Career.VI is the Virgin Islands’ leading job portal with more than 20,000 registered job seekers looking for job openings posted by hundreds of the Virgin Islands’ employers and continues to grow everyday. Career.VI offers free services for both employers and job seekers. Employers are able to notify the Department of Labor of their available position, post on the territory’s leading career platform and receive applications from job seekers. Featured tools for employers are also available to increase visibility, manage job applicants, and help in talent hunt through Top Job feature. Job seekers on the other hand are also offered a multitude of features to better their job search including Resume Builder, Job Agent, Competitor and much more.

Career.VI also has the #1 online Job Magazine, CareerPost. CareerPost gives users the opportunity to seek labor market advice and read articles pertaining to career development, even allowing them to participate in discussions, state opinions, and submit their own articles for others to view. With helpful tips visible throughout the site to easily identify with accessible options, Career.VI brings together a succession of job resource tools in an effort to improve the islands’ job market.

About BIZVI LLC
BIZVI provides unparalleled technology-based business solutions and under the umbrella of its parent company, TABS Group International (TGI), it has been serving private and government organizations in the territory for many years. TGI continues to expand its services in the sectors of labor, education, law and order, civic services, and economic development amongst others.
www.tabsinnovations.com

About Virgin Islands’ Department of Labor
The Virgin Islands Department of Labor’s mission is to administer a system of effective programs and services. This system is designed to develop, protect and maintain a viable workforce requiring partnerships with government agencies, businesses, community organizations and other stakeholders. It also requires a commitment to continuous improvement, reducing costs, improving business processes, technological efficiency, developing staff through training/mentoring/education, improving compliance with regulatory mandates and being a catalyst for positive change.

The strategic goals of VIDOL are to develop a talented workforce, to protect the workforce system, and to provide responsive fail-safe programs that support the workforce system. These goals support the Honorable Governor John P. deJongh’s directive to “provide workers with the assistance and encouragement they need to develop new skills and competencies over time, both to seek greater opportunity and to adapt to a rapidly changing employment reality and world economy.”

The Virgin Islands Department of Labor (VIDOL) receives its authority pursuant to Titles 3, 24, 27 & 29 of the Virgin Islands Code; the Workforce Investment Act of 1998; the OSHA Act of 1970; and other Federal laws which require the development of administrative structures that govern and enforce fair labor standards and the protection of the people of the Virgin Islands from any threat to health, morals, and general welfare.

Pre Interview:
1. Research the organization
• Call the company or search their website to gather general information about them. For instance find out more about the company’s history, organizational structure, business methods, etc. (Employers are often impressed with this effort).
• Write down questions you may want to ask about the company.
2. Rehearse a mental script
• Review your work history (Be prepared to discuss in detail what you did at your previous job(s), reasons for leaving, accomplishments, etc.
• Know the questions you want to ask about the company based on your research.
3. Know where you are going and be on time.
4. Dress professionally not trendy.
5. Walk with relevant documents (Identification, a copy of your resume and references).

During the Interview:
1. Relax
2. Be positive and show enthusiasm.
3. Establish good eye contact.
4. Highlight your resume with your personality
• Discuss your skills and achievements.
• Elaborate on work experience, education, values and so forth.
• Communicate your strengths and areas you need to improve on (Be honest; you never know if you will get a ‘pop quiz’ during the interview).
5. Be conversational
• Inquire about the company (Ask questions based on your research)
• Explain why you would be a good asset to the company.
• Requests additional information on the position (Work schedule, responsibilities, minimum supervision, etc.)

Common questions to expect from an employer:
1. What are your short and long term career goals?
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want this job?
4. What can you bring to the company?
5. Do you work well with others?
6. What salary would you expect for this position?
7. What was the most challenging task you have taken on and how did it turn out?
8. Why did you your last job?
9. Are you willing to relocate?

Post Interview:
1. Ask when you can expect a call or letter about their decision.
2. Ask for mailing information to send a follow up thank you letter or email.

Having a positive work environment is extremely important if you want to give your best at work. If you are working in a negative environment, it not only brings down your productivity but also has an effect on your motivation level. While most of us hope that we will be provided with a healthy and positive working environment, not all of us are that lucky.

Sometime you might find yourself trapped in a negative environment which is detrimental to the quality of work and the management might not be doing anything to change the circumstance. So what can you do in such circumstances? It is not an option to leave the job as the job market in US is already tough and those who have a job want to keep holding on to their jobs. The best option in such a situation is to make some effort of your own to create a positive working environment which will boost your productivity.

Here are a few tried and tested methods which can help in building a positive atmosphere, minimizing negativity and boosting your overall morale:

Establish Trust:

The most important aspect of having a positive working relationship is establishing a bond of trust between yourself and the other employees. If you lie to them and act as an office gossip no one will be able to trust you and as a result you have to work in a negative environment where no one trusts you and will not share anything with you. Try to be as honest as possible and do not gossip about your colleagues as it creates a negative impression on others.

Be Positive when Communicating:

When you are discussing a presentation or brainstorming an idea, make sure that you listen to what others are saying and be positive in communicating in them. Do not give a negative comment on every idea and if you have to shoot down an idea, be polite and explain why you think it will not work. Keep all your team members in the loop and let them share their thoughts as well.

Share Credit:

When the entire team works on something, everyone should get the credit and if you try to get all the credit for yourself, you will make more enemies with every group assignments. Not only does that make others hostile but also creates a bad impression on the superiors as the employers like to have team players in the company.

Bond with the Co-workers:

When you are working in a professional set up, you end up spending more hours at work than you do at home. There are many people who like to keep to themselves as much as possible and do not socialize at all, as they think that they are better off remaining neutral. However, this is the wrong approach as you can make many friends at work which can help you in taking stress out of your life. You can take small breaks during the day to chat with them and feel rejuvenated afterwards. However make sure that you do not disturb any of your co-workers and only go to chat with them when they are also on a break.

Don’t Play the Blame Game:

No one likes a co-worker or a manager who cannot accept his fault and take responsibility for his actions. So if you make a mistake, do not try to pin it on your juniors or colleagues. Just accept that it was your fault and promise never to repeat it again. After all, everyone is human and nobody can be perfect all the time. Accepting your mistake and owning up to it speaks strongly about your character and will win you the respect of your colleagues.

Be Appreciative:

When a co-worker performs well you should appreciate and encourage him rather than feeling envious. Hard work and special achievements should be recognised and due credit should be given. So always be thoughtful and appreciative of others and you will also be appreciated for your work.

Help Your Colleagues:

One of the best ways to make sure that you are working in a positive environment is to foster a culture of helping out your colleagues when they need your expertise and getting their help when you are stuck at a particular job. By helping each other, co-workers enhance the overall performance of the team and create a positive impression on the bosses.

Decorate your Cubicle:

Sometimes all the negativity that is surrounding you can be because of the physical environment you are working in. Sitting in a standardized cubicle all day long can be depressing and a source of negative energy for many people. You can address this issue by changing the look of your cubicle and turning it into a more pleasant place for you to sit. Put framed pictures of your loved ones beside your computer and place a small plant near your table so that you can feel relaxed and more energetic when you are working.

Celebrations can do Wonders:

Many people do not include their co-workers in celebrations as they consider it against the professional norms. However, by simply bringing in a cake to celebrate your birthday, you can bond with the co-workers and enjoy the time you spend talking to them. Such small acts break the monotony of the day and help you in promoting a positive environment.

Last Words:

The place where you work needs to be a positive and welcoming environment otherwise you might hate getting up in the morning and dread the 8 hours you have to spend at work. By following these simple tips you can enjoy your work by eliminating the negative energy from your working environment.

Find more work related tips and information on the Virgin Islands’ #1 job portal. Caribbean Jobs.

Innovative , Juan F. Luis Hospital, The Buccanneer, Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort, Bolongo Bay Resort, Select Temp Staffing, Officemax, Superior Courts of the Virgin Islands. I can go on with the list of employers but its better you go ahead and visit Career.VI yourself. You will find more than 500 employers posting their job openings on the Virgin Islands’ leading job portal.

Once you find a job that meets your goals, go ahead and apply online from Career.VI. The job portal has many other features like Job Agent and Competitor to help you gain advantage over your competition. Feel free to read Career Post for latest news and updates about the Virgin Islands’ job market. I am sure you will enjoy your experience on Career.VI. Its now easy to live in the Caribbean with all the jobs on Career.VI.

How to find a job in the Virgin Islands?

Easiest way to look for Virgin Islands’ job listing is to visit www.career.vi. Almost every business in the Virgin Islands actively post their job openings on Career.VI. This will help you save time and energy looking for jobs all over the web. While you are visiting Career.VI, you can also apply for the jobs you are interested in. Once you apply, Career.VI sends your resume to the respective employer right away. Its always recommended to contact your perspective employer to show your interest.

Why Are References Important?

References are very important in strengthening your resume as they show that the people you worked with previously appreciate you and were satisfied with your work. Getting people as your references is not as easy as it sounds because while your previous colleagues might have been cordial to you, there is no guarantee that they will vouch for your performance when contacted by your prospective employer. This is the precise reason why references carry so much weight in your selection process. Since employers do not tend to vouch for each and every employer, the fact that they are doing so for you adds to your credibility as a valuable employee.

Important Things To Keep In Mind When Providing References

Providing reference is an important part of job hunting and can affect the outcome of an interview tremendously. However, giving references is not as simple as just making a list and providing it to the prospective employers. There are a lot of things that you should keep in mind when creating a list of references so that you do not have to face rejections from job interviews. Here are some of the steps that are essential to creating a solid and beneficial reference list:

Filter the references:

When listing a person as a reference, make sure that the person is actually willing to be your reference and has something good to say about you. For instance, if you did not part with your last employer on good terms, quoting him as a reference might be a big mistake doing more harm than good. Moreover make sure that the person you are listing as your reference is someone who worked closely with you and is personally aware of your achievements and contributions to the company during the time you were there. Someone who is only aware of your work superficially cannot give you the recommendation that you deserve.

Create a separate sheet:

Whether you wish to provide references when submitting your resume or you want to hand them over when you appear for the interview, make sure that you do not include them in the resume but write them on a separate sheet. The font and the formatting of the references sheet should be similar to that of the resume. You can either attach this sheet to the resume or hand it over when the employers specifically ask you for reference, whatever appears better to you.

Give diverse references:

Instead of listing people as references who belong to the same company, try to give references from many different organizations so that you can get a recommendation based on your achievements in different fields and at various positions. For instance, apart from naming your previous employer as the reference, you can also give references from your co-workers and teachers, who will evaluate you as a colleague and a student, respectively.

Get permission:

If you are listing someone as your reference, make sure that you ask for his or her permission before doing so. Ask your boss if you can name his as a reference for your job applications in future. If he gives an enthusiastic reply then go for it, however if you sense some reluctance on his part then it is better for you not to name him as a reference. If your boss is unwilling to be named as a reference, there is a good chance that he might not give you a good recommendation if contacted.

Recheck the reference list

Make sure that you have spelled all the names of the people and the organization correctly and that the contact numbers you have provided are up-to-date. Keep tabs on your references so that you know when they change jobs and have their latest contact information. Moreover, there are some jobs where the employers ask for references at the beginning when you are submitting your resume. For such scenarios, it is best that you have your reference sheet well prepared, updated and ready to be submitted at any time.

Letters of recommendation

In the past, letter of recommendation written by some of your previous employers might help you in landing the job successfully, but now the trend has changed. Nowadays, the employers want to get directly in touch with the references provided either by telephone or via email. This provides them with the opportunity to ask detailed questions regarding your professionalism and helps them evaluate you better.  While there is nothing wrong with providing letters of recommendation, it is better that you provide contact numbers with them so that the employers can get in touch with them if they want to.

Avoid personal references

While friends and family will always have something nice to say about you, it is best to avoid putting them as references since they do not carry much weight with the employers. However if you still want to add some personal reference, make sure that you provide at least 3 professional references as well. There is a high probability that the prospective employer will get in touch with the professional references only, since it is pretty obvious that the personal reference will praise you whether you deserve it or not.

Conclusion

Strong and solid references can boost your chances of getting the desired job immensely. In order to get maximum benefit from the references, you have to keep you reference up to date and make sure that you are following all of the suggestions given in this article. While having strong references does not necessarily mean that you will be able to get the job, it surely gives you an edge during the hiring process.

 Some golden rules that can help you in becoming an effective team leader are:

 Eliminate Competition

While healthy competition is good for any work environment, too much competitiveness among the team mates can be negative for the productivity of the team. If the team members become obsessed with out shining one another they might end up making serious mistakes which might cause problems for the team as a whole. Make sure that the team members work well and try to curb unhealthy competition let your team members know that you value quality more than quantity so that they work harder on achieving important goals rather than working on more thing than they can handle just to score a point.

Deal With Conflicts

Conflicts and disagreements tend to inhibit the team spirit and create differences among the team mates. Sometimes petty conflicts are blown out of proportions to such an extent that the team members refuse to even work together, which his hazardous for the team manager. Even if they are forced to work to together, there are little chances that the estranged team members will be able to work at their maximum potential. An effective team leader would know how to deal with such team members effectively and efficiently. Try to make sure that no major conflicts among the team members arise and even if they do, jump in and try to cool them off before things get ugly. You have to address the underlying cause of such problems so that the conflicts do not keep on surfacing from time to time.

Delegate Properly

An effective team leader must be able to delegate his work properly and efficiently. For this to happen, a team leader must know all his team members well. He must know their strengths and weaknesses and must use this knowledge to delegate the work properly. If, as a team leader, you fail to distribute work load evenly and according to the specialties of all the team members, discontent is bound to arise. Team members might feel that they have been given undue work load and you come off looking like a bad team leader who is incapable of accomplishing the tasks that were assigned to him. Remember, the team members should not under any circumstances feel like you are putting your burden on them.

Communicate

Communication is the most important aspect in any professional environment. As a team leader you must be open and communicative with the team members, so that they can come to you if they have any issues. If the team members feel like the team leader is not listening to what they have to say and what problems are they facing, they will lose focus and their work is bound to suffer. If you are a team leader, make sure that your team mates are able to communicate with you whenever they have a problem. Listen to what they have to say and do not dismiss their problems lightly. Try to find a solution and redress the problems as soon as possible so that the team members feel valued.

Make Quick Decisions

Being a team leader, you must be prepared to make quick and practical decisions so that the team members do not lose their focus. If you stall and make excuses when the team members are relying on you for a decision, the team members will feel that you are not a suitable person to guide them and hence are bound to fail them. This will make them lose faith and will jeopardize your entire projects. So at all times, remain focused, sharp and calm so that you can make a quick decision when needed.

Motivated Others

Keeping the team members motivated is one of the most important tasks that a team leader is supposed to accomplish. Team members need to be constantly revitalized as they are bound to lose enthusiasm and motivation as the project lingers on. Keep reassuring them that they are working well and praise them when it is due.

Be Assertive

A team leader has to be assertive, if nothing else. Team work is a difficult arena and tem members often get so caught up in work that they completely lose focus. As a team manager, it is your duty to make sure that the team keeps working on the goals and keeps delivering jobs on time. As a team leader you cannot afford to miss deadlines and if most of the times you have to be assertive to make sure that you get the work done. However, keep in mind that there is a difference between being assertive and bossy. You must be forceful, but remain polite and amiable all the while as this approach will bear more fruitful results.

Take Responsibility

An effective team leader must realize that his job is not only to guide the people in his team but also to take responsibility if anything does not go according to the plan and the projects suffers from some kind of setbacks. The team leader must act like the captain of a ship, who never abandons the ship even if it is drowning. Remember if you try to pin the fault on some of your team members, it will not only alienate you from the team members but also create a bad impression on the boss who expects you to act like a professional and take responsibility the failure of your team.

Be A Team Player

A good team leader must also be a team player who does not antagonize his team members by acting bossy. Moreover a team player always gives credit where it is due. Snatching the lime light from one of your team members is a very ill advised move as it is not only unfair but will also be perilous for the team spirit. Make sure that when a team member performs well, he gets his due credit so that others also get motivated to perform at their level best.

Conclusion

An effective team leader is one who can steer his entire team to success while keeping them motivated and on the right track. Being a team leader is a lot of responsibility and a lot of people fail to perform their leadership tasks properly. While it is true that some people are born leaders, it is also true that strong leadership qualities can be established with a little hard work and dedication.

Improving Public Speaking Skills:

Speaking in front of a live audience is a scary thought for most of us but it does not have to be that way. These tried and tested pointers will not only help in improving your public speaking skills but also assist you in giving presentations during staff meetings.

Learn From The Best:

The best way to improve your public speaking skills is to learn from those who are considered great public speakers. They can be your superiors, colleagues and even famous personalities such as leaders, politicians and other icons. By keenly observing their style, you can learn a lot about what to do and what not to do when addressing a large gathering of people. Try watching the videos of famous people delivering speeches and observe their method. You do not have to exactly copy the style of one single person since the purpose is to achieve a sense of different styles of delivering a speech or addressing the audience.

Look Your Best:

It is very important to look good when you appear for public speaking or a presentation. People do and will notice what you are wearing and how you are wearing it. If you are dressed improperly or lack neatness in your overall appearance, the audience will notice and the fact that they are criticizing your wardrobe or dress sense will serve as a blow to your self confidence.

Know Your Material:

When you are supposed to address a public meeting or a gathering the worst mistake that you can make is not being fully appraised of the material. As a general rule, if you do not know the subject inside out you must not engage in speaking in front of an audience. The audience is bound to ask all sorts of questions at the end of the presentation or the speech and if you fail to answer even one of them you lose all your credibility.

Keep Practicing:

The best way to deliver a good speech or put up a great presentation is to keep on practicing. The more you practice the more easily you will be able to accomplish the task as you will iron out the kinks in your speech and polish it off nicely. You can practice alone, in front of the mirror or even better if you can get your family and friends to sit as the audience and ask questions. This will help you get better prepared for the question and answer session.

Stay Calm:

The most important thing is to remain calm when delivering a speech or giving a presentation. Even if you forget a sentence don’t panic. You don’t have to say the exact words and you can always substitute with something right there and them. It is important that you maintain a calm facade and do not let the crowd know that you are nervous. If you act calm and controlled, soon you will actually start feeling calm and composed.

Maintain Pace:

The pace at which you talk plays an important role in ensuring your success or failure. Try not to talk too slow or too fast as the audience will lose interest in both cases. If you are talking too fast the audience will face difficulty in understanding what you are saying and if you talk too slow they will get bored and stop paying attention to what you are saying. The key is to maintain a pace at which you can keep the listeners engaged and engrossed.

Make Eye Contact:

It is pertinent to make eye contact during the presentation or speech. Looking at the back wall of the auditorium or avoiding the eye by focusing on other things fails to do the trick. When you are speaking you need to look into the eyes of the audience to engage them. If you fail to do that the audience soon feels that you are nervous and are not well prepared for the task. Make sure that you do not keep looking at one or two individuals only but try to a large number of people in the audience. It is also important to keep the eye contact short, but not too short and certainly not too long. 

Be Concise:

Keep it short and to the point. Long presentations and speeches not only bore the audience but they also fail to make the point. When you start talking you get the attention of the audience and you have the chance to engage them right then and there. If you start blabbering and talk about things that have little of value to add to your speech, the audience loses interest. Keeping it short and concise lets them retain the information you just provided and hence is more effective.

Know Your Audience:

The most important part of speaking in public is to know your audience and then cater to their needs accordingly. If you are speaking to a group of executives your tone, style and vocabulary would be different to that you use when addressing a group of interns. So, know your audience and then prepare accordingly.

What To Avoid When Speaking In Public:

There are a few things that you should avoid when speaking in public as they can be fatal mistakes. Some of these are:

Self Praise & Bragging:

Nothing offends the audience more than self praise and bragging. If you are good you will receive praise and the success of your speech or presentation will be a testament to your capabilities.

Stammering:

Nothing can be worse than stammering during the presentation or speech as it completely ruins the overall effect and ruins your confidence. So keep practicing the speech till you get it right.

Trying To Be Someone You Are Not:

This can be the worst mistake ever. If you are not good at cracking jokes do not try to do so during the presentation. Sometimes a light hearted comment helps the presentation by breaking the ice but if you make a bad tasting remark it can do irreparable damage. So just try to be yourself rather than trying to be someone that you clearly are not.

During the entire job hunting process, the most significant and tricky stage is the interview. Candidates feel anxious and nervous before and during the interview process and cannot rest unless they have heard back from the company. For some this phone call brings a sense of achievement with the news that they have been selected for the job, but many receive no calls at all conveying that they have failed to land the job. There might be many reasons why a candidate fails to get the job, most of which are related to the interview process. Many candidates are under the impression that they did well in the interview and are devastated when they are rejected. The fact is that most of the candidates have no idea that during the interview session they might have committed some grave mistakes which cost them the job. These mistakes are so common that most of the candidates repeat them over and over again without realizing the damage they are doing to their career. If you think you are one of those candidates, there is no need to panic as we have identified some of the most common mistakes made by candidates during an interview so that you can avoid them in the future.

Most Common Interview Mistakes:

A lot of people make some serious mistakes during the interview which end up turning a job opportunity into a disaster. In order to avoid making these mistakes we first need to identify these mistakes. Some of the most common mistakes by a candidate during an interview are:

Being Late

A lot of candidates fail to appear for the interview on time and think that they can get away with a lame excuse. Nothing throws the interviewer off like coming late to an interview and then failing to apologize. If you are filing to arrive at the job interview on time, it gives the interviewer an impression that you are not taking the job opportunity seriously and hence is not someone they were looking for. So to make a good impression during the interview you should be there on time. If you fail to do that apologize for the delay and reassure the interviewer that this is not a habitual practice.

Dressing Inappropriately

Dressing right is the most important part of an interview. Assuming that a casual dress might do for your interview is a big mistake. If you have any doubts you can do a little research regarding the company culture and find out what kind of dressing is expected. Nevertheless it is better to be overdressed rather than being underdressed. Also, try to keep the accessories to a minimum so that you look professional.

Being Unprepared

Some candidates show up for an interview without even the slightest preparation and as a result fail to answer any tough questions asked by the interviewer. Not researching about the company you are applying to can also be fatal for the interview. Make sure that when you are appearing for an interview you know what kind of work entails the job that you have applied for and you have a general idea of the company’s background.

Talking Too Much Or Too Little

Talking too much or saying next to nothing is also a mistake we have seen during an interview. You should answer a question completely and then let the interviewer proceed to his next one. Blabbering uselessly and interrupting the interviewer creates a bad impression. Similarly, answering the questions in monosyllables and nor elaborating on anything also leaves the interviewer dissatisfied, thus minimizing your chances of getting a job. It is also important to ask important and well thought questions related to the job. Asking silly questions or not asking any questions at all is not the right approach also.

Badmouthing Your Employer

Nothing raises the red flags more than badmouthing your former employer in front of the interviewer as it points towards a lack of professional maturity and failure to take responsibility. Trying to justify your reasons for leaving the previous employer by criticizing him is a bad idea and should be avoided at all costs. Even if your boss actually was a horrible person, there is no need to share that with the interviewer. Keep your reasons for leaving the last job and your views about your previous boss professional.

Lying

You should never lie during an interview or provide false information on your resume. If you are qualified and skilled enough for the position you have applied for, you will get the job. If however you feel like you are not qualified for the job then you should not apply in the first place, no matter how desperately you want the job. Lying in the interview certainly diminishes your chances of getting the job. Be open about your weaknesses and strong points. When you state you weaknesses make sure that you also point out what steps you have taken to address the particular weakness and how far have you succeeded in the effort.

Lacking Enthusiasm

Appearing disinterested and bored during the interview is one of the most fatal mistakes that can ruin your chances of getting selected for the job. Show the employer that you care about the job and are excited at the prospect of joining the company. If the interviewer senses that you are not interested in the job, he will not call you for a second interview.

Asking About Benefits Too Soon

Bringing in the salary questions too soon and repeatedly raises the red flags as the interviewer senses that you are not very interested in the job as much as the benefits and the money involved in it. You should wait for the interviewer to bring up the salary negotiations as he will definitely ask you about the expected salary range before the interview session comes to an end.

Concluding Thoughts

The entire job hunting process from writing your resume to showing up at the interview and the follow up after that requires a lot of effort and skill. In order to get the job you have to make sure that during all these steps you have put up your best performance. Make sure that you do not make any of the mistakes mentioned above and you will most definitely succeed in the interview process.