Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom What is Your Time Culture

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom What is Your Time Culture In her bookThe Culture Map, global workplace expert Erin Meyer talks about one particular keynote speech she had to give to an audience in Brazil. Her remarks were slated to last 60 minutes, but the client said she could take all the time she needed. Meyer didn’t quite believe him. After all, during just about any keynote address in America, you can expect a firm index card countdown: “10 minutes remaining” “5 minutes remaining” “2 minutes remaining” At “0 minutes remaining,” you’d better get off that stage! Meyer took 65 minutes to give her Brazilian speech and had a great time responding to questions from an appreciative audience. At the end, though, her client said, “It was great, but it ended so early. You certainly could have gone longerâ€"they were loving it!” Meyer was confused. “But you gave me 60 minutes, she said. It would be disrespectful to the group if I took more time than pre-scheduled without getting your permission.” “But in this situation, we are the customer,” the Brazilian replied. “Were paying you to be here. If you see that we have more questions and would like to continue the discussion, isn’t it good customer service to extend the presentation in order to meet our needs?” What Is Your Time Culture? This simple anecdote illustrates the enormous impact of differing attitudes toward time in the workplace. And it’s not just a country thing. Every office in the worldâ€"large or smallâ€"has a unique culture in regards to time and scheduling.For one company, it may be typical to start a meeting 10 or 15 minutes late, while in another, this practice would be frowned upon. Some organizations encourage hour-long lunch breaks, while others subtly expect that employees will eat at their desks unless it’s a special occasion. In the classic book,The Dance of Life: The Other Dimension of Time, anthropologist and author Edward T. Hall explained the difference between monochronic (M-time) cultures and polychronic (P-time) cultures. M-time cultures view time as tangible and concrete. “We speak of time as being saved, spent, wasted, lost, made up, crawling, killing and running out, Hall wrote. These metaphors must be taken seriously.” For more where this came from, have a look at the full post at the AMEX OpenForum.

Getting a Professional Resume

Getting a Professional ResumeIf you want to get a job in Ballarat, then you need to get your own professional resume. After all, the city is renowned for its business acumen and educational programs. Here are some tips on how to make your own professional resume.If you are someone who has already written a personal statement about yourself, then you should rework that. With this, you can begin to gather information on the strengths, experiences, skills, and personal qualities you have. Then, you can compile it into a professional resume.When creating a professional resume, do not underestimate what you are capable of. At the same time, don't be too ambitious either. You should be realistic about what your qualifications are. This is because if you do not write about your potential in the professional world, then nobody will bother to read your resume and see that you have the capabilities for the job.Use the skills you have gained and showcase them. It is also important to mention an ything that could differentiate you from other candidates. However, make sure that you do not over-emphasize your accomplishments.If you are looking for a professional resume, then you may want to search online. There are several places where you can go and get some professional help for making one. However, before doing so, you should first check if there are already others who wrote their resumes for your desired field.To make a professional resume, it is best to hire a professional for creating one. As a matter of fact, hiring professionals for the task of creating a professional resume may help you save money. For example, if you hire someone who can create your professional resume, then you would not have to pay for the service.You may also want to consider hiring a professional to make your professional resume. This will enable you to make your professional resume a professional one. So, as a rule of thumb, make sure you hire a professional resume writer.Indeed, getting a prof essional resume will surely help you get hired by Ballarat. So, it is best to hire someone to make your professional resume. In fact, you won't have to be too concerned about the task because a professional resume writer will handle the job for you.

How to Know When You Have Outstayed a Job

How to Know When You Have Outstayed a Job Knowing for sure whether you’ve outstayed a job or not can be a confusing and terrifying thought process. Is taking a new job worth the risk? Will you move and wish you were back where you are now? Do you even know what direction you’d head in if you were to start looking for a new job? The “ifs” and “buts” are something everyone experiences when considering to look elsewhere. Here are a few ways, however, to determine whether moving jobs is a good move for you. Well, you’re thinking about a new job already If you’ve thought about it seriously just once, it’s probably a sign you’ve outstayed a job. And if you’ve thought about it more than once, you’ve almost definitely outstayed your job. Daydreaming about being elsewhere-more so than simply thinking about golden sands and blue skies-is a pretty loud warning bell. If you no longer feel inspired where you are and you’re longing to escape to another role, your time there is up. The “cons” outweigh the “pros” The old-school method of drawing up a “pros” and “cons” list is often helpful when considering heading somewhere new. If the result show more “cons” than “pros,” you probably have a good indication of what your answer is. Although every worker has to accept at least a few “cons” when it comes to their job and the company they work for, too many threatens your every day; especially if particular “cons” are detrimental to a workers’ happiness and comfort. You no longer feel stimulated by your work Often, feeling challenged and excited by your work is an important characteristic of a role for workers. If you no longer look forward to your work or see yourself ever looking forward to it again, it’s a good idea to have a look for jobs that’ll keep you motivated and charged in the workplace. You’re not respected in the workplace It’s time to move on if you’re not listened to or respected at work. Maybe your concerns aren’t addressed appropriately or you feel uncomfortable because of a co-worker or boss. Alternatively, maybe your suggestions and work ideas are ignored and you’re pushed out of work that should involve you. If you feel this way, it’s likely you should look out for a company that promises to respect you and your goals. It’s also a good idea to make this a clear priority throughout the interview process. There is no room for progression If you’re looking to stay at a company where at least somewhere in the future promises room for progression, warning bells that suggest this will never happen should be acknowledged. Having room to grow and a chance to land a new role and a better salary is important to a lot of workers. If it’s pretty clear this job won’t provide that for you, look for a new job where you’ll definitely have chance to move up the ladder. You’re ultimately unhappy Even if you feel stimulated, respected and as though you can flourish within a company, if you’re unhappy, you’ve outstayed your job. Your career and job shouldn’t compromise your happiness and if you feel uninspired or even miserable at the thought of your 9-5, it’s time to quit feeling unhappy. No million good things about a job can top trump the feeling of unease and unhappiness. Quitting or even thinking about quitting a job should never be taken lightly.    Knowing for sure what the best course is can be challenging.   It’s a decision, however, that’s inevitable if you have worries about the job you’re working and they can’t be resolved. Kathryn Terry writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and graduate jobs.

A Dangerous Mismatch - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Dangerous Mismatch - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You’ll notice it in movies before you can put into words what is wrong with the actor. Something seems very off about their character and immediately sets you on edge. They claim to be a fierce warrior but run and hide whenever a fight breaks out. Unless part of the script, you’re immediately pulled out of the fantasy and can finally describe why â€" their actions don’t match their words. Though life isn’t a big screen production, we can still easily notice when others show us “appreciation” rather than actual appreciation for a job well done. Social Awareness Body language developed long before oral language, making it something that we pick up on much faster than verbal communication. Even the slightest of shifts in stance is picked up subconsciously and translated by our brains into sub context that is then applied to any words being spoken. It’s an adaptation that almost all animals exhibit to this day. A dog’s tail wagging signifies happiness while one tucked between the legs means fear. Humans have these same tells, though without the tail. This is why it is so important our bodies match our words. Naturally, this usually happens. When you’re comfortable, you’ll have a much more open stance. When you’re uncomfortable, you’ll cross your arms in front of your body. For most of us, we perform these actions instinctually. However, when asked to lie, few people ever learn that their body language must also adapt to fit the words. Claiming that you’re comfortable while standing with your arms crossed is a clear indication that you’re not telling the whole truth. Because of this, it becomes very easy to tell when something isn’t right. False Appreciation Arguably the most hurtful time these mismatched signals come into play is when coworkers or bosses try to show appreciation. Many of us know that “thank you” can go a long way but too often these words are hollow. Instead of being said in genuine appreciation and with sincerity, the two words are tossed out quickly as a project is grabbed off of your desk or come out strained from a seated boss that is focusing hard at papers on their desk. In seconds, we know that those words of appreciation are absolutely meaningless. In fact, it would have been better had they never been uttered at all. Why even waste the breath on those two words when there’s no sincerity behind them? This begs the question that If the boss or coworker lies like that with something that would be so simple to do appropriately, there’s a good chance they’re probably lying about other things as well. This puts the workplace on alert and, pretty soon, it becomes a topic of breakroom discussions. On top of this, false appreciation fosters a workplace filled with unspoken animosity. No one wants to be thanked insincerely. Everyone does their job because they’re paid to, not necessarily because they want to. Not all projects are fun or easy. Employees do not enjoy rushing on a paper to cover their boss’ lack of organization. However, the work gets done because the work needs to get done. To do so, a lot of stress gets shouldered and an insincere “recognition” of such a fact means that the liar has no awareness of the realities of their team members’ jobs. True Appreciation One way to easily do this is when you thank someone, you make sure you have eye contact with them. Whether you realize it or not, eye contact is a very intimate, revealing connection. When made, it means you and your target person are paying full attention to one another. It’s a way to show the person that thanking them is worth your time. Depending on how well you know the person, you can offer a handshake, fistbump or hug as a physical way of expressing how much you respect what they have done. After all, letting another person into your personal space is a pretty big deal when forming a deeper connection. Something like that is the least that can be done for times when you really want to thank someone. To make this thank you better, add into the conversation what you are specifically thankful for. General, real “thank you’s” are nice, but specific “thank you’s” are even better. It communicates that you actually know what they do and what they did either for you or the company. It calls out their individual strengths and how those contribute to the betterment of the office. Another way people share their thanks is through gift giving. Unfortunately, these can tend to backfire as awarding employees mugs with the company logo emblazoned on the side isn’t exactly meaningful nor does it acknowledge an individual’s preferences. Such a gift generalizes everyone, alienating them by indicating that it was not worth your time to find a gift that they, personally, would find value in. And, often it is viewed a promotional ploy and only done to make sure employees are carting and displaying their brand everywhere.   For offices that have hundreds of employees, individual gifts maybe  unrealistic. To circumvent any animosity caused by such gifts, individualized presents should be awarded for the rarer displays of appreciation. While not everyone will receive such attention, everyone on your team will know through those few individualized gifts that the company does respect the desires of each individual.

Job Tips for Resumes

Job Tips for ResumesAn important component of any business resume is your personal background. This information should not be rushed or omitted, but should be carefully considered and included in the appropriate sections. It is also advisable to use appropriate keywords when finding personal information on the Internet, in order to have it right and to optimize your resume.Personal information includes full names, addresses, birthdates, spouses, spouses' names, phone numbers, cell phone numbers, email addresses, financial information, public record, court cases, legal names, civil records, and employment history. Many of these pieces of information can be found on public records, which may be accessed through online searches or through general government websites. Some of the most interesting, if not the most current, information to include in a business resume is recent banking statements, recent tax returns, bank accounts, and retirement funds. A recent home appraisal and/or sale p rice are also useful.Using keywords correctly is essential for your resume to be searchable and therefore to get good results. The correct keywords will search all possible versions of your document on all search engines and pull up the very best and most relevant results. Also be sure to include all the necessary data that is keyed into the system. This information could include job titles, geographic locations, company names, employee information, company directors, and locations.When dealing with specific aspects of your life, including work, family, finances, and other items, be sure to include them within a chronological order so that the applicant will be able to find what they are looking for easier. In particular, if the applicant is looking for something relevant to their job, it is best to follow up with a question about their work experience.Because the search is all-encompassing, it is recommended that a resume include basic requirements. These consist of your education, training, work experience, and certifications. If you are an employee of an organization, such as a contractor, it is worth mentioning the names of all the projects you have worked on. In addition, some companies even require certain positions to be filled within certain dates.Before a potential employer ever sees your resume, it is important to create an accurate history of your work history, education, and certifications. Being honest and straightforward is the best policy.Last, but not least, include any written works that you are willing to submit for consideration for the position. In the event you have already held the position and are no longer seeking employment, consider the ability to write in a professional manner, but maintain your personality. Avoid using lengthy descriptions or content that is too technical, and be prepared to provide the reason why you deserve the position.Business resumes are sometimes difficult to use, especially if you are new to the industry or h ave no prior experience. However, the required information in a successful business resume is relatively straightforward and not overly complicated.

Graduates How to Survive Your Probation in a New Job

Graduates How to Survive Your Probation in a New Job Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comJob hopping is a common phenomenon among new graduates in their early career. Why? Because the psychological contract between employee and employer has shifted in the Digital Age.Loyalty was a given in a previous era, but it’s being chipped away by a greater emphasis on the search for genuine meaning at work and the breadth of choice and opportunity.Yes, loyalty while you are with that employer, just not for life. This creates challenges for getting off on the right foot for both employer and new employee.What personal strategies help young graduates survive and thrive for that initial probation period where both parties ask themselves ‘have we made the right choice?’evalJulie Bishop of JobHop says: “An average life-span of a job is now 3 years and that’s because our young generation of workers want as much experience as they can get, they want to climb the career ladder fast and they won’t hang about in a job that they’re dissatisfied with, t hey’ll simply hop to another.” A potential danger of a job hopping mindset in the first few months is that you underestimate what it takes to succeed in the probationary period.Here are 5 pitfalls and how to avoid them so you give yourself and the job a chance:1.Misjudged Expectations‘It’s my employer’s job to show me the ropes and to develop me, I expect to get promoted early.’ Career Influencer, JT O’Donnell cites studies that someone who doesn’t perform well in the first 90 days will get worse over time and negatively impact how their colleagues perform.As she says: “If you aren’t showing signs your personality, aptitude, and experience are going to meet their expectations, they don’t want to waste time keeping you on. They’d rather cut their losses and look for a better fit.”Be the person you sold to the company from Day One. Ensure your behaviours match your personal brochure. Keep being that independent learner you were at college.2. Complacency‘I†™ve got the job, there is plenty of time to show my abilities, if I don’t like it I can always leave.’ You may not get the chance or the choice if you don’t hit the ground running.evalTurn a first impression into a lasting impression. Every time you meet someone new, it’s a ‘moment of truth’ â€" see them as your customer and exceed their expectations. Build credibility and trust by being proactive rather than reactive, rolling your sleeves up and getting involved.3. Culture shockI feel uncomfortable because I don’t know how things get done around here, it’s tough at the start when you feel unconsciously incompetent.’ It’s common to put your foot in it accidentally when you are new to the company’s culture because you don’t know what you don’t know.Expect the unexpected. Don’t be too risk-averse â€" show initiative and accept you will make some mistakes. Discover the unwritten rules by taking the plunge, asking questions, listening and observing.You have a short window of opportunity when you are new to see what others take for granted. Reflect back objectively what you see and test if they would welcome your ideas at this early stage. If so, show them your creativity.4. Poor Relationship ManagementevalHere are some of the difficulties experienced by one graduate in her first job: “How do I speak to someone above me? What stories about my social life can I tell to my colleague next to me? How do you speak to a 55-year-old man in the office when you have only ever been surrounded by your peers? They are not your parent but also not your friend. How do you talk to them and what about?”Do the graft and show your worth. Get experience of handling working life. Learn to filter what you share. Join in with social events to get to know your colleagues. Take an interest in them as people. Getting on with your manager is crucial â€" help them to help you.5. The grass is always greenerThere is a temptation to say this to yourself when thin gs don’t go well or feel right. Data is emerging that, within corporate environments, what a person can learn between two and five years in the same company is major â€" as you get experience under your belt, become more trusted and given greater responsibility. It can set you back personally if you have to start over again elsewhere.Test your assumptions to inform the decision to stay or go. What evidence do you have for your belief? Talk it through with friends you trust, a coach or mentor. The grass is always greener where you water it.Giving it your all straight away helps to road test whether or not this job and employer is the right one for you. Anything half-hearted will get exposed quickly. And that’s not a pleasant experience for you or your employer.Be authentic and professional when you start a new job, so you nail the probationary period and get the chance to fulfil your potential.

Are You Effectively Targeting Advertised Opportunities - Hire Imaging

Are You Effectively Targeting Advertised Opportunities - Hire Imaging My clients and readers know that I’m not a fan of relying on applying to advertised openings as the priority or single method in job search. The statistics support around a 5% return. Why? As soon as it’s out there, it’s a candidate magnet â€" including your competition. Then, there’s the applicant tracking systems and hoops to jump through. Then waiting for the phone to ring, wondering if you made the list. So, should you use this strategy? Yes! While you shouldn’t rely on advertised positions, I do advise it as one of a multi-pronged approach to your job search. Don’t rule this method out. A thoughtfully-crafted application has a relatively good chance of getting you shortlisted, if you take care to analyze the opportunity. Applying also heightens your visibility, which can get you on the shortlist for another opportunity, or generate referrals. What I do not recommend is applying randomly for jobs that are not a fit for your skills and experience. A simple numbers game, this is not! Yes, you have to reach out to a certain number of decision-makers, but sending out hundreds of poorly targeted applications will most likely have a negative impact. You will earn a reputation for wasting people’s time, throwing yourself at jobs that are not a fit, transmitting desperation and amassing rejection emails (or not hearing at all) which will not help your case or your self-confidence. Target advertised openings with these 10 strategy steps: Learn more and ask for help. Your priority is to reach out and see if you can find someone who knows something about the employer organization. Then you can read between the lines of the posting to get a stronger feel for what the organization really wants. This is about peeling back the layers. If you can, find someone with insider knowledge to share their knowledge about the organization. Research the organization, its key people and other roles. Think about how this job makes sense in the big picture. Analyze the ad. Deconstruct the job posting. Look at the title, role description and any company or other insights. Does it seem a fit? Beyond the label, are you qualified for eight out of ten of the criteria? Scrutinize the strong, weak and neutral language. Attempt to get a sense for how strongly the employer feels about the criteria it outlines. Try mirroring key phrases found, to add relevance to your resume, cover letter or other communications (only if true, of course). How complex does the job seem to be? How is that likely to match candidate experience? Weighted criteria. Are there hints given (role title, salary, experience) about the preferred level of applicants? Look closely for evidence about the level of accountability, and gauge that against the size of the organization. Candidate and organizational personality. Is there an indication of the type of attitude and approach the company wants? Is there anything revealed about the organization’s culture that attracts or repels you? Needs and wants. Is there a distinction given as to what are preferred and required qualifications? The “must haves” and the “nice-to-haves”? Do you fall short? Does the company welcome questions or dialogue with prospective candidates before submitting a resume or application? Is there a “do not call” message? What is said about next steps or process for moving on as a candidate? Some job advertisements have a detailed description; others are vague. The biggest challenge of dissecting postings is deciphering exactly what the employer wants. First consider the selection criteria. Then go to a detailed view of the organization on its website, particularly pages describing organizational structure, departments or units, and mission. Search press releases for details of recent activities, recognition, product launches, etc. Use LinkedIn to view the organizational profile and information on current or former key employees. Explore whether there are others holding the same or similar job titles, and then use LinkedIn to see if you can find people who do the same job in other organizations. What are your thoughts around the topic?

Three Simple Ways to Promote Your Strengths - Hallie Crawford

Three Simple Ways to Promote Your Strengths In a previous career blog post, we discussed an easy process to unearth your strengths for greater career satisfaction. Now that you have identified your top strengths, you want to let the professional world know what makes you different from other job seekers, employees, or consultants. So how can you start to promote them? Here are three ways to start promoting your strengths. Update Your LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn is an excellent platform to use to promote your strengths. Check your current LinkedIn profile for the following: Are your top strengths mentioned anywhere in your profile? Does your headline capture attention, or is it a default sentence that LinkedIn provides? Does your current summary showcase your strengths? What is your main purpose of using LinkedIn (job search, networking, etc.)? Take some time to revise and customize your LinkedIn profile for your target audience. While you want to stay professional, don’t be afraid to be creative and to grab attention by using unique adjectives to describe your top strengths. Craft Your Elevator Pitch. Your elevator pitch is, essentially, your sales pitch that showcases why you are unique. It is generally 150 words and should last the length of an elevator ride, 12-20 seconds. This is an effective way to get the attention of a hiring manager, attract new clients, and expand your network. There are three components of an effective elevator pitch. Identify your target audience: who do you want to address and why? This could be a new job, a promotion, a new client, etc. Identify what you deliver: the services or products you deliver and how it benefits your audience. Create an attention-grabbing opening statement. When creating your elevator pitch, make sure that you have highlighted your top unique strength. Keep in mind that this statement should be about your listeners, not about you. How does your unique strength benefit them? Use Your Email Signature Line. Knowing your strengths makes it easier to create a branding statement. Your branding statement tells others what you bring to the table and why you deserve a job, promotion, or another form of career advancement. Make sure that your branding statement highlights your strengths and then add it to your email signature line! If you need help crafting your branding statement, download our free presentation, Three Keys to Unlock Your Strategic Career Plan.