Richer Millennials likely to listen to classical music

Richer Millennials likely to listen to classical musicRicher Millennials likely to listen to classical musicOur social status can be seen in the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, and, as one new survey points out, it can also be heard by the music we prefer. Thesurvey of 1,500 Millennials, ages 21 to 37, by TD Ameritrade, found that classical music listeners were the fruchtwein likely to feel financially secure out of all the music genre lovers.Classical music lovers feel the most financially secureClassical music is known for attracting older, well-educatedaudiences. This survey found that among younger classical fans, they felt well-versed in financial knowledge.Almost two-thirds of classical lovers surveyed said they were financially secure, compared to 59% of electronic music listeners, and 40% of 80s/90s listeners. Hard rock, rap, and country music listeners reported feeling the least financially secure. Classical lovers were also the most likely to say they invested in the st ock market, while country music listeners were the least likely to say the same.Millennials who listened to classical music rated their financial education as the highest out of any music group. Classical music listeners also needed the most income to feel happy at $171,000, while country music listeners needed the least income to feel happy at $58,000.The findings suggest that Millennials who love classical music also know the most about money having it and knowing how to get more of it.If you want to be seen as someone who has their finances in order, you may want to turn up the Bach.

Preparing for Your University Music School Audition

Preparing for Your University Music School AuditionPreparing for Your University Music School AuditionOne thing stands between you and your coveted university music school admission the audition. When you prepare, two things are key learning the material inside and out and building your confidence. The process can be intimidating, but dont let it shake you. You can ace your audition Learn the Requirements Every music school has its own requirements for auditions, and it is absolutely imperative that you learn the requirements front to back. These requirements will tell you important things about your audition, such as how long your performance should be and whether there are music or genre requirements you have to meet. Also, pay attention to whether or not your audition will take distributions-mix in front of the judges or if you will be behind a screen. This information will be important as you decide how to dress for your big day. Prepare Your Music If the school has assig ned music to perform, start learning it- and learning it well.If, on the other hand, you get to select a song of your own, choose carefully. Foremost, pick music that makes you feel comfortable in your own skin. Ideally, the selection should also showcase your abilities, fit the time you have for your audition, and be appropriate for the environment. If sight reading is part of your audition, practice playing random pieces of music to get into the habit. Be prepared to take direction during your audition. Usually, this isnt an indictment of your performance but rather a test to see how you adapt. Your music teacher can help you prepare for this part of your audition. Get Comfortable Performing By Yourself As important as it is to learn your music inside and out, it is equally important to get comfortable performing it in front of an audience by yourself. Perhaps you are experienced playing as part of an ensemble but havent necessarily had the occasion to perform on your own. It could be beneficial to seek out a venue or situation in which you can perform your music by yourself, maybe signing up for a spot at an open mic night or just getting your friends and family together and playing your heart out for them. Not only will this give you a option to get some valuable feedback, but it will help you feel more at ease playing in front of a crowd on your own. The confidence you gain in these dry runs will serve you well during your real audition. Planning and Preparation Dont stay up all night practicing before your music audition. Going in with a well-rested mind will be much more beneficial to you. Dress comfortably but nice. Think suits, dresses, or skirts. Even if youre behind a screen during your audition, you never know who you will bump into in the hall. Dont wear anything that could impede your performance. As for the audition itself, it is important to be prepared for more than just the music. Make sure, for instance, that you know how to get to t he audition room beforehand and leave yourself plenty of time. Double check that you have packed up everything you need for the audition before you leave home. Finally, dont second guess your preparation or choices once you are in the music audition location. You cant change any of those things now. Get out there and play your best, and be confident while doing it.

Execs feel 47% of their best talent will quit within 2 years of hire

Execs feel 47% of their best talent will quit within 2 years of hireExecs feel 47% of their best talent will quit within 2 years of hireNew data from Eightfold shows thatCEOs and CHROs think that 47% of their best employees will quit within 2 years of hire. But overall, 78% of these executives think that talent programs are very important for their workplaces, but they seem to be getting a bad rap - 56% consider them not very effective.Eightfold partnered with Harris Interactive Media on the study - which has a detailed methodology - but keep in mind that 1,007 CEOs or CHROs of companies with 1,000 or more employees and 204 employees weighed in. Thats a pretty large scale.But the upcoming findings are just from respondents who are CEOs and CHROs, specifically.When executives think the best employees will leaveHeres what the breakdown looks likeOver 10 years 13%5 to 10 years 11%2 to 5 years 28%1 to 2 years 24%1 year or less 23%Where diversity falls short at big companiesHeres where diversity is lacking at executives companies, according to themWe cant find enough qualified, diverse talent 40%We struggle retaining diverse talent 38%We lack career opportunities for 40-55 year olds 31%We lack career opportunities for Millennials 23%We cant find enough people of color 23%We cant find enough women 22%But Ashutosh Garg, co-founder and chief executive officer at Eightfold.ai, commented on the research in a statementExecutives have spoken and its clear that the diversity problem in talent management feels like its worse than ever At the same time, we know that the quality of diverse candidates available today is unmatched.Common hiring issues executives faceCEOs and CHROs broadly demonstrated that their companies have a variety of issues in the hiring department, reportingWe face greater market competition for talent 42%We lack available skilled staff 40%We have difficulty retaining talent 39%We see a skills shortage in the market 30%None of these 13%A chilling find ing from the report also shows that polled companies predict that an average of 792 open jobs wont be filled within the next year.But just 22% reported their companies have put artificial intelligence, or AI, to use for talent programs.In the same vein, here are the top threeways that CEOs and CHROs think that AI can help their companies in terms of talent goals by improving the talent acquisition process (44%), increasing talent retention (44%) and reducing the time HR spends on admin tasks (42%).Overall, 64% of leaders surveyed think that boosting talent retention is important, 57% think having a diverse workforce is crucial and 59% feel the same way about creating a better experience for internal and externalcandidates.

5 Résumé Tips For New Graduates

5 Rsum Tips For New Graduates5 Rsum Tips For New GraduatesGraduation season is getting into full swing, and with it comes this unwelcome reminder Many new grads have found it impossible to obtain a full-time position that aligns with the knowledge, expertise and professionalism that they have obtained. According to a 2013 Associated Press survey, more than 50 percent of recent grads are either unemployed or in jobs that dont require a degree.While hiring has accelerated in recent months, it is still unlikely that there will be as many positions as there are new graduates to fill them this season. In this stiffly competitive environment, its important to seek out advice about how best to present yourself and gain the attention of the recruiters in companies for which you want to work. Dont think of your rsum as your biography where you have to list everything you have ever done. Instead, think of it as a one page ad for you. In 2012, some ofGoogles college recruiters shared rsum tip s and tricks during a hangout, and their insights remain valuable. They spoke about hiring both technical and other kinds of talent, and provided some key dos and dontsthat you can generally apply to your job search no matter what your field of expertise and your target companies.1. Use your rsum to show you have what it takes to get through the interview process. When reviewing rsums, the Google recruiters look for what they callpositive indicators, which likely predict that you have the smarts and savvy to do the job, even if you havent done this particular schriftart of work yet. It might be work or internship experiences, a meaty classroom project or somethingthatyou have taken the initiative to do on your own.2. Feature your impact at the top of your rsum, even ahead of your paid experience. During the hangout, GooglesBryan Kaminski saidIf you are thinking about a sales or recruiting or advertising role, think about all those clubs and organizations where you have made a differ ence, made an impact. You may not have gotten paid for it but you could have developed just as many skills. So on the rsum, it is about whatever is most relevant to the role is the stuff we want to see first. You want those impactful experiences right at the top of the rsum rather than on the bottom where someone might not get to them.3. Pay attention to grammar and spelling. While you might think rsums are all read and parsed by some computer operation, another Google recruiter on the hangout revealed that at Google, every rsum is scanned or read by a human being.That recruiters suggestion? Avoid spelling errors. Something likethat candraw attention you dont want and shape a recruiters impression. Chances are that youve spent so much time going over your rsum with multiple edits thatyou skip over things that others would spot right away. One trick is to read the rsum backward or bottom to top to catch spelling errors. Another is to have someone else review it carefully before you send it out.4. Focus on your impact. Recruiters have no interest in reading your current or prior job descriptions. They say nothing about what youve done or how youre different from anyone else who has had similar responsibilities. Instead, make yourself stand out by focusing on the results youve achieved and the impact that youve made, whether in an internship, club, job or even leading a group project in a class. Ask yourself What was different at the end, and how didyou make it different than what existed at the beginning of your involvement?5. Prioritize. Remember that unless the partie readingyour rsum is intrigued at the top, he or she may well not bother reading it to the end, and it doesnt matter how deserving you are of consideration. That may be disappointing, but that is just the way it goes, Kaminskiwarned. Some recruitersmay just look at the first couple of sections, or just one or two bullets from each section. Everybody looks at rsums just a little bit differently, so it is important to lead with the most important stuff. Make it easy to understand by breaking your rsum into logical sections. Prioritize what is important both top to bottom and left to right. When listing a series of skills, make certain to put the ones youre most proficient and experienced with at the front, and work progressively backward. And dont list so many skills that it appears youre offering anything imaginable. Keep focused on what you actually know and are really good at doing. Breaking into the workforce can be challenging. But remember that just because you havent yet had a full-time position doesnt (or shouldnt) mean that you havent made contributions of value throughout the time that you have been in school. Employers understand that new graduates dont have years of paid experience. But when you provide themwiththe indicators that you have the capacity to work hard, continue to build your skill sets and contribute in a meaningful way to their company, they wi ll be eager to speak with you. Happy huntingArnie Fertig, MPA, is passionate about helping his Jobhuntercoach clients advance their careers by transforming frantic Ill apply to anything searches into focused hunts for great fit opportunities. He brings to each client the extensive knowledge he gained when working in HR staffing and managing his boutique recruiting firm.

A Review of Front Desk Receptionist Resume

A Review of Front Desk Receptionist Resume The Lost Secret of Front Desk Receptionist Resume If you wish to find the job, you should put some thought in what youre likely to place in your Medical Receptionist skills list. It is simple to locate a hotel management job. If youre searching for a receptionist you should adhere to some contemporary job hunting strategies. A front desk receptionist is the face of a company, so hiring managers wish to know youre a dedicated professional who focuses on accuracy in all you do. Create a cover letter that you mean to send with resume. Utilizing the front desk receptionist resume sample is an excellent first step, but you also will need to be conscious of common mistakes people make so that you can avoid them. Below is a good example of the veterinary receptionist job description. Even if the hotel is extremely busy, the employee still ought to have the ability to juggle an assortment of tasks while remaining friendly to customers. Th e Foolproof Front Desk Receptionist Resume Strategy You can opt to join either course. Make certain you let them know its a 5 star hotel, and you have experience with that clientele. Hotel management jobs deliver new experiences each and every day. So, there are tons of hotel management jobs. Getting the Best Front Desk Receptionist Resume Every work advertisement includes information that assists you to determine what is required for the role, and tells you exactly what you should highlight on your resume. In the modern world applying for employment is comparatively easy when compared to my time whenever you have to scan through the newspaper classifieds. Additionally, Dale was so into the organization propaganda which I worried for our emotional safety. Therefore it is necessary for your business enterprise plan to analyse and calculate that risk, showing how youll engage with this. For instance, if you are asking for a position in a health office, be certain to highlight your skills which will be utilized in that form of setting like the customer assistance, phone or filing skills youve got. Things to hit hard are your latest experience and the way it matches with the present opening and the way you believe you are valuable to company. The very first step is to choose the sort of resume that you prefer to create, and the way it will incorporate your prior experience, job history and strong points, while reflecting the necessities of the jobs applied for. Systematic Learning attempts to minimize that. Writing a strong professional resume might look like an intimidating endeavor. Relevant interpersonal skills would be convenient. The same holds for multi-sensory learning. You can also locate skill growth courses. The very first step is to understand what skills are necessary for the job. You ought to have good people skills. Your multitasking skills will be placed to the test if the organization receives high footfalls each and every day. Front Desk Receptionist Resume for Dummies Crafting the ideal receptionist resume objective takes time and a good amount of thought and skill to receive it right. Hard work is another critical trait. Your work is going to be to resolve the problem if you can do so, or to figure out who to call to receive it solved. It could be somewhat cumbersome working to make the resume by yourself. Despite the fact that you dont have to be a master in the area of tech, you need to be computer literate. The love of reading cannot be a terrible gift. Today you may apply for work by means of a job websites, employer site, job forums, social networking sites and of course through traditional procedure of newspaper and resource management offices. Among the most significant characteristics of selecting a resume template is again, making certain you select the perfect one. By the time of the event, you need to have produced a thorough schedule and list of contacts for each and every service. Youre able to expose your profile to a lot of friends to a lot of regions in world. Whenever you do, ask your kid to read in a whispering voice, so that you may assist at any pronunciation problems or difficult words. Occasionally it becomes really busy. If you want more assistance, try out the resume builder, too. A degree will allow you to find far better job positions. You will get to the top positions quickly. You are able to use your previous volunteer, extracurricular, and work experience to illustrate receptionist-related abilities, even when youve never held that distinct position.

The Undeniable Reality About Resume for Bank Tellers That No One Is Sharing With You

The Undeniable Reality About Resume for Bank Tellers That No One Is Sharing With You Facts, Fiction and Resume for Bank Tellers Banks tellers will need to hold no less than a high school diploma or GED so as to receive employment. If youre planning to put in an application for a new job, you should check an effective Bank Teller resume sample. Composing resumes might be very tiresome and time-consuming. Bank teller is an entry level, or so the requirement is quite simple and easy. Furthermore, you can look for bank teller jobs on Monster. Examine the banks website to see whether you may apply on the internet for a teller position. Even though a bank teller job appears quite routine, it isnt as simple as it looks. Instead, attempt to create a very easy template for you bank teller resume to seem attractive and its also simpler to edit. Being a real bank teller may be an ideal position for you Youve been slaving over your ideal bank teller resume for the previous five hours . Resume for Bank Tellers - the Conspiracy Resume objectives could be a bit controversial. Tellers must be ready to refer a customer to a sales associate or a manager to determine if they can enable the customer with a service or product. When customers have a few transactions that have to be processed, a teller needs to be capable of multitasking to competently manage the customers needs. You should bank on more than just your abilities and experience to have an amazing job. The majority of the technical skills can be quickly learned at work, so prior experience isnt required either. Landing a job for a bank teller is excellent as its respectable work with a good salary which requires no experience (although experience is very good too). According to PayScale, the typical salary for bank tellers in the uk stands at 14,688 each year. Fortunately, youre going to find a good deal of samples of job application in the online website. One of the absolute fruchtwein excellent techniques to decide on what you ought to include on your resume is to discover what the prospective employer are searching for in your resume. Inform everyone youre aware that youre hunting for employment. There are various choices to take into account when its due to putting together an internet resume. Tellers might have to take care of massive sums regularly. They must know how to handle simple customer problems. They must also ensure that the cash in the drawer is the correct amount after all of the days transactions. In some specific countries, however, bank tellers are eligible for minimum heights of pay or benefits. A bank usually deals with a tremendous customer base. Bank tellers have an extremely particular set of responsibilities. They will handle more cash in one day than most people touch in months, so its critical to hire trustworthy individuals. A bank teller is a person who interacts with customers in a financial institution so as to make a living. Th ings You Wont Like About Resume for Bank Tellers and Things You Will A superb technique to make sure your continue is flawless is to recruit the aid of an expert job application writer. A free of charge resume theme is a type of basic test for a resume a specific may want to develop. An objective is a short declaration that clarifies your targets concerning the form of work desired and the way in which your skills cause you to a wonderful fit. While My Ideal Resume provides you the wording and terminology, it cant supply you with all the details necessary to create your resume standout. To put it differently it is notlage really hard to determine what you ought to be getting paid as a teller. Much like any interview, its vital to be on time for your teller interview. If you really need to have the ability to wow the interviewer, you should go past the fundamentals. It is not simple to construct relationships with the interviewers. Resume for Bank Tellers Your employer ma y give a number of the training needed. As a consequence, although your job application objective should incorporate information on the career that you want, additionally you must explain why youre the ideal candidate for the job. Every job necessitates focus on detail. Its hard for employers to evaluate the work history of job applicants. Most Noticeable Resume for Bank Tellers While bank teller jobs can act as a great way to enter the subject of finance, its important that you show that you have the required skills to serve as the surface of the branch. Most banks give on-the-job training. On the flip side, some huge banks havedesigned special interview processes, so as to stick out from their competitors. Stress tolerance A bank can at times be a difficult atmosphere. Resumes may be organized in a variety of ways. They should be constantly improved, custom-made and edited as a way to match the requirements of the task seeker.

Choosing a Training Provider Your Ultimate How To Guide

Choosing a Training Provider Your Ultimate How To Guide Choosing a Training Provider Your Ultimate How To GuidePosted January 21, 2019, by JennyYou wouldnt buy a car before taking it for a spin, or buy a house without a thorough inspection, so why would you invest in your education without the right researchTheres a lot to check off your list when it comes to finding the one, and you only get out what you put in, so when youre course hunting, be prepared to put in the time and effort to research.Deciding who to study with is really important, and knowing the difference between university or vocational education training (VET) at a private college or TAFE is a must So without further ado, heres a little breakdown on eachUniversity University has long been one of the most popular tertiary choices for Australian students. There are currently 43 universities across the country with mora than 1 million enrolled students.University qualifications Uni is often a compulsory stepping-stone to many careers, arming students with highly regarded Degrees, Masters and/or Doctorates - well talk mora about what each qualification offers in Chapter 4. Regardless of your background, talents or career goals, the huge range of university courses on offer means youre aya to find a degree to suit your interests and aspirations.Duration The time to complete a Bachelors Degree is 3-4 years and a Masters is 1.5-2 years.Prerequisites Entry requirements for university tend to be more competitive and those straight out of high school will require a specific ATAR, which is set by each institution. There are alternatives for getting into uni without an ATAR including professional work experience.Teaching style Universities have large intakes and if youre choosing to study on campus youll find yourself in lecture theatres among hundreds of fellow students. Lectures are led by industry experts who are at the top of their game so listen up You do, however, have the opportunity to pick the b rain of your tutor during smaller tutorials.TAFEGet more hands-on and practical with a TAFE course Short for Technical and Further Education, TAFE offers a more focused learning environment, ensuring students gain more practical skills for the workforce. Its a government-run education system offering courses in vocational areas such as beauty, trades, childcare, hospitality, tourism and much more.TAFE qualifications At TAFE, qualifications you can graduate with include Certificate I, II, III or IV, Diploma and then Advanced Diploma you can learn more about each of these in the next chapter.Teaching style The great thing about TAFE is that they offer smaller class sizes, which means youll receive more one-on-one teacher assistance.Prerequisites There are generally fewer prerequisites for getting into TAFE and can often be considered a stepping-stone for those who dont qualify for university.Private Providers Private providers are all about offering students a more personalised learn ing experience. Private colleges come in all shapes and sizes and often concentrate on delivering industry-focused training in their specialised field, such as design, hospitality, beauty, fitness, finance or more.Qualifications Private course providers offer a mix of VET* and higher education courses. Independent training providers can offer certificate courses, right through to postgraduate degrees.Private colleges do not have to be government regulated so if you want your piece of paper at the end to be nationally recognised, then be sure to check that your institution is a registered training organisation.*Vocational education and training (VET) enables students to gain qualifications for all types of employment, and specific skills to help them in the workplace... VET is provided through a network of eight state and territory governments andthe Australian Government, along with industry, public and private training providers. These organisations work together to provide nationa lly consistent training across Australia. ASQATeaching style Be part of a more focused learning environment Like TAFE, private colleges have a smaller student intake which means more focus on you.Prerequisites An ATAR is not required for admission and the entry requirements for each course will depend on the level of qualification youre applying for.At the end of the day no one option heavily outweighs the others, each provider has different strengths, and each qualification offers different benefits, so it is up to the individual to choose the institution and qualification that suits them the best and gets them closest to their goals.What to Look for In Your Education ProviderBe sure to shop around and enquire with multiple providers (/courses/course-providers). Compare course fees, content, the length of the course and their industry connections. The NSW Department of Fair Trading state they receive complaints from students about fees, refunds, misleading information and course quality for training and education.Dont commit to a course without adequate research and really weighing up your options. Here are some things to look out for when tossing up between training providers.Some providers specialise in one or two particular fields, while others offer a huge variety of courses. If an institution has put a lot of resources into mastering the field youre interested in joining, then it might be worth signing up and allowing them to help you really excel. Whats their reputation like? Dont be shy to ask around (colleagues, industry professionals or friends) to find out more about a training provider. Do you learn better among peers in a classroom environment or do you prefer to log on and learn online,allowing you to study remotely at your own pace? Perhaps you want the best of both worlds and will opt for a blended learning experience.Know what study mode works best for you and ensure your provider can meet your needs. Facilities offered to students can help be the deciding factor of whether to stay or keep looking. Institutions offer different facilities such as sporting facilities, student accommodation, libraries and study spaces as well as speciality facilities that may be required in your field like science labs or health clinics. Ensure your provider has the right facilities to help kooperation your learning experience. If youre studying on campus, the atmosphere could be important to you. Be sure to research and visit the campus youll be studying at, chat with students and even see if you can have a look at some upcoming social events and activities. Have a good read over the course content. The same course can be taught quite differently across different institutions. Its important to read the course outline, and pay attention to the core subjects and electives to ensure theyre suitable for you. You may also want to check whether work tischordnung is a component (if relevant). Your qualification is recognised. If youre putting in the hard yards, you want to ensure that the end result (aka that piece of paper) is accredited. Be sure to check relevant industry bodies accredit the course youre looking at and your training provider is registered. Are your trainers properly qualified? Look for providers with trainers who have industry experience and are prepared to mentor you. Last, but definitely not least is the big F word, FUNDING. Once youve narrowed down your options, you need to make sure you can afford them. Find out if there are Commonwealth Supported Places available or government loan schemes such as HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP. Most institutions also offer scholarships and awards or even a number of payment plans, so be sure to have a good chat with your provider about what options are available to you.Be SupportedNo matter what provider you choose, one thing you should be looking out for across the board is what student support services are on offer. Ask about academic support, online reso urces, health services and career counselling services. You might not think it now, but when the going gets tough its important to have a good support network that youre comfortable turning to.Avoid Making The Wrong DecisionThe NSW Department of Fair Trading urges everyone to make an informed decision when choosing the right provider. Avoid pressure tactics and scams. Dont be fooled by on the spot sign-ups or feel obliged because of their limited time only prices. Training providers should always offer you time to consider the course and offer you adequate information on their institution and the course itself. Oh, and never ever give your tax file number to a provider unless youre 100% sure you want to sign up.Want more guidance around your studies? Our FREE study eBook, Study for Success, is loaded with tips and advice to help you along every stage of your learning journey. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Heal th & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchesvocational education and training savocational education and training courseswhat does ai mean for your careervocational education and training qldvocational education and training victoria CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire verbunden Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJennyRelated ArticlesBrowse moreInterview questionsInterview tips3 Questions You Should Be Asking in a Job InterviewJob interviews can cause a lot of pressure, however with a little preparation, an interview can be easier to handle Its not only important to prepare answers to questions that come your way but to have meaningful questions to ask in return.CommunicationCoworkersHow To Increase Your Emot ional IntelligenceEmotional intelligence is crucial for building successful relationships, both in the office and out. Multiple studies have shown that a high level of emotional intelligence can really pay off in your career. Here are 5 tips to improve your EQ.Career progressionSTUDYINGThe long-term benefits of short coursesTodays fast-paced and bustling world requires the vergammeln worker to become a jack-of-all-trades.

Interviewing Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring

Interviewing Mistakes to Avoid When HiringInterviewing Mistakes to Avoid When HiringConducting a job einstellungsgesprch looks a lot easier than it is. Many hiring managers take this step in the hiring process for granted ?and dont invest the time, work and concentration that effective job interviews require. Above all, they dont prepare enough and end up winging it. ?Even if you feel you know?how to conduct a job interview, this stage of the hiring process is where you are fruchtwein likely to falter. Interviewing mistakes - such as succumbing to interviewer bias or failing to follow a standardized list of questions ?- can lead to bad hiring decisions, which can be ?costly ?for your company.Here are seven ?of the all-too-common job interview mistakes hiring managers make, with tips ?on how to avoid them1. Bringing interviewer biasIn the world of scientific research, a scientists expectations can influence the outcome of an experiment. Similarly, a hiring manager may develop a bias based on expectations about an applicant in the context of an interview. For example, a manager might believe that a prospective employee ?who comes highly recommended by a colleague is prequalified and better suited to the position than an unknown. Interviewer bias can also be more subtle - for example, when an employer unconsciously favors an applicant whose first name is the same as her generous, hard-working uncle.The solution Hold multiple interviews.The best way to overcome interviewer bias is to have several qualified individuals meet and question each candidate for a position. The first interviewer, for example, might be a human resources manager, while the second might be the supervisor the applicant would report to. The company ?owner or division head might conduct a third. Alternatively, a committee composed of a senior executive, a manager and team members could chat with ?each potential employee and compare answers.Robert Half has been helping companies with their hir ing since 1948. Let us help you.REQUEST TALENT2. Apples vs. orangesInterviewers often believe they are fairly consistent in the ?evaluation process, when in reality the interviewers are assessing variable criteria. ?One major difference between interviewers who have a knack for hiring ?winners and those who dont is nothing more than simple discipline. Skillful interviewers think through the process and tend to follow the same method every time, with variations that they tailor to individual situations. Unsuccessful interviewers tend to wing it, creating a different routine for each interview and entering unprepared. The hidden danger of a lack of planning You deprive yourself of the one thing you need the most as youre comparing candidates - an objective standard for evaluating potential employees.The solution Ask the same questions every?time.Before scheduling the first round of in-person interviews with candidates who passed the phone screening for the position, create and priori tize a standard list of appropriate interview? questions. behauptung should be based on the key skills and aptitudes required for the job. Generally, a standardized interview question list can be grouped into three broad categories experience (to review education, job skills and work history), aptitude (to explore special abilities and willingness to learn) and interpersonal skills (to assess their ability to work independently, as part of a team or in a leadership capacity). Interview questions touching on professionalism, judgment and career aspirations can also be useful.3. Being dazzled by a haloThe ?halo effect ?is a term managers often use to describe a situation in which the interviewer becomes so enraptured by one particular aspect of the job candidate - ?appearance, credentials ?or interests - ?that it colors all their other judgments. This might cause an interviewer to overestimate the qualifications of a potential employee ?who went to their own alma mater. A negative d etail can have the opposite effect and cause a candidates qualifications to be underestimated. Interviewers are only human. You cant always help yourself from placing too much significance on one part of their ?overall presentation. At the very least, however, be aware of your halo-effect tendencies and do your best to keep them in check.The solution Be analytical. One way to overcome the halo effect and ?improve your selection process for hiring ?is to be sure that you evaluate the prospective employee ?on each key skill and aptitude needed for the job. Appraise each aspect analytically - you could even assign a score from 1 to 5. This allows you to make sure theres evidence for your positive (or negative) impression and give you a more realistic basis for comparison.4. Contrasting the candidatesWhen interviews are scheduled close together on a single day, a contrast effect may come into play and distort how potential employees ?are evaluated. For example, stronger job candidates interviewed right after weaker ones may appear to be stronger than they really are.?The solution Space interviews out - and take good notes.Its worth considering the contrast effect when scheduling interviews. If possible, leave a little time between conversations with prospective hires to review interview questions and answers objectively and cleanse your palate. Just being aware that contrasts between potential employees ?could be coloring your judgment can improve your objectivity. Taking good notes and reviewing them later also helps give a better sense for how the people in the running for the job ?really stack up.5. Neglecting interview prep timeFailing to give the interview process the time and effort it deserves is, by far, the main reason hiring managers ?fail to reveal useful information about a person. You can probably understand why they frequently neglect to take the necessary steps to prepare for interviews, conduct them diligently and evaluate the results in a though tful manner Theyre busy. Everybodys busy. Time is at a premium. But your job is to make every interview you conduct count.?The solution Stick to a schedule.If you want to objectively compare each potential hires answers, give them the same amount of time, whether its 15 minutes or a full hour. Encourage all managers involved in the hiring process ?to ?have the same goal.6. Forgetting the detailsNo ones memory is perfect, and that can lead to interviewing mistakes. After interviewing dozens of prospective hires, its inevitable that an employer might have trouble remembering details or may confuse one applicants qualifications or answers with another.The solution Keep meticulous records.Take careful notes during each conversation ?to make it easier to compare potential hires ?and reveal gaps in information. Note taking also helps offset a natural tendency to place too much importance on an individuals performance. A person who interviews well isnt necessarily always going ?to be a ?go od hire?- a reserved, unassuming candidate ?may end up working out as ?a better match for your ?workplace.?7. Talking too muchA good interview really boils down to pace, perception and patience. If youre talking more than 20 percent of the time during a job interview, youre talking too much. You can - ?and should - ?react, comment on and build on the answers that candidates give in job interviews. And you should certainly respond to ?their questions about your office, work-life balance and your typical day. But ?bear in mind The only thing you discover about potential hires ?during any session where youre doing most of the talking is how they listen.The solution ?Let them drive.The interviewee should carry most of the conversation. Plus, probing through active listening - for example, letting the job candidates comments spark related questions - is a critical interviewing skill because it allows you to gain valuable information youd miss if you did most of the talking.?Identify ing and screening job candidates can take a lot of time and energy. If you need some help evaluating new hires for your company, contact Robert Half. We are experts at finding highly skilled professionals ?who meet your job requirements in your industry and location.Stay up to date with Robert Halfs management and career advice by subscribing to our blog.

How to Make Your Bad Boss Like You More - The Muse

How to Make Your Bad Boss Like You More - The MuseHow to Make Your Bad Boss Like You More The number of hours (and bottles of wine) my friends and I consume complaining about bad anfhreres is immeasurable. But the main theme of our conversations always came back to How do you get on their good side when you can barely stand them yourself?Ive learned over time that it all comes down to a simple truthNot everyone will like you, and those who do wont like you all the time.Welcome to human nature. We are flawed individuals who dont always get it right.How do I get my boss to like me, even if I dont like them? may be the prevailing question. But Im afraid its leid the right question. For one, its inherently flawed logic. Youre allowed to not like them, but theyre not allowed to not like you? That doesnt seem right.Lets take this question and flip it around to look at it from a confident angle. The real question is, What do I do when my boss doesnt like me?Make Sure Youre Removing Yourself From the EquationThere will always be someone at work who challenges you, who pushes your last button. And its probably going to be a boss at some point or another. And guess what? You will be that person to someone else along the way.People usually know when theyre not liked. If you think your boss doesnt like you- and you dont like your boss- its entirely possible they know how you feel and are responding to your negative energy and attitude. Should they be? No. But if I can get one point across to you in this article, its that your boss is a human and theyre not always as in control of their behavior and emotions as they should be. (Who hasnt snapped at someone or rolled their eyes and regretted it moments later?)So, the next time your manager does something that you think indicates he or she doesnt like you, put a mirror on yourself (metaphorically, of course) and note your response. How did your body language change? How did you respond? Theres a good chance youre feeding off each other. While being aware of that might not change how your boss interacts with you, youll at least know youre not part of the problem.Redefine Your Expectations of Relationship at WorkMore tough love for you Work is a transactional environment. You are compensated to provide a service or skill. Your boss is not required to like you. Yes, you deserve to work at a company in which you dont feel like youre just clocking in and out. Work friends matter. Good bosses matter. But unfortunately, not every company and not every manager see it that way, and you mightve found yourself working at a place in which thats the case.This doesnt mean you should work in abject cruelty, but it should help you establish appropriate expectations for your time at this office. Gaining a working friendship with your boss is a bonus. An achievement. It is not a guarantee. Instead of trying to convert a boss to a friend, make it a goal to make work friends who can fulfill that role (and this article will help you do just that). Start moving from wanting to be liked to wanting to be respected- something thats far more important than whether or not they like you.Now, how do you get that respect? That brings me to my third pointDo Your Work WellThe absolute best way to win your boss over- even if they dont seem to like you- is to adopt a killer work ethic and turn out work products that exceed their expectations. Anytime you get criticism (or even lackluster feedback), make it a point to follow up and ask what you can do in the future to improve. This article will make that easier.And when youre setting out on new projects, make sure you get the goals, expectations, metrics, and anything else you might be judged on before you start. Its harder to be outright rude to someone when theyre checking off everything you expected. Unless youre a truly terrible person, the fact that your boss doesnt like you very rarely has anything to do with you. They might be miserable about something happe ning at home or elsewhere in the office and be taking it out on you. Or, maybe something about you is a trigger for them based on a past experience. Perhaps theyre just a curmudgeon. To tie all of this together, you must understand the difference between self-esteem and confidence. Self-esteem (or lack thereof) says, They will/must/dont like me. Confidence says, Ill be fine if they dont.Challenge yourself to keep showing up, doing great work, and behaving in a way that makes you feel proud of yourself. Remember this You wont work with this person forever. Either one of you will leave, move to a different department, or take on a new role altogether.And youll hopefully be able to look back at your time together with a lot of lessons learned about what kind of manager you want in the future- and maybe even what kind of manager you want to be.

How to Choose the Right Font and Size for Cover Letters

How to Choose the Right Font and Size for Cover Letters How to Choose the Right Font and Size for Cover Letters Which font should you use in your cover letter? What will make the best impression? When you are writing cover letters, its important to use a font that is clear and easy to read. When hiring managers have to review dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for a position, they may immediately pass over a cover letter and resume that isn’t instantly legible. Be sure to make your font large enough so that the reader doesnt have to squint to read your letter, but not so large that your letter doesnt fit well on the page. Heres how to select a cover letter font and the appropriate font size for your letter. Keep It Simple When it comes to choosing a font to use in your cover letter, your best bet is to keep it simple and professional. You want your words and message to stand out, not your font choice. Avoid using unprofessional novelty-style fonts such as Comic Sans, handwriting, or script-style fonts. Ideally, the font used in the cover letter will be both the same size and style as the one used within your resume, to help you present a cohesive package. Review these tips for determining the right font for your cover letter, as well as what size it should be, and which styles are and are not appropriate to use in  a cover letter. Choose One Simple Font Using a simple font will ensure that your cover letter is easy to read. Basic fonts like Arial, Courier New, Calibri, Verdana, and Times New Roman work well. Most word processing and email programs will default to a professional and easily readable choice. Limit yourself to one font in your cover letter; its best not to mix several fonts in one document. There is no need to use different styles in a cover letter. Avoid underlining or italicizing, and use boldface text only when emphasizing quantifiable achievements that need to “pop” on the page. Pick an Appropriate Size Depending on how much content you have in your letter, select a 10- or 12-point font size. Its best if you can format your cover letter so it fits on one page, with margins that are no larger than 1” and no smaller than .7”. If your letter includes a heading with your name and contact information, you may choose to make this font slightly larger. How to Make Your Selection Select a font from the list at the top of your document before you start writing your letter,  or:Type your cover letter.Highlight the content of your letter.Either select the font from the pop-up window or select the font from the list at the top of the document.Select the font size you want to use the same way.Proofread your cover letter.Print your cover letter, even if you are going to upload it online, to make sure that it is formatted, properly spaced, and looks the way you want. Include Plenty of White Space Regardless of the font size you select, there needs to be space at the top of the letter and between each paragraph and each  section of your cover letter. Heres how to  space your cover letter. When you are using Microsoft Word, here is how to select a template for your letter and how to select the font style and font size. If youre using a different word processing program, the process is similar. Select the content of your cover letter, then choose a font and a font size. You may need to try a couple of different sizes to make sure that your cover letter fits on a single page. Review these formatting tips to be sure your letter will make the best impression. Email Cover Letters The information above applies primarily to instances where you are sending a traditional cover letter by snail mail or when you are sending a formal cover letter as a Word or PDF attachment to an email message. Be forewarned that copy-and-pasting a cover letter into the body of an email message may destroy the formatting, making it difficult to read for an employer who may have a different computer system. The safest thing to do when you are copy-and-pasting your cover letter to email is to remove all formatting and HTML and submit it as plain text.

A Boat that Walks on Water

A Boat that Walks on Water A Boat that Walks on Water Flying through the water, barely skimming the surface, loud and seemingly proud of it- even sometimes pushing past alligators - this is the world of the airboat. But it is evolving from a small recreational craft for a few to becoming a vessel with vital search-and-rescue capabilities for many. Billy Miller, owner of Airboat West, Embudo, NM, discovered the latter capability while helping out during Hurricane Katrina and feeling unnecessary trips were being taken back and forth. Most airboats are for a shallow haul and top heavy but can be terrible in the open sea, he says. I wanted to make one where the entire boat can be reassigned for a low center of gravity, take a lot of people, and have a whole apparatus with a roll bar designed for survival rollovers. Most airboats are sitting up high and tall to see down and get gators, but in New Orleans you had low-hanging power lines that could clip people. “Wave Buggy” is a rescue airboat designed to carry passengers or 2,250 pounds cargo. Image: Airboatwest.com The Wave Buggy Designed with SolidWorks 3D design software, Millers Wave Buggy, which can hold 15 passengers, even incorporated the input of engineers who had worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory. I wanted great minds helping me, he says. And it was important that it was efficient in deep water and white water. The Wave Buggy can be used for rescue or recreation, but regardless of function, when designing an airboat, you need to decide what kind of horsepower is most suitable, with 500 hp fast becoming the minimal rating, Miller says. Also, you need to know what kind of speed to aim for. In general, airboats go a lot faster than other boats because theyre not using the water for power or propulsion and, when theyre really moving, only inches make contact with the water for less contact friction, he adds. Managing Winds Theres also the rudder. Mine is designed like little wings and directs air to where you want it to go, Miller says. It sits on top of propellers and in the very center. The wind comes off of it like a tornado. Miller designed his boat with a 79-in propeller and 49-in rudders so they catch the center of the propeller and direct it. With high-performance motors, the amount of power required to turn a propeller and for the required low-end torque means youll want to produce 4000-5000 rpm, he says. For Millers hull, he designed it with tubes made of Hypalon, PVC, and polyurethane, allowing the boat to sit up higher. And his airboat, like others, is without brakes, using the reverse motor to stop. Some even do a 180-degree spin-on-a-dime to slow down, he says. One of the most important rules has nothing to do with mechanics, however, as he says to always remember to bring a set of air plugs. How loud it will be depends on the propeller and what exhaust system. Mine is better because its routed with flow-through motors and a good exhaust but its never going to sound soft, he laughs. But at least, Miller says, the ride is smooth. Its incredible how effortlessly it moves. Four inches off the water. How can you not have fun when youre flying! Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionMost airboats are sitting up high and tall to see down and get gators, but in New Orleans, you had low-hanging power lines that could clip people.Billy Miller, president, Airboat West

Waiting For An Offer

Waiting For An Offer Waiting For An Offer Bill and Chet: You probably have a strong urge to pick up the phone, call the lawyer you met, and ask what is happening. Before you do that, however, you need to do some homework. If you know others who have interviewed at the firm, talk to them about their experience. Have they heard from the firm? If not, the firm may simply be slow in getting around to making a decision. Firms vary in the speed with which they make hiring decisions. Some firms are more cautious than others. In addition, you may have been interviewed early in the recruiting season, and the firm is continuing to make its rounds of law schools. Or perhaps you are the second choice of the firm, and the extension of an offer to you is contingent upon the rejection of a prior offer given to someone else. Whatever the reason, months may go by with no word from the firm. Unless you have a compelling reason to communicate with the firm (as would be the case if you have an offer from another firm and a deadline on your resp onse is approaching), it is normally best to lie low and not initiate communications. There is very little you can say during a telephone call that is likely to arouse greater interest on the part of the firm than you will be able to generate during the interview at your school. If you cannot suppress the urge to contact the firm, write them a letter indicating how much you enjoyed the interview and look forward to hearing from them. Even if such a letter doesn't help your case, it may make you feel as if you are in greater control of the situation. ~The situation is quite different if you have an offer from another firm and must respond soon. In this case, you have a legitimate reason (as opposed to mere impatience) to inquire as to your standing at the firm. In some situations, the fact that you have an offer may peak the interest of the firm that is sitting on the fence. Be prepared when you call to identify the firm that has given you an offer and, whatever you do, avoid any mis representations in this regard. Above all, be patient. Wait for the firm to get in touch with you. Initiate contact only if you really need to know where you stand with the firm.

How to Reduce the Employer Liability at Holiday Parties

How to Reduce the Employer Liability at Holiday Parties How to Reduce the Employer Liability at Holiday Parties The increased recognition that alcohol consumption at organization-sponsored events creates significant legal liability has had an impact on that traditional institution, the company holiday party- but this impact is not necessarily pervasive or severe. Organizations are carefully weighing the pros and cons and trusting employees to act as professionals has so far won the day In an extensive 2015 survey of employers, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that a majority of organizations (59 percent) planned to serve alcohol at their holiday or end-of-year parties. And only half of these employers (47 percent) said that they would seek to regulate alcohol consumption through methods such as: providing drink tickets or a drink maximum (71 percent of respondents were in this category),serving only certain types of alcohol (for example, making wine and beer, but not spirits available at the party) (25 percent),having a cash bar (18 percent), orother (11 percent). Moreover, the SHRM 2015 survey found that year-round, a third of organizations (33 percent) have either a formal or informal policy that allows employees to drink alcohol at work-related events. (Each employee needs to determine if drinking alcohol at company events is for them.) Companies schedule and plan holiday parties with the best of intentions, to reward their employees, boost morale and encourage team spirit. But these gatherings, especially when alcohol is served, can turn into an environment for unwanted sexual advances and potentially illegal employee conduct if the employer is not careful. That is especially the case when the holiday party is held at an offsite location (which, according to the SHRM 2015 survey, is the case in nearly 67 percent of such functions). In a social setting outside of the workplace, an employee whose inhibitions are lowered by alcohol consumption can engage in behavior that he or she would never consider doing on the job. Employers Worries Extend From Harassment to Employee Fatalities Holiday  parties often bring more than just intoxicated high jinks. Being merry can sometimes mean crossing the line, ranging from offending a coworker to violating the law. Moreover, in today’s real-time social media environment, drunken shenanigans at a  holiday party can quickly be posted online for the whole world to see. The first two actions an employer needs to take prior to the holiday party include reminding employees that respect and professionalism apply not only on work time but also at company-sponsored events such as office parties. And secondly, employers need to establish social media policies that prohibit employees from posting photographs or video without management permission in social media. These are two good initial steps, but far more needs to be done to deal with the more serious legal issues. Employees are protected from sexual harassment and discrimination by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which covers employers having 15 or more employees (including regular part-time ones). Title VII provides two requirements for conduct to trigger potential liability for unlawful harassment: The conduct must be unwelcome; andThe conduct must be sufficiently severe or pervasive. It need not be both. Conduct is not illegal simply because it is inappropriate or makes a coworker feel uncomfortable.  However, even a single, extremely serious incident of harassment may be sufficient to constitute a Title VII violation, especially if the harassment is physical. So, if an office party incident follows previous incidents of misconduct, it could constitute the evidence necessary to reach the “severe” or “pervasive” threshold, ?which lays the foundation for a Title VII claim. A second major legal liability is created by drunk driving following an employer-sponsored holiday party.  In a 2013 court decision that received substantial publicity, a California appellate court reversed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment for the employer. They found that an employee who consumed alcohol at a company-sponsored event and, after leaving, struck another car and killed the driver created liability for the employer. “It is irrelevant that foreseeable effects of the employees negligent conduct (here, the car accident) occurred at a time the employee was no longer acting within the scope of his or her employment,” the court ruled. Proactive Steps to Consider at the Holiday Party Given such legal risks, prudent employers should take these six additional proactive steps to lessen their litigation liability.  Key examples of actions that are recommended for employers to consider include: Have in place comprehensive, written anti-harassment policies, clearly stated in employee handbooks- and publicize that policy prior to the holiday party.Send a memo reminding employees to act responsibly at the party, clearly expressing a lack of tolerance for any inappropriate behavior including drunkenness.Enforce the workplace dress code at the party to avoid any inappropriate or suggestive attire and let the employees know your expectations in advance.Make attendance at the party voluntary, and do not suggest that attendance will benefit a person’s standing within the company. If alcohol is served, set a tone of moderation in advance through interoffice memos, emails, meetings, inserts into paychecks or other communications, and stress that excessive alcohol consumption will not be tolerated.Limit the number of drinks or the length of time during which alcohol will be served, and provide substantial non-alcoholic alternatives. Serve plenty of food and ensure that alcohol consumption is not the focus of the event. Such steps are not a guarantee against holiday party problems, particularly if the decision is made to serve alcohol.  But they can be an employer’s foundation for an effective defense against liability if problems should come to pass. Consider though that ten reasons exist about why employees often loath office holiday parties and take this into consideration as you plan your annual holiday bash.

9 Tips on Returning From Maternity Leave

9 Tips on Returning From Maternity Leave 9 Tips on Returning From Maternity Leave Returning to work after  maternity leave  or after spending a few years at home with the kids is a big transition period with many changes to manage. There are several strategies worth keeping in mind so you feel in control and competent.Create Your Packing List and Your BabysYou will quickly learn that if you have a list of things to pack, youll feel more confident and less stressed in the morning. Youll feel confident walking out the door and not nervous that you forgot something.  If you weren’t a list-maker before you had a baby, its worth becoming one. With so many things on their minds, its not uncommon for parents to be halfway to day care before realizing their baby’s  bottles  were still in the fridge.Plan a Short Day Trip with Your ChildBefore you head back to work, go on a short day trip with your baby. Youll get a feel for what its like to pack up your baby and get yourself ready to be seen in public. Itll feel like youre heading out to work, but youre actually going out to have fun with your baby.Wake up early as if youre heading out to work. Get yourself ready first and then get the baby ready. Feed her  breakfast, get her dressed, pack up her things and then head out. While youre at it, time yourself to see how long this takes you. Once youre out the door, go enjoy yourself for the day. You may feel a bit tired, but its a nice test run and you get to have fun with your little one for the morning.Plan Your New Morning ScheduleGetting yourself ready for work plus a newborn is a new routine you  will have to figure out. To help you plan your updated morning schedule, answer the following questions: Do you believe you could get yourself ready before your baby wakes up, or will you feed your newborn and sit him or her in their crib/swing to play while you get ready?  Will you eat breakfast at home while you feed the baby, in the car, or at work?  Will you or your significant other get your child ready for the day?How long will it take for you to get ready for work, eat breakfast, pack the car, and then dress and feed your child?When you can answer these questions, youll have an idea about what your morning plans will be. Next, you need to figure out how much time youll need to do all of it. Lets say you have to be at work by 8:30 a.m.. Subtract your commute time and daycare drop off to determine what time youll need to leave your home. Next, time how long it takes to follow your updated morning schedule and then subtract that from the time you need to leave your home. Last, subtract another 30-minutes so you could wake up before everyone in your home to enjoy some silence and som e me-time.  Try a Trial Run, Both for You and Your ChildSchedule a day with your child care provider to do a trial run. Drop your child off for a few hours. You wont feel the pressure you may feel about having to go  to work. Take advantage of this free time and run those errands youve been thinking about like shopping for professional clothes that fit your postpartum figure, a haircut, or pick up extra supplies for your child’s caregiver. When you pick up your child, schedule some time to  visit  and help your child adjust to a new caregiver.Consolidate Work and Home CalendarsWhen unexpected events happen, and they always do, have a calendar that shows both your personal and professional commitments as well as your significant others.  While you’re scrambling to get a sick kid to the pediatrician, you will know which meetings you need to cancel or when you have to get coverage from your husband or backup caregiver, because you can’t miss work.Make Sleep a PriorityYour first week back will probably be draining no matter how prepared you are. Go to bed as soon as possible each evening. Sleep with earplugs and ask your spouse  to handle any night wakings.It also may be energizing to be back at work. When you’re filled with new ideas, you’ll want the stamina to follow through.Prioritize RuthlesslyWorking parents  need to aim to be brutally efficient.  To help be ruthless about it, identify the few key tasks that must be completed to get you up to speed at work. Everything else you’ll get to in time.Also, tackle the most important things early in your work day. That will leave fewer loose ends if you get called to pick up a sick kid at school. And brace yourself: the first few months of group child care are usually punctuated by colds, fevers, and ear infections. The only silver lining is that minor illnesses strengthen your child’s immune system.Dont Be Hard on YourselfYou never know for sure how you’ll feel during your  transitional challenge, but don’t make any hasty decisions about your future the first week . It’s a very emotional time.Instead, notice how you feel and what you like or dislike. Store these observations for later reflection. If uneasy feelings persist after a few weeks, you may want to change your work or care situation.Give Yourself a Reward for a Job Well DoneAfter all of this planning and transition, you deserve a treat. Plan a reward that will help you get through the first week back at work.  Maybe it’s a 3 p.m. pedicure appointment or coffee with your best work friend. Whatever it is, you deserve it, and it will help refresh you for the second week back at work.

Straight Talk About the Job Cosmopolitan

Straight Talk About 'the Job' Cosmopolitan Straight Talk About 'the Job' Cosmopolitan “Cosmopolitan”: If they’d Asked Amanda about The Job, here’s what I’d say… The Job featured five candidates â€" Rachele, Carlos, Brenda, Diandra, and Kristina â€" competing for the coveted position of editorial assistant with the “West Point of magazines,”   Cosmopolitan.While I watched these candidates run around the streets of New York City for their trial run, take part in a live quiz about fashion and pop culture, and answer interview questions, I started thinking about the battle of the generations in the job market.Whether you’ve recently graduated and are struggling to get that first full-time job, or you’re a seasoned professional facing the perils of age discrimination, the job search is not easy.The millennial generation is notorious for being too casual during the interview process. If you’re in your twenties and looking for a job, take heed. Check and double-check any written communication related to a job application or interview. Remember, spellche ck can’t tell the difference between “read” and “red.” I couldn’t believe that two of the contestants submitted work with grammatical errors and misspellings! In the real world, neither candidate would have made it to the next interview round.Make sure your Facebook page and other social media accounts don’t include anything that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. Take steps to keep any personal accounts secure.For the baby boomers like Brenda, remember that you don’t have to be the target audience of a product in order to work for that company. You do, however, need to understand who the target audience is. In this digital age, all the information you need is a Google search away. In Brenda’s case, a quick search for Cosmopolitan’s media kit and a copy of the magazine’s latest issue would have done the trick.Click on the following links to learn more about searching for a job as a recent college grad, combatting age discrimination, and managin g your online presence and social media channels for the job search.

Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Tests

Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Tests Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Tests Before you can begin your career as a police officer, there are several hurdles youll have to overcome. Theres the background investigation, and perhaps a polygraph and psychological exam. And,  of course, youll have to attend a police academy. Even prior to all that, though, youll have to get past the basic abilities test. The basic abilities test is a prerequisite for police academy admissions and is used to screen law enforcement candidates. The test serves to measure applicants ability to perform the most basic tasks associated with police work. It also helps identify people who may not complete the academy successfully. There are different iterations of basic abilities tests, depending on your state, though generally, they measure the same basic skills. There is interest among many local and state agencies to move to a standardized test, and many states have adopted the National Police Officer Screening Test (POST or NPOST) to serve as their entry level exam. The Basics Basic abilities tests measure applicants intellectual capabilities in areas such as: MathematicsReading comprehensionDirectional or spatial orientationWriting and grammarMemorizationProblem identification These generalized subject areas have been identified as being related to law enforcement duties an officer will likely have to perform on a daily basis. No specific knowledge of laws or the law enforcement profession is required, just a basic ability to perform at a certain level intellectually. Dont let the topics make you nervous. Again, you will be tested on basic skills. To help ease your concerns, familiarize yourself with the type of skills youll need to demonstrate. Because these tests measure basic abilities as opposed to specific knowledge, it is difficult to identify any particular area to study. There are things you can do, though, to prepare yourself for the test and give yourself a better chance at success. Mathematics No one expects you to be able to derive the minimum speed calculation formula here. Instead, you will be tested on basic arithmetic addition, subtraction and possibly some quick multiplication or division, but nothing that will require a calculator. Officers need to be able to perform simple math for a variety of tasks, but most people should have little to no difficulty here. You can prepare by practicing simple math problems, especially word problems that include counting money or figuring out how old a person is. Reading Comprehension This portion of the basic abilities test measures your propensity to understand what youve read. It will typically consist of a paragraph or short story that you will be required to read and then answer questions based on the story. Again, this should pose little problem for most people. It can cause issues with time, though, so it will be important to read quickly. The best way to prepare yourself for tests that involve reading comprehension, as well as writing ability, is to read, read and read some more. The more you read, the better you will get. Books, magazines, newspapers, read it all. It will help you not only read better  but will increase your vocabulary and help you become a more proficient writer. Directional or Spatial Orientation On some tests, you may be presented with a map. You will then read a question that asks you to choose the best way to respond to a situation or call. Typically, you will be asked to identify the shortest route. It is a vital function for officers because they may be able to know the areas they patrol and respond to calls quickly. Its important to remember that these types of questions ask you to choose the best route, not the only route. For example, its possible to get to New York City from Seattle by taking a rowboat around the world and through three oceans, but its quicker to drive across the country and even faster to fly. Writing and Grammar Though not often discussed outside off police circles, the ability to write coherently is perhaps one of the most important functions officers perform. Criminals are convicted, and victims are compensated often based on a police officers report alone. Theres no question that writing skills are vital to any law enforcement career. As with math, no one is asking you to be able to diagram a sentence or to write the next great American novel. You are, however, expected to be able to complete sentences and to find spelling errors. Most tests will present you with an incomplete sentence and ask you to choose the right word in the proper tense. You will also see questions with an intentionally misspelled word and be asked to identify the spelling error. Memorization Questions that measure your memorization skills will require you to study a photo or drawing for a fixed amount of time. You will then turn the page and answer questions about the picture from memory alone. The types of questions you can expect will include how many cars were on the street or in what direction was the person wearing the hat running. It will be important to pay attention to details on such questions. You can prepare for questions on memorization by studying a picture for a few minutes and then try to describe everything you saw. Problem Identification and Judgement Before officers can solve problems, they must be able to identify problems. This skill includes situational awareness and problem identification. You will be given a scenario and asked to identify the most likely problem, or you will be presented with a problem asked to select the best course of action to take to solve the problem. Getting Ready In the days and weeks leading up to the test, make sure you are familiar with the types of questions you will be asked. You can obtain information about your specific test by visiting the website of your states standards and training commission or body that regulates law enforcement training. Before the test, be sure to get a good nights sleep. Dont stay up studying or cramming. Instead, relax your mind and rest. Eat a healthy meal for dinner, avoid alcohol, and get a good breakfast in the morning. Arrive at the test site early to eliminate any possibility of being late. If youre unfamiliar with the location, scout the route ahead of time to make sure you know where to go. Taking the Test While taking the basic abilities test, take care not to read too deeply into the question; take it at face value. Before looking at the answer choices, try to answer the question on your own, then select the choice that best represents that answer. If you cant answer on your own, eliminate those choices that are wrong. Then, make your best guess. Choose the best answer; there may be more than one choice that could be correct if you read too much into the question, but only one answer is the best one. Answer the questions you know first, then go back and attempt the ones you struggled with; dont get bogged down with a difficult question to the point that you run out of time and cant finish the test. Above all, be sure to answer all of the questions. Dont leave any blank. Though you are only credited with correct answers, you wont lose extra points for getting a question wrong. If you dont know the answer, guess. Working Your Way Toward a Great Career Theres no time like the present to prepare yourself for your future career. Though the basic abilities test is one indicator of success in the police academy, theres no guarantee youll make it through if you pass. It will still be a long, hard road ahead. Getting past the entry exam, though, will be a huge step in the process of becoming a police officer.

Secrets from a former FBI negotiator on how to get what you want

Secrets from a former FBI negotiator on how to get what you want Secrets from a former FBI negotiator on how to get what you want Chris Voss  is the CEO Founder of the Black Swan Group Ltd and the author of  Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. Voss spent 24 years as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. He recently joined  Ryan Hawk, host of  The Learning Leader Show, to discuss  how to negotiate like a master in all areas of your life. This conversation has been edited and condensed. To listen to Chris and Ryan’s full conversation,  click here.Ryan:  For 24 years, you’ve worked with the FBI as the lead international kidnapping negotiator. Over the course of your career, you negotiated 150-plus kidnappings worldwide, [and you’re] also the bestselling author of a great book titled  Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. If you had to pull out the common characteristics of the people who are the absolute best at negotiation, what do they all seem to share?Chris:  One of the most important, but least sexy, things in negotiation is to be able to listen. Great negotiators listen for very specific things, just like great athletes are looking for tendencies or quirks in the people on the other side.One of my friends, Ned Colletti, is a former manager of the Dodgers, who talks about his negotiations. He’ll say, in a two-hour conversation, there will be 90 seconds of solid gold. One of those extremely important characteristics is developing the ear [to hear] the solid gold in the negotiation.Ryan:  What does solid gold mean?Chris:  First, you’re looking for a change in the tone of voice- you have to be listening close for that. You’ve also got to learn to look for the change in adjectives- there’s going to be subtle change in wording. It’s being able to take what you hear, listen for changes, and then understand there’s always a difference in the literal truth and the actual truth. You’ve got to hear for those differences and you’ve got to process. Then you ask good questions.A lot of people are scared to death to clarify. Then what happens, many times, is there’s either intentional or actual misunderstandings in the conversation. It’s not enough to just listen, it’s not enough to just clarify. When you can combine those two things, then you start getting really, really sharp.“It’s not enough to just listen, it’s not enough to just clarify. When you can combine those two things, then you start getting really, really sharp.”Ryan:  That’s a great point. I respect leaders the most when I’m in a meeting and they ask what some may deem as simple, clarifying questions. Most people in the room wanted to ask the same question, but were too scared to do it because they thought it might make them look stupid. The best, smartest leaders in the room are more than willing to ask those clarifying questions.Can you s hare a little bit about your background, Chris?Chris:  I consider myself really lucky because a lot of hostage negotiators will only have experienced what we call a contained siege- [a situation] where you know where the bad guys are. There is also international kidnapping experience, which very few negotiators have. Those international kidnappers are hard-nosed, hard-bargaining businessmen. They’re either bargaining money or they’re bargaining publicity. I have been able to do both types of negotiations, [domestically and internationally].I also led the FBI for all the international kidnappings. For a period of time, it was my job to come up with principal strategies to get any American that got kidnapped out of danger, anywhere in the world, by terrorists or criminals.Then, in the process of doing all of that, I wanted the FBI to get better. The Harvard program on negotiation is phenomenal, so I went there. To my knowledge, I’m the only FBI hostage negotiator to ever go thro ugh their training. When I was up at Harvard, they said, “What you’re doing in hostage negotiation is exactly what we’re doing in business negotiation.” Originally I was skeptical, but I found out that they were right, and that spun me out into the business world.“The best, smartest leaders in the room are more than willing to ask those clarifying questions.”Ryan:  How do [hostage negotiations] relate to the business world? What is the same between getting a kidnapped American back and a guy who’s negotiating to close a deal?Chris:  Well, everybody’s got to protect their dollars, and those should be the last thing discussed. As a hostage negotiator, the first moves are always, “Let’s see how far we can get before anybody talks dollars,” or even if they’re talking dollars, “Let’s talk other stuff and see how far we can get.”In the business world, I’m going to try and cut my deal without changing my dollars. It’s stunning how far you can get with that because, in reality, companies [change] vendors not over price, but over satisfaction or peace of mind. In business or in hostage negotiations, all we ever sold was peace of mind. I find that to be enormously powerful in terms of business deals or leadership. People want to follow somebody who gives them peace of mind.“In business or in hostage negotiations, all we ever sold was peace of mind . . . People want to follow somebody who gives them peace of mind.”Ryan:  You talk about ways to quickly establish rapport, and one of them is to be a mirror. Could you explain more about that?Chris:  It’s a very unconscious thing. The mirroring tool in hostage negotiation is different than in business, and here’s how it’s different. The mirroring tool in hostage negotiation is simply repeating the last one to three words. Now the difference in business negotiation is, “I’m going to mirror your word choice,” or, “I’m going to mirror your energy level,” or “I’m going t o mirror your body language.” That’s not the same thing as simply repeating words. Both mirroring techniques flip a switch in the other person’s brain, where they want to talk more, and they occasionally say stuff involuntarily.The first time I was really effective with it as a hostage negotiator was for bank robbery- I got caught off-guard and started to mirror the bank robber. He started to just vomit information- he gave us information that actually got another bank robber convicted that we didn’t even know had ever been there.People say stuff. They expand, they’re comfortable- it’s amazing how it just makes you go on. I use Howard Stern as an example- I think  he is one of the great communicators on the planet.Ryan:  Agree. He’s an incredible interviewer.Chris:  So many celebrities will not go on the Howard Stern Show because they know that Howard is going to get them to say stuff that nobody else can get them to say.Ryan:  [Does mirroring cause] the person you’r e negotiating with to open up and share more information because they get tired of hearing what they’ve said repeated back to them?Chris:  They don’t get tired of it. It’s almost like catnip to a cat. You can’t hardly stop yourself from responding, or a quick involuntary thing. It connects thoughts, it causes people to reword what they’ve just said and expand.Ryan:  I get a lot of emails from people who are very early in their business career, asking about how to negotiate for more money when they’re getting a job offer. How do you go about negotiating for a better offer?Chris:  First of all, looking at it from the employer’s perspective, asking for more money immediately makes you self-centered and selfish. Putting the focus on the long term gets you away from this. Pick some point in the future that we both agree on, and what you want then. If you immediately pivot to exactly where you want to be in the strategic future of the company, then the person you’re talkin g to says, “This guy is going to make my future better,” which then puts you in a position to ask for more, because you’re automatically more valuable.Ryan:  Another aspect of successful negotiation is [asking] open-ended questions and, [specifically] using the word “how.” Can you explain more [about] open-ended questions and the power of the word “how”?Chris:  Every single question that you ask is going to trigger an emotional response. “What” and “how” are questions that trigger empowerment in the other side. It makes them feel good. Everybody wants to educate somebody else. It gives them a chance to show how smart they are.One of the “what” questions that I love, in response to nearly anything is, “What makes you ask?” The question behind the question is more important than the question. If you don’t know the question behind the question, there’s at least a 50% chance that your answer is going to miss its mark.You’ll often use a good “what” or a “how” question to tease more information out of someone that they might not otherwise give. [Asking] “How am I supposed to do that?” is actually my favorite way of saying no.“The question behind the question is more important than the question.”Ryan:  Chapter Eight [in your book] is on the topic of spotting liars. What are some of the  keys that you found to spot the liars  and ensure follow through from everyone else?Chris:  That takes us back to these “how” questions. [People who] lie do not think about follow through. [If you ask], “All right. How’s this going to work? What’s this going to look like?”, the liar will go dead silent on you because he’s never thought about it. They’d be stumped.With the “how” questions, you find out whether or not the problem is fixable. Maybe you can solve the lie.Ryan:  A Harvard Business School study [found] that liars use more words than truth tellers. They also use more third person pronouns.Chris:  Yeah, t he Pinocchio effect. The more words somebody uses to convince you, [the more likely] they’re lying. You should be getting a bad feeling in your stomach when someone is really knocking themselves out.Ryan:  What’s the 7-38-55% Rule?Chris:  7-38-55 is a rough ratio of the words, the delivery, and the body language on the percentage impact on the meaning when we communicate. 7 is the actual words, 38 is the delivery, and 55 is the body language. The way we communicate is extremely important; otherwise our words don’t hit the mark. We’ve got to have a tone of voice that people like to listen to. As soon as they don’t like our tone of voice, they’re not going to hear our words.The most important body language that makes people want to talk to you more, as silly as it sounds, is nodding the head. People love  seeing a head nod when they’re talking to somebody. It makes them happy.This article first appeared on Heleo. Secrets from a former FBI negotiator on how to get what you want Chris Voss  is the CEO Founder of the Black Swan Group Ltd and the author of  Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. Voss spent 24 years as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group.He recently joined  Ryan Hawk, host of  The Learning Leader Show, to discuss  how to negotiate like a master in all areas of your life.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!This conversation has been edited and condensed. To listen to Chris and Ryan’s full conversation,  click here.Ryan:  For 24 years, you’ve worked with the FBI as the lead international kidnapping negotiator. Over the course of your career, you negotiated 150-plus kidnappings worldwide, [and you’re] also the bestselling author of a gre at book titled  Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. If you had to pull out the common characteristics of the people who are the absolute best at negotiation, what do they all seem to share?Chris:  One of the most important, but least sexy, things in negotiation is to be able to listen. Great negotiators listen for very specific things, just like great athletes are looking for tendencies or quirks in the people on the other side.One of my friends, Ned Colletti, is a former manager of the Dodgers, who talks about his negotiations. He’ll say, in a two-hour conversation, there will be 90 seconds of solid gold. One of those extremely important characteristics is developing the ear [to hear] the solid gold in the negotiation.Ryan:  What does solid gold mean?Chris:  First, you’re looking for a change in the tone of voice- you have to be listening close for that. You’ve also got to learn to look for the change in adjectives- there’s going to be su btle change in wording. It’s being able to take what you hear, listen for changes, and then understand there’s always a difference in the literal truth and the actual truth. You’ve got to hear for those differences and you’ve got to process. Then you ask good questions.A lot of people are scared to death to clarify. Then what happens, many times, is there’s either intentional or actual misunderstandings in the conversation. It’s not enough to just listen, it’s not enough to just clarify. When you can combine those two things, then you start getting really, really sharp.“It’s not enough to just listen, it’s not enough to just clarify. When you can combine those two things, then you start getting really, really sharp.”Ryan:  That’s a great point. I respect leaders the most when I’m in a meeting and they ask what some may deem as simple, clarifying questions. Most people in the room wanted to ask the same question, but were too scared to do it because they tho ught it might make them look stupid. The best, smartest leaders in the room are more than willing to ask those clarifying questions.Can you share a little bit about your background, Chris?Chris:  I consider myself really lucky because a lot of hostage negotiators will only have experienced what we call a contained siege- [a situation] where you know where the bad guys are. There is also international kidnapping experience, which very few negotiators have. Those international kidnappers are hard-nosed, hard-bargaining businessmen. They’re either bargaining money or they’re bargaining publicity. I have been able to do both types of negotiations, [domestically and internationally].I also led the FBI for all the international kidnappings. For a period of time, it was my job to come up with principal strategies to get any American that got kidnapped out of danger, anywhere in the world, by terrorists or criminals.Then, in the process of doing all of that, I wanted the FBI to get bett er. The Harvard program on negotiation is phenomenal, so I went there. To my knowledge, I’m the only FBI hostage negotiator to ever go through their training. When I was up at Harvard, they said, “What you’re doing in hostage negotiation is exactly what we’re doing in business negotiation.” Originally I was skeptical, but I found out that they were right, and that spun me out into the business world.“The best, smartest leaders in the room are more than willing to ask those clarifying questions.”Ryan:  How do [hostage negotiations] relate to the business world? What is the same between getting a kidnapped American back and a guy who’s negotiating to close a deal?Chris:  Well, everybody’s got to protect their dollars, and those should be the last thing discussed. As a hostage negotiator, the first moves are always, “Let’s see how far we can get before anybody talks dollars,” or even if they’re talking dollars, “Let’s talk other stuff and see how far we ca n get.”In the business world, I’m going to try and cut my deal without changing my dollars. It’s stunning how far you can get with that because, in reality, companies [change] vendors not over price, but over satisfaction or peace of mind. In business or in hostage negotiations, all we ever sold was peace of mind. I find that to be enormously powerful in terms of business deals or leadership. People want to follow somebody who gives them peace of mind.“In business or in hostage negotiations, all we ever sold was peace of mind . . . People want to follow somebody who gives them peace of mind.”Ryan:  You talk about ways to quickly establish rapport, and one of them is to be a mirror. Could you explain more about that?Chris:  It’s a very unconscious thing. The mirroring tool in hostage negotiation is different than in business, and here’s how it’s different. The mirroring tool in hostage negotiation is simply repeating the last one to three words. Now the difference in business negotiation is, “I’m going to mirror your word choice,” or, “I’m going to mirror your energy level,” or “I’m going to mirror your body language.” That’s not the same thing as simply repeating words. Both mirroring techniques flip a switch in the other person’s brain, where they want to talk more, and they occasionally say stuff involuntarily.The first time I was really effective with it as a hostage negotiator was for bank robbery- I got caught off-guard and started to mirror the bank robber. He started to just vomit information- he gave us information that actually got another bank robber convicted that we didn’t even know had ever been there.People say stuff. They expand, they’re comfortable- it’s amazing how it just makes you go on. I use Howard Stern as an example- I think  he is one of the great communicators on the planet.Ryan:  Agree. He’s an incredible interviewer.Chris:  So many celebrities will not go on the Howard Stern Show because they know that Howard is going to get them to say stuff that nobody else can get them to say.Ryan:  [Does mirroring cause] the person you’re negotiating with to open up and share more information because they get tired of hearing what they’ve said repeated back to them?Chris:  They don’t get tired of it. It’s almost like catnip to a cat. You can’t hardly stop yourself from responding, or a quick involuntary thing. It connects thoughts, it causes people to reword what they’ve just said and expand.Ryan:  I get a lot of emails from people who are very early in their business career, asking about how to negotiate for more money when they’re getting a job offer. How do you go about negotiating for a better offer?Chris:  First of all, looking at it from the employer’s perspective, asking for more money immediately makes you self-centered and selfish. Putting the focus on the long term gets you away from this. Pick some point in the future that we both agree on, and what yo u want then. If you immediately pivot to exactly where you want to be in the strategic future of the company, then the person you’re talking to says, “This guy is going to make my future better,” which then puts you in a position to ask for more, because you’re automatically more valuable.Ryan:  Another aspect of successful negotiation is [asking] open-ended questions and, [specifically] using the word “how.” Can you explain more [about] open-ended questions and the power of the word “how”?Chris:  Every single question that you ask is going to trigger an emotional response. “What” and “how” are questions that trigger empowerment in the other side. It makes them feel good. Everybody wants to educate somebody else. It gives them a chance to show how smart they are.One of the “what” questions that I love, in response to nearly anything is, “What makes you ask?” The question behind the question is more important than the question. If you don’t know the question behind the question, there’s at least a 50% chance that your answer is going to miss its mark.You’ll often use a good “what” or a “how” question to tease more information out of someone that they might not otherwise give. [Asking] “How am I supposed to do that?” is actually my favorite way of saying no.“The question behind the question is more important than the question.”Ryan:  Chapter Eight [in your book] is on the topic of spotting liars. What are some of the  keys that you found to spot the liars  and ensure follow through from everyone else?Chris:  That takes us back to these “how” questions. [People who] lie do not think about follow through. [If you ask], “All right. How’s this going to work? What’s this going to look like?”, the liar will go dead silent on you because he’s never thought about it. They’d be stumped.With the “how” questions, you find out whether or not the problem is fixable. Maybe you can solve the lie.Ryan:  A Harvard Business School study [found] that liars use more words than truth tellers. They also use more third person pronouns.Chris:  Yeah, the Pinocchio effect. The more words somebody uses to convince you, [the more likely] they’re lying. You should be getting a bad feeling in your stomach when someone is really knocking themselves out.Ryan:  What’s the 7-38-55% Rule?Chris:  7-38-55 is a rough ratio of the words, the delivery, and the body language on the percentage impact on the meaning when we communicate. 7 is the actual words, 38 is the delivery, and 55 is the body language. The way we communicate is extremely important; otherwise our words don’t hit the mark. We’ve got to have a tone of voice that people like to listen to. As soon as they don’t like our tone of voice, they’re not going to hear our words.The most important body language that makes people want to talk to you more, as silly as it sounds, is nodding the head. People love  seeing a head nod when they†™re talking to somebody. It makes them happy.This article first appeared on Heleo.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people