Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/649887
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 MARCH 2016 Careers & Training V 1. Lead with your strengths Write down a list of your top strengths. The book StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath makes for a great read that should put you on the right path, as it happens. Another self-analysis resource that can help you figure out exactly what kind of career and work environment will resonate with you is the Myers-Briggs personality test. It's possible that you could be good at anything if you tried hard enough – but shouldn't your strengths be indicative of what you should be doing? Won't you be happier (and better at your job) if you find a career that is suited to your strengths? Taking both the StrengthsFinder and Myers-Briggs may help you understand your values, strengths, and what you should look for in a work environment. For example, you might think that you're not a math person, but find out that you love using logic to solve prob- lems. In that case, you might actually love something you've never tried, like code! 2. Evaluate your past Answer these questions about every place you've worked. What did I like the most and the least about the company? What did I like the most and the least about the company culture? What did I like most and least about my manager? What did I like most and least about the people I worked with? What was the most challenging thing about working there? When was I the happiest or the proudest? What was my biggest accom- plishment? What did I like the most and the least about my responsibilities? Your answers will help you clarify what you liked most and least about previ- ous workplaces so that you can look for similar or different characteristics in the future. You don't have to keep doing the kind of work you've always done, but you can analyze your past work to figure out exactly what you liked, what you didn't like, and what situations bring out your best work and happiest self. 3. Talk to as many people as possible Talk to as many people as possible. Go on informational interviews and learn about their career paths and advice. Ask about their job, industry, and professional aspirations. Always come with questions in advance so that you get the most out of the meeting or phone call. And don't limit yourself to people you know or are connected to in some way. Go on LinkedIn and read people's job descriptions or go online and read interviews and articles about people you admire. Before you set your heart on a career, or completely rule it out, make sure you find out what the job is like on the day- to-day. 4. Take classes and try something new Take classes, attend workshops, read books, watch countless YouTube tutori- als, and try something new. You may find out that you're passionate about coding, website design, graphic design, writing, or something else entirely. Technology makes it so easy to learn new skills. A new hobby can lead to an entirely new career. 5. Consider the type of work environment where you will thrive Are people competitive with one an- other or collaborative? Are they friends outside of the office? Is the company hierarchical or flat? Do you work as a team or work primarily on your own? Is there a great deal of red tape or will you have the power to make decisions and move quickly? Can people work from home or are they expected to work in the office? What is the work-life balance like? What are your salary expectations? Think about the type of work environ- ment that will be a good fit for you and the lifestyle you hope to have. And if you aren't sure, try taking up some work on the side to help you decide. If you work in a collaborative office, try doing some solo freelancing. If you spend your workdays by yourself, why not work on a collabora- tive project on the side? (Tip: Coding projects are great for group work!) 6. Do what makes you happy Want some really good advice? One: think about what you do "for fun," and what you love so much that you'd be willing to do it for free. Two: You shouldn't necessarily choose the most "prestigious" job just so you could impress people at cocktail parties. Instead of choosing the most "impres- sive" offer – choose the one that will make you happiest and allow you to grow and learn. LAST year, the Malta-based Ger- man company Tipico launched a new employment opportunities website called www.tipico-careers.com through its subsidiary Tipico Careers. We first had a chat with Tipico Careers brand manager Thomas Mahoney about the website's development and how it is aimed at today's dynamic jobseeker. With its headquarters at the Portomaso Business Tower in St Julian's, Tipico of- fers a wide range of pre-live and live sports betting products delivered through cut- ting-edge mobile and online channels as well as through a top-class portfolio of ap- proximately 1,000 retail outlets, predomi- nantly in Germany. One of the key drivers behind Tipico's growth is that it is an organisation that at- tracts young people with great tech skills, business understanding and an interna- tional outlook. This is why Malta was chosen as the hub for European opera- tions because it offers a business-friendly environment with access to well-educated staff – both local and international. "Like the company, the Tipico Careers website is young, fun, innovative, intel- ligent and engaging. It reflects our work, which is all about acquiring top talent and investing in our workforce," says Thomas Mahoney, who is in charge of the Careers brand. The Tipico Careers site introduces new- comers to the company with a very inno- vative motion graphic animation called: 'What's in it for you at Tipico' showing the company's history, its position within the German market, its premium partner and the benefits one would enjoy when joining the organisation. Another video available on www. tipico- careers.com shows Tipico's high-end of- fices based in the iconic Portomaso business tower, with an amazing view of the Mediter- ranean. Whenever possible, the company employs local talent, but some jobs are snapped up by people who make Malta their new home. And it is for these that the website also fea- tures an introductory video to Malta's gems, gorgeous locations, the island's culture, beaches and nightlife in the 'Why Malta?' section. "These days it's all about attracting people and engaging them with initiatives through a multitude of instant and effective social media tools available on people-preferred, often hand-held devices. These include Facebook, Twitter, Linked- In, Instagram, Pinterest, Sykpe, Google+, Skype, Whatsapp, Xing and many others platforms," Mahoney says. "At Tipico we very much believe that such tools are the way forward in terms of com- munication and we feel that they will take over the previous and current generation of online communication tools as we know them today. "We enjoy using social media platforms to keep people updated with what the brand has to offer by engaging users via pictures, videos and related approaches." The second year of Tipico Careers How to discover what your dream job is HR FrontEnd Software Last year, the Malta-based German company Tipico launched a new employment opportunities website called www.tipico-careers.com through its subsidiary Tipico Careers. First had a chat with Tipico Careers brand manager Thomas Mahoney about the website's development and how it is aimed at today's dynamic jobseeker. With its headquarters at the Portomaso Business Tower in St Julian's, Tipico offers a wide range of pre-live and live sports betting products delivered through cutting-edge mobile and online channels as well as through a top-class portfolio of approximately 1,000 retail outlets, predominantly in Germany. One of the key drivers behind Tipico's growth is that it is an organisation that attracts young "Like the company, the Tipico Careers website is young, fun, innovative, intelligent and engaging. It reflects our work, which is all about acquiring top talent and investing in our workforce," says Thomas Mahoney, who is in charge of the Careers brand. The Tipico Careers site introduces newcomers to the company with a very innovative motion graphic animation called: 'What's in it for you at Tipico' showing the company's history, its position within the German market, its premium partner and the benefits one would enjoy when joining the organisation. Another video available on www. tipico-careers.com shows Tipico's high-end offices based in the iconic Portomaso business tower, with an amazing view of the THE SECOND YEAR OF TIPICO CAREERS beaches and Malta?' section. "These days attracting them with multitude social media people-preferred, devices. These Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Whatsapp, platforms," "At Tipico believe that the way forward communication they will take and current communication them today. media platforms updated with has to offer How do you know if an industry or a career path is right for you? There are so many exciting career paths and ways to use your talents. Here's some advice for finding a career you love