Four Things You Must Unlearn Immediately

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

10 Principles for Personal and Professional Growth

Besides having studied business management and business administration at university about two decades ago, having visited dozens of various business and management trainings afterward, some years ago I have started to take intensive and comprehensive training in coaching, mentoring, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) as well as in hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Not to gain additional master diplomas, but instead to further develop my leadership skills and to broaden my personal horizon. 

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a communication and personal development approach created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the US in the 1970s. It claims a connection between the neurological processes (neuro), language (linguistic) and behavioral patterns learned through experience (programming) and that these can be changed to achieve specific goals in life.

The purpose of this article is not to discuss NLP itself (possibly in one of my next articles). I understand and respect that NLP might not be an easy concept to grasp; one reason being that its original idea and techniques have been often abused in the past by so called "experts" without any proper education and know-how... and even by one of its founders.

For myself, however, it has had a very significant and extremely positive impact, both on my personal development as well as on my professional career.

Coming back to the purpose and the topic of this article: I'd like to share with you the 10 most important principles of NLP. These can be also considered as generally valid recommendations for successful management, leadership and personal growth, regardless of whether you identify yourself with the original philosophy and concept of NLP or not.

Over the years I have found them to be extremely useful:

1) The map is not the territory. We do not respond to the world as it is, we act in accordance with our own mental map of it. We have a much better chance of getting what we want if our map is continually revised to take account of the territory. Doing this is much better than trying to bend the world to fit your map.
2) Mistakes do not exist. We do not criticize any behavior. We should only give feedback. As objectively as possible.
3) There is no right or wrong model of the world. It all depends on experience, context, point of view, intentions, beliefs, values, culture, etc.
4) People already have all the resources they need. From our storehouse of memories, thoughts, and sensations we can construct new mental patterning designed to provide the outcomes we want.
5) People are always making the best choices available to them. We make choices based on experience. More and better experiences allow for more choices.
6) Underlying every behavior is a positive intention. Look behind what people do to find their positive intentions.
7) For every form of behavior there is a context in which it is meaningful.
8) Resistance coming from your partner/client/associate means a lack of flexibility in yourself.
9) The meaning of your communication is the response you get. People receive information filtered through their mental map of the world. 
10) If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else. Do anything else. You’ll only get the same results if you do what you’ve always done.

So, these are my 10 key life leadership principles coming mostly from the NLP arena.

What do you think? Which ones do you think make sense? And with which ones do you disagree with? Any additional principles from your side?

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO Placement Mumbai  DEM 

5 Tips That Will Prepare You For Your Next Performance Appraisal

5 Tips That Will Prepare You For Your Next Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal or PA is a review process by which an employee’s performance is evaluated for the entire year or duration(s) mentioned otherwise. And, if you think that you should get a good appraisal, then you should actively prepare yourself for that. This implies that even if your company has criteria of self-evaluation, you cannot stay passive and just receive the feedbacks and directions from your manager. Rather, you should prepare yourself for the appraisal meeting with your manager by gathering all the details of your work, performance, and career goals so that your manager can get a broader picture of all of your performances. You have to take charge of your own career progression so as to receive only the best in the entire course of your employment.

Tips to Prepare For Your Performance Appraisal

Any chance that you get to show your best performance is a chance you should take. Here are some of the important tips that will guide you in preparing your performance appraisal report.

Gather the relevant information which forms the foundation of your appraisal.

Analyze your performance or review your job description on the basis of those goals, development plans, and competencies on which your last appraisal has been done. You can use these details as the foundation of your accomplishments in the entire year. Gather the reports like project status report, weekly report, monthly report, etc.

Keep a note of your performance over the last performance cycle

Maintain a journal of your performances and note down the details of things like projects or work you have really enjoyed, challenging situations or people you have faced, knowledge or skills you have developed or need to develop, particular strengths of yours, etc. These details of your accomplishments, challenges, and successes will help you at the time of your appraisal. When you will have all these details in your hand, you and your manager definitely get a broader and more objective view of your performance over the entire period.

Note down the “how” of your accomplishments rather than just “what”.

Make sure that you have jotted down the course of the journey to the accomplished task rather than simply noting down the accomplishment. So, how you did it is really important. But, keep it brief. You can explain the challenges you have faced that limited your abilities to succeed or you can provide the details of the support you have received from others. You should also think about the fact that what your manager needs to know and what he already knows. All the certificates of recognition or awards that you have received since your last appraisal should be gathered for further reference.

Self-evaluation is the best tool

Your company may or may not formally do the evaluation of the employees, it is always better to do a self evaluation. Rate your performance as per each competency and goal that you have achieved so far. The motive of this exercise is to share your perception with your manager before your appraisal meeting and thus you should remain honest while rating yourself.

Draft your own possible goals

Initiate yourself by drafting your own possible goals before your manager hand over your goals to you. This is called taking a proactive approach. On the basis of your job description, department or organization’s higher-level goals, you can draft some of your own possible goals. You can share these goals with your manager in the meeting so as to provide him/her a glimpse of your dedication for work.

    Always remember that whenever you join a meeting for appraisal with your manager, do not feel defensive. People do not listen very well when they are defensive. Prepare yourself for the meeting by relaxing your mind and letting go of the defensiveness. You should listen carefully to the feedbacks of your manager and the goals he/she has set out for you. It is your career and you have the power to manage your own performance. Make the most out of every opportunity and let your contribution known so as to get meaningful feedbacks and directions that will aid you in your professional growth.

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

5 Effective Tips To Cast A Lasting Impression At Your New Job

5 Effective Tips To Cast A Lasting Impression At Your New Job

First impression is undoubtedly the last impression; whether it is for your love life, your interview or your first day at work. You keep brooding about ways to impress the co-workers and the employer during the first few weeks of your new job. The anxiety and nervousness you feel at the interview do not end just with the interview selection; it does continue to the first day, in fact, the first month, of your new job.

If you are also stuck in the same situation then you have landed on the right place. Below we have discussed 5 effective tips to help you cast a lasting impression in the initial phase of your new job.

Appreciate The Opportunity

Ground-rule for a new job: ‘Never take anything or anyone for granted’. Appreciate the fact that you got the opportunity to work in the organization. Make it obvious to your employer that you are happy you got the job. Let them know that you are enjoying this new position and are willing to go the extra mile for this opportunity.

Sending a thank you email to your boss after a month of job completion never goes out of class and would definitely impress him or her.

Know Your Co-Workers

Break the ice between you and the co-workers by indulging in small talks during lunch time or snack breaks. Use the 70-30 rule for this. 70% of the conversation that you have should be more focused on knowing about the company and its working; i.e., let them talk first. The rest 30% can be about you and your previous work profile etc.

Impress them with your talks and attitude (don’t overdo it!) and who knows, they may be instrumental in your career growth in this organization.

Show Some Extra Efforts

Extra efforts never go unnoticed. Whether it is the extra hours that you decide to work, the add-on assignment that you take or just the help that you offer in various sphere, this extra effort in the initial phase would work wonders in the coming time. Employers are always impressed with a person who takes initiative and does not go by the clock.

Working those extra hours or taking up those extra assignments would show how dedicated and eager you are to learn new things.

Be Professional And Look The Same

Don’t enter into the office space wearing those casual sweatshirts or hoodies. It’s your new job, learn to be professional and dress accordingly. Remember, the way you dress up says a lot about your attitude to work. Another aspect of being professional is your punctuality. Be there on time at least for the first month to cast a good impression on your employer.

Once you have got inside the office, know what type of clothing people usually adorn and make changes in your personality accordingly.

Don’t Hesitate To Ask Question

Dave Smith of TekScape says that a new employee who comes with a number of questions asking about the job profile, the organization and its working culture, always impresses the employer. Your questions and inquisitive nature show that you are putting efforts into understanding the job and are interested in the organization.

You need to gain as much information as you can about the organization; and the best way to do is to ask questions.

Getting a new job brings a mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement. But, you need to keep those emotions aside and work on making healthy relations with the people around you so that you enjoy your work period at this company. Use these tips and enjoy working at your new job

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

10 Ways to Improve Employee Retention

10 Ways to Improve Employee Retention

Here are ten tips that will help you make sure your employees are around for many years.

Is your employee retention at an all-time high? Can't seem to scare employees off if you try? Congratulations. But, if you're one of the many businesses that sees high employee turnover as a problem, you may wonder what you can do to retain your most valued workers.

In an increasingly competitive business world, top talent is in high demand. If you aren't making your top workers happy, another company may come along to steal them away. Here are ten tips that will help you make sure your employees are around for many years.

Create the Right Culture

Finding employees who will feel a strong bond with your company starts with creating an environment that attracts those employees. Your company culture should match the type of employee you want to employ, whether you opt for a by-the-book, strict workplace or a more casual, laid-back atmosphere.

Hire the Right Employees

As you're screening candidates, pay close attention to signs that you may have a job-hopper. While there's nothing wrong with someone switching jobs if it provides career advancement, look for someone who is interested in growing with your company rather than getting experience to take somewhere else.

Offer Training

Businesses expect their professionals to arrive fully trained and certified. Yet too many aren't willing to invest in helping them maintain those credentials. Whether you send employees to a learning center or you provide membership to one of the many e-learning sites available, when you take your employees' education seriously, they see it as an investment in their career.

Provide Guidance

Your employees should be fully aware of their job duties and how they're doing in performing them. You can accomplish this by first having a job plan in place and providing regular feedback on an employee's performance. If an employee feels confused about his role in your organization, he's more likely to feel disgruntled and begin searching for something else.

Pay Well

As difficult as it is to pay competitive salaries when funds are low and budgets are tight, calculate the cost to replace employees. It can cost as much as 30 percent to 50 percent of an entry-level employee's annual salary just to replace him. Employees often find they can enjoy a 10 to 20 percent salary increase by simply moving from one company to the next, which makes jumping ship attractive.

Don't Punish Competence

Managers often spend much of their time on employees who are struggling, leaving the talented ones completely neglected. Over time, this can lead to resentment as star employees start to feel unnoticed and unsupported. Managers must make an effort to let top performers know their hard work isn't going unnoticed.

Be More Flexible

Workers have expressed a preference for flexible working conditions. If you expect your best employee to answer his phone when a client calls at seven o'clock on a Friday night, you should also understand when that employee comes in late one morning or needs to take off early.

Offer Benefits

Small businesses often struggle to compete with larger corporations in providing benefits. While you don't have to beat big business in the healthcare options you offer, you can offer things they won't get elsewhere, such as the ability to work from home, more flexible vacation offerings, and performance bonuses.

Provide Unique Perks

Another way businesses can compete without breaking the budget is through offering perks they can't get elsewhere. Silicon Valley has become notorious for its free meals and nap pods, but you can increase retention by coming up with creative perks. Use your connections to get free VIP tickets to special events or special discounts at local retailers.

Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously

As much work as you try make your company attractive to talented people, the truth is employees might be leaving because of their bosses. In fact, research has shown people tend to quit their bosses, not companies. If you can cultivate an environment where employees feel rewarded and gratified, you'll already be ahead of a great deal of other bosses out there.

Improving retention rates doesn't have to be difficult. By being a positive role model and directly connecting with your employees, you'll be more likely to understand what they need to continue to help your business thrive.

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

Tips to master your first job interview

Interview is a formal conversation between two or more people where the interviewee is judged on his skills and the way he or she presents himself or herself. It is the most important step in the hiring process.

Finding a job could be stressful for the first-time job seekers. You have mailed your resume but when you are called for your first interview you are always unsure of what to wear, how to behave, what questions to ask and so on. Your first impression is highly important to land that dream job. So, here are a few tips to master your first job interview and impress your bosses.

Dress appropriately:  It is particularly important for you to look professional. Pressed pants with a shirt and a tie for men and a formal shirt with a pencil skirt or a trousers for women. Make sure you look exceptionally good. Be neat and clean. Remember dressing up professionally sends a message that you are serious about your career and your job. Remember first impression is the best impression.

Practice: Since it is your first job interview, it is essential for you to prepare for the same with your friend, family members or mentor. You should be able to answer the trickiest questions without hesitation. Read your resume properly. Research about the company and its policies as it will boost your confidence.
Avoid using fillers: Avoid using words like "umm", "like" "actually". Using these fillers sends a message to the interviewer that you are nervous. Listen to the questions asked and then answer. Work out a strategy to deal with your stress.

Arrive early: Being late for your first interview leaves a very bad impression but don't be too early either. Arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time. Plan your ride, get directions and line it up before time so that you are not late.

Know yourself: Make sure you are well groomed. You should know about your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest and confident about your skills and abilities. Go through your resume before appearing for the interview. You should be able to answer all the questions without being hesitant. Make sure you are clear and concise in all your answers.

Body language: Avoid distractions and make eye contact with the interviewer. Try to stay calm and collected. Present a firm handshake with a smile while you greet the interviewer. Make sure your nails are trimmed and you are dressed to your best. Maintain a good posture and be humble in all your interactions. Do not forget to thank the interviewer for his or her valuable time.

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

18 Tips to Handle Any Job Interview Successfully

18 Tips to Handle Any Job Interview Successfully

No matter which career path you want to choose below are the best tips to help you land your dream job.

1. Always do your homework well before walking into an interview. Make sure you have complete knowledge about the company and the role.

2. Know yourself. Remember first impression is the last impression. Demonstrate your capabilities and qualities and how well you can serve them. Don’t be overconfident and aggressive.

3. You should know your competency and transferable skills. Competency skills are the skills matching your job profile and transferable skills which you acquired through other jobs, personal activities.

4. Social networking sites like Facebook, Orkut, Linkedin can be used for work opportunities and conversing with other people improving your interpersonal skills.

5. Be clear about what you want to achieve in life and about your career objective. It will keep you focused. You don’t have to do anything for the heck of it.

6. Your CV is vital for a successful interview. Never bluff, include all your skills and experience to give you a competitive edge.

7. Prepare well for an interview. You can make notes of interview questions which are most likely to be asked. Practice your answers.This will boost your confidence.

8. Work on your communication skills. Remember having a good technical knowledge without effective interpersonal skills will not take you anywhere. Be expressive and a good conversationalist. Dazzle the interviewers with eloquent speech.

9. Make sure you can support your strengths by giving examples. You can prepare before but don’t falter while talking. It will not create a good impression.

10. When asked about your weaknesses acknowledge them. If you are not able to describe, it signifies that you lack self awareness. You can’t be perfect in everything.

11. Always be presentable while dressing for the interview. Your attire should be according to the role, culture and yourself. Please no tacky and brash clothing and accessories. You don’t need to be glammed up.

12. Spend time on personal grooming. This will keep you calm. You don’t have to present yourself as a person full of nervous energy and fidgets.

13. On the D day, relax. Be comfortable and wear a smile. And Voila! You will definitely crack the interview.

14. Your body language is very important. Your facial expressions, hand movements, posture, voice and pace should send the same message.

15. Don’t forget to make an eye contact. Your voice should be enthusiastic and do not stammer. Lack of enthusiasm will put off the interviewers.

16. Keep all your documents well organized in a folder. Also be on time, preferably 15 minutes before so you get time to settle down and calm your nerves.

17. Interview manners are very important. Bad manners will definitely be a turn off. Don’t bang the door, shake handily firmly, ask if you can take a seat, sit up straight and do not slouch.

18. When asked about remuneration. You don’t have to be blunt. Instead you can say that you expect a fair raise in terms of qualifications and experience proportionate with peers.
Now that you have some good interview tips. Be confident, gear up and don’t let yourself down. Remember this is not the end of life if you don’t get through to the process. It’s just an interview. Good Luck!

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM 

5 Common Interview Mistakes that Could Cost You Your Dream Job (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Negativity:

No complaints about your past. This might happen when answering questions like “Why are you looking for a change?” We can very easily say something ‘not nice’ about our previous work experience.

A small anecdote: My first job was with a major Indian IT consulting firm and I being an entry-level fresher, I was a buffer/shadow/non-billable resource in a testing project. I was not given any real work and all I had to do was “learn” by watching. My job was simply to consolidate all the bug reports created by the individual testers in the team at the end of the day. Trust me, it was pathetic. But, that’s not the point.

Say, this is the position you are trying to make a move from. When a question comes to you- “What was your role in the project?” What is your answer going to be? There are two ways to handle this- the optimist and the pessimist way. The pessimist way is to complain how you were not trusted with any important tasks and all you had to do was merge the individual bug reports. The optimist way is to explain how you were the quality representative for your team who made sure the bug reports were complete and had no duplicates/inaccurate information – or how you got a chance to look into the entire project related issues and in effect the entire AUT instead of being confined to a certain module. It is apparent which one is a better answer, correct?

So, no matter how bad the currentjob/company/boss/salary/project/process– it helps to find what is good about them and only choosing that part to include in your answers during an interview.

#2. Lying about your skills on the resume:

This is an aspect that cannot be reminded enough. We all want good jobs, we all want our resumes to be noticed and more than that, we want that lifeless-resume-search-engine to pick just us from all the 1000s of them out there. This often leads to a kind of passive desperation and compels us to put something on our resume that isn’t totally correct. E.g. adding automation tools when you don’t have any hands-on experience. We might successfully fool the machine, but we won’t be able to do that with an interviewer. Careful what you write in there.

3. Talking endlessly:

Another personal experience to share here. There was this one interview a few years ago, when I almost had the job. It was a referral, a perfect fit to my skill set and the interview panel had a few of my friends. I still did not get the job. Frankly, I would not have hired myself. Why? I would not stop talking and I had no idea what I was talking. The very same day, I came back from an international business trip, was jet lagged and sleep-deprived- Traveled way too far on a hot summer afternoon in the busy city traffic and was out of breath when I got there. So, when the interviewer asked me questions, I was all about ‘just talking’ instead of saying anything meaningful. I learnt that day, when we can’t be “Present” we should not be. So, when you have an interview and you are serious about making it successful- be present, answer only appropriately and be professional. If you can’t be – respectfully reschedule.

Other common interview mistakes in conversational are:

Trying to use big words out of context: This will cause unnecessary follow up questions. Say, you have no idea but have heard about “Business continuity plan- BCP”. When you were asked about test planning, you said we also have to come up with a BCP- but not knowing the full extent on the topic. The interviewer, as expected, will ask you what BCP is and the rest, I don’t have to explain.

Filler words: There are a few filler words we use often-mostly when nervous- in conversations. One of my trainers always used the phrase “The one” and I have been told that I say “So” very often to keep the flow of a sentence going. Recognize if that’s happening and try to stay calm. It’s ok to be nervous, but the real trick is to camouflage it. Think of an interview as a professional conversation – listen and respond appropriately.

#4. Do not commit:

Commit to working hard. Commit to integrity. Commit to discipline. But do not commit to a time line, salary expectation or anything more serious. Let me give you an example, how long will you stay with the company? – try to say something non-committal- “as long as it takes (with a smile)” or “however long you would like me to stay” are all good, because you are not promising anything. If you say- “As long as I find it challenging” – this will mean, you will quit the minute work is more routine. “As long as it is good for my career”- means you are only interested in your welfare and do not care about the company. Really, there is no good way to answer questions like this- So, invite your sense of humor and stay on a neutral ground.

#5. What are your weaknesses?

Wait, don’t answer that. We are human, thus- not perfect. Also, we know our weaknesses best. It does not mean we have to go about letting everyone know of them. Especially not in an interview. Twist the answer around to mean that it is strength of yours. You can say “You can’t stand grammatical/spelling errors in reference documents”- this will mean you are diligent and want things to be in a standard way. Or you can say- “I often arrive at meetings early and have to wait for the others, which can be quite annoying”- shows punctuality. So, you get the picture, right?

 DESIGNED BY WEB DESIGN MUMBAI NBSP; YAAARO  POWERED BY   BLUE SUN INFO PLACEMENT MUMBAI  DEM