Pontiac Career Management

Archive for the ‘Career Development’ Category

Some 40% of employers now use career aptitude tests as part of their employee selection process and this number appears to be rising.

This is because employers recognise that choosing candidates on the basis of a job interview only is very subjective. They know that it’s not always the most suitable candidate who performs best in the interview and making a recruitment decision based on 45 minutes is not ideal.

So many choose to base their recruitment decisions on selection test results as well as an interview to add an element of objectivity to the decision making.

But some employers use career aptitude tests as a way to select candidates for interview. In this case, employers review resumes and CVs as usual, choose suitable candidates, put them through testing and invite only those who do well in the tests for an interview.

Your potential employer may do either or may not do job testing at all – you can always ask when you apply, so you can be ready whatever the case.

Common career aptitude tests include:

Verbal Reasoning Tests or Logic Test Questions

These are designed to see how well you can understand and interpret written text. Usually there is a time limit but applicants are not always expected to complete all the questions in the time allowed. Here’s an example question, the answer and an explanation.

Heart disease is so common that almost all businesses will have employees who either suffer from or will suffer from this condition. Research indicates that between 55-85% of all people who suffer a heart attack can’t return to work, because either their work is physically demanding or it’s high-pressure, stressful work.

Based on the paragraph above, for each statement which follows, state whether it is

a) False

b) True

c) Or not possible to say either way

1.Physical or stressful work may bring on a heart attack.

The answer is c) – it is not possible to say either way. You may know from life experience that physical or stressful work may bring on a heart attack but the statement does not tell you this or deny this.

You can practice logic test questions to improve your performance in actual tests.

Maths or Numerical Tests

Maths or numerical tests are designed to measure your ability to do basic mental arithmetic, not complex maths. Tests are usually multiple choice and timed.

If it’s been a while since you studied maths, take some time to brush up on basic mental arithmetic such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, fractions and reading graphs. It will give you more confidence in the test and improve your test scores.

A career development plan is a list, usually compiled by your supervisor. of your short- and long-term goals with a planned sequence of formal training and informal activities so that you can achieve goals that have been set by your supervisor and you.  

The Purpose

The purpose of a career development plan is to assist you, the worker, in achieving your goals. Many times employees will complain that they didn’t know that they were lacking the needed skills. They find out at job performance appraisals. If you feel empowered about your future, you will more likely stay with the company that helps you to realize your full potential. It is a win-win situation. The supervisor has helped to successful mentor an underling which is a measure of his success. On the other hand, if your supervisor fails to fill out a career development plan, you need to be persistent and insist on it. This is your success that is depending on it. It should be stated that job performance reviews and career development planning sessions are not the same and should not be scheduled at the same time.  

Develops Time Frame for Progression  

Another benefit of a career development plan is that is help to set a time frame for you and for your supervisor. Again, this should be written down for documentation purposes. Time frames could be set for milestones such as promotions. A time frame could be set that is six months from now because certain skills have to be attained first. You may need to direct a project so that your management can see that you have the necessary leadership skills to progress to the next level. Ask for additional responsibilities and ask if you can learn a task that only your supervisor knows how to do. Explain that you could be his backup when he is on vacation.  

Take the Initiative  

If your career development plan states that you do not take the initiative, jump start your career by being a go-getter. Attend seminars or business discussion and report any pertinent information at your weekly staff meeting. Instead of eating lunch at your desk every day, take the opportunity to network with associates in other departments. Sometimes, they will give you insight that you can interject into your meetings with your supervisor. Take the opportunity to volunteer at company events. This is a highly visible public relations act; this benefits the company, but it also benefits your visibility.

Read Leadership Articles or Books

There is a wealth of book and articles that discuss leadership skills and how to acquire them. Instead of reading a murder mystery every week, devote some of your time so that can improve your skill sets for work. This could be reading a book about effective communication styles or how to write a winning proposal. Visit your local bookstore or your local library and invest in yourself. If your company has difficulties finding translators for your overseas operation, consider learning the necessary language.

Just about everyone wants to advance in his or her chosen vocation. No one wants to simply stay put; everyone wants to get somewhere else. But few people really know how to make their own advancement happen.

Career development is not very complex – which is not to say that it is easy to accomplish. On the contrary, it requires a tremendous amount of discipline to be able to maximize the resources available to you, i.e., your time, money, and energy.

However, once you have mastered the skill of using what you have to the fullest, you will be well on your way to personal growth and career advancement.

Here are a few things you can do in your quest for career development:

Read extensively. In many fields, reading is one of the best things you can do to educate yourself. An oft-quoted study shows that Americans on average read one book each year after graduation.

Obviously, in a rapidly changing world, one book a year is not enough. If you expect to get anywhere in the world, you will do your share of study and research, if only in the subject area which apply to your line of work.

A large number of self-development professionals say that anyone who aspires to be a leader in their industry must read for at least thirty minutes a day. After all, they say, reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.

By keeping your mind sharp and by staying abreast of the developments in your field, you will have a decided advantage over those who simply do not bother.

Provide what is required. Whether you work for a firm or operate your own business, a fundamental principle is to give your customers what they want.

If you are an employee, “giving the customers what they want” is really giving your boss what he wants, in terms of work productivity. If you operate a business, the principle requires no further explanation.

Always try to find out what is expected of you, and what people want to receive from you. As a business owner, this will mean conducting market research.

As an employee, this will mean making a study of your company and finding the area where your unique skills are certain to have an effect.

Go the extra mile. Napoleon Hill, the famous self-help author, advised everyone to “go the extra mile” in everything that they do.

According to Hill, when you spend an hour doing something you don’t have to do for the benefit of someone else, that one hour can be worth more than the rest of your day. Over time, a policy of going the extra mile will provide you untold benefits, and will do wonders for your career development.