It’s been fifteen years since this language came into the limelight and since then its applications have only grown. Anything from simple school projects to big players like Amazon and Google uses Java in their applications. This usage generates a high demand for Freelance Java Developers experienced in configuration, trial, and software implementation through the Java programming language.

On the other side, there are thousands of new developers coming into the market each year. People in the tech field need to upskill themselves and constantly be familiar with the new technology. It will ensure that they never go out of work and keep finding projects that they love.

So, if you’re a Java programmer, here are 9 in-demand Java skills you must master to land more freelance Java projects.

How To Be a Freelance Java Developer

Tech companies are constantly on the lookout to hire freelance Java developers. The major reason behind this is the convenience and cost-effectiveness for the companies. Hiring full-time employees is a long process wherein they need to assess everything from the background to their previous job roles. However, if they hire freelance Java developers, they would only need to evaluate the person’s skills. Also, there are additional monetary benefits that help them save money. As for the freelancer, here are the top benefits:

• You can earn however much you want by increasing or decreasing the number of clients. It depends on your current needs and monetary requirements to adjust how much you want to earn.
• The balance between your work and life is flexible. You can drop some clients if you want to take it easy or take on more projects to develop your skills.
• By not working as a full-time employee, you’re not answerable to the company beyond your project. They won’t be calling you to fix an error or take up some work for an employee on leave.
• You can work on a plethora of different projects that challenge your skillset more. It’s an exclusive opportunity always to learn more and keep growing, rather than getting comfortable in your 9 to 5 job.
• Freelancing helps you build a better network and improve your communication skills. You would be building a personal brand that is always a plus point in your professional career.

So, if you’re a programmer and want to start a side hustle, freelancing should be your top choice. Find out the companies that hire freelance Java developers and reach out to them. It’s better to know what you’re good at and then target clients who need that specific skill set. If you want to take your Java game to next level, learn these skills:

1. Software Design and Architecture

Software Design and Architecture skills are crucial skills to advance as a programmer in any language. As a Java Developer, you need these skills to offer problem-solving knowledge in the software development process.

You would be providing companies with a comprehensive and structured solution in their development process to meet all the technical and operational needs. The architecture you’ll create will describe the system’s major components, structures, and communication channels.

Furthermore, in the designing phase, you would have a part in the coding and implementation of the design. All these elements have to be selected, keeping in mind the basic security and performance attributes.

Therefore, if you want to work with companies that hire freelance Java developers, start learning about Software Design and Architecture. It’ll help you land those big-ticket clients and earn good money.

2. Spring Framework

Spring Framework is a popular java platform that provides programmers with comprehensive support and infrastructure to develop applications. Companies also prefer conducting development using Spring Frameworks like Spring Boot, Spring MVC, and Spring Cloud.

Furthermore, this improves the application’s testability, which is another major component that companies look for. The Spring Framework further allows programmers to compose different components into a working, ready-to-use application.

So, if you want to upskill and take on new Java Projects, be familiar with this technology. It’ll be your base infrastructure for application development when working with different clients from around the world.

3. Learn APIs and Libraries

The best Freelance Java developers worldwide are proficient with the Java Ecosystem and APIs. If you want companies that hire freelance Java developers looking for you, the best thing you can do is to learn APIs. Some among the key Java APIs you should know are:

• JSON processing APIs like Jackson and Gson
• XML processing APIs like JAXB and Xerces
• Unit testing libraries like Mockito and JUnit etc

They enable Java Developers in the integration of websites and applications and also offer real-time information. As a freelancer on the lookout for projects, you have to keep your skills updated to get good companies. So, start with these basics and work up your way by learning.

4. Unit Testing

Any good Java Developer unit tests their code. It’s an essential skill for every developer to work on unit testing. It is a basic yet crucial point in the software development phase, which helps developers write code efficiently.

Furthermore, it ensures that the application meets the necessary standards and requirements before deployment. The individual testing of the components helps spot the bugs and errors before the deployment, which saves time for the programmers.

Companies that hire freelance Java developers look for a professional freelancer whose work is rock solid. If you skip unit testing and the bugs come up later, it won’t help build a good personal brand. You can start the learning with the JUnit library and improve your unit testing skills.

5. Design Patterns

Knowing some popular design patterns is critical if you want to take on some complex Java Projects and get those top companies looking to hire freelance java developers. The design patterns are a solution for solving a specific coding task. These patterns are reusable, and you can implement them in several varying projects. It’s an excellent skill for freelance Java developers who want industry-relevant skills to keep getting projects.

Design Patterns also provide better documentation and improve the code quality. If you’re working with the company’s development team, they would be able to understand the design patterns and your solution. So, upskill yourself now if you want to grab an opportunity for your dream company looking to hire freelance Java developers.

Containers and DevOps tools

DevOps is the adoption of iterative software development, programmable infrastructure deployment, automation, and maintenance. It can also be described as a collaborative approach between a company’s IT operations and Software Development team. Containers are a process of creating, testing, deploying, and redeploying applications in varying environments.

It is possible from a freelance developer’s laptop to the main data center of the company. There are several business benefits of DevOps, making it a necessary skill for a freelancer looking for work. It leads to faster solutions, a better user experience, fewer failures, and a better ROI. Learning more about DevOps tools and containers would get you a head start with companies looking to hire freelance Java developers.

Java EE Components

Java EE Components are self-contained functional units that are installed in the Java EE. They are the solution for handling requests that come in from web-based clients. Enterprise developers looking for new freelance Java projects should learn more about Java EE Components and add them to their skillset. A few major Java EE Components you should learn are:

• Java Server Pages (JSP)
• Servlets, Enterprise Java Beans (EJB)
• JAX-RS

Java Build Tools

Companies that hire freelance Java developers usually test their skills before hiring them on a long-term project. You will have to complete a specific test code on a Java build platform. You should know about Maven, Gradle, and Ant.

These tools are also instrumental in managing the project dependencies, building configuration, and documentation. So, start looking for postings to hire freelance Java developers and shoot your proposal.

Learning Java better

Every company looking to hire freelance Java developers would expect your Java skills to be the best. That’s why you should keep learning the features of the updated versions. With new versions rolling out every year, it’s essential to keep yourself updated.

So, to get into the top list of companies that need to hire freelance Java developers, these skills should be a priority. It’ll help you get ahead in a highly competitive market and get the best projects. Furthermore, with many people recognizing the benefits of freelancing and gigs, you need to offer the best skills. It’s your only alternative if you want to succeed as a freelance developer in an ever-evolving and advancing tech world. So, put on your learning shoes, get on the Internet and make yourself ready to secure some high-paying Freelance Java projects.

After reading this article, you’ll be left with 9 productivity hacks while working from home. You can use these productivity hacks to get more things done while beating the negatives of working from home.

The trend and ease of remote work in businesses, and the advent of the Covid-19 have led the world to a new system of working. A vast community of people has made their livelihoods from freelancing and remote work. It is the reason why many multinationals are also opening up to new remote talents. They have recognized the convenience of such work for the individual and the freelancer. Freelance gigs and remote work is now much more prevalent than in the past decade. With the covid-19 pandemic, companies have recognized that it is more beneficial for them. The expenses for maintenance of offices, employees, and geographical limitations are no longer an issue. It has helped them scale their businesses to a much larger global scale through the internet.

In the past decade, one could have barely thought that they can work with a person in the USA while being in India. But now, it is pretty standard. You’ll see people getting work from home jobs and freelancing gigs. It has helped them gain financial freedom away from the geographical limits.

But just like a coin, it has another side to it. People often feel stuck or overworked when working from home. Let us see why this has emerged as an issue.

What Is The Need For Productivity Hacks While Working From Home?

It seems to be convenient and easy to start your work right from your bed. However, there are inherent issues with it. Let us see some of them:

• There is no demarcation between the personal and the professional. When people work, eat and sleep in the same place, it can be tiring. It can make them feel stuck in a cycle.
• Social life often takes a hit while working from home. It may feel like they have lost a big part of their social lives.
• There isn’t any specific routine. In the absence of a routine, one can quickly feel lethargic or demotivated.
• Employees often feel that they work more than the regular office hours—their workload stretches, which can lead to stress.
• Some people feel that their home cannot provide them the right environment to work. It affects their productivity and ability to meet deadlines.
• Other technical issues such as internet issues or hardware can be prevalent.

These were some of the general issues that workers feel. It can make the convenience of working from their home often feel like a burden. Also, it constantly affects their mental health and productivity. Here are 9 productivity hacks while working from home that can help enhance your performance:

Productivity Hack 1 – Distinguish Personal And Professional Space

You need to make clear boundaries between the work-life and your professional one. You should devote a room or a bench, or even a simple corner for that. The essence is that you must devote a place where you can feel the work environment and one where you can relax.

• Your home shouldn’t feel like an office place and vice versa. If you can, devote an entire room as your workspace. That area would be the home office where you will spend the office hours.
• Do not wake up at work time and start it right at your bed. It isn’t an ideal place for the right motivation. Your bed shouldn’t be the space for working.
• If you cannot designate a room, make a cozy corner. Use a table and keep your devices there. It should ideally be away from the bedroom.
• Make a workspace that motivates you to get back to work.

Productivity Hack 2 – Decorate Your Workspace

Work from home jobs requires motivation and the correct mindset. You should have a space that can motivate you to work harder. Working on an old desk piled up with all the files and folders would do the opposite.

• Remember that you kept things such as photographs on your office desk. It should serve the same purpose here. Choose a table and a corner to decorate.
• You can keep small stationery items or decorate them using souvenirs.
• It is your choice to renovate it and make yourself feel a home. Another top option is to put up posters or quotes that motivate you.
• Choose a comfortable seat, so you don’t feel uncomfortable only after a few hours.
• After choosing the space, you should decorate it for making it your own. Take this step to start working right now.

Among other productivity hacks, while working from home, this one involves spending some money. So, this one is only for those who can afford to spend some extra bucks. Alternatively, you can use the items available at your home to decorate your workspace.

Productivity Hack 3 – Time Is Money (And Mental Health Too)

You must keep your eye on the working hours you spend. You cannot keep working for more than the designated hours each day. While it is okay for a few days, but not more than that. Your mental health is essential to protect, and you should only work the amount you can. It will enable you to take off that extra burden. There isn’t any need to be perfect every day. Doing the bare minimum should be sufficient for some days.

• Keep a close track of your work hours. You can use an alarm clock or a reminder for this too.
• Remember that it will affect your work’s quality if you keep on working for long hours.

Productivity Hack 4 – You Need To Develop A Routine.

There is no benefit in getting up late in the afternoon and going straight to work. Many people practice this and, while in this process, skip their meals. It is something one must avoid at all costs. Have a routine and follow it every day.

• Wake up at least an hour before in the morning when your shift starts. It will allow some time actually to freshen and prepare yourself for work.
• Make yourself a healthy breakfast every day before starting work. Apart from that, you shouldn’t miss any meal. If you do, ensure that you will get back to it asap.
• Turn off the screen once when the work ends and do something you like. Don’t keep lingering on to do some of the succeeding day’s work.

Develop a routine to follow every day. Your body would also then have the energy to get to the work. It is also why you get up some days with no will to start the work. It is usually due to less energy and no uniformity in life.

Productivity Hack 5 – You Should Get Away (Just For A While)

Breaks are an efficient method to rejuvenate yourself and get a fresh perspective. People in the creative field would know the importance of stepping away for a bit. It will enable you to get back with more energy.

Take a break frequently and move around. Some physical moments can help with blood flow. Also, sitting in the whole day isn’t a good habit. Have coffee or snack breaks in between the shift. You can also just watch a short episode of your favorite series.

Productivity Hack 6 – Go Out Of The House At Least Once

To avoid feeling stuck, walk out of the house or the office space. You still need to follow all the precautions and the rules. Walking around the corner of the nearest park is an excellent choice to getaway. You can add this to your day after working or right after you wake up in the morning. It will be better to breathe in some fresh air than being holed up inside. You may also go up to the terrace and relax.

Among other productivity hacks while working from home, this might sound contradictory but can boost your productivity 3x when done right.

Productivity Hack 7 – Mark An Activity To Start The Workday And To End It.

It may sound like just a simple task, but trust us, it does wonder. Do a small task to begin your work and one while ending it. It might be just as simple as a cup of coffee when starting the morning or fresh fruit in the evening. It will signify that you have completed the work for today, and you may relax now. Mental health is a crucial asset. You have to preserve it at all costs. Find an activity you like and do it.

For some people, it can be playing a song or having a little dance party. There are just hundreds of things you can do. Make up your ritual for the work-from-home jobs.

Productivity Hack 8 – Only Take Up The Tasks You Can Handle

It may seem like there is much more time in the world now that you are not traveling and getting out of the house. But it shouldn’t be a reason to increase the pressure on yourself. Working from home is called a convenient option for a reason. A sense of freedom is a major benefit and also decreases the workload. You could’ve just gone to an office with someone looking over your shoulder the whole time.

You must take up the tasks you can handle. It should fit in your daily work hours rather than stretching beyond the day. This is one of the productivity hacks while working from home that can be modified as per your work/hustle appetite.

Productivity Hack 9 – Communicate And Socialize Virtually

You shouldn’t feel that you don’t have a social life now. Call up your friends and have a fun video session. Also, you must update your employees and talk to them too constantly. It will improve teamwork and also produce better results.

You can host games and sessions online with your entire team. It is an efficient way to take off the stress and have a healthy environment.

Bonus Tip – Have Backups

You should keep backups for your internet connection and an electronic device. It will help continue the work in case of any problem and not harm your productivity. You wouldn’t have to miss the important stuff just because of a broken internet connection. Ensure that you have these things in case there is a problem. It will allow you to take up the work from home jobs efficiently and meet the deadlines.

You can foster these productivity hacks while working from home schedule to escape from the monotony and have a fulfilling work from home life. If you are a skilled professional who is saving some time by following these productivity hacks, and you want to pick up a gig in your free time, make sure you register with Workflexi and extra money in your free time.

Summer holidays were joyful when we grew up, we had plethora of activities planned and most activities planned in advance. The idea of freedom had taken its course on the first day of our exams and it reached crescendo right after that last word penned down in the exam hall. That was freedom! We yearned and studied hard for that freedom. That moment of absoluteness. Oh, the activities like early morning jogs, cycling, cricket, etc. Such was the pleasure of imagination!

With time being what it is, the futurist me will only retrospect and cherish those moments of childish joy. Times have changed, we used cycle to travel 10kms and legs to travel 2 kms. The boom in the economic market has changed our lifestyle to unimaginable ease, with it, comes this whole new level of thinking. A thinking that could change the momentum of history and defy the very fabric of the universe.

For my readers who are new to generation Z, these are people who were born in between 1999-2000 who are going shape the future of nation states. The population of generation Z in India especially, estimated to be around 475 million by 2019 which is phenomenal considering we are the second biggest populated country in the world. For all these years, we spoke about population being such a bane to the future of our country, however, with this special case, we are inching towards a bright and prosperous times ahead.

The demographics of our country comes at a time when there is a global paradigm shift in innovation. The millennial’s looked for “what is in it for me” whereas the Gen Z-ers look for solutions as per the problems they personally face. Which in turn takes birth in the form of technology and gadgets. They would frown upon any system that binds them to one particular ideology. They are the ones who would be more open to take risks, try something new and hustle.

We would see a huge inflow of people who would be more interested to take up a contract job than a permanent job. Permanent jobs are boring and tend to curb their creative senses. Taking up a contract job is far more stimulating than the mundaneness of everyday routine which a permanent job conveniently renders.

The year 1497 marks one of the greatest landmarks of world history with Vasco da Gama landing in Calicut, likewise, will Gen Z-ers create that dent in the universe?

We had this amazing opportunity to meet up with Kaptco Talent Solutions, a leading contract staffing company in Bangalore today.

Kaptco was founded by Karthikeyan Murugan in the summer of 2010. Although they started off as a company catering to BPO’s, they quickly figured their niche in the telecom products/solutions startup industry. They leveraged their core strengths in this niche and helped at least 4 telecom product/solutions startups scale up to 200-300 people companies.

The learning from that success is was recognizing one’s niche and sticking to it is the go-to thing in today’s world. It is true for individuals as well as organizations. Truth be told, contracting in India is still not matured and contract jobs are still frowned upon. Being mindful about contracting in India and sustaining a business in cut-throat competition is an art by itself.

Kaptco Ideology

Startups typically have limited bootstrapped budgets before getting funding. Thus, hiring the right resources is one of the key challenges any startup faces. That is where Kaptco adds value to businesses. They have a streamlined process of identifying key talent and training them to match business requirements.

Workflexi partnered with Kaptco in the capacity of providing resources on contract who are immediate joiners and qualified, validated job seekers.

Conclusion

Staffing is a zero-sum game, it has to be fast and maintain quality. Clients expect speed, quality and price. Successful vendors/partners like Kaptco help strike the right balance and thereby add a little extra to the seemingly ordinary job of hiring.

]]> https://www.workflexi.in/when-should-you-gladly-accept-a-job-offer/ Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:22:53 +0000 http://workflexi.in/blogger/?p=87 If you are the best man for the job, you will be snowed under offers. Should you go for the company that offer offers you the best pay package? Or the best work environment or a generous mix of both? Things are actually not that simple, because each of the companies offering these packages could be hiding behind a vicious work environment. Therefore, think holistic and proceed with caution by following the tips given below:

Job Offer

Observation

If you are really keen on joining a company but have one niggling doubt about its work culture, it’s best to do some sleuthing before accepting that offer letter. Just park yourself outside the office building just before office hours. Notice the body language, the talk and the urgency with which employees do things or say something. Observe them at the end of the day and watch out for their facial expressions. They will either sport happy faces or relieved faces who prefer the comfort of their home. However, you can’t make a conclusive decision just based on this, so read on, to see if your assumption adds up.

Be candid

Sometimes, particularly if you are a prized candidate, it helps to be more candid and in-your-face. If the company trying to woo you finalises your candidacy, ask the HR person for examples that are the best testimony for their core brand values. If they share some heartwarming stories without any hesitation and with much passion, you know they are standing by their ideals. Tick that checkbox.

Endorsement from past employees

LinkedIn is the best tool to ask old employees who served in a similar capacity that you are going to occupy. Their experience will not just be about the work but also regarding the culture, the subordinates and the superiors who made all the difference, for better or worse.

Peak in

One walk through the office will give you some indications on their work culture too. Ask for an office tour; they will not deny that to a potential recruit. If you see spaces with people collaborating furiously or largely absent from desks or completely immersed in their work, every scenario gives off a certain vibe. Feel it and judge if it’s positive or negative. For example, if there are too many personal items on a person’s work desk, it could mean that this employee is either a long-time worker or plans to stick around for long. It shows that they like their job or they have no other option but to stick to this job.

Lunchtime is the best time

Sometimes, it’s best to check out the office during lunchtime. You could observe all the clues outlined above and this one. See if the employees are happily chatting each other up or are they working and eating at the same time. If it’s an isolated case of eating at the workdesk, don’t bother. But if you spot too many people indulging in this, it talks of a certain unhealthy pattern where the company loves workaholics without giving them enough time to feed themselves. What’s worse is a company that does not allow people to talk to people from other departments or mandates that each employee eat at their workdesk only.

Go to the loo

Yes, but not to help you arrive at a decision of accepting or rejecting the job offer but to look for more cues. If the toilet is clean and tidy, with enough toilet paper, it indicates an organised workspace. If it’s the reverse, you wouldn’t want to work here.

Are you a teacher?

You’ve been at the grind for far too long to know everything about it. Which is why, people come to you with questions. If you like answering them with relish, you are just what the HR personnel ordered. You are manager material. On the other hand, if you feel that people are throwing a spanner in the works every time you decide to tick off things on your to-do-list, you might reconsider that offer of a manager’s post. Perhaps, you are better off as a follower of the herd.

Learn to trust others

If you have a penchant for perfection and realise that no one measures up to it, you will end up micro managing everyone if you become the manager. Usually, this is frowned upon. It shows that you don’t trust your subordinates, and they will, in turn, not trust you. Two, you like to control everything and will not allow them to learn on the job. You should give your juniors some leeway to err and learn, rather than always try to make them stick to your style of working. Everyone should be only responsible for the end result, not how they get to that destination. If you can lose control over them and still make them meet their deadlines and be just as qualitative, you’ve got a team you can lead with pride.

Groups should excite you

By that, we don’t mean being extrovert. We meant a team member who likes to hear out everyone on what they have to say about a problem or challenge you are facing at work. If you like brainstorming sessions and endless strategy meetings, you are manager material, because you appear to thrive in others’ company. That’s what a manager’s job is all about. Everything you does away from the seat is more important than what you do at your work desk.

Celebrate your team members’ wins

If you find yourself squirming every time any team member wins a new contract or does something laudable, you are definitely not manager material. In a team, if you are the senior most person and you love it if someone younger to you has done something great at work, you are the doting manager they need. All a manager needs is empathy and sympathy to do his job well. And for that to happen, you need to have a paternal instinct, who can only celebrate others’ wins and feel part of their story. That’s when you can say for sure that you are leadership material as you consider your juniors your budding students who need all the encouragement they need to advance in their careers. Step up. Take your managerial job. And if you’ve not been offered one, it’s time to change jobs and get to that position in a different firm. It’s time.

There is help at hand, though. Just follow these productivity-enhancing tips and you should be able to succeed during flexi working hours.

Set your goals

Putting off work by another day, or worse, over the weekend, can be the biggest stumbling block for you. The negative appeal of flexi timing is procrastination. There are surveys that say that 90% of people put off work at least once every single day.

To beat postponement, you need to set your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. If that is too far-fetched, just go by weekly scheduling. And remember your ultimate goal. Whenever you think of pushing back certain types of work, ask yourself if it’s taking you towards your weekly or monthly goal or creating hurdles in your career path. If it’s not, then it’s time to get down to work. come what may.

Continuous two-way communication

Just because you are not tied to the company physically doesn’t mean you are not free to communicate with them about work. You have to maintain communication with your office through text messages, emails, phone calls (even video calls) to keep up your rapport with colleagues and superiors.

Importantly, when you are tackling a personal emergency, please inform them, so they know that you are not reachable around this time, or just to maintain the personal touch that is missing with ‘work from home’ or ‘part-time’ jobs.

Schedule your day

Flexi working hours only mean that you can work whenever you want. However, that sentence needs to be rewired into your brain. Flexi hours doesn’t mean postponing work for tomorrow. You have to set your daily work schedule, be it working only in the mornings, or only in the evenings. But set it and stick to it. Develop an office routine and abide by the rules of working.

Consider working at home as working from office. The only difference is that you are working when it’s most convenient to you and you are avoiding all the traffic and commuting time. However, whether you are working on your own, or remotely for others, you are still working for somebody at the other end. And there are deadlines for everything. Instead of accumulating all the work on one day, by postponing continuously, you should set down a strict protocol to only postpone if it’s way before schedule. For everything else, the deadline is now.

Similarly, don’t keep working at it, blurring the line between personal and professional time. This causes much rift in families, with spouses and children complaining that you are not sparing enough time for them. Make sure, you strike the right work-life balance. One hack here could be dressing formally when you begin to work. It plays on your psyche and has its effect, according to some cognitive scientists. Experiment, discover and become more productive. Your time starts now.

Develop a relaxing routine

Twenty-four hours is not enough for minding your baby and going to work. However, some careful planning can help you get out of this squeeze. Daily baths before going to bed are perfect for a good night’s sleep and starting your next day with a flourish. Taking walks at night after your dinner are best to give you a breather from work and home. Blogging about your motherhood and work-life balance, either privately or publicly, could work wonders too. You might create a community of others who are going through the same situation. You could even join social media groups of parents and working moms to step into familiar territory to learn, imbibe and grow as a working mom.

Beat the morning rush

The way to do this is to plan well in advance and expect the expected. Yes, you read that right. Managing your baby’s growing years means the feeding pattern (from liquids to solids, for example) will change and thereby, the time required for it. Similarly, the throwing up while eating might decrease over time, but when the teeth begin to sprout, the vomiting will be back. Load up on wipes and diapers for every contingency. If you plan for what is to be expected, you should be able to go to sleep early, so you can wake up early. The rest of the morning routine should happen almost like clockwork: getting ready to work, having a quick breakfast, packing your office bag and stepping out to work.

Get to know your colleagues

Yes, you’ve known them for years now, but what you don’t know is what you missed in your 12 weeks of maternity leave. Telling them about your state of motherhood might not impress them much unless there are others who are battling the same situation. For everyone else, you could ask them what they were up to while you were gone. This will help you break the ice with them after the three-month gap but also get you up to speed with all things new at the workplace.

Speak to your supervisor

It’s important to understand your concerns at work and list them down before meeting your manager. Like taking leave without notice when your baby falls sick, or you taking a course to upgrade your skills. Or talking about what each of you have missed in your personal lives while you were gone, presuming that you have such a friendly rapport with your manager. Importantly, ask your superior if there is something you need to learn, inspect or watch out for to get you to do your work more efficiently.

Re-imagine your role at work

When you take a break from work for three months, your priorities could change. You realise you have less time for routine work and more time for specialised jobs that you are uniquely qualified for. Perhaps, you wonder if it’s time to work from home rather than go to work. Or better still, you realise that it’s best to work as a consultant for many firms rather than just one. Therefore, before you decide to rejoin your workplace, ponder over all of this and then decide to take the next step. Well thought is half done.

Plan with precision

It’s time to use those to-do lists on your smartphone or the post-its, if you like. Or a diary, if you still believe putting pen to paper to solidify your daily itinerary. Schedule your doctor visits (it will be monthly or even fortnightly at first and later, quarterly) in addition to picking and dropping your baby at day care, if you don’t have your mother or nanny at home. Not to mention, your breastfeeding or more specifically, your pumping sessions. You need to store your milk in a bottle to be given to the baby by the nanny at the daycare or at home if you have someone to look after your baby.

Delegate Work

THE BIG PICTURE

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

ENSURE CLARITY

SHOW THE BIG PICTURE

AUTOMATE THE REPORTING PROCESS

SUCCESS PARAMETER

REWARD

Skills Required

Writing emails

You might not realize the power of email until you write that first letter. Many candidates get rejected because of their sloppy writing, lack of attention to detail and the worst of them all, glaring spelling mistakes. One fashion writer was applying to a publication firm, but she wasn’t hired because she didn’t correctly spell some of the brands she had written for. Some rules of writing emails are as follows. Besides spelling and grammar, keep your communication focused on your skills and what you can do for the company. It doesn’t have to be a laundry list of all your skills. To get your foot in the door of the company you seek, get your cover letter right. Be honest, be straight forward but also be courteous and respectful. And once you get hired, you could still get fired if your business communication is up the pole. Here are the rules. Always thank the colleague or superior for the work or feedback they have given. And then, elaborate on why you did what you did, by presenting the issue logically. And if you’ve erred, apologies first. Never bring your personal angst against someone into your emails, video calls or text chats. These can work against you, sooner or later. Keep your opinion to yourself and to your closed ones. Your ideas could be misunderstood and land you in jeopardy.

Dress well and walk with confidence

Your body language can either get your hired or rejected. To gain that poise, it would be great if you work at events and the many exhibition stalls during various trade expos. Talking to strangers, convincing them about the products, managing events backstage will all give you the real-world experience and confidence you need before you graduate and apply for a job. Some candidates make the mistake of going to interviews without ironing their clothes or dressing too informally.

Computer literacy

If you are not conversant with typing and basic computing skills, you are out of luck. By this we mean, the basic Microsoft word, excel and powerpoint presentations. Any computer institute or even YouTube videos should teach you these. Get to know them while you are still in college or soon after you graduate. Even if you’ve learnt the basics at school and college, it helps to go in for a professional course and learn the many ways to use excel because the subject is vast and there are many uses of it that will come in handy when you join a company. These skills aside, what you need are good organisational skills. It’s these virtual bookkeeping skills that will help you when you are recording every conversation with a particular client, department or employee. Documentation and analysis is the backbone of every organisation. If you excel at this, it can make you an asset to the company.

Be knowledgeable

Learn to be diligent in researching everything abbot the company, client or brand that you are working with. This requires you to deep dive into search engines and extract credible information that can be useful for all the work you are doing. You should also get to know what the competitors are up to, so you have a better handle on things when the client asks you about them. You have to be thorough in your job and leave nothing to chance.

Manage your time

It’s easy to get thrown into a job and lose track of time. Here is where it’s important to prioritize your work before you begin your day. Some people come half an hour early to work just to sort out this mess. Clean up your emails, list things in the hierarchy of importance and line up meetings a day in advance and so on. Prioritizing will help you manage time and also teach you discipline and the important of deadlines. When you promise to deliver something, make sure you are either on time or before time to impress your boss.

Gift of the gab

Many people join Toastmasters Club just for this reason. They want to walk and talk with confidence and poise. You may not be grammatically accurate and you may not even be pronouncing things right, but if you convey your message effectively, you are hired. And this goes for telephone conversations as well. Learn to be polite, courteous and helpful all the time. Always try to go the extra mile and your hard work will never go unnoticed.

Good luck!