How to approach job search after a long term employment?

Monster's career experts often receive questions about how to handle job-hopping and long periods of unemployment on the resume. But occasionally we are asked how to handle long-term employment -- jobs lasting 10 years or longer with one company. Increased job opportunities have contributed to a more mobile workforce, where employees often jump at better job offers without feeling they owe their current employers anything. Gone are the days when employees stayed with one employer for an entire career. This leaves long-term wondering, "Am I a dinosaur?"

The answer, of course, is no. The key is to present your long-term work history as a positive attribute, proof you're in for the long haul. Recruiting a new employee is an expensive endeavor -- companies are always looking for ways to promote long-term tenure -- so demonstrate you are a worthwhile investment. If you would like to use your solid work history as a selling point, here are seven ways to enhance your resume (you may also like to read:Best Practices: How to write an outstanding resume):

1. Keep Learning 
   Some employers might view your long-term employment as an indication that your skills have stagnated. Prove them wrong by constantly refreshing your skills through formal education and self-study. Participate in professional development courses sponsored by your employer or paid out-of-pocket. Create a Professional Development section on your resume to list your ongoing education.
   
   2. Remove Outdated Skills and Credentials Remove Outdated Skills and Credentials
   Obsolete skills are a sure sign of a dinosaur, so omit them. If you aren't sure, ask a trusted colleague or potential hiring manager whether or not a particular skill is in vogue. You can also glean this information by scouring job ads -- if the skill isn't included in job postings, it should probably be omitted.
   
   3. List Different Positions Separately List Different Positions Separately
   Promotions illustrate that your company realized your worth and offered you more responsibility. Even lateral moves indicate your employer recognized your diverse talents. Instead of grouping all of your positions under one heading, give your positions individual descriptions along with distinct time periods. Reinforce your internal mobility with terms such as "promoted to" or "selected by CEO to assist with a new department start-up." If you've been in the same position for your entire tenure, show how you've grown in this position and made a difference to the organization. To jog your memory, think about how your current job duties differ from when you first started.
   
   4. Display Accomplishments  Display Accomplishments
   Your employment description should go beyond merely listing job duties. To get noticed in this competitive job market, your resume should feature a track record of accomplishments. If you feel stifled in your current position, volunteer for a project that's outside your core competency to experience new challenges and develop new skills.
   
   5. Use Your Employment History to Your Advantage
   Use longevity, dedication, commitment, loyalty, and perseverance as selling points, both on your resume and in interviews. You also have the advantage of having seen your accomplishments through from beginning to end.
   
   6. Highlight Experiences Related to Your Goal
   If you've been with a company for many years, chances are that you boast a long list of achievements. However, your resume should only present the experience, skills and training that relate to your current goal. Since a resume is a marketing piece rather than a career history, don't feel that your resume must cover every detail of your career. Edit down your experience so that you are armed with a powerful resume that is tailored to your current job target.
   
   7. Create a Career Summary Section
   A well-written summary at the beginning of your resume will present your career in a positive light. The summary provides an initial hard sell, demonstrating you are highly qualified for your stated goal.
   
   Conducting a job search after a long period with one company can seem daunting, but realize that your experience provides you with skills that will be of value to your next employer
2.  

Forced to forgo an optional leave? Here's how to ask for time off

Stuck at work while your family and friends are celebrating a holiday? We’ve all been there.

Being called in to work on an optional holiday isn’t unusual. An important meeting, an approaching deadline, an urgent assignment or even sparse attendance in your department when there’s lots of work to be done are among several reasons why your boss may call you in, forcing you to cancel your holiday plans. Unless you have a crucial engagement that actually justifies your absence, we wouldn’t recommend you say no to your boss’ request. Instead, you can ask for leave later on to make up for the missed holiday.

Of course, the catch here is that the rules about compensatory leave in lieu of an optional holiday differ from company to company. If your organization allows employees to take an alternate day off, here’s what to keep in mind before you ask for it:

Time your request
Never approach the boss when s/he is preoccupied, hassled or angry. Also try and be smart about choosing when you want to take off. Pick a day when there’s less work and enough people to fill in for you. Remember, your boss has a hundred things to do at work and looking into a subordinates’ work-life balance isn’t really top priority.

Give enough notice
Make sure you allow your team leader enough time to make alternative arrangements during your absence. A week’s notice is generally good enough for one day of leave, but it also depends on your role in the company and how that’s impacted if you’re not in, deadlines, team strength and attendance, etc.

Share a good reasonhttp://avantcareer.in/about-us.html
If you’re asking for a day off in lieu of an optional holiday you worked on, find a geniune reason for leave. Taking a family member to the doctor, attending your children’s school annual day celebrations or going to receive a relative at the airport are valid reasons for seeking a day off. If you don’t have an excuse that is plausible, however, refrain from citing it altogether.

Optional holidays are generally religion or community-specific, so making a passing reference to the fact that you worked on a day when the rest of the country was celebrating could also work in your favour. Remember, request for leave, don’t demand it. Being overly aggressive and viewing leave as an entitlement rather than a privilege is sure to upset the boss and lead to certain rejection.

Co-opt your colleagues
It’s always a good idea to co-opt a colleague into your plans, asking him/her to step in for you, and mention that to your boss when you ask for leave. You can always repay your friend by filling in for him/her later. Going to managers with a problem as well as a solution makes decision-making easy for them. The boss can always come up with alternatives in case s/he thinks otherwise but you will be appreciated for trying to help out.

There’s no getting around the fact that optional holidays are, in fact, elective. If you’re entitled to, say, two optional holidays a year from a list of 14, you are free to choose when you want to take off. However, if work beckons, you ought to reconsider, unless you have something major planned. If you’re allowed to defer the optional day off, ask confidently for an alternate day and don’t forget to thank the boss if s/he agrees!

Want to pursue a career in Animation? Here's what you should know

ONE of the most-sought-after jobs of the 21st century, Animation jobs, can be defined as the art of breathing life to a character or an object. A blend of entertainment industry and technology, it is concerned with design, drawing, layout and production of graphically rich and attractive multimedia clips.

Aptitude and skills: You need sketching skills and a passion for animation. For better job prospects, a degree or diploma in animation helps.
Jobs galore: India has more than 300 animation studios, which employ over 15,000 animation professionals. The gaming industry is one of the top employers and they also pay quite well. Though entertainment through film and television is the main area of application in this profession, animation is also needed in other areas such as business, sales, engineering, education and advertising. Animators can also find jobs in print media and publishing firms. Freelance work is another option, particularly for web animators. Animators can also branch into website design, CD-Rom production, graphics designing and three-dimensional product modeling.

Salaries: Junior animators or trainees could get between Rs. 8,000-15,000 per month. With three to five years experience they can earn Rs. 25,000- 40,000. A well-experienced animator who has a good portfolio of excellent animation work could easily get Rs. 50,000-60,000 per month. With US and European studios outsourcing work to India, and Indian companies creating a number of animated films andcartoons, the future looks bright for creative animators. 

By Shalini Gupta

Expert Speak: Animation industry

Animation is  multi-billion dollar industry has generated great employment scope, and offers career opportunities across a range of profiles - from technology-based jobs such as scanning, compositing, digital ink and paint, and game designing to creative guys like visual-effects supervisors, 3D modellers and character animators.

Training is the most essential and important aspect for the creation of a skilled professional in the field of animation. To become an animator, the first step is to join a diploma course in animation. There are various diploma courses to choose from like, diploma in Graphic Designing, Web designing etc, which can help them master the suite of technical skills required to pursue a lucrative career in this exciting and dynamic industry.

The curriculum for diploma courses are designed in such a manner that over a course of time students get a thorough grounding, expert training and certification in his/her desired topic of specialisation such as Modeling, Lighting, Rigging, Animation, Visual Effects etc.

A student pursuing a diploma course in animation and gaming can pursue job roles such as Graphic Designer, Web Designer, 2D/3D Animator, 2D/3D Designer, AV Editor, Technical Trainer, 3D Modeler, Multimedia Programmers, Compositors, Visualizers, Content Developers and Pre and Post Production executives in leading animation studios and entertainment companies.

An aspirant wishing to pursue a career in animation and gaming can start with the average salary of around Rs 1.2 lakh per annum and can reach up to 7 lakh per annum (depending on the different profiles an individual chooses).

It is rightly said that animation is a career where one can literally ‘draw’ ones salary.

Where are the jobs? [Infographic]

If you're considering changing your place of work, now is a good time to start looking.

According to the Monster Employment Index, July registered a 19% year-on-year job growth; two points higher than June 2016. From the top industries and cities hiring to recruitment facts that can give you an edge, our infographic covers all the key statistics you'll need to find the career of your dreams!

Where are the jobs? [Infographic]

7 core skills you should have for a job in the BFSI sector

India’s Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector is expected to provide jobs to an additional 1.6 million skilled workers by 2022. This means plenty of new opportunities for a host of job-seekers.

A National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) report reveals that the sector will need an infusion of manpower in several departments, including corporate banking, retail banking, treasury, finance, technology and HR to meet future challenges.

Clearly, the time’s right to contemplate a career in BFSI. But do your have the right core skills?

We list down some of the attributes BFSI employers look for in applicants during the selection process:

The ability to stay on top of the sector
An in-depth knowledge of the sector and familiarity with the latest developments is necessary to remain competitive.

The skill to grasp new concepts and analyze
A recruit with an analytical brain, numerical ability and learning agility scores way higher than one who knows it all but can’t evaluate.

The competence to get familiar with technology
There’s no sector that the advance of technology has left untouched. A knack for learning and understanding new technology can give you an added advantage.

The ability to communicate clearly
A fundamental skill, communicating clearly – be it in the verbal or written format – is what helps you get along with colleagues and clients. If you communicate well, chances of persuading others to listen and much more rise exponentially.

The skilfulness to get along with people
The BFSI sector needs great people skills, basically competencies that allow you to play well with others. Are you able to relate to others, have patience, able to listen and show empathy?

The capability to stay true and display integrity
Whether it’s a bank, mutual fund or insurance firm, the BFSI sector is all about money. But naturally personal integrity is an invaluable quality!

The smartness to be resilient and stay afloat
With things constantly shifting in the global economy, an employee who can weather challenges, and thrive in demanding and taxing times will be valued.

The BFSI sector is not a large, monolithic establishment where all employees perform the same role. While the above attributes apply to a majority of jobs, each division also requires a specific core skill set.

Candidates looking for Investment banking jobs requires to be sharp, intellectually curious and must possess good knowledge of current affairs.

Likewise, to thrive in the retail banking or insurance industry, candidates should display good problem solving abilities, be adept at time management, be a team player, and possess leadership skills.

If you have the attributes listed above and are interested in a job in BFSI sector, there’s a good chance you’ll shine!

8 Steps to finding a career that you are passionate about

If you enjoy your job, the chances are you will be great at it. Of course things can get tough once in while, but liking your job will make it easier for you to focus more on the fun than the challenges you face.

With this secret 8-step formula you can find a job that you'd love to go everyday:

1. Find out what you are good at
Every person has some talent or the other. Make a list of what you are good at – this will give you a list of your talents. This list is the starting point for choosing the right career.

2. Find out what you like doing
The twist is that the things you are good at may not be the thing you like doing. So also make a list of the things that you like doing. The items that appear in both List 1 and List 2 are possibly the things you should consider a career in.  Simple, eh!

3. Figure out your personality type
Knowing your personality type will give you a good idea about the professions that suit you best. Be sure of who you are, before you decide to take the plunge.

4. Choose a work environment that works for you
Your personality type will also help determine the work environment that is best for you. Are you an indoor hound or prefer to be outside? Know what works for you.

5. How posh do you want life to be?
It is very important to know your material and lifestyle aspirations. You may be suited to a job in the social sector, but will it pay you enough to sustain the lifestyle you want to lead? Know what is important for you.

6. Research. Research. Research.
Based on answers to the above questions, make a list of careers that are most suitable for you. Then research the industries and companies that offer such careers. Read up about the history of the industries, their trends and opportunities.

7. Find someone already working in a similar job. Speak to them.
Tap into your social network and ask your friends to put you in touch with people that have similar jobs. Let them tell you how it works and decide whether it would work for you.

8. Get cracking on your job search.
You are now ready to look for a job. Check out job search sites and company websites for relevant vacancies. There are many jobs out there that are not advertised but filled up through referrals so spread the word with friends. C’mon, get going!

Any job can be yours as long as you love what you do! 

 

5 essential tips to manage emails so it doesn't manage you

Rule #1: Get your inbox to zero every day
Nothing can put more pressure on you than an inbox that’s overflowing with mails. Productivity evangelist Merlin Mann introduced Inbox Zero, a way that lets you stay on top of your email. Author and publishing guru Michael Hyatt offers a great method for doing this:
• Do: If it’s actionable, get down to work
• Delegate: Forward to the correct person
• Defer: Decide to do it later
• Delete: If you don’t need it, hit delete
• File: Add it to your archives only if essential
Rule #2 Organize your inbox and file e-mails
It may be a paperless office but there’s plenty of digital paperwork. Peter Turla, a leading time management expert, advises keeping the “business” inbox as lean as possible. “Plan your filing. Don’t just create a new folder for every detail or use your inbox or sent mail as a huge miscellaneous file or everything will run together and get out of hand. File messages according to subject, key word or author, and then move incoming, related messages into the respective folders. This will keep things neat and organized,” he writes on his blog.
Rule #3 Use tools to get your inbox in order
Turla advocates using the “Tools, Organize” or “Tools/Rules” function – part of most e-mail programmes - to “color-code incoming e-mail from your boss or key team members”. Email rules can help you save a lot of time and energy. Find them under the Settings menu in Gmail and in the Preferences panel in Apple Mail. These can even help you get rid of unsolicited bulk email (spam) and file solicited bulk email. Using keyboard commands instead of the mouse can also add up to minutes of saved time. Explore email productivity software such as Boomerang, Rapportive, Inky and Zoomin.

Rule #4 Check email in batches
There’s no point keeping an eye on your email every second. Set regular times – yes, it may seem tough but it’s possible – and check your email only then. Five times through the work day is more than enough. Set a time limit on how long you will respond to emails but make sure you reply to important ones right away. Turning off your email notifications is a great idea when at your work desk; it’s sure to amp up productivity.

Rule # 5: Never forget your email etiquette
Keep things concise but never be rude. Short paragraphs - 2-3 lines - and formatting make your content easy to read. Communicate clearly and always respond within 24 hours. Never go berserk with the CC and BCC options; inclusion should be on a need-to-know basis. If it’s easier to sort things out on the phone, call instead. Make sure you proofread before hitting the send button. Sending proper emails ensures that you receive replies that are easily actionable.

You can also avoid drowning by email by setting times to check your inbox – may be four times in eight hours. This will ensure that you can devote solid chunks of time to work, which is why you’re at the workplace. Managing your email better will ensure that you stay in control, your inbox doesn’t