Loyalty in Careers

Loyalty in Careers What does loyalty mean to you? A few years ago I was talking to an HR person who said, with disgust, that there is no more loyalty from employees to the employer. Anyone want to comment on that? Im a pretty loyal guy. I left my last company at least a year after I should have left, only because they laid me off. I was too loyal and somehow expected the loyalty to be reciprocated. How naive. Every week I hear stories from people who were let go. They gave their companies everything, and many times, went above and beyond. These were people who had cut costs, increased revenue, where a good cultural fit, etc. etc. They were even loyal to their companies. There is no  (or, reduced) loyalty because companies arent as loyal as they used to be. No one feels secure in their job. Everyone knows that they could be gone next year, and likely will be gone in five years.  Its always in the back of peoples minds. This is why career management is so critical. Keep your eyes open, strengthen and make new professional networking connections, and pay attention to what your brand is.  All three of these strategies/tactics will come in handy that day you get your pink slip. Loyalty in Careers What does loyalty mean to you? A few years ago I was talking to an HR person who said, with disgust, that there is no more loyalty from employees to the employer. Anyone want to comment on that? Im a pretty loyal guy. I left my last company at least a year after I should have left, only because they laid me off. I was too loyal and somehow expected the loyalty to be reciprocated. How naive. Every week I hear stories from people who were let go. They gave their companies everything, and many times, went above and beyond. These were people who had cut costs, increased revenue, where a good cultural fit, etc. etc. They were even loyal to their companies. There is no  (or, reduced) loyalty because companies arent as loyal as they used to be. No one feels secure in their job. Everyone knows that they could be gone next year, and likely will be gone in five years.  Its always in the back of peoples minds. This is why career management is so critical. Keep your eyes open, strengthen and make new professional networking connections, and pay attention to what your brand is.  All three of these strategies/tactics will come in handy that day you get your pink slip.

Working Women The Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight on the Job

Working Women The Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight on the Job A lot of people provide a soft excuse when questioned about a lack of effort at the gym.   Working women in particular have many valid reasons for not being at the gym as often as they would like; they’re making money for households.   However, life happens regardless of one’s schedule. Those who feel healthier and look better find the time to get to the gym.   Additionally, some work overtime at work to ensure a better body and steady weight loss.   How Many Calories Are in a Workday? It’s common to eat three meals a day (or more).   Depending on your workday, it could also be easy to exceed the number of targeted calories.   For example, those who sit at a desk for the majority of the day burn very few calories. So, eating breakfast and lunch while doing little to exert energy could exceed 1600-1800 calories per day.   Those on a diet must burn more calories than consumed.   Note how many calories are earned versus burned.   Some may need to revise when and how much they eat.   Trade the Gym for Lunch If you are like most people, you probably get forty-five minutes to an hour for lunch.   Whether working a flex schedule or making up the difference afterhours, many workers have the ability to leave the office.   Most grab lunch when away from the office but forty-five minutes is enough time to burn calories; get in the habit of burning rather than earning calories during the workday.   Quit the Job or Revise the Career You may be juggling rent, investments, kids or considering whether to quit a miserable job, but it is important to consider the connection between mental well being and weight.   Those who have recurring feelings of depression or anxiety about work are susceptible to other unhealthy repercussions.   A number of health professionals observe a correlation between one’s level of job stress and excess of weight. While you may not be able to quit a job or instantly switch careers, you may find solace in short-term counseling in addition to long-term plans to make a positive change.   Multiple Paths Lead to a Better Body For some, getting up early and going to the gym for an hour and a half before work is easy.   Others keep a slim waistline due to a love of sports, dancing, coaching, and activity on the weekends.   Multiple paths lead to a better body and it’s important to make the right decisions rather than endorse unwanted methods, especially if it means modifying work hours or juggling multiple tasks throughout the workweek.  To explore cosmetic options for those who dislike the gym and tired or investing in diet programs that garner zero results, click here.   Drink Plenty of Water Drinking plenty of water is a great way to support weight loss and a healthy diet.   Bodies need water to replenish organs and clean internal systems of impurities.   Rather than coffee, tea, or soda, eight or more glasses per day help people of all body types and exercise preferences lose weight faster. Losing weight is a lifestyle and some successfully exercise alternatives to reach goals.   Drinking water, counting calories, and going to the gym during lunch makes sense for working women. Dr. Kevin Ruhge is an Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon in Pasadena specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body. Dr. Ruhge is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.  He enjoys sharing his insights online through blogging. Recommended Reading:  [amazon template=productasin=0991244133]

3 Ways to Generate Revenue When Youre A Stay-at-Home Mom

3 Ways to Generate Revenue When You’re A Stay-at-Home Mom Every woman has a million different things she’s called to do in life. One might have a passion for her family. She stays at home and looks after the children, and on the side, she enjoys doing a host of different things Each task she sets her mind to benefits from her amazing capabilities. A different woman might spend her days caring for others in a hospital setting, a third puts her brilliant financial mind to use in a business setting. There’s no limit to the things women accomplish every day. No matter what they do, though, many women come to a point in their lives when they want to have children. Everybody arrives at this point differently, but most of us get there. When the time for children comes, some women might decide to spend the first year with their baby; then they wean them off and head back into their career because that’s the way their life is. Another woman might choose to put her career on hold to raise the family, or she might just give it a go at a much slower pace. There is no one way to raise a family. However, if you’re in this place in life and you’ve chosen to be a stay-at-home mom, yet you also have a desire to generate revenue while you’re here, here are three things you can do to bring in some money Become a Writer Extraordinaire Women tend to be pretty creative. Many are regularly looking for ways to put their own flare into things they do and the places they spend their time. If you feel like you have a lot to say, but you’re at home much of the time looking after children, you probably don’t have much of an audience to speak to. You could consider becoming a writer and write a blog that may generate income. In truth, there’s both a science and a grind in making this work. People don’t become popular by happenstance. If you want to generate income from your writing, you’ll have to put a bit of work into learning about business and marketing. But the truth? It’s a fun outlet you can do from anywhere, so it might be worth a try. Start a Home-Based Business Most people would love to be able to work from home. Few get the chance because you really have to make the opportunity happen for yourself. But if you’re driven and you want to make money from home, you could start a home-based business and make something worthwhile happen. A home-based business can be anything you want it to be. You could go to beauty school and open a salon that’s run out of your home.  You could design and make a clothing line from your house. Or you could advise people on whatever it is you’re good at. The options are limitless. Do some brainstorming and see what could work for you. Find Something You Believe in and Peddle it Multi-level marketing companies have gotten a bad rap, some of them for very good reasons. But if you believe in the product, there’s no shame in sharing it around and making some money off the deal while you’re at it. You just have to know what you’re willing to do and whether you’re the kind of person who would be good at this sort of thing. People naturally promote products they like all the time; the only difference is that with a company that is MLM, you’ll see money coming in. Image credits Main      Blog  

Our Brains Respond Better to Difficulty Than We Imagine

Our Brains Respond Better to Difficulty Than We Imagine The title creates a very interesting statement. I actually had to stop writing and think about it. When it comes to experiencing difficulty, individuals go through various phases. Some individuals resort to panic when they find themselves in a difficult situation. Examples of this could be found whenever you’ve been asked a difficult question in an interview, or approaching an exam question on a topic that you haven’t revised properly. Some individuals may even give up when they experience difficulty. They don’t give their brains a chance to sink into the difficult situation and come up with a solution. As the title of the article points out, the concept of difficulty has many uses. The consequences of which are mostly positive, not negative. Although I’ve provided you with a couple of examples on how individuals respond to difficulty, it would be better or more useful if you asked yourself, ‘Where and when have you faced the concept of difficulty, and how did you react to it?’ If you could go back in time, how would you have changed your way of thinking or your actions in relation to that difficult experience? I’ve mentioned this before in my other posts, but completing applications can be stressful, time-consuming and tiring. All of which come under the form of ‘difficulty’. You may come across a question and wonder how on earth youre going to be able to answer it to the extent where you’ll stand out from the crowd. How can you make yourself unique from the other candidates? You might leave the question and move on. Or you’d prolong the application altogether, other things will come in the way, and youd get back to the question just before the deadline is about to pass; only resulting in a mediocre application. What happens when you’ve completed something that doesn’t illustrate the best of your ability?   You become anxious, start to worry and panic! You find it difficult to control your emotions due to the lack of time management. Another example: in order to win gold medals, you have to go through years of training; in order to pass exams, you have to go through countless hours of revision. As you see, none of these come easy. Even the simplest of situations can be difficult, for instance, getting out of bed.   In order to achieve something, to challenge what we actually definitely want, a source of difficulty needs to be present with the goals we aim to achieve to guide us; that’s right, ‘guide’ towards the right direction. It challenges our mental capacity. Some individuals find it difficult to balance employment or gaining the relevant experience with working towards their degree at the same time. Let’s face it you can graduate with a fantastic degree, but not having sufficient amount of experience or not having any at all will not land you a job or vice versa. I’m not saying that this is always the case, but it is a situation that many graduates are facing. What would we learn if everything came easy to us? What would we achieve? How would we be able to teach others to become better individuals based on our experiences? That’s why the term ‘difficulty’ has its ‘uses.’ Despite the fact that it makes you stronger, it makes you think more on how to solve problems. It makes you stronger. It requires you to do a lot of logical thinking, increasing your brain capacity. The concept of ‘difficulty’ enables you to take a step back, allowing you to think outside the box and looking at the issue from a point of view of the bigger picture, increasing your ‘perceptual scope[1]’. Most importantly, you remember it in the long run. The more you focus on the challenge, the more you’ll remember. If degree courses were so ‘easy’, every student would be popping out with first class degrees. Not 2.1s, but Firsts! Would its significance mean much? The answer is ‘no’, and they would decrease in value resulting in them not meaning very much to employers. Being able to respond to difficulty confidently results in individuals being able to improve their character. If you fall, it may be a painful experience, but eventually motivate you to work harder. Also known as ‘Will Power’. To summarise, the main purpose behind this article is to make you aware of the positive aspects behind ‘difficulty’. As an article from ‘Intelligent Life’ points out, ‘Sometimes, the best route to fulfilment is the path to resistance’. Image Credit: Pinterest [1] http://moreintelligentlife.com/node/4965 7

How to Write an Objective Statement For a Job Resume

How to Write an Objective Statement For a Job ResumeAs a writer and resume writer, I often hear people asking how to write an objective statement for a job resume. You may be having some similar questions too!An objective statement for a job resume is one of the most important parts of your resume. It is the one thing that will separate you from the many other applicants who might be applying for the same job position. For this reason, you should make sure that you use this statement carefully.The best way to write this statement is in a plain text format. This is because it will not look awkward on your resume. Plain text will also make it easier for you to convert the statements into different formats.Before you get started, you need to have some basic composition skills. This means that you can write a good paragraph without being over dramatic. Sometimes, you may feel the need to go into great detail, but try to avoid that if you can. If you can write a simple paragraph that focu ses on some quality points about yourself and your abilities, then you can move onto the next section.Next, you'll need to write down your major objectives. Be sure to highlight this one by using bold or italics. You may want to put a section break at the top of the document so that it can be easily read. This is so that you can clearly make it clear that this is a one-paragraph summary.You should always be careful to differentiate between accomplishments that relate to the job and those that do not. You should also include the specific number of jobs that you held while attending school so that the reader knows exactly what they are looking at.You will want to talk about your key aspects in more detail, such as the projects that you worked on and how you did them. Talk about the areas of expertise that you have as well.Lastly, you should include a conclusion at the end of your document, even if you do not think you will need one. This is just to show that you have read through the whole document and that you have got to know what the resume is all about.

8 Speaking Habits to Help You Sound Professional - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

8 Speaking Habits to Help You Sound Professional However, there are 6 factors that can impact your presentation in a positive way. As long as you keep these tips in mind whenever you prepare for a public speech, you will be able to impress not only the audience but also yourself. Speaking in public is more than words. Reaction time, presentation, body language, knowledge, emotions and tone of voice have a large contribution to the overall evaluation of your presentation. Based on these factors, there are 8 important speaking habits that will help you sound professional. Always remember to stand or sit with your back straight! Your posture is the first thing the audience will notice. First impressions always matter. Maintain visual contact with the audience! This shows that you are connected with your audience. Remember that your listeners deserve your full attention. No one likes to listen to an emotionless presentation where the person speaking doesn’t seem mentally present. Not everyone has front seats! Remember to speak loudly and make sure everybody is able to hear you. However, do not start yelling. Body language and gestures make every presentation more engaging and vivid! Therefore, use these to emphasize important points. If you don not feel like it comes natural to use body language, it is better not to use it too much. Make yourself understood! Use words that your audience will understand and make clear the points that you are presenting. Fancy words or expression may only create confusion. Avoid emphasizing yourself and instead make it about the cause you are there for. Use pauses! They can help you emphasize key points and create suspense. Your listeners will stay engaged and will be able to remember more of your presentation as they will connect it with a certain move or a certain moment of silence. You need to interact and respond to questions! There will always be questions. Therefore, you need to make it feel more like a conversation. The more questions you ask and explain, the more involved and professional you will look. Follow these tips and deliver a memorable presentation!

Employed but Stuck Turn Up the Heat on Your Internal Job Search!

Employed but Stuck Turn Up the Heat on Your Internal Job Search! Employed but Stuck? Turn Up the Heat on Your Internal Job Search You’ve been in the same job for over three years. Feeling a little stale? A promotion or change of pace would be ideal and you’ve seen some interesting jobs on your company’s internal career website. Or maybe there isn’t exactly what you’d like, but you want to do some further exploration by networking. What do you do? Tip #1: Stop blaming your boss, company or management team. Over my 30 years in corporations and start-ups, I have heard and read employee feedback that said, “My company is not promoting me, I’m not earning what I should be, my management team does not value my work, I’m under-leveled, there are no jobs for me to move up into.” There is nobody more accountable for your career growth than you. And nobody cares about it as much as you do. So take control, stop whining, and do something about it. Now! Set a date (in two weeks?) to finish describing and documenting your next career move. Own it. Describe the timing, the function, the team, and even the name of the person sitting in the chair that you would like to occupy tomorrow. Tip #2: Communicate your career growth plan and ambition to your manager and others. Most companies have a process for holding a career discussion. This is NOT the way to do it: fill out the minimal information, don’t put a lot of time into it, and press, “enter.” Then, in the meeting with your boss, you tell him/her what you believe they want to hear such as, “I just want to stay here doing a great job” or “You are a great boss and I’m learning so much.” So, you’re afraid to hint at a lack of commitment by sharing that you would like to pursue opportunities in another division or, god forbid, change functional roles within your company? Why are your career goals your best-kept secret? Believe me, those who are moving up around you have been very clear about their goals. Crystal clear. Tip #3: Ask your boss if he or she will partner with you to identify your next career move. I know, WHAT? Dana, you are asking me to not only tell my boss that I want to look at other opportunities AND ask him/her to help me? Yes, I am!. By working together, you and your boss can plan for your eventual replacement. More importantly, he/she looks good. They can proudly tell their manager that, based on your career discussions, they are sponsoring your career growth. If/when you leave, it will be considered a positive move because your boss will be viewed as an exporter of good talent and will import good talent for your replacement. Tip #4: Set up amazing internal informational meetings. During my 11 years at Microsoft, I was continually disappointed with the low meeting quality of an “informational” requested by an internal job-seeker. At times there were many people who needed to find another position since they were part of a team that was reorganized, their initiative came to an end, or they weren’t well matched with a manager or supervisor. Others simply wanted to explore. Regardless of their reasons, the requestor was ill-prepared, had no agenda, took no notes, and broke the golden rule: An informational meeting IS an interview! Yes, folks, it is! In the same manner as in a formal interview, the manager will observe you from the minute you approach them to the minute you leave. Assessments are being made to decide if you would be a fit for their team and have the skills they are looking for. Even if they don’t have a job opening now, they are forming an opinion. Call the meeting for 30 minutes, have a written agenda with 3 items only, bring pen and paper to take notes, bring a copy of your résumé, and bring the questions YOU want to ask! I have hosted hundreds of informational meetings; here are the things NOT to do: come in empty-handed, wear shorts and flip-flops, be unprepared to discuss what it is my division does, and have no clear goal of what you are looking for. Employed but stuck? Turn up the heat on your internal job search! Cut the Crap, Get a NEW Job within your company by being better than the rest! Let them sit there whining while you move on up!