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.

Interview preparation often involves building a strong resume, preparing for common interview questions, a thorough study of the company and its policies, etc. While all of these parameters play a critical role, there are some other factors such as  'positive body language' that has got a significant role to play since the things that you say in an interview only partially elicit your thoughts. How you carried yourself out during the interview will also have a say in your selection. So it is important that candidates discern its importance and develop it into a habit.

Body Language Disasters Job Seekers Make During an Interview

5 Body Language Disasters Job Seekers Make During an Interview are :

1. No eye contact: 

Maintaining eye contact with the interviewers is critical. Most of the candidates don't take it seriously and make the mistake of not maintaining the eye contact. The reason why it is important is that maintaining eye contact is an effective way of showing interest to what the person in front of you is saying, and is certainly a good way of addressing what you say to the concerned person. So not following the protocol might give the person an intuitive feeling that either you are disinterested in having the conversation, or you lack the right etiquette. Therefore, in an interview, it can be disastrous for a candidate, and hence, they must acknowledge its importance and develop the habit of maintaining eye contact even while having causal conversations with friends or family members.

2. Appearing fidgety: 

Being nervous before or during the interview is natural but make sure that you don't succumb to the nervousness because you won't be able to perform well. Appearing anxious can trigger actions such as fiddling with fingers, biting nails, slouching in the chair, etc. fiddling with the fingers is an indication that you are bored by the conversation, biting nails imply that you are extremely nervous and not having a proper posture while sitting in front of the recruiters fails to create a positive impression. All these actions can put you in jeopardy as it implies that you need self-soothing and do not have control over your actions, thus sending a negative message to the recruiters.

3. Excessive gestures: 

Most of the time we tend to use hand gestures while talking, or in some cases, we observe people performing moves during the conversation. While it can be helpful in certain situation but excessive use of those gestures can be detrimental as it indicates that you don't have proper control over your thoughts as well as actions. So it is important that you avoid doing them by starting to observe great speakers and their body language when they meet other people.

4. Not smiling: 

A smile brings warmth and fills the entire environment with positive energy. It puts the job seeker and the interviewer at ease in a tensed atmosphere. It is also observed that when the interviewers are met with a smile, it makes them feel happier and encourages them to reciprocate the smile and is viewed as a sign of confidence. Smiling also encourages the recruiters to know you better and failing to keep a smile on your face might  portray you as a grim and distant personality, and they will be less inclined to know you or the candidate in front of them. However, a smile must be natural, timely and appropriate. So it is important that you greet the recruiters with a smile as soon as you enter the room.

5. Sounding weird:

Now this might not classify as a body language but still most of the candidates appearing in front of the interview panel often have the habit of stammering or making a 'thinking sound' , something like ' ummm..' every time they find themselves in a state of confusion. It is important that candidates must understand the recruiters don't appreciate this at all and in fact, is something very annoying to hear. It also indicates your lack of confidence and inability to think vividly. So it is advisable to accept your lack of knowledge or understanding if you are not able to answer instead of making that poker face or a bizarre sound.

Succeeding in an interview requires a candidate to walk the extra mile while preparing for it. Nowadays, the abundance in the number of applicants has made the recruiters finicky while choosing the right one. Therefore, recruiters keenly observe the candidates based on hard as well as the soft skills. Hence, in order to pass the litmus test of the recruiters it is necessary that job applicants equip themselves with the right tools and adopt a progressive attitude.

Do you find yourself lost in the crowd of job seekers? Are you questioning yourself which job is better for you as you have no experience or required qualifications? Hunting for a job without any relevant experience or qualifications can become frustrating after a while when you get no positive outcome. At such times, instead of giving up, demonstrate your abilities to a prospective employer and convince the hiring manager to hire you.

How to Get a Job With No Experience or Qualifications

Here are ways in which you can land yourself with a dream job that you have always aspired for :

Embrace the reality :

When you are applying for entry-level positions or are a complete novice in the field, it is a fact that the recruiters do not expect the candidates to put up experience in their resume. You can use this shortcoming as a motivating factor and show your willingness to learn. Hiring managers are often on a lookout for candidates who express curiosity, dedication and show commitment to do hard work and learn. To present these skills on your resume, refer resume samples.

Identify your potential skills :

Do not get discouraged after reading job description and just lose hope because you do not have the listed skills. Before applying to any job, inspect yourself and understand what are the things you do exceptionally well. Understand what you enjoy doing and what help do other people usually ask for. Are you having a problem-solving approach or can communicate your ideas well to the audience? In this way, you will recognize your true potential.

Make the link between your strengths and job relevant skills :

When you have identified the job that suits you the best, have a self-belief that you will excel at it. Perform analysis of the given job responsibilities and match it with your personal traits. Once you have an idea about why you fit the position, you will be in a better position to explain the same to the employer.

Know your worth :

Even if you do not have the relevant experience, understand what other background can be used to demonstrate your worth to the employer. It could be your graduate-level internship, a part-time job at a popular food chain restaurant or a short stint in theater during school-days. Experience does not come in traditional options always, there can be many more ways to it. However, to land a job, don't fake something just to make the cut.

Be willing to learn :

An individual who is starting new in a field has plenty of opportunities to learn. When you are a beginner, you get a chance to make something from scratch and excel in it. Always have a curious attitude and show willingness to learn new skills. This will definitely prove useful in the long term of your career. At the same time, confidently show that you are capable of doing the task while maintaining a modest attitude.

Become a volunteer :

The job hunt is a lengthy process and is bound to take time before you start your new gig. As you are not going to be hooked to the job application process the entire day, in the meantime, try some volunteering activities. You will not only learn something new, but also it will help you get some skills and add an extra section that will make you stand out in an interview process. Also, it will increase your contacts and the interactions with different people might help you have a foot in the door.

Grow your professional network :

If you think you have excellent skills that will help you excel a field, think of ways in which you can sell the same to others. Exceptional self-marketing proves you have the ability to bring about transformations and want to improve each day. Develop your own personal network and even connect with friends of your friends to avail the job opportunities at the right time.

Look beyond the specified requirements :

The vacancy advertisements often come with a phrase stating the required years of experience. However, most of the times, the entry-level jobs or openings do no have a hard requirement. It is mentioned just to filter out probable candidates and is usually used to describe the kind of candidate an organization is looking for. If you think that you have the required skills and can prove it to the employer, you should give it a try and persuade the recruiter for scheduling an interview.

Lying about yourself and fudging with the contents in resume is a terrible way to market yourself as an able candidate. Selling yourself to a prospective employer is an art, and you must have a realistic mindset when you are applying for a position. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter and understand what qualities will make him/her take interest in your profile.

Convince Your Boss to Start Letting You Work From Home

1. Self Assessment :

2. Give Reasons That Are Mutually Beneficial :

3. Address All The Concerns :

4. Ask For A Trial Period :

5. Demonstrate Results :

Initially, the exchange between an employer and a laborer was only confined to the exchange of service for goods, and later, for money when the whole idea of currency came into the picture. Thus the only satisfaction that the laborer received was being able to put supper on his table with the wages that he earned. However, in recent times, it's not just the money or incentives that an employee expects.

Keys to Job Satisfaction

The Employee Also Looks For Certain Level Of Job Satisfaction :

Thus self-awareness is imperative while choosing a career path and in accruing job satisfaction associated with it. So the degree of job satisfaction is in direct proportion to the clarity of thought on interests that an individual possesses. Thus, pursuing career out of your own interest wouldn't let the feeling of toiling creeps in while you work and subsequently result in higher levels of job satisfaction.

2. Priorities :

Priorities of individuals depend on their mental conditioning and upbringing. For some, choosing a career path would be purely based on the dexterity they pose, while for others, it could be with the intent of amassing wealth, or selflessly working for a social cause. In that case if one happens to have complacency with their job, they need to factor in their priorities while making a career choice.

3. Work-life balance :

The magnitude of belligerent competition has given companies a run for their money. Thus the employees of the companies are at the receiving end of this massive onslaught. Despite pursuing a career of their choice, individuals find themselves doing work which is monotonous and involves a lot of drudgery. There is a spike in the number of neurologists, therapists, and spiritual guides if certain reports are to be believed. Thus it can be inferred that there are augmented levels of stress and discontent amongst the working class, And consequently, a dismal rate of job satisfaction. Thus companies these days have ingeniously come up with policies that nurture a proper work-life balance, out of which granting options like work from home, paid maternity leave, offering flexible working hours and lucrative holiday packages would ensure a good work-life balance and subsequently higher levels of job satisfaction. Thus the fact that work-life balance plays a critical role in mental and physical well-being of a person, it is vital that you weigh in its importance.

4. Maintain cordial relations at workplace :

According to a Harvard research done on individuals, the most significant factor that contributes to a happy life is - maintaining healthy relationships. During the course of our lives we approximately spend 40 years working, which is almost half of our lifetime. Thus a major part of our life is spent in nexus with our coworkers. The people that surround us have a significant influence on our overall psyche. Thus it can have a positive impact on you, your work and your social life depending on the extent to which you are congenial to your fellow workers. Respect your colleagues, and they will do the same, help them in the need of the hour, respect their opinions, and they would never let you down. The efforts that you put will reap benefits by maintaining a healthy social and professional life and bring in a great deal of job satisfaction.

5. Having a positive and a progressive attitude :

Having a positive attitude towards your work can be a significant differentiation. Following the principles of honesty and sincerity along with a sense of responsibility that one carries can yield great incentives. Thus the amount of respect and recognition that you wield, would bring in higher levels of job satisfaction. Thus it would compel you to take up new responsibilities and make you an asset to the company.

Thus job satisfaction is an important part of the bargain between the employee and the employer. It is advisable on the employees' part to have a proactive contribution in achieving the same. However, it is not a one-way exchange, and the onus lies equally on the employer to provide job satisfaction to their employees. A higher degree of job satisfaction amongst the employees would make them more productive, and potential contributors to the company.