?

Ideally, as a seasoned professional, your future employer doesn’t have to spend a lot in training you. You already have acquired important skills and more importantly, the experience needed to be good at your job.

Perhaps you can emphasize that there’s less trial and error when you are hired which means lesser costs for the employer. That should get them interested.

Seeking Employment beyond the Age Limit

Some companies are very strict with age limitations while others are more flexible. In order for you to find out, you’ll just have to do trial and error. You can send out resumes despite the age issue and just qualify when they call you for an interview.

Once you get a call, you can ask if they are open to hiring slightly older applicants. You may ask this before an interview if you want to save time. Or you can do this during the interview if you don’t mind the extra effort and if you would like to convince the employer to consider you despite the age issue. There is also a chance that it may not even come up. It all depends on the company. So just be cool about it.

Your Untapped Resource

Just in case, you’ve done your best to find a job but you keep on getting bumped over the age issue. Don’t fret. It’s not over for you yet. You have an untapped resource that’s still going for you. Not a lot of people think about this, but it could definitely give you better opportunities. That untapped resource is YOUR CONNECTIONS.

As you age over the years, you meet a lot of people. You gain acquaintances and if you’re smart, you’ve built a good network of connections. See, you can tap your connections for opportunities. They can help you get a good job or better career options. You just have to reach out and keep in touch which is easier now with the presence of social media networks.

So start connecting! Look back to your schoolmates, past co-workers, church mates, associations, friends and family. You can even capitalize on your connections to get hired.
Smart marketing and sales-oriented companies value connections above all.

Finding Other Opportunities

Regardless of age, I believe that everyone should have a back-up plan. For older jobseekers, I would suggest looking into other opportunities while you are job hunting. It may even turn out to be more rewarding for you.

Selling. Start selling. Sell anything that you can comfortably sell. If you have equipment, property, furniture or assets that you are willing to sell, sell it. This will give you extra income and hone your skills in selling not just objects, but yourself too. If you become good at selling, getting a job will be easier.

Consulting and Teaching. Teach other people what you know. This is your chance to give back, learn in the process and earn extra income. Training companies like mine are always on a lookout for people with experience who can teach others. Some companies also outsource projects to consultants. So if you have the skill and experience, consider this field.

Gigs or Rackets. If you have hobbies or talents that can be marketed as a service such as writing, photography, web design, hosting, singing and others, consider getting into service-for-hire work. You can tie up with existing event organizers or outsourcing websites to get gigs or you can ask your friends and family to hook you up with people who need your service.

Sideline Business. Starting a sideline business is pretty easy. There are many things that you can buy and sell, or build and sell. There are now many avenues where you can sell your items like the internet, weekend bazaars and direct agents.

Business Ownership. This is an option for older people who do not or cannot join the corporate world. You may start a business from scratch, buy an existing business or get a franchise depending on your skills, experience, finances and preference. Do take note however that business ownership is very different from being an employee. Having your own business, in my opinion, is more challenging. So prepare well by attending seminars and seeking advice from successful business owners.

Conquering Age Limitations

At first glance, work opportunities seem narrower for older people. But this is only so for those who do not open their minds to the possibilities. Aging is inevitable. You will get wrinkles when you live long enough. But you can defy dull aging with youthful spirit. Rediscover your childhood wonder. Allow yourself to become excited and enthusiastic again. Open your arms to the next chapter of your life. Aging is not about losing opportunities, it is a new stage of taking chances and rediscovering yourself again. Good luck!

AGE LIMITS

2011-07-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin, August 2011]

When you are young and free, your career possibilities are endless. Opportunities abound. You can experiment a bit and hopefully quickly find a career that is best suited for you.

As you grow older, however, your choices begin to shape your career and you’ll find yourself in a set line of work. By the time you are in your late thirties, you’ve gained enough knowledge through the years on your chosen field and you should ideally be moving upwards in your industry.

During this time, you would also have taken on more of life’s responsibilities. You may get married and have children. You may need to take care of ailing parents or other siblings. All of these are reasons why you want to work to provide well for your family.

But what if, all of a sudden, you find yourself longing for a change of career? Or what if, life suddenly throws you a curve ball and you find yourself out of work and in need of a new job?

You then open Manila Bulletin’s classified ads section. You look for job listings that are suitable for your knowledge and experience since you want to capitalize on what you’ve mastered in the last decade. You find a couple of job advertisements that suit you.

Good reputable company, check.

Good position, check.

Skills required, check.

Competitive compensation and benefits, check.

You’ve found your next job! BUT WAIT! It says in the job ad that the age requirement is from 25 to 35 years old. You’ve just celebrated your 40^th birthday. Bummer.

You then look at other job ads and notice a similar pattern. There is an age limit specified in the job ads. You’re way above the age limit. You then start wondering exactly what our letter sender asked:

Dear Ms. Jhoanna,

I’m an engineer by profession and also finished EMBA. I currently work overseas for a power plant. Pay is good and knowledge advancement is great. However, I miss home and have been exploring the possibility of coming back for good. I’ve been looking at job advertisements but have been noticing age limitations that are, well, limiting.

We say that experience plays a big part in true learning and you can acquire this through years of working as you also age. As I browsed job listings, I am qualified for most of the opening, but I always end up frustrated due to age requirement.

So I have a few questions on this issue: Is the Age limit mandatory as a minimum requirement for all hiring companies? Does HR have an influence on this? Is this what we call Equal Opportunity? I hope you can enlighten me.

Thanks,

A Mature Engineer

My Response:

Thanks for writing in with this relevant issue. Allow me to answer your question about Age Limitations...

Before HR practitioners post job advertisements, they usually conduct a job analysis wherein they try to define the required skills, competencies and scope of work needed for the position. They also determine what age range and sometimes even the gender the manager in need of staffing prefers so that they will have a clear set of criteria for recruitment. As much as possible, HR confers with the manager on his or her preference since s/he will be the one working directly with the new hire.

Although Age Limitations and Gender Specification do not exactly reflect the ideals of equal opportunity which has been made into law by some first world countries, it is a practice many companies do in our country for practical purposes.

From an employer's point of view, younger employees are seen as less costly and tend to demand lower compensation because they do not have that much family obligations or medical health problems yet. They also have more years ahead, so investing in their training offers the chance for longer service time.

On the other hand, some companies are also aware that older and veteran workers have more experience and knowledge. They have already been trained by their previous employers. They have first hand practical experience and are usually more emotionally mature to handle work concerns and issues.

So it really depends on the company’s culture, needs and financial capacity. Some companies have strict age requirements, others are more flexible. If they can afford to, they hire veterans for higher positions; if they cannot, they get consultants to help out and train their younger work force.

I understand how difficult it is for older people to find jobs. Usually, the older you become and the higher your position gets, the opportunities seem to get narrower... But older people still have a lot of options. You just have to go out of your comfort zones, think outside the box and explore other ways to pursue your career.

Stay tuned for my next article to get ideas on how to conquer age limits.

About the Author:

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy, HR Club Philippines and Teach It Forward Organization. Since 2003, her company has served more than 15,000 participants from various companies and industries by providing corporate skills training, business and human resource seminars. To know more about the seminars and services that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may also call (632)6874645. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF GREAT EMPLOYERS

2011-07-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin, August 2011]

In my last column, I wrote about “Ten Characteristics of Star Employees”. This time, I’d like to explore the flip side and discuss what makes employers great to work for.

See, your happiness and contentment in the workplace is directly affected by how the company that you work for is run. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the salary that people look at when they choose employers. Money is not the end all and be all of job satisfaction. So if you want to be part of a great company, aspire to find or even develop these ten characteristics in your company:

1. They have a clear vision

Great employers have direction. Their leaders have a clear picture of what they want their company to stand for and where they want to go. We’re talking here about full enculturation of the company’s vision, mission and values wherein employees live by these guiding principles. It’s not just about putting a mission statement in a frame and hanging it on the wall. It’s about building a culture that employees are proud of and can easily identify with on a daily basis.

2. They have a good recruitment process

Great employers know that top notch employees equal an excellent company. So they establish recruitment systems that are designed to get the crème of the crop, not the bottom of the barrel. They seek out people who are skilled with the right attitude to fill in key positions in their company. They are organized in their recruitment efforts and have done the necessary homework for finding competent employees.

3. They have adequate compensation and benefits programs

Once they’ve hired their employees, great employers are able to keep them longer because they provide not just competitive salaries, but also benefits and perks. These benefits may include essentials such as healthcare, allowances for uniforms or food, to fun stuff like workshops and outings, to cool perks such as transportation assistance and mobile phone loads.

4. They train their people

Great employers also ensure that each employee grows professionally by providing training to help them do their jobs. From the beginning, as soon as an employee is hired, they are given an orientation. Then as they settle in their jobs, they are provided on the job training. This is also followed up by seminars, workshops and learning materials that will help employees develop further.

5. They monitor their people’s performance

After all the training, great employers make sure that their employees are able to apply what they have learned. This is done by continuously monitoring performance. Managers and supervisors constantly look at how their subordinates are doing. They provide guidance and immediate feedback. Then this is followed up by regular performance evaluations that are documented by the company’s HR people.

6. They recognize and reward good performance

The reason why performance is monitored is so that the company can reward the good ones and correct those that need to be improved. To encourage and motivate employees, great companies provide rewards and incentives. This could range from simple treats and tokens, to elaborate programs like employee of the month, sales target bonus with gifts like gadgets and trips abroad.

7. They equip their people with tools that help them work better and faster

If you want to double or triple your team’s performance, it is important to equip them with the right tools and equipment. Great employers understand this, so they make sure that their people are given the best software and hardware. More importantly, they are trained to maximize them. They understand that, “When you give a man the tools and know-how, you can step back and see the ingenuity that may come after.”

8. They have safe and conducive work environments

Great employers understand that a person’s environment affects his or her moods. So they take care in providing a workplace that’s conducive and safe for work. You can easily determine if a company is great or not by how clean and well-maintained the place is. So gather those waste baskets and purge unimportant items, clear your desks and organize! A clean work station will improve your mood and make you work better for a great company.

9. They care about their people

Great employers are able to provide programs that ensure their employees are well-taken care of physically, emotionally and spiritually. The company has heart and they show it to their people with kind words, caring leaders, firm and constant guidance. They understand that, “When you care for your people, your people will take care of the company.”

10. They develop leaders

Lastly, great employers develop leaders. They encourage initiative and innovation. They allow their employees to shine and provide opportunities for star performers to develop themselves as leaders. From the group of star performers, they choose and hone select people to lead the company to greater heights.

The truth is, there’s no such thing as a perfect company. Great employers are simply built by the people who work for it. If you want to work for a great company, it is in your hands to make your company a great and happy place to work in.

If you are looking for a job, seek to find a company that has these qualities. If you are already employed, make your company a great place to work in. If you have influence in your company, seek to develop these characteristics to make your company great and reap the rewards of a happy and productive workplace!

About the Author:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy, HR Club Philippines and Teach It Forward Organization. Since 2003, her company has served more than 15,000 participants from various companies and industries by providing corporate skills training, business and human resource seminars. To know more about the seminars and services that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may also call (632)6874645. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Ten Characteristics of Star Employees

2011-07-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin in July 2011]

In the workplace, there will always be star employees who shine. These people are well-liked by their bosses. They reach their targets or accomplish notable achievements. They are star performers, which is why they get recognized by their company and get promoted faster than the rest of the regular folks. It’s pretty cool to be a star employee. So let’s all aspire to be one.

If you are presently employed, I’d like you to take a good look at yourself. From a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how would you rate your general work performance? If you were your boss, would you point to yourself as a star employee?

If your answer is yes, then keep up the good work. Kudos to you! However, if you are not quite there yet and would like to become one, let’s take a look at the qualities that separates star employees from ordinary ones.

1. They are Always Present
Star Employees are always present physically, mentally and emotionally. This means that they have good attendance records. They understand that quantity affects quality of time---that no matter how brilliant you are, if you’re not present for work, then you can’t really do a good job. So they come to their place of work, alert and ready to face the challenges the day brings. They leave their personal issues and problems at the door which allows them to focus on the job at hand.

2. They are Results-Oriented
When Star Employees are busy, they really are. They do not spend all day doing things just to look busy. They actually do tasks that they deem instrumental in helping them reach their goals. These people look at the end-results all the time. They measure their performance with targets and actual results. For example, star salespeople know their sales targets by heart. They find the best use of their time that will get them the desired results.

3. They are Self-reliant
Star employees do not need to be micromanaged. They require very little supervision as they are capable in making common sense decisions. They are not too dependent on their bosses or co-workers. Unlike some people who ask their bosses to solve everything and decide on the littlest of things, they are well-capable of managing themselves and dealing with everyday work issues. They are also self-motivated.

4. They are Reliable
Star employees carry a sense of dependability about them. They look and act responsible. Bosses feel at ease assigning them to important projects because they are diligent and consistent with the quality of their work. They are steadfast which is why they don’t make their bosses worry too much about project completions.

5. They are Progressive
To most employees, change is difficult to swallow. They like doing things that they are comfortable with. They like things to be the way they are. Star employees, on the other hand, can adapt well to change. In fact, they initiate it. They constantly look at how their work, the procedures and systems in their office can be improved. In the process they find innovative solutions that increase their company’s profits or generate huge savings for the company which their employers appreciate.

6. They are Good Reporters
Star employees are on top of things. Bosses often get frustrated in constantly reminding their subordinates about things they need to do and they often waste a lot of time following up on projects. Meanwhile, the star employee gets there first. They regularly update their bosses and teammates on what’s happening. You don’t have to ask them what’s up with this account, because chances are, they’ve already told you before you even thought of asking.

7. They can Communicate with Ease
When star employees talk to people, they are not tense and uptight. They communicate in a comfortable and enthusiastic manner which makes the other person feel at ease right away. They can talk to bosses, co-workers, suppliers and customers very well in a conversational manner. They are naturally personable which draws people to them.

8. They are confident
Many people equate confidence as being extroverted and outspoken. But not all star employees are made that way. There are many star employees who are quiet and not so gregarious. See, confidence is about knowing who you are and your self-worth. Star employees know their capabilities and limitations. They courageously face challenges and are not afraid to seek assistance if needed.

9. They Go the Extra Mile
What sets star employees apart from regular folks is they go further than what is expected of them. If they are expected to know a specific product of their company, they go the extra mile in learning the whole product line, the competitor’s product, pricing and promos. If they are expected to reach a sales quota, they don’t stop upon reaching the quota. They go for more. They do a little bit of extra when it comes to their work and even their relationships.

10. They are Grateful
Most important of all, star employees are grateful. They are not brats who feel entitled to all the benefits, rewards and incentives given by their company. Instead, they sincerely appreciate what is given to them and make it known by saying thank you all the time. The reason why they perform better than the rest and why bosses like them is because they know how to value their jobs, their employers and colleagues.

Now, given the ten characteristics above, take a look at yourself. Which of these traits do you have? Which ones do you lack? Are you a star employee?

Aspire to be a star employee because it’s pretty cool to be recognized and appreciated by your bosses and colleagues. Not to mention the perks and rewards attached to it. Everyone has the capacity to become a star employee, all you have to do is hone yourself and build on the ten characteristics of a star employee.

My Boss is Threatening to Fire Us!

2011-07-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin in July 2011]

Bosses have different ways of motivating employees to improve their performance. Smart ones use several methods of reward and punishment and adjust their approach according to circumstances.

In my experience, I have found that rewards and punishments are equally effective depending on the situation and the type of people you have. But in general, people respond more to rewards, incentives, promotions, recognition and all the nice stuff.

Occasionally, however, punishments or “threats” may be warranted but using this can become counter-productive and dangerous too. If you threaten and put people down often enough, they might get paralyzed in fear and begin to lose focus. Instead of finding ways to improve performance, they might get caught up with just fighting the perceived threat.

Such is the case of a reader of mine. Let me share his story, my advice and some thoughts about motivating people.

Dear Ms. Jhoanna,

I am an avid reader of your column for more than two years now. I loved the way you do it, by way of giving everyone your PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE perspective, and my fervent prayer is that God will give you more talents and wisdom and add more years for you to live longer.

By the way I am “ABE”, 62 years old from Tarlac. I live with my wife, our 4 children and 3 grandsons. I’ve been connected for two years now to a real estate company as an AVP in Marketing. My position gives me a basic living subsidy, over-ride commissions plus the use of the company vehicle.

In the previous year, I used to be No. 3 among the 15 Marketing Directors. At times, I’d reach No. 1 and No. 2 ranking. When I was promoted as an AVP, I’ve been able to consistently land again at No. 3, sometimes No. 2 and even No. 1.

But 2 months ago, my Marketing Directors were transferred to another group. Hence, I am now in survival mode, currently at No. 3 among 4 AVPs.

My concern is that our EVP has been threatening me that he will dissolve our group if we don’t increase sales. As a result, we feel tremendous pressure almost every day, every week and every month.

What do you think should I do? Although I am determined to fight, the “THREAT” is becoming worse. Please kindly advise me.

Thank you very much and i hope you can help me. God bless, more power and good luck!

Sincerely yours,
Threatened Abe

My Response:

Thanks for avidly following my column for the past two years, Mr. Abe. I understand how pressure-filled Sales Jobs are and I hope that you'll be able to overcome your challenges and find abundance soon.

Regarding your work issues, allow me to share with you my thoughts...

From a relational perspective, it would be great if you can talk to your EVP and calmly explain to him that you understand how critical sales is for the company and that you are doing many things to increase sales. However, the approach (or "threat of dissolution") is becoming counter-productive to your sales team's morale. And that you would appreciate it very much if he'll try a different approach. Of course, you need to do this in such a way that he won't be offended or feel alienated by you.

From an emotional perspective, it would be great if you can find some sort of stress release. I know Sales is highly stressful since you need to reach your quotas. Two of our own company's top sales people actually had a very difficult time getting the numbers during the start of this year and this almost paralyzed them. To solve the problem, one of them opened up to management and sought support. The other one took a short retreat to reenergize herself. With the help of our Mancomm and some smart changes in their sales routine, things eventually improved and they are back on track.

From an HR perspective, I think it's wise to revisit the Employment Contract you signed with the company, as well as the company policies for Termination as it pertains to Sales People. Much of your protection will come from what type of employment you have, the provisions in your contract, the HR policies and processes in your company and the Philippine Labor Laws. Since a sales job is highly quantitative, much will be based on your sales results. Normally, verbal warnings are the first steps for disciplinary action. Written warnings carry more weight and these are actually needed for an employer to terminate employees if due process is to be followed.

Meanwhile, I think it's not yet too late. You still have your job. The real estate industry has been booming for the past few years. You can still focus and concentrate on generating more sales, despite the threat.

Motivating Employees

I wish I could talk to Mr. Abe’s boss and point out that his “threatening” approach is de-motivating his people. Since I don’t really know him, allow me to use this column to reach out to the bosses out there.

Fear is a potent tool. Its powers can motivate people to move, but it could just as easily demoralize people. I personally would only use it as a last resort.

The job of every boss is not just about pushing people to do what they want. Great bosses take the time to understand what drives their people and figure out what buttons to push to positively impact their subordinates. They also arm their people with the means and tools to let them achieve. They push, encourage, guide and support others be great at what they do.

HEALTHCARE OPTIONS

2011-06-22T02:53:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last June 2011]

In my last article, I talked about medical crisis and how you can take charge of your health and cushion yourself from exorbitant medical bills in case you get sick and hospitalized. (To read the article, you may check out my blog at http://hrclubonline.blogspot.com)

This time, I'd like to discuss the healthcare plans and types available in the Philippines since shopping for a health card can get overwhelming and confusing. Here are some of the healthcare programs that are being offered in the market. I find that each type of plan has strong and weak points and choosing your plan will all depend on your budget and preference.

SSS and Philhealth

If there are items in my pay slip that I'm more than willing to get deductions for, these would be at the top of my list. SSS provides maternity benefits, sick benefits and even a small pension as long as you pass their requirements. I personally have had the privilege of using my maternity benefit this year and it was a big help. Philhealth also provides you a sizable discount off your hospital bills so it made my hospital stay more affordable.

Both the employer and employee are legally required to give shared contributions for these funds. Your HR or Accounting Department will process payment for you so it's pretty easy to join and maintain membership. Be sure to go and get your SSS and Philhealth ID so that you can avail of the benefits. It is also prudent to check if your company is indeed remitting your payments to these agencies. There are a few irresponsible companies out there who deduct SSS and Philhealth contributions from their employees' pay slips but fail to remit them to the right agencies.

Although our SSS and Philhealth benefits will help us during a medical crisis, more often than not, they are not enough. So to protect themselves, employers and individuals enroll in extra healthcare programs that are offered by insurance companies. There are various healthcare plans and types out there and if you are seriously interested in getting a health plan for you, your family or employees, be sure to research and do due diligence.

HMO - Health Maintenance Organization

When you become a policy-holder of an HMO, you get access to their network which consists of hundreds of doctors, clinics and hospitals. You also can avail of the network's medical services with no cash outlay. This means that when you go visit an accredited doctor or get hospitalized, all you have to do is present your card and follow procedures, but you won't have to spend as long as costs are within you maximum benefit. This type of plan usually covers in-patient and out-patient services. Dental services and personal accident insurance are optional.

Medical Insurance

Not all doctors are created equal. Some are really just better. If you are like me who take time and great effort to find great doctors with experience and good bedside manners, then you may want to get a healthcare plan that allows you to choose your own doctor. Most Medical Insurance Plans allow this, but they are usually reimbursement type. This means that you will still have to put up the money to pay your doctor, but you can reimburse from the insurance company later on as long as you follow their process and requirements. Some Medical Insurance companies offer flexibility and let you choose coverage. You can go with basic in-patient and you can just add on outpatient, dental and others. There are even plans that let you add on an HMO component which offers access to their medical services network without cash outlay.

HMO with Pension

There are also some companies who offer combination plans wherein you pay premiums for several years with a locked-in arrangement. You get access to their network of doctors, clinics and hospitals with no cash outlay. Then after a certain number of years, you get a portion of your money back. The money back feature is an attractive offer, but rates are a little bit higher initially. It's worth a look if you have extra cash to spare.

Hospital Confinement Insurance

If you get hospitalized, you are faced with many issues. Aside from the medical bills you have to pay, you also will lose the opportunity to earn income. The purpose of this type of insurance is to give you an allowance during your period of hospital confinement. It is supposed to supplement you income loss. Some plans offer money back guarantee while other's don't.

There are many other types of Insurance that will suit your needs. These are just some of them. If you want to invest in healthcare insurance plans, be sure to research, investigate and ask other plan-holders. Read the policy very well. Ask about pre-existing conditions (if you don't know what this means, ask the agent to explain as this is a crucial point). Know and understand the benefits and limitations of your plan before you plunk your hard-earned money on it. The last thing you want when you are in a medical crisis is to be denied coverage. So read and ask a lot of questions.

I hope this article has shed a little light on important features of healthcare plans. If you are a jobseeker, don’t just look at how much salary you will get, but check if the company provides healthcare benefits. If your company offers healthcare, be very grateful. If they don't, consider getting a plan for yourself or your family.

We all work really hard to earn and save money. A single disease can easily wipe us out. So take charge of your health and finances while you are still healthy.

MEDICAL CRISIS

2011-06-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last June 2011]

When illness strikes, it could be very devastating to any hardworking person. Medical bills can wipe out your entire savings. If your disease is contagious or debilitating, you will be asked to stop working for awhile and this means loss of income for a critical period in time. And if you are the breadwinner in your family, you can just imagine how this will impact your loved ones who depend on you.

Let me share with you the experience of one reader and the issues he is faced with during his illness...

Dear Ms. Jhoanna,

I was recently diagnosed with Pneumonia. At first, my company allowed me to take a break for a few weeks to recover. But I got hospitalized and during that time, it was discovered that I also contracted tuberculosis.

My medical bills reached Php95,000 and I did not have enough money to pay the hospital so I asked my employer if they could help. They provided financial aid as well as a salary loan, but it's not enough to cover my hospital expenses. Our HR manager then suggested that we go for termination due to prolonged illness with an option to reapply to the company when I get better. She said, this way, I can get a separation pay. I agreed to this, but they are asking me now to submit a medical report, as well as sign a quit claim before they release the money. I'm very stressed right now and I can't help but feel paranoid with all the paperwork they are letting me sign. Is this really necessary?

Honestly, I feel very depressed. I have spent years working so hard trying to save up but I'll have to spend it all to pay for my medical bills. It's so unfair! I'm sick. I can't work. I don't have money. How can hardworking people like me move up in life? What can I do to improve my situation?

From,
Kevin

My response:

I'm sorry to hear about your illness and I sincerely hope that you will get well soon. It is normal to feel emotional distress when you are physically ill, not to mention the pressure of being faced with a steep medical bill. But do know that this too will pass, so hang in there.

Based from your letter, I think your company is pretty decent as they have provided you medical assistance and salary loan. They are also willing to give you separation pay as well as give you a job when you get better, so you can at least get some relief and not worry about job opportunities for the time-being, while you are recovering.

The paperwork is necessary. Legally, if a company is terminating an employee due to prolonged illness, a medical report must be submitted and this must be issued by a duly authorized public health officer. It is also prudent for companies to document all things related to termination. Efficient HR practitioners will normally ask you to sign a salary release, clearance and quit claim form. So just read the documents properly and sign, if everything is in order.

As an optimistic person, I don't really enjoy talking about sickness, disability or even death. But I know that Illness can strike anyone regardless of race, educational attainment and economic status. So for my peace of mind, I've chosen to face these issues head on and find ways to protect me and my family from these types of crisis. I urge everyone to do the same.

To protect yourself and your family against illness-related disasters and to cushion the financial blow that comes with it, take the time and effort to...

Invest in Health

In the movie "Tanging Ina", Ms. Ai Ai says: "Ang batang masipag, paglaki... pagod," (A kid who works hard, grows up to become... tired!). Many people who work hard, do just that---work hard. In the midst of all that hard work, they forget to eat properly, to rest well and to do the right kind of exercise. So they end up working hard for money, then they get sick and lose the money they earned while working hard in the first place! It's a vicious cycle that needs to be stopped. The best way to prevent illness-related blows is to stay healthy. Eat if you have to eat. Take a break if you need to rest. Wash your hands often to avoid bacteria and viruses. If you get sick, stay home until you get better. Don't ever act like a martyr by forcing yourself to go to work when you are seriously ill or worse, contagious. Other people might catch what you have and they won't be happy about it. Learn to work smarter, not harder. You will become healthier and happier in the long-run.

Invest in Affordable Health Insurance

Honestly, today's medical costs can give you a heart-attack. Depending on the illness and treatment required, bills can run from thousands to millions. Your SSS and Philhealth membership will help a bit, so make sure your contributions are up to date. If your company provides healthcare or HMO, good for you. It will help pay for your hospitalization in case you get confined. But if your company does not provide this benefit, you can proactively research and look for an affordable plan for you and your family (or even get free healthcare if you're a Makati resident with that magic yellow card).

See, companies are not required by law to give healthcare benefits aside from SSS and Philhealth. So they are not legally bound to cover your medical costs. Employers will pay you for your day's work. They are responsible for providing good working conditions, but they are not accountable for your health. In other words, you are ultimately responsible in taking care of yourself.

Hardworking people must not just work hard, but more importantly, they should live smart. Take care of your health and finances now, because nobody else will do it for you. Stay healthy!

JOB HUNTING ETIQUETTE

2011-06-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last May 2011]

Last week, a group of new graduates dropped by our office and asked if there were any job vacancies. Our receptionist told them that they can leave their resumes and she’ll hand it to the HR department. Surprisingly, they did not have any resumes with them--- Yikes! This is like entering a battlefield without any weapons!

One of them, however, volunteered to come back on the same day since his house is near our office. So he rushed to get his resume and came back within an hour. When our receptionist asked for his resume, he took out his USB memory stick and said it was inside. He then asked if he could have it printed in our office--- Double yikes! This is like asking your opponent to make your weapon for you!

Our receptionist nicely informed him that she cannot do that for him. He’ll have to bring a printed copy to our office if he wants to drop off his resume and apply. So he went down to the print shop, had his resume printed and went back to submit it. He was then given a job application form to fill out. Then he asked our receptionist, “Can I borrow your pen?” --- Triple yikes! This is like bringing a weapon without bullets!

When I heard about this, I couldn’t help but be amused, but I also felt sad. Obviously, these new graduates were not trained well for job hunting. This lack of training will hamper their quest for a good job and it will waste their time, effort and resources.

So for those of you, who have not been given good guidance on job hunting, let me share some basic etiquette and tips that will make your job hunting more efficient and let you appear more professional.

Send a Message When You Email Resumes

If you want to apply via email, be sure to type in a short message indicating your intention of applying for a particular position. This shows that you can communicate in a professional manner and with proper etiquette. More importantly, the recruitment officer will immediately know what position you are interested in, which will then minimize the guess work. If you just attach your resume and send the email without a message, there’s a chance that your application might be misplaced or ignored. Some recruitment officers immediately delete resumes without cover letters or email messages. So better be safe than sorry.

Bring Your Job Hunting Kit

Prepare a job hunting kit or clear book with copies of your resume, transcript of records, medical certificate, NBI clearance, ID photos and pens. If you have a portfolio of projects that you have been involved in, add that to the kit.

When you get called in for an interview, bring this kit. You will find it very handy particularly if the recruitment officer didn’t print a copy of your emailed resume. Plus, it will save you the trouble of going back and forth like the young graduate mentioned above who tried to apply in our company.

Bring a Presentable Resume

Back in my time, we submitted printed resumes on crisp linen paper with a neat folder or envelop. If you can spend a little on nice paper, you can still do this so that your resume can stand out from the pile of resumes that recruitment officers go through. But skip the perfume or make sure that your paper does not smell of moth balls. I swear, whenever I encounter a resume that has a strong scent, I get a headache.

Research about the Company You are Applying For

Before you go for an interview, it will help to know what the company does. You can easily do this by googling and checking out the website of the company. While you are at it, you can even formulate smart questions that you can ask the interviewer. This will show the recruitment officer that you take time to prepare and get to know potential employers. It proves that you are not just interested in getting any job, but you are seriously interested in the company that you will eventually work for.

Dress in Smart Business Casual Attire

How you should dress for an interview depends on the company and position you are applying for. If you are applying in a traditional organization, better dress in conservative business attire. If you are applying in a dynamic and youthful organization, you can dress in more relaxed attire, but be sure you look presentable in decent clothing. If you are commuting, it is also best to bring a grooming or “kikay” kit. Bring a small towel or even an extra shirt to wipe off your sweat and other grooming aids that you can use to freshen up. You should always look your best when you want to impress.

Confident Handshake and Warm Greeting

If you are not yet comfortable shaking hands with people because you have never really done so in school, it is time to learn now. Practice shaking people’s hands with a moderately strong grip. Be sure to smile so that you will warm up the interviewer. If it helps, do this in front of a mirror.

Also, be polite when addressing people. If for instance, the name of the interviewer is Anne. Call her Ms. Anne to show respect.

Thank you

After the interview, if you want to be remembered, you can send a text or email message thanking the interviewer for the time and opportunity. People used to do this back in the old days. It’s called courtesy. But this practice is so uncommon nowadays, that you are sure to make an impression with this simple effort.

Minding Your Manners

Recruitment officers do not just look at the skills and educational background of job applicants. They also look at the attitude and breeding of a person which is apparent in one’s etiquette. So don’t forget to mind your manners all the time!

CAREER CHOICES

2011-06-22T00:39:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last May 2011]

At some point in time, you will be faced with major choices that will greatly impact your life. One of the critical decisions that you will have to make is your line of work. The question you will be faced is: What do you want to do with your life?

Most of us are faced with this decision at the end of our high school years when it is time to choose our major in college.

There are some very lucky people who know exactly what they want. For instance, at a very young age my brother already knew that he wanted to be an architect. He pursued it and has been highly successful in his chosen career.

Some people (like me) choose careers based on their interests and talents. They are not sure what exactly they will be when they grow up but they know in general what they like to do. So they choose careers where they can apply themselves and discover what’s in store for them in the process.

Yet, there are those who are not able to make a decision for a number of reasons. Some are simply clueless on what they want to be, some follow what’s in demand at the moment, while others are pressured into courses that their parents want for them. So they walk through a path of uncertainty and only find out later on if the career they have pursued is something they really like or not.

Now let me ask you, dear readers, how did you choose your career? Do you believe you made the right choice? Have you found satisfaction and success in your chosen career?

I recently received an email from a reader asking for advice about her choice of career. Let me share her issues with you so that we can all learn from her situation:

Dear Ms. Jhoanna,

I have been job hunting for the longest time. I have been waiting already for five years of nothing but continuous applications. Although I’d occasionally be called in for interviews, I cannot seem to land the job that I want. I get job interviews and exams, but when it is time to decide whether they are going to hire me, they would always not accept me.

See, my problem is that I graduated with a major in accounting from a prestigious school. But I dislike accounting, so my past work experiences are rather short. During interviews, I’d be asked why I had not stayed long enough with the companies that I have worked for. It is a reasonable question. But the fact is, I dislike accounting, hence the change of jobs. It would not have been the same if I graduated with a Masscom degree and I did the job I liked.

All throughout my young years, twenties and even early thirties, I disliked accounting and I wanted a job as a reporter. I sent resumes to networks but of course, there are tons who do the same. Since I’m not a MassCom graduate, how would they recognize me from the pile of resumes?

I just feel that maybe if I pursued Masscom in college, i would have a much different life than the life of unemployment that I have right now. It has been difficult. I haven’t had income since 2004 and I only rely on the Php200 allowance that I get from my Mom. I cannot overspend because my mom wouldn’t have budget for it. I know it sounds so little for someone whose got resources but the continuous rejections in jobs has amounted me to this. I really hope you could comment.

Sometimes, it is just too hard, I guess. But I believe there are solutions. I would always plan, meaning plan to get hired and they wouldn't hire me. So there comes a point when I lose hope in ever having a job again.

I was hoping you could somehow give me a suggestion as to how I could get hired by companies again. I am not as young as before. At this point, I’ll take any job. Right now, I am entertaining call center jobs and have a couple of interviews with them this week. When it comes to accounting jobs, I would always get bypassed.

Thanks, and appreciate your help.

Sincerely,
Jobseeker-reader

My Response:

Thanks for sharing your job hunting experience. All of us eventually make major decisions that greatly impact our lives. Some of those decisions will be good ones, while others may be bad. The good decisions are easy to see as it brings success and happiness while the bad ones may cause regret and frustration---BUT, the important question is this: If you make a wrong decision, does it follow that you are doomed to a life of failure and misery?

I think not. There are many roads that one can take in one's lifetime. We all have choices to make. If you take one road and feel that it's not right for you, you are not doomed. You can always turn left on the next stop, make a U-turn or go on a detour. It's not your choice of course that's holding you back, so try not to fall into the "What-If" trap. Instead, take what you can out of your learning in college and apply it in your life.

Since you have been out of work for a long time, I do suggest that you make an inventory of your skills, talents, knowledge and experience. Don’t limit yourself with your college major. HR practitioners do not just look at your educational attainment, they want to know your capabilities. Then check out all your job options whether it be freelance, part-time, full-time or even voluntary work. This will give you the chance to get reacquainted with work-life. It will put you in touch with people and open up opportunities. Making a living will boost your confidence. Whether it's your dream job or not, it doesn't matter at this point. You just need to get your feet wet again.

Stop making excuses from the past. Each day brings an opportunity to make better choices. It is time to take charge of your career!

Leadership Motivation: Are You Ready for a Promotion?

2011-06-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last April 2011]

Do you want to get promoted? Believe it or not, not everyone wants to be promoted to a position of leadership or as a supervisor or manager in the company they work for.

I observed this during my consultancy project with a top retail company for their Management Trainee Program. The employer wanted to give deserving salespeople a chance to move up by promoting them as supervisors. So their HR department set up a much publicized program wherein people can either volunteer on their own or be selected by their superiors to attend the company’s leadership training program which was a prerequisite to getting promoted.

Interestingly, most of the participants for the program were nominated by their managers. Not one volunteered to get into the program for a chance at moving up the ranks. This prompted the employer to ask: Why didn’t our people grab the chance of rising above the ranks? Don’t they want to get promoted to a position that pays higher? Do they lack the ambition?

This is where our consulting team stepped in. Before running a series of intensive leadership training workshops to develop the supervisorial skills of the attendees, we conducted a Training Needs Analysis to find out what the sentiments of the nominated attendees were about possibly taking on a new role as a supervisor. We needed to know if they were willing participants, since the success of the program hinged on how eager they were in becoming leaders.

DESIRE TO LEAD

See, the first and most basic prerequisite for leadership is the desire to lead. After all, becoming an effective leader takes dedication and commitment. It presents many challenges that you will have to face. If you're not prepared to work hard at developing your leadership skills or if, deep down, you're really not sure whether you are leadership material or not, you'll struggle with the new role.

In line with this, let me ask our dear readers… How ambitious are you? Do you want to be promoted as a supervisor or manager in your company? If your employer offered a similar program wherein you can volunteer to attend a required seminar to get the chance of moving up the ranks, would you volunteer?

If you answered YES to these questions, then good for you. You have a healthy dose of ambition and you are willing to step out of your comfort zone to move up in life. If, however, you answered NO, let’s see what’s holding you back. Could it be any of the reasons below?

BARRIERS TO LEADERSHIP

When we surveyed the selected employees of the top retail company, we did uncover some apprehensions and fearful attitudes about becoming a leader. Here are some of the common barriers that prevent people from embracing leadership.

Insecurity

Some people do not embrace positions of leadership because they are not confident that people will follow them or they feel they are not deserving of the position. In the case of the salespeople I mentioned earlier, some of them felt they are not capable because they are not college graduates.

Although education helps, I believe you don’t have to be a college graduate or have the pedigree to become a good leader. Instead, an eager learning mind and a mature understanding of people will push you to the right direction. Leadership skills can be learned and developed. If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.

More Responsibility

Some people do not want to become a supervisor or manager because of the added responsibilities attached to a promotion. A position of leadership means that you will be overseeing people under you. For a lot of people, this is no easy feat so why bother with the added work?

The answer is it will make you grow---not just professionally, but also mentally and emotionally. The more you experience dealing with different personalities and situations, the better you will become as a person and the higher your chances of success in life. Having to manage people is a challenging feat, but you will enjoy the rewards if you learn to manage your team well.

Peer Pressure

Some people are hesitant to become leaders because they are afraid that their friends and colleagues will hold it against them or treat them differently. When you get promoted as a supervisor or manager, the dynamics of your relationship with your co-workers instantly changes especially if they become your subordinates. You will have to give them orders and correct them if they make mistakes. While they may be used to you as a work-buddy, they will have to adjust to you as their new “boss”.

I understand that this can be unnerving for most people, but I don’t think you should let it stop you from getting ahead in life. There are smart ways and means to rally your co-workers to support you as a leader which we cover in our training workshops. All it takes is a little savvy and an effective technique to prevent power-struggles with your peers.

BENEFITS OF LEADERSHIP

The above are just some of the issues that people wrestle with, but the benefits far outweigh the momentary difficulties of mastering the art of leadership. For one thing, a promotion means an increase in income and benefits which your family will enjoy. Aside from the financial rewards, your professional growth as a supervisor or manager in your company starts the wheel for greater achievement not just for yourself but the people around you. You become a better person because you build courage which you can bring with you for the rest of your life. But before you can become a good leader and get a promotion, you must first have the desire to lead.

FINDING OJT WORK

2011-06-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last March 2011]

Way back in my college years, we had all sorts of programs to prepare us for work in the real world. Our university required us to participate in practicum, thesis and OJT programs. And I must say, I learned a lot from these experiences. It was a good way to hone my skills and get a taste of the work environment. I’m glad that these sorts of programs are still being done today.

Recently, I received a Facebook message from a junior college student inquiring about OJT work. Here is a shortened version of his letter:

Hi Ms. Jhoanna,

I’m already at the junior year of my collegiate studies and as we approach our senior year, we are preparing for our OJT that should take place on the first semester of the next school year. We are not that rich that’s why I’m looking for a company that could help us to be exposed and be trained on the real jobs in the industry with a program that could help us pay for our tuition and daily expenses. Whoa, I thought it was easy to find companies who offer such things but it’s hard to find an attainable OJT program. Some of our schoolmates have even gone through bad experiences wherein they are the ones who are paying the company for their OJT program and yet they do not get to learn from the job. Our university has many partnering companies for the OJT of its students but they do not have the contact details for those companies. So I looked for the contact details myself and sent emails to some but only one replied. How could we now achieve our longed OJT when the local college can’t help further?

That is why I’m writing to you to ask for recommendations and other things we should do. I am looking forward to any advice that you can extend to us. Thank you for accommodating my inquiry and GOD bless you. ---J. Augustin, La Union

WAYS AND MEANS OF FINDING OJT WORK

To J. Augustin of La Union and other college students who are seeking OJT work: Welcome to the Real World!

Finding OJT work is very similar to job-hunting for regular employment after college. Even if your university has “partner companies” for OJT programs or Career Placement Offices, you will most likely still have to search and apply for a company that has a good OJT program that pays.

As you hunt for OJT work, you will get to experience and learn job-hunting skills. Yes, not all companies offer OJT programs with allowances, but there are some who do. So do your best to find them and learn as much as you can from the process as the skills that you will learn will help you later on when you are actually looking for a job after you graduate.

So let me give you some tips on how you can find OJT work that pays:

Google It

This has become my all-time solution for finding things: Looking for something? Google it! And it definitely applies to job-hunting. There are many companies who provide OJT work opportunities in the Philippines. Some of them are multinational firms, but there are also small-medium enterprises (SMEs) who provide OJT work that gives out allowances or per diem. This is the first thing I did after reading your letter and I immediately found a website portal in the Philippines that publishes OJT work opportunities online for BPO companies and other industries.

Connections

Use your contacts. Ask your relatives, friends and teachers if they know of OJT work opportunities. Perhaps they can give you referrals. Better yet, if you know of relatives and friends who own businesses, offer them your services. When I was in college, I found part-time work from my seatmate whose family owned a manufacturing firm. After college, I immediately found work through one of my professors who worked for an entertainment firm. When it comes to jobs, just seek and you shall find.

Apply for It

Similar to job-hunting, you will have to send in your application. When doing so, observe proper email etiquette. Write an email message about the details of your OJT program and the skills that you have that the company can utilize, aside from attaching your resume. This will make you stand out among other OJT applicants who typically just attach resumes without any message at all. A few years back, I received an email from a college student who was applying for OJT work. At that time, my company was not looking for trainees nor did we even have an OJT program. But I was so impressed with the applicant’s email and skills (she had an online website resume) that convinced me that I had to have her. So I started an OJT program just so that I could get her even for a short period of time. She didn’t ask to be paid, but we gave her an allowance because she deserved it.

Ask for Recommendation Letters

A good university OJT program provides support for their students, either by matching them with companies in need of OJTs or at least providing authorization or recommendation letters. The first OJT trainee that I got attached a recommendation letter from her professor as well, so it formalized and authenticated her application. These documents are optional but they help.

It’s a Job

When applying for work, whether it’s OJT or regular employment, show the employer the skills that you have that will help their company instead of just telling them that you want the OJT program to provide you with the best learning experience. Employers are busy running the day-to-day operations of their business. Most do not have the time to train students who will only be there for a short period of time and leave after 300 hours. That is why not all employers are willing to pay for OJT work. However, if you can show them that you’ve got skills that can really help them, they may seriously consider hiring you as OJT with pay like what I did.

See, OJT work is a job. You may be in it to learn, but business people and employers pay for work and performance. So ask not what the employer can do for you, but ask what you can do for your employer. That’s how you can find OJT work that pays!

THANK GOD FOR MATERNITY & PATERNITY LEAVES!

2011-06-22T00:16:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last February 2011]

With all the excitement of first-time parents, my husband and I welcomed our daughter’s arrival with tears of joy early last month. Upon rooming her in, however, our thrill quickly turned into panic as we listened helplessly to the shrill cries of our baby girl who wailed non-stop for one whole night.

No amount of breastfeeding attempt, swaddling, diaper change and cuddling could calm her down. Our feisty angel was angry and the whole nursery floor would hear about it as she had the loudest cry among the bunch of newborn babies that week. Her shrieks could be heard through the hospital hallways like a fire alarm that wouldn’t turn off. It was the most overwhelming 12-hour experience my husband and I ever encountered so far. In the midst of all that chaos, we agreed that the pressures of work pales in comparison to the challenges parents face day-to-day. So, thank God for Maternity and Paternity Leaves!

As business managers who pride ourselves of being strategic and systematic, we diligently did our homework prior to our baby’s birth. Like most parents, we read up as much as we can and watched Youtube videos on newborn care. But no amount of research could prepare us for the 7.8-pound loudspeaker that suddenly turned our life upside-down.

I realized then how important and helpful Maternity and Paternity leaves are. I now see these types of leaves as not just benefits companies are required by law to provide, but necessities. Parents need time off to care for and get to know their newborns. Mothers need to recover from the pains of birth and fathers are needed to keep everyone’s sanity in check.

But like a lot of benefits, not all employers and employees are aware of the details of Government-Mandated Maternity and Paternity Leaves. Here some basic information about these benefits.

MATERNITY LEAVE

According to the Handbook of Worker’s Statutory Monetary Benefits 2010 edition and based on RA 1161 (as amended by RA 8282), Maternity Leave is: “a benefit that applies to all female employees, whether married or unmarried. Every pregnant employee in the private sector is entitled to maternity leave benefit of sixty (60) days in case of normal delivery or miscarriage, or seventy-eight (78) days, in case of Caesarian section delivery, with benefits equivalent to one hundred percent (100%) of the average daily salary credit of the employee as defined under the law.

To be entitled to the maternity leave benefit, a female employee should be an SSS member employed at the time of her delivery or miscarriage; she must have given the required notification to the SSS through her employer; and her employer must have paid at least three monthly contributions to the SSS within the twelve-month
period immediately before the date of the contingency (i.e., childbirth or miscarriage).
The maternity leave benefit, like other benefits granted by the Social Security System (SSS), is granted to employees in lieu of wages. Thus, this may not be included in computing the employee’s thirteenth-month pay for the calendar year.” (Bureau of Working Conditions, Department of Labor and Employment, 2010)

Let me note that it is important that employers and their HR administrators be knowledgeable about SSS documentation, procedures and deadlines to ensure the smooth processing of such benefits. Likewise, pregnant employees must be responsible in notifying and submitting necessary documents to their HR department as early as the pregnancy is confirmed.

PATERNITY LEAVE

Meanwhile, to allow the husband to assist and support his wife during her period of recovery and in nursing her newborn child, the Paternity Leave (RA8187) is granted to all married male employees in the private sector, regardless of their employment status (e.g., probationary, regular, contractual, project basis).

The Paternity leave benefit consists of seven (7) calendar days, with full pay, consisting of basic salary and mandatory allowances fixed by the Regional Wage Board, if any, provided that his pay shall not be less than the mandated minimum wage. Nonconvertible to cash, it applies to the first four (4) deliveries of the employee’s lawful wife.

The Paternity leave may be used by a male employee after his wife has given birth or suffered a miscarriage. Following company policies, the employee must apply and notify his employer within a reasonable period of time from the expected date of delivery by his pregnant spouse. In case of a miscarriage, prior application for paternity leave shall not be required.

PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFIT FOR SOLO PARENTS

As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I have been lucky enough to have support in full-force from my husband, mother and family, friends and co-workers. Despite all the help, I still consider newborn care and parenting really challenging. I can only imagine the trials of single parents.

It seems lawmakers understand this as well for they have passed into law the Solo-parents Welfare Act (RA 8972). To help solo parents cope with the demands of single parenting, Parental Leave for Solo Parents is granted to any solo parent or individual who is left alone with the responsibility of parenthood. This consists of an additional leave for seven (7) work days every year, with full pay, consisting of basic salary and mandatory allowances fixed by the Regional Wage Board, if any, provided that his/her pay shall not be less than the mandated minimum wage.

There are specific conditions and procedures in order for solo parents to avail of this benefit. Employers and HR administrators must be aware of this to be able to guide single-parent employees on this benefit.

NEW PURPOSE FOR WORKING PARENTS

A month into my Maternity Leave, things have pretty much settled a bit on the home front. I am grateful for the time given to me to get to know my baby daughter, to recover from childbirth, to adjust to motherhood… and yes, even the crying sound of babies. This was all made possible because of maternity and paternity benefits. As I continue my leave and regain my sanity, I am becoming inspired to work better because there’s a new purpose in my life now as a new proud parent of a wonderfully feisty little girl.

JOB HUNTING TIPS FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

2011-06-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last January 2011]

After years of tedious study, I’m sure most of you, graduating students, are excited to wear your togas, get your diplomas and toss your graduation caps into the air. But while waiting for that celebratory day, you are faced with the thought and excitement of joining the workforce soon.

As this would be the official start of your career, it is best to start preparations as early as you can. If you have plans of becoming happily employed, you can increase your chances of landing a good job by doing a few things now even if you still have a few months to go before graduation. So here are some practical tips that can make you stand out immediately as a job candidate.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR RESUME STAND OUT FROM THE REST

Every year, around March to April, I see a bunch of new graduates hovering together around the hallways of our office building. You can easily spot them because they are holding brown manila envelopes and peeping nervously inside the offices as they try to muster the courage to open the glass door, ask if there’s a job vacancy and hand out their resumes.

During these months, my in-tray and email inbox are usually filled with applications. And since new graduates tend to apply together, I’ve noticed that most of the time, their resumes are almost identical to each other. Except for their names and contact details, their resumes consist of the same school, the same course and seminars, the same clubs and school project titles. Needless to say, this is not how you can stand out from the rest.

There are many ways you can make your resume stand out.

First, do not copy your classmate’s resume.
Your experience, hobbies and interests are unique to you. It is what makes you interesting. So prepare a resume that fits your personality and represents you best. If a Recruitment Officer sees that your resume is almost identical to your classmates, chances are, s/he won’t remember any of you.

Second, highlight things that you have accomplished while studying.
Most new grads would write clubs that they have joined and seminars that they have attended. But as an HR practitioner, I know that it’s fairly easy to join a club and sit through a seminar. What matters to me and my colleagues are accomplishments and projects that you have completed which showcase your skills. For example, one of my best hires, an IT graduate, created an online resume website as a project in school. She included it in her resume and provided the link. I got impressed and it showed me a skill that she had that others do not. That’s how she stood out.

Lastly, put some meat into your resume.
For many graduating students, there isn’t much job experience to speak of and this makes it difficult to come up with an interesting resume. A lot of times, I get skeletal one-page resumes that do not really tell me much. This is a bit frustrating for us in recruitment as there seems to be little information to base the screening on. So here are some ideas on what you can include in your resume even if you have little work experience:
• Internships, Practicum or OJT-work
• Summer jobs, Student Assistant Jobs or Temporary work
• Extracurricular, Sports or Campus Activity leadership positions
• Entrepreneurial endeavors
• Volunteer work: school, church, club, not-for-profit organizations
• Research papers/School Projects
• Talents and Special Skills

READER’S RESUME-WRITING QUESTIONS

I usually get random questions from readers seeking tips and clarifications on resume-writing. Let me share some of them with you, in the hopes that you will be able to prepare better resumes and land an interview:

“Is it necessary to write an application letter?”

In my opinion, it is important to include a short application letter or if you are sending your resume through email, at least a short message that states your intention of applying and what position you would like to fill.

It is common courtesy and basic etiquette. A simple, well-written note will definitely make you stand out since only 1 out of 20 jobseekers would write a message nowadays. The rest would just send generic resume email attachments without any message at all, based on my experience in the Philippines.

“I always submit my resume without a photo. Is it just fine with HR people? Do I need to attach a photo in my resume?”

Resumes without photos are okay, unless the job advertisement specifically asks for it.
If it does specify that you need to submit a photo, then be sure to submit a presentable one.

However as an HR practitioner, I must admit that I personally prefer photos in resumes because it shows me how neat and presentable the applicant is. However, there are many instances wherein I had to reject applicants based on poor photo mug-shots, especially for sales and frontline positions. So if you look good and pleasant, by all means, attach a presentable photo. It could be a plus.

“How can I increase my chances of landing a job interview?”

Aside from my tips above and submitting well-written, error-free resumes that are focused and tailor-fitted to employers, you can increase your chances of getting a job interview by showcasing your skills through sample project portfolios, online websites, social networks, referral letters and yes, even through connections. In the real world, networking is a skill and your contacts are your assets, after all.

There are many ways that you can stand out among your peers. The important thing is to care enough to put in time, effort and brainwork into the process. Putting in the extra effort and doing even the simplest of things can result in better rewards for you. Congratulations in advance on your upcoming graduation and good luck with your job-hunt!

CHRISTMAS BONUSES & HOLIDAY CHEERS

2011-06-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last December 2011]

The season of sumptuous feast and merrymaking is finally here. If you are currently employed, it is a time of bounty as bonuses, 13th month pay and other goodies are in store.

I recently received a letter from a reader asking about 13th Month Pay, Midyear and Christmas bonuses. There are, of course policies or regulations that companies follow in the administration of these benefits. Let me share with you the letter to enlighten you a bit on how HR departments come up with these specials…

QUESTIONS FROM A READER:

Good day. I just want to ask regarding final pay… In my girlfriend’s list of company benefits, there’s Christmas and Mid-year bonus. Her position is officer level, but she resigned last August 2010. The company said she is not anymore entitled to the Christmas and Mid-year bonus because she resigned in the middle of the year. However, it’s not clearly stated in the company policy that employees who resign are not entitled to bonuses if they resigned before bonuses are released. Does my girlfriend have the right to demand these from the company? Is it fair and just for the company to do this? Hope you could help me on this matter. Thank you.

MY REPLY:

Before anything else, for the sake of clarity, let me just explain that Bonuses and 13th month pay are two different things.

Under the labor code of the Philippines, the company is mandated to provide for 13th month pay for all employees of the company. So your girlfriend is entitled to the pro-rated portion of her 13th month pay. This should be computed and included in her final pay.

However, bonuses are different from 13th month pay.

A bonus is any amount granted and paid to an employee for his/her industry and loyalty which contributed to a company's profitability. It is a means for its owners to show their gratitude to the people who have stayed and worked hard for the company. However, it remains a management prerogative, something that is given voluntarily and out of the generosity of the employer.

In effect, this means that a bonus is not a demandable and enforceable obligation, unless when it is made part of the wage, salary or compensation of the employee.

There are instances wherein a bonus may become demandable. For instance, if the bonus have already become a long-standing practice or policy. In this case, the employer can no longer withdraw as it will be considered a "diminution of benefits", but this situation usually only applies to current employees of the company. (reference: jlp-law.com)

So to answer your question, you will have to see if your girlfriend is indeed still eligible to receive the said bonus. There is usually a cut-off date where bonuses are computed, as well as a release date. If she resigns earlier than those key dates, then she will most likely not be entitled to the bonus.

Aside from this, you will have to check her employment status. Some companies have specific criteria for awarding of bonuses. So at the most, your girlfriend will have to clarify with the HR department the basis for the computation of bonuses, the cut-off date and time of release, the policies, terms and conditions associated with the bonus.

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES

Aside from bonuses and mandatory 13th month pay, your HR department usually holds the challenging task of organizing Christmas parties and events. Different companies have different ways of celebrating this special time of the year. Some companies go on teambuilding and outings, others have extravagant entertainment competitions, while there are those who do outreach programs.

Most Filipinos enjoy Christmas parties because we are a country full of social beings who love to eat. However, I’ve noticed that there are a few tired souls who tend to dislike going to these events. I guess, to some, after hopping from one party to another, they get weary.

But Christmas parties are actually a good opportunity for you to bond and get to know your co-workers better. In a relaxed atmosphere, you can deepen relationships or just have fun and laugh a little. The more you socialize, the more opportunities that will come your way. Attending and participating in these events will keep you involved in your company. It will get you excited and you’ll be able to show gratitude for the hard work your HR department has painstakingly given for all of you. A simple smile or sincere thanks is enough to make your HR team feel appreciated. This will then encouraged them to be creative and make each Christmas celebration exciting.

Best of all, you might just win a thing or two from raffles prizes and exchange gifts that are staples in these Holiday gatherings!

So the next time you receive an invite, whether it’s from your company or social circle, take the time to join and spread cheers this Christmas. Open your heart to lots of joy and blessings this holiday season. Merry Christmas and have a bountiful new year!

EMPLOYMENT PROCESSING

2011-06-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last November 2011]

Getting hired is an exciting time for many people. After spending time, money and effort sending out resumes, answering job tests and going through interviews, you finally get that good news call saying, “You’re Hired”.

It’s music to every jobseeker’s ears. It’s definitely something to cheer about and celebrate. The prospect of starting in your new job brings new hope and the promise of a better future.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, there is an important step that needs to be done as you enter the workforce---The Employment Processing.

Let’s take a quick look at how an employee goes through this and what HR practitioners do to facilitate this step.

Work Commencement

As an employer, I believe that the first day of an employee is critical and it is best that s/he starts it right. So I make sure that I’m there to greet the newly hired employee and set expectations properly on day one. Then in the first two weeks, we conduct orientation and training to help familiarize the employee on how things work in the company.

At the same time, I also know that the first two weeks is a “try out” to see if the newly hired employee is a good match for the job and if s/he can adapt to the company’s work environment. This “try out” gives the employer a good opportunity to observe the employee’s actual performance on the job…after all, the real test of an employee is not how good s/he answers the interview questions, but rather how well s/he performs on the job. The “try out” also gives the employee an opportunity to try and see if s/he is comfortable with the company’s set up. We explain this properly to the newly hired employee.

Based on experience, within a week or so, an employee will either show promise if s/he is a fit, or opt out if s/he is not right for the company.

Employment Documents

Meanwhile, the HR department starts to process employment documents, such as Employment Contract, Company Policies and the 201 file of the employee. This is a critical step that benefits both the employer and the employee to ensure proper documentation of the employment. Proper employment documentation will establish the terms of the employer-employee relationship. It protects the employee against illegal labor practices, but it also protects the employer against baseless labor disputes.

Many companies have a structured HR department that does all this. However, there are some who do not practice proper documentation processes yet. That is why our organization has been working with start-up companies or even mature businesses in setting up an HR system and operations manual to properly guide people through this process. This way, labor disputes are prevented and companies can focus on other important aspects of their business.

HR Practices

Now you need to understand that not all companies have a structured HR department in place. Professionalizing the HR department is a work-in-progress for almost all companies as it adapts to the changes, trends and needs of the work environment.

Moreover, not all companies practice the same process and standards. Some companies immediately process the paperwork and issue ATM salary cards and uniforms, while others do it at a later time. Some do one-on-one orientation, some do group orientation and others, like my company, conduct orientations through online webinars.

Employer-employee contracts may also differ from company to company as some business enterprises hire project or contractual employees, while others prefer to hire probationary employees for future regular employment.

Employment Outcome

Definitely, not all newly-hired employees go on to full employment. This is usually a cause of disappointment for employers and employees as both have put in a lot of effort and energies into the employment process. Let me share the experience of one of our readers…

LETTER FROM A JOB SEEKER:

Ms. Jhoanna, I just want to ask if I could sue a company wherein I'm about to start for orientation and have already been issued a set of uniforms, then suddenly they informed me that they are not hiring me anymore? It really caused me a lot of depression. Now I don't have the courage to apply with other companies. I'm afraid that it might happen again. Hope you can help me and give me advice regarding this matter. Thank you very much and more power.

MY ADVISE:

I understand how disappointing it is to gear up to start your new job, only to find out that it will not push through. There are many reasons why this happens and I hope the reason was properly explained to you. Sometimes, business plans change and the employment needs of the company are put on hold. It’s not your fault; it’s just the way things are in business---not everything pans out. It is depressing but it is not the end of your career.

Since it is too early in the process, I do not think it is prudent for you to sue the company. Filing labor cases involves time, effort, energy and money. You also need to prove that there is in fact an employer-employee relationship already. Rather than exert effort in this battle, I firmly believe that it is more beneficial for you to pick yourself up, lick your wounds and treat it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. Then stand up and go find employment elsewhere that will be a better fit for you.

As you go through life, there will be disappointments. That’s inevitable. What will make a person succeed is the strength and courage to move on. Don’t let this hiccup dampen your spirit. Instead, move on and you will find better opportunities.

Getting Hired is Just the Beginning

Getting hired is not the end of the journey for jobseekers. Rather, it is the start of your career. You will have to undergo orientation or training, employment processing, performance evaluations all throughout---it’s an “ongoing test and interview”. The phrase: “You’re hired” is not equivalent to job security. So take the time to learn the ropes and ensure that proper procedures and documents are processed for your employment. And if things do not pan out, don’t lose hope. Your dream job may be just around the corner.

UNCERTAINTY & REJECTION

2011-06-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last November 2011]

Job hunting is very much like dating… you go meet different prospective employers; you put your best foot forward and hope that this will lead to long-term employment or at least, a good work experience. And after going through the tests and interviews, you hear the all too familiar phrase, “We’ll call you…”

Then you wait…

If you are lucky enough to get a company interested in you, you get called for another interview date, then perhaps another after that and if things go smoothly, you are offered a job.

However, there might be instances wherein you’re not the perfect match or you are not exactly the right person that recruitment officers are looking for. Sometimes, the call that you have been waiting for doesn’t come, so you have to continue the search and go through more tests and interviews until the right opportunity comes along.

This uncertainty causes disappointments and stress among many job hunters. Naturally, you’ll start to wonder why you haven’t gotten a callback and you start analyzing things, similar to the experiences and questions of some of our readers:

“I applied online 3 months ago and got no response. Then recently, I saw the same vacancy being advertised in the newspaper…”

From a jobseeker: Good day Ma'am! I'm currently a job hunter and I would like to ask you something. I applied 3 months ago in certain companies via the internet and I heard nothing from them. Recently, those companies I applied for started to post their ads on the newspaper, and they're looking for the same positions, the ones I applied for 3 months ago. What does this mean?

Meanwhile, I also applied in this well-known company last May. I already had an initial interview and employment exam. After that, I was asked to submit my medical records, before the final interview. The HR told me that they would call me if I'm already scheduled for a final interview. That was last July. I waited, but the call never came. Since they asked for my medical records, I was looking forward to getting accepted by the company. What happened?

My response: Thank you for writing and sharing your experience in job hunting. To answer your question, there are really no hard and fast rules that govern the hiring policies of all companies. Each company has its own procedures and policies depending on their needs, culture and requirements.

There could be several reasons why the companies you applied for did not reply online and instead placed a print ad 3 months later. Most companies do an initial screening on the resumes they receive. Usually, those who match the qualifications are called for interview and those who do not match their requirements most often do not get a call.

Sometimes, there are cases wherein the needs of the company suddenly changes. Projects get delayed, recruitment efforts are put on hold or the timing isn't so right.

There are also instances wherein there's a problem with the application sent. In my experience, I've received thousands of email applications that do not have a message, just a resume attachment. If the job is a communications job, I usually discard applications with no messages because I need applicants who have basic business etiquette. Occasionally, I receive resume attachments that I cannot open due to technical glitches. Since I'm too busy to figure out how to open these files, I just discard these as swell.

So here are my suggestions:

1. Check your resume and method of job application and be sure that it really gets sent and that it can be opened by recruitment officers. Review the content of your resume and make sure it matches the qualifications posted in the advertisement.

2. Continue your job search and apply to several companies that match your interest and qualifications. If the companies you applied for do not respond, move on to your next targets.

3. Have ready copies of your resume, transcript of records, medical records and other employment requirements on hand. Some companies ask for these at the start of the recruitment while other companies do this as a last step.

“One interviewer gave me advice that I should improve my personality. What does having a Pleasing Personality mean?”

From a jobseeker: I just want to ask what does having a Pleasing Personality mean? Does it mean to be beautiful and gorgeous?

I'm 21 years old but physically I look like 35 yrs old just because of the sleep lines on my forehead. I've apply for an administrative position to different companies and have gone through so many interviews but unfortunately have failed so far. One interviewer gave me some advice on her assessment of me. She told me to improve my personality. At that time, I was afraid to ask why and so now I'm asking myself. Could it be because I’m not really beautiful and gorgeous? Please help me so that my anxieties and disappointment will lessen. Thank you.

My response: A "Pleasing Personality" refers to the overall trait of a person. It is not just about looks or outer appearance; it also means a person's behavior, attitude and demeanor.

In the context of recruitment, HR officers will look at how pleasant an applicant is...
I.e. Is the applicant presentable, neat and well-groomed?
Does the applicant have a friendly and warm smile?
Does the applicant have a professional demeanor?
Does the applicant have good business etiquette?
Can the applicant represent the company well?

A person who has a pleasing personality is very likable. He or she does not have to be beautiful or gorgeous, just pleasant, neat and with a nice personality.

So to improve your personality especially for the sake of job hunting, try to focus on good grooming and having a warm, friendly attitude. Smile always and be nice if you want to develop your personality.

Believe in Yourself!

When we get rejected or during times of uncertainty, we naturally feel hurt and most of the time, we start picking on ourselves and finding fault within. But the truth of the matter is employers are just trying to find the right match for the job. Just like in dating, not everyone you go out with will spark romance. You’ll just have to continue searching until the right one comes along. In the meantime, do continue developing yourself to make you more attractive to employers and sooner or later, you will find a good job that’s right for you.

EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE & CONDUCT

2011-06-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last October 2011]

Just like in school, an Employee’s “behavior and conduct” is monitored, measured and graded. Whether formally or informally, most employers, bosses or managers need to master the art of Employee Discipline to ensure that business operations would run smoothly, the team performs well and workforce productivity is as its best.

Newly promoted supervisors and managers often find that this is one of the most difficult areas of people management. How do you make sure that your subordinates are all doing their jobs to the best of their abilities? How do you correct preventable mistakes and errors? And what do you do with unprofessional attitude and behavior?

Defining Your Leadership Style

Like a parent or teacher that deals with children, a manager often has to make a conscious choice in how to deal with employees. For instance, if you were a boss, what type of boss would you like to be? Are you going to be strict or lenient? Authoritative or approachable?

Most employees will immediately say that they would like a lenient and approachable boss. And newly promoted supervisors and managers, more often than not, want to be a likeable boss. This is fine in the beginning until sooner or later you realize that you have to make unpopular but sound decisions. You have to rectify errors and correct bad behavior. Then you have to adjust your style and define boundaries.

Setting Boundaries

Employee discipline is quite similar to parenting and teaching. As a parent or teacher, you want your child to learn and grow up to be a responsible person. Along the way, you have to teach your child what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s acceptable and what’s not, so that the child can adapt well to society.

In the same way, effective employers have clearly defined company policies that they expect employees to follow. This is immediately discussed upon hiring of an employee so that the new employee can adjust well to the workplace.

If an employee knows what is expected of him or her, then it is much easier to meet those expectations as opposed to having no idea at all of what the company wants.

Rewards and Punishment

Once a new employee is inducted, the employer starts to monitor the attitude, behavior and performance of the individual. Like parents and teachers, good performance is often rewarded with recognition, incentives, awards and bonuses. Needless to say, people like this and these types of positive reinforcement results in high morale and better productivity.

However, more often than not, employees make mistakes or have bad days. If a small error is made, a simple talk to correct the person is often enough. However, if the mistake becomes a habit or if the deed is grave, then disciplinary action is often done.

Disciplinary Action

Now being disciplined is not something normal people enjoy. I mean, who wants to be corrected, right? No one wants to go through the humiliation of being at the receiving end of that dreaded verbal or written warning. Not a lot of people want to be suspended particularly because workplace suspensions usually mean no pay. Worst of all, it just sucks to be fired.

That is why Disciplinary Actions are often viewed and received in a negative light. Meanwhile, HR professionals, the people who process these things, have the difficult job of being the messenger of such news. This is one of the least favorite tasks of HR professionals. It is a difficult job, but someone has to do it.

Consistent Disciplinary Process

Although this is not a popular area of people management, it is necessary for companies to have standard and consistent disciplinary policies and processes. Like most grown up children, employees will eventually realize that there’s security in rules and regulations since it sets clear boundaries on how all people in the workplace should act… that these guidelines actually give peace and order. It helps to know what to expect.

Just like parents who have clear rules and consistent discipline strategies, employers who have formal disciplinary processes will eventually be able to provide an environment where workers can easily adjust to. In the same way, parents and employers who do not have clear guidelines for rewards and punishments, will only confuse people more.

Positive Employee Discipline

But the real challenge for Employers, HR professional, Managers and Supervisors is this: How do you discipline an employee in a positive way?

The answer lies in the right mix of policies, communication, performance measurements, disciplinary processes, rewards and punishment practices. In our Human Resource Management Seminars on Employee Discipline and Conduct, we explore both the legal and practical aspects of Employee Discipline as well as best practices in this field.

There are concrete steps that can be taken to ensure that employees are corrected in a positive and effective way wherein their dignity remains intact. This results to a well-motivated and self-monitoring workforce that’s exciting to manage.

I believe each employer, boss, manager or supervisor must master the art of Employee Discipline. It is not a task that’s meant to control an employee, rather it is a pursuit in developing and letting people grow. After all, the job of the leader is not to make followers but to build future leaders.

EXTRA INCOME FOR WORKING PEOPLE

2011-06-21T23:38:00.000-07:00

[Published in Manila Bulletin last October 2010]

If you are like most employed people, chances are, your salary, whether high or low, seems never enough. There are just so many things that you can do with your hard earned money… pay bills, pay for your child’s schooling, buy groceries, a new TV set, save for a rainy day, invest---the list is endless.

Most people need to budget their salaries to cover for basic daily expenses like food, transportation and shelter. Then hopefully, there’s enough left for savings or emergency funds. However, most of the time, salaries ran out quickly before the next payday. And that’s where it gets tricky.

When an emergency strikes and funds are low, you may be forced to take out a loan or use your credit card to cover for these extra expenses. Then you get bogged down by steep interest payments which deplete your funds more and you enter into a vicious cycle.

To get out of the vicious cycle, you can do several things. The first is to follow a strict budget or in other words, live below your means. This means trimming your expenses and sacrificing a few luxuries. If you’re a smoker, quit smoking and you’ll be able to save more (easier said than done). If you regularly take the cab, try the bus or the MRT instead. If you drink cappuccino daily from your favorite coffee shop, maybe you can go for 3-in-1 instant coffee sachets in the meantime.

But what if despite all your efforts to live below your means, your salary is still not enough, what do you do? Well, there’s a lot that you can do to increase your income. Here are a few suggestions:

Look into Your Current Salary

Try asking yourself how you can increase your current salary. Sure, you can just barge into your boss’ office and demand for a raise, but unless you have proven that you have contributed to the company’s profits and that you are indispensable, you might want to rethink this strategy. Perhaps a better approach would be to politely discuss with your boss ways in which you can get a promotion as long as you are willing to get more responsibilities, OR dazzle your boss with your great performance to get a merit increase. Most companies nowadays pay for performance.

Look into Your Current Company

Some companies have incentive programs. They give non-sales employees the opportunity to sell the company’s products and services or refer clients to earn commissions. Since you are already working for the company and you depend on the sales that come in, it would be a good idea to help the company sell more. Aside from these incentives, there may be HR programs in place that offer cash rewards such as employee of the month awards and job referral programs. One of the companies I used to work for gave Php50,000 cash prize to the Employee of the Year and their basis for giving the nice lady in accounting the recognition was perfect attendance. Not bad for coming to work on time, everyday.

Look into Other Sources of Income

Now after checking out extra income opportunities that your company offers, you can look into other sources of income. But first, it is critical that you check if you have company policies in place that disallow sideline work or businesses.

For instance, some teachers in universities are not allowed to teach in other schools.

Some companies frown on employees selling surplus clothing during office hours. Most pharmaceutical companies do not allow their Medical Representatives to join Network Marketing companies that sell herbal vitamin supplements. There’s just too much conflict of interest there. To be safe, check your company policies to prevent problems.

Now when you’ve done your due diligence and it is okay for you to earn extra income outside your company, here are several options for earning extra income:

Sell Your Products. Check out if you have items like furniture, comic books, appliances that are not being used and just gathering dust. You may want to sell this in a garage sale or on the internet. Another option is to sell products that you create. If you are good at making crafts or you can whip up delicious healthy cheesecakes, you can try selling these. Who knows, this home-based operation may just turn into a full-fledged business.

Sell Your Services. If you have hidden talents like event hosting, singing, pet grooming, dog breeding, gardening, teaching, writing, photography, web and graphics designing, you can earn extra income by offering these services. This is a cool way to turn your hobby into an income-generating venture.

Sell Other People’s Products or Services. There are many companies that need sales agents---from real estate, insurance, beauty products, vitamins, etc… If you want to sell stuff as a sideline, you first need to find out what you want to sell because it is easier to sell something you are interested in or passionate about. Next, determine who you can sell these products or services to. Are you planning to sell to office-mates, your neighbors or the internet? Once you figure this out, then you can try selling in small quantities first, before going full blast.

Get Rental Income. If you have property such as equipment, condo units, even books and videos that you do not use, you may lease it out to others. Rental income is great because you get to earn extra income and get to keep your property, as long as you lease your property out to good and honest people and you have basic securities in place.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

I believe that the possibilities for earning extra income are available to us all. What I mentioned here are just some of the things that you can do to earn extra income. It’s limitless, really. All you have to do is make sure that your company is okay with you pursuing such endeavors, managing your time so that it does not affect your main source of livelihood and have fun along the way. Here’s to abundance and prosperity!

Getting Fired

2010-09-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

This Article was Published in Manila Bulletin last September 12, 2010.

Getting fired from one’s job is one of the most traumatic circumstances any employee can ever experience. No doubt, it is extremely painful and a blow to one’s ego. It causes uncertainty, depression, anger, feelings of inadequacy and momentary fear of the future.

People who have experienced getting terminated from their jobs react in different ways. Some cry, others get weak on the knees, some faint… there are those who are able to quietly accept it with maturity, yet there are a few who get angry, extremely angry.

The recent tourist bus hostage-crisis drama that happened in Manila is an extreme worst case scenario of how a disgruntled terminated employee can go amok and wreak havoc, endangering innocent lives to express his grievance. It shocked the world and affected our nation. It literally became a life and death situation.

Although this is an extreme case of what a disgruntled employee can do, it serves as a good trigger for employers and HR practitioners to ensure that they have proper procedures and the appropriate avenues to discuss employee grievances. It also shows employees what not to do when angry.

As an employer and HR practitioner, I can honestly tell you that firing an employee is one of the most difficult and painful parts of the job. Telling an employee whom you’ve gotten to know and care for that he or she is no longer wanted or needed by the company is not something you can casually say. It is a sensitive matter---one that needs much thought, sensitivity, investigation and proper procedure.

Based on the Labor Code of the Philippines, there are two main grounds for termination of employment. These are:
1. Just Causes
2. Authorized Causes

To help employers and employees understand the termination process, allow me to explain these in layman’s terms.

Just causes

These are acts that are not in accordance with company policies. See, each company has their own set of rules and regulations. This is written in black and white, commonly known as Employee Policies. Normally, a list of offenses and their corresponding penalties are stated in the Employee Policies.

The offenses are classified according to the gravity of the offense. For example, theft or assault is often considered a major offense and most companies will give preventive suspension to the suspect while the case is being investigated or immediately terminate an employee who has been found guilty after a disciplinary hearing.

Meanwhile, minor offenses such as absences and tardiness will correspond to proper disciplinary actions such as verbal warnings, followed by written warnings, then suspension without pay. If the employee has received all these disciplinary action with no signs of improvement, the company may terminate one’s employment due to just causes.

Now, employers cannot just terminate regular employees on a whim. You just cannot suddenly and without warning say, “You’re fired.”

When terminating an employee due to Just Causes, employers need to have written documentation of the offenses and disciplinary action taken, plus this must be signed and acknowledged by the employee. And for cases of termination, there should be a documented investigation and proper administrative/disciplinary hearing that is conducted by the company’s Disciplinary Committee which is usually composed of representatives from the HR department, the management and the direct supervisor of the employee. Disciplinary hearings are conducted to ensure that the side of the employee is heard.

If you are fired due to just causes, you will not be paid any separation pay.
In some cases and depending on company policies, pending benefits may be forfeited.

Authorized Causes

Sometimes, a company may terminate your employment due to no fault of your own.

For instance, the company could be facing a huge loss or bankruptcy and they have no choice but to close down. Depending on the financial situation and company’s ability to pay remuneration, you may or may not be given separation pay in such cases.

There are also times wherein the company needs to reduce staff because they purchased a new system or equipment that makes your job redundant. Under such cases, companies are required to pay separation pay.

There may also be instances wherein an employee is suffering from a lingering illness. Any illness that is incurable within 30 days is usually considered lingering. And an employer may opt to terminate the employee. In such cases, separation pay is also given as an aid for the ill employee.

Companies who terminate employees due to business closure and staff reduction need to coordinate with the agencies of the Department of Labor and Employment. Proper procedures need to be followed to avoid disputes and complaints.

Following Termination Procedures

As you can see, there are a lot of processes, tasks and procedures that need to be followed when terminating an employee. I think it is wise and fair for employers and employees to follow the prescribed guidelines of the Labor Code and their company policies so that both parties are protected. Getting fired is painful but it is not the end of the world. Let us do the right thing to prevent worst-case scenarios and to preserve the dignity of employees and even employers during sensitive times.

About the Author:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Labor Law and Relations, Labor Disputes Handling, Human Resource Management, Corporate Skills Development, Business and Finance Management. To know more about the seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. You may also visit www.hrclubphilippines.com for more Work-life articles. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Selling Yourself To Get The Job That You Want

2010-09-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here are tips for job hunters using basic Marketing concepts. This was published in my Worklife Column at Manila Bulletin last August.

Many people are terrified of selling, but it is an important part of everyone’s life whether you are a sales practitioner, an accounting clerk, a new graduate, a homemaker or a student.

At work or in school, we “sell ideas” when we pitch our project proposals. In romantic relationships, we inadvertently “sell a promise” of future happiness. During an argument, we “sell reasons” to help the other person understand where we are coming from. In a debate, we “sell our side of the story” to persuade others to take our side. In business, we need to “sell products or services” so that we will have food on the table.

Yes, selling is very much a part of our lives and the better we are at it, the more successful our lives will be.

When it comes to job hunting, you need to be able to “sell yourself” to get hired. Landing a good job therefore depends on your ability to develop, package, promote and sell yourself to your future employer. And it doesn’t stop there. Once hired, you need to prove to your bosses that you are worth it, so that you can rise in your career and be rewarded for your work. You see, selling never stops, so instead of dreading it like many people, embrace it. Master the art of selling yourself. It is one of life’s precious skills.

So How Do You Sell Yourself to Get a Good Job?

Product Development. In job-hunting, your main product is yourself. That is why one important question that you need to ask yourself is this: “If you were the employer, would you hire yourself?” Successful salespeople will tell you that the easiest product to sell is one that is very good, needed and wanted by the customer. So work on developing skills that companies actually need and want. Invest the time, effort and money to develop your skills. It will be worth your while.

Product Packaging. It’s not enough to just be a skilled worker. No matter how skilled you are, it won’t matter much if you cannot present yourself well and communicate your worth to employers. When job-hunting, you package yourself first through your resume. This is the first thing that companies look at so be sure to prepare a good resume that shows your skills and experience. Be sure to practice proper business etiquette in your emails and in person. When you go for interviews, groom yourself well. Hiring officers are people, and like most people, they react to what they see.

Product Pricing. At one point in the recruitment process, you will be asked this question: “What is your expected salary”. For many people, this is a tough one to answer. Give a high price, companies may not be able to afford you. Give a low price, you might get short-changed. So how do you answer this inevitable question? Well, the best way is to prepare your answer and find out how much you are worth.

You can calculate your expected salary by basing it on:
a. Your previous salary (as much as possible, you want to be able to get a salary that is at par or higher that your previous salary)
b. Your cost of living (calculate your expenses and add an extra amount on top of it to ensure that you can have savings)
c. Industry standards (there are salary reports available online or you can compare notes with friends---this is called benchmarking)
d. The Company (Just as you would look into a customer’s ability to pay, when job hunting, take into consideration the size and industry of the company you are applying for)

Whenever I interview applicants, I find that many of them cringe at this question. It’s understandable because it’s a bit awkward to put a price tag on oneself. So my advice is to give a price range and explain to the recruitment officer how you arrived at that amount. If you are not very particular about the salary amount, you can also throw back the question to the recruitment officer and ask what they are willing to offer for that position based on the company’s salary structure.

Qualifying Employers. In sales, you just don’t sell to every living thing that crosses your path. There are specific customers who match your product, just as there are companies and jobs that will be a good match for you. So target companies that are suitable for you. Years back when I was a job-seeker, I had a clear set of criteria for my ideal job. I used it as a guide and only applied to companies who fit the criteria.

Let me share with you my list:
a. Location (this was my number 1 criteria---I didn’t want to spend 2 hours on the road, so I picked companies who were located near my home)
b. Department (I knew what I am good at and what I am most interested in, so I wanted to have a job and be with a department where I can really contribute in---in my case, it was marketing.)
c. Company Size and Stability (I wanted to be in a medium sized company, not too big that I may disappear, not too old that it’s full of red tape)
d. Company Culture (I wanted to work for a happy company, so I observed how the Recruitment officer, the Boss and even the guard who greeted me during my interview behaved)
e. Salary & Benefits (I wanted to be compensated sufficiently)

Having a set standard helps you save time and effort. If you know what you want and expect from an employer, it is so much easier to find the right one.

Sales Approach. I don’t like it when salespeople hard-sell to me. So I don’t do it myself, especially in job-hunting. Whenever I sell or try to persuade others, I usually don’t become too pushy. Instead, I inform, advise and give suggestions. It’s more relaxed this way and I find that having a suave and graceful approach is something that many customers or recruitment officers like.

So master the art of selling yourself to get the job that you want. Good luck and happy selling!

About the Writer
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business, Finance, Human Resource Management, Corporate Skills Development and Company Teambuildings. To know more about the seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. You may visit www.hrclubphilippines for more Work-life articles. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Working with Your Spouse: Good Idea or Prelude to a Bad Romance?

2010-09-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

This article is dedicated to my husband... published in Manila Bulletin last August.

Last month, I attended the Money Summit in support of my husband who was one of the keynote speakers for the event. He wowed the crowd as he shared his knowledge and experience in Online Forex Trading, as well as made them laugh with his cheesy declarations of love for his wife---yup, he enjoys doing that.

After his talk, a lot of people approached us with questions on finance and investing, but there was one particular woman who went up to me and asked: “What’s your secret?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, so I clarified, “Do you mean trading secrets?”
To my surprise, she replied, “No…what’s your secret to a happy marriage?”
Taken aback by the question, my husband and I looked at each other and laughed.
“Luck, maybe?”

It was a lame answer, of course. I must admit I never really thought about it up until that point. But that brief encounter with the sweet woman made me reflect about my relationship with my husband. See, my husband and I have been working together day in and day out for seven years now. So we are not just partners in life, we are also partners in business. Now that is a potent combination---potentially powerful or potentially disastrous.

For those of you who are in a relationship but not yet married, I offer this advice: Test the strength of your love and relationship by working together on a project, a sideline racket or a small business. There is something about working together that offers you a clear glimpse of a person’s true nature, habits and problem-solving abilities. In fact, I think the higher the stress, the better because this will really push the envelope.

When you work with your partner, be prepared for arguments and quarrels. In marriage and at work, these things are bound to happen. But what I’d like you to observe is the dynamics of your relationship. How do both of you deal with conflict. Are you able to talk about it and more importantly resolve it? Do any of you tend to give in and sacrifice for the other person? Or do you both move on with unresolved conflict and disappointments?

Now see if the dynamics of your relationship is something you can live with forever. Do this before you even marry the person. Marriage is permanent in the Philippines. So save yourself from the legal hassle and misery that comes with a problematic union by testing it first. Choose your spouse wisely.

How do my husband and I deal with conflict? Well, we fight it out and don’t stop until it gets resolved. Weird as it may seem, after the drama, the real learning and understanding begins. We know that even if there are quarrels, our bond is a given. Conflicts are opportunities for us to understand each other and learn how to better deal with each other. We knew that even before we got married.

Now working together as husband and wife on a business is a little trickier. Aside from emotional and relational issues, there’s the issue of money and the added pressure of making your company survive and thrive. There are also differences in work styles.

At the beginning of our work relationship and business partnership, there was a time that we really butted heads. It wasn’t easy, but let me share with you things that helped us get through the rough patches. I guess, you can say that these are our secrets to a happy, working partnership in life and in business:

A Referee. My husband and I are business partners with our dear friend Cindy. Interestingly, we all have strengths and we are able to compensate for each other’s weaknesses. So the three of us are very compatible and it has been a truly amazing partnership. But aside from her talents and abilities, Cindy has often unwittingly taken the role of the referee. Having a patient and understanding person with us helped us resolve differences especially during the early part of our working relationship. (Thanks, Cinds :)

Drawing the Line. Although we see each other daily, there’s a clear line. Work is work. Business is business. Family is family. In terms of finances, we separate business finance from personal finance. In terms of work relationship, we do our best in separating issues of work and issues of marriage. In terms of family life, well, we are still trying not to talk about business too much when we’re at home. That’s the hard part, but we are getting better at it.

Laugh it Out. There’s always something funny that happens in a day. Although we take our career and business seriously, at the end of the day it’s the experience of life that you ultimately celebrate. Happiness is not about the absence of problems. It is being able to see the silver lining and the unique moments that’s important. We like spending day in and day out with each other because it allows us to witness life’s funny moments together.

Attitude of Gratitude. When you are thankful of what you have and grateful for the seemingly little things that your partner does every single day, you naturally become a happier person. More importantly, it makes your partner feel appreciated and happier too. In fact, for me, this is the real secret to a happy marriage. Be grateful for the spouse that you have been blessed with. It’s that simple really.

Working with your spouse is not for everyone. I know of many couples who do not work together daily, but are nevertheless happy. I also know of many couples who tried to work together but ended up with a bad romance. But for those of us who have the compatibility of becoming partners in life and at work, it’s pretty amazing. It is great to be able to see your spouse day in and day out, to have a common goal, to have something to talk about everyday and to laugh together as you witness life together.

During the summit, as we were going out of the theater, another woman tapped me and said, “You’re so lucky.” Yes, I believe I am and I’m very, very grateful.

About the Author:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management, Corporate Skills Development and Company Teambuilding Retreats for their Corporate Clients. She is happily married to Mark So. To know more about the seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. You may visit www.hrclubphilippines for more Work-life articles. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Burning Out and Burning Up

2010-09-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

Here's another article to help you prevent Work Burn Out. This was published in my WorkLife Column at Manila Bulletin.

Have you ever encountered a person, maybe a friend or co-worker, who complained about everything that’s not going well with his or her career? You know, those people who oftentimes say, “I hate my job”, “My boss is a prick”, “My co-workers are so unprofessional”, “This is a dead-end job” and “I’m so miserable”…

Perhaps you have gone down that road yourself before or maybe you are experiencing these feelings right now. You may feel discontented over your job, you feel overworked and underpaid, or you’re having difficulties with your co-workers.

Suddenly, you find yourself staying in bed longer and instead of starting your day with gusto, you’re thinking up of possible excuses to not go to work and almost wishing that you have a slight fever, as you raise your hand to feel your forehead.

WORK BLUES

I call this the Work Blues. Many people go through this phase at one point in their work-life. And when this happens to you, you can’t help but wonder, “Am I on the right track?”, “Did I choose the right career?”, “Am I happy?”, “What’s wrong with my life?”

Some people would go further and start seeing all the negative things around them. They start complaining and blaming others, as well as themselves, for their perceived woes. Some may even go as far as quitting their job at the first sign of distress. And although they may find temporary relief initially, they find themselves going through the same cycle on their next job, then the next after that.

BURNING OUT

The truth is, no matter how much you like your job, there will be times when you will experience work blues. Sometimes, when you work hard and give all you’ve got for a project, you don’t always get the results that you expect. Your proposal doesn’t get approved, your boss criticizes the report you’ve toiled over and sacrificed your family weekend for, or an important sale you’ve been working on for months doesn’t come through.

These situations are bummers, and too much of these can lead to burn out. It depletes the spirit and makes most of us feel very tired.

BURNING UP

But rather than quit at the first major sign of Work Blues, I believe that it is best to find cures for burn out. This way, you become stronger. Not quitting when the going gets tough, builds character and it will give you better chances for long-lasting success.

If you get burned out, there are ways to find your second wind. To turn your feelings of weariness into rejuvenation, here are some ways to keep your passion burning!

R & R

If you need to rest from time to time, do so. Rest and relaxation may be done through different ways such as weekend getaways, curling up in bed with a good book, getting a luxurious massage, playing mindless video games, or just catching up on much needed sleep.

I’m sure a lot of workaholics or supermoms would nod and agree on this wisdom, but they will go back to working all the time or feverishly taking care of everybody else anyway, until they crash and burn out. See, there are many workaholics and supermoms who feel guilty for taking breaks. If you are one of them, make it a part of your job to take R & R. Sometimes, you need to slow down and take care of yourself first, before you can take care of others.

TALKING IT OUT

Many people, women especially, like talking about their problems. It’s a form of emotional release and it really helps, as long as the conversation doesn’t become a whine out session.

Although it’s good therapy to talk about issues, it becomes a problem when people start dwelling. And instead of finding solutions, they choose to wallow in self-pity for a prolonged period of time.

To prevent myself from the dangers of problem-dwelling, I use a simple technique. When faced with painful events, I allow myself to cry it out and even go through a little “woe-is-me” whine-fest. But I put a time limit so that I can consciously stop and move on.

LAUGH OUT

Have you ever laughed out so hard that you end up in tears? You are laughing and crying at the same time and the onlookers around you are beginning to think that you are a loony… Well that’s the kind of laugh that you need if you want to clear away your work blues.

Always invite laughter into your life, be it through comedy films, humorous books, funny kitten or epic fail websites, jokes or looking at old eighties photos with friends. Laughing gives you instant relief from burn out.

SPIRITUAL SOUL-SEARCHING

When your spirit is not centered, you will feel blue. This means that your soul is in need of nourishment through meditation, prayer and even retreats.

It’s a time for quiet reflection and to see if you are living a purposeful life. If your job allows you to help others and it is in line with your purpose, good for you. If it does not, find out if there are ways to align your job to your purpose or if there are outside-work activities that can satisfy your soul’s desires.

Thank-Fest

Saving the best for last, I believe that the best way to counter discontent, work blues and complaints is an attitude of gratitude. Every time you are feeling down about your job, think about and list all the things that you like about it.

Appreciate the good and even the bad parts of your life. When you see the silver lining in every situation, your grass will look greener than the other side. When you are thankful for what you have, you will begin to appreciate your job, the people around you and the life that you have.

Burning out happens to many of us, but what separates the great ones is the ability to continuously burn up with passion again and again!

About the Author:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management, Corporate Skills Development and Company Teambuilding Retreats for their Corporate Clients. To know more about the seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. You may visit www.hrclubphilippines for more Work-life articles. Email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Dealing with Workplace Bullies

2010-09-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

This article was published in August in my Worklife Column at Manila Bulletin.

Workplace bullies come in all shapes, forms and sizes. You’ve most likely encountered bullies at some point in your life, maybe at work or way back when you were still in school.

Remember the screaming boss that everyone in your office feared? Or the terror professor who gives everyone low grades when he’s had a bad day? What about the office gossip who spreads malicious rumors about co-workers. Then there’s that customer who curses. And let’s not forget, that smooth talking colleague of yours who acts friendly but continuously puts down people with well-camouflaged words that actually cuts your heart into pieces.

These are just some of the typical bullies that walk among us. But because of the many types of personalities and situations we encounter at work, it’s not always easy to identify bullies. For instance, if your boss gets angry and raises his voice at you for an error you’ve committed repeatedly, is that considered bullying? If an irate customer screams out of exasperation for being passed around, can you say that the customer is a bully? No, not exactly…

So who are workplace bullies? And when can we say that a person is a bully?

Workplace bullies use direct and indirect methods to coerce, intimidate and get their way. They repeatedly use subtle or overt manipulation tactics which often lead their victims to feelings of powerlessness, stress, inferiority and fear. Basically, bullies make you feel like a loser.

The Art of Dealing with Workplace Bullies

The truth is, almost everyone will experience being bullied, but not everyone will be bullied. Here are some practical ways to help you deal with bullies…

A Protector

Being demure and all, my family actually prepared me well for handling bullies. Before I started my schooling, I remember my mother specifically tell me, “Pagmay manakit sa iyo o may nagtangka, sumbong mo sa titser” (If someone hurts or threatens you, tell the teacher).

True enough, on my first day at nursery school, a scary classmate of mine was playing “teacher”. She was ordering people around and lining them up. If someone breaks the line, she puts them in jail---a small table where some of my poor classmates were already being kept. Well, I broke the line and so she wanted me to go under the jail-table. Instant flashback---I remembered what my mom said, then cried my heart out. My real teacher came to the rescue. After consoling me, she scolded my scary classmate and released her poor victims. And the silly game ended.

This episode became a powerful lesson for me. It showed me the power of “telling the teacher” or finding a protector who will guard you against bullies. In the course of my schooling, career and life, I find that I don’t get bullied much. That’s because people know that I have someone backing me up---a boss, a teacher, a mentor, an influential person at the office, a courageous mother or a strong husband who will fend off any perceived threat.

So your first line of defense against bullies, is finding a protector.

Distancing

This is the technique I use for malicious office gossips. You pretty much know who the office gossips are. They will befriend you at first and bring you in the loop. They seem to know a lot about other people’s “dirty little secrets”. Unsuspectingly, you’ll enjoy the “information” they are feeding you and you begin to bond with them. Then things progress into backbiting and before you know it, it turns into people-bashing.

Whenever a gossip tells me other people’s dirty little secret, my self-preservation instinct immediately steps in. I know they can easily turn against me. If they can do it to other people, who’s to say that they won’t do it to me?

So when faced with a bully who uses gossip to attack people, I just listen and keep quiet… and slowly, inch by inch, step away from that type of bully.

Protect yourself by avoiding these types of bullies.

Find the Bully’s Soft Spot

Bullies are often insecure people. They are obviously hurting inside, so they tend to take it out on other people. When I taught public speaking to a bunch of high school students during one summer, I noticed a boy who was acting in an obnoxious manner. He made his classmates feel bad with his snickering and side-comments.

So what I did was get to know him. I found out that his OFW dad is back and settling permanently in the Philippines. Since they have not bonded as father and son due to the years of distance, they are having difficulty adjusting and his father has been quite harsh in correcting him. This made him feel bad, so he made others feel bad. To help him, I made him the leader for a class project where he needed to be responsible for his classmates. This simple act changed him instantly. Instead of being a bully, he became a protector.

Bullies are tough on the outside but tender in the inside. Find out what their soft spots are and you’ll be able to help them change. If you befriend the bully, the bully may even become your protector.

Secret Power

But the most important lesson I have learned about dealing with bullies is best captured in the words of a very wise woman, Eleanor Roosevelt. She says, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Wow! Read it again and again until you get it.

The real secret is finding the power within you. If you let this guide you in your everyday life, you will soon realize that you can become your own protector. If there are things that hurt or bother you at the office, you will know how to calmly speak up and assert your rights. You will know how to say NO politely to bullies and other types of toxic behavior. You will not become a victim and you won’t allow yourself to act like a martyr…because you own your self worth.

About the Author:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management and Corporate Skills Development. They have also recently launched the Instant HR Toolkit, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Best Careers in Human Resources (Part 2)

2010-09-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of the Best Careers article in Human Resources which was published in Manila Bulletin last July 13.

Welcome to Part 2 of our Best Careers Series in Human Resources. In my previous column, we discussed the Career Path of HR Practitioners and the benefits of being in HR. (To read Part 1, visit my blog: http://worklifenow.blogspot.com).

Now let me discuss the different positions and specialized functions that you can look into in the field of Human Resources. I hope this Career Guide will help you in your career planning, or at least give you an insight on what HR practitioners do in their jobs.

General HR Practitioner
Considered a jack-of-all-trades, an HR generalist does all-around-HR work. They do most of the regular functions of HR such as recruitment, employee induction programs, compensation & benefits administration, employee records management and employee discipline. Employed by SMEs, they usually handle an employee base of 5 to 30 for small companies or even 30-200 for medium-sized companies. The HR department set-up for general HR practitioners is fairly simple with usually a Manager, a Supervisor and an Assistant comprising the HR team.

If you want to learn the ropes and do different HR-related work in a small to medium size enterprise, this may be a good fit for you.

Recruitment Specialist
If there is extensive and constant need for hiring new employees (i.e. Call Centers, BPOs, Manpower Recruitment Firms), companies usually employ Recruitment Officers. These people are in-charge of posting job ad placements, joining job fairs, screening applicants, conducting job tests, interviewing and checking the references of job candidates. The goal is to find the best candidate who is a good match for the vacant job positions and to ensure that employee will stay long enough in the company. If the recruiter does a good job, the company will gain from it. If the recruiter does a poor job, it becomes very costly for the company.

If you enjoy meeting people and are quite adept at reading people and investigating their background, being a Recruitment Specialist may be something you might want to try.

Training Specialist
Training and Development is a progressive function of HR. Some companies hire in-house Training Officers who are tasked to provide Orientation Training to new hires, train employees on corporate soft-skills or even technical hard-skills. Most of them conduct training needs analysis and develop year-long training calendars for their employees. Depending on the level of training course difficulty, they may develop and conduct the seminars themselves or they can hire external providers to conduct the training for them.

If you are passionate about learning and education, if you enjoy training and public-speaking, you may want to consider a career as a training specialist.

Compensation & Benefits Specialist
Compensation and benefits are the favorite part of every employee. And the person who administers and makes this all happen is the Compensation and Benefits Officer. The functions of this type of specialist may include the more mundane task of payroll computation and time-keeping (although some companies have automated systems or let their accounting department handle this), but it also extends to Job Evaluation, Pay Structure Design, Benefits and Incentive Program Design. It is one of the most technical aspects of Human Resources in the sense that you will need to know how to compute, budget and forecast, but it is one of the most critical functions as this directly affects all employees and the company itself. A good Compensation & Benefits program increases team morale, motivates employees to produce more and make the company thrive. A poor one does the exact opposite and simply depletes the resources of the company and its people.

If you are good with numbers, if you like designing and planning programs that affect many people, if you would like to have a direct say or influence in your company’s compensation structure, you may want to consider becoming a Compensation and Benefits Specialist.

Employee Engagement Specialist
Big companies have many teams within the HR department. One fairly new field in HR is Employee Engagement. An “engaged employee” is fully involved in and enthusiastic about his or her work and thus will act in a way that will further the company’s interest.
The role of the Employee Engagement Team is get employees enthusiastically involved, so they plan and implement programs and community-building projects that will re-energize the workforce. This may include fun, stress-busting activities such as art and crafts workshops, movie premieres, learning events, volunteer work and teambuilding.

Organizing these activities involves a great deal of work and someone has to do it. So if you like events management and planning fun and energizing activities for people, you may want to look for an Employee Engagement job vacancy from large firms.

HR Legal Counsel & Employee Relations Specialist
The Labor Code of the Philippines is an important area of practice in Human Resources.
Many large companies hire lawyers to head or become part of their HR team as a Legal Counsel. Aside from important contracts and legal documents, they handle the critical aspects of labor relations, DOLE matters, and collective bargaining agreements with unions.

So if you are a lawyer, you may want to specialize in HR as it is a present need for many companies. However, if you want to be a full-fledge HR professional (with or without a law degree), a working knowledge of the Philippine Labor Law will prove to be very useful and helpful in your career.

HR Consultant
Many HR practitioners with 15-25 years experience in the field retire from full-time work and pursue careers as HR Consultants. Most SMEs and Business Start Ups need someone to help set up their HR department, as well as guide them in setting up policies, compensation and benefits structures and even fill in executive posts. Some of these companies hire HR consultants on a part-time or retainership arrangement. This type of job is perfect for HR practitioners with extensive experience, but who prefer to be their own boss.

If you have extensive HR management experience and would like to have more control of your work hours, this may be a career choice for you.

Human Resources offer a wide array of career options and opportunities for people with different types of personalities and skills. It can be both financially and socially rewarding, because it is one career where you can directly make a difference in your co-workers’ lives and make everyone benefit from your great work. May you find the best career for you, whether it is in Human Resources or another field. Good Luck!

About the Writer:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management and Corporate Skills Development. They have also recently launched the Instant HR Toolkit, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Best Careers in Human Resources (Part 1)

2010-09-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

This is Part One of the Two Part Article that was published in Manila Bulletin sometime July. It discusses career paths of Human Resource Practitioners...

There are two types of jobseekers: Those who know exactly what they want… And those who have no clue on what career to pursue, even after years of studying. If you belong to the first group, good for you! All you have to do is follow the direction that your heart takes you and you’ll be on your way to finding the career that you desire.

But for those who are not sure…those who have not yet zeroed in on a particular career… those who are still searching, don’t worry. Here’s another Career Guide that can help open your mind to more options and opportunities. For this month, I will focus on Best Careers in Human Resources.

A CAREER IN HUMAN RESOURCES

Contrary to popular belief, HR is not just about paperwork and payroll-processing. There are many facets to this exciting career, stimulating issues to challenge your mind, great rewards and benefits.

First, let’s discuss what the requirements are, if you want a career as an HR professional.

In terms of educational requirements, most four-year college degree-holders are sought for HR entry level positions. There is preference for majors of Psychology, Behavioral Science, Organizational Communication, Industrial Relations, Sociology and Humanities, but many companies are quite open to other general courses as well, since there’s really no “College of HR” around at the moment.

In terms of attitude and skills, companies look for people who are good with people---meaning, good communication and interpersonal skills are must-haves if you want to pursue a career in HR. Other wanted skills are organizational skills, records management and leadership.

Many HR practitioners start out as HR assistants and administration officers, learning the ropes along the way and gaining knowledge as they work in this field. They are usually sent by their employers to HR seminars to arm them with the knowledge and skills necessary for the job. Many are trained on different HR functions such as Recruitment & Interviews, Training & Development, Compensation & Benefits, Labor Law, and Employee Discipline.

So if you are a new graduate or if you are thinking of shifting careers, HR is a field that’s quite easy to get into as the requirements for entry level positions are general. HR can be learned either on the job, it will also help if you acquire additional knowledge through HR seminars and books (for more information about courses you can take, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com).

HR GENERALISTS & SPECIALISTS

As an HR practitioner, you can either be a generalist or a specialist. There are companies, usually SMEs, who look for generalists---HR people who can do all the functions of HR---sort of like a jack of all trades. But there are also companies, usually those with big and compartmentalized departments who look for specialists---HR positions where the job entails only a single but specialized function (ex. Recruitment Officer, Training Officer, Payroll Officer).

Being a generalist or a specialist has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you are just starting in the field of HR, you may want to experience the different functions of HR to get a feel for the field, to find out where you are best suited and what you like the most.

My suggestion is to learn as much as you can about Human Resources. Get as much experience as you can with the different functions. Then carve out a good stable career for yourself.

HR CAREER PATH

Like all careers, many HR practitioners start off as HR or Administrative assistants. These entry-level positions usually come with entry-level salaries or a little above basic wage.

As you gain experience, your salary and responsibilities rise. After a few years on the job, you may be promoted as an HR supervisor or executive. You may have a generalist or specialist function, depending on the size of your company.

When you’ve got about 5 to 10 years experience, you may become a Manager. That’s where you gain more influence in your company, create programs that affect all employees and you get to work strategically with Top Management. Salaries at the Middle to Top Management levels are usually pretty good, as you are climbing the corporate ladder. Once you’ve proven yourself, gained extensive experience and have stayed with your company long enough, you may reach AVP-VP levels.

BENEFITS OF THE JOB

A career in HR can be very rewarding. The financial rewards will usually commensurate the work that you do, your knowledge and expertise and your position level in the company. But aside from this, there are other perks in being part of HR. Let me share some of them:

Influence on People Matters. As an HR practitioner, you will be in the position to advocate programs that will fill the needs and benefits of all employees in your company. You can directly make a difference in everyone’s lives and work relationships.

In the Know. Since you are the one hiring, processing payroll and promotions, you will be privy to confidential information. This knowledge will allow you to benchmark your own position with that of others and negotiate well for yourself.

Being in the Loop. You will know what’s happening with the company, whether it be events, employee movements and management policies. You may even be tasked to lead most of these matters.

Last Ones To Go. During retrenchments, HR people are usually the last ones who will be let go. This is due to the practical reason that they are needed for the actual retrenchment process.

These are just some of the perks of being in HR. It’s an exciting field because you get to touch people lives directly.

(To be continued. For Part 2, I will discuss the different positions you can try or apply for in the field of Human Resources. Watch out for it on the Jun 13 issue.)

About the Writer
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management and Corporate Skills Development. They have also recently launched the Instant HR Toolkit, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Different Types of Interviews

2010-09-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

There are different ways Recruitment Officers interview job applicants. Have you ever experienced any of these? This article was published in my column at Manila Bulletin a few months back in the Job Classifieds Section...

Most of us have experienced one-on-one interviews where the Recruitment Officer asks us a bunch of questions and we do our best to answer them as confidently as we can. But did you know that there are other forms of interviews? Depending on the position you are applying for and your entry level, you might encounter other forms of interviews. Let me share with you some of the most popular types of interviews so that you can come in any interview prepared and you won’t get shocked if all of a sudden, you are asked to do something else other than just answer questions.

ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS
The most common type of job interview, this is usually the format you will encounter during first contact meetings. A Recruitment Officer will conduct testing and interview you as a first step. Once you pass this, you will then be called in for a second interview which is usually conducted by the supervisor or manager you will be working under. Depending on the hiring policy and procedure of the company, you may then be asked for a third interview. Otherwise, if your qualifications are suitable and the supervisor or manager gives the go-signal for hiring, you will be meeting with the Recruitment Officer and be given a job offer. This differs from company to company. Some companies have 2 to 3 series of interviews with different formats, but there have been cases where applicants are hired on the spot by smaller companies where you deal directly with the boss.

PHONE INTERVIEWS
Increasingly becoming popular, phone interviews are done as a screening method before an actual face to face interview. Some Recruitment Officers prefer to ask a few questions right away during the first phonecall, so that they can see if you are applying for the appropriate job and your circumstances will deem you fit for the job. This saves them time and effort. When they see that the basics are covered, they will then schedule a face-to-face interview for you in that same call. Meanwhile, other Recruitment Officers also use this type of interview particularly if they are mass-hiring for back-end types of jobs. It is supposed to eliminate biases as they won’t see immediately your appearance and mannerisms. Phone Interviews are also best for long-distance interviews. Before asking you to travel and spend money to go to their main office, Recruitment Officers will do Phone interviews first for your own benefit.

CAREER FAIR INTERVIEW
Most career fairs are used by companies to collect and gather resumes. However, there are some instances wherein you will be given a chance to undergo a screening interview wherein the HR representative will allot 2-5 minutes for you. If you do well in it, you may be called in for a further, more in-depth interview. Since time is limited, you will have to take care in giving a good first impression. So be sure to dress properly in job fairs, you never know it, you might just get a quick interview right there and then. When you are interviewed here, be sure to smile. Listen attentively and give concise but informative answers. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and before you go, tell the interviewer that you would be available for a more in-depth interview anytime and that you are really interested in their company. Do this confidently and not desperately.

GROUP INTERVIEWS
There are cases when you will be interviewed and tested with two or more other candidates who are all vying for the same position. There could be two reasons for this. First, there’s only one job opening and the interviewer wants to see candidates prove themselves; or Second, there could be several job openings for the same position and the interviewer wants to see how well you can collaborate with other people. Testing your competence for collaboration is usually done in technology industries where employees work in teams to find solutions.

PANEL INTERVIEW
There are also instances wherein you will have to face three or more members of the organization who may consists of the Management Committee or represent different departments that you will be closely working with. This type of interview is usually done in academic institutions or for senior level positions. It is somewhat similar to your college thesis defense. It can be a bit nerve-wracking, so you will need to trust in yourself and believe that you can do it. The reason why this is done is because it saves time and effort for everyone, but more importantly, it also tests your ability to face a group of people, how well you can address their concerns and see if you have grace under pressure.

AUDITION INTERVIEW
For careers that require public speaking such as event hosting and training, or on-cam jobs like acting, singing or entertainment performance, you will most likely have to undergo an Audition Interview or Screen Test. You will be given a series of public-speaking exercises, reading lines and impromptu tests. This is to see how well you are able to communicate with an audience, whether you are prepared or not. You will also be asked questions and it may feel like an interrogation, but it is a necessary part of an Audition Interview. The thing to remember when you are faced with this type of interview is to have fun, enjoy it and bring out the star in you. You are being asked questions because they are interested in how you communicate with an audience or in front of a camera.

These are just some of the types of interviews that we normally use as HR practitioners. In fact, in our Recruitment Seminar, we further examine interview styles and questionnaires so that we find the best person for the job. As a Job Seeker, it is important for you to know what to expect and take time to mentally prepare for these types of interviews since some companies use several of these formats in their Recruitment Process. I hope this helps all of you Job Seekers to prepare for and enjoy your Interview! Good Luck!

About the Author: Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT such as Recruitment, Training, Compensation and Benefits, Job Evaluation, Labor Law and Employee Discipline. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit and the HR club, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

How to Organize Your Job Hunt

2010-09-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

For all the jobseekers out there... This article was published in my column at Manila Bulletin a few months back.

One of my favorite questions to ask when I interview job applicants is: “How did you find out about our company?” This innocent question sounds simple enough to answer, but out of the many questions that I ask, this one has allowed me to uncover the qualities and competence of the many people I interview.

Last month, I interviewed a person who was currently working as an English Trainer for a Call Center. I was interviewing him for a Freelance Resource Speaker position in my company. When I asked him how he found out about this job opening, he mentioned that he saw it on the internet and that he went to our website and filled up an online application form. This surprised me a bit, because we do not have a form to fill out in the careers page of our company website--- just an email address where interested applicants can send their resumes.

When I clarified this to him, he realized he was referring to another company and even asked me for the name of my company! I then had to patiently probe, “You do know that the as mentioned by my staff and written in the printed application form that you just filled up minutes ago that I am interviewing you for a Freelance Resource Speaker position, right?” To this, he embarrassedly explained, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I currently work as a night-shift Trainer at a Call Center. And I want to resign from it and get a job as a day-time, full-time teacher.”

Realizing his mistake in going to an interview with a different company and for the wrong position, he politely excused himself.

As for me, I simply had to laugh it all off. Oh well, that’s all part of the interview process---to weed out people who are inappropriate and who do not have the basic competence for the job. You know, those applicants who do not read job ads carefully, those who do not take the time to research about a company they are interviewing with and those who fail to see the big and highly visible signage in front of our reception area. Haha…

And this leads me to the important lesson and tool that I want to share with Job Seekers today. I know that many of you tend to send resumes to several companies. Some even go as far as emailing hundreds and thousands of companies all at the same time. Here is my advice.

Don’t Send Your Resume Indiscriminately to All Companies that You See

This is a sure-fire way for you to waste your time and energy. Instead of sending a generic resume to all companies that you see in the classified ads, determine first what industry and field you want to work for or have experience in.

Read the Job Advertisement Carefully

What is the job scope, responsibilities and qualifications? Do they match your background and experience? Is it full-time work, part-time, freelance? Where is the company located? How far is it from your place and will you be able to handle the commute?

Tailor-fit Your Letter and Resume

Once you have zeroed in on a few companies that are appropriate for you, be sure to tailor-fit your letter or email message, as well as adjust your resume to highlight accomplishments and experiences that you have that the company you are applying for needs.

Research about the Company Before Your Interview

If you get called in for an interview, google the company you are interviewing with and browse through their website the night before the interview. This will allow you to ask intelligent questions and show the recruitment officer that you take your career seriously.

When you get to their office, observe the area. If there are brochures or flyers, read them.

Track Your Job Hunting Activities

With all the resumes that you send out and the interviews that you go through, sometimes it is very difficult to remember names and places. I highly recommend that you start a Job Hunt Journal to help you get organized. Doing so will give you many benefits like:

* Save time, effort and money
* Be organized and efficient
* Avoid applying to the same company twice
* Help you track, follow up and assess your status with the company
* Avoid embarrassing moments like the one I just shared

How to Start Your Job Hunt Journal?

It doesn’t really matter what material you use as long as it works for you. You can use a simple notebook, your daily planner, or a computer software program… But make sure to record important details such as:

* Account name and password for job sites
* Company name & contact details
* Position applied for and date applied
* Copy of Job ads answered
* Date Resume Sent
* Resume and Cover Letter Submitted
* Date of Interview (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
* Interview details (contact person’s name and number, salary range you asked for, etc)
* Actions taken and results
* Follow-up activities
* Comments

Be sure to update this every time you do any job hunting activity. Review this before interviewing with a company or following up your job application as this will save you time and avoid stupid mistakes. Most important of all, you will learn how to be organized and efficient---two important qualities that I and many Business and HR people look for in employees.

About the Author
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Human Resource Management such as Recruitment, Training, Compensation and Benefits, Job Evaluation, Labor Law and Employee Discipline. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit and the HR club, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Befriending HR

2010-09-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

A tribute to all the HR practitioners who tirelessly take care of their people. Published in my column in Manila Bulletin a few months back.

Before I got involved with the fascinating world of Human Resource Development, I used to think of HR as simply a department that monitored my attendance, processed some paperwork, handed out my pay-slip and organized the once-a-year sports fest.

But after learning the ins and outs of HR in the process of professionalizing our company structure some years back, I witnessed firsthand its critical impact on companies and people. I got a glimpse of how good HR practices can significantly make employees happier and how it can give harmony to the workplace. This prompted me to seek out and learn with other HR practitioners. It made me appreciate what HR is all about.

You see, HR is a major part of everyone’s work-life. Whether you are job seeking, already employed, moving up the ranks or moving on, you will encounter and need the assistance of the Human Resource Department.

For many jobseekers, the HR professional or Recruitment officer is the gateway to getting employed in a company. In a way, we hold the power to getting you through the door as we are the ones who filter resumes, set interviews and process hiring. We also are the ones who will orient you and help you get settled in as soon as you get hired.

Once employed, the HR department overseas many other functions. Yes, we monitor your attendance in order to process your pay slip. We do the paperwork and documentation needed by the company and we organize employee events and teambuilding activities.

But that’s not all that we do, HR also plans, seeks approval and organizes training development programs. We propose and manage benefits and everyone’s favorite leaves. We monitor performance so that deserving employees get promoted. We even pick out uniforms to make you look cool and chic (or otherwise, depending on our taste). We make sure that policies are followed so that the workplace can run smoother. We also have to do the difficult task of disciplining and apprehending violators of company policies and carry out the emotionally-driven episodes of resignations and terminations---it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it.

With all the HR tasks at hand, one would think that HR professionals have super human abilities to make all of these happen. But to be honest, we are more like supermoms---normal people who have to juggle and work very hard to make the people we are caring for, happy and satisfied.

And like supermoms, things can get overwhelming since many HR departments have minimal staff. Yet, HR people work very hard to do all of these things because we know that it will help the company and employees. We know that we have to take care of these necessities for you, so that you can go out there, face the world and focus on your work. And that at the end of the day, you will feel secure knowing that your benefits are processed so that you can take care of your families back home.

After doing all of these things though, many HR practitioners feel unappreciated and unrecognized. During HR Club Philippines’ regular meet ups and the HR seminars that we conduct at Businessmaker Academy, participants would often share issues and difficulties in getting support for their initiatives from both management and even employees.

For instance, after going through hundreds of resumes, conducting interviews and finally hiring and orienting a new employee for a certain position, their heart would break when after just a few months, the employee decides to leave.

Or after toiling for hours to prepare a Performance Appraisal Form, they would get frustrated because some managers would take forever to answer and submit these.

Or after going through hoops to get management to approve and provide budget for training, there are some employees who act lazy and unenthusiastic about the training.

These are just some of the many heart aches of many HR practitioners and that is the reason why we established HR Club Philippines. Aside from providing HR education, we wanted to provide a support-group for HR practitioners. As one member dramatically pointed out, “Araw-araw, kailangan natin alagaan ang mga empleyado natin, pero paano naman kami, sino ang mag-aalaga sa amin?” (Everyday, we need to take care of our employees, but what about us? Who will take care of us?)

And so, I am here writing some insights about our “dakilang” HR people (dedicated HR people). I’m here to tell jobseekers, employees and employers that the HR people we rely on to make our work-life happier and more rewarding need a boost too. Just like everyone, HR people need to feel inspired to continue doing what they do. They need to feel appreciated and recognized for their hard work.

The best way to do this is very simple. All that’s needed are words of encouragement or some deed that says “Thank You”.

Since HR people pretty much assist and have an influence in getting you hired, getting you acquainted with the company, developing you, managing your compensation and benefits and overseeing your career growth, it would be great to show HR that you care too and that you appreciate them. So befriend your HR---it’s the wise and right thing to do.

About the Writer

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit and the HR club, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Job Options for High School Students

2010-09-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Finally got the chance to update this blog :)
Here are some more articles that were published in my column at Manila Bulletin.

Is a College degree really necessary for you to get a good job in the Philippines? What if, like many young people in the country, you have no choice but to put your studies on hold due to financial constraints? Are you doomed to a life of misery simply because of the dire circumstances that you could not avoid?

No, definitely not. I do not believe for one second that lack of higher education dooms a person to hardship and poverty. I know of many successful people who only finished High School or didn’t get to finish college that found success beyond their wildest dreams. And it pains me to hear woeful stories of people who feel limited and hopeless simply because they did not finish college. Such is the case of the daughter of my friend’s laundry lady. For several months, the mother lived with a heavy heart because her daughter angrily blamed her for not being able to provide her with a college education. Although the laundry lady’s daughter has a decent job as a warehouse clerk, she felt that she could have gotten more from life had she been given a chance to pursue and finish college. She is only 24 years old and has not yet realized that she has her whole life ahead of her and it’s not the end of the world. And yet, she does have a point, limited though it may be…

The truth is, a College degree does help. Most corporate employers require job applicants to be a graduate of a four-year course. From an HR practitioner’s point of view, it makes sense. The additional four years of training would logically prepare an applicant for work. So it has become a standard requirement in the Philippine white collar job market, but that doesn’t mean that those who only finished High School are not employable.

On the contrary, there are many ways and means to find a good job despite your lack of a college degree. There are also many job options available for High School graduates. For today, let’s explore and open our minds to a wide world of possibilities---here’s what you have to look for…

Open-minded Employers

Believe it or not, not all employers require a 4-year college degree. I for one have employed people who are not college graduates for general office positions. I have found that High School graduates are as dedicated and hardworking as their College counterparts, sometimes even more. For me, experience and attitude are more important than plain academics. So if you want a white-collar or office-based job, look for employers who are willing to hire working students or trainees. You might have to start with a slightly lower pay during your training, but once your employer sees your value and potential, they can immediately up your salary once you get regularized.

On the Job Training or Apprenticeship

Some companies hire OJTs who are not necessarily college graduates. They offer an On the Job Training program and they provide allowance. Although the allowance is not that high, it nevertheless will help tide you over while you are learning and proving your worth to the company. If the supervisor sees that you are diligent and have good common sense, he might recommend you for further employment. If the training program ends and you don’t get hired, at least you can put that in as OJT work experience which adds a new dimension to your resume.

Sales Jobs

Sales is one job that does not discriminate against lack of academic degree so much (unless the company you are eyeing has lofty image standards). It is a career that is performance-based. The more you sell, the happier your employer will be and the higher income you will earn. Most companies provide training and basic allowance for their sales team, as well as commissions for every sale. It’s not an easy job for the weak-hearted. But for people who are driven or who dream of one day starting their own business, it can be a truly rewarding experience. Look for companies who carry products that you believe in and that you can easily sell to your network. There are products that are easy to sell and there are products that are difficult, so choose wisely.

Vocational & Technical Jobs

There are many exciting vocational and technical jobs that are available for High School graduates such as Call Center Agent, Medical or Legal Transcriptionist, Animator, Consumer Electronics Service, Heavy Equipment Machine Operator, Massage Therapist, Barista, Cooks and many more. If you have no experience in this field, that’s not a problem. Our government has a “Training for Work” Scholarship Program under TESDA. This can help you develop the necessary skills and competencies that are needed which are directly connected to existing jobs for immediate employment, locally and abroad. You’ll need to have the time to complete the training and be good enough to be hired by companies after the training. And should you want to pursue higher education later on, TESDA even has a Ladderized Education Program that can give you credits for college. To find out more about these programs, visit www.tesda.gov.ph.

Many insanely successful people didn’t have the privilege of attending college. But it has not stopped them from attaining fortune and a better life for their families. They refused to believe that their lack of academic degree makes them any less of a man or woman than their privileged counterparts. They continued learning on their own though experience, books, mentors and short course training programs. For them, it hasn’t always been easy but the more they strived to solve their financial problems and learn along the way, the better their life has become. So you see, degree or no degree, you can achieve great heights. Believe in yourself. Open your eyes to opportunities that abound. High School graduates have job options.

About the Writer:
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Business & Career Luck

2010-02-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

Have you ever met someone who seems to have the Midas Touch? You know who I mean---those people who enjoy bountiful blessings in business, career and life. They walk through life effortlessly and appear to have everything go their way. They exude light auras and happy spirits. And you can sense just by being with them that they are indeed lucky or blessed with good fortune.

In comparison, there are also people who are often down on their luck. They seem to carry heavy burdens on their shoulders. And even though they play by the rules and they put in a lot of effort in everything that they do, they can’t seem to get that lucky break. They struggle through life with discontent and sometimes even experience never-ending catastrophes one after another. It almost seems as if a dark cloud constantly hovers above them. As a result, their energies get depleted and they feel defeated.

Now let me ask you, which group do you belong to? Do you believe that you are a lucky person? Or have you experienced a string of bad events lately that make you think otherwise? Do you even believe in luck in the first place? And if so, would you like to increase your luck in business, career or life in general?

In the spirit of the Chinese New Year, allow me to give you some insights on how you can increase your luck this year. I’m not a geomancer or a feng shui expert, so I’m not going to be talking about zodiac signs and charms. Instead, from a trainer’s point of view, let me share with you attitudinal and behavioral advice that can make you luckier this year and the years to come. I do consider myself a lucky person and I’d like to share with you things that I have learned on the subject of luck.

First, let us try to understand what luck is. There are different definitions and philosophical thoughts about this subject, but let’s simplify it. For me, Luck is Good Fortune, whether you work hard for it or not. There are three types of luck:

Heavenly Luck. This is luck that you cannot control such as when, where and which family and social class you were born into as well as your genetic make-up.

Earthly Luck. This refers to environmental and elemental influences in your life or how harmonious you are with your surroundings. This is where feng shui fits in. When you are in harmony with the earth, life gets better.

Manly Luck. This is luck that you create for yourself through the choices that you make, how you develop yourself as a person, how you live your life, your values and attitude. Your thoughts, feelings and actions day in and day out directly affects your life and your luck.

Since Manly Luck is the one that we have control over, that’s what we’ll talk about today. Without further ado, here’s how you can increase your manly luck:

Attitude of Thanksgiving.
Being lucky is not about the absence of problems or bad events. Lucky people do have problems, some of which are greater than you can imagine. The difference between lucky and unlucky people is how they look at these occurrences. Lucky people tend to accept problems as bumps on the road. Rather than have a “woe to me” attitude, they tend to look at problems as blessings in disguise. Once they see the light, they become thankful for their life and the blessings that they already have. They live life with gratitude. When the Ondoy tragedy happened last year, a friend of mine got stuck on the road and took refuge on a gas station’s rooftop while his car got washed away. He never complained or whined about it because he felt other people had it worse.

Self-Prophecy & the Law of Attraction
My mother insisted and trained me to smile always. She believed that smiling increases your luck and I totally agree with her. This may sound basic but not a lot of people understand that when you sincerely smile (the pure happy kind of smile) and give goodwill, the world smiles back at you often with a dose of luck with it. Similarly, if you believe good things will happen to you, the world will connive to make it happen for you. But if you think in a negative way, for instance believing that “whenever I earn money, an emergency happens and takes it away”. Guess what?! That will happen. Be very careful with what you put in your head, as it has a way of manifesting itself as real.

The Choices that You Make
Now if you have positive thoughts, a pure heart and a light happy spirit, you will attract more people in your life. But you also have to make the right choices and ensure that you attract the right kinds of people. There are people who will bring you up and give you peace and prosperity; there are those who can drag you down and give you misery, even if they are good people. So choose to be with people who are lucky and blessed as their success can rub on you. Your choices in life will rule your destiny so strive to make the right choices every day.

Right Place, Right time
If you want to increase your business and career luck, you’ve got to get out there. Seek exposure and network. Many lucky people got their breaks because they were out there meeting people and finding opportunities. With our busy lives, there are meetings or social events that we would much rather pass up as the lure of our comfy beds seems more appealing than having to hobnob with strangers. But more often than not, being in the right place at the right time happens away from your bed. Sometimes, you just have to be present to get that big break.

When Preparation Meets Opportunity
There is no such thing as overnight success. Most people who seem to have become rich or famous overnight, had to work hard and carry their share of trials for several years. They have developed themselves constantly, so much so that when the opportunity knocked, they were ready, open and quick enough to act on the opportunity. For luck really happens when preparation meets opportunity, and if your mind is open and wise enough to spot it when it comes.

Are there things that are preventing you from getting lucky? Take the time and effort to think it through, it’s worth it. Having luck makes life easier and it feels good. Believe that you can create your own good fortune, you deserve it. Good Luck and Happy Chinese New Year to you!

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Best Careers in Marketing (Part 3)

2010-02-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

For the past two weeks, we have been exploring new careers in marketing such as Internet Marketing, Professional Events Management and Marketing Communications. We also explored some popular careers that have stood the test of time such as Advertising, Product/Brand Management and Publicity.

But the ultimate goal of Marketing is to sell. That is why Sales is a high-demand marketing-related career. If you are looking for a financially-rewarding career, you may want to look into becoming a sales person. There are different types, level and classifications involved in this type of career which includes:

Telemarketer

Telemarketers are marketing and sales representatives who conduct their business on the phone. They usually call people from a list or database to sell a product or gather information that will help sell a product to their target customers. Usually following a script or sales spiel, telemarketers may be tasked to make cold calls to target new clients or even call existing customers for order renewals and to try new products. They may also entertain inbound calls from inquiring customers.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Telemarketer? A high degree of Verbal Communications skills is necessary if you want to be successful in this career. Most companies hire college graduates or even undergrads for this job. They usually will train you in basic salesmanship and the sales process, active listening skills, sales negotiation and sales closing techniques. With the right amount of drive and persistence, your sales skills can be developed as a Telemarketer.

Pros & Cons: The good thing about this career is that it is not as physically challenging compared to other sales jobs. As a telemarketer, you don’t have to go out under the sun and brave the traffic to do sales calls. Most of the time, you will stay in a comfortable office and the phone will be your constant companion. Sales, is a performance-based job, so there will be incentives and financial rewards. The more sales you close, the more rewards you get.

Field Sales Representative

Many different types of industries hire Field Sales Representatives and pay well for it. They know that their field reps are the key to getting their products out there so they typically send them off with brochures, catalogues, product samples and giveaways. Popular careers in field sales include Medical Representatives, Consumer Goods Sales Representatives or Sales Distributors, and even Door-to-Door Sales Persons.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Field Sales Representative? What is important in this type of job is your desire to sell and make money. Since you are out of the office more often than not, time management skills and knowledge of city locations are necessary. You will also need to be able to deal with people from different walks of life and use your street smarts as you go about selling your products. A high level of interpersonal skills and relationship-building will help you build a collection of customers for life, which will make you a successful Field Sales Representative.

Pros & Cons: This type of career involves going out and meeting clients, travelling to different cities, towns or even counties (if you get promoted into a regional or country sales manager). If you are the type who like being on the go, this is the job for you. Field Sales Representatives usually have control over their time, but are required to punch-in at certain hours of the day and provide reports. It’s a good job for people who like having a little flexibility in terms of work hours. However, if you prefer to stay in your office cubicle, this is not the job for you.

Account Executives

Many service-based companies employ Account Executives to liaison between their clients and their service team. On the front end, they are the point person---the go-to guy or gal that the client relies on to handle, deliver and complete projects for them. They usually meet with clients, present solutions and work out cost estimates. On the back end, they are the ones who briefs and coordinates with the team to get the job done, usually following up and closely monitoring the overall developments of the project.

What Skills Will You Need to Become an Account Executive? To become successful in this field, you will need to have skills in consultative selling. Since the client relies on you to give solutions, it helps to have creativity and a good business head. Meanwhile, you will also be dealing with your service team who will complete the project. To be good at it, you will need good organizational, leadership and interpersonal skills. The ultimate point of the job is client servicing. The better you are at satisfying and impressing clients, the more long-lasting the relationship will be and the more indispensable you become to your company.

Pros & Cons: Account Executives are tasked to find new customers or maintain existing customers. As such, you will need a lot of patience in dealing with the demands, moods and even egos of clients. It is a challenging career but it can also be very rewarding not just financially but also personally. Successful Account Executives eventually build long-lasting relationships with their clients and even gain great friendships in the course of their career.

There are many exciting jobs in the field of Marketing. Entry to this is quite easy because unlike other professions where you will need certification testing and years of fellowship, you simply need general education. This is a career where persistence, practical knowledge of people and street smarts are valued more compared to academic excellence. It can also be very financially rewarding, if you are successful in getting people to buy your product.

I hope this Best Careers Series in Marketing has helped open your mind to many possibilities and options to help you find the best career for yourself.

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Best Careers in Marketing (Part 2)

2010-02-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Part 2 of our Best Careers Series in Marketing. Last week, we discussed popular new Marketing-related careers such as Internet Marketing, Professional Events Management and Marketing Communications. (To read Part 1 of this series, visit my blog: http://worklifenow.blogspot.com).

Today, we shall be exploring popular Marketing jobs that have stood the test of time. These careers are here to stay for a long, long time. So take a look at your career options if you are looking into establishing yourself as a Marketing Practitioner.

The Adman (or woman)

Many things are happening in the Advertising World as new technology changes the way people live and do business. Despite that, many businesses will continue to need the services of Ad people. So if you are interested in Advertising and looking into entering this field, there are many jobs that you can look into. Careers in Advertising include Creative types such Copywriters, Graphics Designers, Lay-out Artists and Creative Directors. Aside from the creative side, there is also the business side of Advertising such as Media Buyers and Account Executives.

What Skills Will You Need to Become an Adman or woman? It really depends on the type of job that you hold in Advertising. If you are doing Creative Work, you have to have an eye for visual design, skills in digital design, copy writing and an innate feel for what will sell or click with people. For Media Buyers, you need to be abreast with current events, tv and radio programming, publication lineups and media rates, as well as build a good relationship with media companies and suppliers. For Account Executives, you will need skills in salesmanship and account management. Being good with people, client servicing and networking will help you succeed in this type of work.

Pros & Cons: The Advertising World consists of very colorful people who does exciting and creative work whether they are in Creatives or not. Be prepared to be able to deal with different types of people. If you are free-spirited and enjoy a culture that celebrates creative expression or tolerates varying degrees of temperaments, you will survive this zany world. However, if you prefer a structured corporate environment or routine-work, you might find a career in advertising extra challenging.

Product or Brand Managers

Product or Brand Managers can be found in almost every industry ranging from IT, Retail, Consumer Goods Manufacturing and Publishing. These careers involve planning and developing the marketing strategy for a single product or group of products. They do the important role of estimating the consumer demand for the product they manage, identify potential customers, stay informed of any competing products on the market, develop pricing strategies, and oversee product development.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Product or Brand Manager? If you want to become a Product or Brand Manager, you will normally have to gain experience and a high degree of business skills. Managing a Product or Brand is essentially about managing a business unit which entails knowledge in product development, marketing strategy, sales, supply-chains and distribution management. Since it is similar to running your own business, a certain degree of intrapreneurial spirit will help you get promoted faster. In fact, many Product or Brand Managers become Top Executives in their companies or eventually start their own business because of their exposure.

Pros & Cons: If you like running things and managing your own business unit, then this is the career for you. Here you will be exposed to different aspects of business. You will learn how to manage not just your product but people as well. But along with the power and control that you gain with your product, comes responsibility. As a Product or Brand Manager, you will ultimately be accountable for the success or failure of the product(s) that you manage. Traveling is normally involved, so it is not exactly your typically 9-5 job either. You may have to sometimes work beyond your regular hours of work, but successful product managers are well-paid.

Publicist or PR agent

This is another exciting career. Essentially, the job of a publicist is to increase public interest in his client. However, the type of work a publicist does is dependent upon his client’s needs. A publicist who represents celebrities or politicians arranges gigs like TV interviews or features in publications. In some cases, they also work as talent managers, helping out with endorsement deals and even doing damage control. Meanwhile, some companies also hire publicists or PR agents who work closely with media and journalists. They prepare press releases and press conferences for announcements about new initiatives and business developments of the company.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Publicist or PR agent?
A career in Public Relations centers on relationship-building. Publicists and PR agents deal with different people, from their client, to journalists and media outfits. Aside from having many social and professional contacts, a good level of writing and communication skills are needed. This career is about people, so having people skills is essential.

Pros & Cons: It’s definitely not a job for shy people. This job entails having to deal with personalities and egos of people. Many times, there are intrigues and controversies that you will have to manage so it can be a challenging job. Sooner or later, you will learn to toughen up and use your street smarts. However, if you are able to build a long-lasting relationship with your client, their success becomes your success and it can give you many types of rewards.

These are just some of the most popular careers in the field of marketing today. More jobs will be featured in Part 3. Till then, good luck in finding the right career for you. (To be continued)

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Best Careers in Marketing (Part 1)

2010-02-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

As the new era of the digital age transforms the way we live and work, exciting new careers and opportunities are emerging for job seekers, employees and even entrepreneurs. This “Best Careers Series” is a collection of articles that showcase the most popular and current types of jobs in a specific field or industry. May this give you career options and guide you in choosing the right career path.

For this month, let’s look at MARKETING-RELATED JOBS. We will explore what these entail, the skills required to do the work, the advantages and disadvantages of choosing these jobs and tips on how to get into them. Check them out and see if any of these careers tickle your fancy.

INTERNET MARKETER

As more and more people tune into the interactive world of the internet, many business firms and advertisers are realizing that this is a potent medium to reach their target market. This has opened up new opportunities for internet savvy individuals and a new career has emerged in the form of Internet Marketing. Some companies hire and employ Internet Marketers, but this is the type of job that can be done on a freelance basis too. Or if you have the entrepreneurial spirit, you can even start your own business that specializes in Internet Marketing.

What Skills Will You Need to Become an Internet Marketer? Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be an IT specialist to become an Internet Marketer. You need to have a pretty good grasp of the practical side of Marketing and the Internet though. Skills that will really help you are coordination skills, computer skills, persuasive writing and an eye for visual design. You will also need a little web design know-how and a lot of patience in learning and working with internet tools. You will find a lot of information about this in the place where it was born---the internet, but if you want to fast-track your learning, you can attend seminars that are conducted by experienced Internet Marketers. They can direct you on the best tools around to make your work a lot easier and faster.

Pros & Cons: The great thing about being an Internet Marketer is that it isn’t a physically challenging job. If you have a laptop, you can even work anywhere, anytime in places that have internet connection. The downside to this is that you will be dating and spending a lot of time with your computer or laptop which could drain you a bit, give you Computer Vision Syndrome and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome---conditions that you can prevent by taking a break, drinking your mocha latte and stretching your muscles every once in awhile.

PROFESSIONAL EVENTS MANAGER

This is another career that has become popular during the past few years. If you are considering a career in Professional Events Management, you may specialize in two types of events – Corporate Events or Special Occasion Events.

Corporate Events Management involves marketing activities for a Company or Organization such as Product Launches, Fund-raisers, Concerts, Political Campaign Rallies and Conventions. Some companies employ Events Managers and Coordinators full-time, while others hire on a part-time or freelance basis.

Special Occasion Events Management is focused on the important milestones and celebrations of people like Baptismals, Debuts, Weddings and Anniversaries. Most Events Managers of this type are self-employed or works on a freelance basis.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Professional Events Manager? Professional Events Managers need a high level of leadership and communication skills. It is a job that entails working closely with people from all walks of life. As an Events Coordinator, you will organize the event down to the last detail. You will plan, organize, manage and market the event, as well as trouble-shoot emergencies. Skills that will help you succeed in this field are time management, basic computer know-how, budgeting, marketing and people management.

Pros & Cons: This is an exciting field to be in. If you enjoy working with people and the challenge of putting up a live show, then this will give you a thrilling ride. Definitely not your typical nine-to-five job, a career in Professional Events Management can be stressful and physically demanding. But armed with the right mind-set, attitude and know-how, it can be a lucrative and fun career.

MARKETING COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

This job comes in many names and titles. People who practice marketing communications include those who practice advertising, branding, direct marketing, graphics design, packaging, promotions and public relations. Experienced people are hired by companies as Marketing Communication Managers, Marcom Managers, Brand Equity Managers or simply Marketing Managers; while those who are just starting out may be hired as a marketing executive or assistant, graphics designer, public relations officer, creative writer or artist. Other practitioners are self-employed or hired on a freelance basis.

What Skills Will You Need to Become a Marketing Communication Specialist?
If you want a career in Marketing Communications, you will need to know the principle behind Integrated Marketing Communications---simply put, it is the creation and execution of marketing materials with a consistent message, the same “look and feel” that strengthens the marketing effectiveness of a company’s products and services. The skills that you will need in order to succeed in this field are persuasive writing skills, graphics design & lay-out, commercial arts and photography.

Pros & Cons: If you have an artistic side and enjoy creating brochures, posters, banners, websites---various marketing materials that sell, this would be a good career for you. Almost every business requires marketing materials, so the need for this type of work is constant. If you are a hired Marketing Communications Professional, this field can give you a stable and rewarding income. If you go for self-employment, it could be lucrative but not as stable as you will constantly need to find customers.

These are just some of the most popular careers in the field of marketing today. More jobs will be featured in Part 2. Till then, good luck in finding the right career for you. (To be continued)

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and the managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company conducts seminars on Business Management, Human Resource, Sales and Marketing Courses. They have also recently launched the INSTANT HR TOOLKIT, a service that provides HR practitioners with over 100 ready-to-use downloadable, customizable and printable HR manuals, contract, letters forms and templates. To know more about HR seminars that they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com or call (632)6874645. To know more about the Instant HR Toolkit, you may visit www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com