How to address an employment gap in your resume

How to address an employment gap in your resumeHow to address an employment gap in your resumeYou made it to the interview, but you know theres aglaring employment gap on your resume. Heres how to talk about it the right way.Dont be sorry about your storyThis isnt a good idea.Kim Isaacs, Resume Writing Services Director and Resume Writer at Resume Power and former Monster Resume Expert, writes on the Monster site about why this is important to keep in mind.If youve been out of work because you raised a family, continued your education, cared for a sick family member, or recovered from an injury, be sure your tone is not apologetic. Theres nothing wrong with being out of work for whatever reason, and a negative attitude might affect your resumes quality, she writes.How to talk about taking time off to travelBe sure to focus on the right things.Sjoerd Gehring, the Global Head of Recruiting at Johnson Johnson, writes in The Muse about how to talk about a gap caused by you resigning to backpack around the world.The key with this one is to focus on how traveling contributed to your personal development, rather than how much fun you had schlepping around the world with nothing but a backpack and a smile. If you took on any paid or volunteer work during this time, concentrate your response on the additional personal and professional skills its given you, he writes.Dont badmouth a former workplaceThis is never a good idea.Bronwen Hann, President and Senior Partner at Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting, writes on LinkedIn that you need to keep it positive when talking about why you left your job before the gap.Explanations that scream I didnt like my previous employer dont look good. Hiring managers might just ask why you didnt wait to find a new job before quitting your old one, especially because its easier to find a new job when youre already working, she writes.Make sure youre super prepared to talk about your strengthsIf you dont, who will?Alison Doyle, a career exp ert, author and founder and CEO of CareerToolBelt.com, writes about this in The Balance.In all instances where you need to account for a gap, you should share as much concrete evidence of your success in the jobs prior to the gap and after you resumed employment. Itemize your accomplishments by referring to situations where you intervened, specific actions you took and the results you generated, she writes. Emphasize how your company benefited from your role. If possible, secure recommendations from supervisors to support the explanation you plan to give during the interview.

Informational Interview Thank-You Letter Example With Tips

Informational bewerbungsgesprch Thank-You Letter Example With TipsInformational Interview Thank With TipsDid someone take the time to share information on his or her career with you? If youve just conducted an informational interview, its always a good idea to send a thank-you email message or note. Its important to extend the courtesy of thanking, in writing, everyone who helps you with your career or job search. Youll not only be showing you appreciate the time, but you will also be building a relationship which can help you as your career progresses. Send your thank-you letter (paper or email) within 48 hours of your informational interview. Review these examples of a hard copy letter and an email, then tailor them to fit your personal circumstances. Also, review tips for what to do after an informational interview so you can get the most out of your experience. Informational Interview Thank Your NameYour AddressYour City, State Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameTitleOrga nizationAddressCity, State Zip CodeDear Mr./Ms. Last NameThank you for speaking with me today. Your insights were truly helpfuland have confirmed my decision to gain additional work experience in the field before applying to graduate school.I will regularly check the websites you suggested for job leads, and have already contacted the ABC professional association regarding membership.I will follow up in the near future to let you know about my progress. Thank you again for your assistance.Sincerely,Signature (hard copy letter)Your Name Expand Email Example Informational Interview Thank-You Letter When sending your thank you as an email message, put your name and thank you in the subject line of the message SubjectYour Name - Thank YouDear Mr./Ms. Last NameThank you for speaking with me today. Your insights were truly helpfuland have confirmed my decision to gain additional work experience in the field before applying to graduate school.I will regularly check the websites you sugg ested for job leads, and have already contacted the ABC professional association regarding membership.I will follow up in the near future to let you know about my progress. Thank you again for your assistance.Sincerely,Your NameYour Email AddressYour Phone Number Expand Follow-Up Thank-You Letters If your informational interview leads to a good job lead or a job offer, you should send a follow-up thank-you letter to the person who gave you the interview. This will keep your connection active and it gives them kudos for their knowledge about the industry. As you start a new job, you need contacts when you are ready to step up to the next phase of your career. You may even be in a position to do the hiring and ask your informational interview contact to recommend people to apply. How to Get the Most out of an Informational Interview After completing aninformational interview, its important to think over the experience and identify how you would like to move forward given what y ouve learned. Remember, the goal of the interview is to learn more about whether or not a particular company, job, or industry is a good fit for you. situation aside time to reflect upon the interview will help you decide if it is acareer pathyou want to pursue. Reflect on the interview as soon after the interview as possible, when your impressions are still fresh. Consider writing down answers to some of these questions. Even if you only write down brief notes, writing may help you process your thoughts about the interview. Here are some questions to ask yourself when thinking about your takeaways from the interview. What are the most important new facts and understandings that you have acquired?Do you think you would be satisfied with the situation your contact described?Do you think you would be dissatisfied with the same thing(s) your contact described as dissatisfying?What is your reaction to the number of hours and type of schedule (set/flexible) described?What is your reactio n to the stresses and anxieties of this occupation? Do you want to deal with them?What do you think of the culture of the occupation and company (the work environment, the relationships between employees, etc.)? Does it sound like an environment in which you would like to work? What do you need to do to make yourself a competitive candidate?Have you changed your opinion of the occupation as a result of your interview?What misconceptions did you correct?Did any other big red flags come up about the occupation?

7 secrets that will make you build good habits

7 secrets that will make you build good habits7 secrets that will make you build good habitsBuilding good habits can be hard. Real hard. Nearly half of dieters give up within a week.FromStick with ItForty percent of dieters quit within one week and mora than 50 percent end up weighing mora than they did before they departureed their diets.So what really helps? Does anybody have some answersthat could make lasting changes three times easier to achieve? Actually, yes.Dr. Sean Young is amedical school prof at UCLA who studies behavior change and hes helped people build good eating, sleeping and exercising habits. He sums up his work in thenewbookStick with It A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life-for Good.So what can we learn from Sean? Lets get to it1. Small Steps Beat Big DreamsYoure dreaming about having that awesome beach body. Big dreams are exciting but theyre also intimidating. And thats probably why they usuallystaydreams.Want to build the good eating and exerci sing habits that will get you there? Then think small. Real small. No, even smaller.FromStick with ItFocusing on small steps allows people to achieve their goals faster than if they focused on dreams. Focusing on small steps also keeps people happier and more motivated to keep trying because they get rewarded more frequently.The goal is to build a habit. So consistency is the fruchtwein important thing because without consistency, well, its not really a habit. Instead, its a thing you do sometimes-kinda-when-you-feel-like it-maybe.And its easier to be consistent when something is so small youd feel silly if you didnt do it.BJ Fogg, head of the Stanford University Persuasive Tech Lab, calls it Minimum Viable Effort. Heres whatBJ saysMake it tiny. To create a new habit, you must first simplify the behavior. Make it tiny, even ridiculous. A good tiny behavior is easy to do - and fast.And this works. Focus on small steps, not big dreams and youll make progress.FromStick with ItThe wome n who (did this)were more likely to keep eating healthier throughout the six-week study. They also lost more weight than the women in the other group. In fact, those who had focused on dreams actually gained weight. Many studies confirm this principle to change behavior, focus on the day-to-day process, rather than the outcome.Once youre doing it consistently, make the steps bigger. That works far better than being too ambitious initially and quitting.(To learn more about the science of a successful life, check out my new bookhere.)So, baby steps for the win. But how are you going to maintain change when you get busy or get distracted?2. Call For BackupIts not called Alcoholic Anonymous its called AlcoholicsAnonymous. When people want to make big changes in their lives they need people, notperson.Get help. Sean says it makes a big difference.FromStick with ItBe around people who are doing what you want to be doing. Social support and social competition foster change.And other resear ch backs this up.The Longevity Project, which studied over 1000 people from youth to death had this to sayThe groups you associate with often determine the type of person you become. For people who want improved health, association with other healthy people is usually the strongest and most direct path of change.To quote an old saying, If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.(To learn the 8 secrets to breaking bad habits, clickhere.)Baby steps. With friends But you can still flake out. Why? Because you didnt answer a critical question3. Ask Why Is This Important?Too many attempts at fostering good habits start with something akin to Itd be nice ifNope. That habit isnt going to last. But when the doctor says, Change your diet or youll be dead in six months Wow, change getssomuch easier.Ask yourself, Why is this important? And what answers will actually get you motivated? Sean says the research points to three big areas to focus on.FromStick with ItThe big three money, socialconnections, andhealth.So consider how this new habit might cause you to gain (or not lose) some cash. How it might improve your relationships. Or how it might benefit your health. Those threewill make the new habit feel meaningful, and that will get you motivated.Research by Teresa Amabileat Harvard has shown thatnothing is more motivating thanprogress in meaningful activities.FromThe Progress Principle Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at WorkThis pattern is what we call the progress principleof all the positive events that influence inner work life, the single most powerful is progress in meaningful work of all the negative events, the single most powerful is the opposite of progress- setbacks in the work.(To learn the 6 rituals ancient wisdom says will make you happy, clickhere.)Okay, the steps are simple, youre motivated and you have help. But now you actually have todoit. How can you make aya that actually happens day-in, day-out?4. Make It EasyThe more hoops you have to jump through to accomplish something, the less likely you are to do it. This isnt as inviolate as the lawsof thermodynamics, but pretty darn close.So get rid of as many hoops as possible beforehand.Shawn Achor, author of thebestsellerThe Happiness Advantage, recommends leveraging The 20 second rule.Heres ShawnIf you can make the positive habit three to 20 seconds easier to start, your likelihood of doing it rises dramatically.And you can do the same thing by flipping it for negative habits.Watching too much television? Merely take out the batteries of the remote control creatinga 20 second delay and it dramatically decreases the amount of television people will watch.Make good habits easier to do and bad habits harder to do and you can turnyour laziness into an advantage.(For more great tips from Shawn on how to be happier and more successful, clickhere.)Alright, now you may have heard some of these tips before. But what advice have you frequen tly been told that is downright wrong and counterproductive?Youve been told to change your mindset so that your actions will change. Sean says thats backwards5. Act Before You ThinkYeah, you heard me. Act before you think.You read stuff, consider it, dwell on it, mull over it but you dontdoit.Dont try and change your mind so your behavior will change. Change your behavior and your mind will shrug and happily follow.FromStick with ItThat the mind controls behavior is the basis for many top-selling self-help and popular-psychology books. They teach that people can change their behavior by imagining and willing themselves to change. But this is wrong. Most smokers cant quit just by imagining themselves quitting. People dont stick to their New Years resolutions by telling themselves that this year will be different than other years. Managers cant get their salespeople to close a deal just by telling them tovisualize closing it. Social psychologists know now that the truth lies in the op posite direction. People need to change their actions and their minds will follow.Tim Wilson, a professor at UVA, did the underlyingresearch and says thatthe easiest way to be good is to just focus on doing good.Heres TimOften, if we want to change who we think we are, one of the best ways to do it is to change our behavior first. If we want to become a little more extroverted, then act that way for a while. Force ourselves to act in an extroverted way. If we want to become better, more pro-social, helpful people, well then go out and do some volunteer work. Often, the story follows the behavior change.(To see the schedule that very successful people follow every day, clickhere.)Okay, so youre actually following through. Awesome. What will reinforce the habit so it gets stronger over time?6.Reward YourselfWhen actors would ask the great director Alfred Hitchcock Whats my motivation? he would reply, Your paycheck.Rewards can be tricky motivators over the long run, but in the early st ages of cementinga habit, Sean confirms they can be very useful.If the activity isnt very rewarding in itself, you can try what Wharton professor Katherine Milkman calls temptation bundling.Love listening to audiobooks? Okay, you only get to do that after the report is done for work. Love chocolate? You only get to eat it after you hit the gym.Its a simple formulatie every want to a should.Youwantchocolate? Youshouldgo to the gym first.If you add a reward after a good habit you want to build, its a powerful reinforcer.Charles DuhiggexplainsThe research shows that every habit has three components. Theres the cue, which is a trigger for an automatic behavior to start. Then, a routine, which is the behavior itself. Finally, a reward. The reward is really important because thats how your brain essentially learns to latch onto a parteicular pattern and make it automatic. Chocolate, after running, is an obvious example of a reward that many people enjoy. It doesnt have to be chocolate.Wha t matters is that if you want to make a behavior into a habit, you need to give yourself something you enjoy as soon as that behavior is done. It could be a piece of chocolate. It could be having a smoothie. It could be relaxing for 15 minutes and taking a nice shower. Whats important there is that people give themselves a reward.(To learn how to beat bad habits using mindfulness, clickhere.)So the habit is real and getting stronger. Great. How do you make it a set-in-stone part of your day?7. Build ARoutineWhen does it happen? Where does it happen? How does it start? How does it end? Round all those out and repeat.Build a routine.Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.FromStick with ItThe secret to making things engrained in the brain is based on this repetition repeating behaviors, especially if it can be done every day, in the same place, and at the same time, will teach the brain that it needs to remember this behavior to make iteasier to keep doing it.This isnt merely elegant, it has its roots in real neuroscience research. When I spoke to neuroscientistAlex Korb, he said that the critical part of the brain here is the dorsal striatum.Thats the part of your grey matterthat always wants to do what you have done in the past.When your prefrontal cortex (the rational part of your brain that sets goals) and your nucleus accumbens (the party animal that wants to screw around on the internet) go to war, the dorsal striatum often has thetie-breaking vote on what you actually choose to do.So if you repeat agood habitfrequently, your dorsal striatum sides with the prefrontal cortex and it gets a lot easier todo the good stuff instead of the bad stuff. So construct a good routine that slides you right into performing that habit and youll rewire the dorsal striatum so its pushing you in the right direction.(To learn the 4 rituals neuroscience says will make you happy, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot. Lets round it all up and learn the best way to get startedSum UpHer es how to build good habitsSmall steps beat big dreams Doing the minimum consistently beats endless overthinking.Call for backup You get more done when you have role models, cheerleaders and people to nag you.Ask, Why is it important? Do it because of money, relationships or health and its more likely to actually get done.Make it easy If you sleep in your gym clothes with your sneakers next to the bed, youre more likely to wake up and go to the gym.Act before you think Change your behavior to change your mind. Dont try and change your mind to change your behavior.Reward yourself Do the trick and you get a treat. It works for Fido and it will work for you.Build a routine Making it a part of your day leads to repetition, and that will rewire your brain for the better.So answer three questions right nowWhats a goal thats really important to you?What easy, small step can you do with a friend regularly to get closer to achieving it?How will you reward yourself after?Got youranswers? Grea t.Sendthis post to that friend and tell them the habit you want to build and the step you want to make toward it. tischset a time with them to get started.Youre on your way. Yeah, right now its just one little step.But one little step is how you start to make big changes in life.As anotherold saying goes, You can do anything once you stop trying to do everything.Join more than 300,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsNew Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You HappyNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulHow To Get People To Like You 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.7 secrets that will make you build good habitsBuilding good habits can be hard. Real hard. Nearly half of dieters give up within a week.FromStick with ItForty percent of dieters quit within one week and more than 50 percent end up weighing more than they did before they started their diets.So what reall y helps? Does anybody have some answersthat could make lasting changes three times easier to achieve? Actually, yes.Dr. Sean Young is amedical school professor at UCLA who studies behavior change and hes helped people build good eating, sleeping and exercising habits. He sums up his work in thenewbookStick with It A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life-for Good.So what can we learn from Sean? Lets get to it1. Small Steps Beat Big DreamsYoure dreaming about having that awesome beach body. Big dreams are exciting but theyre also intimidating. And thats probably why they usuallystaydreams.Want to build the good eating and exercising habits that will get you there? Then think small. Real small. No, even smaller.FromStick with ItFocusing on small steps allows people to achieve their goals faster than if they focused on dreams. Focusing on small steps also keeps people happier and more motivated to keep trying because they get rewarded more frequently.The goal is to build a habit. So consistency is the most important thing because without consistency, well, its not really a habit. Instead, its a thing you do sometimes-kinda-when-you-feel-like it-maybe.And its easier to be consistent when something is so small youd feel silly if you didnt do it.BJ Fogg, head of the Stanford University Persuasive Tech Lab, calls it Minimum Viable Effort. Heres whatBJ saysMake it tiny. To create a new habit, you must first simplify the behavior. Make it tiny, even ridiculous. A good tiny behavior is easy to do - and fast.And this works. Focus on small steps, not big dreams and youll make progress.FromStick with ItThe women who (did this)were more likely to keep eating healthier throughout the six-week study. They also lost more weight than the women in the other group. In fact, those who had focused on dreams actually gained weight. Many studies confirm this principle to change behavior, focus on the day-to-day process, rather than the outcome.Once youre doing it consi stently, make the steps bigger. That works far better than being too ambitious initially and quitting.(To learn more about the science of a successful life, check out my new bookhere.)So, baby steps for the win. But how are you going to maintain change when you get busy or get distracted?2. Call For BackupIts not called Alcoholic Anonymous its called AlcoholicsAnonymous. When people want to make big changes in their lives they need people, notperson.Get help. Sean says it makes a big difference.FromStick with ItBe around people who are doing what you want to be doing. Social support and social competition foster change.And other research backs this up.The Longevity Project, which studied over 1000 people from youth to death had this to sayThe groups you associate with often determine the type of person you become. For people who want improved health, association with other healthy people is usually the strongest and most direct path of change.To quote an old saying, If you want to g o fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.(To learn the 8 secrets to breaking bad habits, clickhere.)Baby steps. With friends But you can still flake out. Why? Because you didnt answer a critical question3. Ask Why Is This Important?Too many attempts at fostering good habits start with something akin to Itd be nice ifNope. That habit isnt going to last. But when the doctor says, Change your diet or youll be dead in six months Wow, change getssomuch easier.Ask yourself, Why is this important? And what answers will actually get you motivated? Sean says the research points to three big areas to focus on.FromStick with ItThe big three money, socialconnections, andhealth.So consider how this new habit might cause you to gain (or not lose) some cash. How it might improve your relationships. Or how it might benefit your health. Those threewill make the new habit feel meaningful, and that will get you motivated.Research by Teresa Amabileat Harvard has shown thatnothing is more mo tivating thanprogress in meaningful activities.FromThe Progress Principle Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at WorkThis pattern is what we call the progress principleof all the positive events that influence inner work life, the single most powerful is progress in meaningful work of all the negative events, the single most powerful is the opposite of progress- setbacks in the work.(To learn the 6 rituals ancient wisdom says will make you happy, clickhere.)Okay, the steps are simple, youre motivated and you have help. But now you actually have todoit. How can you make sure that actually happens day-in, day-out?4.Make It EasyThe more hoops you have to jump through to accomplish something, the less likely you are to do it. This isnt as inviolate as the lawsof thermodynamics, but pretty darn close.So get rid of as many hoops as possible beforehand.Shawn Achor, author of thebestsellerThe Happiness Advantage, recommends leveraging The 20 second rule.Heres ShawnIf you can make the positive habit three to 20 seconds easier to start, your likelihood of doing it rises dramatically.And you can do the same thing by flipping it for negative habits.Watching too much television? Merely take out the batteries of the remote control creatinga 20 second delay and it dramatically decreases the amount of television people will watch.Make good habits easier to do and bad habits harder to do and you can turnyour laziness into an advantage.(For more great tips from Shawn on how to be happier and more successful, clickhere.)Alright, now you may have heard some of these tips before. But what advice have you frequently been told that is downright wrong and counterproductive?Youve been told to change your mindset so that your actions will change. Sean says thats backwards5. Act Before You ThinkYeah, you heard me. Act before you think.You read stuff, consider it, dwell on it, mull over it but you dontdoit.Dont try and change your mind so your behavior will change. Change your behavior and your mind will shrug and happily follow.FromStick with ItThat the mind controls behavior is the basis for many top-selling self-help and popular-psychology books. They teach that people can change their behavior by imagining and willing themselves to change. But this is wrong. Most smokers cant quit just by imagining themselves quitting. People dont stick to their New Years resolutions by telling themselves that this year will be different than other years. Managers cant get their salespeople to close a deal just by telling them tovisualize closing it. Social psychologists know now that the truth lies in the opposite direction. People need to change their actions and their minds will follow.Tim Wilson, a professor at UVA, did the underlyingresearch and says thatthe easiest way to be good is to just focus on doing good.Heres TimOften, if we want to change who we think we are, one of the best ways to do it is to change our behavior first. If we want to become a little more extroverted, then act that way for a while. Force ourselves to act in an extroverted way. If we want to become better, more pro-social, helpful people, well then go out and do some volunteer work. Often, the story follows the behavior change.(To see the schedule that very successful people follow every day, clickhere.)Okay, so youre actually following through. Awesome. What will reinforce the habit so it gets stronger over time?6.Reward YourselfWhen actors would ask the great director Alfred Hitchcock Whats my motivation? he would reply, Your paycheck.Rewards can be tricky motivators over the long run, but in the early stages of cementinga habit, Sean confirms they can be very useful.If the activity isnt very rewarding in itself, you can try what Wharton professor Katherine Milkman calls temptation bundling.Love listening to audiobooks? Okay, you only get to do that after the report is done for work. Love chocolate? You only get to eat it after you hit the gym.Its a s imple formulatie every want to a should.Youwantchocolate? Youshouldgo to the gym first.If you add a reward after a good habit you want to build, its a powerful reinforcer.Charles DuhiggexplainsThe research shows that every habit has three components. Theres the cue, which is a trigger for an automatic behavior to start. Then, a routine, which is the behavior itself. Finally, a reward. The reward is really important because thats how your brain essentially learns to latch onto a particular pattern and make it automatic. Chocolate, after running, is an obvious example of a reward that many people enjoy. It doesnt have to be chocolate.What matters is that if you want to make a behavior into a habit, you need to give yourself something you enjoy as soon as that behavior is done. It could be a piece of chocolate. It could be having a smoothie. It could be relaxing for 15 minutes and taking a nice shower. Whats important there is that people give themselves a reward.(To learn how to beat bad habits using mindfulness, clickhere.)So the habit is real and getting stronger. Great. How do you make it a set-in-stone part of your day?7. Build ARoutineWhen does it happen? Where does it happen? How does it start? How does it end? Round all those out and repeat.Build a routine.Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.FromStick with ItThe secret to making things engrained in the brain is based on this repetition repeating behaviors, especially if it can be done every day, in the same place, and at the same time, will teach the brain that it needs to remember this behavior to make iteasier to keep doing it.This isnt merely elegant, it has its roots in real neuroscience research. When I spoke to neuroscientistAlex Korb, he said that the critical part of the brain here is the dorsal striatum.Thats the part of your grey matterthat always wants to do what you have done in the past.When your prefrontal cortex (the rational part of your brain that sets goals) and your nucleus accumbens (the p arty animal that wants to screw around on the internet) go to war, the dorsal striatum often has thetie-breaking vote on what you actually choose to do.So if you repeat agood habitfrequently, your dorsal striatum sides with the prefrontal cortex and it gets a lot easier todo the good stuff instead of the bad stuff. So construct a good routine that slides you right into performing that habit and youll rewire the dorsal striatum so its pushing you in the right direction.(To learn the 4 rituals neuroscience says will make you happy, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot. Lets round it all up and learn the best way to get startedSum UpHeres how to build good habitsSmall steps beat big dreams Doing the minimum consistently beats endless overthinking.Call for backup You get more done when you have role models, cheerleaders and people to nag you.Ask, Why is it important? Do it because of money, relationships or health and its more likely to actually get done.Make it easy If you sleep in y our gym clothes with your sneakers next to the bed, youre more likely to wake up and go to the gym.Act before you think Change your behavior to change your mind. Dont try and change your mind to change your behavior.Reward yourself Do the trick and you get a treat. It works for Fido and it will work for you.Build a routine Making it a part of your day leads to repetition, and that will rewire your brain for the better.So answer three questions right nowWhats a goal thats really important to you?What easy, small step can you do with a friend regularly to get closer to achieving it?How will you reward yourself after?Got youranswers? Great.Sendthis post to that friend and tell them the habit you want to build and the step you want to make toward it. Set a time with them to get started.Youre on your way. Yeah, right now its just one little step.But one little step is how you start to make big changes in life.As anotherold saying goes, You can do anything once you stop trying to do every thing.Join more than 300,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsNew Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You HappyNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulHow To Get People To Like You 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

5 Reasons You Feel Trapped in Your Job (and How to Overcome Them)

5 Reasons You Feel Trapped in Your Job (and How to Overcome Them)5 Reasons You Feel Trapped in Your Job (and How to Overcome Them)Its not just escapologists- sometimes we all feel trapped in our jobs.Ill bet theres been a morning when youve racked your brain for an excuse not to go into the office, wondered just what the heck youre doing, or had that weight in your limbs as you begrudgingly got yourself ready to leave the house.You, me, and a few million others.Its no picnic to feel trapped in your job, and the damage it does can be considerable. Its toxic closing in, weighing down on you, and slowing your steps. Over time, if you let it, youll forget how ambitious you used to be, youll wonder when your get-up-and-go got-up-and-went, and youll get a little nostalgic for how confident you once felt.I hate the idea of anyone feeling trapped by anything (and I happen to love a good picnic), so lets shine a light on the thoughts you have in your head that make you feel that way.1. You Th ink That Everyone Else is Better Than YouComparing yourself unfavorably to your colleagues is going to achieve one thing spectacularly well making you feel really, really crappy.If you landsee other people as mora skilled, more capable, or more talented than you, youll feel like you need to stay out of the spotlight to avoid the chance for criticism, and youll build walls around you to avoid being seen as less-than. Wind forward a few months, and you feel sufficiently incapable that nobody else would have you. Youre trapped.Larry from accounts may run a great meeting. Mary from marketing may be creatively brilliant. Bill from the top floor may have exceptional people skills. But they may not be as intuitive as you. Or be able to cut right through a problem. Or know exactly how it works.Everyones better and worse than others on a limitless number of scales. Comparison is redundant. Being confident enough to apply your best, on the other hand, is gold dust.2. You Believe its Tough Out ThereWeve all seen the headlines since the big crash. Layoffs, glacial recovery, fat cats getting richer, Justin Bieber getting arrested. Read the paper or watch the news, and youll see that its impossibly tough out there and how lucky you are to even have a job. Now is entirely the wrong time to be back on the job market, so please, dont even think about it.Belief is everything. If you believe that you dont stand a chance out there, every door closes and the only option you have is to stay put and feel trapped. But, if you believe that you do have a chance out there, then suddenly doors are flung open and you get to go exploring.Yes, some businesses and markets are tougher than others, but its been that way since the agricultural revolution. It will always be that way. And only believing the naysayers and doom-mongers will secure your place in the also-ran. People do make moves. People do take leaps. People do reach for better things. You can, too.3. You Tell Yourself to Wait and SeeYou know, I should just wait until the next round of pay reviews.Ill hold on until Christmas and see what happens then.A lot of things could change, I should wait and see.Theres a word for people who play the waiting game in the hope that other people will come along and make everything okay. In denial. Okay, thats two words, but you get the picture.Staying put and waiting it out is only a good tactic if its part of a larger strategy that you can influence- like saving up enough money to start your own thing. Otherwise, its just wasting time, doubting yourself, and carving yourself a rut so deep that feeling trapped becomes a way of life.Your choices should be based on what matters to you, not what youre afraid may happen if you make the wrong choice.4. You Dont Know What Else You WantTo demonstrate my remarkable grasp of the obvious, let me say that its really hard to get what you want when you dont know what it is you want.There are all kinds of options, but nothing really conn ects. You could make a move, but how do you know if its what you want? When you dont know what you want, it seems like the only valid option available is to stay where you are until the answer appears, regardless of how trapped it might make you feel.But there is another option Start asking yourself some questions. Is it a job with more autonomy? Something in a different city? Perhaps you want to get more creative or to take on more responsibility- or maybe all you know is that you dont want to work for someone else.What you want can be a general sense of wanting to spend more of your time with people, or it can be a focused idea of your next role. I dont think the level of definition matters a whole lot, though. What matters is being ready to ask some tough questions and being confident enough to own your answers.5. You Feel Like You Have to Prove YourselfWorkings hard. You have to work your way up, roll up your sleeves, and learn the hard way, learn from the best, and do what you can. Thats how success happens.Sounds exhausting, and its also how hollow, outer success happens, not meaningful, resonant, real success.The belief that you have to pay your dues, hustle to get ahead, and prove yourself is one of the more subtly pernicious and damaging ones that exists in the world of work. It fuels a sense of having to do whats expected (from your boss, from your peers, or from society) over doing whats right- and thats a surefire way of feeling trapped.The truth is, you dont have to prove anything. You just have to feel free enough to do your best work, wherever that may take you.Photo of mouse courtesy of Shutterstock.

How to Handle a Coffee Interview

How to Handle a Coffee InterviewHow to Handle a Coffee InterviewAn informal meeting over a cup of coffee has replacedfirst-round bewerbungsgesprchsforsome employers, especially those who are recruiting prospects for employment opportunities rather than interviewing for a specific position.Whats the best way to handle an invitation for coffee from a hiring manager? What should you wear? What do you need to bring? Who pays? Whats the next step if the meeting goes well? Heres the scoop oninformal interviewsheld at a coffee shop or restaurant. Tips for Handling a Coffee Interview Hiring managers and potential employers often begin with this less formal approach in the early stages of theinterviewing process. The meeting is set up mora like an informational conversation so that both the employer and applicant can get familiar without creating a more serious interview. Even though its only a cup of coffee, it could be a stepping stone to a new job, so its important to take the time to prepare. Recruiters host these sessions at a coffee shop instead of the office for several reasons. For the recruiter, its a way to meet a potential employee on a more casual basis to determine if there could be a role for the person at the company. For the candidate, its a way to learn more about a company without having to participate in a formal interview, at least at the start. Do Some Research Before Your Meeting It is important to prepare for your coffee meeting just like you would for an interview in a more formal setting. Researching the company and its mission, services, and recent achievements will prepare you to engage fully in a dialogue. Furthermore, you should be ready to talk about yourself and what youre looking for in your career, and how you could add value to the company. This is your time to make a great first impression so be ready to explain how you can help the company. What to Do Before You Interview Confirm the exact location, including the cross str eets or corner. Theres a Starbucks on nearly every street in New York City, and the same holds true for many other national and international chains. For example, confirm that youre meeting at the XYZ diner onthe South Eastcorner of Main Street and 10th Avenue. Make sure you get the interviewers cell phone number, so you can call or text them in case youre delayed. Also,be sure to ask how you will recognize the person youre meeting with and let them know what you look like, or what youll be wearing. What to Wear Because of the nature of the meeting, its not necessary to dress in formal business attire. Typically,business casual wear is appropriate, so consider the meeting place before you purchase a new suit. Still, you dont want to be sloppy your clothes should be neat and clean. What to Bring Its always advantageous to have several copies of your resume and a business card if you have one. Also, bring alist of references. You will likely want to take notes, so it never hu rts to bring a pen and a pad of paper to write on. Ordering Your Coffee If you get there ahead of the recruiter, you can either wait for them to order or go ahead and grab a drink yourself. However, the recruiter will typically pick up the tab. When youre taken out by a recruiter for a coffee interview, theres no need to worry about paying. Its better not to order food during this kind of meeting. While the interview itself is more casual, you will be conversing back and forth with the hiring manager and food will just be a distraction. The less there is to spill, the better. Focus on the Interview and Interviewer It may be noisy in a public place due to distractions such as loud customers, piped in music, and waitstaff coming and going. Try to focus on the interviewer as best you can. Keep the interview focused, as well, by staying on topic. Even if you order alight snack to go with your coffee or tea, dont think about the food, think about what you need to say to make a go od impression. Another common distraction is one that you might bring upon yourself, your cell phone. A ringing cell phone or pinging text message will distract you as well as the interviewer. Be sure to put your phone on mute or vibrate and tuck it away in your purse, bag or pocket, before you sit down to the interview. Ask Questions Less formal interviews and coffee meetings allow the candidate the opportunity to ask many questions about potential job openings, information about the company, and even career advice. Learning about the types of positions and the companys employees will give you an advantage in understanding how you can be a unique asset to their work. It will also give you a better picture of whether or not you would be happy working at that organization. The Next Step At the end of the meeting, exchanging contact information is agreat way to expand your network and to reach out to thank the recruiter for taking the time to speak with you. This will keep you fresh in the interviewers mind. You can also reiterate your interest in moving forward in the hiring process. Even if youre not interested in the specified position or the company, its a good idea to send a quickthank you emailor note and toconnect on social media outlets such asLinkedIn. While you may not be interested in the company, having a new connection can lead you to other opportunities that may be exactly what you are looking for. A Quick Review Heres more information on what you can expect when youreinvited for aninformal interview, including how to get ready, what to bring and wear, questions to ask, and how to follow up.

Read What the Experts Think About How to List Contract Work on Resume

Read What the Experts Think About How to List Contract Work on Resume If you do work for an assortment of clients, the company anthroponym may be yur own especially if youre already incorporated. Whatever format you choose to utilize for the temp jobs on your resume, ensure you are consistent. If you operate a company, invest in quality corporate advertising materials. On-line company of professional writers can help you with the very best writing or editing support. Resumes could be organized in various ways. They can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often they are used to secure new employment. They are tricky its sometimes difficult to know exactly what to include. Most resumes incorporate the work below a category named Employment History or something like that. Most employers want work experience and contract jobs will surely assist with that. Whats more, be sure that your social profiles benefit your career. Every job on your resume will seem more impres sive when youre in a position to add numbers. Or if youre on the lookout for your next job opportunity, have a look at our current openings The great thing about including freelance work on resume is it isnt difficult when you learn the practice. To begin with, you will need to choose whether it is going to serve you better to list each temp job as an individual gig in your work experience or maybe to group them together. There is not anyone answer to whether you need to incorporate a short-term job on the resume. A day in the life span of an attorney can be extremely hectic. Get the Scoop on How to List Contract Work on Resume Before Youre Too Late Complete each entry with a brief description of the job you performed. You are going to see that there are 3 sorts of format used generally employed for resumes. By picking a template, you dont need to be worried about the format itself. At the same time that you can format it in lots of ways, elect for simplicity. It is qui te a bit easier for a hiring manager to discover that value in a brief paragraph than attempting to piece it together from a lengthy history of specialist experience and education. The notion of a resume is to convey by example why youre the proper candidate for the present position. Volunteer work may have a larger impact for you than a seasoned candidate, which means you wish to draw the reader in from the beginning. All work experience does not have to be listed if it doesnt deal with the skills required for the career change. The demand for contract analysts is rising. A renovation contract is essential for many factors. It should also include a work breakdown of the costs of the renovation project. Your renovation contract should clearly specify how to manage any changes that may happen throughout the whole period of the undertaking or employment. What How to List Contract Work on Resume Is - and What it Is Not Hiring managers wish to comprehend your reason behind leav ing each position, and you better be prepared to address that in interviews. Listing your work by means of a staffing agency will help you in a lot of ways. Contract workers possess a range of experience. To offer the most complete picture, former freelancers should list all their most vital achievements, like improving a customers SEO position, increasing web conversions or growing social networking campaigns. A Startling Fact about How to List Contract Work on Resume Uncovered Ensure it is clear to your contractor the particular tasks which you want to do yourself to conserve money. Without a signature, the contract will just lose its goal. Dont forget that if it has to do with listing contract work, for example, work is always superior than ignoring it. Selecting a skilled contractor to do all of the work is all-important to be certain that everything is done properly. Nevertheless, the part of the freelance jobs is ambivalent because of an uncertain attitude of unique employers. Freelance work ought to be included as a boost to your resume, and is less valuable if youre doing work that doesnt relate to your field or wouldnt lead to a reference. Concentrate on relevant abilities, use proper formatting, and proofread two or more times. It is possible to also incorporate skills that arent specified in the legal assistant job description but are necessary to do duties better. Finding How to List Contract Work on Resume Online The odds of being rejected by employers are high once youve got an unprofessional resume. Still others wish to make the most of the benefits many company workers enjoy benefits which are rarely readily available to freelance workers. Employers like to realize that it is possible to multitask and see things from various perspectives, provided that it doesnt look as if youre a lousy fit for the role or apt to jump ship for something else at the very first opportunity. The employer might want to know just what you want to g et and the skills youre hoping to utilize. If you determine that your prior employer has merged with a different organization or has become the topic of an acquisition, list the present name initially, followed by the prior name in parentheses. Based on the duration of your resume, the job youre applying for and what you did on a contract basis youll be able to list names of businesses under that. A list of such temporary jobs might be an excellent signal to your employer which youve already seen a lot and now youre ready to quit choosing. Underneath each job is a great collection of bullet points.

Employees want to work from home but employers still reluctant

Employees want to work from home but employers still reluctant Employees want to work from home but employers still reluctantPosted November 2, 2012, by Mike Kermode Over the last few years theres been quite a lot of talk about the benefits of flexible work arrangements and one of the most notable developments in recent times has been the increasing popularity of employees working remotely from home. Improved productivity and efficiency, reduced stress and staff turnover, improved morale all are among the many benefits commonly cited when it comes to working remotely. And all are strong motivators for employees to push for more flexibility. Give them more autonomy, so the argument goes, and theyll work harder for you because they can see that you trust them. But while companies themselves seem to understand unterstellung benefits, new research by specialist finance, accounting and technology recruitment firm Robert Half suggests managers are still approaching the issue with a fa ir degree of scepticism and they could be missing out on substantial potential rewards as a result. The research, surveying over 200 HR Directors across several industries, found that 85 per cent of participants understood that non-financial benefits like flexible time have a positive effect on staff retention. Despite this, 16 per cent never let employees work from home at all, and 67 per cent only do so on a limited, employee-by-employee basis. I think theyre nervous, says Andrew Morris, Director at Robert Half. Theyre asking Are people going to be efficient? Theres the trust issue. As well as nervousness about remote employees doing the hard yards, the research found that concerns over data security, lack of adequate technology and the difficulty of managing a distributed workforce were predominant factors in the lukewarm uptake of remote work policies by businesses in general. Morris says that for cautious employers keen to boost productivity and satisfy demand for remote w ork from employees, the solution lies in having clear policies and setting expectations that are measurable, time-bound and specific. If those sorts of things are met, you have control of what people are doing, he says. Its just when people are allowed to work loosely at home, and they havent been given those boundaries, that it can turn pear-shaped. Part of this, he says, means having clear lines of communication beyond email such as regular phone updates, and encouraging regular face time through methods like web conferencing and in-house social media to boost staff visibility and presence. The importance of visibility for remote workers is supported by research conducted earlier in the year by the University of California and the London Business School that suggested that despite equal or better productivity by remote employees, supervisors might evaluate them less favourably simply because they are not actually seen. The familiarity of a face can be as little as it takes to foster the idea of staff reliability. Morris says that despite a slow start, flexible work arrangements such as remote work will play an increasing role in the labour force of the future. Its not even that people are looking for flexibility for the time to be at work or go home from work, he says. Its just that they want to be able to do things from home rather than be stuck in the office until 9pm. If they can leave earlier and go home and put their kids to bed, or do some gym work or something and then log back on, that means a lot to people, and is of benefit to the company, says Morris. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources brorGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchessocial worker advertsauditing jobs from homeadvertisement of teacher wantedsample of an advertisement of a new chemistsample adverts for asupport worker CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineMike KermodeRelated ArticlesBrowse moreFreelancerHabitsHow to Set Up Your Home Office A Simple GuideSetting up a home office that practical and functional can be a bit tricky. See our tips on how to create a hassle-free space that inspires motivationNew resources and infrastructure training program in rural NSWIf youre considering working in mining, agriculture, resources or civil infrastructure, there is a new training program being developed to qualify and prepare you for the workforce.StressWork/life balance10 Tips For Managing Your Stress At WorkThe server has crashed, youre filling in for colleagues that are sick with the flu, your boss doesnt seem to have time for your problems and an important deadline is looming. Wh en workplace stress is making you a ticking time bomb, heres what to do.

Write a Winning Sales Résumé in 6 Steps

Write a Winning Sales Rsum in 6 StepsWrite a Winning Sales Rsum in 6 StepsNot all rsums are equal. When a recruiter or hiring manager is looking at a schlussverkauf rsum, zu sich eyes naturally search for several must-have key elements that are unique to only the ausverkauf field. If she doesnt see them, its into the no pile you go.If you pick up a rsum of any top sales candidate, you wouldnt spend any time searching for the important stuff- results, achievements and notable awards- because it would be front and center. In theory, having a results-oriented rsum is a given. You probably already knew that. But how do you put this theory into practice? Check out these practical tips for sales superstars1. Hiring managers want to see numbers. Its simple. Numbers are easier to scan than words. Try to quantify everything that youve done and achieved. For instance, any great sales rsum will have some sort of variation of thisIncreased revenue by 10% in 3 monthsAchieved 110% of quota each qu arterRemember to contextualize your quantification. In other words, just stating generated $5,000 doesnt really tell the employer if thats above or below your goal.2. Hiring managers want to see awards. Awards set sales candidates apart. Make sure you include your awards above the fold, under each of your positions. Awards like Presidents Club, Achiever Club or Stock Option Award dont belong buried at the bottom of your rsum. Bring them up top so they can shine.3. Hiring managers dont care about your summary. Its nice to have one, but it shouldnt be a giant block of text acting as a barrier between your potential employer and your impressive achievements. Get to the point.Personally, Im not a huge fan of the summary section because I dont think its as important as the accomplishments, says Marie Cravey, executive recruiter at CyberCoders. But if youre going to include a summary, make it concise and interesting. One or two sentences max.4. What did you sell, who did you sell it to, a nd how much did you sell? When you get down to brass tacks, these are the three answers that any recruiters needs to know from your rsum. Dont make them work for it. Make it clear.One way to clarify what you sold is to include a company tag line underneath the name of your company. Many great candidates simply include the companys official branded tagline under the company name, Cravey says.Make sure you include both your clients and quantifiable results in the job description so that recruiters can easily figure out whom you sold to and how much.5. Hiring managers care about company reputation. If you worked for or sold to a Fortune 500 company, for instance, make sure the company name comes before your job title. It doesnt matter how senior you may be- your company is going to make a bigger impression for sales managers.Plus, they want to see whom you sold to. If some of your past clients include big names, include them in the job description. Many sales managers use an applicatio n tracking system to search for specific, reputable companies. If you include your prestigious clients, that manager will find you.6. Move most impressive achievements to the top and the left. Dont stick to any traditional rsum format. Education does not have to be first. In fact, many sales managers are much more interested in your previous results and awards than where you graduated from. Numbers count.If youve worked at a big-named company, figure out a way to bring it to the top. Condense the rest of your rsum to showcase your most impressive attributes.And never include dates on the right. Hiring managers eyes are naturally drawn to the left. Maximize that space for your company and job title.Ritika Trikha is a writer for CareerBliss, an online career community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. Check out CareerBliss for millions of job listings, company reviews, and salary information.

Help Motivate Employees with these Ten Tips

Help Motivate Employees with these Ten TipsHelp Motivate Employees with these Ten TipsHelp Motivate Employees with these Ten Tips RaoIt doesnt matter whether you are running a company, a division or a department. If the people who report to you and whose wertmiger zuwachs you manage are dispirited and employee motivation is low,enployee performance will be poor and you will get the blame. And here is the bad news Employee disengagement is at an all time high. The number of people who do not like what they do and would rather be elsewhere and preferably on vacation is legion.The good news is that it does not have to be so. You can make a difference. Here are ten tips to inspireyouremployeeswho determine your ultimate success1)Understand that leadership is a privilege. Too many bad bosses look on employee problems as an unwelcome intrusion on their time. They unconsciously wonder why the employee cant fix the problem on their own. Instead, treat each such interaction as an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with that employee and revisit the values you want them to hold to and display.2)Recognize that your reports are human. They are individual human beings who are driven by fundamental human urges. They also want to be happy and free from suffering. While you have to ensure that organizational goals are met, do so in the context of each persons personal learning and growth. Its your challenge to foster this its also where you should be spending a good chunk of your time.3)Be authentic. Dont use techniques. Countless methods espouse giving employees a pat on the back to make them feel good and encourage them to work harder. Perhaps. But disengenuous praise is at some level manipulative and neither of you will feel good about this.Generate employee loyalty by offering praise because it is a genuine expression of how you feel doing so will help magnify the results many times over.4)Work on yourself first and constantly. You cant teach someone to play bette r chess unless you are a darn good player yourself. If you want to inspire others you have to have found your own calling. Your goal is to get to the point where you no longer try to inspire others. You are vibrating at such a high frequency of self-assuredness that others are inspired simply by being around you.5)Consciously try, on every occasion and in every interaction, to raise the level of your employees consciousness both individually and collectively. Hold up a vision of what they are capable of doing and becoming and what, as a result of their efforts, the company can become. Do it often enough that it becomes a collective vision, not yours alone.6)Make sure employees can see first hand the value of what they are doing and the impact it has. The CEO of a hotel chain makes it a practice to invite guests who send in strong testimonials to visit again at their expense and meet the housekeeping staff. The manufacturer of a medical equipment company records grateful statements from patients whose lives have been saved by their devices and shares these video presentations at internal company meetings. Use your creativity to come up with your own methodology be sure that your method demonstrates the very real value and impact of your employees contributions.7)Ask, ask, ask I bet you have never done this. Ask each employee who reports to you what is one thing you can do to make their life easier. If at all possible, do it. If not, explain why you cannot and ask for another thing. Do this sincerely and see what a transformative effect this one action can have. Repeat in six months.8)Promote creativity. Procedures have their place in a bureaucracy but they also keep stultify creative impulses. Examine policies that have become entrenched and ask what would happen if you abolished them. Encourage your employees to suggest what should be eliminated and what should be modified. If this is a sincere effort, energy will flow and engagement will rise.9)Encourage par ticipation. Few things energize an employee mora than by inviting participation, creating a sense that they genuinely have a say in the conditions of a workplace. Democracy is not only a viable form of political organizing, it is also a great way to make companies thrive.Go to WorldBlu to learn how democracy can unleash creativity and innovation. Even better, apply for WorldBlu certification and see how you do. If you dont make it, learn what you have to fix so you succeed the next time around.10)Actively work to bring happiness to your place of work. Browse the site of my good friend Alexander Kjerulf for many tips on how to do this, including these suggestionsHigher productivity happy people achieve better resultsHigher quality because happy employees care about qualityLower absenteeism people actually want to go to workLess stress and burnout happy people are less susceptible to stressAttract and retain the best people people want to work for youHigher sales happy people ar e the best salespeopleHigher customer satisfaction happy employees are the best basis for good serviceMore creativity and innovation happy people are mora creativeMore adaptive happy people are much more adaptive and open to changeBetter stock performance for all of the above reasonsHigher profits for all of the above reasonsAuthor BioSrikumar S. Rao is the author of Happiness at Work Be Resilient, Motivated, and Successful No Matter What(Published by McGraw-Hill). He conceived Creativity and Personal Mastery, the pioneering course that was among the most popular and highest rated at many of the worlds top business schools. It remains the only such course to have its own alumni association.

Cover Letter Writing Tips

Cover Letter Writing TipsCover Letter Writing Tips