The campus placement is a great way and the perfect opportunity for students to discover which career path they want to pursue after graduation. The only issue is that most students don’t know how to prepare for campus placements. You might just be one of many people who want the internship or job interview experience in a campus placement to be as seamless as possible.  

One of the benefits of campus recruitment is the certainty of rewarding and stable work opportunities in reputable firms. For entry-level positions, most university recruitment firms in India frequently compromise on their hiring standards. On the other hand, if you apply to jobs through an off-campus or pool campus placement drive, just know that with that level of competition, you need much more than technical knowledge to pass the interview. 

Therefore, moving forward, you will learn about campus interviews, campus recruiting and its various forms, the significance of placement, a comparison of on-campus and off-campus employment, the campus recruitment process, and the most essential campus placement preparation advice here in this blog. 

What is Campus Placement? 

Campus placement is defined as a hiring program that is conducted in various universities & colleges to provide full-time jobs or short-term internships to students who are nearing completion of their respective courses. 

There are many advantages of campus placement:  

• Companies can recruit the best candidates for their jobs. 
• Students can gain valuable experience and networks with industry professionals.
• Universities can provide their students with career opportunities. Placements are typically for the short-term, but companies may hire top candidates for long-term positions. 

What are the Types of Campus Placement? 

There are various types of campus placements. Short-term placements may last a few hours, while long-term placements may last up to years. Internships are short-term placements where students get a hands-on experience in a specific field of study. They provide a great opportunity to gain skills, learn more about a certain career, and get a foot in the door with a company.  

But there are two main types of campus placements which are common in India. They are On-campus and Off-campus placements. Let’s have a look at what these are.  

On-campus placement 

This job placement or recruitment program is hosted on the college campus where you are enrolled, as the name would imply. The college placement cell invites the best companies and corporate partners to participate in this activity. Companies are expected to conduct interviews with students in order to assess their potential as prospective employees. 

Now, the interview procedure may vary from one company to another. However, most recruiters conduct group discussions, personal interviews, and aptitude tests. After the interviews, they pick candidates and make employment offers. 

Off-campus placement 

If campus placements weren’t quite what you were looking for, off-campus placements are a terrific alternative. Off-campus placements typically come in second in comparison to on-campus placements since students are more concerned with finding jobs through campus placements. 

When they can’t find a good job during campus placements, many students choose to find work off campus. Off-campus placements, however, can be a saviour if you want more employment possibilities. 

Read more: Career Opportunities after Graduation 

How to Prepare for Campus Placements: A Guide 

Student life is greatly impacted by campus recruitment. Campus placement is now an essential element of a program’s offerings at many institutions. Recruiting companies, as well as students, benefit from campus recruitments. It is one of the greatest methods for choosing the candidate with the highest qualifications for the organization. Now before you know how to prepare for interviews, you must know the objectives of campus placements. 

Objectives of the Campus Placement 

The objective of campus placements is to provide the students with an experience of the corporate world and to allow companies to recruit the best talent for their organization. But there’s more to this; let’s look into more such benefits: 

• To offer attractive employment prospects for college students at reputable corporate companies. 
• To choose individuals without bias who are qualified for the open positions. 
• To assign positions and responsibilities based on a student’s knowledge, interest and expertise. 
• To guarantee that students begin a career and progress in the appropriate way for a better standard of living.
• To give students the utmost satisfaction by offering them the companies of their choice in accordance with their qualifications. 
• To offer career counselling through consultations with industry professionals and counselling. 
• To recognize the pupils’ values, practical skills, and professional abilities. 

5 Stages of a Campus Placement 

The stages of campus placement typically include the ones listed below: 

• Skill assessment test 
• Group discussion 
• Panel interview round 
• Technical test
• General HR round 

Skill Assessment Test 

An aptitude or skill assessment test is used to examine a candidate’s ability for reasoning and analysis. This exam often comprises aptitude-based multiple-choice questions that must be answered with a pen and paper. 

A talent evaluation test often has a few components, such as ones for communication, logic, math, and subject-specific knowledge. 

Group Discussion 

Most group discussion activities are based on campus placement. This exercise assists a hiring manager in assessing each person during a group conversation and determining their capacity for problem-solving given the scenario. 

During a campus placement drive, it is crucial to prepare for group discussions. 

Panel Interview Round 

Panel interview preparations make up a significant portion of campus placement preparations. A panel interview, as the name implies, is a round in which a group of qualified hiring managers face-to-face interviews potential candidates. Compared to an aptitude test or a group discussion, this is more professional. 

This will be the first time a candidate has spoken directly with company employees.  This step determines whether the candidate’s application will be considered further. So, this round has a considerably higher level of significance.  

Technical Round 

Candidates typically skip on their research into the technical aspects of the industry when getting ready for campus placement. However, chances of passing are essentially non-existent if you lack in the technical area, regardless of how competent you may be in all other areas of your interview preparation. 

Make sure you learn about technological developments in your sector worldwide rather than depending just on whatever theoretical knowledge you may have acquired. Go deep and read about breakthroughs in your sector that are already being used or that are still anticipated to come shortly. 

Learn from various web resources what kinds of technical questions are frequently asked in that particular company’s interviews. Find out which questions are commonly asked and be well-prepared for them. Reach out to your seniors who are employed by that particular company so that you may learn about the hiring procedure. 

HR Interview Round 

An HR interview is regarded as a simple conversation round in which the HR asks general inquiries about the applicant’s resume, makes an effort to grasp their personality, and determines whether the applicant is a good fit for the organization. 

These could include questions on the applicant’s motivations for wanting to work for the business in question, salary expectations, etc. 

Campus placement is regarded as the first step in a student’s transition to a working professional, and it can be challenging for many. 

Here are some Most Commonly Asked HR Interview Questions and Answers 

What Are the Topics to Prepare for Placements? 

The topics that you need to prepare for the placement are as follows: 

• You will be asked about your interests and what you want to do in the future. Hence, having knowledge about various sectors is important.  
• You need to know about the company you are applying for and what the company does. 
• You need to know what the company culture is like. You can get this information by talking to people who work in that organization.  
• You need to know the challenges that you will face if you get the job. This way, you can be prepared for them. 

Tips and Qualities Required to Get Campus Placement Success 

There are some things that you need to keep in mind if you want to get a successful placement. Here are a few tips and qualities you need to have to get a successful placement. 

• Research 

Become as informed as you can about the industry of your choosing. Investigate the organization’s mission, vision, and hiring practices online. Consider reading customer testimonials. This will help you understand where it stands in the market. 

• Prepare a strong resume 

The hassle of filling out lengthy applications can be avoided by campus placements. All you need is a resume that is well-organized. It must be clear and straightforward. Use the words from the job description provided by the company. Remember to highlight your skills as well. You will be able to explain why the firm should recruit you this way. 

Creating a resume could be a painfully lengthy process, so save your time and money with EZResume, the best resume builder online. 

• Choose a field that interests you 

You should know what you want to do in your future and know what excites you. This way, you get passionate about what you are doing.  

• Stay Positive  

It is normal to feel anxious and nervous before the placement. However, you need to stay positive to get a job. 

• Be Punctual 

Punctuality is something that all companies value in their employees. Try to arrive at the placement cell at least 30 minutes early. By doing this, you establish yourself as a punctual person. Additionally, you’ll have enough to do those quick peeks at your notes before leaving. 

• Appear Presentable 

Dress in tidy, freshly pressed attire, keep your nails clean and well-trimmed and wear polished shoes. By doing this, you give the idea that you are attentive to how you look as a professional. 

The campus placement is a great way to experience what working in a specific field is like. It also offers you the perfect opportunity to discover which career path you want to pursue after graduation.  

For information on campus placement assistance and the best internship or job opportunities, visit EZJobs. With the help of EZJobs App, you should have no problem getting the interview experience you want out of your placement and landing the job of your dreams. 

Remote work during the pandemic has sparked off a productivity contest of sorts between colleagues. At that, most companies are using performance monitoring software to make sure their employees are on the right track. While that has its own merits, unnecessary competition with colleagues can hurt employees. So much so that a slew of employees has cut down on their break times merely for one-upmanship.  

Yes, productivity during remote work is important. But you would want to steer clear of burning out while trying to up your graph. Here are some ways to keep yourself charged while making sure you do not lose productivity. 

1. Start your day with a workout 

The best way to keep feeling energetic through the day is to start it with some form of physical exercise. Now, there’s not one or two forms of exercise that you must believe in. You can take an approach that works well for your body. Make sure that you: 

• Understand the limits of your body  
• Don’t try advanced versions of a workout you haven’t done earlier 
• Start working out under expert guidance 
• Work out at the same time every day  

Apart from these, you need to attribute a sense of mission to your workouts. Make sure that you work out every day for at least 21 days. That’s about how long you need to convert it into a habit.  

Working out does not just improve your physical fitness, it also helps remove everyday work stress from your mind and body. 

2. Leave your seat every hour 

Long hours of sitting might not be the best way to spend your day, and it is definitely not the healthiest way. But thanks to the Pandemic 2020, that’s how most of our days look like. However, not many realize that constant hours of sitting at one place can induce severe boredom, productivity issues, and adversely affect your health, especially spinal form.  

The safe way to steer clear of trouble from sitting for long hours is to make sure that you take timely breaks.   

Get off your seat at least once every hour. It does not have to be a long break. All you need to do is take a little walk and create a little space for your bones and muscles to move. You can even set small alarm reminders to help you get off the seat once every hour.  

3. Stay hydrated 

You have a bullion email to send, a really long assessment report to complete, and some campaigns to run. All of that and you end up ignoring your body’s natural reminders to hydrate. This can result in several health issues along with low productivity.  

Hydration is important for several reasons: 

• Reduces fatigue and increases productivity  
• Prevents weight gain 
• Flushes toxins out of the system 
• Enhances skin texture  
• Maintains pH balance of the body 

The good thing is if you are regular with your workouts, your metabolism will automatically send you strong signals of water deficit. This will result in more thirst, and as a result of that, improvement in hydration.  

4. Don’t take very long breaks 

The one mistake that most people end up making when trying to recharge between work is to miss work all together. As far as remote work goes, this is a capital crime. Just because there are no cameras around, you should not give up on your ethics.  

Besides the ethical argument, very long breaks are really bad for productivity. That’s because when you take a long break, you invariably end up doing things that are not directly related to your work.  

Also read Best Part-time Jobs for Students

Such activities make you lose your train of thought viz-a-viz work. When you come back to your seat, you take that much more time coming to grips with your work. Also, the obvious demerit is that sooner or later, your boss is going to find out that you have been misusing the remote work opportunity by staying out of work more often.  

5. Spread your workday across segments 

Instead of taking longer breaks, it is sensible to divide your work into smaller laps. For example, if your total working hours for the day is eight, you can break that down into four segments of two hours each with little breaks of 10 minutes between each segment. 

Segregating your workday will also help you do different types of work during different times of the day. For example, the most important types of work can happen during the earliest part of the day. This could be the time when you do not want to be disturbed by anyone.  

You can schedule your meetings toward the later part of the day. Of course, that should also sit well with the rest of your team. It is equally important that you align your priorities with those of your team.  

6. Participate in Activities 

Most companies would organize regular activity sessions for their employees in the pre-pandemic times. They’d average anywhere between one and two activities per week. During the lockdown, that number seems to have heavily dwindled down for most companies. There are still odd activities thrown in here and there.  

It is extremely important that you do not skip these activities whenever they happen. For all you know, a virtual activity can be just as fun as the real one. Also, these are pretty much the only times that you can see your entire office/team together at one place.  

Remember, it is of utmost importance that you keep the bond with your teammates intact. Office activities do just that for you. 

Anyone who has ever worked for someone else knows that your boss can make or break your experience in the company. A terrible boss drives you to leave even your dream job, while an encouraging or supportive boss can make a less than ideal work situation bearable. If anyone is here to make a better relationship with your boss, you are at the right place. 

It is important to have a strong, or rather healthy relationship with your boss for a variety of reasons. First, your boss has a tremendous amount of influence over workplace stress, whether real or perceived. They can make the workplace exciting and something to look forward to each day, or a place you dread visiting.  Second, they typically hold the key to your advancement within the company, or sometimes, outside as well. Without a good relationship, they may not speak highly of you or consider nominating you to other positions. And third, believe it or not, having a good relationship with your boss just makes your life easier. 

Strong relationships may mean different things to different people, but what’s important here is to manage your relationship with your boss if you expect to prosper in a job.  

Here’s how to strengthen relationship with your boss 

Remember your boss is a human, too 

Most leaders come to work with their professional game on, armed with a to-do list a mile long. They spend their days focused on moving the company closer to its goals. However, even leaders appreciate it when their employees see them as something more than the guy or girl who signs their paychecks. 

I am sure some encouraging and motivating managers try to make a relationship with their employees by asking questions like “How was your weekend?”. However, I think it goes both ways. Employees should take the time to ask their boss questions like, “How are you?” or “Did you do anything fun this weekend?” This isn’t about being best buddies or feeling like you need to hang out together outside of work – It is about communicating more on a more personal level. 

Build mutual respect and trust 

Some relationships in the workplace affect your job satisfaction and general quality of life from day to day. Like the one with your boss. While the boss’ top priority is likely to have hardworking employees who fulfill his vision for the company, it’s a safe bet that they’d also like to have more than superficial relationships with the people he/she works with every day. 

After all, he/she spends more time with his/her staff than he does with someone else. Of course, there’s something in it with employees too. In this context, developing a better relationship primarily means building mutual respect and trust, rather than coming to like each other on a personal level. 

Do whatever it takes to make your boss look good 

Everyone cares about their work reputation, And if they don’t, they should. If you can make your boss look good, they will be happy, and if they are happy, you will be happy. This also means that you shouldn’t correct your boss in front of others. 

There is almost nothing worse for a boss than to have a subordinate correct them in front of other people. This is embarrassing for them, even if they are wrong about something. You are better off mentioning their mistake to them after people leave. 

Be yourself 

You have probably heard some of your coworkers refer to their “work wives” or “work husbands.” It’s usually said in jest, but there’s an inkling truth to the sentiment – many of us spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our actual families. And sometimes those commitments can cause friction at home or resentment at work. 

Employers would rather have employees tell them when something at work or at home is affecting the rest of their lives than to wonder why their productivity has suddenly dipped or why they have developed a bad attitude. 

Know when and how to communicate with your boss 

Does your supervisor like one sentence emails or prefer a detailed account of what’s going on? Does he/she want to achieve an outline of where your project stands, or do you need to provide all the details? 

Also read Eight Ways To Do the Job In a Right Way

Learn how your boss likes to send and receive communication. What time of the day would your boss prefer to answer questions? What day of the week is the best time to approach him/her? Knowing this in advance can greatly improve the relationship. 

Strive for open communication 

If you are honest and communicate with your supervisor openly, this will help build trust in the relationship. Try scheduling a weekly or bi-weekly phone or in-person meeting for at least 15-30 minutes. 

Use this time to build rapport, share progress and seek advice. If possible, try to get out of the office for lunch or coffee every so often with them. 

At the end of the day, it’s all about building trust within the relationship between you and your supervisor. Employees need their supervisors to be a mentor, cheerleader, go-to person, and advocate all in one – and so it’s important to install trust so that this can happen. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and instantly find jobs around you. 

Do you ever feel like your work schedule is unmanageable? Does your boss ask you to fly across the country at a moment’s notice? Do you say yes to every project that comes along? If this sounds like you, you are probably feeling overwhelmed and out of control. We agree that job stress is the major source of anxiety for most adults, and it is important to find a solution for this. And one of the major solutions is to establish boundaries at work. 

Many of us spend the majority of our time and days at work. So, it is obvious that work can bleed into our personal lives. So, creating boundaries around the workplace is critical. It also shows your boss, client and colleague that you have a backbone. When you respect your own boundaries, others typically will do, too. It teaches people how to treat you. Here are seven ways to establish boundaries at work so you can work smarter, gain respect and up your productivity. 

Set Your Limits 

Once you have an idea about the areas you need to focus on, start setting your limits. One example could be not checking your work emails in the evening between 6pm to 9pm so you can focus on your family. 

Define your emotional, mental and physical boundaries clearly. You do this by paying attention to yourself and noticing what you can tolerate and accept. Also, keep a tab on what makes you feel uncomfortable and stressed. 

Know Your Values 

Understanding your values helps you figure out where you would like to establish boundaries at work. In other words, by knowing your values, you are able to then set up systems that help you meet those needs. 

For instance, you may have several side passions that are important to you, such as volunteering or running races. Because you want to make time for those passions, maintain strict boundaries around working overtime or being available at all hours. 

Communicate Clearly 

Once you set your limits, you need to communicate with your team clearly and confidently. Do not feel awkward while doing this. Everybody in the workplace has a right to set their boundaries. On the other hand, it is equally important to respect each other’s boundaries. 

For instance, if you don’t want your team members to contact you at all hours, tell them exactly when you will be available for work conversations. When a boundary gets violated, address it immediately. It is better to reinforce your limits in the moment, than to wait. 

Bring up a boundary or violation right way 

When their boundaries get violated, it’s not uncommon that people get upset. They ruminate about it for days and then bring it up a month later. It is important to reinforce and exercise your boundary in the moment because if you don’t, it simply loses its power. 

For instance, if your coworker wants to gossip about another coworker and you don’t want to get dragged into the drama, tell them calmly and politely. Let them know that you don’t want to participate. This is much more effective than telling them two weeks later that you wish they hadn’t told you. 

Prepare For Pushbacks 

Once you establish boundaries at work, you can expect others to react negatively. That’s a sign that boundaries are necessary and that they’re working effectively. It is also helpful to visualize your boundaries getting violated and imagine how you will address those situations. 

That way, when such moments arise, you tend to handle it rationally rather than emotionally. Employees who are the happiest and the most productive are those who set boundaries. People who set limits gain respect because they show respect for themselves. 

Create Structures 

One way to create a structure and thereby establish a boundary is to have an agenda. An agenda is more efficient and positions you as a professional in the company. While setting an agenda, include a start and end time along with topics to discuss. 

Another way to create a structure is to hold a meeting.  

Focus On Concrete Explanations 

When you establish a boundary at work, it is not necessarily productive to talk about it from your personal perspective. In other words, if your boss makes an unreasonable request, stop using statements like ‘I am too stressed’ or ‘I have so much pending work to do’. 

This sounds like it is all about you and you are whining. Instead, frame your explanations in something concrete, in terms of how it’s going to affect other projects, clients or your bottom line. 

It is important to establish boundaries at work. However, if your work environment is completely toxic and you don’t see light at the end of the tunnel, it is time to start thinking about leaving that situation. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and instantly find jobs around you. 

Of all interview questions asked in the HR round, this is the trickiest one. ‘Where do you see yourself in five years from now?’ Smile gently if you agree. When the interviewer bombards you with this question, his/her main aim is to test your commitment for the job. This question is believed to be super daunting and mind-numbing. But keep in mind, your recruiters are not interested in your actual plans. They just want to test how you reply to impromptu questions. Interviewers like to assess you based on your confidence, aspirations and career outlooks. 

It also helps the hiring managers gauge whether you are likely to have a long tenure at their company or if you will probably leave after just a few months or a year on the job. You need to be honest with your response, but also keep it relevant to the job and industry. Here are some tips that can help you answer this tricky question like a pro. 

Discuss Your Interest in the Job 

Let’s not kid ourselves. Hiring managers will probably want someone who will be happy and competent in that role for at least a year or two. It is often advantageous to emphasize your interests and show that you mastered the skill in your previous job. 

And if you are interviewing for your first job, interviewers might question how motivated you are to carry out those duties. If you answer confidently and show how desperate you are for the job, the hiring manager would surely choose you over others. 

Outline A Career Path 

In order to prepare well for this question, research a reasonable career path which will flow from the position for which you are applying. Find out how long one ordinarily spends in that job? What are the steps in the next five years? 

Some employers will clearly outline pathways in the career section of their website. However, you may need to approach professionals in the field through alumni, family or friends to see a clearer picture. 

State Your Career Goals 

Mention that one of your goals is to work for a company like the one you are being interviewed for. Focus on how you will add value to the company through the achievements of your own goals. Also, convince the interviewer that working at this company will help you achieve your goals, making for a win-win situation. 

Be Convincing 

It is always a good idea to frame the answer in a way that the interviewer is convinced. After meeting you, he should think that he is meeting the right person for the company. Say that you are positive in achieving yours as well as the company’s goal. Let the employer know that you are quite career oriented for the next five years. 

Let him know that you are committed and dedicated to your profession, and you will deliver your best. Tell him that you are eager to learn new things. Harp on your capabilities for the job role of the company. 

Don’t Be Negative 

Saying ‘I don’t know’ in an interview could be the worst thing. Even when you don’t come up with anything, don’t answer in a negative way. Take a few minutes to process and think about the question. Think in what ways you could progress in the next five years. 

Don’t be overconfident either. Indeed, you should never settle for less, but do not exaggerate yourself during an interview. Even if your friends and family say that you deserve to be the CEO and you are the best, don’t unfriend reality just yet 

When There Is No Clear Career Path 

Not all jobs are steppingstones to higher positions. For example, positions such as counseling, sales, event planning, teaching, and computer programming. It is perfectly appropriate to emphasize mastery of that job as your five-year goal. 

Formulate an answer which sounds genuine and natural. Your recruiter does not want you to lie, manipulate, or give an off-the-wall answer. So go forward and deliver a better answer. This will not only impress the interviewer but will also show that you are prepared and determined for the job. 

All the Best! 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and instantly find jobs around you. 

How happy are you at your workplace? No matter how well you do your job, you may not always be appreciated or rewarded for the work you do. You may face a number of challenges in your workplace such as long hours and tight deadlines or little fulfillment and many more. So how do you cope with this? How will you love your job? What should you do if the job you thought you would enjoy is going south of your expectations? 

Perhaps your job felt like love at first sight slowly turned into a struggle. Or maybe, you took the job because you needed it and knew the situation isn’t ideal. Ask yourself – is it the job or is it you? Even the best job won’t seem great if your attitude is bad. So the fact that you are seeking ways to improve your outlook means you are already on the right track. It is always possible to revive your relationship with your job. And since you are reading this, you have already taken the first step. 

Here are ten simple ways to learn to love your job even when you don’t like it at the moment. 

Take Pride In your Workplace 

If you wake up not wanting to go to work, or your work drags you down, both you and your work will suffer. Even if you put on a happy face, your downheartedness can also negatively impact your relationships. Work can feel like a real bore if you don’t feel like you have something to strive for. 

It is advised to work with your supervisor to set reasonable but inspiring goals that motivate you. It is important to set goals that inspire and help provide structure to the day. Achieving these goals can also provide leverage for you to negotiate a raise or even ask for a promotion. And that gradually would make you love your job. 

Do Something You Love, While You Are Not Working 

Unless you chose your job just for the money, as a necessary but joyless step toward your dream, you probably have started for a grand vision for what you hoped to achieve. But then, reality hit and the job became a disappointment. 

For most of you who are reading this, you definitely don’t see yourself in the same workplace in the next ten years. Your passion may lie elsewhere, and that is a big reason why we sometimes have trouble enjoying a job that isn’t going anywhere for us. That is why it is important to always fuel your interests on the side. Who knows? This could be a steppingstone to starting your own business. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Support 

If you feel overwhelmed, swamped with work or are struggling with a particular aspect of your job, don’t be afraid to consult a trusted co-worker. Ask your manager about the ways you might be able to find support. 

See if they can help you figure out ways to delegate work, schedule tasks so your workload is balanced, or even train you for that matter. This can make your nightmarish tasks easy and more manageable. 

Talk To Your Boss Regularly 

When you don’t feel like going to work or when you feel emotionally drained at the end of the day, you are probably experiencing early to late-stage burnout. Your boss may not be the nicest person in the world, but generally, people in charge have a decent number of passions for the place they work in. 

When we work at a place that drains us, it would be nice to sit with your boss and hear his perspective on how things are going. It may even inspire you to improve your own responsibilities, and the initiative won’t go unnoticed. 

Concentrate On the Task at Hand 

You might be overburdened or underutilized at the moment. Maybe you weren’t given the support you needed to thrive. The excitement turned into cynicism. But, having kept this in mind, do not let yourself be distracted by worrying about all other things to be done. Do not lose your energy over undesirable situations you find yourself in. 

Be yourself. Be ruthless. Be done with the task you are working on and avoid putting it on the procrastination list. 

Have Fun With Your Coworkers 

Fair warning: This works only as long as it doesn’t interfere with your productivity. Playing games and cracking inside jokes with your coworkers is a great way to keep up your morale on a stressful day. Encourage your boss to have short games to clear everyone’s head. 

Moreover, adopt small gestures such as bringing snacks for your coworkers. Being kind to others will make you and them happier. If you are working somewhere that always seems to have an air of negativity, then simple gestures like this will go a long way. 

Stay Alert And Present 

It is impossible to love your job if you are mindlessly browsing Facebook, CNN or Amazon all day. Try to stay present and concentrate on the work at hand. If you don’t have a lot to do, simply find a side project to work on. 

Completing extra projects depicts initiative and makes a positive impression on the supervisor. If you do have a lot to do but just can’t concentrate, try this. Set increments of focused time and then reward yourself with mini breaks as you get stuff done. 

Take Regular Breaks 

Get away from your normal workplace even only for five minutes a day. Try taking breaks from laptops and computers and do not forget to leave your cell phones behind. Make sure you have lunch breaks – not just for food, but also for fresh air and a mental break. 

Eat a healthy lunch, and if you snack, make sure it is healthy too. Healthy food helps boost both your creativity and productivity.  

Health tip: Look beyond adrenaline and caffeine and find other ways to energize yourself. Try an indoor game for a change. 

Try Creating a Pleasant Work Environment 

Contribute toward creating a pleasant work environment. Do not gossip inside the office as it creates negativity all around. Minimise your time with people that you do not resonate with or dislike. 

Learn to have fun at work. Laugh more and chill out. Perform with a more fun-oriented approach. 

Remember Why You Are Here 

Remind yourself why you took the job in the first place. Track your thoughts back to the initial job offer and why you accepted it. Even if things have changed since then, keeping in mind because you accepted the job offer helps. You navigate the next set of steps to decide whether you are taking action to improve your job or preparing a plan to find a new one. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and instantly find jobs around you. 

Who hasn’t heard “I want this done today” from their boss at least once in a day, or at least once in a lifetime? There is no single employee who does not feel pressured by tight deadlines, hectic work schedules, no salaries, or low work bonuses. Be it a fresher or an experienced employee, facing failure at the work is normal. But what matters the most is the ability to deal with failure in a civilized manner. 

The feeling of failure at work can be crushing. However, it is important to understand that failure happens to everyone, and everyone has to handle its aftermath. Take a look at the following ways to deal with failure at work and the criticism that comes along without going insane. 

Be Honest with Your Manager 

Unless your mistake is one that you can fix on your own, you should go to your boss and explain what happened. It is going to suck, totally, but it is the first step to clearing things up. 

Tell them what has happened, why and how it happened. Let him know that you are pretty serious about how serious the situation is. While you might still need to figure out how to solve the problem, assure them that it will not happen again. 

Don’t Take It Personally 

Separate the failure from your identity. Just because you haven’t found a successful way of doing something doesn’t mean you are a failure. These are two completely different thoughts. Yet many of us blur the line between them. 

You don’t need to take the failure to heart. Don’t worry. You don’t need to feel upset or depressed because of the situation. Personalizing failures can wreck your self-esteem and confidence. 

Break down Why the Failure Happened 

It is easy to blame yourself, but failure is rarely personal. Write down the reasons why you think you failed. Then brainstorm any potential root causes or contributing factors for those reasons. 

For instance, if you are passed over for a promotion, the reason may be that the company wants someone with seven years of experience, and you have only two. 

Don’t Spew Out Endless Excuses 

After any of your mistakes, you tend to tell everyone how you were so busy with other projects all week. And that was the reason you weren’t able to devote enough time to making sure the meeting went smoothly.  

But here, all that you resonate with is a giant fluffy excuse. Once you pile up excuses, nobody takes you seriously anymore. Instead of making excuses for your failures, try focusing on the solution to the problem you created. 

Take Stock, Learn and Adapt 

Look at the failure analytically, suspending all your feelings of anger, frustration, blame or regret. Why did you fail? What might have produced a better outcome? Was the failure completely beyond your control? 

After gathering the thoughts, step back and ask yourself, what did you learn from this? Think about how you will apply this newfound insight going forward. 

Stop Dwelling on It 

Obsessing over your failure will not change the outcome. It will only intensify your failure, trapping you into an emotional doop-loop that handicaps you from moving on. You cannot change your past, but you can change your future. 

Be positive. The faster you take a positive step, the quicker you can leave these disabilities and negative thoughts behind. If you keep both your failures and victories as perspectives, you will do better in the long run. 

Figure Out a Way to Fix It 

Sometimes the solution might be obvious. So you might just need to tap others on the team and your boss to come up with something that works well. Once it’s been determined, hit the ground running on making things right. 

Once a problem is rectified, make sure you circle back to your boss with a proactive plan. Include steps you are going to take to avoid similar scenarios in the future. 

None of us want to make mistakes in our careers. But it is impractical to think we will never make them along the way. By knowing how to successfully bounce back from a failure at work, we can all become the best and most mindful employees we can be. All while avoiding the “down and out” feeling of messing up on the job. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and instantly find jobs around you. 

So have you been asked to think out of the box for work? Or you really wanted a new idea for a project? Don’t worry! Thinking out-of-the-box, like any other skill, comes with practice. It is constantly encouraged, but how can we actually achieve that? How do we develop the capacity to see things in a different light than we typically do? Explore how to solve problems in a fresh approach. 

Consider making an effort to occasionally expand your thoughts. The skills you acquire might prove useful the next time you encounter a problem that everyone is familiar with solving. Here are eight ways to boost your ability to think out of the box. 

How to Think Out of the Box: Top Eight Ways  

Study Another Industry 

Go to a library and pick up a trade magazine from an industry other than your own. Get a few books and educate yourself on how various industries operate. You might find that people in other industries face similar kinds of problems, and they have developed really different ways of dealing with them.  

Find links between your own industry and the new one. By doing so, you might find the basis for innovative partnerships in the future. Moreover, it’s always better to seek extra knowledge. 

Change Your Space 

It is important to get away from all your typical routines in order to foster creativity. Successful and innovative thinkers frequently consider modifying their routines. This means that you must either develop a special ritual focused on creativity or find a way to unwind. 

Establish a psychological barrier between your daily activities and your creative time. Go for a walk or watch the sun come up in the morning or indulge yourself in things you like. This helps in boosting your creativity and get those innovative juices flowing. 

Take A Class 

You will learn new abilities as well as a new topic when you study something new. It will also prep you for a new way of looking at and making sense of different aspects of your everyday life. You can approach the things you already know how to do from an entirely new perspective by learning something new. 

This, in turn, will help in broadening both the scope of potential solutions you can think of as well as how you handle challenges. 

Read about: Get Your Career Back on Track 

Brainstorm 

Throwing out a ton of different ideas, especially the ones that might seem off the wall, can be a great strategy to pick up a few really good ideas. Brainstorming allows you to broaden your thoughts and avoid becoming stuck in the same old routines. 

The brainstorming isn’t about what is or isn’t feasible. Avoid limiting yourself when brainstorming. This is the time when all kinds of ideas are welcome, no matter how silly or unworkable they may sound. 

Read a Novel in an Unfamiliar Genre 

Reading is one of the best mental stimulators in our society. But it’s equally easy to get into a rut. Try reading something you had never tried. Try science fiction or mystery if you read literary fiction. 

Pay close attention to the narrative and the author’s problem-solving techniques. Try a romance book if you frequently read hard-boiled detective books. 

Reconceptualize The Problem 

A part of finding creative solutions and ideas stems from looking at the problem in a new way. Looking at something in a new way allows you to look at new possible solutions that you might not have otherwise considered.   

Turning the problem upside down will enable you to achieve this. Figuratively or literally, drawing a figure is made simpler by turning it upside down. Remember, your brain has to look at it in terms of its making rather than what it thinks should be there. 

Daydream 

Surprised? Yes, daydreaming helps you make connections and form patterns, and recall information. Give yourself time to daydream. Turn off the T.V, computer, and phone. If you are constantly plugged into distractions, it will be much harder for your brain to rest and make connections.  

Mostly, you daydream while on a walk or in the shower. This is one reason going for a walk or taking a shower can be so helpful in enhancing creative thinking. Daydreaming before getting up from bed or the night before you fall asleep helps in many ways. 

Set Parameters 

Suppose you’re having trouble pushing the boundaries; set some fundamental parameters for yourself. This could appear to limit creativity, but if you choose the right constraints, you’ll discover that it actually gives you more options. 

Your Solution to Stand Out in a Crowd of Talent                       

Here are some key attributes that, in addition to creative ways to think out-of-the-box and problem-solving skills, will help you to stand out in a crowd of talent.                        

Attitude: Positive attitude, enthusiasm, and passion are essential. No matter what the day brings, you must show that you are confident, optimistic, and ready to take on a challenge. 

Engagement: Be cordial, allow your personality to shine, and be accessible. Establish connections & trust and engage others to express a sincere interest in their opinions and way of life. To assist you in meeting new people, find a mentor. A well-connected, competent mentor can be a great asset in helping you communicate and interact with others in your profession. 

Communication: You’d be wrong to assume that having outstanding professional communication skills comes by default. Many highly capable persons lack the professional communication skills necessary to be successful. Be mindful of how you communicate, not only in formal written messages but also in e-mails, phone calls, and in-person interactions. Be assured, considerate, and concise in all of your communications. Improve your listening skills as well. 

Contribution: Do your research, compile your materials, and arrive prepared and eager to start. You will be noticed if you participate fully in the work process and significantly benefit the team. You may also offer to participate in charity events or join other committees as a way to contribute in addition to your required workload. 

Creative Thinking: Be unique and creative in your thought process. Don’t be intimidated to use your imagination and seek fresh ideas. Ask insightful and practical questions that nobody else does. Most of the time, it’s your ability to ask intelligent questions rather than the answers you give that leave an impact. Not only will you show that you can “think out-of-the-box,” but you’ll also be able to use your creative thinking for the good of the entire team. 

Benefits of Thinking Out-of-the-box  

Simply put, thinking out-of-the-box implies being open to new ideas and strategies for achieving your goals. Changing your way of thinking can significantly advance your career. Here are some reasons why you should think creatively and how it can advance your career: 

• You might behave and think differently compared to the others, which enables you to think up new, original ideas that no one else has ever thought of. This approach will provide not only fresh thoughts but also trustworthy information for making decisions.
• Possibility of having more alone time. This will provide a person time to consider the answers or solutions on board. 
• You become unique and stand out from the crowd because of it. As a result, one person stands out as a leader in the group. 
• People might like you because you have intriguing, original things to say. Because they consistently have original ideas, this gives someone a chance to stand out from the competition. 

What does thinking out-of-the-box mean to you, and how do you encourage it with your team? Or are you looking for workplaces that encourage you to enhance your own personality and critical thinking skills? Then come to EZJobs.   

This app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time, and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs App today and instantly find jobs around you. 

Remember the butterflies in your stomach when you first started your job? Would you still feel the same excitement and unbeatable motivation for your new job? Doubt it. That’s why you are here, right?  

Good news: You are not alone. This inspirational article is here to help you regain the motivation you need! 

No matter who you are, you will have moments where you feel like you have lost your motivation and do not want to do anything at all. We all have demotivated days at the office. Even highly effective and successful people feel demotivated at times. However, it is how they deal with this “down” time that keeps them going and helps them accomplish great things. Off days happen to everyone and it’s tough, if not unrealistic, to constantly do your best work. There are bound to be times when you procrastinate too much, lack focus, or struggle to start important projects. 

But you don’t have to stay stuck in this rut. With some exploration and reflection, you can get to the bottom of what’s sapping your energy and dig yourself out of it. Here are 10 great ways to overcome a loss of motivation. 

• Recognize Great Work: One of the most important factors that contribute to employee motivation is how often their hard work is recognized and appreciated. 70% of employees say that motivation and morale would improve massively with an increased recognition from managers. After all, if an employee puts a lot of effort with a positive mindset into a project to produce exceptional results but if their hard work isn’t recognized, why would they continue to be high-performing employees? 

• Be Emotionally Strong: If you feel a lack of motivation, try to re-evaluate why you wanted to do it in the first place. The reason and the goal are the driving force behind everything you do. It is only when you are strong-willed and emotionally strong that you will do everything that it takes to accomplish the task. This is one of the most important attributes to gain motivation at work.  
  So why do you do what you do? Do you know why you want to achieve your goals and your targets? Make sure your reasons are strong and emotional. When you have no motivation, think about the purpose why you want to do it. 
• Don’t Let Your Goals Overwhelm You: To avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed by your goals, try creating smaller & achievable goals. If you are feeling overwhelmed, it might help to break down the goals into smaller tasks. By focusing on one goal at a time, you will avoid feeling overwhelmed and get more accomplished. Some might say “just start somewhere”. But this is the worst advice I ever heard when it comes to dealing with a deluge. 
   
• Note Down the Reasons: Making a list always helps. The feeling of losing the zeal and motivation at work is really demotivating. To help yourself, take a pen and a piece of paper and write down what troubles you. This is the best way to get rid yourself of that searingly dull feeling. This can be one of the most important attributes you can regain motivation at work. 

When you have completed the list, do your best to change your mind set for success and refocus on the positive aspects of overcoming the obstacles step by step. 

• Create A Supportive Environment: The surroundings and your environment affect your mood immensely. You will take attributes from people around you and carry them with you. If you are always surrounded by successful people who talk about their growth and learning, you will learn and join the conversation as well. This is how you can get motivated and use your environment to boost your energy levels. 

• Celebrate Results:  What makes your team motivated and regains the lost zeal to work is celebrations. Celebrating every small outcome can be one of the most important attributes contributing toward regaining that lost motivation in any workplace. It makes the team feel a part of the organization and makes them feel their hard work is appreciated.  

This does not mean you need to give a standing ovation to every employee who made it work. But it is crucial to let everyone know exactly how and how much of their contributions move the organization forward. 

• Believe In Yourself: You kind of want to do this thing, but deep down you really don’t believe you can do it. And it is wreaking havoc on your motivation because the voice in your head keeps telling you “Why are you even trying? You won’t get there anyway.”  

Look at your past achievements and remind yourself that you managed to crack very challenging goals before and at that time you weren’t so sure about yourself either. Thus, you can tackle this one now as well! 

Read more about Tips to Stay Motivated  

• Connect with your co-workers: Peeking at what the colleagues around you are doing and how they are performing is what many people do when their work becomes boring. It may seem wrong at first sight but seeing other people’s good performances can enhance your motivation, especially if you admire those motivated individuals who continuously deliver exceptional results. 
  So, connecting with such impressive coworkers via email or social media networks turns out to be a good idea. That’s how you can share ideas and learn from them. 
   
• Stay Happy: If you feel like you are sleepwalking through your workday, it’s likely that you are among those people who feel emotionally disconnected at the office. Don’t underestimate your social needs when trying to pinpoint your motivational barrier. 

Being emotionally happy ranks as the third most important aspect of our mental health, pulling up only after physical needs and safety. Feeling accepted and useful at work is essential to sustaining the drive to stick with your duty’s day after day. 

Evaluate if you are simply tired: There is so much going on in your life. So many things to take care of. You are stressed out at best and burnt out at worst. Hence, you completely lose your willingness to do this thing even if you really want to do it. Free up physical and mental energy and reprioritize! Rest, de-stress and sleep enough to recharge your batteries. Say “no” to things that are less important than your goal. Clear your mind with meditation and journaling. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and find jobs around you. Regain that lost motivation and start applying using EZJobs application. 

It is difficult to tell the difference between a bad position and a bad career. If you are unhappy while working on something, it is not made for you, accept it. However, many times you might not be sure if you need a new job or a whole new career. Choosing the wrong career is not cool. 

Most of the choices we make in our day-to-day life, like what to wear at work or what to have for lunch, do not cost you your life or cause any inner conflict or stress. On the other hand, career transition points can leave you feeling significantly stuck. Especially when you are making a big life-changing decision. Bear in mind, it is completely fine to make a wrong career decision in your initial days when you do not have any idea about how the world works.  

If you think you are unhappy or do not enjoy your work as much as your colleagues do, then read on to find out what the wrong career looks like. And what you can do if you realize you want to make a change, 

You Work Hard, But Don’t Get Results 

Hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but lack of challenging work guarantees that there will be no success. You have made a resolution to work hard in the company you are working for, we’ll let us say it did not turn out so well. But can’t I think of anything that can fix this? 

You don’t need to feel disheartened. You are good at other skills and this job is not meant for you. Evaluate yourself. Find the career you are good at. Get a job where you can excel and enjoy working. 

You Complain A Lot 

This is another sign you need to make a change. You are working hard, day and night. On the other side, if you spend a significant amount of time whining about work, you might have chosen a wrong career path. 

Another sign is you spend most of the time at home. You do not want to go to work. You feel stressed constantly. Your mind is full of negative thoughts. These signs clearly show that you are not happy with your work. Your life is not worth being stressed by work. 

Read More About: 7 Steps To Make A Career Choice 

You Cannot Make Use of Your Strengths 

How can you not make your career rewarding and fulfilling if you are unable to highlight your talents? So, if you do not utilize any of your strengths, the career may not be the one for you. You want a career that plays to your strengths and avoids your weaknesses. 

This makes you succumb to a negative attitude at work. And having a negative attitude affects the way you view everything that happens to you. You liked your job in the first few months, but then you realize that this was not something you wanted to do, and you are not good at it. 

You Fantasize About Quitting 

You know you are terrible at work. The people around you are not fools and notice that. Even your manager at this point knows that you cannot survive in the company for long. So, you think it would be better to resign yourself than to get fired. 

This is a sure sign that your career choice is not fit for you. And if you are thinking of resigning, you are making the right decision. You don’t have to stay in it. You do not have to face people at the workplace whispering about you. 

Your Job Isn’t Fun 

Even though your company environment is fun and rewarding, you don’t really enjoy working there. Why? No reason other than you not liking what you do. Even after giving your 100% at work, you cannot succeed. 

Among other signs, your boss is always targeting you. No matter what you do, you cannot make your boss happy. How can you be happy and have fun in such a stressful environment? This means that you are definitely not meant for that job. Evaluate your skills and get a different job for yourself. Nobody can survive stressful jobs. 

Your Values Don’t Match Your Work 

If your job role doesn’t match your core values, then you will be miserable. It is impossible to enjoy a job if your values don’t align with your work. Learn what your core values are and find a way for them to align with your job role. 

Find a motivation that drives you to do the work. And if you can’t, maybe it is the time to consider a transition into a job you have always wanted to do secretly, deep down. 

Your job Is Bringing Negative Energy To Your Personal Life 

Can you leave your career baggage at work? If not, you should think about what is causing you to dislike your job. Consider what you wish was different. Is it your position or your job? Go in search of something that offers you peace. 

No job will ever be perfect. Remember, professionals in the right job aren’t really stressed about their employment. Why? Because they love what they do. That is the reason they excel in it.  

You Do not Ever Want to Go to Work 

This is the start of discontent. You dreamt of being passionate at work. Whereas you are just trying to survive. There are always issues and problems at any job. You are there to solve them. 

But whether you see them as challenges that help you grow or problems that burn you out is entirely perspective. 

You should discuss your concerns with your manager and try to fix things. If nothing can be rectified, you better run away from the career you chose than running away from the job. 

You Are Feeling Mentally Unhealthy 

Everyone knows when they are performing at their top potential, and when they are struggling. Even people who love their jobs might feel physically and mentally drained during hectic sessions. 

No job is worth sacrificing for the one body you have. 

The EZJobs app is a free-to-use jobs platform that connects employers and candidates for local, part-time, and seasonal jobs. You can download the EZJobs app today and find jobs around you.