Snag your dream job

Job satisfaction is a hot topic at the moment and according to recruiting experts Hays there are many people now actively looking for their dream job.

“Over the years I’v heard many people talking about finding their dream job. Most candidates however have no idea what their dream job is, let alone how to find it,” says Chris Mead, General Manager of Hays in Singapore.

Chris says there are no quick or easy answers but there are a few things you can do to help you find your way.

List your skills: “You need to think of the big picture and consider not only what professional experience you have, but also your talents and your hobbies. List the things you are good at and highlight those you enjoy doing.”

Describe your personality: “To help you determine what type of career you are best suited for, think about your personality traits. Are you meticulous with an eye for detail or are you strategic with a big picture view? Do you enjoy working in a team or do you prefer to work on your own?”

List your priorities: “List what is most important to you in your career and your values. For example, are you looking for a career that challenges and rewards you? Should it be something you are passionate about and inspired by? Is money more important to you than work/life balance?”

Identify what your dream job INS’t: “Here you should not only think about what type of roles but also what things you are not willing to compromise on, such as hours worked, pay and location. Consider also your values in this context; for example your dream job would’t undermine your values or take you away from the things that are important to you in life.”

Define your dream job: “The next step is to develop a loose description of your dream job.” Chris suggests you start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Who/what would you like to work with?
   
2. Where do you want to work?
   
3. What type of tasks do you want to work on?
   
4. What type of work will make you truly happy? This could be anything from working with animals to working with computers.
   

“Collating this information will provide you with a synopsis of who you are and will help you determine your dream job.”

Plan to snag your dream job: “Once you know what your dream job is, you just need to develop a plan to get it,” says Chris. He suggests you:

• Research the industry as well as the knowledge and skills you will need.
  
• Network and get to know people in the industry. Not only will this help you get a better understanding of the industry and if you like it, but it will put you in contact with potential employers.
  
• Take action. If you don’t already have the skills, how do you get them? Will you need training? Maybe you just need to update your resume to highlight a different skill set you already have.
  

Chris knows the value of snagging your dream job. “At Hays we work with thousands of people every day to connect them with the right job, which can transform their life for the better.”

CALL CENTERS

Career Overview
The IT outsourcing business is perhaps the brightest spots on the employment horizon today. And of all the activities being outsourced to the Philippines, including medical transcription and software development, none looks more promising than the call center service. Call centers, or contact centers, are communications- based service centers used by large companies to handle anything from customer complaints and inquiries to providing technical support. They offer a range of services that include five online chat, e-mail management, customer intelligence procurement and analysis, e-customer relationship management, interactive self-help, customer care service as well as voice communications.
These centers gained attention of businesses after major foreign companies started to establishing call centers in the Philippines to handle voluminous customer-related transactions. The outsourcing move is one way conglomerates in developed countries, such as the United States, cut down on the operational costs- by sub-contracting peripheral services to allow them to function as tighter units and focus on their core competencies.
What makes official extremely optimistic is the potential of call centers to bail the country out of its present troubles and reduce the unemployment rate. With the Filipinos' proficiency in English, warmth and customer orientation, as well as the ability to learn skills fast, the Philippines has a huge opportunity to capture a significant market share of the global multimillion-dollar call center industry.
Jog categories
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Customer service representatives are also known as call center agents, customer service associates, call center associates or customer care specialists. They compromise a large bulk of openings at call centers. Their main task is to field calls from local and foreign customers, handle complaints and inquiries as well as provide general information on products and services.
Customer service supervisors and managers come with such other titles as customer care supervisors and managers, call center supervisors and managers, team leaders, and shift supervisors and managers. They oversee and direct the work of customer representatives, ensuring the overall productivity and efficiency of their teams.
OPERATIONS
Operations managers manage the operations of large customer service or telemarketing teams to improve service processes.
Responsibilities

• Supervise team leaders and raise the team's performance in terms of service, productivity and quality levels.
• Work with team management ( team managers and supervisors ) to determine factors behind service failure, and develop and implement action plans addressing these
• Evaluate internal service processes and systems, and develop strategies to continuously improve service delivery.
• Provide leadership, guidance and support to create a positive and productive work atmosphere.

TRAINING
Training officers prepare call center agents to perform their function well. They hold training sessions on English language proficiency, proper speech and diction, call center technology, skills management and problem-solving techniques, customer service, and American culture and geography.
OTHER CAREERS
IT and technical support staff

• System programmers
• System analysts
• Computer technician
• Engineers (network, electrical, structural, test, etc.)
• Applications developers
• IT help desk officers

Administration and management service

• HR officers
• Accounting specialists
• General trans segregationists
• Secretariats and admin assistants
• Bookkeepers and general clerks

Entry Requirements
Customer service representatives:
Graduate of any four-year course, excellent oral and written English communications skills; at least one year experience in customer service with US customers or in a customer-oriented job an advantage; computer literate with typing speed of at least 25 words per minute; willing to work in shifts, particularly night shift.
Customer service heads: Preferably with degree in business, communication or psychology; one to two years of supervisory/management experience preferably in call center; excellent problem solving, organization and time management skills; flexible and able to move with change while managing a high-caliber workforce; excellent coach, mentor and role model; willing to work shifts, weekends and holidays.
Operations managers: Three to five years operations management experience in a call center environment; client or account management experience; contact center and service expert; familiar with technology and data processing

Finding Mr. Right

Granted, jobs Arne’t that easy to come by nowadays. Even that, however, is no reason to grab just about any offer that comes along and ruing a mismatch later on. Finding the right firm to partner with can ensure that you are constantly challenged and have opportunities for career growth. On the other hand, incompatibility can lead to bitterness and low productivity. Here are factors to consider before you say “yes”:

1. Compensation. Find out if you are getting a fair deal. Some of the things you need to know: Is the package competitive with the market or industry? Are there financial incentives such as annual salary reviews and performance bonus schemes? What about non-monetary perks? Does the company offer health insurance, retirement, employee assistance or other packages? Do research before you commit yourself.
2. Growth and vision. Look into the firm’s stability, growth potential, market share. Be sure that the company is braced for long-term business and INS’t about to collapse anytime soon. Find out if the employer has a clear-cut vision and if its values match yours. Try to get information about the company from its annual report, from business publications and from the Net.
3. Culture. Check if the culture suits your personality and work style. Is the atmosphere too casual or too corporate for you? Will you thrive in a deadline-oriented place, or do you prefer less pressure-cooker environs? Is the company strictly by the clock, or does it allow more flexible work hours? Will you enjoy working with the people in the workplace? Try to get a feel of the place during the interviews to give you an idea.
4. Philosophy. Does the company embrace a people-oriented outlook? This means it should have in place programs that develop employees’ capabilities and skills, a two-way communication system and a career plan for its staff. Is the atmosphere professional yet supportive? Are absenteeism and turnover at minimum levels? Ask the interviewer about these issues when she opens the interview for questioning.
5. Job profile. Do you know exactly what type of work you will do? Is it challenging and interesting? Or is it only a glamorized title for a position nobody wants? Does it show promise in terms of promotion and advancement? Are the demands of the job compatible with your lifestyle? Get a detailed job description and try to get inside info if you know someone who works in the company.
   
   

Happy hunting!

from JobStreet.com

1. Get into the right frame of mind. Know that job hunting is, more than anything else, a mind game. You have to psyche yourself up for the realities of the market. Only by having realistic expectations can you overcome the seemingly endless wait, the nonexistent interview calls and the outright rejection slips that will come your way. Give it your best, but understand that some things are simply beyond your control. Be optimistic.
2. Trade places with the interviewer. If you could switch places with the employer, you’d find yourself faced with hundreds of resumes to process. The only way to trim that mountain of files before the clock strikes five is to work smart: Eliminate the “nuisance candidates” from the list. Your task as job hunter is to make sure your resume survives the “massacre.”
3. Remember the 20-second scan. According to an HR director, he spends about 20 seconds at most reviewing a resume. That tells a lot about how you should handle yours. Here are some suggestions:
   • Pepper your resume with industry buzzwords that highlight your skills.
   • Use active verbs that indicate you make things happen.
   • Tailor your resume to match each position.
   
   
4. Make it easy on yourself. Job-hunting is hard enough; launching a frantic search for missing documents is a killer. Create a career portfolio that contains all you need: resumes, cover letters, thank-you letters, school transcripts, diplomas and degrees, awards, business cards, etc. You may have to make some revisions to suit the position, but using templates rather than working from scratch each time is a great comfort.
5. Get around. Now’s your chance to chat up people and not feel guilty that you’re idling your time away. Networking and getting personal really pay off, so here are ways to let everyone know you’re available:
   • Join industry associations and events. Be sure to bring lots of cards and resumes with you. You’ll never know when an opportunity will come knocking.
   • Practice a brief introductory speech. Be prepared with a short description of your work experience and skills so you don’t grope for words when you’re ask what you do.
   • Make technology your ally. Use the e-mail or cell phone to keep up with friends, relatives and past co-workers. They’ll remember you-and know where to reach you-if a lead does come up. Use job sites and avail of their services like free job alerts to keep you ahead of the pack.