Monday, December 30, 2019

Finding a Back-to-School Job

Finding a Back-to-School JobFinding a Back-to-School JobWhen school is in session, its a good time for both high school and college students to start looking for work. Many students only work during the summer, meaning that a lot of jobs may open up once the new semester starts. Job seekers seeking employmentduring the school year may find themselves with a wide variety of options for part-time work. Do you live in a college town? If so, note that employers will soon be ramping up their hiring as students return to campus for the new semester. But even if you live outside of college areas, you have plenty of options for employment. Many summer employees are headed back to school and will have to leave their seasonal jobs, which may mean more job openings for you. Tips for Finding a Back to School Job Snagajob, the leading hourly job site for job seekers and employers, has spent a lot of time speaking with employers and hearing from Snagajob Hired members about whats working and w hats not. Theyve picked up some insider tips to help you land a job, no matter where you live or what youd like to do for work. Kim Costa, Snagajob Job Search Coach, has some advice for workers who are searching for that perfect back-to-school job. 1) Be Proactive Chances are that you know of a business that is either losing employees to school or that will be ramping up hiring for the fall. Online job search engines can help you locate opportunities in your geographic area. If you happen to be in a store or restaurant that you wouldnt mind working for, it doesnt hurt to ask if they need any extra help. departure networking by telling your friends and family that you are looking for a job and ask that they keep an eye out for you. It helps if you can be specific about what youre looking for, and dont stop looking until you get a job. As a job seeker, dont make the mistake of applying to a few jobs and then waiting to hear back before starting to search again. Keep going until yo u get job offers, and then choose the one that best fits your criteria. Dont put your job search on hold while assuming that one of the applications youve already submitted will result in you getting the job. Keep applying to other positions so that you wont miss out on an opportunity while waiting to hear back on something else that may or may not happen. 2) Check with Your School If you are in high school or college, think about using your school as a resource to see who is hiring. There may be jobs on campus that are a great fit for your busy fall schedule. Your guidance counselor may also have a connection to a local business that hires students. Going to school and having a job can be a balancing act, and jobs that have a connection to your school are experienced in helping you maintain that balance. 3) Think Outside the Norm Restaurant and retail jobs will most likely have fall openings that are great for students with flexible hours. But, there are other industries ou t there that will be ramping up their hiring for the school year. Check out daycares and back-to-school programs. Think about services and organizations that are likely to be busier now that school is back in session, and target those companies in your search. Many of these places will be seeing their summer employees leave or will need some extra help in anticipation of new students. Also, check out hotels and tourist attractions in college towns. They may have seen business slow down in the summer when school was out of session, but they may need extra help to handle not only the students going back to school but also all of the families coming to visit. 4) Persistence Pays With new jobs opening up for the school year, there will be competition for those positions. Your best bet is to do what you can to stand out to the employers. After you apply, go in person to follow up on the position. Ask for the hiring manager and if they arent there, come back when they are. When you ge t a chance to talk to the decision-makers, make sure you stand out for the right reasons. Go in dressed professionally with copies of your resume and visit during non-peak times. For restaurants and retail, try going between 2 and 4 p.m. on weekdays. Who knows, you may get an interview on the spot

Thursday, December 26, 2019

A List of the Top International Fine Art and Antique Fairs

A List of the Top International Fine Art and Antique FairsA List of the Top International Fine Art and Antique FairsWhile art biennials and triennials were the trends of the nineties, fine art fairs are the trend of the 21st century, with new art and antique fairs and festivals springing up in diverse parts of the world.Art fairs typically take place over several days. Gallery owners rent a booth or space to showcase their gallery artists. During the event, many art sales are conducted while other events like symposiums, tours, and performances happen.Art and antique fairs and festivals introduce the work to a broad range of existing and potential collectors and can be highly lucrative.Here is a list of ten noteworthy art fairs. 01Art Basel, Basel, Switzerland Hrag Vartanian / Flickr /CC BY-ND 2.0Since 2000, the SCOPE Art Show has solidified its position as the premier showcase for international emerging contemporary art. With art fairs in Miami, Basel, New York, London and the Hampt ons, SCOPE Art Show has garnered critical acclaim, with sales of over $100 mio and attendance of over 30,000 visitors.In addition to the global art fair, the SCOPE Foundation provides grants to independent curators and emerging artists, plus it helps nurture the art scenes of its participating cities.The SCOPEs Center is an artist-driven non-profit to support and fund international contemporary art.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

5 Steps to Transform a Job you Loathe into One you Love

5 Steps to Transform a Job you Loathe into One you Love 5 Steps to Transform a Job you Loathe into One you Love 1. Before simply going gently into that good night (of temporary unemployment), approach your boss and ask about finding ways to alter the kind of work you do. Depending on the cause of your discontent- be it overwork or lack of challenge- your boss will probably landsee that you will be more productive doing something different and is more likely to choose to work with your needs than simply see your talent moved elsewhere.2. If your routine simply needs a refresh ask to be partnered with different people, even if you personally like your current coworkers. By adding a new set of ideas and experiences to your regular assignments you may see your job from a fresh perspective that allows you to reevaluate your relationship with those parts of your job that you may hate and renew your enthusiasm for your work daily routine.3. Change up your surroundings so that your workspa ce feels more homey and relaxing. You dont want to feel like youre in prison for 40-plus hours per week staring at the same humdrum desk and wall space. Spruce up your area with as much personality as your employer allows. Bring in sentimental photos, decorations, or pleasant smelling plants. If the setup of your chair or desk makes you physically uncomfortable, ask your manager about changing your furniture or receiving assistance with properly adjusting your office necessities.4. One of the most demoralizing aspects of any office job is seeing your inbox full of unread emails and your desk covered with unexamined documents. Plan at least one session during your week dedicated solely to sorting through your backlog, organize your workspace, and investigate ways to use your workspace in a more systematic, efficient way.5. One way to improve your outlook at work is to live a fuller life at home. Many times, you may end up resenting your work time because it impedes your ability to do the things that you want to do. Make sure you are spending your off time with people you care about and doing things that invigorate your life. Scheduling times of calm can also help you unwind so that you can stay more relaxed at home and at work.

Monday, December 16, 2019

How She Overcame Hiring Stereotypes as a Mother Returning to Work

How She Overcame Hiring Stereotypes as a Mother Returning to WorkHow She Overcame Hiring Stereotypes as a Mother Returning to WorkIn January 2018 I hired my newest rockstar employee and I could elendlage be happier with her performance. To me, she welches just that a rockstar employee. She crushed her interview, passed my test, and meshed perfectly with the team. I was shocked to hear the bias that she had been facing in her nearly 9-month job search. Below are some of the stereotypes that Kiara faced and how she was able to overcome them.Hiring a Mother = Decreased ProductivityTime and time again, Kiara was told that being a mother would decrease her productivity at work. The assumption is that with kids, things come up that would take away from ones work productivity or cause distractions. A kid could get sick and need a ride to the hospital, have a sporting event, need a diaper changed, etc. Many hiring managers believe that there is no way a stay-at-home mom could be effective w orking from home when she has two small children.How she overcame Kiara had proved her worth from the very beginning. To explain how she was able to stand out from other applicants, I first have to tell you a bit about the job posting. Being that attention to detail was a huge requirement for the position, I snuck into the job description a line that said, Bonus points if you find the typo in this job description. Out of over 300 applicants (most of which did not have children), Kiara was one of five applicants to find the typo. This caused her to immediately be shortlisted for an interview.Hiring a Mother = Outdated SkillsTime and time again, recruiters scan resumes using the 6-second rule, automatically eliminating talented individuals because of an Employment Gap. The assumption is that if someone has been unemployed for an extended period of time (usually over 1 year), they are not improving their skills or staying relevant with industry trends. Unfortunately, this method of scr eening has affected countless mothers looking to return to work.How she overcame This is actually a freebie for any mother out there. Being a mother is not considered an employment gap. In fact, being a mother is more than a full-time job. Your official title as a mother is CEO of Your Household. Dont be afraid to explain on your resume why you have been out of work. Kiara did, and it worked out great for her. Any hiring manager in his or her right mind will value someone who has been a full-time mother. Try something like this on your resumeJob Title CEOCompany Name Santiago HouseholdDescription Worked 100+ hour weeks with little sleep and very high maintenance clients (my children). Responsible for budgeting, planning, nurturing, customer service, and all household operations.Hiring a Mother = Poor Culture FitIts not uncommon for an employer to feel a bit awkward when hiring a mother. Is a mother going to blend in with the work hard play hard culture that the company has establish ed? This happens more at startups than any other companies. For those employers who expect their team to live and breathe work, hiring a mother is not at the top of their agenda. A mother is likely to spend time with her family, rather than going out and getting drinks with the team after work.How she overcame This can be a challenging objection to overcome and quite frankly, it is not worth overcoming. This is a sign you should move on and find a new company. At the end of the day, finding the right company to work for will make all the difference. Kiara found the right company to work for. She didnt try to make it work at a company that did not truly appreciate her life outside of work. She did not have to hide anything or pretend to be someone she was not. She did her due diligence to make sure that our company culture was aligned with her own and I could not be happier to have her as a part of the team.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT)

Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT)Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT)If you are considered a job in the Air Force or Marine korporation that focuses on either computing skills, programming, or other scientific applications, you will get to take another type of test called the EDPT - Electronic Data Processing Test. The jobs in the Air Force and USMC that require this test are the followingThe EDPT is used for two Air Force Specialty Codes 9S100 and 3D0X4 and the USMC Military Occupational Specialty (MOS 4034). Its mostly logic type problems. Its tough, long, and you have to go quick. The best advice is to skip any questions that are difficult, then go back. Dont leave any blank answers. Here are the details of the test as well as the type of jobs that require the EDPT 9S100 SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS SPECIALIST The use of nuclear weapons anywhere in the world has an immense impact on our nations policies. Its the job of Scientific Applications Specialists to discover clues that have been left behind in order to detect when a nuclear weapon has been tested. Utilizing skills in mathematics, electronics and physics, these experts gather and analyze data to ensure we know when and where nuclear capabilities are being used, giving us the knowledge we need to take action when necessary. 3D0X4 COMPUTER SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING The Air Force requires countless computers to accomplish mission 24/7. The computer and the system / network is only as good as its software and the people who operate it - Computer Systems Programming Specialists. These professionals write, analyze, design and develop programs that are critical to our war-fighting capabilities - from maintenance tracking programs to programs that organize and display intelligence data. 4034 MOS - Marine Corps Computer Operator The Marine Corps needs smart IT guys too. Someone trained and skilled to monitor and control electronic computer and data processing equipment to process business, scientific, engineeri ng, and other data according to operating instructions is a job responsibility that would affect the entire Marine Corps if it did not operate properly. When other Marines encounter problems, these IT Marines must be able to diagnose issues over the phone and assist computer users.Being able to enter logic commands, using computer terminal, and activate controls on computer and peripheral equipment to integrate and operate equipment in order to help programmers and systems analysts test and debug new programs. About the EDPT The EDPT is administered at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) during your day at processing. There are approximately 120 questions to be answered in a period of 90 minutes. All questions are multiple choice with five available answers for each. It is a paper and pencil test, not computerized, and the testing personnel provided me with two sheets of scratch paper and a pencil (calculators are not allowed). The test was divided into four parts an alogies, arithmetic du sagst es problems, sequencing and patterns, and pictorial analogies. Analogies The analogy questions are just like those given on the SAT - _____ is to ______ as ______ is to _____. One needs to determine the relationship between the first two wordsand find the answer that has the same relationship to the third word given. Arithmetic Word Problems The arithmetic word problem questions are just that word problems. The questions incorporate a lot of extraneous ingestaltation into the wording and one has to be able to pull out the information needed and discard the garbage. The questions themselves did not require an extremely high level of mathematical ability (algebra, some geometry and maybe a tiny knowledge of physics), though each test form could differ in the types of questions given. As in any other Multiple Choice test, one could probably eliminate one or two answers quite quickly and then plug the remaining answers into the equation to determine the correct answer. This method takes a while longer, so wait until all easier questions have been answered and go back at the end if time remains. Sequencing and Patterns The sequencing and patterns portion of the test was my favorite. Either four or five numbers are given and then a blank space in which you must provide the next number in the sequence. One of the harder ones might be as follows 3 9 4 16 11 _____ Therefore, for the above example, the pattern would be 3 (x 3) 9 (-5) 4 (x 4) 16 (-5) 11 (x 5) 55. By writing the possible sequences down on the scratch paper, it becomes much clearer and one can see the pattern much more quickly. There were no tricky fractions or other strange patterns on the test just adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing integers to the previous number. Pictorial Analogies Tithe last type of question on the test are the pictorial analogies. Just like the analogies portion, questions are in a form similar to _____ is to ______ as ______ is to _____. The difference is that geometric shapes are used and one has to determine which of the multiple choice answers matches the third shape in the same way the second picture matches the first (Guide Note See the example at the top-right of this page. In the example shown, the correct answer would be 2, as it matches object 3 in the same way that object 1 matches object 2.) Some of them will be rotated, cut, or otherwise manipulated, but there is always a reasonable relationship. Do not expect to be able to answer all the questions on the test. A quick look at the number of questions and time allowed shows that one has only about 45 seconds per question and many of the word problems require at least that much time just reading and deciphering what information is necessary, then putting the data into a workable problem. It is recommended to answer all the easier questions first, then (time permitting), go back and start working on the harder ones.In the Air Force, a score of 71 is needed for the AFSC of computer programming (3D0X2) and 57 for Technical Applications Specialist (9S100). The test has nothing to do with either job at first glance, but what it does accomplish is determine ones ability to think logically. All four parts of the test require the recruit to think logically and that is essentially what computer programming is.

Friday, December 6, 2019

What You Can Do About Key Skills Resume Beginning in the Next Seven Minutes

What You Can Do About Key Skills Resume Beginning in the Next Seven Minutes The Battle Over Key Skills Resume and How to Win It A Key Skills section, on the flip side, is listed on top of a resume. Listening skills are equally as vital as communication abilities. Professional skills are extremely important additionally to include on your resume. If you are in possession of a wide variety of technical abilities, however, your abilities might end up being precisely what gets you hired. You currently have the skills you should compose an excellent resume. Naturally there are other kinds of transferable skill. You probably have the correct computer abilities. New Step by Step Roadmap for Key Skills Resume Its also excellent to have the ability to show employers how you decide whats important to center on and get done, and the way you go about meeting deadlines. Carried out various audit checks to make sure the appropriate procedures were carried out and to recognize any train ing requirements. A candidate with the correct soft skills has the capacity to acquire the tough skills an employer could be seeking. For example, if youre asking for a job for a Receptionist and list a crucial skill as fluent in web design then an employer could be confused. Therefore, to be a great receptionist, an individual must possess a fantastic degree of organizational skills. To be a fantastic receptionist, or to employ the very best partie for the job which youre able to find when recruiting for the job of a receptionist, the abilities and qualities that were discussed above must be considered. You might already possess a number of the transferable nursing skills required to be successful. Many nurses would agree that adaptability is just one of the most essential non-clinical nursing abilities. New Questions About Key Skills Resume It is possible to find below a list of the greatest skills you may put on your resume based on the sort of job that you are applying for. You are going to have rough time locating a work description that doesnt consist of communication as a required skill. To begin with, if youre seeing a great deal of hard skills that you just dont have, it can be better to move on to the next position. Regardless of what your age, and however much experience that you have, you need to always be ready to learn a new skill or technique. The Downside Risk of Key Skills Resume Always remember that hiring managers do leid devote a great deal of time perusing a resume. Strong leadership is all about much more than simply telling everyone what to do. No matter where you include your skills section on your resume, you can be confident that the hiring manager is likely to find it and definitely likely to ask about doing it. Thus when writing down your job skills take some time to strategize and find out the ideal approach to organize them in your resume. In truth, it might be appropriate to incorporate a more prominent core c ompetencies section at the peak of your resume with thorough descriptions of certain skills if theyre absolutely central to success in the desired position. As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. In addition, it is going to help you show off your very best PC skills effortlessly Review their About Us page and see whether your soft abilities or attributes are aligned with the corporations core values. The War Against Key Skills Resume If youre not certain which skills you would like to share, consider your prior experiences. Look through the work description and see whether any soft skills are mentioned. Read through it a couple of occasions and youll probably spot three or four important skills mentioned many times throughout the document. Listing your skills provides a chance to showcase your abilities and experiences to prime employers for the remainder of your resume. There are various sections y oure expected to include on the resume youre working on for your job application. Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. Remote jobs require a specific set of skills, however, regardless of what sort of job it is. Even worse, you might be put in a job where you could be unqualified. There are styles of preparing your skills section that may still show you in the very best light. The important point is an employer will be scanning your resume in the very first few seconds to check whether youre the suitable fit for the job. If thats the case, there are a few instructions that you must follow for you to think of the best resume. Therefore, if youre planning to compose your server resume, be rest assured that youll be prosperous. Things You Wont Like About Key Skills Resume and Things You Will Working life presents many challenges and you want to show employers that youre the sort of person who will come across a means through, even if the going gets tough... and keep cheerful-ish. Another important point to consider is to relate the way your previous experiences would benefit the target company. Youre going to be working with people on a daily basis who might be spread throughout the world. The important thing is making certain the perfect people with the suitable approval power are bought into the process as the sale progresses. Make sure that your reps are prepared to sell, and have all the sales skills they will need to be a thriving ISR. You need to be in a position to sincerely apologize to a customer on behalf of your business, even as soon as the dicke bretter bohren mssen wasnt your fault. You have to strive to stay calm and cool, even if your customer isnt. If a customer has an issue with an item or service, focus on what you could do to assist her or him. Key Skills Resume Explained Make certain you know all the advantages of the merchandise or services your business provides and convey them to y our customers. If youre trying hard to think of any, you can attempt employing the job descriptions of ads in your industry, along with looking at LinkedIn profiles of folks working in similar roles. If youre asking for a specialized accounting job, youll want to show what, if any, related experience youve got in the area. Hard skills have a tendency to be more technical, and each business or sort of job will often have its personal essential set.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Ensuring A Positive Candidate Experience When Using Video Interviews - Spark Hire

Ensuring A Positive Candidate Experience When Using Video Interviews - Spark HireVideo interviews instantly connect employers to job seekers. There are numerous benefits for companies when they implement video interviews into their hiring process. Video interviewing allows employers to avoid the headaches usually brought on by scheduling conflicts.Additionally, they are able to tap into a larger pool of candidates and have a better gunst der stunde of finding someone to fill their open position. However, with all the great things that employers get out of video interviews, they should never lose sight of the part on the other side of the interview the job candidate has needs and feelings that should be considered too.The job candidates comfort during the interview process should be given priority. It would be a shame to have found the perfect person for your open position just to have them turn down the offer because they had a less than positive candidate experience interviewing wi th your company.Start off the interview process by asking the candidate if they have ever been interviewed over video. If it is their first time being interviewed in this manner, it is your responsibility as the employer to explain everything about the process and what they are to expect. This will help to ease any anxiety the candidate may be feeling about the video interview, therefore, they will be able to concentrate solely on presenting themselves well.Obviously, video interviews are a two-way street. You expect the candidate to be completely engaged with you during an interview, so you must do the same. When conducting live interviews, be sure that you are always facing the camera and looking at the lens (not the screen) when directing a question at the candidate. If you are initiating eye contact, the candidate will likely maintain it throughout the interview. If you are shuffling with papers on your desk or appear to be looking off into the corner of the room, you may make t he candidate uncomfortable which will affect their interview performance thus, influencing your hiring decision.Spark Hire recently launched customizable brand settings which allow employers to completely brand the video interviewing experience for candidates. This will give the candidate a consistent video interview experience. With the various positions most job seekers apply for at one time, branded video interviewing will ensure that the candidate knows exactly who they are applying to and for what position.It goes without saying that a positive candidate experience will benefit your company. You dont want to build a reputation as the company with the difficult and unpleasant interviewing process. Moreover, even if you decide not to hire the candidate you interviewed, because you ensured a positive interview experience for them there is very little chance they will badmouth you and your company to family and friends.What steps have you taken at your company to guarantee a positi ve candidate experience? Let us know in the comments belowImage racorn/BigStock.com

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

George Westinghouse

George Westinghouse George Westinghouse George WestinghouseAsk the man on the street who he should thank for the electricity that lights his way and hes likely to say Thomas Edison.But the name Westinghouse, to most laymen, conjures up little more than images of 1950s fridges and toasters. But George Westinghouse was a giant among inventors, and if theres any one person whos responsible for powering ur world, its him. By the age of 13, Westinghouse was working in his fathers shop, helping to make steam engines and agricultural equipment, for 50 cents a day. After serving the Union cause at the age of 17, he went to New Yorks Union College. But the president of the college soon explained that courses in classics and the like would be a wasteful digression for a young man of such obvious talent. Instead, he should drop out and start with the inventing. Thats just what he did. In a year hed been granted his first kapitnspatent, for a rotary steam engine. The engine was never used but it was the start of a lifelong interest in rotary power. It was also the start of a lifelong series of patentshe was awarded, on average, a patent every month and a half. Two other early Westinghouse patents were put to immediate use His railway frog allowed trains to smoothly cross other tracks, and his car replacer guided derailed cars back on the tracks. If theres any one person whos responsible for powering our world, its George Westinghouse. The reason so many cars needed to be re-railed was the primitive braking systems of the time. Each train had a brakeman who rode on top, whatever the weather. When a train needed to stop, the brakeman would turn a wheel, hop to the next car, turn its wheel, and continue down the line braking each car individually. A train needed a full two miles to come to a halt. The process made being a brakeman one of the most dangerous jobs in the worldin one year 5,000 of them were killed. Westinghouse had read about European air drills used to make hole s for dynamite inside long tunnelsthey worked with thousands of feet of tubing. Why not put the same system to use on trains? He patented the idea at the age of 22. With it, a trains engineer could control the brakes of every car from his seat in the engine. Despite the initial reluctance of much of the railroad industry (it was cheaper to continue to risk the lives of brakemen than to pay the $50 for the Westinghouse brakes), they were eventually adopted everywhere. The air brake business, with Pittsburgher Ralph Bagaley as backer, became Westinghouses first big business and he would continue to perfect the brakes over the years. Air eventually would be used to keep the brakes off the wheels rather than push them on that way a failure would mean a stopped train rather than a runaway train. Trains played a large role in his personal life as well. He honigwein his wife on one. He sat next to the future Mrs. Westinghouse on a trip to Schenectady. After a short chat he realized he want ed to marry her, so, before departing, he gave her the addresses of several of his friends so she could write to them for references. Once married, he built her a summer home in Lennox, MA. It would soon be home to the worlds largest private power plant as well a private natural gas derrick. Power was becoming Westinghouses obsession. He was quick to realize that Edisons DC current, which would need a power station every mile or so, would not be a practical way to wire the world. He threw himself into developing a transformer that could ramp up (and down) AC current. When he joined up with Nikola Tesla in 1884, the intellectual side of the AC/DC war with Edison was over. But the media war continued. Edison began backing public electrocution of animals as well as the electric chair, to prove the dangers of A.C. current. He even coined a new verb to discredit his competitors To kill someone with an electric chair was to Westinghouse him. At the 1893 Worlds fair, Edison lost the public ity battle as well. Westinghouse won a contract to light the fair, underbidding Edison by half a million dollars. Westinghouse chalked up any possible losses to the cost of good publicity. Edison countered with a patent challenge on the kinds of bulbs Westinghouse intended to use. But Westinghouse was ready for that as well, and turned to a secondary, somewhat inferior, bulb he had patented. At the fair, the 250,000 lights25% of the bulbs in the world at the timewowed visitors for whom night had previously been a much darker affair. Skeptics and doubters soon switched their support to Westinghouse and AC power. Westinghouse soon harnessed the power of Niagara Falls to power cities many miles away. By the turn of the century, Westinghouse had some 60 companies to his name. He would borrow from one to fund another as he saw fit. But in 1907, with the country in a depression, he had to borrow from banks, and soon saw those loans called. As a result he lost much of his business, includi ng his prize electrical works. After 1907, he could not pass those huge structures in east Pittsburgh without turning his face away. He continued to invent, however, and was named President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1910. Four years later he was dead, his designs for an electric wheel chair on a desk by his side. Edison looms large in the public consciousness in part because he wanted to loom large in the public consciousnessand, arguably, because he was a less generous man. His record 1,093 patents included the inventions of his employees, patented under his own name. Westinghouse, famously good to his employees, preferred to let his workers patent their own inventions. Had he behaved otherwise his number of patents would easily have surpassed that of Edison. Michael Abrams is an independent writer.The president of the college explained that courses in classics would be a wasteful digression for a young man of such obvious talent. Instead, he should drop ou t and start with the inventing.

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to maintain professional connections when theres high turnover at your company

How to maintain professional connections when theres high turnover at your companyHow to maintain professional connections when theres high turnover at your companyMaintaining the connections youve made at work can be tough when you work in an office where people always landseem to be on their way out - whether its for good or schwimmbad reasons. Heres how to get to know your coworkersbefore its too late.Be someone people want to talk to in the morningYoure only doing yourself a disservice whenyou avert your eyes away from someone whos trying to say hello to you.On that note, research shows that witnessing negativity in the morning can ruin the rest of your day, but even if this has happened to you, you dont need to take your feelings out on those you work with.So leave your morning commute irritation at the door and turn over a new leaf when you get to your desk. This way, when your fresh-faced, well-rested colleague says hello, youre able to answer without mumbling a response unde r your breath.Weve all done this before, but you dont have to purposely look somewhere else when you see a colleague coming your way- this also goes for not responding at all.Out of conversation ideas? Talk about something you both can relate toAmanda Berlin, creator of online copywriting course Create Content That Connects, writes in The Muse that you should bring up what you most definitely have in common when trying to bond with colleagues.No matter who you are and what you do- you have two things in common with everyone you work with. You eat and you commute, occasionally at the saatkorn time. While they feel like humdrum topics, they are two easy go-tos when you need to break ground, she writes, before listing potential questions to pose, including Whats your favorite lunch place around here?Make new employees feel seenA Robert Half blog post suggests that if you want to be a good coworker, you should reach out to new colleagues.What better way to create an atmosphere of teamw ork than by supporting the teams newest members? From volunteering to mentorthem to simply taking them out for a cup of coffee, there are many ways to welcome new employees and boost team morale, it reads.You should make an effort to get to know people before they make an exit, but getting to know new hires early also makes you seem more genuine and approachable.Dont skip every happy hourI know, I know, it can be a whole lot easier to hop on the train back home at the end of the day, but then youll miss out on opportunities to really get to know your coworkers in a more relaxed setting.While the idea of socializing with people youre not close friends with can be a little bit jarring at first, youll never know what you might bond over if you dont go and find out.This also gives you something to talk about when you see them at work the next day.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and Issues

How to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and IssuesHow to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and IssuesHave you ever worked alongside an employee who had poor personal hygiene, foul-smelling clothes or breath, or an annoying personal habit like making clicking noises? Or worse, the employee drinks heavily in the evening and then exudes the smell of alcohol, often mixed with the equally fetid smell of coffee and cigarettes, all day at work? Or, worst on the list of most challenging issues, the employees breath and pores exude a spicy aroma that makes you ill the employees clothes are clean, but he or she appears to bathe infrequently, and youre positive that saying anything would be culturally insensitive. Welcome to the workplace coworker situations from hell. Start your preparation by reading How to Hold a Difficult Conversation for some initial insight into these challenging discussions. Then, integrate these new tips about holding difficult conversations into your feedback approach. Tips for Holding Difficult Conversations Start With a Soft Approach to Set the Employee at Ease, but Dont Beat Around the Bush The employees level of anxiety is already sky high and making mora small talk while he waits for the bad news to emerge, is cruel. Once youve told him that you want to discuss a difficult topic, move right into the topic of your difficult conversation.Tell the Employee Directly What the Problem Is as You Perceive It If you talk around the issue or soften the impact of the issue too much, the employee may never get that the problem is serious. If you reference the problem as some of our employees do the following, the employee may never understand that you mean him. Whenever Possible, Attach the Feedback to a Business Issue This is not a personal vendetta the difficult conversation has a direct business purpose. Perhaps otzu sich employees dont want to participate on his team, and youve noticed the lack of volunteers.Perhaps his appearance is affecting the perception of customers about the quality of the organizations products. Maybe, an irritating mannerism has caused a customer to request a different sales rep. Make the business purpose of the conversation clear. You Also Need to Let the Employee Know That Not Only Is the Behavior Affecting the Business and the Employees Coworkers, but It Is Also Affecting the Employees Career Express directly the impact you believe the behavior is having on the employees befhigung promotions, raises, career opportunities, and relationships in the workplace.Training Your Whole Staff Is Not an Appropriate Solution Some managers will provide a grooming and professionalism seminar for all employees to attend.The employee with the problem will get the message via the training. It isnt going to happen. The employee with the problem will not get that you mean him and you will have subjected countless others to training they didnt need.Professionalism training, dress code training, and similar activities a re recommended when employees need a starting base of information. One company even sponsored a fashion show to demonstrate appropriate business casual dress. You need to oppose training as a means to correct the personal problems of individuals. The worst suggestion that a company considered pursuing? Train just the individuals who are perceived by organization members to have the problem. It is offensive and discriminatory. Address the issue with the employee- individually. Be Sensitive to the Fact That Different Cultures Have Different Norms and Standards of Appearance, Bathing, and Dress Leave this discussion to the employees manager, but your workplace is justified in asking employees to embrace the cultural standards of the workplace in which the employee is working. It is especially true if nonconformance to the standard is interfering with the harmony and productivity of your workplace.Be Sensitive to the Difference in Cooking and Eating Traditions, Too A woman confided to m e recently that her fellow students had laughed at her and made fun of her because she always smelled like curry and garlic and other pungent spices.As a working adult, she has toned down the amount of spice in her cooking, but she was injured by the thoughtlessness for years. If an employee has repeatedly tried to correct a hygiene issue such as bad breath and is not making progress, suggest that the employee sees a physician so they can determine if an underlying medical condition might be causing the problem. Your thoughtfulness could save an employees life.Finally, If You Are the Employees Supervisor, You Owe It to the Employee to Hold the Difficult Conversation Especially, if other employees have complained to you, understand that if you dont hold the difficult conversation, the employees coworkers will.And, they may not hold the conversation effectively with the goal of minimizing embarrassment and discomfort. A bottle of deodorant might show up on the employees desk. Soap has been placed in employee mailboxes, in my client companies.Nasty notes have also been left in mailboxes and on chairs. None of these actions contribute to a harmonious workplace. Furthermore, the employee can justifiably dienstgrad the employer with allowing harassment and a hostile work environment to exist. Care enough about the employee and your productive, harmonious workplace to hold the difficult conversation. You will be happy you did.