How to Go From Good to Great - The Muse

How to Go From Good to Great - The MuseHow to Go From Good to Great Were in the second quarter of 2015, and for many people, this means that the years first batch of performance reviews are coming soon. Ironically, the experience you want most from your review is often the hardest to prepare for Positive feedback. Just like the grade school days of gold star and A+ stickers, its so good to hear Youre doing great No issues Keep it up on the job. But you absolutely cannot let your good work stop there.My boss at MTV Networks had an approach to reviews that has been tattooed on my brain for the brde nine years. He was one of those 40 Under 40 types who had performed well at every stage in his career, including having been one of the youngest-ever partners at a major consulting firm. One day, I asked him how he stayed motivated to get better and he said, I want a win every quarter. I took that to mean that he wanted to look at his work every three months and make a strong case for the va lue he had contributed to his company. He must have been hearing good job along his path, yet he committed himself to turning that good into great.If its worked for him, it can work for all of us. Here are three easy steps you can take to make the most of positive feedback- at your review or anytime.Document ItAs you receive positive feedback from your managers, gruppe members, and clients, be sure to keep track of it on an ongoing basis. Make a brag folder to file accolades in your inbox (more on that here). If you got the feedback in conversation, jot down what the person said and email it to yourself.The benefit of documenting good feedback is that over time, youll start to notice what your specific strengths are. You can use them to make the case for raises and promotions, but more importantly youll see where to invest more energy to become great. For example, you may have a knack for writing. Push yourself to become a master by taking a course in copywriting, grant writing, or something else related to your field.Connect ItWhen youre filing your brags, keep an eye on how your company is performing overall so that you can align your performance to corporate progress. For example, if your company set goals around efficiency and accuracy, make sure youre the one whos consistently finishing your projects on time. It shows that youre not just interested in doing good work, youre interested in doing the right work- work that will impact the companys bottom line.Better yet, ask your manager about longer-term goals that may not have been shared with your whole team yet, then aim your performance at those metrics. Like hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, skate to where the puck is going to be. Beat ItOnce you get good feedback, ask yourself WWJD- or, what would (Michael) Jordan do? The best basketball player in history could have stopped after his first championship, or his first three. But he pushed himself and his team to six championships, the most wins in a seaso n, and 10 individual scoring records. What would it take for you to do your tasks faster, better, or with bigger impact?As a personal note At Bureau Blank, my team is responsible for writing the project briefs that that we use to understand the challenges our clients face. When I first started writing them five years ago, it would take me up to two days to complete one and feel good about it. I was getting good responses from my team and my clients, yet I knew briefs shouldnt always take that long to do. I challenged myself to find ways to make the writing process shorter. One improvement was to develop templates. Now, for me or any member of my team, a strong brief can get wrapped in about two hours.In an era when companies needs are evolving so rapidly, its important to be your own motivator. If you use positive feedback to push yourself to peak performance, not only will you beat complacency, youll always be prepared to answer What have you done for me lately? and crush it.Photo of gold stars courtesy of Shutterstock.

Rescuing Your Résumé From a Hiring Black Hole

Rescuing Your Rsum From a Hiring Black HoleRescuing Your Rsum From a Hiring Black HoleYouve applied to a super-looking job online and dont hear anything back, or the recruiter who welches in hot pursuit last week has dropped off the face of the planet. Or what about the interviewer last month that was supposed to get back to you immediately? Whats going on?These are some of the reasons applicants fall into a hiring black hole. But more importantly, here are also tips on how to get outThe application pit. The average job posting receives 50 to 100 applications, according to Sources of Hire 2013 Perception is Reality, a recent CareerXroads survey. It isnt unusual for some jobs with some employers to receive more. Companies do have applicant tracking systems and many will send an automated message to indicate your application was received. But for some recruiters, the sheer number of applications and rsums to review has made it increasingly difficult to respond to each applicant. Other reasons you arent hearing anything include that the job has been put on hold, the time frame for hiring has slipped, there are other burning issues in the department or company that need to be addressed first, or maybe the employer was just fishing to see what type of talent was available. These varying and difficult messages seldom get passed along to applicants and as a result, you hear nothing. Rude, but true.The best way to fix the void is by taking matters into your own hands. Dont expect a response. Instead, you could call the human resources department and ask where they are in the review process (that is, as long as the posting didnt say, no calls please). Also ask when you can follow up to see if you are being considered and always verify your materials were received. Another option is to find someone you know inside the company and ask what he or she knows about the position. Be koranvers to let your contact know that you have applied and ask if he or she would be willing to forward your rsum along to the correct person.The M.I.A. recruiter. A third-party recruiters job is to screen and present qualified candidates to the contracted employer. Remember, the recruiter is paid only if they fill the position, therefore, it is in the recruiters financial best interest to only speak with people who are truly qualified and meet the posted requirements. If the recruiter drops you like a hot potato, it could be due to several reasons, similar to those mentioned above the job has been put on hold, the requirements of the position changed, the company promoted someone internally or the company isnt responding to the recruiter. A lack of contact doesnt necessarily mean you are out of the running. Consistently following up with the recruiter, perhaps even varying your contact between phone and email, is the only way youll know for sure what is going on.The indifferent interview. You would think if a company dedicated time and resources to call you in for an inter view, they would at least have the courtesy to let you know the outcome. Sometimes things slip through the cracks. Or, more likely, the job was put on hold. Dont give up and dont assume anything. Persistently and politely follow up with your contact at the company and inquire about the status of the job.Dont Take It PersonallyAs much as you may take personal offense to an employers lack of communication or perceived lack of common courtesy, never let it show. In the majority of cases, the representative from the company or recruiter is not against you personally, even though it may feel this way. This is business and at the end of the day, people take their marching orders from the leaders. Often, these commands do not take human factors into consideration as much as they should. Companies operate to make money, not fill open job requisitions. And this is the very reason HR and internal recruiters have such a difficult time meeting conflicting interests. They would love to respond t o you, but there are usually extenuating circumstances that make that unrealistic. Give them a break and take accountability for finding out the status, by circumventing the process and being persistent.Hannah Morgan is a speaker and author providing no-nonsense career advice she guides job seekers and helps them navigate todays treacherous job search terrain. Hannah shares information about the latest trends, such as reputation management, social networking strategies, and other effective search techniques on her blog, Career Sherpa.

5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job Search

5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job Search5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job SearchFor six weeks this fall, Ive been studying writing of a different kind Karen Bergreens beginner comedy class at the Manhattan Comedy School. I always tell my job-seeking clients and column readers to be well-rounded and unique and to keep learning and stretching. So learning about things seemingly unrelated to my own day job is part of taking my own advice. Luckily, comedy is relevant to job search techniqueBe specific. The funniest comedians give very specific details. The same can be said about compelling job candidates the best candidates are specific in explaining what they want and what they contribute. When good job candidates give an example, we understand the scope of their responsibilities and the scale of their accomplishments.Edit ruthlessly. You dont need a lot of explanation before getting to the punch line of the story. In fact, too much explanation diminishes the power of the joke. Similarly, dont ramble in your interview responses and other job search communication. Get to the point quickly and keep your listeners attention.Talk about what you know. Being comfortable and familiar with your subject matter made it infinitely easier to be specific and find the humor. Successful jobseekers need to get comfortable and familiar with the industries, companies, and jobs they are targeting. Do research before meeting people. Prepare your interview examples. When you talk about what you know (because you have researched and prepared in advance), you captivate your listener.Be yourself. There is no one profile or style that is the funny one. It is better to infuse who you are genuinely into your comedy set. In the case of job candidates, your unique personality differentiates you in addition to your professional attributes. There are other good communicators, exceptional problem-solvers, and strong leaders. You compete on skills and experie nce but also contribute your unique style.The audience needs to get the joke. Sometimes a student was really attached to a joke that others in the class didnt understand or didnt think was funny. Instead of arguing the point, students were encouraged to rewrite and rework the original premise. Similarly, jobseekers should pay attention to any feedback that suggests what youre doing isnt working. You may think your job search technique is fine, but if its been several months and you havent landed anything, employers clearly arent getting you. Dont argue with the market rework your job search.Sometimes when you are overly-focused on a goal, you can get stuck. Its very helpful to step back and focus on something very differentto refresh, reignite your creativity, and broaden your perspective. You may find that you come back to your original goal with fresh eyes and are more productive. You dont have to take comedy class specifically or even do something artistic. It can be spor ts, cooking, joining a book club. Diverse interests are valuable to the jobseeker because they make you more unique, they stretch and challenge you in different ways, and they enable you to remain fresh and productive. Caroline Ceniza-Levine

Military Enlisted Job Options

Military Enlisted Job OptionsMilitary Enlisted Job OptionsThere are more than 800 different types of jobs available in the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. There are three ways to say the word job in the military.The enlisted jobs in the Army and Marine Corps are known as military occupational specialties or MOS. Enlisted jobs in the Air Force are categorized as Air Force specialty codes (AFSCs) and enlisted jobs in the Navy and Coast Guard are referred to as rates or ratings. How Enlisted Jobs Are Assigned The duties of a particular enlisted job, where you will train andlive, how will you qualify, in what capacity will you deploy are all issues you need to consider when selecting a military job. You also need to know the academic requirements you must achieve on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This series of tests lets you and the military know where your strengths are, and for which jobs you are best suited. There may also be extended fitness requirements for a job you are seeking (Special Ops, Rescue Swimmer, etc).You may also need asecurity clearance from the Department of Defense, or U.S. citizenship in order to be selected for some jobs in the military. The comprehensive military enlisted job lists below will provide you basic details of the jobs available and the requirements to obtain them. Army Enlisted Jobs The Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military and as such has the biggest selection of jobs. Each military occupational specialty (MOS) has its own required ASVAB score and some have additional qualification factors. Air Force Enlisted Jobs The Air Force divides their AFSCs (enlisted jobs) into the following overall categories Operations, Maintenance Logistics, Support, Medical Dental, Legal Chaplain, Finance Contracting, and Special Investigations. Navy Enlisted Jobs Similar ratings in the Navy are placed into various Naval Enlistment Classifications (NEC) or communities.For example, r atings that are administrative in nature, are placed in the Administration Community. Ratings that deal with aircraft are placed in the Aviation Community.The related links are to the various Navy enlisted communities. Marine Corps Enlisted Jobs The Marine Corps groups its military occupational specialties with similar functions together into groups called Occupational Fields, which are represented by the first two digits of the MOS.The first two digits of the MOS grouping identify related jobs (so infantry jobs would have similar looking MOS codes, for example). Job codes are identified in the last two digits and represent a specific job within that field.The first job you receive in the Marine Corps will be earned after boot camp and may involve advanced operator training and education.This will be called the Primary Marine Occupational Specialty (PMOS). Coast Guard Enlisted Jobs The Coast Guard Ratings consists of similar jobs as the Navy with a focus on shipboard maintenance and operation as well as aviation repair and maintenance.Other physical ratings such as Coast Guard diver and rescue swimmer are similar in fashion to the Navy jobs. However, the Coast Guard are the police officers of the sea and have legal jurisdiction and arrest authority when confronting criminal activity.

The Most Important Skills for Networking

The Most Important Skills for NetworkingThe Most Important Skills for NetworkingNever attend a social or business event with the idea that it is all about you because its not. Networking is about relationship building, not making sales pitches where you force others to listen to you drone on about yourself. The same is true for social and professional networking through the Internet. When building networks you must give something back. To sustain good personal and business relationships, both parties must benefit in some way. The Two Most Important Networking Skills Among all of the networking skills you can develop, the two most important, by far, are listening and asking questions. These two skills will impress new contacts and kompetenzprofil clients even more than your best business statistics. Good listening validates the value of others and shows respect. Talking too much is perceived as rude, dominating, and not reciprocal. Asking thoughtful questions shows sincerity and b uilds trust because it actively shows an interest in someone elses opinions and thoughts. Becoming a Good Listener One of the most unappreciated networking skills that you can easily master is the ability to listen. To get people excited about you and your business, it seems counter-intuitive, but you need to do more listening and less talking. Good listening is active, not passive. To be a good listener, take the following actions Maintain eye contact.Do not fidget, shift your body weight often, and never look at your watch All these things send a message that you are bored, impatient, or not interested.Nod your head to show agreement but do not interrupt to make your point or share your own experiences.Respond by repeating at least one key point the person you are talking with just made in the gestalt of a question. For example, if Cindy Miller just told you how excited she is about a new product, ask her when it will be made available. Good questions follow good listening an d accomplish two very important things it shows you are listening and interested enough to ask a question and it keeps the conversation going in the direction you choose. Listening Skills Tip A good listener actively pays attention to the conversation and responds appropriately with curiosity and questions. Selling Yourself Is Not All About You There is aneffective interview tacticthat also works very well in networking situations To get someone excited about you, get them talking about themselves and their accomplishments first. When people feel good about themselves, they are more likely to feel good about you as well. It is important to show that you respect and value someone by listening and asking the right questions. When networking, pepper your conversations with tidbits about yourself and your business but always end your self-pitch with a question directed to the person you are talking to. They will get excited about their answers and associate that excitement with meet ing you. Networking Success TipBasic human nature demonstrates that if someone is interested in you, they suddenly become more interesting themselves. To be interesting, you must first be interested Networking With Sincerity Counts None of the previously mentioned tactics are suggesting that you should make up questions just to sell yourself. However, if you learn the art of listening and asking questions, youll find that you can easily build sincere, lasting relationships that are rewarding for both parties. Avoid treating clients, customers, and other business associates as cash cows and opportunities. Most people are good at recognizing those who are trying to suck-up to them and are offended by insincere interest, compliments, and gestures. How to Ask the Right Questions Asking questions is an art. Ask the wrong questions, and you can easily offend someone. But the reverse is also true asking the right questions can build trust by opening lines ofstahlkammercommunication . Keep questions positive and focused. For example, if Yolanda Winston tells you how hard it was to downsize and lay off employees, a good reply would show empathy and pose a question to redirect her thoughts A Good ResponseThat must have been hard for you given how much you care about your employees (empathetic listening). Do you think the economy will improve for business owners over the next quarter? (Here, youre refocusing the conversations topic to the economy and away from the layoffs while indirectly letting Yolanda know that you attribute herdownsizingto the economy and not herpersonal failure).A Poor ResponseDont feel bad, a lot of businesses are laying off workers (when sharing personal struggles, few people like to be compared to others it is dismissive). Youll do better next year (disinterested patronizing). Networking Success TipAsk a question that is on-topic whenever possible. If the topic is negative, avoid suddenly changing topics, as it will make the speaker uncom fortable. Instead, give an empathetic reply to show support and then ask a question to redirect to something that is still related, but allows the speaker to respond with something a little more positive.

Whispered System Analyst Resume Secrets

Whispered System Analyst Resume Secrets The Honest to Goodness Truth on System Analyst Resume Start by choosing which sections you would like to include. In terms of the resume style, there are two principal layouts to select from. You will also require the technical education to come up with or repair systems as the need arises. Simply take a look at every section individually to observe how to accomplish this. Most hiring managers wish to find a cover letter with your data scientist resume. Highlight keywords you might have noticed in the data analyst job description youre responding to. Consider this cover letter example for an insurance policy analyst trainee fleck for a guide, adjusting the details to satisfy your circumstances and the particular job to which youre applying. Give prospective employers access to the facets of your internet presence you would like them to see. System Analyst Resume Features A couple of them initially feel that were still quite tradition al. You also could have done Volunteer Work or independent Projects that youre able to include. Use numbers wherever you may Nonetheless, this isnt required. System Analyst Resume - Is it a Scam? The most important duty of a systems analyst is to create certain the computer system of their employer is functioning optimally. Youll also perform standard testings and offer solutions to guarantee high levels of performance and security. Make certain you tailor your resume to the job youre applying for. Also, think about adding proficiencies in different applications also. It is very important to musiknote you should only add skills that are pertinent to the position youre applying for. For instance, a construction worker might concentrate on specific abilities, a network engineer may concentrate on their education, and an EMT might consider experience most important. Since you can see over the applicant lists his understanding of both. Also note the method by which the applic ant hints at how their skills can help the business. In plus-rechnen, you can find out more about IT careers on Monster. Furthermore, you can learn more on the subject of healthcare careers and hunt for healthcare IT jobs on Monster. If youre open to several kinds of jobs, let us know. No matter whether youre a private sector financial professional seeking your initial federal job or an existing Federal employee seeking a promotion, you must make certain you include the correct keywords for your intended series in your resume. Individuals really delight in the chance to work there, while its for a lengthy period or a brief visit, and getting to share their ideas with different experts, states Doddy. Lots of people believe they must incorporate all their work history onto their resume, regardless of what their work history includes. By carefully targeting resumes for particular jobs, you may greatly enhance your odds of getting noticed in the work industry. It might even be a good concept to exclude it in case the job isnt local. The career is likely to see greater-than-average growth in the next few years. The work also requires an in-depth understanding of a huge quantity of technology. To earn an ideal skills section, list your very best skills and the very best skills youve got from the work offer. Then, talking about your secondary abilities and obligations over the most important ones is another mistake you have to be mindful of. Offer your skills some flavor with the addition of adjectives. Aiming to utilize my strong prioritization abilities and analytical ability to attain the goals of your business.

How to Make Your Company Culture Stand Out During Interviews - Spark Hire

How to Make Your Company Culture Stand Out During Interviews - Spark HireCulture, in general, is defined as the beliefs, values, and practices shared by a particular group of people. As such, company culture represents beliefs, values, and practices shared by a companys employees.Every company has its own specific culture. It shows through the way their employees and people in charge communicate and do business with those within and outside the company, such as clients and external partners. Its not always shown in a written form its usually a set of rules, including the way the company hires people, how it makes decisions, and resolves issues and differences in attitudes.Company culture can also affect how a potential employee sees your company. Todays market is crowded with work opportunities, meaning that many new talents have a lot of choices when it comes to where they work next. Companies compete against each other in attracting new talent, and their company culture is how the y can stand out even during the interview with a candidate. Careful arrangement of your interview structure can make you the number one company a skilled candidate would like to work in. Heres how to do it1. Your interview style should set the tone of your company cultureThe first impression really tells candidates a lot about a company. Pay attention to where and how you organize the interview. Maybe youll choose to meet in the conference room, or maybe you think that the break room is the perfect place. Some companies choose to interview over Skype and some prefer a chat over coffee. Whatever it is, make sure it is in accordance with the overall style of the company.2. Include your staffNo reason to let the whole interview be led by your HR department and line managers. Your staff can be really helpful in several ways. First of all, it will demonstrate your company culture to the candidate, where everybody assists and involved in the decision. It shows the candidate different depa rtments and lets them meet people who they may get to work with. Whats even better, it will make it easier for you to decide which candidate would fit in best with your team.3. Focus on the detailsWhen you are expecting a candidate to show up for the interview, let everybody know. That way, you can plan out the whole process. Decide where the candidate will wait for the interview and who will escort them to the interview room. It shows the candidate you are thoughtful and organized.The next step is deciding which parts of the company to show them. You may think its unnecessary, but it will give the candidate a better insight into what it would be like to work for you. You can create a comfortable atmosphere choose the music played in the office, have another look at the decor and layout see if the break room really offers things that help the employees relax, like a recliner massage chair or a ping pong table. The candidate needs to feel their free time will be appreciated.4. Ask o pen questions, tooOf course, it is important to check your candidates previous experience and skills. However, open questions will allow them to show you more of what type of person they really are. Their personality wont be so noticeable if you ask questions strictly focused on their skills. Letting them first know a few things about yourself will help them open up about themselves. It will also show them that your company culture includes open conversations and a relaxed atmosphere.5. Dont stick solely to the candidates CVOf course, a CV is incredibly important when choosing the right candidate for the job. CVs are the one thing that will help you decide which candidates you want to interview and which wont make it to the next round. Their education, qualifications, experience, and skills are what guide you into deciding whether its worth interviewing them.However, if the CV was all that it takes for you to make the final decision, you wouldnt be setting up the interview in the fi rst place, right? The interview is an opportunity to show off your companys goals, values, and achievements in order to make your company more desirable to the right candidate. In case you really like a specific candidate, you want to do everything possible to make them really like your company, too. So leave the CV aside at some point and have a real conversation with the candidate. You will learn a lot about them but heres the trick, they will also learn plenty about you. The important thing is that they realize your company isnt just about hiring nameless workers you want to get to know the people who work for and with you.Final notesThe interview with a candidate is a two-way street it allows you to pick out the best people for the job and for your team but it also sells your company and you to the right person. If you invest your time into a high-quality interview, it will definitely help you end up with a valuable employee.About the AuthorEmma Williams is an Australian writer with a masters degree in business administration, who has a passion for anything lifestyle and plan related. She spends most of her time redecorating and participating in house projects. As a great nature lover, her biggest pleasure is spending time in a small cottage by the river.