Friday, December 27, 2019

5 Signs of Low Employee Morale

5 Signs of Low Employee Morale5 Signs of Low Employee MoraleIf you need to jump into a time machine to recall the last time you communicated business goals or asked your team for feedback and really listened, you might want to take a look to see if your company suffers from low employee morale.Why? Because in an Accountemps survey, 37 percent of the workers polled said they thought their managers could do a better job at communication, and 31 percent listed recognition as something they wished for from higher-ups.See The State of the Manager-Employee Relationship slideshow, below.Impacts of employee moraleEmployee morale, aka the mood in your workplace, is high when workers are positive about their work environment. That leads to a boost in productivity, better relationships with team members and managers, greater staff retention, a stronger job performance and, yes, even laughter.Managers can learn to spot tauglichkeit issues with employee morale and deal with them head on before th e problem leads to an exodus of top performers. The first step is to take a look at five signs of low employee morale in the workplace - and ways to counteract it.1. Changes in attitudeIf you have unhappy employees on your team, it will show. Look for red flags - increased negativity, high or increased rates of absenteeism, or reduced cooperation or commitment. Checking in with workers on a regular basis will help you gauge employee morale and address budding problems.2. An active grapevineWhen communication is scarce, gossip, misinformation and conflict flourish. Even if you have bad news to share or dont have all the answers, honesty is still the best policy. The more team members can rely on accurate information, the less grist theyll have for the rumor mill. Good communication will help turn the negative into positive.Can you use some help to bring in some back-up support at your company?GET STARTED NOW3. Lack of initiativeUnmotivated employees go through the motions rather th an taking an active seat at the table. Foster an ownership environment in which people have the expectations that they should take the initiative, demonstrate leadership and solve problems in creative ways. Not only will that improve employee morale at your company, but it will help your workforce thrive in any kind of economy.4. Scarce rewardsStep up efforts to offer employee recognition with praise, low-cost awards and spot bonuses for accomplishments. Make rewards personal, and give them as soon as possible after an achievement to raise workplace morale and lower employee turnover.5. Poor performanceLow morale can quickly affect a teams quality of work. Signs of trouble include missed deadlines, an increase in mistakes or a decline in service levels. Ask your team members if they feel burdened by the amount of work they have to do. Take full responsibility for providing the support they need and creating a positive work environment. The Stat e of the Manager-Employee Relationship from Robert Half

Sunday, December 22, 2019

How to make your obsession with psychopaths productive

How to make your obsession with psychopaths productiveHow to make your obsession with psychopaths productiveWater cooler catch up timeis getting progressively stranger. The trend a couple of years ago when answering so what did you get into last night? was to say something like I watched a documentary about how they make the boxes that bonbons come in. Odd, sure but harmlessly odd.This year, however, is very quickly establishing itself as the year we normalize gushing over certified monsters. You know, I was really freaking out about turning 24 next month but then I remembered Teddy Bundy didnt commit his first murder till he was 27, so I have plenty of time to figure out what I want, you know what I mean?Were elend too far from the internet being hijacked by articles like Top 5 things Jeffrey Dahmer taught us about meal preparation. or Whichmember of The Memphis Three Are You? Take our quiz nowI get the idea. Its two-fold. On one hand, its fascinating for us non-murderers to get a p eek into the kind of things that have to go wrong to lead someone to use a machete as often as the rest of us use the word and. The other side of it is a sort of perversion of the power fantasy. The same way Superman is a you cant make me eat broccoli analog for little kids, what if I just murdered Dave from accounting? is a welcomed deviation from the pedestrian routine that clouds so many of our lives.It doesnt help that a lot of this stuff is marketed with that in mind.Making A Murderer could have been called Christ, he ate that part too? Why? Why would he do that? Dear lord. but Making A Murderersounds way cooler. Murderers are made. They have origins stories just like superheroes.I mentioned Ted Bundy earlier because hes the focal point of an upcoming biopic, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. In some ways, this is a poor example of the romanticizing-psychopaths phenomenon because sinister charisma was Bundys bread and butter he was something of a severed heartthrob. B ut even still, the way our interest in the upcoming film has manifested is a little alarming. I found myself bopping my head to the trailer and when it ended I said out loud Man. Murder rules so hard (thats on me to be fair).Its on all of us really. The criticism filmmakers are subjected to for making movies about real life villains seems a little unfair. Our interpretation aside, these people were and are compelling. The key may be to reboot what were supposed to take away from media that explores the psychosis of evil men and consider healthier alternatives to the feelings we habitually revel in when imbibing this stuff.Sam Harris, neuroscientist and prolific member of The Four Horsemen, frequently implores us to consider empathy in the face evil.A viable justification for enthusiastic repeat viewings of things likeMaking A Murderer, My Friend Dahmer,orMonster is allowing them to widen paths of empathy.Empathy for the sickness that plagues the individuals at their center and grati tude for the circumstances and brain that stand in between you and the same wicked impulses. You havent earned a pat on the back for correctly thinking of murder as an unthinkable thing, your biology does however, you are not the author of it, nor do you have a say in the way you function as a result of it.This doesnt mean the actions of deranged individuals should go untreated or unpunished, but we could stand to allow these tragic moments to reinforce gratitude for the pure accident of birth that makes us so repulsed by them.One of the victims of Ted Bundys madness is a woman named Kathy Kleiner. She survived his assault 40 years ago and recently spoke to TMZ about the release of the new film and the controversy surrounding it. She wants people to see the movie, but she urges they go in with the understanding that he was not a normal man. She hopes the glorifying portrayal is in service of teaching young women that not all sick men ramble about muttering to themselves in dirty ho usecoats.I think everyone should see it and understand him as what he was, even when he was the perfect son.Kathy KleinerAlthough I think by and large the implications of our new monster obsession are hyperbolized it might be a worthwhile exercise to make an effort to try and learn something from these ominous retellings. Thats true of all entertainment, really. Real or fictional ask yourself, what can I take away from this? I mean besides the appeasement of the morbid curiosities that live in all of us.Stop making coffee breaks so weird.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

18 Companies That Will Be Hiring Thousands in 2018

18 Companies That Will Be Hiring Thousands in 201818 Companies That Will Be Hiring Thousands in 2018 Didnt have the best luck with employment in 2017? Looking to switch things up a bit in the new year? Then go big These companies, most of them industry titans themselves, are looking to make big hires in 2018. The 18 companies on this list are snapping up employees in the thousands this year. Get in while the offer totenstill stands Where Hiring Seattle, WA Cambridge, MA Sunnyvale, CA Herndon, VA Chicago, IL and moraWhat Makes Them Unique Amazon has brought us many of the products and features we use in our everyday life, from Alexa and the Kindle to one-click shopping and detailed customer reviews. Amazon has pioneered a model of making shopping and selling as easy as possible for customers, while is why they call themselves Earths most customer-centric company, What Employees Say Dynamic work environment and exciting technology. Very structured and metrics driven performance evaluation process. Quarterly promotional cycles and plenty of career advancement and lateral move opportunities. Current Senior Cloud ArchitectWhere Hiring Atlanta, GA Lake Delton, WI Jacksonville, FL Franklin, TN Dayton, OH Charlotte, NC and moraWhat Makes Them Unique The Home Depot supplies the materials and items that many Americans use in their homes and gardens every day. The Home Depot has a strong commitment to diversity, and pride themselves on being an Equal Opportunity/M/F/Vet/Disabled Employer, as well as encouraging bilingual candidates to apply. In addition, the company values giving back, and each year donates millions of tools, supplies and volunteer hours to non-profits and community service projects. What Employees Say Awesome coworkers, fun to be involved, fast-paced so youre never bored, always mora to learn Former Customer Service SpecialistWhere Hiring Dover, NH Boston, MH Indianapolis, IN Rochester, NY Plano, TX Chandler, AZ and moreWhat Ma kes Them Unique Liberty Mutual provides insurance for cars, homes, casualties and more. Liberty Mutuals generous vacation policy earned them a spot on Glassdoors 2016 Top 25 Companies for Vacation and Time Off list. In addition, Liberty Mutual truly values giving back - this year, through employee donations and matching, over $18 million dollars in charitable donations were generated by the company. What Employees Say This company has lots of opportunity for growth, great benefits package, good pay, overtime opportunities, annual raises and bonuses. They also promote a healthy work/life balance with new changes theyve implemented such as working from home a couple times a week and flexible/variable shifts. Hard work is recognized, and they want to help you succeed and advance your career. You really get a sense that you areworking for a company that cares about you. Current EmployeeWhere Hiring Rosemead, CA Milton, CT Springfield, IL Honolulu, HI New Castle, DE Fairfax, VA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Panda Express is the largest family-owned American Chinese Restaurant concept in America, with over 2,000 restaurants in aller weltly. The Panda Restaurant group aims to foster a genuine family environment through their community-building activities such as Dragon Boat Races, Panda Cares charitable events, athletic competitions and fun runs. What Employees Say They have great pay and benefits. You have an opportunity to move up in the company. Great values as a company overall. Former Assistant ManagerWhere Hiring Los Angeles, CA Cleveland, OH Orlando, FL Philadelphia, PA Milwaukee, WI Morrisville, NC and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Deloitte is one of the largest and most established consulting firms on the map, with 80,000 employees in the U.S. Deloitte has powerful influence, both on a local and global level. You dont need to get elected to public office to advise government agencies on improving access to health care. And when it comes to tackling climate change, you can be a factor without being a climatologist, the company touts. What Employees Say Great company to work for The sky is the limit in terms of career growth potential. You are in charge of your career. Free coffee as well. Former Solution EngineerWhere Hiring Cherry Hill, NJ Santa Rosa, CA Newport News, VA Louisville, KY Greensboro, NC Baton Rouge, LA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Kohls is a leading specialty department store with almost 1,200 stores around the U.S. Kohls is famous for their employee discount, which hovers at 15 percent most of the year, but can be maximized with coupons, like the family and friends discount. In addition, on a few days throughout the year, the employee discount rises to 35 percent, as well as holiday discounts. They also stand out among department stores for their health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, as well as 401(k) support. What Employees Say Everyone is very supportive. Work is like family. Flexibl e schedules. It is a fun environment. Motivated coworkers. When dealing with difficult customers, management is more than willing to step in and help out. Former Fine Jewelry SpecialistWhere Hiring Macon, GA Frederick, MD Glendale, CA New York, NY Dulles, VA Dallas, TX and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Geico is the U.S.s second-largest private passenger auto insurer, and employs more than 38,000 associates across the country. The company values promotions and tries to help employees build their careers with fast-track management development programs. Associates average 3 promotions within the first 5 years, and almost 80 percent of the management team started in entry-level careers.What Employees Say Easy to move up and get raises if you try. Nice and friendly environment. Stress-free and great work-life balance. Current Interaction DesignerWhere Hiring Austin, TX Mason, OH Winston-Salem, NC Schaumburg, IL Miami, FL Portland, OR and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Whole Foods disti nguishes themselves from other grocery stores with their attention to where food comes from, how its grown, and who its going to, taking care to stock and promote a wide variety of natural and organic products. Their pledge to give five percent of their total net profits back to their community truly makes them stand out among other grocers. And besides, how many companies offer positions with titles like Full Time Cheese Buyer ? What Employees Say Whole foods as a company has a great history, values, and culture. I love the culture that Whole Foods as an organization promotes and the values of truly caring for our environment, community and world. Pays well and great benefits if able to achieve full time. Current Customer Service EmployeeWhere Hiring New York, NY Arlington, VA Phoenix, AZ Dallas, TX Southbury, CT Baton Rouge, LA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique IBM is truly a multinational company, with operations in over 170 countries. The company is one of the largest employ ers in the world, with nearly 380,000 employees across the globe. IBM has fostered the careers of scientific trailblazers IBM employees have been awarded five Novel Prizes, ten National Medals of Technology and five National Medals of Science. The company is a true home for innovators. What Employees Say Excellent people, challenging and innovative work, cutting-edge technology, diverse work force Current Project ManagerWhere Hiring Brooklyn Park, MN North Haven, CT Sioux Falls, SD Tempe, AZ Denton, TX Westborough, MA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Target is an American household name, with over 1,800 stores and 38 distribution centers across the U.S. The company puts a strong focus on truly serving each community they are present in. Since 1946, Target has given five percent of its profits away through community grants and programs, which today equals millions of dollars per week. What Employees Say Going in at twenty I didnt expect to work at Target for an extended period o f time. What followed were the four best years of my professional career. You not only get to work with a wonderful team, but you get the chance to prove yourself. A lot of promotions are done in-house. Former Guest Service Team LeadWhere Hiring New Haven, CT Tulsa, OK Inglewood, CA Coconut Grove, FL Washington, DC Cincinnati, OH and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Bank of America is one of the worlds largest financial institutions, beloved and trusted by millions of Americans. Approximately 56 million U.S. consumers and small businesses are served by Bank of America. The company also scored a place on Glassdoors 2016 Best Places to Interview . What Employees Say Great team, integrity, awesome schedule with even greater benefits I always have a leader or peer to lean on and everyone wants to see you learn and grow in your role Current Relationship ManagerWhere Hiring Long Beach, CA Lakewood, CO Chicago, IL Lafayette, NJ Asheville, NC Alexandria, VA and moreWhat Makes Them Uniqu e Lowes has a truly broad reach over North America, serving more than 17 million customers per week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The companys hardware stores employ more than 290,000 people. Lowes puts a true focus on employee development, offering perks like tuition assistance and a strong employee assistance program . What Employees Say Great team environment. Helpful staff. Feels like family. Great benefits stock options and 401k. Current Assistant Store ManagerWhere Hiring San Francisco, CA Fargo, ND Redmond, WA Issaquah, WA Washington, DC San Antonio, TX and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Microsoft is a true trailblazer a tech giant that has shepherded the world into the digital age. Its no surprise that they made Glassdoors Best Places to Work list for both 2017 and 2018. The company also has strong, respected leaders - Satya Nadella, their current CEO, was on Glassdoors Highest Rated CEOs list of 2017. What Employees Say Lots of different opportunities for growth, interesting problems to work on, smart people to collaborate with. Current EmployeeWhere Hiring Denver, CO Durham, NC West Point, PA Elkton, VA Millsboro, DE Kenilworth, NJ and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Merck tackles health challenges across the health industry with their core mission to create a healthier future. Whether its pursuing original science in the laboratory, working directly with customers or manufacturing quality products, Merck offers a wealth of opportunities for employees who want to make an impact. What Employees Say This company offers great benefits, vacation time, and has a good sick day policy. I am proud of the many efforts to uphold the Be well motto. Current Member Service RepresentativeWhere Hiring Honolulu, HI El Segundo, CA San Antonio, TX Columbia, MA Columbus, OH Collinsville, IL and moreWhat Makes Them Unique AT&T is the second largest provider of mobile telephone services and the largest provider of fixed telephone service in the United States. The company prides itself in their commitment to diversity and inclusion, with 12 employee resource groups comprised of over 40 thousand members. What Employees Say Good Benefits, global company with room to move anywhere, abundant leaning/expanding education opportunities Former Customer Service Representative Where Hiring Tampa, FL Dallas, TX Palo Alto, CA Boston, MA Waltham, MA New York, NY and moreWhat Makes Them Unique McKinsey & Company is one of the worlds largest global management consulting firms. McKinsey serves private and public companies, governments, not-for-profits and non-governmental organizations. The company has made Glassdoors Best Places to Work list 8 times since 2009, coming in at 12 on 2018s list . What Employees Say I can proudly say that Im a member of one of the best recruiting teams. From recruiting administrators to management, they only hire the best and brightest. People truly support and care about your goals and rally behind yo u to help you achieve them. Ive made amazing friendships here Current Senior RecruiterWhere Hiring Montgomery, AL Aurora, CO Issaquah, WA Jacksonville, FL Cypress, CA Waltham, MA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Costco Wholesale is the largest wholesale club operator in the US. The company has a truly global reach as well, serving 64 million cardholders in countries from Taiwan to Mexico. Costco was one of the only companies to score a place simultaneously on Glassdoors 2017 Best Places to Work, Highest Rated CEOs and Best Places to Interview. In addition, the company has made an appearance on Glassdoors Best Places to Work list every year since 2012. What Employees Say Great benefits & good pay. I have been trained in several department in the building. Its a proud company and you will learn a lot about what the company is about, where they came from, & how they have grown and continue to grow. Current Marketing Representative Where Hiring Phoenix, AZ San Francisco, CA Hi llsboro, OR Boise, ID Folsom, CA and moreWhat Makes Them Unique Intel has immeasurably advanced the worlds computing power with their innovative technology and paradigm-shifting ideas. Intel boasts a team of over 107,000 employees across 58 different countries. Since 2010, the company has earned a place on Glassdoors Best Places to Work list 5 times. What Employees Say Great pay, benefits, profit sharing. Culture of integrity, respect and trust for employees. Can-do, get the job done attitude. Current Contract Manager

Thursday, December 12, 2019

How Far Back Should a Resume Go Tips from 5x Certified Resume Writer

How Far Back Should a Resume Go Tips from 5x Certified Resume WriterHow Far Back Should a Resume Go Tips from 5x Certified Resume WriterWhen it comes to writing a resume, many struggle with deciding how far back to go, what to include, and what not to include as part of your career history. I am an advocate of devoting the majority of the real estate on your resume to what happened in the past 15 years. In this article, Ill present the case for and against this stance, discuss some workarounds that might work for everyone, and throw in my two cents on what to include on LinkedIn. Why you might only go back 15 years on a resumeIn my experience, when readers (recruiters or hiring managers) abflug learning about roles that happened more than 15 years ago, and they see the dates associated with them, their brains unwittingly go down a rabbit hole.The rabbit hole is filled with questions like I wonder how old this person is? or I wonder how old their kids are? In my view, the rabbit hole is more of a human nature idiosyncrasy than an intentional age discrimination issue. Furthermore, whether we like it or not, age discrimination does exist. Limiting your resume to your last 15 years can help mitigate this barrier to hiring, demonstrate that your most relevant experience is recent and that youve kept up with current workplace trends. If your experience is older than 15 years but isnt vital or relevant to the role youre targeting, consider cutting it. (Whether or not you want to work for a company that doesnt value your years of experience is a topic for another conversation.) As an executive resume writer I strive to create a document that is timeless so that the reader does not know at first glance if my client is 35 or 75. How to show more than 15 years experience on a resumeFor many the idea of not including earlier experience, particularly when they perceive it as critical to who they are today, is a tough pill to swallow. In addition, there are times when earlie r roles lend additional credibility to a candidates skills or showcase some additional skill diversity that otherwise wouldnt have been known. The workaroundI am a huge proponent of including an Earlier Experience category when the experience from prior to 15 years enhances the narrative or story I have crafted. Here are 3 examples of this1) My client is a military vet and the armed forces experience will resonate with the reader.2) The job titles associated with my clients earlier experience show that they learned an industry from the ground up, indicating to the reader that they understand its quirks or nuances.3) When my client is trying to show their skills are transferable across industries, there is value in name dropping, as many times company names are enough to indicate a particular industry. How an earlier experience section worksThe process I follow when creating an earlier experience section that includes roles from 15+ years prior is as follows Earlier Experience Exampl e1 Identify Determine which roles, if any, advance or reinforce the story I am trying to tell.2 Synopsize Sometimes I dont include anything more than the name and job title, but if theres a noteworthy achievement, one line is more than enough to explain the point that makes this role worth including. 3 Remove Dates In my experience, removing the dates helps the reader bypass the previously-discussed rabbit hole.A caveat When a point from this Earlier Experience category is particularly noteworthy, Ill make sure to reference it in the summary section at the top of page one, a technique that informs the reader while also offering a tease to incent them to continue to the bottom of page two.Addressing ATS concernsWhile mucksmuschenstill searchable by many applicant tracking systems (ATS), earlier experience without dates might not get accurately parsed into a digital applicant profile. When I want ATS to accurately parse what Ive included in this section, I will in fact include the dat es but change the text color to white making them naked to the human eye on first glance and only unmasked when parsed into an ATS.However when dealing with ATS as the first job search point-of-entry (versus sending your resume to a recruiter or decision maker via email), my recommendation is to remove the dates altogether allowing the first 15 years of experience do the heavy lifting.Is your resume ATS friendly? Check it with JobscanHow far back to go on LinkedInPeople read LinkedIn differently than they do resumes. When a reader has been hooked by a headline and a summary section, they then need to go the extra mile and keep on clicking to read earlier experience. Keeping this in mind, when experience older than 15 years is crucial to advancing the clients story, I will include it along with the dates. If the experience doesnt add any huge value-add, Ill eliminate it and err on the side of working to keep someone timeless and avoid the potential for age bias as much as possible. A balancing actDetermining how far back to go on a resume and LinkedIn requires a delicate balancing act with human nature and age bias on the one side, and stories and career points that advance the brand or narrative you are looking to promote on the other. The workarounds Ive shared should help to achieve some of that balanceVirginia Franco is a 5X Certified Executive Resume + LinkedIn Writer, Coach and Storyteller whose documents are written for todays online skim readers and get interviews. She helps clients all over the world to tell their stories and test the job search waters often for the first time in years or after deciding to make a career change.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

What Absolutely Everybody Is Saying About What Are Skills to Put on a Resume and What You Need to Do

What Absolutely Everybody Is Saying About What Are Skills to Put on a Resume and What You Need to Do What You Need to Do About What Are Skills to Put on a Resume Before It Is Too Late First off, you have to discover the appropriate job offerone that fits with your professional interests and experience level. Producing a resume can be rather an arduous circumstance. Downloading somebody elses expertise will be able to help you see what you require, and will be able to help you brainstorm strategies to get there. Technical skills are either something youve got or you dont, but theyre always something which it is possible to learn. The Hidden Truth on What Are Skills to Put on a Resume You are dependable and dependable. In many instances, it is going to be simple to learn what skills you want to be thought about for the job. For example, if you submit an application for a Chinese-English interpreting job, you ought to be fluent in both languages otherwise you would just not q ualify for the position. To give employers a better idea about what youve accomplished, talk about the size of the group and the range of the projects you manage. What to Expect From What Are Skills to Put on a Resume? It is possible to find below a list of the greatest skills you may put on your resume based on the kind of job which you are applying for. Your skills ought to be complete now, and youll need to establish the format you wish to use to include them on your resume. Double-check if youre utilizing the correct abilities and experience keywords. Identifying desirable crucial skills is a must. The Hidden Treasure of What Are Skills to Put on a Resume Look through the work description and see whether any soft skills are mentioned. They, on the other hand, are not easy to quantify. They are a bit mora vague and open to interpretation. Naturally, certain skills can assist you alfruchtwein in any position. Your skills section stipulates a window into how much capa bility you are able to bring to the firm. Review their About Us page and see whether your soft abilities or attributes are aligned with the businesss core values. Its fast and simple to use. The Nuiances of What Are Skills to Put on a Resume If youre just beginning, you might want to distributionspolitik a larger emphasis on education and internships. Listing your skills provides a chance to showcase your abilities and experiences to prime employers for the remainder of your resume. Its ideal to be ready Should you need additional aid in determining what your finest skills are, look at registering for FlexJobs career coaching. The Foolproof What Are Skills to Put on a Resume Strategy The position posting will allow you to know precisely what you will need to understand about only the thing the employer is enthusiastic about hearing about. According to her, its also the reason putting your information just in the header or footer isnt a good idea. You currently have a lot of skills, therefore its just an issue of rounding them up and figuring out which ones result in the very best applicant package. In the event you have proofread the notice, after that you are able to let another person have a look simply to continue the safe side. A persons unique set of skills is among the many aspects of a resume. The ability to control your task flow and total assignments in time a part of project administration. You must keep your resume short and sweet, but still consist of enough excellent information to generate an impression. Once it means your skills are more in demand, additionally, it means there are a range of new tools you could need to learn to be able to build a thriving career. You have to mention the skills that are needed for a particular position. If you would like to showcase your organization skills, obtaining a tightly structured resume certainly helps. Soft skills on the opposite hand, are not simply useful across multiple industries , but are a terrific tool for standing out from different candidates who all possess the exact same hard skills. There are a few skills which dont necessarily belong on your resume, however awesome youre at them. If you set on your resume that you speak excellent French, once your experience is actually confined to 8th grade lessons, you face the possibility of interviewing with a person who spent a semester in Paris. The competitive climate of the work market has gotten to a fever pitch in the last few years. Before you submit your resume to make an application for work, take the opportunity to reassess and refresh your resume so that its going to provide you with the very best opportunity to have the interview. Read through it a couple of occasions and youll probably spot three or four vital skills mentioned repeatedly throughout the document. Vital Pieces of What Are Skills to Put on a Resume In the event the job description isnt making feeling of what sort of skills tha t the appropriate organization is on the lookout for then ask the hiring manager on your own. Sort by relevance If youre asking for a sales job, your prior experience for an auto mechanic isnt the most relevant. Hard skills have a tendency to be more technical, and each business or sort of job will often have its personal necessary set. Read the work description and figure out what sort of skills that the appropriate business is searching for. Understanding What Are Skills to Put on a Resume If youre not certain which skills that you want to share, consider your prior experiences. As soon as youre done Get rid of all of the skills you just have a simple grasp of. In the event the skills are of a specific type, they are sometimes bulleted or separated with commas. Some skills could be relevant while others arent. Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. Mainly because soft skills cant be easily taught. In most instances, your soft skills c an boost your hard skills. There are the hard, industry-specific abilities, and the soft skills which every job demands. The 5-Minute Rule for What Are Skills to Put on a Resume Therefore, if you come to an interview, the deficiency of Soft Skills may be one reason you werent chosen for the job. Hard skills can be classified in various ways, depending upon your job title. They are the ones that can tie most directly to the job youre seeking. Hard skills to put on a resume are things that you could do that are especially linked to the job in question or the industry youre going to be working in.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Workers Worry About Losing Their Jobs as Requirements Constantly Change

Workers Worry About Losing Their Jobs as Requirements Constantly Change While skills gaps grow in many verticals, workers already employed in those fields are stressed about losing their jobs as more processes are automated to meet the needs left by the lack of talent.However, technology wont solve talent shortages on its own, and companies need to focus on upskilling and reskilling existing employees to meet changing business needs if they hope to remain fully staffed.When workers are worried about their skills and qualifications in the face of a constantly evolving business landscape, their job wertmiger zuwachs suffers.Lack of confidence in ones skills can impact performance and prevent workers from reaching their full potential, says Darren Shimkus, general manager and vice president of Udemy for Business.Moreover, anxiety can even drive job seekers to lie about their qualifications. According to the2017 Skills Gap Reportfrom online learning marke tplace Udemy,26 percent of workers younger than 40have lied on their resumes or in job interviews.But its not all bad A Udemystudy on workplace stress found that many workers are responding to situation proactively, with half of workers spending their own money on professional development and many citing company-provided training programs as a form of stress relief.Reskilling to Meet Skill Shortages and Save JobsBusinesses have the bad habit of meeting new problems with old solutions. When an employees skill set no longer meets the needs of the company, employers tend to lay that person off. Instead, that employee could be trained to do a different job, or trained in the skills needed to maintain their current role.Companies need to rethink the way they approach training and bring learning and development into the modern age, Shimkus says. That means abandoning the traditional one-way push of mandatory, pre-scheduled sessions and putting employees in the drivers seat instead. Techno logies and job skills are changing so fast company leaders cant predict what each employee needs to learn at any given time. Thats why employees should be able to access effective, up-to-date training resources on demand whenever, wherever, and however they want to learn.The Softer Side of SkillsWhile traditional education tends to focus on concrete skills, in-demand soft skills are more difficult to quantify, and therefore, more difficult to teach. However, that doesnt mean it cant be done.I think many of us believe soft skills are baked into our personalities and are impossible to change once you reach adulthood, Shimkus says. This is definitely not the case. The brain is actually quite malleable throughout our lives.Employers should implement programs to nurture in employees the soft skills that will help them succeed in their roles.As the workplace evolves, hard skills will certainly change many will eventually become automated, Shimkus says. On the other hand, soft skills lik e problem-solving, critical thinking, and relationship-building will be the bedrock that keeps teams functioning. It would behoove companies to make sure theyre providing resources for developing both soft and hard skills.Learning Beyond the ClassroomEmployees that open themselves to expanding their skill sets should always be able to find a role in their company, even if their position is phased out or the skill requirements change.Tech workers have long been accustomed to continuous upskilling as programming languages evolve and new software versions launch, but that cycle is accelerating, Shimkus says. Staying current in a particular language or framework isnt enough for techies, and a narrow focus wont be enough for workers in other disciplines either. Gaining competency in skills beyond your current role is great insurance for future employability, especially as more and more job functions outside engineering require a baseline of coding or data analysis skills. When employers allow people to stretch into new areas, they may even be able to close their own internal skills gaps.The best way for workers to keep their skills sharp is to develop a positive attitude toward continuing education.Never stop learning, Shimkus says. When workers adopt a growth mindset and embrace lifelong learning, assimilating new skills isnt a source of fear and stress its just another part of the career journey.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

This is why elegance is better than winning

This is why elegance is better than winningThis is why elegance is better than winningMany years ago my wife whisked me away for my birthday to Anderson Valley, located near the coastal region of Mendocino County in Northern California. Our lodging was the Philo Pottery Inn, a charming little bed and breakfast that since closed down. Beyond the beautiful scenery, the primary purpose of our weekend was to attend a wonderful Alsace wine dinner at Scharffenberger Cellars.We dressed up for the event and were seated at a large table full of friendly strangers. As the evening unfolded, appetizers and tasty dishes were paired with outstanding wine selections.Then, at some point in the dinner conversation, a woman at our table ventured into politics. She made a very partisan statement, nodding affirmatively with the expectation that everyone agreed with her.Some at the table nodded in agreement. Others were silent. I was young, full of opinions and ready to joust.Spoiling for a fightI grew u p in a household of readers. My father, an administrative law judge and learned man, often held court at dinner time. Wed discuss current events, news and politics. I couldnt compete with my fathers expansive knowledge of history, but I enjoyed testing him on political issues.I grew to enjoy lively debate, however, I learned that its generally bad form to make partisan political comments to a table full of strangers. Its presumptuous and a little arrogant to drop political bombs among polite company. It puts people on the spot, and can turn a pleasant gathering into an uncomfortable evening.Unfortunately, when the woman at our table made her political remark, I immediately disagreed and challenged her.Well, things got interesting. Real fast. The woman was an accomplished attorney. I was a cocky law enforcement professional with a graduate degree. Before the dessert and aged hafen arrived, the woman and I were engaged in a heated debate.The fool chatters while the wise man listensMy wife rolled her eyes and slid across the table to converse with a quiet woman who seemed unimpressed with the political banter. But the most fascinating chap at the table was an elegant Irish gentleman. He had white hair, was impeccably dressed and nicht plussed by the political salvos being hurled back and forth. The gentlemans name was Guinness McFadden.My wife, who has far more common sense than me, stayed completely out of the political morass. Apparently, others tired of it as well and the table thinned.Mr. McFadden was queried at one point to offer his opinion. I recall that he raised an eyebrow and briefly shared a bit of his military background. Somehow, he managed to deliver a salient yet non partisan point. He smiled, fell silent again, and leaned back in his chair. He seemed content to let us exhaust ourselves.Later that night, back at the Philo Pottery Inn, I sensed my wifes displeasure. That woman should know better. You cant drop political bombs and expect everyone to agree with you, I reasoned. My wife countered with her observations about Guinness McFadden. About how dignified he was. Above the fray. Clearly capable of delivering trenchant, probably devastating insights that would have ended the debate. But he didnt. Too much of a gentleman.Mistakes of youthI was younger then. It took less to tease an argument out of me. I didnt understand that such debates were often of little consequence. People believe what they believe.Mr. McFadden obviously knew this. He had wisdom and much more life experience on his side. In fact, hes quite a remarkable guy. He turned down an Ivy League scholarship to attend the University of Norte Dame. He earned a bronze star in Vietnam. In Potter Valley, where he makes wine, he is also a pioneer in the Mendocino organic movement.As the years marched on, I often thought about our little weekend getaway to Mendocino County. Over time, I learned to stand down when someone tosses out provocative remarks or political state ments.I took a page from Guinness McFadden, with my wifes approval. I guess wisdom, like caviar, is an acquired taste. You need some experience and time to develop it.Wolves and monkeysPeople often say that mans natural inclination is towards violence and war. I remember a prozentsatz by the historians Will and Ariel DurantNo one ever wants to recognize the inexorable periodicity of war.Perhaps theyre right. In many ways men can be like wolves. They like to pack together, go on the hunt and fight. They respect strength and usually pick a leader of the pack.But men can also be like monkeys. They can form tight bonds, families and supportive networks. They can look out for one another and demonstrate great tenderness.A few years ago the Wall Street Journal carried an article that questioned whether man was innately violent. The article relied on some fascinating research with monkeys.Id like to think that mans deeper instincts, eventually, bend towards elegance, peacefulness, and love . Maybe thats why aged felons who get out of prison infrequently reoffend. Theyre older and hopefully wiser. All the piss and vinegar of youth is spent and the mind turns to more important concerns. Thoughts about purpose. Family. Legacy.Choose elegance over winningIf you want to please your spouse, impress fellow dinner guests and actually enjoy your dessert, heres some advice for you. Namely, three reasons why elegance is better than winning.1. You wont look and sound like a jerk. You might have all the answers and even be right, but sometimes you lose even when you win an argument.2. Winning rarely changes peoples minds. As noted above, people believe what they believe. Try convincing a Palestinian that Israel should exist. Or vice versa. Same thing with apologists and atheists. People become entrenched in their beliefs. Beating someone in a debate may feel good, but have you really influenced your opponent?3. Elegance transcends bias. It didnt really matter to me what side of th e political fence Guinness McFadden was on. I was far more intrigued and impressed with his kind demeanor, distinguished flair and friendly disposition. Not to mention the fact that my wife was more smitten with how he behaved at dinner, as opposed to my combative approach.I have nothing against wolves, but they do help illustrate my point. The next time you are tempted to jump into the fray, snarl your fangs and nip at the heels of your political opponent, take pause. Picture those amazing gorillas we see in nature films, sitting placidly in a lush rain forest, rocking their babies and grooming one another. Which better illustrates what we should strive for?Guinness McFadden already figured this all out. Thanks to his example, my wifes gentle reinforcement and the mellowing refinement of time, Im starting to figure it out, too. Elegance is better than winning.Before you goIm John Weiss. I draw old school, handcrafted cartoons and write about life. Get on my free email listherefor t he latest cartoons and blog posts.Thisarticlefirst appeared on Medium.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Win Friends and Influence People at Work

How to Win Friends and Influence People at WorkHow to Win Friends and Influence People at WorkYouve probably heard of Dale Carnegies book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, but have you read it? Probably leid (although many people have). If you have read it, have you applied the principles in the book at work? While friendship isnt necessary for the office, it sure is a better place to work in when everyone gets along. Here are three of Carnegies principles about how to win friends and influence people adapted to the workplace. Use these ideas so you can know how to win friends and influence people at work. Become Genuinely Interested in Otherbei People That water cooler chit-chat wont help you if your focus is always on you. I did this, or Heres what I think about that, is often how people talk. People love to talk about themselves. But, if you can switch that interest and become genuinely interested in other people, youll become someone people want to be with, and youll be able to selectively influence people on factors that are really important. Remember, you already know everything there is to know about you, so dont waste your time talking about you and your ideas. While its not appropriate to get too personal in the office (especially with people over whom you have hire/fire/evaluation power), it is appropriate to find out about their outside interests and use that information to build relationships. For instance, Hey, Karen, I saw that the Dodgers won last night. You must be thrilled This is a simple statement. Its not personal, and its not invasive. But it tells Karen that you care enough about her to know what her favorite team is and its important enough to you that you paid attention to last nights game. You should know peoples marital status, how many children they have, and the general health things.No, you dont need to dig into their personal business, but giving an employee or a coworker a small, inexpensive gift for her babys first b irthday will put her over the moon with her thoughtfulness. When John tells you that hes stressed because hes had to move his grandmother to the nursing home, inquiring as to how his grandmother is every few months can show you care. While all the above are critical to building a good relationship, you also need to focus on specific work-related tasks. Of course, you follow up on projects that you assign to others or with people who need to provide you deliverables, but if you want to build relationships, youll need to go a step farther. Along the same lines as the personal information, ask questions about how things are going for others, but in an Iminterested manner, not an Im telling you what to do manner. Here are several examples of good and badly expressed interest. Good Examples of Expressed Interest I saw that you were handed the Jones project. Congratulations, youll do an awesome job. Hows it going?Hey, have you decided on a vendor yet for the Jones project? I saw the p resentations too and wondered which one you thought was the best fit because Ill probably need something similar later this year. Bad Examples of Expressed Interest Have you got everything under control on the Jones project?Who is your vendor for the Jones project? In the good examples, youre demonstrating that you think your coworker is a capable worker. In the second, you sound like youre trying to become the anfhrer and second-guessing their ability to handle the job. Always congratulate people for jobs well done, and offer help and sympathy when appropriate. This doesnt mean that you have to take over and do extra work- your job is still your job and their jobs are still their jobs- but you do want to let people know that youre available. Let the Other part Think That the Idea Is His or Hers This may seem antithetical to getting ahead in the workplace, but its actually the key to success. If you want your ideas implemented, the best way to do that is to have senior peopl e think that they thought it up. But what advantage is there to let your peers or direct reports think they thought up your fabulous ideas? Well, remember, this is about making friends and influencing people at work. You want them to feel good about themselves, and theres no better way than congratulating them on an awesome idea. Its winning all around- you get everything accomplished that you wanted to do (influence) while having everyone else love you (winning friends). This strategy can be a bit tricky, and you cant just say, Jane thought of that. But, if youre in a meeting, discussing a project, you can steer the conversation toward assigning credit. Heres a sample dialogue. Boss Were really having difficulty pinning down the finance team to get the right projections before we have to submit our headcount projections for next year. You Working with finance is tough. Like you were saying yesterday, Kevin is the key person for contact here. We should go ahead and set up a meeting with Kevin. If we can get him on our side, it will be possible to get the whole team working on this. Now, your claim shouldnt be a complete fabrication. Your boss has undoubtedly mentioned Kevin before, and youre taking it to the next level. The boss will feel silly if she says no to the Kevin idea since she was the one who said he was the key to this success. The result is, you get your idea implemented, your boss feels good about herself, and finance gets the right numbers to you on time. Begin With Praise and Honest Appreciation This is not a feedback sandwich. If you dont appreciate the work others have done you will come across as fake and manipulative. Fake praise is more damaging than no praise. So, you have to switch your brain to start appreciating the work other people do. If you think about it, you can make a list of a ton of things people do that make your life easier. For instance, the person who starts the coffee pot before you get in, the admin who keeps your cal endar straight, and the person who maintains the client database all do jobs that make your job significantly easier than it would be otherwise. This is also true of the janitor that cleans and stocks the bathroom, the cooks in the company cafeteria, and the payroll department that ensures you get paid on time and accurately every single pay period. Many people dont stop and think about those people, and as such dont appreciate them. But, once you think about it, you can show appreciate them. So, start by saying thanks to the janitor every time you see her. Make a point to use her name. If you dont know it, find out by introducing yourself, Hi, Im Jane. I see you all the time, and Im afraid I dont know your name. Dont worry if the same person has been cleaning the office for three years and youve never asked. Now is the time to act. There are 27 other principles in Carnegies book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, but hopefully, these three will give you the kickstart you nee d to make your life at work better. - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journalist specializing in Human Resources. Suzannes work has been featured on notes publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider and Yahoo.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Differences Between a Bookkeeper and an Accountant

The Differences Between a Bookkeeper and an AccountantThe Differences Between a Bookkeeper and an AccountantBoth bookkeepers and accountants deal with the financial transactions of a business. Historically, the key difference between the jobs has been that a bookkeeper has recorded financial transactions while an accountant has analyzed and drawn conclusions from those transactions. Shifting Roles As financial transaction software has proliferated and improved, businesses are seeing less of a clear-cut line between the two jobs. Bookkeeping software can now do things that only accountants did, such as generate profit-and-loss statements, and it can enable bookkeepers to more easily carry out new functions for a business, such as paying employees. Business executives want to be able to obtain financial information at any time and in any place, so bookkeepers and accountants are both often tasked with sending info to their mobile devices. Different Skill Sets Even with such adv ances in technology, businesses, particularly those of a substantial size, are totenstill likely to need the help of one or more experienced accountants and bookkeepers, with somewhat different skill sets, for years to come. Key Differences Between Bookkeeping and AccountingBookkeepingAccountingMain Duties ResponsibilitiesInvolves identifying, measuring, and recording financial transactions. Keeps the records organized.Involves summarizing, interpreting, and communicating those financial transactions. Keeps track of a businesss financial situation and conveys facts and opinions to the businesss owners and executives.Analytical Skills Necessary?Doesnt require much in the way of analytical skills.Must be able to analyze data and draw conclusions from them.Responsible for Financial Statements?No, not typically.Yes.Source Flatworld Solutions The Role of an Accountant Another important distinction between the two jobs is that an accountant designs or purchases and manages the financ ial systems that a bookkeeper uses to record transactions. The everyday duties of an accountant vary depending on their specialization, which might be auditing, tax preparation, or estate/trusts, for instance. Accountants usually have a bachelors degree in accounting or a related field. They may go on to get a masters degree in accounting or a master of business administration that focuses on accounting. Becoming a certified public accountant (CPA) is the most important early achievement for an accounting professional. However, not all accountants are necessarily CPAs. There are other types of certifications, such as certified internal auditor (CIA) and certified management accountant (CMA), as well as perfectly good accountants with none of those certifications. The Role of a Bookkeeper A bookkeeper usually does not need a bachelors degree to land a job. They record financial transactions for businesses, typically using database and spreadsheet programs that have been selected and set up by an accountant. Basically, a bookkeeper records all the money flowing into and out of a business. A bookkeeper may also issue checks, prepare invoices, and create reports on taxes, expenditures, profit and loss, and cash flow. In a large firm with many employees, a bookkeeper may specialize in a particular area, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, or auditing.