Finally, there’s good news for job-seekers with employers unlocking their doors. However, it pays to remember that this time round, companies are going to be very selective about the candidates they take in and will not recruit merely to bloat their hiring figures.
Last month, we discussed the steps employers must take to retain talent. This month, we train our lens on the employee.
What measures can you put into effect to help your growth and also your company?
Insight into your manager’s work ethics and expectations
You don’t always have a say when it comes to choosing your manager, so the next best thing to do is to make sure you fit in to the manager’s work ethic and expectations. Note that this does not suggest that you become a ‘yes man’ or ‘yes woman’.
If the interview offers an opportunity to know more about your reporting manager, read the signs. It is important that you understand and assimilate the power structure in your department even before you accept your offer letter. Do your research, tap into the grapevine and understand your prospective manager’s record and career highlights. What are his or her strengths and weaknesses? How have they impacted his or her career? Whom does he/she get along with and take into confidence? Understand the relationships he/she has with his/her superiors.
As an oft-repeated mantra in corporate circles goes: ‘Employees do not leave their companies; they leave their managers’.
Unscramble your offer letter
Offer letters are among the trickiest documents to understand if your grasp of accounting is not strong. Numbers indicated in your salary breakup may be astronomical but what really matters are your take-home figures, tax breaks and benefits. Consult a chartered account or taxation specialist to confirm that what you see is indeed what you get.
Where do you grow from here?
Before you jump at any offer, take a step back and consider your growth path. Ask questions about the department that you are thinking of joining, your boss and colleagues, and the importance given to that department by the company (e.g. the department’s share of the company’s annual budget allocation will give you a good idea of this). If possible, speak to company insiders to verify all that you have heard. Be very wary of a job that does not offer avenues for growth or a clearly defined career path.
Are you dispensable?
Be alert and keep your ear to the ground. Ensure that the work you do brings value to the team you are working in. Be a good team person and hone your interpersonal skills. Fine-tune your abilities and skills and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team-mates.
Get noticed and counted in
Not every one is a born star but with time you can establish yourself as the person to turn to for a particular skill. For example, if you are a whiz with spreadsheets and statistics your colleagues will start depending on you to deliver the goods in the crunch time. Become a strong team player and make your potential for leadership well known and acknowledged by your colleagues.
While making an effort to be counted in, stay away from being part of an office clique. Cliques are not viewed favorably in any company that promotes an inclusive work culture. Be professional and never confuse acceptance in a clique with genuine networking.
Upgrade your skills
You may have been hired as a web designer but if you have a latent interest in sound recording or video editing, hone those skills by taking courses, through self-learning or by watching others at work. However, be selective of the skill you choose to upgrade by considering how it will aid your growth and enhance your employability.
Don’t forget your basics
People tend to get lost focusing on doing “high-value” work and this proves costly when they have to switch jobs. If you have worked in a company for eight or ten years, it can be easy to lose touch with the fundamental skills that got you started there. Refresh your knowledge base and revisit your basics from time to time.
Update your résumé continuously
Take care not to slack off in your new job. Once a month, reopen your résumé and update your online profile, job description, responsibilities and projects. This helps you stay in touch with your own career plans. Do not close the door to new employment opportunities.
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