Category Archive for Job

Use a job description, especially a results-oriented one, to hire and manage employees

A Job description, while low on the sexy-management-tool scale, provides the most reliable base for hiring and managing employees. With a job description as the foundation the process is thorough, fair and legal.

Job candidates and employees come in a variety of dimensions, so orienting on them is haphazard. A concrete, job-specific reference is required. The job description provides such a base for writing help wanted ads, stating job qualifications, interviewing job applicants, orienting new employees, planning job training, and appraising job performance.

Some job descriptions are more helpful than others. The common-garden-snake-variety job description is really not harmless; for the most part it describes the job as a seemingly endless list of tasks where the focus of attention is candidate or employee behaviors—which is O.K. as far as it goes.

However, the crucial measurement of candidates or employees is not whether they can "do" the job, that is, perform the tasks, but instead whether they are able to accomplish the results that the organization needs by overcoming obstacles or taking advantage of opportunities. Job descriptions that merely list tasks miss the clarifying results that give meaning to the tasks.

For example, instead of describing the job responsibility of a credit analyst as "analyzes reports," adding the expected result that sets the goal—and explains why the task is important—is far more beneficial, in this way:

DETERMINES CREDIT WORTHINESS by analyzing reports.

A three-line structure with the expected result in boldface caps most aptly emphasizes and clarifies the result graphically. Of course, requirements could also be stated on one line with the result in boldface or italics to focus attention on it.

With a proper job description in place, job-specific requirements are readily available to be used for evaluating job candidates and employees, as follows:

HELP WANTED ADS are designed not only to attract job candidates, but also to screen unqualified people. Recruiting and interviewing is more efficient when solid job requirements—easily taken from the job description—are written into the advertisement. It's O.K. to hype the company and its benefits as well but not to the near exclusion of screening requirements. Leading off with the contribution the job makes to the organization (the job's key result), creates a more uplifting and attractive help wanted advertisement.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS should not be described in an addendum to the job description. The job description itself states requirements exactly as they are needed on the job. Converting a job responsibility, such as "Interviews loan applicants" to "Must have good communication skills" is a step backward in clarity—and legally dangerous. Specifications not normally included in the job description can be easily added for clarification.

JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS grounded on concrete job responsibilities avoid conversations intended to "get to know" a candidate. Examining job knowledge, skills, and abilities is the heart of the matter, but a more dynamic dimension is added to the conversation when expected results from the job description are used to test a candidate's problem-solving abilities to overcome obstacles and her alertness to take advantage of opportunities.

JOB ORIENTATION is more economical and orderly when job steps stated in the job description are used to structure the experience. Actual job requirements lead directly and sensibly to standard operating manuals for action details. Results statements enliven the passing on of policy and procedure by providing an umbrella explanation of why job duties are important.

Top 5 reasons to change jobs

Good economic conditions bring with them booming business, increased workloads and good cheer for most companies. They also bring with them increased attrition rates and higher mobility among employees.  In a good job market, there will always be a large number of people who would be willing to change jobs.

However, a good job market is not the only reason for a change in jobs. Jobs In A Jiffy has compiled a list of the top 5 reasons why an employees chooses to leave his current employment.

Higher Pay

The most obvious and often cited reason for a job change is for higher pay. Most respondents to our questions felt that they get a bigger salary hike when they move to a company than they would get in their current employer's performance appraisal. Though it is debatable if money is the sole reason for an employee quitting, but we can safely say that it is one of the prime motivators.

Promotion and More Responsibility

All employees strive to move up the corporate ladder. This is not merely for the higher pay check but also for the opportunity to handle more responsibility.  At these stages, an employee can more visibly see his contribution to the organization. He is responsible not only for his own work but also for managing, motivating and getting the best out of his team. If an employee feels his career getting stagnated in his present organization, he will look to jump ships so as to fulfil his ambitions.

Location and Relocation

The place where an employee works or where his office is located causes quite a few job change decisions. Some are simple – the need to move to a particular city or region – termed as relocation – for reasons like marriage or family. Others are motivated by complex factors like work-life balance, difficult commute and accessibility issues. In these cases, an employee seeks to join an organization whose work location is better suited to his convenience.

Change Fields

After working in a chosen field for some years, an employee begins to feel the need to change fields. A person might want to change from a technical job to a more people oriented one. Though most employers support such employees by accommodating them in the organization, others are not in a position to do so. At such times, an employee has to find another employer who is willing to use his transferable skills in a different work profile.

Work Environment

This is one of the reasons often quoted by employees and experts alike for high attrition rates. It is also the reason most difficult to quantify and define. Work environment can broadly be defined social and professional environment in which you are supposed to interact with a number of people. This includes colleagues including subordinates and seniors, office policies and work infrastructure amongst others. These factors can motivate an employee and increase productivity or they could demoralize him and force a job change.

If an employer wants to minimize his attrition rates, he should try to address the above areas of employee concerns. This might involve short-term expenses but will result in tremendous long-term benefits for all.

Motor mechanics jobs in australia

People from the UK who are thinking of migrating to Australia often have a better chance of getting quick approval if they have certain skills and training such as that of a motor mechanic. Motor mechanics jobs in Australia are very often hard to fill with local employees due to lack of training – and in some cases mechanics in Australia do not want to settle in country towns where such jobs might be available.

Australia is such a vast continent and there are many mechanic jobs in some of the more isolated outback areas, but even in country towns and cities motor mechanics will find work. Mechanics jobs in Australia can be found in coastal cities, mountainous regions, small and larger country towns, in the tropics and in cold climate areas. So virtually anywhere that you could think of to settle, you would be able to find mechanic jobs in Australia.
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