Media

1. The art of time management

It’s May already, and if you are anything like me, you might be wondering how it’s possible that the year is rushing by so fast.

You might also be wondering, as the weeks go by, how it is that you never seem to be able to get enough done during the workday? Or why it is that you just can’t get through that to-do list of yours? If this is the case, then perhaps it is a good idea for you to take a look at how you spend and manage your time on the job.

The following are a few key principles of smart time management to get you started.

Analyse

The key to good time management is to understand how you are currently using – and wasting – your time. Take a look at your previous week’s calendar: What did you spend your time and efforts on? Perhaps it shows that you tend to get stuck on small, administrative issues, while important tasks are neglected? Where did you lose precious hours as a result of distractions, or interruptions?

Another handy way to study your use of time is to keep a time log of your week and to write down what you do during every 30 minutes of the workday.

You may be surprised to note that you spend valuable hours of your day on your e-mail, or finishing tasks that are not necessarily the most important. Look closely at this log – does the amount of time you spend on a certain task, match the importance thereof?

Prioritise

One of the simplest ways to manage your time at work, is to make a list of all your responsibilities and deadlines. Try to differentiate between what is important and what is not, what is urgent and what can wait for later. What needs to be done today?

After you have made a list of tasks, in order of their importance, it will be helpful to assign a time frame to each item, accordingly. Don’t allocate two hours to doing your admin when you know that you still have to finish that presentation before 12:00.

This practice is known as time boxing. “To-do lists will be only marginally useful if you don’t set parameters for how much time to devote to each task,” writes Melissa Raffoni for Harvard Business Review.

“When you make your list, carefully estimate the time each task will take, and box it into your calendar. This discipline will not only help you finish your list, but it will also improve your ability to estimate time and manage the expectations of those around you.”

Be realistic when you map the time frames for the different tasks. Don’t give yourself too little time to finish a vital project, just because you would like to get a few more things done today. You will only set yourself up for failure.

Be sure to tick off your tasks as you proceed through the day. Even if it is something small, the completion of each task will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.

A big part of learning to prioritise is knowing when to say “no”. This does not necessarily apply to your boss, but it does mean that you have the right to say no to requests from your co-workers if you are already up to your ears in your own work.

Organise

Let’s face it, it is hard to be productive when your desk and inbox are a mess. An ordered working environment is very conducive to good time management.

Start by clearing your desk and your e-mail by the end of every day, so that you can start the next on a clean slate. Also use this time, say 30 minutes, to do your filing for the day, so that you don’t have to search high and low for that important invoice tomorrow.

E-mail is a great waster of time. Schedule one or two periods during the day when you scan and answer important mails. Keep it out of sight otherwise, or you will constantly be interrupted by messages from friends and co-workers. Aim for a clean inbox policy – there are few things so annoying as that irritating message saying “your mailbox is over its size limit”.

Give yourself permission to focus on your work, and only your work. Plug out the phone if needs be, put on earphones to prevent colleagues from bothering you if you have an important deadline.

2. How to go from buddy to being the boss

Congratulations – you have been promoted to the head of your department. Everything is bright and shiny, until you realise that you will now be overseeing the work of your former co-workers – even friends – which brings a whole new set of obstacles.

Challenges you will most probably be facing include:

• The co-worker who wanted the job, but didn’t get it. Chances are that he has some valuable skills and you need him on the team. You will have to try to find a way to smooth the working relationship in order to get him on board.
• Employees who liked the way things were going before, and the way their old boss used to do things – they may resist any changes you wish to make.
• If you worked with these colleagues for a while, chances are you spent a lot of time together and became more than just co-workers, you became friends. Firstly, you may find it hard to enforce authority over your buddies; secondly, they might expect an “easy ride” now that one of their friends has been promoted to being manager.

With these challenges in mind, we’ve taken a look at some basic steps for you to get off to a good start at being manager.

Accept that things have to change

One of the key steps for the success of your own transition to becoming the boss is that you have to accept that your relationships with your friends will have to change. You will now be the person directing them, the one who will be evaluating their work.

“You must accept that one price of promotion is that personal relationships with former peers have to become less personal,” warns Michael Watkins of www.harvardbusiness.org. “The unfortunate reality is that close personal relationships and effective supervisory relationships are rarely compatible.”

So, accept that things will change. Don’t take personally the fact that you are no longer invited for drinks on Friday afternoons. Buck up and get on with the job.

Focus on redefining your relationships

Just because your relationships have to change, doesn’t mean you should just let them slide in any direction. On the contrary, it is very important for any new manager to steer his working relationships in a productive direction.

The key is to take the time to meet with every individual (if possible) and to discuss the future of your working relationship. Make it clear that you are very aware of the fact that it may feel awkward that you are now the boss. Give the person the opportunity to voice any concerns they might harbour.

Be sure to give recognition for their skills and achievements, so that the person knows he is a valued member of the team.

Communication is king

The best way to establish good working relationships with your former peers is to ensure that the lines of communication are open at all times.

Start by calling a meeting with all the employees in your department as soon as possible. The aim of this gathering is for you to communicate how you plan to go to work, what your aims are for the department and what you expect from employees.

Acknowledge the fact that it may seem a bit strange at first, you giving orders and overseeing their work. Stress the fact that your door is open and that you would be happy to receive any input on how best to work together in the future.

Invest in your authority

It is important that you focus on establishing your authority without coming over as a power-drunk superior. You will have to assert your authority at an early stage, so that your former peers know not to expect preferential treatment.

At the same time, you will find it works well to implement what Watkins, Chairman of Genesis Advisers and many books including The First 90 Days and Your Next Move, calls the “consult-and-decide” method of management – whereby you accept and consider any input you may receive, but ultimately the decision remains yours.

On the topic of favouritism, be aware of the fact that this is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a former peer/new boss.

You must also be cognisant of the fact that your every move will be closely monitored by your team members, even those with whom you were not close before your promotion. Make sure that you lead by example and play by the rules– make every decision according to the merit of the employee in question and the relevance to the company, not your own loyalties.

Be prepared to get some flack

Remember that you are now walking a fine line between management and the masses.

You will be required to implement any changes or policies that the company decides on. You have, in other words, become the messenger, so don’t be surprised if the people in your department fire some shots in your direction.

The key here is, again, to not take anything personally. And secondly, it is very important that you not join in badmouthing management, as this will undermine your authority and set a bad example. (Source)

LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB

Writing a top class CV

• Example CV

The purpose of the CV is to secure the interview. You have to capture and hold your audience long enough to do just that. Your CV needs to be strategically developed as a personal marketing tool. Remember that every CV is unique to the person writing it in terms of the content and layout. Below are some guidelines for putting together a great CV

Presentation

• Never hand-write a CV – it must always be produced on a computer
• Absolutely no spelling mistakes
• It must be easy to read and visually appealing
• Your CV should ideally cover no more than two pages and never more than three

Contents

The information must be accurate, genuine and to the point – use bullet points wherever possible to keep your CV concise. Content may need to be tailored for different job applications depending what information is applicable for the job.

Order

Personal details – Name, address, contact telephone numbers during the day and evening, also cell phone number and e-mail address, nationality, gender, languages spoken, date of birth.

Educational Qualifications

Tertiary and school – don’t get too detailed about school, especially if you have an extensive work history. Memberships and professional affiliations – if applicable.

Employment History

• Start with current and work backwards
• Name of employer and nature of their business
• Accurate dates
• Job responsibilities – in bullet points
• Achievements – keep them relevant to the role applied for
• Reason for leaving – in one line
• Do not leave time gaps as it may imply you are hiding something

Interests and Achievements

Here is the opportunity to show something of your personality. Only mention achievements that are recent and relevant. That you swam the Midmar Mile in 1986 is a no-no, but that you won the Employee of the Year award in your present position – yes. Include school and tertiary highlights if they are relevant; e.g. head girl, captain of the first rugby team, member of the debating team, junior lecturer while studying, job relative awards.

References

Simply state that these are available on request. Ensure your referees are available and happy to be contacted. These references should be current.

DO’s

• Do provide a covering letter. Identify who you are, for what job you are applying and how you heard about it. Just a brief summary of why you would be suitable for the position. Sound enthusiastic and show you have done research about the employer.
• Do proof read and get an’independent’ party to proof read your CV. Mistakes are unacceptable.
• Do ensure that your verb tense is consistent – your present job should be in the present tense and your past jobs should be in the past tense.

DON’Ts

• Do not waffle – absolute factual accuracy
• Do not include clutter such as reference letters
• Do not state your preferred salary – this can be negotiated near the end of the interview
• Do not start a sentence with “I” – even though it is about “you”
• Do not exaggerate or lie

Interview Tips

The interview is a two way process. As much as the company is investigating you as to your suitability, so will you be investigating the company to see if they are right for you.

Preparing for the Interview

What you should know about the company before the interview:

• Who owns the company? Private or public?
• Who are their main competitors?
• How are they viewed in the market place?
• Look at their website.
• Obtain a copy of their company brochure.

What service or products does it offer?

• What is the current growth of the company and what potential is there for the future?
• Make sure you know the exact location, the time of your interview, who you are seeing, what their position is within the company and how you pronounce their name.
• Time spent on research prior to your interview will pay off on the day.

The Interviewer will want to know:

• Can you do the job? Do you meet all the criteria in the job description?
• Will you do the job? Have you the right attitude and motivation? Is the job realising your career goals?
• Will you fit into the team? Will it be the right culture match?
• These are all questions you should be asking yourself too…

During The Interview

DO’S

• Introduce yourself clearly. Do give a firm handshake.
• Be punctual.
• Dress professionally.
• Listen to the question carefully before answering.
• Be prepared to answer basic questions
• Have good posture, body language, and good eye contact (see section on Body Language Do‘s and Don’ts).
• Have a positive attitude. Show confidence, maintain poise and SMILE.
• Be assertive .
• Market yourself. Do show your worth. Do show how your experience would benefit the company.

DONT’S

• Do not bad-mouth previous employers.
• Do not arrive unprepared for the interview.
• Do not make excuses for failings.
• Do not give vague responses to questions.
• Do not show too much concern about rapid advancement, yet do show a clearly defined career path.
• Do not express strong prejudices or any personal intolerance.
• Do not show any reservation about the company or position. You can always refuse a second interview after consideration.
• Do not overemphasize money. Salary discussion is secondary. Your goal is to sell yourself.
• Do not leave your cell phone on during the interview.
• Do not chew gum.
• Do not fling your portfolio on the desk. Talk it through with the interviewer. This applies to ad agency and public relations candidates.

Closing The Interview

• Always close the interview on a positive note, even if you did not think that it went that well. The interviewer may have thought otherwise.
• Confirm your strengths and the reason why you will be an asset to the company.
• If you really want the job, ASK FOR IT.
• If the job is offered to you on the spot and you want it, accept it.
• If the job is offered to you and you need to think about it, say so, stating a definite time when you will get back to the employer.
• Show willingness and availability for a second interview.
• Ask at the end of the interview when the employer will be making the hiring decision.
• Thank the interviewer for the interview and end with a firm handshake.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Things don’t always work out the way you hope.
• Laugh – it is the best medicine.

Body Language

DO’S AND DON’TS

• Walk slowly and deliberately when entering the room. Shoulders back. Walk tall.
• Give a firm handshake while maintaining constant eye contact. A firm handshake shows confidence in yourself and your abilities.
• Never appear to be staring, look away from time to time. Never look down.
• Listen.
• Show enthusiasm, be alert. Your attitude should never be viewed as indifferent.
• Give non-verbal feedback by smiling and nodding.
• Control your movements. Do not hurry.
• Do not fidget. Be aware of what you are doing with your hands. Avoid expansive hand gestures.
• Don’t forget to breathe.
• Do not be aggressive or act in superior, conceited or overbearing away.
• Do speak clearly with good diction and grammar
• Do not talk too much.
• Do not lose concentration or attention.

Answering the Telephone

When job hunting, it’s very important to make a good first impression on the phone. “Hola” doesn’t cut it! Answering a phone call from a recruiter is the first direct contact they have with you and your communication skills will be assessed immediately.

So what do you want to do to make a good impression?

• Answer and speak professionally. You want to answer your phone with “hello” and tell the person on the line who you are. You also want to avoid any slang. This will make you sound like a professional and also show you are taking the job seeking process seriously.
• Sound happy to hear the person! This suggests high energy levels. Speaking in tired monotones isn’t going to encourage anyone that you are an enthusiastic, hard working and driven individual who they should hire.
• Be ready for that call at all times. This is your opportunity to impress and get that all important first interview. Make sure you are prepared to answer basic career and personal questions.

Interview with Lesedi from Isilumko

• Please explain briefly what Isilumko Media is all about and your role there?
• Since we are in the New Year and a lot of young people will be out there looking for jobs, what resources are available to them to look for available jobs?
• What are the most important aspects that should be included in a Curriculum Vitae to make it succesful?
• What’s the dress code for young people when they go for interviews?
• If young people want to get hold of us, what can they do?

1. Please explain briefly what Isilumko Staffing is all about and your role there?

Isilumko Staffing is a recruitment and staffing agency. We recruit primarily for the call-centre, administration and office support positions. We have a number of clients and jobs available in each of these areas of employment and thus when we receive a CV, we can assess the individual in terms of fit against all these clients and positions; and hopefully match the job seeker to one of them. Recruiters provide a service by which they assist people in finding employment. A typical agency will have a number of clients for whom they recruit and they will match interviewed candidates to these positions. As a consultant, I am responsible for advertising the position in newspapers, online and various other mediums to find the correct people. I would then screen the CV’s from all the applicants and shortlist the tops CV. Thereafter we would contact the applicable individuals to come in for an interview. From the interviews I would select the candidates who would best fit the role in terms of skills, experience and a culture fit to the relevant company.

2. Since we are in the new year and a lot of young people will be out there looking for jobs, what resources are available to them to look for available jobs?

There are a very large numbers of publications and websites which advertise available jobs. The top websites and publications to browse for jobs include:

• Career Junction
• PNET
• Bizcommunity
• Careers 24
• Gumtree

And newspaper publications include:

• Star in The Workplace in Johannesburg
• Volksblad in Bloemfontein

Young people can also apply directly to reputable recruitment agencies who are recruiting in the areas of their interest or skills. Most of these agencies can be located in the Yellow Pages or on the Career Junction website. Once they have sent in their CV, the agency will look through it and load it onto their database to review when new jobs come in.

3. What are the most important aspects that should be included in Curriculum Vitae to make it successful?

The information must be accurate, genuine and to the point – use bullet points wherever possible to keep your CV concise. Content may need to be tailored for different job applications depending what information is applicable for the job.

Order:

• Personal details – Name, address, contact telephone numbers during the day and evening, also cell phone number and e-mail address, nationality, gender, languages spoken, date of birth
• Educational Qualifications Tertiary and school – don’t get too detailed about school, especially if you have an extensive work history. Memberships and professional affiliations – if applicable
• Employment History
  • Start with current and work backwards
  • Name of employer and nature of their business
  • Accurate dates
  • Job responsibilities – in bullet points
  • Achievements – keep them relevant to the role applied for
  • Reason for leaving – in one line
  • Do not leave time gaps as it may imply you are hiding something
• Interests and Achievements Here is the opportunity to show something of your personality. Only mention achievements that are recent and relevant. That you swam the Midmar Mile in 2000 is a no-no, but that you were a captain of the sports team – yes. Include school and tertiary highlights if they are relevant; e.g. head girl, captain of the first rugby team, member of the debating team, junior lecturer while studying, job relative awards.
• References You should simply state that these are available on request. Ensure your referees are available and happy to be contacted. These references should be current.

4. What’s the dress code for young people when they go for interviews?

Firstly you should check what the general dress code for the company is and then consider the industry. If you are going for an interview with a company in a formal industry, such as finance or law firm, you should dress very formally – preferably in a business suit. If you are applying at a company in a less formal industry, such as technology or advertising company, you will not require a suit. However, it’s better to wear something a little nicer than what everyone in the office is wearing. So choose something dressy but casual. This could include pressed khakis or trousers, a well pressed button-down shirt, and of course some sort of nice looking dress shoe and matching belt. You may even want to thrown on a blazer.

5. If young people want to get hold of us, what can they do?

They can email their CV’s to CVJHB@isilumko.co.za or fax to . All our current jobs can also be found on our website at www.isilumko.com and they can apply directly to positions which interest them. Or they can call and speak to one of our Recruitment Consultants on 011 267 2920.