Category: Recruitment Consultancy

Lives Of Happy Candidates: Mr. Nagaraja K R

A good environment is a prerequisite to personal and professional growth. Be it the workplace, the city/town one lives in, or the kind of work one does, it is necessary that they all contribute to the well-being and success of the individual. We make sure that our candidates get such an experience that helps them look beyond the preconceived prejudices and biases about places and people.

 

We, at United HR Solutions make sure that our candidates get the best opportunities possible, which help them realise their potentials, and which help them strike a perfect balance of personal and professional life. Success, after all, should be wholesome.

 

Unfortunately, Africa as a continent has a very peculiar image in the minds of many. The things mentioned above like well-being, safety, growth are not the things generally associated with the place because of half-baked information one might have come across, hearsay, reliance on limited sources or simply because of an unwillingness to look beyond certain stereotypes. Success on a corporate level is an even more unthinkable possibility for many.

We have a different story to tell.

Our successful and happy candidate, Mr. Nagaraja  K R has a different story to tell (and  show).

He tells us about his experience in Tanga, a port-city in Tanzania where he works at Neelkanth Lime Ltd. :

“Under guidance of our Managing Director, All department HOD with all teams we are able to contribute for business success and bringing investor’s vision into final business results successfully. There is 100% focus on KRA, feasibility, cost benefits, optimum resource utility, converting time to money, trying to bring positive results every day, reduce wastages, converting unutilized resource to money. The management is very supportive, and their drive for result-oriented activities, culture and values  has helped in achievement of KRA/KPI/goals. Here I got more duties & responsibility, new assignments, challenging tasks, more business insights,all of which has helped me to grow from all professional angles. This working environment helps individual capability improvement & gives opportunity to bring skillset into real time practice. ”

As can be seen, the roles and responsibilities offered in Africa as a continent in general are far less rigid, and provide an opportunity for a truly professionally wholesome development. Mr. Nagaraja  started as an Executive Assistant with the company. He is now a General Manager.

 

He further tells us about the place:

“Tanga is good place to work. Small town, peaceful. People are good in general, the city is clean. Security is good. Irrespective of time you can go outside. There is a good theatre here and all new Hindi films release along with their Indian releases. Some good hotels are available here. Indian food is also available here,be it North Indian or South Indian.

“Fruits like Cassava, Mangoes, Pineapple, Ramphal and are very cheap. Cost of living is less compared to other towns in Africa / Tanzanian city. Weather is good most of the year, and pollution is very less. The vegetation is good. There is connectivity to Dar es Salam via roadway, airway and seaway. The traffic is minimal and it takes maximum 30 minutes to commute anywhere in Tanga. ”

 

He shared these wonderful photographs of the place.

 

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The  quaint  Tanga  airport. Look  at  the  clear  blue  sky!

 

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Tanga  roundabout.

 

 

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The  picturesque  Tanga Bay [Bandari Port]

 

P.S : We thank Mr. Nagaraja K R for sharing his experiences with us. We also thank the city of Tanga for welcoming him with open arms.

 

 

 

 

Do You Need A Resume Or A CV?

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You are done with your education, and you now feel ready to take on the  world of work.

Or you are just planning to get back to working after that much needed  sabbatical.

Your little one now goes to school and you finally feel you have enough time to rejoin the office after years.

BUT… there’s always a BUT, isn’t it?

The companies ask for a CV. You see the menacingly familiar word ‘resume’ all over the place. You have no idea how to go about creating it. You vaguely remember learning to create something like that in school, but that was years ago! Feeling overwhelmed to some extent is natural but that  shouldn’t drag you down, right? Especially right at the supposedly first step.

 

Preparing a resume and/or a CV (yes, the two are a bit different: we will get  to it soon) could be a daunting task for many. After all, to a great extent  “it  gives you away.”

So, here is a little guide as to what all you should look out for and what all you could include while making a CV.

 

First things first, let us get our concepts clear! Earlier there used to be a huge difference between a CV and a resume. But now the only difference is essentially of the length. Both include a summary of your work experience and education; only, the resume is ideally supposed to be just a page long. A  CV, short for  ‘curriculum vitae’  could be a little more detailed, with two or  three pages.

 

‘Resumes’ are used in the United States, Canada and Australia. CVs are  used everywhere in the world including the UK, New Zealand, Asia and the  European Union.

If this is a bit too complicated to understand, the good news is that the two terms are used in an interchangeable manner in India, New Zealand and South Africa.  You could now just focus on creating a CV and tweak it according to the country where you have applied.  (Source)

Now, let us get to creating one!

You need to list down your skills, that is, your key expertise. These are what the recruiters would screen through.

Your work experience needs to be added. You begin with the latest, then the one before, then the one before (you get the drill, right?) and right up  to your first job.

 

You also include your work tenure. You have to be particular here:include not just the duration but the years of joining and quitting. Make sure to include the location. Basically, where on Earth have you been when you were at this job?

Also, if you have had a particularly short stint at a role or you have had to change jobs too frequently, include your reasons. You don’t want to come  off as a job hopper to the recruiters! Make sure to convey your reliability  this way so that there is no fear that you would suddenly quit or stop  showing up at work.

 

You have to include your job responsibility. What all you handle at your  current job/ what did you handle at your previous job. Make sure to write  only your responsibilities and not blindly copy-paste the ones you might  come across from sampled CVs.

Essentially, you subtly sell and market yourself. It is a job “market” after  all.

 

You continue the self selling and the marketing and list down your educational qualifications. You write down your degree, the institution where you did  your degree from, the year you finished your degree.

 

You include your contact details: your name, very very obviously, but it’s always a good idea to check such a seemingly basic thing. Your E-Mail I.D, contact number, address, Skype I.D  have to be there.

Your age, and date of birth are important because certain jobs do have age limits.

 

The subtle self-marketing continues as you list down the languages you know.

 

You tell your prospective employers what a well-rounded personality you have as you list down your other skills, and your interest areas.

It is important that you are honest. Do not copy and paste. Imagine if everyone copied and pasted a few samples. Every other CV would end up looking the same. We certainly don’t want that, do we? A personalised CV is a lot more attractive.

 

Check, double check, triple check your spellings, punctuation and grammar. You may or may not be applying for the job of a proof-reader but you must use that skill for scanning though your own CV. Ask your trusted friends and family to go over the document. An external observer could spot mistakes you might have overlooked.

Check the layout. Make sure it looks professional and tidy. Imagine your reaction if you were the employer and a CV such as yours came to you.

The format should be that of Word and PDF. Provide the necessary links and URLs.

 

Draft and re-draft your CV if needed.

 

Once you have got a hang of it, and if you want to notch it up a bit, you could check out the concept of video-resumes. They directly showcase your communication skills, personality and your overall presentation. Although you must make sure that they are accepted where you are planning to apply.

Video or no video, using a neat photograph of yours accompanying your CV  is a good idea.

 

Lastly, what not to do: if you don’t have some essential job requirements, you shouldn’t apply. You could be under-qualified or over-qualified for the role. Besides this fact, in case some of your experience matched very well to the job role, then you may apply stating this fact , and highlighting it. Here, you do the self marketing and selling a little loudly and clearly.

Do not list completely unrelated skills. The skills you talk about on your CV should always be relevant to the role you are applying for. This is where tailoring comes in. For every role you should ensure you are highlighting the skills it requires and remove any completely irrelevant skills or experience.

 

It is always a good idea to research online as you go on creating your CV. Make sure you create something original. Use the samples just as samples.

Again, try to use your imagination and see if you would be pleased as an employer/recruiter if you received a CV such as yours.

 

Good luck!

Recruiting The Right FIT- A Serious Challenge

An organization or institution functioning, majorly depends on the workforce it appoints. The employees are an integral part of the organization and in a way represent or are the BRAND AMBASSADOR’s of the organization. Employees are needed not only to boost up the productivity of the firm but also to maintain the standard and quality of the institution. The ideas and the principles of a company can only be successfully implemented if zealous and hardworking workers are appointed whose thinking is  in the line with the company’s vision. That is why it is very important to match the ideologies of both the parties i.e an Employer and an Employee.

Recruiting The Right FIT

Hiring Managers face difficulties to find the right candidate for the right job. The situation is applicable to other side of the fence also, as a candidate also finds it difficult to find a work place he/she desires.  Below are some of the reasons which attribute to above situation:-

Firstly,  In this digital world, for a single position, employers receive n number of applications, however most of them are irrelevant. To choose the right candidate from large number of applications has really become a mammoth task for the companies. That is why sometimes they are compelled to follow the short cut way to find the employees. They tend to pick up the Cheapest or the Earliest person coming their way.

Secondly, in many instances, the employers are reluctant to recruit New/fresh employees into their firms. Due to this, stagnation occurs inside the company and the productivity curve is affected. The Fresh incumbents get frustrated as there are very few Pickers for them.

Thirdly, the companies face serious challenges to find/replace employees holding Key Positions in the Company. The institution which excels in their field is very punctilious about their Strategy Makers because the master plans of the strategies are conceived by them. The Innovators / Strategist are the feather of the institution’s cap.

Fourthly, shortage of funds has become serious issue for affording the pertinent employee. Due to this insufficiency, the companies have to compromise with their desire and capabilities. On the other hand from the employee’s view point, it is quite natural about the inclination to  higher pay packages. Due to this a major disparity arises between the companies which can afford higher salaries and who cannot.

Although there are several hurdles with reference to appointing the right candidate for the right post, however the task is not unattainable. The Human Resource department should think through before offering any position to a candidate.  The right candidate for the right job can be achieved through skilful recruiters, who can survey the markets and the necessities with their experiences and make the best out of their employees. The technology friendly atmosphere, adequate salaries helps to nourish the employees and inspire them to achieve the desired goal.

How To Increase Retention With Workplace Aura

One of the most important aspects of employee retention is providing a comfortable work environment and culture. The employees should feel safe and comfortable in their workplace. No one wants to walk into a room and feel uncomfortable every day. This can be accomplished by making the workplace personal and welcoming. It is important that the office is well-lit and properly ventilated. Designing a comfortable work environment is about aesthetics; careful attention to its design can boost the employee happiness. The office culture should match the industry.

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Entrepreneurs recommend that the employees should be offered skill enhancement training. The changes in employment laws, latest technologies and new selling techniques are some of the reasons to keep the permanent employees in the loop. Seminars and classes provide training to the employees about the updated techniques. Computerized training, DVDs, books, articles, audiotapes and pamphlets also help in acquiring the desired knowledge. Reviews or evaluations help in assessing the employee performance and their enthusiasm towards the goals set by the company.

A lot about the employees can be known only by listening to them. They may have interesting ideas or business plans that can be implemented which will make them feel like they are also a part of the entire business process. Anyone can spare a few minutes from their busy schedules to find out what is going on with the employees professional and personal lives. Recognizing the accomplishments of the employees is most important. Awarding a prize or praising employees for their performance is one of the most effective ways to make them feel appreciated, which will make them want to stay in the company for a longer time.

Offering a competitive salary package helps in keeping the employees happy and satisfied. The salaries are based on employee skill, experience, work seniority and demand. However, high salary is not always the only deciding factor about employees seeking employment elsewhere. There are other benefits that they often look for like health insurance, life insurance or a retirement-savings plan and these are essential in retaining employees.

Constructive fun like innovative workshops, quiz/other contests and party games in an inclusive environment removes pressure from a hierarchal workplace. Everyone is able to decompress, have fun, share their stories, and work together while becoming closer as a unit. Most of the skills that are needed in the employees cannot be effectively retained and implemented without repetition and practice.  Retaining employees is as important as maintaining the bottom line or increasing scope of influence because workforce represents the essence of a business regardless of the specific niche, or industry.

Hence do take good care of your Most Important M (men).

Success And Productivity Are Closely Related

An organization’s culture is determined by its beliefs and comprises of everything it does. It not only affects the way in which the organization is managed but also the manner in which it processes the products and provides services to the customers. Work culture is continuously subject to change and is very fragile. When the culture of an organization is spoken of, the behaviour patterns of the employees and their standards that bind it together are usually referred. Actions speak louder than words and the behaviour patterns of employees are most strongly influenced by the leaders of the organization.

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Productivity is closely related to the culture of an organization and the habits of the employees. There are more than 7 billion people on Earth, so there is no chance that a single model can suit everyone but there are methods that work for the majority of people. In the past, women would spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying to make dinner. They had to do everything manually while today a number of tools are used such as mixer, blender and dishwasher. These electrical appliances have decreased the time for cooking while the productivity has increased. This is a life hack which implies that it is better to benefit from the progress made and utilize the right tools to master the performance.

Productivity is the technique of getting the company’s products and services to the customer with the best quality and at the lowest possible cost. It involves customer needs and labour relations. Good management plays an important role in productivity which leads to the success of a company. If the management is to transform the work climate into an ever-lasting culture for success, it should focus on the various areas of improvement such as decision-making structure, organizational clarity, Human Resource development and relationship of the Management to culture.

The goals and plans of the organization should be perceived by the members in order to achieve success. The main purpose of the structure is to initiate decision making and facilitate the ideas into reality. Corporate culture emerges from the top and hence the top management’s responsibility is to recruit, train and teach managers well so that they, in turn, provide role models for the employees who are in their charge. The manner, in which these managers behave, the way they lead and think, sets a climate and eventually a culture for success.

If the combination of capital, values, beliefs, creativity, and human resource management of an organization is not success oriented, then the outcome will be a failure. The quality of products and quality service influence a company’s cultural values. The production practices and products reflect the creativeness and innovation. A successful company always treats its people with dignity and respect. Successful companies follow the basic values and beliefs. Providing top quality products or services virtually affects every function of these companies and they hold this belief that it is essential to achieve excellence. They are responsive to the customer needs and guidelines are established that provide regular feedback and coaching by the supervisors. These companies have frequent open communications and a feeling of informality. They emphasize on a go-with-the-flow attitude.