3 reasons you need a vacation (and the example it sets for employees)

3 reasons you need a vacation (and the example it sets for employees)3 reasons you need a vacation (and the example it sets for employees)Many leaders love the work they do and dont feel a need to take a vacation or time off in order to get away. Theres nothing for them to get away from In fact, a new Harvard study shows that CEOs worked 70 percent of vacation days with an average of 2.4 hours on those days. While its wonderful to be passionate about your work, its also important to fully take a break in order to recharge.Additionally, vacation is not just about you taking time off will help your employees step up as well as create a culture of wellness in your organization. Read on for three reasons to start planning your summer vacation right now.You will gain clarityIf you are always working with your nose to the grindstone, you never have the chance to look up and gain perspective. This leads to a narrow view and could cause you to miss out on big opportunities because your brain is on a single track. I believe you need to create space in order to have space to create, meaning you arent able to give your best, creative input until your mind can relax from the constant busyness of your business. Tony Gauda, CEO of threat security firm ThinAir, adds, When I come back from vacation, Im fresher, productive and more efficient.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreGauda also acknowledges that it can be difficult for leaders to step away. The way I convince myself to take a break, and how Id advise others to do the same, is reminding yourself that rest is a performance enhancement, not an inhibitor, Gauda shares. Taking vacations prevents burnout, physically, mentally and emotionally. Being away from your business will give you time to miss it and rekindle the passion that caused you to start the business in the first place. When you return home, youll be full of e xcitement and new ideas.Your gruppe will step upTheres nothing like being away to show all the gaps you were filling. When you are no longer there to save the day (or anticipate and fix things before the day needs saving) there will inevitably be balls that drop. This is actually a good thing. Seeing the gaps in roles and coverage will make the company stronger and create better coverage for the future. Once you return, take a look at the tasks you effectively delegated before your departure. Can any of them be permanently delegated? Often they can, and it takes us being away to fully trust this. Delegate as much as you can and use the extra time for strategic thinking and partnerships.Taking time away also allows your team to step up. Experience is the best teacher, so when team members face a perplexing, anxiety-inducing dilemma, they are going to think, work, strategize, and solve that problem. Theyre going to learn how to function without the constant presence of their leader. T hats good for them and you, says Neil Patel, cofounder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, and KISSmetrics. Seeing who takes initiative and rises while you are away is also useful come promotion time. Make sure to check in with a manager, or another leadership team member, upon your return to learn who performed well (and didnt).You will emphasize a culture of wellnessTime away from the office can benefit all employees, and that example starts at the top. If employees see their leadership never taking a day off and working nights and weekends, they will assume they need to as well. It starts with you and leading by example will help confirm to your employees that vacations are encouraged. In the constant talent war, benefits like time off (and a culture that encourages that) go a long way in recruiting and retaining employees.Aron Ain, CEO of workforce software Kronos, went so far as to implement an unlimited vacation policy in his company. The results were astounding. In the first year of the policy, employees took 2.6 more days off on average than the prior year. From a financial standpoint, it was our best year ever. I dont think thats a coincidence, Ain shares. Employee engagement scores improved as well. Showing that your company values time off will also make employees more motivated and productive knowing they have the ability to take a vacation will encourage them to get their work done. Giving and encouraging vacation time helps retain employees as well as create a culture that values wellness, happiness, and productivity.In a world where we are online 24/7 and constantly accessible to work, the need for time off cannot be over-estimated. As the head of your company, its your responsibility to be the best leader you can be. This includes taking a vacation. Not only will you gain mental clarity and come home with new ideas, but you will also highlight the gaps you are filling that need to be accounted for. Additionally, you might even find that things you delegat ed for your time away can be permanently delegated freeing you up to lead.Most importantly, taking time away from work shows all other employees its okay to do so and that the company values it. A culture of wellness leads to increased engagement and less turnover. This summer, do yourself and your company a favor by taking some well-deserved time off.More than just a bestselling author, Sue Hawkes is a keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified geschftsleben Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, award-winning and globally recognized seminar leader, and an entrepreneur. She is CEO and Founder ofYESS Your Extraordinary Success Strategies, and brings over 25 years of experience to her clients. Hawkes is also a wife, mom of three, and a bulldog owner. She likes to stay active in her free time and get out of her comfort zone through adventure travel. Connect with her onTwitter,LinkedIn,Instagram,YouTube, andFacebook.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make y ou happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Why the theory behind SoulCycles newest workout should be applied to your career

Why the theory behind SoulCycles newest workout should be applied to your careerWhy the theory behind SoulCycles newest workout should be applied to your careerFor most of us, the speed of go-go-go is pretty much the status quo. It is true at work and often the minute we leave the office. And usually, it is true of our workouts. After all, the rise of boutique fitness was built on the concept that they get you in and out within an hour and sweat and burn as many calories as possible so you can get back to the next part of your day.That is why it is so interesting that the uber-popular spin workout SoulCycle just launched a class that is all about letting your heart tarif completely drop so you can recover before you move on to the next challenge (which in this case is pushing against a lot of resistance at a high speed).It is called SoulActivateand though you are still on the bike and listening to awesome music, this is actually very different from a typical 45-minute classic SoulCyc le class.Pushing yourself to recoveryIn the standard SoulCycle class, the goal is to keep your heart rate up the entire time. In Activate, which is a full hour, it combines the intense cycling with strength training utilizing both light and heavy weights during multiple arm series, timed heart rate variation and then something different Intentional recovery.This portion is designed to work the bodys various energy systems and ultimately burn fat and build endurance. You are pushing extremely hard but then allowing yourself to recover. You take a break.As someone who tried the class and is a regular SoulCycler (the word addict has maybe been used a few times), I can say that this felt significantly different from a regular class and it also felt awesome. But it did take some getting used to as running at top speed with no breaks is what I am used to.Christina Phillips, a Senior SoulCycle instructor and one of the instructors for SoulActivate, said the new elements that have been inco rporated including high-intensity timed intervals, heavier weight training and less focus on the rhythm with more focus on resistance forces riders to dig deeper, mentally and physically, and push even harder, but also intentionally recover and find strength in the calm moments.These recovery moments almost become meditative amongst such demanding elements of the class,Phillips added. This is also great practice for outside the studio walls, finding strength in your calm and power when you need it the most.Taking breaks is beneficialIn a society wheremore than half (54%) of Americans didnt take all their vacation days last year, the idea of taking a moment whether it is a walk outside or bedrngnis eating lunch at your desk is foreign to some but it can have real benefits. A study found that watching an entertaining video or even looking at nature for one minute can improve employee performance.Stephen Covey writes in the7 Habits of Highly Effective Peopleabout the sharpening the saw theory in which if the woodcutter never takes a break and just keeps cutting wood his saw will only get duller. He needs to pause and sharpen the saw so he can get more done.Phillips said, My hope is that riders leave feeling grounded, stronger and connected to their inner athlete, empowered by their efforts and ready to take on any challenge that comes their way.Sounds like a good way to approach your work as well (just leave the spandex at home.)

Science says acting like a baby is a natural painkiller

Science says acting like a baby is a natural painkillerScience says acting like a baby is a natural painkillerMany parents have used the phrase, If youre going to act like a baby, Illtreat you like one, and science suggests that that actually might be the key tokilling pain. They may not be the toughest types of people, but theres evidence that babies might have the best strategies for managing pain and discomfort.Crying, whining, and other audible expressions of anguish not only help babies call for help, but also make people of any age feel better. So if your back hurts, the following studies make a scientific case for being a baby about it.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreSaying ow is a natural painkillerWhen researchers submerged 56 adults hands in ice water, they found that participants were able to tolerate the pain much longer if they vocalized it. A simple vocal act such as saying ow helps individuals cope with pain. Participants tolerated a noxious stimulus longer when vocalizing than when being silent, study authors wrote inThe Journal of Pain. Scientists suspect that the results arent limited to the stimmt genau ow or buckets of ice water, but that theres something about a person broadcasting their pain that makes it more tolerable.Making other noises of distress helps, tooAudible sounds might help to reduce pain because in order to make noises people need to use muscles that activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Muscles that raise the lower ribs and help to produce sound might also be instrumental in moderating pain, research suggests. Other studies indicate that deep breathing can also activate these muscles in order to make aches and pains more manageable. Still, its so much more fun to scream.Crying like a baby makes everyone feel even betterLike screaming and yelling, crying has been found to stimulate the nervous system in similar wa ys, which helps people relax. Acting like a baby - by sobbing - comes with added scientific benefits, as well. Crying releases endorphins while helping people to shed harmful stress hormones. Finally, tears lubricate the eyes so people can actually see more clearly when the emotional rain is gone. Women cry aboutfive times morethan men a year,on average, andfor about twice as long, but it might not be because theyre sad guys might just be missing out.Swearing can age this up a littleIf screaming, crying, and saying ow feel too juvenile, dads can achieve similar pain management effects with the help of their favorite expletives. Anotherexperimentdemonstrated that swearing helped people keep their hands submerged in ice water, but not just because they were making noise Scientists suspect that swearing, specifically, made people feel more aggressive, and aggression has been linked with higher pain tolerances. Thats why swearing is a necessary part of stepping on a Lego.Being a baby makes people feel taken care ofWhether people opt to scream, cry, or swear, letting people know that theyre in pain is an important primitive response thats meant to signal the need for help. Human beings start doing this as newborns and research shows that how caretakers respond has a direct effect on how their brains develop. As they grow up, such audible signals that theyre hurt might create a conditioned response or a placebo effect that helps soothe pain whether people attend to it or not. So stop suffering in silence and go ahead and act like a baby. At least youll be a happy one.This article originally appeared on Fatherly.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Solar Power Gets a Charge

Solar Power Gets a Charge Solar Power Gets a Charge Solar Power Gets a ChargeSolar energy keeps advancing from a technological standpoint but the question of cost is still a big one. Song Jin, professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, says solar cells and bypassing electricity can go hand in hand to offer a possible solution, and his teams device combines a solar cell with high-capacity storage.Jin is part of a team whose mission is to make this solution happen, with the help of the redox flow battery, which generates electricity through a geschmolzen electrolyte tank and, he notes, is much cheaper than building a battery pack. Changing the mechanical state of the electrolyte causes a reduction in oxidation, which is why they call it a redox flow battery, he explains.People are looking for large storage that is cheap or scalable enough, but how do we go to scale? he says. Lithium ion batteries might work well for electronics but were talking about utilizing th e sun at night for your house. The reflow is a cheap opportunity because you want to have capacity for the electric grid.The team went with the thought that one doesnt need to separate solar cells and full batteries.A new solar-charged battery stores energy from sunlight in a tank. Image David Tenenbaum / University of WisconsinWhy not just have one device to get solar power and put it into chemical energy? You still have flexibility and you can take electricity out without charging the battery, he says. Having such devices will give one-stop solutions if you want to harness solar energy. In the daytime, when you dont use energy, charge liquid and electrolyte in the tank, store it in the tank, and use it to regenerate electricity. What we did is easier than the method of water on hydrogen. With hydrogen, you have to store it in a storage device. My point of view from a chemistry perspective, this welches a solution that was better. Maybe theoretically you want to have as high a stor age capacity as hydrogen, but you have the negatives.The device uses silicon solar cells, which are put in a chamber and the cell converts energy and the electrolyte is charged, he says. He points out it also sends energy to the electrolyte of the battery right away.But if you wish to not go into the battery and just draw electricity out, you could easily do that, too, Sing explains. The key is you want to store energy for nighttime use when you have a higher demand for electricity. It will give more direct, more efficient, simpler, and hopefully a cheaper solution. The battery for the electric grid, if you want to use electricity with a solar cell, the electrolyte goes back from the tank, back into a container, and the chemical reaction will happen and that will send the electrons out, for light for a light bulb as just one example.Though Jin says there are a number of improvements to make in the areas of efficiency and putting in stabilities, he says there is a good chance that th e next few years will see above 10 percent efficiency.Its still too early to say how much money it could save, he says, but it definitely has the potential to be a helpful boost for using solar energy.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion The key is you want to store energy for nighttime use when you have a higher demand for electricity. It will give more direct, more efficient, simpler, and hopefully a cheaper solution.Prof. Song Jin, University of Wisconsin at Madison

Office Manager Resume A 10-Step 2019 Guide With Samples Examples

amtsstube Manager Resume A 10-Step 2019 Guide With Samples Examplesbro Manager Resume A 10sGreat leaders dont set out to be a leader they set out to make a difference. Its never about the role, always about the goal. - Lisa HaishaAn sekretariat managers work revolves around administering, supervising and managing the entire gamut of amtsstube operations.As sekretariat managers go about organizing day-to-day arbeitszimmer work, similarly, their resumes need to be in an organized fashion as well.If you are seeking a job as an arbeitszimmer manager, then an organized geschftszimmer manager resume is what youll need to help you land one. A well-structured schreibstube manager resume is one which is divided into sections, making it easily readable by the recruiter.According to Study.com, on an average, almost 270,000 arbeitszimmer managers are employed every year, with most of them being bachelors level graduate. Hiring prospects in this profession will see an increase of 8% in the comin g 6 years, which is more than the average of other professions.The main responsibility of an bro manager is to support the staff and manage the administrative team.They also manage the database and organize meetings. In addition to this, they book accommodation and transport whenever needed. An amtsstube manager also organizes conferences and company events.We can understand if it gets difficult to showcase each and every thing in your office manager resume. But dont worry - you dont necessarily have to.Due to the growing need of office managers across the entire spectrum encompassing hospitality, financial institutions, universities, and of course, corporates, hundreds of applicants apply for a handful of vacancies.There will be a consistent growth in the profession of office managers as they are being increasingly required by local authorities, charities, central government, etc. to ensure efficient office administration. geschftszimmer Managers also work through a number of admin istrative, managerial and financial duties.After reading our 10 Step 2019 Guide to Resume for Office Manager, along with an office manager resume sample and office manager resume examples, youll be able toHow to scan the office manager job description for resumeList your job responsibilities in an effective wayShowcase the right office manager skills in office manager resumesDecide whether you need an office manager resume objective or office manager summary...All so you can make a job-winning office manager resumeYou can use Hirations Online Resume Builder to effortlessly make your resume for office manager.If you want to make your office manager resume on your own, then this 10-step guide is going to be the only thing you need to make a job-cracking office manager resume.Further, to gain more clarity on office manager resume making, refer to the office manager resume sample given below.Besides this, after youre done making your office manager resume, you can get it professionally reviewed by experts at Hiration.In this exhaustive guide, well broadly be covering the followingComplete Sample Resume for Office ManagerIn case you simply wish to refer to a complete sample resume for office manager, you can do so here.In the rest of the article, well pick up each and every section (while keeping this sample resume in mind) for guiding you on how to proceed with the same.What is an Office Manager Resume Why Do You Need It?An office manager resume is a resume that shows how skillful a person is as an office manager.This office manager resume incorporates all the skills and responsibilities of an office manager and demonstrates it to the recruiter in a professional and organized way.An office manager resume will give the recruiter an in-depth knowledge of the level of efficiency you hold as an office manager.Nowadays, while seeking a job, the first step in reaching out to a recruiter is through a resume. If you dont have a resume, then there is no other way to conne ct with the recruiter.So, heres the dealHaving a resume will get you your dream job sooner.No matter whether youre using traditional ways or vermodern ways to get a job, a resume is required in both.An office manager earns approximately $8,000 in a month and those who are at a senior post with 10+ years of experience earn approximately $20,000 a month.So now you must be wonderingHow are salary and office manager resume related to each other?Well, they very much are. When you will send your office manager resume to the recruiter, s/he will get to know the number of experience you have for this post and will decide your salary accordingly.Keeping a well-maintained and properly organized office manager resume will show the recruiter how well you are at organizing things in general, which is an important skill for an office manager.You can also choose to make your office manager resume at Hirations Online Resume Builder for a smooth resume-making experience.Office Manager Resume - Roles ResponsibilitiesThe duties of an office manager include streamlining the office operations and improving existing processes. They direct payroll management supervise all correspondence, in addition to monitoring end-to-end clerical functions.Additionally, they also render key assistance in recruitment and on-boarding of employees, in addition to resolving their grievances and escalating critical issues.He/She prepares letters, reports, and presentations to show in the meeting.They play a major role in finalizing the budgets and additionally liaising with clients, vendors and suppliers.An office manager needs to have strong negotiation, organizational and relationship building skills.You can have your office manager resume reviewed by experts at Hiration to check your office manager resumes readability.A professional review will ensure that your resume for office manager is not only showcasing behauptung basic functions, but also highlighting your achievements around the same.Offi ce Manager Job Description For ResumeAn office managers job description often includes the following duties and responsibilitiesManaging office services by regulating office procedures and operationsAppointing and overseeing clerical operationsPreparing salariesAnalyzing and permitting supply requisitionSupervising correspondenceDetermining procedures for disposal, retention, transfer, protection, and retrieval of records while providing historical referenceDesigning filing systemsProviding office productivity by preparing and implementing office systems, equipment procurement, and layoutsDrafting and enforcing office policies by implementing procedures and standards while making needed improvementsAnalyzing the effectiveness of the set standardsThe office manager job description for resume also has the following set of skills which would be expected from applicants in generalSupply ManagementReportingInventory ControlTracking Budget ExpensesProcess ImprovementDelegationStandards De velopmentStaffingProcess ManagementRelationship BuildingOffice manager job description for resume plays a major role in the making of the office manager resume.When you post your resume for a job vacancy, your resume doesnt directly go to the recruiter. It is first scanned by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and then it goes to the HR. The ATS is programmed to scan your resume according to the job description.All the duties described in the job description and the skills mentioned in it are fed into the ATS. When you send your resume, the ATS scans it against the job description and gives a compatibility score.This compatibility score tells you how close your resume is corresponding to the JD of the job youre applying.Now, what you need to do is to include all the job responsibilities given in the job description in your professional experience section, while making sure that youre not blatantly copy-pasting your way to success.Include all the skills given in the job description, both in your professional experience section and key skills section.Now that being said, it doesnt mean that you will write all those duties in your office manager resume if you havent previously performed them. Also, dont unnecessarily include those skills if you havent worked around them or if you dont possess those skills at all.In the article ahead, we will tell you in detail how to include the job description in your office manager resume.How To Write An Office Manager Resume?Know thisThere is no rocket science behind writing an office manager resume.When you combine our 10-step guide with our state-of-the-art online resume builder, youll be done with your office manager resume before you can say Ola.If you follow unterstellung steps, then you will be able to make a professional office manager resume in no time.At the end of the article, weve provided a KEY TAKEAWAYS section which has some tricks and hacks to make your office manager resume stand apart from other office manager resumes.Make sure to go through the Key Takeaways to have an office manager resume that makes it impossible for the recruiter to not sit up and take notice.Also, Hirations Online Resume Builder has pre-filled office manager resume template which is ready to use for the next job listing you are targeting. The content in the template is professionally written by industry experts for you.Armed with an intuitive interface, our online resume builder is extremely easy to use. You can also edit and customize the content in the office manager resume template around your own professional experience and truly make the resume your own.Dont believe us?Go and make a professional office manager resume on Hirations Online Resume Builder today and see for yourselfOffice Manager Resume SectionsThe following sections will be included in the office manager resume in the same order as given belowHeaderPersonal InformationTitleSummarySkillsProfessional ExperienceEducationAwards and RecognitionCertifica tionsConferences and PublicationsStages of Writing a Resume for Office ManagerThe office manager resume is broken down into the following four broad level stagesCompilation ResumeMaster ResumeFirst Draft ResumeFinal ResumeCompilation Stage for your Office Manager ResumeThis is the first stage of making an office manager resume.In this stage, you will just collect all the information related to the above-mentioned sections at one place.By doing so, when you will proceed further in the process, then there will be no need to look for related information. Youll know you have all the required information in one place.Master ResumeThis is the second stage of making the office manager resume.In this stage, you will sanitize and write the professional experience section of your resume. This section requires the following information, so make sure you have it beforehand in the previous stage itself.Name of the CompanyLocation of the CompanyDates of joining the company and resigning/completio n of tenureDesignation HeldPoints listed in terms of importance for every professional experience sectionHiration Pro-tip Remember to save a duplicate copy of the master resume. By doing so, you can tweak your office manager resume as per every job description later.First Draft for your Office Manager ResumeThis is the third stage in the process of office manager resume making.In this stage, you will make your other sections of header, personal information, title, education, awards and recognition, certifications, conferences, and publication.Arrange this information in reverse-chronological order in terms of dates. Write the most recent one first, followed by the next profile, and so on.Hiration Pro-tip For a more in-depth explanation on following the reverse chronological format for your office manager resume, check out our guide on reverse chronological resume format.Now, only the last stage of your office manager resume remains, which is very important.The Final Resume for Offic e ManagerIn this fourth stage of your office manager resume making, you have to take care of three things.First, you will update your key skills section.Here you will write the skills given in the job description and the skills you acquired otherwise.Dont add soft skills, and dont add skills just because you found them in the JD of your target profile.Include only those skills which you have substantiated in the work profiles below.Secondly, you will write your office manager resume summary section.Here you will pick all the highlights of your career and put it in the office manager resume summary.The sentences in the office manager resume summary should reflect your contribution towards the organization.Dont just mention a list of skills in this section. Instead, showcase the concrete impact you can deliver in your next organization.Thirdly, bold and highlight all the key words/phrases and achievements in your professional experience, awards and recognition, certifications, confere nces and publications sections.Let us now see it in detail how to write these sections.Composing your Office Manager Resume HeaderStep 1 is to write an office manager resume header.A header is the very first thing that is written in your office manager resume. Long story short, it essentially consists of your name.So, the question now is Is it even important?The answer Yes, it is very important. It makes sure that your office manager resume has an individual identity of its own and that it doesnt get confused with someone elses office manager resume.The header should be the largest text in your entire office manager resume. The ideal point size of your header should be 16-20 font size, depending on the template you are opting for.Make sure you give proper spacing in your name in the header section for your office manager resume.Give a single space between your first name and your last name. Inconsistencies in spacing like that of no space or multiple spaces give an impression of bei ng careless.Hiration Pro-tip It doesnt matter if a comma is off or if the spacing is not right. What the recruiter will think is if you cant make a one pager document, about yourself, without any errors and inconsistencies, its unlikely that youll be able to deliver on anything else.Also, for people who have a middle name, the correct way to write it in the office manager resume header is Kit C. Harington.There is no need at all to write your full middle name. Only write the first anfangsbuchstabe of your middle name and a full-stop after that initial.Before writing your last name, give a single space after the full-stop. Also, do not write nicknames in the header. Only write your original name as is mentioned in your official documents and professional platforms.To get more clarity on how to write a header, you can refer to our Guide to Writing the Resume Header for incorporating the same in your resume for office manager.Additionally, you can opt for Hirations Online Resume Builde r to make your office manager resume and get a perfect resume header. Our resume builder writes the header in a fixed font size and font face strictly as per the latest hiring trends.So, there will be no need to set the point size and font as they are all previously pre-defined in our Resume Builder.Well, what are you waiting for? Go and make your office manager resume at Hirations Online Resume Builder NowYour Complete Name in a Sample Office Manager ResumeOffice Manager Personal Information SectionStep 2 is making the professional information section.Now, as the name suggests, this section will include your personal information.Remember though, personal information does not include information around your religion, age and marital status.This section will include your personal mobile number, professional e-mail address and the current location of residence. And thats it.Personal Mobile NumberWrite that mobile number on which you are available 24x7. If you have multiple mobile numb ers, then dont think of adding all of them in the office manager resume. Write only one number out of them on which you are always available.Also, there is a particular way in which one needs to write the number. You will write the number on the left corner of the page, right below where you wrote your office manager resume header.Always remember to write the International Subscriber Dialing code (ISD code) of your country first. Add a plus sign (+) before the ISD code.After writing the ISD code, write your mobile number and give a single space after the first five digits of the mobile number.E-mail AddressThe second thing to write is the e-mail address. Make sure you write that e-ail address which you use almost daily. This is one of the ways through which the recruiter might contact you. Do not use unprofessional names like hothunkxyz.com.Make proper e-mail address name like kit.haringtonxyz.com. Having a professional-looking e-mail address reflects your professionalism. Also, mak e sure to write it in the center, next to the contact details.Current Location of ResidenceThe last and third thing that you will include in your professional information section is your current location.If you are living in a city which is not your home town, then you will mention the city in which you are currently living. Not your home town.The location of your current residence helps the recruiter to know if you need to relocate or not in case you join that company.You will write the location of your current residence on the right corner, next to the e-mail address. Make sure you dont write the complete address - just the city and state/country will do.Hiration Pro-tip In case youre applying in the country of your residence, only mention the city/state. If youre planning to apply overseas, mention the city/country.You will just write your city name and the country pin. Below is the format to write the personal information sectionPersonal Mobile number Professional E-mail Addres s Current LocationIn addition to this, you can get your office manager resume professionally reviewed by Hirations industry experts to check if your office manager resume follows the standard format of your industry.Contact Information in a Sample Resume for Office ManagerCustomizing The Office Manager Resume Profile TitleStep 3 is customizing the office manager resume profile title section.A profile title conveys the position youve applied for to the recruiter.The title shows the recruiter how capable you are of performing in your field of expertise and what is the level of the same.You need to mention Office Manager properly in the profile title.Make sure it is the second largest text in your office manager resume with a font size of 14-16 points.Take a glance at the office manager resume example given above to get more clarity on how to write the profile title.You can also go for a professional review of your office manager resume which will be done by resume experts at Hiration to check whether your design is compatible with the ATS scanner or not.Profile Title in a Sample Office Manager ResumeThe Resume Header section containing the name, profile title and contact information in a sample Office Manager ResumeOffice Manager Resume Professional Experience SectionStep 4 is making the professional experience section.The professional experience is the most valuable section of the office manager resume. It shows the work history of the applicant.This section also gives the recruiter a zustrom down through your work history, giving him an understanding of the level of work you have done. Also, there is a correct manner of writing this section. The professional experience section is of a lot of significance for those applicants who have extensive work experience history.The below-given format should be used to write this section.Name of the Organization Designation Location (city, country pin) Dates (in mm/yy-mm/yy) formatSupply Chain Management Inventory Co ntrolManaging the supply chain operations of the firm in North America by leading a team of 20+ across the US CanadaExecuting supervising inventory controls standardizing ordering procedures to decrease expenditure by 25%Supervising the construction of 25 super-efficient defect free pan country model warehouses to serve as a role model for other warehousesCost, Speed Delivery OptimizationOrchestrating high impact business projects targeting cost, speed on-time deliveryOptimizing direct labor requirement in first mile hubs for ensured pan country direct cost savings of $1.5 MAlso, this is one of the sections where you will scan all the job responsibilities and duties mentioned in the job description.After looking through the job description thoroughly, you will include all those responsibilities in your professional experience section if youve ever performed them in your previous engagements.If not, then dont unnecessarily try to include them as only those things need to be wri tten in the office manager resume which you can substantiate later in the interview.Weve seen countless instances wherein the applicant decided to incorporate the JD in the resume without bothering to include only those things which he had actually done.Sooner or later, the recruiter can find out if you referred to the JD or not. Its better to be prudent now than to regret later.If you totenstill try to write them without having performed them previously then you might get in trouble. In the interviews, the recruiters mostly ask you questions around what you have written in your office manager resume.If you write something that you have never done before, then it will get difficult or next to impossible for you to explain it in the interview.So, be careful here.Buckets/Subheadings in your Professional Experience sectionWhen it comes to keywords, this is the section which forms the heart of the resume.Keywords are basically skills which needs to be written in the professional experie nce section.Make sure to not stuff your resume with keywords from the JD. The ATS is programmed to identify abnormal instances of compatibility and flags those resumes which show suspicious levels of the same.Make sure the relevant keywords are organically placed throughout your resume.The proper way to write them and ensure that you use them the maximum number of times is by making buckets/subheadings of these keywords and then again using them in the points below.For instance, in the above provided office manager resume example of the professional experience section, there are two buckets under which points are written. So, the two buckets are Supply Chain Management Inventory Control and Cost, Speed Delivery Optimization.Basically, these were the keywords taken from the JD, based on which we have made these buckets.Framing Points in the Professional Experience sectionLets come to the points in the most critical section of your resume.Now, when coming to the points, if youll not ice, weve again used these keywords in the sentences written below the buckets.So, including the keywords in these two places will surely get you lined up for more interviews than you can handle Organically placing keywords like this is the best way to optimize your office manager resume with keywords.Also, by using these keywords in the above-mentioned way, youll increase your chances of passing the ATS test.The ATS scans the keywords basically in the professional experience section and the skills section.Using these keywords in your office manager resume is the one and only way to pass the ATS test and get your office manager resume passed on to the recruiter.Regarding formation of the actual points in your office manager resume, we always suggest to go for the Princeton-recommended APRA format for framing your resume points.A.P.R.A - Action Verb + Project + Result = AccomplishmentEnsuring this structure in all your resume points will automatically give you an edge over 90% of the applicants out there.The idea is to properly showcase a tangible cause-effect relationship in all your contribution points. This will elevate you from someone who was just following orders, to someone who took charge and contributed to the organizations growth.Have a glimpse at the sample office manager resume above to get greater clarity on how to add all the information in your work experience section.Professional Experience section showcasing the usage of buckets/subheading and APRA-based resume points in a sample resume for Office ManagerOffice Manager Resume Education SectionStep 5 is writing the education section.Education section is another most important section in the office manager resume. It gives information around your qualification like the university/school you attended, courses you pursued, dates of enrolling and graduating along with their locations and CGPA acquired.The below given format is used to write this sectionName of the school/university Name of the degr ee CGPA Location Dates (in mm/yy-mm/yy)This section is one of the deciding factors on which the recruiter decides whether you are eligible for the job or not.The office manager resume sample given above will give you a better understanding of how to write the education section.Furthermore, you can opt for Hirations Online Resume Builder in which all these sections are already arranged for an easy resume making experience.Education section in a sample Office Manager resumeOffice Manager Resume Awards RecognitionStep 6 is composing the awards and recognition section.Recruiters are more likely to hire people who have been awarded or have been recognized for their work. In this section, you will write all the awards that you got for your work or the recognition that you got for the same.This section will also consist of the awards and recognition that you got at school or college level. The awards you add in this section need to be relevant to the position of an office manager or sh ould at least add some value to your office manager resume.Avoid adding awards and recognition like that of Best Holiday Homework and Best Handwriting. Such awards and recognition wont add any value to your office manager resume.See the sample office manager resume given above to get a proper idea of how to make this section.Go for Hirations Resume Reviewing Service today to check if the content of your resume is relevant to your target profile or not.Awards Recognition in a Sample Office Manager ResumeOffice Manager Resume CertificationsStep 7 is to write your certifications section.Certification section is the seventh thing to add in the office manager resume. Adding certifications to your office manager resume is another way to add more value to it. These certifications can be in the field of accounts, business, management, etc.So, you can add any and every certification that can add value to you being an office manager. While writing this section, you need to mention the follow ing thingsName of the Certification CourseName of the Affiliating InstitutionLocation of the InstituteDates of enrolling and completion of the courseThe below given format should be used to write the certifications sectionName of certification Affiliating Institution Location Date (in mm/yy)In addition to this, you can get your office manager resume reviewed by industry experts at Hiration to check whether your office manager resume is ATS compatible or not.Certifications in a sample Resume for Office ManagerOffice Manager Resume Conferences PublicationsStep 8 involves making the conferences and publications section.In this section, you will write all the conventions and conferences where you were a speaker or if were the author of any of the published publications.By doing so you will showcase the highlights of your career. In addition to this, make sure that you use one-line bullet points to write this section. Ensure that the lines dont breach the limit of one line.See the ex ample given below to get more clarity on how to write the conferences and publications section.Section for Conferences Publications in a sample Office Manager ResumeOffice Manager Resume Skills And KeywordsThe fourth section in the office manager resume is of key skills but this section is the second last section to be written while making an office manager resume.We do so because once youre done making the rest of your office manager resume, you can go back to scan the whole of your office manager resume for the skills and keywords that need to be included in the office manager resume.This process of making the skills section gives you more skills and keywords to write in your office manager resume. A bullet will be included before each skill while writing this section. For exampleSupply ManagementOffice Operations AdministrationStakeholder ManagementReportingInventory ControlAnd so on.All your key skills should come in three lines and not more. After youre done making this secti on, bold the whole section. This will grab the attention of the recruiter directly towards the skills section when he/she sees it. This will also help the recruiter to know the skills that you have acquired till date.The second place and third way to include your keywords is the skills section. The skills that the recruiter mentions in the job description are essentially the keywords that you need to include in the office manager resume.If you acquire any of the skills given in the job description, then do make sure you write them in your skills section.In order to get a clearer idea on how to write the skills section, see the office manager resume sample given above.Further, you can use Hirations Online Resume Builder to make your office manager resume.Here you get 20+ resume designs along with the option of customizing your personal information and skills section with social media icons, bar graphs, pie charts, and many more such options.The Key Skills section in a sample resume f or Office ManagerPersonalizing Office Manager Resume Objective And Office Manager Resume Summary bewertungThe last thing that you will make in your office manager resume is your summary section. You will write this section in the end so that you can look over the whole of your office manager resume for the points that are the highlight of your career.Now, you will rephrase these points a little and include them in your office manager resume summary section, while keeping in mind the requirements of the recruiter.These points should explain how you used your skills to benefit your previous organizations. You will write an office manager resume summary and not an office manager resume objective section.The office manager resume summary is written when one has over 3 years of experience, whereas, an objective section is more suited for entry-level professionals.And as the profile of an office manager is a mid-senior level profile, so, an office manager resume summary is more suitable f or it. Make use of the office manager resume summary section to tell the recruiter what you can do for the company, and not by writing what you expect the company to do for you.Observe the sample office manager resume given below to see how to write the office manager resume summary section.Furthermore, you can go for Hirations Resume Reviewing Service to check if your office manager resume meets the global standards or not.Sample Summary Statement in an Office Manager ResumeOffice Manager Resume TemplateAt Hirations Online Resume Builder youll get numerous office manager resume templates with 20+ resume designs. Also, you get other features likeLive Resume EditorOne-click Design ChangeSave Unlimited ResumesFull Rich Text EditorSo, go and make your resume at Hirations Online Resume Builder NowOffice Manager Resume Word TemplateHirations Professional Resume Reviewing Service is an option where you can get your resume reviewed by select industry experts. Our Experts check your resume to meet the following parametersOverall ReadabilityDesign and ContentATS ComplianceConversion ScopeResume TemplateResume Formatting (Font, Margin, buchung of Sections, etc.)STAR Resume Points (outlining the cause-effect in each resume point)Quantifiable Reliability (achievements/skills backed with quantifiable values)Achievement based points over responsibility based pointsCompliance with industry normsAlso, signing up for the Professional Resume Reviewing Service will entitle you to 2 offline resume templates on MS Word free. These templates are specially designed keeping in mind the resume of an office manager and as per the latest hiring trends.So, what are you waiting for? Go and get Hirations Resume Reviewing Services Now to get a job cracking resume TodayOffice Manager Resume PDFIf you use Hirations Online Resume Builder to make your office manager resume then youll get the following options related to the office manager resume PDF that you wantShareable LinkUnlimited PDF Down loadsYou will get a sharable link for your office manager resume PDF which you can mail to any recruiter. The recruiter can directly click on the link then to see your resume.Also, you get to download your resume as many times as you want. In case you lose your first download, you can download it again as it stays saved in your account on the cloud.Key TakeawaysIf your office manager resume is exceeding to two pages, then do not mention your name on both the pages. It is unnecessary to do so.In case you do not have enough content to write, then try to make it to your advantage by improving the readability by increasing the spaces between lines.Bring out the contribution in your points by including as many performance figures as possible. Mention how many vendors and contractors you liaised with, what processes you implemented, how those processes led to performance enhancements, etc.After youre done making your entire office manager resume, go through the entire document once again and look for points which you can expand further to showcase the depth of your contribution.Write your office manager resume summary in paragraph form not exceeding 3-4 lines and the rest of the office manager resume in one-liner bullet points.Make sure to show the cause-effect relationship in every point as shown in the professional experience section above. Try to frame your points along the lines of what you did and why you did.Try to clearly establish your contribution and the impact you managed to deliver.Make sure the formatting of your office manager resume is consistent. Use bullets for all your one-liner points. Make sure the spacing is consistent.The length of a resume, ideally depends on the work experience of the applicant. For people with less than 10 years of experience, it is better to go for a one-page resume, whereas, you can extend it to two pages if you have work experience of more than 10 years, but definitely not more than that.Make adjustments in the office man ager resume if you have less than 10 years of experience and if your resume is breaching the 1-page limit. Ample white space doesnt leave a positive impression in the mind of the recruiter. The resume needs to be crisp and expressive at the same time to make an impression on the recruiter.Do not use abbreviations and acronyms without expanding them once as some recruiters might not know them. Also, the ATS might not be programmed to recognize abbreviations. Scan your office manager resume for abbreviations before sending it somewhere.Still have more queries around your office manager resume? Drop in a hello at teamhiration.com and our resume experts will get back to you

Notes on Social Media Resume in an Easy to Follow Manner

Notes on Social Media Resume in an Easy to Follow Manner Over the past ten years, social networking managers are enrolled in thousands of businesses and organizations. Be excited by just what the provider offers and what you could bring to their social networking strategy and your resume will without a doubt stick out in the crowd. To be successful in almost any form of sales occupation, you want the skills to convince a part to purchase your businesss product. Though paid social keeps growing, organic social networking management remains important too For less private profiles like Twitter, think of what you write and the way that it would be perceived by employers in the industry youre targeting. Resume objectives can be a bit controversial. You require busy hiring managers to quickly glean the information which you present. Product managers play a significant function in promoting products. Blogs There are a couple core metrics you may use to assess the trustworthiness of a blog. When you participate in social networking, it is crucially essential that the information that you providewhether on a personal blog or a LinkedIn accountsupports your image for a top quality candidate and reinforces the data in your resume. If your FB profile passes your examination, then dont hesitate to create a profile badge you can embed on your site. A well maintained LinkedIn profile is just as vital as the conventional CV. The Fundamentals of Social Media Resume Revealed To work as a social networking manager, you will need to get an in-depth comprehension of how the numerous platforms work and the way you are able to leverage the a variety of capabilities. Grasping the interest of the target audience is an intimidating job to the majority of companies which do not have a robust social networking takeover strategy. By applying the web to market your goods and drive sales, youll be using the critical tactics you want to be successful in the new economy. Wh en applying for a social networking manager position, youll need to highlight your understanding of social networking accounts, trends and analytics on your resume. As soon as your domain and platform is set, you must decide on what content you need to show. To begin with, you may want to look for your own name on the web. The site also has different applications. The entire aim of the social networking news release is to harness the ability of the social Web to further explain the content inside the release. A blog is a good method to share more info about yourself should you dedicate a significant bit of time to build this up. Its simple to navigate and youll be able to manage your social networking posts by dragging them around to modify the schedule. You need to be proactive and self-motivated to find the things done and resolve any complicated problems. Type of Social Media Resume You have had a particular amount of experiences that have shaped the manner that you find the world. It can be beneficial to review a good example of a cover letter for a social networking job, to enable you to formulate your own letter. Make koranvers it has all of the information that you need to draw the interest of the prospective employer. You may be amazed at the quantity of information already available about you. Communication is a skill thats vastly underestimated and incredibly helpful in the workplace. If youve got an entry level Social Media resume, youve got to be creative in the way you present your abilities and relevant experiences. Customer Service Social media isnt only a way to receive your message out, its also a means to listen. Developing a social networking strategy is the secret to your results. Landing a fantastic job in Social media just requires the experience you presently have and a fantastic comprehension of the way to present it to hiring managers. Making a video is simple. Know your social platforms and tools Managers wish to kno w that youre updated with the hottest social media management tools. Experience in social media marketing is essential because clients wish to observe results from what youve already done. Dont hesitate to browse other social networking tools you might utilize. Utilize Social Networks for Networking Social networks supply the prospect for someone to find out more about you through repeated interactions.

Multi-Tasking Bandwidth vs. Attention Span Why You Need to Know the Differences and Connections

Multi-Tasking Bandwidth vs. Attention Span Why You Need to Know the Differences and Connections Youre looking for a wing (wo)man you can depend on to take on, stick with and follow through on multiple tasks and projects or maybe just one big task. The last to occupy that position was a disappointment, because he couldnt keep his eye on the balls to be juggled. What you dont know is whether that was because he had schwierigkeits multi-tasking or because he had a short attention span in dealing with any of them.All you know is that he seemed to bounce from one task to abedrngnisher, doing just enough to create files and folders related to any of the tasks, get some preliminary work done and formulate some ideas and excuses about what remained undone.Now, you are interviewing candidates to select his replacement. If youre smart about it, you will do all, or at least some, of the following, lest you r isk misunderstanding the situation and helplessly watch work-history repeat itself1. Decide which is the more important asset for the job, if you are forced to choose between them great multi-tasking bandwidth, or excellent attention span.2. Determine whether these are, in this instance, complementary, or competing skills for the job and for the candidate.3. Ask the candidate for a self-assessment of the degree to which (s)he possesses and values each (as two distinct queries).4. Ask the candidate which (s)he favors, i.e., prefers to use, and why, e.g., because of greater ease, confidence, intrinsic satisfaction or relevance to and experience with a favored job. (Note that values does not equal displays a preference for in practice, since we may privately value things that we are too afraid to openly pursue as a preference, e.g., standing up to a bully.)5. Ask the candidate about work or other experience with substantial multi-tasking and attention span demands.6. Compare that asses sment with your own.7. Determine whether the candidate can readily switch and juggle tasks as required (with the understanding that a capacity for switching is not equivalent to a capacity for juggling, inasmuch as switching involves only two tasks, whereas juggling anything involves more).8. Ask the candidate how (s)he would handle or prioritize situations in which multi-tasking had to be sacrificed at the expense of attention span (and vice versa).Tenacity and Multi-Tasking Complementary and Competing Job RequirementsGiven that, as two skills and job challenges, multi-tasking and tenacity (which is a good measure or criterion of attention span length) are almost by definition inversely correlatedi.e., per unit of time, the greater the degree of one, the lower the degree of the other. You must be prepared, whether you are the recruiter/employer or the candidate, to determine which to place your bets on in the screening process for a job that imposes such a tradeoff.If your strength as a job candidate is a capacity for intense concentration that, however, makes it difficult for you to switch and juggle tasks, you may want to keep that in mind in targeting a multi-taskers job and in your interview self-presentation.If you are the recruiter assessing not only the multi-tasking bandwidth and attention span of the candidate, but also the degree to which either or both are essential for the job, you should also consider the degree to which the job allows them to be competing skills vs. requires them to be complementary.The worst-case scenario is a job description that requires multi-tasking and tenacity to be complementary, but which, in practice, precludes that, with one of them supplanting rather than supplementing the other.Examples of such task bandwidth-attention span performance conflicts are easily imagined a brokerage house that requires sustained and dertailed management of a large number of client accounts caring social workers with very heavy loads a rec ruiter with tenacious dedication to each and every client and job candidate an air controller with a full screen, to name but a few.As noted above, of especial concern after hiring, is the under-performing employee seemingly unable to perform to multi-tasking standards. Determining whether thats because of limited task-bandwidth or short attention span can be a useful first step in addressing the problem or challenge.If the root of the matter is limited multi-tasking bandwidth, consideration of a job redesign may be worthwhilespecifically, by reducing the number of tasks on the other hand, if the issue is a limited attention-span, it may be useful to consider steps to make the tasks less time consuming, e.g., simplifying or abridging required documentation, eliminating expendable task redundancies and duplication, setting more flexible deadlines or setting clearer guidelines regarding prioritization of multi-tasking vs. tenacity.Making such assessments and revisions will, of course, require time and energy, and add more tasks to your own work load or job-seeking efforts. How you handle this challenge may provide clues about your own task and span priorities and giftswhile helping you manage a job that requires them.

40 Job Application Buzzwords Job Seekers Should Avoid

40 Job Application Buzzwords Job Seekers Should Avoid40 Job Application Buzzwords Job Seekers Should Avoid22Have you ever wondered what some of the biggest pet peeves of HR professionals are? For starters buzzwords. The job application buzzwords listed below are so overused by most job seekers that they should be avoided.Application buzzwords are nothing new- recruiters have lamented over them for ages. But the types of words considered cliche and annoying continue to evolve, so its a good idea for job seekers to stay aware of the most current job application buzzwords in order to avoid using them.Given their uniqueness and near perfect match for resumes and explaining job tasks and career experience, these job application buzzwords may be hard to eliminate. However, job seekers should make a conscious effort to not overuse these words to describe themselves in their cover letter and resume. Check out the list below that includes buzzwords from HRMornings article The 17 Most Irritati ng Buzzwords in Todays Resumes.Here are 40 job application buzzwords that job seekers should avoidInfluencedUnder budgetRevenue/profitsLaunchedNegotiatedIdeasIncreased/decreasedWonVolunteeredResolvedCreatedManagedTrained/mentoredImprovedAchievedProactiveSuccessfullyAccomplishedTop performerDeveloperResponsible forChallengedInnovativeProblem solverObjectiveDetail-orientedSelf-motivatedDynamicStrategic thinkerHard workerBottom lineTeam playerResults-drivenValue-addedThought leadershipGo-to personSynergyThink outside the boxGo-getterBest of breedHow to Stop Using Job Application BuzzwordsDid you read through the list above and realize you might have a problem with buzzword overuse? Dont worry Microsoft Word or other document creation software programs like Google Docs offer handy synonym and synonymwrterbuch options to help you brainstorm replacement words for your job applications. Or visit Thesaurus.com for ideas on the go.If you find yourself using any of these job application buzzw ords, dont fret. Most job seekers are completely unaware that these words are overused and highly popular throughout the job seeker world. As you revise your own resume and cover letter, consider using a thesaurus to avoid these common words. You may just wow the HR professionals the next time you apply by using a fresh and easy-to-read resumeReaders, do you use any of these job application buzzwords? What suggestions would you offer to job seekers looking for new words to use? Share your tips and experiences with us below

Four Ways to Align Business Strategy with Customer Needs

Four Ways to Align Business Strategy with Customer NeedsFour Ways to Align Business Strategy with Customer NeedsFour Ways to Align Business Strategy with Customer Needs Picoult, Contributing WriterThink you know your customers? Think againThe marketplace is littered with the corpses of geschftslebenes who thought they understood their customers needs only to realize, when it was too late, that they were wrong.(Recent victims of this phenomenon include Kodak, Blockbuster and Blackberry.)Understanding the needs, wants and overall mindset of your customers is critical for improving current business offerings, as well as developing entirely new ones.But rare is the customer who will actually volunteer such insights. Rather, youve got to tease this information out of your clientele.And this is where many business leaders stumble, because it requires an act of humility something that can be in short-supply with those who have enjoyed past success. It requires acknowledgement that you might not actually know your customers, and their motivations, as well as you think.But the good news is, you can do something about that Here are four ways to cultivate better customer insights, so you can craft a sound business strategy that drives todays profits and tomorrows growth1. Ask your employees.Of all the people in your organization, the ones who understand customers best are your front-line staff. These people interact daily with your customers, giving them a unique and credible perspective that cant be found elsewhere.Take the time to regularly huddle with your front-line.Ask them pointed questions about what pleases customers and what disappoints them. Which of your products and services do customers rave about?Which ones do they frequently browse, but rarely purchase?What do they often ask for, but the business is unable to provide?What are customers biggest frustrations?Not only will this dialogue help you landsee your customer in a new light, but it can also drive stron ger employee engagement, making the staff feel even mora important and valued by the business.2. Set up listening posts.Tapping into the customer insights of your front-line staff is wise, but dont stop there.Go right to the source, soliciting opinions from customers themselves.Whether it be with a short e-mail survey, an interviewer positioned outside of your store, or a social media strategythat calls for comments however you do it, make it easy for customers to provide feedback.Doing so can unearth a treasure trove of insights, many of which customers would have never shared unless they were asked.Of course, asking for customer feedback is just half the equation.When you involve customers in this type of exercise, its imperative that you acknowledge their feedback closing the loop so they know that theyve been heard and their suggestions are being considered.3. Go into the wild.The most brilliant customer insights often come by observing customers in their natural habitat in the wild - while they interact with your business or use your products.This technique (called ethnographic research) helps reveal insights that customers would never think to share with you.When you employ this approach, you get an unfiltered look at the customer experience. You get to see how people make purchase decisions, how they use your products, how they use your website and how they satisfy needs that arent currently addressed by your offerings.Observing customers in this manner, and having an in-depth conversation with them afterwards, inevitably yields a long list of ideas for improvements and business innovation.4. Get a fresh perspective from an unlikely source.While employees and customers can be good sources for market insight, both parties have their limitations.Employees particularly the most experienced ones can be so steeped in current business practices that they may have difficulty thinking of creative, unconventional ways to address emerging customer needs.Customer s, in turn, are unfamiliar with the inner workings of your business and may not be able to help you connect the dots from insight to execution.Imagine if you could somehow get the best of both worlds, finding someone who combines the external perspective of customers with the internal know-how of employees.The answer is you can in the form of your new hires.This is especially true if one of your hiring practices is to bring aboard employees who mirror your customers (which, in and of itself, is a good hiring strategy, since consumers are often mora comfortable interacting with people they view as peers).Ask new hires for their perspective on your products, services and overall customer experience.Have them play customer for a day and give you candid feedback.Once theyre assimilated into the business and have gained familiarity with your operation, loop back and continue the debrief.Use their fresh perspective to explore new ways of engineering products or delivering services so they better meet the identified needs of your customers.An added bonusthe mere act of asking your new hires to participate in this strategic exercise will make them feel special, giving them confidence that they made the right decision in joining your team.Cultivating customer insight is good for your company and your business strategy.But it doesnt necessarily require an expensive engagement with a professional research firm.Start by taking the time to consult with those around you employees, customers and new hires.Their perspectives will help bring your target market and your path to future growth into much sharper focus.Author BioJon Picoult is Founder of Watermark Consulting, a firm that helps businesses impress their customers, candidates and employees.Prior to establishing Watermark, Jon held senior executive roles in service, technology, sales and marketing at Fortune 100 companies.Learn more, or read Jons blog, at watermarkconsult.net.

Going to Law School as a Nontraditional Student

Going to Law School as a Nontraditional Student Going to Law School as a Nontraditional Student Do you think you’d be a great lawyer and wish you had pursued that line of education right after college? Going to law school is a big commitment, so you want to make sure it’s for you. Nontraditional law students have some unique challenges, so you want to make sure you are ready before deciding to go back after several years away from school. After assessing whether you have the skill set necessary to attend law school, here are some questions you should ask yourself. Do I Want to Be a Lawyer? While this seems like an obvious question, you should take some time to think about this one truly. A law degree isn’t a multipurpose degree. You shouldn’t spend the time and money on law school if you don’t want to practice law. Read some cases and look at the different kinds of law specializations. Are you still interested? If you’re even a little bit hesitant, you should rethink law school, especially as a non-traditional student. Do I Have Time to Study for the LSAT? As a nontraditional student, you likely already have a life carved out for you. Whether you’ve been working or going to school for something else, you have to be able to fit studying for the LSAT into your daily routine. The LSAT is an exam unlike anything else you’ll have taken in your lifetime, so you will need to find the time to commit to preparing for it. Do I Have Relationships With Former Professors Who Could Write Letters of Recommendation? It is something a lot of people don’t think of, but law school applications usually require at least three letters of recommendation. While it may be beneficial to include a recommendation from your current boss, that is not always the case. It depends on what field you’re coming from. The whole point of the letters of recommendation is to show that other people can see that you’ll do well in law school and as a lawyer. Since law school requires a large amount of intense study, former professors are usually your best bet. If you are thinking of law school, you should start reconnecting with people early in the process so the relationship can be rebuilt. Will I Be Able to Give up My Income for Three Years? Law school is a full-time job. Between attending classes and studying, you’ll be lucky if you have the time to eat all of your meals and get a healthy amount of sleep. Therefore, there is no room for holding a job in addition to law school, and many law schools don’t allow it. Going through the three years of law school without an income outside of your inevitable student loans is something that you should think long and hard about, especially if you have begun building a life and there are other people who would be affected by your decision. Attending part-time for a longer period of time might allow you to keep working at least part-time, but that further delays your plans and is a stressful existence! Am I Secure in Knowing That Getting a Job May Be Difficult After Law School? It may very well be the most difficult part of being a nontraditional student in law school. You’ve been out of college for a few years. You’ve likely already worked, and you know what kinds of salaries your friends are making. But you’ll be competing with fresh, young law school graduates who have never worked before, and in all likelihood, they’ll be willing to take a lower salary than you’ll want to. Or, even worse, they might be prioritized because they’ve seen less of the world and law practices can mold them into their ideal attorneys. Is this fair? Not even a little bit. But it is a reality for anyone who is entering law school as a nontraditional student. You need to ask yourself if you’d be okay with the possibility that finding a job after law school will be more difficult for you than for other new (and, ahem, younger) graduates. Will Law School Throw a Wrench in My Plans? Are you planning on taking a yearly big trip in the winter? Are you planning on attending a law school far from home, where you’ll miss out on the milestone events in your loved ones’ lives, like weddings and the birth of children? Were you hoping to start your own family in the near future? These are some of the things that law school will affect. You may have to miss out on events. You may have to postpone your plans. You may have to rearrange the plan you had for your life. Factor these thoughts into your decision-making process, because your life is important, too. If you answered yes to all of those questions (except for the last one, where a “no” would be the more law-school-positive answer), law school is likely the best decision that you could make for your career. You will have to shape your application in a way that shows what you gained in your years away from school. If a career as a lawyer makes you excited and you’ve been looking for a change, this may be the path for you. You can do it!

Leadership Style Tips for Effective Delegation

Leadership Style Tips for Effective Delegation Leadership Style Tips for Effective Delegation Your leadership style is situational. Your leadership style depends on the task, the team or individuals capabilities and knowledge, the time and tools available, and the results desired. In a recent article, the tell, sell, consult, join, and delegate leadership style model  was reviewed. As a supervisor, manager, or team leader, you make daily decisions about the appropriate leadership style to employ in each work situation. You want to foster employee involvement and employee empowerment to enable your team members to contribute their best effort at work. These tips for successful delegation of authority will help you help your reporting staff members succeed when they are most empowered. And, when they succeed, you succeed. Never let yourself forget the intertwined nature of workplace success. Leadership Style Tips Whenever Possible, When Delegating Work, Give the Person a Whole Task to Do If you cant give the employee a whole task, make sure that they understand the overall purpose of the project or task that the task you assign them is part of. If possible, connect them to the group that is managing or planning the work. Staff members contribute most effectively when they are aware of the big picture. Employees Are More Effective Performers When They Feel Part of Something That Is Bigger Than Themselves By giving them the whole and complete picture, you ensure that they feel as if they are a part of the whole initiative. This makes them feel more important in the scheme of things. People who know the goals, the  expectations,  and the outcomes expected make better decisions about their work because they have a context within which they are making decisions. Make Sure the Staff Person Understands Exactly What You Want Them to Do Ask questions, watch the work performed, or have the employee give you feedback to make sure that your instructions were understood. No one wants to do the wrong thing or watch their efforts and contribution fail to make an impact. So, make sure that you and the employee share meaning on the objectives and desired outcomes from each task you delegate. If You Have a Picture of What a Successful Outcome or Output Will Look Like, Share Your Picture With the Staff Person You want to make the person right. You dont want to fool the person to whom you delegate authority for a task, into believing that any outcome will do unless you feel that way. Your employees would rather that you share exactly what you are looking for rather than make them guess. Identify the Key Points of the Project, or Dates When You Want Feedback About Progress It is the critical path that provides you with the feedback you need without causing you to micromanage your direct report or team. You need assurance that the delegated task or project is on track. You also need the opportunity to influence the projects direction and the team or individuals decisions. If you designate this critical path from the beginning, your employees are also less likely to feel micromanaged or as if you are watching over their shoulder each step of the way. Identify the Measurements or the Outcome You Will Use to Determine That the Project Was Successfully Completed (This will make performance development planning more measurable and less subjective, too.) Determine, in Advance, How You Will Thank and Reward the Staff Person for Their Successful Completion of the Task or Project You Delegated The recognition reinforces the employees positive self-image, sense of accomplishment, and belief that he or she is a key contributor. Cautions in Using Delegation as a Leadership Style Delegation can be viewed as dumping by the employee who receives more work to do. A young employee complained recently that while she was extremely interested in more responsible work and taking on new challenges, she felt that her manager was just giving her more work to do most of the time. Consequently, some of the delegated work was more challenging; attending meetings during which she helped impact the direction of a developing product was challenging, exciting, and responsible. She believed her manager didnt understand the difference though, so she spent most of her time doing more work of a mundane, repetitive nature. This workload, which had her working long hours and weekends, interfered with her ability to take on more responsibility and her family obligations. Admittedly, any job has its share of the mundane tasks that have to be completed. Some people dont like filing, and some dont like billing clients. Some people also dont like doing the wash or emptying the dishwasher. Therefore, the manager must carefully balance the delegation of more work with the delegation of work requiring more responsibility, authority, and challenge. The successful delegation of authority as a leadership style takes time and energy, but its worth the time and energy to help employee involvement and  employee empowerment  succeed as a leadership style. Its worth the time and energy to help employees succeed, develop, and meet your expectations. You build the employees self-confidence and people who feel successful usually are successful.

6 things successful people do when they return from a long weekend

6 things successful people do when they return from a long weekend 6 things successful people do when they return from a long weekend An extra day off makes snapping out of weekend mode that much harder.Some people around the US receive an extra day off for Memorial Day to commemorate the Americans who have died in active military service.There’s a lot to be said about how you should- or shouldn’t- spend long weekends. But it’s equally important to plan out the days that follow a long weekend.When you’re coming back from some time off and you have a shorter week to get everything done, it usually helps to hit the ground running.With that in mind, here are six things that successful people do first when they return from long weekend:They get to work earlyWhen it comes to some holidays, almost everyone has time off. So you won’t be falling behind by showing up to work at your usual time.But coming in early is a good idea if you want to be as productive as possible after a holiday weekend.“That will mitigate the workload avalanche and give you a head start, sans distraction,” Lynn Taylor, a national wo rkplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job,” told Business Insider.They scrutinize their to-do lists Productive people know that long, unwieldy to-do lists are essentially useless. There’s no better time to start cutting items from your list than the day you get back from long weekend. “Now that you’ve spent a good bit away from your desk, you have tangible proof that those tasks you’re always putting off aren’t holding up your ceiling,” freelance reporter Kevin Purdy writes in  Fast Company. They double check their schedules Don’t forget to double check your schedule. Remember, you’ll likely be dealing with a shortened work week. Don’t try to cram too many items onto your weekly schedule, or you might wind up burning yourself out. They check in with people If you’re back from a national holiday, odds are most of your coworkers and clients will be in the same boat as you. Still, it’s not a bad idea to check in. “Take the time to connect with one or two clients to let them know they’re top of mind with you and that you’re back if they need anything,” Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of “The Humor Advantage,” told Business Insider. “It’s a simple customer service touch point that can make a big impression.” What’s more, if the long weekend ate up a Monday - a popular day for meetings- schedule in some time for your team and direct reports to meet up, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You want to make sure everyone’s on the same page now that you’re all back in the office. They organize their inbox Beware of spending too much time responding to the emails you missed over the weekend. “It’s easy to get sucked into the vortex of responding to every email without considering whether it’s the best use of your time on the first day back,” Kerr said. “Don’t confuse email activity with productive work, so be strategic and only respond to email that are time sensitive.” They focus on work It’s important to be able to shut off your “work brain” over long weekends. You want to enjoy your time off, after all. It’s equally important to snap back into a work-oriented mindset when you return to the office. Successful people are able to make the switch and avoid any unproductive post-long weekend dillydallying. This post was originally published on BusinessInsider.com.

Expert Advice on Picking the Right Resume Font

Expert Advice on Picking the Right Resume Font Expert Advice on Picking the Right Resume Font For creative professionals, choosing the right resume font is particularly important. Here’s some expert advice to consider when making your selection. For many hiring managers in the creative industry, how a resume looks matters as much as what it contains. Pick the wrong font, and you could jeopardize your chances of landing an interview. But because choosing the right resume font is subjective, we asked five noted design experts to share their favorites as well as ones to avoid at all costs. Our resume font “creative council” included: Nicole Jacek, principal, NJ(L.A.) Tan Le, group creative director, Anthem Worldwide Richard Poulin, partner, Poulin + Morris Inc. Bonnie Siegler, principal, Eight and a Half Ann Willoughby, principal, Willoughby Design Even among this small group, some discrepancies arose, furthering the great resume font debate. Read on to get their take - and then weigh in. What would be your go-to resume font and why? Le: Gotham would be my choice. It’s a well-designed font family, with many proportional weights, and has enough personality to keep from being too austere or decorative. If a designer can’t design well with Gotham, then that resume is going to make its way to my trash can. Whatever font it is, choose wisely and minimally. No more than two fonts are needed on any resume. Willoughby: Avenir. It is beautiful and more sophisticated than Helvetica. It is a clean sans-serif alone, and it could be paired with a serif for contrast. Make sure your font(s) work on multi-platforms so that your resume and portfolio translate in both digital and print forms. Most creatives use InDesign or Illustrator to design their resumes. If you make a PDF of your resume, it will be easy to control the design. Siegler: I haven’t had a resume in 26 years, but if I were to design a resume for myself today, it would probably be in DIN. Jacek: I don’t care about the font you are using for your resume, to be honest. As long as you are not trying to cover up for your weak resume or design skills. From my experience, that would be anyone using overly decorative, over-designed fonts and over-designed everything. It would be better to put your design efforts into your work. A simple font like Helvetica or Replica works just fine. Poulin: I do not have a “go-to” font for resumes, or for any other type of visual communication for that matter. I always recommend to students that when developing their resumes, they need to carefully consider several elements: their own visual brand, readability, legibility and, most important, that the typography they use for their resume speaks about them in a manner that is 100 percent reflective of their design values and aesthetics. SEARCH CREATIVE JOB OPENINGS What is the worst typeface to use on a resume and why? Willoughby: Curlz or anything with curlicues. Siegler: Nothing is better than breaking hard-and-fast rules and making them work. So, there really isn’t a worst typeface. And conversely, even the most beautiful typeface can be used terribly in the wrong hands. I guess what I’m saying is that it’s not really the typeface that matters, it’s the design! Jacek: Gill Sans. I hate it. As the font for London Underground it’s beautiful, but unless your resume will be signage size with spaced-out all caps, forget about it. And even though I love Chromium, please do not use it for your resume. It will make you look like a shiny idiot. Le: Avoid display fonts. Again, think of the content, not just the typeface. Display fonts are more decorative and meant to be used for short words or phrases and in larger graphic applications. They are not meant for text or prose, and are usually not designed for legibility. Avoid fonts that are trendy or, worse, cliché. If you don’t know what’s trendy or cliché, well then, you have bigger problems. Stick to the classics and use them well. What font did you use on your first resume? Le: Minion. It seemed a good idea at the time. Jacek: DIN, because Stefan Sagmeister and karlssonwilker used it for all their work. At that time, I really had no sensibility for typefaces, and I really wanted to intern for them. Anyway, it worked. Poulin: I don’t remember but it was probably some awful typeface that I selected purely for its visual effect (and affect). While it’s no excuse, I was young and typographically naïve. Willoughby: It has been more than 40 years and I have no idea. It was probably typed on an IBM Selectric, which came out in 1961. Siegler: For my first resume, I had to mark up a typed sheet of paper with my desired typeface choice, sizes and leading. When I got it back, I made a mechanical with it. If I didn’t like the size of something (or the font), I had to mark it up again and send out for new type. It got expensive if you kept changing your mind! I think I probably ended up using a version of Franklin Gothic. We assume you’ve received some bad resumes in your day. What’s the worst offense you’ve seen? Siegler: There have been so many, but most of the truly egregious ones stand out because of the cover letter. People tend to proofread their resumes pretty extensively, but for some reason, not their cover letters. More than once, we have received cover letters addressed to us, but with a sentence about how much the applicant loves another firm’s work, because they forgot to swap out that firm’s name for ours in their clearly very generic cover letter. Willoughby: Last year a job seeker sent us a beautifully crafted calligraphy poster using our name, Willoughby. Unfortunately, our name was misspelled. Le: I’ve gotten some really bad resumes through the years. But the worst ones aren’t bad because they’re ugly; they’re bad because it’s obvious the designer doesn’t really understand typography or design. I’ve gotten some that are standard business Word templates in Helvetica, which is a deal breaker for any design position. I’ve gotten many that treated the resume like a gig poster, which shows a lack of control or conveys arrogance, or both. The best resumes are the ones that make me want to read the whole story of that person, served up in a way that conveys personality and style. Searching for creative work? We can help! Get started by submitting your resume.

The One Word That Can Transform Your Resume

The One Word That Can Transform Your Resume The One Word That Can Transform Your Resume If I told you that one word can change your resume and dramatically improve your job search results, would you think I was nuts? Let me explain why Im not. One of the keys to a successful resume is to ensure that it clearly communicates your unique value proposition what makes you different from all the other job seekers out there? This value proposition should be the focus of every word of your resume, so that employers cant help but get the message you want them to get. One of my favorite strategies to do this is to distill the clients value proposition into one word (or sometimes one brief phrase). Doing this helps me create a focus for the resume, which in turn helps me choose what content to highlight and what content to leave off the resume all together. How Do You find Your Word? I choose the word or phrase based on two things: First, I define the blend of skills, experiences and personality traits that make my client unique. Then I look at whats important to the companies who are hiring for this type of position and identify what they will MOST like about my client (they may like lots of things but I am looking for the most important aspect of their experience). Then I come up with a word or short phrase that encapsulates that one thing. How it Worked for One Client So to give you a specific example, one former client was a senior tax executive. He was unusual because he had a breadth of experience that spanned all aspects of taxes from having worked at the IRS, to being a tax lawyer, to working for a top consulting firm providing tax guidance on highly complex issues. He worried that his background was too diversified he was shooting for a position as the top tax executive in a large corporation but he felt that because he had never held such a role before, employers would dismiss him. In reviewing his goals and his experience, I felt that the one key word for him was expertise. His broad-based background gave him unique insights and experiences. He hadnt just worked on tax issues for one company, he had worked on them for many companies. He hadnt just viewed them from the inside, but from the outside as a tax attorney and as a consultant. Having decided that expertise was the core concept for his resume, I then focused on gathering the data to support that concept so that we could lead his resume with a strong statement and then support that statement throughout the document. You can see the end result here (opens PDF). This resume got the desired result within 3 months, which is a relatively short time for such a senior-level position. The staff at the Fortune 500 company where Peter now works told him that his resume was the best one they saw and given that its message was so carefully crafted, this is no surprise. In Summary Knowing your one word is a powerful way to transform your resume from a collection of facts into a cohesive marketing document that clearly positions you for success. So whats your one word? Need help with your resume? Check out our new online resume writing course. Its free!

Consulting Annual Review Process 101 (Part 1)

Consulting Annual Review Process 101 (Part 1) Consulting Annual Review Process 101 (Part 1) By Kristine Schoonmaker, MyConsultingLife.comEach year consulting firms go through an exercise to rate their talent and promote those ready to move up. The environment is incredibly competitive and the rules of the game are usually anything but black and white. While there may not be a clear science to the process, if you understand what the landscape is really like, you greatly increase your odds of success. But dont hold your breath waiting for the company training on this one. Unfortunately, no one is likely to tell you the down and dirty skinny on the annual review process when you get hired.A few things HR probably didnt mention to you when you joinedIts subjective. Many firms label themselves as a meritocracy, meaning that those exhibit certain talents, aptitude or skills get rewarded (e.g., get good ratings and move up). The challenge for you as the consultant is that this is also highly subjective. In many cases, even though your firm may outline certain factors used to evaluate your performance, they can often lack clarity and specificity. With the human element so largely in play, its rarely black and white (e.g., do this and get this mark). Space is limited. There are a generally a set number of slots for each rating and a set number of slots for promotions. Landing one depends largely on your ability to justify to the powers that be that you deserve it and are already playing at that level consistently. Nailing one project out of three in a year isnt going to cut it. Promotions and good ratings are awards given for proven ability, not potential. You have to stand out from the Jones. You will be ranked against your peers or the others at your level. This gets interesting because rarely will you all have the same role description. Frequently there will be situations where a test team lead is pitted against a change management consultant for one last spot. They're apples to oranges, so it will all come down to how well each is positioned and who has the more compelling story. Air time is short. Everyone, including you, the person speaking on your behalf, and your partners are super busy all the time, making it very hard to remember all the great things you did throughout the year. On top of that, firms often use a series of conference calls or meetings at various levels (team, account, practice, etc) to evaluate performance. If youve ever been in a fraternity or sorority its a lot like the recruitment process. Its not uncommon for your representative at the table to have only two to three minutes to make their argument for why you deserve the rating they recommend. Regardless of what you actually did over the past 12 months or what was written in your performance review, what they say in that short time can very easily determine your fate. Politics are in full play. When disputes happen, and they often do, she who has the most respected supporters and compelling story wins. There will be one person at each meeti ng speaking for you, but the others in the room carry as much weight or more in the final decision.Feeling down in the dumps about your prospects? Dont give up just yet. There are a few very specific things you can incorporate into your routine to combat these challenges quite easily. Stay tuned for Part 2Kristine Schoonmaker is The Career Lifestyle Coach for Consultants and founder of MyConsultingLife.com. Her bi-weekly ezine Accelerate offers practical insider advice and quick tips from a former consulting exec to help YOU take greater control of your career and stay engaged in your personal life from the road. If youre ready to have it all an amazing career in consulting without giving up the lifestyle, relationships and experiences you want, get your FREE subscription now at www.myconsultinglife.com.

What Motivates You to Do Your Best at Work

What Motivates You to Do Your Best at Work What Motivates You to Do Your Best at Work? What Motivates You to Do Your Best at Work Some adults find it difficult to place their feet on the floor after the alarm clock goes off in the morning. Others can't wait to spring into action. And others wake up without emotion, knowing it will be just another day at the office. Those are three brief but different pictures of personal motivation. Each of us has to have some reason to get up every day and go to work. For some, the motivation is financial: making the money to provide for a family and socking some away for retirement. For others, it's the thrill of accomplishing something worthwhile and taking pride in it.

6 Tips for Staying Flexible in Your Job Search

6 Tips for Staying Flexible in Your Job Search 6 Tips for Staying Flexible in Your Job Search Wouldn't it be great if everything just stayed the same for awhile? It is tiring to have to learn how to use a new smartphone or figure out the latest gadget. In a world that changes quickly, you have to learn to keep morphing, adjusting and adapting to stay current and marketable. The job search is all about adapting and adjusting to yield positive results.Your career is in beta mode. In "The Start-up of You," Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, talks about being in constant beta â€" a state of trial, readiness to implement change and reinvention. Why is this important? Perhaps you noticed that the job you were hired to do is no longer the job you still perform exactly the same way. Processes change. Technologies update. Resources disappear and you're asked to do more with less. To keep your sanity, you have to adapt to this constant state of change. Your ability to flex , bend and your resiliency is what will help keep your skills and perspective fresh and desirable.Master more t han you think you need. There are numerous articles about in-demand skills, which employers value but have difficulty finding in job candidates. Deborah Shane, a career Author and business branding strategist, lists the following six intangible skills as critical to getting hired: adaptability, being a team player, leadership, multi-taking, open-mindedness and positivity.According to the Job Preparedness Indicator Report for 2013, coordinated by the Career Advisory Board, employers are having difficulty finding entry level candidates with these top ranked skills: Strong base work ethic/dependable, ability to work well with others, self motivated/high degree of initiative, flexibility, good time management skills, high integrity, accountability, problem solving and interpersonal skills.The résumé isn't dead…yet. There are more conflicting opinions on the death of the résumé. You should be aware that standards have changed in the last five years, so be sure the information you'r e using is up to date. In a recent post on the Amplify Talent blog Lars Schmidt, senior director of talent acquisition and innovation at NPR writes: "There is a lot of chatter these days about the death of the résumé, that your 'digital footprint' or LinkedIn profile have made your résumé obsolete. This is (for now) a myth. The reality is while there are sufficient tools and platforms out there to allow hiring teams (in many industries) to make early stage viability decisions, most organizations are still managing through hiring apparatuses and workflows designed 5+ years ago, before some of these technologies existed."More mixed signals on résumés. For as long as a résumé has been around, there will always be experts and others giving advice on how to create the perfect one. The reality is, there is no such thing. This document gets more attention than any other job search element. You could go crazy trying to keep up with all the advice and conflicting opinions. If you sub mit your résumé for a job posting (and that's all you do), and you don't get contacted, you're either not qualified or your résumé didn't show your qualifications. If your phone isn't ringing, your résumé isn't working. In other words, adapt.Try, try and try again. It is easy to get stuck in the apply-for-a-job-and-wait rut. If what you've been doing isn't working, you must try something new or different. If you only apply for jobs online, try adding more networking to your job search. Or if you haven't contacted any recruiters, give that a try. Even better, if you've been hesitant to dip your toe in the social media waters, why not take a cautious dive in? No matter what you do, don't give up or stop trying to morph, adapt and adjust what you are saying and doing.Change your outlook. If you don't think anyone will hire you, then you may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whether you feel like a victim of age discrimination, unfair hiring practices or neglect, don't let t hese negative thoughts linger or corrupt your potential. There's a saying that negativity breeds negativity. Employers can see this negativity in the emails you send, the voicemail messages you leave and in the interview.Hannah Morgan is a speaker and author providing no-nonsense career advice; she guides job seekers and helps them navigate today's treacherous job search terrain. Hannah shares information about the latest trends, such as reputation management, social networking strategies, and other effective search techniques on her blog, Career Sherpa.