Striking a Harmony Between Professional Commitments and Personal Well-Being

Integrating your hobbies and interests into your work is essential for a more balanced and rewarding life. When you derive pleasure from what you do, it becomes less of a chore and more of a fulfilling experience. I enjoy reading and writing in my leisure time and can also utilize these skills in my job. It makes me appreciate my work more and gives me a sense of purpose and satisfaction in my personal life. Therefore, if you cherish a passion or hobby, don't hesitate to incorporate it into your profession. You'll be astounded at how positively it can impact your personal and professional life.

Achieving a Healthy Work-Life Balance:

After the pandemic, mental and emotional breakdown cases continue to be a problem at work and even in our homes. The inability to cope with life's challenges may be attributed to the volatility and uncertainties brought about by our environment and the increasing economic difficulties due to inflation and the high prices of commodities. Many companies and organizations cannot grant salary increases because they are still trying to recover from the loss incurred during the pandemic. Being mindful of our health mentally and physically should be kept from being set aside, however busy we are with our work.

Finding a balance between work and personal life is crucial to avoid burnout and ensure overall well-being. You can accomplish this by scheduling specific times for work and personal activities and sticking to them as closely as possible. Furthermore, incorporating your interests and hobbies into your work can bring satisfaction and reduce stress. I enjoy my work writing, researching, designing training programs, and facilitating. However, it can be stressful if the loads pile up as we try to catch up with the growing needs of our cooperative members. My way to ease stress is through painting. Physically though, it can tax my arms and wrists. Thus, it is still essential to be mindful of our health. I make sure to find rest hours whenever I can.

Remember to take breaks when needed and prioritize your mental health and happiness. Though it may require some trial and error, achieving a healthy balance is worthwhile for improving your overall quality of life. Developing a habit may be the key to these. Of course, there may be times when one feels sluggish and not on the move. I found out that watching inspirational movies or dramas inspires me. Just lately, I have been watching the success stories of Stephen Curry in Underrated and Magic Johnson's series on apple tv. One common thing among these exemplary basketball players is their passion for their work. Their interest and passion become synonymous with breathing. Thus, work becomes play, and playing becomes their livelihood. Finding our interests and learning to love what we do would help us find a balance between work and health.

To attain balance in our lives, we can adopt these five tips to assist in upholding a satisfying and harmonious way of living:

1. Set Boundaries and Prioritize: Clearly define your work hours and stick to them as much as possible. Communicate these boundaries to your colleagues and clients to manage their expectations. Prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important ones, allowing you to manage your time effectively.

2. Take Regular Breaks: Avoid overworking by taking regular daily breaks. Step away from your desk, go for a short walk, or practice some relaxation techniques. Vacations can help refresh your mind, reduce stress, and boost your productivity when you return to work.

3. Create a Dedicated Workspace: Set up a separate workspace at home or make your office environment more comfortable and inspiring. Having a designated area for work can help you mentally switch between work and personal life, promoting better focus during working hours and a more precise separation when you're done.

4. Learn to Say No: It's crucial to know your limits and not overcommit yourself. Learn to say no to additional projects or tasks when your plate is full. This will prevent burnout and allow you to dedicate time to your personal life and activities that matter most to you.

5. Engage in Activities Outside of Work: Make time for hobbies, exercise, spending quality time with family and friends, or pursuing personal interests. Engaging in activities outside of work can help you recharge, reduce stress, and provide a sense of fulfillment beyond your professional life.

Remember, achieving work-life balance is an ongoing process that occasionally requires adjustments. Be patient and willing to adapt your routine to find what works best. Prioritizing your well-being and finding harmony between work and personal life will lead to a more satisfying and healthier lifestyle.

How HR or Recruiters Process Your Application?

Photo source:  Getty Images

There are so many job vacancies in the market. And there are much more applicants not finding a job.  

Are you an applicant?  Why are you looking for a job?  A job is not a career.  Are you looking for a career? 

When applying, we need to determine our personal objectives.  Human Resource (HR) or recruiters are eager to find the right candidates but there's a formula to finding the right fit for the position.  HR don't just hire applicants who finished a college fit for the post.  They are also looking for the right attitude, potentials, and cultural fit.  How you state your personal objective in finding a job tells the HR that you know what career path you want to make or how you will carry out yourself in a work setup.

A Well Written Resume is Never Enough to Land you a Job.  Yes, your curriculum vitae (CV) is the gateway for HR to see if you have the skills, knowledge and experiences necessary for the position.  Work life realities, above your resume, HR would have to see your decision-making skills and so they ask you situational questions to determine how you think.  

Nowadays, there are several online tools and resume-writing services to help you prepare your CV. They can align your resume to the job requirement by adding information that determines your skills and competencies. Your job is to prove that what you have written in your resume is true and correct. HR, through interviews, validates this information. There are also some assessments that measure your skills. So be honest with your resume. Have confidence in selling yourself and do not feel frustrated if you fail, because it's for your good and the company. If you are not fit for a post, you may find yourself struggling very hard during the probationary phase. You may lose time, effort, and confidence if you think of it as a trial-and-error venue. That is why I always advise new graduates during career talks that if they are going to apply for a position in a company, prior to applying, try to study more about the organization, and see if they meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Companies are looking for employees who would stay long.  This is the reason why HR or recruiters ask "Where do you see yourself 3 years or 5 years from now". They are gauging you if you are a keeper. Though this is not fixed, and the employee may change their mind later on, still if you have a mindset that you just need to get experience for a year to find your dream job, this will be reflected in your actions and answers. Your sincerity during interviews will show.

Your Entry Job may not be your Career plan, but it surely is your 1st step on the ladder.  Learn well what kind of organization you will apply for. The 1st Job you'll get from that company may not really be your target career. But know that within that organization, the career that you are aspiring for may open its doors for you in the future. Do your job well and you will have higher chances of getting your dream job when opportunities come. Companies now are very conscious that they need to show the career path plan to their employees so that they will not jump off the board or resign. Employees may transfer from one position to another and through this, the company would be able to keep the knowledge resources. It is more costly to hire constantly than to retain employees. The risk lies in operational delays that resulted from retraining, and adjustments needed by new employees.

Let me end my tips here so that you will not have information overload. My last word is carefully plan for your application. Be ready for the interview by keeping yourself informed about the position and the organization.

 

Making Income during Rest Days or Sundays

Since March, we have been cooped up in our homes.  I feel like I have gone through myriads of emotions and adjustments for the past six (6) months.  This pandemic has taken so many securities away and the activities that bring me joy.

My colleagues and friends fully know that I love my job because I get to travel much.  I gain energy being close to nature, thus going to Mindanao, the Visayas and other rural areas provide me motivation and sources of inspiration.  

What I love most about traveling is I get to take pictures of people, places, and cultures.  The photos that I have taken populates my Instagram accounts and it serves as references for my paintings.  Now, I only have the memories brought by my photos and my window entertains me with the view of my lovebirds and the plants that we have grown for the past few months.  Yes, my family and I started cultivating vegetables and herbs in pots. Thanks to ECQ-GCQ, we discovered new sources of joy.

Another challenge for me is that I lost a big chunk of my source of income.  I lost my travel allowances and as a result, a check I issued for my loan bounced back because my usual cash flow was disrupted.

Financial problem is indeed the best motivator to become resourceful and entrepreneurial.  I started spending time in our kitchen, cooking, and preparing kimchi and oatmeal cookies to cut on cost.  I can still enjoy foods that I love by making it by myself.  Then my neighbors started asking me if they can buy my produce.  Why not?  But #WorkLifeRealities, it didn't last long though because I have a demanding job as an educator and trainer, and with the work-from-home setup, I spent more time facing the computer.  

Then I decided to make products on Saturdays and Sundays.  I started learning from YouTube new products that our neighborhood would like.  That's how I started making Maki-Sushi and Gimbap during Sundays.  I discovered that by posting pretty photos on my FB account, customers who crave the same food that I'm interested in started contacting me and messages come in.  

So now, my new project is to promote my kitchen products.  

Somehow, the income coming in from my cooking helps.  It surprises me that the best thing you can sell online are those things that you yourself are interested in.  

I know, if you are reading this blog, you too are looking for means of augmenting your income stream.  My tip is to discover first the things that you like and you are good at, and make sure that you'll enjoy the process of selling it.  Otherwise, you will just stop.  It still holds true that if you enjoy what you are doing, then it is not working but like a child's play, the effort becomes enjoyable too.  Learn how and where you can sell your products, understand your consumers' preferences, and start building your small business online.

Attend training in online marketing.  There are so many resources you can use online to set up your store.  Look at FB's marketplace, Lazada, and even Shopee.  They offer a platform for online sellers even if you are just a micro-entrepreneur.  Understand their policies.  You might be surprised to know that it is not necessary to have a high volume of goods to sell on these online marketplaces.

I hope this article helps.  Please do comment if you like it or not.  If you have questions, feel free to ask by using the e-mail form in this blog.  

The Other Side of the Coin of this Pandemic

Metro Manila returned to MECQ (Modified Enhance Community Quarantine).  Since March 16, 2020, our team in NATCCO's Knowledge Resource Center remained working from home #WFH.  Initially, it was really difficult, we need to learn fast, think fast, innovate fast, and implement fast in service to the cooperatives that we serve.  We've given free training as a means of helping the cooperatives cope with the current situation.  With the return of MECQ, it is easier to accept, especially that the threat of pandemic on the lives of people remained high.

This morning, our cat Marble entered my room and laid down on my chair.  He has been seeing me glued to my chair for so many days.  He looked so cute that I cannot shoo him away from my post.  Though hesitant, I took my laptop and worked on my bed.  I am thankful to Marble because I discovered the comfort of sitting relaxed and feeling comfortable while working.  But still, I checked myself and reminded myself that the bed may lure me to sleep.  I gave Marble a few hours of sleep on my chair and prepared to go to the bank.

The bank I transact with is just 500 meters away from home.  Confidently, I brought my e-bike with me to submit the post-dated checks for my loan.  Unfortunately, the branch I frequent to was close and that the next branch is more than a kilometer away from home.  I asked myself, Which is more stressful, having to pay interest for the late posting of checks or traveling the road on my e-bike?  I opted for the second action.  I haven't travel far but to my amazement, I was happily riding my e-bike going to the bank because there's no traffic and the day is nice.  Going out after being coop for so long felt good.  Upon arriving at the bank, the guard asked me to fill up the waiver after taking my temperature.  I cannot clearly read what was written but with full of humor, the guard guided me on how to fill it up.  For a long time, it felt good communicating with people.  I really missed interacting with people.

As I checked my LinkedIn account, I noticed one post by an airline mechanical engineer.  He is thanking his employer for the experience of working for this airline.  His message was full of understanding and he is still filled with positivity that after the pandemic, he'll be able to resume working as an airplane mechanical engineer.  At first, I thought I would be sad for this person.  I checked on the reaction buttons and noticed there's lots of care coming from people who aren't even related to him.  Checking the comments on his post, there are lots of offers coming from companies needing his expertise.  It's amazing!  By just sharing what he felt, and having a positive attitude behind his situation opened up a lot of opportunities and positive energy for him.

Lessons learned from today's MECQ?  Well, with this pandemic our other eyes were opened.  We look for possibilities to cope with our losses.  In every problem, there's indeed the other side of the coin.  Instead of worrying about catching the virus, I think I should spend my energy by enhancing my physique.  While working from home, I may now be able to find a few minutes to exercise (which I am so lazy to do).  We should be looking at possibilities instead of what is worrying us.  I admit I am a work in progress... I need to keep raising my positive energy.  And admitting would be the start.  I hope that you, too, will gain positive energy by looking at the other side of the coin.

Balance of Authority and Responsibility

I just finished watching a Korean series entitled Ms. Hammurabi.  I like the plot because it teaches us values, which we may never have noticed if we would not try very hard to understand.   Let me share with you one part of its story that made me think as I ponder work-life realities.  

The female associate judge in the story kept on emphasizing that the poor and less privileged in court hearings are powerless.  She was very adamant to listen well to the poor's plea, and when a suspect came from a rich family, she has the tendency to think that they are mostly at the advantage.  However, in one session, the rich suspect was given a verdict of guilty for raping a young lady, even if the witnesses' statements were not strong.  When the suspect heard the verdict that he would be spending time behind bars, he collapsed.  The associate judge was astounded to see him falling.  She had never seen a man fall or collapse like that before.  

The next scene was inside the office of the presiding judge.  He talked to the lady associate judge.  He said that he understands her compassion towards the poor.  But there is something that they, as judges, should not forget when they do their job.  That is, the most powerful person inside the courtroom are they, the judges.  And justice should serve the truth and not be biased whatever is the person's stature in life.  Their understanding and decisions can cause the life of any man, and thus they should take their duty carefully and seriously.

I tried to look at my work as a trainer and a consultant closely, and asked myself, what would be the impact of my job to the people who listen to my words.  I say it can make them and break them depending on how they will use it in their work-life.  Thus, I have to be very conscientious in sharing accurate information and answering the questions of every participant.  

Some may not be able to understand why teachers and professors are so strict.  But they who listen well and try to understand the motive behind has higher chances of success compared to those who take the teachings lightly.  I say this because I am lucky enough to meet mentors (from MESEDEV2) who are really passionate in teaching us.  The amount of work and studies they had given us showed the amount of trust that we would do our job as students, which is to study well.

At work, we mentor our employees and we weed them by letting them go through the processes.  If you are a coach or a mentor, don't feel bad if your mentee was not able to understand your actions and intentions when you train them.  We, as mentors, continue to find people who needed our help.  And when they come, share with them the lessons (in life) that you can give them.  In the end, the reward would be you will have no regrets and you can move on.  

There is one tool we have that can cut and can save as trainers or teachers.  That tool is our tongue.  We have to manage our thoughts and words, by thinking if what we would say is beneficial to our listeners.  Just like in the story of Ms. Hammurabi, let us always remember that when our students open their ears and mind to listen, they have given us their trust.  It is then our responsibility to say the right thing, as well as listen well to what they are not saying.  We need to continue growing and learning so that we will have something to teach and share.

Thank you for reading today's blog entry.  Please feel free to share your thoughts.  

Worklife Reality, What Competencies Do You Need to Deal with the New Normal?

We have been working from home (WFH) since March 16, 2020.  Work life reality is having a stable internet access gives you freedom and mobility in the digital world and community.  With the new arrangement of WFH, the managers are wary of monitoring the productivity of their staff.  For me, productivity equates to output and being able to increase visibility in this time of ECQ where physical presence is near to impossible.

I have realized that WFH may tend to consume you more than when you are working in the office.  First, the extreme summer heat saps out our energy, as well as increases our electric bills.  Second, it eats up more of your time because you tend to stay longer in front of your computer, specially when there is so much to do and finish at the soonest possible time.

The free webinars are abundant, and tendency is you feel you need to attend every webinars that give information on how you would deal with these new normal.  However, many of these webinars are the same in its context and not many of the speakers are great, or even good.  In the end, you feel you've wasted your time listening to the same stories.  

Third, having the skills in digital management to get you around the web is now on your hands.  Instead of calling the department who usually addresses your needs, you have to explore and search for technical answers when you are moderating and facilitating your own live feeds and webinars.  Instead of dealing with just planning, implementing and writing programs, you now have to understand how and when to mute your mic, closing your camera to improve streaming, as well as finding where to click for chat or sharing your presentations.

With all those challenges, I realized that we need the same competencies when WFH.  Here's what I mean:

1.  TIME MANAGEMENT

     We need to discipline ourselves how much time we need to spend on work and activities related to our job.  Just the same when you work in the office, you need to plan your day-to-day activities so that you'll be able to accomplish much within eight (8) hours.  I suggest you set your working time and take your usual breaks when working from home.

     Choose wisely among the webinars that you wishes to attend.  Check the content and ask yourself, "Do I need this?  Will it help me gain knowledge or skill that I'll be able to use?"  Knowing your skills gap, and knowing when and where to stop are the same thing that we need to determine when we train for work.

2.  STRESS MANAGEMENT

     Before, the traffic and the reports' deadlines stresses us.  But now, there are new stressors while working from home.  We get stressed by the news, loss of income, lack of mobility and change in our cash flow.  Those who are extroverts or loves traveling, they get stressed for losing chance to explore or losing social interactions.

     The key to managing our stress is to understand what causes it.  If you are stressed by the news, try to watch news only once and do not open any news link while working.  If the loss of income source stressed you, don't linger on the problem for so long.  Focus your energy on how you can gain income through the use of social media and internet.  One opportunity I've seen is the influx of "Delivery" services.  In some community, a housewife volunteered to purchase groceries for those who are not able to but on their own.  She just charges PhP 300.00 for the delivery and service.  Others, they started writing articles and some resorted to accepting transcription jobs.  Doing this gives you chance to address 2 of the stressors;  cashflow and income source.  For those who get stressed by lack of social interactions, join online concerts, watch parties, or even online classes.  Be creative!

3.  DIGITAL KNOW-HOW AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

    The IN-thing now are webinars, online learning and online classrooms.  There are several expertise you can develop if you plan to offer courses or tutorials online.  One is your subject matter expertise.  But by presenting, you need also to master the tools like the use of online forms, use of online presentations, understanding of the classroom platforms, making and creating videos and reading materials for assignments.  Not to mention, the lighting and sound management to make yourself look presentable during the webinar.

     Creating materials like videos and presentations require expertise in animation, voice-over creation and understanding of the viewers.  With that said, you can offer your newly found competence as a service to those looking for content developers.

4.  CONTENT MANAGEMENT

     Content management expertise are very much in demand.  Knowing the right layout for websites and blogs is not common for many.  If you have the "Creative Eye", try to explore if you can develop your skills in website or blog development.

5.  SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

     For the past weeks, I received offers from many acquaintances.  They suddenly remembered after a long loss of communication.  And they remembered my name to offer me opportunities to sell products and services online, using my social media accounts.  So if you have the aptitude or skills in selling, you'll surely get income by doing these.  Much more, it would be beneficial if you have developed-well your Social Networks.

Another, if you are really appealing or can hold yourself well in front of the camera, plus the ability to communicate well, you can be a social media star.  They are called INFLUENCERS.  If you feel you have wide range of followers, then work on finding principals who would be willing to hire you as a product endorser or promoter.

I hope you are able to get something while reading my blog.  If you would want to add more, please feel free to comment.  I shared this as I feel that many are like me, trying to waddle and paddle in the marsh of the new normal.  Stay home, keep some physical distance... but keep in touch virtually! 

Competencies You Need to Have or Develop for the Future Workforce (Author's personal view)

I was too lazy to create a new article and so this new blog post I made is more of a personal opinion.  So please excuse me for expressing on the first person.

Our country (Philippines) has a new president who promotes change (Pres. Duterte).  The newly elected U.S. president, Mr. Trump is also different from the usual profiles of the previews U.S. presidents.  Changes that somehow rattles the nerves of half of the country's population. Now, with them sitting on the government, we wonder what would be the future of the workforce?  What would be the future of the economy?  That is what we have to watch closely.

As I have mentioned, I am too lazy and so I just captured this presentation from one of the blogs that I read - found at "fivestarsandamoon" website.  This is a print screen of the skills needed for the current and future workforce.

Above are the top 10 skills discussed or were presented in the World Economic Forum.  I wanted to share it with fellow HR practitioners and suggest that we post it on our board to remind us constantly of the skills we need to develop for our human resources.  These competencies are not common and usually the same sets of skills we look for our supervisors, and managers.  These skills are well-developed for those who have gained wisdom from their work experience. 

If you look at our current workforce, many organization are experiencing difficulties in maintaining and sustaining their talents.  We tend to lose them because of the high demand for employees having these competencies.  Not only the competition, but also the interest of the current workforce are so diverse.  Information is so high and wide-spread that consistency of functions performed also present a challenge - "boredom".  HR Managers are now constantly on high-gear thinking creatively of programs that would keep the employees entertained in their job.

Most developmental programs for employees are anchored on Competencies.  Thus, before you go further with your programs, it is best to define first the competency-requirements of your organization.  Doing so, you will have a guide for recruitment, training and with your management program.

Now, looking at the above top 10 skills list, I noticed that there are missing ingredients that we as HR managers always hope to find among the workforce.  What I am pointing at are the softskills we need, particularly in the co-op sector.  These are few of the traits or characters that we need to sustain the culture of "cooperativism":

• Integrity and Honesty
• Commitment
• Loyalty
• Members-centered or customer focused
• Compassion

I know that the above soft-skills are hard to find and determine during recruitment. Only time can tell if we are able to capture the heart of our employees.  And also, you may want to add more to the list I have given above.

The next thing that now comes into my mind is how to develop the soft skills among our employees.  I will try to share my experiences from the interventions I will be making.  You see, most of the consultancy requirements I have now are mostly on how to improve the employee relations and the employees' morale.  These are factors related to the organizational culture.  Hopefully, I'll be able to document it.  I will try to write some small articles as I develop a documentation on the culture and climate of Philippine Cooperatives.

Until my next blog... Please feel free to share your opinions on this matter.  Have a great day ahead!!!

The Advantage of Mindfulness during Work

I was invited as a resource speaker for a college school here in the Philippines.  The topic for the said training is on empowering the students and how they can possibly develop their leadership styles.  In preparations for the said talk, which will occur on the 1st day of March 2015, I browsed the SlideShare site and found some useful materials, which I will integrate with my own materials.

One challenge for employees and workers is having lots of tasks to juggle in a day's work.  They call it multi-tasking.  But I noticed that when I do such things, I lose concentration and I tend to transfer from one work to another, and in the end, the quality of my work suffers.  Instead of being able to finish fast, I tend to take time just to finish one task.

We need to train our mind on how NOT TO MULTI-TASK.  We need MINDFULNESS when we work and this would help us to finish faster and with better results.

Mindfulness means being at the moment.  When you try to work on specific task, give it your full focus and learn not to mind the nagging feeling of other concerns that is lined up for you to finish.  Anyway, you can get back to them when you are done with what you are working on.  Before putting your hands on the task, determine if it's the most important and most urgent.  Learn to prioritize.  When you are able to determine your priorities, schedule each tasks on hand and then start even at a slower pace.  Once you get your entire focus on the task at hand, the flow of concentration will help you finish.

Be mindful with what you do and it starts with prioritizing and planning.

What Does It Take to Become a Consultant?

There’s a lot of perks in becoming a consultant: travel, meeting people & networking, and the joy of sharing what you know through coaching & mentoring. What will it take for you to become a consultant? EXPERTISE. You need to be an expert on specific fields of your interest. Thus, if you are currently at the lowest step in your career, don’t despair. Make sure that you are really at the threshold of what you really want to do until you mature on that position.

Specialize, you have to learn the ins and outs of your trade and treat it as an investment to your future. You cannot share what you don’t have, and you cannot save if you don’t know how to swim. Learn your personal strengths, harness it and make sure that you fully understand and know how to use the process.

Consultancy is very similar to a doctor’s profession. You are expected to have the answers to questions, specifically to the fields of your expertise. Prior to coaching & mentoring, you would have to fully understand what needs to be solved. Therefore, you have to learn how to diagnose the needs of your clients. As an HR consultant, I start by identifying the different areas in the HR Department, the processes, the functions and the skills required from the HR personnel. I also have to understand the market trend or what is happening in other industries related to my field of expertise. Then I go back to my client and make an assessment, benchmarking them with the best practices on the HR trade.

I have mentioned the need to understanding the market trend or what the best practices are. Becoming a consultant, you need to continuously learn and study. Learning never stops. Age and maturity is not a limitation for a consultant. The more you age, the more the perception of maturity and your clients would think that you have gained enough number of years of experience on your field.

So if you want to go into that direction – becoming a consultant, then those I have mentioned are your investments. It would take a lot of patience, time, effort and interest. If your heart is in what you are doing, then it will not feel that long of a wait.

HOW TO PASS JOB TRAINING AND BE A REGULAR EMPLOYEE

I have talked about how to prepare for job interviews in my article posted in Triond (How to Start-Up Your Career). Now, I would like to talk about "How to Pass Job Training and be a Regular Employee", which is usually the first level of employment when you enter an organization.

The purpose of OJT or On-the-job Training and probationary period is to assess if you are fit for a specific position and to help you adapt with the processes, company policies and culture, for a certain period of time not more than six (6) months as per Philippine labor standards prior to regularization.

The On-boarding program is the first training you'll undergo wherein you will learn the set-up and organizational structure within that company. You would also hear about the vision of the company and its mission, policies and procedures and finally how to go around your job as described in your job description. Listen well to this portion and learn to understand the culture of the organization. This is beneficial not only for the company when you get adjusted to their processes, but it would also be beneficial for you to see if you would fit perfectly well with co-workers, management and heads, as well as its clients. Learn about the trade and the different career path for your personal and career development within that organization. Do not think about quitting after spending five (5) years in the company or do not give yourself a chance to even think about leaving it. The purpose is for you to adjust well and learn how this organization can help you grow. If you think about how long you will stay with that organization, then you limit yourself in getting the satisfaction of learning and development. Be in the mode of "Learning".

In doing your job function, do not be afraid to ask. When you ask, it shows your eagerness to learn and be taught. You should be able to readily accept inputs coming from your coaches and mentors. Be humble and be teachable. Why would trainers even think of teaching a person who already knows everything? Always remember that you are on training and you should be like a "sponge", soaking all the things that you can learn. Open your eyes to new things and you can do this by setting aside (for awhile) what you've learned from schools and trying to relearn principles even if you've heard it before. There are always new ways in looking into it. When you get the answers to your questions, or when you get instructions, do it as how they've told you. The company has already developed and standardized processes on how efficiently and effectively they can get the desired results.

When you start your training, learn or ask "What is your superior's expectations from you?". What would be the criteria for your performance? This way, you know the target and know how you will be measured. Do not be afraid of making a mistake. The first time you have committed a mistake, learn what you've done wrong. Try to understand how it can be done perfectly. It is okay not to get it the first and second time. But committing a mistake the third time means you are not learning from the experience. Evaluate your own performance as your superior would evaluate you.

The major competency or key that you should always bring with you when you work for others are "Communication", "Communication" and "Communication".

Have a nice day and I hope this help.

THE KEY IS COMMUNICATION

Work Tools For You
By Mary Rose L. Gob 

Every time I make an analysis on the root causes of issues in our office, I end up bumping into the same solution or lack of it – communication. Let me cite this one issue I encountered in my work.  One manager drilled down on his subordinate for not being able to secure the reimbursement from the SSS because of lacking in some documents.  The field employee who availed the maternity benefit went on indefinite leave and thus, our employee found it hard to secure the medical history being requested by the agency.  When the manager took the initiative to contact SSS, he learned that the agency doesn’t necessarily need the medical history but a copy of the birth certificate that is duly issued by the National Statistic Office.  The later would show the history of how many births the mother has gone through and that would tell SSS if the employee is indeed entitled to maternity benefit.  In the end, our company was able to reimburse for our field employee’s maternity benefit.  It took the internal process two months before she was able to identify what seems to be the problem in her filing with SSS.  But it only took the manager a few minutes in making that call to the branch manager of SSS to determine what other options the company has to make the reimbursement valid.

Looking at our cited example, you would see that communication is important for you to get by in your work.  In all aspect of the service sector, one tool for work effectiveness is communication.  Without it, you will find difficulty getting by in delivering your task.  Without communication, it can result to wasted time, wasted effort and so much stress.

So how can we practice communication?  What is effective communication?  Here are some tips given by The Inside Coach, which I wish to share with you.

In communicating with managers and co-workers always maintain a cool temperature.  Remaining civil despite stressful situation would help open the communication lines. Stay aware of how you are communicating.

• Listen for content instead of delivery. We never really know the pressures people are facing in their lives that could be underlying their tone or delivery.
• Don't react to their reactions. Take a moment to truly assess the situation to find out what would be an appropriate response.
• Keep your cool. Speaking in a clear and calm voice that mirrors back the person's sense of urgency can often brings a calming influence to an over-reaction.

Note:  by Dawn Kohler of the Inside Coach

With the above tips, I hope we were able to provide you another tool to help you succeed in the work place.  Keep in mind that diplomacy and proper communication protocols can easily be learned if you keep an open mind.  Listen with your heart and with your mind.

If you feel that this blog is helpful, feel free to share it with your friends.  Have a great day!

How to be successful in your chosen career?

Tips on Starting Up Your Career

 

In the Philippines, when a child finished his or her high school studies, they decide the course to take by referring to what is popular to their peers or what course their families or their parents asked them to take. It is seldom done that the interest of the child is being considered.

There are now career counseling programs offered by some private schools. However, for those belonging to average earning families or on the poverty line, they realize what career they take right after they secured their job and start earning. Others has already finished a specific course, for instance computer engineering, but when they started looking for a job or are already working, they realized that they are not happy with the job they have secured because it is not actually their own interest.

As a result, they shifted courses if they are studying in college, while others shifted career but find less success securing a job that they love. Thus, they have to get a second course, which is very costly. In the end, it took longer time to start with a career and be successful on it. Also, not to count the effort invested by the individual just to finish the course. One would then compensate the loss by reasoning that "it is better to be late than never at all."

Now, if you are reading this article, then you can help others by sharing what you've learned from it. This time, you can tell friends and members of your family how to help them develop their careers.

Early in the child's life, one would notice the interest of a child. It may be in singing, playing instruments, playing with construction toys; the kind of toys they play indicates what they would want to be like playing doctors or engineers. When they go through their studies, they get introduction to the different type of careers. You as parents or as adults may also help expose them in the different kind of jobs or work experiences through movies or TV programs that they watch. For example, showing them ER, Glee or even high school musicals would provide them idea of the different profession they can consider. Ask them as well what they want to be whenever there's a chance for you to talk with them. It also helps to provide them reading materials on specific programs or even handouts offered by universities. Do not enroll them immediately on specific courses. They can enroll on two (2) year programs or applied courses. This way, when they shifted courses, some of their units or subjects can still be credited to their new course.

Teach focus to children as early as possible. Shifting from one job to another may provide multitasking skills but takes time to develop specialization. Having focus on developing your career would mean plotting your life plans.  To site an example, when I was still studying college, I encountered a very young vice president of a Telecom Company.  He gave a talk on Career.  I said to myself, one day I will see myself speaking in front of a large crowd the same way that he do.  I plotted my career plan; first step is to finish my study, then secure a job related to my finished course, which is Industrial Psychology, then from recruitment, I worked my way up to a recruitment specialist position, got exposed on different areas of expertise covered by Human Resource, become a supervisor, take a step to officer position and then become a manager.  Now, I am thinking that if I reach retirement age, I will not totally retire but instead I wish to teach in a university where I can share my expertise to students and guide them as well.  To prepare myself for the teaching profession, I need to get some extra units in masteral studies then get a part-time job as an instructor.

Career planning does not stop by securing a job.  It is a continuous process that would last to as long as you wish it to be.  Reaching 65 years of age does not mean you would stop working.  Think that like the learning process, career development is also a continuous process.