The Benefits and Challenges of Flexi Work

A recent survey conducted by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower showed that 35 percent of companies are now open to at least one alternative work arrangement. This may include working from home or a mix of office-based time and telecommuting. A significant increase from the previous year’s 25 percent, this statistics show that the workforce environment in the country is learning to adapt to changes in the name of talent retention.

One can deduce that this change is brought by the growing number of Generation Y executives, individuals who want the most flexibility they can have. Together with their huge influence on the Singapore recruitment comes the benefits and the challenges of permitting staff to work remotely.

The benefits

Cost savings. Telecommuting slashes operational costs significantly, eliminating expenses related to lease, electricity, equipment and additional allowances.

Access to talents. Telecommuting permits remote employees to easily accept a job offer than when relocation is involved. Flexi work then is a win-win situation for the whole Singapore job market – it enriches the talent pool in companies without demanding big adjustments on employees. 


The challenges

Less control. Monitoring employees who work at home is close to impossible. Unless both the employer and the employee agree on a strict reporting method, outputs may be the only determinants of productivity and accomplishment.

Possibility of lower work quality. Because there is less control over employee behaviour at work, there is also a risk of substandard outputs. This may be due to distractions at home, lack of motivation and absence of teammates to collaborate with.

Information risks. Confidential data getting out of the office infrastructure is something companies should evaluate closely. There is little control on information that is sent from the office to employees’ homes. Another information risk is when communication problems arise. This may be due to interrupted Internet connection or problems with voice data transmission.

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The Interview Process: How to Tackle It

Employers and applicants alike perceive the interview as the deal-maker or the deal-breaker, depending on the result. As an executive, going to interviews should be a way for you to confirm your credentials, instead of letting them know about it. Sometimes, companies even conduct the interview for formalities alone or just so that you can be more persuaded to jump ship. Nevertheless, the way you handle an interview remains as a gun where you only have one shot – either you get it once or you don’t get the job at all.

Before the Interview

Research. Remember that a good working relationship with your employer starts on your interview, whether you are applying for a manager job or as a COO. You should be able to make your interviewer feel that you would love to work in the company. You need them as much as they need you, after all.   

Plan your outfit. If you are applying as a finance manager, your best suit is your best choice. However, you might want to trade it for a unique top if you are applying in a top spot in a fashion company. 

During the Interview

Be comfortable. This starts with adapting to the venue of the interview. If you are taken to a room full of employees who are busy talking with each other or typing away on their keyboards, do your best to stay focused yet still relaxed. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, request for a move. Better to assert yourself regarding the matter instead of compromising your whole interview. It may even earn you plus points for the director job that you are applying for. 

After the Interview

Send a thank-you note. Let the employer know that you want the job and that you give attention on it by sending a short thank-you note. Tell them that you are looking forward to when you can hear again from them at the date that they gave you. If the date passes and they have not contacted you still, you may send a follow-up email. Do not go overboard by sending email after email, as this may turn off the employer.  

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Red flags on your resume

Competition in the executive jobs sector is always cut-throat. It seems that the most coveted positions are always filled. So to get ahead, you do your best in creating the best resume any employer has ever seen. However, there are items there that are possible red lights, posing as threats that may stop companies from even setting an appointment with you. Turn these red flags into green go signals and get to your dream executive job in no time.  

Short stints

Your executive job history is something that you should not leave out. In fact, you have to write all your previous positions and be truthful at it. A short period of time spent in a company is a red flag, and may lead the employer to doubting your loyalty and dependability. Include a few notes about it in your cover letter or in your resume to let them know what went on.

Big gaps

In the same way that short stints in different job posts are red flags, so are big gaps. If your gaps consist of a few months, eliminate them by specifying the longevity of the positions that you held. This would somehow remove the focus on the gaps. However, if you feel that the gaps may become a factor for you not to be considered for a position, put in explanations for each. Just do not label the gaps as months of work, such as “Sabbatical (June 2010 to December 2010)” because that would only make the stain more obvious.

Steps down

As an executive, the thing you should have achieved is to go up the career ladder. However, that scenario is almost utopia, something that rarely happens. After all, career advancement does not necessarily mean promotion. You may have moved sideways or even downwards. You may have shifted from a top banking career to being the manager of a family-owned business. Usually, the company you worked for would suffice as an explanation for the demotion. However, it is something that you should still discuss and explain to the employer.


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Executive Goal Setting: Set Yourself Apart

Executive goal setting plays an integral part in career growth. This is especially true if you take a manager job or a director job. 

Take on new projects. Start by going out of your comfort zone. Identify new areas where you can learn something new, giving you a more diversified skill set.

Evaluate last year’s performance. Consider everything – from your whole staff’s performance to your individual contributions as the leader. Get more specific by looking at figures, and take it higher by adding 20 percent to this year’s goal.

Build your network. The adage “no man is an island” cannot be more true in the executive platform. The number of people you know in your network or industry is directly proportionate to the strength of your safety net and to the number of opportunities you can take.

Study. Prepare for the future by enrolling in a new course. This will qualify you for upcoming jobs.

Aim for promotion. Do not simply perform. Be clear about your goal and let your boss know about it. This is a more proactive way of tackling the career ladder, instead of simply waiting for your accomplishments to get rewarded.

Get published. The Internet is the most powerful resource today. Get your name in the Web search results by contributing to online journals and magazines. You may also create your own blog and make it a helpful resource for people in the industry. This lets you create a brand for yourself, one which would open doors of opportunities for you.

Transfer. As you build your network, conduct your own job search to look for organizations, industries or even locations which you may transfer to. Change will challenge you and will teach you lessons.

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The resume that will land you on top financial jobs

You know that you are the best candidate and you are confident that you will have a successful job search. But does the employer know that?  Convince them by creating a resume that will not only place your name on the list, but would actually get you hired. 

15-second time limit. Your resume should be able to do its purpose in 15 minutes, tops. Employers spend only about 15 seconds per resume, so make it clear and concise.

State your achievements. Instead of simply listing your previous finance jobs, roles and responsibilities, recreate them into more powerful statements that demonstrate how you contributed to your company. Say something like “Devised and executed a more cost-efficient accounting system.”

Simplicity is the key. Using fancy fonts and colorful graphics will make your resume stand out all right – the employer will see it immediately and throw it in the trash. Keep it simple in the layout, the fonts you use, as well as in the language. 
   
Customize your resume according to the company and position you are applying for. Finance jobs vary from one another. A top position as a finance manager may require you a skill set entirely different from what a financial analysis head should possess. So after you create a “master copy” of your resume that includes all your successes and skills, tweak it and create a revised version for every job position you apply for. Highlight the ones that are of interest to the employer.

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Lessons from Generation Y Professionals

The typical population of a company is composed of a few Baby Boomers and Gen X employees who hold the manager jobs, and a large number of Generation Y professionals who make up the staff level. 

Hiring from cross-generational groups continues to become a tough thing because conflicts arise. Gen Yers want to have more flexibility and diversity in their jobs, while the two generation levels before them are the hardworking command-and-control type of employees. It would be pointless to try and make the millenials adapt to how things have been for the past decades or so. These kids know what they want and soon, will become the bosses. So while you try to bridge generation gaps, pick up a lesson or two from the new kids on the block, the office block that is. 

Work-life balance is not just a concept. For Gen Yers, it is a state of life. That is why they’d rather turn into productivity machines for four hours than take it slow in the office for ten hours. When Gen Yers work, they give their best to achieve more in a short span of time. After that, they’re off to coffee with their friends. This is also the reason why they do not like long meetings. They see it as a counter-productive time-eater.    

Gen Yers seize the day. They want to maximize their time at work so they can have more leisure time, and they want to prepare well for their retirement which they plan to have sooner than when their parents did. In the same way, Gen Y professionals want the most career development they can have. Gen Yers see great mentors as rockstars. Be their rockstar; train them for a director job and you will get appreciated and esteemed.

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