Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Art of managing your Boss

Managing relationships in the corporate world is a tedious job, more so if it is about maintaining an amicable relationship with your boss. Relationship management among employees and between employer and employee is gaining lot of importance lately. According to a recent report by Jobbuzz.com relationship management has been ranked as one of the key skills that a candidate needs to possess to be successful at a job.


Managing the manager
The relationship that one creates and manages with his/her boss is critical to workplace success and career progress. They hold your future prospects in their hands. They are privy to the company’s goals and knows what the company is looking for in future executives. They can inform you of the company’s direction that may affect your future aspirations and can also put in a good word for you when need be. Vaidyanathan, HR-Head, Alten Calsoft Labs agrees, “Whatever good work one does, has to be projected to the outside world – be it the client or the colleagues or the management. Employee’s good working relationship with the manager/boss helps in getting recognition at work and also ensures a peaceful work life.”
The key to establishing a meaningful working relationship with your boss is communication. Learn and understand his/her goals and priorities. At the same time, ask for feedback and accept criticism gracefully.

From manager to mentor
A boss is your ally and your guide. Learn from your boss, he/she has much to teach you. So, ask questions to learn and listen more than you speak to develop an effective relationship with your boss. When a boss takes up the role of a mentor, the equation between him/her and his/her employees, changes automatically. Vaidyanathan suggests that to become a good mentor, every boss/manager should empower their team members. “Managers can become good mentors by passing the success-credit to the executor and giving the confidence to the team members that they always look up to their managers when they come across any problems in their work.” He advised that if an employee fails in the task assigned, protect and teach him the right way to execute the job instead of defaming him.

We agree to disagree
Overall in your relationship with your boss you will sometimes disagree and occasionally experience an emotional reaction. Don’t hold grudges. Disagreement is fine; discord is not. One needs to come to terms with the fact that your boss has more authority and power than you do. And then perhaps you could mould yourself to work better and achieve success in your organisation.

  Visit:: http://imtiaztips.blogspot.in/   /  http://imtiaztips.co.nf/

Planning for a career change? Here are 5 important tips

Given the emerging opportunities and the need for personal growth, career switch is not an unheard of concept in today’s market scenario. Even then, it’s best to follow the adage: Look before you leap.
There are no fixed rules when it comes to a career switch. It is very subjective. HR professionals feel it’s best to do it at an early stage in your career. But, if you are still to find your calling, and are testing waters there is no reason to worry. More and more companies are now very encouraging of this change.
“Career switch is not frowned upon anymore. It really depends on the openness of an organisation and the candidate’s potential. We have encouraged such switch where we thought the candidate would be able to bring in much more than a person with experience in the same field,” says Deodutta Kurane, group president, Human Capital Management, YES BANK.
Even then, it’s always better to know what you are getting into. Here’s how you can go about making that big switch:
Understanding the new job role and industry
“When people change careers in this market, the first thing they must be aware of is what is expected out of them and what can they bring to the industry. This will show the hiring company that you are serious about this change and this move is not based on some wishful thinking,” says Parul Gupta, who changed her career from a content writer to a research analyst.
Use your know-how to your advantage
After taking a bold step about making a career switch, the next step, and an equally important step is to convince hiring managers that you’ll be a valuable employee. “We usually understand a person’s background, his/her achievements and performance. The other thing we do is learn from the candidate how they can bring value to the team based on their experience,” says Kurane.
For such situations, Gupta has a suggestion. “If you don’t have any direct skills that match the profile, focus on interpersonal skills, problem-solving ability and project management.”

Check in-house
Companies are now working towards creating ‘happy work environment’. Thus, before looking outside it’s best to check in-house. “If you are looking at changing your role, speak to your immediate boss and the HR. The company may help you out here. This will also work to your advantage, as your salary, designation and other benefits will remain intact,” advises Kurane.

Be positive
Like in any new situation, be positive and sure of your decision. “Make sure that you know you are switching for a reason. If you give answers like ‘I am just eliminating my choices’, no one will take you seriously,” points out Kurane.

Training always helps
If you are in a position to learn new skills, you will always have an advantage when it comes to career switch. One can also consider options from the company. For instance, organisations like YES Bank and L&T offer professional courses to their employees who are keen to enhance their knowledge base.

Finally, be candid, be honest and be very sure of the reason why you want a change.

Visit:: http://imtiaztips.blogspot.in/   /  http://imtiaztips.co.nf/

Questions to ask hiring managers during a Job Interview

You start by asking your hiring manager some important questions. So when the manager asks you, “Is there anything you would like to know?” Make use of that opportunity. “Asking the right questions tells a lot about the candidate’s attitude, his/her seriousness about the job and how they can value add to the company,” says Shilpa Kulkarni, senior manager, HR, Nilgai Foods.

1. What are the growth prospects in this position? This will give you a better idea as to whether or not the company will meet your expectations. For hiring manager, it will show that you are not a passive candidate. “It shows that the candidate is keen about the post and is serious about learning,” says Kulkarni.

2. What is the evaluation system? This will give you an idea about how things run in the organisation and what is expected of you.

3. What is the culture of the organisation? For a candidate it helps to find out things like if the organisation gives importance to work-life balance. And, the hiring manager can also gauge the candidate’s attitude towards work in general.

4. What kind of training will I receive? This question will really help someone who is applying for a fresher to middle level. The answers will give you an idea of what will be your learning curve in the organisation. “Though it’s very important to find out how a candidate will contribute to the organisation, it is also important to know how they view a job. Is it only for a survival or they are keen to learn from their colleagues. This shows that a candidate is passionate about his work,” points out Kulkarni.

5. How does compensation work? Is salary the only component, or are their equity or bonus/commission programs? What opportunities are there for me to grow my compensation? Don’t shy away from asking this question. It is better to clarify your doubts before joining than being unhappy about the compensation later on. This will reflect your overall attitude towards the organisation and work, as well.

Related Url- http://imtiaztips.co.nf/