YOU NEED A STRONG BUSINESS CASE TO TURN WELLNESS INTO A STRATEGY RATHER THAN A LUXURY

 

We are aware from previous research that two thirds of US workers who call in sick at the last minute do so for reasons other than physical illness, but rather for reasons more personal. This trend may differ per country, but we see similarities in patterns of unscheduled leave.

 

Trends in absence within organizations in South Africa are difficult to explore accurately, as very little information is systematically collected and recorded. Organizations where the real-time absence management programmes are able to provide detailed statistics which are valuable for planning and action.

 

The 17^th annual CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey found that personal illness accounts for 34% of unscheduled absence, but 66% of absence are due to other reasons, including family issues (22%), personal needs (11%), stress/burnout (13%) and some union’s personal favorite, entitlement mentality (13%).

 

CIPD’s tenth national survey of absence management policy and practice, based on replies from 642 employers in organizations employing a total of more than 1.9 million employees, found that almost four in ten employers say the recession had increased their organization’s focus on reducing absence levels and costs. There are some interesting findings on absence levels including employers’ attitude to health and wellbeing in the current climate:

 

• The average absence rate is down to 7.4 days from 8.0 days last year. However, the gap between private and public sector absence is getting bigger at 3.3 days per employee;
• In the UK, the survey stated that by reducing public sector absence to the same levels as the private sector, it would save the taxpayers $700m;
• A positive net balance of 5% of employers think employee concern over job security has had the effect of decreasing the overall level of absence (16%) compared to those  who believe it has had the opposite effect (11%);and
• Just over 40% of respondent organizations use employee absence records as part of the criterion when selecting for redundancy.

 

The survey asked whether respondents had noticed an increase in people coming to work ill in last 12 months. Just over a fifth of employers (21%) said yes; however 67 % said there had been no change in this respect. One of five respondents said there had been an increase in reported mental health problems.

 

Other key findings were:

 

• Only a third of employers have a health and wellbeing strategy;
• 20% of respondents stated their investment in health and wellbeing will increase in 2010 as opposed to 39% last year;
• Only 41% of employers monitor the cost of absence;
• 35% of private sector employers set an absence target. At the same time,64% of public sector employers set a target; and
• 38% of private sector employers benchmark their absence figures.

 

The picture the CIPD survey depicts is that, in the recession, many health and wellbeing initiatives conceived during more prosperous times do not have the strength of business case required to sustain them in an economic downturn.

 

On a lighter note, we close off 2009 with some of the most unusual reasons employees offered for arriving late to work employees.

 

• I dreamt that I was fired, so I didn’t bother to get out of bed;
• I had to take my cat to the dentist;
• I went all the way to the office and realized I was still in my pyjamas and had to go home to change;
• I saw that you weren’t in the office, so I went out looking for you; and
• I couldn’t find the right tie, so I had to wait for the stores to open so I could buy one

 Some of the most unusual reasons employees reported absent from work:

 

• My mom said I was not allowed to go to work today;
• A bee flew in my mouth;
• I’m just not into it today;
• I accidentally hit a nun with my motorcycle;
• A random person threw poison ivy in my face and now I have a rash;
• I’m convinced my spouse is having an affair and I’m staying home to catch them;
• I was injured chasing a seagull; and
• I have a headache from eating hot peppers

Technorati Tags: absence, Add new tag, private, wellbeing

Understand labour turnover and how you calculate it.

 

Labour turnover (LTO) is usually defined as the total movement of people in and out of the organization. A reasonable amount of turnover is healthy as it brings in new blood, techniques, ideas and energy. However, should the turnover rate get out of  hand, it becomes problematic because it often involves losing  people who are disproportionately expensive and time consuming to replace, and one loses customer continuity which can affect bottom line

 

Which circle are you in?

 

Sheila Rothwell makes reference to two circles, namely a vicious circle and a virtuous circle.

 

Different types of labour turnover and their interpretation

LTO could be analyzed by five categories:

 

• Dismissal
• Voluntary separation;
• Retrenchment;
• Other (example retirement, pregnancy)

 With high LTO, it would be important to note in which of these categories most separations primarily fall. For example, consider two companies with a high LTO

 

In company A, 70% of the workers are fired, which might indicate supervisor problems, training problems, company systems and procedures problems and selection and induction problem. In company B, there may be problems with pay, future prospects and promotion opportunities.

 

Median Length of Service (MLS) within an organization adds even more insight to the matter. If people leave voluntarily after three years, they are more likely to be in company B where the prospects are bad. This could be more serious than in company A as the company has already invested considerable time and money in training and developing these people. These costs will have to be re-incurred to replace the lost staff.

 

How much is too much?

 

One must realize that labour turnover is not always bad; it is either good or bad depending on the consequences for the organization which may be either economic or behavioural. Allen Bluedorn presents an interesting way of looking at LTO. He proposes that a “specific turnover rate should be thought of as a purchasable commodity”. If you are thinking of changing the turnover rate in your organization, you should think in terms of “acquiring” the change: the greater the changes, the greater the benefits will have to be in order to outweigh the cost.

 

Since the marginal utility of a commodity decreases as more of it is obtained, a point will be reached when one more unit will not be worthwhile to the buyer. The optimal turnover rate then is the rate at which the marginal cost equals marginal utility of the turnover rate. This is illustrated in Figure 3

 

What does it cost to lose staff?

 

The cost involved can be analyzed in three distinct phases:

 

• Psychic absenteeism cost. This is intangible, but could be the most expensive. The mind leaves the organization between six and twelve months before the body follows;
• Separation cost. This could includes the cost of separation pay, the loss of efficiency prior to separation and the effects of any period of vacancy during the replacement search period;
• Acquisition cost. This includes the cost of recruitment, interview assessment time, selection and replacement or alternatively, the cost of promotion or internal transfer; and
• Learning cost. This includes the cost of the new incumbent formally or informally acquiring the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to perform the job and integrate into a team. Included here are cost consequential errors that one may make during the period of learning

 The cost for an executive earning R1 million basic salaries (and assuming the recruitment is done from outside the company) can be expected to be as follows:

 

Separation cost:

 

Three months period of notice   below:

Average effectiveness - R250 000

Administration cost – R140 000

 

Acquisition of knew employee:

 

Recruitment expenses (20% of employee’s salary) – R200 000

Cost of advertisement – R90 000

One day’s interviewing time for two executives – R50 000

 

Learning cost:

 

Three months at below average

Effectiveness – R250

 

Total cost   - R804 000

 

The costs in losing an employee are high and there is a considerable amount of wastage.

 

Labour turnover trends over past three years:

 

Labour turnover in the last three years has been around 13% to 15% on average. For scarce skills like artisan engineers and top executive specialists it has been higher- around 25%.

In the recent recessionary times, the LTO figure has been as low as 3% to 5%. Owing to supply and demand, the lack of growth and poor education, the LTO amongst the lowest end of the organization has always been low

 

How do reduce unwanted labour turnover?

 

One can control labour turnover successfully but since it usually has more than one cause, action in more than one area may be necessary to control it effectively. Most organizations will need to look at some of the basics or “hygiene factors (to use Hertzberg’s terminology) and one or more of the “motivating factors”. This will mean examining the “terms and conditions” and other “employment practices” as well as at least one of those factors relating to environment or personal circumstances. The factors that need to be considered, as identified by Rothwell are as follows:

 

To reduce avoidable turnover which is job related, one could consider the following if applicable:

 

• Improve pay. Pay systems, differentials of skilled and professional employees and fringe benefits;
• Change hours. Scrutinize recruitment and selection procedures, plan induction and training, select and develop supervisors and improve working conditions and facilities (for example heat, light, ventilation, dirt and noise, canteen, restroom, toilet facilities and child care facilities);
• Develop management functions and procedures;
• Plan manpower. Make opportunities for promotion and train existing staff;
• Redesign jobs;
• Communicate. To reduce “avoidable Turnover”. Turnover which is home related (for example provide transport, help with housing, adjust to domestic responsibilities recognize personal and marital problems, plan for “outside commitments” minimize dismissal, layoff and redundancy, prevent ill health and phase retirement); and
• Conduct “stay interviews”- find out what makes people stay.

An old proverb says: “A man must be very brave who attempts to kill a porcupine by sitting on it”. Too many managers have been sitting on their “turnover porcupines” for too long. However, one must bear in mind that less is not necessarily better. Companies may actually profit from labour turnover by carefully selecting their turnover reduction targets.

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, cost, Labour, turnover

A 23 year old Durban employee was recently dismissed by his employer after the employee posted a rude comment about his boss on Facebook. Can an employer take action against an employee for the employee’s conduct outside of the work environment? Does  the employee’s right to privacy not prevail and act as a shield against the employer’s right to discipline?

 

“Employees should know that they cannot bite the hand that feeds them”

 

Two other employees were also suspended by their respective employers following their exploits on Facebook. A 25 year old Pretoria man was reportedly suspended after posting a comment on his Facebook page about his employer’s alleged laziness. A 25 year old Johannesburg woman was reportedly suspended for promoting a competitor’s product on her profile home page. In all three instances, the employers took a dim view of the employee’s conduct in posting their comments on Facebook.

 

Facebook is a social phenomenon that has taken world by storm. With increased mobility of employment, many globetrotting (and less fortunate) employees use Facebook as an effective vehicle for staying in touch with friends and family. President Obama is reported to be the most popular person on Facebook. If the President of the United States of America has a page on Facebook, shouldn’t all of us have one? The reports above highlight some of the downsides of ‘Facebooking’ however.

 

The employer’s right to discipline its workers flows directly from the common law provision of the employment contract. Under the common law, an employee places his or her labour potential at the disposal of the employer in return for remuneration. In doing so, the employee is in a subordinate position and must subject himself or herself to the employer’s control and command. The employer has a corresponding right to issue instruction and expect obedience to all lawful reasonable instructions.

 

Logically, though, the employer can only control and command those actions of the employee resorting within the employment relationship. What the employee does in his spare time is of no consequences to the employer. The employer can certainly not instruct the employee (and expect compliance) of those aspects that has no bearing on the employee’s employment duties.

 

Whilst the courts have accepted this principle, the caveat lies in those otherwise private actions of the employee that may impact on the employment relationship with the employer, for instance, if  an off-duty employee makes a defamatory statement in relation to his employer in public, this (otherwise private) action may have a direct bearing on his continued employment with his employer. Certainly, an employer cannot be expected to continue the work relationship with an employee where the latter’s actions are irreconcilable with a healthy employment relationship

But what if it took place outside of working hours or the workplace? The Courts have been willing to accept that a link can arise between the employee’s private actions and the employment relationship. Where the employee, in his private capacity, acts in a manner that negatively impacts on his employer’s business, the employer’s right to fair labour practice may trump the employee’s right to privacy.  The employer may then discipline and even dismiss an employee whose after-hours conduct negatively impacts on the employer’s business.

 

In Van Zyl vs Opencast Service, the Industrial Court upheld the dismissal of an employee who assaulted his supervisor, in front of another employee, after hours. The Court held that the employee’s actions made a harmonious working relationship intolerable. Thus, although the employee acted outside of the workplace and after working hours, his action still linked back to the employment relationship. In assaulting his supervisor, he damaged the relationship between him and his employer beyond repair. This resulted in the dismissal being held to be fair, not withstanding the fact that it is was an ostensible private act by the employee.

 

Employees should also remember that they are under a common law obligation to further their employer’s business interest. This means that they may not do anything to destroy harmonious working relations with their employer or colleague. When posting comments on social networking sites such as Facebook, they should remember that potential clients, competitors and colleagues may trawl the internet for information on their suppliers, rival businesses or co-workers. In doing so, it is foreseeable that they may come across information posted by staff. Employees are labouring under a terrible misapprehension if they believe that the information they post on most networking sites are private and cannot have any bearing on their continued employment.

 

An employee who disrespects his employer in a public forum like Facebook should expect the same treatment as that dished out to a drunken employee shouting obscenities to his boss at the annual Christmas lunch. And an employee who punts the opposition’s business on Facebook or in an e-mail to third parties can face the same wrath as if she went on radio or television, defaming her employer. The employee’s obligation to further his employer’s business interest, or in the course of duty not to do his employer’s business harm, does not keep office hours. Employees should remember that they cannot bite the hand that feeds them.

Technorati Tags: conduct, dismissal, Facebook

You’ve surely heard the old adage, “No pain, no gain.”

While normally applied to physical activities, it can also apply to starting your business in the midst of a recession. There will be pain- but long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term.

Already, there are signs that the freeze of our current economic winter is starting to thaw, and the reality is that six percentage points of decline in GDP is not a 50 % decline- no matter how the media wants to peddle the numbers. It’s time to get over the fact that things are slow and get on with what you need to do now to enjoy the fruits of the economic spring and summer that will be here soon. So why should you focus on the long-term gain of business ownership versus the short –term pain of the current recession? Let me count the ways:

 

1. Business is still the best wealth- building vehicle ever created.  You could get rich working for someone else, but the numbers are against you. Using the new definition of  “rich” (meaning an annual income of R1 million or more), you could count on one hand the number of actual salaried positions that could pay you that amount of money- and that salary number is typically capped, unless you can tap into a bonus pool. However, running your own business offers you an opportunity to grow your income as much as you possibly can. There are no limits to the types of revenue streams you can develop in your own enterprise, and there are tax advantages you have as an owner that simply aren’t available to you as an employee.

 

1. Business allows you to leverage your greatest strength- and overcome your most glaring weakness. In running your own company, you’ll soon discover you can’t do it all; you’ll need to develop systems and tools to make everything work. This will force you to think differently about your skills and abilities and how best to set up an environment that is at all times productive, efficient, profitable and systemized.

How do you do it? Learn from the hundreds and thousands of “how to” materials available online, in you library or in your current network of associates and friends. I like to say there are no secrets- just information you don’t know yet. And if your weakness is learning , being accountable to yourself and others or understanding how to sell or get leads through your door- you will soon discover the need to overcome those constraints… or you won’t be in business long.

   

1. Recessions are short-term. Recoveries are long-term. I often say there is more money made in a down turn than is ever made in a boom- and that’s because the good companies in a recession soak up all the mind share, market share and more importantly, wallet share of weak companies. They also enjoy the “ride” coming out of the down turn, because recoveries historically tend to last four to five times    longer than any recession. In any market economy, the short-term pain is just that: short-term. But the benefits of working out the fundamentals and getting your business model right will give you security and profits for the long-term, and equip you with the learning needed to get “lean and mean” when they cycle slows again.

 

1. Great successes are often achieved by “doing the opposite.” The is a famous Seinfeld episode where the helpless George decides to do the opposite of what he has always done- and finds it leads him to great success. The fact is, you’ll never get abnormal results by being normal and if we are to use R1 million benchmark again as an example, less than 5%of the population currently makes that kind of money. In the old” bell curve” you probably remember from school-that 5% outlier would be an abnormal result, and the remaining annual incomes would comfortably settle in the middle around the average or median score. To break out of normal and average, you need to do something exceptional that others aren’t doing. Part of that is getting the right mindset is “doom and gloom,” waiting for someone or something to come up with some great solution to solve all economic ills. Decide right now to “do the opposite “- by realizing the only person who can cure your economic illness is you. Then resolve to do everything in your power to start producing “abnormal” results.

 

 

1. Business is one of the most creative endeavors you could ever undertake- or attempt to master. People look in awe at artists and what they are able to create. But in some ways, successful business people are far more artistic and creative than most people could ever imagine. Think about it for a minute. Great entrepreneurs take invisible ideas, turn them into tangible products or services, fulfill the needs and desires of their customers, hire and employ tens, dozens or thousands of team members to assist them and live to profit another day. There are few things more purely creative than that. Mastering that process, however, is an entirely different Endeavour. And after more than 30 years in business with some awesome failures, I am still learning, growing, improving and striving to master my craft.

 

In the end, it doesn’t matter if you start slowly or start big, the key is to start. Get over your hesitation, stop your procrastination and get moving.

 

Technorati Tags: economic, gain, Long-term

The CEO’s most important job is to groom team members for more responsibility, for leadership roles and simply to do a better job day-to-day. And when times are tough, our people need more from us. That’s especially true when we ask them to take on more duties, swim in uncharted waters and excel at everything. Here’s what you, as the leader, need to do to make sure your next-level leaders achieve:

 

MAKE TIME.

We know it’s important to have regular meetings with direct reports to give direction and feedback. Yet when we get stretched, it’s often the internal meetings we wipe off our schedules first. Plan to increase your time with employees when you ask them to stretch their skills. Meet at least once a week for an hour and give ad hoc feedback frequently.

 

FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT OF FEEDBACK.

Make it part of your company’s culture to give continuous feedback, both positive and negative. If that seems out of reach, at least foster feedback with direct reports and those you mentor. Frame this feedback as a positive: you’re giving these because people more attention because you see that they have what it takes to succeed. Feedback is the ultimate compliment. It means someone cares about your development.

 

DON ‘T HOLD BACK YOUR PLAN FOR SOMEONE.

If you tell a rising leader that you see unique capabilities in her and have a plan for her growth, it’s much likely that she’ll get there. Let your high potential employees know what is possible for them, and you’ll increase their confidence and success rate.

 

BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED.

This is neither a time to manage nor to sit back and see what someone can do. Be clear and specific about what the person needs to do to achieve the goals you’ve set for her. Lay out the vision and skills she must develop, and have her repeat back to you what she heard. You want to avoid misunderstandings at all costs, they waste time and take you off track.

 

MATCH POTENTIAL LEADERS WITH OTHER MENTORS.

Use you reach to find other performers, inside or outside the company, to act as mentors, modeling other’s behavior is one of the best ways to learn, so encourage your people to find role models. Because the CEO often has a strong network, you cab be a powerful facilitator in this process

 

INVEST IN TRAINING OR COACHING.

This is what I do for a living, so I’m biased. I’ve seen the enormous demand- and- effects- of leadership development on high potential professionals. It’s much more common, and often has more impact, than corrective coaching. You can contract for a tailored leadership training programme, individual of both. There are also countless management training programmes to which you can send employees.

 

If forecast are correct, the current economic environment isn’t going to end soon. We will need our people to stretch and grow. There may never be a more critical time to focus on developing your bench strength. Do it, and you’ll emerge even stronger than before.

Technorati Tags: Leadership, mentor, time

The recent downturn in global market will have more effects than people realize. We are already seeing evidence of Governments tightening the immigration controls and entry qualification criteria regarding residency and work permits to protect local job opportunities in a shrinking economy. Foreigners working in these countries on work permits will have difficulty renewing the temporary permits which generally operate on a one –or two- year basis.

 

We predict that countries which have a strong social system will be worst affected as nationals from these countries working abroad might have to return to their home country as a consequence. The trend will become more evident the next 12 to 18 months as the work permits affected will expire during this period

Dubai has been severely affected by the global meltdown in financial markets and an economic growth rate of only around 1.5% to 2 % is expected for 2009. As a result of the downturn in the property sector, scores of projects have been cancelled, resulting in thousands of job losses.

Until recently, many of the world’s top construction experts were working on projects in Dubai and many of these projects have been curtailed and new work cancelled. This has resulted in a steady exodus of these skills from

 

 

 

Dubai. We have not yet seen an influx of South Africans returning to South Africa. There are numerous reasons for this. For those who have emigrated with their families it is a very expensive exercise to return to South Africa, and many of these individuals may still be investigating their long-term options in other foreign markets before considering returning home. The contraction of employment opportunities in countries such as Dubai, the UK and Australia presents South African employers, industry and government with an opportunity to selectively target and encourage skilled South Africans who are able to assist with skills transfers and transformation to return to South Africa.

Good news is that while thousands of jobs have been lost worldwide, the economies of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, are still largely intact.

Saudi Arabia expects an economic growth rate of around 5.5 % this year, Qatar a growth rate of around 5% and Abu Dhabi, an economic growth rate of around 7 %.

Unlikely Dubai, these countries have petroleum-based economies. Unlike Dubai they have also embraced Shariah compliant Finance. This results in a more cautious and regulated approach to access credit finance, which has benefited these economies and appears to have protected and isolated them for the financial meltdown in credit markets.

There is an opportunity for South Africans to find employment in these three countries. The attractive part for South Africans is that remuneration is tax free. The lifestyle is attractive: foreigners live in compounds, similar to estate living in South Africa.

Private, international schooling for children who are already on their third or fourth work permit.

Demand for SA skills is high: South Africans have always been highly sought after as employees because of their work ethic, their qualifications and their work experience.

Three or four years ago, South Africans were comparatively cheap to recruit. They are now paid on par with their European, Australian or Canadian counterparts. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi have quota systems where targets have been set in terms of how many foreigners are allowed into the country. Targets have also been set per nationality.

Of interest to South Africans is that all three countries have exceeded their quota for Indian foreigners. They are looking for white and blue collar workers. This present an opportunity for more South Africans, from different work levels, to work in these countries. In the past, only highly skilled professionals were recruited.

It is important to recognize that these countries have different approach to labour from South Africa. There are no unions in the work environment nor are there any consultative committees. On entering the country, an employee is required to surrender his passport to his employer. These are only returned at the end of his contract.

Foreign women are not generally allowed to work in Saudi Arabia, and to a lesser extent in Qatar. The latter is, however, quite prescriptive in terms of the types of work environments that women can work in. They are not comfortable with a woman working in a male dominated team. It is, however, possible to obtain work permits for women based on their technical expertise and special skills.

Despite the meltdown in global financial markets, one’s marketability in the workplace is still based on one’s skills, knowledge and expertise. It is imperative, therefore, to continue to enhance one’s skills, qualifications and experience. This will make you more marketable. It will also enable you to swim in a much bigger pond

Technorati Tags: experties, knowledge, Recession, Skills

What do you do when your well-thought out career plans come to a screeching halt due to a down turn in the economy? You rethink your strategy and remain agile.

 

The traditional hallmark of rising in the corporate world has been a steadily increasing salary, along with expanded responsibilities, promotions, and higher-ranking titles. When a company is struggling, raises are expendable, but you still have the opportunity for non-economics gains. If you take it in your stride, maintain an optimistic attitude, and assume additional duties without complaint, you will be well positioned to reap the economic benefits when the economy turns around, as it always does.

 

A sophisticated professional knows you can advance your career in numerous ways outside of income, and looks at the hard and soft markets as natural occurrences and plans accordingly. Pauses in monetary rewards don’t mean your upward career track has to be stalled; when the recession is over you will recover from the temporary economic stagnation. Here are some strategies to employ that will help you stay the course:

 

• Pursue continuing education and certifications, and finish your degree if you don’t have one yet. Join, contribute, and assume leadership roles in industry associations. Make friends with your competitors.
• Assume more difficult or advanced positions, and accept promotions even if there is no salary increase immediately attached to them. You should not be in the same position for more than two or three years, so don’t wait to be available to move up.
• If you are asked to take on a larger workload or consistently more challenging projects, ask if you can have a promotion, at least by title as compensation. Or negotiate bonuses based on performance returns.
• Reflect honestly on where you need to improve and make changes. Are you taking care of your appearance and health and keeping up with technology.
• Maintain an open dialog with your manager. Ask what you can do to make their job easier. Take on as many high-profile projects as you can, particularly if it gives you exposure to other departmental executives.
• If you don’t already have a mentor, establish a relationship with one now. Offer to be a mentor also; you never know who your next boss will be, and it may be someone you influenced on their way up who will remember.
• Keep track of all your achievements and include them on your resume as you update  it periodically

 

Your career will take place over most of your adult life, so make sure you take a long-term view while remaining flexible during the inevitable short-term cycles. Think of other roadblocks in your past and the coping mechanisms that worked for you. While they caused despair at the time, now you can reflect back with hindsight and perspective, pleased that you made it through with no permanent negative con sequences. Have confidence that with dedication, perseverance and planning you will keep climbing the ladder of success

 

By: August Cohen-

 

Technorati Tags: attitude, Economy, optimistic, performance

Managing your reputation on the internet is now a serious business and easy to control. According to research, 26% of hiring managers say they have used search engines to research potential employees and one in 10 has looked on a social networking website.

You put yourself at risk by …..

• Keep on to of what’s out there. Regularly Google yourself and search your name on website like pipl.com to check on the status of your reputation. If there is anything derogatory, do something about it.

• Keep your MySpace or Facebook profile private. All social networking accounts have privacy settings, so use them. You don’t want your prospective employer to know too much about your family and friends.

• Use social networks to your advantage. Set up two accounts on sites like Facebook or MySpace, one in your name and one under pseudonym. The account using your real name can be glowing. Listing your positive experiences and achievements, while other can be reserved for the lighter side of your life.

• Set your own website. This gives you a lot more control over what people see when they Google you. It also shows you are taking a proactive role online. You can also create personal areas that stay private for your social life and public areas that can be seen by potential employers.

• Request removal. It is time consuming, but trawl through any old data about you get rid of it –unless it is a stunning reference to your perfect existence of course. Previous work places and other organizations you have worked for it may still hold information about you, blogs or articles you have written in the past or images and videos. Contact previous employers and web managers to request removal.

• Hire an expert to clean up your profile. If removal is proving difficult, you may need to call in an expert such as reputation defender.com. for a fee, the company produces monthly reports on your on-line identities and you ca n request the removal of any material on the report.

• Bear in mind who may be searching you. Remember, it’s not just potential employers who could be searching engines to find out information about you- it may also be potential clients. So even if you are not looking for a new job, It’s worth assessing your internet presence.

• Create a business profile. Join something like linkedin.com- it’s a great tool for networking with your peers and allows you to talk about yourself, link to your other Google friendly web content and customize your profile URL.

• Stay anonymous. The internet is perfectly set up for anonymity and that doesn’t mean you’ve become a creepy internet dweeb. It means you have become internet-savvy. In fact, in 10 years’ time people will probably be shocked about how much true information our generations were willing to put on the web. Keep pictures to minimum and use other names. This is a good idea, not just in term s of finding a job, but also in avoiding identity theft.

• Prevention is the best cure. The best way to maintain a good net rep is to keep it clean in the first place, so just think carefully about what you put out there. Even posting your family recipe for pickled gherkins ca n influence a potential employer’s opinion of you.

Technorati Tags: Facebook, internet reputation, LinkedIn, MySpace, Social network service