Healthy Practices | Return to Work & Rehab Consulting Services - Independence Incorporated

Archive for the ‘Healthy Practices’ Category

6 Steps To Having Strong Job Interviews

Posted December 9, 2014 by Victor Andres

Manager interviewing a male applicant Preparing for a job interview is hard enough when you haven’t had a long layoff from the work force. Not only are you required to overcome some of the anxiety that comes with being put on the spot and having to answer questions, but you must reacquaint yourself with the ins and outs of the world of work. Job interviews can be harrowing experiences, for some. And at Independence Incorporated, we offer Interview Coaching to make things a lot easier for you.

When our clients are away from the work force for extended time periods, we offer a review of effective interview strategies that is often very helpful in helping them to rebuild their confidence. We know that it isn’t easy to start your career all over again. It’s hard enough just to get back to a state of good health and strength. There are a number of steps to be taken to get back to a good job position. Here are six tips to help you have strong job interviews.

1. Get to know the company you are applying to work for. Before an interviewer can get to know you, it’s important that you do your research about the company. “Knowing as much as possible about the company’s past performance and future plans can make your interview more interactive and could be just the leg up you need in a competitive job market,” writes Alison Doyle on About.com. She recommends that you start with reviewing the company’s website.

2. Dress the part. You know what they say about first impressions, right? It’s important to make sure that you impress your interviewer the moment he or she lays eyes on you. On BitesizeBio.com, Allison Ross insists that dressing professionally is a critical part of any successful job interview. “Casual is not good and gives the wrong impression,” she writes, “for a professional career position, get it right and buy that killer suit.”

3. Practice makes perfect. You always studied before you took tests in school, right? Well, consider your job interview your next big test. That means that you should practice what you plan to say and how you plan to say it before the actual interview takes place. “Practice with a friend and record or videotape your responses so you can replay the interview and see how well you did,” recommends Doyle.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is true that a standard job interview places the interviewer in the position of ‘question-asker’ and the interviewee in the position of ‘question-answerer’. But, believe it or not, your interviewer wants you to ask questions. It shows that you genuinely care about the job position and are curious to learn more. “You don’t have to wait until the end of the interview to ask questions,” encourages Ross.

5. Keep your calm. Doyle points out that it’s important to stay calm throughout your interview. It’s normal to be nervous. But showing poise can go a long way. “It is perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to frame your responses so you can be sure to fully answer the question,” she reminds us. She also advises that you always thank your interviewers at the end of each interview, reminding them of your interest in the job position.

6. Be on time. All of the above mentioned tips are great. But they won’t come in very handy if you don’t show up for your interview on time! Tardiness is certainly not a trait that any company wants in a new employee. Instead, “arrive 10 minutes before – and if you’re too early then take a walk around the block,” suggests Ross, “Just don’t leave it until 5 minutes before the interview is due to start.”

For more information on Independence Incorporated’s Interview Coaching, please feel free to call 204-478-6644.

6 Steps To Creating The Perfect Résumé

Posted November 12, 2014 by Victor Andres

target resume illustration design There are many reasons why we may, at some point in our lives, need to take a long layoff from work. In some cases, we may actually have to leave our jobs in order to attend to more pressing matters. Needless to say, our health should always come first. So when battling an illness or injury that requires a long recovery period, it can be difficult trying to get assimilated with a professional working environment again.

Not only may we have distanced ourselves from lifestyles that involve daily work schedules, but we may have also forgotten what it takes to complete adequate résumés. It’s hard to imagine yourself starting from scratch, isn’t it? But, believe it or not, many people have to begin their careers all over again after unexpected occurrences take place in their lives. This can actually be a good thing. But it takes a good résumé to get you started! Here are six steps to writing the perfect one.

1. Tailor it to the specific position you’re applying for. On BusinessInsider.com, Vivian Giang and Melissa Stanger write that a generic résumé won’t generally do the trick. It’s important to “mold the information to reflect what your potential employer is looking for in an ideal job candidate.” Naturally, you may have to make revisions to your résumé depending on the different industries within which you may be applying.

2. Include professional modes of contact. It’s important to remember the fact that you are looking to an impress an employer. Providing e-mail addresses and phone numbers may seem like the easy part. But as Barbara Safani points out on Aol.com, if your email address doesn’t reflect a sense of professionalism (partygirl7@aol.com is her example) and your outgoing voicemail message is done in a “goofy voice”, it will “encourage recruiters to walk away.”

3. The length of your résumé should reflect years of experience. Giang and Stanger remind us that, although you may be proud of your various accomplishments, they may not all be relevant to your potential employers. “Cut it down,” they insist, noting that if you’re in your twenties, a one-page résumé will suffice. However, those with more than ten years of experience can feel free to add second pages.

4. Use strong language. Now, of course, we’re not referring to using any inappropriate terms to describe yourself. Instead, you should try to make use of words that connote a great sense of confidence and strength. “Refrain from using subjective words like ‘loyal’ or ‘trustworthy’ to explain your candidacy,” advises Safani, “Omit phrases such as ‘responsible for’ or ‘duties included’ from your résumé; opt for stronger language such as ‘managed’ or ‘oversaw.’”

5. Use plenty of white space to draw the reader’s eye to specific items. An abundance of information can be distracting. Giang and Stanger point out that a résumé that is pleasing to the eye can be a lot more effective than one that is crammed with information. Sometimes, keeping it concise is key. Focus on the most relevant points of your job history and experience so that they are seen as highlighted reasons to hire you.

6. Explain your layoff. This may be a tip that most people wouldn’t consider. Especially if you’re seeking employment after a long layoff, it may be important to explain why. “If you left the workplace to take care of a child or aging parent, explain that right on the résumé,” insists Safani, “Don’t make the reader guess what you were doing during that gap. Their assumptions will rarely work in your favour.”

At Independence Incorporated, we proudly offer Resume Preparation services. For more information, call us at 204-478-6644.

6 Solutions For Boosting Team Spirit

Posted October 14, 2014 by Victor Andres

Depositphotos_3231546_xs Naturally, there are many different facets to a safe and comfortable return to work by an employee who has had a long layoff due to illness or injury. But in our experience, one of the most important aspects of a comfortable return is a positive working environment. And in order for a working environment to be a positive one, the people who fill it each and every day need to be in high spirits.

It can be argued then that one of the most important components to one’s successful return to the workplace is an office that is high in team spirit. Of course, this requires business owners and team managers to put forth efforts to ensure that their staff members are receiving ample amounts of motivation on a daily basis. All members of a staff need to be happy when coming in to work each day to really create a positive working environment. Here are six ways to boost team spirit.

1. Be Honest. We’ve all heard the term “honesty is the best policy.” According to Ralph Heibutzki on Chron.com, this is especially true for team managers looking to boost team spirit. “Keeping secrets inhibits staff from giving its best,” he writes, “Employees who know what’s going on are more likely to share your vision and care about making it happen…To promote morale, hold regular informal meetings, but don’t limit the agenda to major announcements.”

2. Recognize Success. A huge part of building team spirit is giving credit where credit is due. Staff members deserve to be recognized for their jobs well done. Letting them know that their contributions matter certainly goes a long way. “Look for workers who contribute to a team atmosphere and have a ‘can do’ attitude,” suggests Gina Scott on GlobalPost.com, “Give a monthly award to the person who jumped in and helped out the most, such as when a co-worker was sick or on medical leave.”

3. Get Everyone Involved. Perhaps there is nothing better to boost team spirit than to encourage employees to actually work as a team. “Collaborative decision-making is a key element in team building,” writes Heibutzki. Be sure to encourage feedback during team meetings and truly listen to what each member of your team has to contribute. Implement the best ideas in your company policies. You may also want to inspire friendly competition among the various members of your team.

4. Play Some Games. Speaking of friendly competition, it won’t hurt your bottom line to sometimes turn work into play. Firstly, you can promote productivity by creating teams within your team to try to inspire everyone to outdo their counterparts. Secondly, for an excellent way to boost morale, you may want to create games that build trust and communication. “Activities like these show co-workers how to produce better as a group,” says Scott.

5. Promote Work/Life Balance. No matter how fun you make the workplace, employees will always cherish time with their friends and family more. It’s just a fact of life. By appropriately balancing out one’s work life with his or her personal life, it helps for that person to be that much more enthusiastic about his or her job. “Cohesion and morale suffers when employees feel tethered to their computers, or see little relief from unrealistic workloads,” warns Heibutzki.

6. Get Out of the Office. Perhaps one of the best ways to make the office a more enjoyable place to be is to get out of it more often! “Getting team members out of their element helps them think from a new perspective and build camaraderie,” informs Scott, “Retreats can last all day or a weekend. They can be filled with trust exercises and motivational speeches that build loyalty to the company brand and to each other.”