Saturday, May 30, 2020

The Types of Personalities Youll Find in Every Office #WisdomWednesday

The Types of Personalities Youll Find in Every Office #WisdomWednesday In every office, you find a wide range of personalities, from the one who constantly complains about anything and everything happening in the business, to the workplace gossiper. But which one are you? Hint hint, if you cant associate one of these personality types with a member of your team, theres a good chance you fall under that category! Nationalpen.co.uk  have created an infographic that gives a run down of 13 kinds of people youll find in every office. Im sure some of you will be able to relate! The usual suspects: The chatterbox: Likes to share their lifes story whenever you bump into them. Avoided by the entire office like the plague. The kitchen slob: They stick burritos in the microwave that explode, mouldy food in the fridge and of course dirty dishes in the sink. The backstabber: They pretend to be your friend, but steal your ideas!  They creepily watch your every move and next thing you know, they steal your idea, get a raise and corner office with a view. The delegator: Always gives work to other people and never does any of their own. Also  goes by the name of manager. The Debbie downer: Does nothing but complain!  Operates like a black hole for any positive vibes in the workplace. RELATED:  Which Type of  Office  Worker are You?

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Why Do You Need an Ad Resume?

Why Do You Need an Ad Resume?Ad resume writing involves composing a good and convincing ad resume that would meet the requirements of the prospective employer. Writing an ad resume is more than just creating a sales presentation or a career creation letter. It also requires proper research and developing information about your company to make your ad effective and credible.Although a good and well-written ad resume can help in getting you the job, it is not enough to land the job. One must create a strong and effective ad resume to help him achieve the objective of getting the desired job. Although one may have the best copywriting skills, it is also important to know how to present the resume in an appealing manner. Employers are not easily impressed with mere copywriting skills alone.The need for applying is not enough; one must also put all the effort to get the most appropriate placement. Proper advertisement is also needed to promote the business. This is where the best tools fo r ad resume writing comes into play. For example, having a professionally designed or professionally written ad resume is just the first step in making a good ad.You must also come up with an interesting and attractive headline that will catch the attention of the readers and allow them to read the entire ad. The headline must also be carefully chosen so that it would not bore the reader to death. It should be created keeping in mind the language of the target audience. You must come up with a headline that can be understood by the readers and that too in just a single word.Another important part of the ad is the body of the ad. This is the actual paragraph of the ad that is why it is called the body of the ad. The entire advertisement must contain logical and precise information. In the body, you need to inform the readers the purpose of the ad, the key benefits of using the product or service, the company's history and the reasons behind its launching.The body should also contain the personal details of the company as well as its contact details. Use of target keywords should also be mentioned in the body to make the attention of the readers. The body should be keyword specific, so that the reader may use the keyword search on Google to find out the companies that match his/her needs.Lastly, the conclusion should be developed carefully. It should state the required information about the company and the way it can benefit the audience. This is the last paragraph of the ad and it is the part that give a clear indication of the company's goals and objectives.While writing the body of the ad, keep in mind that the content must speak for itself and that the ad is only a sales tool. It should be interesting and friendly to the audience so that it would leave a good impression on them.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

5 Reasons its YOUR Fault Employees Waste Time

5 Reasons its YOUR Fault Employees Waste Time To paraphrase the comedian Louis CK, there are two types of people in this world: people who say they waste time at work and dirty liars. According to Salary.com, 9 in 10 employees admit to goofing off during work hours, with over a quarter confessing they do so for more than two hours each day. Cue horror from bosses up and down the country, as they visualise company dollars being pocketed by unscrupulous employees spending their workdays browsing Facebook or bidding for items on eBay. Bad luck bosses; the news gets worse. If all your employees are consistently slacking off, it’s almost certainly your own fault. Here’s why: 1. You prioritise presenteeism over productivity Presenteeism â€" where employees are valued solely by how much time they physically spend in the office â€" is a widespread phenomenon amongst companies. Consequently, the average UK employee now works an extra seven and a half hours of unpaid overtime every week. Take a peek at the nation’s productivity, however, and it becomes clear that all this extra work is worse than useless: the UK’s productivity gap with the rest of the G7 (a group of rich democracies) is currently the worse it’s been since records began. It has long been known to scientists, and long ignored by employers, that neither the human brain nor the human body is capable of sustaining consistent, high-quality output for eight to ten hours every day. Managers who promote presenteeism, therefore, incentivise employees to spend hours twiddling their thumbs. In an extra twist, employees who work shorter hours produce more than their desk-squatting peers. 2. You treat all workdays the same In the Salary.com survey, employees were asked when during the week they wasted the most time. 44% of respondents picked the same time slot. Can you guess what it was? If you knew the answer was “Friday afternoon” but don’t give your employees an early home-time on that day, you should look into the Pareto Principle (also called the 80-20 rule). Synopsis: focus on the most valuable aspects of a business for the greatest payoffs. Good bosses know the importance of boosting staff morale; it’s a key factor in an employee’s overall productivity. Starting the weekend early is a great way to do this at little to no cost to your business (because employees aren’t working well then anyway). 3. You haven’t established a break culture When asked why they waste time at work, over half of the surveyed workers cited the need to take occasional breaks to stay productive. If you think that sounds reasonable, it’s because it is. Taking frequent short breaks is the only way we can maintain our focus, ability and interest in a task. Establishing a break culture requires more than not firing people for making a cup of coffee, however. A designated, comfortable break room, provided drinks and snacks, and managers who lead by example are all important. Your employees will take breaks regardless. Why not encourage them to take the sort of breaks that will fully  reinvigorate  and energize them, such as taking a walk outside or having a power nap? 4. Your meetings are too long Time wasting in the workplace isn’t just employees sending each other emojis on WhatsApp. For almost a quarter of workers, the biggest time sucker is unnecessary meetings. For a further 12%, it’s returning excessive amounts of email. (In comparison, just 4% cited social media as their biggest time-waster.) Tackling these issues requires a change to company culture. Senior hires need to lead the charge, only calling meetings when they have a clear agenda, and being strict about them running over the allotted time. Another good policy would be to encourage employees to only respond to emails within set time slots every day. After all, if a request is important enough that it cannot wait half a day for a response, the parties should be speaking to each other in person. 5. You’re not incentivising people properly As a manager, you may be reading this article with a good deal of scepticism. Sure, some employees are high-fliers who could benefit from being encouraged to occasionally recharge. But most time-wasters are just lazy, or bored, or disgruntled. They’re leeching on the company, and need to be stopped. Well, you’re kind of right. One-fifth of employees in the Salary.com survey did indeed say that they wasted time at work just because they just don’t care that much about their job. But if such attitudes are prevalent amongst your team, you’ll still need to take the blame. Why? Because either your workplace sucks, or your hiring policy does. Assuming you hire competent workers, you need to accept that any de-motivation among them can most likely be attributed to workplace policies. Solicit feedback on how morale and productivity could be improved, and implement it! What’s the alternative? Bosses who feel they’re being held hostage by workers demanding ever-shorter workdays and ever- longer breaks are missing the point. Your employees are hired to do a job, and those that do not adequately do that job should be reprimanded and eventually let go. But shift your focus from how they work to how well they work. Agree KPIs, targets and other performance measures with your employees, and then trust them to manage their own time and approach in getting those tasks done. Reward people for their dedication, creativity and ideas, not whether they can be found at their desk from 8-6pm. About the author: Beth Leslie is a professional career advice and lifestyle writer. She is currently a writer and blog editor for Inspiring Interns.

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

6 Good Reasons Work-Life Balance is More Important than Money

6 Good Reasons Work-Life Balance is More Important than Money If you’re struggling to make a career decision or simply to find more balance between your work and the rest of your life, you’re certainly not alone. More and more employees, particularly  Gen Y employees, are looking for better balance between work and home, and they are prioritizing it higher than a huge paycheck. The younger generation seems to be moving in the right direction here. Even if more work-life balance means taking home less money, it’s probably better to opt in favor of more balance. Here are six good reasons why: 1. More Money Doesn’t Equal More Happiness Many people have chosen a job that winds up requiring long hours or a ridiculous commute, because it offers higher pay. Why do they do this? Because of one simple misconception: more money = more happiness. But scientific research is discovering that this is actually not true! Studies between nations find that happiness is actually more prevalent in nations like Mexico, where many individuals live at or just above the subsistence level. Other studies published in Science  show that increased income comes with a relatively brief period of increased happiness â€" and then just results in wanting even more. Basically, once you have enough to meet your basic needs and splurge on a few extras, more money will actually bring more stress â€" not more happiness! 2. Better Balance Boosts Creativity Work-life balance can increase your creativity at home and at work. When you have sufficient time to unwind and think through your day, your creativity can skyrocket. Ever had a great idea while you’re taking a long, relaxing shower? It’s because your brain can make more creative connections when you aren’t constantly thinking about the next thing on your to-do list. With a job that offers no work-life balance, when are you going to find time for those long showers â€" or whatever other relaxing activity gives you your best ideas? 3. Relaxation Improves Productivity Besides being more creative, you’ll actually be more productive if you seek a job with better work-life balance. (Ironically, this could mean making more money in the end, depending on your field of expertise!) One  article in Forbes  notes that many companies that offer their employees a flexible work schedule see overall increases in employee productivity because of it! 4. You’ll Actually Get To Enjoy What You Do Have What’s the point of working so hard that you can afford a backyard pool, a luxury car, or an expensive vacation if you never really get to enjoy any of those things? Whether you’re a family man trying to give your kids the world or a single gal wanting to get ahead to enjoy “the good life,” finding a job with better work-life balance allows you to provide for your needs and wants, but also lets you have time to enjoy all those things you’re working for. 5. Lack of Balance Leads to Burnout One of the pervasive problems with the 90-hour-workweek crew is burnout. If you work at a frenetic pace for several years in a row, you’ll burn out â€" physically, emotionally, mentally, and professionally. You’ll run out of ideas. You’ll run out of energy. You’ll run out of creativity. You’ll just plain have a heart attack! A job with better work-life balance may mean more earnings over the long run because you’ll be less likely to burn out. 6. Life is Lived in the Little Moments Finally, the main reason to opt for a job with better work-life balance is simply that if you don’t balance work with the rest of your life, you’ll miss it. Believe it or not, your life isn’t about the number of zeros on your year-end bonus. Life is about the moments that are worth savoring. And a job with a decent income and great work-life balance lets you savor those moments and create a life that’s really worth living. More and more young professionals, particularly, are seeking out jobs with flexibility and the chance for good work-life balance, even if those jobs typically come with slightly lower pay. Daniela Baker, social media advocate at the credit card comparison blog  CreditDonkey.com, says that in the end, it’s up to you to decide, but hopefully these six reasons to choose better work-life balance have at least made you think twice about accepting that job with a hefty raise and equally hefty requirements. Image courtesy of  DirkJan Ranzijn.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Tips For Writing An Email To Send Resume To Job Hunters

Tips For Writing An Email To Send Resume To Job HuntersIf you are considering whether or not you should consider writing an email to send resume to job hunters, you are probably already aware that it is probably one of the best ways to get your resume noticed by the people in the position you want. The problem, however, is that there are a number of steps you need to take to make sure that your email will be effective, and can actually result in a response from the prospective employer.First, you need to find out as much as you can about the job opening that you are interested in. The next step is to focus on what skills or qualities are needed in order to fulfill the job description. It is important that you know what exactly it is that you are good at, so you can focus on that.It is also important that you realize that any changes that occur at the new company will probably be noticed by the other applicants. If the person who reads your email decides to contact you, then it's prob ably the last thing they want to do. Once you have found out as much as you can about the job opening and how others may have received it, you can begin to focus on the best approach to take when sending your email.The first thing you should know is that it might be helpful to include a short bio of yourself as a few paragraphs up front. That way, you can tell them about some of the previous jobs that you have held, and you can mention those that you would like to have again. You can explain why you are interested in the particular job and why you feel you are qualified for it.A few paragraphs should cover some of the different things that you are good at. This is a great time to explain how you have developed these skills, and what areas you want to develop more in the future. Any relevant education and experience are always helpful in this area.One of the biggest mistakes that people make is sending their resume to someone else in an attempt to interview the person in the job. Thi s is because no matter how hard you try, you are just going to get discouraged. On the other hand, if you are only sending a resume to send resume to job hunters, you are only doing so in hopes that they will turn you down. You need to have confidence in your ability to perform the duties required of you in the job, and so you should build your confidence up before you start sending emails to job hunters.Finally, you should be sending emails to job hunters several weeks in advance. That way, you can give them time to respond. Also, try to avoid emailing recruiters about the position until after you have gotten all of the resumes back, because this gives them plenty of time to decide who they will hire and who they will pass over.Don't get worried, because that old stand-by, 'it takes two to tango' will still be true. Even if you follow all of the tips in this article, there will be times when you get discouraged, so keep your head up and keep looking for job opportunities that are r ight in front of you.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Re-tooling Might Mean Schooling

Re-tooling Might Mean Schooling When was the last time you sat in a classroom?   That long?   Perhaps its time to upgrade your skills. The first step is to determine which skills are in-demand or that you might be lacking.   Go to indeed.com and enter your desired job title, also remove the location search criteria because you will want to read a lot of job postings for this type of job.   As you review the postings, what are the skills and technology that appear most often.   Do you have them?   Are you confident about your abilities in those areas?   If not, you are ready for the next step. The second step is to research which schools or education providers in your area offer classes/courses on these lacking skills.   Start by looking at the community colleges and expand from there.   On-line training providers might be an option, but look at them later and Ill explain why.   On-line training typically wont qualify for the grant money mentioned below. The third step is to meet with someone (face to face is best) from the school and talk about their classes/courses. Remember that their motivation is to sell you the classes, so be a little wary of the information they provide. The fourth step is to speak with people in your occupation about the importance of these skills and try and validate some of the information the school/training provider told you about. If all is lining up and you receive confirmation that these skills are in demand, then visit you local one-stop.   They are designed to provide a full range of assistance to job seekers under one roof. The centers offer training referrals, career counseling, job listings, and similar employment-related services. Customers can visit a center in person or connect to the centers information through PC. There are training grants (free money) for people who have determined the training they will need.   There are numerous requirements and restrictions on how the money can be spent and who will qualify, but heck, it is free! The grant money is a one time, use it all or lose it deal.   You will want to identify ALL the training/classes/courses that would help you in re-tooling before you meet with the one-stop staff member. In most or all cases, you will need to register with the one stop to meet with a staff member. The grant money is federal money and right now, in Rochester, the amount available for someone who has been laid off from their job is as high as $7,500. It is worth investigating!

Friday, May 8, 2020

A Well-Run Business Is The Best Kind of Business

A Well-Run Business Is The Best Kind of Business There’s much that goes into making a business the best that it can be. And indeed, you could argue that there’s too much; with so many different factors involved, finding the right path for your company to take can seem like an impossible task. But instead of getting overwhelmed by all the noise, a good approach is to focus on the things that you can control, such as making yours a well-run business. If you do this, then you’ll find that it’s much easier for success to find you. Below, we take a look at a few useful tips for making your business a well-oiled machine. Building a Team A machine is only as good as its components. Or in other words, if your team is sub-standard, then there’s going to be an upper limit to what they can achieve for your company. No group of employees is perfect, but if you take the time to create a team of workers that excel at working individually and collectively, then you’ll be on your way to having the level of cohesion that’s needed to propel an organization towards success. To make sure your team is first-rate, develop a hiring process that attracts the best candidates, and always make sure they fit in with the wider company culture before offering them the position. Use Software Efficiently A well-run business will be productive, but what does that mean, exactly? It’s not enough for you and your team to be working as much as possible; what is important is that people are working on the things that’ll push your company forward, and not the time-consuming, repetitive tasks. To achieve this end, look at implementing software to automate certain tasks; your company might just be well-served by taking the time to learn more about accounts payable automation, for instance. There is also software that’ll show you how you’re spending your working day. You might be surprised just how much time you can reclaim by cutting out some of your non-profitable daily tasks. Think In Advance You’ll want to make sure you’ve got a firm grip on the here and now, but if you spend some time thinking about the future, then you’ll be able to put in motion a few initiatives that’ll help your company to grow. Running a business shouldn’t be an exercise in reactionary behaviors; it’s about planning the future. If you make a plan that emphasizes slow and steady growth, then you’ll be moving in the right direction on your own terms. Remember, growing too much, too quickly can be hugely damaging to a business. Slow and steady wins the race! Make Time For Fun Finally, remember that “well-run” is about more than just worker efficiency and so on. It’s about the general vibe and culture of the workplace. If your workers are happy and comfortable in their job, then they’ll be in a position to bring their best work. Make time for fun, be it after work drinks, Friday games, or anything else!