Zigsaw Blog

Category: employee

  • Groupism in Office – Causes, Effects & Remedies

    We, humans, tend to settle with the same frequency people, and when these similar set of interest drives these people, it gives birth to a concept called group or a Community( in social scenarios). Yes being in groups and supporting each other, taking care, understanding, tuning well with each other is a good thing, but if done in access then leads to destruction. One should not sell their grandmother for petty things. It means one should not convert that friendliness to bad habits of staying in the same belief, being inflexible, or having false feelings for others. This kind of groupism is seen in almost every sector of society.

    Groupism in Office

    It is about favouring the closed ones, buttering the powerful, or fulfilling one’s mean for influencing people. This is often used as a strategy to discriminate against people for their own personal, professional, or social welfare. In the long run, this practice undervalues real talent, being pessimistic, and demotivates hardworking fellas.

    Moreover, this adds depression, mental stress, doomed feeling, and a lack of charm in a person. It is often seen that at workplaces, these kinds of practices are prevalent either to flatter higher position holders or to satisfy personal needs or motives. That is why it should be regulated by the HRs of the firm, to manage these malpractices, to save the reputation and fuel growth of the company. 

    For example, nepotism in Bollywood, a community in social gatherings, corporate groupism, ethnicity belief, etc. Today we will be discussing Groupism from a certain depth. 

    Office Politics

    It is as simple as messing around, gossiping, or spreading rumours. According to an Accountemps survey – it says, 46% of employees voted that office politics behaviour is seen most often in their companies. The reason behind these practices is found to be gaining favour by flattering the boss, snatching others’ credit, wrecking co-workers’ projects, or demotivating a person. When this drama takes root in any organization, eventually a decline in firms’ productivity is seen, less engagement of workers, halfhearted participation, and uneasy feeling to share ideas. This creates a lot of problems for the company CEOs, business owners, or the management department. So it is a heartfelt request to the employees for not creating this, and if felt at any corner of the company, then they should stay away from it and if needed or desired should be reported to an appropriate authority.

    Causes of Groupism

    To detect the origin of any cause is very important, to treat it effectively and quickly. Some of the causes are-

    • Showing superiority– Many a time, out of habit or to get a feeling of very acknowledged and reputed person, a person ends up bragging about his/ her qualities or deeds and tends to create a particular group. And not to forget, that person feels very safe and comfortable in that group.
    • Intending on someone to quit their job– This kind of groupism is practised out of ill feelings and disrespect for someone. Here a certain set of people/a person is intentionally hurt out of no unforeseen reasons. 
    • Buttering of a senior– To be ‘an eye candy’ of a boss’/senior someone overdoes, shows up frequently, or brags about his/her work to be in good books of a senior, to quickly gain a promotion, good appraisal or some other incentives. 
    • Lack of mutual communication– This is a hidden devil, which needs proper care, and the only remedy for it seen so far is – Employee Engagement. To avoid misconceptions, misunderstandings, and false feelings in the team, a good channel of communication should be built.
    • Inflexible to modify a good build notion– There are always a few people present everywhere who belongs to the category of – “What I have said is correct !”, “No! Sorry I do not want to listen to you and understand your point.” or “I’ll strongly stick to my point, no matter whatsoever happens.” Beware of these people as there is no found solution to these kinds of mentalities yet. 

    Effects of Groupism

    Groupism adversely affects organisations in various ways like

    • A loss of talent
    • A gradual increase in Lawsuit risk
    • A demotivated and negative environment
    • A big unhealthy challenge for the newbies
    • A downfall in the firm’s productivity
    • Degraded Employee morale
    • Unwanted and unknown conflicts 

    Remedies to Groupism

    As this activity can not be seen clearly but can be predicted only through actions and the company’s result. So this must be dealt with mutual coordination of a company and employee both.

    • For an Employee– To be an asset to a society or a firm, follow certain rules in life-
      • Behave with strict Professionalism. Please!
      • Avoid your emotions to control you at the workplace.
      • Distance yourself from unhealthy discussions, gossips, or a rumour spreading channel.
      • Avoid misconceptions, but being in regular touch with a trusted senior.
      • Your end goal should be quality performance and productive team spirit. 
    • For Company Heads– Wanting better results from the workforce they may practice-
      • Make Strict laws, rules, and regulations
      • Strict professional environment
      • Offering equal and appropriate opportunities to each individual
      • Trying to keep as many things as possible in the documented format.
      • Organizing certain informal meetups or parties

    Conclusion

    See there is a very clear understanding of it because one might lie to an individual, but not to thyself. One would have a clear understanding and feeling that they are on the wrong path or doing wrong. So kindly undo all the previous tasks done and do not repeat them in the future. It will be good for an individual and a company or a society as a whole. Before groupism takes up its strong roots alike caste and creed or gender inequality as in India, it is high time for us to understand its drawbacks and uproot it immediately from our surrounding environment.

     

  • How to Write Salary Increment Letter with Sample

    One of the many things that we bother about is salary, whether its credited or not, whether it’s worth the hard work we are putting or not, whether it is enough for us or not and so many questions around it. No matter how materialistic it sounds, our lives revolve around it. And why not? Our hard work needs to be paid; our bills need to be paid and more utilities and luxuries that we desire or aspire to purchase. 

    Talking about logically tangible aspects of it, salary needs to be adjusted according to work and responsibilities as well as the state of the economy. It is not necessary to bag a promotion to demand a salary increase. If your responsibilities have considerably increased and your seniority is considerable, you deserve an increase based on your loyalty and services.

    The question, which often confronts us and eventually prevents us from doing anything is- how to ask for increment? It needs to formal, of course, and it should be straight up to the point, it should include the reason why you are asking for the increment and why do you think you deserve it. We have come up with a few points that you need to pay special attention to while writing the salary increment letter. For your convenience, we have added a sample to absolve off all your doubts.

    How to Write Salary Increment Letter

    1. Follow the Format

    Formats are very important while writing any letter. They show your professional work ethic and smart approach. If you deviate from the official formal letter format, you might sound casual. The letter might give you a bad start and a bad image too. You, seniors and stakeholders, are going to give your letter great importance while dealing with your problems. If you follow the formal letter format, your chances of getting your increment will increase due to professionalism.

    2. Sound Professional

    Keeping great care of the format and sounding unprofessional with poor word choices and badly put arguments and reasoning might give you another thing to worry about by creating a bad impression. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to your sentences and words along with the format that you are following. It can surely be the deal breaker.

    Also Read: 10 Tips on How to Negotiate Salary with HR

    3. Pay Attention to the Matter

    The matter is really important while writing a salary increment letter; by matter we mean the content you are putting up. Since it is a salary increment letter you should pay special attention to questions such as your position, the work and responsibility that you are assigned, the salary you are receiving now and why do you think you deserve the increment. Also, highlight why do you think it is a fair option and justified one. Don’t forget to end the letter on an optimistic as well as a grateful note.

    4. Don’t Mention Irrelevant and Unnecessary Information

    Although you need to pay special attention to the content you are mentioning, by this, we don’t mean you need to add a bulk of information and other arguments. It is simply going to add up the length, sound utterly unprofessional as well as bore the decision makers so much so that they might not consider your appeal. To maintain professionalism, smartly pick up information, weave them into clear sentences and sum up as briefly as possible.

    5. Always use Microsoft Word Document for Drafting Letters

    Writing and communicating through letters can be a bit confusing since you can directly draft an email, send a pdf, a google doc or a word doc. Too many options might overwhelm and confuse you, but there is an only viable option here, i.e. Microsoft word document. It is easy to print and almost available in all the desktops. Google docs might hinder with accessibility glitches, and email is difficult to print. Therefore, always stick to the most viable option, i.e. Microsoft Word Document. 

    Salary Increment Letter Sample

    Samit Singh
    95, Karol Bagh,
    New Delhi, PIN: 23432789
    email: samits7377@gmail.com

    May 26, 2020

    Shri Ramesh Nath,
    Manager, GHF Organization,
    23456, Greater Kailash,
    New Delhi, PIN: 00834

    Dear Mr. Nath,

    I am writing to formally request a review of my current salary. As an Account Executive with five years at the organization, I have always been ready and able when asked to take on additional work and new job responsibilities. I believe a review of my track record with the company, my recent achievements, along with industry average salaries, will demonstrate justification for an increase of at least 10% in my annual pay.

    My role has evolved and multiplied many folds. Added duties now include staff management, budget decisions, and project management. In the past year, I have distinguished myself with the following accomplishments:

    • I improved efficiencies in the accounts payable system, saving the company 1 Lac in annual revenue.
    • I managed the successful launch of our new product Lypha.
    • I’ve strived for excellence, continued adding value to the company, and never missed a deadline.
    • Peer reviews indicate that my colleagues appreciate my management style, and I am a valuable member of the team.

    Further, the average annual salary for my position is (the salary you want to be paid) according to data from Payscale.com. This is more than 12% higher than my current salary of XYZ amount. A 10% raise in salary would put my compensation in line with industry and regional expectations for the work.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. I am willing to work with you to accommodate my request, along with what is best for the company. If you have another amount in mind or a plan to increase my salary in the future, I am open to negotiation.

    Sincerely,

    Signature [for hard copy only]

    Samit Singh

    I hope this guide will help you to write a perfect salary increment letter to your boss. Comment down below if you still have any queries.

  • 7 Workplace Rules for Happy Life

    We work hard and sculpt ourselves tirelessly for one single goal. The goal might change, but all in all, we look for that one job that encompasses all the qualities we are looking for, these qualities more or less sum up to be about one goal- happiness. It is a requirement in everything that we aspire to or desire to behold someday.

    Happiness from work, especially when we are talking about the close cabined corporate sector seems a little strange. It can be found here and there but to seek happiness in every minute of your workspace can be a bit challenging. One way to tackle this problem is by setting out a few rules, according to your dreams and aspirations by asking yourself a few questions, to gain happiness and contentment from the work that you do. What are these questions and what general rules of happiness that can be applied in day to day work life, we will be covering here. But, remember one thing, the general rules and questions can be changed according to your lifestyle and the kind of work that you do.

    7 Workplace Rules for Happy Life

    1. Set Your Priorities Straight

    Setting priorities is one of the first things that you should do if you join a workspace. It gives you a direction to move towards, and it helps you in keeping track of your progress as well as motivates you to push more. Priorities also prevent confusion and the creation of havoc. And trust us, confusion is very easily created if our mind is cluttered with many things. It serves as a reminder, as well as a checklist. You need to ask what you want to do first, why, and how it is helping you. Write it down somewhere, and you are good to proceed with your checklist.

    2. Involve in Healthy Communications

    Interacting with peers, juniors, and seniors is a part of professional life that we all need time to adjust. It is a very subjective issue too, it requires time and consideration, but it is worth it. Communications around how you wish to work, how to go about specific projects, or simply how to want the organization to perceive you can make your life easier, sorted out, and hassle-free. Indeed, you cannot get along with almost everybody, so involved in communications in a way that doesn’t take offense to anyone as well as is not exclusive to individual members only.

    3. Maintain a Healthy Relationship With Peers, Seniors, as well as Juniors

    Relationships built on communication, trust, and teamwork can help any organization succeed in achieving its goal but also help each individual who is part of the organization. Healthy relationships are also helpful in bolstering your networking skills; they might land you with big and delightful opportunities. Therefore, you need to ask yourself the question, how do you communicate, what are your strong points, and what kind of relationship you want with certain people. It can tremendously help you in building up your network, improving communication skills, and bolstering up your professional reputation.

    4. Prevent Yourself from Burnouts

    Burnouts are very common nowadays since work has become monotonous and repetitive. Most of us are asked to spend most of our work hours staring at our desktop screen with an excel sheet opened in front of them. Not only it has physical repercussion but emotional too- in the form of burnouts. 

    Burnouts refer to the state of mind where you don’t feel like working anymore, so much so that one can start feeling physically sick. It lowers productivity, hampers the individual as well as the entire organization. There are not many cures for it, but if one takes frequent breaks while working, keeps the mind clutter-free, one can indeed prevent from burning out. So, before you feel like you cannot take anymore, go for a walk, get a cup of coffee or have a little chit chat with your colleague to prevent burning out.

    Also Read: Employee Burnout Causes and Cures

    5. Don’t get Personal Affairs Mixed with Professional Life

    It is a mistake that many of us know about, but we end up committing it anyway. It can only mean you end up bringing your relationships and prejudices to the workplace or you are preoccupied with your personal affairs while working office. It hampers your productivity, prevents your mind from forming new ideas and approaches, makes you irritable, and unable to give your best shot at projects that you are entrusted with. When you enter a workspace, enter with a free mind, and ask for help, you need a window to breathe.

    6. Be Trustworthy as Well as Generous with your Work Colleagues

    Ambition is a cherished quality, but ambition at the cost of a healthy relationship, or over ambition can lead to insecurity and unhealthy competition. Resorting to unethical ways to capture your goal might create a breach of trust, lack of empathy, and zero team accountability which ultimately hampers everybody’s business. Therefore it is important to be generous, helpful, and cheering with your co-workers. Champion and congratulate them on all the goods and support and help them for all the bad.

    7. Take a Step Back if Needed

    Taking a step back can mean different things for different people in a different context. It can mean to take a break from your work schedule if overburdened with tasks or taking a vacation to rejuvenate your mind and soul; it can also mean to quit your work if you cannot find fulfillment in your current job. In all of the situations, what is necessary is to step back, sit, and relax. It can help you back in taking control of your mind and body and make fair decisions in the future.

    I hope you find your work-life balance and happiness since all that matters is contentment and satisfaction. And if you don’t, don’t forget- happiness is just one change away!

  • Employee Background Verification Process in MNCs

    In recent times, we have witnessed the rapid rate of globalization and its effects on mankind. The advent of new technologies, such as the Internet and other networks has its pros and cons. The pros of the evolving technologies include speed, efficiency, better time management, access to an ocean of information, mobility, agility, automation, connectivity, remote sharing, better management of resources, and the list could go on.

    The drawbacks include higher levels of dependencies, data security concerns, and manipulation of information. Out of enlisted cons, one of the major downsides is that the new technologies have resulted in an increased rate of fraud in most sectors, and education is not an exception. Fraud and corruption in education may exist in various forms beyond contract-cheating. Its global manifestations include diploma mills and the counterfeiting of academic documents, bribery to ensure the licensing of educational institutions, the hiring of academic staff, the passing of examinations, admission into education programs, and the award of degrees.

    Moreover, the increase in population has resulted in increased needs, but the employment opportunities are still way less than required. This has paved the way for many miscreants to set up agencies that provide fake mark sheets, degree certificates, and experience certificates. The funniest part is that there also exist fake universities, advertisements in the name of these fake universities have been flooding the World Wide Web platform in recent times. 

    This has indeed resulted in added pressure to companies, i.e., checking the authenticity of the documents presented by the job seeker.

    So, there came the need for a background verification process. In general, it refers to any official process carried out by an organization to validate the documents submitted by the candidate’s post getting shortlisted in an interview. 

    Background verification process or Background Checker or Background screening is a major weapon of the MNCs for the risk mitigation and checking the authenticity of the candidates. Moreover, it acts as a major tool that gives an impression of the candidate to the HR.

    The important point is that the company can perform these background verification checks only after informing the candidate and getting their signature in the consent form.

    Background screening involves the verification of the following:

    Employee Background Verification Process in MNCs

    Employee Background Verification Process in MNCs

    1. Candidate’s criminal history: To check if the candidates have any record of criminal behavior or related tendencies. This check is usually done to ensure the safety of the customers and the work environment. Moreover, the process followed to check criminal history differs from state to state.

    2. Identity: The candidate’s name, place, and date of birth are referenced to verify the candidate’s credentials.

    3. References: These are to check how many people and exactly who in their previous workplace would confirm the candidates’ skills and work ethic.

    4. Work experience: Companies, organizations, and institutes the candidate claim to have worked with, and their credibility is cross-checked. Also, their reasons for leaving these organizations are reviewed. This check bears information about the candidates’ quality, work stability, and loyalty.

    5. Address verification 

    6. Personal finances and credit: To check the credit score and loan details.

    7. Sexual offender registry: This will reduce the risk of the company’s workplace sex offense.

    8. Drug Screening Test: This test is a prerequisite in specific industries like aviation and driving.

    The government also plays a vital role in this process. The tools used by the government to stop frauds are enlisted below:

    1. Aadhaar verification: It consists of an individuals’ biometrics and consists of every other necessary information about the residence, D.O.B, and bank accounts. 

    2. National Skills Registry (NSR): NSR is the largest database consisting of nearly 255 companies with 18,84,380 biometrics submitted. That helps companies counter-check employees’ information (if they are registered). 

    3. National Academics Depository (NAD): Government launched NAD to store your education records digitally. NAD can also issue reliable certificates to verified users.

    4. Permanent Account Number (PAN) card: It helps in keeping track of an individual’s transaction and tax liability.

    The social media used by nearly 376.1 million Indian users has its role to play. It serves as a gateway that showcases the activities, interests, and affiliations of the candidates. Hence it serves as the best platform for the recruiter to know about the candidate without the latter’s presence.

    Now, turning the focus onto how this screening is being carried out by the MNCs, one would witness the flurry of background organizations working solely on this process. 

    Recent studies have found that an MNC can carry out this screening process in the following ways:

    1. Uses the platform WELCOME TO NATIONAL SKILLs REGISTRY

    2. Reference from a connected network of people and organizations 

    3. Social media platforms 

    4. Hire third parties like HireRight, IDfy, SecUR credentials limited, etc.

    5. Public sector undertakings (PSUs)

    Moreover, one cannot deny the challenges faced by the organization in the process of background screening. One of the major problems faced is the time delay of the screening process, which affects both the employer and the candidate. Add to this, the other challenges would include the absence of updated records and the lack of open information.

    After going through the above-stated points on the background verification process, one would have realized the need to countercheck every step taken in life. This is so because even a tiny mistake committed today can have its adverse effects on the things that will happen in the future. The takeaway from this is that never resort to the mindset of, “Why should I care about this mistake now?” Instead, solve them at the very moment and try to avoid mistakes and the activities which might backfire. Moreover, be cautious while entering personnel information on any social media platforms. Also, do present genuine documentation while seeking for a job, as this would give the best impression.

  • 10 Tips on How to Negotiate Salary with HR

    Motivations are many in life, some get motivated from positive appreciation, and some get motivated by negative humiliation. Different people with different mentality for different strategies, but the biggest motivator irrespective to positive or negative ionic is money. The only factor which humans practically associate with growth and makes the job market volatile and competitive. Gone are the days where job stability and sustainability matters a lot. A maximum couple of years is the tenure for an individual to sustain in any organization nowadays due to the fact other competitive firms always offer more than the current pay scale. 

    But just due to this factor, leaving a secure job may not be a good nut to crack because to make the job advertisement lucrative the showcased salary and offered salary may have the variation because the employer and HR sitting at the next side of the table is way more intelligent which creates an urge at the other side of the table to become smarter as well. Hence smarter the candidate greater would be the pay package. Thus for all the agile and vivid candidates and potentially the best job seekers below are listed some do’s and don’ts while negotiating salary with HR.

    Don’ts while Negotiating Salary with HR

    1. Don’t Skip Negotiating

    Probably the biggest mistake is merely accepting an offer received. Research shows that younger job seekers or freshers do that because they don’t know how to negotiate salary, lack confidence and dislike the act of negotiating, due to which at times they don’t understand the potential impact of their decision.

    Settling for a lower salary than worth can have major financial consequences, both immediately and down the road. In the short term, is to earn less, receive smaller raises because most raises are based on a percentage of current salary, and in the long-term, being underpaid gives stress. Accepting a low offer can also hamper earning potential later, as future employers might ask for salary history when determining how much money they should offer you.

    2. Don’t Accept a Job Offer Too Quickly

    Always ask for time to review an offer and respect the time limit agreed upon to make the final decision. If they asked for a revert within a particular frame, all negotiating should be done within that frame. However, even the best offers should be reviewed with a clear head and without the pressure of a future boss or HR director staring at you.

    3. Don’t Reveal How Much You Would Accept

    Information is the key to any negotiation, and a common mistake job seekers make is telling the HR what they’ll accept. It can be hard not to offer this information, especially if the HR asks for salary history. Still, if at the earlier stage this kind of information is furnished, it creates less room for negotiating a better offer later. Always try to remain as noncommittal as possible when asked about salary requirements early in the interview process. 

    4. Don’t Make a Salary Pitch Too Early in the Process

    Asking earlier in the process can be perceived as being too focused on money rather than on the job itself, and it may also force at an early stage to reveal what one would be willing to accept. Yet, many job seekers begin salary negotiations too early in the process. The ideal time for talking salary is once you get the job offer. It’s at that time when it can be asked for more specifics about salary, bonuses, commissions, insurance, and other perks.

    5. Don’t Ask for Too Much in a Counteroffer

    It’s not a good sign to renegotiate everything in a job offer. If that’s the case, either candidate or the employer or HR has misunderstood the situation, or one of them is trying to take advantage of the other. Trying to swing things the way isn’t likely to work in such a scenario.

    Also Read: Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in India 2020

    Tips on How to Negotiate Salary with HR

    Tips on How to Negotiate Salary with HR

    1. Calculating Your Value

    One must know exactly how much value he/she can offer an employer before beginning the process of negotiating a salary. Candidates must be sure about their value as an employee and consider using the below factors to justify your desired salary:

    • Geographic location
    • Years of industry experience
    • Education level
    • Career level
    • Skills
    • Licenses and certifications

    2. Research the Market Average

    Having this data can support a more successful negotiation. Knowing the market average gives a good baseline for salary request and can even be used as a justification. This includes factors like salaries listed from a past job or relevant job postings. Here are some inquiries to consider as you start your research.

    • What is the national average salary for the position?
    • What is the average salary in your geographic location and cities nearby?
    • How much do similar companies in your area pay in this position?

    3. Prepare Agenda Points

    Developing negotiation notes is always helpful to answer the question such as: Why do you feel you deserve a higher salary than the one the HR is offering? Putting together a few talking points as listed below before interacting with HR could be helpful 

    Results achieved in previous roles such as goals achieved, the revenue generated with the use of actual numbers.

    • Years of industry experience, 
    • Skills or certifications, especially if it is in high demand within your industry.

    4. Rehearse Well

    Practising the talking points can help you gain confidence and identify areas of improvement. The best way to practise would be in front of a trusted friend or mirror.

    5. Be Confident

    Once you have done the homework and equipped well with the information, what matters most is one needs to be confident about what HR is asking for. Until and unless the projection is self-assured and assertive, the HR would always have the upper hand in the conversation and try to bring down the package that has been asked for.

    6. Ask for More

    One fundamental rule of salary negotiation is to give HR a slightly higher number than your goal. This way, if they negotiate down, you’ll still find yourself with a salary offered that is comfortable in accepting. If a neck to neck salary expectation is provided, HR will likely settle on the lower end, so be sure the number you give still ends with an amount you feel is fair.

    7. Share Incurring Expenses

    Share incurring expenses is always a good deal to ask for an increased salary which involves accumulating the cost of moving to a new city for the job, commute expenses such as train fare or fuel and wear and tear on your vehicle if the job location is very far. It’s not unusual for candidates to ask HR to adjust the salary to account for their expenses.

    8. Be Flexible

    Even if the employer or HR is unable to provide the salary amount you want, they may be able to offer other forms of compensation. For example, you will be ready to negotiate more stock options, extra vacation days or additional work-from-home days to combat a lengthy commute. Don’t be shy about asking for alternatives. In some cases, they may be more valuable than the actual package offered.

    9. Don’t be Afraid to Walk Away

    In some cases, an employer or HR may not be able to meet your minimum salary requirement or offer additional benefits that make it worthy. Or the HR may counter-offer with a salary that’s higher than their first offer but not as high as your request. In this case, you’ll need to decide if the job is worth the lesser amount. If it’s less stressful than your current position, it is closer to home or offers you more flexibility or more free time, but at a lower salary, it must be accepted in such cases with open arms. However, if not, you ought to consider walking away and seeking other opportunities elsewhere.

    10. Express Gratitude

    Once you reach the last offer phase of the hiring process, you’ve probably invested in a fruitful deal with your time and energy applying and interviewing for the position. The employer and HR have also invested time in the process so you must recognise this and thank them for considering you for the opportunity. Be sure to share any specific reasons why you’re excited about the role like the culture or the merchandise.

    I hope these tips will help you to negotiate salary during your job interview. Comment down below if you have any queries.

  • 40 Best Resume Headlines for Freshers – Resume Title Samples

    The resume is one of the most important documents for any working individual. A well-crafted resume is a crucial possession that helps setting foot in the corporate world. For a fresher, building a perfect resume is the first step for getting a job. Your entire life’s achievements are crammed up in a one-page document, but organizing it requires skill. As an impactful resume will create a good first impression and will help you in getting one step closer to your dream job. So, all the elements of your resume should be on point and especially the resume headline.

    A resume headline, also called the resume title, is a summary that shows the highlight of your characteristics and your career profile. The first thing located at the top of your resume must be an impressive one, as it is the first thing that the employer reads, so it should be catchy enough to hold your employer’s attention so that they can proceed further. For people with work-experience, a resume headline must comprise of their experience -but for a fresher who has no job experience, it can include some of their characteristics to align them with the kind of job applied.

    Also Read: How to Write a Declaration for Resume? – With Samples

    Tips to Write an Eye-catchy Resume Headline

    • Use a personalized tone while writing the headline, depending upon the kind of job profile you are applying for.
    • Use phrases instead of complete sentences. Keep it short and impactful.
    • Do not use heavy jargon as it may make your headline too cliched.
    • Use some very powerful keywords while describing your traits to make it more attention-grabby for the recruiter.
    • Include data-driven information for more impact.

    Proofread the document before submitting: A resume headline must be brief and crisp, thereby pitching yourself as the ideal candidate for the job role. Highlighting your educational achievements, personality traits, specializations, to make an impactful resume title is a must. Resume headlines also vary with the kind of job profile you are applying for so, let’s take a look into some of those.

    Best Resume Headlines for Freshers

    Best Resume Headlines for Freshers

    Software Developer

    “B.Tech in computer science. Have great coding skills in Java, C++, and PHP. A passionate professional with great interpersonal and communication skills.”

    “Extensive domain knowledge as a systems architect and a software developer- analysis, development, and management of complex software solutions.”

    Mechanical Engineer

    “Strong technical knowledge with quantitative aptitude. A team-worker with good communication skills.”

    “Proficiency in drafting and reviewing estimates and RFPs. Proficient in using the CAD software and ANSYS mechanical software.”

    “Skilled in COSMOS with a huge passion for machines and machine learning.”

    Electrical Engineer

    “Proficient in MIS with great reporting and organizational skills. High Proficiency in drawing project reports too.”

    “B.Tech in electrical engineering, with expertise in mixed-signal circuit design.”

    “Expertise in electrical specifications for new system design and also well acquainted with MATLAB, Autodesk, AutoCAD, and many more.”  

    Business Analyst

    “Great primary and research skills accompanied by an analytical bent of mind. Excellent organizing skills with an eye for detail.”

    “Research professional with an analytical bent of mind with great research skills.”

    “In-depth knowledge of the retail and e-commerce industry and major customer segments, with great negotiation and problem-solving skills.”

    Chartered Accountant

    “Strong capability in handling all related accounting operations along with cash flow management.” 

    “Extensive knowledge about GAAP, Financial Reporting, Taxation, Auditing, and industry trends.”

    “Skillful in dealing with huge numbers across various accounts simultaneously.”

    HR Manager

    “Graduate with a human resource degree. A people-oriented person with great communication skills and understanding.”

    “Well equipped with HR databases, Recruitment procedure, employee engagement, and great negotiation skills.”

    “Good understanding of Statutory compliance and ability to handle employee grievances.”

    Teaching Professional

    “Excellent subject knowledge, with great communication skills and the ability to motivate individuals.”

    “Innovative teaching methods with the ability to handle a big batch of kids at a time.”

    “B.Ed degree looking for a school to put my academic knowledge and teaching methods to use.” 

    “Encourage creative and higher-order thinking, thereby helping to increase student’s performance.”

    Content Writer

    “Flair for creating creative content out of regular, mundane information.”

    “Excellent grammar and English writing skills. Ability to present innovative ideas engagingly.”

    “An English literature graduate, result-focused, analytical, and highly creative content, capable of writing content in various genres.”

    Financial Analyst

    “Masters in finance, highly capable of budgeting, financial forecasting, and financial modelling tools.”

    “Excellent at consolidating and analysing financial data and creating dashboards.”

    “A result-oriented financial analyst seeking to work in a challenging atmosphere to utilize my business development management skills.”

    Sales Executive

    “Adept at lead generation and maintaining good customer relationship management.”

    “Proficient in using multiple communication channels for better customer service and resolving customer queries.”

    “Fresh MBA graduate with internship experience in the marketing domain. Multilingual skills, with great consumer interaction skills.”

    Graphic Designer

    “Great at developing unique designs as per the latest trends. Proficient at Illustrator and Dreamweaver.”

    “Skillful in designing various logos, web designs, banners, and many more as per the client requirements.”

    “Expert in photoshop, Corel draw, and PageMaker with great innovative design ideas that can help make your brand unique.”

    Interior Designer

    “Degree in interior designing with proficiency in AutoCAD, 3D, Photoshop, and many more.”

    “Expertise in creating aesthetic spaces for bedrooms, offices, restaurants according to client demands.”

    “Ability to create great designs for commercial and residential requirements. Great presentation and communication skills.”

    Travel Agent

    “Skilled at planning tours for both individuals and groups. Strong budgeting and planning skills.”

    “Internship experience with a leading travel company, sound knowledge about visa compliances.”

    Conclusion

    Creating a crisp, strong, and impactful headline is the only way to get the attention of the employer. Make sure you will be able to justify whatever you write in the headline as it makes the maximum impact and is likely to stay in the minds of the recruiter for a longer time. Be honest, express yourself impressively, and prepare for any questions related to the headline. The headline may aid, but at last, your personality, the ability to think on your feet, and the out-of-the-box thinking will help in securing your dream job. So, be passionate and keep dreaming!

  • How to Write Email to Boss of Completion of Work with Samples

    Work completion e-mail is sent when to communicate the completion of a specific task, job, or project that an employee was provided with. Work completion e-mails are not a professional mandate per se. It is not under the conventional professional protocols. However, it adds to added clarity in terms of communication. It keeps the boss updated upon the current position of the job. It also provides the employee to reach out to his/her supervisor regarding his work.

    It may so happen that at one point in time, the boss or the supervisor is currently occupied with other matters at hand, and the employee cannot directly communicate the information of his job completion. In a situation like this, the employee can send in a work completion e-mail to his/her boss, who can read it and revert at his/her convenience.

    Things to Remember While Writing a Work Completion E-mail

    1. Clarity

    Clarity is an integral part of any formal communication. The sender should be clear in his thoughts and be able to communicate them the same way.

    Even in the case of work-completion e-mails, clarity is very important. The employee should speak on this subject alone. He/she should clearly state the project, what it comprised of, what was the deadline, and when it was finished. The employee should state whether the job was completed before the deadline, or later than that, the possible outcomes.

    2. Official

    Before sending the work-completion e-mail, the employee should ensure that the completion of the work is updated officially. It should mean that the work completed should be officially documented. This is important to avoid any discrepancies in communication that might arise. This means that when the boss reads the e-mails and wants to verify it, he/she should find official documentation supporting it. Otherwise, it might cause a barrier to effective communication.

     3. Concise

    Lengthy and elongated e-mails do not generally work in the professional sphere except in some cases. Hence, a work-completion e-mail should be concise. It should be time-saving for both the employee and the boss. The e-mail should contain all the necessary information in a concisely packed manner.

     4. Structured

    The e-mail should follow a specific structure and should not be scattered. It should follow the format and be well drafted. All the pointers for information should be covered, and feedback should also be asked for.

    Format

    As stated above, a proper work-completion mail has to be well drafted. A well-drafted e-mail has to follow a specific format. It should also contain all the necessary information that the boss should know. A suitably formatted application will also preserve the essence of professionalism that the workplace demands. Below stated is the proper way of writing it:

     1. Subject

    Under this head, the gist of the main subject of the application has to be written. It is advised to make the subject concise and catchy to grab the reader’s attention. For completion of work, the subject can be something like “100 percent work completion in 35 hours”.

     2. Salutation

    This means writing the proper address for the leave application.

    For example-Sir/Madam.

     3. Tasks Assigned

    This part constitutes the body of the e-mail. Here the employee should state the works that were assigned to him. It is advisable to use bullet points to list the assigned tasks to give it a more clean and objective look.

    4. Tasks Completed

    Here the employee should state the tasks or projects that are completed and documented by him. It can so happen that he/she has completed specific parts of the task, and hence that should be mentioned likewise. If the entire task is completed and documented, this part of the e-mail should contain that information.

    5. Possible questions

    If the employee has any questions regarding any part of the work, he/she should address the questions here. They may be related to future anticipations from the project, possible continuation of the project, or a mere query regarding a specific part of the project or work assigned to the employee.

    6. Asking for feedback

    This is the concluding part of the e-mail where the employee asks for the feedback of the supervisor so that he/she can make necessary changes and also get on with his next assignment.

    7. Signature

    This means concluding the letter by stating the employee’s name and position.

    Work Completion E-mail

    Sample #1

    Sir/Madam,

     

    I have completed my tasks for the week/month, and here is a complete report of the same.

     

    The tasks that were assigned to me are listed below:

    *Task 1*

    *Task 2*

    *Task 3*

     

    The tasks that are completed are as follows:

    *mention in points*

     

    However, I have a few queries and questions regarding a particular area.

    *State the query/queries*

     

    Thank you for your sincere guidance throughout the project, without which it could not have been completed with such zeal. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and the amazing team who made the success possible. Please provide your valuable feedback so that the changes can be implemented, and the next phase of work can be started at the earliest.

     

    Yours sincerely,

    *Name*

     

    Sample #2

    Sir,

     

    This is an e-mail regarding the *Title* project that was assigned in October 2019.

    It was indeed a huge project. The tasks that were assigned were:

     

    1. Completion of an audit of all financial documents till September
    2. Documenting the same in the software.

     

    I am happy to inform you that a hundred percent completion of the task is possible and that, too, one month before the deadline. Even though we faced many challenges, due to diligence and teamwork, we could reach the completion.

     

    However, I have a few queries regarding the last phase of the project.

    *State the query/queries*

     

    Thank you for your sincere guidance throughout the project, without which it could not have been completed with such zeal. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and the amazing team who made the success possible. Please provide your valuable feedback so that the changes can be implemented, and the next phase of work can be started at the earliest.

     

    Yours sincerely,

    *Name*

    I hope you got an idea of writing an email to the boss of the completion of work. Comment down below if you any queries.

  • Difference Between Cover Letter and Resume

    Given the complexities present in today’s job market, it has become really important to familiarize oneself with every term and trend that is prevalent in that arena. Familiarity can give you an upper hand in bagging those jobs that you have worked really hard for. The first and foremost process of applying to any job would be to ready your resume and cover letter.

    For an entrant, these two terms might be new or hold no difference at all. Unfamiliarity can lead to confusion and deprive you of your shot of getting selected. Although the cover letter and resume deal with the same thing, there is a vast difference between both of them.

    Also Read: How to Write a Cover Letter for Job Application with Samples

    What is a Resume?

    A resume is a document that you present in front of your potential employers stating all your achievements, qualification and experiences. It mentions all your academic, extra-curricular as well as professional experiences, each and every one of it.

    What is a Cover Letter?

    A cover letter is a letter written by the employee addressed to the potential employer mentioning his interest and aspirations for the given job.

    Difference Between Cover Letter and Resume

    • A resume lists all of your qualifications and experiences while cover letter mentions only those which are relevant for the said job
    • A resume is a document with details mentioned point to point while cover letter deals specifically with why do you want to apply for the given position, what makes your suitable for the roles, what do you bring on the table, what are your aspirations, how can you be an asset for the organization.
    • Resume and Cover Letter both follow different formats of writing.

    Resume Sample

    Resume Sample

    Cover Letter Sample

    Cover Letter Sample

    I hope now you got an idea about what is the difference between resume and cover letter. Still, if you have any queries then feel free to mention in the comment section below.

  • Skip-level Meetings and Why They are Important

    An organisation runs on its human resource. With high upgrades in the technological constraint and the progress of Artificial Intelligence, a large number of jobs are automated and rightly so. As per future trends, AI is likely to take over 37 per cent of the total jobs in an organisation in the next six years. In Spite of that, it’s debatable as to how effective that is and if it can completely surpass the need of the human capital. 

    Employees keep the social and the operational structure of an organisation impact and each employee has a specific role to play. Irrespective of the fact that which level of the organisational hierarchy an employee belongs to, the work and presence of every employee is detrimental to the success of the organisation.

    Now, keeping a large group of employees can never achieve organisational goals. The employees have to be met with consistent appraisals, feedback, raises, etc. This is to say that the employee has to be provided with positive reinforcements in order to boost his/her morale which in turn would lead to increased productivity and long-term retention.

    There are a number of ways by which employee morale can be boosted and not all of them are monetary measures. This is where skip-level meetings find their significance. In these kinds of meetings, employees from even the lower levels of the organisation are duly given the significance and hence inculcates a sense of importance in them. This boosts employee morale and also has a different edged advantage. Skip-level meetings also allow the upper-level management to gain information from the grass-root level of employees without any filtration from their immediate subordinates.

    Read on to find out the know-hows of Skip-level meetings.

    What does a skip-level meeting mean? 

    Skip-level meetings are meetings where the flow of information in an organisation is bypassed along the traditional hierarchy that an organisation follows. This means the top-level management, say the Vice President does not conduct a meeting with his/her immediate subordinate. Instead, the VP skips two or more levels of the hierarchy and holds a meeting with a relatively lower-level of an employee. 

    This means that upper-level management has a better and clearer insight into employee perceptions as well as the employee attitudes at the grass-root level. On an overall dimension, it increases the transparency of the entire organisation. On addition to that, it also improves effective communication between all levels which is one of the most detrimental factors to the success and productivity of an organisation.

    Why conduct skip-level meetings?

    Skip-level meetings have multi-dimensional uses and all of them advantage both the employees as well as the organisation as a whole. It is a sure-shot way to gather authentic information, boost employee morale, improve the organisational fabric as well as ensuring transparency at all levels. There are a number of reasons why HR personnel should include skip-level meetings as an important aspect of the functioning of the organisation. It is a great way to bring individual goals and organisational goals under the same roof to make sure they coexist and evoke mutual success.

    Advantages of skip-level meetings

    • Skip-level meetings ensure a high degree of transparency of information in the organisation.
    • It creates a healthier and more open environment at the workplace where even lower-level employees feel included in the operations.
    • Increased employee engagement ensures that they feel important thereby leading to a boosted morale and better productivity.
    • A universal understanding of the company’s vision, mission and priorities, both short-term and long-term.
    • Getting a clear and detailed picture of the organisation from the ground up.

    Things to keep in mind while conducting a skip-level meeting

    The primary objective of a skip-level meeting is to improve communication within the organisation, improve employee engagement as well as boost employee morale. Whereas in some cases skip-level meetings are used for different purposes like collecting information about subordinate managers, gathering their work review etc. Also, the success of a skip-level meeting is a planned procedure that should take place months before the skip-level meeting is to be held.

    Skip-level meetings are not a procedure to fish and snitch about your direct reporters. Hence the purpose, procedure and agenda of the meeting should not only be fixed but also extremely professional.


    How to conduct a skip-level meeting

    1. Proper communication should be made to the manager whose level is being skipped. The reason for the skip-level meeting, the objective, the goals and the procedure should be duly communicated. Otherwise, it might cause misperception and the subordinate manager may feel that the meeting is being held as a fishing expedition to collect his/her work review from the lower-level employees.
    2. The purpose of the skip-level meeting should be clear and distinct. The purpose should not be diluted and in no case should it be used to extract information about subordinate managers or other employees to give them reviews.
    3. Due to the gap in the hierarchy, it is highly likely that the lower-level employees would not immediately open up to the managers. Hence the extensive planning is important. 
    4. Months before the skip-level planning is going to be conducted the managers should try to gel their bonds with these employees. This can be done by striking up casual conversations in coffee breaks or talking about something trending. The primary purpose is to get the employee comfortable to speak to you and give the employee a feeling of inclusivity.
    5. It is highly recommended to inform the employees before-hand about the meeting by letting them know the details. This will give the employees some time to prepare and would also eliminate the nervousness that might otherwise have been caused by an immediate summon. 

    What you can ask in a skip-level meeting?

    To ensure the success of a skip-level meeting, the right kind of questions should be asked in order to have effective communication. The wrong questions with the wrong-follow ups may lead to a wrong impression on the employee and act as a barrier to communication. 

    Questions that can be asked during a skip-level meeting.

    1. What would help you to work better?
    2. What do you think are the current drawbacks?
    3. Who do you admire the most and love to learn from?
    4. What are your insights about the new initiative?
    5. What would you like to change about the company?
    6. Which aspects do you think are being neglected by the management?

    Try to ask questions like “why” and “how” after their answers to get a deeper and better understanding of what the employees mean. Also, make it a point to take notes while the employees are answering. This will give the employee a feeling that their words are being considered and given importance to.

    Summing it up

    Do skip-level meetings take a lot of time?
    Yes.
    Does it require extensive planning?

    Yes.
    Does it help the organisation in all dimensions?

    Also yes.

    It may seem like a time-consuming affair to conduct skip-level meetings but in reality, it does the organisation more good than harm. The results it yields come in handy for any modern organisation to properly function.

    Hence, skip-level meetings should be conducted on a consistent basis to harness its full potential for organisational growth. 

    To get started, click here.

  • 10 Best Free Resume Making Websites

    The resume is one of the most important documents in a job-seeking individual’s life. A piece of paper that encompasses your entire life’s achievements, experiences and skills. The paper has the power to get you your dream job. The document that serves as the ticket for your corporate journey! A resume is the means to create that stellar first impression on the recruiter’s mind so that you get a call for the further rounds. So, creating an impressionable resume should be the first thing on every individual’s list, the moment you plan to take the leap and start your corporate journey.

    Creating a perfect resume involves many small intricacies. Choosing the right template, the correct wordings, the right font, details of all the skills and achievements and many more. So, this is a work that requires patience and skill. You can use the age-old method of creating your CV using MS Word, but it takes up a lot of time and effort and not to forget skills! But who today has so much time to keep slogging hours to create the perfect resume?

    Lucky for you, in today’s world, many online resume building sites can help you create your resume for free! Just like an application on your phone, an online resume builder is a site that creates a beautiful CV for you, just by asking for your details that needs to be incorporated in your resume. You need to select the layout of your choice, a photograph, your details, and that’s it! In short, you just got to relax and let the computer do it’s magic!

    Also Read: Difference between CV, Resume and Biodata

    There are many online resume builders. Some help you prepare your resume for free, while some charges for this facility. But almost all the websites ask you to create an account on their site if you want to create an online resume. Below is the curated list that helps you build your resume from scratch and download minimum one such resume formats for free.

    10 Best Free Resume Making Websites

    1. Zety

    Zety online resume maker is one of the most popular websites for creating your resume. It provides a variety of options for templates to choose from. It also provides suggestions on how to improve the content through its resume check feature. Not only this, but it also provides resume writing tips along with the option to edit the resume as per your choice. The additional feature of cover letter creator in the same template as the resume is a bonus!

    2. Resume.com

    Resume.com is the website that offers all of its features for resume building absolutely for free. No limit on how many templates available, how many free resumes can be created, it is one of the easiest resume creating website. A curated list of templates, pre-defined content that is created by talking to several employers, resume.com provides it with all. So, many features and that too completely free, resume.com is a must check out the website for all your resume related dreams.

    3. Resumonk

    A pretty good online resume builder, which gives you the liberty to create and download up to 4 different resumes for free, beyond which you will need to buy the premium version. Some basic templates available, though cover letter can only be created after updating to the premium version. One fallback of creating a resume with resumonk is that the line “created using resumonk” comes at the bottom, which can only be removed in the premium version. So, a decent website, worth a try.

    4. Kickresume

    Kickresume offers only one template for the resume in its free version. Editable sections, with the options to add or delete a certain section, gives it a no-nonsense kind of vibe and is suitable for creating your first professional resume. You need to create an account for creating the resume, and once you are done with it, you are good to go!

    5. CakeResume

    It provides a few basic templates in the free version, where like most of the online resume builders, you need to create an account to start using its features. An extremely user-friendly interface, where the entire process of resume creation is broken into easy steps, fully customizable sections and the ability to download the first resume in the pdf format, CakeResume makes your job easy for you.

    6. ResumeHelp

    A hub which provides you with the option to either create a resume from scratch or to choose from multiple layouts that are present in its bank. It also provides various tips and tricks that can help create your resume, which also improves the chances of creating that positive first impression on the employer. Almost all the resume templates are available in the free version but just one drawback is that only one resume version can be downloaded in the pdf format.

    7. EnhanCV

    One of the best online resume builders that provide many templates for free, templates according to various industries, fully customizable sections, only you need to create an account with them first. Content analyzer helps to edit the content as per choice, great feedbacks from various press houses. For your professional-looking CV options, this is your go-to option.

    8. NoVoResume

    It is also like most of the other online resume builder websites, where few layouts are available in the free version. Free resume and cover letter samples are provided. Live feedback is also provided, which helps to improve the content greatly. The free version has the limitation of creating only a one-page resume, which is a good feature as condensed resumes are preferred these days.

    9. ResumeGenius

    A pretty standard resume builder where only 2-3 templates are available in the free version. Only one download can be done, but customizable sections, section-wise preview, resume critique from an expert, numerous examples to look from, ResumeGenius has all the basic features of a standard online resume builder.

    10. VisualCV

    Few options to choose a template from in the free version, editable sections, with the option to add or delete some are provided by VisualCV. The download format available is the only pdf, but a basic professional resume can be churned out in very less time. This website also provides the track option, where you can track when your resume is viewed with the VisualCV analytics.

    An online resume builder is a very easy way to create a new resume with an attractive layout that looks very professional in minutes. An impressive resume that is a must for getting a job, check off the list when created from the online websites. Beautiful, impressive, content-heavy resume made within minutes! So you can relax and enjoy the pretty templates that suit your need.