Demonstrating Your Return on Investment in Training

By : Vincent Stevenson

What do we have to do to convince our boss that further training will be a real enhancement to the business?

For those of us who have been in training for a long time, there is a simple formula which when delivered to the boss, makes it difficult for him or her to resist.

It's called Kirkpatrick's evaluation model for training. Donald L Kirkpatrick was a professor at University Of Wisconsin when he published his series of articles in the Journal of American Society of Training Directors in 1959. A training phenomena was born.

Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model uses four levels which are:

Level 1: the reaction of student - how they enjoyed the training experience and felt about it afterward.

Level 2: learning - the measurable hightening of core skills and business flexibility.

Level 3: behaviour - extent of behaviour and capability improvement and implementation/application.

Level 4: results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's performance.

All these measures are recommended for full and meaningful evaluation of learning in organizations, although their application broadly increases in complexity, and usually cost, through the levels from level 1-4.

Think back to your last course? Examine Kirkpatrick's four levels and then look for evidence which is demonstrable to your boss, this evidence must persuade him that more spending on your training will have proven benefits.

Your manager needs to know that your recent training courses have had an impact on you as an individual, as well as demonstrating a significant return on investment to the department. So, it's our job to remind him of your phenomenal learning skills.

Remind him of how the last course went: 'It was a brilliant course; the trainer was fantastic, the facilities first class and all of the support staff were really switched on. It was a great experience.

Now move on to level 2: I learnt how to do spreadsheets, calculations, and functions and I became so much more productive as a team member. I am preparing myself to produce even more advanced work.

It's going well - now move on to level 3: My previous training has really made a difference to the team. I am more skilled and productive and now I'm working to develop the skills of less experienced staff when they have a problem. When I wake up in the morning, I jump out of bed because I'm so excited about the work and the professional progress that I'm making.

And now level 4 - what are the distinguishing results of the training? Well at my last appraisal I was told that my productivity has risen by 30% and my error rate has significantly been reduced. I am currently utilising my professional skills in helping less experienced colleagues and I intend to run a voluntary training session in the coming months.

If it's possible to persuade the boss that every cent of expenditure on your continuous professional development will return an amazing return on investment, you are surprisingly closer to that confirmatory signature.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

Hotel Management - Is Hotel Management a New Line of Business?

By : Owais Siddiqui

The hotel management business is getting really popular nowadays. When a hotel has good and organized staff, it makes a good impression on the customers. The time has changed greatly now and the chain of hotels keep on expanding. So there are ample job opportunities available for people who have done hotel management courses. They can either do full time jobs or part time. In part time jobs the salary given is comparatively lower than the full time jobs.

If you have good managerial skills, have great interest in this field and can communicate with people easily; then hotel management would be the most suitable job for you. Generally the tasks assigned to the hotel managers include receiving customers at the reception with diligence, carefully handling the reservations, housekeeping, planning and organizing events at the hotel and also handling the operations on food and beverages. Apart from being so much organized hotel managers are also supposed to be creative and analytic so that they work to maximize the profits, understanding the problems deeply and finding solutions quickly. This way they will get promotions and good salary. It you desire to have all these qualities then you should definitely study hotel management courses.

When you become a manager in a hotel, there are lot things which become dependent on you and you have to handle your responsibilities very cautiously. Of course you will make some mistakes in the beginning of your career but it would be really appreciable that you learn from those mistakes and be extra careful. Like you have to take care of your clients and see if they are satisfied with the arrangements, food and availability of different resources. Besides other responsibilities a manager in a hotel should also keep a watch on the security level of the hotels to maximize the safety of the people inside the hotel. Your main task is to attract more and more customers. If your performance is good you will also get bonuses added with your salary.

These tasks may sound too difficult to handle, but in reality they will make your life better. These are the steps which should be taken by everyone to improve their lives but they are so reluctant to do so and then face a lot of problems. So all in all, hotel management will also teach you to become more organized and it will be very helpful to lead a good life.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

Hotel Management - How Can You Learn Hotel Management at Home?

By : Owais Siddiqui

One of the most popular study fields of today is hotel management. The hotel management courses teach you to handle tasks like housekeeping, conventions, reservations and handling catering in a hotel then you can earn good salary. If you have interest in this line and the skills required for jobs related to this field then you should definitely do hotel management courses.

Today people can learn these courses from home if they have problems due to which they cannot do it by going to a particular training centre. These courses can be done online on the World Wide Web. This way a lot of your time and money will be saved but you will be required to attend management training courses outside your town which would not be a big hassle for you. There are a lot of reputable universities and business training agencies which are offering these courses; you can easily find them over on the internet.

However these universities are virtual universities. They are either offering degrees in management or short courses online. The fees of these study programs are comparatively lower and affordable than the others which are based on regular classes. However you should contact to your university and make sure if the examinations are given online or in the classrooms.

In the first couple of years of your program you will be taught how to handle the mundane duties. Do not think that you would not be taught online what they teach in classrooms. All of the material is the same except that in homes you see it visually and in the classrooms you see it physically. After some time you will be given assignments to give theories on staffing, hotel décor or conventions.

After you are done studying, you will be offered jobs like hotel manager, catering manager, food and drinks manager or convention service manager. Your salary will also be low but when you will gain experience in this field you will earn good stipend. If you performed well you will be able to get bonuses along with your salaries or you will be promoted.

Presently, there is a lot of demand for the hotel managers because these hotel businesses keep on rising not just in this country but internationally and the best thing about these managing courses is that it is not necessary to have a four year degree, you can even get jobs easily by studying short courses.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

Women Who Manage Work and Home

By : Ricky S.Khan

It is a fact that in today's day and age a working woman faces more stress than a man. They need to meet deadlines at work even if they have a sick child at home, look into their children's school work and assignments, be competitive and perform well at work, create a healthy environment at home and manage household chores. But after a point this begins to take a toll on a working woman's life. It affects her and the people around her in a negative way.

Tips on perfecting the balancing act

Women are very capable of multitasking, but they need to draw a line after a point. When accommodating to everyone's demand leads to stress, it is time to stop. Women stress a lot on keeping their house clean. Don't spend your precious time at home, by spending hours on cleaning it. Get some house help instead. It is an investment worth making. This free time came be utilized by bonding with your family or just relaxing with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Try and fix quick but healthy meals for the family, instead of lavish treats. That can be done during time off from work. A basic preparation during the weekends can make it easy to make the meals when you return tired from a long and hectic day at work.

Some tasks can be split with the spouse when it comes to doing household work. Set up a carpool system with the neighbors to help pick up and drop kids. The daily routine should be prioritized from most important to least important things. Maintain a calendar and set reminders for tasks that need to be done.

Basically if the daily routine is managed well, there will be no stress. Learning to manage stress can contribute towards success and personal well-being.

Different ways to manage stress

Stress can be a motivator and help a woman in achieving her goals. If there is an important presentation at work, which affects her position, she will work extra hard on it. But if she has to prepare her kids for an exam the same day, the stress level rise. That's when things may get out of control and she may even forget to pack their lunch or even keep the most important documents in her briefcase. That's why managing stress is the key to a balanced life.

There are different ways to manage stress. When stressed, always focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths and once your mind is calm, try and work out a solution to the problem. Eat healthy meals in small proportion and at frequent intervals during the day. This keeps the energy levels in control throughout the busy day. Never neglect your health, because if you are unwell, you won't be able to take care of your work and family. Perform regular exercises, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and join the gym or aerobics class. Make time for your friends and socialize in order to unwind. Make room in your schedule for meditation in the morning. This will be a perfect start to a day.

Even the busiest woman should find the time for herself at least once a month and treat herself to a shopping spree or a relaxing day at the spa. Make time for a nice relaxing bath with soothing music and fragrant candles around. Not only does this calm the senses, it also helps in unwinding from the daily hectic schedule that seems like and endless road.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

How to Spot the Two Types of Bad Managers - Strategies For Upline Managers Or Direct Reports

By : Terry Sheridan

'People don't leave organisations they leave bad managers' is an adage going around the place and very true. People exit for all sorts of bad managers, in my recent doctoral research I found two types of bad managers that you should look out for in your job as they will have no reason to help you stay on and perform at your best.

You may recognise them from the profiles below from your previous workplaces. The first type is obvious to see, the second is less easy to spot, but let's go through the types and you can judge for yourself.

Type 1: The Superior Malevolent You can spot this one fairly easily as they wish to be superior to you in every way. They will assert themselves from day one, when they have ascertained the usefulness of you they will either be polite and friendly to bring you on board to their own power base, or they will ignore you, listening maybe but do nothing. They may have the following characteristics:

• Arrogant
• Narcissistic
• Unrelenting slave driver
• Power player
• Sly, devious and or showing cunning
• Keeping secrets
• Be unfair and fight unfairly
• Bullying will be open, as they

They will be happy to engage in power plays and will usually win as they are masters at this game. It really is not worth the fight with them, even though the situation will be intensely unfair and you will feel diminished in their eyes. What to do if you have a Superior Malevolent as a direct report. It is important to stop this behaviour immediately. Start the grievance/counselling process with this person as soon as possible when the evidence is systematically in place. Documentation is the winner here. The idea would be to send out a strong message that you will not tolerate such behaviour, and by engaging in the procedures in your workplace the Superior Malevolent will soon leave.

What to do if you have a Superior Malevolent as your upline manager. If you are a favourite you have some time to think about your exit strategy. Why leave your position? Because a normal person will not win against the strategic manoeuvring of this person. You may have your head down, but inevitably you will be dragged into situations that you will not like to participate in, like unethical behaviour, mobbing or bullying others on their say so etc.. If you are not a favourite, then watch out, as you may be singled out for bullying if you present as able, intelligent, good at your tasks, or a competitor to this manager in the long run. Be on guard for bullying behaviours, which are listed on many websites, so that you are aware when this starts.

If you are already bullied then get away from this manager as soon as possible. If you work in a large company put your hand up for any lateral move, talk to HR about wanting to increase your skills etc, and go as soon as you can. It will be hard to give up everything just because of this manager, but that is how workplaces operate - inequity of power and you as an underling, have little power against this person.

The other type of bad manager has a completely different modus operandi.

Type 2. The Inferior Malevolent This type of manager is very sneaky, and hard to pinpoint. The 'inferior' label comes from how they relate to you. They will feel and act less than you, even if you are reporting to them. The type is generated from a sense within themselves that they are inferior and not worthy of what they are doing. To bolster up this feeling they will be the good time manager. This will be the one that will overdo the firm's generosity as they want you on their side. It's a bit like children in the schoolyard buying friends. It is the same strategy but it is primitive as a relationship builder and ends as soon as the candies and lollies finish. Another aspect of the Inferior Malevolent will be that if they see you as a good person to know, you will be included in the favourites list or group. This is where they take their workplace hat off and enjoy themselves usually at other people's expense. Developing an in-crowd is very typical for these managers. Characteristics can include:

• Going beyond normal bonhomie
• Being the company joker
• Organising drinks and eats within work times
• Doesn't relate well to upper management, and may be a Yes Man to upper echelon managers.
• Promote their in-crowd people usually unfairly without a competitive selection process.

They sound like great managers, but in fact they are not. They hate to give out the bad news, avoid conflict (and that is sometimes part of the managerial role to put boundaries in place) and want to be everybody's friend. They win support from their workers and their behaviour is mistaken as good. However, the people who are left out do not have this view, and feel that this manager is solely buying favours.

If you have one of these managers as a direct report then it is time to draw the line on the behaviour. It creates favourites and unfairness in promotion and will create disharmony in that work unit. Immediate counselling on this behaviour is required. This can be given from qualified HR individuals, career counsellors as well as the clinical psychologist type of therapist who can help with the deep rooted feeling of inferiority.

If you work for an upline manager of this type, then while it is less likely that you will be under any direct attack, this can happen by the exclusion of you from work activities and projects though, which sad to say is another form of bullying. If this is blocking your progress in the organisation, then you have to make the lateral move or move out completely. Warning! Do not hand in your resignation though until you have another job to go to. These people will give out lukewarm references, so make sure you have the job offer in your hand before the resignation letter is written.

So feeling superior or inferior in a manager is really not a good thing for the workforce at all. Both forms are inconsistent in their behaviour, particularly over time, watch out for this important clue. They can be of any age, gender or cultural heritage. Both will have their favourites and their outcasts and unfortunately both can use bullying tactics if you fall in the latter group.

I hope that this has been useful to you, as so many employees are totally unaware of these types and end up blaming themselves for what has happened to them. Being forewarned is very useful and the best advice I can give you.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

Getting Your Dream Job is Very Simple

By : ALexandrier Jerry

In this current global economic meltdown, most job seekers do not know the advantages that lie in such challenging times. Of course most organizations will lay off some members of staff as a result of the recession financial impact on their turnover either monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Wherever and whenever the word "downsizing" is used, it means there is economic depression which would automatically require a fractional part of the work force to be sacked, retrenched, laid off or retired.

One will definitely have that belief that such a time is not the best for applying for jobs, and the main reason is that they are not realizing the expected turn over, let alone recruiting new employees.

The statement that can never be argued is that recession or not, companies will still require the services of fresh job seekers who have been well grounded not only in academic qualification, but also skillfully endowed. This is well believed by the employers of labor that people that are very skillful, with their academic qualifications will help the organizations to achieve their goals and objectives, and in line with their mission and vision.

This era of global economic melt down has a lot of advantages for job seekers in the sense that while some people are laid off, the services that will be required from fresh job seekers will be of a very high standard in terms of the application of both knowledge and skills.

Moreover, this is to let people know that certificates are insufficient for the implementation of company goals and objectives; the timely application of relevant skills is well required in such a time of financial crises. Once you have acquired the necessary professional skills, include them in the curriculum vitae, which makes it a stronger one and with a comprehensive back-up letter. This will automatically give you an edge over your colleagues and you have a far better chance of standing out from the crowd and getting attention from the coordinators of the job interview.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia

How to Succeed in the Hunt For Newly Qualified Solicitor Jobs

By : Mark Tarran

Now that the end of summer is within sight it is an important time for all those trainee solicitors who will soon be finishing their second year of their training contract. There will be many who have decided to continue their career in law and who will be hoping to secure one of the newly qualified solicitor jobs on offer. Given the recent economic crisis however the outlook for many might not be so great.

During the recession many law firms have been recruiting less and their retention rates of their trainee solicitors has gone down. This has meant that even where firms may have ordinarily offered a trainee a newly qualified solicitor job they have now not been able to due to financial constraints.

The knock on effect of this is that there will be a flood of newly qualified solicitors entering the solicitor job market to find another firm who might help them take the next step in their legal careers. The sobering fact however is that if many firms are unable to take on all of their own trainee solicitors upon qualification then they will almost certainly not be taking on newly qualified solicitors from outside the firm.

The reality for many therefore may be harsh in that they are unable to stay at their current firms and they may also be unsuccessful in succeeding in the hunt for another newly qualified role in a highly competitive job market.

If you find yourself in this position you have a few options. The first one is to try and form solid relationships with the key recruitment consultants for the area you are searching in and for the type of law you want to practise. This way they will think of you and contact you when they get a new newly qualified solicitor vacancy.

Secondly, you need to ensure that you are checking the legal press and all the law jobs websites on a daily basis for the new vacancies when they are announced. You can also be spending some time working on your application documents so that they are as good as they can be and are ready to put into action as soon as a vacancy comes up. It is advisable to search the internet for information, resources and tips relating to CV's, covering letters and application forms. What is not advisable is just using the same documents you used when applying for training contracts as this will be apparent to any recruitment consultant or law firm and could count against you.

If after an initial search for a newly qualified job you do not have success you may be advised to consider seeking another legal position, such as paralegal, so that you are still gaining legal work experience. This is often seen as a positive by potential employers and will also help with your continued professional development.

If for any reason you do not want to work in another legal position then you can always consider the option of taking a sabbatical or gap year and then return to the legal jobs market at a later date in the hope that it has improved and your chances of success are greater. You should be warned however that you will need to be able to justify this to a potential future employer and some may not view it in a positive light. Many will be ok with it though.

Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia