12 Tips to Boss your Career Break & Return to Work in Style!

12 Tips to Boss your Career Break & Return to Work in Style!

It’s no secret…

…that despite the popularity of career breaks among working professionals (61% of us choose to take one), the return to work afterwards can be a challenge to say the least.

This is partly due to the fears that candidates have about re-joining the corporate chaos, topped with insecurities about marketing themselves and re-establishing themselves as in-demand professionals.

But in addition to this, other barriers from companies such as how they view career-break candidates, what they assume about their motivation, skills and how up-to-date they are following a career break, all add to the pot.

But despite all of this, it doesn’t mean you should give up on the idea of taking a career break! It can be a wonderful thing to experience and all it takes is a little extra thought and preparation to make things easier on yourself upon returning to work.

The truth is, regardless of your profession, your experience or skills, it is very normal to feel a little ‘out of touch’ and anxious after taking time out from a fast moving job or industry. It’s to be expected, in fact.

I’ve written about career-break’s before and shared different ideas and developments on this area, looking at why companies fear hiring career break candidates, as well as sharing an insightful TED Talk, but today I want to share something practical with you.

I’m talking about some actionable tips you can start doing right now to make your career break transition even smoother.

So, to help you stay at the top of your game during your time-off and maintain a modern and in-demand professional profile, here are 12 of our Top Tips!

Lead from the front! Share this article 12 Top Tips to Boss Your Career Break & Return to Work with Style!” with your colleagues and friends! 

1. GO PUBLIC WITH YOUR JOB SEARCH

Reach out to your network, that is, your colleagues, ex-colleagues, clients, friends and family. Learn how to network effectively with old and new connections.

Tell everyone you know you’ll be returning to work following your time off. While most of these conversations may not directly land you a job, a handful of these could lead to new opportunities.

Start making connections early, don’t leave it until you’re already job hunting.

2. BE CONFIDENT

Whether you’ve been away from work for a few months or a few years, getting back into the workforce can be nerve-racking.

If you’re interviewing at a new company, remember that a confident demeanour can go a long way towards making a positive and lasting impression. Or if you’re looking to return to your previous employment, they’ll remember you for the good work you did and the personality you had before your career-break, so remind yourself of those good things too!

If all else fails, consider these words from just about every coach on the planet: Fake it until you make it! Or as Amy Cuddy said it, ‘fake it until you become it!’

Act confidently and soon enough you’ll naturally begin to feel confident. If you need a little help with this, hire a coach to help you transform your confidence and achieve your goals even quicker.

 

3. KNOW YOUR STUFF

One of the biggest concerns that employers have with regards to returning professionals is that they won’t be up to date with the latest industry or technological advancements, processes and practices.

This could mean that interview questions might be a bit more difficult, as the hiring manager will look to see if you still know your stuff and if your knowledge is current.

The best way to prepare yourself is to stay connected and on top of the latest industry trends and news throughout your career break. Or go a step further and do additional courses to keep improving your professional profile (e.g. Business English). 

4. ASSESS YOUR SITUATION FIRST

Although you may feel ready to return to work, it is important that you take a step back to evaluate specifically what you are looking for, and whether your professional interests, career objectives and requirements have changed.

Also, does the job you are applying for suit your new lifestyle? Have a clear sense of what your job ‘deal breakers’ are to help you narrow down your search and avoid wasting time.

Don’t simply jump straight back into the first job you find!

 

5. TRANSLATE & MODERNISE YOUR CV & LINKEDIN 

Modernise and translate your CV and LinkedIn into 2 or even 3 languages for multinational companies. Plus, avoid leaving gaps in your CV, even if your career break was for a long period of time.

Be open about your career break, you’re not the only person returning to work. Include a ‘relevant experience’ or ‘key expertise’ and experience section that highlights how you have developed characteristics that are considered desirable within your industry.

If you are uncertain how to do this and would like some help, check out our CV & LinkedIn Service here.

6. CONSIDER ‘RETURNSHIP’ PROGRAMS 

Around the world, ‘returnships’ or re-entry programs have become increasingly popular, creating a bridge back to senior roles for experienced professionals who have taken a career break.

This is something that we are likely to see growing tremendously in the coming years.

These offer a win-win solution for both parties, giving for example, new mothers a chance to see how they will balance work and home life while giving employers an opportunity to ‘test the water’ before offering a full-time contract.

 

7. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

The workplace may not look or feel the same when you return!

Even after just a few months out, many things could have changed, from management styles, working hours, responsibilities, pay, dress code or even the entire corporate culture.

So be flexible, open minded and adaptable to the new way of working. Embrace it!

 

8. TRAIN YOUR INTERVIEW SKILLS

Returning to work after a career break is more than just finding a job vacancy online, you’ve got to impress in person, too.

First impressions really matter and they really stick! That’s why it’s crucial to practice and refine your interview skills, particularly if you’ve been out of the game for a while and even more so if you’re interview will be in a second language.

Practice, practice and practice some more, or even better, join an interview training course to perfect your skills and increase your confidence in the interview.

 

9. TRAIN YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS

From large presentations to small workshops, presentation skills are increasingly in demand in the corporate world.

Plus, employers don’t always want to wait to hire you before knowing if you have these skills. That’s why many interviews require short presentations.

So keep your skills in check and learn how how to deliver outstanding presentations using professional English!

10. GET HEADSTRONG

Returning to work can feel scary at times. That’s normal. You may feel as though you don’t fit in or simply feel a little uncomfortable rejoining the corporate world.

New beginnings are always a little daunting, so don’t be hard on yourself. Be aware that some companies may still see a career break as a negative thing, so be ready for that.

Prepare in advance how you would overcome this objection, so you can confidently and positively demonstrate why you’re as good any other candidate out there!

 

11. SEE RECRUITMENT FROM THEIR SIDE

Something we work on in our interview training course is how to see the recruitment and selection process from the employer/recruiter’s point of view.

Why? Because this gives you power in your preparation, confidence and negotiation leverage, not to mention an advantage over other candidates.

You can arrive prepared for their concerns and ready for their objections and challenges, so you can give them every reason to hire you instead of excuses not to. Make it easy for them to want you!

 

12. EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS

Be flexible. Don’t limit your options by narrowing your job search too much.

Consider these 3 variables as a minimum: Job, Salary, and Location. Decide what you want for each and how flexible you are for each.

For example, if you found the perfect job/company in the perfect location, but the salary was less than you wanted, would you accept it? Or if the salary and job were perfect but it was located in another country, would you consider moving abroad?

Remember, don’t confuse being flexible with undervaluing yourself or settling for less than you’re comfortable with!

PLUS! Be open to new industries, company types, or career paths that interest you and where possible, increase your employability by building on your professional profile with additional courses.

 

So there you have it.

12 top tips to get you started on your career break AND prepare you for your return to work.

Which of these tips do you like the most? Can you think of any other tips you would suggest for professionals looking to rejoin the job market?

Is there anything else companies could do to help candidates that are returning to work?

Share your ideas and experiences here in the comments box below!

PLUS! If this article resonated with you, or you know someone who could benefit from hearing this message, then share this article with your friends and colleagues via Facebook & LinkedIn.

 

Best,

Adam 

For the definitions of the highlighted words check our Glossary

*Adapted from original article at entrepreneur.com

Adam Baker

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Adam Baker

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

We’ll email you occasionally with our latest posts & most interesting news.

Don’t Say “INTERESTING”, Choose these English Adjectives Instead!

Don’t Say “INTERESTING”, Choose these English Adjectives Instead!

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who isn’t a native in your language…

…and something they say sounds kind of odd or makes you think “I have no idea what they’re trying to say!”?

Or perhaps you were the one speaking English and mid-conversation you notice a confused look on their face, while they try to ‘decode’ what you’re saying?

If you know what I’m talking about, don’t worry! 

I’ve lost count of the times this has happened to me when I speak Portuguese to natives (even though I’m an advanced speaker)!

It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it happens for a good reason, but I do understand how frustrating it can be, especially, when you’re certain you’re saying the right thing!

So what’s happening? 

Sometimes when we’re talking in a second language, namely English, our mother tongue can get in the way a little (or a lot!), for example, with certain vocabulary, pronunciation, or expressions…

…and even HOW we use those same words can differ from language to language and from culture to culture.

Hence the confused faces staring back at you, no matter how perfect you may think your sentence is.

And one classic example of this mistake in English, that I ALWAYS hear is with the word: INTERESTING‘…

…and it definitely confused me the first time I heard it.

 

I first noticed this mistake while teaching Business English to corporate executives in Brazil.

Although the word is very similar between Portuguese and English, in Brazil they also have a different use of the word ‘interesting’, as do many other languages, and when it’s translated literally or used this way, it doesn’t make sense in English.

So, to show you exactly WHAT this mistake is and HOW the word ‘interesting’ should be used, check out this short video below, AND I’ve also included also some PERFECT alternative adjectives that NATIVES do use instead.

Watch the video below now and remember to write your comments and questions afterwards…

…and of course, if you found this video of value or ‘interesting’ :), please Like and Subscribe to my channel for more English tips and lessons, especially if you found this video helpful and… interesting! 🙂

 

Video Introduction: Some words and expressions cause confusion in English simply because they don’t always translate exactly as you would imagine them to, from one language to another. Watch this video to find out how and why the word ‘Interesting’ is commonly misused by English learners, as well as how we should use this adjective in business scenarios! Plus, some bonus Native alternatives to help improve your vocabulary and English conversations!

 

If you have a question about Business English or English in general, send it to me here and I’ll endeavour to answer as soon as possible, I may even make a video about it for you!

If you like this video, please hit the Like button and Subscribe to my channel for more English classes, tips and native insightsPlus, let me know how this video has helped in the comments! 

Feel free to share this video with your colleagues and friends via your social media or on LinkedIn! And speaking of Social media, come and connect with me via my YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

Best,

Adam

P.S.: Was it easy for you to understand everything in this article and video? If you’d like to expand your professional vocabulary and improve your English, check out our fantastic range of courses here!

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Teacher, Coach, and Sport & Organisational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Teacher, Coach, and Sport & Organisational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

We’ll email you occasionally with our latest posts & most interesting news.

6 Lessons Jack Ma Wants Entrepreneurs to Learn

6 Lessons Jack Ma Wants Entrepreneurs to Learn

Jack Ma is not only one of the hardest workers of the last 2 decades or so, but as of October 2020, he was also one of China’s richest men with a net worth of over US$56 billion, and one of the wealthiest people in the world!

He is a Chinese business magnate, investor, and philanthropist, frequently listed as one of the world’s most powerful people by Forbes, and in 2017 was ranked 2nd in the annual “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” list by Fortune.

And it’s not by chance. 

He has an incredible mindset towards both business and life, as well as a gift for sharing his exceptional insights on achieving success.

His ideas and suggestions make it clear to see how he has amassed such a fortune, and deservedly so.

In this inspirational article by Deji Aroloye, Jack gives 6 valuable lessons, along with many more noteworthy insights for entrepreneurs and businesses alike!

So, if you’re an entrepreneur, a leader in business, or you want to be, this one’s for you!

 

 

Chinese entrepreneur and one of the richest men in Asia, Jack Ma’s rags-to-riches story has endeared him to many people across the world. He built his company ‘Alibaba’ from scratch, to become a global e-commerce giant.

Apart from being chairman of the Alibaba Group, Jack Ma is also a Special Adviser on Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Ma, who visited Africa for the first time recently, gave a lecture on empowering Africa’s young entrepreneurs at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. With over 500 young business leaders in attendance, the event offered the right opportunity for Ma to share some lessons about entrepreneurship and life, which we can all learn from.

 

1. The Art of Managing People

“If you want them better, train them, discipline them and support them”, He said. “I call myself CEO (Chief Education Officer) of the company. You don’t have to be the best, but you have to know who is better than you and work with him. Be a good teacher; a good teacher shares knowledge and also expects people are better than you are.”

 

2. Wealth comes with responsibilities towards Society

He explained that wealth always comes with some responsibilities, which should be aimed at the collective good of society.

“When you have 1 million, that is your money. When you have 20 million, that is a problem. You have to think of the valuation, where to put the money; if it has to be real estate, buy stocks, or invest as VC [venture capitalist]. When you have more than one billion dollars, that kind of money belongs to the society. And people in the society trusted that you can spend the money better than the government.”

 

3. Don’t Complain, Act.

Slow growth and development act as roadblocks to many entrepreneurs in their quest to realise their dreams. It is commonplace to hear different complaints about the situation in their country, society, economy or their industry. However, Ma believes successful people complain less.

“A lot of people complain “nobody helps me. Why don’t people help me to get money from the banks? Why am I not born into the Bill Gates’ family?” People have a lot of stupid complaints. I had all these complaints that young people have today, I had them. I complained about Bill Gates, Oracle and all these companies taking our jobs. I later found out that complaining doesn’t work.”

“I travel around the world, I see so many successful people, politicians, business people, scientists and artists, I find one quality that the successful people share: they never complain; they are always optimistic.

 

4. Failure Lessons are more important than Success Stories

Ma revealed that he uses failure stories to teach his organisation (which has about 57,000 employees!). He believes talking about failure should be an important curriculum for entrepreneurship.

“The MBA teaches success stories. When you read two minutes of success stories, you get up and think ‘I can be successful.’ When you share a lot of failure stories, you learn.

“No matter how smart you are in your business, you will make the same mistakes again and again. The way we teach and share failure stories, by not wanting you to avoid mistakes, is to teach how to face the mistakes when you are in trouble.”

 

5. Stick close to Technology; See Opportunities in Challenges

According to him, almost 90% of the businesses in the future will be online.

“The first technology revolution reduced human energy and we knew humans were not as strong as machines. The second technological revolution reduced the speed of human beings and we knew we could never run faster than planes and trains. This (present) technology revolution relieves human brains. Don’t be scared because machines will be smarter than we are.”

“One of the things I want to think about is: how will the world look like? What will China look like? What will my neighbours look like? What kind of problems will they have in five or ten years? If this is a problem that is going to happen to China; if these are the problems going to happen to my customers; if I can fix these [and] if I can start preparing now, five years later I will be a successful person.”

Addressing the audience in Africa, he added: “Africa has much opportunities, because of its young population. Africa has so many complaints and problems. That is the opportunity. If you want to be big companies, solve big problems, if you want to be small companies, solve small problems.”

 

6. Customers and Employees take precedence over Shareholders

Towards the end of his speech, Ma advised the audience: “Always remember customers are number 1, employees number 2, and shareholders number 3. If you make your customers happy, they pay the money; if you make your employees happy, they will be creative and innovative.”

So, what do you think of Jack’s advice?

Which of these 6 pieces of advice resonate with you the most?

Let us know what you think in the comments box below and be sure to share this article with your friends and colleagues, too!

Best,

Adam 

This is an edited re-post. Original source: Outrepreneurs by Deji Aroloye

 

P.S.: Was everything in this article and video easy to understand? If you’d like to expand your professional vocabulary and improve your ‘Business English’, check out our fantastic courses and services here!

For the definitions of the highlighted words check our Glossary.

Adam Baker

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Adam Baker

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

We’ll email you occasionally with our latest posts & most interesting news.

Interview Tips – From Insecure to Invincible!

Interview Tips – From Insecure to Invincible!

Whether you’re just starting out in your job search or you’re a seasoned pro applying to various ideal jobs in the market, it’s common knowledge that candidate competition is high.

This is particularly true if you’re applying to the best companies, the best job vacancies and the most competitive salaries.

That’s why your success is not only down to having a great CV, or cover letter and Linkedin profile, to get your foot in the door, it’s actually more about delivering the goods during your interview.

That’s your chance to really shine, to show your professional worth, so to speak, to stand out from the crowd and to demonstrate why you’re the only candidate they should be thinking about!

So, to help you out in this endeavour, here are 7 Great English Interview Tips to give you that competitive advantage going into the ring!

Lead from the front by sharing this article with your colleagues and friends!

1. Update Your CV/Resume, Cover Letter & LinkedIn Profile

Get your CV, Cover Letter and LinkedIn profile professionally written or translated by a Native English speaker, ideally by someone with corporate experience and/or knowledge of CV writing and HR & Recruitment protocol.

Why so specific?

Well, apart from the obvious, they know how to articulately use professional English and how to make your CV stand out in front of potential employers, not to mention their key insight into what recruiters are looking for.

Check out our CV & LinkedIn service here, and we’ll help turn yours into something to be truly proud of!

Make sure your cover letter is short, sharp and to the point. A bit like an abstract of a scientific paper, it must clearly and professionally deliver key points and your purpose for writing early on. 

2. Know your Professional Experience inside out!

Knowledge is power!… and in the case of your interview, it’s confidence.

Make sure you’re well-versed on your career history and can coherently and succinctly explain the details of your professional experience and skills.

While we’re on the subject of skills, it’s worth noting that a lot of people forget to really highlight their current skills and abilities and simply focus on their past experience, which leaves a huge gap in the professional image you portray to the interviewer. You want them to know what your expertise are today, not only what you’ve done in the past.

Your skills are just as important as your experience, See this TED talk on precisely this point.

Practice giving additional details about projects and challenges, about your skills in action, career changes, key accomplishments, as well as your strengths and weaknesses (or as we prefer to call them, “areas for improvement”!).

As an interviewer, there is nothing more deflating than when a candidate can’t explain their own experience or skills in detail, and ideally with a little passion and confidence, too. You should wow the interviewer with interesting information, successes, lessons learnt and more. And let’s face it, if anyone should know your experience and skills well, it should be you, right?

Start practicing your English interview skills with us today, find out more here!

 

3. Start well, End well!

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression!  They’re crucially important!… And so are final impressions!

Make sure you make a great first impression when you meet you interviewer. And if you’ve done a great job during the interview, don’t throw it all away with a poor finish.

Learn how to start and finish an interview politely, professionally, confidently and as someone who is in charge of their professional destiny!

Don’t be shy or too proud to spend some time practicing the start and finish of an interview, it matters! Believe me when I say, it counts in terms of building and maintaining rapport, which is crucial for interview success.

 

4. Perfect Grammar & Accents

This is a common stress point for many English learners, and yet, it isn’t actually the ‘be all and end all’. There are more important things you should be focusing on!

So you have an accent, so what! It’s actually quite an endearing feature to have, so relax about it!

Of course, if your accent prohibits your pronunciation to the point that the interviewer cannot understand you, then work on your pronunciation, intonation and word stress. However, it’s not necessary to completely lose your accent.

**Top Interview Tip!**
To help you better understand the interviewer (and their accent), find out where they’re from and practice listening to that typical accent online to familiarise yourself with their intonation and pronunciation. That way, it will be easier to understand them on the day of your interview!

Regarding grammar, the more accurate you are, the better, but a small mistake here or there isn’t going to lose you the job!

In fact, in our Interview Training Course, we put your mind at ease by teaching you the most important interview grammar, while also showing you how to easily recognise which grammar to use on the day.

 

5. Fail to Prepare and you Prepare to Fail!

It’s an old expression, but it’s as true today as it ever has been. Don’t leave your career to chance!

In other words, even if your interview goes OK without much preparation, you’ll probably lose out to another candidate who put the time, effort and preparation in. During an interview, it really shows show’s done their preparation, and who hasn’t. 

Don’t assume you can just breeze through ‘on the fly’, without the adequate preparation… and just to be clear, ‘preparation’ doesn’t mean cramming all your practice into one or two days before the interview!

Remember, for vacancies at multinationals, you’re not only competing against other non-native English speakers, but also natives AND internal candidates! If they’re putting in the preparation, you should be putting in double!

Practice, practice and practice some more. And if you have time, invest in some additional course to elevate your interview skills, such as an Interview preparation course that suits your schedule.

 

6. To Script, or not to Script!

Surely this is obvious, but just in case, do not, I repeat, do not script your answers! Yes, have a good guide for what you want to include in your answers, but don’t script it word for word. 

I’ve seen a lot of candidates script their answers, and take it from me, it always comes off seeming fake, uncharismatic, and if you forget a part of the script you’ll typically freeze while you try to remember the next line! Plus, the interviewer will lose confidence in you as a top candidate.

Instead, believe in your ability to communicate in English and deliver great answers!

So, how do you overcome the script?…

Chunk your answers down into key bullet points of key information that prompt your responses. Then practice delivering the answers in a number of different ways, using different adjectives, verbs, vocabulary and even grammar tenses.

The more versatile you are, the more natural, confident and fluent you’ll be in the interview!

 

7. Punctuality.

In English speaking nations like the USA, UK and Australia, as well as many European countries, good punctuality in the business world is a must, and interviews are no exception.

Turning up late to an interview or unprepared, shows disrespect, disinterest and disorganisation. Don’t make that mistake. Remember tip #3?

In fact, to make the right impression, you should be neither late, nor too early! Yes, too early is a thing!

I’d recommend 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled time. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Ok, so what now?

Now that you have these secrets to interview success in your hands, it’s time to put them into action!

The first things you can do to get started are, translate and improve your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile, and train your interview skills in English.

Make note of the tips here that really resonated with you and focus on where you can really transform your interview game overnight. And of course, for the best guidance, interview training, native translations, and Business English courses, get in touch with us today!

 

Would you like to hone your English interview skills? Anxious that you’re not quite ready to face the paanel of interviewers? Well fear not!

We’re here to help professionals like you to speak excellent Business English, and FEEL truly confident to deliver your absolute best during your interview and have the best chance of landing the job!

Best,

Adam 

For the definitions of the highlighted words check our Glossary

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

We’ll email you occasionally with our latest posts & most interesting news.

Looking for a Job? Highlight Your Ability, Not Your Experience

Looking for a Job? Highlight Your Ability, Not Your Experience

When searching for a new job or preparing for an interview, most of us concern ourselves most with listing endless bullet points in our CV under ‘professional experience’ or ‘career history’ as it is sometimes referred to.

Likewise, most recruiters fix their gaze firmly upon this section of your CV, to see if you tick all the boxes they’ve pre-framed in their mind.

But is this all CV’s and interviews are good for? Reading through your past experience?

The problem with this is that your history only shows the interviewer what you’ve done in the past, useful – yes of course, but it doesn’t show them what you are capable of and expertly skilled at doing today!

Wouldn’t it be better to fill the recruiter with confidence that you are the candidate they’ve been searching for by doing something above and beyond what they’re expecting or what they can already see on your CV, something that truly wows them?

Additionally, to those of you who are Employers or Recruiters, wouldn’t it be nice to see some actual unique differential between the 1000+ CV’s you receive, whereby you can see the candidates in action? What if you could find exceptional talent in places you’d never even dreamed of?

This is a mindset shift that I believe both candidate AND employers/recruiters can benefit from.

So how on earth do you do that? It’s pretty simple actually.

In this article I’m going to share a short but intriguing TED Talk with you that highlights how and why we should be looking differently at recruitment and selection, as well as how we ‘sell’ ourselves most effectively as candidates.

“Don’t just show people what you’ve done in the past, actively

demonstrate what you’re capable of doing right now!”

Check out this 6 minute TED Talk below by Jason Shen who talks about why we as candidates and recruiters shouldn’t only be focusing on career history, but rather skills and abilities to widen our field of vision in the recruitment and selection game.

Click the video below to watch now. Remember to tell us what you think afterwards via our comments section!

Video Introduction: Very few of us hold jobs that line up directly with our past experiences or what we studied in college. Take TED Resident Jason Shen; he studied biology but later became a product manager at a tech company. In this quick, insightful talk about human potential, Shen shares some new thinking on how job seekers can make themselves more attractive — and why employers should look for ability over credentials.

What do you think of Jason’s talk and his ideas?

Can you see how this might help you as a candidate or as a recruiter in the future?

Will this influence your job application and interview strategy? Or will it change how and where you search for new talent for your business?

We’re interested to hear what you have to say! You can let us know your thoughts, ideas and experiences on this subject in the comments box below.

Sharing is caring, so feel free to share this article with your colleagues and friends via Facebook and LinkedIn!

Best,

Adam

P.S.: Was everything in this article and video easy to understand? If you’d like to expand your professional vocabulary and improve your ‘Business English’, check out our fantastic courses and services here!

For the definitions of the highlighted words check our Glossary

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

About the Author

Adam Baker is the co-Founder and Course Director at Trust Native. He’s an Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sport & Organizational Psychologist with professional experience in both Europe and South America.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

We’ll email you occasionally with our latest posts & most interesting news.

Tips for Business Travel Abroad

Tips for Business Travel Abroad

Whether it’s overseas interviews, international networking, meetings, or simply proving your corporate worth and delivering great results while you’re abroad, as well as everything in between, I think we can all agree that business travel requires a great deal more preparation than any of us typically give it!

I’m sure you’re already aware that preparation is everything in business. You’ve also probably already heard the phrase, “Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail!”.

There’s a lot of truth in that statement!

Despite this, there are occasions for most of us when proper preparation simply slips through the net, and we end up paying the corporate price for it!

Of course, some occasions require more preparation than others, an interview, a new client perhaps, or simply making a great impression on the new CEO, these are easy to remember they demand preparation.

Preparing for Business Travel on the other hand, sometimes lacks the same enthusiasm.

 

But what are we actually talking about here?

Well I’m not talking about logistics like your flight and hotel, albeit important! There is so much more to prepare for than that.

I’m talking about culture, language, safety, business etiquette abroad and ensuring you can deliver results while your away from home! These are the forgotten things that must be taken into consideration before you set foot on that plane!

New business in a foreign country can be both a great challenge and a great opportunity.

That’s why we’re sharing this useful article with you, on how to best prepare yourself for your business trip abroad.

Enjoy!… and remember to let us know what you think in the comments below!

MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME SPENT OVERSEAS. PROPER PREPARATION BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE WILL NOT ONLY MAKE YOUR BUSINESS TRIP A SAFE ONE BUT MORE PRODUCTIVE. 

Besides personal safety, you also will want to prepare for your foreign business encounters. After all, you want to get maximum value for the time that is spent abroad. This means you have to be open to different values, behaviours and ways of doing business.

 

Lack of familiarity with the business practices and social customs of another country can weaken your position or prevent you from accomplishing your goals. 

 

Without a doubt there is nothing like a face-to-face meeting with a client or customer. But even the most minor mistakes can cost you time, money and opportunity. Here are seven tips to help you make the necessary adjustments for a business trip abroad.

Prepare a well-planned itinerary. 

A well thought out itinerary should reflect what your company hopes to accomplish. Think about your goals and relative priorities.

For instance, you will want to have two or three appointments confirmed well in advance and spaced comfortably throughout the day. This will be more productive and enjoyable than a crowded agenda that forces you to rush from one meeting to the next.

Your schedule should be flexible enough to allow for unexpected problems such as transportation delays and/or opportunities such as an unplanned lunch on invitation. 

Kaufman suggests leaving a copy of your itinerary with trusted colleagues, family members or close friends so that they know where you are supposed to be at all times. Also provide a family member or spouse with copies of your passport, medical insurance card, and other pertinent information. In addition, leave an emergency contact list with your travel planner.


Seek information on the culture.

Invest some time in learning about the history, culture and customs of the countries to be visited, says Thomas. Attend cross-cultural seminars or training. Read books about that country.

Brush up on the differences in negotiating styles, attitudes towards punctuality, gift-giving customs, and the proper use of names and titles (understand the importance of rank and know who the decision makers are when conducting business). 

Take the Japanese, for instance, who consider it rude to be late for a business meeting but acceptable for a social occasion. In Latin countries, being late for a business meeting is more tolerable. In the Middle East it is commonplace to engage in small talk before conducting business.

The French and the British have different views about discussing business during meals, Thomas says. “Do you talk about business during dinner or do you wait until after you have eaten your meal? The slightest things can really offend people,” she says.

 

Learn protocol and etiquette practices.

Study the general protocol and etiquette of the country or countries you’re visiting. Understanding in advance how to greet your counterparts and manage appointments will be most helpful.

Check normal work days and business hours. In the Middle East, for example, the workweek is Saturday to Thursday. It is not uncommon in many countries for lunch to last two to four hours.

Also take into account foreign holidays. Business manners, religious customs, dietary practices, humour and acceptable dress vary widely from country to country.

Misunderstandings over gestures and body language can cause you more than embarrassment but can lead to business complications, says Thomas. For instance, the okay sign (thumb and index fingers forming a circle with the other fingers pointing upward) is commonly used in the US. But it means zero in France and Thomas says it is a vulgar gesture in Brazil and the Philippines (like giving the middle finger is here in the States).

She recommends finding a local person from the host country whom you can openly talk to and learn about customs. Or a international communication expert who can give you the low-down on the customs of the country.

 

Learn the native tongue.

Business associates will appreciate any sincere attempt. Study the language or hire a translator, especially if the persons you are meeting with do not speak English or are uncomfortable speaking it.

You can learn a foreign language on the go using various mobile apps, podcasts or systems. Or invest in a language course in advance, ideally one you can continue while travelling abroad. Check out our courses here!

Some colleges or universities in your area may offer traditional classroom instruction or immersion programs. Other options are audio language lessons, software programs, and online courses (Trust Native Launching an Online Course Very Soon!).

There may even be subtle differences in the same language, cautions Thomas. “Certain words in English that we use freely could have different meanings outside the US.” She cites a situation between American and British businessmen. “During the meeting the Americans said, ‘let’s table’ this, hoping to end the discussion, but the Brits kept on talking. The Americans took this as utter disregard and stormed out, not knowing that in England the expression ‘let’s table it’ means to put it on the table for discussion.”

 

Check travel advisories.

Governments issue advisories about safety concerns that may affect travel to a particular country or region. Travel advisories are released for various reasons, including terrorism, natural disasters, political unrest, wars, health emergencies, and outbreaks of violent crimes against tourists. Check to see if the advisory applies to the entire country or certain areas.

Have a backup plan in case something does go wrong. Find out whether your home country has an embassy or consulate in the place you are visiting and how they can help in the event that you need them.

 

Protect yourself.

Kaufman recommends getting travel insurance. With most insurers you can get a yearlong policy as opposed to a trip-by-trip basis. Insurance companies are there to help you out in a crisis such as medical evacuations.

Keep in mind that different destinations pose different risks; incorporate that into your strategy for choosing business travel insurance. Do your research. Travel insurance may not cover you in all countries and in all circumstances. Most policies do not cover acts of war, riots or civil disorder. Find out what exclusions apply.

Check with your health plan carrier to see if you need to get another policy to cover medical costs for an injury or sudden illness abroad, says Thomas. What if you need to be airlifted by helicopter and taken to the hospital, are you still covered? Look into the large travel insurance companies.

 

Plan to stay connected.

A plug or adapter may be needed to charge notebooks, cell phones, and PDAs while overseas. Also, contact your cell phone provider before you leave to find out about international options for business trips, says Kaufman. You may be able to get a temporary plan while you are visiting another country. To make an international call from your cell phone, your carrier network must be compatible with that country. Your phone also must be technically capable of making international calls.

Other options are to use Skype on your laptop or a Skype iPhone app to make international calls. You also can rent a cell phone in airport malls around the world from companies such as TripTel or online from sites such as Cellularabroad.com.

If you are traveling to a foreign destination for more than a week or two, consider buying a local phone, suggests Kaufman. You can use that phone for making calls within the host country and it may prove to be less expensive. “Some business travelers also use local SIM cards because it makes communications by mobile phones a lot easier.”

Source: Carolyn M. Brown – inc.com

Now that you’ve taken all that in, we want to hear from you, how do YOU prepare for a business trip? Do you consider these points already?

Have you ever had a problem while travelling or difficulty with cultural differences in business? Maybe some nationalities are easier or harder to connect with than others?

Feel free to tell us your story and share your experiences with us here!

Best,

Team Trust Native

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