Accepting an unsuitable job offer is a common blunder made by many job seekers. A large portion of this is attributable to the joy of receiving a contract in the first place. Finding out you’ve chosen the wrong job can be a self-searching or blaming experience later.
However, if you’ve been listening closely or questioning yourself in the right direction, you will notice warning signs along the way that point to a rotten egg. Here are some telltale indications that the job is a flop to help you avoid making a career-altering misstep.
High turnover rate
You don’t want to work for a corporation for less than a year, do you? While this is unfortunate, certain office environments are indeed unhealthy. Consider inquiring as to what happened to the former occupant of the same post. Start examining alternatives if your interviewer begins slamming past employees or mentions anything that suggests the organization has a high turnover rate.
Dodgy on inquiries
If an interviewer brushes off your questions, he or she may have something to conceal. Because an interview is a brief glimpse into what your life may be like at the organization, you should bring up both the exciting and challenging aspects of the job. Consider it a method of determining how open people at the company are. If the interviewer avoids answering any questions, it’s a warning indication that they’re intentionally concealing the facts.
Forced to compromise
Ask yourself ahead of time what attributes you want in a position, and then see if the proposed post meets all of your requirements. Don’t make a rash decision if you find yourself sacrificing on your must-haves and then justifying those sacrifices. You shouldn’t have to push yourself to fit the work in most case scenarios since it should be the other way round.
Unclear job requirements
Image Credits: unsplash.com
The job description said that it was a marketing role when you applied. However, when you go for the job interview, you discover that it is a mixture of everything from PR to business development. Well, many current roles do combine several responsibilities into a single position.
However, gently decline the offer if your potential boss characterizes the work obligations so generically that it seems like three positions in one, and you believe they’re imprecise on essential specifics about the scope of the position.
Even if you need a position desperately, there are instances when you just have to decline and forgo those follow-up interview tests. Sometimes it’s a negative feeling, a shady interviewer, or something strange about the job requirements that give you the goosebumps. Though we can’t advise you not to accept a job because every occurrence is different, think about the above circumstances you could come across throughout your job hunt and make an informed choice before signing on the line.
Imagine watching a puppeteer manipulating an inanimate object for a show, except that show represents your professional life and the puppeteer is your boss. Isn’t it upsetting?
Having a micromanager as a boss can be a source of stress and frustration as it impacts your day-to-day life.
A micromanager tries to control every aspect of the work, no matter how small the detail can be. Employees can feel distrusted, dissatisfied, and disrespected. Prolonged control over all the aspects of an employee’s work may negatively affect his or her wellbeing and productivity. Quitting can be seen as a viable option if the employee can no longer deal with the situation.
However, it does not have to be this way!
#1: IDENTIFY THE TRIGGERS
Trying to understand the triggers for your boss’ micromanagement can help you be better equipped to deal with the situation. Start by identifying the reasons why he or she micromanages.
Often, micromanagers do not realize what they are doing. Perhaps, your boss micromanages because he is under a lot of stress, or he has a terrible experience with the previous employee.
Experts say that micromanaging can also be rooted from a personality trait. Individuals with strong organizational tendencies find it difficult to delegate tasks to others. These people find it hard to trust someone else to do the job as well as them, or to complete a task within their expected timeframe.
#2: ASK WHERE YOU CAN IMPROVE
Being polite and direct will serve you best. Ask your boss about the areas that you can improve on to address the company’s needs.
You can also be open about how your boss’ management behavior makes you feel by providing specific examples.
After sharing your thoughts on your intention to improve the collaboration and support, advise your boss that you are most productive when you are given the autonomy to meet those needs. You can also set weekly check-ins to alleviate the hovering.
#3: PROVIDE UPDATES REGULARLY
Micromanagers want to be in control. They want to check-in on your work to make sure that things are going smoothly to the schedule. Since micromanagers cannot do everything by themselves, they do their hardest to stay as involved as possible.
Try being proactive when sending regular updates before your boss has a chance to ask for these from you. List the things you want to accomplish within the day and email it to your boss. Regularly sending updates can serve multiple purposes.
Firstly, your boss knows exactly where your current workload stands. Questioning can be minimized. Secondly, your boss will realize how detail-oriented you are and that you can manage your own responsibilities without intervention. Lastly, it can help your boss address immediate concerns at one glance, which can reduce frequent check-ins.
#4: BUILD CONNECTION AND TRUST
Do you agree that trust is the key to any healthy relationship? Be it personal or professional, trust can build a solid foundation for you and your micromanaging boss.
When your boss does not trust your decisions and abilities, he or she will always monitor you. Developing synergy and building trust by creating time to connect and sharing what you are currently doing can help your situation. This allows your boss to create a space for growth.
Image Credits: unsplash.com
Shifting your micromanaging boss’ leadership style is not easy, and change is not immediate. As an employee, you can show your boss that you are trustworthy and responsible to inspire that change over time.
Leaving a company on shaky terms can have long-term consequences, such as being shunned by other firms in your field or harming your professional image.
In Singapore, many industries are pretty small. It can be damaging to your next application process if people realize that you left your last job badly and on a sour note, or that you are quitting a freshly obtained position.
Here’s how to quit your job properly.
Set a meeting
A courteous approach is to set up a meeting with your superior. Managers are frequently packed, so emailing them a well-crafted meeting request in advance will assist you in setting up a swift meeting. Request a time slot on their schedule so you may speak with them face-to-face. Instead of quitting over an email, it’s best to have an honest chat.
Have your speech ready
Image Credits: unsplash.com
Organize your thoughts, then make a list of whatever you need to say to your boss before reading them aloud. This gives you an indication of how much time you will need to chat, which you will need to know when scheduling your meeting’s duration. Having prepared your speech also aids you in determining whether you require the participation of a third person in your discussion, such as an HR manager to assist you with an assertion.
Serve your required notice
A month is the typical notice period you should give a company before leaving. If you’ve entered an employment agreement, though, be sure you’re following any notice requirements. You may be content to remain longer than the standard one-month timeframe, based on your availability, more so if your new work doesn’t commence immediately. Whatever amount of notice you give, make sure you notify your organization as quickly as feasible and include your last day in your letter of resignation.
Do a proper handover before you leave
Image Credits: unsplash.com
After notifying your workplace of your departure, you will most likely have some time remaining in your position before you formally leave. You should finish existing work and assignments and discuss with your manager to identify who should take over your current projects.
Keep track of your daily routines, where you’ve stored records in a database, and other relevant details that will help the next person taking over. This will guarantee a seamless transition for the new hire that takes your place. Your coworkers will also appreciate your professionalism if they have to be the ones who will share your workload for the time being.
Your business connections may help you find new possibilities in the future, and the way you leave a company creates a lasting impact. On your exit, don’t say anything negative about your boss. Make an effort to leave a favorable lasting impression, not just because it’s the respectful thing to do, but also because it can lead to chances down the road. You could end up working for the same firm, with the same coworkers, or for the same employer next time, so leave on a good note.
Burnout is a condition that results from continuous working stress that has not been effectively controlled. It occurs when someone is exhausted from completing the work at hand, and the expectations placed on you surpass your capabilities.
Burnout is far more than a bad day or a terrible week since everyone has those in their jobs. Burnout occurs when you don’t have any days to rejoice for an extended length of time. You should be able to quickly grasp the situation when it’s something that has lasted more than a week or two. However, it might be difficult to shine the flashlight on yourself and notice when you are on the verge of becoming burned out at work.
Let’s look at a couple of the most prominent burnout symptoms to see if we can make things clearer for you.
Insomnia
Prolonged stress, according to research, disrupts the complex neurological and hormonal mechanism that controls sleep. It’s a downward spiral, because not sleeping causes the system to get even more out of balance. If you’ve discovered that you can’t snooze easily at night, you may be suffering from burnout.
Impatience
Perhaps you used to be a patient person who could participate in complex conversations with others. However, you’ve noticed that you’re growing increasingly annoyed with even the smallest request from your coworkers. In other words, your capacity to solve problems and interact productively with people has dramatically deteriorated.
Exhaustion
Image Credits: unsplash.com
Burnout is typically identified by weariness and a general sensation of depletion. You may experience not just physical tiredness, but also an emotional emptiness and exhaustion. So, if waking up in the morning and heading to the workplace each day is becoming more of a challenging task than usual, you might be on the verge of burnout.
Reduced professionalism
It may show itself as a refusal to speak with coworkers, tardiness in completing urgent duties, engaging in other tasks during work hours, or a lack of enthusiasm in professional development and upgrading current expertise. It could also be a sense of being misplaced or detached in work meetings and conferences.
Changes in eating habits
Burnout might also manifest itself in eating more or less than normal. People may eat less as a result of being too busy or fixated, or they may constantly need comfort foods that we all crave when we need something to lift our spirits. Hormonal changes may also impact appetite, making individuals feel fuller than normal while they’re under a huge amount of pressure and more famished than usual when the stress subsides.
Some of these subtler indications might be hard to detect, so consider the habits that are affecting your day-to-day life. Personal awareness is critical to keeping track of your health. Consider consulting a mental health expert if you’re suffering prolonged physical symptoms that might be signs of burnout to check if they’re caused by situational stress or anchored in other physical illnesses. Help is readily accessible; don’t dismiss the signs and symptoms as unimportant.
Over the years, Singapore has been recognised by multiple international organisations as one of the easiest places in the world to run a business. Singapore has consistently placed at or near the top of the World Bank’s ease of doing business rankings, taking the number 2 spot behind New Zealand in 2019. The 2020 Global Business Complexity Index ranked Singapore as the second most business-friendly country in Asia and the 18th worldwide, placing it ahead of other major players from the region such as China, India, and Korea.
Singapore’s large and multifaceted business ecosystem clearly confirms its status as a centre for entrepreneurship in Asia. Thousands of multinational corporations, among them major names like Facebook, Google and Uber, have established their Asia Pacific headquarters in the Lion City. The city is also home to one of the most vibrant and rapidly growing start-up communities in the world, with an estimated 55,000 start-up businesses currently operational.
But what exactly makes Singapore an ideal place for both local and foreign entrepreneurs to operate successful businesses? Read on for an in-depth look into five major contributing factors to the city’s exceptional business-friendliness.
Abundant Support for New Businesses
The Singapore government consistently puts forward policies that encourage business growth and innovation. Hence, small business owners who are curious about the availability of Singapore startup grants, tax incentives, and other assistance schemes will find themselves with a plethora of options when it comes to government support. Within certain preferred industries, the government may also subsidise labour costs for new businesses. It’s also worth noting that all these offered benefits are available equally to both local and foreign organisations.
In addition to government support, business owners seeking to open in Singapore can tap into the city’s vibrant venture funding community. At present, over 150 venture capital funds operate out of Singapore. Start-ups in industries with promising growth potential are deemed especially attractive targets for venture capital investments. Examples of these favoured sectors include financial technology, e-commerce, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
Fast and Efficient Business Setup
Singapore’s business regulations and setup processes are among the most efficient, streamlined, and transparent in the world. These processes are fully digitised and can be completed in no more than one or two working days in most cases, making it easy for business owners to begin setting up their operations even if they are not yet in Singapore. Company setup costs, registration fees, and the required minimum issued capital are likewise fairly low as compared to other locations in the region.
Business owners can also be assured that the regular compliance requirements they will have to submit annually are equally streamlined and easy to complete.
Highly Productive Workforce
The top-class quality of Singaporean education is well-known all over the world, reinforced by generations of high-performing, high-achieving graduates. Singaporean students are trained to apply themselves to their work with discipline and diligence, qualities which go on to serve them well throughout their professional lives. Whether they’re stationed at home or abroad, workers from Singapore are known to make cooperative, productive, and highly competent employees.
Singapore’s liberal, inclusive, and meritocratic immigration policies also bring in a large pool of talent from overseas. Foreign professionals should have no difficulty acquiring and maintaining the necessary work visas or applying for permanent residence (PR) status. In fact, the country’s thriving expatriate community currently accounts for almost one-third of its workforce.
One major contributing factor to the productivity of the Singaporean workforce is the fact that English is the lingua franca in most business settings. This facilitates easy and productive communication between individuals from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. Workers are thus primed to approach their jobs with a far-reaching, global perspective. An all-inclusive culture that prioritises interpersonal harmony and collaboration also helps to boost company productivity on the whole.
Major Centre for Innovation in Asia
Organisations and companies seeking to develop innovative solutions to pressing, contemporary problems will find a welcoming home in Singapore. The Lion City has grown over the years into one of the most innovative cities in the world, now hosting a diverse business environment that embraces every kind of company from small start-ups to booming multinationals.
Many global R&D labs for leading Fortune 500 companies are based in Singapore, and spaces like business parks and innovation centres are also abundant in the city. This environment allows businesses of different sizes to collaboratively create, test, and commercialise innovative products and solutions on a global scale.
Gateway to Southeast Asia
Business experts today see Asia as a global centre of opportunity and a major driver of global economic growth. Many estimate that by 2030 the region will account for over half of the world’s middle-class population and drive the majority of demand for consumer goods. Hence, companies all over the world are looking for ways to expand into the region and tap into the immense profitability of Asian markets.
Singapore is strategically located in the middle of Southeast Asia, making it an ideal gateway for businesses seeking to deepen their Asian presence. The city also boasts superior connectivity and infrastructure, allowing businesses to form meaningful connections both in the region and across the rest of the world.
Whatever your particular industry, offerings, and business goals, you’ll surely do well to consider Singapore as a business destination. The country’s inclusive business environment and innovation-friendly policies could make the Singaporean government a trustworthy and productive partner for your company in the long term.
