​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!”​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 Grads•For Mid Career Professionals•For Career Change​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

​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  

​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​​​

​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.​

​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, with 51 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.​​​Source: AIA Vitality, 2019​​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 irritabilityHowever, 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 friend asked, what to do if the interviewer or hiring manager wants to do 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 interviews. 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. 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.