Blog (EN) - Page 7 of 33

17Sep

How to prepare for a job fair?

When you’re looking for a job, don’t minimize any opportunity to get the job of your dreams, because you never know… If you haven’t yet received a phone call for an interview, after applying to several job offers, consider attending a job fair. This is a great opportunity to meet potential recruiters. Still, to have a chance to catch the eye of a recruiter at a job fair, you don’t have to go just anyhow … Remember to prepare yourself well for this event which can be a determining factor in your career. What to do? We review with you the tips to use …

1. Take care of your outfit

It’s true that a job fair is not a classic job interview, but that’s no reason to present yourself to recruiters in old jeans with holes in them. Taking care of your outfit will always earn you points with recruiters. Shirt and shaved face for men, blazer and discreet make-up for women, a sober appearance is what you need to seduce a recruiter at a job fair.

2. Find information on participating companies

The mistake you should never make is to arrive at a job fair without first having taken the time to take all the information on all the companies participating in the event. Take all the information you need before you go to the job fair. This will help you find out which companies are of interest to you. What jobs are on offer? Knowing which company you are applying to will work in your favour.

3. Print your CVs in several copies

Since you are going to meet many potential recruiters, don’t forget to print a sufficient number of general resumes and bring your business cards with you if you have any. This will ensure that you don’t miss any opportunities to apply for a maximum number of offers and in many companies. Your chances will only be boosted…

4. Prepare your presentation in 30 seconds in chrono

Recruiters generally do not have a lot of time at career fairs to spend with all candidates. These are networking events. You need to take this into account by preparing a lecture that introduces you, your field of expertise and your experiences. It must be short, precise and effective. You will repeat it to introduce yourself to all recruiters.

5. Collect the cards

When you meet with the recruiters, don’t forget to ask each one for his or her business card. You will then be able to contact them again to ask if they are interested in your application. Who knows? You may be able to find a recruiter interested in your profile.

6. On the spot, think practical

Don’t forget to swallow something before you arrive at the job fair: you’ll be more concentrated if your stomach doesn’t gurgle during an interview. Also avoid smoking before or during the job fair: ashtray breath will put off recruiters.

10Sep

The 5 essential qualities of a high-performing employee

It is no longer a debate … All HR specialists now agree that the company is just as interested in know-how as it is in people skills. Moreover, the individual personality of each person within the company is a valuable source of diversity. However, whatever the personality of an employee, he or she must possess certain indispensable qualities that we will focus on in this article.

1-Being honest

Honesty is a human quality appreciated in everyone, but it is even more so in a worker. In fact, honest and reliable employees have the respect of their superiors and colleagues because they promise realistic goals. In fact, no one likes rough estimates. Those who are honest and accurate in estimating the time they need to complete their tasks and who report regularly on their progress project an image of efficiency and reliability.

2-Solution-oriented mindset

As an employee, you must be involved in solving the problems that the company encounters. You must not be a mere bystander who will simply observe problems and report them to your manager. Indeed, managers do not appreciate employees who pass on problems without suggesting any solutions. Alone or in a team, it is therefore necessary to spend time looking for long-term solutions. After all, problems are there to be solved and you are there to make the company work .

3-The sense of organization

The sense of organization also remains a quality highly appreciated in a worker. As an employee, you have to learn how to organize your work efficiently. Whether you choose to work at home, in the office or at the corner café, make sure you have a method of working and organizing. For example, when the workload builds up, you need to be able to set priorities without discussing every detail with your manager. In short, keep in mind that no manager wants to work with a messy worker.

4-Team spirit

There is a saying that goes: “There is strength in numbers…” This adage also applies to the world of work. Indeed, knowing how to work in a team is a very great quality in a worker. The manager will always be happy to see that there is a real one within the company. He will be pleased to see that the workers take the initiative to share tasks, solve problems and carry out missions that are entrusted to them in a collegial and creative manner. A close-knit team is a guarantee of satisfaction for a company boss and a positive atmosphere in the workplace.

5- Proactivity

Finally, one of the essential qualities of a worker is proactivity. This presupposes that the employee has the ability to put his or her own expectations and needs to one side, in order to reflect on the functioning of the company and its future evolution. In other words, for the worker, it is a question of being able to project himself into the future. This state of mind is highly appreciated by managers because it shows the worker’s willingness to collaborate with the company in the long term.

03Sep

Advantages of having lunch with your colleagues

The company where you work is not only your place of work, it is also somewhere where social relationships and friendships happen. For that matter, many managers are looking into promoting solidarity and a good working environment within their team because they are confident that it will have an impact on the productivity of the company. That is the reason why “eating together” with colleagues is something that companies really wish for. It has become something normal that generates lots of benefits. If you’re one of those people who eat alone in front of your desk, think about going to the cafeteria from time to time to take lunch with your colleagues. Having lunch, sharing a good meal with your colleagues seated around a table, is the perfect opportunity to talk about work and what we have done during the weekend. It provides exchanges and good spirit. According to the 2016 survey from Cornell University, it also stimulates teamwork.

This study revealed that most of the time, employees who eat together are more likely to work together than those who eat alone. Teamwork is not the only advantage that comes out of sharing lunch with colleagues: it is a good alternative to team building which is “ very costly, but mostly it requires a lot of employees to do activities with their colleagues during their free time” explains Kevin Kniffin, a behavioral researcher. With that in mind, many companies set up cafeterias inside their buildings to uplift that friendly practice and encourage employees to go there and sit at a table around colleagues.

However, you can’t force relationships among people because it could be counter productive. So, even though eating with colleagues has plenty of benefits, we shouldn’t force things to happen. It should come naturally… Actually just because you share a lunch with colleagues doesn’t mean that teamwork and harmony will get better and that workers will like each other better or work better together.

Quite to the contrary, eating by yourself could also be a good thing. Everybody is not always ready to handle conversations about each and others during lunch, which also represents a relaxing moment where you find yourself again. From this study from the University of Toronto, it is especially important to let people choose what they want to do. You can’t force anybody to be with others. Anyway, it is up to you to choose who you want to eat with. You can also choose both options and go back and forth as you want it, by eating alone once a week for example.

Whatever the case is, it is recommended not to be seen as someone who always mess up the mood and the atmosphere within colleagues. Be even in terms of choices. Your manager will always appreciate you being someone who come together.

27Aug

5 sentences to never say at work

The professional world is a universe that requires a certain finesse in speech as well as in behaviour in general. In the company, the words you use give an idea of your professional image. It is therefore a good idea to choose the right expressions when you are in a professional environment. Certain phrases are thus absolutely to be banned if you want to be considered a leader. But which ones? Forbes magazine interviewed Darlene Price (author of the book Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results) about those words or phrases that should be avoided at all costs at work. We take stock with you.

1. “It’s not fair.”

Your colleague has received a pay raise while you work harder than he does. This can indeed create some frustration. But complaining or brooding about your anger in the workplace would be counterproductive. Instead, take stock of the facts, build a case and present it calmly to the people responsible,” advises Darlene Price.

2. “It’s not my problem” / “It’s not my job” / “I don’t get paid for this”

This sentence is to be banished, because it shows that you do not have the team spirit, nor the sense of solidarity. This does not mean that you have to accept everything, but you must be more tactful in your refusal. Darlene Price says that if, for example, you’re overwhelmed and your boss asks you to take on an extra task, tell him that you’d be happy to help and ask what priority you should give to each of the projects you’re working on. And Darlene Price’s continued use of this method will show that you’re willing to invest in the team, while reminding him that he needs to be realistic in his expectations.

3. “I will try.”

The verb to try implies a certain reluctance or lack of commitment. It is perceived by influential leaders as a rather negatively connoted verb in professional exchanges. Imagine, for example, that you absolutely must mail an invoice before a certain time and ask your colleague to take care of it when he goes to his next customer. If he replies “I’ll try” you will feel obliged to do it yourself because the sentence implies a possibility of failure.

4. “But that’s the way we’ve always done it”

It should also be remembered that initiative is the hallmark of leaders. A good worker must be able to think outside the box to innovate. Employers value innovation and creative thinking among their employees. However, this sentence proves that you are stuck in your habits, rigid and closed, without any prospect of evolution. Change is not always negative: never be so adamant about a new idea or way of doing things,” advises Darlene Price.

5. “He’s a fool” / “He’s lazy” / “My job sucks” / “I hate this company”

According to Darlene Price, this kind of sentence not only reveals immaturity, but can get you fired. Making those kinds of judgments is always going to reflect poorly on you. If you have something to reproach someone with, let them know directly, tactfully and politely: it will prove your professionalism.

20Aug

Top 7 jobs of the future that do not yet exist

A few years ago, many of the jobs that exist today had not yet been created. If you think that this dynamic of the birth of new trades will stop, you may be disappointed. Between robots, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles, the trades of the future are knocking at our doors. Observers have finished convincing us that millions of jobs will be replaced by machines. At the same time, we will witness the birth of professions that will seem to come straight out of a science fiction movie. We are taking stock with you on some of the jobs of the future that do not yet exist.

1. Space travel guide

This is a profession that will emerge in the future as space tourism takes off. It’s not a bad idea to consider a career as a space tour guide. You’ll be responsible for accompanying wealthy visitors throughout their flight and designing the most exciting itineraries using your knowledge of the aircraft used in orbit.

2. Asteroid Miner

Digging asteroids to find certain minerals is an option for the future. This will address the scarcity of resources on the planet by exploiting those in space. This high-risk drilling will generally be undertaken by self-contained machinery, but in some cases, human miners will be called in as backup to ensure smooth operations.

3. Brain Content Manager

Science is dynamic and continually surpasses itself. In the future, it is envisioned that we will find ways to access your thoughts and memories through implants that link your brain to a computer. This new medical possibility will open the door to paid services to improve memory and even revise your dreams. Brain content managers will also be able to help a person sort through their memories and make a movie of their life for those around them.

4. Technology Ethics Counsellor

The role of robots and artificial intelligence has been widely debated. All the same, it is imperative to reflect on ethical rules so that the use of these new technologies does not come at the expense of human beings. In addition to teaching machines to decode the subtleties of our language, experts will have to confirm to the public that the necessary safety beacons have been put in place. The birth of the profession of technology ethics counsellor is then highly conceivable.

5. UAV manager

Companies like Amazon are planning to acquire fleets of thousands of drones to speed up their delivery service. Managers specialized in the purchase, programming, maintenance and supervision of these motorized swarms will therefore be in high demand on the job market.

6. Privacy manager

As smart devices become the target of an increasing number of cyber attacks, solutions are needed to protect private information. Online privacy advisors will be in demand. This expertise will also be valued by businesses and governments.

7. End-of-life coach

After the life coach, get ready for the end of life coach! The population is aging and this large cohort will need sensitive and empathetic counsellors. They will guide them in their choice of medical treatments and explore with them how to live their last days to the fullest.

30Jul

Africa: Industrialization is essential for job creation

In Africa, job creation is essential for sustainable development and inclusive growth in the continent. Vulnerable groups such as women and youth are disproportionately affected by the scarcity of decent work opportunities in Africa. Yet they are important links in the African population without whom development is not possible. Almost all observers maintain, and rightly so, that only industrialisation will make it possible to create the skilled jobs needed by young Africans. Thus, according to United Nations projections, Africa will experience unprecedented population growth and should account for nearly 40% of the world’s population by 2100 (i.e. as much as China and India combined) as against nearly 17% today.

Industrialization is becoming a response to the urgent need to create ten to twelve million jobs a year just to absorb new entrants to the labour market. It must, however, be an industrialization thought out and adapted to the African context.

Indeed, each country having its own characteristics, it is essential that each government envisage industrialization by taking into account in particular the natural resources at its disposal and the potentialities with which the country is endowed. Industrialization must be based on the creation of a favourable economic and social environment. According to Jonathan Le Henry, a consultant with PWC, African countries would benefit from “a common and integrated approach to industrial policy.

And the latter to specify that several levers must be activated to win the challenge of industrialization in Africa. It will be a question of capitalizing on natural resources to create new activities with higher added value, to rely on strategic partnerships to promote value sharing and technology transfer, to rely on the technologies of the industrial revolution 4.0 to achieve productivity gains, improve the level of competitiveness and better integrate into the value chain. Finally, the aim will be to create the necessary conditions for improving the business climate by offering an attractive environment for foreign investors and minimizing the burden of bureaucracy.

Such an approach could enable African populations to benefit from massive job creation. In the long term, the development of the African continent could be sustainable and beneficial to every African citizen.

At present, African industry generates only US$700 of GDP per capita on average, three times less than in Latin America (US$2,500) and five times less than in East Asia (US$3,400). And its exports consist of low-technology manufactured goods and unprocessed natural resources – which account for more than 80 per cent of the exports of Algeria, Angola and Nigeria, for example.

Africa, like Europe in the nineteenth century and Asia in the twentieth century, must therefore embark resolutely on the path of industrialization in the twenty-first century. To this end, the President of the African Development Bank Group, the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) have agreed to work together to help Africa design its industrialization agenda. Other initiatives are also emerging to bring the dark continent out of the shadows.

23Jul

Graduated and disoriented? Some advice to guide you after your studies

You still spend a lot of time thinking about your professional future, without really knowing where you are going or what you will do. This unpleasant feeling of professional uncertainty is widely shared among many young graduates. It prevents them from moving forward, but also prevents them from being optimistic about their future. However, you should not give in to discouragement. No more sitting in bed doing nothing, it’s time to take action! Here are a few tips to put your situation into perspective and guide you …

Taking stock of yourself …

It is important when you are lost and discouraged by a professional future that you feel uncertain, to take stock of yourself. This will allow you to get back on track. In particular, you need to ask yourself a number of questions to help you find your way around. What exactly do you want? How and where do you see yourself in a year’s time? What about later? The answers to these questions will allow you to project yourself towards a more serene future and to get a feel for your expectations. The aim is to inspire you, to get out of a lethargic state, in short to discover yourself in a new light.

Review his professional experiences …

As a graduate, remember that even if you haven’t seen the end of the tunnel yet, that doesn’t mean you have no skills or that you’re worthless. On the contrary, you have many skills that are just waiting to be put to use. To discover them, you need to take stock of your skills. Review all of your work experiences. No matter how small they may be, don’t underestimate them. In a student job or internship, for example, you have learned to adapt, to work in a team, to develop certain abilities, to obey, etc. Take stock of what you liked and what disappointed you. This will allow you to orient yourself so that you know exactly what field you would like to work in.

List possible career options …

You didn’t graduate for nothing. You certainly have ideas, career dreams. List them! For each idea, you need to think about the prerequisites needed to implement them, as well as the consequences of such a choice on your life. You still need to be realistic, because it is clear that you will not be able to achieve your long-term goals immediately. Be ready to roll the dent. At first, expect to find a position that suits you and that will allow you to move up the ladder in the future. So, when looking through job offers, avoid all those that require a minimum of two years of work experience, as you have a very small chance of being selected. Anticipate by avoiding rejections and negative feedback. This will help you not to become discouraged.

Get to know the jobs related to your training …

You need to take the time to find out about the jobs that interest you, or more precisely those that revolve around your field of training. For example, if you know someone in your entourage who has completed the same training as you or who knows the sector you are passionate about, ask them for information. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the professionals, those who are already practising their profession, they will be delighted to answer you. You can also get information from former graduates, those of your year, etc. In short, give yourself the chance to diversify your sources of information.

16Jul

Why use an outplacement service?

Outplacement (or reclassification) is a coaching process for professional mobility. Its aim is to make the process of breaking a contract between a company and its employees less complicated.

It is an external outplacement service provided by a human resources firm. It consists in guiding and accompanying the former employee in the search for a new job or in the launch of his own activity. The adviser listens to the candidate and provides support, advice and expertise.

Evaluation and coaching process

Every new beginning begins with a check-up. Taking stock of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done. This is exactly the same process with outplacement. The HR consultant will help the employee to make a personal and professional assessment. In this way, both will be able to identify where the employee comes from in terms of career path and all the possibilities that might be open to him or her.

This is done by first analysing the background of the person concerned in order to better understand it. Then, the consultant helps the former employee to identify his or her strengths in order to maximize them and to be able to use them better in the future. The candidate’s areas for improvement are also analysed.

Outplacement: transition coaching and springboard to a new job

Some moments in our professional career can be quite sensitive and unsettling. For example, a breach of contract or a dismissal are difficult events that can easily confuse any employee.

To enable the employee to bounce back and to be able to orient himself effectively, the consultant will also take on the role of a coach. In addition to technical support, there is a human dimension that is added here. This translates into listening and understanding the personality and full potential of the candidate, which are now at the heart of the outplacement process. We talk about coaching here because the consultant seeks to improve the skills and performance of the candidate. Whether it is in the context of a reconversion through training or a new project, the objective is to equip the candidate to reposition himself favourably and sustainably in his market.

Outplacement is a real career accelerator. It helps the beneficiary of the service to make the right choices, by having all the necessary tools at his disposal. In this way, the candidate avoids the mistakes he or she might have made if he or she was not accompanied.

The benefits of outplacement

In order to be able to part with an employee in the best possible conditions, the company itself chooses the service provider who will take care of the outplacement service.

Outplacement is beneficial to company executives because it allows them to reposition themselves quickly after a layoff. The period of unemployment is thus reduced and the employee can return to work in a short period of time.

It also allows the employee to maintain or even increase his or her income level. Indeed, it is common for candidates accompanied by an outplacement consultant to find a better paid job than their previous one. Trusting an outplacement consultant means putting all the chances on his or her side to get a job according to his or her real abilities and experience.

Outplacement is also very advantageous for companies. By making it easier for employees to return to work, companies demonstrate their social responsibility. In this way, they support the efforts of governments by helping to reduce unemployment.

Finally, using an outplacement service contributes greatly to the employer’s good reputation, as it is perceived as helping employees who are separating from the company to find a new job. The company thus promotes values of respect, consideration and recognition of the services and efforts made by its former employees.

02Jul

The importance of an HR department within a company

Human resources management plays a fundamental role within companies. Indeed, it is a complex and transversal function that must be at the very heart of any company’s strategy.

People create value, they are the most important resource of any company. And the most important mission of the HR function is to provide the company with efficient and fulfilled human capital.

The HR function designs an optimal recruitment strategy

Talent is essential to the growth and evolution of any structure in Africa. We must therefore be able to attract them. First, the HR manager(s) carry out a complete diagnosis of the company in order to understand its needs. Thus, they draw up a mapping of jobs and skills in order to have a clear and precise vision of talent (current and future). It is also a question here of listing the skills already present within the company in order to unleash their potential. This is a real groundwork that requires expert hands.

Once the recruitment plan is established, it is now time to attract talent. To do so, HR managers will need to leverage their employer brand and corporate culture. These two factors are key to differentiating themselves from other employers in Africa.

Talent management and retention

Once recruitment is finalised, HR management remains crucial to the cohesion of the organisation .

Personnel management, for example, is a key factor in the smooth running of any business. Establishing the salary scale, setting up social benefits, monitoring the evolution of performance, including evaluation and training … It is therefore a complete cycle that is set in motion and that concerns both the daily and the long-term vision.

In addition to the administrative management of personnel, there are also crisis management (economic crisis, health crisis, etc.), or even internal conflicts that may arise within the company. In these delicate phases too, human resources are a crucial player.

As we saw with the VIDOC-19 pandemic, the strategic importance of HR is well established. There is an urgent need for companies in Africa to commit now to making HR a strategic HR function.

The HR function, a real growth lever for companies in Africa

Much more than just an administrative department for contract management, the HR function in Africa is a real driving force for the company’s development.

To achieve its growth objective, HR managers in Africa are responsible for building the company’s marketing strategy and ensuring the development and deployment of the employer brand. These two branches concern both the company’s internal and external communication.

All of these elements contribute not only to the well-being of employees, but also to a better functioning of the company and its good reputation.

Are you overwhelmed or have little knowledge in this area? Don’t hesitate to ask an experienced Consultant to help you build your HR strategy and deploy it. By deciding to make it your priority, you are investing in the development of your company.