Below is the video for the Monster Careers Fair at the RDS on 12th November. This was a very successful day with great feedback from jobseekers. I presented at the event and you can hear some of my views on CV Writing during the video.
Office Politics
September 22nd, 2009Interesting post about office politics. Give you an opportunity to work out what animals work in your office. On a serious not though this information could help you manage your work relationships better.
Office politics are annoying aren’t they?
Did you know there are four ways that people play politics in the office?
Sheep, donkey, fox or owl.
Below is a description of each.
Sheep: An implied innocence underlies the sheep approach. Other words that spring to mind might be naive, easily led and loyal. They are the types who say (providing they recognise what is happening in the first place), “I have no time for politics” or, “I don’t want to play that game.”
Donkey: Words such as stubborn and inept might sum up the donkey character, but it goes deeper than this. We have all encountered the colleague who thinks he’s on the inside track, is fond of mentioning connections to the senior staff and is convinced he plays a smart game.
Fox: Cunning, sly and clever, foxes know their way around. They are really quite adept at negotiating the corridors of power, getting support and being tuned in to the bigger picture. They recognise and take advantage of the weaknesses of others in order to get ahead and further their cause.
Owl: Wise and highly observant, the organisational owls are well placed to succeed. They differ from the fox in that ’succeed’ for them means positive
outcomes for both themselves and the organisation.
Working with difficult people, clients or customers …..
September 7th, 2009We all have experienced nightmare clients, customers or work colleagues. This can be a very challenging experience. I found some useful advice online that I though I would share ….. Her is to better working relationships!!
Working with difficult people, whether they are colleagues or customers, is one of the common challenges at work. They can be so distracting and can take up so much of your valuable time. Stop… and then seek to see the world from the other person’s point of view.
See It From Their Perspective
I am not saying that you should agree with them; but at least try and figure out why they are behaving the way they do. People always have a valid reason (to them) for doing what they do.
So you could ask…
“What is the positive outcome you want to achieve by this behaviour?” or words to that effect. At the very least it will make them stop and think and you will probably learn something useful.
Temping & Contract Jobs in Ireland
August 6th, 2009Recent reports indicate that there has been a 30% rise in temporary and contract positions in 12 months in Ireland. Is this beneficial for employers, jobseekers or both?
According to a recent survey by Grafton Recruitment there has been a 30% increase in the number of temporary and contract positions now available compared to this time last year. The survey indicated that temporary and contract positions are seen as a viable option for firms during uncertain market conditions.
Really this news is no surprise as it makes perfect sense for employers. They can bring in manpower resource without committing to permanent headcount. It provided greater flexibility in tough economic conditions.
Temporary or Contract jobs can also be a positive solutions for jobseekers particularly those currently out of work. I am often amazed at the number of jobseekers currently out of work who are turning their noses up at contract work. My view is that it is better to be in a job even if it does lack a permanent nature. This solution fills in the blanks on your CV but you never know where it can lead.
Interestingly the same survey found that the current economic downturn has not affected some areas and there are skills shortages with high demand for Accountancy, Customer Service, IT, Multilingual and Sales roles.
New Jobs in Ireland – SuccessFactors, Teleperformance, Olive Safety, Bord Na Móna
August 5th, 2009Beneath all the doom and gloom in Ireland there is still a stream of new jobs announcements. This passes by some jobseekers as they are too caught up with the negative jobs news. Below is an outline of 700 new jobs announced in the last week or so. These jobs are across the country and within a number of skills and industry sectors.
240 new jobs in Dublin & Newry with Teleperformance — French call centre operator Teleperformance will create 240 jobs in Dublin & Newry to support grocery chain Sainsbury’s. This positive news follows an announcement earlier this year for 610 jobs at its customer contact centres in Newry and Bangor.
20 new jobs in Dublin with (AMPAC-ISP Group) — America Pacific Corporation will create 20 new jobs in Dublin over the next five years in Dublin following the decision to set up its European HQ in the city. AMPAC-ISP designs and manufactures mission-critical structural components for the European space industry.
100 new jobs in Cork with Olive Safety — A Cork H&S firm plans to create 100 jobs over the next year.
40 new jobs in Dublin with SuccessFactors — Talent management software provider SuccessFactors will establish its European Multilingual Business Centre in Dublin creating 40 high-value jobs in Ireland. The new European Multilingual Business Centre will be located in Dundrum. The European Multilingual Business Centre will service customers in the small and medium-size markets.
300 jobs nationwide with Bord Na Móna — Bord Na Mona are investing in green energy and will create jobs as a result. The jobs will be created in a range of areas in projects such as environmental solution, waste recovery and recycling and new investment in wind and gas power stations.
For those of you targeting these jobs it is important to market yourself and sell yourself. CV Writing Services can enhance your CV and help you stand out in the crowd. Interview Techniques Preparation can help you deliver at interview and land job offers.
Intune Networks New Jobs Announcement follows after Intel Jobs Cut.
July 29th, 2009Another positive jobs announcement for Ireland. A possible 350 jobs to be created by Irish Company – Intune Networks. This annoucement falls under the “smart economy” tag.
50 jobs are to be created in the next year followed by another 300 within three years at Irish company Intune Networks, which is building a new communications network to cut down bottlenecks in data transfer.
The Irish telecoms equipment design company was named to lead the Government’s programme to build Ireland’s Exemplar Smart Network. Intune’s programmable fibre optic platform will form the foundation for creating a next generation smart and green communications infrastructure for Ireland. Minister Ryan said the network would give Ireland world leading technology and a first mover advantage in the establishment of a smart economy, helping Ireland leapfrog its international peers in digital infrastructure.
This announcement is positive news off the back of the announcement last week that Intel was cutting 294 jobs at its plant in Leixlip. Interestingly I was out there last week and the general feeling among those I spoke to was that there was little surprise with the news. This still does not make it any easier for those who lost their job.
Gilead Sciences – CORK JOBS
July 8th, 2009SOME GOOD NEWS FOR CORK ON THE JOBS FRONT WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT 30 NEW JOBS WILL BE CREATED IN THE COUNTY.
Gilead Sciences says it plans to establish a European Financial Shared Services Centre at its base just outside the city. The biotechnology company plans to create 30 new jobs in Cork as a result.
The European Financial Shared Services centre will process the company’s finances for its European operation. Gilead Sciences currently employs 125 people at the plant in Carrigtwohill.
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Small Business in Ireland
July 8th, 2009According to a recent survey by ISME there seems to be no evidence of “Green Shoot” in the Small Business Sector in Ireland. Actually the opposite is true and thing are getting worse.
40% expect to let staff go
70% dont expect to be in business next year if things don’t change
The worst hit sector is Construction followed by Retail, Distribution and Manufacturing.
The biggest problems faced by SME’s include fall in orders BUT more worryingly lack of access to credit. Hmmmm – gues those banks are not fulfilling their side of the deal!!
Oracle to cut jobs in Europe
July 3rd, 2009More jobs to go across europe according to latest news from enn.
The paper also says that Oracle is planning to cut up to 1,000 jobs in Europe, according to a French labour union. A note on the website of the CDFT union says it has been informed by the company of plans to cut between 850 and 1,000 in Europe, from a total of 17,000 staff. Around 250 positions will be lost in France, the union claims, just over 15 percent of its French workforce. The apparent move by the software giant comes shortly after the company said it detected signs of improvement in its North American business for its fiscal fourth quarter, but indicated that the business environment in Europe remains challenging. An Oracle spokeswoman declined to comment.
