Pay yourself first! The secrets to painlessly save more money

When you’re still getting to grips with your finances, your first concern is usually “Where did all the money go?” after you’ve burnt through your monthly student stipend or pay-cheque. The same can be said at the start of your career, when having financial independence from your parents, increases the temptation to go on spending sprees which rival the Kardashians.

Once the panic sets in, your go-to problem solvers are your older family members, who, let’s face it, are supposedly better at “adulting” than you. While their advice is useful, do not fall into the trap of doing what your grandparents may have done and simply save cash at home, or into a single savings account, pay all your bills and expenses first, leaving you with very little to call your own at the end of the month.

So what can you do to save money without acting like Scrooge?

Write it down

Monitor your expenses to get a good idea of what your spending habits are. Factor in one-time expenses like insurance payments, car expenses and periods of heavy outgoings like Christmas, birthdays and weddings.

You could use pen and paper, or create a spreadsheet to keep track of all your transactions. By far the easiest method is to do it on the go and have your financial overview constantly at hand on your smartphone. With a large number of money management apps available, it is very easy to keep tabs on your expenses.

Pay yourself first

Make yourself your first priority when it comes to financial loyalty. The best thing to do at the start of each month is to pay yourself a pre-established sum of money from your salary into a specific account. Do this by standing order and you won’t even notice it being taken out.

The remainder of your salary will allow you to pay bills and expenses, dictating your spending habits and making you a more conscientious and responsible consumer. At this point, multiple accounts are a must.

Compartmentalise your money

Diversify the way you channel your money by having different accounts for different purposes. A second savings account not affiliated with a debit card, means that unless you physically go into a bank and withdraw money from your account, you won’t be able to use those savings, which in turn means that you’re guaranteed to save that sum each month.

Creating a current account associated with a chequebook is also useful for large payments, while having to regularly check that you have enough capital in the account to effect payment. E-banking has now become standard practice, so make sure you become familiar with this method of money management as its features allow personal banking to be easier.

Get to know your Financial Advisor

Personalise your banking. Set up a meeting with your local branch’s financial advisor and explain what your long term savings plan is. Listen to his advice but be upfront about your financial limitations. You cannot over-stretch your incoming cash over a large portfolio. Make sure that you create a solid rapport with your financial advisor and meet them every six months to a quarter to discuss any changes to your accounts. Show an interest in making long term investments once you’ve saved a good lump sum.

Invest

Property is the most solid form of investment, but having the capital to start off with takes time. This is where your financial advisor comes in. Start small and invest in a mixture of low risk bonds and higher risk, higher yield shares and always insist that they are capital guaranteed. This way, if a specific fund you invest in goes belly up, you are at least guaranteed the return of the initial capital invested. However, long term investments tend to fluctuate and hanging onto them over a long period of time, can yield profit through interest.

Think of your future

Become knowledgeable about other physical, movable property you could invest in, like collectables, antiques or art and make sure that what you like is timeless enough to promise profit in years to come: perhaps turn these into investment buys. Think about starting a private pension plan or life policy which is, again a long term form of saving guaranteeing peace of mind.

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Thinking about changing jobs? 10 tips to transition smoothly into your new career

Changing jobs is not a decision to be taken lightly, but it will inevitably occur at some point or another in your working life. Given that we spend the greater part of our adult lives at work, having a job which is fulfilling is important as it enhances our identity.

If you’ve reached your full potential within your current job, change is a must. The psychological benefits of leaving a place where you are feeling tired or burnt out, are not to be underestimated. Lack of stimulus is as bad as financial and intellectual stagnation, and any combination of these three is a major cause of unhappiness.

So if you’re reconsidering your employment options, here are some pointers to help you make the move seamlessly.

Do your homework

Preparation is key. Whether you want to change job within the same industry or change your field completely, lists are your friends. Make a list of pros and cons of your current job and then adjust the pros list to the new position you’re looking for. This will help you focus better.

List your transferable skills if you’re looking outside your current field. In previous blog posts, we highlighted how important it is to clean up your CV and keep it relevant to the job you’re interested in: the same applies to cover letters.

Do your fieldwork

Once you’ve established the area you want to move into, get in touch with professionals already working within the market and get an insider’s view. Sometimes, job descriptions can be overly positive to attract possible employees, and nothing beats an honest outline from someone in the know. You do not need to have formal sessions, simply pick an acquaintance’s brain while out socially – from a wine bar to the gym.

Network

Use your contacts wisely and involve yourself in events like public lectures, open days, charity events and sponsored meet-ups which will allow you to meet and make a positive impression on the right people and make useful professional links.

Embrace social media

With more than 80% of the Maltese population having a Facebook account and checking it multiple times daily, these apps are the way to go if you want to put yourself out there, while simultaneously keeping a finger on the pulse. Follow the companies you think might be potential employers and actively engage with them.

Make sure you set up or update your LinkedIn profile, clean up your Facebook page, get yourself onto Snapchat and organise your Twitter and Instagram wisely. You can bet any future employer will find a means of assessing your social media presence. While media exposure is good, don’t allow it to compromise your integrity. Sell yourself for the right reasons, with the right pictures and comments, and focus on internet fame rather than infamy.

Find specialist recruiters

Narrow your search for a new job by getting in touch with recruiters who specialise in your field of interest. Establish a good relationship with them and be clear with what you want. The more they know you, the more likely they are to find the right fit for you.

Be honest with yourself

Assess your ability to perform within your new job and identify areas which require improvement. Then take action. A prospective boss who sees an employee willing to take a genuine interest in their development and training, will be more reassured of your commitment.

Hang on to your old job

Until you find a new one. Consider your financial situation and ask yourself whether it is sensible to spend some time unemployed until you find new work. A gap in your CV also raises questions with future employers, so have an explanation ready.

Keep it under wraps

Take a friend or family member into your confidence but don’t make your new job search too public. Minimise the potential for your current employer and colleagues finding out that you plan to leave. Maintain professionalism and commitment to your current job and don’t run your job search on company time. This will facilitate the severing of ties without the animosity.

Try an internship

Yes, it’s probably unpaid; but the benefit of gaining some valid work experience while on an internship can be invaluable. If the internship cannot be fitted around your current working hours, try taking a sabbatical and use it to improve your chances of employability.

Consider part-time or freelance work at first

Breaking into a new business or profession can be hard work and might involve a pay cut at first. Many jobs require experience in the field and nothing beats the flexibility of part-time and freelance work to give you a leg-up into the workings of your new career. Proof of having explored your new field part-time could help you fast-track your progression in your new job.

Finally, keep training – your brain is only as old as you allow it to be. Recent research on brain plasticity in adults has proven that the adult brain can be kept agile and taught to develop new skills as easily as that of younger teens and children. All it takes is the right attitude and effort.

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Job-Hunting Means Breaking a Sweat

Just a few months ago we wrote about how to keep sweat at bay when going in for an interview.

However, the lead-up to the interview should be anything but sweat-less.

In keeping with the recent closing of the 2016 Olympics, job-hunting should seem similar to the undertaking of a decathlon or triathlon. Finding the job that you want takes perseverance and determination, sure, but it also involves jumping through a number of hoops to get to the all-clear ‘employable’ area.

Here at Muovo, we’ve outlined the four top priorities that should be keeping you busy if you’re currently out on the hunt for your next job:

Get creative with your CV

We can never stress enough how important it is to make sure that your CV is not only up to date, but also presents your qualifications in as unique a way as possible.

Let’s face it, other people are likely to have qualifications and interests which are similar to yours. Instead of relying on qualifications only, try and infuse your CV with some creative methods of representing your capabilities in meeting and overcoming challenges. Read up on our top 3 tips for writing CVs to find out more on this subject.

Writing CVs takes time and hard-work. You shouldn’t approach it as just another thing to check of your list before you go looking for a job. Book off an entire day or two to really nail it and impress your potential future employer with.

Sharpen your interview skills

An interview is probably the first time you’ll be meeting your prospective future employer, or at least major representatives from the company you want to be working for. We all know that making good first impressions, maintaining them and then sealing the deal doesn’t come easy. It takes deliberate practice and experience.

From the clothes you wear to the language you use, everything gets racked up by your employer during an interview. Head on over to our detailed interview guide to get the basics of interview skills down. Once that’s over and done with, you’re sure to get the next job that you interview for.

Keep up to date with your profession

You’ve gone through all the steps at school and now you’ve got your degree, diploma, or other certifications in the bag. You should be set for the next phase in life: tying down the full-time job that you want. Right?

Not really.

Plenty of people will have the same certification as you do. But, you could have an advantage over them that nobody else does. An up-to-date insight into your professional area.

Signing up for a journal subscription, taking side-courses and having an internet presence on the subject contribute to your acquiring a holistic confidence in your area that few others will have. You might not be able to write it down on a CV, but it’ll definitely come through in an interview.

Network with people in your area of business

Establishing a rapport between yourself and someone else in your field is crucial to getting a foot into the industry. Given Malta’s tendency for tight-knit communities, it pays a lot to know people.

But there’s more to networking than just showing up to key events. You have to get an idea of who’s going to be there, what you’re going to say to them beforehand and, perhaps the most challenging of them all, how you’re going to stay in touch with your new found contacts after the event. There isn’t much space for social fumbling in these kinds of situations, which is why it requires some serious research as preparation.

Job-hunting may be hard and involve breaking a sweat a couple of times, but it will certainly pay-off in the long run when you find yourself in your dream job position and set for the future. Put in the time and effort now so that you can look forward for what’s to come.

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How to beat the summer slump if you're a student and unemployed

We’ve all been there; the school year is over and done with, you’re unemployed and your friends aren’t, and you’re left staring at the blank wall in your room trying to fight the summer heat. What to do? Below are a few ways which will still help you look to the future and build up your CV, paying job or not.

Do some voluntary work

Help out an elderly home, become a receptionist with Caritas, give a hand to nuns who are have their own hands too full with taking care of less fortunate children - the possibilities are endless. Just google voluntary work in Malta, or the country you’re living in, and take your pick of the one that seems to most suit you.

You’ll be doing much needed work for your community, while showing your potential future employer that you have good people skills. If you choose wisely, voluntary work is also very valid work experience and helps build skill areas that are perhaps still underdeveloped. Not to mention, voluntary work helps give you a sense of purpose and a boost of self-confidence like no other.

Do an internship

Sure, it doesn’t pay in cash. But it does pay-off in experience. Internships give you the hands-on experience that no course at university or otherwise can provide. You’ll learn things which will be invaluable to your own personal skill-set and which your future employer will appreciate welcoming into their company.

Don’t wait around for an internship to be advertised on the usual platforms, send emails to the companies you want to want to work with in the future or which you know are of a certain calibre. Who knows, if you work hard enough they might like you so much that they’ll ask you to stay on and you’ll have your future job secured and waiting for you already.

Network

People, people, people. Knowing as many of them as you can is always a good thing. You might need to exercise your social media skills to the full and nose out where the crowd of people relevant to your field will be hanging out in the weekend. Are there any specific events that are happening specific to your area?

In this case, it’s best to keep an eye on the student organisations from the Faculty or Department relevant to you. They’re usually quite active and set-up a number of social gatherings which will help you get a foot in the door somehow.

Sign up for a course

You don’t need to pay vats of money to undergo a course which will help you hone your skills and fluff up your CV. There are loads of online free courses which are genuinely good and respected enough to be valid to your potential future employer. Graphic design, Photoshop, programming, digital marketing, and more…

All you need to do is conduct some well founded research on the courses available, and sign up. They usually don’t take long to complete and are easily adapted to fit your schedule.

It’s easy to let yourself go a little too much when you hit that summer slump, but follow these four alternative ways of building up your CV and you’ll soon be out of it. It’ll definitely give you that extra edge over fellow competitors when it comes to sitting down in that interview seat.

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Dress to Impress While Beating the Heat

Everyone knows that that the most difficult part of walking around Malta during summer, even wearing minimal clothing, is trying not to sweat buckets through every single pore in your body. Let alone doing it in professional interview clothing.

Just how do you show up for a summer interview not looking like it’s been raining under your armpits and down your back? Muovo is here to help you keep your cool, literally and figuratively.

Beating the Heat

It’s said that an employer knows within the first 90 seconds of an interview whether they’ll hire a person or not.

That decision is partially based on what the candidate is wearing and how they act in the first few seconds of walking through the door. So it’s no wonder that looking fresh for an interview is a must. That’s why we’ll be going through some tips for men and women alike on how to keep sweat at bay and nail summer interview apparel.

Men’s Wear

Unfortunately, men don’t have much choice when it comes to interview clothing. Autumn, winter, spring, summer - you have to wear a suit. But there are some useful notes to keep in mind.

• Fabric: When it comes to the material of your shirt and suit, opt for something light like linen or cotton. This also applies for ties; don’t go for satin or wool but stick to silk.
• Sleeve Length: You can go for a short-sleeved shirt to keep you cool, but if you’re uncomfortable with that and prefer the classic long sleeve, try asking the interviewer whether it’s all right to take off your jacket for the interview.
• Colour: Basic physics tells you that black absorbs a lot of heat. So, don’t wear black for a summer interview. Instead, try blue or tan as your summer go-to colours for suits. You’ll still look just as dapper.
• Lining: The purpose of double lining is to capture heat, so wear light lined suit-jackets in order to avoid overheating. Alternatively, if you don’t want to buy a suit just for its lining, keep the jacket off until just outside the door of the interview, put it on for when you walk in, and then ask to take it off.

Women’s Wear

Women have a wider variety of interview clothes to choose from, but even then it’s still limiting. You can choose to go for a blouse, knee-length skirt or trouser, and suit jacket combo, or the knee-length dress and suit jacket combo. Here are a few tips to help you out.

• Fabric: Once again, it’s always a good idea to go with lighter and thinner materials like cotton and linen when you’re going in for a summer interview.
• Jackets: Unlike men, women have the option to buy a mid-length sleeve jacket for an interview. Some of them also come purposefully designed with ridges towards the cuff so they’re easier to push up to your elbow.
• Colour: If you’re going to wear a blouse, the ideal would be to wear white. It’s smart, cool and sweat stains don’t show as much. For skirts, jackets and dresses, beige, tan or even pastel colours convey the right professional message without absorbing a lot of heat.  
• Hair & Makeup: Wear primer if possible, put powder on, and use makeup setting spray. Aside from these basics, don’t put on a ton of makeup. Chances are it’ll melt off before you get to the interview. If you have long hair, tie it up.  And always remember to head over to the restroom to touch up before going in.

Other Tips

There are, of course, other things you can do to keep yourself looking dewy rather than sweaty.

• Drink plenty of water: It’s simple - keep hydrated so your skin looks as glowing as your CV.
• Transport: Your best option would be to make sure you’re in an air-conditioned vehicle. If you’re stuck with the bus, make sure to leave plenty of time to get to and from the bus-stop so you’re not running around.
• Deodorant: Bring a can with you if possible. You’re probably going to need it.
• Be prepared: Our male readership might want to consider packing a fresh shirt with them. To our female readership, if you know that your hair might double in volume due to humidity by the time you get to the interview, have some hairspray or styling gel on you.

Following these few tips, you’re sure to ace that interview for that job you want. After all, once you get there looking relatively put together, it’s all about what you bring to the table. Weather can’t get in the way of that. So don’t sweat the small stuff, and go get that job!

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Spring Clean Your CV

Your CV is a lot like your wardrobe. After a long time not looking carefully at it, you wouldn’t know for sure what’s in it!

At least once a year, you should give your CV (and your wardrobe!) a good cleaning—updating the information, deleting unwanted items, highlighting new skills and experiences, and refreshing the design and layout.

The purpose of spring cleaning your CV is to make it:

• Current
• Relevant
• Appealing

The fact of the matter is that the people who read your CV usually spend less than 10 seconds looking at it, so to stand out of the crowd it is essential your CV does the job quickly, effectively, and with a certain degree of flair.

Your CV is a powerful and flexible document because it can be adapted to any role or industry you're aiming for, but there are 3 things every CV—regardless of who you're sending it to— should accomplish:

• Describe who you are in terms of your past roles, skills and experience
• Explain clearly the new position you are applying for
• Show you're the perfect match for what the employer is looking for

Make your CV scannable by keeping it short

The best piece of advice we can give to someone applying for a new job is:

"Keep your CV short and concise. Two pages maximum, as long as it is all relevant and informative."

Your CV should highlight your best achievements and the key responsibilities you held, so it doesn't make sense to drown that information in a sea of tidbits. Outline the most important stuff and make it effortless for people to scan through it and quickly find if you're a match for the role.

Emphasise the skills and experience that are relevant for your target employer

A messy and cluttered CV is a sure-fire way to end up in the "nope" stack on a recruiter's desk. We recommend presenting a clean and individually targeted document to every employer you contact.

In other words, don't include everything you've every done in your life in your CV!

Include only the stuff that have a high chance of grabbing the attention of an employer and base your CV around those specific skills or experience. You can simply focus on the last 5 years of work experience if that's relevant and highlight older roles only if they do a better job at representing your abilities.

Fill any gaps in your CV with other activities and training

A CV isn't set in stone and you’re allowed to experiment with the organisation, naming and design of the elements that make it up. Of course, however you design your CV, make sure that it looks respectable at all times and reflects the seriousness of the role you're applying for.

A practical and easy way to update your CV is by re-ordering your sections to give more prominence to certain information. If a job demands specific qualifications, then put that section at the top, whereas if a role is more skill-based, move up that section instead.

Organise the layout of your CV to reflect the requirements of the role you’re applying for

Recruiters have a knack for zooming in on any perceived gaps in your employment or academic history, so it is a good idea to prevent any awkward moments during the interview by filling in any gaps of 6 months or more with other activities or trainings, even if they’re not strictly professional in nature.

The important thing is to account for these “inactive” periods in a positive way. Even if you spent that time volunteering or focusing on a personal venture, odds are you’ve learnt something that can be useful in your everyday life as an employee, be it teamwork, organisation skills, or the discipline to stick to a project from beginning to end.

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Gi Group ranked 5th in European labour market

In a recent document about the positioning of staffing agencies released by Staffing Industry Analysts, Gi Group through its wide network of partnerships reached 5th place in Europe, and 14th position worldwide.

The conclusions of this survey published by a global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions, highlight the results accomplished in 2015 by Gi Group and its partners, including Muovo, through their combined efforts and expertise in the employment market.

In a letter sent to all its partners, Gi Group CEO Stefano Colli-Lanzi expressed his gratitude for their constant support and trustful cooperation. He also stressed Gi Group’s mission to contribute to the evolution of the labour market, continue educating about the personal and social value of work, and reiterated the fundamental role that partnerships play in building these kinds of projects and vision.

The high positions achieved by Gi Group in the survey can also be attributed to the important steps that have been made towards expanding its global presence in 2015, by opening new branches in Slovakia, Portugal and Turkey. This increased its global geographical coverage and provided new sources of business opportunities for its partnership network.

Gi Group has maintained a presence in Malta since January 2014, after entering in a partnership with Muovo, which has since yielded countless opportunities for Maltese candidates to seek employment abroad and provided local employers with the most extensive sourcing channel of potentials candidates on the islands.

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Love the Job You're in

We at Muovo have a heartfelt belief that everyone can go beyond the daily obligations and stresses of work, and find great enjoyment and satisfaction in their jobs.

And yes, even fall in love with their work too.

To get there, however, it takes getting into a job that's a good fit for you.

We know how to help spot the opening that's right for you

We’ve helped thousands of young graduates and experienced professionals connect with organisations in Malta and abroad, where they could finally give a meaningful contribution in teams where their talent would be recognised and developed further.

From our years of experience in recruitment we can tell you with absolute confidence that you don’t have to be an exceptionally lucky person to find a job you love.

On the contrary, there are many signs we look out for which, when matched with your own goals and ambitions, will help us pinpoint the ideal job role for you from all the openings available.

To do this, we pay particular attention to three factors:
A company that's right for you

We keep tabs on job openings at countless organisations in a variety of industries and sectors, with vacancies ranging from entry-level to executive positions.

Take a look at our top vacancies for February 2016 to see the kind of job opportunities we offer.

A wage that's right for you

We get it. You want to earn loads of money doing a job you love.

We all do!

That’s why after you get in touch with our team, we’ll invite you to share exactly the conditions you’re looking for, including the salary level and work conditions you desire.

From our part, we will guide you through the realistic earning potential of your qualifications, provide you with the figures you could be making in a particular role, and the discuss the likely progression of your career.

Our recruitment executives can negotiate with companies on your behalf to help you land the job you want, schedule and prep you for upcoming interviews.

A career progression that's right for you

Ambition knows no boundaries, and people who want to make impact in their fields of expertise are constantly looking for ways to expand their knowledge and skills.

Based on your own goals and aspirations, we’ll help find you a work environment that nurtures your ambitions and gives you the opportunity to realise them. By taking the long-term approach, we’ll be able to put together a total game plan for your care, and make sure that twenty years from now you’ll be madly in love with your job like it’s still the first day.

Planning ahead and seeing into the future

That, in a nutshell, is the secret to finding a job you’ll love.

Planning ahead and seeing into the future will help immensely in hunting down the right job opportunity and seizing it when it appears.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when searching for jobs the old-fashioned way—in newspaper classifieds listings—or even online.

On the other hand, job seekers who talk to our team are provided with carefully chosen job opportunities that have been pre-matched to their particular skillset and requirements.

We’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest openings in Malta and abroad, in industries and sectors that interest you specifically, and positions with the conditions you aspire to.

Isn’t it time you woke up to a job you love?

Contact us today and let’s make sparks fly.

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New Year, New Job

You’re not alone if you’re thinking of changing jobs.

Right now, as you’re reading this, more than 1 in five employees are polishing off their CVs, updating their LinkedIn profiles, and getting ready to head off to an interview that might change their lives in 2016.

There are many reasons why people are choosing to leave their jobs and venture into greener pastures.

Of course, at the end of a year and the start of a new one, many people begin to introspect and review what they achieved over the past year: what brought them satisfaction and what left them yearning for more.

A survey of 1,000 full-time employees by an international people management consultancy found that the reasons why workers plan to find a new job are:

• To seek out better pay and benefits (48%)
• To have more opportunities to develop (44%)
• To find more satisfying work (32%)

All valid reasons, and all motivating factors for people to make the jump to a new position that fulfils their professional ambitions.

Never a better time to make changes

Although you can pursue a new job any time of the year, there are several reasons why the start of a new year is probably the best time to make switch jobs.

Firstly, companies who were working on their annual budgets at the close of the year will usually wait until the first weeks of the new year to post new vacancies.

Secondly, since the holidays are right behind us and decision-makers are returning to their posts after the Christmas shutdown, you have a better chance of finding your new job quickly since hiring processes typically move faster and more efficiently before other work and distractions begin to accumulate.

Many great positions available around this time of year

In fact, here at Muovo we’re currently on the look-out for smart and ambitious new talent who would be interested to take their place on local teams in the following roles:

• Sales Manager
• Audit Manager
• Business Development Manager
• Web System Administrator
• Maintenance and Engineering Manager

Start the year on a high; trade up on your career!

Click on any of the job roles listed above for more details and apply today to make your first steps toward reaching new professional heights. Send us an email at [email protected] if you have any questions or you’re looking for specific job roles in other industries or sectors that aren’t listed here.

Our website www.muovo.eu has fresh listings of vacancies every week, so check it out to and sign up for the newsletter if you haven’t done so already. We’ll notify you every month with our top vacancies and updates to improve your chances of landing a dream job.

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