10 Do's and Don'ts before, during, and after the interview.

One of the most difficult undertakings a job seeker may have is when facing a job interview. This is a common among our college graduates since they lack all the necessary skills whenever they are confronted with questions, they themselves had never encountered before. It is also their resentment that they have never been taught on how to embattled such a war of employment search after finishing their chosen courses.

Why is this so? Here are the DO's and DON'T's when applying for a job and preparing for an interview.

1. Prepare. Preparation matters  prior to your actual interview. Do have sufficient copies of your updated resume. Apart from having your personal profile ready, be sure you also have reproduced important documents such as your barangay clearance, you government issued ID's such as SSS, PhilHealth, PagIBIG, Passport, Driver's License. Your Police and NBI clearances may also be required, so have them at hand. Have yourself groomed your general appearance as pleasant and presentable, from the hair and your total get-up.

2. Dress up to impress. Wear appropriate smart casual or business attire. The way you dress yourself up is just one way of impressing your would-be-employer. Keep in mind as well, simple is always beautiful. Wear comfortable dresses or suits.

3. Be prompt. It is disappointing at times when you set a meeting with someone in a specific time and place and that the person you are supposed to have an appointment arrives late. This is one way of losing your etiquette  and professionalism. If your interview is scheduled at 8:00 am, be at the venue at least half an hour before your actual interview. This is for you to still have a chance to fix yourself up in case you will need to - your dress, your hair, your shoes (if left unpolished, nails, or even get over your notes to read some of the important details about the company where you wish to apply job to, etc.)

4. Be courteous at all times.  One way of doing this is by smiling at everyone you meet along the way. This is free, so just give it away. Smile at all individuals you may meet in the hallway of the company or office where you are scheduled to have your interview. Remember, you may never know that the same kind of people whom you will work with in the future. In fact, this is now a good start in establishing rapport with them in advance.

5. Be enthusiastic. This is the way to show that you are interested in the job you are applying for. How to do it. During your job interview, sit up properly. Focus on the questions. Answer in forthright manner. Have an eye contact with the interviewer.

6. Be confident. Be confident but not that cocky. This is reflected through your voice, your posture, and your manner you behave during the interview. Avoid speaking in fillers to avoid disappointing the interviewer.

7. Speak clearly. By doing this, you are putting an impression upon the interviewer. Make your voice audible enough that even the person seated five meters apart can hear you plausibly.

8. Be honest. Your resume should reflect only what are the true and correct and that should be to the best of your knowledge. Check the date entries ( not overlapping especially employment dates ), personal details, and employment histories. Your resume may also be the soul reference of the interviewer in asking your questions.

9. Ask questions. Never lose the chance to ask your interviewer about the job you are applying for. Example, )what should the company expect of you when hired? 2)Why do they need people for the position? 3)Can you make a follow-up on the status of your application? This is to give yourself an idea of the kind of work you will have done once hired.

10. Thank the interviewer. A simple statement of "Thank you for your time" or "I have a great time with you" for the interviewer makes an interviewer smile and that it is worth both your appreciation.

About the author: Leynard B. Pascual has degrees in Development Administration and Educational Management with specialization in Human Resources Development Management and Educational Researches. He has an extensive background in Personnel Development and Management, Performance Evaluation for Training and Development and Corporate Management. He is currently the Human Resources for Corporate Affairs of EBC Group of Companies.

Growing a Small Business from Home

Many Filipinos today are considering going from being an average employee to becoming a small-time business owner. And this could be just one great move for them. Robert Kiyosaki once said in his book entitled “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” that financial freedom can be attained through establishing a business and investing.

Nevertheless, the country is undeniably booming with various business and investment opportunities. From manufacturing hand-crafted products to opening restaurants, the ideas are endless. They come up with innovative products and services that can stand even during tough economic times.

Starting a small business from home is usually the scenario here in the country. With a decent capital to get by, budding entrepreneurs are slowly climbing their way to the top through ingenious strategies. But just like any other venture, it doesn't come easy. Surely, challenges may come even if you're building your business at home. But with the right mindset and techniques, the journey towards financial freedom wouldn't be that much difficult.

A Conducive Work Environment
Regardless of what industry you're in, it is crucial to designate a workspace suited for you. There are lots of home office ideas swarming over the Net which you can take advantage of. Set aside some space in your house, preferably somewhere with minimal distractions. Moreover, investing in professional office equipment and furniture is a sound investment. Spending time in front of the computer means you need to be mindful about ergonomics. An ergonomic chair and keyboard saves you from repetitive stress injuries.

Keep a Strong Team
A home-based business isn't equivalent to a one-man show. The fact that it is business means you need experts to help you out. These are people who must be adept with aspects you are not familiar with. For instance, if you are not familiar with setting up an online presence, you may hire a web developer with an SEO and internet marketing experience. Aside from that, you may need the help of accountants, bookkeepers and even lawyers. Assess what your strengths are when it comes to running a business and focus on the parts which you are good at. Leave the rest to your competent team.

Branding Helps
Building your company also means building its identity in the market. Part of your business plan should be impressive yet feasible marketing strategies. Branding is all about establishing your business' credibility through delivering the message of your products and/or services clearly. Create ways to connect to your clients and customers emotionally.

Customer Service
No matter what size, businesses should always make their customers feel valued. When you come to think of it, your company wouldn't even suffice without them. Cultivating relationships with your target audience is extremely essential during the first stage of your business. Winning their loyalty is a matter of being grateful and respectful of them, be it through exceptionally answering to their queries and attending to their concerns.
Managing and growing your small business at home is definitely possible. Starting out while keeping in mind these concepts may even give you a bigger and brighter opportunity in the corporate scene.

AUTHOR BIO
Anna Garcia writes for Regus PH. Regus Philippines offers excellent serviced accommodation and business solutions in three of the largest metropolitans in the country: Manila, Makati and Cebu City.

12 things that you must do to become an effective employee

1. Develop a personal trademark and make a difference.
Learn to do good things that will make you different and stand out. Try to perform even better. Example: Make it a habit to submit paper works before the deadline.

2. Be a people-oriented.
Show genuine interest in your officemates. Interact with them. Learn about them. It will make them feel special, and they will be more comfortable working with you. Example: Sharing your food with your officemate during lunch time.

3. Have self-respect.
No companies or persons are 100% perfect. If you see some weaknesses, think first before you criticize. If you want them to respect you, learn to respect them first.

4. Be a humble person.
It pays to be humble even you have the right to be proud of your achievements. Being a humble person to your workmates and to your employer will make a long lasting impression.

5. Always focused on the positive side.
If you are a person who always think of negative attitudes about your work, then the result will lead to poor performance, inefficiency, and not-so-good relationships with your workmates. Despite your work challenges, the key is to be positive about your work.

6. Develop a sense of humor.
You will definitely encounter problems in your work, but a simple joke, or a hearty laugh will help to stable and calm your stressful job.

7. Be friendly to your workmates. 
Be easy-going and natural when you talk to your workmate. Compliment them when they do good things. Focus on their positive traits when you spend time with them.

8. Be professional.
There are times that we forget ourselves. But when it comes to your job, always show professionalism. You can do this by avoiding gossips, not back biting, and watching your words.

9. Learn to express gratitude.
This is one of the most neglected trait in the office nowadays. So if someone helped you, do not forget to say Thank You.  It makes your fellow employee feels good.

10. Share your ideas.
If you know something that will be boost your workers confidence, then share it.They will be happy for it.

11. Be an adjustable person.
Every company has its own unique culture or personality. There are companies that like their employees to come on time, while other companies want their employees to double their effort. Hence, you should know how to adjust yourself, so you can work in harmony with your superiors.

12. Understand your workplace system.
If you see that something is not right, or it does not fit with your standards, do not make issue right away with your coworkers or your employers. The best way to do is to understand and think how to solve it by doing good work attitudes.

Know the 10 Secrets of How to become a Successful Person

Last night, I was reading a book published by Worldlink Marketing Corporation. The title of the book is,”You Can Be Rich.” It provides practical guidelines and information for those who want to be financially independent.

There is a chapter in the book that caught my attention, and this is what I will share with you.



Secret #1 Learn the Value of Time
Time is a very important tool for you to be rich. At present, many people are using it in a wrong way. They want to get wealthy in the shortest time as possible. 

However, to be wealthy doesn’t work that way. It takes time to earn money, and to let it grow. While you are still young, save or invest money in government bonds, mutual funds, stocks, and even banks. The younger you are, the more opportunity you will have.

Secret #2 Set Lifelong Goals
Do you have goals in your life? 

I remember the story of John Gokongwei Jr. the founder of JG Summit Holdings. Despite of his young age, he continued to work hard because he had a goal in his life.

If you want to be rich, then set lifelong goals for your life. Picture yourself in five or ten years from now. 

Do you want to be a successful businessman? Do you want to be promoted in your job? 

A person without a goal is like a plane flying without a direction.Once you have a goal, stick to it, and strive to reach it. 

Sometimes you will encounter problems and circumstances that will make you discourage. However, do not give up. Just keep moving while focusing on your goals.

Secret #3 Stay out of Debt
Do you have a habit of always borrowing money? If you have that kind of habit, then it is time for you to stop it. 

Having debt will give you stress and you will be like a slave of your lender. The reason why many people fell into debt is because they spend more than they earned. 

Dr. Francisco in his book, “Wealth Within Your Rich,”listed down the reasons why many people are getting broke. Here are some of the things:

• People buy things that they do not need.
• People do not make a budget.
• People use their credit cards unwisely.
• People invest their money in get rich quick schemes.

However, there will be a time that you need to borrow money. You can do it if you want to set-up a small business. The money that you will borrow is a useful tool in making your business grow. 

A good example is the story of Manny Villar. He borrowed 10,000 pesos as a capital so he can start his gravel and sand business at age 25. At present, he is one of the richest entrepreneur in the Philippines.

But if you will borrow money just for the sake of self gratification and enjoyment, then it is an unwise decision. So if possible, stay out of debt.

Secret #4 Learn to Accept Failure – Successfully
Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM once said,”If you want to be successful faster, you must double your rate of failure.” If you want to be financially successfully, then learn to accept failure.

If you will ask those world renowned business persons how they reach the top, they will have a common answer: “they made their failures a learning experience.”

To fail is a part of human experience and no one can escape it. It only depends on the person how it will be accepted. If you will experience it, then take it as your learning growth. Make it as your inspiration for you to be a more stronger person. Use it as your stepping stone for success.

Secret #5 Develop Winning Attitudes and Habits
If you want to be successful in what you are doing, then you must develop a winning attitudes and habits. Read and identify if you have the following winning traits:

• energetic
• organized
• goal-oriented
• hard-working
• determined
• persistent
• self-motivated
• cooperative
• outgoing
• resourceful
• dynamic
• street smart
• creative
• alert

              - You Can Be Rich pp. 8,9
These are just some of the examples of a winning attitudes and habits of successful person. If you do not have it, then think of the skills that you have, develop a good personality,and create your own trademark.

Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC was a persistent man. His persistency made him a millionaire. He travelled around the US offering his chicken recipes. 

He experienced lots of rejections until someone like it. Can you guess how many times he was rejected? It was 1,009 times. His persistence made him a successful person.

Secret #6 Keep Everything in Focus
Having a goal for your future is a good thing, but you must be careful because you can lose your sight of your other plans in life, especially your present life.

If you will not be focused, then you can missed great opportunities today. If you will have plans in your life, then it is better to know what will be your present priority. Take one step at a time. It will keep you focus.

Secret #7 Work with the Right Kind of People
According to the book, there are five signs of quality people:

1. They spend their time productively.
2. They master their energy towards worthwhile activities.
3. They delegate effectively.
4. They plan their work regularly.
5. They focus on their goals and vision.

If you want to be a successful person, then maintain a lasting relationship with the right people. In business, people are important asset. 

In your work, your office-mates and your boss can help you achieve your dreams. But be caution: work only with the right kind of people. 

Avoid a person who is pessimist, not confident, or to be short – avoid negative person. It can influence you, and it can be a reason for you not to be successful. 

There is a saying: “you cannot fly with the eagles, if you keep scratching with turkeys.”

Secret #8 Develop Total Self-discipline
What is self-discipline? According to WordWeb, “it is an act of denying yourself, or controlling your impulses. 

Successful people are self-discipline people. If you want to be rich, then you must discipline yourself to spend your money in good and wise things. 

If you want to be top in your class, then you must discipline yourself to study hard and limit yourself in nonsense activities.

“When you have self discipline, you have the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it.”-You Can Be Rich, p.12

According to studies, you can develop self discipline if you will “establish a habit that you can do constantly.” It was proven that if you will do something straight for 30 days, then it will become a part of you. 

Let me take myself as an example. One of my hobbies is to write articles. Before, I was having a hard time to finish any articles for my blogs, because of my busy schedule. Then I came up with a solution – that is to wake up every morning at 4 am, so I can write freely. 

It was difficult at first. However, I was persistent to do it. For 20 days I forced myself to wake-up at 4 am just to write articles. The result was fantastic. Since then, to wake up at 4 am had never been a problem. It became a part of me. It will never happened if I didn’t discipline myself.

Self disciple is what you need to reach your goals, and to be successful in life.

Secret # 9 Develop Faith
What is faith, it is believing in something or someone even you never seen it, but you know it is true. If you want to accomplish something, then you must believe in yourself.

Faith is also believing in God. Many successful persons have faith in God. They believe that having a spiritual faith will give them power to overcome hardship, trials,and problems. 

Myself is also a believer of God. I believed that He is the source of everything. He is the source of all power that you need to be a successful person.

Secret #10 Make Happiness – not wealth your ultimate goal
According to the book, “money should not be the end of itself, but the means to a greater end.” All of us wants to be happy in life, and to have money will make you live the life that you want. However,money cannot buy everything. It will not give you all the happiness that you want.

If you want to be more happy, be a blessing to others. Share the things that you have, so it can help others. In return, you will be blessed too.

5 reasons why you are always late

One of the common problems that every employers encounter in the company, is the problem of habitual tardiness among the employees. Despite of being called a “common problem”, I still believed that this is a serious matter that needs to be solved.
If you always come late in your work, then something is wrong with you. Your company cannot help you with it. It is only you who can solve your habitual tardiness. So the question is this, why are you always late in your work? Below are the 5 common reasons:
1. You do not admit that you are always late. If you keep on denying that you are not late, then you are not helping yourself. Unless you admit that it is your problem, then it will be very easy for you to change your bad habit.
2. You are not conscious of your time. Time is very precious. A wasted time cannot be used again. To solve this problem is not that hard. You just need to convince yourself that every minute is very important. If you do not have a watch, then buy one. Keeping a watch and having a clock at your house will also help you. Make it sure that your time is accurate, and both has the same time. It is also helpful to set your time 10 minutes in advance. If your office work starts at 9 am, then do not leave your house at 8.30 am. Always be conscious of your time.
3. You are not organized. To be organized will help you not to be late, and not to delay things that needs to be done. How many times have you been late because you couldn’t find your car keys? How many times have you been late because you do not know where to find your office uniform? Always remember, that disorganization is related to lateness. To avoid this problem, you need to put your things in proper places. Do not mixed your personal stuffs with your office stuffs. Put everything in proper places. A storage or a box can be helpful. It will make you organized.
4. You do not plan ahead and you do not prepare. If you have a scheduled meeting, an appointment, or your usual work, then always plan ahead of time.It will make things run smoothly, and it will save you time. Make a reminder list. Write down the important things that you will do and prepare, so you will not forget it. Make a schedule. It can be daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.  If your work always begin on Monday, then prepare everything that you will need for the week on weekend. It will not be stressful to start your week if everything is prepared. Let me make my wife as an example. Being a busy husband, she makes it sure that my working uniforms are ready every Sunday. She always does it and it helps me not to worry of what will I wear during weekdays. Always prepare and plan ahead of time.
5. You do not sleep on time. This is one of the reasons why people are always late on their work.Studies show that a person who sleeps 7 – 8 hours shows a positive working attitude compare to those who sleep for few hours. It is also easier to wake up on time if you will go to bed early. If you have a problem of waking up in bed on time, then use an alarm clock. Put it somewhere where you can reach it. Do some body stretching once you get out from your bed. It will also help you wake-up.
Habitual tardiness can happen to everyone. However, you can avoid this bad habit if you have self discipline. If you want to value yourself and to have a good reputation on your present job, then AVOID OF ALWAYS BEING LATE, or it is better of NOT NOT TO BE LATE AT ALL.

3 things to consider before you enroll in a Master’s Degree program

One way to get hired in top companies or get promoted in your present job is to pursue higher education.At present, the competition in our country has become tougher especially for those who are looking for a job. Nowadays, many employers prioritize an applicant who has MA degree background, because it shows that the person is more qualified.
Unlike the days of our parents, a graduate of a Bachelor’s degree was an advantage in getting a job. However, that trend is now changing. Every year, thousands of students are graduating with a Bachelor’s degree.
If you want to get an edge as a job applicant, or you want to be promoted and received more benefits in your present career, then the best thing to do is to enroll in a Master’s degree program.
But before you do it, there are three things that you must consider before you take up Master’s Degree.
1. You must have motivation and passion to do it. A Master’s degree program is more intensive than a Bachelor’s degree program. The subjects that you will study is more specific. There will be a lots of activities and interactions between your classmates. Your professors will expect a lot from you, and they can be more demanding. You will do a lot of comprehensive research and analysis.
2. You must know how to use your time efficiently. Expect a lot of things that you will do during your studies. Some of these are reading a lot of books, writing reports and journals, comprehensive research, and many more. Time will be your best friend for two to three years. You will always see yourself still awake at the middle of the night, or you need to wake very early every morning to finish your assignments.
3. You must have enough money before you enroll. If you want to finish your MA studies within two years, then you must have enough money to support your education. The tuition fee per unit is quite high compare to undergraduate studies. However, the tuition fees still depend on the university you will enroll. Here are some of the universities in the Philippines that have high tuition fees for graduate studies:

• Ateneo de Manila
• De La Salle University
• University of Sto. Tomas
• Adventist International Institue of Advanced Studies

If you want to save money, then you can enroll in a state university that has also the same quality of the universities mentioned above. The tuition fee usually range from 200 – 300 pesos. Here are some of the low cost universities in Manila Philippines:

• Philippine Normal University
• Polytechnic University of the Philippines
• Philippine Women University

You must also remember that there are other expenses that you need to pay. Examples are laboratory fees, library fees, dissertation fees, and many more.

4 questions that you need to consider before you switch jobs.

According to the Secretary of Labor, this year will provide more job opportunities for Filipinos. I know that this is a good news for new jobseekers, but how about those who have present jobs? I do not know what is your plan for your present career this 2013, but have you come to a point that you are planning to resign in your present job? Are you planning to switch jobs? Studies shows that those who changed their jobs have one reason: they are not satisfied with it.

But don’t you know that to change a job is not an easy decision? This is especially true for those who are employed in a company for a long time. But there are some situations, that an employed person need to resign for some reasons, and these reasons could be varied.
If you feel that your current job doesn’t help you to progress financially, professionally, and socially, then it is time to find a new job. But before you do it, you must think it properly and review some options. Here are the 4 questions that you need to consider before you shift to a new job:
First question, when should I change to a new job? There are 5 signs that can be a signal that you need to find a new job.
a. You are not contented and satisfied with your current job.
b. You have not met your career goals.
c. Your company does not help you to advance in your career.
d. Your company does not support and acknowledge your effort.
e. Your company does not evaluate your performance, and does not reward your work achievements.
Second question, when I should not change to a new job? To switch to a new job is a big decision that you must think first. Study it carefully because finding a job these days are getting tougher and tougher. Do not just resign if you experience the following things:
a. You are angry and frustrated. Sometimes you will experience these feelings in your work. However, it does not mean you will leave your job.
b. You feel bored. There are times that you will get bored in your job, and it is natural. Find ways how to make your job interesting.
c. You are not getting along with your employer or coworker. It is not unwise just to leave your job because of a problem that happened between you and your coworker or employer. Try to work it out and solve the problem. If it does not work, then it is the time to quit your work.
d. You have seen that others are leaving the job. If your coworkers are resigning, then this is a time to show your loyalty to your employer. It can also be your advantage to advance your career, because the rewards that should be given to the person who resigned might be given to you.
e. You are not fully sure,where will you go, and what kind of new job you will have.
Third question, how will I change to a new job?
a. Start looking for a new job while you are still employed. It may take some time before you can get a new job.
b. Continue working and do your responsibilities as if you are not leaving the company.
c. Do not tell your plans to your co-workers. If you will tell it, it can become a big news, and you will have a hard time leaving your job.
Fourth question, what should you do if you are finally leaving the company?
a. Give at least a month or three weeks notice to your employer. The best way to do this is to give your boss a written resignation letter , or talk to him privately as a sign of respect.
b. Do not write in the resignation letter the specific reasons why you are leaving. You can simply write the following reasons:

• You want to have a more challenging career.
• Do not forget to write that you enjoyed working with your employer, and you learned a lot from him.

c. Assist your replacement in the job. Some companies will get a replacement before you finally leave the job. You can offer your assistance to your replacement while you are still in the company.
d. Settled everything before you leave the company. Meet the HR Department, the Accounting Office, and clear all the clearances that you might have, including your last salary.

4 Ways to Boost Your Confidence

Do you have confidence in yourself? Don’t you know that one of the reasons why people do not succeed in life is because of lack of self confidence? If you are not that confident and unsure of yourself, then this short article will give you ideas to boost your self confidence. (This article was taken from the newsletter that I received from JobsDb – the #1 site in Asia-Pacific)
1. Look Good, Feel Good
“Dress up for success” is what they say. It is very true because job interviewers will rate you by the way you dress up yourself; your officemates or schoolmates will respect you by the way you dress up yourself; others will judge you by the way you dress up yourself. In short, what you wear is the reflection of who you are. So the next time you will buy and wear a dress, make it sure that it will give a good impression of yourself.
2. Learn how to give a smile.
Your proper outfit cannot be complete without  your smile. You will notice that it can change the way you feel and how you relate with others.Every time you give a smile and when people smile back to you, then it  will give you an instant boost of confidence. So learn how to give a smile.
3. Always think of your strength. 
Do not think that you are not a valuable person. For sure you have your own strength and skills. Whatever it is, try to develop it, and use it for you to be successful. You can develop your skills, talent, and strength by joining professional clubs, advancing your career, etc. It will also give you confidence that you can stand out in the crowd, and be recognize.
4. Always be prepared.
There are some situations that you do not expect will might happen, and for sure you will caught by surprise. The best way to avoid this is for you to PREPARE ALWAYS. Before going for an interview, do some research about the company and the job that you are applying. It will give you added confidence that you can answer the interviewer questions.

Should You Hire Based on Accomplishments, or Potential?

Let me share this informative information for those who are looking for a job. This article was written by Don Charlton. Read it and know whats the importance of accomplishments and potentials in applying for a job.

“Potential” is a word recruiting analysts use to describe job candidates who have the talent to become top performers but who aren’t guaranteed to make full use of their abilities.

So what does a company do?

Hire an unproven talent who might be the next Steve Jobs, or select an impressive candidate whose potential is fulfilled and who is essentially risk-free? Surely a company would make the safest of hiring decisions and choose a proven performer. Or would it?

Will an investment in potential pay off?

According to a 2012 study by researchers at Stanford University and the Harvard Business School,companies favor candidates who have potential over applicants who have translated their potential into accomplishments.

In the study, a panel of evaluators was asked to predict who would perform better in a leadership role: a candidate with two years of relevant experience who scored well on a leadership achievement test, or a candidate with no experience who scored well on a leadership potential exam. Most evaluators chose the second candidate.

The perception that potential is more valuable than accomplishment leads companies to hire candidates whose greatest attribute is an air of promise instead of candidates whose resumes read like a hiring and staffing manager’s wish list.

For employers, it’s a bit like investing in lottery tickets instead of municipal bonds. The only question is whether the investment pays off.

For a company named Fishbowl, it certainly has.

The story of Fishbowl

Recently featured in Forbes, Fishbowl – a provider of software solutions for manufacturing, distribution and asset tracking since 2001 – is a prime example of how basing hiring decisions on potential can pay off big time.

Initially, the goal of Fishbowl’s recruiting team was to attract top talent, but they soon found that it wasn’t easy to lure the best performers away from established companies. So, instead of wasting time fishing for big catches, they began targeting candidates whose potential could make them the top performers of tomorrow. Essentially, they believed that compelling personal qualities could make up for imperfect resumes.

Their success isn’t the result of lucky hiring decisions. Instead, the company went prospecting for certain traits. The recruiters believed that a star candidate would display qualities such as loyalty, commitment, trust, respect, courage and gratitude, among others.

Today, rather than targeting people whose accomplishments make them perfect for the job, Fishbowl continues to look for candidates who possess high potential and attractive intangibles. In a way, employees are created, not hired.

Considering that Fishbowl has grown by 70 percent over the last three years and has won awards for project and management quality, it’s safe to say that this hiring solution turned out to be a winning strategy.

Psychology in perspective

According to Heidi Grant Halvorson – a motivational psychologist and author of the book Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals – individuals who possess potential are more attractive than individuals whose potential is already fulfilled. “The potential for success, as opposed to actual success,” she says, “is more interesting because it is less certain.”

In other words, as illogical as it may seem, uncertainty has a hidden value – and our brains recognize it. Still, as Halvorson says, candidates who possess potential must have positive traits to go along with it, otherwise their attractiveness to hiring and staffing managers diminishes.

Values-based recruitment helps companies target candidates who possess positive traits that predict success. Considering that 50 percent of U.S. companies struggle to find qualified candidates (ManpowerGroup, 2012), using values-based recruiting to target workers who have high potential makes perfect sense. If a company has difficulty finding ideal candidates, it should reevaluate its hiring decisions and consider targeting those who have the potential to become ideal.

Has your company had success hiring candidates based on potential instead of accomplishments? Leave a comment and let us know.

This article originally appeared on The Resumator Blog.

Don Charlton is a Web entrepreneur, developer and speaker. His company, TheResumator.com,, helps employers hire with confidence. Contact him at don@theresumator.com.

Know the 4 traits of a successful person

I was reading an article written by Bud Bilanich. It was a very informative article and a straightforward advise if you want to succeed in your career. According to him, there are 5 traits that successful people have in common:

• Successful people are self confident.
• Successful people have positive personal impact.
• Successful people are outstanding performers.
• Successful people are interpersonally competent.

(He based these ideas on his studies as an experienced coach and consultant. You can learn more about his works and writings by visiting his website.)
BE CONFIDENT. So what does it mean to be self-confident? A confident person is bold, optimist, and is not discourage to pursue his goals whatever it takes to accomplish it. You can be a confident person if you will always look on the positive side. If you have doubts and fears, then face it, accept it, and find ways to solve it. You can also find a person who can guide and help you.
HAVE POSITIVE PERSONAL IMPACT. How about creating positive personal impact? If you want to be different and be unique among others, then you must create your own personal brand. You can do this by developing the skills that you have, and use it in helping others. Also, your actions must make your peers or officemates comfortable with you.
BE AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMER. There are lots of ways to be a top performer in your career.

• You can join and participate in professional societies.
• Read books that is related to your career.
• Attend seminars and workshops to be competent.
• Apply yourself the Pareto principle.
• Prioritize what is important and stick to it until you accomplish it.

BE AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATOR. Watch yourself every time you speak. Think before you speak. Listen appropriately to others. Develop your writing skills. If you will be ask to give an oral presentation, then do the following:

• Study who will be your audience.
• Give appropriate message to your listeners.
• Make an organize presentation.
• Use visual aids.
• Be confident.

BE AN INTERPERSONALLY COMPETENT. Build good relationship with others. Do not cheat. Do not be boastful. Be responsible of yourself and your action. Be a mature person in resolving conflicts.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/1000544

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