Basic Rules of Billboard Advertising

Basic Rules of Billboard AdvertisingBasic Rules of Billboard AdvertisingConsumers are no longer looking at billboards in the same way they did 20 or 30 years ago. While billboards may leise be considered premium advertising space, consumers are engrossed in their smartphones, tablets, and gaming systems. Eyes are down, not up, for much of ur lives. However, that doesnt mean billboard advertising is to be discounted or ignored. Billboards are everywhere, and even though we remember just a handful, they can still have a powerful branding impact. With outdoor advertising upping the stakes and becoming increasingly more competitive, plus digital advertising becoming the medium of choice, its important to know how to make your advertising count. Six Words or Fewer Considering were on the move when we read billboards, we dont have a lot of time to take them in. Six seconds has been touted as the industry average for reading a billboard. So, around six words should get the message acros s. You can push this to a few more words depending on their length and ease of reading, but as a rule of thumb, less is more here. Concision is tough, but headlines that are small paragraphs will not get read. And that means if you have a complex brand, product or service, you probably should stay away from billboards. Get Noticed, But Dont Be a Huge Distraction Most of the time, billboards are aimed at drivers, bikers, cyclists, or pedestrians (which is why you have just a few seconds to get a message across). It causes an interesting dilemma for the advertiser. You want to get noticed, but you dont want to be responsible for major, or even minor, accidents. So, while being distracting is paramount in many media, its a fine balance with the billboard. Not the Placefor Direct Response There are some truly awful billboards covered in phone numbers and website addresses. And without a doubt, 99.9 percent of the people who read the billboard will not call or visit the website. A billboard is a secondary advertising medium, which means that its ideal for brand-building and supporting a campaign, but it just cannot do the heavy lifting. If you want a more intimate conversation with your target audience, use print advertising, television, radio, flyers, websites, and direct mail. Billboards are the wrong medium for anything other than a quick message. However, if your website or phone number is the headline, and makes sense, then you have an exception to the rule. Be Smart, But Not Too Clever A boring billboard will be ignored. A smart billboard will grab the attention and leave a lasting impression. A billboard thats trying to be too clever, well, it will get lost on the audience. As a rule, you dont want billboards to make people scratch their heads and wonder what is going on. Complex visual metaphors are no good here. They say advertising should be like a puzzle to solve and should give the audience a sense of fulfillment to know they figured it out. But billboards should be much simpler than that. Youre in the business of advertising, not showing off how clever you are. More Is Better One billboard is not cheap. But its also not very effective either. Billboards are a mass market medium, but they need support. Every billboard has a rating, called Gross Ratings Points (GRP), based on traffic, visibility, location, size, and so on. This rating gives you a showing score between 1 and 100. If its 50, it means that at least 50 percent of the population in the area would see one of your boards at least once a day. If you have only one board, your impact chances are less than if you have four or five. You want to get close to a 100 showing, but thats not going to be cheap (and may end up being more annoying than impactful). Dont Say It, Show It Get creative with your billboard ideas. A flat billboard is standard, but it doesnt have to be the norm. You can go 3D, have moving parts, have people interacting with it, and even hav e your billboard animate. There is no reason that it just has to be a large, simple print ad. It is your opportunity to do something eye-catching and memorable, so go for it. The upside to this is it can create additional press, for free. Be Wary of Logo Size One of the most parroted pieces of client feedback ever given in advertising is make the logo bigger. The reason for that is easy to understand. The client is paying a lot of money to advertise his or her brand and wants the consumers to walk away with that brand planted firmly in their heads. However, there is a balancing act that has to be played. Too big, its horsey and distracts from the message. Too small, its a clever ad for a brand no one connects with. Do The Arms Length Test So, you have followed all of the rules above. Youve designed yourself one fantastic billboard. Its clean, its concise, its got contrasting colors, its interesting, and it will work. But will it be seen? Will it be read, and understood? Here s a quick test to ensure you are not wasting everyones time and money. Print out your billboard to the size of a business card. Now, hold it out at arms length. Are you still getting everything you were when it was displayed on your 27-inch monitor? If not, go in and refine it. It needs to pop. And remember, you have roughly 10 seconds to get your message across.

What Not to Do at a Casting Call for Kids

What Not to Do at a Casting Call for KidsWhat Not to Do at a Casting Call for KidsHaving a good audition is the only way to ensure that you will book an acting gig. Whether you are auditioning or your child is auditioning, there are certain rules of decorum that you will need to take into consideration. An audition is similar to a job interview. There are anumber of things that you need to be aware of before ever setting foot in a casting room. Additionally, you need to be sure to prepare your child on how to behave properly. If you are a parent to a child actor, be aware that you are being judged as well. Casting directors want to know right off the bat that if they hire your child that you will be easy to work with as well. While you can only prepare your childs performance so much before they set foot into the casting office, there are a number of things you can do to help increase the quality of their audition and the likelihood that theyll get the part. Below is a list of things parents should not do at a casting call. Steer Clear of Chewing Gum Although it seems obvious, you would be amazed at the number of kids who walk into a casting office snapping their chewing gum. Now, unless chewing gum is an actual character choice you and your child have decided upon, this is not something that will go over well with a casting director. Dont Avoid Eye Contact When you teach your child about how to behave in a casting room, make certain that they understand both proper etiquette and how to make eye contact with the casting director. It doesnt mean a scene should be entirely played out while looking at the casting person, but when your child introduces themselves, they should make direct eye contact, have confidence and be confident in who they are as people. Dont Overdo It Your child should do three things when they enter a casting room. 1) They should clearly say hello and make eye contact with everyone in the room. Keep in mind, more than likely they wont need to mention their name as everyone in the room (if there is more than one person) is expecting your child to enter. 2) They should perform their scene. 3) They should say thank you and goodbye and exit the room. They shouldnt ask how they did, or when to expect a callback/any such question. The casting director will find them if they need to. Dont Make Excuses Everyone makes mistakes in auditions this is completely expected and natural. Casting directors are often quite patient and understand that the actors performing for them might be quite nervous (especially those who are first timers). Although it is okay to ask to start over if you make a mistake, avoid making excuses. Casting directors will usually prefer that you just keep going. Never Make Excuses for Your Child Even if their poor performance is a direct result of something, you did. Assume every casting director you meet has not only heard every excuse in the book dozens (if not hundreds) of times, they wont care. They simply have too many other potential candidates to see and wasting time listening to your lame excuses why little Jimmy (Timmy, Donny, Robbie, transsumpt your childs name here) doesnt know his/her lines is not something any casting director wants to do. Unless Specifically Requested, Dont Bring Other Siblings A casting session is usually set up for one particular type of child. If you bring your kids brother or sister because you think the casting director may want to meet them will almost guarantee that your child will not be considered. Focus your attention on the child youve chosen to bring, and thats it. If the casting director asks about your other children, then you can speak about them. But unless they DIRECTLY mention that they want to see them, chances are they are simply making conversation to make you and/or your child feel more at ease. Avoid Bringing Overly Tired or Wired Children to Auditions If your child is simply too tired, wired or even suff ering from a cold, youre better off passing on the audition altogether rather than hoping to suffer through it. It certainly wont help your childs chances with this particular job, and it might hinder their chances at getting other work because the casting director who sees your whiny/wired child will remember their behavior more than their performance. Never Coach or Scold Your Children in Front of a Casting Director One almost certain way to ensure your child fails to get an acting job is to instruct them or scold them in the presence of a casting director. It is often cited as the most uncomfortable moments of any casting directors careers, so avoid it whenever possible. Acting As a Child Should Be Fun and Voluntary If you find that you are living vicariously through your child and forcing them to do something they dont have any interest in, understand that a casting director will more than likely zupflmmel up on this sooner rather than later. Casting directors are lookin g for those parents who will serve in more of a silent partner capacity for their children and root for them from behind the scenes. If your child dreams of an acting career, then we encourage them to go for it. But to help better their chances of actually landing something, be sure to take these tips into consideration.

The Best Strategies for Writing an Effective Resume Summary

The Best Strategies for Writing an Effective Resume SummaryThe Best Strategies for Writing an Effective Resume SummaryHow do you describe years of work history in three to four sentences in your resume and LinkedIn profile? It is a daunting task that many professionals dread with good reason. It is a challenge to summarize who you are as a business professional. It is even more daunting when you factor in that the best summaries are written with a specific job in mind so that it is relevant to a future hiring manager. The good news is that there are strategies you can use to simplify the process and increase the effectiveness of your summary. Here are some tips to help.See 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.Ask at least three managers and co-workers what they think is the top way you make an impact at work. This is the best place to start because most of us do not have a clear sense of how others view us. An additional benefit is that this strategy helps with writers blo ck. It also aids the modest employee who struggles with talking about his best traits (or is too hard on himself to recognize his value). It also benefits newer-to-career professionals who may not have a developed understanding of how to assess their value at work. A younger employee may think she is best known for being the smartest in the room, but her team and manager may appreciate her willingness to research and suggest innovative ideas that break with convention.It is also important to ask at least three people. One viewpoint is great but it may be isolated or limited. Your summary will be viewed by many people when you are job seeking, so having a well-rounded perspective is more likely to best represent you and perform better with a larger audience.Ask a few of your long-term friends and family members what they think are your best traits or what you are known for. These could be things like you are the glue that holds people together. Or, you could be the calm in a storm, or the voice of reason. These observations are likely to show soft skills that have been developed over time and are likely to come most naturally to you. Again, the answers may surprise you but be open to the observations and think about how they apply in a work setting. In other words, how does your ability to be the calm in a storm add value to a future employer? How have you used that strength professionally to accomplish more, exceed standards, create a motivating environment, et cetera?See The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.Your third step is to find at least three job descriptions of roles in which you are both qualified and interested. Note commonalities among the positions what traits, skills, experience or accomplishments are requested? This is called target role deconstruction. You are analyzing the requested components and descriptions to determine what in your background is relevant and desired. Make a list of requirements in priority order and highlight the top thr ee to four.Now, compare your list of what is requested to what has been said about you. Use your judgment to decide what truly reflects your impact and value and is also in demand for your future target role. The best summaries marry what the market demands with what you uniquely do best. If you excel in something that is not in demand, that experience or qualification should not take up space in your summary.Required technical skills versus bigger picture impact. It is also helpful to distinguish between more sophisticated skills that make an impact versus technical requirements. For example, an accountant job description may require a CPA, knowledge of Excel, analytical ability, superior communication skills, detail orientation and industry knowledge in the tech sector. The technical requirements (the CPA certification and Excel knowledge) are likely to be seen in your title, education or a list of skills. There is no need to use up lines in your summary to restate these things u nless you have none of the other requirements. Instead, illustrate your superior communication skills and detail orientation by providing the specifics, such as you frequently compiled reports and presented detailed recommendations to senior executives and earned the highest marks in your wertzuwachs review. These accomplishments are both unique to you and in demand. Great summary statements show strengths and often can be validated, as in a performance review. This level of detail and evidence is superior to simply writing that you are Analytical and detail-oriented with superior communication skills.See Famous CEOs and Executives Share Their Best Career Advice.A final note about the voice of a summary It is not written in first person in a resume. Resumes are considered formal documents and should not use I, me, my. Instead, your summary is written as if someone was introducing you before a speech without ever saying your name. For example, Marketing executive known for innovativ e and effective digital strategies poised to grow a startup team. Be sure to keep it in the same verb tense and watch for overused buzzwords that may minimize its value. Keep it to three to four sentences, as anything longer waters down its impact and may cause it to not be read at all.Summary writing is a challenge. After all, how can a few sentences truly do justice to years of work experience? Keep in mind that the purpose of a summary is to truthfully entice a reader to stop to look at your resume in more depth. It is an attention management tool. Unique, relevant, concise and easy to understand summaries are the most effective introductions into a resume.

How to Assess the Planning Skills of a Potential Employee

How to Assess the Planning Skills of a Potential EmployeeHow to Assess the Planning Skills of a Potential Employeeansicht sample interview questions about planning enable you to assess the planning skills of the candidate you are interviewing. Your candidates responses to your interview questions about planning will help you to determine whether planning skills are a part of their job skill set. Planning prowess is necessary for all jobs, but it is exceptionally important in positions such as manager, project planner and manager, administrative assistant, and quality management and control. You can use unterstellung sample interview questions in your own interviews. Find out more during the interview about your applicants job skills. You dont need to ask all of these questions, but if planning is part of the job for which you are hiring, pick several planning questions to ask each person that you interview. Planning Job Interview Questions Assigned to lead a new project, outline the steps that you have taken in the past, or would take in the future, to get the project on track and moving?What would you develop to ensure that you and the team are measuring the effectiveness of their planning and execution of the plan?Describe the work environment or culture in which you are fruchtwein productive and happy.Have you ever participated in a team that required you to cooperate in the planning of a project? How would you describe the role that you played? Describe the components of your past jobs that had to do with planning. How effective was your performance in this planning role?During your most recent team project, how did you participate in the planning of the project? Describe your role in accomplishing the action steps needed to complete the project. How did you measure the success of the project?What career goals have you set for your life? What is your plan to accomplish them?What is your plan for your career? How would you define success for your career? At the end of your work life, what must have been present for you to feel as if you had a successful career?How would team members describe the role you played and the effectiveness of your contribution to a recent team project, department planning effort, or project?What are three tips youd offer anyone who takes on a role that involves planning, making projections, and accountability for decisions?Describe any responsibilities that you have had in the past for manpower planning, materials and supply planning, shipping schedules, or vendor interaction? Describe the actions and behaviors of your manager or teamberaterin that you respond to most positively when you are participating in a project team activity.What is the personal style and contributions of the team member who will report to you most successfully? How have you managed such a colleague in the past?If youve had no hands-on experience in business planning in the past, what makes you believe that you would successfully h andle this role in our job?Describe the process that you used to develop a strategic plan for your department, section, or overall organization. When you look ahead to the upcoming year, what accomplishments will enable you to feel that your job performance and contribution were successful?When you look ahead to the upcoming year, what would make you believe that you had failed in your job? Planning Job Interview Question Answers These tips about how to assess your candidates answers to interview questions about planning will assist you to select the best, most motivated employees for your organization. You seek an employee who can confidently and effectively lead a project team. Or, you want to hire an employee who can demonstrate a track record of success in personal planning, team planning, and/or departmental planning. Assuming the role for which you are hiring an employee involves planning, listen for past actions that demonstrate that the applicant can facilitate planning, make goal setting happen, and provide the project management skills you need. Past successes speak more loudly in the interview setting than the applicants projections about what he or she thinks that he or she would do in a planning situation in the future. You want an employee who has demonstrated the skills needed in the past or an employee who is interested and capable of learning the planning skills. Sample Job Interview Questions for Employers Use these sample job interview questions when you interview potential employees. Interview Questions to Assess Cultural FitMotivation Job Interview QuestionsTeams and Teamwork Job Interview QuestionsLeadership Job Interview QuestionsInterpersonal Skills Job Interview QuestionsManagement and Supervisory Skill Job Interview QuestionsCommunication Job Interview QuestionsEmpowerment Job Interview QuestionsDecision Making Job Interview Questions

5 Ways the Gig Economy Can Work for Working Mothers

5 Ways the Gig Economy Can Work for Working Mothers 5 Ways the Gig Economy Can Work for Working Mothers For years, mothers have faced a tough choice to work or not to work? However, this seemingly simple question fails to convey thesacrifices women are asked to make.Many working women have long yearned for a hybrid choice, some option that could exist if only the world of work were structured differently. With the rise of the gig economy, working women may have finally found that choice.According to a 2016 study,the percent of women engaged in alternative work arrangements, which includes gig economy jobs, has mora than doubled since 2005 and now outpaces the percentage of men engaged in such work. Gig jobs present women with the opportunity to meld valuable careers and meaningful parenthood without compromising either.The overwhelming popularity of gig work among women raisesthe question What about the gig economy works for so many working mothers?Here are a few possible answers1. You Can Set Your Own HoursAn overwhelming 96 percent of female gig workers cite flexible hours as one of the top three benefits of working in the gig economy. Gig workers have the flexibility to work any number of hours they choose, usually at whatever time of day best suits their schedule.This flexible scheduling doesnt have to mean earning less money. Many gig workers are able to put in full-time work, with 47 percent of them reporting they work more than 40 hours a week. For working mothers who want to pursue careers without sacrificing time with their children, the flexibility to work the hours they want to work makes gig work an ideal option.2. You Can Work From HomeFor some, motherhood means being on call at all times. In normal offices, where supervisors and coworkers note how often youre late and when you are away, working mothers are pressured to sacrifice either job security or availability to their children.However, gig economy jobs in high demandlike web development, so ftware engineering, and graphic design can be performed from anywhere with an internet connection. They also pay generously, with median hourly wages running from $30 to almost $50 an hour.3. YouCan Build Job ExperienceMore than 70 percent of female gig workers are also the primary caregivers in their homes, proving that the gig economy provides women the flexibility they need to be attentive mothers and still gain valuable work experience. Rather than takingan extended hiatus or sacrificing time with their newborns, new mothers have the option of working as much as they want and when they want, making it easier to re-enter the traditional workforce if and when they choose.4. You Can Close the Mother-Father Wage GapBy some estimates, women wont have equal pay with men until 2152. Mothers are disproportionately affected by this gender wage gap, suffering a 3 percent mommy penaltyon income compared to women without children. Working fathers, on the other hand, make 15 percent more tha n men without children. The gig economy is an opportunity for working women to set their own wages, bypass workplace biases, and avoid the mother-father pay gap.5. You Can Craft Your Ideal JobIn the gig economy, the world is your oyster. A gig worker can craft their ideal position, choosing what they do, whom they work for, and the terms on which they work. In fact, 53 percent of people who are employed as gig workers chose it for the greater control it affords over their career development.Having a child changes a womans life, often in ways she never could have expected. With so much of motherhood outside of a womans control, gig work provides a rare opportunity for mothers to exercise control in crafting the jobs theydesire.The gig economy presents an exciting opportunity for women to build lives that fully embrace both work and family without sacrificing either.Rebecca Henderson is the CEO of Randstad Sourceright, one of the worlds largest talent solution providers.

The Number One Article on Resume Two Pages

The Number One Article on Resume Two Pages The Foolproof Resume Two Pages Strategy Avoid repeating exactly the same action verb. There are a number of ways to approach the skills section. Although theres no single, definitive rule, the overall consensus is you need to attempt to keep it as close to two pages as possible. Especially if you prefer your resume to keep formatting and if are asking for a creative job which requires your resume to reflect a specific skill set such as graphic design. Whispered Resume Two Pages Secrets Learn how to recognize when compromising the number of your experiences will impact the caliber of your employment story. You might also compose a two-page resume if youre in a field that demands technical skills. The quantity of knowledge and education you have dictates the period of your resume. If you have sufficient relevant experience, training, and credentials of interest to the place to showcase on more than 1 page of your resume, then do it . The Battle Over Resume Two Pages and How to Win It Dont print on the front and the rear of one page, which demands the possible employer to turn the sheet over to find the remainder of the resume. Handing in a resume for a work application for a PDF is recommended if you need your resume to appear just the manner in which youve made it. A two page resume is sometimes an issue of choice and at times an issue of dignity. Having a look at how others wrote their resumes can provide you some fantastic ideas. What to Expect From Resume Two Pages? Always make certain it reaches the comprehensive length of the initial or the second page. Just because youve got a three-page resume does not signify you should include all 3 pages of every work application. Its fine to break in the center of a section, but dont break up sentences within work description or educational listing. The whole group of resume templates is composed of an array of creative resume designs. The Resume Two P ages Cover Up Employers prefer to read just one page. Formatting Guidelines Create a personal letterhead at the peak of the very first page so employers know right away theyre taking a look at your resume. Recruiters know they can locate your anthroponym near the top of the webpage, and therefore you dont will need to make it so obvious for them. If you choose to go with a couple of pages, make sure you include your name and proper page number at the very top, suggests Ann Baehr of Best Resumes. A lovely, minimal and user-friendly template that you may edit depending on your abilities and experience. You definitely dont wish to appear just as with any other candidate. Usually, two page resumes are acceptable once you have over ten decades of experience. In truth, it is common, in case you have more than ten decades of experience in the identical field. If you get a lengthy work history, know that the majority of people dont read what you did 10 years back, she explains. If youve got plenty of experience, you can just list your oldest roles to conserve space. Even in case you have a whole lot of internship experience, it probably doesnt all must be on your resume. The Battle Over Resume Two Pages and How to Win It Do not consist of extra and unwanted information which isnt linked to the work profile. A hotel resume ought to be drafted bearing in mind the work profile one is applying for. Make certain you choose the most suitable one for the work offer. Possessing a well-formatted, clean and professional resume is a significant means to create an amazing first impression, which will assist you in getting the job which you are genuinely interested in.Your objectives will change based on the job and the company that you are applying for. Possessing a strong resume doesnt necessarily signify you will land the job, but it is a good way to be sure you have the interview. Youre searching for an internship or entry-level job, which usually means you hav e just two or three years experience. It is essential that the candidates applying for employment in the hotel business has a nice and effective resume handy. Additionally, it is helpful to show youre seriously interested in the available position. Try, if youre able to, to produce the break in information between two distinct jobs. Lastly, consider if theres any info youve included that is irrelevant or unnecessary. Theres not anything wrong with a 2 page resume in many instances. Resume Two Pages - the Story As soon as its somewhat unusual, thats ok provided that your resume is crystal clear and offers all the necessary info, you can format your resume any manner that you would really like. Make sure you make the info youre looking for. Name Your name should show up on the peak of your resume. Tell the employer what you could do Therefore, to make an interview-winning CV, its crucial that you comprehend the value of CV length and the should continue to keep yours shor t. The resume needs to be neat. At length, ensure your resume isnt overly long. Utilizing a character return can cause formatting to modify. The template can be found in PSD format. You might also think about utilizing a combination resume format. When now is the time to compose a new resume you may end up wondering which sort of resume format would be right for you to use. When formatting page two of your resume, its far better use fundamental formatting to make sure your resume will be simple to read. There are four unique types of resume format that may be used. To assist you choose whats appropriate for you, lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of each resume format.

Hiring for a Small Business 5 Practices You Need to Know - Spark Hire

Hiring for a Small Business 5 Practices You Need to Know - Spark HireSmall business owners and hiring managers often have limited budgets. As a result, they must be resourceful in order to stay on track financially, while totenstill growing their team. Fortunately, new technology and a strategic approach to the hiring process makes it easy to snag innovative, creative professionals when its time to expand. If youre a small business owner or hiring manager looking to make sure a new addition to your staff is a strong one, here are a few tips worth tryingImplement a trial periodYou spend a significant amount of money, time, and energy getting a new employee up to speed. In fact, according to the 2014 Training Industry Report from Training Magazine, small businesses fork over about $1,200 per new employee. Before you dedicate yourself to onboarding this individual, youll want to verify theyre actually going to stick around for the long-haul. One way small businesses can do this is by im plementing a trial period. Its almost as if the individual is in a contract-to-hire role. Rather than committing company resources to someone and quickly realizing the match isnt a good one, you can first be sure the individual is a good fit.One way small businesses can verify a long-haul candidate is by implementing a trial period.Click To TweetUse video einstellungsgesprchingWhen youre a small business owner, you dont have thousands of dollars to fly a potential new hire into your city for an interview. At the same time, you dont necessarily want to limit yourself only to candidates located in your immediate area. Video interviewing is a practical and affordable solution to this dilemma. Candidates respond to interview questions via video, so you see how they would benefit your business, while also getting a feel for their body language, mannerisms, and level of comfort with technology. If the professional proves to be promising, you can choose to bring them into your office for a face-to-face conversation. If not, youre able to quickly move on to the next applicant.Think outside the box Many hiring professionals inadvertently pigeon hole applicants or would-be applicants when recruiting to fill an open position. However, when youre working for a small business, its essential to shed stereotypes and analyze candidates based on skills and interview behavior, rather than just educational background or previous industry experience. For example, if youre looking for your next great salesperson, they might be working at your favorite coffee shop or clothing store. They may not have the experience you typically look for, but if they have the ability to sell and a willingness to learn, this could make for a promising new hire. Computer programs, terminology, and company protocol can easily be taught to someone with the right amount of enthusiasm.Zero in on the traits that make current employees successfulIf you have a few key staff members who are essential to th e success of your company, you probably wish you could clone them. While science may be a few years away from making that possible, take some time to analyze what makes these individuals successful. Is it a certain personality trait? Aptitude in a particular area? When you identify the kinds of individuals who typically excel within your company, it makes it easier to know what to look for when your team is ready to expand.Its easy to fake your way through a Whats your biggest weakness? conversation.Click To TweetGo through a typical workdayIf time allows, do more than just a standard interview session with your candidates. Incorporating a practical element to your interview process enables you to get a better sense of whether this person would actually thrive in your office. If your new hire will have to attend weekly design meetings, have candidates sit in for part of this meeting. If they would be asked to pitch ideas once a week, have them come up with a few sample suggestions. Its easy to fake your way through a Whats your biggest weakness? conversation. But would this person excel in the actual day-to-day flow of the job should they get hired? A practical element to your interview process is a good way to tell.Small business owners must be financially resourceful when growing their teamClick To TweetSmall business owners and hiring managers need to be resourceful and creative in order to attract top tier talent to their team. By analyzing top performers, maintaining an open mind about potential new hires, and making the most of hiring technology, those working for small businesses can find their next invaluable employee. What are some other tips and tricks small businesses can use when hiring? Let us know in the comments below

Here are 7 surefire ways to not forget anything this year

Here are 7 surefire ways to not forget anything this yearHere are 7 surefire ways to not forget anything this yearIs there any worse feeling than forgetting something? Heres looking at you, Neville Longbottom. Unfortunately, us muggles cant rely on remembralls to help us remember all of the many important details that help us get through the day. I really despise the feeling of having forgotten something and the stress that comes along with trying to meet a last-minute deadline, struggling to remember the anthroponym of an acquaintance I ran into, or realizing my car is way past maintenance. Over the years Ive devised a few ways to make sure I never forget anything. Hopefully, these tips can help you avoid forgetting important appointments and looming birthdays this year.Commit to Your CalendarYou had the best of intentions. You couldnt wait to crack open your shiny new planner (Sugar Paper LA has been my planner go-to for years) in January and get organized. Alas, come February its pretty easy to forget about that trusty agenda. I found myself writing things down in my planner only to actually look at my reminders too late. Whoops.Now I keep my planner on my bedside table so I can quickly flip it open as soon as I wake up and before bed at night. This ensures I am never caught off guard by a deadline, appointment, or timely chore. For you gals living in the digital age, find a calendar app and religiously track your responsibilities in it. This is the time to actually embrace those pesky smartphone alerts. I prefer to utilize the Google Calendar app as it syncs with any appointments notifications sent via email and can be viewed easily on my desktop and phone. For to-do lists, theres nothing quite as satisfying as the little ping noise that Wunderlist makes when you mark a task complete.Ban Forgotten BirthdaysIt happens to the best of us, but the last thing you ever want to do is forget someones birthday. (Am I the only one who keeps a Facebook profile just fo r the convenient birthday reminders?). For the people in your life who deserve more than a musiknote left on their social media, youll want to make sure that you give yourself ample time to plan for their birthdays.When I sit down to get my agenda organized in January, I schedule out any important birthdays throughout the entire year. I write their birthdays in a few locations - on the month at a view page, the actual date on the weekly view page, and if a planner features it, on the birthday list. At the beginning of every month, I glance at that months birthdays and the next months birthdays - I cant let any first of the month babies sneak up on me This usually gives me enough time to find a gift, send a card, or plan a special dinner without rushing.Be a Card SharkOnce Ive rounded up all the birthdays for the year, Ill make a list of how many cards Ill need and any gift ideas that come to mind so I dont forget them. Once I pick up the cards, I add a sticky note of who theyre fo r and stash them away. If I can, at holidays like Mothers Day, Ill grab a couple of cards to have on hand for the following years. To prep for those unexpected life events like illnesses and engagements, whenever I see one of my favorite stationery brands is having a sale, Ill replenish my stash of thank you, congratulations, and get well soon cards.Touch it OnceA few years agoI read a productivity tip on Byrdie (former fr sich shoutout) and have never forgotten it. Essentially the idea is that if you want to stay organized, productive, and not let any to-dos slip through the cracks, you adhere to the touch it once rule. The premise is simple whenever a simple task comes along your way, you touch it once and thats it. For example, instead of reading an email, closing it, and making a mental note to come back to it later, you just answer the email right away. Or say you open your mail to find a reminder from your dentist that you need to schedule an appointment. Chances are you can c all them then and there to schedule an appointment in two minutes flat, but if you saved the email to read later or shoved the dental reminder in your calendar, then youll have to touch it a second time to wrap up the task. Its easy to push tasks you dont want to face to the back of your mind, but thats also why its so easy to forget about them.Never Forget a NameI have a horrible confession to make Im one of those peoples that bad at names. I remember the names of people Ive met more than once, but the first time can be a little tricky if our interaction was brief. One of my 2019 resolutions is to improve this skill, and I am planning on using thelook, snap, connectmethodto help.First, you focus just on the name (look). Second, you create a mental snapshot (snap) which includes visual images of the name (same name as your eldest cousin) and the face (defining facial feature, hair color, etc.). Third, you connect the face and name by creating additional images so you can easily retr ieve the information later.The method is explained in more detail here, but I love the idea of slowing down and really concentrating on getting to know someone, even if it just starts with their face and name.Tie Up Loose EndsThe easiest way to not forget anything important is to tie up loose ends as soon as possible. Depending on how much is on my plate - aside from everyday work tasks and chores - I like to set aside one day a week or month to get tedious projects out of the way. When it comes to paying bills, taking my car in for maintenance, or scheduling doctors appointments, I find these touchstone dates are a helpful way for me to bang out a few tasks in the same day. I particularly enjoy checking in on my investments or filling out paperwork while waiting on hold to speak to customer service or tech support lines.No Task is Too SmallNeed to return something within 30 days? Write that down. You know just as well as I do that a month flies by in the blink of an eye. I have a wall organizer by my front door (similar to this one) where I leave receipts for items I need to return, hang dry cleaning, and keep necessities I dont want to forget when running out the door like sunglasses, sunscreen, or an umbrella. A quick pit stop by this station before I hit the road helps me remember the small details that can make or break my day.Take Care of YourselfAside from staying organized, there are ways to simply improve your memory, and they all start with self-care. Getting a good nightssleep, eating a healthydiet,exercisingregularly, and avoidingstress, can all help improve your memory. Most importantly, they keep you healthy and happy.This article was originally published on The Everygirl.

Crucial Things To Consider When Planning Your Career

Crucial Things To Consider When Planning Your CareerCrucial Things To Consider When Planning Your CareerPlanning a career is usually as intimidating as it is exciting. Maybe youre a high school student and are trying to imagine what could possibly keep you interested and motivated for the next 50-odd years of your life. Or maybe you havent worked in a few years but are ready to jump back into the working world, determined to make your mark. No matter what your job situation may be, there is no shortage of things to think about when youre planning your career.Choosing a career is more important than just finding the right fit for your skills. You also have to think about your interests and what kind of work-life balance you want to have, among other things. As you weigh your options, there are eight important questions you need to ask yourself when planning your career.1. What have you learned from your previous work experience?Even if you only have work experience from a summer job ( or if you have no work experience at all), there will always be something that youve learned from the past that will tell about what you want in life. Perhaps this isnt even your first attempt at planning a career. Maybe you selected a career choice and went after it for a few years (maybe even a decade or two) before deciding it wasnt for you after all. Theres no need to despair if youre changing career paths, either. There will always be things you learned about yourself and your working style that you can use to in your next career.Think beyond the skills you learned on previous jobs, volunteer, or school experiences. Consider outside tasks that you were responsible for and how you approached them. Learn From Svens Career Planning (Example)Sven is a recent high school grad with no formal work experience. When he thinks about his past, he knows he loves playing with his kollektivmates on the soccer field. He also likes to compete in e-sports tournaments with his friends. Sven assu mes he should seek out competitive team-based work environments and pursues a career in commission sales in a youthful tech company.When planning your career, ask yourself unterstellung questionsWhat tasks did you enjoy in your previous job?What parts of your job did you dislike?Did you enjoy working as a team?Did you prefer to work alone?What areas did you particularly excel in?2. What education do you have?The education that you have will directly influence how easy it will be for you to go after certain career choices. When planning your career, consider any formal education that you have received that you can list on your resume.Formal education can help job seekers on their career path. Some jobs require candidates to have special certifications, training, or degrees.Specific education can also make getting hired and promoted easier for some jobs and industries.However, lacking specific education credentials doesnt mean you have to limit your career path.When looking to gain fo rmal education for your career, consider education possibilities that are available to you.Lin, an example of how to consider education in career planningLin didnt take any science courses in high school or university. It will be difficult for them to plan a career in the dental hygiene without addressing those education gaps in their resume. But Lin discovered that their local community college offers accelerated dental hygiene certifications that meet their budget and schedule. This will help Lin pursue their goal of being a professional dental hygienist.While a lack of formal education can be overcome in many career paths with experience, abilities, and opportunities, education is still important to consider when planning your career.Ask yourself these questionsWhat formal degrees do you have?What education is needed for this career?Would you need professional certifications?Do you want to go back to school to start this career path?3. What soft and hard skills do you have?Thinki ng about your soft and hard skills is a crucial step of planning your career.First, consider your strongest skills hard skills (technical skills, like computer skills to list on your resume) and personality-based skills (soft skills).The soft and hard skills that you learn through school, extracurriculars, volunteering, and previous work experience dont need to be directly related to your ideal career path.Many people make dramatic changes in their career paths for a variety of reasons. Its alfruchtwein always possible for people to change or overcome skills, but the path to doing that isnt always realistic.However, knowing what youre already good at can help you decide the career paths that may be easier or more challenging for your specific circumstances.Ask yourself these questionsWhat am I good at?What am I not so good at?What transferable skills can I take from my previous work experience?What non-job-specific skills do I have (e.g. collaboration, communication, organization, writing)How simple will it be to acquire the skills and abilities I dont already possess? What will acquiring those skills and abilities cost me (in terms of time, money, opportunity, and effort spent)?4. What are your career goals?When planning your career, take some time to think about the career path that you would like to have. Are you a leader? Do you see yourself leading a team or an entire company in the future? Or, would you be happy to find a career that you love to work at until you retire?Both career options are completely valid and no two career paths look the same. But clearly understanding the goals that you want for yourself in your career. This will help you work backwards to plan the steps to follow to achieve your career goals.Keep in mind that different career options offer different opportunities for advancement, learning or growth. Identify the opportunities that mean the most to you, and then align your career path to achieving those goals.Ask yourself these qu estionsWhere do I want to be in 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?What job title do I ultimately want to have?How much responsibility do I want to take on? What would I like to learn along the way?5. What are your interests?One of the most popular career goals for job seekers is for them to find a career that they love.For most people, loving their careers means that theyre passionate and interested in their work, and that they enjoy doing it.A simple way to achieve this goal is to plan a career path that involves your personal interests or passions.Of course, not every interest is going to be directly translated to a career option. So, its important to think outside the box.When considering your interests for career planning, think aboutWhich classes did you love taking in school?What are your favorite hobbies or activities?What schriftarts of the books, movies, and games do you enjoy?What activity gets you excited to get out of bed on the weekend?What do you do in your spare ti me?The answers to these question can start to give you insight into interests you have that may lead to an exciting career you actually like.Ask yourself these questionsWhat do I like to do with my spare time?What do I really hate doing?What can keep my interest for multiple hours a day?What do I never get tired talking or learning about?6. What kind of lifestyle do you want to have?Another aspect of career planning is thinking about the lifestyle you want to have at work and outside of work. Of course, the life that you want at 20 years old will not necessarily be the lifestyle youll lead when youre a 55-year-old, but there will probably be some similarities.See alsoSalary Negotiation Tactics That WorkFor example, if you want to have uninterrupted family time every weekend, you probably shouldnt plan on a career that requires you to work on the weekends. Another example is if you want to have the freedom to travel for multiple months during the year with very little notice. If you r ideal lifestyle is travel-heavy, you should plan to have a career path that allows this, like working remotely or working seasonally.Ask yourself these questionsWhat kind of work schedule would I like to have?Would I like the option to work remotely sometimes?Do I need to change my work environment to stay focused?Can I build the life I want around a Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm schedule?Could I cope with shift work, among my other responsibilities?7. How much money do you want to make?Your ideal salary is directly related to the type of lifestyle you want to have, as well as your career goals. When planning for an ideal salary, aim to be realistic, in terms of your salary potential and the salary you need to achieve your lifestyle goals.Different lifestyle interests and values require different income levels. If you want to travel the world, own a large home, and have a large family, your salary requirements will have to be higher than average to achieve that lifestyle.On the o ther hand, if you want to spend your time reading books, watching foreign films at the cinema, and being active in your local communities with your partner, then your salary requirements will be much more modest.When you have an idea of the salary youd prefer, research typical salary rates at different stages along career paths that interest you. Compare these salaries to the type of life you want (or need) to live.If your ideal salary and potential career paths dont match, ask yourself what and how much youre willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals, regardless of whether those sacrifices are lifestyle or career related.Ask yourself these questionsHow much income do I need to maintain my current lifestyle?How much income do I need to reach the lifestyle I want?How much does a typical person make in the career Im planning for?How does that compare to the answer to my other two questions?8. Are there jobs available?Knowing the future outlook of your potential career path is the las t step of planning your career.You can do all the career planning in the world, but if there are no real jobs in your career path to apply for, you wont be able to achieve your goals.Investigate the job availability in your chosen career, locally and in areas you would be willing and able to move to. Look through online job boards, search major employers in the industry, and browse the careers page of their website. Find out if employers are hiring for jobs in your career path, how often they hire, and if the jobs are located in areas you live in or would be wiling to relocated to.Ask yourself these questionsAre people or businesses hiring for this career right now?How often do jobs come up?Would I have to relocate for this career?Get StartedThe hardest part of career planning is all the research you have to do. Job seekers need to do a lot of internal research (thinking about their skills, personality, and preferences), and external research (looking for required skills and real jo b opportunities) before finalizing their career plan.Remember, planning your career will probably always be a work in progress.Your goals will change asyour life and career change over time.No two careers look exactly the same, and thats okay, too.Just be sure to come back to these tips whenever your career needs a re-evaluation, as theyre useful at any point in your life

5 Steps to Make Succession Planning Easier

5 Steps to Make Succession Planning Easier5 Steps to Make Succession Planning EasierDeveloping a realistic succession plan for critical roles in any organization is a serious undertaking. Identifying, developing, measuring and retaining talent are more than just a series of singular tasks to be tackled in a specified timeframe. Succession planning cannot be an extremely overt effort either requiring people to groom their replacementsis not exactly motivating. An effective succession plan needs to stem from a more organic, ongoing effort that is woven into the company culture.Studies have shown that, while every executive understands the importance of succession planning, fruchtwein are not making time for it. Two of their top reasons for not prioritizing succession planning efforts are the constant demands of their day-to-day operations and their own personal feelings of career immortality.Here are five steps to establish a foundation for succession planning that may make the whole p rocess easier1. Identify the X-Factor at the first auditionTrue talent can often be a hidden gemhow you interview candidates impacts how they reveal their aptitudes. Ask questions that require specific recall of past decision-making, rather than speaking hypothetically about expertise. Listen for leadership potential and stress indicators within candidates responses. Do they clearly express their short-term goals and long-term aspirations? Do they have a sincere interest in the company itself, in addition to the required skills for the position?2. Foster a culture of respect and reward When employees are treated with respect and dignity, theyre not only beacons for company pride, they also feel confident about their long-term potential within the organization. Regularly reward stellar performance with whatever incentive is the most motivating bonuses, time off, public recognition or a simple acknowledgement of gratitude. Provide people with opportunities to participate in charitabl e or community efforts on the companys behalf. Reinforce the companys mission and vision in communications and share regular company progress reports with all employees.3. Prioritize cross-training Cross-training at every level of the organization helps people broaden their skills in preparation for the new roles and responsibilities of parallel or advanced positions. Strategies include setting up monthly or quarterly intra-departmental meetings to increase awareness of everyones workloads and challenges. Use cross-gruppe committees to accomplish company projects that would benefit from varied input and skills. Employees can also benefit from mentor relationships and spending time together in skills enrichment programs.4. Leave no procedure undocumentedClearly-documented standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each department and/or team are important training tools. Using SOPs not only ensures a more accurate and consistent workflow, it also helps to smooth out peoples transitions into new roles. Each SOP should include relevant policies and reference the people involved by title or role (not by name) to give everyone a clear understanding of the impact each procedure has on the company. The time invested in maintaining SOPs is minimal when compared to the time required to get a new hire properly up to speed when everyone else is in the dark.5. Maintain a talent databaseWhether its in a file cabinet or a software program, individual performance indicators need to be recorded somewhere for measuring and analyzing when the time comes to move someone into a vacated role. Managers should systematically make frequent entries throughout the year about their team members efforts, breakthroughs and challenges. This data serves the year-end appraisal process, as well as succession planning strategies.

Learning How to Find the Right Career

Learning How to Find the Right Career Learning How to Find the Right Career If you start off with a clear career plan, you can save yourself time and energy in positions that are just the wrong fit for you. You can get a crash course in how to find a career by following some simple processes. Visit a Career Counselor Whether you are in high school or college, there is a career or guidance counselor available that can show you how to find the right career for you. A counselor may offer you a variety of personality or career tests or simply talk with you to determine your interests and show you how to find a career that will be rewarding. Career tests can help you to narrow down your interests. With some insight from your career counselor and a strong test, you will be able to choose a good career for you. Take Online Tests Many online career aptitude tests exist online and can help you in your quest to find a great career. As with tests in a career counselors office, these tests will not spell out for you how to find the right career, but they will help you to understand your personality. Understanding yourself and your preferences enables you to see why one career may be a better choice for you. Once you have this information, you can narrow down your career choices. Research Careers The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, lists thorough information about different careers. You can find information related to educational requirements, expected salaries, and even working conditions in different. This is important information to consider as you find the right career for yourself. While this information also does not spell out for you a step-by-step method for finding the right career, knowledge is indeed power. As you set out to find the perfect career, do not discount the information you can glean from the people you meet and see every day. Ask people about their jobs if you find what they do interesting or research the professions as you run across them. Learning how to find the right career is not difficult, but you will be richly rewarded for spending the time to learn what career is best for you.

Is doing your taxes making you crazy Heres why it shouldnt

Is doing your taxes making you crazy Here’s why it shouldn’t Is doing your taxes making you crazy Here’s why it shouldn’t It’s tax time in the U.S., which means Americans and residents are hurriedly poring over paperwork, filling in forms and hoping to file by the April 15 deadline.While for many it may be routine, for others it’s a significant source of stress. A friend recently told me taxes were “driving her crazy” because she was worried about the ramifications of making a mistake.One way to reduce a stressful situation is to think about the worst case scenarios â€" and just how unlikely they are to transpire. So to calm her down, I pointed out a few facts about what could happen if you do something wrong on your taxes and then regaled her with the only story I could find of the tax man actually driving someone crazy.It made her a lot calmer, so if you are stressing about taxes these facts might help you too.1. Jail timeWe may as well start with the absolute worst case scenario if there’s a problem with your taxes: You could go to jail.This is highly unlikely, however. The most recent year of data is from 2016, when just 927 people received jail sentences for tax crimes. The crimes were things like selling fake tax software, embezzling large sums of money, being an unscrupulous tax return preparer, and challenging the legality of taxes and refusing to file.The IRS also put another 1,200 people in jail for other severe crimes like identity theft, money laundering or not reporting money earned from drug trafficking. The IRS is very clear in its instructions: “Income from illegal activities, such as money from dealing illegal drugs, must be included in your income on Schedule 1.”Put simply, no one goes to jail for making an innocent mistake when filing out their tax forms.2. The dreaded auditThe second-worst thing that could happen is getting audited. This is also a low probability event.Ordinary people are more likely to die or be seriously injured in a car accident than get dragged into the IRS offices for an audit.If you want the exact figures, in calendar year 2 016 individuals filed 150 million tax returns. The IRS examined just 0.6 percent of them.Moreover, 77 percent of these tax examinations were done by sending letters back and forth. That means less than 0.2 percent of all filers had to go into the IRS to have their taxes examined.Your odds of being audited increase if you are very rich or self-employed with lots of revenue, but most people in these categories pay tax lawyers to worry for them.3. Mathematical mayhemLots of people make minor math errors when they file their taxes. But if you do, you shouldn’t sweat it.The IRS even tracks the number of math mistakes.The IRS reported that 2.5 million returns for 2017 had these kinds of errors. About half a million were so small, however, that the agency didn’t even notify the filers about it.And the likelihood that you’ll make a math mistake has declined in recent years at the same time that the IRS has promoted typically free web-based software that crunches the numbers for you. I n 2002, for example, the IRS sent out 13.3 million math error letters.I actually got one a few years ago when I was still doing my taxes with a hand calculator and a pencil. The IRS simply informed me that I had made a math error, which lowered my expected tax refund by a few hundred dollars. It also gave me the option to protest.I was very irritated and briefly considered protesting. But after going over my taxes again, I realized, sure enough, I did mess up. By the next morning I was over my anger, primarily at myself, and went on with my life.4. Pay upOf course, you could end up owing the IRS a lot of money.But like going to jail or getting audited, the fear of this is greatly overstated because the vast majority of people in the U.S. either get a refund or don’t owe the federal government any money â€" more than 80 percent of filers in 2016.The average refund this year is around $3,000 â€" little changed from last year before the 2017 tax law took effect.Who’s afraid of the tax man?Hopefully, if tax season is stressing you out, the above facts help you feel a bit better. If they don’t, maybe it will help to know I could only find a single example of someone going crazy over taxes â€" and it happened long ago during a special period in American history.In the late 1700s, just before the Revolutionary War, people in the 13 colonies were passionately debating if they should break away from Great Britain. Massachusetts, one of the hotspots of revolutionary activity, was home to a famous lawyer named James Otis.He was originally King George III’s official legal representative in Boston before resigning and joining the revolution’s leadership. Otis is the Patriot who coined the famous slogan “taxation without representation is tyranny.”His well-publicized views about taxes earned him enemies, including British tax collector John Robinson, who confronted Otis in a local Boston coffee shop. In the ensuing fight, Robinson beat Otis so badly that the P atriot suffered severe head injuries that drove him insane.Fortunately, dealing with the tax authorities today is much safer â€" even in Florida, where collectors were recently discouraged by the state attorney general from carrying guns on the job.In other words, there’s little reason to sweat tax time. There is little chance of going to jail, being audited or owing a huge amount of money. There is almost no chance you will be beaten up by the tax collector, as Otis was. The most likely result is you will receive a refund like most people.So if you’re one of the millions of people who put off filing their taxes to the last minute, why delay?Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior lecturer, Boston UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ICT Definition, Skills, List, and Examples

ICT Definition, Skills, List, and Examples ICT Definition, Skills, List, and Examples Even though technology has increased how organizations can be more productive, many offices still waste time and resources. As such, employers need more staff members that already understand the full potential of communication technology software. Only the best communicators really understand  what efficient communication is  and how new technologies should be used to make communication even more efficient. But it is not necessary for you to be knowledgeable about all productivity software that is out there. What is most important is that you know how to properly collaborate with others and that you feel comfortable learning new things that make offices run better. By communicating professionally, no matter what the technology, you will impress the employer with your skills. What  Is  Information and Communication Technology (ICT)? Information and communications technology (ICT) skills refer to one’s ability to converse with people through various technologies. Similar to  information technology  (IT), ICT refers to technology use for regular, everyday tasks:  sending an  email, making a video call, searching the internet, using a tablet or mobile phone, and more. Ironically, ICT skills could also include the ability to use older communication technologies such as telephones, radios, and televisions. Typically, ICT experts are called upon to integrate old communication technology with the new technology. Almost every job requires some ICT skills, and  many require hybrid skills, a  skill set  that is a mix of technical and non-technical skills. Types of ICT Skills Email Management and Setup Being able to effectively and successfully  communicate via email  is critical to  any job. You will need to send emails to colleagues, employers, clients, vendors, and so  on. Companies expect their employees to write professional and well-written emails, as  well  as respond promptly to messages received  in their inboxes. Depending on the level of expertise required by your employer, you may also need to be able to manage settings or set up email accounts on various work devices. MS OutlookGmail and G-SuiteSendinBlue EmailGrooveFrontZoho MailWritten CommunicationDigital SignaturesStationary SettingsOut of the Office SettingsSpam SettingsInbox ManagementCreating Rules Online Research Almost every job requires at least some online research. Whether you are looking up new lesson plans in a subject or checking out the latest news on your company’s competitor, you need to be able to sift through all the information online to find what you need. This involves basic online information management skills. Search Engine ResearchChecking SourcesCrediting SourcesFAQsOnline Forums Social Media Management Some jobs require you to use  social media. For  example, many people working  in marketing tend to manage or update a company’s social media presence. Even if this is not a critical part of your job, employers increasingly look  for  employees with basic social media literacy. The more you know about the benefits of and limits to social media, the more you can begin to use that media in valuable ways at work. FacebookLinkedInPinterestInstagramYouTubeTwitterRedditSocial Media Groups Online Collaboration Online collaboration  is a broad category that refers to any means of sharing information with your coworkers (or supervisors, or clients) online. This includes adding a meeting to a shared online calendar, providing feedback on a document through a web-based document application, and holding an online video conference with colleagues. Video Conferencing SoftwareSkypeGoToMeetingInstant MessagingGoogle DocsFile SharingDropBox ProSlackGoogle Hangouts Data Management and Queries From researchers to administrative assistants to K-12 teachers, almost everyone needs to be able to develop and manage data using spreadsheets. Furthermore, they have to be able to  analyze  that data and recognize trends and  patterns. Fluency in programs like  Microsoft Excel  is critical in today’s job market. MS ExcelFiltersSQLNoSQLMySQLQuantitative Analysis Desktop Publishing Desktop publishing involves the creation  of materials that need to be printed and distributed. These might include fliers, brochures, newsletters, and more. Because you can create so much using desktop publishing software, many jobs require you to have some basic skills in this field. While people with a creative, artistic eye might be particularly good at desktop publishing, anyone can get better with practice. MS PublisherMS PowerPointMS WordPrint SettingsAdobe Creative SuiteQuarkXPresscom Smartphones and Tablets Many employers require that their employees use smartphones and tablets;  they might even issue particular phones to employees or state  that workers must have be  accessible  by  email during certain hours. For these reasons, it is important to know how to use a smartphone. iPhoneSamsung SmartphonesBlackberry DevicesiPadSamsung TabletsCAT S41Panasonic ToughPad Word Processing In this day and age, it is expected that job candidates know how to  use word processing technology. Candidates need to be able to produce written documents (including business letters, meeting minutes, and more) using a computer processor such as Microsoft Word. MS WordLibre Office WriterTranscriptionTypingNote Taking More ICT Skills Calendar ManagementOrganizationTime DoctorAsanaInvisionPrevueMailbirdCageViewfluxSlabAirtableYammerChanterScribusZeplinAcquireConcept InboxI Done This 2.0Red PenLaTexIovoxRealtime BoardMuralGoVisuallyData AnalysisBig DataComputer ScienceComputer Programming How to Practice Your ICT Skills Do you feel that your ICT skills are not as good as you want them to be? Is there a particular skill you are struggling with? Here are some tips to  boost your skills and get ready for the job market: Practice using technology.  If you already have some of the basic skills listed above, you might consider simply using them more often. For example, if you want to get better at using Skype before an interview, simply practice using the video conferencing technology. Ask a friend to pretend to be the interviewer, and do a  mock online interview. The more you practice, the more confident you  will feel when you use this technology when it counts for the job.Ask a friend.  You could also ask a friend who is more skilled in a particular technology to help you develop your skills. For example, if you aren’t comfortable using your smartphone, ask someone you know (who uses their phone a lot) for some basic tips. Watch a (free) tutorial.  There are many  free online tutorials  on how to use certain technologies. Some of these are on YouTube or can be found via a quick Google search. Others can be found on company sites. For example, check out  Microsoft’s  tutorials and PDFs with tips for  using certain products.Attend a (free) class.  Check with your local community college or  public library to see if they  offer classes  on computer literacy or ICT skills. Many of these are free or available  at a discount for local residents. However, before you spend money on a class, try some of the free strategies first. How to Make Your Skills Stand Out Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume:  If the position requires specific ICT skills, be sure to include those  keywords  in your job materials. You might create an “ICT Skills”  section  in your  resume.Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter:  Emphasize how you successfully used a particular technological skill to add value to your company in some way.Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview:  Employers are very interested in ways that you used the skills above in your previous jobs. Share examples of how you’ve used these skills.Keep Your Skills Upgraded: After you’ve boosted your skills, don’t stop learning. Take some time on a regular basis to work on improving your  skill set, and  you  will increase your ability to succeed in the constantly changing workplaces of  today’s knowledge economy.

Change Management Tips From Human Resources Pros

Change Management Tips From Human Resources Pros Change Management Tips From Human Resources Pros When you ask an organization and its employees to change, you open up a huge can of worms. People often like what the final organization looks like on the other side of a change, but they may be deeply resistant when the change is introduced. This is because employees are human. They fear what will exist on the other side of the changes because they are comfortable in their here and now. Even when employees acknowledge that changes are needed, you need to introduce changes incrementally and follow recommended procedures to build support and ownership of the changes. These steps in organizational change, while not always appearing on a schedule, will occur and play out as your organization proceeds to make changes in your ways of working. The following tips allow you to make changes with the least amount of pain and challenge. Change Management Tips From Pros in the Field In a reader survey, hundreds of respondents offered these recommendations and  tips for managing the process of change.   These change management tips should help you implement changes that range from implementing new goals and direction to lean manufacturing to total organization transformation. Deal with people involved in the change process with patience, gentle humor, grace, persistence, pragmatism, respect, understanding, and support.Take a long and broad view of change, and think about the impact of changes over one, three, and five years.Continue all of the behaviors and processes discussed in the articles below until change has the opportunity to become anchored in the culture. Dr. W. Edwards Deming in all of his work in continuous improvement emphasized the importance of the constancy of purpose. Set up changes so that people in your organization experience some early wins.Recognize that effective change is usually a realignment of the worldview of your employees,  rather than a program or flavor of the month.People involved in change will need to recognize that change is risky; change can be scary; change can often entail the real desire and need to slip back into their comfort zone. Effective change requires constant vigilance to resist slipping back into the old, comfortable ways of doing business. Finally, as much as employees need to celebrate new beginnings, you will need to provide opportunities for employees to mourn the past, to let go of familiar ways of doing work. Recognize that even as change is, hopefully, a true gain for your organization, it is also always a loss. People lose coworkers, comfortable work processes, known ways of doing things, communication networks, security, and stability, or confidence in their own capability. Recognize their loss, and you will assist people to move more quickly with you into the brave new world. Change Management Lessons From the earlier mentioned reader survey, tips and ideas emerged from the experience and past practices of pros who work with organizational change. In their own words, they share with you what theyve learned from years of experience working with change. Most of the problems in organizations are fixable through organizational changes (structure, process,  culture) and learning (not necessarily the same as training). Its far  rarer  than we might think that you really need to get someone out of the organization. Change is continuous. Change management is a fad that in many respects may or may not work. It is clearly the measurement of change that organizations are most interested in as they wish to drive and direct it. The workplace evolution of change causes great difficulty as it has appeared to accelerate beyond, in many cases, the human capacity to keep up. This has been referenced for hundreds of years, the fact that generally, people are not prepared to embrace any change as quickly as most organizations wish to impose. It is, in fact, this skill (adaptability, flexibility, resiliency) that is the basis of survival of the fittest, not a new philosophy. The fittest, however, are most often not the masses. Finally, it is the imposition of change, in a formal fashion, that causes the greatest change shift in the wrong direction. Change that is assumed, incorporated or aligned with the true motivations of the individual is the change that is most positive and most profound. This is the work that my company strives to achieve, meeting the people where they are...Change by permission, rather than enforcement. The key in any change process is to discern the need that is felt both from the organizations perspective and the individuals.  Usually,  change efforts wait until after the last minute when the pain is so high that it can no longer be resisted. This leads to massive  layoffs  and overreactions. If on the other hand, the leadership build a strong reflective process and trust for each other, two things take place. Issues are surfaced before they become overwhelming and a strategy can be developed which all understand or, When crises develop the substance is present to pull together and deal with it.  Obviously,  this is not an easy place to live as there is always a temptation to lapse into being so appreciative that you stop paying attention to the realities that may be harsh themselves. Open and honest communications are assumed but dont happen, because of a lack of trust. Expect tough times ahead; everyone expects that after the initiation event, it should go smoothly, but the most painful part is yet to come: the transition period. Recognizing this early on in the process will help weather the storms ahead. In the government, change interventions generally come from outside pressure. Congress or others might designate a new pay program as something that should be done or a study of an agency failure makes recommendations. Thus, few people inside an agency psychologically own the solution so they only talk, not walk the talk. Management underestimates or avoids the personal energy/time required for success. Upper management makes statements, forms task forces, and waits for the change to roll-out. Lower levels do what is forced and wait it out. More Information About Change Management Executive Support and Leadership in Change ManagementPlanning and Analysis in Change ManagementCommunication in Change ManagementChange Management Lessons About Employee InvolvementBuild Support for Effective Change Managemen

Consider Becoming a Project Manager If You Want to Lead

Consider Becoming a Project Manager If You Want to Lead Consider Becoming a Project Manager If You Want to Lead Project managers are the quiet heroes of today’s organizations. After all, just about any major new initiative in an organization takes place in the form of a project. From new product development to implementing a new software system to executing on key strategic initiatives, we live and work in a world of projects. And, it’s the project managers who shoulder much of the burden for bringing these initiatives from paper and presentation to reality. It also turns out that the role is one of the most challenging leadership positions in any organization. For anyone interested in developing as a leader, getting involved in project work and eventually taking on the role of project manager is a great way to pursue your goals. Here are some of the core leadership tasks of today’s project manager, along with ideas to help you get started. Here are the core leadership challenges of a project manager. Dealing With Uniqueness Projects by definition are temporary and unique. They are all of the work done once to create or complete something new. Every new product development effort is unique; implementing a new software system is a one-time affair and executing on a strategic initiative requires different initiatives this year than the strategy three years ago. While project managers learn lessons from past projects, they are leading and guiding something new and unique every time. Assembling a Team in a Hurry In many organizations, project team members are drawn from different functional areas and assemble as a group to focus on a new initiative. From assessing and negotiating for resources with functional managers to assembling the team and bringing it to life, this is a challenging leadership issue for the project manager. Navigating Complex Customer and Stakeholder Needs Project success is often a function of how effective the project manager is at assessing and meeting the needs of all involved parties for project quality, timing, budgets, and resources. A stakeholder is any individual or function touched by a project, and managing these stakeholders, including executives, is a full-time job in leadership, negotiation, diplomacy, and communication. Helping the Team Move From Forming to Performing According to Tuckman, teams move through a number of phases in their lifecycle, from forming to storming and then on to norming and performing. If you’ve been a part of a hastily assembled team, you can relate to the storming phase in particular. Project managers are effectively team coaches, helping members define roles, understand their work and then navigate key discussion and decision points- all challenging leadership tasks. Scheduling the Resources If you’ve ever attended a circus or, if like me, youre old enough to remember the Ed Sullivan show, you may have seen the plate spinner who strives to start and keep as many plates spinning on sticks as possible. Most project managers describe feeling like this circus performer from time to time, and striving to gain the right resources at the right time and place is their equivalent of plate spinning. Creativity, negotiation, and diplomacy are once again key attributes of the effective project leader. Forming an Environment for Success Teams like individuals do their best work in a healthy environment where they are trusted and trust their co-workers. Yet the pace and demands of schedules create stress points and can foster disagreement and even dissension. The project manager owns the hard work of ensuring a healthy environment where issues are resolved respectfully and efficiently so team members can proceed with their work and provide their creative best in the process.   Managing the Money With leadership comes financial responsibility, and the project manager is accountable for not only the quality and timeliness of the work but the cost of the work. Ensuring Quality and Delivery At the end of the day, the team is delivering something new and unique to a customer or group of customers. The project manager is accountable for ensuring the completeness and quality of the offering- on time and at the budget. Project Management as a Career Every year I teach an MBA elective course in the fundamentals of project management. When we started this course, enrollment was typically 14 to 20 students. Now, the class has exploded to fill the 48-student maximum with more on the waiting list. One year, I agreed to teach two combined sections with over 80 students. The word is out- project management is a great career and a great way to learn to lead. It also offers a non-traditional entry point into a leadership opportunity. Instead of competing for the limited number of functional leadership and management roles, you can pursue the nearly insatiable need for project management skills in most organizations. I’m incredibly proud of the number of my former students who have moved on to earn the challenging and important Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. Often, their pursuit of this role and designation starts with a discussion and assignment around exploring what it means to be a project manager.  Here are some ideas to help you get started. 5 Ideas to Help You Explore the Role of Project Manager Interview a project manager in your firm and learn more about the role and your firm’s formal practices. Ask about how he/she moved into this role. Indicate your interest in supporting a project team and learning more about the role of project participant and project manager.Meet with an executive and learn more about some of the key project work in the firm. Are there innovation initiatives underway? These are most definitely projects. Is the firm installing a new software system? How are new products developed? Let it be known that you would like to work on a project team to contribute and to gain experience. Explore the resources available at the Project Management Institute.Read. My favorite source of information comes from an eminently readable and inexpensive book entitled, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management by Eric Verzuh. I’ve used Verzuh’s book in lieu of an expensive text for many years and the students give it glowing reviews for its clarity, ease of reading and usefulness.Volunteer to lead an initiative. There’s no shame in volunteering to head up the holiday party or company picnic. The same project management practices apply and you gain valuable project experience in the process. The Bottom Line Developing as a leader doesn’t require you to follow a traditional path of supervising and then managing a function. Projects and project management offer a great way to learn and practice leadership while actively contributing to the success of your firm.

How to ask for a raise without coming off as entitled

How to ask for a raise without coming off as entitled How to ask for a raise without coming off as entitled Everybody in the world would like to be paid more than they do, regardless of whether they feel appreciated at work. But did you know that nearly half of Americans believe that they’re actually  underpaid?It’s a tricky situation because we’re taught that we work in a fair system and should appreciate what we’ve got â€" especially when good jobs are hard to come by. It’s no wonder many workers find it difficult to ask for a raise for fear they’ll come across as entitled.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!But there is no shame in figuring out the value of what you do for your company. While wages tend to be structured, profit margins are more organic â€" but it’s rarely the regular employee who benefits.Approaching your boss to ask for a raise involves two main changes in your mindset. On the first hand, being objective can help to remove the mystification that sur rounds levels of pay. Do some research into what other people doing a similar job earn â€" within your company and elsewhere. You can use a site like salary.com to get a clearer idea â€" and take courses and development opportunities to up your value.Calculating what your work is worth can give you the confidence to proceed without feeling ‘entitled.’ But conveying the right impression is a bit more of a soft skill. Your request shouldn’t just be framed in terms of what you believe your work is worth, but what you feel you are achieving as part of the company.  Use the word “we”  to reflect that your heart is with the team and that you’re keen to discuss how to move forward together.As long as you’re well-prepared and you are willing to be flexible, there’s no shame or danger in asking for a raise. And the majority of those who actually ask, get a positive reply. We’ve created a new visual resource to help you get ready for that conversation â€" and to present your case without fear of appearing entitled.Isn’t it time to get paid appropriately for the work you do?Resume.ioYou might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

The 5 Most Annoying Co-workers and How to Handle Them - The Muse

The 5 Most Annoying Co-workers and How to Handle Them - The Muse The 5 Most Annoying Co-workers and How to Handle Them Wouldn’t it be great if you got along swimmingly with every person you worked with? I’ll assume you’re nodding your head right now. But sadly, that’s never the case. Because unlike your friends, you don’t get to choose your co-workers. And while some will be awesome human beings who turn into lifelong friends, others will drive you crazy because they’re just so very horrible. Trust me, I know you’ve got at least one or two in your office- so I’ve come up with the perfect techniques for dealing with the five most common kinds of annoying co-workers. You’re welcome. 1. The Interruptor Sure, every once in a while it’s OK to get excited and interrupt what someone else is saying, but this person is constantly talking over everyone else: during meetings, in casual conversation, and on the phone. Not only is it driving you nuts, but it’s harming your ability to work with this colleague. The Fix Next time you’re together (either in a group setting or one-on-one), let the first interruption pass without saying anything. When he or she does it again, politely but firmly say, “Please let me finish my comment- then I’ll be happy to get your thoughts. As I was saying…” It can also be helpful to shift your body to face the group after saying this. Then, when you’re done, turn to the interruptor to indicate he or she now has the floor. 2. The Nosy Person Even though you spend 40-plus hours a week with or near your co-workers- which yes, can create a sense of intimacy- you’ve got a right to keep the private details of your life, well, private. Unfortunately, this person can’t respect this boundary- and will ask you inappropriate questions about your romantic choices, your health and weight, your salary, your decision to have a family (or not), and other topics that you’d really rather not discuss. The Fix If you’re worried about hurting this person’s feelings, respond to prying questions by laughing and saying, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” or “That’s for me to know… and my therapist to find out.” Other times you might need to go with a more direct approach. Try, “Honestly, I’d rather not say,” or “That’s pretty personal. I’d rather talk about something else…” then change the subject. 3. The Class Clown Humor in the office is great- except for when it’s interfering with your productivity. And this person’s constantly cracking (bad) jokes and can’t seem to take anything seriously, no matter how urgent or intense the situation. While you found it entertaining at first, now it’s anything but. The Fix To discourage this person, simply stop responding. When he or she cracks a joke, smile briefly, then steer the conversation in a more productive direction. Or, when you’re communicating via email or chat and this person tries to be funny, simply ignore everything but the relevant parts of his or her message. 4. The Micromanager This person is your peer, but he or she acts like your superior. You’re always getting update requests, unwanted input, and “constructive” criticism. Not only is this frustrating on a personal level, but it also weakens your authority on your own team and in front of anyone who reports to you. The Fix Since this is a fairly delicate conversation, I suggest having it away from your other co-workers. A nearby coffee shop, as it’s neutral territory. Once you’re alone, say, “It’s really clear that you’re dedicated to (company) and are willing to work extraordinarily hard to make it successful. That’s something I really admire.” By starting with a compliment, you’ll make this person more receptive to the conversation. Then, add “However, I feel that your constructive criticism is starting to get in the way of my productivity as well as interfere with the goals my boss set out for me,” citing a specific and recent example of the behavior. Finish off with, “While I value your opinion, I’d appreciate if you could limit your comments unless they directly impact your role.” 5. The Bully You thought you left this type behind in high school. But unfortunately, bullies can be found in almost every workplace: They’re the ones who say snide comments, constantly critique your work, question your judgment, and so forth. The Fix Your response depends on how severe the bullying behavior is. If it’s limited to mean remarks and passive-aggressive emails, then either ignore it or reply calmly, “I don’t appreciate that comment,” or “I’d prefer to set up time to discuss feedback in person since it seems like we have conflicting ideas.” However, you should escalate the situation and speak with your manager (or, if necessary, HR), if you’re being verbally abused, threatened, humiliated, or intimidated. (And if the bully is your manager? Hop right over here.) No matter where you work, there’s guaranteed to be at least one person who drives you bananas. So take a deep breath, and try these tips before you lose it in the office. Photo of annoyed woman courtesy of Shutterstock.

A New Way to Clean the Air

A New Way to Clean the Air A New Way to Clean the Air A New Way to Clean the Air Indoor air is, on average, five times as polluted as outdoor air. It can worsen allergies and asthma, and over the long term can cause respiratory diseases and cancer. Yet todays air purifiers and HVAC systems use decades-old filtration technology, and they often miss microbes, pollen, mold and nasty airborne chemicals that cause these problems. A new air-purifying technology could help. Instead of a filter, the device blows air over a photoactivatable catalyst to create highly reactive chemicals that destroy VOCs, pollen and other allergens, and microbes. Back in the mid-1990s, Yogi Goswami, a solar energy researcher who directs the Clean Energy Research Center at the University of South Florida, had a personal reason to switch gears and investigate air purification technology. His son Delip, whos now 35, had severe asthma and allergies as a boy, and conventional air filtration devices did not ease them. Eliminating pollutants at a microscopic scale. Image: Molekule In his previous work, Goswami helped develop a solar-powered water purification technology that used sunlight to activate a catalyst, which oxidized organic chemicals to destroy them. In air, you have mostly organic chemicals, too, said Goswami, including biomolecules in air-borne pollen, animal dander, mold and microbes. I saw that we could oxidize them as well, Goswami said. Over almost two decades, Goswami and his students and colleagues optimized air flow, light source, catalyst chemistry and more. The resulting device, called the Molekule, uses a fan to pull air over a nanocatalyst - a nanometer-scale material with controlled molecular properties that catalyzes a chemical reaction. Harmless long wavelength ultraviolet (UV-A) light shines on the catalyst, which is a semiconductor. This kicks out an electron, leaving an electron hole that oxidizes water vapor to create highly reactive chemicals called hydroxyl radicals. These are the chemicals that attack and destroy VOCs, pollen, and microbes. The device removed all 3.9 million E. coli bacteria that were aerosolized and sprayed into it,according to tests by Goswamis San Francisco-based startup, also called Molekule. In a company-run trial of 28 people, the device eased self-reported allergy symptoms to that of nonallergy suffers. The company began selling the device to consumers in May. Later, they hope to adapt the technology for HVAC systems and in cars and airplanes, Goswami said. Learn the best practices of bringing your research to market and creating marketable solutions at ASMEsCOMS2016 For Further Discussion The resulting device uses a fan to pull air over a nanocatalyst - a nanometer-scale material with controlled molecular properties that catalyzes a chemical reaction.

The Good, the Bad and Salesman Resume

The Good, the Bad and Salesman Resume It's also vital for an automobile salesperson to understand how to effectively close an offer. The question of the way to get an auto salesman license really is dependent on the state in which you sell. The same as a great automobile salesman should. There are a few expert car salesmen out there making a really good living selling new and pre-owned cars. Sure a vehicle is a must but it's still not a simple product to sell. For starters, despite financing programs readily available, purchasing a car can be a drain on savings. There are two kinds of car dealerships. After you are hired by means of an automobile dealership they'll supply you with the particulars of getting your vehicle salesman license. Finding the Best Salesman Resume To receive your application even viewed, you have to sell yourself forcefully. No matter your degree of job knowledge, your resume structure is crucial to making your application stick out. Irrespective of your degree of work practical expertise, your resume format is imperative to making your program stick out. Your choices are plentiful! Finding the Best Salesman Resume One of the absolute most important qualifications of an effective salesperson is being in a position to recognize the requirements of each customer. The salaries and bonuses can be very high, but it's also highly competitive, and it can be quite hard to get your foot in the door. Because salesmen are liable for both revenue generation and client retention, each of which are of extreme value to employers. With a superior vehicle salesman resume, you'll be in a position to articulate why you ought to be hired for a specific job. You would like your acceptance letter to seem clean and crisp. The demand for an automobile salesman resume cover letter is a matter of private option, but not quite as critical as it is with different professions. If you don't locate the precise resolution you are seeking, then go for a native or greater resolution. If you would like to work as a Salesman, concentrate on the subsequent. In case the organization is skimming resumes, then she wants in order to find the crucial details without needing to carefully examine the resume. To be successful in practically any sort of sales occupation, you want the skills to convince a person to purchase your organization's product . Last, you will need complex abilities, such as customer assistance, the capability to forecast the way the marketplace will change in the coming months and years, and the capability to determine target audiences and suitable pricing for your merchandise. Luckily, you do that each day in your sales work, which means you know the drill. In the end, employers are constantly searching for men and women who never quit learning and advancing their expertise and techniques. In addition to empathy, salespeople should have good listening abilities. Learn more on the subject of the top skills employers search for in candidates. In case you were incarcerated, you need to demonstrate the employer reason why they need to feel you're no longer precisely the identical man that was simply arrested. Read the work description like your life is dependent on it. You must highlight your love for the job and the way that it can help you to be more mindful of the probable things that you should encounter on a daily basis. Bonus points if you comb through the business website and socials too to have a better feeling of what it is they're searching for. Salespeople cannot get away with just charm and inexpensive tricks, since today's buyers are a lot more educated. In sales, they expect you to be persistent. One of the most frequent metrics of success for auto salespeople is the way good they are at hitting their quotas. It's also vital for an effective salesman to be knowledgeable about the item or service he sells and to have the ability to present it so the customers understand that, so excellent presentation skills are also an important portion of the salesman's job description. After a promising Summary, your Hiring Manager will be eager to understand how exactly you're able to help their company. Sales is getting more and more of a data science. In addition, you can find out more about sales careers on Monster.