How to be Mentally Capable at Work

The benefits are good, the company is stable, the workload is challenging but not something you can’t handle, the people you are working with are professionals. There shouldn’t be a problem. Yet, you seem to be depressed than ever.

Work, as we all know and recognize can be redundant and stressful. Not only is it physically taxing but it can also affect our mental, physiological and emotional capabilities as well.

According to reviews, 70% of employees resign from work because it can be mentally draining. Employees do not recognize this. Pressures and stress from the task itself and the environmental factors may be pinpointed as the main culprit but if we delve deeper to the root cause of the real problem, it will lead us to the fact that our minds and mental health is incapable of handling the issues. Far from what people know, mental incapability at work can also be as fatal and can sometimes lead to insanity.

To live a better working experience and be able to prolong the days in your work, Westhill Consulting and Employment, one of the longest running career and personality development adviser, prepared these tips to be mentally capable and be able to digest the everyday scenario in your work:

1. Use Your Mental Energy for a Good Cause

Some people tend to stoop around and be concerned with everything that does not even matter. Don’t dwell on unimportant things like gossip, complaints or heresies and get yourself sidetracked by these distractions. Focus instead on circumstances and information which can boost your mind’s productivity.

2. Be Optimistic

Negative thoughts are far too deadly than we recognize. Mentally strong people never let these thoughts drag them down. Instead of agreeing with pessimistic predictions and criticisms, have a positive inner dialogue to drown those thoughts. It is best to talk to some people you trust and let it all out than dwell on it by yourself.

3. Tolerate Challenges

“Sometimes, the challenges that come can be too overwhelming but always remember that these challenges will not be thrown at you if you can’t handle it”, says Jared Trovenski, CEO of Turf Finances operating in Jakarta, Indonesia.

While other people try to avoid tough hindrances, try to face it head on. Mentally strong people tolerate discomfort and do not nurse their fears as long as it serves a better purpose.

4. Be a Little Narcissist

Although we cannot avoid comparing ourselves to others every now and then, this can grow as a bad habit. Because of all of these comparisons, we tend to get insecure. Instead of always thinking of beating your competitors, try to ask yourself, “Did I do well?”

How to Get Through a Job You Hate

Lucky for those people who find meaning and happiness in their jobs and here you are, stuck within the four corners of your office, trying to answer the question, “Why am I even here”.

Being irritated in your work can also affect your daily lives. Even external factors like being stuck in the midst of traffic in Jakarta, Indonesia, pushing your way through the busy streets of Tokyo, Japan or just strolling hurriedly to get home in the busy hours of New York can have great impact on the way you look at your work.

You can’t complain nor can you resign since you have to pay the bills, your child needs to be fed and you have to provide the basic necessities for your family. You promise to get out of there as soon as you can find a more suitable job but that promise keeps getting postponed with the growing demand of life.

So here you are, currently stuck in where you are, dealing with uninteresting job, sloppy colleagues and unfair boss who doesn’t know how to handle his subordinates. You are trying to find a good review on how to be happy at work but nothing seems to be fit for you. Already exasperated?

Westhill Consulting and Employment, your long-time Australian partner in career advices and personality development, might help you find a meaning for the work you are currently in:

1. Why?

There is definitely a reason why you are currently employed in where you are now. Maybe you have been there driven by the fact that perhaps you have to send your sister to college or help your family pay your debts? While you are struggling, you are also sacrificing your personal happiness in front of your demanding and boring job to help others. For the others who find happiness in their jobs, that happiness is already their reward but for you who are doing it for others, a greater reward is reaped.

2. Share your Positivity

Instead of sulking and feeling pitiful for yourself, make use of your time and be positive as much as possible. If you can’t do it, then, do it for others. Treat your colleagues to a lunch out or share a cookie to your seatmate. Their appreciation can create a sense of fulfillment within you. Little kindness virtues, creativity, honesty, social attitude and gratitude never go unnoticed.

3. The Present is a Gift

Try to remember the tough tracks you have been in the past and the sufferings you have been through to get to where you are now. Reflect on the accomplishments you have so far despite of all the hard work and the stress you have been from yesterday. Now, imagine the future you want to achieve, far from the career life you are despising right now. Count the few more steps you will be taking before finally achieving it. By reflecting and connecting things from the past and the future, you can make the present be bearable enough to endure.

How to Get Away From Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the worst attitudes in a workplace, yet, it is also a master for many of us. Admittedly so, we experience procrastination every now and then in our lives. Since a task has no deadline, nor do we have any timetable, we tend to procrastinate. We may be able to get away with it once or twice but it can cause a lot of problems if it becomes a habit.

Beating procrastination habits is hard. According to Westhill Consulting and Employment, one of the longest running career development and personality growth councilor based in Australia, almost 80% of employees suffer from procrastination habits. In many reviews, experts are already considering it as an underlying psychological disorder.

To defeat this kind of attitude, the following are some of the tips that can be practiced:

1.            Stop cramming

Learn the art of pro-commitment. Some people works better under the pressure of cramming but most of them fail to present a best result. In college, we are oftentimes awed at our ability to pull something out of an all-nighter. It would be a positive way to put it but in truth, we just don’t have any way out so we push ourselves to the limit despite sacrificing quality. Thinking of the end result other than the remaining time left would keep you on your feet.

2.            Divide your Task and Set a Timetable

Just like setting a timetable on the amount of time you should be showering, being conscious of duration of traffic (especially when you are in Jakarta, Indonesia and Tokyo, Japan) or keeping track of the number of steps you will be taking before you reach your office, Being detailed on what you have to do on what time would definitely help you keep track of your task. When you can’t get away from cramming, setting a timetable can start fire from under your seat. Without knowing it, you are no longer procrastinating and have finished your task before the deadline.

3.            Find Someone who can Inspire You

And this does not refer only in the romantic context. You can hang out with people who you think can better influence you to work better or find someone who can challenge you to be at your limits. If you think peers are not important now that you are working, think again. What surrounds you can also affect your mindset in a big way. When you are with people who can have a lot of complaints, you also tend to voice out yours. But when you are with people who think smart, you also tend to be smart.

Enough is enough: Reasons to Give Up on Your Work

In a relationship, there are martyrs, the ones who still stick even when they are already hurt or in pain. There are also playboys and playgirl, the ones who jump from one partner to another. Same happens in your work and depending on your personality; you can either be a martyr or a playboy.

According to previous articles written by Westhill Career and Employment, an Australian-based company centered on career development and professional etiquette, an average person is expected to change careers several time their lifetime. As pointed by a study conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia, 20-40 years old employees tend to jump from one job to another at least 5 times. One of the main reasons for the career change is that people often don’t make informed decisions or may want to expand their horizons.

Reviews on how to find a career right for you or on how to stay in your job are frequent. This information is crucial in each individual’s growth. Making informed decision can certainly increase the likelihood that you can be satisfied with your job and ensure your tenure.

Changing a career may be tough for so many people since they don’t have that much reason to give up. But how will you know if you already have to leave?

Here are some of the main pointers to know if you have already reached rock bottom in your career:

1. There is a big Change in your Life

When you chose your career, your life may have been different than it is today. Unless you were able to balance all those things, then, it would be harder to cope. Your husband may be complaining right now or you might have lost time for your children anymore. The crazy schedule or the frequent travel that is typical of your career may not suit your new lifestyle. You should look for an occupation that is more "family friendly."

2. Your Job Outlook may seem dim

Due to the fast pace changes in technology, the fluctuation in economy, or the uncertainties of the industry, many field of career are already plummeting. When the future of your career is already getting dim and the research doesn’t promise any certainty or shows worse other than being better, then, it may be best to leave.

3. You are experiencing Job Burn Out

If your task is already too hard on you or you don’t find any reason to wake up every morning and greet your colleagues anymore, then, you are very well experiencing a burnout. It's time to change careers so you can once again enjoy going to work.

You Will Never Be Too Old To Find a Job

With thousands of eager young minds who graduate from college every year, available jobs are getting more and more occupied and competition gets fiercer. 

Many young people argue that they cannot find a job because employers need individuals with experience. On the other hand, old people aged 45 and up who still have a decade or so years before retiring say that they are too old to get a job. Now, isn’t it both ironic?

In Asia, South Korea is reported to have the highest number of unemployed old people with meager or even without any income despite the growth of the country. In Jakarta, Indonesia, on the other hand which remains to be the largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country in the world, has been reviewed to be a home of middle-aged job seekers. 

In an earlier review by The Westhill Consulting and Employment, it was stated that age discrimination is currently an open phenomenon in every company especially to aging people who remain to be on the rank-and-file position. How do you get pass this though? When it comes the time of being old, how can you then be able to out-compete those who are younger and fresher than you? How can you be of a warning to other young people behind you who will eventually grow gray hairs in their own right?

1. Your Experience is your Ace

Many older job seekers have rich personal experiences that would make them qualified to succeed at jobs. But often, this knowledge does not translate into the more formal work experiences employers are seeking. Enrolling in a certification program or seeking college credit for such experience can develop the third-party credentials that would lead to a job. 

2. Create your Brand

Aggressive personal promotion has become a standard employment technique. Yet many older people are uncomfortable tooting their own horn, and may not know how to use the social media tools that can be megaphones for job seekers. It’s time to get away with tradition and live to the demands of today for you to really compete. Experience plus the knowledge of new things are both an advantage.

3. Upgrade your Knowledge

Today's workplace can be daunting, particularly for someone who's been out of the workforce for only a few years. Specific job skills, particularly involving computers, may need to be relearned. Job-search and interviewing techniques have also been transformed by the Internet, and the explosion of social media sites. Having a "go-to" point person to coordinate job placement services has proven helpful.

Leader vs Boss

Hear people saying that a leader can always be a boss but not every boss can be a leader? Although leaders and bosses have nearly identical definitions, in effect, they are different in today’s competitive world.

Westhill Consulting and Employment, differentiates the two. 

Just the term “leader” evokes more positivity than that of “boss.” 

While a boss is mostly concerned with outcomes, a leader is concerned with the overall process and the people who work for the outcome. A study conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia even showed that many people prefer a good leader than a good boss but on a different study, when people dream of getting more advances in the future, what they visualize is having a characteristic of a boss. 

1. Leaders lead rather than rule.

We all know that we prefer someone who does an example first rather than someone who just demands and boss around. Of course, we can expect some complaints when our leader invokes rules and don’t follow it. We like it more if our leader experiences what we do since we are more likely to follow when he can relate to us. 

2.  Leaders listen and speak rather than command.

Bosses tend to give orders; they need their employees to listen and to obey. However, leaders always listen to the opinions of their colleagues and regard them as important.

Leaders are always ready for advising, discussion and any feedback an employee has to offer. This reciprocity makes any individual employee feel stronger and gives him or her confidence to follow the leader.

3. Leaders motivate

While working on projects, people have their ups and downs. Through this roller coaster, bosses are more likely to intimidate into action while leaders will motivate to action. Those who demand and demand are the ones who are annoying and irritating. 

One of the best things about leaders is that they offer empathy and prepare a group for the tasks at hand. This is very important, seeing as whenever colleagues are not prepared for certain duties, leaders are there to support, teach and back them up. Leaders know that each employee is on the team for a reason and they have faith in every concerted effort.

4. Leaders learn and teach

A true leader is someone who stays humble and admits that they have more to learn. Reviewing mistakes and correcting them so as not to repeat them is a true leader’s strength.

This explains the tendency of leaders to always pay attention to their colleagues, knowing there is always more to learn from them. Moreover, leaders are not only takers, but givers, as well. A good leader is not greedy for sharing knowledge and experience with someone else; instead, the leader teaches and nurtures new professionals.

Why a Career Plan Can Fail

Some of us are already oriented what we would be in the future. I, for one, had been planning my career path ever since I was young.  When the time came for me to enter college, there are so many choices. When I graduated, greater challenge showed itself when I can’t seem to find the right field to enter and the once simple and clear career plan seemed too far-fetched.

Nevertheless, a lot of us still set something to have a goal for ourselves. Having a career plan permits us to become clear in what path we want to take.

According to Westhill Consulting and Employment recent surveys, a lot of employees who had planned a career path when young are not able to reach it. They have been swayed by so many factors and priorities change. 

Same goes for young minds who think they have a clear path, straight with the end line ahead of them. However, change, development and need are always changing. There may be other paths which are more enticing than the straight one. To those who followed their paths and continued without wavering, they sometimes find the end of the line less satisfying than it should be. When you have reached the end, what then? Where do you go next?

A review with some top entrepreneurs in Jakarta, Indonesia says that the real world may not be the one we really thought it would be. What we are taught may no longer be there anymore. While setting your career, you should also see the world in the next five or ten years and base your decision through that. 

Well, before you complain of destroying your dreams, let’s deal with the exceptions first.  If you want to work in a field that is fairly predictable — say nursing or teaching—then plan away.  The courses you need to take to gain an entry position are well known and so is the career path and the things you need to do to advance. So, simply figure out where you actually want to be in five years, and work backwards, just like all the career planning manuals tell you. 

Your process may also look like this:

1. Determine your desire

2. Take a step toward it

3. Incorporate what you learn from taking that step

4. Take another step

5. Learn from that one

6. Repeat until you have a job, your own business, or have achieved your goal

Seen this way, career planning may not be the right terms. Instead, it’s taking control of the future. 

Juggling Multiple Job Offers

With many graduates walking out from school every year and entering corporate firms and agencies looking for a job, you are up for a big competition. This is one of the common problems of new graduates. It doesn’t matter if you live in Ghana, Africa or Jakarta, Indonesia or Las Vegas, Nevada. The fact that many graduates are looking for a job is a big challenged.

                  

 Another one, albeit not considered a problem but more an opportunity, is to receive more than one job offers. It can be pretty flattering but a little bit pressuring as well. What do you do? Which one would you take when both offer good benefits for you?

Westhill Consulting and Employment has faced a lot of these questions before from new graduates who are having a hard time choosing among so many job offers. Well, first of all, you have to calm your nerves. Instead of throwing complaints on which one to choose, try to focus and review both sides. You have a choice to make and you'll be able to compare and contrast the jobs to determine which is the best fit.

The following strategies will help you to make the best of this challenging and exciting situation.

1.         Express enthusiasm without saying “yes.”

Any time you receive an attractive offer, express your high level of excitement and appreciation for the offer. Clarify when the employer needs to know your decision. Resist the impulse to accept on the spot if you have other attractive options to consider.

2.         Gather all data.

If you receive multiple offers within the same deadline period for acceptance, your task will simply be to decide which option is preferable. Make sure you have all the information necessary about both options to make a rational choice. If not, reach out to the employer and seek clarification about any lingering uncertainties regarding benefits, advancement, working conditions, job content, supervision or any other questions you may have.

3.         Negotiate the decision time frame.

A more challenging scenario is when you have an offer from one employer, and you believe that another equally or more attractive offer might be forthcoming from another organization. In these cases, if you aren't comfortable accepting the firm offer, you should attempt to bring the time windows for decision-making together. One way to line up the  is to create a reasonable delay with the first employer who has made the offer. For example, you might ask for the opportunity to meet with staff at your level if you weren't able to do so through the screening process.

Careers for the Future

As the world evolves, so does the demand for jobs. There may be departments and workloads the world now doesn’t have. What would be the classified ads look like in the near future? In five years? Perhaps 10 more years?

What does it concern you if there will be new jobs?

Westhill Consulting and Employment thinks it is important to structure your career now so that when the time comes for your work to be in demand, you will on the top of the game. In recent reviews, here are the top careers predicted to have a big impact in the future:

1.            Healthcare

According to recent Labor Department data, an aging population will put healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, physical therapists, home health aides, and pharmacists in more demand.

Developing nations will need more and more health workers as the world begins to turn its back to a healthier lifestyle.

Less-skilled and lower paid workers such as aides may require as little as a certification course, depending upon the state they are living and working in, while doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and pharmacists require specialized schooling after graduating from college.

2.            Information Technology

This may be one of the obvious fields to boom in the near future. Think of all the technology we didn’t have just a few decades ago. Computers, internet, smartphones have changed business and communication. As technology slowly becomes more developed, IT professionals such as programmers and security specialist are in high demand.

Those in this kind of field are enjoying analytical skills but should also be creative problem solvers. Asia is currently considered as home of IT specialists with promising practitioners from India, Jakarta, Indonesia and Singapore

3.            Alternative Energy

People are currently realizing the problems we are facing in the environment. With warnings on natural hazards, calamities and disasters, people have become more conscious of energy utilization and will continue to do so. In response, alternative energy is being sought after as solution to the worsening uneven global climate.

Don't say good-bye to oil and gas quite yet, but alternative energies such as wind power, hydrogen power, geothermal power, and solar power will create dozens of new careers, from mechanics and plant managers to scientists, engineers, and even sales and marketing professionals, as these energies become more mainstream

4.            Ethical Hacker

Is it possible for a hacker to be ethical? It turns out that many companies hire these experts to purposefully hack systems in order to pinpoint problems in security measures before their less-ethical counterparts get the chance. You can even become a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), a professional who’s tasked with network policy creation, intrusion detection and virus creation.

Finding Experience Even When You Are Inexperienced

Many new graduates are scratching their heads when they are told in an interview that they are not qualified due to inexperience. Since they are fresh grads, it should be understandable if they have no experience, right? They need experience to work but cannot work without experience. Now, how can we solve this?

Westhill Consulting and Employment states that it would still be possible to find experience when you are inexperienced.

1. OJT

One of the best sources of experience is to get a job internship in the industry you are interested to work in. There are companies which offer on-the-job for incoming graduating students during summers. You will probably start getting coffees or run errand but you shouldn’t have any complaints. While it would probably be a long way to reach CEO, almost everyone experiences this kind of phase. Besides, you can still learn by observing

2. Volunteer

To those who hadn’t had a chance to get to an internship programme while still in college (yes, there are colleges who do not have internship on their curriculum, take for example those in Jakarta, Indonesia), you can start off by volunteering to your field. Many nurses, in order to get enough experiences undergo volunteer programs in hospitals and clinics for some months before finally finding a salary-paying job.

3. Setting up your own business

You could provide advice, sell products online or chase advertising revenue. Even if you don’t make much money, you’ll develop great networks and an attractive CV.

4. Try casual jobs

Any job can help you so don’t be too proud. You can apply as one of staff crew in McDonalds for a few months. This way, you can toughen some skills you have. In terms of communication, you can talk to the customers and engage them. If you are finding experience for accounting, you can count and take data of the profit you have gotten for that day. If you are a graduate of Marketing, you can find ways on how they can gain more customers. These casual jobs are a den of many other jobs

5. Extra-Curricular Activities

Getting involved in groups and societies will enrich your CV but also open doors. For example, joining the wine society at university could give you access to professionals in viticulture and provide you with good references and reviews; sales and numerous other fields.

How to Manage Your Time

Many of us are not able to push our productivity efforts to the limit. We know we still have something to show and give in terms of our work but time always seems to run so fast. At the end of the day, we are left with a lot more on our plate than what we have hoped for.

Westhill Consulting & Employment, a well-established online source for the best and the most suitable career tips have this list of pointers on how you can manage your time wisely:

1.            Know Your Priorities

You should know which ones are your top priority and the most important thing to finish first considering the given time frame of your task. If something looks like it will take less than two minutes – get it done straight away.  But do not allow the smaller issues to delay working out the big problems, which will only get bigger while you spend time sorting out the smaller ones.

2.            Plan Productively

Use the most productive time of the day to your advantage. In a survey conducted to one of our partner companies in Jakarta, Indonesia, many employees consider the morning right after they arrived as the best time to work but there are also some people who would need to organize their thoughts first before they can dig in. Concentration level can change on the different times of the day. Decide when you feel most productive and use this time to tackle the big tasks.

3.            Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

It is not possible to do everything on your own. That is why there are different members of people in your team. You shouldn’t be thinking of their complaints especially if you are in the position to give them their designated task. First decide if a set task can only be achieved by you; if not, transfer it to someone who is equally capable.

4.            Keep Notes

Notes can keep you organize. At the end of your day, you can list the things you need to do the next day so as not to forget anything. The next day, you can just review it and follow the written outline. It would also be advantageous on unexpected leaves. The note that you have written can inform your colleagues in case they would have to do your pending tasks.

5.            Find Time For yourself

Even the most organized worker can find their train of thought interrupted by well-meaning colleagues. If you are being bombarded with calls, e-mails and questions, make it clear to your colleagues that you are going to step out and deal with your own material before you can become distracted. This is perfectly OK and many companies have formal leave to grant “Me Time” to employees.

Starting your Career in mid-20s

Once you graduate college, you are expected to find a job as soon as possible. Competition during this time is very fierce. Westhill Consulting and Employment has encountered so many eager new graduates who always ask for advice on how to make it through a very challenging real world. We have gathered a lot of responses from different twenty-ish individuals in Singapore, Ghana, Africa, Jakarta, Indonesia, Tokyo, Japan and Illinois, USA to know how they have faced the challenge in their own culture and values. The following are general guidelines that can help anybody in their work adventure.

·         Always show gratitude.  If someone has done you a good turn, take a moment to express genuine gratitude by mail, email, text, or a few words and smile. It’s a gracious way to live. As old-fashioned as it seems, mailing a hand-written card to a potential employer or dinner party host leaves a lasting impression.

·         Remember this, too, shall pass. Never be early to burst out your complaints. Whether you’re riding high on good fortune or you’re wallowing in the dumps of tough times, things move on and so will you. Be grateful when things are good. And be grateful for the things that are good when other things are crumbling around you.

·         ever expect someone else to advocate for your best interest or to navigate major life decisions. While there are people who will want to help you, you know yourself and what you need best. Take whatever time you need to review, to research, to learn and to create your best options. From great options, make good decisions.

·         Maintain your professional reputation. Avoid burning bridges with those you’ve worked with. If anything, invest a little time to continue cultivating your past relationships with colleagues. You never know when you might cross paths again in business.

·         Exude confidence. You only have one body. So be comfortable in it. Confidence in yourself will spur confidence others will have in you. Don’t have the confidence? “Fake it ‘til you make it,” as they say.

·         Understand that job interviews are a two-way street. View them as career interviews. The company is as much of a candidate for you as you are for them. After all, if you’re going to be spending 40+ hours per week somewhere, it’s important to be fully informed about how much they will enable your career growth. I always ask job candidates if they have any questions for me. What you ask is sometimes as important as what you’re answering.

·         Mistakes can be gifts. Whether a learning experience, a happy accident, or a humbling experience, mistakes can serve us well. Don’t be afraid to make them. Just try not to make the same one twice.

Get Ahead

Who would not want a promotion among us? I am sure than anyone of us would want to get ahead of others in a healthy competition. Westhill Consulting and Employment, an Australian based employment consulting company recognizes these needs.

Workers seeking to get ahead in their careers need to rely less on their talent and their experience and more on personal brand and relationship with their boss, especially in cities of developed and developing countries like America, Jakarta, Indonesia, Tokyo, Japan and Singapore which focus on their employees for economic development.

1.    Diligence

-                   If you want to get ahead, you need to take on projects outside of your job description. If you see a new opportunity that your company could take advantage of, or you see something that can be improved, come up with a solution. Review, do research, develop a presentation outlining the opportunity, and present it to your management. Before you engage in any entrepreneurial initiatives, of course, you have to master your current role and prove yourself — because no one will invest in you unless they trust you first.

2.          Engage in activities outside of the office.

-                   Extra outside projects and roles and learning opportunities can enhance their reputation at work. You can join professional organizations and social groups to expand both your network and knowledge of your industry and profession.

3.          Think twice before you friend your manager on Facebook.

-                   Most managers don’t want to add their employees as contacts because they want to separate their personal and professional lives. Before you decide to friend them, think about the type of relationship you have with them and ask them what their comfort level is. You might have a lot of complaints filed at you when you cross the line. If you tend to share personal matters with your manager at the office, they would probably be more inclined to have the same relationship on Facebook.

4.          Develop your soft skills.

-                   We found that managers, and even recruiters, value soft skills over hard skills: The most important soft skills for employees who want to get promoted are the ability to prioritize work, communicate effectively, and work well in a team. If you want to develop these skills, you need to actively pursue situations where you can both interact with other people and get feedback so you can improve.

5.          Become a subject matter expert.

-                   If you want to stand out at work and gain visibility and recognition, you need to be an expert on a particular topic. Don’t be a fraud as you know many things but focus on a specific matter and master it. 

Stand Out, Never Stand Down

Equally as important as learning how to get a job is learning how to keep one. Working is much like dating: Keep the relationship exciting or your employer might get a wandering eye for greener pastures. You need to stay at the top of your game to prove to your employer that she was right to pick you in the first place. You can stand out at work by being a stand-up person. Be honest, act with integrity and treat everyone with kindness and respect. Westhill Consulting and Employment in Jakarta has recognized the need of many employees to stand out among colleagues. You cannot expect any development when you continue to stand down to others.

1.       Make a habit of introducing yourself. Whenever you walk into a meeting, go up to someone you don’t know and introduce yourself. People with the confidence to do this stand out. Work out a few questions to ask to get to know people, and you’ll quickly boost your visibility. More people you know more chances of being popular.

2.       Sit next to new people. As an extension of tip one, if there’s an opportunity to sit next to new people at a meeting, a talk, at lunch, on a training course – you should take it. Whether they may be from different nations like Jakarta, Indonesia, Ghana, Africa or Tokyo, Japan, treat them with respect. Often the shared experience creates an opportunity to build a relationship. Not only does this again demonstrate your confidence, but it’s also a great way to show senior managers you take an interest in other people and have the skills to develop a widespread network. If you can show that, it will be noted.

3.       Be first to act. If you’ve heard someone ask for a volunteer, or open the floor for questions after a presentation, you’ve likely experienced the awkward silence that follows. But by being the person to stand up and volunteer to be the one at the flipchart or taking the action points, or by having a question ready to start the ball rolling, you show you’re willing to get into action when the structured part of the meeting stops – something senior managers equate with leadership ability and the ability to make a career leap successfully.

4.       Smile.Even when it's the last thing you feel like doing, still smile -- and others will smile with you. Instead of having complaints with the system or any negativity in your workplace, smile and treat them with optimism.

5.       Seek opportunities to learn new skills and maintain old ones. Don't make the mistake of becoming a dinosaur; keep yourself marketable by remaining current in your profession. Review what you need to improve on and learn where you need to excel more. 

Pursuit of Happiness

We always find happiness anywhere in the world. Psychologists also say that happy employees are more productive, more creative and less likely to leave. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create a fun environment at your workplace. If you embody your ideal corporate culture and integrate joy and laughter into your daily routine, your employees will follow. If you are a business owner, it is therefore wise to do things to benefit your employees and make them happy. If you are an employee, find ways to make your stay in the company a happy one to ease the stress in your workplace.

As a company ourselves, Westhill Consulting and Employment also face the same challenge in maintaining happy people as there are so many personal and business reasons for them not to. Fortunately, we have some steps that we follow that respond to this issues.

For Employers

1. Lead by Example

As we all know, employees look up to you. If you are too serious, your employees may hesitate to smile in front of you, let alone interact and laugh with you. They may feel the need to be serious all the time. Although being serious is also important, loose your collar a little for you to let happy vibes around you. Add a little self-depreciating humor when it is appropriate to help your employees view you as human and approachable. A little fraud smile will also do despite the pressure. Who knows, they may see your odd smile and lift their hearts to you a little.

2. Embody Optimism

Staff meetings can quickly become monotonous. Use each meeting as an opportunity to encourage positive team dynamics. When we are conducting a meeting with our partners once in Jakarta, Indonesia, we were surprised when the manager presiding the meeting encouraged us all to play a charade first before starting the meeting. Those 15 minutes of laughter are enough to bring out positivity around us even when what we are discussing may be a little too critical.

3. Celebrate

There is no harm if you reward yourself and your employees once in a while. Recognize and acknowledge your employees successes, no matter how small. Staff celebrations don’t need to be fancy, planned or expensive. Acknowledgement can be as simple as sharing one team member’s accomplishment during a staff meeting.

Employees:

1. Give a happy “Hello” in the morning with a smile. Psychologists say it is contagious.

2. Learn the Art of Small Talk. Review what you learn about your colleague and engage him in little talks or even if it’s a general statement like the weather or how nice her skirt is.

3. Avoid gossip.

4. Pretend your kids are watching when dealing with a hard colleague which you have misunderstanding with.

5. Retail Emails and Calls Promptly. It is to show that these people who took time to email you are also important to you. 

Introverts: Why They Shouldn’t Be Underestimated

Are you an introvert? If you are not, then, perhaps someone you know is? Studies show that one-third to one-half of the population is introvert. All of us have introvert and extrovert personality within us but experts say that one or the other is dominating in each individual.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Some people would think that introverts have no hope of finding an honest job since they only keep things to themselves and too shy to face people. However though, many experts in a study held in Jakarta, Indonesia say that there are better chances for introverts to pass and interview as they are better listener which many employers really need from their employees. Moreover, they can switch back and forth between introversion and extroversion depending on the environment.

Introverts have become the headlines – albeit ironically since they do not want to get attention for themselves- to many major media reviews and press releases. We at Westhill Consulting and Employment also became intrigue in this personality that we also made our own research regarding this.

Brian Little, author of Me, Myself and Us: The Science of Personality and Well- Being said, “Being a high self-monitor, a standup chameleon as I like to call them, that can shift positions to suit the situation is most effective in the early stages of entrepreneurship”. His reviews and research has been too intriguing that we cannot help but make an article about it. He points out the introverts’ following traits:

1. Introverts Should Avoid Coffee

-              According to Little, introverts are more receptive to brain stimulation, and too much of it can actually deter from clear and effective thinking. Similarly, being in a noisy, crowded environment also can over stimulate an introvert's brain activity. They do their best work under relaxed circumstances.

2. Introverts Works Well with Extroverts

-              Know what they say how different objects attract? The law of Action and Interaction by Newton also applies to people who are introverts and extroverts. A common misconception about introverts and extroverts is that they speak different languages, especially in workplace scenarios. "There are exceptions," Little points out. "When an extrovert and an introvert engage in conversation, the introvert takes on the role of interviewer." This can actually lead to an effective way of sharing information and communicating.

3. Introverts can be Extrovert

-              Now many people would think that this is a scam that many introverts do to fool people. They may also be a lot of confusion but the truth is according to Little, Adults are not fixed into just one personality paradigm and have the flexibility to "act out of character," especially when a job or project requires them to take on a certain role. Oftentimes introverts take on the role of a pseudo-extrovert in order to engage in highly social situations that frequently occur in professions like public relations, communications, and marketing.

                                                                                      

Westhill Consulting Career & Employment in Jakarta: Manage Anxiety and Stress

According to studies, over 120 million people worldwide are affected by the black dog of depression, as Sir Winston Churchill described it. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability, missed work, broken relationships and more. Chances are you are to suffer it in your lifetime.

Westhill Consulting Career & Employment is the world’s largest free online jobs website funded by UK government with our headquarter in Australia and has expanded to other nations such as Jakarta, Indonesia in South East Asia, Toronto, Canada, New York in the US of A and others. We have here the following common but absolutely effective tips on how to manage your anxiety and stress in your workplace:

• Take a time-out. Listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem for a while helps clear your head.

• Eat well-balanced meals. Do not skip any meals. Do keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand.

• Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.

• Get enough sleep. When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.

• Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health. Check out the fitness tips below.

• Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly.

• Count to 10 slowly. Repeat, and count to 20 if necessary.

• Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isn't possible, be proud of however close you get.

• Accept that you cannot control everything. There is a lot of stress that are already beyond your capacity. Let it go and do not problem about it much. Instead, focus on what you can take hold of.

• Welcome humor. A good laugh can lift some of your stress away.

• Remain optimistic. How you think about the reason for your stress is a big factor in managing it. Stop dwelling on negative thoughts.

• Get involved. Involving yourself to other things help you maintain the balance in your life. It may serve as an outlet later on to fully manage yourself.

• Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.

• Talk to someone. Dwelling about your stress for yourself might break you. It is better to have someone to act as a listening wall for your anxieties. Who knows? Their advices may somehow make you see the light.

You might also like other articles on or Blog page. We have lots of other articles in helping you in your professional life.

Remember Everyone’s Name

The most successful and operational leaders are those who make you sense that they are really listening. Most outstandingly, they at all times remember everyone’s names.

So how will you improve at remembering names even those people you met from you Jakarta Indonesia trip?

Some circumstances will make you shy away more than being in one room next to someone you’ve met numerous times and not remembering his name.

A lot of business deals and romantic engagements have been blocked for the reason that someone flunked to remember names at the right moment. In the Web age e-mail and social networks bid dependable shelter; being able to use someone’s name in a personal circumstance can spare you. Westhill Consulting Career and Employment, Australia presents you these tips and advice on how to remember names with no effort at all.

Focus – When you happen to meet someone and seconds later don’t recall their name and you may think it is it a memory problem but it is not, it is a focus problem. You weren’t paying attention and this will lead many complaints in any aspect! You were more focus on what they think of you or what you are going to say next. So you can focus your brain each time you meet new people, give yourself this question while you are approaching towards them, ‘What is their name?’ But don’t say this out loud though.

File – Compare your brain with a computer, to recover information fast rather than having everything messing up your desktop, you need files. Likewise, your brain must have a file, a room to keep the name. Choose a unique feature on their face. This is will be your brain trigger, or file. Or you can form unique pictures for common names. For instance: Steve = stove

It requires time to improve this mental database nevertheless constrain to make every person's name you pick up over the next month into an image. Now after a month of this you will have made hundreds of usual names into pictures. When you pick the picture never replace it.

Glue – Action plus emotion. With action plus emotion perceive the picture for the name on the face. If the distinguishing feature is the eyes and the name is Steve imagine a stove in his eyes with action plus emotion. This denotes see the stove cooking his eyes. If his unique feature is the mole then see that on the mole.

Review – Constantly revert and review at the end of the day. Recall who you meet today and who you meet last week, apply the above tips.