Accelerate Your Learning Curve for More Success and Less Stress

by Susan Dunn

Jobs Indonesia,  Careers,  Indonesia Vacancy

Downsizing and technological advances put demands on us to learn more and learn it faster. As support staff and auxiliary positions disappear, job functions are consolidated, teamwork becomes the norm, and computer and other technologies keep proliferating, we are faced with a stressful amount of new things to learn in a diminishing amount of time.

Yet the faster you can learn new things, the more valuable you will be to your employer, and the more likely you’ll be to advance in your Careers. It isn’t an option these days. 

 

WHAT LEARNING CURVES HAVE IN COMMON

What can you do to accelerate your learning curve and increase your value to your employer? The interesting thing is that there are things all learning curves have in common, whether you’re learning how to facilitate team work, learning a new software program, learning a new language, or learning how to negotiate. The better you understand the mechanics of THE learning curve, the better you’ll be able to deal with the individual ones that come along, and this is part of Emotional Intelligence.

 

GETTING RID OF THE FEAR

If you think back on things you’ve learned in the past, you’ll probably realize that one of the things that slowed you down was fear. I can certainly think of examples in my own case.

 

An example of how fear can slow you down is evident if you’ve watched a young child learn how to ski. A child doesn’t fear failure nor success, nor do they fear falling down. New things are an every day occurrence for a child, and this is just the next one. In learning to ski, they fall repeatedly and bounce back like a rubber ball. They consider it all fun. Thus there is nothing slowing down the learning except their ability to master the motor skills. What a relief!

Many of the Emotional Intelligence competencies facilitate learning. One of them is flexibility. The skiing example shows a sort of physical flexibility, but this is applicable to mental tasks as well. We don’t all learn best the same way. You may be sent to a seminar or training that doesn’t fit your learning style. If you’re flexible, and have learned how to learn (the learning curve), you’ll be able to shape things to your own benefit.

 

Take learning a new software program, for instance, something many of us are faced with almost monthly. One person may learn better by reading the manual, while another may do better by being shown. Yet another may be used to the “throw them to the wolves method,” or by hearing a tape or looking at an interactive video on the computer screen.

 

This has to do with your innate learning style which can be discovered through an assessment such as the StrengthsFinder® profile, by working with a coach, or by analyzing your own history. Generally when left to your own devices, you’ll do what comes naturally to you, which will always be the quickest and easiest way for you to learn.

 

LEARNING HISTORIES

A client I’ll call Alicia learned how to type when she was 6 years old. Her mother let her ‘play’ on the family typewriter. By the time she got to high school and took a typing class which attempted to teach her “touch typing,” it was too late to unlearn the old ways, yet she keyboards at over 100. Would anyone complain about the method?

 

Then she took a jobs Indonesia where her boss told her he wanted a newsletter in two weeks, and gave her – wouldn’t you know? – a Mac. Being used to tinkering, she started right in, asking an office mate some pertinent questions, and figuring it out fairly rapidly although she had never touched a computer before. Someone else might have refused that jobs indonesia or demanded lessons.

 

The next job Alicia had she was required to use a PC, and she tackled that on her own as well.

Nick, however, learns best from formal instruction, and then having a manual at his side. It confuses him if someone tries to instruct him sitting by his side or talking to him. He would rather work on his own, in peace and quiet.

Emotional Intelligence starts with self-awareness – knowing your emotions as well as your cognitive abilities, and particularly how they interface. Nick and Alicia were both able to learn computer skills, but they were comfortable in different settings, and it’s emotional “comfort,” that gets rid of the fear and accelerates the learning curve. Learning has a huge emotional component to it that is just now being honored in our schools and in the work place.

 

MOVE RAPIDLY FOR BEST RESULTS

A crucial point is the longer you stay in the confused stage, the more stress you’ll experience. This will reinforce itself, making it harder for you to learn in the future. In essence you’ll be slowing down your learning curve each time.

The faster you learn each thing, the less agony, and the better and faster you’ll learn in the future. It’s a win-win. Your employer wants you to learn fast, and it’s in your best interest to learn fast.

 

Another great benefit is then learning is fun – like the 6 year old learning to ski. This is turn will make you more resilient (the stress-buster for the 00s) because studies have shown that lifetime learning contributes to resilience.

The ability to change rapidly, be flexible and learn quickly are highly valued by today’s employers and reduce your personal stress levels.

These are all Emotional Intelligence competencies you can learn. How? Start with an overview of the field and an assessment of your own Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI). You can take an interactive Emotional Intelligence course on the Internet, and then work with a certified Emotional Intelligence coach who can provide individual instruction to improve your competencies.

 

Developing your Emotional Intelligence has many benefits. It can accelerate the learning curve because it teaches you correct patterns, makes previous knowledge more accessible, allows for better cognitive functioning, and manages the emotions so they help the process, not hinder it. It can also increase your ability to get the help – and the kind of help – you need from others.

 

Even if faced with learning something completely new, you’ll learn to recognize the steps and feelings that go along with each stage which will eliminate a lot of stress.

 

You’ve taken care of your academic education, but what about your Emotional Intelligence? Take a second look. Many people are finding it to be the missing piece in their Careers plan. 

 

First steps towards building an effective work environment

By valeska.wordpress.com

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

Companies normally turn to team building, training, arguments, and many more techniques in attempt to resolve internal conflict.

However, people make decisions based on judgment. How will this benefit me? Am I wasting my time? Why am I being sucked into doing someone else’s job?

There are many principles as to how decisions are made and what motivates people. However, by having a clear understanding of how the business process is supposed to flow within an organization greatly diminishes staff placing the responsibility on someone else.

You may find your team frustrated and complaining. You may experience an increase in project delays. Sometimes upper management feels they need to dictate to colleagues “how things should be,” but this management syle only creates barriers from receiving honest insight from your colleagues and increases defensiveness. Creating a system that allows colleagues to pose “solutions” with their team will instill a behavior that allows them to continuously strive to find the best ways to work together.

Business Rule Tip!

a) If you have an intranet system or an internal blog, create a folder where everyone is allowed to contribute “solutions.” Anytime someone has a complaint or wants to criticize how things are done, they should pose a “solution” to proactively show an alternative way to deal with the issue. Encourage your team to provide useful suggestions on ways to improve “our” company efficiencies and an overall smoother operation. Important to explain how each suggestion must have a purpose, focus and clear communication as to the “why” and “what” you are trying to accomplish. This will increase “buy in” and prevent staff from taking these new suggestions personally. Please note: It is very important for senior managers to review these suggestions on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to enforce policies. If months pass before decisions are made, suggestions will decrease, while frustration increases.

Analyzing said suggestions from your colleagues will help to reveal “real problems”, and most likely reasonable solutions to those problems.

I have a question for you: how many times does upper management make decisions without asking those who are involved in the day-to-day activities?

Fixes made without asking those who are involved will negatively affect other processes further down the project cycle.

Business Rule Tip!

a) It is important to understand how each process affects another function within the work environment. Learning “Process Mapping” will help you to see how one activity affects another and reveal where there are areas of opportunity for process improvement. By demonstrating to your team how each activity supports the other, colleagues will begin to understand how each player contributes to the team as a whole.

The work environment is a GROUP effort. By cultivating this change in thinking amongst your players, they will better understand how their strengths benefit others. By creating a supportive network, colleagues will understand who to go to for help. By maximizing each other’s strengths, the synergy amongst all will allow the company to propel forward.

Business Rule Tip!

a) Build Trust. By creating an environment where each individual understands they are all part of a team and helping one another professionally, trust occurs. Reach out to others when asked for guidance. Practice good communication. When conflict occurs, teams who have trust tend to quickly overcome conflicts in order to move on with business goals.

b) Compassion, Respect, and Patience breeds response. Relating to each other’s unique qualities and job positions during high levels of stress will create quicker turn around on your business goals. An interesting article that reinforces this methodology is called: The Power of Nice.

Leadership and Elusive Happiness

By Daniel Crosby

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

In his seminal work 'Good to Great', Jim Collins found that two things were necessary for truly great (Level 5 in Collins' vernacular) leaders: humility and a highly focused strength of will. Perhaps Collins' greatest contribution to leadership literature is having shot down the sexy, if fallacious, idea of leaders as larger-than-life and ostentatious. So, why is it that after such paradigm-shifting discoveries we are still so mired in mediocrity in terms of our corporate and political (both parties!!!) leadership? I think one of the biggest and most overlooked answers to this question lies in the way we pursue leadership.

To illustrate this point, consider the times in your life that you've been the happiest. Ever notice how elusive happiness is when you try to pursuit it? Well it turns out you have something in common with a famous utilitarian philosopher (your Mom must be so proud)! John Stuart Mill said, "Those are only happy who have their minds fixed on some object other than happiness. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness along the way." Part of happiness is the effortlessness and lightness of being that accompanies it. So, when we try and try to be happy, we are necessarily running afoul of one of its fundamental features. Something very similar can be said of trying to be a leader.

I, like Jim Collins, think that humility is a necessary attribute of a deep leader. That said, when we take the mantle of leadership upon us in the "how-can-I-lead-these-little-people" sort of way, we've already failed! Those who aspire to leadership, who view themselves as leaders in the traditional sense, and who buy leadership books (and read blog posts on leadership - GOTCHA!) because they are somehow elevated, have violated one of the fundamental tenets of deep leadership before even truly beginning the journey. And as any sailor can attest, going on a journey that begins with a miscalculation can land you way off course.

Time Management Tips For Professionals

By Ashton P. Dixon

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

There is no easy route in perfecting time management. Although the idea of managing time may sound easy, many people are still finding it difficult to follow.

If you are one of those people who find it hard to follow time management, then here are some tips that you can follow.

1. See the BIGGER Picture

Time is a constant and abundant resource that people can't purchase or sell. It is a resource that can be shared with or can be shared from someone else.

And one effective way of managing it is by visualizing a bigger and clearer picture of your goal. Prioritize more the activities that would put you closer to your objective, and prioritize less those that won't. Carefully assess the tasks that need prioritization in order to accomplish activities that are closely related to your goal.

Many successful people today practice different time management forms and techniques, but if there's one thing these business minded people share in common. It's the vision of how they want to spend their business time.

2. AUDITING Time Management (For Professionals)

Ideally speaking, everything that a person should list and follow should be actively valuable towards their desired goal.

To make your auditing faster, the following are sub-breakdowns that many professionals spend their time on. Personal goals may differ, but the general idea of breaking goals down remains the same.

• People and Managing. Managing people can be sub-categorized in to three different areas namely;

1. Managing time across
2. Managing time up

3. Managing time down

If you're currently working as a leader or as a manager in a company, understand that the best way to spend most of your time is by directly supervising your team or co-workers below you.

This is also an effective strategy of teaching your employees while working your personal professional goal at the same time. Cultivating time-leverage upward not only benefits the team and the company, but it can also benefit you by moving closer to your goal.

3. CHARTS for Time Management

Presently, there are lots of these tips that are scattered all over the internet. The approach may vary sometimes, but believe that the basic idea is still there.

One common tip most time management tips share is in building a chart. Building charts are effective in reminding important plans ahead. Creating charts are also helpful in simplifying time management audits, as well as in pitching the whole picture of your goal.

Building a Chart:

a. Start building your chart by writing down the days and weeks in a month. Across its columns on top, write down your major tasks and goals that needs prioritization.

b. After you complete this activity, record the amount of time you spent under each category. This way you can easily monitor your progress and accomplishments in one day.

c. Try to stick to the plan as much as possible.

d. Avoid over doing it by stuffing to much work in one day.

Stress Management - Simple Living For Stressful Times

By Ilenya Marrin

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

If you have not felt stressed by the current economic downturn, take a bow and teach the rest of us how you have maintained your peace.

Seven Tips for Simple Living NowIf you do feel stressed by national and world events that impact your livelihood, retirement, home and day to day quality of life, here are seven tips for Simple Living to help get you through these tough times.

1. Evaluate what is most important in your life -- your loving, laughing and caring with family and friends, your learning and flexibility, your spiritual foundation, or your dollars and material possessions? What are your core values? Focus on those things that bring you lasting joy. The stress of striving to hang onto the material level might just vanish, leaving you feeling lighter and freer.

2. Let go to become free. If income is limited right now, decide what you can do without in order to keep basic needs for shelter, food, clothing, heat and transportation handled. Instead of focusing on your sacrifices, make this into a game of freeing yourself from your old patterns of greed and wanting instant gratification. Your positive attitude will keep stress at bay.

3. Get creative about how to fill your time with fun, productive activities. What can you make from what you already have? What can you give to assist others -- your time? your expertise? unneeded belongings? Have you been meaning to reorganize the garage or basement? Now is your chance. Getting involved with others or with physical activity will help to reduce stress and keep your energy moving forward in a positive way.

4. Look for little ways to simplify your lifestyle. For some of you, this will mean taking time to cook from scratch more often, or mending furniture and repairing appliances and cars instead of buying new. For others it will mean trading services and goods with neighbors and friends. You don't have to solve every problem with a credit card. You'll feel good about yourself and lower stress at the same time.

5. Back to Basics -- There's an old Yankee saying, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Are there some small ways you can put this truism to work in your life? Even "silly" little things like using up the last sliver of soap are satisfying within this framework. When you know you are making the best possible use of what you have, you can relax and savor your personal peace.

6. Change your attitude. If you've been filled with doom and gloom, look around and discover how the economic crisis is making people behave more kindly toward one another. Find at least three good things per day that are taking place because of the shift in values forced by the economy. Reframing your outlook to include the positive will automatically help reduce your stress levels.

7. Set a few personal goals related to how you want to thrive, not merely survive, with a simpler lifestyle. Do you want to save a nest egg? Have you always wanted to plant a vegetable garden? Do you long to go back to school? Create a plan and take small steps to achieve your goals. With your simpler lifestyle (not rushing to keep up with the Joneses) you'll have time for reflection, planning and reaching your objectives. As you move step by step toward your goal, the satisfaction of a job well-done should easily outweigh old stress patterns in your life.

Put these seven tips to work in your life and you'll be overcoming stress with positive focus and positive action, and enjoying a simpler and more fulfilling lifestyle to boot.

Why Are People So Stressed?

By Lorraine Arams

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

People, it is said, are more stressed than ever. Why?
They have every convenience money can buy and beyond. The internet is connecting the world, cell phones allow communication any time, anywhere. At home a machine performs the main process - the dishwasher washes the dishes - no need to manually wash and dry dishes; the clothes washer and dryer washes and dries clothes - there's no need to hang laundry on a clothes line any longer; the car transports people, sometimes multiple people, right to the door of their destination - no need to walk or ride your horse; fridges not only keep things cold, they keep things frozen, dispose cold water and ice and some even have televisions built in - no need to put ice in the ice box any longer and drain off the water from melted ice.

With all these conveniences, why are people feeling as though they can no longer cope? Despite the advancements in technology and "machines", people have not been trained in the most fundamental parts of their lives - handling finances properly, understanding time management, controlling their thoughts and living their lives on their terms.

The result is chaos. By the time they figure it all out, they've wasted a lot of time, money and energy.

What's the solution?
Learning the right things and using that knowledge consistently.
It's not easy though to find that knowledge. We have so much information at our disposal today that it is mesmerizing and, trying to find good advice, is getting more and more challenging. We have to read a lot before we can find something useful.

How do you know when it's the right knowledge?

Because it fits with your life. Let's say you have problems with your finances. You find someone who teaches you how to budget and track your budget - it should be simple to do and the only challenge left for you is to consistently use the budget and tracking to keep on top of your finances so that you don't get into runaway debt.

That's the hard part - consistently using the knowledge we acquire.

1. Next time you're feeling "over the top stress" - stop - just stop everything you're doing, thinking, feeling - go into numb. In that calm space, think, "What's causing this feeling of overwhelm?" .
2. Write the reasons down in one column and in the next write down what you can do about it.
3. Pick one.
4. Do it.
5. Did it solve the problem? If so, you're done. If not pick another solution and try that one. Soon you'll find what you need. Repeat for all the other problems you wrote down.
6. Apply the solution consistently. Put it in your calendar. For instance, if you found the right budgeting and finance tracking tool which fits, then make sure you schedule regular maintenance of that system whether it be daily or weekly. And do it each day or each week for the rest of your life - voila! you have your finances under control!

People don't want to believe it can be that simple so they try to find complex solutions or never settle on anything. If you find anything that is complex, break it down into smaller parts and solve the smaller parts - yes, it is that simple. If this approach isn't working for you, then you must ask yourself whether or not you really want your problem solved or has the problem given you something precious eg something to complain about, a conversation reference, something to make you feel bad about yourself or a reason to wallow in self-pity?

How to Stop Panic Attack and Anxiety Permanently

By Chris Soin

Jobs Indonesia, Careers, Indonesia Vacancy

Panic attacks caused by anxiety problems are one of the most dreadful situations that can ever happen to you while you are on the road. Especially if you are all alone, you will never know if you can make it to your destination safely. But instead of wondering about that horrifying thought, just think of ways on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently.

The panic-causing anxiety disorder is normally treated through oral medications and psychotherapy. But while Science can help you with this problem, you should also do your part. You should also help yourself to permanently get rid of panic attacks and anxiety by taking these measures.

Know the cause: Knowing the causes means understanding the psychological barriers. Ask yourself about the things that you are worrying about. Reflect on what causes the fear, particularly the irrational ones. Or if a certain traumatic incident has caused the anxiety, ponder only over the realistic repercussions of the situation on you. By doing this, you are able to understand your condition better and recovery is just easy for you.

Be in the moment: Any kind of thought that goes through your head can dominate you. These thoughts can prompt you to act in a certain way. For instance, if you are thinking about a future office meeting with the company executives, even if it is still weeks away, you can already worry about it in the present. Therefore, one of the ways on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently is by being in the present. By focusing on what currently surrounds you, you are able to eliminate worry and panic all in all. So if you are watching a good movie, just focus on the scenes instead of letting your thoughts travel to somewhere else.

Change your outlook in life: Life is all about perspectives. Your perspectives will either build you or destroy you. And to stop panic attacks and anxiety problems, try to change your outlook in life for the better. This will help you eradicate all irrational fears that you may have so that you can manage anxious feelings better. What's more is that a positive outlook can bring you to where you want to be. Not only do you achieve healing but you succeed in life as well.

Love yourself: Fears are what stop you from growing as an individual. These are the same fears that can stimulate panic attacks. But when you value yourself that you crave for growth, you make efforts to fight these fears off. You replace them with the thought of your dreams and aspirations. And as you continue your battle against the panic-causing irrational fears, you should give yourself a pat on the back for every achievement that you make. Affirm yourself every once in a while so that you may be reminded that these fears will never come true if you don't want them to.

These tips on how to stop panic attack and anxiety permanently can help you on the road to recovery. So value yourself and follow these tips on how to stop panic attack and anxiety that you may achieve total healing.

Job Tips: Sell Your Skills

by hr.dop.wa.gov/jobtips

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

 

Identify your skills and recognize their value

Tell me about yourself.
That is usually one of the first things that an employer will say in an interview. What he/she is really asking is what qualifies you for this position. Your response will set the tone for the rest of the interview, so your best bet is to prepare your answer in advance.

Think of your answer as a 60-second commercial in which you sell yourself. Know the job description for the position you are going for and tailor your comments to match. Your script may vary slightly depending on the position, but the foundation will always be based on your skills.

Assess yourself.
The first step in composing your commercial is self-assessment. To get started, it may help to review your resume. Look at the jobs that you have held and decide what skills you used for each.

Make a list of at least ten of your strengths and skills. Use active words that reflect what you have done. Include both job specific skills, such as your ability to use a computer, and your “soft” skills, such as your ability to organize or your attention to detail.

Evaluate how each of your skills will be useful to the position you are seeking. Decide which seem most relevant. Write them down. These will be the basis of your commercial.

Compose your message.
Now, you are ready to put your commercial together. It will help to write down exactly what you want to say, so that you can practice and be sure not to miss any major points.

Start with a brief introduction of yourself. Include your name and your usual line of work. Then, state what position you are seeking. This part may vary depending on the interview. Next, you will get into your skills. Start with your job skills and work into your “soft” skills.

Sell your experience.
Employers are interested in what you have done. Use action words to tell them. They are clear, concise and direct – all strengths that impress employers in an interview. Strong words include:

achieved composed drafted interpreted obtained produced
administered constructed established launched operated provided
analyzed coordinated expanded maintained organized reorganized
assembled created generated managed originated reported
budgeted demonstrated implemented motivated oversaw researched
collaborated developed improved negotiated performed resolved

Know the value of your skills.
Salary negotiation usually won’t be an issue until a job offer has been made. However, it is important that you know the standard pay range for the position you are seeking. Consider where you fit in that range based on your skills. When the time comes to discuss salary, present your case. You may say something like “With the education and experience I bring, I would expect to start at the higher end of that scale.”

Remember, your skills and experience are the basis of your negotiations. The employer is not interested in your personal finances or the number of children you are trying to support. It’s not about what you “need”, but about what your skills are worth and why.

Jobs Available Online

By bestjobcenter com

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

During the past, making an application for a job meant looking thru the classifieds in the local paper. The appearance of the Net has made numerous job sites online making it less complicated for somebody to sign up for work in another state and in even in another country.

It has made the world a smaller place with everything at one’s fingertip and simply a click away. Most job sites will need someone to create an account, fill in certain info and deposit a resume.

These sites typically ask for important info like the person’s name, age, address, contact number and social security number. Other info that’ll be requested are instructional background.

Some firms like somebody with a degree in a certain field or an approved pro to do the job or maybe an individual who has got an advanced qualification.

Work history is also another thing that must be discussed. This contains the job outline and highlights that you have experienced during your career. With the info provided, some of these sites supply a service with a fee that will match your qualifications with jobs that are available and allow you to make an application for that position.

Some even promise to make your resume stand out over other candidates giving that person more preference over others but even that may be a not a warranty that one will get the job.

One also has to say the income the person is receiving both in the present and previous jobs as this is matched with the job the individual wants and the income one wishes.

These sites offer various jobs to folk. It tends to executives and youths who need to work either for full time, part time or on a per project basis. Applying online is not just done thru job sites. Lots of corporations have internet sites that have a section on careers which one can access and check what openings are available.

One simply has to go thru the method of also giving certain info that’s asked for and uploading one’s resume. The first impression companies or headhunters look at is one’s resume.

Given that many folk apply, this often takes these folks a brief period of time to review and screen certain candidates before going to the next segment of being booked and requested an interview.

There are many jobs available in the market. It just takes a little effort on one’s part to sit in front of a P. C. and look for the right job.

Top 10 Super Job Interview Tips

By Kathi MacNaughton

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

It’s a tough job market out there today. And getting the job you want requires more than just a killer resume. In other words, you can’t just sell yourself on paper. You’ve also got to be able to do it in person--in a face-to-face job interview.

Here are a few interview tips to help you make a great impression on the person who interviews you.

1. Market your skills and related experience in the field that you are applying for. Be sure to do it in a way that is positive, but not cocky or aggressive.

2. Research the company before your interview. It’s a great way to know where you would fit into the organization. It also lets the employer know that you really want to be a part of the company.

3. Prepare answers to common interview questions ahead of time, and practice saying them, so you aren’t stumped during the interview.

4. Dress for success, in the manner you would dress for the position you’re seeking.

5. Bring a list of your own questions with you in a folder with the company’s name on it, so that you don’t forget them. You should keep your extra resumes in there too.

6. Be a good listener and focus. Some job seekers talk too much during interviews.

7. Be prepared to describe your weaknesses as strengths. For example, saying that you are overenthusiastic about performing at your best.

8. Make eye contact with your interviewer.

9. Don’t volunteer your personal opinions to your interviewer about any subjects unless you are asked.

10. Try to establish a good rapport with your interviewer. Be casual but professional, and most importantly BE YOURSELF! Take the time to implement these interview tips before your next job hunt. It'll give you a leg up on your competition!

8 Tips for Keeping Your Staff Happy

by articlesbase com

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

A happy staff makes for happy patients, and happy patients means more business. You will also find that employees are more productive, and you will be more likely to retain them, which will save you the time and cost of training new workers. Putting a little more time and effort into keeping everyone happy is a win-win!

1. Provide training.  When a new staff member starts, take the time to show them the ropes. Even if they've done the job before, it may be valuable for them to "shadow" someone for a day or two to learn the policies and procedures specific to your practice. But don't stop the training there. Providing employees with opportunities to grow can make them feel their career is moving forward. Check out seminars, trade shows, and other learning opportunities in your area. If you can't afford formal classes, consider having employees within the company share their knowledge with the rest of the staff. 

2. Show your appreciation.  Make a point to praise your employees at least once a day. You'll be surprised how much of a difference it makes when people feel recognized for their efforts. Bonuses, parties, and other special perks are other ways to show your appreciation. You can award the staff for referring new patients or doing well on the job.

3. Communicate with your staff.  If they don't get their information from you, they'll get it from the practice's rumor mill. Keep such speculation at bay by being open and honest about what's happening in the practice. You should also hold regular staff meetings to promote problem solving, share news, and recognize accomplishments. Make it clear year-round that you have an "open door" policy, so employees feel like they can come to you with problems or their ideas for improving things.

4. Conduct evaluations.  Twice a year is a good rule of thumb. In your feedback, be sure to point to the areas where the worker is excelling. If an employee has problem areas, be constructive in your criticism: provide advice on how to improve. It's also a good idea to let the staff evaluate you, so you can find new ways to meet their needs and help the practice run more smoothly.

5. Follow your own policies.  If you set a rule, stick to it – for yourself and others. This will help others to take you more seriously, and cut down on resentment about preferential treatment.

6. Be positive.  Don't complain about patients or other workers in front of your staff. Doing so can foster a negative environment. Need to vent? Save it for your friends and family. If you have a problem with someone's work, speak to them in private.

7. Socialize.  If you have a personal relationship with someone, it's easier to communicate with them. Throw company parties to foster this environment. They don't need to be fancy. You can even make it a potluck!

8. Be flexible.  If you respect the fact that your staff has a life outside of the office, your practice will be more likely to retain employees. It doesn't mean you have to give in to every request made by a staff member, but within reason, make compromises to ensure that they are able to comfortably balance their home and work life. Avoid asking your staff to put in long hours or overtime when possible.

How to Get Started on Your Resume: A Five-Step Primer for Established Job-seekers and Career-Changers

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

As an established job-seeker, you probably have a resume. Thus, getting started on the resume that will take you to the next rung in your career ladder may be a simple matter of spiffing up your existing document using guidelines in this article and many other resume resources on Quintessential Careers.

But some established job-seekers do have to start from square one. I sometimes hear from job-seekers that they have been recruited into most of their jobs or obtained them through networking and have not needed a resume. Or they have not needed one in such a long time that the resume they have is quite outdated.

Most people find the idea of creating a resume overwhelming. Even the notion of revamping an existing resume can be daunting.

This article takes you through the steps to getting started on your resume and provides a refresher if you have a resume that needs updating and polishing.

Step 1: Consider whether you really want to tackle your resume on your own

Consider hiring a professional resume writer. An investment in a professionally crafted resume can pay off big time. There's no shame in hiring a professional resume writer. You hire doctors, lawyers, financial advisers, and tax consultants when you lack the expertise in those areas, so why should resume-writing be different? Many employers and even more recruiters actually encourage the idea of professionally written resumes because hiring managers want to obtain your information in a reader-friendly form that clearly tells how you can benefit the organization.

See our article Why Hire a Professional Resume Writer?.

Step 2: Review resume samples to get ideas for wording, layout, and current resume trends.

If you decide to take on your resume without professional help, looking at sample resumes will give you ideas that you may want to apply to your own document. For content, you'll want to review resumes in your own and similar professions, but resumes for other occupations can offer ideas for resume organization and layout.

By looking at samples, you'll get a sense for the sections that are typically included on a resume and how those sections are organized. You'll see how resume bullet points are worded. You'll get ideas for distinctive resume designs that will help you stand out.

You can find samples in many resume books, all over the Internet, and of course, here at Quintessential Careers. See our resume samples here.

Step 3: Prepare to craft your resume by brainstorming and gathering information.

The resume-preparation step comprises several sub-steps:

1. Determine the focus of your resume. What kind of job or jobs will you be targeting? Your resume must target your desired career goal with precision. Job-seekers tend to forget that employers review resumes extremely quickly -- often in just a few seconds. An employer taking such a quick glance should be able to immediately grasp what you want to do and have a sense of the value you can contribute to the organization. Your resume must focus on key strengths that position you to meet a specific need and target specific jobs/employers. In other words, employers give little consideration to one-size-fits-all resumes that aren't focused on a job's specific requirements.

2. Decide whether you will need multiple versions of your resume in your quest to target different types of jobs. Since specifically targeted resumes are much more effective that "general" resumes, you may need more than one resume if you are open to more than one type of job. At the very least, you'll want to tweak and customize your boilerplate resume for each job you apply for. See our Cover Letter and Resume Customization Worksheet. You may also need more than one resume format. While chronological resumes are the strong preference of most hiring decision-makers, you may be in a situation in which a chrono-functional resume would be more effective -- or you may want to experiment with both formats. Read our article What Resume Format is Best for You?

3. Identify the audience for your resume. Will it go primarily to recruiters? Directly to hiring managers? Will you use it mostly for networking and career fairs? Each audience will require small tweaks in your resume presentation. For example, you'll probably want to stick to one page for networking and career fairs. For recruiters, provide substantial information about each organization you worked for and your reporting relationships. Research the preferences of your target audience.

4. Brainstorm your accomplishments and results. Your resume must -- with a future-oriented flavor -- emphasize results, outcomes, and career-defining performance indicators. Using numbers, context, and meaningful metrics (e.g., previous years' performance, competitors, counterparts, forecasts/projections/quotas, industry trends), the resume must paint a picture of you in action -- meeting needs/challenges, solving problems, impacting the company's big picture, growing the business, enhancing revenue, and driving profits. Concrete, measurable accomplishments are the points that really help sell you to an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties. If you can achieve the important step of identifying your accomplishments, the rest will fall into place as you work through the remainder of this article. Read our article For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments and use our Job-Seeker Accomplishments Worksheet to help.

5. Compile your employment data. For the experience section of your resume, you'll need the name of each employer, location (city and state), and dates of employment (starting and ending month and year). Resist the temptation to refer to employer-supplied job descriptions in composing your resume; job-description language is the antithesis of accomplishments-rich verbiage that makes a resume effective.

6. Develop a branding message that you will execute not only in your resume, but also in all your other job-search communications. Today's resume communicates a brand relevant to targeted employers. The branding expressed in your resume captures your career identity, authenticity, passion, essence, and image. "Branding is... best defined as a promise," says my partner, Randall Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers,"... a promise of the value of the product… a promise that the product is better than all the competing products… a promise that must be delivered to be successful. Branding is the combination of tangible and intangible characteristics that make a brand unique. Branding is developing an image -- with results to match." If you have not already developed a personal brand for your job search, do so as you prepare to craft your resume. See our article Branding Your Resume and our branding resources.

Step 4: Just do it. Get words on paper.

Sometimes the best way to get started on your resume is to just start writing in a Word or text document (Notepad or WordPad, for example). Just jot down your version of the typical components of a resume (that you've seen in the samples you've reviewed) and worry about formatting, fine-tuning, and polishing later.

Also consider developing the components of your resume through our worksheets:

* Keywords Worksheet -- use this worksheet to help identify keywords for use in your resume and cover letter. These keywords will likely vary according to job/type of job you are seeking.
* Resume Components Worksheet -- a critical worksheet to help you develop every aspect of your resume. Whether you're starting your resume from scratch or just tweaking an existing document, use this worksheet to make your resume sparkle.
* Resume Professional Profile/Qualifications Summary Worksheet -- use this worksheet to help you develop bullet points for this very important resume section. You may want to tweak the section slightly for each job/type of job you apply for. (Not aware of this section of a resume? Check out: Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume.)
* Especially vital for career-changers is our Transferable Skills Worksheet -- use this worksheet to develop lists of skills and examples of how you've used them. Determine which skills are transferable and applicable to each job/type of job you plan to apply for, and plan how to portray those skills in your resume and cover letter.

Now, put all the components together, using the organizational and layout models you've admired in the samples you've reviewed. As you'll note in most sample, the majority of items on a resume are presented as bullet points, and most of those bullet points kick off with powerful action verbs. See a list of sample verbs here and samples of action verbs in use here.

Step 5: Edit, proofread, and polish your resume.

Edit your resume to make sure the wording is the best it can be. Cut out all unnecessary words. Ensure that each bullet point packs a punch.

Typos, misspellings, missing words, and weak grammar can kill all your good efforts in constructing your resume. Proofread, and then put your resume down for a while before proofing again. A good technique for catching errors you would not otherwise notice is to read your resume from the bottom up. Then ask friends or family to proof it for you.

How does your resume look? Is it pleasing to the eye? Is the type size and font easily readable? Can the reader's eye easily follow the resume's organization? Are the margins wide enough? These are all aspects of polishing your resume.

Polishing can also include getting the opinion of others. Enlist members of your network (especially those who share your profession) to read your resume with an eye toward answering the question, "If you were hiring for the type of job I seek, how would you respond to this resume?" You can also self-critique your resume using our Resume Critique Worksheet. Finally, consider having your resume critiqued by a professional resume writer. Resume critiques are usually quite inexpensive or even free because resume writers use them as tools to promote their resume-writing services.

Finally, consider file formats (beyond the standard Word .doc) that you may need for your resume -- such as ASCII text, HTML, or PDF. See our article Your E-Resume's File Format Aligns with its Delivery Method.

Final Thoughts
Don't forget all the other components of your job search as you craft your resume.

A resume is an important part of your job search, but it's far from the only component. Remember that you'll also need a cover letter for each job you apply for and a references sheet separate from your resume. You may want both a print and an online career portfolio. You'll also want to shore up your network and prepare for interviews.

How Teen Girls and Young Women Can Leverage Gender Trends in the Workplace

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Our article, Women Are the New Men: Reviewing and Leveraging Women's Bold New World of Work listed five trends that are reshaping opportunities for women in the workplace. This companion article suggests ways that teen girls and young women can get an early start on making the most of these trends:

Commit yourself to higher education. A college degree is the single most powerful tool young women can deploy to ensure a leg up in the world of work. With women enjoying a 60 percent to 40 percent majority over men in earning bachelor's degrees, women's career fortunes have reached a real turning point. As reported in Women Are the New Men, young women in major metropolitan areas are already out-earning men, and women's educational advantage is said to be the reason.

Consider science, technology, and engineering. Sue Shellenberger reported in the Wall Street Journal: "Prospects for long-term job growth in these fields are relatively good, and many employers expect a talent shortage, partly because of high quit rates among experienced women."

Participate in sports. Wharton business and public policy professor Betsey Stevenson researched the relationship between high-school sports participation and educational/employment opportunities, noting in her paper Beyond the Classroom: Using Title IX to Measure the Return to High School Sports, that working women who were high-school athletes earned 14 percent higher wages than those who weren't. As reported on Knowledge@Wharton, "the skills associated with athletic participation and success later in life 'may include the ability to communicate, the ability to work well with others, competitiveness, assertiveness and discipline,' and "sports participation may be especially helpful to girls because it gives them skills that they can use later in the business world." Stevenson also asserts that "a roughly four percentage point rise in female labor force participation is attributable to increased opportunities to participate in sports. In turn, this suggests that up to 40 percent of the overall rise in the employment of 25 to 34 year-old women is attributable to Title IX [a 1972 amendment to the Civil Rights Act that expanded athletic and educational opportunities for girls]."

Pursue a career in a large metro area. As noted above, in New York City and several other major cities (such as Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Dallas) women 21 to 30, working fulltime, are making more money than men. Thus, Gen Y women may find salary advantages in living in a large metropolitan area. Also consider some of the best-paying careers for women, such as the 25 reported on CareerBuilder's Work Buzz blog, even though men still earn more than women in almost all of these professions.

Get a mentor, or better yet, a sponsor. Mentors have long been seen as a particular boon to women's career prospects (Learn more.), and now economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett takes the mentor concept a step further. Hewlett, founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy, writes:

To successfully make [the leap to the next professional level] requires something more specific: a sponsor. More than a mentor, this is someone in a senior position who's willing to advocate for and facilitate career moves, make introductions to the right people, translate and teach the secret language of success, and most important, 'use up chips' for their proteges. One woman describes a sponsor as someone who can 'directly intercede on your behalf to create a different reality for you.'

Network. Networking is not only the most effective way to get a job, but one of the best ways to get noticed and promoted at a current job. It's also especially valuable for women. One of the best networking techniques for younger women is informational interviewing (because prospective interviewees are often more open to being interviewed by students and young people). Learn all about how to conduct informational interviews with our informational interviewing tutorial. Another highly effective technique is joining professional organizations, which often offer student or "young professional" memberships. Check out QuintCareers's Professional Organizations and Associations for Networking. And don't forget to network once you're on the job so your co-workers know what you hope to do next and are poised to give advice and referrals.

Final Thoughts
Teen girls and young women are in a prime position to take advantage of the current "turning point" era for women in the workplace because they can leverage opportunities that would be difficult or virtually impossible for more established career women to pursue. This is your time. Go for it!

How to Build and Expand Your Career Network: 10 Proven Techniques

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Just about every article on job-hunting you'll read on Quintessential Careers or any other career site says the same thing -- almost to the point of making it a job-seeker mantra: "the most effective method for finding a new job is through networking." Listening to job-hunting gurus and career coaches results in the same call to action -- to contact your network of contacts and enlist their help in uncovering job leads.

The problem for many job-seekers, though, is not so much in understanding the extreme importance of networking, but in the execution of networking. More specifically, job-seekers wonder, where do all these networking contacts come from -- and how can I get people to be part of my network? The key point to remember is that networking is relationship-building. Your network consists of people you've met (either in person or online) -- and you build your network by going out and meeting more people.

Then the question becomes, how do I meet people to add to my network? The thrust of this article is to provide you with 10 proven techniques for building and expanding your career network.

1. Ask members of your current network for referrals. There is probably not an easier way to expand your network than to simply ask your current friends, family, and associates for the contact information of others whom they think would be beneficial for you to know. The "friend-of-a-friend" connection is quite strong and usually very successful. "Who else should I be talking to?" is a good question to use when asking for referrals.

2. Join professional or trade organizations. No better method exists for finding people who share the same professional interests and goals than joining one or more industry organizations. Once you're a member, you'll usually get access to the membership list, which can open up many new prospective network contacts. Most organizations also run regional or national meetings and conferences, which leads to the next technique for building your network of contacts.

3. Attend professional/trade meetings, shows, etc. The great thing about trade shows and industry meetings and conferences is that you'll encounter new people to meet -- and opportunities for both "meet-and-greets" and more in-depth meetings. Seek out peers as well as more experienced members -- and even speakers -- to add to your network.

4. Volunteer. Providing your time and effort to a needy cause is perhaps one of the strongest venues for networking -- because you are working side-by-side with people who share your passion for helping others -- but often overlooked by job-seekers either too busy or too focused on finding industry contacts. Find an organization that needs your help (and there are many) and start volunteering.

5. Attend networking events. This technique is a no-brainer for adding more people to your network of contacts. Various groups hold networking events, including colleges, professional and industry associations, chambers of commerce, and the like. Review community calendars online or in your local newspaper for details.

6. Contact former professors, college alumni association, and/or career services office. One of the strongest ties that help in building new and strong network contacts is sharing the bond of a college or university. Making additional contacts with people affiliated with your college gives you a solid base of shared experiences -- and a strong connection to build upon.

7. Join or ramp up your activities on social and professional networking sites. Once you're a member of Facebook, LinkedIn, or a similar networking site, you'll immediately be provided with strategies for adding friends or connections, such as reconnecting with people who attended the same schools. Electronic connections are not nearly as strong as personal connections, but that should not stop you from at least trying this technique. You can use your virtual connections to grease the wheels toward face-to-face meetings. (Remember to develop and keep a professional profile on these sites.)

8. Join or start job club. In some ways, a job club is the ultimate networking experience because the people you meet there all have shared experiences and the desire for a new job. Run the right way, a job club is a very positive and rewarding experience, a chance to help yourself and others. Learn more in our article, For Networking and Support, Join or Start a Job Club.

9. Conduct informational interviews. There is no better strategy for entry-level job-seekers and career-changers to find and add people to your professional network than to conduct several (or many) informational interviews. As the name implies, it's an interview you initiate with someone in your profession/industry whose brain you can pick about how s/he got their start, moved up the ladder, and so forth. Interested in learning more? Go to our Informational Interviewing Tutorial.

10. Contact former co-workers, vendors, customers/clients. Many times as we move from job to job, employer to employer, we lose touch with former co-workers, customers, and the like. These people all had a relationship with you before and could again -- you simply need to reconnect with them.

Final Thoughts -- and Strategies
Above all else, remember that networking is a reciprocal relationship. You may be seeking help uncovering job leads today, but tomorrow someone in your network may be asking for your help. Never be afraid to ask people in your network for help; don't ask them to get you a job, but do ask them for possible leads, other people they know that you might add to your network, and any advice or other information you seek. When meeting people for the first time, don't make it all about you; ask about the other person and what s/he does for a living.

Finally, always be prepared for networking -- because the opportunity to meet someone can happen literally anywhere… and the person could change your life. To be fully prepared for networking, always carry networking or business cards, have a short elevator speech introduction at the ready, and keep a copy of your resume with you (electronically or in print) just in case a networking encounter leads to deeper possibilities.

Quick ways to improve your resume

By content.mycareer.com

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

There's no doubt that jobseekers are creating better resumes than ever before. But, while most of us are au fait with resume etiquette, there are still one or two bad habits that can creep into our style and content from the get-go.

“The number one way to improve your resume is to tailor it to the job you’re applying for,” says Steve Walton, chief psychologist at Hallis Recruitment. “It's a simple improvement, but accentuating relevant skills or experiences communicates a high level of interest and encourages a positive perception.”

Indeed, when it comes to resumes, the old adage that it takes less than 30 seconds to make an impression rings true. Many jobseekers unwittingly sabotage their chances of success by failing to recognise that their resume is their best tool for selling their talents.

But this doesn't mean you have to spend hours on a total overhaul to make a difference. By following our quick and easy tips, you can improve the marketability of your resume within a matter of minutes.

Rewrite it
Rewrite your resume using a tone that’s enthusiastic, upbeat and professional. As a general rule, it’s better to be too professional than too casual; and clear, concise wording works best.

“You want to adjust the tone of your resume for the industry and environment you’re interviewing for,” says Walton. “For instance, a formal tone will win you points if you’re applying for a job at a law firm, but could work against you if you’re applying for a job at an ad agency.”

Banish bashfulness
If you want to get a bit more creative with your rewrite, then use action verbs and strong adjectives to accentuate your skills or work history. High impact words and phrases can give your credentials a boost and strengthen your achievements.

“Whether we like it or not, applying for jobs is a competition. And when it comes to resumes, whether or not you speak highly of yourself effects how an employer perceives your potential against other candidates,” says Walton.

Embrace convention
If you want to take revising your resume a step further, brevity will open doors, and clear formatting is a must. But bear in mind that coloured paper, ‘creative’ fonts or clip art will distract the interviewer from your talents, and may even trigger an outright rejection.

“Employers may have to sift through a large number of job applications in a short space of time, so in order to get noticed you need to make sure that you pay attention to correct resume format and business etiquette,” says Walton. For this, he recommends applying a standard structure (e.g. chronological, functional, or combination), using no more than two conventional fonts, using consistent alignment techniques, and leaving at least two lines between each section.

Use a fine tooth comb
If all that sounds a little too complicated for your liking, a simpler option is to double-check your grammar and spelling, which Walton recommends for establishing a minimal rapport with the employer. Keeping sentences short and simple, organising paragraphs, and using short, direct sub-headings can also work wonders.

Cut through the clutterFinally, don’t forget that keeping it simple is a key component of resume success – so set a two-page limit and stick to it.

“Long-winded resumes only increase the chances of your talents being overlooked,” says Walton. “Ultimately it’s presenting your skills and abilities clearly, confidently and succinctly that will increase the chances of your resume being read,” says Walton. 

31 Ways to Improve Your Career Today

By Jeffrey Strain

Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

While I currently work for myself, there was a time when I actually worked for a large corporation.

My time there taught me that corporate life wasn’t the career path that I ultimately wanted to walk down, but that didn’t stop me from learning a lot of solid advice from the mentors I met there that continues to be helpful to me to this day.

When it comes to your career, it is usually small things over a long period of time that add up to the success that you achieve. Getting into the habit of making small improvements on a daily basis will reap huge rewards in the long run. If you find yourself with nothing to do, whether at work or at home, here are 31 actions you can take to help improve your career. 

Who Do You Respect?

If you do nothing else on this list the first time you find yourself with some free time, find yourself a mentor. Pick someone (or preferably several people) that you respect and ask them to mentor you. Most people will be more than happy to pass along advice that they have learned over the years which can be invaluable in helping your career. They will also be great people to use as a sounding board with ideas you have and help you figure out the best way to obtain the goals you are seeking to accomplish. A mentor can help you in many other ways during your career including making your advancement much easier. Finding a mentor is actually sound advice for all aspects of your life including finding a financial mentor. 

Support The Support

Learn who the support staff are and go out of your way to be helpful to them. They do a lot of the grunt work and don’t get nearly the amount of appreciation that they deserve, so they notice when someone treats them well. When an emergency happens (and they always do) having the support staff on your side can be the difference between failure and pulling out success. From clerks and secretaries to cleaning staff, treat them well and you’ll never regret doing so when crunch time comes. 

Get Them To Come To You

This is a little trick that I learned that produced great result for little effort and just a bit of money. Create a candy jar for your co-workers. Don’t get the cheap candy. Get the good stuff that you know everyone loves. It took me some time to perfect my method of deploying the candy jar and you may have to experiment to get your deployment right. I put it out only when I had free time to chat, otherwise I would be interrupted too often. I also learned to lock it away when I went home or it would be empty when I arrived the next morning. What it did do was keep me up to date on all the happenings in the office. When people stop by to grab some candy, they will tell you things that are going on that you may otherwise miss. I found that keeping abreast of this information helped me to better understand the dynamics that were taking place which helped with my career. 

Don’t Do It Later

Procrastinating has always been a major problem for me and something that I still work on today. If you can identify how you’re procrastinating and create a system to discourage yourself from doing so, you will dramatically increase your productivity. My big vice was watching TV far too much and I’ve had to ween myself from spending too much time on social networking sites as well. Once I find one place where I procrastinate, I’ve learned that I will eventually replace it with another, so it’s a continual process. I have a whole list of things I have done to improve my productivity. Once you have identified places that you are spending too much time, take steps to reduce the amount of time you spend on them and instead use that time to further your career. 

Timing Is Everything

It may not seem like a big deal to be on time when all meetings start 15 minutes late, but it is if you are the person that is causing the meeting to start late. One boss I had would actually lock the door of the meeting room once the meeting began. If you were late, you were out of luck. While this is a great way to quickly learn to be on time, it’s not a method that most people are subjected to and they may not realize that being a few minutes late can get them a bad reputation.

Being on time actually means arriving to meetings a few minutes early. Co-workers that are running the meeting will appreciate your promptness and you will get a reputation of being reliable. The same goes for work that needs to be handed in to your boss. Learn to hand it in before it’s due — this will show your organizational skills and get the reputation of being highly responsible. If you find that you are always a bit late or rushed to get things done, use your free time to get ahead instead of waiting until the last second. 

Pinpoint The Essentials

One of the biggest myths in business is that those who work the hardest are the ones that get ahead the most. Working hard is important, but working smart is just as important. Working smart means pinpointing the areas within your job that are essential to your group and to the company. Once these have been identified, focus most of your resources in those areas. This is one of the best pieces of advice I ever received from my mentors. Take some time to look at your job and understand what parts of it are the most essential to others both inside and outside your work group. If you can pinpoint those important areas, you become the person that people come to when things need to get done. 

Become A Listmaster

I used to think that making lists was useless, until I started making them myself in a way that was useful for me. I actually have two lists – one is a list of all the things I want to do and one is my daily must-do list. On the daily must-do list, I only place the three most important things I have to do that day and I will work on those three things until they’re done. Once finished, I can go to my general list and choose projects from there. If I don’t finish, then I keep working on that list of three the next day and until it’s done. This ensures that I get done the things that I may not like to do as much so that they don’t constantly get delegated to the end of the longer list. How you develop your own list may be very different, but creating a system will help you to accomplish more at work in less time. Once you complete something, don’t throw the list away. Instead, date and file them in a work completed folder. This will allow you to have a documented list of all the tasks you’ve accomplished which you can take out at your next performance review or when asking for a raise. 

Who’s The Boss

I’ve had both bosses I liked, and ones that I could have certainly lived without. Even the ones that I didn’t particularly like, I found that talking with them and discussing their expectations was always a better career move than trying to avoid them. For the bosses I did like, it was a great way to get their support for the career advancements I wanted to make. No matter what the relationship, being able to talk with your boss about work expectations will almost always help your career much more than not talking. If you haven’t talked with your boss lately, set up a time to do so and spend some time writing down the topics you would like to discuss. 

Second & Thirds Can Be Good

Even though I was the worst student ever when it came to foreign languages in school, I’m living proof that absolutely anyone can learn a second language. I have no doubt that all of my high school language teachers would roll over in their graves if they knew I was proficient in Japanese. Being proficient in a second language can open up a lot of career opportunities and is well worth pursuing if you have an interest in one. There are plenty of resources online including those developed by the Foreign Service Institute to help you along. Learning a foreign language can give you a huge leg up if you have thoughts of working for your company in a foreign country. 

Class Act

There are far too many people who believe that education ends as soon as they walk across the stage and receive their college diploma. In fact, education is a never ending pursuit even if you aren’t taking formal classes. There are a large number of classes that you can take, or skills that you can obtain, that will make it easier for you to advance in your career. Even if you are not sure, take classes that you have always wanted to try. You’d be surprised at how knowledge that doesn’t seem relevant to your career can end up being useful down the road. It’s definitely worthwhile talking with your personnel department to see if they will help pay for you to obtain these skills. Many will. Best of all, it’s easier than ever to take classes while working full time with online education. 

Redo Your History

It’s always wise to have an updated resume on hand just in case. If you haven’t done so in awhile, take some time to look over your resume to update it and improve it. Make sure that you have a few copies in your briefcase so that they are always ready to hand out. Having a resume ready is a great way to make a quality first impression and instantly shows your organizational skills to anyone that may be interested in hiring you. 

Get Linked

It used to take a lot of effort to network. While you still need to spend time and effort doing so, Web 2.0 has made it a lot easier to make new contacts with people that have similar background and career interests. If you haven’t signed up yet, consider joining Linkedin (and feel free to add me if you get the urge) which can greatly expand your networking resources. If you have already joined, take some time to explore and find some other people you may want to contact. 

Email Love

One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years that will help you in any career you choose is to stay in contact with people that you meet. This can be an easy way to improve your career, keep network lines open and create new network contacts. There are probably more than a few professional contacts that you have made that you haven’t touched base with in awhile. There are probably a number of people that you have never met, but that you would like to make contact with. Spend a few minutes sending out emails to some of these people to reestablish contact or create a new contact. 

Call To Arms

For the exact same reason that you should send out some emails, you should also make a few phone calls to catch up with peers and others. Calling is a more direct approach that will make sure that your message doesn’t get lost in all the other emails the recipient receives. It’s surprising how many times a contact phone call can lead to a new career opportunity that would have never developed had you chosen not to make the call.

 

Business Dating

An easy and effective tool which I often used when I was working for a large company was the lunch break. When I first arrived, I found myself in a new city and at a new company where I knew nobody. Inviting people to talk over lunch conveniently solved the problem of me not liking to eat alone. Later I continued to make lunch dates because of all the advantages that came from it. Lunch dates give you an opportunity to talk with people about ideas you have in a more informal setting than in the office. Making a lunch date is also a excellent way to network and catch up with peers and mentors, or to meet someone new you’ve wanted to talk to. If everyone seems to be too busy with their work schedule, lunch (and even breakfast) is an excellent time to set up a get together.

 

Make Things Eventful

Take some time to research what meetings, presentations, talks or events are taking place in your field of expertise and sign-up to attend. Not only will you likely gather some good information that will be useful in your job, these are excellent places to meet new contacts and expand your contact network.

 

Don’t Be Afraid To Associate

If your career has an association, go beyond joining it and make an effort to be a regular participant in it. Most local chapters are always looking for people willing to lend a helping hand and doing so can easily put you in the position to meet those higher up in the organization. Again, this will expand and open you up to a wide variety of new contacts. It will also help you keep up with the newest developments in your chosen career, which has many advantages.

 

Show Some Appreciation

It’s amazing what a sincere, hand written “thank you” note can do for the amount of time it takes to create. With email and the paperless office concept, hand written thank you notes stand out these days and definitely leave a positive impression on the recipient. Furthermore, when you give thank you notes, the recipients know that the time they spend helping you was appreciated and therefore will likely be more than willing to help out in the future. If someone has recently helped you out in any way, take a moment to thank them. This is one thing that is hard to do too much of, so if you have any doubt, always choose to send the note of appreciation.

 

Reread The Writing On The Wall

This one is a big one for me. I rely on my spell checker far too often when it comes to writing. Sure, it will find misspelled words, but it won’t find those that are spelled correctly that are incorrect or sentences that contain poor grammar. I had a terrible habit of not rereading my writing before showing it to others, but I learned to after a number of embarrassing mistakes that should have never happened. Assuming that your writing is fine if it passes a spell check is a bad assumption to make. Get into the habit of rereading everything that you write whether it be an email, a report or any other work related document, especially after a spell check. You will avoid a lot of amateurish writing mistakes and look a lot more professional in all your work.

 

The Write Stuff

Along the same lines as rereading your documents, it’s well worthwhile to constantly work on improving your writing skills. Being able to put together reports, letters, proposals and other written information which draws attention to the important points among all the information presented is a great skill to have and will get noticed. Take some time to go over basic writing techniques when you have some free time.

 

Get Carded

Spend some time thinking about the impression you want your business cards to make and see if there are some changes that you can make to the ones you have to achieve what you want. I’m always looking for new business cards that are creative and will leave a lasting impression on anyone who receives them. Take a bit of time doing this and it may lead to an opportunity that would have never appeared if your business card was lost in the pile with everyone else’s.

 

Impress From The Start

One of the many reasons I decided the corporate world was not for me was because I hated dressing in a suit everyday to make a good first impression. That being said, there is no doubt that first impressions count. Dressing appropriately and having good hygiene and manners is important. It’s often the little things that will set you apart from the average person. Learn to make eye contact when speaking to people, smile, and know how to introduce yourself confidently. Always arrive to business meetings or appointments on time (or even better, a little ahead of time). Take a few moments to make sure that you are making a good first impression with everyone you meet.

 

Speak Out Loud

One of the things I used to fear most was to do public speaking. Over the years, I have learned to relax and don’t get quite as nervous, but when I first started teaching, even going in front of a classroom of high school students would have my stomach churning the entire morning before classes began. Being able to make a quality presentation is an important way to get noticed and improve your career prospects. Listen to the way that your favorite speakers deliver their information and make the effort to adopt that style into your own speaking. Join your local Toastmasters group to help you improve these skills.

 

Know The News

One of my mentors told me that I should read something about current events everyday before coming into work and it’s a habit I’ve kept to this day. I try to read at least an hour a day on a wide variety of topics. Some of the reading is related to my chosen career and issues that pertain to it so that I keep up on the latest news and trends, but I also read a lot of information that is outside my career. Reading helps to spark new ideas, it will challenge your thinking process and expand your knowledge base – all things that can be helpful in your career advancement.

 

Switch To A Higher Gear

I am one of the slowest readers in the world and struggled in college with all the reading that needed to be done. Being able to consume a lot of information is a skill that will always be a positive for any career, so learning to read and comprehend at a quick rate is a skill worth pursuing. There are a lot of speed reading tutorials on the Internet. I have been using Spreeder for my daily reading that has allowed me to get through a lot more information than I previously was able to do. Whatever method you choose, learning to read faster will ultimately help your career.

 

Clean Sweep

If your work area looks anything like mine, it needs a good cleaning at least once a week or it will quickly get out of control. I actually mark down on my calendar to clean my desk area every Friday afternoon, and it’s amazing what 15 minutes a week will do to keep your desk organized. Depending on the current shape of your office, it may take a bit more time to get to the point where all you need is 15 minutes to clean everything up. Start today putting aside 10 minutes a day to clean your desk until you have your work area in the condition you want, then you can move to maintenance mode. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much time you save looking for things, and an orderly office leaves a positive impression on co-workers and bosses.

 

Score Some Goals

This is one of those things that seems obvious, but I think a lot of people don’t spend the amount of time or effort on them that they should. I know I didn’t for the longest time. I thought I could get away with general career goals that I had in my head, but soon realized the power that comes with taking the time to write them down. What really helped me was to give myself a time limit to achieve these goals. While you may not always reach them, writing down specific career goals you want to achieve will get you a lot closer to them than not doing so. Consider setting them for various time periods: 3 months, 1 year , 5 years, etc. and then begin working toward them.

 

Establish Your Identity

Since I make my living this way, it would make no sense for me to leave it out. Creating a blog or website about your chosen career can be a great way to meet new people and share ideas. It can also be an excellent way to begin that part-time business that may eventually end up being your full time job, which is exactly what happened in my case. I have personally found that creating content helps to crystallize the things that are truly important to me. This, in turn, helps me realize what goals are most most important for me to achieve. Starting any type of blog or journal can help you to do the same. Just be sure that doing so will not get you in trouble with your company.

 

Give Yourself A Break

Taking breaks is something which took me a long time to realize really does work. It’s not the time you spend doing your work as much as how focused you are when you are working. Taking breaks, stretching and taking short walks can all dramatically improve your energy level so that you work better. Take some time to think about the signals. Mine happen to be going to my email (instead of finishing what I should be doing), closing my eyes to try and refresh them and my shoulders getting sore. Spend some time learning your personal signals that you aren’t performing at your peak. Know when to take a break and you’ll find that your productivity will dramatically increase.

 

Part-Time It

I’m a firm believer that if you want to have the perfect job, you’re going to have to go out and create it yourself. While I have had many jobs over the years that I have truly enjoyed, it wasn’t until I started building my own sites and blogs that I realized what true passion for something was. Begin part-time and build slowly when you have some free time, but start the process today. Five years from now you will be so thankful that you did and you might even find that it ends up being your full time work.

 

Fall In Love

Learn to love what you’re doing, or begin looking for something else. Life is far to short to do something that you don’t truly enjoy. There are times when you may have to take a job that you don’t particularly like, but there is no reason that you have to be stuck there. If you don’t thoroughly enjoy what you’re doing, start implementing steps to get a job that you do love. There is nothing better than to get up every morning knowing that even if you weren’t getting payed a dollar to do so, you would still be doing the same thing that you are doing. It’s also much harder not to improve your career opportunities when you love what you do because the energy and enthusiasm you have for what you do tends to be infectious and draw people to you. If for some reason you don’t know what you love, start experimenting. That’s the only way to find out.

There are always plenty of things that you can begin doing that will improve your career as the above list shows. Pick a couple that you know you need to work most upon and keep at it. The more that you try to improve yourself, the more opportunities that will present themselves.