Getting leadership training too late
Let’s face it. We have fallen flat on our faces in leadership training. Harvard Business Reviews shows that on average, people only get their leadership training after being in a supervisory role for a decade!
Managers developed bad managerial habits, which got ingrained during the untrained period. Pouring more money into leadership training programmes doesn’t churn out better leaders because it’s often too late for the managers to unlearn their bad habits.
The three types of problematic managers
As a recruiter, it is my job to understand why people want to leave their company. The most common reason provided is the presence of inadequate leaders. There are usually three types of problematic managers. On one end of the spectrum are those o...
Transitioning to a new job is among life’s most stressful events, often accompanied with a plethora of questions. These are the questions you don’t want to ask your colleagues because you don’t want words spreading prematurely — many would keep their intention to resign confidential until their plans are solidified. Drawing from my experience as a recruiter supporting numerous candidates through their job changes, I ‘ve compiled this FAQ to address the nitty-gritty about notice period, bonus payout and other matters that surprisingly elude many.
Notice period
Can I use my annual leave to offset my notice period?
Depending on specifics outlined in your employment contract and pending HR’s final approval, many organizations offer employees the option to use accrued annual leav...
No matter where you are in the process, job search can wear your self-esteem down. It involves a pendulum of emotions — remember the cringe-inducing moment when you receive the LinkedIn updates about your connections landing on their next professional milestone?
The stress of job search can translate into physical ailments. Job search fatigue is a real thing and if you have experienced symptoms like emotional exhaustion, increased irritability, difficulty in concentrating, or sleep disturbances in your job-hunting process, you are not alone.
Tips to Navigate Job Search Fatigue
Identify the causes
Are you deflated because you have not heard back regarding your applications, or from your connections within the company you are interested in applying to? Or you have lost steam...
Is ‘Work-life Balance’ the saviour it claims to be for Burnout workers?
Many companies tout ‘Work-Life Balance’ in their job advertisement to attract talents.
Strategies like trimming work hours, providing more annual leave, scheduling company activities during working days and embracing flexible work are often regarded as the ‘Work-life Balance’ offerings.
‘Work-life Balance’ is an elusive concept. Afterall, our life is one seamless experience. Since when has our life become so compartmentalized that achieving a balance between work and personal life is seen as the key to completeness?
‘Work-life Balance’ is a Century Old!
The separation between work and ‘life’ has a root in the Industrial Revolution when people worked over 70 hours a week in factories miles away from home...
Like the bagel that has passed its best before date, your job is difficult to chew when it becomes stale. When the payday gives you the only dopamine spike that you would ever get from your job, you know it’s time moving on.
But before risking it all to walk away from your current employer, there are options to increase your chances of ‘finding’ your dream job. Job crafting is one of them.
What is Job Crafting?
Job crafting is a work design process initiated by individuals — to make proactive and intentional changes in their job roles to better align with their skills, interests and aspirations.
According to Dutton and Wrzesniewski, there are three ways of crafting your jobs:
Task crafting: mindfully structuring the scope, sequence and the number of tasks involved in you...
Procrastination is an act of putting off tasks to the very last minute or past their deadlines. Psychologists suggest procrastination is a complex interplay of psychological factors. Fundamentally, it is choosing short-term pleasure over long-term gain.
Although some people argued that procrastination may be harmless, or even having the benefits of boosting creativity, when it becomes a habit, it can have severe repercussions particularly in a professional setting.
Why people procrastinate?
On the surface, people knowingly delay actions for various reasons. They would say they don’t have the right skill sets to finish the tasks, confused about what is required of them, feeling overwhelmed not knowing where to start, or simply getting distracted. Psychologists found that the ...
Ready to embark on the job application journey? First thing first, fill out an application form!
To stand out from the crowd, some folks might pepper in a little extra magic on their qualifications and experiences. But here is the catch! Those who go overboard might find themselves in a sticky situation later.
The reality is, passing the interview and even getting an offer is not final victory.
A job offer can be revoked if the candidate failed the aptitude test or the background check. Some background check won’t start until the new recruit is onboarded. Starting a new job is typically filled with excitement and anticipation. Having to give up a newly commenced job is a plot twist you don’t want to see in your career story.
Understanding the aptitude test
Aptitude test...
Cancel culture has become so widespread that no individuals or organisations can steer clear from it. One example in Hong Kong involved Jo Lam, an influencer, who was fired by Prudential for inappropriate social media comments about a murder case. Companies that hesitate to remove ‘problematic’ individuals risk facing public backlash. Job candidates’ social media accounts are also increasingly scrutinized by hiring managers before the they were even shortlisted.
What is Cancel Culture?
Cancel culture involves ostracizing, boycotting or shunning public figures who have engaged in unacceptable behaviour or speech. The word ‘cancel’ has its roots in black culture and the civil rights boycott movements of the 1950s. The practice of it in the cyberworld could be traced back to China’s ...
As much as HR managers frown upon job hoppers, they will also frown upon job clingers. Job clingers are those who stay in the organisation for over 5 years without seeing progression in job title, skills and responsibilities. Job clingers see it as loyalty, HR managers see it as laziness and a lack of commitment to personal growth.
Why people shouldn’t cling to their jobs?
Job clingers are sending signals to their employers that they are happy in their current position. There is little incentive for employers to move them up the ladder or giving them a pay rise. Studies show that people staying in the same company for over 2 years on average earn 50% less. Over time, their worth will be overshadowed by new talents who show signs of career ambition.
It is totally understandable...
