Having something to earn for livelihood
“How would you describe yourself?” is a common interview question that trips up many applicants. It seems simple at first, but it requires a lot of self-reflection to answer effectively! This guide will teach you how to describe yourself during an interview in a way that improves your chance of getting the job. Table of […]
The post Answering “How Would You Describe Yourself?” In Interviews appeared first on Career Sherpa.
This week’s Summary Sunday provides updates, advice and tips on how to job search and manage your career as we enter into the new normal. In this week’s summary, you’ll find: LinkedIn tips and debunking myths Recruiter tips for job seekers Ways to build your target list Tips to reduce age bias on your resume […]
The post Summary Sunday: Issue #478 appeared first on Career Sherpa.
The employees you choose to work at your company can make or break its success. Their work, time, and talent all cost money, not to mention what you need to spend on onboarding, benefits, and training. According to an SHRM report, hiring one employee costs a company an average of $4,129. This sum doesn’t even […]
The post The Importance of Pre-employment Tests in The Hiring Process appeared first on Jobacle.com.
Finding a job after college can be tough! There’s stiff competition, and sometimes students are at the mercy of the economy that they graduate into. Many college grads often take minimum wage jobs or jobs that they’re overqualified for in order to make ends meet.
The key to landing a job out of college is preparing for the job search process while still in school. Unfortunately, they don’t always teach you about the job search process in school, so it’s up to students to take responsibility for their future careers.
Here are some tips to put yourself in a position to land a job after college.
Do you know what the career options are for your degree? How competitive the industry is? What the average salary is for the type of role you’re pursuing?
These are not questions you should be seeking to answer after graduation. These are all questions that should’ve been asked prior to declaring a major.
Research…research…research!
Knowing what you might be in for after graduation can help you with planning. You could meet with your advisor well in advance of graduation and look at potential internships and identify potential companies to work for, giving you a head start on your networking efforts.
If you failed to prepare like this prior to graduation, you did put yourself at an initial disadvantage, but you’re certainly not doomed!
Even after college, some people are unsure about what they want to do for a career. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic. You need to do an honest assessment of yourself and determine the valuable skills that you possess. Most importantly, ask yourself, “What are some of the things I love doing?”
Work It Daily also has resources that can assist you in your search. Our FREE Career Decoder Quiz will help you determine your professional persona. Knowing your professional persona will help you understand the skills you have that bring value to the job and what you find professionally and personally fulfilling.
In addition, whether you’re a graduate or still a student, don’t limit your opportunities to learn new skills.
Chances are you have interests outside of your course of study. You should be open to pursuing those interests. It could be that you’re a health/science major with an interest in computers. Why not take some computer courses?
Interested in learning a trade? Electricians, plumbers, contractors, and auto mechanics are all in demand.
If you’re still in school, you have an opportunity to take additional courses or decide on a double major or minor.
Options may be a bit more limited for recent grads, but there are always online courses, certification programs, or specialty course programs available. As long as you have a hunger for more knowledge, you should never stop wanting to learn. The more skills you have, the more career options are available to you. Options are important during the job search for recent grads.
College can’t prepare you for everything, and most of the lessons people learn from the job search process come from real-world experience. However, there are some things you can do to prepare.
First, research as many potential jobs as you can before graduation and identify some potential companies that you would like to work for (this is called your interview bucket list). Second, prepare multiple resumes tailored for the specific positions for which you’re applying.
A recruiter needs to see the skills you have that apply to the position within the first six seconds of reading your resume. You should also prepare a disruptive cover letter where you really bring attention to yourself by telling a story about how you connect with the company.
The last thing you need to do is reach out and network. It’s not enough to just send in a resume and cover letter and hope that you’ll be contacted. Reach out to people who work at the company through LinkedIn and introduce yourself. Use the fact that you’re a graduating student seeking knowledge to your advantage. There are professionals who enjoy the opportunity to mentor.
Even if these new connections don’t translate into an immediate job, you’ve made your first professional contacts which could come in handy at some other point in time. Knowing how to conduct a proactive job search will serve you well throughout your professional life.
Sometimes you find happiness and success in a career field that you didn’t go to school for. That’s okay (and normal). Life happens!
For new grads, the goal is usually to find work in your field of study and it’s great when things work out that way. But as the job search process goes on you may fall into a job that you weren’t planning to and end up liking it. If the job makes you happy and there’s room for growth, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it. It’s a personal decision.
This will be true throughout your professional life. You may end up working in your field, but, as time goes on, priorities and life circumstances change. You may develop new skills that draw you into a new career direction. The goal is to always put yourself in a position to succeed and sometimes that means making a change.
Preparation and keeping an open mind are the two common themes when it comes to the job search for recent grads. There are no guarantees for new graduates, so you have to be ready for anything. Hopefully, by knowing what to expect, you’ll know how to land a job after college and can land a job that matches your talents.
Here at Work It Daily, we understand how difficult it is to find a job and grow your career as a recent college grad. If you’re struggling to find a job that’s right for you, we can help.
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.
It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Whether you’re a college student trying to figure out where your true calling lies, an experienced professional getting back to work, or someone just looking for a career in another field, you need to make your choice carefully. With women making considerable strides in fields that were previously male-dominated, the lines of career limitations have blurred.
There are more career choices available to women now than ever before. A woman plays many rolesâsister, daughter, friend, wife, mother, confidante, breadwinner, and so on. You, being a multitasking woman, need to find a career that not only pays you well, but allows you to be a career woman without having to compromise on any of these roles.
If you think this is impossible, think again!
Lots of women have found careers that balance beautifully with their family life. So, now that you know it isn’t unthinkable to achieve work-life balance, how about making it happen for yourself?
With a plethora of options, you may have a tough time deciding which career would be most suitable for you. Of course, no two women are the same and neither are their choices. But some careers provide women with the best opportunity to achieve both career success and work-life balance.
Here are the top eight career choices for women:
For women who want a chance to do what they really love doing, who have always dreamed of starting their own business, entrepreneurship could be the perfect career.
Wouldn’t it be great to work from a place of your choice and at your own time? This would give you the flexibility to allocate time to your business and family as needed.
This is also one of the biggest challenges you will ever take up in your life as every decision will rest on your shoulders. Your employees would depend on you for their livelihood. Hence, this is also a great way to contribute to society.
Being an entrepreneur lets you be in charge because it is you who runs the show. Instead of putting in efforts to generate profits for other companies, why not channel those efforts towards creating greater profits for yourself?
With IT companies starting up and mushrooming rapidly, it’s little wonder that this field has become so popular among women.
Young women can take up a career in the IT sector after earning a certificate or bachelor’s degree in an applicable field, like computer science, informational technology, and cyber security. There are also many programs available to women of all ages who want to learn how to codeâone of the most useful and in-demand skills in today’s job market.
The ease and excitement of working on the internet, designing software and apps, implementing IT solutions for businesses, security, gaming, smartphones, etc. could be a huge draw. This is another field where you can make a difference as well as earn good money.
Whether you choose to be a pharmacist, a surgeon, or a nurse, a career in the medical field provides women with the ability to achieve career success and wealth. Plus, there’s good job security.
As a qualified professional, you will always be in high demand, and once you’ve gained significant work experience, there’s going to be no looking back.
Teaching has always been considered one of the most women-friendly careers as it allows women to spend sufficient time with their families, de-stress, go on vacations, and balance home and work. It’s also one of the most rewarding and important careers anyone can choose to pursue.
The best part of being in the teaching field is that recession or no recession, your skills will always be sought after.
This field is perfect for women who have a penchant for working in the corporate world and interacting with people to solve organizational issues.
The job involves shortlisting and interviewing candidates, hiring and training them, setting their pay, benefits, and perks, designing appraisal systems, formulating policies and leave structures, looking after employee welfare, and settling disputes.
Every large organization needs qualified and experienced HR personnel and they are paid quite well, too.
No one solves problems like a woman does.
Given the fact that most women are good observers, empathetic listeners, and great communicators (all soft skills employers want in employees), they’re sure to excel as psychologists or therapists.
A career in this field allows you to help those struggling to overcome many different personal and family problems. With substantial work experience, you can stand to make a lot of money and even charge on an hourly basis.
You’ve probably put in a lot of thought and effort into designing your home and making it look stunning. From selecting the perfect hangers for the closet to picking out the most exquisite lampshade, you know what it takes to make a home beautiful.
Now, how about extending this talent a little further and helping others make their home look gorgeous, too? A career in interior design is a great option for women who are creative, organized, and detail-orientedâwho don’t want a boring office job.
As you develop your career as an interior designer, you also gain the flexibility to pick your clients and appointments and get paid immensely well.
For women who are creative, good at communication, and love research, media is the place to be.
All companies nowadays have (or should have) social media accounts that need managing, in addition to their primary marketing and PR departments, so this field is only growing.
Writing, advertising, public relations, journalism, photographyâthere are many choices available for women who want to pursue a career in media.
Women today can achieve it all, from financial independence to a family, and from a progressive career to a great personal and social life. And, why not? Your decisions have the potential to give you all that you desire.
So, make sure you decide well!
If you’re a woman struggling to find the right career for you, we can help.
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.
It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
In 2008, My partner and i read Business Weekâs post entitled, âManagement from the Figures, â inside which they review exactly how IBM has been constructing mathematical models of the own employees having an goal to improve productivity and even automate management. Iâll allow you to read it and attract your own conclusions, yet I realized that this particular article still rings correct today.
After reading this content so many years back, I learned a fresh workplace term that theyâre using over at MICROSOFT. “Fungible” is a phrase utilized to describe workers who else are âvirtually indistinguishable through othersâ the value associated with their contributions at work.
You see, IBMâs study is enabling these to identify top performers coming from average ones, with your latter being fungibleâand My spouse and i would imagine translates in to expendable as well. Business where layoffs continue for you to make the headlines, I just guarantee management teams almost all over the country happen to be getting in rooms together with saying, âWhoâs fungible about the payroll right this moment? â
Okay, therefore they are most probably not utilizing the term, nevertheless they are having that will discussion, I assure anyone.
Employees must get in the ball and begin performing two things if that they wish to keep their careers:
Therefore , if youâve recently been automatically when it arrives to assessing your expert strengths, building your career identity, and marketing the personal brand (if you are new with the career advancement terms I simply used, be enough to say youâve been recently on autopilot), i quickly inspire you to get started out.
That takes much more to obtain and keep a great job these days, and additionally thereâs an entire new method to manage your career. If you need assist understanding how to be indispensable throughout your career so people don’t end up consumible, I would love it if everyone joined my FREE neighborhood where experts like you are studying how to become strengthened within their careers so many people can finally find career happiness and satisfaction for good!
Subscribe to my FREE community and become some sort of Workplace Renegade today! My team not to mention I are searching forward to help working with you quickly
After graduation, finding a job is the next big thing for some people. And we can all agree that this can be very tasking even with a good result in our present economy. Although earning a certificate from a good university can get you a spot in a company, there are still some things you […]
The post Physician Jobs- How To Find The Right One appeared first on Jobacle.com.
As any office worker knows, there are a million things that can interfere with productivity during the workday. From endless meetings and conference calls to pop-up notifications and browsing the internet, it can be difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. While office productivity blockers may seem insurmountable, there are ways to overcome […]
The post The Office Worker’s Guide To Understanding Productivity Blockers appeared first on Jobacle.com.
Recently, a list of companies that have the happiest employees was circulated online. The companies were commended on their ability to promote a healthy work environment and sustain work-life balance. Pfizer came out on top with Kaiser Permanente coming in second, followed by Texas Instruments. Looking at these lists, one wonders how these companies are able to promote such a positive productive environment for their employees.
Many would think this is due to compensation packages or other related perks. But then, is work only about earning money? Is it the most important aspect when employees join a new company? What about the other factors that play an important role in building a strong bond between the employee and the organization?
The importance of core values is illustrated by a quote from famous author and inventor, Edward de Bono: “Effectiveness without values is a tool without a purpose.”
This analogy really hits home. A purposeless tool is a worthless thing and so is a company without a campusâa culture that is formed on the basis of core principles.
Core values serve to constantly guide both the employee and the company in achieving their mutual goals, in a manner that is based on an ethical and ideological framework. Every business is different, and so are their core values. Having said that, there are some principles that are alike for all, even though they may be phrased differently.
Here are four such core values every organization should have:
Simply put, the two principles of integrity and ethics translate into doing the right thing, in an honest, fair, and responsible way. Building your entire business on the foundation of honesty and integrity goes a long way toward building a strong, trusting relationship with your employees, stakeholders, and customers.
Truthful conduct on everyone’s part can create a strong, credible reputation for the company in the market, which is beneficial for everyone’s interests.
Without dedicated employees, a company is nothing. Period.
Committed employees form the backbone of the entire corporation. They work together with the system in order to achieve growth and profitability.
A company has a responsibility toward its employees and, if one of its core principles is showing the utmost respect to its employees, it’s likely management will have a low employee turnover rate.
Respecting all employees means respecting their individual human rights and privacy, and eliminating all kinds and forms of discrimination, whether based on religion, belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or physical disability. Moreover, ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for all employees is an important part of giving respect to them.
Many organizations across the globe adopt an attitude whereby the entire company interacts together like a close-knit family. Such an atmosphere helps boost the confidence of employees and makes them feel like an important, even indispensable, part of the organization. This inspires feelings of commitment and a drive to do even better.
Companies that focus on being ahead of their competitors and introducing new ideas in the marketplace follow the principle of “innovation, not imitation.” This is crucial if a company wants to be a trendsetter and introduce new products that consumers appreciate.
Employees in such companies are encouraged to be dynamic and come up with innovative ideas that can translate into successful products for the company. Constantly imitating others won’t take the business far.
The thirst to constantly improve can be achieved if one is never satisfied. Organizations that have this principle as one of their core values try to provide a dynamic platform for their employees, where they can explore their creativity and skills and further enhance themselves.
While celebrating successes is an important thing, just sitting back and getting complacent over them is unacceptable for such companies. The reason why some companies habitually do well is because they know that employees are the most valuable resource.
Nothing compares to an employee who is dedicated and willing to go the extra mile. This requires a company to cultivate an environment that promotes respect and frowns upon politics. If you want to achieve this type of work environment at your company, these four core values are a great place to start.
Want to attract the best talent to your organization? Work It Daily can help!
Contact us about our employer branding services today.
Someone accepted your request to connect on LinkedIn. Yay! Now what?
Now, you need to start a conversation.
Don’t just let that new connection sit dead in the water. Here’s how to start a conversation with a new LinkedIn connection:
Struggling to write your initial message? Here are a few subject ideas to get you started (you would elaborate within your message).
For a basic subject line, you could start with something like:
If you enjoyed an article they wrote/shared, you could start with something like:
If you met your new LinkedIn connection in person, you could start with something like:
Shoot your new LinkedIn connection a brief message shortly after connecting. You can start by introducing yourself, then elaborate on why you wanted to connect in the first place.
Mention things you have in common. Feel free to ask them about their goals and interests. What do they want to accomplish? What do they love doing? Highlight commonalities. It will help build a stronger personal connection.
We can’t stress how important it is to offer value to your connections, especially in your first conversation. It shows that you’re a valuable contact who’s ready and willing to help your connections.
Offering your support can be as simple as saying something like, “If there’s anything I can do to offer support or anyone in my network that I can introduce you to, please let me know. Happy to help.” You don’t have to go overboard with this in your first message. A brief sentence like the one above is great. Just let them know you’re offering.
Do not ask for anything from your new connection unless it benefits them in some way.
For example, if you need a quote from them for an upcoming blog post you’re writing, highlight the fact that you’ll be promoting the heck out of it and that it will give them some exposure. You can ask for a favor after you’ve built your professional relationship with this person and you have a history of offering value without asking for anything in return.
When someone reaches out to you and asks to connect, make sure you message them immediately after accepting their request with a message that says something like, “Thanks for connecting. It’s great to meet you.” That way, if they forget to message you, you’ll be sitting in their inbox, happy and ready to chat.
Starting a conversation with a new LinkedIn connection is easy once you know how to do it properly. The next time you want to connect with someone new on LinkedIn, follow these four steps. You’ll grow your professional network in no time!
Struggling to grow your professional network?
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades. More importantly, it’s a safe place for you to network with others and get the help and support you need.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Letâs make things clear: It’s impossible for everyone in the workplace to be your close friend. It’s possible, however, to grow positive working relationships with them.
So, what do we mean when we say positive relationships? Every employee dreams of working in an environment where positivity resonates. Where people are supportive of each other. Where you feel motivated to work hard, not to mention score a perfect attendance, because your colleagues are encouraging. We all aspire to be a part of a team made up of awesome people. How do you ensure now, that you, yourself, are a good colleague to your teammates? You know you need to attract pleasant treatment before you receive it.
With that, here are a few tips for becoming the co-worker everyone loves:
Remember the golden rule? Donât do to others what you donât want others to do unto you. This also rings true in the workplace. If you treat people around you coldly and refuse to share even a smile, then you could as well expect your colleagues to seem distant. Although people will have varying attitudes, they can still work together well. It takes open-mindedness to survive and thrive in such an environment. So learn to look past differences. Accept others as they are. Show kindness. It will be returned in situations you need it the most.
It is easy to keep to yourself while in the workplaceâminding your own tasks, limiting talks with your colleagues, and going straight home after work. Your motivation to go to the office every day is the paycheck you receive. You comply with what youâre told to do, but do not really extend efforts going beyond what is expected of you. If there’s anything you want to explore in addition to the tasks assigned to you, let your boss know. Volunteer to assist your colleagues who might be able to use extra hands. If the resources given to you are not enough, then take the initiative to look for more. Consult your colleagues; ask your boss. Nobody wants someone who depends on spoon-feeding.
Bosses can sometimes be difficult. They, sometimes, reach out to the team as though theyâre on the same level as them. Bosses are not created equal. They may be using different approaches to inspire their team. There are times when you would find their rules too stringent, or perhaps lax. However, they act. Remember, they are your superiors, your leaders. Even if, at times, you might find their behavior uncalled for, never speak negatively about them to your colleagues. If there is anything you need to say, tell it straight to them. This is not to say that you smarm your boss; however, it would help that they have a positive impression of you.
How do you look at your workplace? Is it something you see as a battlefield, with all your colleagues as your enemies? Is it a place you call your second home with people you deem as your other family? Is it a haunted mansion with everyone around acting like zombies? It’s okay to be competitive. But to aspire for progress so much that youâre already building barriers from your colleagues can be harmful. You are a team still, and to get ahead doesnât mean you need to leave people behind or hanging. Do your best while reaching out in any way you can to your colleagues.
Becoming the co-worker everyone loves is easier than you think, as long as you do these four things at work. Start building positive workplace relationships today!
If you’re struggling to connect with people at your job and/or find a community of people who support your career goals, we’re here for you.
We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.
It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
A leader inspires and motivates others to do and be better. Itâs about being a servant leader who focuses on the growth and well-being of others, regardless of title, bringing out the best in who they are.
Anyone can be a leader if they choose to develop the right skills. I know! Iâve made many mistakes along the way by focusing on the wrong things (i.e. micromanagement, poor communication, lack of flexibility, you get it). Once I realized that leadership requires being able to connect, motivate, inspire, and be present, I began to make a real difference in the companies and people I worked with.
Here are four things I do to earn my leadership every day.
Strong communication skills include being a good listener as well as customizing your communication style to suit each situation and team member. This is an area Iâm continuously working on. I have written down the following and keep it visible in my work area so that when I interact with anyone, I am conscious of my communication style:
A leader who has strong communication skills will build trust and improve morale across the organization.
I grew up in the âkill or be killedâ era of business and Iâm glad itâs changed to a focus of connecting with people to form lasting relationships. Iâve learned to be a more empathetic leader who is able to understand the needs of others, their point of view, what they are feeling, and why they act the way they do. That said, I still have more to learn as empathy is an emotional and thinking muscle that becomes stronger with use. What I try to do with my daily interactions is:
Empathy is a key element of servant leadership and leaders who are able to show compassion tend to be the most admired and are also able to drive significant business results.
âChange is accelerating and at an unprecedented pace. In order to be successful, leaders need to embrace change in this constantly evolving global environment. I for one love change. While it can be somewhat scary at times, it can also bring about many opportunities. Iâve worked hard to embrace change and lean into the unknown by focusing on the following in my work and personal life:
Leaders who embrace change tend to be more adaptable, flexible, innovative, strategic, and have engaged employees. Change creates transformation and growth.
I was taught how to do my job but not how to be a leader who manages and develops teams. So when I first started managing teams, I struggled with continuing to do things myself vs. learning how to develop and inspire people. Along the way, Iâve made a number of mistakes, but through that, Iâve had some amazing nuggets of success that I work hard to put into practice all the time.
Iâve found that to earn my leadership every day requires a continuous journey of personal development and grace. Great leaders inspire others, bringing out the best in them while also leading by example. I hope these tips motivate you to earn your leadership. Youâve got this!