Articles: Cover Letters.

 

1. How to write a cover letter: Introduction
2. How to write a cover letter: Format and Structure 

Ten things you should never do at work.

Here are ten very inappropriate things that happen at work, but shouldn’t. Don’t be the perpetrator of any of these workplace gaffes. Your coworkers will thank you and your professional ambitions will not be blunted when you watch your business manners!

1. Participate in a loud mobile-phone conversation while walking down a hallway, thus interrupting dozens of people in their work.

2.

Chew ice or gum, slurp coffee or otherwise eat or drink loudly or obtrusively whether you’re in your cubicle, in a conference room or anywhere else.

3. Work out via a lunchtime: bike ride or run and then go back to work without washing up.

4. Get into an argument on the phone and force your teammates to listen to it.


5. Apply or remove nail polish at your desk.

Some people are allergic to the chemicals in nail polish and polish remover — and that goes for cologne, after shave and perfume, too!

6. Try to engage one co-worker in a gossip about another co-worker.

7. Walk into a meeting late and ask the other participants to bring you up to speed on the part of the meeting you missed.

8. Ask your co-workers about their financial status, or talk about your own.

9. Invite one co-worker to lunch while ignoring another co-worker who’s standing or sitting right there.

10. Push your political or religious views on your co-workers.

Hope this was helpful be sure to share!

How to dress to impress for a job interview, even on a tight budget!

Whether you're going to a job interview; offered a summer job or permanent employment, the need to dress for success (professionally) is very important! We understand that many persons reading this statement will say, "yeah I get that, but I'm on a tight budget and don't have the money to invest in a fancy business suit." Well, we hear you, with the economy these days everyone is feeling the pinch, but don't be dismayed we have the solution for you! Continue reading this article to get tips on how you can still dress professionally on a small budget!

Dress for Success on a budget:
i. Select tailored clothing: It is better to invest in a few high-quality outfits that can be interchanged than in numerous extravagant or poor quality pieces.

a. Include in your selection at least one dark-coloured suit.

b. Buy simple well-made shirts or blouses, skirts or pants.

c. Jackets and blazers, whether as suits or separates, are vital and versatile for mixing and matching.

ii. Choose colours, patterns and fabrics wisely.

a. Stick to conservative colours for suits (eg, navy blue, grey, and black).

b. Cheerful colours can be used to accentuate but should not be gaudy.

c. Simple stripes, plaids, and subtle patterns are accepted.

d. For outer garments, avoid fabrics with heavy sheen, or those that are very thin.

iii. Ensure proper fit: Your clothing should not be too loose or too tight.

a. The hem of your trousers should cover your ankle but should not sweep the floor.

b. Skirt length should be such that when you sit too much of your thigh is not revealed.

c. Blouses should not show cleavage. The sleeves should reach the wrist.

iv. Ensure that your clothing is always properly pressed.

a. Avoid the crumpled, disheveled look at all costs

v. Undergarments should be both covered and concealed. Ladies should consider investing in lined skirts rather than having visible panty lines.

vi. Avoid the tattered look: Do not wear clothing that is frayed, tattered or has visible holes.

vii. Males should always wear belts with trousers that have loops. Your belt colour should coordinate with your shoe colour.

viii. Ties are essential items for men. For a fresh look, vary the tie worn with shirts.

ix. Simple conservative hair styles and colours for both men and women are recommended. Your hair should always be well groomed.

x. Wear appropriate shoes

a. Athletic, flat-soled, and open toe shoes, and flip-flops are not appropriate. Choose pumps or stilettos with medium length heels (for women).

b. Shoe colour may coordinate with handbag, but not necessarily so.

c. Men should wear laced-up or slip-on dress shoes.

xi. Limit the number of accessories; for example, no more than one ring on each hand. Tongue and nose piercings are still frowned-on in many organisations, so play it safe and leave them at home. Special note: Also be sure to hide any tattoos!

xii. Ensure that neatness and cleanliness are always reflected in your dressing.

a. Your clothing and deportment will be viewed as a reflection of your attitude to the job, therefore plan to characterise your professional presentation with excellence.

References: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/How-do-I-dress-professionally-on-a-budget-_89186

5 Essential Job Hunting Tips!

Essential Tips for the Job Seeker

1. Spruce up your Resume.

It now okay to use graphics like charts and tables on your resume' to illustrate relevant facts about yourself. You can also build a personal website to act as your resume'. 

2. Do some networking. 

A referral to a new company or position is much more effective than any job search engine. Seek to build relevant contacts at industry events, job fairs and through social media. 

3. Learn how to negotiate for your salary.

If you ask for too much, employers will give you the cold shoulder but if you ask for too little you'll have difficulty earning what you're really worth for years to come. Instead do your research, know what a position is supposed to pay and negotiate accordingly, but don't get ahead of yourself at the bargaining table. Be sure to assess your own talents, qualifications, experiences before you decide on a figure.

4. Research a position

Impress your potential employer by doing a thorough background check on the company and its products. Research the position you're applying for, carefully study the job description. Make sure you can handle the role. Employers don't want to spend too much time training you.

5. Be the Total Package! 

Knowing basic computer skills and having the right attitude is fine. In fact it is expected. Being organized and able to communicate effectively will set you apart. Show off those soft skills.

Thanks so much for reading the articles each week, really appreciate it. Please be sure to look out for the next post. It promises to be interesting! :D

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Ten 'Success-filled' habits Job Seekers MUST have for 2020 and beyond!

by S. Jeffery

Ah! A new year! New beginning! 2020 is here and picking up speed! Time is moving fast friends: many of us made vows to ourselves that this year would a better year for prosperity, and for some of us we hope that our circumstances will change and we'll finally be able to receive the job we've prayed for.
The reality is that we live in an extremely competitive job market and while we wish there were more jobs, the truth is that employment prospects are few compared to the number of qualified persons hunting for them. So now I'm sure you're asking me...what do you do? There must be something that can be done to give you the edge you need to stand out at an interview (or even get an interview in the first place). This blog post will seek to help you chart a more successful course for the new year! So read on...
The job market is highly competitive, which can be quite intimidating for job seekers especially when they didn’t graduate at the top of their class. However, according to former CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, Dennis Chung, “the most competent or brightest do not necessarily make the most productive employees”.
In fact, he claims that employers may often prefer someone who has a positive attitude: someone willing to learn, as opposed to someone who is a ‘know it all’.
Believe me, an attitude open to learning new skills and develop abilities will always make job seekers viable in the job market. With that said here are 10 habits job seekers should have to be successful in landing an interview or earn a place in the company of their choice.

Young graduates may think that after finishing university getting a job would be automatic, the sad truth is... it nuh guh suh!

1. Match your qualifications to the job you seek
First of all, you have to recognise that your qualifications must match the job that you are seeking. You may realise that the market requires more than what you have and that you may need to put in additional work to be on par with what the job market demands.

2. Attend workshops

Improving on yourself is a valuable tool. Workshops will broaden your scope and knowledge on a plethora of subjects and employers value having rounded people on their teams.

3. Volunteer/Network

If you are unemployed, the first thing that you want to consider is volunteering. It is the best way to get into the job market. It is also a very good way to meet people so that you can exchange numbers and build relationships. So, whenever you can offer a helping hand, do it, and you might find that another helping hand will be offered to you.

4. Make your resume specific

What you put on your résumé is what actually sells you. Remember, the person interviewing you has never met you before so you have to ensure that you have done a good job at compiling your résumé. Make sure that you are not giving them more than two pages. A resume with more pages often gets overlooked because job seekers include skills that are not relevant to the job they are seeking. Additionally, be clear about the job that you desire. Please don’t say that you wish to be hired into any available position. That shows desperation. Allow the employer to make that decision based on the company’s needs.

5. Don’t change jobs frequently
It doesn’t have to be several years of service but your loyalty to an institution is important. If you seem ‘nomadic’ in your job pattern this can be a turn-off since companies are looking to train and invest in people for the long term.
6. Learn to sell yourself

...Especially when you have not worked anywhere else or you cannot say what you have done at work. Many employees are willing to listen about personal achievements because these could say a lot about your character and potentially the kind of employee that you could be. So, for example, if you play sports and you have been doing well, if you are involved and have been doing well in community work or a club, many employees will be willing to listen and consider you based on how you have presented yourself. Playing team sports suggests that you would have been exposed to working in a team, to respecting those whom you work with, and to conflict resolution, which are all important in business.

7. Don’t think of any job as too low for you
If a job is offered below your pay grade or what you may believe to be menial you may want to consider accepting it. These ‘menial jobs’ could present a gateway to a very big opportunity but employers are keen on testing whom they take onto their teams. Often, employers offer the job and note that there will be a possibility for promotion, so hang on to the opportunity.

8. Do your homework (research the company and their expectations)

It is easy to settle when you are overwhelmed by joblessness, but being happy with your job is very important to the contribution and the value that you add to your workplace. So, it is important to do your research and apply according to your findings. Do a complete a research on the organisation with which you desire to work, as well as who heads it, their values, interests, and whether they have ever commented on what they expect of employees. Knowing these could work in your favour at the interview.
9. Do not focus on academics alone
Employers also search for persons with soft skills. So even before you become job-seekers think about extracurricular activities. Employers find that these employees usually have a wealth of knowledge from their involvement in different groups to share.
10. Keep Up Appearances

Always keep a clean presentable suit, even if it is just one. You also always want to be well groomed.

Hope this was helpful to you guys. Remember to follow this blog for useful career tips like these.

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Teachers happy teaching online (Employment Opportunities online)

After eight years of teaching English in Taiwan, Venice Irving came home to Jamaica but couldn't find a stable job. Or rather, a job with a salary that she found appealing.

Instead of being dejected she decided to replicate what she herself had experienced. That is, to utilise the skills she learned overseas to help others achieve financial independence through higher salaries.

And so her consulting company, BIW Consultants, was born in 2012. The mission was to place Jamaican English teachers physically at schools in Taiwan, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and China.

A couple of years into her consulting work, she started teaching English online and soon after she began to train other teachers in Jamaica to teach online. This meant that they didn't need to be an English teachers, they only needed to have certification to teach English. And did we mention that online schools pay teachers in US dollars? Well, they do. And so the mission of BIW Consultants expanded to include a brand called Happy Teachers which placed people online and offline to teach English.

The essence of Happy Teachers, as Irving puts it, is to simply make her clients happy. But this virtual online business has a problem – not enough teachers to meet the demand. According to Irving, native-speaking English teachers from Jamaica are in high demand to teach in European and Asian online schools, and physically in Middle Eastern schools such as Dubai.

One of her partners from Poland insists that she will hire Jamaican teachers because they have a strong work ethic and are overall excellent teachers. People trained by Happy Teachers through BIW Consultants have been hired by online schools in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and the Philippines.

Now not just anyone can become a Happy Teacher. There are requirements as Irving explains: “We are looking for teachers with a first degree in any area and at least a year's teaching experience. But most importantly, you must have an authentic joy and desire to teach.”

One of the key demographics that overseas recruiters are seeking is people who have work experience. And if you are not already a trained English teacher, you can become certified to teach English as a second language.

Irving explains, “If you are a current teacher then you could teach online in the evenings or on the weekends, depending on your schedule. If you are not an English teacher, then you could do a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification. The time it takes to complete this certification is totally dependent on your free time.”

Irving notes that she has had motivated students who complete the online training in one week; however, the average time is about three months to do the 100 hours of work required for TEFL certification.

With regard to the range of salaries, Irving explains the difference between teaching online and travelling abroad to teach physically in a school. “Online companies' starting salaries are US$8 to US$10 per hour. Some companies pay US$22 to US$35 per hour, and then a few others pay US$50 and above for specialised English teachers. If you travel abroad you can usually make more than teaching online. Starting monthly salaries for teaching in a classroom abroad are US$1,500 to US$2,000 and above.”

Now all of that may sound wonderful, but we wondered if there are there any downsides to teaching English to non-English speakers? Irving then shared, “The greatest challenge is the culture that you will face. Because of this, the first thing I say to my clients is to get familiar with the culture of your students. It will save time and acclimate you faster to the class. Also, even though there are an abundance of jobs in the EFL industry, competition is great for the jobs as there are many native speakers and professionally certified teachers around.”

So culture and competition are the two key points to note if you are planning to teach online. And there is more: “In the brick and mortar classroom, the teacher is free to move the learners around, grouping them in different ways and laying out the class in a way that will make the activities run smoothly. The online teacher is usually stationary, facing a computer screen. Most online classes use conferencing software so they work best when they are kept with five or less people. Despite the differences between physical and online learning, in the hands of a well-trained teacher, both delivery methods can be used to achieve the same goals.”

It then comes down to the person taking on the challenge. Irving next shares her vision for her consulting business. “Our vision is to expand our borders beyond Jamaica to provide sources of income through job creation.”

And so it seems that the demand for Jamaican teachers abroad is in good hands.

Red Stripe will train 1000 Bartenders through programme endorsed by HEART Trust NTA

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A Red Stripe initiative that will provide training for approximately 1,000 bartenders has been endorsed by the HEART Trust National Training Agency. The Certified Bar Programme, launched at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston on Monday, will work in tandem with Red Stripe’s Learning For Life Programme, which has already trained more than 11,500 young people since 2008. “We applaud Red Stripe for its continued efforts to improve the lives of Jamaicans through skills training,” said HEART Trust Senior Director Kevin Mullings. Funded by the Desnoes and Geddes Foundation, the training will be conducted by HEART and administered across commercial outlets islandwide.

Addressing bar owners at the launch, Red Stripe’s Managing Director Ricardo Nuncio said the programme was part of a strategic plan to boost the capacity of small community bars which contribute to the company’s success. “Quality service and competitive pricing are proven growth drivers for your business. And when you grow, we grow. So we see this programme as an important step to help you better engage consumers so you can expand your business,” said Nuncio.

Making the connection with Red Stripe’s growth strategy, the managing director pointed to the increase in the use of local raw materials and the company’s plans to boost local production. “We already have five per cent cassava starch in the Red Stripe you enjoy today, and we’ll move that to 10 per cent by the end of this year,” Nuncio explained. In addition to the training, bar owners will get sub-zero freezers and other commercial benefits under the Certified Bar Programme.

“Red Stripe is amazing. We’re very excited about this new programme. It’s so good to know that the company is helping us to get certified and at the same time, working with us to grow our businesses,” said Latoya Stewart of Cool World Lounge in Kingston.

About 90 per cent of the more than 200 bar owners feted at the event signed up for the Certified Bar Programme, which also includes a loyalty rewards programme. Certified bars will earn points each month for exhibiting winning behaviours that include selling beer at the right temperature and the right price. Points earned can be redeemed for JPS pre-paid vouchers, flat screen TVs, washing machines, and other appliances. Red Stripe plans to have similar registration exercises in other locations across the island in the coming months.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/1-000-bartenders-to-be-trained-through-Red-Stripe-programme