
Tag: employment



With the pandemic, it is becoming more convenient and cost-effective for employers to conduct job interviews online. Employers are realizing that virtual interviews would save the organization a lot of costs and speed up the interviewing process; allowing hiring managers to interview local and non-local prospective candidates. In this article, we will be sharing some tips for success in an online job interview.
We have broken the article into the Pre, In and Post Interview phases.
These phases will give room to prepare ahead of time and prepare your questions in advance carefully, especially if you are not conversant with online conferencing.
PRE-INTERVIEW

1. DECIDE ON THE BEST DEVICE TO USE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
Determine what device is best suited for the interview (such as a computer, tablet, smartphone) For most interviews, a computer is the best option. invest in purchasing or borrowing to use for the interview.
Ask in advance all the details about this format. What format will they be using? (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc.). How long will the interview be? What online service are they using? How many people will be there interviewing you? Don’t expect the interviewer to volunteer much, so ask and call back a second time if you need clarification.
Protip: Phone connections might easily drop when the reception is bad. You will not look good holding your cellphone, which will shake or move around as you hold it and be annoying to the viewer. A desktop computer and laptop are better options.
2. SELECT A LOCATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
The ideal scenario for an online interview is a quiet location in which you can shut out distractions and noises, control the lighting, and display a generic background.
Protip: Find a good spot to conduct your online interview before the D-day to make certain you’re not rushing around before the interview.. Natural light is best If possible, try to settle down near a window plus a plain wall as your backdrop.
3. PRACTICE AT LEAST ONE MOCK INTERVIEW
Under as close to identical circumstances as possible, plan an interview with a friend, colleague, or family member.
- Predict interview questions and information to include in the answer
- Practice answers to communicate effectively in English by exploring grammar patterns and structures, appropriate terminology and pronunciation
- Polish up on interview etiquette
- Don’t skimp on your interview prep.
- Research the employer, and formulate a few questions you want to ask about the organization
Protip: Watch for your nonverbal clues and facial expressions. Get used to the camera. Focus totally on the interviewer and try to forget the camera. You do need to stare into the camera, so the viewer sees your eyes and not you looking down. Movements need to be slow. Best not to move around too much. Your poise and self-confidence are being assessed here. Be sure to exude these traits and smile often. Show interest and enthusiasm for the job
4. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
Have an alternative plan ready if something goes wrong the day or during the interview. Make options available in the event of a network issue
Protip: Confirm with the interviewer, in advance of the interview, that you’ll switch to a phone call should technology or connection issues crop up.
INTERVIEW

1. DO A TEST-RUN WITH YOUR DEVICE BEFORE INTERVIEW TIME
Do a check at least an hour before your interview time. And then do another check 30 minutes before the interview time.
- Test:
- Technology, connection, camera, lighting, sound and video program.
Make sure you understand how it all works. And test it all again right before the interview commences.
2. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS BEFORE THE INTERVIEW STARTS
Remember to turn off all apps and programs on your device; silence anything that could interfere with the interview including email notifications on your computer and your phone.
3. DRESS PROFESSIONALLY
Dress up like you would for a face-to-face interview A suit jacket and solid shirt or blouse work best as they will help you look professional.
Research the general dress code for the industry you’re interviewing in; remember, nothing too flashy or suggestive with outfits.
First impressions matter and your appearance are crucial to making a good one.
4. MAINTAIN EYE-CONTACT AT ALL TIMES
Eye contact is important even in the online environment. look directly into the webcam and stay engaged instead of looking at the person on the screen. Don’t forget to smile! Whether you are talking to an actual person or recording your answers. Sit upright and lean in a bit.
5. MAKE CONVERSATIONS
Take a Second when responding to questions from the interviewer in case the connection is weak — so that you don’t end up talking over the interviewer.
Speak in a conversational voice, just as you would in a face-to-face interview.
Have notes in front of you (off-camera) to remind you of critical issues you want to highlight, but do NOT overuse them.
POST – INTERVIEW

1. LET THE INTERVIEWER LEAVE THE VIDEO BEFORE YOU
After the interview, make sure the interviewer(s) leave the meeting or conversation before you do. Do not shut down your device even if you are through with the interview.
Follow up your interview with a thank-you note to your interviewer(s).
2. FOLLOW-UP
If the interviewer makes available a hiring decision date (when your online interview wraps), do not reach out before that date. If the date comes and goes, follow-up with the interviewer.
Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of employees acquainting themselves with roles, policies and culture of the organization.
It entails the creation of an environment in which the employee is made comfortable enough to interact and establish social relationships.
Employees learn what the organization needs from them in terms of skills, communication, style, and attitude.
We will be sharing with you some tips which could be useful to make employees feel welcome.

- CONTACT THEM AHEAD: It can be a phone call, an email or a text message. In the same vein, reminding them that you look forward to their arrival and being part of your team.
- PREPARE THEIR WORKSPACE: Make employee’s desk a blank canvas; Make tools for work readily available. Therefore, allowing them to modify it with personal touches like pictures or small potted plants.
- CREATE A WELCOME PACK: A folder containing pieces of information like an ID card and company-branded materials; in addition to onboarding forms, a pen and notepad that should be given upon arrival. As a result, help them identify as part of the company from the first day.
- TAKE THEM ON A TOUR: Take a tour around the office and facility. This would let new employees become familiar with the office environment. Show them essentials like the restrooms, meeting spaces, lunchrooms so as to avoid them getting lost in their first week.
- GIVE THEM A TASK: Give employees tasks in order to enable them to settle into work with ease. Inform them that skills are valued. The task should be thoughtful and important but not crucial or needed immediately.
- CONNECT WITH THEM OUTSIDE OF WORK: Add your new team members to your office groups on social media; inviting them out to bond outside the workplace.
- ASK FOR FEEDBACK: Ask them how their first week has gone. Consequently, if they have any contributions or suggestions about their orientation, be positive and welcoming of contributions.
The success of employee onboarding depends on the efficiency of the onboarding program. Employees should be empowered to do their jobs; as a result, they are likely to become valuable and productive members of the organization.
In conclusion, onboarding is not just Human Resources’s job. It is the responsibility of the managers; who familiarizes the employees with roles in the company, their performance expectations, and the workplace culture.

Curriculum Vitae

According to Wikipedia, Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a written overview of someone’s life’s work. It is a comprehensive collection of your personal details, educational qualification and acquired skills attained overtime.
A curriculum vitae (CV)often aims to be a complete record of someone’s career and oftentimes extensive. They differ from a résumé, which typically is a brief one-two (1–2) page summary of qualifications and work experience. This is for the purposes of employment, and often only presents recent highlights.
Job seekers frequently send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or applications for employment as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers and explain their suitability for the desired positions.
Employers are in search for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters; and used as a method of screening out applicants who are not sufficient in the positions or lack the necessary basic skills.

The DOs and DONT’s of a C.V
- Choose an appropriate format with good spacing technique and arrangement.
- State your name, address (email/home) and phone number.
- Have a proper construction of sentences in order to make your CV readable.
- Ensure that your words are either written in bold letters, underlined or in bigger fonts to indicate that they are headings.
- Ensure to list your work experiences as well as your key achievements
- Develop your education section correctly by including your field of study, university and honours you graduated with.
- Ensure to always attach a cover letter together with your CV.
- Do not state your age, state of origin, sex and religion or any form of personal pictures in order to prevent discrimination. However, it should be available upon request
- Information such as your hobbies and what you dislike should not be included in a CV
- Do not use various bullet points in listing out items in your CV. If you begin with the good old numbering, stick with that rather than switching to bullet points in the middle.
- Avoid unnecessary spacing lines between your sentences and word clustering.
- Do not bold between your sentences unless making reference to a very important factor: your CGPA.
- Avoid making your CV lengthy. Only put in important information.
