CAREER SPECIAL.................. Is it time to change your job? (1)

Is it time to change your job?

If you are underpaid, overworked or just plain bored with your job, here’s a guide to changing the situation.

    April is the cruellest month because it’s when most companies conduct their annual appraisals. Global HR firm Aon Hewitt estimates that the average wage hike this year will be 10%, the lowest in a decade. On the other hand, HR firm Randstad says most Indian employees expect better hikes in 2014 compared to previous years. This mismatch between expectations and reality is likely to result in silent tears, hot arguments, slamming of doors and, perhaps, thousands of resignation letters. Randstad warns that expectations of pay hikes have an impact on the attrition rate of companies.
    To be fair, the pay package is only one of the many reasons why one changes his job. Job satisfaction, the role in an organisation, growth prospects, congenial work environment and lack of challenges also matter. Are you underpaid? Or overworked? Is your work not admired? Does your boss bully you? And, do your co-workers hate you?
THIS SERIES OF ARTICLES LOOK

 at why you should not resign yourself to this misery. A company that pays poorly doesn’t deserve your talent. If your boss is a bully, there’s no point losing your health over it. Move out to greener pastures before the shutters come down. Over the next few pages, we lay down a road map of how one can proactively change the situation by switching to a new job. 

1. SMARTEN YOUR RESUME

Cutting out irrelevant details and keeping it crisp will make it more effective.

    Your resume is a summary, not a laundry list of degrees and awards. Here’s how you can cut through the clutter and make it stand out in the crowd.
Keep it short
Don’t make the resume so sketchy that it fits into half a page, but don’t also go beyond two pages. The thumb rule: if you have less than five years of experience, put it in a single page; go for two pages if it’s longer. Keep it neat: recruiters spend 20-30 seconds on a resume before deciding whether to carry on or move to the next. A poorly formated document stands little chance. But don’t get too creative with the design. Too many fonts and extensive use of italics can be jarring. Opt for a straightforward font like Arial and use bullet points wherever possible.
Spellings and grammar
Make sure you check the spellings before you post the resume. Nothing riles a recruiter more than misspelt words. Also, stick to the basics of grammar. No capital letters for common nouns, or unnecessary quote marks. Only a few keywords should be in bold letters.
Experience
Don’t make this a history of your career. Start with your current job and include 2-3 previous positions, stating your designation and describing your responsibilities at each job. Downplay experiences of more than 10 years ago. Check the dates. HR managers don’t like unexplained gaps between jobs.
Claim carefully
Make claims only if you can substantiate them. Saying you have good negotiation skills has no meaning unless you give an example. Be careful about what you say to whom. Ability to take risks might make you an attractive candidate if you are seeking a job in a start-up venture, but it won’t get you anywhere if you are applying for a position in the treasury department of a bank.
Get rid of redundancies
Finally, don’t include stuff that is obvious. If you passed college, you must have also been to school. Hobbies is another section that can be dropped, unless you have an outstanding one. And please don’t include the phrase: “References will be furnished on request”.

ETW 140407