Sunday, May 31, 2020

15 things you only do with your work BFF

15 things you only do with your work BFF by Amber Rolfe OK, so we know not everyone loves Mondays…But if there’s one thing that helps you get out of bed every morning â€" it’s your work BFF. Not only are they around to share their snacks, listen to your complaints, and provide you with the latest gossip, they’re also your go-to when it comes to pretty much anything else.To remind you just how important they are, here are 15 things you only do with your work BFF:  You actually care about each other’s weekends  You both stay super calm when there are snacks in the kitchen  You bond over your mutual dislike of others  You know all about their everyday (and sometimes weird) habitsTwo words: Lunch. Dates.  You’re happy for them when they get a day off  Despite secretly thinking ’how could you do this to me?!’  You IM, even though you sit right next to each other  Then have to hide why you’re laughing  You come up with sly ways to visit their workspace  Because who doesn’t need to borrow a stapler/p encil/any other generic item four times a day?  Your stuff becomes their stuff and their stuff becomes your stuff  Whether it’s snacks, deodorant, make up…your BFF has it  You always sit next to each other in meetings    You (voluntarily) meet up outside of work  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Life At Work

Thursday, May 28, 2020

How to Use the Deans List Resume Builder

How to Use the Dean's List Resume BuilderDean's List Resume Builder, is a website that offers you to develop your own resume by using your name, job, and interests. Your resume will then be displayed on the homepage. Once you have chosen a title for your resume, you can use the next tab to create a nice and neat resume layout.With this tool, you can customize the layout of your resume. You can see the rows and columns that will form your resume. You can also customize the font and color of the text. You can also add or remove files from your resume if you want.The design can be further enhanced by using the search box. This search box can allow you to search for a specific job or choose a specific employer. This feature can help you find what you are looking for easily.The next step uses online services and technology to bring together your skills and education and professional experience. You can check the areas that you need to add. After you select the required information, you ca n use the 'cut' icon to get rid of unwanted content.With the different formats, you can modify your resume for different purposes. If you want to create a printable resume, you can use the PDF. You can also use the word document to create a printable resume. However, if you want to send your resume to multiple employers, you can use the PDF format to send your resume through the email.Another advantage of using the Dean's List Resume Builder is that it will help you learn how to create a custom resume. This is important especially if you want to tailor your resume to each company that you are going to apply for. With this tool, you can see the categories and job titles that you can include in your resume.The final step is to create a title. This is the most important step of the resume builder. It is also the first step that you should work on.You can check out the Dean's List Resume Builder for free. Once you sign up, you will be able to create your resume. This tool is available o nline and you can download it quickly and easily.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

My adventures in shared-care parenting

My adventures in shared-care parenting My husband and I both want to be home with our kids while they are young, and we downsized our standard of living enormously to do that. I made a career change from software company executive to writer. This has been great for me. Its a career that can grow big, but there is lots of flexibility for working around my personal life. My husband ended his entertainment industry career and downshifted, slowly, first to the nonprofit world, which we found surprisingly inflexible for parenting, then to stay-at-home dad. You know how you hear about the dads in the 50s who folded under the pressure of having to support a family with no financial help from a partner? I am sorry to say that I felt like that especially living in New York City. But, like most people who want jobs with flexible hours, my husband was not able to find one. And a standard job would mean leaving at 8 a.m. and getting home at 7 p.m. which are pretty much the hours our kids are awake. So, he had to choose between working nights or not seeing the kids. He chose working nights. There are not a lot of options for working nights. Especially if you dont have the talents to work at a nightclub. So my husband is answering phones at a car service. He takes down the time the person wants the car and some other information and a computerized system dispatches the car. My husband does the same thing, over and over again, for eight hours a day. To give you a sense of his co-workers, the woman next to him slammed down the phone the other day and said, The customers are so outrageous! This guy wants a car in a quarter hour. How am I supposed to know what a quarter hour is? In between calls, his coworkers play brand-name Internet-based games that my husband produced in his former career. He doesnt tell anyone. He tries to fly under the radar. But the customers, investment bankers at the most chic-chic firms in the city, notice something is different about my husband. Two or three times a week, someone will say to him over the phone, What are you doing at this place? One guy said, Is this your real job? My husband said yes and the guy pushed until my husband explained our situation. The guy said, That would have never happened when I was your age. Men couldnt do that. The hardest part about this life is that very few people understand what were doing. You can imagine what a conversation killer it is when someone asks my husband the great American question: So, what do you do? Although I overheard one woman say to him, Your kids are so lucky, the best support system Ive found is learning from other people who are thinking seriously about this topic. I particularly liked The Bullshit Observers rant this week about how difficult it is to manage career aspirations and be a hands-on parent. He has some interesting statistics as well as insights like this one: American parents have two very fundamental responsibilities at war with each other every single day. Those whove chosen the path that goes up the ladder appear to have chosen not to be parents. Those whove chosen the path that leads to the diaper bin have chosen not to move up. One organization that publishes a lot of information on changing the situation is the Third Path. This organization helps couples move beyond the idea that one parent is the primary caretaker and toward a mindset of shared care. Third Path offers mentoring to couples who are trying to implement a shared care arrangement in their home. Though this path is not easy for anyone, the stories of what people have gone through to make shared care work are inspiring.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

How to Sell Yourself on an Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Sell Yourself on an Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Many candidates get into trouble when they attempt to “sell” themselves in an interview.  Often, they end up coming across as overly eager and desperate, thus turning the hiring manager off to the prospect of recruiting them. In order to prevent this from happening and truly make a great impression, it’s important to touch upon the fundamental flaws of “selling oneself” as well as discuss some tips on how to consistently stand-out as an applicant. Fundamental flaws with selling oneself   First and foremost, nobody likes to be sold. People can see right through it and they hate it. Regardless of whether it is an employee or a car, the consumer wants to feel as if they are buying a solution to a problem. Begin to take the focus off of yourself and start to think in terms of the employer’s needs. Then, formulate the ways in which you can provide a solution. Also, understand that “selling oneself” is an overly vague target. Thousands of studies have shown that getting specific is one of the most critical steps to reaching a goal. The same goes for finding a job. Instead, strive to convey that you are a knowledgeable, confident, thorough and engaging applicant. Lastly, by focusing on an end-goal of selling yourself, you risk coming across as arrogant or desperate. Or even worse, both. The most efficient way to self-promote is to allow the conversation to become a give and take. If perceptive, the interviewer will realize that you are intelligent, capable and have or can acquire the desired skills through natural dialogue. Interviewing tips that land job offers 1. As a recruiter, I recommend that you understand that interviewer is just as prone to feeling badly about rejection as the interviewee is. Show the hiring manager that you care, are interested in what he or she has to say and youre well ahead of the game. Regardless of position, industry or company, one thing that every interviewer you meet will have in common is an inherent need to feel important. 2. Adapt to the interviewers personality style, dont ever expect them to adapt to your way of interviewing. Know that each employer will have a different style of conducting themselves. Some interviewers will just want the answers and thats what you should give them. Others will want to have a casual conversation and, if they do, schmooze with them. Use your intuition. 3. If you feel yourself getting nervous, shift your focus from your internal dialogue to what the interviewer is saying. By paying attention to your surroundings, you are able to concentrate less on the internal disorder and more on the conversation at hand. If you’re 100% focused on what the other individual is saying, psychologically you cannot be nervous. 4. Know that people hire people that they like. One of the best ways to warm an interviewer up to you is a sincere compliment. Determine what you like about the company and politely convey that to the individual. People like others who make them feel good about themselves. 5. Keep your cool. In a job interview setting when an employer is making a decision about competency and fit within an organization, the most successful candidates display a consistent vocal tone. In the end It’s sort of ironic. You have to sell yourself during an interview, however the moment the interviewer feels you are “selling” yourself, you’re going to appear as over-eager and desperate. It’s only when you begin to see interviewing as less of a question and answer session and more of a collaborative conversation, you naturally instill confidence in the employer.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Resume Writing For Experienced RPN

Resume Writing For Experienced RPNWhether you're applying for a job in information technology or you're applying for the latest hot job opening, you should know how to write a resume that will win you the job. It's a matter of taking the best information from the many types of resumes and using them to create a professional resume. You can also find assistance in resumes from those who are willing to give it a try. And these professionals offer coaching on writing resumes, tips, and advice on job hunting.There are a lot of things that you need to think about when you're writing a resume. First, what is your purpose? Do you need to get a promotion? Maybe you want to get your first job? Whatever the reason, your purpose should be very clear.Second, it's a good idea to list the skills that you have. Sometimes your experience and education are of high value, but it might not mean much if you lack the 'soft skills' that employers want. For example, they may be looking for you to work well with others, but your intelligence is an important factor. Employers don't care about your skill set, but your knowledge of people's skills.Third, you should know how to format your resume. Some employers will take a look at your education and experience, but they want to see a picture of yourself. You may not always be able to present a side-by-side picture of yourself with the resume you're trying to send. You can always cut out the pictures and insert your own.Fourth, it's a good idea to keep your skills and education in mind when you're looking at your qualifications for a job. If you can't write a convincing cover letter, then you'll need to be prepared to do your own cover letter. But a great resume doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be good enough to show potential employers that you can perform the duties of the job.Fifth, it's a good idea to learn how to write a resume that will fit your personality. When you are completing your resume, make sure you leave out an y areas that you don't want people to see. But don't make it too long, either.Sixth, it's a good idea to use a template when you're writing your resume. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Make sure the information you need is listed where you can find it. And when you're writing your resume, make sure it makes sense. If you're trying to meet specific job requirements, but you're not sure what they are, then your resume may not be able to be understood by the human resources personnel.Resume writing for experienced RPN can be difficult. It can be a good thing, though, because it can help you land that first job you've been waiting for. With a little help and a lot of patience, you can find that first job.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

How to Advocate for Safety in the Workplace CareerMetis.com

How to Advocate for Safety in the Workplace Source â€" Pixabay.comDid you know that over 2 million people die due to workplace accidentsevery year? If that isn’t startling enough, as of 2016, it is reported that an American worker is injured every seven seconds. That’s over 12,900 workers per day. It can be pretty scary, especially with the amount of time that employees spend at their jobs.The issue is that many people take safety for granted and many employers don’t think about potential dangers in the workplace until after an incident has occurred. That is why it is so important to promote a safe working environment through proactive guidance and comprehensive employee training programs.Here we will walk you through some common workplace injuries, how you can promote a safe environment, and how you can make a difference as an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist.Common Workplace IncidentsevalIn order to fully understand how to advocate for safety in the workplace, you must first understand the most common workplac e incidentsand how you can avoid them. In many cases, employees need to be aware of different hazards specific to their work environment, however, there are injuries that are common to all workplaces and ways to mitigate them from happening:Slips:Keep the floors clean and promptly remove any spilled liquids while placing cautionary signage until it is safe.Trips:With office equipment comes many loose wires. Keep them out of the way, close any open drawers, and keep feet under desks.Falls:Ensure that all hallways and stairwells are well lit and that all flooring is properly installed. Also, encourage all employees to wear proper footwear.Another one of the most common workplace accidents involves overexertion. Employees who lift too much and carry, push, and pull heavy objects can be susceptible to paralyzing back injuries. If a particular job requires workers to move heavy objects or engage in repetitive lifting, then the company must teach proper lifting techniques and obtain the s afety gear necessary to avoid these injuries.Many people might think that working indoors in an office environment will not lead to accidents, but being ignorant of workplace dangers can only cause more issues. Sitting in one position while doing a repetitive activity can lead to problems including carpal tunnel, eye strain, and neck and back issues, especially if your workspace does not fit your body.To be ergonomically correct, your chair should allow your feet to be flat on the ground with your thighs horizontal to the floor. The computer monitor should be set up so that the top of the screen is at eye level and the keyboard should be positioned so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.A lot of workplace incidents can also be tied to stress and exhaustion. To make sure that workers feel refreshed and alert, enforce regular break times twice per shift, paired with a 30-minute lunch away from their desk. Employees should not work on their lunch and should take the time to stand , stretch, and have a healthy meal to re-energize.Keys to a Safe WorkplaceWhile there are always steps that companies can take to limit the number of workplace accidents that can occur, little fixes will not solve the overall problem. Instead, a company must actively promote and understand safety. So what can a company do to ensure the safety of all of its employees?Developing a culture of safety means being open with the staff about potential hazards, so everyone looks out for each other. Start by offering proper workplace training classeswhere management discusses the potential dangers, including the most obvious issues such as properly navigating wet floors and avoiding falling objects. To supplement the meetings, create posters that encourage safety and hang them in common areas around the office.evalThings are always changing at the workplace, so make it a point to have regular meetings where you perform risk assessments to identify new potential hazards. Make all safety precau tions and then document your findings, so there is a record of what is being done to ensure employee safety.Every company must be familiar with the guidelines provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administrationwhich offers guidelines on everything from illness prevention programs to the proper filing of workplace accident reports.All About Workers’ CompensationWorkers’ compensation is the insurance that employers must have to provide wage replacement and medical benefits to those who are injured on the job. Because of its importance, it is crucial that employers and their employees know how the system works so all workplace injuries can be handled properly.There are several forms of workers’ compensation, including temporary and permanent disability.Temporary workers’ comp claims are typically for employees who take a leave due to injury but are expected to return to work. If a request is approved, the employee would get salary and medical bill reimbursement while they are out. Then, when they are well again, they can return to their regular duties.Employees may also be eligible for permanent partial disability, which means that the worker is hurt in such a way that they cannot perform their work at their full potential and may only be able to get lower-paying jobs for the remainder of their life. In any case, the settlement or payment terms are decided by the insurance company.evalThere are some drawbacks to workers’ compensation. If an employee takes advantage of this program, they then forfeit their rights to sue the company afterward for any reason related to the accident. Also, if an employee accepts a lump sum payment, they then forfeit the option to get regular payments or compensation for future medical treatments.In the end, it is highly beneficial to have safety protocols in place so everyone at the job can work in peace without having to worry about these options.A Career as a Safety SpecialistIf workplace safetyis something that interests you, then consider a career as an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist. Those interested in this type of job can find a good fit working for an organization like OSHA or within a company’s HR department. This position involves inspecting businesses to ensure that workers are protected and that all safety guidelines are followed. In many cases, these specialists will use the data they obtain to design new programs that can bring awareness to a particular industry.The average day for a safety specialist involves examining all facets of the workplace including tools, machinery, and current procedures to ensure that they meet government standards. The job may also include gathering samples of suspicious materials to test for toxicity. If issues are found, the safety specialist would also launch investigations to determine the cause and create necessary preventive measures.For this position, employees are not sitting in an office all day. Instead, they are dispatched to businesses within their jurisdiction. To properly complete the job, the specialist must have a vast knowledge of all necessary government regulations and procedures and be able to educate employers about these policies. Most importantly, in order to weed out workplace hazards, you must have deductive reasoning skills, attention to detail, and problem sensitivity.Overall, working as a safety specialist is a very secure career because businesses want to protect their employees and that is a fact that is unlikely to change. Also, as the workforce grows older, senior workers will face issues with eyesight, hearing, and disability factors, so, for them, the role of safety specialist is more important than ever.There are very few aspects of the working world as important as safety. Every employee deserves the right to go to work and return home to their families safe and sound. Those who advocate for safety in the workplace can make this happen.

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Success Story - Jo Green - Part 1 - Jane Jackson Career

Success Story - Jo Green - Part 1 - Jane Jackson Career Jo Green â€" Success Story of the Month  This month my Success Story of the Month is devoted to Jo Green, an amazing young lady who, in 2009, left her market research career in London for a new life in Sydney. Within 3 months of arriving in Sydney, settling in and securing a good market research role, she started to question her career path. Here is her story.“At a time when I didnt know what do next in my career and was wondering if I would be able to find new role that was more inspiring to me, I searched for a career coach. I discovered Jane through her website and took her on for a series of coaching sessions. Jane helped me reassess my career and life values, and helped me to explore different avenues for my future career path.  Assessing my values and drivers didn’t just focus on my career, but also covered where these fit best into my personal life. This was an extremely worthwhile exercise. The strongest area that came through from all of my conversations with Jane was my desire to feel that my work has a real purpose and makes a difference to others or society.An obvious avenue to explore was the Not For Profit sector and Jane provided invaluable advice and resources to get me started on this. After hours of research and several conversations with Jane to focus on particular roles and companies, I secured an exciting contract role at Clean Up Australia.  For 6 months I managed Business Clean Up Day, part of the Clean Up Australia Day program. This role was a real journey for me and a great first experience in the Not For Profit sector. It was so rewarding to contribute to the success of Clean Up Australia Day and work with people wiling to give so much of their time and input into making a real difference to their local community and environment.  Jo (top left) with the Clean Up Australia Day Qantas Team Nearing the end of my contract, Jane’s words from our coaching sessions have come back to me and I continue to use her techniques to assess whi ch direction my next career move should be in, secure interviews and ensure that the next step in my career in the Not For Profit sector is a success.”Jo GreenA week after writing this article, on the very day Jo wound up her contract role at Clean Up Australia, Jo’s new job search paid off!     She was offered the role of Community Fundraising Coordinator at CanTeen. This Australian Organisation provides support services to members who are young people aged 12- 24 living with cancer. This is a truly worthwhile cause. She is absolutely delighted to continue in her desire to contribute to the community and this time make a difference in the lives of young people living with cancer.   Jo, you are an inspiration!

Friday, May 8, 2020

Do you know what your invisible resume says -

Do you know what your invisible resume says - I bet youve thought a lot about your resume (hopefully), and you may have even spent some brain power evaluating your digital footprint, but have you ever considered your invisible resume? I recently read a terrific piece by Dr. Vicky Gordon, CEO of the Gordon Group, a Chicago-based leadership and organizational development consulting firm, for the Harvard Business Review that explains the concept and offers job seekers a lot to think about! (Hat tip to my friend @jonathanduarte for tweeting about the article!) Your invisible resume, in essence, is your reputation! Just as your digital footprint impacts how people will think about you, your reputation, as the old saying goes, absolutely precedes you. When is the last time you stopped to think about what your supervisors and employees think (and say) about you? You dont want your invisible resume to be, as Gordon notes in her post, visible to everyone but you. If you are a little foggy on the subject, Some examples from the Harvard Business Review piece: The vice president of sales for a major technology company delivered the numbers quarter after quarter. Relentlessly pushing for higher sales, he thought of himself as passionate about the business. During a 360 º feedback exercise, he discovered that his colleagues saw him as unreasonably demanding and a slave driver. Another example: The co-founder of a highly successful online company had difficulty delegating responsibility. He would assure people that he would get to the work that went into his office, but somehow he never did. As a result, his colleagues regarded him as untrustworthy, and people began to question his integrity. Gordon makes several suggestions to help you increase your awareness of your invisible resume (bold points are hers, commentary is my own): Find out whats on your invisible resume. The only way to do this is to actively make a point to consider what other people are thinking about you. Ask them! Ask your manager for substantive feedback beyond perfunctory annual performance reviews. Do you know how you stand in the pecking order of your organization? Would you be surprised to be passed over for a promotion? Not all managers are skilled at offering useful feedback. Its your responsibility to manage your own career. In this case, ignorance is no excuse. Make it your business to find out what you need to know. Gordon suggests going directly to HR orasking your manager. Begin to rewrite the story. If you find out that your invisible resume doesnt read the way you would like, its in your hands to make a change. Changing how people perceive you is not easy, but with direct communication and some honest reflection and work, it is not impossible. You may even want to consider enlisting the help of a coach to address your needs and create a plan for change. The fact is, you will need to change how you act in order to adjust how people perceive you. It is not easy, but you cant do anything unless your recognize the problem and move for change. Establish channels for ongoing feedback. Gordon recommends regular 360 degree feedbackaugmented with more frequent feedback from a trusted peer. She reminds readers that it is a good idea to identify a trusted mentor who can offer honest and useful feedback. Periodic self-assessment. Its easy to be too busy to purposefully manage your own career. I advise my clients to drive their own career bus with regard to the job search, and the same advice applies to anyone who hopes to go places professionally. Stop and identify areas for improvement before its too late! Need some help with a job hunt? I can help! photo by aidanmorgan