​Fresher? Consider Kick-Starting Your Career in Customer Service! ​You may have made assumptions about customer service based on your own conversations as a customer that lead you to believe the job is not for you. But I'm here to reveal that it can be an excellent first step toward a successful career. ​Customer service is an interesting profession to start with, particularly now, that it is more significant for businesses to adopt a customer-centric mind-set. Also, customer service is one of those roles which never misses its sparkle, irrespective of age or period.​We will have customer support so long as there are companies providing goods and services. This role offers not only various learning opportunities, but also allows you to be a better version of yourself.​What is the role about?​Customer service involves being a kind, courteous, and professional face for the company. It also encompasses paying close attention to the wants and concerns of the customer. ​Beyond listening, customer service involves doing everything in one's strength to satisfy each customer rapidly and efficiently.​There are a variety of customer service jobs, ranging from entry-level to manager. Here are the most common entry-level positions:​Customer Service AssociateCustomer Service RepresentativeCustomer Service ExecutiveCustomer Support ExecutiveCall Centre Representative​Why work in customer service?​Have you ever applied for, or been interested in, a role in Customer Service? If not, here are some perks that may interest you to consider the role:​Flexi-hours​Customer service professions generally have different time schedule than a standard 9-5 job. You may be given the option of selecting the working time that are most convenient for you. ​You also have the option of longer hours, and as we all understand, the more you work, the more income you earn at the end of every month.​Learning and Upskilling​​Working in Customer Service provides you with learning opportunities and skills that can be transferred later in almost any position in your career. ​Customer service prepares you for a wide range of functions, from operating under stress to effective communication, to problem solving, selling and marketing. ​After all, customer service representatives are the subject-matter experts of any brand because they are the first point of interaction. ​Among the most apparent - but is one of the most favorable - benefits of this type of profession is communication skills. Since you're constantly interacting with others, you're consistently honing your interpersonal skills and verbal ability.​​Networking​What happens when you spend a full day chatting with others? ​Of course, you develop strong bonds with them. It not only provides you with a variety of experiences and, but also, the opportunity to form a networking circle around yourself. ​It will be beneficial to your career growth. They say “your network is your net worth”.​A job with a future​​Aside from the features listed, we must emphasize the future of customer service as a profession that is ever-expanding. ​Although some people still believe of customer service reps as individuals who are shouted at on the headset, this industry has grown so large that the range of responsibilities that need to be developed has grown significantly.​​Having all that in mind, whether you aspire to a long career in the customer support space, or you’re simply eager to get your foot in the door at an innovative company, please reach out to ManpowerGroup Malaysia to get an update on the Customer Service roles that we’re currently hiring. ​You can also visit our Job Portal to kick-start your search.​​​Posted by:Yoga Kumari Sankar- Marketing & Commercial Executive​

How To Assure Long-Term Employability in Marketing? ​As a marketer, you know how difficult it is to retain your own position in today’s digital environment. This is becoming a major issue since leaders are constantly in search for talented individuals with innovative ideas. In other words, they're looking for the marketer of the future right now.​What does the merging of technology mean for marketers?​Over the past few years, a rich variety of digital marketing tools emerged to help organizations in communicating with their targeted audiences and improving customer experience. ​With all these tools available, companies need marketers who can continuously identify new tools, explain how they can fit into their current ecosystem and demonstrate ROI on such investments.​​So how, then, do you stand out in an ocean of marketing professionals?​​Here's your checklist:​​Marketing yourself​Why? Because you want to get noticed!​But, you might be wondering, "How do I develop a personal brand when I'm trying to get my organization more visibility?" The solution is right in front of you. You work as a marketer. You are indeed a specialist at marketing.​So how do you do it? As a marketer, your social presence is significant - what professional blogs have you written, what articles have you promoted, and how frequently do you voice your opinion on interesting facts? ​​The more you can get your work noticed heard, the better, because it will allow you to obtain a much larger audience, allowing you to strengthen your own brand and stand out in the crowd.​Rediscover your LinkedIn bio and explain how your background has helped you become the Marketer you are today. When you portray yourself, you become more approachable, and being approachable is the place to begin if you want to be a true strategic Marketer.​Be an eternal student​​The world’s greatest professionals devote a substantial amount of their leisure time to career development. They do not work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ​Professional marketers are no exception; they devote endless hours to exploring, studying, networking, and enhancing their skill. ​They understand that there is someone who knows extra, and that there is always room for growth. From one-day training courses, to full-fledged MBA programs (with a specialization in Marketing Management), can help you stay on top of your game.​Build your network​Among the most crucial aspects of working in marketing is knowing how to develop relationships with others. Having a good connectivity helps marketers to get great offers, along with other potential advantages. If marketers want to embark on this career, they must get on well with both clients and co-workers.​Soft skills are becoming increasingly important​Marketing has indeed needed a diverse set of soft skills, but according to CIM's research, this has become far more significant in the last five years. The pandemic spotlighted some of these, such as adaptability and resilience. ​Others, such as communication, teamwork, and social competence, have been and will remain to be top priorities for marketers of all ages and industries.​​What do you think?​Do you have any other qualities to add to the list? Every organization will value different qualities, but I’d love to hear what makes your marketing professional amazing or perhaps what you think they are lacking. ​Comment your views below to join the conversation.​​Posted by:Yoga Kumari Sankar- Marketing & Commercial Executive

The Future of Diversity for Organizations​The past year demonstrated that organizations need to deepen their understanding of diversity as well as how to make diversity and inclusion an institutional reality. Organizations that thrive in a fast-changing world will have a workforce with diversity of background, skills and perspectives. Here are ways organizations can approach and foster diversity.   Plan for the future​By 2050, the demographic make-up of the United States will look very different than it does today — diversity will be the norm. Talent in all its diversity is the most potent competitive differentiator. If you want your organization to be competitive 30 years from now, start by assessing hiring practices, creating mentorship programs and leveraging diverse talent pools. ​Use assessment to increase diversity ​The traditional ways of building and promoting a workforce based on gut instincts can be riddled with unconscious bias. A more equitable way to level the playing field and increase diversity is to assess candidates using data. Businesses have a long way to go on this front, with only 49% of workers globally have been assessed, according to ManpowerGroup research. Furthermore, 81% of those who have been assessed report higher job satisfaction versus 65% of those who have not. ​Neurodiversity: The need to think differently ​Creativity, imagination and intuition sets us apart from machines. That’s Dyslexic Thinking. Dyslexia is a different way of processing information, and with that different way of thinking comes a pattern of strengths, creativity, innovation, big picture thinking. For organizations, that means understanding and valuing how dyslexia and neurodiversity can be an opportunity to bridge the skills gap of the future.  ​Provide opportunities for women ​Women have been disproportionately affected by both social and economic crises due to the pandemic, and over-represented in job losses across industries including retail, leisure, and hospitality. At the same time, there is a clear opportunity for women to reskill and upskill in growth sectors including information technology, operations, and logistics. Women are an untapped talent pool that could be re-skilled or upskilled for many of the jobs of tomorrow. ​Ongoing measurement of your diversity and engagement efforts and involving employees in that process is essential to ensure you are moving the needle. Achieving diversity, inclusion and equity takes time but by taking proactive steps today your organization can achieve a series of wins along the way.

​Getting Through Your First Job!​Few experiences in life are as nerve-wracking as starting a new job for the first time. First, I'd like to congratulate you on your first job! You've worked hard to get to this point, and you deserve to be celebrated.​What's next? With your  first  career comes a great deal of confusion. You'll meet new people, work in a new environment, and take on new responsibilities. ​​So, to set you up for success, we've compiled a list of guidelines to help you get into your first milestones.​​INTRODUCE YOURSELF​You may be the newcomer right now, but you will soon have your own team. So, when the time feels right, give a quick, vibrant introduction to anyone you haven't met yet.​​WORK ETHIC​Work life can be much more challenging than university life. Make sure you build the right first impression. You want to portray reliability, dependability and curiosity. ​If needed, arrive early, stay late, volunteer, and work super hard at learning. Go the "extra mile," and do whatever is asked of you.​​WELCOME CRITICISM​It barely matters if you graduate at the top of your class. In the corporate world, you are at the very base of the work chain. Accept constructive criticism and request feedback on a regular basis.​​ASK QUESTIONS (AT THE RIGHT TIME)​Your first week on the job is an ideal time to ask questions. Just think about what you're going to ask them. You may want to write down your questions in the middle of a clarification and wait to see if it is addressed.​​TAKE NOTES​The first week at work is an excellent opportunity to listen carefully and learn fresh stuff. Before you begin working at your new job, you must first learn the fundamentals of how the company works. ​Even if you'll have questions later, the more you write down and understand on your first week, the less questions you'll have to ask eventually.​​MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY​You may not have the luxury of time or the luxury of slacking off. After all, if you manage your time well, you can have a successful career and often a vibrant social life. So, strategize and use your time wisely.​​LEARN TO LET GO​Learn to treat everything as business. Nothing is ever personal in the business world. They will condemn your work, but that does not mean they dislike you. ​Develop a strong personality because you will be subjected to a stream of criticisms later on. Remember, you will not to be able to please everyone in the corporate world.​​ALWAYS SAY “YES” FOR NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES​The newbie will almost always be asked for lunch. What's our recommendation? Never, particularly in the first month, decline an invitation. ​This is your quick route to befriending your co-workers and learning about the pros and downs of your department, which are only shared at lunchtime.​​MAKE SOME FRIENDS​You'll probably spend plenty of time with your new colleagues, and surviving your first job will be much easier (and a lot more exciting) if you get along well with them. ​Although they don't have to be your best friends, forming a relationship with your co-workers is essential if you wouldn't want to be alone. ​You never know, you could perhaps find that you have a lot in common with these people than you assumed. It's essential to keep building new connections and allowing others to get to know you. ​You will learn a thing or two about the company and group culture while being with your new team and paying attention to how everyone performs and works collaboratively.​​​GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FIRST JOB!​

Job Hunting on LinkedIn​Your LinkedIn profile is your chance to get your name and face in front of thousands of professionals in your industry. If you're looking for a job, that's essential. The good news? LinkedIn will actually measure the “completeness” of your profile as you work and offer suggestions on how to make it stronger. So, treat your profile like your resume.​Before we share our tips, here are steps from LinkedIn themselves on how to build a profile and develop a network:​Keywords are the key (no pun intended)Recruiters search for candidates using keywords. Specialized recruiters will purchase Recruiter Licences from LinkedIn to have more flexibility and options in their searching.The words you use to populate your profile, are the ones that will allow the system to display your profile to recruiters when they search for candidates.To cut the long story short, you might want to use the words in your profile that you want to be found for. So if you are looking for an accounting job, use words and skills that relate to accountancy in your profile. ​Pro tip: If you are not sure what keywords to use, look into the jobs that are being posted on the platform to see what type of requirements they have. Then use similar terms in your profile​Where to use keywords? Well, the main areas are in your profile “Headline”, “Current Position” and the “About” or “Summary” sections. More keywords can be added in describing the responsibilities and achievements you had in the “Experience” section as well as the “Skills” section.​How to Develop a Network?​Your connections can exponentially increase your exposure and access to other connections. The right connections can help you get inside information on a company, refer you for a job, or provide career advice. So, the more connections you have, the better your chances of finding someone to help with your job search. ​You can connect with almost anyoneThere is a common misconception that you can’t connect with some people because there is no “Connect” button on their profile. However, if you click on the “More” button on the left side, you can still connect.​​Always add a note to your connection requestWhenever you send a connection request, you are given the opportunity to add a note. Use that to your advantage. Highlight why you would like to connect to the person and how this can be beneficial for both of you. For example: “Hi Jonas, I have recently seen your post about [add the topic] and it was very interesting. It would be a pleasure to stay in touch”.​Use searchFilter your potential connections based on their companies, industries, and job functions. You can also see whether you have any connections who work at a specific company from a company’s page or job listing.​Use Advanced SearchYou can follow companies and people to receive regular updates on the news and trends that are pertinent to hiring. Besides, use the advanced search option to refine your search and to search by date posted, experience level, specific location, job function, company, and industry.​Look for alumni associated with your college or universityBecome a member of your university’s alumni group on LinkedIn. Virtually every college and university in the world has one or more alumni groups. Go to the Groups Directory and search for the name of the educational institutions you attended and join as many as an appeal to you. ​Join a discussionTo get noticed by someone, a good practice is to engage with their posts. Comment on an article someone has posted or you can also provide your opinion on the post or ask a question to start a conversation and have a start for a relationship.​LinkedIn GroupsBy joining groups relevant to your profession or industry and contributing to ongoing conversations in industry-aligned groups will help you learn about your colleagues and competition, build expertise, and position you as a passionate & engaged professional.​One interesting channel for LinkedIn tips comes from an unexpected source. TikTok! Search for this profile on TikTok as it has amazing advice on how to best leverage LinkedIn tools: https://www.tiktok.com/@wonsulting​Optimizing your LinkedIn profile means making a lot of major (and minor) tweaks. ​But you don’t have to do it all at once. If you start small and commit to doing a little every week, you’ll find yourself with a well-optimized profile in no time.​To read more tips to hunting jobs during this unprecedented time please download Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​​​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant

​CVs To Stand Out - Tips For Mid-Career Professionals​You may be considering making a career move. Maybe you want a growth opportunity in your current field. Or maybe you're interested in an entirely new industry. But as someone who's been in the workforce for several years, how do you condense years' worth of continuous education, experience, certifications, and awards into one streamlined format that tells the story of your career and achievements? For those in need of a proper mid-career resume, it's important to understand the components that potential employers look for and appreciate.​Include a link to your LinkedIn profile​Help recruiters find the right information about you on social platforms & make sure they are regularly maintained, professional, and support your current job goals​Make your job goals are clear ​Highlight your job goals by including a professional title above your career summary that states your target job title so the reader knows exactly what type of role you’re are seeking. Explain in your career summary how you’ll be the perfect fit for the new role by tabulating relevant skillsets.​Core skills should be highlighted at the top ​Your goal is to give the reader a snapshot of your goals and qualifications within that first portion of your resume. By identifying the right keywords found in the job descriptions of your target role and incorporating them into your resume as you’ll have a better shot at getting past the gatekeepers.​Numbers, numbers, and numbers ​Quantify the scope of your roles, your notable contributions, and your accomplishments to give the reader a better sense of what your position entailed and how you were able to deliver results. Use numbers in the bulleted section of each job position to add context to your achievements. (Examples)​Focus on what matters to each specific employer​Instead of creating a laundry list of former employers, focus on your most relevant former jobs. At this point in your career, you can drop the part-time jobs you held as a college student and recent grad. Dedicate the space to positions that directly relate to the role you are applying for.​To download the full report Post Pandemic Job Hunting GuidePost Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant​

Upskilling? Here Are The Resources To Tap In!​​There are many platforms for acquiring new skills. Here are some of our favourites:​PowerYou​​Developed by ManpowerGroup and offers thousands of skill development and training courses from fields such as IT, Business, Management, and certifications. It features a contemporary look and interface, and a refined catalogue of courses that can be accessed anytime, anywhere across mobile and desktop devices.​The system makes it easy to track training and monitor progress toward personal development goals. PowerYOU also provides advanced search capabilities to quickly find and rank courses that are relevant to the user.​It also offers certification preparation so users can stay current on what’s needed to succeed in the industry. Videos and book summaries are available for business skills, desktop skills, contact center, health and safety, information technology, and telecommunications training. Courses cover critical business skills and are broken down into niche topics, allowing users to focus on key areas for development.​Udemy​Udemy is an online learning platform featuring video courses taught by expert instructors. Udemy is a platform that allows instructors to build online courses on their preferred topics. Using Udemy's course development tools, they can upload videos, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, audio, ZIP files, and live classes to create courses.​Udemy’s video player has functional features like closed captioning and note-taking functions. Courses cannot be downloaded for offline viewing; however, the Udemy mobile app allows users to view classes offline and to listen to lectures on the move in the app’s podcast mode. ​Coursera​An education platform that collaborates with 200+ top universities and organizations worldwide, to offer courses online for anyone to take, free. Coursera is offering universities around the world impacted by the coronavirus free access to their online courses to help students continue learning as seamlessly as possible. ​Pluralsight​An online learning and workforce development platform that helps businesses and individuals adjust to changing technology. Using a data-driven approach, the platform focuses on training for tech-based professions, such as IT operations, security, and software development, as well as leadership, including managers and product leaders.​They offer courses covering the major areas of Software Development, IT Ops, Data Professional, Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing & Design, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning/AI, Information & Cyber Security, and Creative Professional.​This e-learning platform is an excellent place for IT/ tech professionals to explore new skills. If you are looking for in-depth content and continuously updated courses relating to Python, CSS, or Oracle, PluralSight will meet your expectations.​edX​A credible platform for education and learning. It was actually founded by professors from Harvard and MIT and has more than 34+ million learners.​Offers interactive courses from the world’s best universities, colleges and, organizations. edX’s most popular subject areas are computer science, engineering, humanities, statistics and, data analysis. The majority of edX courses offer the opportunity to earn a verified certificate. ​It also offers the option to learn on its courses for free, it will mean though you won’t have access to the graded assignments and you won’t receive a verified certificate.​If you're searching for more tips for job hunting in pandemic time click HERE​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant​

Getting Over Job Rejections​​No one enjoys getting turned down for a job, and if you’ve done a lot of preparation for a role that you really wanted, it can be harder still to accept rejection. But with the right mindset, you can turn the experience into a career development opportunity. ​Here’s how…​Change of mindset​Handling rejection is never easy but it offers valuable opportunities to discover more about yourself and enhance your search techniques. The more rejections you get, the closer you are to an offer. Good things are worth fighting for. With persistence, your dream job could be around the corner.​Stay positive and don't take it personally​Don’t regard a job rejection as a statement about you personally. Rather, focus on the next opportunity – it could take you one step closer to your dream role. Remember that you’re not the only candidate with the right education and skill set. ​Ask for detailed feedback​Follow up with the hiring manager to ask how you can improve for the future. If the feedback feels generic, don’t be afraid to ask for a more detailed assessment. Incorporating this learning into your job search process, you’ll be able to continuously improve and position yourself as a stronger candidate.​Stay connected with the company that turned you down​Send an email thanking the interviewer for the opportunity to have interviewed with the organization, even though you may not have been a fit for the position. This shows a high level of professionalism and leaves the door open to the chance of working with the company down the road.​Keep your job search momentum till you have accepted a position​Continue to stay in touch with your network of professional contacts and maintain contact with your recruitment professionals. Overcoming obstacles in your career path will increase your chances of landing the right role.​Read more tips here: Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant​

​Job Hunting With Agencies & Portals​The competition in the market is intense and finding a job has become tougher than ever especially in this pandemic time. Many people losing their job and it is also a hard time for job seekers and fresh graduates to look for jobs.​However, no matter which career stage you are in, having correct guidance and support through your job search can create a huge difference. It can help you land in a perfect role. Out of various accessible options, one of the best available is to take advantage of the reputed recruitment agencies.​Are you thinking about how it would be helpful? Here are a few insights to begin with.​What is A Recruitment Agency?​Recruitment agencies, also known as employment companies help match the job vacancies to suitable candidates. These firms work directly with other companies to offer the best fit for their vacant positions.​The recruitment consultants source new opportunities optimize CVs and shortlist the best suitable candidates. Once a candidate is shortlisted, they guide him and provide pointers to prepare for the interview.​They are mainly accountable to streamline the job-seeking process and provide the best fit for a vacant position.​How Do Recruitment Agencies Work?​While each recruitment agency may have its specialized process of working, the basis for all remains the same.​On the initial level, the agency receives a job description from the organization having an open position.After receiving the job requirement and going through it in detail the agency sources candidates. This is done by searching the resumes of the candidates that are the best fit for the job requirements. The searching includes various applications from their websites, social media, referrals, or maybe offline applications where they receive a hard-copy resume from career fairs or people that come to their office to submit the profiles.Upon collecting profiles, agencies will go through a rigorous process of shortlisting profiles that best fit client requirements. This could be done through phone interviews, online meetings, assessments, or a combination of all.After that agencies typically submit the best profiles to their client company and provides a brief of why this individual is suitable for the role. The client then asks the agency to arrange as well as coordinate an interview between the company and the candidate or the agencies will interview the candidates for the company. Once the client company selects the individuals, who according to them would be the best options for the job, the agency then facilitates the hiring process.​How To Reach Recruitment Agencies?​Although in many cases agencies come directly to the candidate, you don’t have to wait for them. Consider registering on their websites, connecting to their recruiters online and, calling them. You need to identify agencies that have a job opportunity that is ideal for you. ​Connect to their consultants on LinkedIn and develop rapport by explaining your career goals and exploring opportunities they share with you.​Recruitment consultants will act as an intermediary between employers and you. They will act on your behalf for free and help you with interview preparation by offering tips related to the particular opportunity.​Benefits of Recruitment Agencies​Agencies have in-depth knowledge of the field and can offer detailed information to you about the company, job profile, and other essential details. Reputable agencies will offer you all guidance and support to prepare for the interview. It would offer you tips to crack the interview in the best way. In addition, they would offer you details about the culture and history of the company.​They can offer you other benefits such as:​Connecting you with a network of employersAdvice on CVs and interviewsSharing constructive feedback from employers and each interviewUpdating you on the final resultSpecialist advice in a specific field. Offering you with more relevant job roles​Beware of Fraudulent Recruitment Agencies​If they are asking you for money or any front payment for you to get the job so that is, some people who are using you for their evil job scheme. Reputable recruitment agencies will never ask for your money for you to get into the job that you had been offered to​Download our Job Pandemic Hunting Guide HERE​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant

CVs To Stand Out - Tips For Career Changers​If you are looking to make a career change, then you need a CV that demonstrates how your skills can transition into a new industry. You need to attract recruiters’ attention with a clear CV structure that displays your transferable skills showcasing why you’d be ideal for the sector you’re pursuing. This comprehensive guide will give you the tools to write a CV that stands out from the crowd. Your CV should emphasise your key strengths, allowing recruiters to easily navigate your experience and pinpoint your relevancy for new opportunities. ​Explain your objectives​Highlight what type of job you're seeking. You can use this space to make it clear how your former career has provided you with the skills you need in your new field, and for this job in particular.​Position past experiences in a positive way​A successful career-change CV clearly shows how your career path to date is a consistent progression of your talents, emphasising how the experience you gained could support your career change. It would be fantastic if you can include qualitative data to support your claims. ​Transferable skills should be highlighted at the top​Don’t be tempted to list skills you are not truly adept at because recruiters see hundreds of resumes and they are not easily fooled. Identify your transferable skills. Start by getting to know your new industry. Read job descriptions and industry news to gain a sense of the skills that employers require. ​Courses and Training​Document qualifications or courses you have obtained, especially those most linked to your career change. Start with recent online courses, workshops, training sessions, or part-time studies you have undertaken to enhance your skills. ​Differentiate yourself​Your past experiences can give you a competitive edge! Most people applying for the job will have similar backgrounds. However since you are making a career change, you are different. Remember to show that you can bring new perspectives to the role and provide non-traditional points of view.​Find out more in our Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​To download the full report Post Pandemic Job Hunting GuidePost Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​​​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant​​

​Is It Good to Be an Agreeable Employee? ​​Of course, the ability to communicate, socialize, and form meaningful relationships with others is always a bonus. And "agreeable" people are more likely to succeed in fields that require these abilities. ​Agreeablenessis a personality trait characterized by compassion, friendliness, politeness and empathy. People high in this personality trait can be described as "nice"; they tend to make good friends, are good listeners and good team players. ​While others may respect your good intentions, some may see you as someone who avoids conflict. It lacks negotiating skills when it comes to managing conflicts, and neither contributes to advancement. ​What nice people do not know is that they're being extra nice, and that being extra friendly can seriously stifle their professional development and success. You should continue to be a good colleague where possible, but you cannot put your own job on hold to support others. ​​“Niceness -- in the form of agreeableness -- does not appear to pay”, Beth Livingston, Timothy Judge and Charlice Hurst.​If the purpose of building and maintaining good relationships with others is the primary motivation for highly agreeable people, this may clash with other types of goals that encourage extrinsic career success.​​The Pay Check!​The earnings of agreeable individuals may be reduced by their lower drive to emerge as a leader, as well as their propensity to engage in lower levels of constructive task behaviors, such as coming up with ways to improve organizational effectiveness. ​In fact, men who are nice, in defiance of gender stereotypes, "do take a hit for being highly agreeable," suffering a "backlash" that shows up in their pay checks. Women, on the other hand, do not seem to profit from being disagreeable in the same way as men do. ​Men are referred to as the family's breadwinners, and they are often thought to be mentally strong. Women, on the other hand, are thought to be more social and caring than men. Men who are more agreeable earn less money, and the quality of life they provide for their families suffers as a result. Hence, society can doubt his masculinity and ability to carry out his responsibilities at times.​Thus, women can find themselves in a “no-win” situation in which, like men, they are vulnerable to exploitation and are less likely to be seen as competent if they are agreeable. However, if they are disagreeable, the financial benefits of disagreeability can be diluted because their behavior contradicts gender role norms.​A company full of people in agreement would have a hard time establishing or maintaining any kind of hierarchy. Someone has to differentiate themselves from the pack, and being 'disagreeable' seems like a way to accomplish that. If you prefer to be agreeable but want to advance in your career, the trick is to strike a balance between being true to yourself and recognizing that you may need to disagree at times. Keeping a sense of balance between agreeing and disagreeing necessitates going outside of your comfort zone.​While being agreeable certainly doesn’t appear to help one’s pay, it does provide other benefits. Agreeable individuals are better liked at work, are more likely to help others at work, and generally are happier at work and in life. Nice men—and women—may finish last in terms of earnings, but wages themselves do not define a happy life, and on that front, agreeable individuals have the advantage.​​So, are you an agreeable employee? Share with us your thoughts! ​​​Posted by:Yogakumari Sankar - Prospect & Content Development Executive​

​CVs To Stand Out - Tips for Fresh Grads​If you’re in your final year, the beginning of your professional life is almost here. And, creating your first graduate CV may feel like a daunting task because you may be unsure of where to begin. You’re not alone; plenty of your peers will have this same dilemma. ​Remember, your CV must construct a narrative about yourself. By which we mean that you should select an ‘image’ of yourself (or persona) that you want to promote. As mentioned before, we will not re-iterate what has been shared many times about CV structure or sections. We are sharing tips that can help you stand out:​Provide contact information and a link to your LinkedIn profile at the top​​Keep them brief and make sure they don't take up too much space because the employer will not be using these piece of information to assess your suitability for the role. Remember, “If something doesn’t add value to your CV, leave it out” such as date of birth/age/marital status.​Leave out the professional summary ​Unlike those with several years of experience, fresh grads don’t have enough relevant work to warrant a summary. Instead, their resumes should immediately focus on internships, key accomplishments, education and extracurricular activities​Outline your skills and possible value contribution to the employer ​As a fresh grad, what value you can bring to the employer? Include a section of key skills that you acquired during your studies and internships that are relevant to the role you're pursuing. If you can showcase possible contributions for this particular employer, that’s perfect!​Internships, projects, and gigs​Chances are, you may not have that much previous work history to include. Try to match the competencies in the job description and give examples of the most relevant internships, projects, and gigs you were involved in. Consider putting in your volunteering experience too.​Paint a picture of your personality​List hobbies that demonstrate your qualifications for the job or are very unique. These can be interesting conversation starters during the initial interview 'small talk'.​Want to know more? Click HERE to access our Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide ​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant​

​CVs To Stand Out​​Mistakenly many think that the purpose of a CV is to get employed. However, the main goal of sending this document is to intrigue employers and make them say “I want to interview this person!”​A cover letter is a single-page letter that you include with your job application. Actually, a cover letter will add an advantage to a resume. ​This is because, a resume is of a limited value to the hiring managers without a cover letter for context. Your cover letter can likewise clarify things that your resume can’t. ​It should provide a brief introduction to your key skills and experiences and highlight how you are suitable for the job you are applying for.​A lot has been said about CV sections or structures that can easily be found online. So we will not re-iterate what has been shared many times.​Although there is no silver bullet, we would like to share with you tips that will help you in your efforts to stand out. We divided the tips into 3 groups depending on your current needs:​For Fresh GradsFor Mid Career ProfessionalsFor Career Change​Each cover letter ought to be custom-made to the individual job application. You don't need to begin from scratch every time. You can modify the cover letter's content to best reflect what makes you a perfect contender when you're trying to apply for that job position.​Before you continue, here are some online tools to help you along the way​​Resume.com​Resume.ioCakeResumeCVMakerKickresumeCanvaResume Builder (Android)Resume Builder (iOS)​​Read our Job Hunting Pandemic GuideCLICK HERE​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant

​Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide​The Covid-19 health crisis and continued lockdown in many markets are posing unparalleled challenges to people and businesses around the world. ​We can however see the job market recovering and presenting many opportunities across various sectors even though Malaysia’s GDP is expected to have shrunken by between 3.5% to 5.5% in 2020. ​On a monthly basis, ManpowerGroup (www.manpower.com.my) monitors several job boards in Malaysia to examine market developments. Though with varying degrees of volume, talent is needed across all skillsets.​But applying for a job can be a difficult and daunting task for anybody especially during a pandemic. With that in mind and decades of expertise in the Malaysian job market, ManpowerGroup Malaysia developed the Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide to help job seekers landing on successful careers. It provides: Tips for Cover E-mails. A strong cover letter can be the key to getting your foot in the door. If you don’t get the cover letter right, you may never get the opportunity to wow employers with information about your suitability for the new role. Tips for Resumes. Whether you are a fresh grad, a professional looking for growth, or someone who wants to have a career switch, how can you get your resume to stand out from the competition? This guide shares highlights of a CV that will take you to the next step. ​LinkedIn Techniques. Your LinkedIn profile allows you to present yourself and your professional skills to millions of hiring managers. The guide shares ways to using LinkedIn effectively and how to be more 'discoverable' to employers and agencies.​Using Recruitment Agencies. The competition in the market is intense and finding a job has become tougher than ever especially in this pandemic time. So, having correct guidance and support through your job search can create a huge difference. This guide shares with you how to utilize agencies to your advantage.  Upskilling Opportunities. Perhaps one of the most dramatic impacts of the pandemic has been the unprecedented numbers of laid-off employees and high unemployment rates. . It accelerated the need for re-skilling and upskilling. The guide shares with you several portals to gain knowledge and stay up to date with developments. Handling Rejections Techniques. Being turned down for a role you really want is never fun, and it sure can impact your confidence. Meeting challenges or setbacks with a constructive approach can turn the experience into a career development opportunity. Download the guide and take a look at tips in addressing such situations.  To download the full report Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide click HERE​

How To Write A Cover Email. A Good Cover Email​​Applying for a job can be a difficult and daunting task for anybody especially in this unprecedented time. The most daunting thing about applying for a job is actually sending in the resume. You probably can relate to the little panic attack that you got after hitting the ‘send’ button when you have already emailed your resume to a potential employer.​You might be having a hard time writing one cover email when you had to browse cover email examples online. In your overwhelmed mind, you will think about why you need to write these. Does anyone really read these? Would not it be so much easier if hiring managers just read my resume?​​Post Pandemic Job Hunting Guide Download our guide to know more tips in job hunting​​Why Cover E-mails Can Increase Your Chances? An email provides key information about your experience and skills to a recruiter or a hiring manager in a quick or simplified manner. It is a unique way to convey your interest in a particular job in an organization. It is personalized because you can explain how you found out about the job and showcase your suitability. A resume is of limited value to the hiring managers without a cover email for context. Cover emails are significant because they tell hiring managers or future employers the sort of position you’re chasing – and precisely how you’re qualified for it. ​ How to Make Your Email Stand Out?  Fresh cover email for each job that you apply for Avoid sending generic cover e-mails to employers. They immediately know when they see it. Customizing your cover email makes it more interesting to the employer as it is personalized and specific to the role and the company. It's okay to recycle a few strong elements though. When possible, use correct salutation or include the hiring managers name Salutations like “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam” is too generic. The cover email needs to customize and if you can’t figure out the specific hiring managers’ name, try addressing the cover email to the head of departments for the role you’re applying for.​Address your email to the specific person who can be determined by reviewing the company’s website, LinkedIn pages or calling the front office to ask whom should you address in the email. If for some reason you cannot determine the ideal receiver of your application, you may generalise the salutation by saying, “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Recruiting Manager” or “Dear Human Resources Professional”. Don’t repeat the details you have on the resume As an example: “I was in charge of documentation and filing of invoices.” Rather, develop sentences to portray your encounters and achievements, and hotshot for what reason you'd be ideal for the job and the company. Keep it brief. Nobody wants to read a lengthy email with irrelevant content.​​Remember!​Each cover email ought to be custom-made to the individual job application. You don't need to begin scratch every time, yet you ought to modify the content of the cover email to best reflect what makes you a perfect contender for the current situation. ​To make your email appeal to the eyes of the hiring manager, include your name and the job title you are applying for in the email subject line. They receive so many emails and by doing this, you make their work easier. We are introducing a few sorts of formats you can use to persuade your recruiters or hiring manager to pay attention to your application. This email should just concisely feature your expectation to work at a specific organization.  Email Templates for Your Next Job Application Download template here​Cover email does get read. To some employers, it is one of the important parts of your job application. They will view your email first and then proceed to read your CV if what you write in your cover email captured their attention. You cannot just let the resume a chance to justify itself if that was the situation you'd totally botch the chance to tell prospective employers what your identity is, feature why they should procure you, and stand apart over the various candidates. ​19 February 2021Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah- Marketing Assistant  

​Chase Work Life Balance While Working Remotely​New reality, new way of living! And what does that mean for employees who are lucky enough to be able to work remotely? Flexibility is one of the greatest benefits of working remotely, as it provides a flexible schedule to take good care of work and personal responsibilities.​Even with this flexibility sometimes comes immense pressure because it might be more of a work-life shuffle, especially for parents with kids– sending emails while your kids having their online class or having a video call with the team/clients while cooking lunch. ​You fit stuff where you can, while still ensuring that it gets done with acceptable quality.​So, how to balance work and life in a remote setup?​Finding work-life balance is all about prioritization. Planning and scheduling, time management, communication channels, and being organized help you manage your workday. In this way the tasks on your to-do list can be completed faster. ​Here are some work-life balance tips for a healthy relationship between your professional and personal life.​🧘‍♀️ Exercise​First of all, I have honestly found it difficult to maintain my level of exercise in my experience of working from home. It has become clear to me that I need to prioritize my health more. ​I have realized, scheduling a workout into my diary promotes my well-being and essential for someone who works from home to boost energy & release stress.​Here are a few suggestions:Yoga –my absolute preferred workoutSquatsPlankPush upsThere are plenty of YouTube tutorials online that offer guidance, and it could be a good idea to follow along so that you remain motivated.​​💻 Have a specific workspace ​Try to build your little private desk or office that are free from distractions to stay focused & most importantly, choose a spot where you're able to work comfortably and productively.​​📅 Create a schedule & stick to it​Creating (and adhering to) a regular work schedule and logging off at the end of your scheduled time can help you maintain productivity and ease some of the stress that comes from working all the time. ​This way, your team will know exactly when they can and cannot reach you, and you'll be able to plan personal activities during your day outside of work.​​📖 Make a to do list to prioritize your tasks each day​Curating to-do lists are helpful to ensure that you’re being productive and accomplishing what needs to be done in your role each day. Physically crossing tasks and projects off a to-do list can be gratifying.​​🍛 Take proper lunch ​When I first started working from home, I took full advantage of eating snacks all day since the fridge is only a few steps away from my working space. This way, more often than not, I skipped my lunch and it wasn’t great for my productivity (not healthy either).​So, by setting aside an hour lunchtime for yourself & eating a proper and healthy meal will help you to nourish yourself and recharge for the rest of the afternoon to stay productive.​​☕ Take breaks throughout the day​Remember to give yourself a little space between outputs. Take a couple of minutes away from your desk or computer for a…Cup of coffee/snacks to feel refreshedHave a call to chit chat with your friends/closed onesTake a nap if you feel that’s what you need even if it is a short 20 min napTake a walk - you can stand up, stretch, and get a quick dose of Vitamin D to feel energized ​​🙅‍♀️ Disconnect at the end of the day​You made it & it’s now the end of your work day! If you're a remote worker seeking a little more work-life balance, make plans for your after-work hours, and stick to them. This may include:Happy hour drinks with your family/friendsBaking/cooking dinnerThis will help you mentally switch to "home mode" by getting you focused on a different activity, thereby relaxing your mind.​Working remotely does have its fair proportion of (really great) advantages, but that doesn’t mean there won’t beany challenges as you adapt to this new way of working. ​Even if you have been working remotely for months, the additional burdens of having children at home and a full household can make it more difficult to work remotely. ​Thus, keeping your work-life balance in mind as you continue making a significant and productive contribution to your career integrates the best outcome.​

​How to Make Your Job Application Stand Out Among the Rest [Recruitment Agency Perspective] ​You may be wondering how you can stand out among the crowd of job applicants & stack of resumes. It's time to buckle up and understand how to distinguish yourself during the selection process, whether you are applying for an entry level position or your first employment after graduation or looking for a career change.​This may require cutting back a week or a month on the amount of resumes you have sent out. But a few carefully constructed resumes and cover letters linking the dots can do more than sending out dozens of CVs to open doors.​Remember, generic cover letters and CVs that do not highlight the required skill set will be quickly overlooked! Instead of sending many employers the same version of a resume, accommodate to the role with your application.​​So, customize your resume to the job you’re applying!​Keep your personal information short​Skip your family details, marital status and current address; it’s taking up space and time. Just stick to your name, current place of residence (optional), objective, and the link to your LinkedIn profile.​​​Make sure to highlight your skills & proficiencies​What skills have you acquired?  What are your strengths? ​10 general skills to include in your resume:Active listeningCommunicationComputer skillsCustomer serviceInterpersonal skillsLeadershipManagement skillsProblem-solvingTime managementTransferable skills​​However,it is important to give the recruiter a good overview of your specific technical skill sets and sort the list by relevance to the job.Roselin Francis, Recruitment Consultant @ ManpowerGroup Malaysia.​If you’re not sure where to start, pick out your main skills and qualifications from the job description that apply to you. ​E.g.: Specific skills adopted by a Digital Marketing Manager will be...SEOGoogle AnalyticsFacebook InsightsHootsuiteData AnalysisPaid Social Advertising​Try to demonstrate that you have these skills by providing actual examples or cases to get the employers’ attention on your resume.​​Tailor your relevant work experience to the industry & the job you’re applying for​The entire point of your CV is to focus on the most important pieces that show why you’re a perfect fit for a particular role. Resist the urge to list every single minor duty or project you can think of and narrow your focus to only the most impressive or the most relevant for career change to focus on transferable skills.​​A good resume should match the job requirement, e.g., responsibilities (achievements & targets accomplished in the past) of candidate should be meeting the job descriptions. Feroz Ghafoor, Talent Acquisition Lead @ ManpowerGroup Malaysia.​So, focus on your accomplishments in each position. If you can quantify (in numbers) any of your achievements, it will give the hiring manager a much clearer image of your skills and abilities. E.g.:​​​Keep your resume concise​​While a resume can be two pages, most should be just one. You should only include the information that will help you land an interview.​​Clarity without missing the important information at first look is what really makes a good CV.​Rajive Kathiresan, Practice Head, Language Hiring @ ManpowerGroup Malaysia​Avoid redundancy and fluff!Avoid listing hobbies/outdated technical or business skillsAvoid listing long job duties ​Instead, showcase your key qualifications in the career summary statement at the top of the first page. E.g.:​"Accomplished marketing professional with 4 years of corporate experience in social media management and advertising campaigns. Looking to leverage industry skills and abilities of raising awareness and sales through low or no budget marketing options for local NGO".​​Keep your resume highly organized & well-designed​Make sure your creativity is professional& must be in an easy-to-read format.Font style-Use a professional font like, Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial.Font size-Size12 font should suffice for the recruiters to read the content of your resumeKeep your template designs minimal & aesthetically appealing- make sure the visual elements don’t distract from the content of your resumeBold the heading or subsections to increase standabilityUse reverse-chronological order- List your most recent job experience to the older ones​​Get review from the experts​Still asking yourself what should a resume include to impress hiring managers? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at ManpowerGroupMalaysia.​Or fill in the form below & we will keep in touch with you!​​​​2 Dec 2020Posted by:Yogakumari Sankar - Prospect & Content Development Executive​​​

​Feeling stressed out at work? Here are the ways to deal with workplace stress!​Work-related stress can continue to remain even after clocking out. A survey found that Malaysian workers are overworked and deprived of sleep, with51 per cent suffering from at least one dimension of work-related stress as well as 53 per cent getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.​​What stress is all about?​“The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure of work or other types of demands placed on them”.​Essentially, when stress is caused by work overload, it can be due to various of reasons, including:long working hours, heavy workloads, time constraints, organizational change, lack of support, and harassment/bullying to name a few.​​If your career is persuading you to lose sleep or grind your teeth or any of the symptoms I’ve listed below, get assertive about making some changes. ​The common signs or symptoms of work-related stress can be:FatigueMuscle tension, pains and headachesDepressionAnxietyFeelings of being overwhelmed and unable to copeAn increase in sick days or absenteeismA drop in work performanceMood swings and irritability​However, there are ways of managing on-the-job stress effectively before it inevitably wreaks havoc on your health. ​​Here are a few ways of coping with tension in the workplace:​​1) Step back to get away from the situation.​Taking a short break to help yourself calm down is a good way to rest your nerves if your schedule allows it. It's a great way to take care of your mental health throughout the day. Take advantage of your break times to relax and unwind away from the desk. Standing up and walking around is indeed a good form of exercise, then why don't you start walking over to his / her workstation the next time you will need speak to a colleague instead of texting him via the web?​2) Cultivate good interactions with your peers​An unpleasant day at work can certainly be turned around if you have a support system. So, do your best to develop friendships with your colleagues. However, set boundaries with colleagues that may be prone to gossiping or being completely problematic. Be sure to communicate in a respectable, professional way to avoid coming across as unfriendly.​3) Make time for healthy meals!​A quick trip to the vending machine for chips is all you need to satisfy your mid-day cravings, when you’re stressed, right? Thus, to reduce unreasonable 'hangry' moments, kick off the day with healthy foods. Try eating something with plenty of protein to stay full for longer.​4) Get a good night’s sleep for a productive day​On any day of the week, even Mondays, waking up well-rested will have a positive impact! So, get plenty of sleep (sleep for at least 7-8 hours).Turn up rested and ready to work.​5) Fine-tune your time management abilities​Are you highly organized? Stop to take a moment to look around your working area or take a glance at your schedule for the day, if you're not sure. Now, how does it make you feel, as you observe your atmosphere or calendar? Are you overloaded and tense?​​If so, the trick to easing your stress could be done through improved planning. ​Keep in mind that life does not always revolve around job, it's just one tiny teeny component of your whole being. When you see things from this viewpoint, you’ll learn to be more relaxed even when situations go haywire in the working environment.​​

​Essential Tips For Successful Remote Working​Remote work has become increasingly popular with both employees and employers for a variety of reasons: distributed teams reduce costs for businesses, help the environment because fewer people have to commute, and employees experience fewer workplace interruptions; these are all perks of working remotely. The following tips enable optimal productivity:Prepare for SuccessCreate your workspace: Establish a dedicated work environment that is free from distractions. Consider logging out of all social accounts during work (unless necessary for your job). If sharing a space with others, lay ground rules and expectations for noise levels and break times.Evaluate and upgrade your home technology: Consider increasing or boosting your Internet bandwidth especially if you have multiple people accessing your network at the same time. Those with spotty cell reception may consider a dedicated office line.Establish set working hours: Develop a routine where you “start (and end) your work day.” Potentially schedule a recurring meeting each morning to ensure you start your day on time. Similarly, log out and log off at the end of your work day.Stay ConnectedHold daily check-ins: Maintain open and frequent communication with your manager, colleagues and those who report to you. Managers should hold regular meetings with team members. Establish expectations for response times to emails and phone calls while utilizing out of office reminders or notifications if you will be away from your desk for extended periods of time.Leverage multiple technology platforms: Phone, email and chat are likely standard in your work life. Using video conferencing may enable feeling more connected and decrease isolation (Tip: video calls can also motivate users to “dress more for the office” which can also help shift mindset throughout the day).Be productive and proactive: Plan to deliver the same productivity that you do when you are in the office.Have your manager or colleagues hold you accountable. Alert colleagues if you anticipate delays in your work or if you are collaborating on a group project.Leverage technology support: Leverage your company’s IT support desk if you have questions or need support. Understand that they are likely receiving a large number of requests for similar support at this time.​Manage Your TimePractice effective time management: As you adjust to your new environment, you will establish peak performance times such as early morning before other family members are awake. Find the times that work best for you to maximize your productivity.Build in time for the unexpected: If you build in extra time for unanticipated work demands, you will be less stressed if and when this happens. Set aside time and you can always reallocate it to get ahead on a project if no emergencies pop up.Take breaks: Step away from your work area for 10-20 minute breaks every two hours. Take a short walk, read a quick article, check in with your family members or other friends remotely. This shift in your focus will make you more productive when you return to work.Be flexible and patient: This is even more essential now that you are working from home. As your company is responding to properly equip the newly remote workforce, there may be delays in responses from colleagues or a lag in technology.​In these unpredictable times, one thing is certain – this crisis should be a catalyst for a new future of work, that is more flexible, more diverse and more wellbeing-oriented than we could ever have imagined. Let’s take this opportunity to go back to the future of work and create more opportunities for the many not the few. ​To find out how this crisis is accelerating What Workers Want, ManpowerGroup asked more than 8,000 people in 8 countries about the future for workers. Listen up, the workers have spoken.​Download Future for Workers By Workers Whitepaper​Posted byNadhirah Afiqah - Marketing Assistant

​THREE WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE #SMARTRESTART The world is never going to be the same as it was before COVID-19. Even when COVID-19’s impact is diminished and you got the green light to be able to restart again, you still have to choose if, how, and when to reboot yourself. ​​​​​​​1. Embrace new way of working Digital skills​Enhance your digital skills to leverage on smart tools and tech, which level the playing field for all workers – not just for those who were equipped to workremote anyway. As an example, the use of software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack and many more.​From my own experiences, I see that many tutors for example, cannot work during this pandemic, as they cannot go out and teach their students. So they have to workremotely from home and teach using platforms such as Google Meet or Zoom, Slack and many more and continue to make sure that they can reach their students. Collaborate​Enable collaboration but also ensure data security and privacy by explaining to workers that everyone is responsible for protecting data, while initiating practices and procedures that will strengthen data security within a business to curb breach problems. See the upside​Think of remote work as not a challenge to overcome but a business advantage to achieve. By not tying work to a physical location, we democratize opportunity and open-up a world of new possibilities. ​It also teaches us to be more disciplined and in charge of our time management. It simply gives us more freedom and consequently more responsibility and accountability. Focus on outputs​Managers emphasized that “being seen” as a proxy for how committed an online worker is to an organization. Focus on output, not online presenteeism. Ensure clearoutput targets are set as the measure, rather than being hung-up on specific hours. 2. Remember that leadership is key in the times of crisis Lead by example​Prepared and responsible leadership is critical to react promptly and competently in a time of crisis. Leaders are able to help people by providing suggestions, materials and support to make sure that is no one left aside. ​If you are a junior employee, you too can lead by example. Not all leaders need titles. Clear communications​If you are a leader, remember that you should be visible in online tools and channels, communicating proactively and engaging in timely conversations where they are happening. ​Townhalls, online conferences really help to ensure the clear communication between leaders all people in the organization. Share your thoughts​Consider how new ways of working and getting work done can contribute to industry transformation, redesigning business models and diversifying supply chains and markets that will benefit the business in the long-term. ​Always think to share with workers on how the company is strategizing for the better future of all people in the company. Show them that even it is tough in this new working style, we still be able to strive in the market. 3. Stay focused on reskilling and upskilling Reskilling and upskilling​For many of us who are fortunate that we are still working, our job scopes have evolved. Apply and adapt to new roles and new ways of working. Time spent working remotely can provide an opportunity to explore and develop skills while all of we work through this together. ​Here I can recommend you get your free access to Percipio for a highly engaging learning experience curated into nearly 700 learning paths. Get ready for more training to move digital. Webinars and online tutorials “solve” the theme of compresence. Quizzes and tests allow companies to verify learningand keep the engagement curve high.​Learnability​Support a culture that enables people to nurture their learnability and continually update their skills. The Skills Revolution we predicted is here, it is happening now, ensuring people re-skill, upskill is how companies will stay competitive, and people will be motivated and engaged, bringing value for the long-term.​We can start to think through scenarios and your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, to develop a new view of advantage points to smart restart during this pandemic time. Lay out the facts of the current situation and see where you can gain benefits. ​Learn about your learnability quotient by doing the assessment here >>>> https://insights.manpowergroupassessments.com/MYLQ2020/invite/link/ManpowerMY​​​13 July 2020Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah - Marketing Assistant

​Will Work Change Forever & How Are We Adapting to The New Normal?​It’s the new normal. The day of the normal work environment are gone. People are adapting to the changes as the result of Covid-19. Work from home or remote working are part of the new reality. ​​​​Many of office workers around the world have not seen their desks for months. Social distancing, with extra hygiene measures, new SOP guidelines to workplace or other solutions must be implemented since workers in some countries are slowly returning to their desks. ​The pandemic has shown us that we can easily work from home. We rely on email, chats, and videoconferencing to communicate with colleagues. I think this kind of work life has made us more connected to each other. ​Some say social media and technology is making us more isolated, I think we can have more interactions with distant family members through WhatsApp and Facebook and reconnect with college and school mates. ​It helps us go through these difficult times. I also connecting with my colleagues through Microsoft Teams and we will make a topic and discuss with each other so it strengthen our bonds even though we are not in the office.​We’re social creatures, we want interaction, we are hungry to share experiences and feelings with others. Now we have the opportunities to connect with the people whom we care about, whom we spent time together before, family, friends and acquaintances.​Online yoga classes, virtual runs, birthday parties. Videoconferencing shows that the beauty of technology and social media are important tools to adapt with the new normal. ​We still can see each other even though it’s not often. We still can be active. ​I know. These activities are not the same as physical interactions we had before but they are the second best ways humanity has ever had. ​As the work changes, it makes us be more creative about how we do things. People are picking up to have more conversations rather than sending emails as human connection is far more likeable through videoconferencing. ​I believe that the most amazing thing is the incredible power of human endeavour. At ManpowerGroup globally we have 90% of our workforce that operating from home yet we continue to support our employees, associates and clients. Working from home is part of contemporary working now.​We’ve been more in touch with our employees, associates and clients in the last month that we’ve done before. Because of the obscurities everyone is facing, we want to provide more value for people.​Limitations only happen in our minds. Even though Covid-19 has invaded our lives, so many more things are possible to survive with the changes.​​22 May 2020Posted by:Nadhirah Afiqah - Marketing Assistant

​6 Tips to Excel in Video Interview​Video interview will give you experience from a different perspective than a normal face to face interview.​During this Covid-19 pandemic, hunting for a job can be a challenging experience. There are companies that still hiring and seeking workers to work such as in the essential services.​Job interviews are looking a bit different right now as during the Restriction Movement Order (RMO) or Movement Control Order (MCO) that we are having make the interview gone fully digital.​Even though we are dealing with the coronavirus, people are still getting business done via the internet with platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype and WebEx. ​One of my friends asked, what to do if the interviewer or hiring manager wants to do a video interview? ​There are few tips that can help you to excel in a video interview.​1.  Test out your technology​Do you know what kind of platform that the hiring manager will be using for the interview? It’s a good idea if you test out the technology first to familiarize yourself with the software being used for the interview. Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts are some common platforms right now.​You also need to check your speakers and microphone. Do they work properly? Make sure you are coming across clear and loud with no static.​When you want to test the camera, it’s the time that you’ll find if your environment is properly lit and away from distractions.​You might need a strong internet connection for the video conferencing to avoid lag in the interview session. 2.  Don’t show up late​Traffic delays, accident will not apply as excuses in video interview as you’re dialling into the interview remotely.​It’s important to be early to your online interview as it might take some time to open your computer, to log in and ensure that your internet connection is good. Tardiness is a no in every interview. 3.  Find out the best lighting​It’s the time for you to look at your best and a great lighting can help. You have to make sure that the place that you sit for the interview should have ample light to light up around you as well.​A ‘ring light’ or ‘selfie light’ can help to boost your complexion and give you an evenly lit face with minimal shadows. ​You can put the light behind your computer or you can let the natural light get through your face while video interviewing by facing the light.​Make sure it’s the soft light in the morning not the evening of afternoon light that can make your face sweaty. 4.  Check your outfit​You will never know if your hiring manager or recruiter will ask to stand up and grab something during the interview so please wear interview clothes from head to toe.​Sometimes, it can be smart casual instead of formal but please wear pants or you will reveal your mismatched bottoms. I know that it’s tempting to wear a blouse or shirt with a pyjama bottoms but who knows if they will ask you to stand up.​You can view yourself through the webcam to make sure that your outfit looks professional on the camera.  5.  Making good eye contact​Eye contact is very important in every interviews. If you want to have good eye contact while in video interview, you should try looking straight to the camera when speaking as often as possible. ​It would show that you’re engaging with the interviewer more than being distracted by what’s happening on your screen.​It might be weird if you’re looking straight to the camera while talking but if you’re looking on the screen, you’re not actually making eye contact as you’re focusing on the interviewer’s face instead of the eyes.​This will give your interviewer the sense that you’re engaged and not distracted by what’s happening on your screen. 6.  Listen attentively and maintain good posture​It’s important to listen to the interviewer even though it’s an online interview. In fact, listen carefully to the interviewer and pause before speaking to avoid cutting in. Pay close attention to what interviewer is saying. Keep your mind from drifting off.​Body language is crucial as it can convey a lot of things about you. Sitting up straight in your chair gives an automatic signal of positivity. Your feet should be on the ground, hands in your lap at a time, avoid slouching and fiddling. ​You can move your fingers while you speak such as touching your fingertips, clasping palm to show the sign of honesty and openness. Having work stories ready about your accomplishments also can help you in video interviews. Many times employers are asking situational questions, and you will need these stories to answer them appropriately. Write out your answers to questions in advance so that you can be ready to answer when you’re staring at them online.​Remember to be respectful and remain professional personal attitude towards the interviewer. Don’t forget to nod your head as you’re listening, maintain the eye contact, use hand gestures to express yourself and no slouching. Best of luck for your interview.​Don’t let Covid-19 get in the way of your career progression. ManpowerGroup offers online learning platform that provide a vast resource pool across industries and skill sets. Time spent working remotely can provide an opportunity to explore and develop your skills.​​17 April 2020Posted by Nadhirah Afiqah - Marketing Assistant

​It’s Flexibility, If You Want To Attract and Retain Gen Y In The Workforce​Most of the generations are driven by pay, especially Gen Z that hungry for cash. Gen Y are also driven by pay but they place more priority on flexibility. For women and men in Gen Y, they want flexibility and challenging work. ​In the 2018 Malaysian Labour Force Survey shows that 60.2% of women are not seeking for work because of housework, which includes family responsibilities that include child and elderly care. It’s a common problem raised by women as it’s the reason why they can’t take heavier responsibilities or leadership roles in the workforce. ​To retain and attract Gen Y in the workforce, flexibility is a very important criterion for women and men in Gen Y.For Gen Y, they understand that they have a career ultra marathon ahead of them and want to achieve One Life balance for the long run. As for women though, for them to participate in the workforce and pursue challenging work, it must come with flexibility. ​So what are the factors that contributing to the lower rate of women participation in the workforce compared to men?​I asked my colleague, she's married and she said "as a millennial women that married and have children to take care of, lack of day care facilities are one of the factors". A lot of women can’t return to the workforce after a career break because of absence of support or training.​The other factors that are frequently addressed are no options for flexible working hours and also lack of gender diversity policies in the workplace. Flexibility Can Be a Win-Win Situation for Both​Flexible work environment benefits everyone. A new father might want to spend quality time with his children. A new mother might want to have time with her new-born. A son and daughter might want to help to take care of their aging parents. ​Dean of Harvard Kennedy School said that “millennial men's interest in having a fuller life out of work than their predecessors may accelerate gender equality, but only if they are also interested in caring for children”.​We need to move away from a perception where we cannot be productive when we out from our desk. We can work flexibly as today’s workforce allows us to plug-in and work from anywhere. Employers Should Support Workplace Flexibility​63% of enrollment in public university are women, and it shows that Malaysia has done well in achieving gender parity in education. However, large number of them tend to leave workforce due to personal or family commitments.​Employers should foster a more flexible work culture throughout the organization. Employers can leverage on Talent Corporation’s (TalentCorp) Future of Work initiative, to consider flexible working arrangements to retain talents especially millennial or Gen Y.​Managers should understand the importance of family as being able to recognize that working Gen Y have the same needs to take care of their children and provide support for each other for the development of the children. For her, to be a good mother to children and also good daughter to the aging parents, the access to flexibility for parenting and care-giving is very important. ​Nowadays, in the current workforce, we can see that women as a leader as employers now realized the important of work flexibility to attract and retain talent. ​Although it seems that flexibility is critical for millennial women than millennial men, we still need to give opportunities for men to find out what it would feel like to be a more available dad or care-giver and they can also share in the burden of the work at home. So, flexibility is critical for her and still a nice to have for him.​Read more on specific generational needs here​

​How To Stay Sane In a Toxic Work Environment? In one huge study published in Harvard Business Review, analysts gathered information from meetings and studies of around 14,000 individuals to understand how common is incivility at work. Research has shown that it is almost impossible to be untouched by incivility during one’s career. ​Common examples of incivility include taking credit for other’s efforts, passing blame for our own mistakes, talking down to others, belittling others and many more. Bad behaving employees promote bad work culture. Some people like their job but their co-workers or managers drive them crazy! It’s a sign to leave if you cannot endure such an environment but it might be worth hanging a little longer in certain circumstances. Here are the few tips to stay sane in a toxic workplace.  Create a Positive Workspace for Yourself​Hang posters that are relaxing to you. Put up pictures of your loved ones at your working station. If that is not your thing, you can consider motivational quotes instead of photos. You got to surround yourself with things that will create a positive aura around you. After all, positivity is a mental state which can be motivated with certain cues.  Communicate and Clear Up Any Misunderstandings​Do not allow issues to rot. On the off chance that something should be talked about, address it promptly at that point of time. Avoid sweeping concerns under the carpet as they may transform into something you never expected to. Communication is of the utmost importance just like in any relationship. Sometimes it all it takes is a few minutes conversation to address a long term grudge.  Stay Away From Drama​Don’t get caught up in gossip or drama. Do you want to be drama free? Don’t mingle with the gossiping co-workers. Of course, you still want to be friendly with your colleagues, but you can do that by talking to them one-on-one or chatting with them during the course of your workday without joining a gossip group. You also need to differentiate which conversations are part of the job and which are only opportunities to gripe. In any toxic workplace, there will be employees behaving badly toward one another. It will be harmful to the work culture when people start talking bad about each other. "Drama" is also bound to happen in any workplace. Everyone will get caught up in it at some point. Stay positive, focus on work, productivity and results.

​How Do I Make My Mark When I’m New at Work?​“First impressions make long-term lasting impression,” as said by Brandi Britton, district president for Office Team in an article by FairyGodBoss. She also explained "If you make a great first impression and you make mistakes down the road, people are more likely to forgive you. It is harder to overcome when you start off on the wrong foot and then make yourself look better later on.”​You got the job after going through rounds of interviews. You’ve signed the papers and yay! As you’re a new employee, all eyes will be set on you. But how do you want to make your mark when you’re the new guy/gal at work? 1. Meet People You Wouldn’t Normally Meet Getting to know co-workers outside of your department will help you understand the organisation more and its culture clearly. Introduce yourself to colleagues you haven’t officially met. Be respectful and friendly. Your goal is not only to gain knowledge about the firm but also make progress in building your personal network. If you run across someone in the pantry or hallway, start a small talk. The pantry is a particularly good place to socialize, since it's a rather casual environment where people probably will be more open for a chat because they're not focused on work. 2. Become an Expert on Company Processes The absence of real work means you have time to learn systems, get your inbox in order and prepare for what surely to come. See if there is research and reading you can do for the first assignment that lands on your desk. Your ability to do your work effectively will come down to how well you understand the processes and how organised you are.It is also important to understand how different the new environment is from the ones that you experienced before. Be attentive and listen carefully to what the current company challenges and objectives are. Remember, not everything that worked well in your previous job will fit into new frameworks. ​3. Be Proactive ​Challenge yourself and get involved in project that can highlight your skills on the field. After all onw of the best ways to learn is by doing. Whether you can help your manager or a member of your team can position you as an expert in a certain area. Set aspiring objectives for yourself, move in the direction of achieving those objectives by taking initiative upon consulting key stakeholders. You do not want to make certain actions prior to talking to your boss since he or she will probably have a more holistic view of the project at hand.​It is a new journey! You need to get a feel for your new organisation and its culture to fit in the new workplace. In the first month, you can allocate your time to learn about company's systems, processes by reading collateral and building connections with as many people as possible. Getting to know people and making friends with colleagues will help you understand more about "how the things get done around here". Start getting your hands dirty by taking the initiative of contributing to certain projects. That will help you build your image and will have a big role on the first impression you make on all project stakeholders.