Category: Candidate/recruiter

It is legally obligated in Africa for employers to have an employee register that provides information about the history of each of their employees except for certain cases.  Whether it is a big company, a SME or a small business, the rule is the same for everybody. Beyond the fact that it is mandatory by law, we can’t help but admit however that keeping this register makes it easier to manage staff.

An employee register: a legal obligation 

From the minute you hire a new employee or a new employee leaves the company, as an employee you must think about filling up the employee register form. This obligation is something provided by the law that is also severely punished for any company that did not abide by it. The goal is to provide clear and detailed information about the work history for every employee that is up to date and available. The law also provides data protection or information for all employees in the best possible conditions. Those data must also be included in all the different steps of the employees.

A multi-use and long term tracking tool 

An employee register is crucial for staff management. It allows you to always know about the work history of the employer and about any updates on his legal status. Moreover, in cases of inspection or disputes, the company can use this document as proof. The work inspectors, the staff representative, the employee representative committee can all have access to it. No matter what payroll software companies use, it should be available for at least 5 years. This time period starts from the day the employee leaves. But since the register keeps information of several employees it will have to last longer than usual.

What is an employee register about? 

When it comes to the employee register what we need to know is that the law is very flexible about it and doesn’t require to use any formal template. However, certain elements need to be present to help have a better follow-up of the employees: first name,surname, nationality, current job, qualifications, date of new hire, date of poaching, events prior to hire, work authorization, type of contract (short term, long term, apprenticeship contract, seasonal contract, contract of employment, part time contract etc.).  

Focus on the situation of the interns

If interns were not included in the register in the past, it has changed since 2004 because they are now obligated to appear on it just like any other employee of the company. But, their information would appear in a different chapter to avoid any mix-up. The name of the intern supervisor, the sending institution, and the host department are among the information that need to appear on the register. If any event was to happen during the internship, the employer had to mention it. Regarding posted workers, the company must inform the work inspection about his intention to move the employee or the employees before really starting the process. Also, the recipient business of the posted employee or employees must receive a copy of a certificate of posting. Just like the sending company, the recipient business of the employee has to enroll them in their own personal register.

Avoid talking about yourself…

Some candidates have this bad tendency of making the whole conversation about them when they are face to face with a recruiter, therefore forgetting that a job interview is about two people meeting, sharing and not a one way conversation. Even though it is true that the recruiter is the one calling the shots and asking all the questions it shouldn’t be a reason for them to be inactive. The recruiter shouldn’t be the only one to decide where the conversation is going. As a candidate you actually have a voice too.

Show that you are curious, the recruiter will definitely appreciate that…

A certain sense of curiosity will always be appreciated by the recruiter who will see you as someone intelligent with a clear interest in the company. The fact that you would try to find out more about the company is proof of your motivation and that will be a plus for you. So you must ask the recruiter some questions about the company. If as a candidate you decide to go to a job interview, it shows that you are interested in the company. Therefore, you need to show them. You must show them that you need to know more about the company to help you make your decision. And in order to do that, you need to find out more about the company, its philosophy, its work method, its plans. You must also have a clear idea of the job they are offering you: what kind of job is it? Who would you be working with? Under whose authority? Is the company offering any prospect of developping within the company?

Do not let the recruiter believe that you are ready to do any job available…

The fact that you would ask the recruiter some questions during the interview will set you apart from the rest in a way because he will not see you as someone desperate who is ready to do any job. If you decide to be inactive and to not ask any question then the recruiter will think that you have no interest in the position and that you will do just about any job whatever it is. Do not be surprised if they don’t select you because recruiters are interested in candidates who are motivated and know what they want.

The company sells itself too…

No matter how eager you are to find a job, keep in mind that this process of selling and being sold goes both way. On one side you want to sell yourself but on the other side the company sells itself too. Companies give to recruiters the mission to find the best profiles and convince them to come work for them. Thus, they will try to have an objective idea of the potential of the candidate beyond his C.V. Don’t be fooled by their speech. They will lure you with promises of big responsibilities, a fair wage, amazing prospective for career development in the company… ask them to be more specific without getting into the details. However it is, remember that you have the right to ask some questions during the job interview and we advise you do so.

Life at a workplace is not always easy because it is naturally a complicated place where we work with people who are not always easy to deal with. Between a clash of ideas on one side and a clash of personalities on the other side, it is impossible for coworkers to not have a hard time working with each other. So in order to be successful in the world of work and have a chance of developing, there are certain attitudes that need to be adopted.

    1. A good sense of problem solving 

As a worker, it is crucial to have a good sense of problem solving. That refers to possessing the skill of dealing with unpleasant situations that could possibly happen at the workplace, with the good attitude. It is a precious quality to have not only at work but also in your personal life. Workers who have it have a higher chance of climbing to the top and having strategic positions.

2. Creativity and initiative 

An employer will always appreciate having a worker who knows how to take initiatives and have a sense of creativity. As a matter of fact, plenty of companies find this attitude valuable. So as an employee you must not be afraid to voice the ideas that come to your mind. However, try your best to be relevant so seduce your manager who will see you as an efficient coworker and not just someone who acts like a robot.

3. Being a good team player…

There is no company nor business where teamwork is not wanted. It is probably one of most valuable characteristics in the work world, whatever the company is. It’s actually something that employers usually check for during the process of a job interview, to see if potential candidates possess it. Being able to work with other people and build a team for a professional project to go well is a good asset for any business to have.

4. Be opened to criticism

Majority of the time, it is very difficult to be open to criticism, we usually don’t like it. A lot of people feel impacted in their proud when people question their work. However, if the criticisms are constructive criticism then we can take advantage of it.

5. Flexibility or adaptability

When you are a worker, you shouldn’t expect your company to adapt to you. We actually should be the one to adapt to them. We will not always be in the position to ask for changes in working hours, office, basically working conditions. We should adapt to the company’s way of operating. This is a quality that you must definitely have if you want to develop in a company.

6. Ability to plan

Finally, the last quality that we recommend you have, as a worker is the ability to organize or to plan. This last quality is among the ones that can help you reduce the everyday stress. Setting up your goals, filling in your calendar and sticking to the program, will all help you tremendously to be more productive. It might not be much of a complete list but those attitudes that we just told you about can certainly help you be successful and develop in a company.

If you don’t believe in yourself, it will be difficult to convince others to believe in you.

During a job interview, the first thing that the recruiter will notice about the candidate is his lack of confidence. So, in order for you to not miss out on that opportunity of getting the job of your dreams, our specialists have made a list of some tips to help you boost your confidence during an interview.

1- Breath

Taking a deep breath is an excellent way of dealing with stress. So before you start the interview it is recommended to calmly take 6 breaths. “ it is not just a psychological thing, breathing also has a real impact on your nervous system » explain specialist Josiane de Saint Paul.

2-  Tell yourself that the job is for you

One way for you to work on your confidence before the in interview is to be 100% sure that this job is for you. «  before you even start preparing for that interview, it is crucial to believe that we were made for that job », reminds Josiane de Saint Paul, therapist, co-founder and former director of French Institute Neuro-Linguistic Programming (FINLP). Without that belief, the person you will be speaking to will feel a lack of motivation. He will conclude that your lack of confidence is proof of how unfit you are for the position you are applying for. We suggest that you know exactly what you expect from the interview before you go on and take it.

3-Take it easy

Making the situation bigger than it really is will not bring you anything. Remind yourself that this is not the end of the world and it is just an interview. Even if it is true that when you want a job you will do anything to get it, keep in mind that it is not a matter of life and death. During an interview, it is important to not put too much pressure upon yourself. “There might be something better around the corner for that person”, says Josiane de Saint Paul, before adding that : « Eric Berne, the father of Transactional analysis said that ‘a winner doesn’t talk about what he’ll do if he wins but knows what he’ll do if he loses.”

4- Don’t see the person you will have in front of you as the enemy

The person seating in front of you is not an enemy sent out there to get you. Just think of him as someone who is just trying to  get the best out of you. To help you relax, do not see the person you are talking to as someone who is looking for conflicts but rather focus on seeing him on his “good” side“, recommends Josiane de Saint Paul.

5-  Take some time to process

if you did not get the job you wanted, it is crucial to take some time to process. First, look back on what you did, but don’t be too harsh on yourself by saying things like “ I did this, I did that“ but also put yourself in the shoes of the other party. “Just like any other relationship, there are two sides to the same story”, added Saint Paul. What we consider as a failure should be actually seen as a feedback from life. ‘ What did I learn and what should I do differently next time?’. That should be the question to ask yourself.”

For a long time, the issue of stress at the workplace has been considered as something that only Western countries were affected by. Yet, no matter where you are, no employee is spared by that issue which diminishes the company’s productivity as well as the motivation of workers. So basically, stress as work is also present in emerging countries.

If, in the past a lot of the Southern countries did not take this issue seriously it is not the case anymore. As of now, many of those countries officially take the issue seriously. Developing countries do not ignore that issue of stress at work anymore, like psychosocial problems and their impact on the economy. Thus, even though there are no official statistics, the issue is nonetheless real in Africa. Therefore, African countries are starting now to be concerned by it despite the fact that we can’t really measure it. It is even more true knowing that official numbers only exist for rich countries.

In Europe around 30% of workers admit being confronted with stress. That is at least what the 2009 Eurostat Union statistic study report revealed. In the US, the cost of stress at work (absences, less productivity, sick days etc) was estimated at 300 billions dollars in 2010 (202 billions euros). With no existing data on the issue, in emerging and developing countries, the International Labor Organization (ILO) decided to focus on the problem. This Organization that mainly focus on work related issues has decided to organize the World day of Safety and health at work. The ILO launched a whole study about that topic. The results of that study should allow to have a clear understanding of the situation related to stress at work. With the same goal. In mind, China turned to the ILO to establish psychosocial risk management tools.

Also, a network has been created in South America with countries like Colombia, Mexico, Argentina around the issues of mental harassment. According to Valentina Forastieri, coordinator of the ILO health at work unit “the reorganization that happened because of the crisis have led to job loss, she said. But for those who have kept their jobs, the stress has gotten higher because of the increase in working hours and the multitasking skills that we expect from them.” In her 2010 report on “emerging risks”, the ILO has already pointed out the risks caused by the new working conditions, mentioning also the situation of migrant workers and undeclared economy. It is a good thing that Southern countries have finally started to be aware of the gravity of that phenomenon because workers well-being is crucial. Many African countries have come to realize that profits are directly linked to workers well-being.