Akhtaboot and TAG-Knowledge to Jointly Organize Job Fairs

In an unprecedented step towards the betterment of the Middle East job market, Akhtaboot - the career network singed a partnership agreement with Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Society (TAG-Knowledge) on May 31, 2010 at TAG Knowledge headquarters in Amman, Jordan.

The purpose of this partnership is geared towards organizing job fairs around the Arab world, starting with a three-day Career Fair in Amman, Jordan, to be held at TAG Knowledge Center - a fully functional entity designed and built around the world of students.

The Job Fair will be co-organized and launched this year as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of TAG-Knowledge and Akhtaboot Cares Initiative - Akhtaboot's CSR arm.

The event will be held with the participation of a number of leading Jordanian companies and educational institutions covering different industries, while providing employment and training opportunities to both job seekers and graduates-to-be visiting the Career Fair. Any proceeds raised from the Career Fair will be used to support the CSR activities of the Akhtaboot Cares Initiative and TAG Knowledge Society programs.

Eng. Yousef Shamoun, co-founder of Akhtaboot and head of the Akhtaboot Cares Initiative said:

"Organizing a Career Fair has been a topic of discussion for some time now, especially after our successful participation in numerous job fairs in the GCC and Levant region. It is our hope that we will be able to create a yearly job fair where job seekers will walk away with a better idea of their career options and a great sense of accomplishment, and we believe that through our partnership with TAG-Knowledge, we can launch a series of successful job fairs starting with Jordan."

Meanwhile, Mr. Tareq Hammad, TAG-Knowledge executive director said:

"Joining forces with Akhtaboot aims at exploring new strategies in organizing job fairs that we might call a unique experience for job seekers and employers alike. Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh made it clear that students are the future and we, at TAG-Knowledge, feel that it is our duty to translate this into action."

The Career Fair will be co-branded and co-organized by both Akhtaboot and TAG- Knowledge and is scheduled to launch in a unique way where both job seekers and companies have the chance to meet face-to-face and take full advantage of career and training opportunities.

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Akhtaboot Participates in King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Job Fair in Dahran, KSA

As part of Akhtaboot’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its presence as the leading recruitment solution provider for the Middle East and GCC region, Akhtaboot has participated in King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Open Day for Employment, which was held on KFUPM campus during the period 17th - 20th of May, 2010, in Dahran, KSA.

The annual job fair was organized by KFUPM and was held under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province. For the 27th year in a row, around 120 government organizations, private companies and institutions were invited to exhibit their field of activity, offer employment and training opportunities as well as to become acquainted with the University and its range of specializations.

The job fair was attended by 2,500 university students and job seekers, as the first 2 days were dedicated for KFUPM students only and the other 2 days were open for the public. Akhtaboot’s booth was approached by about 1,000 high caliber job seekers who truly reflected the high educational standards that KFUPM is known for.
Akhtaboot’s participation in this event marks its commitment to establishing a cooperative partnership between Akhtaboot and KFUPM, while maintaining an ongoing presence within KFUPM campus through the Akhtaboot Cares Initiative – Akhtaboot’s CSR arm.

Akhtaboot’s recruitment services were described by both companies and job seekers as unique and effective due to the user-friendly website, unique brand and excellent team, which as a result attracted a number of major companies who were looking to recruit high caliber candidates through Akhtaboot.

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Akhtaboot Participates in Meydan Launch at Zara Expo on May 15th

Meydan, a new age accelerator for Business Start-ups with focus on reducing time from Idea to Revenue (I2R), announced its official launch at Zara Expo Hall B - on the 15th May, 2010. The non-traditional event gathered under one roof a number of pioneers, thinkers, entrepreneurs, businessmen, investors and other Meydan community members to celebrate what might just be Jordan’s platform to develop a growing economy that rivals the best in the near future.

Initiated in 2010 by Al Jude for Science Care, Meydan runs three programs almost in parallel; the Accelerator, Idea Space and Volunteer program(s). These programs provide the Jordanian creative and innovative minds with the platform and support system that enables them to generate ideas and build upon them.

The value created at Meydan is 80% from wisdom and knowhow, and 20% from money with major focus on creating value@speed using packaged knowledge, proven tools, smart and hard work and the passion to make a difference.

With Meydan’s focus on innovative companies that are not afraid to show their thinking muscles in public, Akhtaboot was chosen to participate in the whiteboarding session of Meydan’s launch, which is a tool presenters use to illustrate their big ideas, both its value and business model. Presenters use 2X3m white-boards, 4 pens, and an eraser.

Akhtaboot showcased its recent CSR service - Akhtaboot Microsite Solution - a fully integrated job board which will be provided to universities and educational institutions, free of charge, to enable their job seekers and site visitors to benefit from the full features and targeted job content of http://www.akhtaboot.com directly on the university website as part of the Akhtaboot Cares Initiative - Akhtaboot’s CSR arm.

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Adapting to a New Work Environment

Akhtaboot presents a number of tips to help you overcome the challenges that might face you when starting a new job.

Have you ever been in a situation where your family had to move away and you were forced to change schools? Moving to a new job can have quite the same feeling. You will be going to a new position not knowing the kind of boss or colleagues you might face or the type of environment you might have to work in. Some companies may use the interview to brief potential candidates about their corporate culture, their policies and their work environment. However, you will not be able to fully understand the whole picture until you are actually put in the situation. The most difficult thing in getting a new job is the stress you might feel as a result of seeking a new support system within the new company while trying to fully comprehend the new rules and regulations.
It is very important to remember that it takes time to adjust to your new surroundings. The time span depends mostly on the people who comprise the organization; they might actually help you get accustomed to the new environment or may try to make it hard for you to cope. Here are a number of helpful tips to help you adapt to your new environment.

Prepare Yourself for Your First Day

Your first day will always leave an unforgettable and lasting impression on your coworkers and your boss. Start by getting a good night’s sleep in order to be well rested for the next day. Arrive to work ahead of time to show that you are organized and punctual. Moreover, dress professionally as people often judge you based on the way look. No matter how professional and experienced you think you are, many people will think less of you when you do not dress professionally. To learn more about workplace dress codes, read the article “Dressing for Success in the Workplace”.

Concentrate on Your Work

A great way to adapt to your new environment is by doing what you do best; work. Your colleagues will come to respect and admire you when they acknowledge that you are a well experienced, skillful person, they may even come to you for help in some areas where you are more knowledgeable than they are. Nevertheless, no one expects you to know everything, therefore, do not hesitate to ask questions when you feel there is a need to it. People usually like to help others and it generally makes them feel good about themselves.

Listen and Observe

Each organization differs in the way co-workers interact with one another and the way employees communicate with their managers. Therefore, spend the first few weeks observing and listening to your colleagues and managers in order to figure out the best way to function. By doing this, you may save yourself from making a public mistake. Do not try to impose new ideas and suggestions until you feel that the company has accepted you and that you fully understand the way they work. Otherwise, any comment from your side would be perceived negatively.

Make Friends

Making friends might not always be easy; it actually depends on the culture of the organization and on your own personality. If you have a shy personality, then you need to sharpen your people skills to actually get along. Be friendly, smile as much as you can even to people who you don’t know and initiate discussions about interesting topics. If you find resistance then stop trying too hard. Give it a break and mind your own business until your colleagues approach you.

Stay Away from Gossip

Gossip is very risky as it is almost always based on unverifiable information. You may gain a few friends through gossiping but you definitely do not want to start your career with a reputation for being a gossip. Remember that we live in a very small world where your reputation may follow you for many years. Therefore, you should ask yourself the question “Am I willing to trade my reputation for a few friends who might end up gossiping about me?” If not, make sure that you stay away from gossiping and do not give your feedback on something you are not sure about. Pretending to be busy with work when gossiping starts is a great way to survive a situation like this.

People prefer to stay in their comfort zone by staying in one company for many years and building upon their experience and seniority. Yet, if you feel unhappy, bored or unchallenged in your current job then you should realize that it is about time to start thinking about changing it. No matter how challenging the transition period may be, do not allow it to stop you from seizing new opportunities. Believe in yourself and follow the above tips in order to be able to start a new and exciting chapter in your life.

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Akhtaboot Sponsors the Career Wellness Area at INJAZ 8th Annual Job Fair, LINK2JOB – April 28-29, 2010 at Zara Expo, Grand Hyatt - Amman

For the 3rd year in a row, Akhtaboot - the career network has partnered with INJAZ for it’s annual Job Fair, LINK2JOB City 2010, which once again proved to be a first class hiring event in Jordan. The job fair was held at Zara Expo, Grand Hyatt Amman on the 28th and 29th of April, 2010. As a main sponsor of the Career Wellness Area, Akhtaboot Co-organized and managed the Career Wellness Area (Hall C) which was divided into 4 main sections, including The CV Clinic, Mock Interviews Area, The Career Intelligence Area and The Entrepreneurial Area.

The CV Clinic was comprised of HR professionals who provided personalized guidance to job seekers on how to write a professional CV in addition to one-on-one consultancy on the common mistakes they should avoid when writing their CVs and important elements they should include to stand out from the crowd in today’s competitive business world. Furthermore, job seekers were given the chance to test their interview skills at the Mock Interviews section before they actually head to company booths for the real thing.

Job seekers were also given the chance to test their English language proficiency as well as personality in The Career Intelligence Area in order to effectively choose the right job that matches their skills and character. The English Placement Test was provided by the University of Cambridge to determine the fluency level of each candidate. The MBTI Personality test was provided by Akhtaboot, the only career site in the Middle East that is qualified as a Myers-Briggs © (MBTI) provider, which is a tried and true indicator of your personality type in a career context

The Entrepreneurial Area, featured two round tables conducted by a number of well-respected local Entrepreneurs, such as Dr. Nader Atmeh founder of Keenwash and Hussein Natsheh, founder of Ciapple, who gave job seekers the opportunity to listen to some of the most astonishing success stories and to learn about the steps they need to take to fulfill their dreams.

The job fair aimed to link job seekers to the local business community where some of the largest companies in Jordan participated in order to perform instant interviews, screen candidates and provide them with work opportunities. Moreover, job seekers were given the opportunity to attend many career-related lectures that were given by professional trainers on CV writing, interviewing skills and workplace success.

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Akhtaboot Announces Website Enhancements and Additional Service Offerings

Akhtaboot (http://www.akhtaboot.com), the Middle East’s top career network, has undergone a major user-focused upgrade. Akhtaboot will roll out the updated, bilingual version of Akhtaboot.com to all its users worldwide with a dynamic new look and an enhanced feature set. The bilingual website was designed in direct response to a comprehensive survey targeted to disclose the underlying recruitment needs of both companies and job seekers. The newly enhanced website provides online visitors with dramatic improvements in navigation, speed, clarity and appearance in addition to a fully bilingual Arabic/English interface, allowing users to shift smoothly between the site’s English and Arabic views.

Improvements to the site include:

• Improved look and feel - Enhanced graphics and page layouts providing visitors with a consistent look and improved user experience solidifying Akhtaboot’s presence as the leading doorway to jobs in the Middle East.

• Simplified navigation and sign up - The simplified and consistent navigation allows users to find information faster and easier. Akhtaboot has also revamped and improved the critical job seeker sign up process in order to ensure a larger and more qualified database. In addition, the Employers tab will be placed in a more prominent spot to make it clearer for companies wishing to use Akhtaboot’s recruitment services.

• New features for job seekers - Job seekers now have the ability to include a cover letter with their job application, notify a friend about a certain job posting and to mark a certain job posting as spam, emphasizing job seeker protection a top priority for Akhtaboot.

• New features for companies - In an effort to give employers more control over their Akhtaboot account, companies can now create multiple user accounts with specific user rights and passwords assigned to each sub account. Multiple users can now use the same Akhtaboot account to post jobs and search CVs. Moreover, the credit list has vastly increased to include radio job postings as well as job postings targeting candidates locally or globally. Employers also have the option to feature a certain job posting or their company globally or locally on all pages of the Akhtaboot website in addition to being able to post different jobs under the profile of different companies within the same account.

• Jobs page improvements - Searching for jobs has become quick and easy with Akhtaboot’s simplified filtration process. All job postings will feature corporate logos for enhanced visibility.

• Expansion of CV search facilities - Akhtaboot has expanded CV search facilities to include the ability to send a certain CV to multiple email addresses as well as displaying CV notes in a thread that highlights the date, the time and the name of the person.

• Enhanced crediting and online purchasing system - The power of activation is now in the hands of the recruiter. The improved website has features geared specifically to benefit employers through displaying client purchase and credit history. The online shopping experience has also been enhanced to include a shopping cart that allows employers to purchase multiple recruitment services and charge them all at once.

• Revamped CV writing section – The registration process in the CV writing section of Akhtaboot has been modified by allowing job seekers interested in revamping their CVs to upload their old CVs upon submission of contact information.
  

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The Boss from Hell: Akhtaboot presents 5 types of difficult bosses and the way to deal with each one of them!

Conflict between a boss and an employee can be both exhausting and intimidating, yet it is bound to happen in any workplace. Difficult bosses vary in personality from being somewhat controlling and aggressive to being straight up abusive. The way employees handle their difficult bosses may determine their position in the company as well as their long term career success. Akhtaboot presents to you 5 types of difficult bosses and the way to deal with each one of them.

The Control Freak

Control Freak bosses always consider themselves to be overwhelmed and burdened with the task of protecting the ungrateful world from their own mistakes. They are convinced that no one can do things the right way unless they dictate the exact steps of doing it. Their behavior is definitely annoying, yet confronting them would only make the situation even worse. They will only see your behavior as evidence that you’re not interested in doing things right. A good way to deal with a Control Freak boss would be to reassure him that you are taking your tasks seriously, and that he can count on you in handling your own responsibilities effectively and efficiently. Hand over all your deliverable on time and make sure not to miss out on every single detail.

The Absent Boss

If you rarely see your boss and most of your conversations with him are a quick chat in the hallway, then most probably you are dealing with an Absent Boss. The worst part about working with an Absent Boss is that he is rarely aware of the problems caused by his absence. Absent Bosses are rarely present when their approval is required or when a procedure is unclear and their guidance is needed. The secret to getting your boss’s attention is stressing the importance of your work and how your boss’s input is crucial to the project at hand. Once you get his attention, talk in headlines by summing up what decisions he needs to make or directions he needs to give. It might take more effort from your side to get things done, but your manager will respect you for being assertive.

The Whip-Cracker

Most Whip-Crackers are workaholics who don’t have a life and they assume that their employees don’t have a life either. They push their employees to the extreme and are never satisfied with their output. They think that employees are irresponsible slaves who wouldn’t want to work unless they are forced to do so. In order to get you’re the Whip-Cracker off your back, work hard and do not let your work go unnoticed. Demand acknowledgment by showing initiative and introducing new ideas that would benefit the firm. Show your boss that you consider yourself a partner of the firm rather than an employee who only works for a living.

The Scheming Boss

The Scheming Boss is the most dangerous type of bosses who is always planning to fire one person or another. He is highly manipulative, keeping an innocent face while setting up a trap for his prey. He tries to protect himself and his position by firing brilliant and qualified workers who might get in the way of his career success. Always be honest and act with extreme care when dealing with this type of bosses. Don’t hesitate to state your opinion about a specific situation even if it is different from your boss’s opinion, but be careful not to point out his shortcomings as it will never go unpunished!

The Busy Boss

This type of bosses is always impatient with lots of things on his mind, yet he respects all of his employees. He expects everything to be done the instant he asks for it. He may not be fully focused when talking to him and may even surprise you with a “you didn’t tell me that” the next day. When talking to this type of bosses, try to repeat important issues more than once and make sure that he has grasped it and agreed to it by asking: “so this is what we have agreed upon, right?”. Moreover, keep evidence of your communications by sending official emails about each decision taken by you or your boss.

It’s often said that people do not quit a job, they quit a boss. While it is frustrating to work with one of the above bosses, it’s quite possible to be able to manage your relationship with them so that none of you would kill the other. Always remember that your boss is someone who is highly experienced with a lot of wisdom to share on how to reach the position he is in now. Keep in mind that bosses aren’t from another planet, although sometimes they seem to be!

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