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Increasing the number of followers on your LinkedIn Company Page is one of the most valuable steps you can take to build your company brand and bring in new business. Here are some quick actionable tips to help you quickly achieve a larger following:1. Company Page Set UpMake sure your company page has the following items completely filled out:<ul><li>Logo</li><li>Company description</li><li>Website URL</li><li>Company size</li><li>Industry</li><li>Company type</li><li>Location</li></ul>2. ContentPost content daily related to your industry.Content ideas:<ul><li>Top 10 tips</li><li>Industry News</li><li>Quotes</li><li>Infographics</li><li>Cheatsheets</li><li>Questions</li><li>Step by step guides</li><li>Slides/PowerPoint Presentation (Can be uploaded directly to LinkedIn)</li></ul>The LinkedIn algorithm favours content that keeps users on their platform. Images, tips and articles are all great ways to please the algorithm and boost your company’s presence.On each post add 3 – 5 relevant hashtags. Hashtag ideas for your industry can be found by scrolling down to the hashtags section <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/mynetwork/">here.</a> 3. Engagement Increase visibility by engaging!Increased engagement on LinkedIn results in the algorithm raising your profile – allowing you and your company to be found by potential customers/collaborators.<ul><li>Like and comment on posts that interest you. Try your best to write insightful comments rather than two or three words on a post</li><li>Game the LinkedIn algorithm by liking your own comment (and other people’s comments too!)</li><li>If the opportunity arises, tag relevant people/companies in your post</li></ul>Consistency is key. Spend a few minutes every day doing the above actions.Encourage your colleagues to engage with company posts immediately Research on the LinkedIn platform has found that the quicker people like and comment on a post that has just been published – the more important the content is in the eyes of the LinkedIn algorithm, which results in more visibility for your content! You could even make a game out of it. Give recognition to those employees you are particularly active on your company&#39;s LinkedIn content. On each post It’s important that they LIKE, COMMENT &amp; SHARE, it’s a bonus if they have time to go back later and like other comments on the post, it will help to increase engagement and will please the algorithm. Encourage your Employees / Colleagues to update their Linkedin profiles in line with your company page  Each employee should include a tag line/job title that explains what they do at the company. In the work experience section of the employee profile, ensure that they include an intro that’s relevant to the company – along with details about their role at the company and a call to action at the end.  4. How to Maximise Your Company Page Following LinkedIn recently added a feature that allows users to invite their connections to follow their company page.This means that the more connections you have the more people you can invite to follow your company page. What you need to do is max out your new connections daily. Make meaningful new connections - people who are in your industry, potential customers or collaborators so that you will never run out of connections to invite.How to find these people to connect in with:<ul><li>Go to the LinkedIn search bar</li><li>Change the location filter to Ireland (If you are trading abroad you can select the country you wish to target)</li><li>On the connections filter, leave the 1st box unticked and tick the 2nd and 3rd boxes</li><li>In the search bar type in the job title of the person you would like to connect with – e.g. Director, Project Manager, etc., </li><li>Begin adding the relevant people to your network</li></ul>Next - Invite new connections to follow your pageLinkedIn allows you to invite 25 connections a day to follow your company page.How to send invites: Go to your company LinkedIn page and in the top right-hand corner you will see admin tools. Click here and within the dropdown menu, you will see the option to invite new connections. Bonus tip: The more admins you have assigned to your LinkedIn company page, the more invitations you can send out!

Quick Tips to Grow Your LinkedIn Company Page

Director & Chief Biscuit Dunker

Sean Breen

Jobs Week 2020

If you&#39;re an employer who&#39;s not getting a return on your Job Advertising investment- what can you do about it?Bottom line is - it shouldn&#39;t happen, but it does! Some employers are paying way over the odds to advertise job vacancies and a lot of the time, without even finding success?WHY? Well it could be because you’ve signed up to a yearly contract and you’re just uploading job ads on the same platform for the sake of it, hoping to get back something from your investment.Maybe you’re not really checking the analytics, you’ve a few Ads up on different platforms and you’re not really sure where the candidates are coming from? You could monitor the statistics and make sure that you spend your budget in places that bring you success.Then of course, it could be that your company has always used the same platforms for years. Old habits die hard and it can be difficult to implement changes if you’re new on the block or you have to go through a massive internal process to make a change on how budgets are spent.If you’re a business struggling with increasing costs though, you may be well aware of what job advertising is costing you and you may feel there’s no alternative. BUT THERE IS, you could be one of the savvy recruiters, who are trying out new platforms who are using the latest technology, who are monitoring results, saving money and filling vacancies quickly at the same time!So let’s look at the options and the cost of job advertising in Ireland. You could advertise on some of the jobs boards that have been around for quite a while, which according to US website www.betterteam.com will set you back between €765 and €1050 or you could try advertising with us, JobAlert.ie. While relatively new, we combine a jobs board with a location specific social media campaign for your job - you’ll pay just €149 for an Ad and if you are recruiting in volume you can get significant discounts. At JobAlert.ie, we’re helping businesses of all sizes to fill jobs quickly. Ads are hosted on our website and also shared across our social media platforms. We’re reaching both active and passive job seekers. By the latter term, we mean we are reaching out to candidates who may not actively be looking at job boards but if they see something in their Social Media news feeds they will apply.You just pay for Job Ads as you need them – we do the rest, we won’t tie you into unnecessary contracts – you just pay as you go.The model we use is simple. Like years ago, when employers used local newspaper classifieds to reach ‘readers’ with once off Ads, we do the same. Only difference is, we use online technology to reach future employees and their friends and family members who may tell them about the job. It really is that simple, but it works. We pride ourselves on the follow up service that we give our customers, once you try our service, you’ll come back over and over again. WHY? Because you&#39;ll find that we care - we do everything we can to fill that job. Don’t just take our word for it – read some recent testimonials <a href="http://bit.ly/2GuZxBd">HERE</a> It&#39;s a small investment for you to try our service - you’re very welcome to call our team on 00 353 1 8495003 to discuss your needs or to find out more and Advertise right away, <a href="http://bit.ly/2GtG5oy">CLICK HERE</a> We look forward to hearing from you.

Some employers are paying too much for Job Ads in Ireland without success

With talk of almost full employment and a Candidate-Driven job market in Ireland, what can you do to attract new hires?We’ve pulled together some tips to help you along the way.1. Sell your Company as a great place to work. If you focus on the benefits that you have to offer and highlight why your organisation is an excellent place to work, you will stand a much better chance of finding the right people. If you have any videos that give candidates an insight into your company or culture then include a link in your job spec. 2. Use Social Media to your Advantage. Even if you’re a small company, with a bit of creativity you could demonstrate and promote your friendly team atmosphere through nice group shots of nights out or just fun at work on your social media business pages. Candidates will find these shots when researching your organisation.3. Ensure that your job spec stands out from the crowd. Include as much relevant information as you can to attract as many good candidates as possible - benefits, salary, working hours, days, anything that will attract people to the role. Give the exact location of the job within your job advertisement. A generic location may result in candidates dropping off later in the hiring process. Also make sure that your Job Title makes sense. This sounds so obvious, but you’d be surprised how little some job ads contain.4. Have all your bases coveredYour job description should include the following elements:• Job title• Summary of role• Qualifications and skills required• Duties and responsibilities• Any special demands 5. Review flexible working options. Flexible working options are so attractive. Perhaps consider if two part-time workers could job share the role, look at start and finish times – is there any flexibility? Is there any work from home options, maybe even for some work duties? Are you just working the same hours and shifts because “it’s always been that way’ – maybe it’s time to change?6. Talk about the company’s futureInclude your plans for the future within your job description and how the role you’re recruiting for fits into them. Candidates want to know that they will be valued if they work at your company, so highlight the long term career development opportunities that are on the horizon. 7. Tighten up your recruitment process. You need to act fast. Having a professional and streamlined recruitment process will help. This is particularly important when in today’s market a great candidate will receive many offers. If you have two interviews or additional testing as part of your screening process, keep the candidate informed throughout.If you need help with making your job advertisement stand out from the crowd and attract the right candidates, the team at JobAlert.ie can help you. Here’s how we do it1) We provide full support with writing and reviewing a winning job specification2) We list your vacancy on our jobs board website - which receives half a million visits from job seekers every month. Your job will stay live on our website for up to 30 days.3) We share your job to our social media pages where we have 330,000+ active followers nationwide. We have social media job pages for every county in Ireland on Facebook &amp; Instagram.4) We assign a dedicated account manager to your recruitment campaign. The account manager will check-in with you on a weekly basis to see how each job is performing. If for any reason a job is underperforming with candidate applications, we have a number of measures in place to advance the exposure of your job to qualified candidates. We will ensure that everything is done to fill your job vacancy.To get started go <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers?utm_source=LeadsFebFacebook&amp;utm_medium=FacebookFeb&amp;utm_campaign=FBFeb">here</a>. If you have any questions give us a call on 01 849 5003 or drop us an email - <a href="mailto:info@jobalert.ie">info@jobalert.ie</a>. We are looking forward to helping you fill your job vacancy.

7 Ways to make your job advert stand out and attract the best people 

Pamela Doyle

Finding ‘The One’, your ideal match, is really not that easy…..No we&#39;re not talking about finding your dream partner on this Valentine’s Day. We&#39;re talking about finding your IDEAL JOB. Work that you really love to wake up to every morning, that you’re passionate about, that truly makes you happy, excites you, lights up your heart and makes you feel content. So how can you tell when you’ve fallen totally out of love with your job and it’s time to move on? Are you feeling negative and tired all the time?Job unhappiness can affect your sleep, as your brain finds it hard to switch off. It’s a vicious circle though, as not getting enough rest can really affect your ability to see things clearly and may over emphasise your emotions. If you feel overwhelmed. Maybe you should talk to someone you trust, a professional career coach or a counsellor before you make any big decisions to move on. Constantly dreading work the next day?Life is too short to dread going to work every day. If it wasn’t always this way, maybe ask yourself what has changed? Have you just outgrown your role? If so, focussing on your own self-development may be the way forward. You could look at up-skilling, take up a part time course, or maybe have a chat with a Manager to see if you can work on a progression plan for yourself, that will help you move within the organisation. If this is not an option, it’s probably time to seek new pastures.  Are you making careless mistakes?Maybe your heart just isn’t in it? It could mean you’re disengaged and no longer committed to your position. Again you may need to review if progression within the organisation is an option, but you’ll have to buck up if you want to be considered for promotion, as making careless mistakes could get you in serious trouble and result in you missing out on future internal opportunities.  Are you working in a toxic environment?When you start a new job, it’s not always easy to research what the culture is really like unless it’s one of those award winning ‘Great Places to Work’. Taking on a new role regularly means taking chances, but if over time you realise you&#39;re caught in a toxic environment or have a toxic boss, what can you do? This situation can make your working life unbearable. You must consider if it’s possible to explore all means of resolution available to you. If there&#39;s a good HR team and processes in place to deal with these situations, it may be possible to escalate any concerns that you have and find a solution. You might find that you’re not the only affected person. If you try, but fail to resolve the issues, it’s probably time to move on. You are feeling physically (or mentally) unhealthyFrom time to time we all feel a bit overwhelmed or stressed. Even people who love their jobs can feel under pressure, particularly at busy times. However, if you feel that there’s a downward spiral in your overall health and your ability to concentrate, it could be far more serious. You should seek proper medical help or advice. You could also take time out and on your return to work maybe set smarter work / life boundaries. There’s no doubt about it, that like all relationships we go through the honeymoon period with work too. At the offset we may have been mis-lead or we could have misinterpreted things. Some interviewers paint a rosy picture when they’re trying to entice the ‘ideal’ candidate. Sometimes promises are made that just can’t be fulfilled? It’s also possible that you got caught on the rebound as you left your previous job and you didn’t fully research the new opportunity. Some would argue that you get from a job what you put in, so don’t throw the towel in too soon. Before you make any drastic changes you should really consider if it really is the job that’s to blame and not some other underlying issues that you’re just not dealing with. Let’s hope that you find true JOB LOVE really soon - if you&#39;re totally unsure of what kind of role you would love to be in we&#39;ve created the ultimate guide on how to find your passion and build a career around it, you can check it out <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/how-to-find-your-passion-and-build-a-career-around-it">here</a>.Happy Valentines too!

Finding 'The One' True Job

Are you:Interested in exploring IT-based apprenticeships? Why not try:IN-VEST 2An accredited pre-apprenticeship programme. Explore new apprenticeship opportunities and experience creative learning that can open up a career path in technology and other sectors.IN-VEST 2 is a pre-apprenticeship programme providing an introduction to:<ul><li>Software Development </li><li>Network Engineering </li><li>Web and Graphic Design</li><li>Project Development</li><li>Communication and Presentation Skills</li></ul>4 Weeks work experience and career planning included. **PLEASE NOTE: Participants may be eligible to receive a training allowance**This 18-week course will be starting in Finglas, Dublin in April 2020.HOW TO REGISTER:Info &amp; registration in the Ballymun Job Centre, Civic Centre, Dublin 9.For further information please contact the Ballymun Job Centre on 01 866 7000.By email:Emily Nelson: <a href="mailto:nelsone@bmunjob.ie">nelsone@bmunjob.ie </a>orMandy Creevy: <a href="mailto:creevym@bmunjob.ie">creevym@bmunjob.ie</a>

I.T Pre-Apprenticeship course starting in April 2020 | IN-VEST 2 

If you’re thinking of asking your boss to reduce your hours it’s important that you develop a plan that takes your employer’s needs into consideration. This will allow for a productive discussion and help you to achieve a mutually agreeable arrangement.
Open and honest discussionTry and be as open and honest as you can about why you need to change your working hours. It’s OK if you don’t want to get into too much detail – you can explain that it’s for personal reasons if you like.If it is something that you can discuss for example, you need the time to care for an a sick relative or to return to education etc., your boss may be more willing to help as they will have a clearer picture of your situation.Put yourself in your employer&#39;s shoesConsider the needs of your employer and develop a plan to compensate for the lost hours. 
Remember that this could be the first time anyone has requested a flexible working arrangement at the company. Make sure that you find out what your employer&#39;s particular concerns are, and try to suggest solutions which suit both of you.Important points to consider when putting your plan together:
• Will your company need to hire more staff or can tasks be distributed to other colleagues? 
• Can you start earlier in the morning to compensate for the lost hours?
• Does the business have peak and off-peak times? Perhaps offering to work during peak hours/days will help your case
• Flexi-time: Could you work more days but less hours?
• Is there an option to work from home? 
• Can you get your workload done in 30 hours instead of 40 hours?
• Does your employer think your work cannot be done part-time? If possible - make a case for why it can be done with reduced working hours
• Is this a temporary or permanent solution? Could you offer to work fewer hours for a trial period to prove that the new arrangement could work?• What is your timeline? Giving your boss an adequate amount of time to organise the new arrangement will help facilitate your request• What would your employer gain by agreeing to your request?For example:✅ A happier, less stressed employee ✅ A more productive team member✅ Higher morale✅ Retention of a skilled and experienced employeeSchedule a meeting Schedule a meeting with your manager once you have an explanation and contingency plan in place. Beforehand, it’s a good idea to email your boss regarding the matter so he/she has time to prepare. Being caught off guard may put your boss under stress and could increase the probability of a negative response. 
Be willing to negotiate with your boss to develop alternative solutions if he/she is unable to meet your initial request. A happy medium can be found through open and honest discussion. 
If you can present a solid argument to the company why working reduced hours would be a benefit to yourself and the company, you&#39;re more likely to be successful with your request. 
All the best with your master plan for a better work-life balance!

Work life balance: How to negotiate working fewer hours

Job advertising that worksHarness the latest technologies to find your next hire with JobAlert.ie, Ireland&#39;s #1 Irish owned jobs board.
 No contracts, no hidden fees.• Watch your jobs go viral on Facebook and Instagram
• Reach over half a million monthly website visitors
• Fill your jobs quickly so you can focus on your businessWith you all the way
We work closely with you for the entire duration that your job vacancy is live with us. Your job won’t just sit on our website. We will partner you up with a dedicated account manager who will ensure every step is taken to get your vacancy filled.
Reach an enormous online audience
We have over 330,000+ followers on social media and over 500,000 monthly visitors to our website.
Low cost, fast results
We keep our prices low so that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to hire new staff.What&#39;s included in our job advertising service:• Jobs can be posted anytime. There is no expiry date on when you can post them.
• Posted jobs are live on our website for up to 30 days
• Jobs are promoted to over 330,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin
• Jobs are shared across our social media channels during peak traffic hours for maximum exposure
• Jobs are included in alert emails sent to relevant job seekers
• Candidate management system for managing and reviewing job applications
• Dedicated account manager
• Support with writing and reviewing your job specification
• Custom image for social media promotionCustomer Testimonials We’ve worked with over 700 companies. Here&#39;s what a few of them had to say about our job advertising service:&quot;We have found JobAlert to be very effective and efficient in filling the many positions that we have had on offer recently. The team have provided us with a personalised service and go above and beyond to ensure that our jobs reach our target audience and that we got the results we needed. I have found the service from JobAlert to be second to none and very easy to do business with.&quot;
Jodie Mullen
 | City North Hotel&quot;JobAlert is an outstanding service with a rapidly growing reach across Ireland. Having used the service for some time now, my experience with the team and the company has always been exemplary – highly responsive, consultative and innovative with fantastic results every time. If you’re looking for high quality candidates in an instant, JobAlert is the place to go!&quot;
Aidan McGrath, HR Manager
 | IBAT College Dublin&quot;I used Job Alert for the first time in August this year. The response that we received was amazing. That combined with the overall service level offering from Job Alert made for a very pleasant recruitment experience and one that I will definitely use again.&quot;Nuala O&#39;Regan | Glanbia Cheese EU Check out more of our customer testimonials <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers?openTestimonies=true#testimonies">here.</a><h3>Frequently Asked Questions</h3><h3>How long will it take before my job is live?</h3>Once you have published your job it will be made live once a member of our team reviews it. Normally your job will be live within the hour but it can take up to 24 hours. Our team will then arrange to share your vacancy across our social media channels.<h3>How many people will see my job?</h3>Lots of people will see your job - visitors to our website, jobseekers who have signed up for alerts and also people who are following our pages on social media. Right now, we have over 330,000 social media followers and over 500,000 monthly visitors to our website. So your job will get plenty of exposure. You will reach both active and passive jobseekers. By passive, we mean people who are not actively looking for a job but will apply if they see the job on social media.<h3>How do I receive job applications?</h3>You can specify how you would like to receive job applications when uploading a job. You can request to receive applications by email or provide a link to your careers page or candidate management system – the choice is completely yours.<h3>Can I choose which county I want to target on Facebook?</h3>Yes, you can choose which county you’d like to share your job in when you post it. Right now we have specific social media pages targeting each county in Ireland and in the capital we have specific pages for Dublin North, South, West and the City Centre. We will share your job on the county page where the job is located and also on surrounding counties if the distance to the job location is commutable from those counties.<h3>Can I post a job in multiple counties if I have vacancies in different locations?</h3>Yes, you can share a job to multiple counties if you have vacancies in multiple locations. There is an additional charge for this service. Please contact us by email at info@jobalert.ie or telephone +353 1 849 5003 and we can discuss a cost-effective solution for you.<h3>Do you provide graphic design work for sharing my job on social media?</h3>Each job package comes with a standard graphic for use on social media. For custom graphics, get in touch.<h3>Can I keep my company name confidential?</h3>Yes, your company can be kept anonymous when posting jobs on JobAlert.ie.<h3>How do I pay?</h3>It’s very straightforward. Just select the the number of job credits that you want, continue through the checkout process and pay with your credit card. You can then use your job credits to post your jobs. Once payment has been completed a payment receipt will be sent immediately to your email address. No hidden fees or subscriptions. Just purchase more job credits as you require them.<h3>Can I be invoiced instead of paying by debit or credit card?</h3>Yes. If you are buying multiple job credits we can offer credit terms and we’ll also give you a discount for bulk orders. Call our sales department directly at +353 1 849 5003 to discuss further.<h3>Do you offer custom packages?</h3>Yes. We can build you a customized solution to fit your needs. If that means tailoring a package that includes unlimited job credits, multiple weekly shares on social media, or prioritizing jobs that needed to be filled yesterday, it can be done. Contact us at info@jobalert.ie or call us today to discuss on +353 1 849 5003.To advertise your job get started <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/post-job/packages">here.</a> We are looking forward to helping you fill your job vacancy.

Fill your job vacancies quickly with Ireland’s #1 Irish owned jobs board

If so, maybe the only new year resolution you should be working on right now, is to take time out for yourself in 2020.The demands of modern day living can be overwhelming, leaving many people feeling physically and mentally drained. If you’re reading this and feel it’s been written about you – it’s important to take action now before you burn yourself out completely. What is burnout?Until recently burnout was described by the medical world as a stress syndrome, however the World Health Organisation recently updated its definition and refers to burnout as; a “syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. They list the following symptoms;·      feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion·      increased mental distance from one’s job or feeling negative towards one’s career·      reduced professional productivityThe reality is burnout may leave you feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, hopeless, resentful, cynical and unable to meet constant demands.The negative effects of burnout can also spill over into every aspect of your life, including relationships and home life. It can make you vulnerable to illnesses such as common colds and flu’s, headaches, muscle pain or in the long run more serious health issues.Some people may find themselves withdrawing from responsibilities, isolating themselves, taking longer to get things done, taking their frustrations out on others and in a lot of cases using food, drugs or alcohol to cope.So what do you do?Firstly, take a deep breath, I mean it – Close your eyes, breathe slowly in out. Focus on the sound and when you have more time practice the 4, 7, 8 breathing technique, it involves breathing in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds and then exhale for 8 seconds. This technique is proven to reduce anxiety and can also help with sleep and controlling and reducing anger responses.Now let’s think about the other positive steps and changes that you can take to deal with managing or preventing burnout.Who can you reach out to? Reaching out to people you trust can be one of the most effective ways of dealing with the issue, once you have recognised the problem and have acknowledged that you are burning out. Organise to meet up now and then for a coffee or a walk, don’t forget to ask how they are feeling these days too!Limit your contact with negative people. Hanging out with people who do nothing but complain can drag you down. If you have to work with negative people, limit the amount of time you spend together – separate at lunch and coffee breaks, take a walk rather than sit and listen to negativity in the canteen.Find new friends and balance in your life. It’s never too late to establish new friendships. Join a group, pursue a hobby or something that you always loved to do. Have a look on-line there’s lots of great options from book clubs to walking groups etc. You don’t have to just join up for sports these days. You could always connect with a cause or a community group that is personally meaningful to you, the interaction with like-minded people will really help and working for a cause can be very gratifying.Take time off if you need it. Use holidays to completely detach and that means also switching off emails or your phone all together for the duration of your break. You could always buy a new sim card to use instead of your usual phone during your holiday and only give the number to people who may need to contact you in the case of an emergencies only.Take a daily tech break. If you can’t take time off right now, at least take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day or evening when you completely disconnect. Switch off your phone, put away your laptop and stop checking emails or social media.Make ‘me’ time a priority. It may sound selfish, but in the long run you will feel better for it. If you feel better, your quality time with those around you will also improve when you are with them.Take some exercise. Even though it’s probably the last thing you want to hear…but yes, exercise is a powerful antidote to stress and burnout. Even a 10 minute walk can improve moods for up to 2 hours. Start with small goals and it will be easier to increase the amount of time you spend exercising when you start to see the positive results. Instead of focusing on your thoughts and moods try and focus on your body and how it functions. Feel the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, the cold wind against your face, the sound of your breathing etc when you take a walk.Review your diet. You may be craving comfort foods right now like sugary snacks, pasta and French fries, but sugary and high carb foods will quickly lead to crashes in mood and energy levels. Be aware of mood altering foods such as caffeine, trans fats, alcohol and foods with chemical preservatives and hormones. Replace them with fresh fruits, vegetables and more nutritious options where you can.Most importantly, be kind to yourself, be kind to your body. Set boundaries and set rules for yourself. Don’t overextend yourself, learn how to say ‘no’ when required! Saying ‘no’ allows you to say ‘yes’ to other activities that make you feel better about yourself. It’s not healthy to consistently function at a very high level – know your limits. None of us are super human so stop beating yourself up!If you feel you need to change your job in 2020 be sure to follow us on Social Media or sign up for Job Alerts to receive the latest jobs in your area. Get started <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/create-account/jobseeker">here.</a>Best of Luck in 2020

Battered by the demands of a fast-paced work & home life or burnt out?

Finland is considering a four-day week. Is this the secret of happiness?
Reduced working hours, as suggested by the new Finnish PM, can boost productivity and cut carbon emissions. Here’s the evidence behind the idea.Finland’s new prime minister, 34-year-old Sanna Marin, has floated the idea of a four-day week. It sounds quite glorious, doesn’t it? However, critics of reduced working hours, think the idea is bonkers. Are they right? The evidence says not.Reducing the length of the working week boosts productivity. When, in August, Microsoft Japan tested a four-day week, productivity work shot up by about 40%. One Melbourne organisation found a six-hour working day forced employees to eliminate unproductive activities such as sending pointless emails, sitting in lengthy meetings and cyberloafing (messing around on the internet). British businesses that have successfully switched to a four-day week include Elektra Lighting, Think Productive and Portcullis Legals.A survey by the TUC found 45% of employees want a four-day week. According to a study by Henley Business School, 77% of workers said a four-day week improved their quality of life. When the city of Gothenberg in Sweden introduced a six-hour day for some nurses, the nurses became healthier, happier and more energetic.Reducing working hours is also good for the natural environment. According to some analyses, a shorter working week could also lead to a significant cut in our carbon footprint as employees produce less carbon emissions getting to work, use fewer resources at work and have more time to cook and shop instead of relying on takeaway food delivered in plastic containers.Although a shorter working week has many benefits, it is not a magic solution. The Wellcome Trust backtracked on plans for a four-day week, saying it would be “too operationally complex”. Gothenberg dropped its six-hour-day experiment because of increased costs. Bosses worry a shorter working week will create staffing challenges and make it harder to serve customers, while employees worry that working less will make them look lazy. These challenges are not insurmountable. Indeed, reduced working days are nothing new. Since the industrial revolution, the number of hours worked has been falling. When working hours in Britain were cut from about 54 hours a week to 48 hours a week in 1919, it had no effect on productivity and competitiveness. Kellogg’s, the US cereal manufacturer, successfully operated a six-hour working-day policy for many years in the middle of the 20th century. It was only dropped because management wanted the firm to have work practices like other companies. It is entirely possible to be happier and more productive and environmentally friendly at work. It might sound too good to be true, but it could be the norm in a few years.

Finnish PM calls for 4-day-week and 6-hours working day

When you begin to hate Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, it may be time to reinvent your career in 2020?We’ve all had a bad week where the dread kicks in on a Sunday evening. But what if it’s every week and it’s not only Mondays but Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every day? Life’s too short. If this is how you or someone you know feels, it’s time to get honest with oneself and truly evaluate your career. Remember career satisfaction not only affects your work life but your whole life, your health and relationships outside of work too.How easy or difficult it’s going to be to make a change depends largely on what you’re currently doing, how much you earn, who’s dependent on you, your age, your education, how much savings you currently have, your current debt and of course your own self-doubt?Even if you feel you are stuck in a rut because of your current responsibilities and burdens, you should still toy with the idea of making a change. It won’t cost you anything to consider the idea. It may just mean that your plans will take longer to put in place and at least you may improve how you feel in general by looking to the future and giving yourself something to look forward to.Let 2020 be the year that you make some positive changes, but where do you start? Here are some tips to help you along the way.1. Identify the problemAsk yourself - Is it the company you want to move away from or the entire industry? Making a career change is a serious process that will require vast amounts of energy and effort. If the majority of your problems are people orientated - i.e. issues with management or your work colleagues, it will be worth considering moving to a new job before launching your journey to a brand new career.2. Find your competitive advantageMake a list of the things that you love to do and a list of things that you’re great at, not just good at – I mean really great at. Things that give you a competitive edge. Reviewing both lists may provide you with a good starting point when considering a career or life change.3. How to find out what you love‘Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life again.&#39;
Sick of hearing that quote? You and everyone else. But there is some truth in it.
If you say to yourself ‘I don’t know what I want to do with my life’, you’re certainly not alone.
The solution is to find what it is that you love. Then build your career around it.
How do I find out what I really love?
But I don’t know what I love? Yes you do! You just need to do some digging. Here’s where to start.
Questions to ask…. you
• What do you do when you have spare time?
• What do you want to be better at?
• Who inspires you? Why do they inspire you?
• What would you spend your time doing if you didn’t have to work?Audit your lifeBy breaking down your current behaviour, actions and patterns it will uncover where your curiosity and passion lie.You are leaving clues behind every day about what you love – so go find them!• Review your YouTube history and search history on Google• Review your internet browser bookmarks• Review your bank statements and see where your money is going every month• Speak to your friends, parents, family members or partner and ask them what you are always talking about?Go back to your childhoodIt’s time to take a stroll down memory lane.What did you love doing as a child before life got in the way? Make a list of all the activities and hobbies you can remember doing when you were younger. Think of happy times in your childhood too.<ul><li>When we’re you full of joy as a child?</li><li>Was there any activity that you were talented at?</li></ul>4. Research your optionsBe mindful of the fact that we can become blinkered by our current surroundings and remember that there are lots of different types of organisations and careers out there. You may only have a view of the industry that you are currently in. The culture in other industries could be completely different from your current employers, so be sure to do plenty of research to identify what’s attractive to you. Check out other businesses within your current industry and also not for profit organisations. Research has found that people who work for charities, social enterprises or other not-for-profit organisations increased their personal happiness levels sharply. People feel happier when they believe that their work is serving a greater purpose. Look around at the people who you think have perfect jobs. If you could swap places with someone, who would that be and why? What do they do? How happy are they really? Could you do what they’re doing? What do you have to do to get there? Maybe invite them out for a coffee, it’s best to be honest from the get go – tell them why you’d like to meet in advance. Most people will be happy to oblige.5. Beating self-doubtThere’s no doubt that making big changes can be daunting and challenging and contemplating such changes will immediately kick off self-doubt in the best of us. It’s a natural reaction but self-doubt can be paralysing, if you let it take over. The best way to overcome self-doubt is to clearly visualise what you want in your life and how you’d like your future to look. Look to your past accomplishments and remind yourself of your past successes. Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones helps to refocus your mind.Self-doubt is the bodies way of protecting you. It’s a reminder that you are venturing on something brave and important. It has a place in everyone’s life, but how we react to it, is the difference between success or failure. When you experience self-doubt, the best thing to do is to acknowledge it. It may help to write down a list of why you’re feeling like this. What are the obstacles that have the potential to hold you back? You can then put a plan in place for addressing them in a healthy and productive way. This will help you to remain more positive as you move forward.6. Rebuild your professional NetworkWhen considering a career change, have a look at your current network. Do you know anyone who is currently working in the field, if you do link back up with them? A good place to reconnect with people is on LinkedIn. Getting to speak to people who work in your chosen area is an excellent way to gain valuable knowledge about the inner workings of the industry or specific companies. Surrounding yourself with the right people can have a profound impact on your career prospects. 7. Focus on your transferable skillsShowcasing your transferable skills to potential hiring managers is one of the most effective methods for successfully making a career change. Transferable skills, as the name suggests, are skills that can be transferred from one field to another. They’re often referred to as portable skills because you take them along with you from job to job.

Because of their versatility, transferable skills are of interest to any employer regardless of the industry.
 Examples of Transferable Skills
<ul><li>Communication</li><li>Organization
</li><li>Problem-solving</li><li>Management</li><li>Leadership</li><li>Time management
</li><li>Prioritisation</li><li>Delegation</li><li>Listening</li></ul>How to highlight your transferable skills: CV, Cover Letter &amp; InterviewA great opportunity to display your transferable skills on your CV is within the Competencies/Achievement section. Each transferable skill should be written in the present tense and will detail how you demonstrate the particular skill. Here are some examples:Customer service: Exceptional at dealing with customers and problem solving. Winner of two customer service awards in the past 12 months. Reduced customer complaints overall by 30% within my first year of employment.
Leader and high performer: Successfully captained my local football team to a first ever league title. I was voted player of the year for the past two seasons. Consistently got results and motivated team members to perform to the best of their ability.
Proactive: Learned Java Script in my spare time through an online training course on weekends. Extremely focused on continuing to upskill and increasing my market value.
Forward thinker and innovative: Proven track record of finding new product solutions. Proactively sought new systems to improve the aftersales process at *COMPANY NAME* which resulted in a 55% increase in repeat business.
Excellent communicator: Managed dispute resolutions successfully for small and medium enterprises by proactively understanding and empathising with all parties to find solutions.
High achiever: Completed my undergraduate studies with an average assessment result of 80%. Achieved perfect attendance during my final two years of university.
Problem solver: Lead a team of 5 people at *COMPANY NAME* to successfully complete a process improvement overhaul which focused entirely on becoming a paperless business. The project objective was reached a month before deadline.
For the best results make a list of the skills related to the position you are applying for and incorporate them into your core competencies and achievements section within your CV. Cover LetterWe have a detailed guide on how to include your transferable skills within your cover letter. Check it out <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-instructions-and-template-included">here.</a>Interview preparationBehavioral-based questions during the interview will allow you to effectively demonstrate your transferable skills to hiring managers. One great method to use will be the STAR method. The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing. Here&#39;s how it works:Situation: Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish.
Task: What goal were you working toward?
Action: Describe the actions you took to address the situation with an appropriate amount of detail and keep the focus on YOU. What specific steps did you take and what was your particular contribution? Be careful that you don’t describe what the team or group did when talking about a project, but what you actually did. Use the word “I,” not “we” when describing actions.
Result: Describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about taking credit for your behavior. What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? Make sure your answer contains multiple positive results.
Finally, If you need any help putting your CV together you can check out our step by step guide <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/how-to-write-a-cv-step-by-step-guide-template">here</a> which includes a sample CV and cover letter with details instructions. The sample CV template is also available for download which you can use to help put your own CV together. We wish you the very best of luck with your master plan for 2020.

7 Steps to a Successful Career Change in 2020

Don&#39;t Quit.When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you&#39;re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don&#39;t you quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns
And many a failure comes about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don&#39;t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you&#39;re hardest hit—
It&#39;s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
By John Greenleaf Whittier
Christmas and New Year is a time for giving, a time to rest if you can and a time to reflect. It’s also a time to think about new opportunities in the New Year ahead.
Remember that you have the power to make 2020 the best year yet. So don&#39;t quit on what you want.
Wishing you and your family a safe and fabulous Christmas From all the team at JobAlert.ie.

Don't Quit - A special Christmas message

Fear - the one big thing that holds most of us back from trying something new. But what if you knew you could not fail – ask yourself “What would you try?”Imagine having the confidence to overcome your fears, if you can achieve it you&#39;re half way there to gaining success and achieving the life you really want.Mind over Matter – Have you ever done something that really scared you? Do you remember the feeling when you finally overcame the fear and succeeded at whatever you were doing? It’s great isn’t it! So take small steps in 2020. Breakdown the big challenge into smaller challenges, your confidence will build if you keep tackling each challenge as you go. For example, if you want to get a Degree – maybe enrol for a Certificate Course first, then a Diploma and then go for the big one! Who knows you may end up continuing to do a Masters.If you’d like to set up your own business or you want to pursue a career doing something you love, I suggest you set up something small first before you give up the day job. For example if you like art and crafts, maybe take a table at a small local market on your days off to sell your wares or set up a Facebook page to flog your products, it’s a great way to test the business before going fully fledged into it.There’s not too much to lose by starting small. If you fail you&#39;re not going to die, you still have the security of your day job to fall back on and if the new business does well, you can start looking at reducing your hours at work and put more time and effort into your own business.If you find that you can’t make a living off the new business, brush yourself off and either keep up the hobby or try something else. Trial &amp; Error - Many Millionaires and Billionaires didn&#39;t succeed at their first business either, if you try a few things that don’t work out you&#39;ll be in good company. We learn from trying. If we didn&#39;t try new things even as kids, we would have never learned to walk, run, jump win, love .... or succeed into adulthood.I heard a great phrase this week &quot;we cannot be what we cannot see&quot;, how true is this? Like if we don&#39;t explore all the options and look beyond where we were born, our family status and everything around us now, sure we&#39;d never see what&#39;s really out there, the opportunities...the possibilities - how far we can actually go!What we should really fear is not trying at all!It&#39;s time to change the way we think, to tell the voices in our heads to &#39;shut up&#39; to stop talking for a while. We need space to think, to believe in ourselves and visualise more.Dream – “If we can dream it, we can be it”, a famous saying by Walt Disney Dreaming and believing that you can do something will help to relieve the fears. Stay positive because the moment that you believe you can’t do it, everything will crumble.Fears and self-doubt can come in many forms;<ul><li>Procrastination</li><li>Perfectionism</li><li>Lack of Clarity &amp; Direction</li><li>Being Overwhelmed</li><li>Lack of Action &amp; Implementation</li><li>Indecisiveness</li><li>Lack of Self-Confidence</li></ul>So ask yourself again;What would you attempt to do TODAY if you knew you could not fail?Write down your answers, read them out loud from time to time.Become the Person You Want To BeHappy New Year Everyone

What would you attempt to do in 2020 if you knew you could not fail?

The minimum wage will rise by 30 cents to €10.10 an hour in a move that should benefit around 127,000 workers, the Government announced today.
The rise from the current rate of €9.80 for adult workers will be introduced on February 1. It will give Ireland the second-highest minimum wage rate in the European Union, edging narrowly ahead of France and behind only Luxembourg’s rate of €11.97.
The minister for employment affairs, Regina Doherty, said the Government was able to make the move because of “the strong growth in earnings across the economy over the last year and thanks to greater clarity in the UK regarding their plans for Brexit”.
The Government had accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation for a 30 cent rise in October but postponed any move at the time citing the risk of a crash-out Brexit.
Minister Doherty said the February increase would mean that a minimum wage worker on a 39-hour work week would earn an extra €11.70 weekly or €608.40 per year.
She noted that the minimum wage had increased by 13.2pc since 2015.
“All types of work should pay well and it is my determination that a job should really lift people out of poverty,” she said. “The ongoing increases in the minimum wage help to ensure that happens.”
The Government said it also would raise the threshold for employers’ liability to pay PRSI from the current rate of €386 to €395 on February 1 to ensure that they do not face “a higher level of PRSI charge solely due to this increase”.Source: <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/minimum-wage-to-rise-to-1010-an-hour-in-february-second-highest-in-eu-38799338.html">Independent.ie</a>

Minimum wage will increase to €10.10 from February 

Work Permit Changes  - Hospitality, Construction, Health and Haulage  Jobs

Zoefia May Woods

Working Lone Parents on One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment can earn an extra €15 per week, up to €165, and keep their full paymentMinister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty has announced that the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019 has been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas today (Tuesday, 17 December), and will now be presented to the President for signing.Today’s final stage in the Seanad paves the way for the introduction of the Budget increases of €171 million next year for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which will have a total budget of €21.2 billion in 2020.The Bill, when enacted, will provide for increases for people most at risk of poverty and is focused on improving the economic and social wellbeing of children and families through a range of targeted and enhanced supports.Marking the passage of the Bill, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D. said:“This legislation reflects the Government’s commitment to funding and making adjustments to those elements of the social welfare code that can deliver the greatest impact in terms of alleviating poverty for those groups most at risk.I am particularly pleased to build on the foundations of recent years by continuing to provide for a better deal for families, particularly those on low fixed incomes.”Key features in the Bill, passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, include:• Increased weekly payments for each qualified dependent child - €2 for children under 12, and €3 for children aged 12 and over• The Living Alone Allowance will increase by €5 per week, benefitting over 200,000 vulnerable people• An extra €2 in the weekly Fuel Allowance payment, benefitting some 370,000 households• Working Lone Parents on One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment can earn an extra €15 per week, up to €165, and keep their full payment.Link to Government Press Office <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/news/a8348c-social-welfare-bill-passes-all-stages-of-oireachtas-following-approv/">CLICK HERE</a>

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