Mohamad Haj Hasan and Yousef Shamoun of Akhtaboot Selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs

Endeavor invited ten High-Impact Entrepreneurs from Egypt, Jordan, Mexico and Turkey to join its network at an International Selection Panel held in Cairo, Egypt last month.

“In Cairo, Endeavor selected an impressive array of entrepreneurs that are running companies that will not only change industries but also create value-added jobs that are necessary for any growing economy. We are delighted that our Jordanian entrepreneurs, Mohamad Haj Hasan and Yousef Shamoun from Akhtaboot (www.akhtaboot.com), were among those selected.” said Endeavor Jordan’s Managing Director, Carmen Saad.

Akhtaboot - Arabic for “octopus” - is an online recruitment company serving the broader Middle East and the GCC markets. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Amman, Jordan, Akhtaboot offers an interactive and dynamic interface that provides job seekers and employers with high value products that maximize their goals. These products include online Job Postings, CV Searches, recruitment assistance services in addition to other specialized offerings.

“We are truly honored and humbled to have been chosen among some of the best companies in Jordan and the Middle East, and the acknowledgment is a true testament to the great creative work of the Akhtaboot Team. This is a time when both jobseekers and companies can and should demand excellence from their recruiting partners. It is great to get this confirmation from Endeavor that validates our efforts as well, and we are honored to be recognized in this way”. Said Yousef Shamoun and Mohamad Haj Hasan, Co-founders of Akhtaboot.

The International Selection Panel is the culmination of a rigorous multi-step Search & Selection Process where top business leaders interview and then offer guidance to entrepreneur candidates. Once selected, Endeavor Entrepreneurs are given strategic advice, access to key networks and other tools that will enable them to grow their businesses. Often overlooked, these local entrepreneurs are initiating private sector development in their respective countries.

Mohamad and Yousef join 9 other Endeavor Entrepreneurs in Jordan representing varying industries, who have been selected since Endeavor Jordan began operations in 2008.

About Endeavor

Endeavor breaks down barriers that prevent emerging-market entrepreneurs from reaching their high-impact potential. Endeavor identifies entrepreneurs leading high-growth innovative companies in emerging markets. These entrepreneurs are given world-class strategic advice, access to key networks and other tools that will catapult them to success. With Endeavor’s guidance they become “high-impact” - expanding employment, generating wealth and inspiring others to innovate. Often overlooked, these local entrepreneurs are now jumpstarting private sector development in their countries.

As of 2009,Endeavor Entrepreneurs throughout Latin America, Egypt, India, Jordan, South Africa and Turkey have created more than 98,000 new jobs and generated over $3.15 billion in revenues. For more information, visit www.endeavorjordan.org

About Akhtaboot

Akhtaboot (www.akhtaboot.com) is an online career network that is committed to providing a user-friendly, effective, and efficient way of linking the right person to the right career opportunity. Akhtaboot is a leading career network in the Levant and GCC region utilizing internet, radio, newspaper, and magazine advertising for employer’s job vacancies.

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Get a Life! Akhtaboot presents 5 helpful tips for achieving work-life balance!

Achieving the right balance between your work life and your personal life in today’s hectic business world is no simple task. Between work, kids, social and family commitments there is no time left for personal leisure. Nevertheless, you should remember one important thing “life is what you make it”. You have a choice to either surrender to whatever comes your way and live in chaos or you can be proactive by identifying your priorities and scheduling your activities leaving sufficient time for your personal obligations.

If you had to rate your work-life balance on a scale of 1 to 10, what score would you give it? If the chosen score was less than 5 then you have a serious problem that may lead to depression, exhaustion and maybe chronic stress. Akhtaboot presents 5 tips to help you get your work-life in balance.


Organize your Day

Give each activity in your life a fraction of your time. Get a calendar to help you organize your day by setting goals and scheduling appointments such as lunch dates, outings and even sleep hours. Most employees take work home almost every day. Technology has made us more readily accessible to those who needed to reach us urgently, but at what cost? Checking your Blackberry or laptop for work mail every 10 minutes can become one big work blur. Instead of checking your PDA every 2 minutes, stay at work for one extra hour to respond to all of your work emails. The more in control of your projects, tasks and your life as a whole, the less you need these things interrupting you from enjoying the rest of your non-work time. Always remember, work will always be there in the morning!

Learn to Say No

Have you ever felt that you can’t concentrate on the task at hand because every half an hour a coworker interrupts you asking for assistance? One of the most valuable tools for effective time management is recognizing that you don’t have to place other people’s needs before your own. Learning to say No to certain requests when there’s too much on your plate is an effective tool that you should master for better work-life balance. Always identify inquiries that simply aren’t worth your time for effective time management. This advice does not only apply to work but also to personal and social events. Next time you are invited to something, weigh the benefits and costs before saying yes to make sure you don’t compromise your own priorities.

Accept Help

Most professionals do not ask for assistance since they prefer to stay in control and figure things out themselves. Even if you have many years of experience, don’t feel ashamed to ask for help in any area where you lack sufficient knowledge. Moreover, learn to delegate when possible. That doesn’t mean to hand over all of your tasks and sit down doing nothing, but it means passing on some of your responsibilities to your subordinates. Always remember that many of your coworkers may be able to handle some of your work if you give them a chance. When it comes to life outside work, accept help from your partner, family members and friends. For example, ask one of your friends to watch your kids for a night out on the town.

Protect Your Private Time

You may probably think twice before skipping out on a business meeting, doctor’s appointment or a career-related event. Give your private time the same respect you give to your prescheduled appointments. Protect your personal time by turning off your work mobile and laptop whenever you are spending time outside the office. It is not healthy to be one click away of your boss or clients. Make it clear that they should not expect a response from you if they contact you after work hours or on weekends. Moreover, take a ten-minute break every two hours during work day to increase your productivity and efficiency.

Plan Fun & Relaxation

Fun and relaxation are definitely an essential part of leading a well-balanced life. Most of you would think that going on a vacation is not something one should plan beforehand. This is not precisely true. In today’s busy life people can’t afford to let things go unplanned as nothing will be accomplished. Figure out what you want to do while you’re vacationing, and do some research to find out just how you’re going to do that. You do not necessarily need to go abroad in order to relax; you can simply take a novel to the park and enjoy the outdoors, visit the gym or go for a long relaxing walk.

Many employees of today’s world are too busy making a living that they don’t make enough time to create room for their personal life. What you do in your life is in your own hands and finding a balance between your work activities and personal activities should not be left to chance. Work-life balance is all about setting your boundaries and communicating them clearly to everyone. Don’t be one of those who make work life itself and try to get a life of your own!

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Akhtaboot Conducts the First Career Planning Lecture at King Saud University in Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

As a step to fulfill the growing demand for online recruitment solutions in the Middle East, Akhtaboot - the career network - has expanded its operations to reach Jeddah and Al-Riyadh. Akhtaboot’s presence in the Saudi Market aims to provide both companies and job seekers with a higher level of onsite and local customer service. Akhtaboot’s offices in Saudi Arabia are run by Recruitment Consultants, HR and Marketing Specialists who are dedicated to provide an extraordinary variety of employment-related services for both job seekers and businesses of Jeddah and Al-Riyadh.

Akhtaboot has also continued its ongoing commitment to support the young graduates in Jeddah and Al-Riyadh through the Akhtaboot Cares Initiative, which is a comprehensive plan that was developed through partnerships with a number of third parties and educational institutions that aims to educate the young public on issues related to career planning, while creating awareness and readiness on different work-related issues.

As part of the “Akhtaboot Cares initiative”, Akhtaboot’s Area Manager, Dauod Abu Kasheh, along with one of Akhtaboot’s Recruitment Specialists, Atef Hajeer, have conducted their first lecture on career planning at Saudi Arabia’s oldest and most prestigious university, King Saud University, Al-Riyadh. The main focus of the lecture was to educate the attendees on the differences between a job and a career and the steps that they should follow in order to effectively plan their career. The interactive presentation was well received and feedback from the 150 attendees was overwhelmingly positive. One of the students commented: “God bless you, this is one of the most informative and inspiring lectures I have ever attended”.

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Akhtaboot at The University of Jordan Job Fair

As part of Akhtaboot’s ongoing commitment to support the young Jordanian graduates-to-be in their quest to find the right job and plan their career path, Akhtaboot - the career network participated in The University of Jordan job fair which was held on Mar 4th in the Deanship of Student Affairs.

The University of Jordan provided Akhtaboot with 2 booths; one of which was dedicated for interviewing University students and graduates who are interested in finding a job at Akhtaboot, where they can gain excellent experience in a dynamic environment that promotes continuous career development and skill improvement. The other booth was devoted for free CV evaluation where two of Akhtaboot’s HR specialists advised students on how to best structure their CVs as well as highlighting common mistakes they should avoid when writing their CVs.

The CV Evaluation Booth was set as part of Akhtaboot’s CSR initiative “Akhtaboot Cares”, which is a comprehensive plan that was developed through partnerships with a number of third parties and educational institutions that aims to educate the young Jordanian public on issues related to career planning, while creating awareness and readiness on different career related issues.

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Bullying is Not Over Yet!

Bullying is something we all hope not to have to deal with much beyond school days. Unfortunately, the bullies you tried to avoid at school will most probably grow up and follow you to the workplace. Adult bullying has become a common trend in both small and large organizations. Employees as well as managers should be able to easily distinguish between the various forms of bullying such as hostile communication, exclusion of certain employees, public humiliation, making some employees the target of particular jokes and using faulty language. In addition, employees who are being bullied should be able to handle the issue immediately; otherwise, it can result in high levels of stress, low self-esteem, lower productivity and possibly depression.

Most bullied employees simply choose to quit in order to escape the trouble and the stress, but why give bullies the victory when you can win the battle as well as preserve your job? While bullying obviously harms those directly targeted, it can also affect onlookers and ultimately lead to an unhealthy organizational culture. Akhtaboot will help you identify the main types of bullying behavior and the way to handle each one of them.

Chronic Bullying

This form of bullying is the meanest and cruelest of all as it is part of the individual’s nature and everyday behaviors. Chronic Bullies behave with an intention to harm and they have pleasure in torturing others. They usually target those who have low self-esteem levels.

How can employees survive a Chronic Bully and stop him from crossing the line? Humor is the ultimate solution. Using humor is the best way to disarm a bully. Telling a joke about yourself, will give the impression that you are not intimidated by the bully’s criticism and will help the bully let down his wall of insecurity. In general, when you make a bully feel that he’s an insider rather than the person who has to fight his way in, he becomes more approachable and easier to deal with.

Situational Bullying

This is the most common type of bullying and usually happens in specific situations such as, high stress levels at work, change, competition and conflict. In such situations, Situational bullies can turn on their colleagues through verbal abuse, intimidation and aggression. However, these acts are only temporary and tend to stop once the situational factors disappear or when they feel it is in their favor to do so. In fact, Situational Bullies can be very friendly when it comes to achieving their personal career goals.

When dealing with a Situational Bully, one of the common mistakes that you should avoid is to become defensive about the situation. Defending your actions through explaining why you did something signals weakness. Don’t argue with the bully as it will make him more hostile and will definitely blow things out of proportion. The Situational Bully tends to meet aggression with aggression. Instead, stay calm and keep the argument at a minimum. Again, the most useful piece of advice that you should follow in this regard, is to use humor to disseminate the situation.

Unaware Bullying

Some bullies might not be aware of their bullying behavior or the effects it might have on their colleagues. The Unaware Bully is someone who just happens to be in the mood for criticizing and commenting and is totally oblivious to what he is doing.

The best way to deal with Unaware Bullies is to ignore them because their bullying behavior is not intentional and most probably will not happen again. However, once the bullying behavior starts to reoccur, you must confront the bully and tackle the situation at once. A typical reaction of an Unaware Bully would be to become defensive as he might not be aware of his bullying behavior but most of them will stop and apologize.

If you have exhausted all your options and non of the above suggested solutions seemed to work, then you might be left with only one alternative and that is to communicate your problem to top management. Top managers have a huge responsibility towards keeping the work environment bully-free. They should be able to solve such situations immediately through creating a zero tolerance anti-bullying policy that details how employees should treat each other and the punishment that any employee will be subject to in case they mistreat one of their colleagues.

If your company is not supportive of making the changes that will help you feel less bullied, then maybe you should move on and find another Job. After all, if the corporate culture is one that won’t support and protect you from anti-productive bullying, do you really want to work there anyway? Well, maybe you do, for other reasons such as your compensation and the other people you work with. But if not, then it’s time you moved on. Just remember, bullies will always be there, in every industry and almost every company, so be prepared!

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The Customer is Always Right, Right?

Ever wonder what makes some companies succeed where others fail? Successful businesses of today’s world have drastically changed their approach towards customer service to meet the challenges of today’s competitive marketplace by using the most recent and modern ways to increase revenue growth and create a culture of success in the months and years to come. One excellent way to achieve that is to place customer needs and concerns at the heart of the business, not on the edge. It is a known fact that satisfied clients are the best promoters of your business. A recent research has shown that satisfied customers inform an average of five other people about their good treatment while unhappy customers may tell around 11 people about their bad experience with the company.

Providing excellent customer service is a definitely a challenge for every Company but as customers ultimately pay the bills and pay the salaries, running away from it is not an option. Akhtaboot presents to you a number of important tips that you should keep in mind in order to handle customer complaints effectively.

Listen, Listen then Listen Some More!

Listening is perhaps the most critical element in workplace communications, yet it remains one of the least understood skills among employees. When it comes to handling complaining customers, you should really understand that it’s not about you as a person but about the products and services that your company offers. While you’re listening make sure that you don’t get defensive as this will stimulate even more anger. Stay calm and make sure that you understand the precise nature of the customer’s complaint. Repeat back the key points of their complaint to show interest. Be positive; at least this customer actually took the time and effort to complain!

Show Interest

You can show interest by simply asking questions about the problem in a caring and concerned manner. Make sure that you ask about the complainer’s name and mention it every now and then as you address him or her. When someone comes to you yelling, try to calm him down by saying “We can work together to solve the problem but first can you please tell me what exactly went wrong”. Identifying the exact problem will not only help you with that particular customer, but will help avoid more complaints in the future.

Say Thank You

As annoying as they may appear to be, complaints are actually positive. Many companies allocate a lot of resources and personnel in order to get customer feedback. You have been granted this gift free of charge so why keep on nagging about receiving a lot of complaints. Instead, the customer deserves to be thanked for approaching the company which such valuable information. A simple “Thank You” is the easiest way to make an outraged customer feel important and appreciated.

Offer an apology

Apologizing indicates that you are taking the complaint seriously and that you are truly sorry about any inconvenience the customer had to face. A genuine apology can actually strengthen a customer’s bond to a company, leaving him or her emotionally connected than a customer who has never experienced a problem. As a representative of your company you have a responsibility to actively work to regain customer goodwill even if it wasn’t actually your fault.

Fix the Problem

Distinguishing between a major and a minor problem can sometimes be tricky. You might overlook a fundamental problem at times and on other occasions you might spend considerable time trying to solve a minor problem which only exists in the mind of the complainer. It’s the responsibility of the customer service representative to figure out the validity and importance of the complaint.

Follow Up

Many customer care representatives think that bombarding complaining customers with follow up calls is essential to please them. Doing so might drive the customer to stop dealing with the company because of the disturbing phone calls. Nevertheless, following up with a customer who has previously complained to the services her received is essential when done in moderation. It signals care and reflects that the company has a sincere desire to keep customers happy.

Tracking customer complaints has become a priority for companies in today’s marketplace. Statistics show that 25% of customers are dissatisfied with their purchases, yet, only 5% actually complain. The other 95% either feel complaining is not worth the effort or they just stop buying because they do not know whom to turn to. Only about 50% of those who complain report a satisfactory problem resolution. Likewise, between 54-70% of customers who register a complaint will do business with the company again if their complaints are fully resolved.

Keep in mind that customer support is not just about fixing a problem, but forming a relationship with buyers and creating an opportunity for future sales. The quality and effectiveness of your products must be accompanied by good customer service in order to succeed. In today’s competitive market, companies that truly understand that it’s all about the customers and their experience with their products, their services, their organization, will be the ones left standing.

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The Secret Formula to Employment: Akhtaboot unveils the 8 essential skills that employers consider when hiring

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in education throughout the globe. Most parents are investing in their children by educating them and preparing them to face the highly demanding work environment. As a result, thousands of students graduate from universities with similar degrees. With that in mind, what really matters nowadays are the competitive attributes that distinguish you from other candidates. Akhtaboot presents to you the 8 essential attributes that employers look for in potential candidates. Try to master one or more in order to be able to compete effectively in the job market.

The Remarkable CV

“If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements.” Mason Cooley.

Don’t underestimate the power of a CV because a well written CV will certainly get you an interview. Your CV is the first instrument that you can use to exceptionally brand yourself. Therefore, use it efficiently to highlight your strengths and to bury your weaknesses. What is even better is to turn your weaknesses into strengths. For example, if you do not have a university degree, you need to emphasize your job experience. But the question remains: Will my CV get me a Job? Probably no, but an interview will!

Relevant Work Experience

“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” Barry LePatner.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why most of the employers you applied for have never called you back? One reason may be the lack of relevant experience. Therefore, set your long term career goals and plan your way to reach your goals by applying to jobs that will enable you to gain the relevant experience and prepare you for your dream job. After all, reaching the top won’t happen overnight!

Good Cultural Fit

“You just can’t fit a Cadillac in the India Cultural Center.” Dawn Hudson.

Managers tend to create a culture for their organizations that is compatible with their own way of thinking. The culture of any organization is a set of shared values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors among all employees. Research the company’s culture before you go to the interview and check if you match their general environment. In the interview, emphasize how you fit the culture by sharing experiences and stories that the Company can relate to.

The Ability to Work in Teams

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Henry Ford.

Learning to work in teams is vital element to your career success. Believe it or not it can sometimes be harder than working on your own. The good news is that you can definitely learn how to be an effective team member. Cooperate with other team members, try to share as much information as you can with them and don’t hesitate to offer help whenever your expertise is needed. In the interview, state real examples on how you have added value to your previous team members.

Problem Solving Skills

“Leaders are problem solvers by talent and temperament, and by choice.” Harlan Cleveland.

These days, managers prefer to hire people who can be counted on to solve problems and handle responsibility. It is not professional to go back to your manager seeking his help whenever you face a tiny insignificant issue. Instead, try to research and find the solution yourself. Remember that you can find any type of information over the Internet, so don’t go running to your manager until you have exhausted all the resources available to solve the problem.

Multi-tasking

“If you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus.” American Proverb.

Some jobs require you to have more multitasking abilities than other jobs. If you have limitations to your multitasking abilities, try to apply for jobs that require more routine tasks such as sales. At the end of the day, managers want things to get done on time. Therefore, your most important mission is to set priorities for your tasks and manage your time in a way that enables you to finalize them.

Long-term Commitment

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.” Peter F. Drucker.

Companies’ biggest fear nowadays is the loss of employees’ loyalty and long-term commitment, especially after the recent financial crisis. Companies have been forced into lay-offs, which in turn have affected employees’ morale. Due to this fact, managers have become more hesitant to trust their newly hired employees until they show constant interest for the good of the company. Present new ideas, give your opinion about critical issues and offer help to your colleagues whenever you feel your expertise can add value.

Communication Skills

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” James Humes.

Nowadays, soft skills are more important for managers than technical ones especially in areas where there is a lot of interaction with clients and outside parties. The perfect employee would be cheerful, diplomatic, patient and able to deliver complex information in a simple manner.

Remember that employers don’t expect to find all 8 characteristics in you. If you think that you have one or two, try to strengthen them and highlight them in the interview in order to impress the employer. Don’t waste time trying to create something you don’t have. Instead, focus on a couple of attributes and master them in order to shine!

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