Inspirational memes are ruining your career

Inspirational memes are ruining your careerInspirational memes are ruining your careerIf youre a leader or trying to become one, some degree of ongoing personal branding activity is inevitable. That often creates pressure to post something new to your social channels on a regular basisand therein lies the risk.The easiest thing to do might be to share pithy slogans purporting to deliver quick hits of inspiration. After all, its your job as a leader or aspiring leader to motivate others, right? Right But your MotivationalMonday tweet or Instagram post with a Gandhi quotation might be backfiring without you realizing it. Heres why, and how to avoid those fluffy expressions.Lack of clarity fails to motivateIts hard to be profound on a daily or weekly basis. Its even harder to be profound in just a few quick words. Consider this gem from an Instagram account dedicated to motivationBuried beneath that double-negative statement are a few unanswered questions What does it mean for quotes to work? How exactly should you apply them?Heres another ambiguous one from the saatkorn accountWho could argue with that? It would be great to learn from every mistake But even the slightly lengthier captioninstructing you you to study ways to avoid repeating mistakesdoesnt tell you how to go about doing that. Vague statements like these may earn likes from other busy professionals idly scrolling their social feeds, but they wont earn you attention from the people best positioned to help you advance your career.Leaders do need to inspire and motivate, but they never succeed byspouting unclear generalities. Powerful communication spurs others to take action through clarity and precision. One reason people dont act is because theyre confused or uncertain about what to actuallydo.You cant motivate anyonelet alone everyoneto take productive, mission-driven action if you stick to vague platitudes.Superficial comments obscure your best ideasIn order to attract career opportunities or win s upport for your ideas, you need to offer an original insight or propose a compelling solution to a problem. Shallow, superficial remarks do neither. Take this tweet for exampleIs this even true? If it is, its great news anyone whos lost a friend, a family member, or even a pet. Does that mean youll get a better dog next time? Or if youve blown a client opportunity, youll invariably ace the next one? Obviously not. Yes, its true that there is nothing more certain than change, as the text of the tweet points out, but not every loss leads to a better opportunity than what came before. This baseless optimism suggests shallow, uncritical thinkingnever a great look when youre trying to advance professionally.Same goes for this postMagic? The Universe? Are these really where effective leaders should distribution policy their hopes? If anything, thefruchtwein successful people know how to minimize unnecessary risk, sidestep the sunk-cost fallacy, and cut their losses so they can redirect th eir energies wherever theyll be better served. Perhaps thats a less inspirational idea, but it suggests much more skill, intelligence, and strategy that will likely appeal to your coworkers, employers, and business partners much more than your stubborn heart ever will.Your best ideas will take more than a few words to lay out, and thats okay. The most difficult challenges out therethe ones that take real leadership to surmountare complex. So while theres an art tospeaking about complicated subjects without dumbing them down, your real goal should be to motivate others to engage with complexity, not shy away from it. Tossing out generic remarks that stick to the surface level doesnt help you do that. Worse, it suggests you arent capable of diving any deeper.RelatedHow To Talk About Complex Ideas With Literally AnybodyRhetoric should sharpen meaning, not dull itMany of the most commonly shared and liked motivational social media posts use snappy turns of phrase. They may sound clever, but more often than not, they bury meaning instead of heightening it. The rhetoric, in other words, hides the substance.An especially common device is antimetabole, which simply means reversing the order of repeated words and phrases.John F. Kennedy used antimetabole in the most famous line of his inaugural address Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country. In Kennedys case, it was a rhetorically powerful way to express an idea about civic service. But if you arent careful, your twist on this common device might do little more than set up a false opposition. Take this tweet for exampleFor one thing, are knowledge and caring mutually exclusive? After a moments thought, it may strike you that the two are in fact intimately linked. After all, caring without knowledge suggests empty emotions If youre ignorant about something, how can you be expected to care about it in the first placelet alone know how best toshowyou care? Furthermore, is it even a good idea for people to desire others empathy without their understanding? Its hard to agree or disagree with an idea thats based on such shaky premises.Rhetoric by itself is hollow. Its only effective when its being used to compress and sharpen an underlying concept. Otherwise, its just fluff that makes people suspectyou dont know what youre talking about, and are trying to hide it.RelatedThese Expressions Make You Sound Like You Dont Really Know Your StuffQuoting great thinkers doesnt mean you understand themFinally, theres a risk that inquoting influential leaders, youll take their words out of context and diminish their original powermaking yourself look bad in the process.This professionalquotes Alibaba founder Jack Main her LinkedIn headline Dont hire the most Qualified candidate. Hire the Craziest. This thought has deep roots in Mas experiencehaving been rejectedfor 30 jobs he applied to after college, including one at KFC, Ma knows that on-paper credentials dont always tell the full story. But taken out of context, his statement doesnt make much sense. In fact, using this quote on your own social media channels might give the impression that you believe in making risky hires or in taking crazy risks yourselfeven if you dont.Its always in your better interest to be seen as someone of substance than as an armchair philosopher. When in doubt, stick to specifics rather than airy generalities. Ground your social media posts in yourownthoughtful observations, drawn from firsthand experience. Real leadership rarely comes in greeting cardsized bites.Its always in your better interest to be seen as someone of substance than as an armchair philosopher. When in doubt, stick to specifics rather than airy generalities. Ground your social media posts in yourownthoughtful observations, drawn from firsthand experience. Real leadership rarely comes in greeting cardsized bites.You Might Also LikeThis Three-Word Phrase Is Subtly Undermining Your AuthoritySix Ways Youre T urning Off Everyone Whos Trying To Help You Find A JobI Went To The Gym For Cardio Training And Left As A Better BossThis post originally appeared on Fast Company.

Types of Separation from Employment

Types of Separation from EmploymentTypes of Separation from EmploymentThere are many ways to lose a job. Employment gestaffelte anordnung occurs when the employment contract or at-will agreement between an employee and his or her company comes to an end. Some gestaffelte anordnungs will be forced by an employer, including getting fired or laid off. Other separations, like retirement or resignation, will be voluntary. Knowing which type of separation from employment youve experienced is important. It might determine whether you receive unemployment benefits and severance pay. Its also essential to know the particulars so that you can prepare to interview for new jobs. (Note you dont have to advertise the nature of the separation during your interview process but you do have to be honest if it comes up.) Types of Termination and Other Employment Separations Constructive Discharge Constructive discharge, also known as constructive termination or constructive dismissal, occurs when a n employee quits under duress and believes that they have no choice but to leave their employer. Often, they feel that they have been forced to leave by an employer who has intentionally made their working conditions intolerable. If employees who are separated in this manner can prove their case, they may retain some of the same rights as a discharged worker. Although it appears as if the employee left voluntarily, he or she had no other option but to leave due to the very difficult working conditions. If the employers actions are illegal or unlawful, the employee may have a viable claim for wrongful dismissal. Fired A firing takes place when an employer severs ties with a worker due to poor performance or violations of company policy. Depending on the nature of employment, an employer may work with the employee in order resolve the problematic situation or provide a probation plan as a warning. In the case of at-will employment, an employee can be fired without a reason or without warning. Layoff Being laid off refers to a separation in which the employer has let an employee go because their services are no longer needed. Layoffs occur when employers experience a reduced volume of business or funding, or when a reorganization occurs that renders a job unnecessary. Economic changes, financial decisions, restructuring, redundancy, attrition, or a change in function may lead to this kind of separation from employment. Layoffs can happen to one or many employees at once, depending on the circumstances. Termination for Cause When an employee is terminated for cause, they are fired from their job for a specific reason. Reasons can include any sort of misconduct, such as ethics violations, failure to follow company rules, breach of contract, theft, falsifying documents, violence, harassment or threatening behavior towards others, insubordination, etc. Termination By Mutual Agreement Termination by mutual agreement covers situations where both the employer and employ ee consent to a separation. Examples include contract employees at the end of their agreement, retirement, and forced resignation. Mutual agreement does not necessarily mean that both parties are happy with the arrangement. It just means that they have formally agreed to stipulations for a separation. Termination With Prejudice Termination with prejudice indicates that an employee has been fired due to inadequate performance, poor attitude, or ethical/legal transgressions. Employees terminated with prejudice are ineligible for rehire. Termination Without Prejudice A termination without prejudice means an employee has been let go for reasons other than performance, behavior or attitude on the job, as in a layoff. Employees terminated without prejudice are eligible for rehire into the same or similar job role. Involuntary Termination An involuntary termination takes place when an employer either fires or lays off an employee. Voluntary Termination A voluntary termination occurs when a n employee resigns or retires of their own will. Wrongful Termination Wrongful termination happens when an employee is discharged from employment for illegal reasons or if company policy is violated when the employee is fired. Discrimination, complaining about workplace issues, and being unwilling to commit an illegal act on behalf of the employee are other common examples. Temporary Job or Employment Contract Ends Once an employment contract is completed, or a temporary job ends, there will be a separation unless the employment is extended further. Types of Resignation From a Job Resignation A resignation occurs when an employee decides to leave a job of their own accord. Submitting your resignation is an official notice that you are ending the relationship between yourself and the company. Resignation etiquette varies by organization and job type, but typically, written notice at least two weeks in advance of your official last day is commonplace. Forced Resignation A forced r esignation means that an employer has offered an employee an ultimatum either resign or be fired. This sometimes falls under the constructive dismissal umbrella. Types of Retirement Retirement Retirement is a separation from employment whereby an employee opts to cease working once they have met the age and tenure stipulations laid out by the employer or negotiated by the employer and a union. Mandatory Retirement Mandatory retirement rules are limited to a few occupations where workers are deemed a risk to the public or themselves as they experience diminished capacities after a specified age. Examples include air traffic controllers, law enforcement officers, and pilots. Phased Retirement Phased retirement occurs when older employees are allowed to steadily reduce their work hours over time, often months in advance of their official retirement date.

Being a Librarian - What Professional Librarians Do

Being a Librarian - What Professional Librarians DoBeing a Librarian - What Professional Librarians DoBeing a librarian could be your dream job. Do you wish you could work in the stacks of the New York Public Library? Or maybe among the ancient manuscripts of The Morgan Library and Museum? Or even just help children find just the right book to read.For those who love books and who love to read, being a librarian might be a good fit. If youre considering a job as a librarian, here are some facts from the U.S. government about the profession. Educational Requirements for Being a Librarian A librarian needs masters degree in library science (a bachelors degree in any undergraduate subject is acceptable in order to enter a graduate program in library science) the masters degree usually takes 1 to 2 years to complete.A librarians coursework usually covers Selecting and processing library materials Organizing information Research methods and strategies Online reference systems Internet search methods.Colleges and universities have different names for their library science programs, like Masters in Library Science (MLS) programs or Master of Information Studies or Master of Library and Information Studies. Many colleges offer library science programs, but, as of 2011, only 56 programs in the United States were accredited by the American Library Association. A degree from an accredited program may lead to better job opportunities.Librarians working in a special library, such as a law or corporate library, usually supplement a masters degree in library science with knowledge of their specialized field. They may earn a masters or professional degree or a Ph.D. in that subject. Librarians On the Job On the job in a typical public or private lending library, librarians typically perform some or all of the following duties Help library patrons find the books or online reference information they need Organize materials according to the librarys system Plan library p rograms, such as storytelling for young children Develop and index databases of library materials Read book reviews, publishers announcements, and catalogs to see what is available Work with the book publishers sales department or attend the ALA conferences to help choose new books, audio books, videos, and other materials for the library Research and buy equipment, such as computers or AV and equipment Manage and/or train and direct library technicians, assistants, library volunteers and other hilfe staff Prepare library budgets Conduct public outreach, such as public relations efforts or fundraising for the libraryIn small libraries, librarians are often responsible for many- or even all of- the aspects of library operations mentioned above. In larger libraries or library systems, librarians usually focus on a specific area, such as user services, technical services, or administrative services, as described below. Typical Librarian Titles User Services Librarians - help pat rons find the information they need. They listen to what patrons are looking for and help them research the subject using both electronic and print resources. User services librarians also teach patrons how to use library resources to find information on their own. This may include familiarizing patrons with catalogs of print materials, helping them access and search digital libraries, or educating them on Internet search techniques.Technical Services Librarians get, prepare, and classify library materials. They organize materials to make it easy for patrons to find information. These librarians are less likely to work directly with the public.Administrative Services Librarians have managerial roles in libraries. Librarians in Different Settings Librarians who work in different settings sometimes have different job duties. The following are examples of types of librariansSchool Librarians, sometimes called school media specialists, work in elementary, middle, and high school li braries and teach students how to use library resources. They also help teachers develop lesson plans and find materials for classroom instruction.Special Librarians work in settings other than school or public libraries. They are also sometimes called information professionals their jobs are to collect and organize materials focused on their specific subjects. They includeGovernment Librarians provide research services and access to information for government staff and the public.Law librarians help lawyers, law students, judges, and law clerks locate and organize legal resources.Medical librarians help health professionals, patients, and researchers find health and science information.

Contribute an Article to ME Today Engineering Newsletters

Contribute an Article to ME Today Engineering Newsletters Contribute an Article to ME Today Engineering Newsletters Contribute an Article to ME TodayBe an ME Today ContributorIf you are interested in contributing to the professional and career development of early-career engineers or engineering students, we invite you to submit an article and/or a video recording for publication in ME Today. ME Today reaches a worldwide audience of early career engineers (2-3 years professional experience) and, undergraduate and graduate students. ME Today covers stories in Industry Management Perspectives, Emerging Technologies, Engineer Spotlights, and Collegiate News.Subject MatterYour submission could include personal and professional experiences, lessons-learned, instructional information such as How to, best practices for starting a career, managing a career, building a career, etc. The content should be relevant and crucial to overall career development for young engineers.For Early Career E ngineers Information that early career engineers can use to assist them in advancing their careers, their professional awareness and skills, better understand the practice and business of engineering around the world, or that will help them to balance their personal/professional lives.For Engineering StudentsInformation that undergraduate and graduate students can use to assist them during their educational careers and as they prepare for futures in engineering.SpecificationsArticle Specifications Article word count should be 400-750 words and include at least one (1) relevant color-photo. Please send as a digital file, with at least a 300dpi resolution. Jpeg format is preferred.Here is a sample of the article format See examples of published articlesVideo Specifications The video should be no more than 5 minutes and shot in the highest quality possible format requirement is .AVI or .WMV. ASME will review all videos submitted for publication on the ASME FutureME YouTube Channel.Here is a sample of a VideoByline/BiographyPlease provide your full name (As you would like it to appear on the byline of the article as author) and include additional information with your contributionCurrent Job Title Employer or Name of School and Academic DepartmentDaytime Phone Number To contact you, if necessaryBrief Bio or Copy of Resume OptionalEditorial Process/Permission to UseAll articles received will go through an editorial process. New articles are posted online bi-weekly and published at least 6 times per year as a newsletter.In submitting an article or video, the author grants permission to ASME to edit for clarity, style and length, prior to publishing and grants ASME all copyrights to the published work.Depending on the volume of submissions, unpublished articles may not be acknowledged.ME Today is a publication of articles that is made available online and distributed free of charge to ASME members worldwide. Contributing authors do so on a voluntary basis and receiv e recognition in the publication, but are not otherwise compensated.How/Where to Submit Your Contributionemaille your article, photo(s), permission form to earlycareerengineerasme.org addressed to the ME Today Editorial Team.For video submissions, please use a service like Dropbox www.dropbox.com to share your media file(s) with us.

How to Keep Company and Employee Information Safe

How to Keep Company and Employee Information SafeHow to Keep Company and Employee Information SafeRight now, someone within your company may be accessing confidential corporate information either dishonestly or by accident. In the news virtually every week, you read about large, well-known companies suffering from the loss of sensitive corporate information at the hands of employees. Given that Human Resource departments often hold the key to valuable corporate and employee information, the risk of data breaches presents unique challenges for HR. Fortunately, through simple and effective internal threat management procedures, HR can help prevent employee information leaks from happening to their company. unterstellung procedures will protect employees most confidential and valuable information from being exposed to unauthorized parties. Be aware of where critical employee information and corporate data are located and who has access to them.Develop an acceptable use policy for all em ployees that outlines appropriate use of corporate assets and employee information. The policy should also outline the company procedures when a violation takes place.Consistently enforce policies and procedures.Regularly review and revise existing policies to ensure all necessary policy changes and additions have been addressed.Ensure your company has an internal incident response plan and the appropriate resources in-house to handle an incident of employee information or corporate data loss or access by unauthorized employees or outsiders. What Not to Do If a Data Breach Occurs If the worst should happen and your company does experience a situation where sensitive data is leaked or lost, dont fall prey to common mistakes such as turning on an employees computer to check around. Turning on the computer or any electronic device involved may destroy eignung evidence. Here are ten common ways a computer forensics investigation is compromised. Company employees Boot Up the Comp uter Turning on a computer thats relevant to a case can overwrite sensitive files that may be important to your companys case and change important timestamps. Compromised computers should not be used at all and should be stored in a secure location until it can be handed over to a computer forensics expert. Turn Off a Relevant Computer If a computer is running at the time it is discovered to be relevant to a data breach or investigation, it should be powered down in a way that will be least damaging to potential evidence. The only person that should turn off a suspected computer is a certified computer forensics expert or an IT employee under the supervision of such an expert. Browse Through the Files on a Computer Resist the temptation to snoop, even with the best intentions. HR may know exactly where to look, but its the act of looking that causes problems for retrieving untainted evidence. Browsing through files may cause file times to change which may make it impossible to tell exactly when an important file welches deleted or copied from your companys network. Fail to Use a Computer Forensics Expert Your companys IT department is not a computer forensics department. In fact, asking the IT staff to conduct even routine checks into a systems files can destroy potential evidence. A professionally trained computer forensics expert should be retained for the handling of all sensitive data. Fail to Involve All Parties In-house counsel, IT staff, and every business player involved with the case should be included when conducting electronic discovery. Failure to involve all parties can result in overlooked or lost data. Fail to Learn the Lingo Even tech-savvy support professionals may become confused by the expanded vocabulary used by computer forensics experts. It pays to become familiar with the new language. Dont Make a Forensic Image of the Computer(s) Involved Imaging is the process in which you create a complete duplicate of a hard drive. This is done for the purposes of copying a complete and accurate duplicate of the original materials, with no risk of flawed or overlooked data. Copy Data in Cut and Paste or Drag and Drop Methods It is true that you can buy an $80 external USB hard drive and copy your data to it. However, this process does not preserve the unallocated space (where deleted files reside) and will change the file times and other data on the files that have been copied out. Wait to Preserve the Evidence The longer a computer is in operation without any preservation, the more likely that the data that is relevant to your companys situation may be permanently altered or overwritten. Always preserve your electronic data the moment you believe that litigation is possible. Fail to Maintain a Proper Chain of Custody Not documenting who had access to the electronic evidence after the alleged incident can lead to problems down the road. Opposing parties can poke holes in the collection and p reservation process. They can argue that the data could have been altered on the device while the computer was not securely stored and unused. You can protect the integrity of your corporate data and employee information for purposes of litigation, restoring and protecting against data loss. Just follow the rules shared here to maintain the integrity and not compromise the usability of your electronic devices and their stored data. - Jeremy Wunsch is the founder of HelioMetrics, a computer forensic and data breach investigation company.

The New Angle On How to List Programming Languages on Resume Just Released

The New Angle On How to List Programming Languages on Resume Just Released Algorithmic Language, because it is called, is really a family of imperative programming languages that was designed in the middle 1950s. Its an array programming language which works nicely with mathematical and statistical operations. It is among the exact old programming languages which are still being used. Its a high-order computer programming language very similar to ALGOL. Others can be gotten through experience learning at work. Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. These skills should catch the interest of the HR manager, and allow you to find an interview call letter. Review this list of job skills listed by job for information on the abilities and attributes required for various occupations. Getting in a position to list more than 1 suite is a terrific benefit. A bulleted list will ensure it is scannable. And thus do the job listings. The work searc h site aggregates more than 16 million listings from a broad sortiment of sources, therefore its fairly comprehensive. A list isnt anything more than an aggregate of linked conses. Resumes of 3 pages or longer are acceptable just for executive-level candidates. Its throughout the Web, even when you cant see it by clicking view resource. The target of this post is to assist you in making an educated decision about which languages the IT market is searching for in 2018. Perhaps you could do that but I think youre likely to have a good deal more success just choosing developer position, have a small bit more confidence, teach yourself, make sure youre qualified for the position. So as to pursue web development for a profession, one of the most crucial things which you will want to think about is having expertise in programming languages. If youre able to code, if you may write the code and produce the software then youre likely to locate work. Its also advisable to list any cert ifications or degrees you earned close to the peak of your resume should you not have sufficient work experience to fill up the page. A specialist writer with several years of experience features expertise to come up with interview-winning resume packages. My experience through the years has taught me one thing, this is immensely untrue. Make certain that you only list work experiences applicable to the open position. It can demonstrate that youre a fantastic cultural fit for the business. For instance, a computer programmer with one professional role whos searching for advancement ought to have a one-page resume. If you are searching for a new job, it is comparable to trying to sell a bike. Theyre likely to presume that youre a generalist. Choosing Good How to List Programming Languages on Resume If your aim is to work in a specialized programming job, employed as a UNIX specialist or administrator could possibly be the best role for you. Whether you are a newcomer to the computer programming business or a longtime expert programmer, you are aware that competition for open positions can be difficult. Just make an application for developer position. There are various levels of language proficiency. The simple fact which you are fluent in english does not absolutely mean that you can apply all of your communication skills to another language (say French) after 1 month of learning. This is just about the best option whenever there is not any particular requirement for language proficiency included in the work listing. Language is a tricky situation to describe, since proficiency can arrive in many forms and people who learn second languages often only have true proficiency in some specific regions of the language. In linguistic terms, proficiency doesnt translate to the exact meaning as fluent. Let your finest skills drive your work application. Its quite tough to say which sort of skills is more critical for an employer. Technical skills turn yo u into a valuable commodity for potential employers and has to be correctly highlighted to demonstrate your worth.

Final year exams survival guide

Final year exams survival guide Final year exams survival guidePosted October 13, 2011, by Darryn King Every year, Year 12 students around Australia sit their final year exams. Here are some tips, not for studying, but for coping with all the other baggage that exam time brings. Feed your brain Be especially careful choosing what to eat before an exam. Fuelling yourself with sugar and caffeine may sound like a good idea, until you come down from your high halfway through the exam and are suddenly unable to concentrate. Likewise, its probably not a good idea to gorge yourself prior to entering the exam room chances are youll feel bloated and a little bit sleepy. Instead, keep yourself well fed with regular, balanced meals and healthy snacks. Dont forget your bottle of water especially to keep away those nasty headaches. And dont ever, EVER skip breakfast. Get physical Another important part of keeping healthy is to make sure you dont coop yourself up indoors all day. Even if you ha ve a lot of studying to do, occasional physical exercise even if it is just going for a walk outside every now and then is a good way to unwind and quite necessary to keep sane. Getting some sunlight (and some Vitamin D) is important for your health and wellbeing too. Hermit or social animal? So, should you stop taking calls, delete your Internet messaging programs and shut yourself off from your friends? Or should you keep in contact to alleviate the boredom and keep in anflug with reality? If youre on top of your studies, you might find yourself with more free time than you were anticipating. Everyones different, so youll have to find a healthy balance between socialising and study that works for you. Its also important to not immediately throw your nose back on the grindstone after a big exam reward yourself with some time off Rest and relaxation The typical Year 12 student should be getting around eight hours sleep a night. You need to walk into that exam room feeling rested and awake, not exhausted and worn out. Pulling all-nighters and staying awake for 31 hours is not the way to go about it. Also, make sure you go to bed at a reasonable hour disrupting your sleep cycle or messing with your circadian rhythms will be bad news for your powers of concentration. You basically need to know when enough is enough. Take breaks and some time to relax though be wary of the brain-numbing powers of television Try reading a book or listening to music instead. Its not the end of the world Calm down Its not the end of the world, even if you dont get the marks you planned for. If youre freaking out too much over the exams, chances are youll be stressed out in the exam room, which is anything but productive. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searches11 top tip s for effective time managementtips for first year university studentsbest careers for the next ten yearswork experience ideas year 12year 10 work experience sydney CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire zugreifbar Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineDarryn KingRelated ArticlesBrowse moreAgricultureEducationFive industries with the brightest futuresWish you could look into a crystal ball and find out where to take your career? We put a spotlight on national skills shortages to bring you five industries that are tipped to undergo significant growth well into the future.Career progressionJob advertisement tipsDrop Everything And Read This Guide To Personal BrandingA strong personal brand is the key to personal and professional success. Heres why - along with 9 great tips to create your own unforgettable brand.Wor k/life balance12 Signs Youre A WorkaholicAdmitting youre a work addict isnt easy. Here are 12 signs to snap you out of denial and help you make a change

QA How being a digital minimalist can help you do deep work

QA How being a digital minimalist can help you do deep workQA How being a digital minimalist can help you do deep workConsider Georgetown computer science professor Cal Newport the Marie Kondo for your digital life. The author of the new book Digital Minimalism Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World takes stock of the damage of using our phones as our constant companions, and basing our social lives around our social media feeds has done to our attention spans and quality of life. His book proposes a 30-day digital declutter, in which readers chuck most of the technology in their lives, then bring it back slowly, paying attention to whats really useful.Ladders asked Newport how to apply digital minimalism to our work lives, and about the idea of deep work, the subject of Newports previous book.How can we apply the idea of being a digital minimalist to work?Newport The digital declutter welches originally focused on technologies that are not work-required, so instead of email wed focus on things like social media, things we use outside of work. But what Ive found getting feedback from people whove tried this process is that the impact on their work lives have been surprisingly profound because theres been this overlap between the things you let have access to your time and attention, and it has a real effect on how your time and attention functions throughout your whole day, including the work day. Digital minimalists, even though they might be starting from the standpoint of say, Let me clean up my digital personal life, theyll all get this big boost to their professional performance as a side effect from it. Theres a couple of things that happen. So if you go through a minimalist declutter and get rid of most of the things that are pulling your time and attention, and then put rules around the things that remain so they give you more value than they do cost, one of the things you get out of this is a much calmer, much less frenetic mind. So then, when you re at the office, and youre working on something thats important, something thats hard, you dont have the same twitch of I need to look at something, I need a browser tab open, I need to look at my phone. Is that frenetic way of thinking related to how a lot of employees have trouble disconnecting at the end of the day?Yeah, I think theres an interesting influence coming from the personal to the professional here. In particular, one of the changes that started in the personal realm and had a big impact on those types of professional behaviors was when the major social media platforms, in particular, Facebook, significantly re-engineered their user experience, around the time that they were shifting to mobile, and around the time they were preparing the IPO and they needed to get their revenue numbers up. They changed the user experience from a more static I post stuff about myself and then I go landsee what you posted about you, into this more slot-machine model where every time you click the app there might be a new pile of social approval indicators sitting there for you likes, or comments, or photo tags. These things did not exist in the original Facebook experience, but gave you reason to keep compulsively checking back on the app, and so, the social media platforms transformed our relationships with phones from something like making a phone call, or putting on a song into this constant companion model because it generates more revenue. Once we were used to that, I think it carried over to the workplace, and I think and this is just a conjecture if Facebook hadnt done this reengineering of their experience towards compulsive use, we probably wouldnt find ourselves compulsively checking email as much as we do outside of the office, or looking at Slack when we dont need to, because that helped transform out brain into this mode of I need constant information.It was engineered, not natural. It was engineered for a very specific purpose, but now it has very general consequences. Can decluttering and rahmen rules around digital use lead to more productivity for things people want to get done in their personal lives?Yes, and I think Ive observed this. When people minimize their digital life they find it much easier to stay focused on what theyre working on, and they sort of also have more cognitive energy to put toward important projects, versus the trivial. I think digital minimalists in their professional lives get a lot more done. With this explosion of the phones as our constant companion, do you think it hampers productivity in the workplace? Well, in some sense my last book, Deep Work is one really long argument for why sustained concentration with no context shifting, no inbox-checking, and no phone-looking, produces substantially more value than more fractured attention, and so that whole book was basically making the argument that were severely undervaluing concentration and severely overvaluing convenience and flexibility of c ommunication. I cite a lot of research. I think probably the most relevant strands of research for this particular topic is the psychology research on attention residue, which essentially says and we can measure this pretty clearly in the lab that if youre working on something hard youre writing an article lets say and you briefly switch your attention to something else, like your inbox or some social media feed, and then you come right back to the article, theres a cost to that shift and creates an effect called context residue. It reduces your cognitive performance and it takes a while for it to clear out. Workers today think theyre single-tasking because for the most part they only have one thing open, theyre not doing three windows open at the same time, but because theyre doing these quick checks every 10 or 15 minutes they keep themselves in this constant state of attention residue so while most workers dont realize it, theyre working at this reduced cognitive ability. So we place ourselves into a cognitive state in which were much worse at working and we dont think were doing it, we dont even realize its going on. Do you have any advice for getting starting in doing deep work?Well, in the workplace, its key to make a clear distinction between activities, one being deep and one being shallow work. So, deep work is when youre trying to concentrate on something hard and produce new value with your brain. Shallow work is everything else, its the logistical stuff, you know, its the train running on time. Shallow work is important, but if you dont do deep work youre not moving the needle, youre not producing value, so deep work really makes a difference. Once you make this distinction, your attitude towards both starts to be very different. In particular, when youre doing deep work, it has of be 100% on the track, because as we talked about, even a glance at a phone or an inbox gives you this attention residue, it completely reduces your cognitive perform ance, and youre no longer doing deep work. And so I advocate for a hard distinction between those two modes. When youre in a deep work mode there is no phone, there is no inbox, there is no browser tab all you are doing is one thing with intense concentration. And when youre in shallow work mode, you can do that. Just keep those two things separate, dont blend those things out. Do you think people have to be able to control their environment? Yeah, so if you have an office shut the door. If you have an open office put on the headphones so people know not to bother you, whatever it is you need to do. Some people have to do it first thing in the morning when its easier not to get bothered. In some places, when it comes to doing deep work, people will sit with their boss and figure out, Lets agree on what the ratio of deep to shallow work hours I should be doing each week. Once youve agreed on it you can work with the boss to figure out what changes do we have to make so we can hit tha t number that we agreed on. And this a simple way to actually lead to large cultural changes pretty quickly. If you separate depth from shallowness and go all in when youre doing depth, youre gonna start producing massively more value if youre in a knowledge work job. Its almost like a superpower when you start separating those two modes.

How Successful Companies Attract and Retain Employees

How Successful Companies Attract and Retain EmployeesHow Successful Companies Attract and Retain EmployeesHow Successful Companies Attract and Retain Employees Blaszczyk, Managing Editor, Resource CenterGiven the depth and magnitude of the current economic recession, itd be easy to assume that todays recruiting environment favors the employer. Nothing could be further from the truth, says David Russo, author of 17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent(FT Press.)Russo sees a perfect storm brewing between workers and employers, one that has been cultivated by a lack of honesty. The reality is that todays most talented workers are more independent than ever before and willing to push back when push comes to shove. Its these workers, and their level of employee loyality, that will impact the future success of companies, particularly as the economy starts to recover.Monster In your book,you say that despite the economic downturn, this is an employee market. How can that be?David Russo Many people say that idea is ridiculous. Of course, many people who have and who will lose jobs have been negatively affected by the recession. Yet people with tremendous abilities and talents are mucksmuschenstill in high demand. This group is larger than a cadre. And companies who deny that these folks have lots of choices are fooling themselves.These choice employees are typically younger than boomers. In fact, they learned from their parents and grandparents that companies are leid to be trusted to control their lives, whether its financially, socially or psychologically.Keep in mind the skillsets that used to be parsed by industry, market segments and education have blurred. Basic business skills enable people to be entrepreneurial, leaders and/or contributors. Of course, there are anomolies in specialized fields, like mathematics, science and medicine. But, by and large, skill sets are transferrable from one market and industry to abedrngnisher. That mean s great employees are not trapped or pigeon- holed if theyre good, bright and educated their skills allow them to move anywhere and everywhere.The other part of this issue is that companies have decided and even announced that life-long employment is no longer achievable or desirable. What they say now is that that employees will be prepared for life-long employment. That means we have is the perfect storm for individuals who feel that its foolish to be loyal to one organization.Monster How do you see this dynamic playing out between employers and employees?David Russo I see it in large companies politics and organization stratifications wear on a persons ability to contribute. They find themselves limited to performing in a restricted space. When the latitude to be creative or to innovate, even in small and personal ways, is gone, employees often opt for smaller organizations where they can stretch and grow. And to free themselves from the binds of politically chargedinfrastru cture, employees will often go into business for themselves.I also see young contributors with lots to offer pushing back on leadership. Theyre willing to say, What have you done for me lately? without fear of reprisal. They see push coming to shove, and no promise or prospects for the long term. So employees say, Why not be prepared for the inevitable with eyes wide open? Thus, loyalty to an organization is not relegated to business history.This trend had been in place before the downturn. It started when the Gen X workforce began to mature, and remembered how their parents were treated under re-engineering and re-structuring, and looked around and said, Is this all there is?In my generation as well as with Boomers, the feeling was that company was family. When we got our paychecks we were thankful for the opportunity and the shared loyalty. When todays younger workers (those who deliver their part of the bargain to employers) get their paycheck, they say, Were even.Monster What ca n employers do to change this dynamic and be more competitive in their hiring practices?David Russo Some companies know how to do this Southwest Airlines, Johnson Johnson and the Mens Warehouse are great examples. These companies offer their employees a work environment that allows them to do exceptional work while acknowledging the companys dependence on them to succeed.These companies tell employees that they value them as persons, not just when they deliver the goods. But theyre also clear that they must deliver the goods in order to be recognized.They show recognition and respect for their people via the behavior of their managers. Theres no pecking order the leadership is all qualitative. It gives people an opportunity to have high respect for their leaders gained by listening and taking risks. Its about leadership that delivers as a resource, not as an overseer, and is willing to act as a coalesceing agent to guide and encourage and to create an environment for motivation. Behaviors of employees are always somewhat self-centered. But when they want to deliver valuable contributions and help the company advance and compete, then everyone goes forward. AND this enlightened self-interest works for employee and employer alike.Monster You talk about creating a preferred self environment in the workplace as a means of generating innovation. How can companies that are pushed to the brink of survival find room for innovation?David Russo Some people presume that preferred self means putting individual behavior above the team. Its not.A preferred self is simply a person who has all of the shackles of politics and mistrust and self-preservation modes of behavior lifted from their shoulders so their skills can be focused and applied to achieving the outcomes necessary to propel both the project and company forward.So many organizations fail to see that the noise that surrounds a workers ability to perform affects results, not just for the individual, but for the company. This is true for middle managers in particular. The parameters theyre often given are a millstone.In the book, I say were holding middle managers to these tremendous pressures to produce results without allowing them to interact with employees in the ways tuned to generate those results. Theyre required to be scorekeepers instead of coaches. Middle managers are the glue in larger companies.Monster How can companies, particularly larger companies, improve their employee relations?David Russo Its almost humorous. Nothing were talking about is any great shakes. Organizations have to learn to tell the truth. Large companies lie to employees every day. Nothing is more insulting and disrespctful, particularly to smart people.Remember if you start treating employees as if theyre stupid, theyll start acting stupid. Theyll act against your best interests. Watch how I can take a 3-week project and make it last 3 months. Watch how I can act politically to cover myself rather than co llaborating with others. Treat me like I dont count and I promise you, I wont count.The bottom line is that when this recession is over and the economic backsliding is done, great companies will have the majority of great employees, which will allow them to bury their competitors.Author BioDavid Russo is Principal and CEO of Eno River Associates, Inc, aconsulting practice that helps executive teams build high-performing organizations by developing win-win relationships with the workforce. Russo is perhaps best known as the architect of the famously engaged culture that has made SAS Institute the most successful privately held software company in the world. In the 19 years he was the Vice President for HR of SAS, and since, that companys extraordinary culture attracts accolades from even such places as CBS 60 Minutes. Even today, with all of Russos original programs and philosophies still very much in place at SAS, this great place achieved the coveted Number 1 spot on Fortunes annu al list of Best companies to Work For.

How to Be a Global Citizen at Work - The Muse

How to Be a Global Citizen at Work - The MuseHow to Be a Global Citizen at WorkA weltweit citizen is someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this communitys values and practices.The Global Citizens aktionYou may have heard the terms global citizenship or citizen of the world in your companys mission statement, during work meetings, or in ad campaigns. Global citizenship is an increasingly common idea Universities use the term to promote global awareness and international education, and geschftliches miteinanderes use it to highlight their commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability around the world. Its also a movement that uses online activism and social media worldwide to work toward ending global poverty. Specifically, as a professional, global citizenship can benefit your personal and company brand, increase the growth and scope of your work, and help you connect with colleagues and build partnerships around the world. But, how do you take such a complex concept and implement it in your daily 9-to-5 life?Ive learned that the essence of global citizenship is about finding global solutions to major social issues and developing a greater understanding of the world. But since thats still a pretty broad task, here are four ways you can work toward global citizenship on a daily basis- and get ahead in your career at the same time.1. Discover a Cause You Care AboutPart of the reason that companies adopt the idea of global citizenship is because it allows them- and their employees- to support a variety issues, make an impact, and understand their greater role in the world. But to do that as an employee, you must become knowledgeable about the issues that matter to you.If youre not already aware of a social cause that you care about, start by learning more about whats going on in the world and getting familiar with a few causes or issues that resonate with you. To do that, yo u can use social media to follow a variety of organizations, volunteer with local nonprofits to learn about the issues firsthand, or join meetups or social groups that take part in local causes. Once you know what you support, you dont have to wear your cause on your sleeve- there are plenty of ways to participate in and talk about the cause without being overbearing. For example, its easy to work into a conversation with a co-worker that youre supporting a particular crowdfunding campaign, running in a charity 5K, or going to a happy hour that benefits your chosen cause after work. This is a great way to both be a global citizen and build relationships at work. Related 5 Ways to Get Involved in a Cause You Care About 2. Be a Social EntrepreneurSocial entrepreneurship- developing innovative solutions to social problems- is one of the pillars of global citizenship. Many companies have launched initiatives with the intention of both making an impact and growing their international b rands. The idea behind TOMS, for example, is that the company will help a person in need for every product sold. Once youre knowledgeable about the issues that matter to you or your company, think about how you might start something new to contribute to those issues- whether its a short-term project, like a fundraising event or an employee workshop, or something bigger, like launching a startup, a nonprofit, or a new socially conscious product line. You can also get involved in smaller ways, too. As an individual, you can be a part of something just as impactful by getting civically engaged with an existing project or taking on a leadership role with a local organization. Anything that allows you to have an impact on world issues you care about. Related How to Have a Real Impact in Your Career or Life 3. Network on a Global ScaleNetworking is one of the key ideas of global citizenship. But networking in the United States is completely different than networking in Japan or Norway. W ould you have the knowledge to navigate the cultural and professional differences if such a foreign networking opportunity came up? The good news is, you dont necessarily have to go abroad to practice this skill. Its about building relationships, striving toward common goals, navigating conflict, understanding differences, being able to work with others, and occasionally putting yourself out there when others wont.So, consider every cocktail reception, conference, or work dinner as a chance to bring out your global citizenship A-game. For example, if you recognize your clients may not feel comfortable conducting business in a bar because they come from a country where alcohol is prohibited (or maybe they just dont partake in it as a personal choice), find an environment that is comfortable for everyone. In other cases, international colleagues may expect to have a coffee break every hour, so its important to build in room and flexibility for that. Its all about being able to make pe ople from all over the world (including your own local colleagues) comfortable. Related From Mexico to Korea What its Like to Work Around the World 4. Develop Sustainable SolutionsGlobal citizenship requires that people stay engaged and committed to their goals over the long term. That means even if it takes years to build your organization, pass a law, or raise the money you need, you stick with it. Most movements wont achieve change overnight, but they can still make a huge impact as you work toward that goal. Many of the eight jahrtausend Development goals, for example, have not been met completely, but there have been vast improvements in gender equality, maternal health, and education for girls around the world because of that project- and the progress will continue until all the goals are achieved. Its fairly easy to solve problems in the short term- but can you make those solutions last? Whenever you start a project or implement a solution in your company, think about the c hanging landscape of your field, the flexibility that may need to be factored in, and what the impact over time will be. No matter how big or small the project, consider the how you will see it all the way through to completion. Related 20 Crucial Questions to Ask Before Working for a Social Good Organization Global citizenship is a philosophy that doesnt have to be an out-of-reach goal or some public relations jargon- its an excellent way to advance your skills, build new partnerships and create awesome new opportunities as a citizen of the world.Photo of airplane around world courtesy of Shutterstock.