As the year is coming to an end, many corporate companies are buzzing with the word 'appraisal'. With major organizations and e-commerce firms reshuffling their employee structure to raise competency or opting for cost-cutting amidst a bleak job scenario, the much-awaited hike is looming in the dark. Although every company has its own criteria to evaluate employee performance and prepare an appraisal list, the basic fundamentals to determine this remain almost the same. Also, it is the time of the year when your colleagues or peers are considering changing jobs to try their luck for a bigger package. With so many things happening around, the mind is bound to go fuzzy with questions like 'What is the current industry value for my position?,' 'What are my future goals?' or 'Do I need to stick to current workplace or make a switch?.' Decluttering all these thoughts and seeking chance to prove your worth with an open mind can assist in securing a fair hike without job hopping this year. Here are ways in which you can become a prolific and important employee as well as get a raise in the current organization.

Steps That Could Secure a Good Salary Hike

5 Steps for a "Good Salary" hike are :

1. File your achievements :

Before you fix that appointment to discuss your impending hike with the boss, gather facts and figures. In this way, you will have strong reasons to prove that why you are worth of a hike in salary, and it also reflects your enthusiasm for the company's future. Maintaining a record of significant accomplishments avoids recency bias and the boss cannot refute hardwork you have put in to get those impressive results. You are trying to make an impact with the whole entity, so do your homework well.

2. Go beyond the KRAs :

Sticking to work ethics and concentrating only on tasks assigned to you could be a major reason for your pending pay hike. If you are a team player and the 'go-to' person amongst colleagues from different departments for the most trivial problems, it could be the deciding trait between a good and an average increment. Having attributes like flexibility, multi-tasking attitude and ability to become the right hand of your boss, he or she would definitely become dependable on such a trusted employee and would not want the person to leave the organization at any cost. If you are a reliable and trustworthy person, rests assured you will get your worth.

3. Become a solution finder :

While workplace challenges are normal and the client demands can be absurd, no boss would appreciate an employee who only talks about problems and impossibilities. If an employee is constantly making mistakes or demotivating others to find a solution, the boss wouldn't hesitate to show him/her the door. Imagining out of the box and thinking new solutions will make you a commendable employee and get you in the forefront for a salary hike. Employees with problem solving skills always have a favorable position in boss's mind.

4. Be in good books of the boss :

Staying committed to work and being punctual are small things but are definitely noticed. If you have been a consistent and an exceptional performer, but receive no particular comment from boss, chances are you are lacking in efforts. Determine where you are lagging and what is being expected. Understand your bonding with the boss and try to build a good rapport. You need not become a complete flatterer just to impress, but being on good terms with boss can go a long way in getting a promotion.

5. Assess and reinvent your skills :

Taking efforts to track your productivity levels not only helps the boss to understand the quality of efforts you are putting in but also assists to grow professionally. Constantly upgrading your skills and keeping abreast of the latest developments in your field will give you an upper hand over others and the company will take the right steps to retain you.

Employers keep an eye on employees who are investing time in their career by doing professional certifications without organizational support. Give hints to boss that you are ready to take new challenges. Know the rationale process and the percentage salary hike given in your office before setting up an appointment with the boss.

Competition in the job market is at its peak and employers are constantly in the search of candidates that have additional skills and something extra to offer. So interning abroad can be helpful as it also imparts additional skills, and having that experience under your belt would certainly boost your career. During the internship, you will be challenged in numerous ways, and surmounting those challenges would pay-off very well.

Reasons to Opt for International Internships

Employers these days realize the importance of inter-cultural communication as they are open to hire  people from different parts of the world. So having an international internship will be a feather in your cap. It is also an indication for your future recruiters that you have that potential of leaving all the comforts aside and push yourself to a next level.

1. Gaining experience :

Interning abroad can give you a solid experience about the work culture and help in learning a lot of new things about your work and from your colleagues. The benefits of working overseas is that it can change your entire perspective of looking at things and can enhance your learning and thinking ability while working in a completely novel environment. So gaining experience will be beneficial for you in terms of learning and also help you in your future endeavors.

2. Improving your work-profile :

Having a strong work-profile is essential in today's competitive job market. A good profile is that asset whose value appreciates with the passage of time as it benefits you throughout your whole career. Mentioning of an overseas internship on your resume can help your resume stand out from the herd. Moreover, it also indicates that you are a willing to learn and able to work.

3. Opening up opportunities to work abroad :

Nations have started opening up borders with liberal policies for students willing to pursue education and for individuals willing to work in a foreign country. With new opportunities, people are willing to migrate from their native country in search of a job. But for them to be successful in their quest it is necessary that they follow the right path and approach the right people. So, interning in the country where you wish to work can be beneficial for you to get in touch with right people who can guide you through the process of finding a job. On the other hand, if a person is not familiar with the work culture and doesn't have the right guidance it can be difficult for him to find a job in his dream country. So an overseas internship can be a stepping stone in landing a job in a remote country.

4. Creating an international network :

Building a strong international network is possible with help of internships abroad. During the internships, you can make connections with your host employer, interns from different part of the world, and other people from the same industry. The benefits of having a strong network are enormous as it helps you to nurture qualities that you learn from the people and it also exposes you to different perspectives and ways of thinking. Furthermore, a good professional network can help you in finding opportunities across the globe.

5. Living abroad makes you smart :

TIME magazine report suggests that people having experience of staying in other countries makes them more independent, creative, and smart. In a psychological study by a Singapore based management university which studied the psychological effects of staying abroad, concluded that people experiencing different cultures are good at generating creative ideas. So, such an exposure not only helps you in gaining skills related to your field, but also contributes in your overall development.

6. It can help you in stepping out of your comfort zone :

We are often hesitant in unshackling ourselves from the comfort zone, and have developed habits that limit social interaction. But in doing so, most of us miss opportunities that can help in molding our personality. Furthermore, working in a professional setting requires you to step out of your comfort zone and work in a team. As interning abroad provides ample opportunities give up your comfort zone and helps you to be socially adept, pursuing an internship abroad can help you in the long-run.

7. Helps you to learn a new language :

Staying abroad will certainly require you to interact with the local people. So it can be a good opportunity for you to befriend the native people from that country who can help you in learning their dialect. Also in some countries interacting with the local people is not possible if you don't understand their language. Therefore, in such cases most of the organizations mandate you to learn the local language. So all in all it is a plus as you get to learn a new language and knowing additional languages also make your C.V. Stand out from the rest.

An oversees internship can be the silver bullet for you as it strengthens your work-profile and contributes significantly in your all round development. So, given the benefits of having an oversees fellowship, pursuing it can be a good choice and will certainly be helpful in catapulting your career.

Career and career development are the most widely discussed and debated topics. People in the middle of their careers experience a blip as they find themselves in a maze where they are unaware of the direction in which their careers are heading. But every individual aspires his/her career to be progressive and certainly desires to achieve new heights. But due to lack of proper plan and management, most of them fail to achieve the said goals and all their plans remain fantasies instead of transpiring into realty. Therefore, it is critical to take necessary steps that can boost your career and help in the long-run.

Expand Your Network and Create Opportunities

1. Read: Reading is to the mind what food is to the body. When it comes to boosting career, reading can be an effective tool. It can help you in learning about the recent developments in your profession. Apart from that, reading articles on career development can get you good insights about the profession and various ways in which you can successfully evolve in your career. Besides, reading also helps in developing writing skills. It increases your exposure to words, and with that it can help you write exquisitely. In addition to that, it helps in enhancing your analytical skills as reading involves noting all the details in the given context and can certainly moot your response or point of view to the various nuances that you come across. Most of the individuals do not realize its potential, or have the habit of reading thereby suffering the consequences in their careers. So it is important to read different stuff that can help in enhancing knowledge related to your profession.

2. Invest in right relationships: Nurture the relationships that matter the most and give them proper time and always be available for them. Investing time in maintaining such relationships must not be viewed as a liability because the same people can turn out to be assets for you and your development. So identify your circle, places where they operate and figure out how they can provide you assistance in achieving the goals. Also invest in how to develop right networking methods.

3. Be socially active: Socializing is important in the professional sphere. In order to grow in a career, it is important to learn for which it is essential to give up “I- know-it- all” attitude, and start developing good relations with your colleagues. Developing connections with people can help you in unimaginable ways. They cannot only provide information, but also assist you in overcoming obstacles in your professional life. People can also be a good source of learning, So being around them and having extracurricular activities enables you to learn new things. Also attend social gatherings, seminars, and conferences where you get to know new people, their point of views, and a plethora of information that can be vital.

4. Actively participate on the social media: Using social media can be a boon as it enables you to be virtually connected with people across the world. It not only help you to be in touch with your friends and colleagues, but also to develop new contacts. Not only that, it can be a great learning and sharing experience as information can be exchanged at an enormous pace. With the development of professional networks such as LinkedIn, it is possible for people to connect and collaborate with people from their fraternity across various corners of the world. Such platforms give them free access to many professionals who offer services on selecting career and development. So  these professional networks have opened new avenues for job seekers looking to catapult their career.

5. Invest in a career coach: Staying focused and managing your time while working can be difficult. You might lose focus and momentum in achieving your career goals. So a mismanaged career can be detrimental in your quest for achieving success in your career. Hence, investing in a career coach can be a good option to boost your career as you will have a personal assistance who can provide you with tools and opportunities to stay focused in achieving your goals. The coach will also guide on drafting effective resume to get an interview call.

Developing your career is not an easy task and is time-consuming. You can't expect a turnaround with a wave of a magic wand. It requires the right plan and a pro-active approach along with a high level of dedication and discipline. Furthermore, it needs developing and maintaining strong networks, investing in improving yourself and capitalizing on opportunities. Professionals usually fail to achieve that feat in their careers as they lack in implementing requisite steps during the tenure of their work. So by adhering to the tips mentioned above you can successfully develop and expand your network in order to achieve the goal of career growth.

Big Career Goal Steps That Will Get You Closer Today

Here are five steps that will inch you closer towards your career goals.

1. Assess yourself on tough questions :

2. Plans your goals :

3. Create a realistic career road map :

4. Strive for excellence :

5. Have a success mantra :

Working in a 9 to 5 job can cut down your free time and also reduce the daily meetings with your friends or college mates to a great extent. As you step into a world of profession and try to get acquainted with an entirely new routine, you will find yourself following a disciplined lifestyle instead of just lazying around. While the initial few months are a testing time of a career, grumbling over the limited holidays and workplace challenges faced will be obvious. Nevertheless, doing a job can transform you completely and make a better person. Eventually, a self-realization on how the career has made your life better will occur.

Unexpected Ways Career Can Make Your Life Better

1. You will adhere to a strict schedule :

As it will be mandatory to report to duty on time, and one cannot give out lame excuses for coming late or taking frequent sick leaves, following a proper routine and healthy diet will become the norm. Activities like boozing around on week days or catching up for late-night movies will become a thing of the past as you need to be present each day at the workplace. In addition to this, you will learn to go to bed early and even refrain from hitting the snooze button for some morning exercise. You will have a fixed schedule and also plan the day's schedule to avoid being distracted from  goals.

2. You will recognize your sense of purpose for life :

Since reporting to senior authority is given in a job, procrastinating things will be a passé as making an impression is important. Aligning job duties with career goals will not only motivate to work harder, but also help you push yourself to bring out the best. Similarly, unproductive and unhealthy activities after the work will also stop drastically as there will be focus on self-improvement. Once there is a clear idea on how to be potential, there will be a motto. As a result, instead of spending an evening discussing the latest flick, changing TV channels to watch an interesting news or checking on social media accounts, you will find out ways to invest in yourself and grow as an individual. You may listen to motivational speeches by the person you idolize, do certificate courses that are relevant for the job or take steps to improve performance in the office.

3. You will have a better understanding of yourself :

When a particular stage to reach in a career in identified, setting a benchmark , applying mind and energy to achieve it will become your aim. Hence, you will not give importance to petty issues and will learn to ignore things that do not have any significant value. Furthermore, you will be able to recognize what you admire and which things do not matter to you. In addition to this, you will cultivate close bonds with people who have similar thinking abilities and also learn from them as well as avoid toxic people who do not contribute to your development. Doing a job will help to understand the balance between success and failure and also develop ability to digest things when circumstances are not in favor.

4. You will become an inspiration for others :

When you strive to become better in a profession, you indirectly serve as a role model for others. The attitude you carry for completing a task can become an example for other team members and thus increase the productivity of the team. At the same time, you can act as a motivator to friends or peers unwilling to take a step to shape their future just because it seems too risky or requires giving up on things they are fond of. When a perfect work-life balance is achieved, you will be in a better position to explain the benefits of pursuing a career to others and also encourage them to carry out tasks that will surely make them happy. Also, when they finally decide to take the leap, you can play the role of a supporter and motivator when they face issues.

5. You will become more responsible :

Working in an organization can make you a responsible individual and also take out the clumsiness. It will instill a drive in you to excel and make more active to learn different facets about the profession. Apart from this, there will be an improvement in understanding the importance of meeting deadlines, developing quick thinking abilities, and overcoming any adverse situations in life. When following a career dream, you will become more organized and always have a 'to-do list'  before carrying out any task instead of randomly going about things.

When you are jobless or have no specific aim, the mind usually wanders in various directions as rightly said 'an empty mind is a devil's workshop'. Having a fixed goal and an aspiration to become successful in the career  can make you a better individual and even transform your life. To get a career in your chosen field, take a look at resume samples.