In today’s fast-paced environment, having the right team in place is essential for success. However, the recruitment process can be time-consuming and resource intensive.
At PERSOLKELLY, we understand the challenges businesses face when it comes to staffing – which is why we offer tailored recruitment solutions designed to save you time and money.
In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of partnering with PERSOLKELLY – as well as how our flexible options can streamline your recruitment process, making it cost-effective and efficient.
Flexibility and Customisation
One of the key advantages of partnering with PERSOLKELLY is the flexibility we offer. We understand that every business has unique staffing needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. That’s why we provide the option to outsource either specific aspects of the recruitment process or the entire process itself, depending on your requirements. Whether you need help with online advertising, telephone screening, or face-to-face interviews, we’ve got you covered.
At PERSOLKELLY, we offer a wide range of recruitment services that can be customised to meet your specific needs:
Online Advertising: We create targeted job postings to reach a wide pool of potential candidates.
Telephone Screening: Our team conducts initial screenings to identify the most suitable candidates.
Telephone Interviews: We perform detailed interviews to shortlist the best candidates for your consideration.
Face-to-face Interviews: We arrange and conduct in-depth interviews to ensure a good fit for your team.
Reference Checking: Thorough verification of candidate backgrounds to give you peace of mind.
Candidate Interview Coordination: Seamless scheduling and coordination to streamline the interview process.
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Checks: Comprehensive MOJ checks to ensure compliance and security.
Why choose PERSOLKELLY?
Partnering with PERSOLKELLY, you can enjoy the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing your staffing needs are in expert hands. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your business and help you build a strong, capable team.
In the complex world of business, staying informed about key economic indicators is crucial for both job seekers and businesses.
Whether you’re searching for a job or managing a company, understanding these indicators can guide your decisions and strategies effectively.
Below, we will simplify these economic signals to help you understand their impact on job markets and industries. Plus, we’ll provide practical tips on how to use this information to your advantage:
Unemployment Rate
As of early 2024, the unemployment rate has declined to 4.7% – suggesting a tightening job market with increased competition for available positions (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). This is a critical indicator for the overall job market.
Actionable Advice
A low unemployment rate doesn’t guarantee instant success in finding a job, but it does indicate a favourable environment. Use this time to refine your skills, network actively and pursue opportunities that align with your career goals. For businesses, a low unemployment rate can signal a competitive hiring landscape. To attract top talent, focus on offering attractive compensation packages, fostering a positive company culture and investing in employee development programs.
GDP Growth
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the economic activity within a country, reflecting the condition of the economy. The GDP growth rate recently reported a robust increase of 3.2% for the fiscal year 2024, indicating a vibrant economy (World Bank, 2024).
Actionable Advice
Job Seekers should pay attention to GDP growth trends to identify industries and regions experiencing an economic boost. Consider targeting your job search in sectors that are expected for growth and investment.
Businesses should use GDP growth data to plan strategic decisions about expansion, hiring and investment. A robust GDP growth rate may present opportunities to scale your business and capitalise on emerging markets.
Wage Growth
Wage growth indicates the increase in average wages of labour and its demand. Recent trends show a 5.3% increase in average wages across sectors in 2024, suggesting tightening labour conditions and a competitive job market (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
Actionable Advice
Job Seekers can focus on negotiating for competitive salaries based on market trends. Invest in skills development to enhance your value in the job market. Consider industries or roles experiencing higher wage growth for better earning potential.
Businesses must stay competitive by offering competitive wages and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent. Monitoring wage growth trends to anticipate changes in labour market dynamics can help in adjusting recruitment and retention strategies accordingly. Invest in employee training and development to ensure workforce productivity and satisfaction, contributing to long-term growth and success.
Conclusion
Navigating the economic indicators is important for informed decision-making in your career or business. By understanding and interpreting these signals, you can strategically position yourself to take advantage of the dynamic job market and economic conditions.
Remember, in the vast expanse of economic seas, knowledge is your compass, and foresight your guiding star. Arm yourself with insights, adapt to changing tides and chart a course towards success in the world of work and commerce.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Economic Data, World Bank
Recruiting new talent is a fundamental aspect of business growth and development.
However, the process of finding, vetting and hiring the right candidates is often resource-intensive and can place significant strain on a business.
By exploring the true cost of recruitment and the benefits of partnering with a recruitment agency, businesses can make informed decisions to optimise their hiring processes and mitigate operational pressures.
The True Cost of Recruiting
Recruitment isn’t just about posting a job ad and waiting for applications to roll in. It involves a complex and often costly series of steps:
1. Advertising and Job Boards: Posting on popular job boards and industry-specific sites can quickly add up. Premium listings, featured ads and sponsored posts increase visibility, but come with higher price tags.
2. Time Investment: The time spent by HR and management teams in crafting job descriptions, reviewing resumes, conducting interviews and communicating with candidates is substantial. This time investment translates directly into financial costs, as these hours could be spent on core business activities.
3. Screening and Assessment: Background checks, skills assessments and personality tests are essential to ensure candidate suitability. These services often require external vendors, adding to the overall expense.
4. Opportunity Cost: The longer a position remains unfilled, the greater the impact on productivity and, potentially, revenue. Delays in hiring can stall projects, overburden existing staff and lead to burnout and reduced morale.
The Strain on Business Operations
The recruitment process can strain a business in several ways:
• HR Overload: For smaller companies, the HR team may already be stretched thin – managing payroll, benefits and employee relations. Adding the recruitment process can lead to burnout and decreased efficiency.
• Management Distraction: Leaders and managers need to be involved in the hiring process to ensure candidates align with company goals and culture. However, this involvement can distract them from strategic decision-making and other critical tasks.
• Inconsistent Hiring Outcomes: Without dedicated recruitment expertise, the process can be inconsistent – leading to suboptimal hires. This can result in higher turnover rates, which, in turn, repeat the cycle of recruitment costs and operational strain.
Why Engage with a Recruitment Agency?
Partnering with a recruitment agency can alleviate many of the costs and pressures associated with hiring. Here’s how:
1. Expertise and Efficiency: Recruitment agencies specialise in identifying and attracting talent. Their expertise ensures a more efficient process, reducing the time to hire and increasing the quality of candidates presented.
2. Cost-Effective Solution: While there is an upfront cost to engaging an agency, it often pales in comparison to the cumulative costs of a prolonged, in-house recruitment process. Agencies streamline the hiring process, minimising downtime and lost productivity.
3. Access to a Wider Talent Pool: Agencies have extensive networks and databases of pre-vetted candidates.
4. Mitigation of Hiring Risks: Agencies often provide guarantees, offering replacements if a hire doesn’t work out within a certain period. This reduces the risk associated with recruitment and provides peace of mind.
5. Focus on Core Business Activities: By outsourcing the recruitment process, businesses can focus on what they do best – driving growth, innovation and serving their customers. This delegation can lead to better overall performance and employee satisfaction.
Recruitment is a critical but costly and time-consuming process. The strain it places on businesses can be significant, impacting productivity and growth. By partnering with a recruitment agency, businesses can leverage specialised expertise, reduce costs and ensure a more efficient and effective hiring process. In the long run, this strategic move can lead to better hiring outcomes, improved operational efficiency and a stronger, more focused organisation.
Authored by See Yang Foo, Managing Director & Country Head, Singapore.
In recent years, the recruitment world has undergone a significant transformation following the emergence of AI-powered tools. AI recruitment tools are becoming increasingly common in the hiring process, from screening candidates to conducting initial interviews. While this AI technology enables an effective hiring process, it also raises questions about the future of human recruiters.
Will AI recruitment systems eventually replace human recruiters altogether?
While AI tools bring undeniable advantages to the recruitment process, it’s crucial to pinpoint which aspects of hiring we can efficiently automate. To improve AI and human recruiters’ collaboration in hiring, we must identify tasks suitable for technology and those needing human involvement.
Therefore, what are the main recruitment tasks that we can efficiently automate?
Our connections on LinkedIn have provided us with insights into the hiring processes that could benefit from AI enhancements. Some of these processes include:
The Rise of AI in Hiring
The existence of AI technology in hiring marks a significant shift in how organisations seek, identify and select potential candidates for job openings. Artificial Intelligence has rapidly evolved to become a game-changer in the recruitment landscape.
The desire for faster, more cost-effective and fairer hiring processes has driven this technological evolution. Traditional recruitment methods frequently led to extended hiring cycles, missed opportunities and, occasionally, unintended biases. AI aims to address these shortcomings by taking advantage of its ability to analyse huge datasets with unmatched speed and precision.
They identify patterns, extract meaningful insights and make data-driven decisions in real time. Additionally, they excel at identifying top talent, predicting candidate success and optimising the hiring process from start to finish. The move towards AI recruitment isn’t just a trend – it’s a strategic step towards a more efficient, data-driven and fair hiring future.
Four Roles of AI in Recruitment
As AI keeps changing the recruitment industry and altering how recruiters fill job openings, it takes on several important roles in helping organisations and human resources find talent.
Here are four of them:
Enhancing Job Descriptions and Visibility
AI uses advanced natural language processing to create better and more inclusive job descriptions by studying successful previous listings. This can attract a broader range of candidates. Its tools find keywords and phrases, making job postings more visible on different platforms and easier for candidates to find.
Streamlining Resume Screening
AI has significantly improved the initial screening of resumes and job applications. Traditional methods of screening candidates usually involve manual sorting, which is slow and can be unfair. AI-powered applicant tracking systems can quickly review and filter many applications, identifying the best candidates according to set criteria.
Improving Candidate Assessment
Another key area of AI is its creation of predictive analytics tools that assess how well candidates match job titles based on their skills, experience and alignment with the company’s culture. These tools use past hiring data to find trends and connections, assisting recruiters in making informed choices during applicant screening.
Optimising Candidate Sourcing
AI algorithms can search online platforms and databases to find potential candidates with the skills and experience that the offered jobs require. This automation streamlines the sourcing process, enabling recruiters to focus their efforts on building relationships and conducting in-depth interviews.
The transformative power of AI in recruitment is undeniable. It has changed how organisations find their ideal candidate and connect with them, from making job descriptions more inclusive to making the initial screening process more efficient.
Three Advantages of Recruiting with AI
While AI’s involvement in hiring brings many benefits, it’s essential for us to explore the specific advantages it has to offer.
Let’s look at how AI can significantly impact talent acquisition through these three points.
Efficiency
AI is incredibly fast at handling large volumes of data, making the process of finding and hiring qualified candidates much quicker. This efficiency saves recruiters a significant amount of time and resources. They can focus on strategic aspects of talent acquisition as AI can handle data tasks quickly and accurately.
Cost Savings
Automation in recruitment delivers significant cost savings for organisations. It helps save money on advertising by reaching the right candidates efficiently and reduces administrative costs through task automation. In essence, it streamlines recruitment processes, leading to overall cost-efficiency and resource optimisation.
Improved Candidate Experience
AI chatbots and automated emails in recruitment make the candidate experience better. They provide quick updates and feedback, keeping candidates engaged and satisfied. Chatbots answer questions instantly, while automated emails acknowledge applications and offer initial feedback – showing professionalism and care.
Humans and AI: A Cooperative Approach
While AI technology has the potential to enhance and expedite the recruitment process, it’s unlikely to replace human recruiters entirely. Human touch is important for evaluating soft skills, cultural fit and other qualities that AI struggles to assess. Recruiters also play a crucial role in building relationships with candidates and ensuring a positive candidate experience.
The ideal approach is a cooperative one, where AI accommodates the abilities of human recruiters. By automating everyday tasks, AI allows recruiters to concentrate on more important activities like conducting a thorough interview process – be it through in-person or video interviews – and offering personalised support to candidates.
Conclusion
As explored in this blog, AI recruitment is a powerful tool that can potentially transform the hiring process. It can help companies save time and resources by automating repetitive tasks like resume screening and candidate matching. However, as powerful as AI is, it cannot replace the human element in recruitment. Human recruiters play a crucial role in assessing qualities like communication skills, cultural fit and emotional intelligence, which cannot be measured by algorithms alone.
The future of recruitment is one where AI and human recruiters work together in a complementary way. AI can help automate low-level tasks, freeing up recruiters’ time to build relationships with candidates and clients and assess the intangible qualities that make a candidate a good fit for a role and a company.
At PERSOLKELLY, we believe that the future of recruitment is a team effort between AI and human recruiters. Our team is leading the way in creative recruitment solutions that leverage the power of AI while valuing the expertise and insight of human recruiters. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey and explore the possibilities of the dynamic world of AI-powered hiring. Connect with us today and learn how you can become a part of shaping the future of recruitment.
If you’re looking for a change to a challenging yet rewarding job, then a role in recruitment could be the perfect move for you. You never know where it’ll take you.
We’re always on the hunt for great people to join our team. If you’re confident and caring, proactive and passionate, smart and resourceful, and want to kick-start or continue your career in helping others achieve their career goals, then we’d love to hear from you.
Given the competitive nature of today’s job market, a strong work ethic is critical for individuals looking to stand out from the crowd and both secure, and maintain, meaningful employment.
A strong work ethic is comprised of a set of traits and habits that employers value highly, particularly given the dynamic and fast-paced environment within the Australian business landscape.
But what exactly are the qualities that must be cultivated to demonstrate a strong work ethic? We list six below:
Reliability and Punctuality
One of the most valued traits in not just the workplace, but life in general, is reliability. Employers and teammates love individuals who consistently show up on time, adhere to deadlines and fulfil their responsibilities. Being reliable demonstrates a strong commitment to the job and a willingness to go the extra mile to get things done. As an extension of reliability, punctuality is also highly regarded. It is a sign of professionalism, and a sign of respect for other people’s time.
Initiative and Self-Motivation
Employees who are self-motivated and demonstrate initiative are highly sought after. Those who go above and beyond with their assigned tasks, and proactively seek out opportunities to contribute to the business, are valued team members and stand out from the crowd. Exhibiting such a mindset, and a willingness to take on responsibilities, shows a strong work ethic and a willingness/drive to excel in their role.
Adaptability and Flexibility
While always valued and important, the need for flexibility and adaptability in the post-Covid business landscape is essential. Employers cherish those who can navigate through uncertain situations, handle unexpected challenges and adjust their approach to a task at a moment’s notice. Not only are these important skills to have on a personal level, but adaptable and flexible employees allow organisations to remain competitive and responsive to market demands.
Commitment to Continuous Learning
With a heavy emphasis on education and professional development in the Australian job market, employees who commit to learning and self-improvement are in high demand. The ability learn new skills, remain up to date with the latest industry trends and undertake education and training shows initiative and a commitment to personal and professional growth. Individuals who can bring innovative ideas and new knowledge to an organisation are highly regarded.
Strong Communication Skills
The ability to effectively communicate is a key component of a strong work ethic. Those who can articulate their thoughts clearly, listen actively and collaborate effectively – with colleagues and clients alike – are highly valued by Australian employers. Strong communication skills help create a positive work environment/culture, foster teamwork, and ensure that projects and tasks are completed efficiently and on time. Given the high levels of multiculturalism in modern-day Australia, the ability to understand and communicate with different backgrounds and cultures is especially important.
Ethical Conduct and Integrity
While not specifically traits of a strong work ethic, it would be remiss not to touch on these. Demonstrating honesty, trustworthiness and ethical decision-making is highly valued by employers. Organisations are continually on the lookout for employees who will uphold their values, and act with integrity with colleagues, clients and stakeholders alike. Maintaining high standards of ethical conduct and integrity helps build a positive culture, trust and credibility.
Recruitment is a crucial process for any business, as it helps to identify and attract the most talented and qualified candidates for job openings. However, it can also be a painful and time-consuming task for hiring managers, particularly for those who lack experience in the hiring process. Fortunately, partnering with a professional recruitment company can bring numerous benefits, making it a wise investment for any business.
One of the most significant benefits of outsourcing recruitment is that it saves time and resources. A dedicated recruitment company can handle all aspects of the hiring process, from screening resumes to scheduling interviews, allowing hiring managers to focus on their core responsibilities. This can be particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that do not have a dedicated HR department, as it can help them avoid the cost of hiring additional staff.
Another key advantage of working with a recruitment partner is the access to a wider pool of talent. Recruitment companies typically have a vast network of candidates, including passive candidates who are not actively looking for work but may be open to new opportunities. This can be especially beneficial for businesses seeking to fill specialized or hard-to-fill positions, as it can be challenging for internal recruiters to reach these candidates.
Finally, outsourcing recruitment can also lead to better-quality hires. Professional recruiters have extensive experience in assessing candidate skills, qualifications, and experience. They can use their expertise to identify the best candidates for the job and ensure that they are a good fit for the company culture. This can help businesses reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate, which can be costly in terms of time and resources.
Partnering with PERSOLKELLY can bring numerous benefits to businesses, including saving time and resources, accessing a wider pool of both passive and active talent and making better-quality hires. By leaving recruitment to the experts, hiring managers can focus on their core responsibilities and ensure that their business has access to the best talent available.
Are you looking for a way to boost your productivity at work? Perhaps you should try taking microbreaks.
What are microbreaks?
According to Bryan Lufkin in his BBC Worklife 101 article “Microbreaks,” to “reboot” your brain, it’s helpful to take small breaks of 90 seconds to two minutes every 20 to 40 minutes. One study showed that surgeons who used microbreaks to stretch performed better in surgery and suffered less joint pain. Another study found that microbreaks boosted the focus of assembly line workers.
What should you do during a microbreak?
However, before you decide to check your Instagram account or text your BFF every half hour or so, it’s important to know that not all microbreaks are created equal. The Harvard Business Review article titled “Boost Your Productivity with Microbreaks” quotes assistant professor Charlotte Fritz, whose research shows that taking work-related microbreaks keeps people more energized than breaks that aren’t associated with professional activities.
In other words, distracting your mind completely from the task at hand isn’t helpful. What you need to do is find a way to take a break without disengaging from work. For example, you could stretch for a few minutes while mulling over a challenge you’re working on. Or you could pause one task—such as writing a report—to take a look at the rest of your responsibilities for the day. You could even walk over to a colleague and ask his or her advice on something. The main thing is to stop focusing intently on your task and give your eyes and brain some relief without completely redirecting your attention. Then when you return to the task at hand, your brain should be re-energized and you should feel more productive.
What about longer breaks?
Of course, you still need longer breaks, too — and during those breaks, it’s best if you can disengage from work for a while. For example, you can do a 10-minute coffee run halfway through the morning or go for a brisk 30-minute walk during your lunch break.
Set reminders
If you’re someone who tends to lose track of time when you’re working, it can be helpful to set reminders on your computer or phone. There are also apps available to help you remember, such as Micro Breaks, a Chrome extension you can easily install in your browser.
Leveraging microbreaks can help you improve your focus, so give it a try — and you’ll soon see how they can help boost your productivity.
Are your coworkers being promoted while you’re stuck in the same position? Or have you been in the same position for more than three years without your supervisor ever bringing up the subject of advancement?
If you’ve answered, “Yes!” to either of these questions, you might be losing your motivation to perform to the best of your ability in your job. However, it’s important to not let the situation compromise your performance. Instead, channel your energy into finding out why you’re not being promoted — and what you can do about it.
Possible reasons you weren’t promoted
There can be several reasons why you’re still stuck in the same position. Perhaps your supervisor feels you don’t yet possess the necessary skills or experience, and it’s just a matter of time. At the same time, another employee might simply have more experience and be a better fit for the position. And of course, there’s always the possibility that your organization isn’t planning on promoting anyone for the foreseeable future. This can happen in companies that have a relatively flat hierarchy and few titles.
Address the situation
Considering that recruiters and hiring managers like to see job growth on your résumé, it’s important for you to address the situation so you can keep moving forward. Keep the following tips in mind:
Remain professional. As Mike Guerchon points out in his Fortune article “The worst thing you can do after getting passed up on a promotion,” you can’t let negative emotions like disappointment or hurt affect your behaviour and actions. If necessary, take some time for yourself to process your emotions before you go back to work. You can’t risk getting angry with your supervisor or venting at your coworkers. Instead, redirect your energy into your performance.
Ask for feedback. In her article “The Realistic Way to Bounce Back When You’re Passed Over for a Promotion” for The Muse, Rachel Bitte advises seeking feedback from your supervisor. You’ll probably learn exactly how you can improve — plus, you might gain some insights into how decisions about leadership positions are made in your organization.
Look for other ways to gain more responsibility. Even without a title change, you can still advance, as Kathryn Vasel explains in her CNN Business article “How long should you stay at a job if you aren’t being promoted?” For example, ask for more challenging tasks or request to be put in charge of certain projects. That way, you’ll have more responsibilities to add to your résumé.
Do you always run late in the mornings? Do you find it challenging to get to your desk without being the last one in the office?
Being late can hurt your career
If you’ve answered “Yes!” to either of these questions, you might be doing your career more harm than good. According to a survey cited in Maurie Backman’s article A career-hurting habit that could tank your earnings for USA Today, on average, people who always arrive early for work make $2,500 per year more than those who are late. What’s more: They’re less likely to be let go.
Being early can be good for your career
In contrast, getting to the office early can be beneficial to your career. First of all, you’ll beat the traffic, so you’re much less likely to arrive at work stressed and tired. You’ll make a good impression on your supervisor, since showing up early clearly indicates your enthusiasm for your job. And you’ll be able to take advantage of the peace and quiet to work on more challenging tasks, as Stephanie Vozza advises in her Fast Company article This Is Why Being a Morning Person Will Make You Better at Your Job.
Time management tips
There are several time management tips you can keep in mind to make sure you get an early start:
Go to bed on time and get eight hours of sleep. That way, you’ll be rested in the morning.
Set your alarm an hour earlier. It will give you more time to shower and grab a cup of coffee.
Leave half an hour earlier. Even just 30 minutes can make the difference between getting stuck in traffic and having a nice, relaxed commute.
Don’t try to do things before heading into work. Running an errand or having breakfast with a friend can easily make you run late. Schedule errands and meetings for after work or on the weekends instead.
It can be difficult to leave your nice, warm bed in the morning. But if you plan ahead for the next day and make sure you get sufficient rest, you’re more likely to wake up refreshed and ready to get to work before the rest of your team arrives.
Have you ever felt like things just weren’t going your way? That even though you did your best during an interview or worked hard on a project, you didn’t get the desired results?
If you’ve answered “Yes!” to these questions, here’s the good news – encountering setbacks might help you advance your career in the long run.
Exceptional achievers suffer setbacks early on
According to Ian Leslie in his BBC article “Why suffering setbacks could make you more successful,” a recent study in the U.K. investigated the roots of athletic success by conducting interviews with more than 80 coaches and elite athletes. It found that although most athletes encounter one or more setbacks early on in their careers, those who leveraged the failure as motivation eventually became exceptional achievers.
A related study from the University of Virginia found that Olympic silver medallists went on to become more successful in their post-athletic careers than gold medallists. Moreover, they lived longer. And other studies that don’t focus on sports have shown that many high achievers — including three of the four members of The Beatles — suffered setbacks early in life.
One explanation for this phenomenon could be that high achievers find a way to transform trauma into motivation. And in the long run, this motivation drives them to achieve more and more.
Tips for overcoming setbacks
So how can you leverage setbacks to help you perform better and achieve more in your career? Keep these tips in mind:
Expect failures. If you’re working towards something that’s more challenging than anything you’ve ever done so far, you can’t expect to get it right the first time. Maybe it will take two tries, or three. Simply accept the setbacks as part of the process, and don’t let them knock you off course.
Analyse the setback objectively. Put your disappointment aside and determine why you failed. Did you possess sufficient skill or knowledge? Did you have the right tools? Look for concrete factors you can change in the future.
Learn what you need to. In her Success article “8 Ways Successful People Overcome Setbacks,” Patti Johnson recommends that you need to invest time in acquiring the skills and/or knowledge you need in order to achieve your goals in the future. For example, if you want a promotion, find out what skills you need to acquire and start working on them.
Failing forward
According to the author C.S. Lewis, “One fails forward toward success.” In other words, setbacks and failures don’t have to be final — so long as you learn from them and become more motivated than ever before to succeed.
Do you break out into a cold sweat when it’s time to write a cover letter? Are you uncertain about what to include – and what to leave out? Do you sometimes wonder if you should include a cover letter at all?
Few people enjoy writing cover letters – yet they’re a very important part of every job application. According to Ashley Stahl in her Forbes article titled “8 Common Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid,” 53 percent of organisations prefer candidates who include a cover letter along with their application. And if you want your cover letter to stand out for all the right reasons, you’re best advised to avoid the following mistakes:
Starting with your name. As Lily Zhang explains in her article “7 Cover Letter Mistakes That Make Hiring Managers Cringe” for The Muse, you should only include your name below your signature on your cover letter and on your résumé. A better way to start your cover letter is, “Please consider this letter an application for the position of _______.”
Making it all about yourself. A cover letter isn’t a document about your qualities or life story – it serves to indicate how much value you can bring to an organization. You can briefly highlight your strongest selling points – i.e. relevant skills and experience – to explain why you’re a match for the position, but you should present them from the potential employer’s point of view.
Failing to customize the cover letter. In her Monster article “Cover letter mistakes you should avoid,” Kim Isaacs points out that it’s perfectly fine to use the same cover letter for multiple applications – so long as you update the job title, hiring manager’s name, and company name. Do not forget to do this, as getting someone’s name wrong is likely to land your application on the “reject” pile right away.
Summarizing your résumé. There’s a reason your résumé and cover letter are two different documents. Your résumé is a list of your skills, experience, and accomplishments, while your cover letter should highlight how they apply to the position – nothing more and nothing less.
Going over one page. A cover letter should be one page – maximum. You can always elaborate on the most important points if you’re called in for an interview.
Now that you know what not to do in a cover letter, you’re better equipped to write one that represents you as a capable professional worthy of consideration. And that can be invaluable to help you land the job you want.
The thought of leading a project makes your stomach sink. You dread having to speak in front of your colleagues. And you regularly second-guess yourself when it comes to the quality of your work.
If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you suffer from a lack of confidence. And that’s unfortunate, because you might be a talented, dedicated worker, but if you’re not confident, you could be missing out on opportunities to advance your career. For example, you might not apply for a job you want, even though you’re qualified. Or your boss might pass you over for a promotion because you don’t possess the required leadership skills.
Fortunately, you can teach yourself to be confident. Here’s how:
Use confident body language. According to Andi Concha and Ed Prosser in their BBC Capital video “How to fake confidence,” you should hold your head up high and keep your shoulders back. When speaking, make eye contact with the other person and use big gestures. This will make others perceive you as a leader. And the most interesting thing is that the more you do this, the more your brain will believe that you’re confident, too.
Be knowledgeable. In her article titled “How can I boost my confidence at work?” for The Guardian, Sharmadean Reid reminds us how important it to know your area of expertise. Being sure about your own abilities goes a long way to reducing self-doubt.
Keep a running list of your achievements. To combat that niggling voice in your head that keeps telling you you’re not capable of something, make a list of your accomplishments. Whether you’ve handled a challenging project on your own, given a successful presentation, or learned a new language you can use for business purposes, regularly remind yourself of all of the things you’ve done well in the past. This will help you realize you’re capable of more than you think.
Live a healthy lifestyle. As Kenny Kline points out in his Inc. article “4 Simple Ways to Boost Your Confidence on the Job,” eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep can help you feel good, which in turn can help you feel more confident. This is because reaching athletic goals affirms your ability to achieve objectives, healthy nutrition can boost your performance at work, and getting high-quality sleep is linked to enhanced self-esteem.
If you’ve gone through life feeling less than confident, cultivating these new habits might make you uncomfortable at first. But if you stick with it, you’ll soon notice that your confidence will grow — and you’ll be able to focus on your career without your self-doubt holding you back.
