IN THE BLOGLIGHT

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Sometimes, when we least expect it we get presented with a possible new job opportunity, whether we get called up by a recruiter or we bump into an associate. These are unplanned and unexpected, at a time when we may not even be looking for a change. How should you handle these sorts of situations?

A surprise opportunity means you need to do some serious thinking—and fast. It’s important to stay level headed, no matter how excited you are, and consider the new prospect just as prudently as you would, when considering a job at any other time. Here’s a run-down of what to consider before going any further.

Evaluate your current position
Take a step back and pretend you were actually looking for a new engineering job, would this be the one? If not, it is better to thank them kindly but walk away. Don't leave for something you don't really want, just because they want you. The first thing is to take a step back and let the emotional rush (good or bad) level off. Making any decision based solely on an emotional level is potentially dangerous.

Investigate the new company
Just because they want you, don’t just jump at the opportunity blindly. Like with any change in your career do your homework first. Investigate the company, use Google, try and find somebody in your network who either works there, have worked there or have at least done some business with them. Make sure that there is some stability and that they are not just a start-up with high ideals but no real financial backing.

Economics
No matter how often people deny it, the reality is the salary matters. Even if compensation doesn't rate number one on your list of priorities, you should at least take it into consideration.

To truly put the economics of your job offer into perspective, all things must be taken into account. Salary, benefits, and bonuses should be considered, and if you are moving to a new area, you will want to figure in relocation expenses and the area's cost of living.

Ready for change
Sometimes you are just in a stage of your live when change at that point is required. An unexpected job offer could just be the right way to provide you a new challenge and direction for the year.

So wherever your career takes you this year, be prepared for that odd surprise now and again.

If however you are one of those people who make things happen for yourself, call Communicate Personnel immediately. We specialise in engineering careers and will be able to assist you in hunting down that new opportunity.

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The idea that the office is a specific place where our professional lives happen is becoming less universal, and less important. These days people can be productive anywhere, thanks to smarter, more numerous mobile devices, faster network access, and a growing number of online collaboration tools. Increased pressure on the economy and business has CEO and MD’s scrambling to find innovative ways to reduce cost. One way in which to do this is by selectively introducing virtual offices as an option for employees.

The major benefit of the Information Technology revolution is the way it opens up technology-orientated solutions to problems. As more computers are connected to the information highway and software applications provide better products, the more the corporate world will have the ability to operate from anywhere. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the establishment of virtual offices is a rising organisational trend.

It does however challenge the status quo in this country as is evident  when you compare us to the global telework scenario,  South African business are far behind their counterparts overseas.

Even so, the reality is that the use of remote collaboration tools by more and more employees will mean that companies need less office space and use less company resources; resulting in significant cost savings for organisations, as well as savings in travelling costs and time for employees. However, it brings along a completely new set of challenge in IT management.

As networks become more complex, and more employees are working remotely, businesses are increasingly exposed to virus attacks, regardless of company size. Once again it puts a greater demand for skilled specialists in IT positions to ensure that transitions to virtual offices are viable and well managed.

Virtual offices are becoming more popular mainly because of the shift towards output based performance assessment. The traditional perception of work being a place to go to is fast being replaced by the idea that employees are responsible for achieving specific objectives in the most efficient manner.

So do you think we have the right skills in the Information Technology industry to make the concept of the virtual office set-up a viable option for companies looking to cut cost in a tough economy?

Are your company thinking of establishing virtual offices? Do you have the right IT staff to ensure you navigate the next challenges in the IT industry? Communicate Personnel is a specialist IT recruitment agency that can help you find staffing to ensure you are able to fully embrace the future of IT.

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Leadership skills are one of those buzz word you hear often in the workplace.  However, when you ask people to define what it really means and how leadership differs from management few are able to give you a clear answer. So what does it mean and why is it important for your career?

Leadership vs Management
Firstly it’s essential to understand the difference between leaders and managers. Managers are task oriented. They supervise and direct workflow for maximum productivity, therefore they tend to be more concerned about the procedures and the results. Leaders, on the other hand, are concerned not only about goals, but also about the people who are involved in the process.

Warren Bennis defines it best:

• The manager administers; the leader innovates.
• The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
• The manager maintains; the leader develops.
• The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
• The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
• The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
• The managers asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
• Managers have their eyes on the bottom line; leaders have their eyes on the horizon.
• The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

Why is leadership so important in today’s workplace?
People like stability in their work place. Employees place high value on the fact that their managers have a commitment to doing the right thing. When tough decisions need to be made it’s important for employees to know that their managers’ integrity will not be shaken and that they will have the necessary support. People want to be treated fairly and will be more willing to share information with their employee that is necessary for them to do their jobs.

In short a good leader creates a sense of community within the workplace which will increase employee retention figures but also improve overall results. Therefore, leadership is a valuable skill, especially in the current economical climate. Some people are natural leaders and others have to work at it. Whichever category you fall under, you can be sure that the ability to lead others will improve your work environment and advance your career.

If you are looking for a new position in which to demonstrate your leadership skills, contact Communicate Personnel. We specialise in the Finance, IT, Engineering and Supply Chain/Freight industries.

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A global survey of 2,800 businesses conducted by Grant Thornton has found that only 40% of South African businesses were aware of coming global changes in accounting standards relating to the way they recognised and reported revenue.

The proposed changes are the result of a joint effort by the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the UK-based International Accounting Standards Foundation (IASF).

In 2005 South Africa adopted the IASF’s international financial reporting standards, however, there are major differences between this and the FASB’s generally accepted accounting standards – hence the problem. The key objective of this change is to eliminate the differences and improve the revenue reporting standards.

"The majority of local businesses are not educated about these very important changes. Those that are, do not believe they are necessary. And yet, these changes will most likely have a significant impact on them," said David Reuben, head of assurance at Grant Thornton Johannesburg.

How revenue is accounted for is extremely important. It is almost always the largest dollar amount reported in any set of financial statements and for many listed companies it is the first number that gets reported by the media.

The revised revenue recognition standards could result in significant changes in the key financial performance measures of companies. Depending on your type of business and industry, it could entail significant changes to the IT system configurations in order to capture the relevant information and data needed to measure and recognize revenues. In addition it will impact on the controls that support the revenue recognition process and result in changes to tax planning strategies.

How will your company respond to the proposed changes in revenue recognition? Do you have the necessary financial staff to assist you through this transition? Contact Communicate Personnel we are a specialist financial recruitment agency.

Why do people succeed? Is it because they're smart? Or are they just lucky?
Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute presentation on the real secrets of success.

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I am sure that most of us would have to admit at one point or another that we suffer from a bit of procrastination whether it’s in our finance jobs, in our career search or even personal lives. I for one are just as guilty of that especially when it comes to things I don’t really want to do in the first place, I find any excuse to procrastinate and in the process just prolong the agony.

Unfortunately, procrastination can hurt your career in finance. It leads to missed opportunities, frenzied work hours, stress, feeling overwhelmed, resentment, and guilt. So how do we overcome this?

Step 1: Admit it
If you're honest with yourself, you probably know when you're procrastinating. If in doubt, take this little test from Mindtools to make sure. 

Some of the most common reasons for procrastinating are:

Difficulty – the task is difficult and will require a considerable amount of effort to complete. It’s easy to avoid difficult things in order to do those that may seem easy or that give you pleasure and satisfaction right away.

Time – anything worthwhile will take time to complete, this is also true for your career search. In order to find the right job or the next best opportunity it will require time and effort on your part.

Lack of knowledge or skill – you don’t know what to do, where to start, how to begin, and so you put off starting.

Fear – you feel anxiety about interviewing or making a move from your current position. Fear of failure - If you’re feeling discouraged about a lack of progress and you don’t feel then you may avoid working on it in order to avoid feeling the fear.

Step 2: Fix it
Procrastination is a habit – a deeply ingrained pattern of behaviour. That means that you won’t just break it overnight. So try these tips:

Reward Yourself for Not Procrastinating: Give yourself a small reward after you complete a boring task. If you know a coffee and snack break is waiting for you when you are finished doing something tedious, you will be inspired to get it done.

Word of caution to the perfectionists:  You need to realize that you cannot and will not do everything perfect. Don’t put that type of stress on yourself, it is bad and it doesn’t help accomplish anything! Also, understand that your self esteem will not be diminished in anyway if you recognize that there are things in life that you are not good at or just don't really care to deal with.

Break down each task into small manageable parts: It helps you to get over the mental idea that the task is too big or difficult to tackle.

Organizing your work area. Sometimes it’s as easy as just organising and structuring your work area.

If you don't break your procrastination habit, it can have serious consequences on your life and the lives of those who you care about. So take some action!

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South Africa currently handles over 4 million tons of cargo at the eight commercial ports across the country. This is mainly due to the major shipping lanes that pass along the South African coastline in the south Atlantic and Indian oceans. With over 9 000 ships coming in and out of our ports every year it is concerning to realise that only one is registered with South Africa. The opportunities in the Maritime industry are plentiful but currently South Africa’s contribution to the industry is low.

However, a recent announcement by the South African Maritime Safety Authority's CEO, Tsietsi Mokhele about plans to promote the development of maritime skills has left the industry excited about the possibility of the future of this industry. The National Higher Education department is committed to building six maritime schools in Durban, Richard's Bay, Mossel Bay, East London, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth by 2013. These schools will focus on teaching navigation, engineering, hospitality and maritime law. 

While Durban is the largest port in Africa, there are only 10 maritime lawyers in the country and they had all studied in the UK. This highlights just once again the huge scope for growth in the industry in terms of freight careers. South Africa has much work to do to attract ships to fly its flag. Nevertheless, all efforts would have a positive contribution especially on freight job creation, growth and economic development of South Africa.

Now is the time to join the shipping and freight industries, especially in light of on-going growth and expansion plans at Dube City, Coega Industrial Development Zone and Citi Deep Inland port.

Communicate Personnel  is well aware of the skills shortage in the industry but are able to assist you in finding qualified and skilled staff  in the Supply Chain/Freight industries. Contact us today!

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The workplace is facing a generational adjustment of values, learning and working styles that will have a huge impact on how leaders think and act, especially in information technology jobs. What many managers fail to see are the generational tensions simmering among their employees that threaten to lower morale, increase turnover and hobble a department’s ability to produce wins for the business.

The relations among the generations seem to be at a low point. Gen Y (defined as people born after 1982) thinks Gen X (spawned between 1961 and 1981) is a bunch of whiners. Gen X sees Gen Y as arrogant and entitled. And everyone thinks the Baby Boomers (1943 to 1960) are self-absorbed workaholics.

Gen Y tends to have a different set of work-life values than boomers. Baby Boomers usually put work first, and Generation Xers try to juggle equally work and family, while Generation Y wants to spend quality and meaningful time in both.

What is the biggest conflict experienced?

Workplace
Members of older generations often view work as a place - a location you go to at a specified time, say from 8:30 to 17h00. The reality is that the nature of work in most sectors of the economy has changed, which means that today most tasks do not require teams to be present at one location.

In contrast, younger workers tend to view work as something you do, no matter the place or the time. They have grown up in a world – filled with technology that allowed them to communicate and access media at any time. It is therefore not surprising that many Gen Y's consider the rigidity of set work hours as unnecessary and part of the ideology of a generation gone by. They believe that the 09h00 – 17h00 routine spent in an "official" office is giving way to the virtual work environment the at-my-desk-by-8:59 is becoming the on-my-Blackberry 24/7.

Communication
It should come as no surprise that communication is one of the biggest areas of conflict between generations. Generation Y’s prefer to communicate via blogs, IMs and text messages. In contrast, the Baby Boomers and Generation X prefer the phone or face-to-face communication. Younger generations increasingly will enter the workplace hyper-connected, expecting to use their devices and do their jobs the way they work best. They will challenge the need to commute daily and are of the opinion that without office meetings and interruptions, they are more productive.

An increasingly diverse range of workers and new types of companies are forcing a re-definition of what it means to be an employee, what it means to offer someone a job, and how to compensate workers. It takes innovative leaders to break from old habits but the wave of change is inevitable.

 It’s about being strategic and staying competitive. Are your company embracing these changes? How would you like your future workplace to look and be managed?

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The much debated and controversial Menlyn Maine development is now in its third year of its development project spanning 10 years. Menlyn Maine is set to becoming Africa's first green city, one of only 17 worldwide that fall under the Climate Positive Program. The commitment to an environment-friendly development had been adhered to from the outset – when the suburb’s houses were demolished. The brickwork and concrete were crushed and recycled.

"We are trying to build the first green precinct in Africa. The goal is to build Menlyn Maine as a greenhouse gas negative development. We will be one of only a few in the world that are trying to achieve this, and the whole idea is that we can prove that sustainable development can happen in the world. The end goal would be that Menlyn Maine is good for the environment by coming into being," Menlyn Maine project developer Justin Bowen told Engineering News Online.

Menlyn Maine is a mixed-use development that includes a mix of office, residential, retail and public buildings. It is situated on 16ha of land, located in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. Some of Menlyn Maine's green features include storm water tanks built into the structure and roof of buildings. The water will be treated and circulated for re-use inside as well as outside the building and is expected to provide non-potable water for almost a full year.

This project is the start of many in the country with South Africa's construction industry set to go green – and create new engineering careers – as new energy efficiency building regulations came into effect in November 2011, boosting a growing trend of cutting-edge green architecture in the country.

Is the new energy efficiency building regulations going to influence your business? Have you made plans to ensure your company is able to navigate this new piece of legislation? Do you have qualified engineering employees to help you manage these changes? If not, contact Communicate Personnel we are a specialist Engineering recruitment agency.

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Your work environment can mean the difference between a productive work day and a nightmarish time at the office. When the environment in which you make your bread and butter damages your self-esteem and robs you of self-confidence, you can’t exactly walk out… if you want to pay the bills. More than a few friends in financial accountant jobs have complained to me recently about toxic workplaces and their dilemma of how to live sanely within insane walls. You can change your job, but what to do in the mean time?

Leave the negativity at the door
Avoid expressing negative comments to your co-workers. Negative comments eventually move up the management chain. Trash talking or other negativity, whether it is true or not, will add fuel to the fire and possibly create hostility toward you. Your boss may see you as a negative force among the employees; and soon you could be identified as a liability.

Shift your focus
Accept that your workplace isn't perfect and resolve to stop focusing on the negatives. Begin seeking out examples of what is working well, and focus on those positives. Begin treating others the way you want to be treated. Offer respect and courtesy, even when you think it is undeserved. Rally others to your side and invite them to take the same steps you are taking.

Importance of balance
Living and breathing your job is a sure fire path to failure. You'll burn out quickly if you don't maintain a healthy balance between your work and personal lives. Be clear with your boss about your personal obligations, and don't let work take precedence over them.

If however you have made the decision that the situation in your office can’t be fixed, don’t waste time - get going. Start immediately on your job search and move on with your career, and your life. First step – call Communicate Personnel we specialise in corporate finance jobs and will be able to assist you in your career search as we put your interests at the heart of our business.