4 Signs Youre Stuck in Your Comfort Zone- The Muse

4 Signs Youre Stuck in Your Comfort Zone- The Muse4 Signs Youre Stuck in Your Comfort Zone- The MuseYou regularly check off assignments and you keep your boss happy. You often feel busy- even stressed- at work. At the end of the day, you come home and crash. These are signs that youre working hard and killing it in your career, right?Not so fast.While you might think youre challenging yourself and moving toward your goals, you could be confusing daily frustrations and roadblocks for actual growth. You could be living smack dab in the middle of your comfort zone without even realizing it.That may bedrngnis sound so bad at first, but if you stay there too long, its easy to get stuck in a rut. Our worlds shrink or expand based on our willingness to do things outside of our comfort zone. While this growth can feel uncomfortable, it often is whats needed to propel you forward.Unaya if youre happy where you are or holding yourself back? Consider how long these four things have remained unc hanged1. Your PaycheckDid you accept a salary offer without negotiating? Have you been working year after year (and meeting all expectations) without asking for a raise? Warning You are totally in your comfort zone around your paycheck.What to DoChallenge yourself to ask for more. Attend a salary negotiation workshop or consult with a coach to boost your skills. Ask for a meeting with your boss to discuss your performance, and bring your courage along with concrete examples of your accomplishments. Youre going to feel nervous (Everyone does). Push through it. The plan is to grow your take home pay, but even if youre told it cant happen this time, youll have more experience standing up for your amazing work to build on in the future.2. Your NetworkYoure attending industry networking events, going to your companys social events, and staying in touch with friends. But are you putting any time toward connecting with people who feel totally out of reach? How many industry leaders know yo ur name? If the answer is none, youre networking within your comfort zone.What to DoMake a list of those people in your industry whom you admire and would absolutely love to meet. Then begin actively working to make a connection. Ask around to see if someone can make an introduction for you. Attend an event where theyre speaking and follow-up. Do a cold reach out over LinkedIn (Heres how). You may get rejected a few times, but if you stick with this goal persistently, you could start a relationship that boosts your career.3. Your To-Do ListTheres a difference between reactive tasks and proactive tasks, which are just what they sound like- things you do because they fall into your lap, versus what you seek out to further your goals. Emails the biggest reactive task of them all. If your whole day revolves around it (especially, at the expense of your other work), youre prioritizing work thats there, regardless if its meaningful.What to DoIdentify one project that is high value to your organization and find a way to proactively put it into your day-to-day task list. Make sure you prioritize it over less-significant work. Initially, it may feel unsettling to leave an email unanswered for- gasp- an hour, while you give something else your undivided attention. Over time youll get better at maneuvering the balance between important, non-urgent tasks and all those unimportant things that demand your attention.4. Your Career GoalsDo you know what your career goals are? If so, are these goals that you personally care about- or are they ones that you attached to for the sake of it? This may be something you need to take some time to reflect on, because while it can be hard to see it at first, its possible to work very hard towards something that you dont even want. For example, you may be dedicating all of your time to advancing in your current career, but if you were honest with yourself, you know youd actually rather be doing something else. Its also possible to drift through your career without setting any goals at all. If either of these are happening, you are likely sticking with the familiar instead of pushing yourself towards growth.What to DoSet aside others opinions and recommendations, and dig into what actually matters to you. What would be both compelling and challenging for you? Pick a goal that you dont totally know how to accomplish, commit to it, and watch your abilities and confidence grow as you work towards it. This could be a small step like taking an online course or a larger one like launching a side business what matters is that you feel its supporting your desired career trajectory.Comfort zones are sneaky because they feel, well, comfortable. Obviously, Im not suggesting you push yourself to do scary, uncomfortable things every moment of every day. But I will encourage you to add some productive discomfort to your routine. When you push outside of your comfort zone, youll know that youre doing more than just busy work. Youl l be actively growing your skills, your confidence, and your career.Photo of relaxed person courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.

November 2017 Jobs Report Summary

November 2017 Jobs Report SummaryNovember 2017 Jobs Report SummaryNovember delivered a stronger jobs report than most economists had expected, with employers expanding payrolls by 228,000 positions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly job gains have averaged 174,000 since the beginning of 2017, for an annual total of nearly 2 million positions.According to the BLS, the industries that created the most jobs in November includedEducation and health services - 54,000 jobs addedProfessional and business services - 46,000 jobs addedManufacturing - 31,000 jobs addedConstruction - 24,000 jobs addedUnemployment rate holds steadyThe unemployment rate in November was 4.1 percent, which is unchanged from October and a 17-year low. The unemployment rate for college-degreed workers who are 25 or older was 2.1 percent - up slightly from last month but still about half the national figure. ansicht workers are in highest demand by employers.Other data from the BLS indicat e that skilled workers are hard for employers to locate. There were 6.1 million job openings in September, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS). That number is little changed from August. The JOLTS survey also noted that job openings in the United States have been at or near record high levels since June 2017.What employers need to knowIf your organization needs to fill an open role, youll likely have your work cut out for you. Youll face intense competition for skilled professionals in hot sectors like accounting, finance and technology. The BLS reports that unemployment rates for many in-demand occupations are well below the national rate. For example, the rate for compliance officers is 1.1 percent. For software developers, its 2.0 percent.In this challenging market, hiring managers should be prepared to answer tough questions from potential hires. Top candidates are taking care to thoroughly evaluate job offers - especially if they have more t han one opportunity to consider. More candidates are asking about healthcare benefits and costs, as well as job flexibility. Be proactive about offering details on your firms employee benefits package and programs designed to help staff maintain work-life balance.What job seekers need to knowThe end of the year can be a great time to seek new employment opportunities. Many companies are working hard this month to secure the talent they need to help achieve their business goals in the new year. Some organizations are under pressure to hire right now because they need to use the remainder of their hiring budgets by December 31.So, if youre thinking about making a career move, dont wait until January. Get out there now and start looking. Reach out to your professional network for leads and references. Better yet Reach out to a specialized recruiter. These professionals can identify promising opportunities that fit your skills, experience and career goals and help put you on a faster pa th to an interview. Let us help you find the right fitREQUEST TALENTSUBMIT A RESUME

8 Personality Traits That Are Eroding Your Time Management Skills

8 Personality Traits That Are Eroding Your Time Management Skills8 Personality Traits That Are Eroding Your Time Management Skills Time management is a skill we need in life and work, and if you often find yourself run down by your daily workload or overwhelmed by the complexity of projects and tasks in your life, it is likely because you have not fully mastered effective time management, suggests Matt Mayberry , Maximum Performance Strategist. When it comes to work, your lack of time management can be a significant issue, leading to overdue projects, piled up work, and missed deadlines. Avoid the following eight things that are eroding your time management skills so you can eliminate the causes and be the best version of you in the workplace. If youre trying to move forward in your career or make a good impression at a new job, the time to identify ansicht issues is now.When you forget how to say no to projects and tasks, its easy to drown in your work and lose al l sense of time management. With too many due dates to manage, it becomes impossible to find focus, which is critical to time management. bedrngnis to mention, by saying yes to everything, you lose the ability to work on things you care about By saying no, you are giving yourself the ability and bandwidth to say yes to the things that are more important, says Craig Jarrow of Time Management Ninja . Clutter leads to a whole host of psychological issues that take a toll on time management. Psychology Today suggests a few ways that lack of organization can be a deterrentClutter and lack of organization holds your mind hostage. Rather than prioritizing what needs to get done, youre trying to fend off mental fatigue, stress and anxiety, making time management nearly impossible.Brain breaks are one the best ways to manage your time. When you become burnt out on a project, your productivity slows drastically, you lose interest in what youre doing, and before you know it, youve wasted 20 minutes staring at the screen wishing you werent at work. Brain breaks help you avoid this issue and have been proven to improve productivity by 34 percent, according to Unplug After Hours and Increase Productivity . This allows you to better manage your time and be more effective.When youre perpetually running behind schedule, its impossible to manage your time effectively. When youre late to work most days of the week, or slow to start on a project, your first thought isnt managing your time, its more like How quickly can I get this done because Im already so behind?Goals provide structure to your work every by giving you a prioritized list of things to get done Your goals help you to identify your priorities. They outline what you want to achieve, when you want to achieve it by and the importance of the task, according to 11 Symptoms of Poor Time Management .The author continues, Goals are an essential way to reduce your workload and reduce your poor time management. Not on ly do you become clearer about what you want you become more certain about the tasks and projects which are not a good use of your time.Similar to a lack of defined goals, without a to-do list, its hard to structure your day. The key to time management is being able to prioritize tasks and a to-do list is the best way to do that, ensuring you get everything done. If you do have a to-do list, but still struggle with time management, your list may be too minimal or basic. When you add times and specifics for each item, youll be more successful. For exampleWith these details included, you know exactly what youre doing and the timeframe for each task, which helps you stay on track.When everything needs to be just right, you tend to lose control of your time because you focus so much on one project or task that you ignore the others. While its important to produce work that youre proud of, letting go of small issues that can be fixed later or ignored altogether allows you to make time for all the other items on your to-do list. Everywhere you look theres a distraction or time-sucker on your computer (hello, Facebook), in the kitchen (quick chats turn into 20 minute conversations) and in meetings (which seem to go on forever). With distractions and interruptions, its hard to get into your workday effectively Distractions prevent us from achievingflow, which is the satisfying and seemingly effortless work that we do when were 100 percent engaged in a task, explain experts at MindTools .Are any of these a regular issue for you in the workplace? Identify whats stopping you from being good about time management and then eliminate the cause so you can focus on getting more done effectively and efficiently.

What 15 working moms REALLY want for Mothers Day

What 15 working moms REALLY want for Mothers DayWhat 15 working moms REALLY want for Mothers DayChances are, if you ask your mom what she wants for Mothers Day, shell probably tell you that she just wants her family to be together and happy. While such sentiments are sweet, we think your mom deserves a little more.You know, the good stuff sleep, chocolate, a massage, and several hours where she doesnt have to scoop, wipe, sweep, wash, or do any other of the millions of mom things she does on a daily basis.With Mothers Day around the corner, we asked working moms - p.s. ALL moms are working moms - what they want for their special day.Common themes included sleep, professional cleaning services, fun times spent with family, and the ability to sit for longer than a nanosecond without being beckoned to help someone. But more than anything, these moms just want to feel appreciated.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.So, check out their responses and take notlagees. Then find out what your mom desires most on her special day - and give it to herTo have my house professionally cleaned. Caitlin ShoeI have asked to have my car detailed for the past several Mothers Days. So far, no luck. Maybe this will be my year Bronwyn Hays CroleyTo have my house professionally cleaned, and maybe a few extra hours of uninterrupted sleep. Dana LlorenI know that no matter what we do, I will still have my normal role, i.e., if the kids get dirty, I will be the one to bathe them. So, with that being said, Id like to make getting dirty worth my while. A day trip to Galveston beach (expensive seafood lunch, too, please) sounds pretty good My husband - a civil engineer - works 12-hour days 12-13 days in a row, so a day trip is a special use of our time together. Marissa TerryAs the mother of a six-month-old I want sleep Heidi HamblinI want to be truly thought of. I want my kids a nd my husband to do anything under the sun, anything at all, that will show me they thought about me who I am, what makes me smile, what gives me joy. They could do something as seemingly small as turn up a JT song or make me a cup of tea as its not really the act that moves me, its the thought. Jodie UtterIll be 35 weeks pregnant with my third daughter. My other girls are 3 and (almost) 2, and all I want for Mothers Day is a pizza brunch with my family, a snuggle sesh with the hubs while the girls nap, and a vanilla Dr. Pepper. Arianna FreelenA nap Carolyn MooreThis year I would love for my house and car to be professionally cleaned. But more than that, I just want to spend the day with my people doing whatever we feel like doing that day when we wake up. Abbie DunlapTo not hear the word Mooooooooommy ONCE. For the whole day. Emily SolbergSleep would be lovely, especially if my two-year-old would not stand outside my bedroom door and yell Mama, mama, mama when Ive gone back to bed after getting up early with him. (My husband is more than willing to take him but cant really stop the yelling). A really lovely day somewhere with family would be nice too. Shannon Brescher SheaFor time to slow down so I can hold my babies a little longer. Nikki PenningtonA day of not having to answer when someone yells mom, and to just sit on my butt and enjoy my family while my husband answers the calls- even if he DID just find the perfect position on the couch. Debra PrestonI would LOVE to just spend Mothers Day with all 4 of my babies doing something outdoors that we all enjoy Mandi CurtAll the dirty white socks that have inhabited places I cant find to show up all at once clean and folded and in their proper drawers Lisa LeshawHappy Mothers DayCandace is a practicing attorney, working parents advocate, freelance writer, and proud mom. Her legal practice focuses on workers rights. She can be found writing about law, motherhood, and more on her blog as The Mom at Law. This article first appeared on Fairygodboss.

The Foolproof Executive Resume Samples 2018 Strategy

The Foolproof Executive Resume Samples 2018 Strategy New Ideas Into Executive Resume Samples 2018 Never Before Revealed In the end, get somebody else to inspect the letter before you send it off. You are able to leave every one of them as is or customize just a little bit so as to bring a personal touch to the presentation of your candidacy. Any resume is a marketing document, which you have to do the just one thing to offer your candidacy in the best and trustworthy way. You should understand, that resume format is crucial, as it can boost your odds to get invited for an interview. Not only are you going to look bad, but it will haunt you down the line with other future prospective employers. Whichever service you select, I cant overstate the worth of employing an expert job resume template. Some students dont understand the significance of an effective rAsumA. By inverting the modell color scheme, your resume is more inclined to stick out from the remainder of the applica nts in the same stack. New Questions About Executive Resume Samples 2018 Additionally, you may pick from three different color schemes to genuinely allow it to be unique. Create the contact Info tab After making the page, you require, to start with, your contact data in the very first area of the page. All you have to do is add your details. Your resume must be filled with all the data that you want to convey about yourself to advertise yourself. Put the Education section of your resume on top of your resume so that its the very first thing the employer sees. Furthermore, you can look for secretary jobs on Monster. You should modify each resume that you send out depending on the work description. If youre smart enough to tailor your resume to the work description, it is easy to direct the interest of the recruiter to where you would like. Employers are the same manner. Recruiters find the absolute most value if they can understand your career progress and the way you hav e evolved as a professional. Concentrate on the skills the recruiter is searching for. The Fundamentals of Executive Resume Samples 2018 Revealed The work description might also earn a difference. You know you have the ideal gown, perfect hair, and an ideal body prepared for the pageant. You have earned a job that you love and nows the opportunity to make it occur Ensure you didnt miss whatever could cost you the job that you dream about Outstanding job growth will undoubtedly be typical regarding the phlebotomy technician punkt over the subsequent eight to ten decades. Hiring managers are busy people and youve got a limited time to draw their focus to your candidacy. Simply because youve got zero experience or its your very first job. It is very important to view your work search as a constructive and satisfying experience. Well, it all comes down to how you use your keywords and what sort of design you want to provide it. Selecting the proper font can look to be an imp ossible job, especially since there are dozens and dozens of choices out there. Possessing a great resume format is vital to organizing your data in a means which will help you become noticed. parte of creating an effective resume is choose the best format to inform your private story. For instance, the great majority of heel pain is because of an injury of a ligament in the arch known as the plantar fascia. Because you wish to provide a good deal of attention to both, you might not have much room left for different sections, including a resume summary, volunteer work, interests, etc.. Once youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary the usage of action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. For some jobs, youre want to highlight certain abilities, while for others, you will want to demonstrate related experience. If youre likely to be a team player and an excellent employee, interperso nal skills are unquestionably vital. Since you wouldnt have a great deal of expert experience, it would be hard to group your resume points into skills. Concentrate on future by mentioning your previous accomplishments and the way in which your experiences can help you in future. Hiring managers are busy people and should they scan your resume and cant locate some information or skills fast you arent the one, whod secure a call today Teamwork is critical to any great organization, and the capability to demonstrate leadership in a team is a trait lots of hiring managers prioritize. Recruiters are interested in being in a position to evaluate your abilities quickly, therefore a great resume design is important to getting noticed. What Executive Resume Samples 2018 Is - and What it Is Not The upcoming free resume template was made in the shape of a brochure. The absolute most hard step here is to choose which resume format is best for you. Well, the very first step is to begin with a format for a resume 2019. Selecting a resume format in 2019 isnt as difficult as you expect. As previously mentioned, you wish to opt for a resume format thats suited to your personal profile. Just take a look to discover which format you need to use. By deciding on a template, you dont need to be concerned about the format itself. When you format your resume you need to ensure your leave enough margin space to permit for printing.

Retail Resume Example Ideas

Retail Resume Example Ideas Theres no need to begin your resume from scratch. When you end up completed, its submitted and additionally you cross your fingers, hoping to find a cellphone name. Download those now and edit depending on your requirements. The only means to do that is by looking different. View the objective section for a place to highlight your abilities and accomplishments as opposed to a wish list for the kind of position youd love to have. Your Key Skills section is where to list your soft and difficult skills. The regions of proficiency section incorporates strong special education certain keywords like individualized education plans, multisensory lessons, and team teaching strategy. To start with, one of several sections that should be altered is the work objective. Employers know youre searching for work, and therefore you dont need to waste valuable space on your resume stating the obvious. Most employers are incredibly picky when it regards the choice of employees for a work opening. Take into consideration that HR personnel of the majority of companies are excellent on the topic of detail. They want to know how you contributed to the success of your previous employers. Remember that nearly all employers proper now will choose candidates for a work emptiness primarily based on what is on their resumes. You want to have that retail job. The brief answer is you ought to incorporate any social media that may help you win the job. To begin with, search the work description. The goal of your retail CV is to demonstrate that youre a dedicated and capable employee whos great for the retail position youre applying to. Its also where you are able to stick out from the rest of the applicants. Our resume builder gives you tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. You could also take a look at teamberater resume templates. For more guidance, utilize the simple retail resume template at the very top of this repo rt. Add in your own personal information according to our guidelines much like fill-in-blanks. There are several kinds of retail stores and a few of those are 2. To make an eye-catching retail sales associate resume, you will need to incorporate a few vital components. It is not the most glamorous job, but it is sometimes a solid alternative, particularly if youre passionate about just what the store carries. Consulted sales saks on the most recent styles and trends. Resume samples are a handy means to direct your own writing. You wont be able to raise the probability of a sale if you dont have sales samples or skills. If you prefer the image on our site, please dont be afraid to visit again and get inspiration from all the houses in the image of our internet image. The most suitable format ought to be there in addition to the sort of writing. No matter your degree of work experience, your resume format is critical to making your application stick out. Resume templates may also be very beneficial.

3 Ways to Go All-in With a Video Interview Platform

3 Ways to Go All-in With a Video Interview PlatformThe decision to use a new hiring tool creates significant changes for your team. It takes time to adjust, and many HR and hiring professionals are often reluctant to fully commit to new tools due to how often trends shift.Our latest research with HR.com revealed 52 percent of companies now use video bewerbungsinterviews and they see numerous advantages to the hiring tool. Yet, most users havent wholly committed to the platform. While the majority of users say talent acquisition staff and candidates are happy with video interviews likely because theyve shortened their time-to-hire (62 percent) and reduced hiring costs (60 percent) they still arent using all the features to screen every type of candidate. With video interview platforms, theres no reason to just dip in your toes. Jump in The waters fine. Here are three ways to use video interviews in more aspects of your hiring process1. Take full advantage of employer branding featur esCompanies should take every opportunity to improve their employer branding. It helps attract top talent and gives candidates a better idea of what your company is like. Yet our research found only 14 percent of video interview users view the platform as a chance to further their employer branding efforts.Its really a very simple and effective way to make the most of the platforms features. The first step is changing the settings of your account to include your company logo and colors. The customized appearance of your video interviews catches candidates attention immediately.Also, the platform allows you to send candidates recorded video messages answering common questions about your organization. Its easy to create and distribute videos that cover topics such asCompany cultureEmployee benefitsCompany values and missionLeadershipCareer advancement opportunitiesAs you communicate with candidates throughout the hiring process, attach or embed a video with each email. It will create a fuller image of your organization and employer brand while proactively giving candidates the information they want and need.Video isnt just for interviewing candidates. Its also important for employerbranding.Click To Tweet2. Replace traditional screening tools with one-way video interviewsGreat video interview platforms offer more than live video conferencing. Features like one-way video interviews provide different insights about candidates, like signs of cultural fit. Still, our research shows 51 percent of video interview users do not use one-way video interviews. Fit one-way video interviews into your hiring process by using them as an early candidate screening tool. Compared to phone interviews, one-way video interviews are quicker and easier to fit into yours and candidates schedules while providing more information about candidates.Once your candidates have recorded their one-way videos, share their responses with the entire team. Give everyone a few days to view the candi dates interview whenever is most convenient. Within the platform, hiring managers, HR professionals, and other important members of the hiring team are able to leave feedback about candidates on each video. Then, you can discuss together which candidates are best to move on to the next stage of the hiring process.3. Create a consistent candidate experienceOur research revealed 75 percent of companies use video interview platforms to interview for full-time positions. Surprisingly, only 24 percent of companies use video interviews when screening for part-time jobs, and just 9 percent use them for contracted or freelance employees.Even though these employees arent full-time members of the team, treating them differently during the hiring process creates inherent inequality. These candidates will have different experiences during the hiring process giving way to very different opinions about your company. This makes it difficult to track and compare hiring data. Without an accurate pic ture of the effectiveness of your hiring process due to inconsistencies, its difficult to spot and fix problems.Make aya all candidates go through the same screens. It might seem unnecessary, especially with freelance employees. But as companies continue to use more contracted employees, its important to create a consistent candidate experience.Only 9% of companies use video interviews when hiring freelance employees. HRdotcomClick To TweetUsing a video interview platform is an excellent experience for hiring professionals when used to its fullest capacity. By committing to exploring and incorporating all of the features your dedicated video interview platform has to offer, youll create a more effective hiring process that you and your candidates love.

History of Air Force Enlisted Insignia (Rank)

History of Air Force Enlisted Insignia (Rank)History of Air Force Enlisted Insignia (Rank)The American chevron is not a new idea. For thousands of years, the military, ecclesiastical and civil authorities have used some outward symbol to identify rank and function in society. In the U.S. military, non-commissioned officer rank insignia evolved over the past 150 years from a mishmash of epaulets, sashes, cockades, and stripes to todays limited set of stylized and standardized chevrons. Prior to 1872, documentation standards were almost nonexistent. A general order from the War Department dated March 27, 1821, documented the first firm reference to U.S. soldiers wearing chevrons. Today, the chevron represents a pay grade, not a specific trade. Originally, officers also wore chevrons, but this practice began to phase out in 1829. Despite this 10-year use of chevrons by officers, most people think only of enlisted grades when chevrons are mentioned. The direction a chevron points altern ated through the years. Originally, they pointed down, and on some uniforms, covered almost the entire width of the arm. In 1847, the point reversed to an up position, which lasted until 1851. Service chevrons, commonly called hash marks or tafelgeschirr stripes, were established by George Washington to show completion of three years service. After the American Revolution, they fell into disuse and it welchesnt until 1832 before the idea welches reinstituted. They have been authorized in one form or another ever since. U.S. Air Force chevrons trace their evolution from 1864 when the Secretary of War approve a request from Maj. William Nicodemus, the Armys chief signal officer, for a distinctive signal rank insignia 10 years later. The names Signal Service and Signal Corps were used interchangeably during 1864-1891. In 1889, a simple sergeants chevron cost 86 cents and a corporals welches 68 cents. The official lineage of todays Air Force began Aug. 1, 1907, when the U.S. Army Signal Corps formed an Aeronautical Division. The unit welches upgraded to an Aviation Section by 1914, and in 1918, the War Department separated the Aviation Section (air service) from the Signal Corps, making it a distinctive branch of service. With the creation of the Army Air Service, their device became the winged propeller. In 1926, the branch became the Army Air Corps, still retaining the winged propeller entwurf in its chevron. Distinctive chevrons became cumbersome. Specific designs often depicted a trade skill and each branch required individual colors. For example, in 1919, the Medical Department had seven different chevrons that no other branch used. In 1903, a sergeant might have worn four different chevrons, depending upon which uniform he wore. The overwhelming problems of pay, grade, titles, and allowances caused Congress in 1920 to consolidate all ranks into seven pay grades. This broke the historic practice of authorizing each and every position and listing the pay for e ach job throughout the Army. The change drastically affected chevron design. Stopping the use of branch and specialty chevrons died hard despite the official War Department policy. Private manufacturers made old specialty designs with the new blue background prescribed for the new chevrons. Unauthorized chevrons were common and these improvised sleeve insignia were even sold in some post exchanges. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the War Department fought a losing battle against the specialty chevrons. The most prevalent of the unauthorized specialty chevrons were those worn by Army Air Corps members, with the winged propeller. The Air Force won its independence Sept. 18, 1947, as a full partner with the Army and the Navy when the National Security Act of 1947 became law. There was a time of transition following the new status gave the Air Force. The chevrons retained the Army look. Enlisted personnel were still soldiers until 1950 when they became airmen to distinguish them from s oldiers or sailors. 9 March 1948 - There is no documented official rationale for the design of the present USAF enlisted chevrons, except the minutes of a meeting held at the Pentagon on 9 March 1948, chaired by General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air Force Chief of Staff. behauptung minutes reveal that chevron designs were sampled at Bolling Air Force kusine and the style used today was selected by 55% of 150 airmen polled. General Vandenberg, therefore, approved the choice of the enlisted majority. Whoever designed the stripes might have been trying to combine the shoulder patch worn by members of the Army Air Force (AAF) during World War II and the insignia used on aircraft. The patch featured wings with a pierced star in the center while the aircraft insignia was a star with two bars. The stripes might be the bars from the aircraft insignia slanted gracefully upward to suggest wings. The silver-gray color contrasts with the blue uniform and might suggest clouds against blue sky. At this time the size of the new chevrons are determined to be four inches wide for men, three inchesfor-women-.- This difference in size created the official term of WAF (Women in the Air Force) chevrons in reference to the three-inch stripes. The rank titles, at this time, from bottom to top, were Private (no stripe), Private First Class (one stripe), Corporal (two stripes), Sergeant (three stripes), Staff Sergeant (four stripes), Technical Sergeant (five stripes), Master Sergeant (six stripes and tithe only rank approved for First Sergeant Duties). 20 FEBRUARY 1950- General Vandenberg directed that from this day forth, enlisted personnel of the Air Force will be called Airmen to distinguish them from Soldiers and Sailors. Formerly, Air Force enlisted personnel were still called Soldiers. 24 April 1952- Studies made in 1950 and 1951 proposed to change the enlisted grade structure and was adopted by the Air Council andChief of Staffin March 1952. The change was embodied in Air Force Regul ation 39-36 on 24 April 1952. The primary objective desired in changing the airman grade structure was the restriction of non-commissioned officer status to a group of higher grade airmen sufficiently small in number to permit them to function as non-commissioned officers. Plans for improving the quality of non-commissioned officer leadership hinged upon this change now that the change was made, plans for investigating and improving the quality of this leadership began. The titles of the ranks changed (although not the chevrons). The new titles, from bottom to top, were Basic Airman (no stripe), Airman Third Class (one stripe), Airman Second Class (two stripes), Airman First Class (three stripes), Staff Sergeant (four stripes), Technical Sergent (five Stripes) and Master Sergeant (six stripes). At that time, it was planned to develop new insignia for the three classes of Airmen (First, Second, and Third). Preliminary sketches of proposed insignia have the stripes at a horizontal lev el, reserving the angled stripes for the top three ranks to differentiate Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs). DECEMBER - 1952- The proposed-new-chevrons for the three lower airman grades are approved by General Vandenberg. However, the procurement action is deferred until existing stocks of the current chevrons are depleted. This is not expected to occur until June 1955. 22 SEPTEMBER 1954- On this day the new Chief of Staff, General Nathan F. Twining, approves a new distinctive insignia for First Sergeants. It consists of a traditional diamond sewn in the V above the grade chevron. Recommendations for the adoption of this distinctive insignia were advanced by twocommands Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Air Training Command (ATC). The suggestion from ATC was included in an appendix buried in a February 1954 ATC Personnel Planning Project, while the SAC NCO Academy, March AFB, CA, proposed the design on 30 April 1954 to the Air Council. 21 SEPTEMBER 1955- The availability of the distin ctive First Sergeant insignia is announced. 12 March 1956- In 1952 General Vandenberg approved a new chevron for Airman, First, Second and Third Classes. The purpose of this change was to increase the prestige of the Staff, Technical, and Master Sergeant chevrons. The stripes were to change from the angled design to horizontal. However, due to the supply of chevrons on hand, the action was delayed until supply had been deleted, which happened in early 1956. The decision to change the design was resubmitted to General Twining on 12 March 1956. The Chief replied in a short informal memo stating No change to be made in insignia. JANUARY - JUNE 1958- The Military Pay Act of 1958 (Public Law 85- 422), authorized the additional grade of E-8 and E-9. No promotions to the new grades were made during Fiscal Year 1958 (July 1957 through June 1958). However, 2,000 individuals were expected to be promoted to the grade of E-8 during Fiscal Year 1959. On the other hand, in accordance withDepartm ent of Defenseinstructions, no promotions to grade E-9 were to be made in the Fiscal Year 1959. During May and June 1958, almost 45,000 Master Sergeants from all commands were tested with the Supervisory Examination as a first step in the final selection of 2,000 for eventual promotion to E-8. This test screened out approximately 15,000 applicants, permitting approximately 30,000 to be further screened- by command boards from which 2,000 would be selected initially. JULY-DECEMBER 1958- The two new grades (E-8 and E-9) were particularly welcome in that they would relieve the compression in the grade of Master Sergeant. However, because the numbers had to come out of the formerMaster Sergeantauthorization, no improvement in promotion opportunity resulted in the overall enlisted structure. It was, nevertheless, an excellent solution to the problem of differenziation in the levels of responsibility among Master Sergeants. For instance, in the maintenance Table of organization for a tac tical fighter squadron, four flight chiefs, two inspectors, and the line chief all held the grade of Master Sergeant. The new grades would allow the top supervisor a grade superior to the others, each of whom had substantial responsibilities of his own. Adding two new grades did present some problems. Most significant was the fact that of the total nine grades, five were to be at the Sergeant level. Up to 40% of the total enlisted structure would be in these five grades. For this reason, the older breakout of Airmen and Sergeants seemed outmoded. It was apparent that, with a nearly 1-to-1 ratio between Airmen and Sergeants, not all Sergeants could be supervisors. It was considered that the time had come to effect some differentiation between the less skilled Airmen, the more skilled at the Staff and Technical Sergeant level, and the supervisory level. The speed with which it was necessary to implement the legislation did not permit a complete review of the enlisted structure. It was , therefore, determined that, for the present, the titles and insignia should blend into the system with the least possible change. The comments of the major commands were solicited, and the titles ofSenior Master Sergeant(E-8) and Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) were the most popular. They were considered to be the best in clearly indicating ascending grade and to have the advantage of not reflecting unfavorably on those long-time Master Sergeants who would not be selected for the new grades. Since it had been decided to build on the existing insignia pattern rather than to revise the whole series, the problem of a satisfactory insignia became acute. Numbers of ideas were considered. Some of those discarded were the use of the Master Sergeant insignia superimposing one and two stars (rejected because of the overlapping of general officers insignia) and the same with lozenges (rejected out of confusion with the First Sergeant insignia). The choice was finally, and reluctantly, narrowed to a pattern which superimposed on the older Master Sergeant Insignia, one and two additional stripes pointing in the opposite direction (upward) leaving a field of blue between the lower Master Sergeant insignia and the stripes of the new grades. While this did not solve theproblemof zebra- stripes, the solution was- accompanied with the recommendation that the whole matter of revising the enlisted structure as to titles and insignia be studied. No complaints were voiced over the new rank insignia. 5 FEBRUARY 1959- On this day the new regulierung governing the titles of the various enlisted ranks is released. The only change concerns E-1s. Instead of the title Basic Airman, the new regulation directs that Airman Basic is now the proper title. 15 MAY 1959- A new edition of Air Force Manual 35-10 is published. It addresses an inequity to the enlisted force. At the time of the creation of the Air Force, formal evening uniformswere considered the provenance of the officer corps. At th e time no one seriously believed enlisted personnel would have a need nor a desire for stately uniforms. Soon, however, enlisted people made their needs known and by 1959 the uniform manual caught up with the reality of the situation. While the black formal evening dress uniform was strictly for officers only, the dress white uniform was authorized for optional purchase and wear by all enlisted personnel. For the enlisted men, the insignia of the grade was the regulation size (four inches) with white chevrons on a white background. For the enlisted women, the same held true except the white chevrons were three inches wide. These white chevrons were used until the white dress uniform was discontinued in 1971. 28 FEBRUARY 1961- A lightweight all tan uniform (shade 505) was approved by the uniform board. However, only three inches WAF chevrons were to be worn on the shirt. This necessitated a change of name. Since men were now wearing the WAF chevrons, the official name of the three i nch wide stripes became small size. 12 JUNE 1961- A new edition of Air Force Manual 35-10 revealed a new optional uniform for the enlisted ranks the black Mess Dress Uniform. Previously prohibited from wearing the black formal wear, the new black mess dress brought about the need for chevrons with aluminum metallic on a black background. These embroidered stripes are still in use for themess dressat the present time. JANUARY 1967- Creation of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) with its own distinctive insignia. 22 achter monat des jahres 1967- On this day the uniform board started to explore methods to affix enlistedrank insigniaon the raincoat. This problem will perplex the board until 1974. 19 OCTOBER 1967- Airman grades, titles, and terms of address were revised.to make the following changes, and to restore NCO status to grade E-4 Airman Basic (no stripes), Airman (one stripe), Airman First Class (two stripes), Sergeant (three stripes), Staff Sergeant through Chie f Master Sergeant, andFirst Sergeants, no change. The change of title for pay grade E-4 from Airman First Class to Sergeant restored the NCO status lost to this grade in 1952 when the Air Force adopted new titles. The elevation of E-4 to NCO status also aligned Air Force grades with the other services and recognition of the level of qualification and performance required of airmen in grade E-4. Airmen could not be promoted to E-4 until qualified at the 5-skill level, exactly the qualification required for promotion toStaff Sergeant. As a side benefit, the prestige gained from restoring NCO status and privileges to the E-4 grade came at a time when airmen were approaching their first reenlistment point. At the time the Air Force was experiencing drastic losses as many did not reenlist. It was thought that achieving NCO 26 status at the end of the first enlistment would aid in retention. 25 NOVEMBER 1969- The uniform board met on this day and approved the wear of the black background chevrons with aluminum color stripes and star on the white mess jacket and the informal white uniform coat in lieu of the authorized white-on-white chevrons. The white-on-white chevrons were allowed to be worn until 1 January 1971, at which time the black chevrons on those uniforms would be mandatory. The white-on-white stripes had been in use since 1959. 11 AUGUST 1970- The uniform board directed that enlisted personnel will wear three-inch chevrons on the tan 1505 short sleeve shirts. 4 DECEMBER 1970- In search of an appropriate chevron for enlisted personnel to wear on their raincoats, the uniform board approved the concept of allowing.a plastic rank insignia to be worn on the collar. In addition, the use of such a plastic chevron was developed for use on the lightweight blue jacket and utility shirt. 21 SEPTEMBER 1971- After various reactions to the plastic chevrons, the uniform board recommended further field testing, using both plastic and metal collar chevrons on the mens an d womens raincoat, lightweight blue jacket, topcoat, utility shirt and organizational white medical uniforms. 23 AUGUST 1974- General David C. Jones, the USAF Chief of Staff, approved the wear of metal collar chevrons by enlisted personnel on the raincoats, mens optional topcoat, lightweight blue jacket, medical and dental whites and the food handlers coat. This ended a seven-year debate begun in 1967. However, General Jones stressed that the use of traditional sleeve chevrons on other uniforms is maintained to the maximum extent practical. 30 DECEMBER 1975- The E-2 through E-4 rank chevrons were reviewed in December 1975 during a CORONA TOP meeting which examined a proposed three-tier enlisted force organization. A new criterion for advancement to NCO status was decided and announced to the major commands on 30 December 1975. A key aspect of the new program was a new insignia for Senior Airmen and below. The insignia would sport a blue star instead of asilver starin the center of t he chevrons. JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1976- To institute the change by 1 March 1976, liaison with the Institute of Heraldryand the Army and Air Force Exchange Service began to ensure that the new insignia would be readily available. However, there was difficulty in obtaining the new blue-star chevrons because of normal lead time required by the garment industry to change to the new insignia. On 27 January 1976, the Institute of Heraldry advised the garment industry of the new Air Force requirements, and by 12 February 1976 Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Pentagon Liaison office advised the Air Force that the insignia sources would be ready to supply by 1 March as desired. However, late in February, it was obvious that the garment industry could not support the 1 March date. Therefore, major commands were notified byHeadquarters Air Forceto postpone the implementation of the new rank until 1 June 1976. 1 JUNE 1976- Because of the difficulty encountered in obtaining the new insign ia at all bases throughout the Air Force, Consolidated Base Personnel offices were requested to ensure that Base Clothing Stores and Base Exchanges were taking action to ensure availability of the new insignia to meet requirements at their installation. The situation was complicated by the transfer of responsibility for Military Clothing Sales to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service during this period. The final result was a decision for AAFES to force-feed the requirements for each base directly to the Defense Personnel Service Center for the first 90 days following implementation on 1 June 1976. military Clothing Sales to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service during this period. The final result was a decision for AAFES to force-feed the requirements for each base directly to the Defense Personnel Service Center for the first 90 days following implementation on 1 June 1976. Information courtesy of U.S. Air Force nachrichten Service, and the Air Force Historical Research Agen cy

The Resume Template Trend You Should Avoid

The Resume Template Trend You Should AvoidThe Resume Template Trend You Should AvoidThere arenumerous reasons to use a resume template, but if you go that route, its important choose a template carefully. Its common for templates to be loaded with unnecessary elements and features, such as photos and graphics. And today were talking about one particular resume template feature you should avoid skills ratings.Unlike a typical skills section, some resume templates feature skills ratingswith one skill listed per line next to a corresponding space where you rate your own ability level for eachskill. These ratings sections are typically on a scale of one to five, one being low and five being high. Stars and circles are the most common shapes used for the scale.Sometimes people choose to use hard skills, rating themselves on, for example, the various programming languages they know. Others choose to use soft skills or mora general skills. In the resume template example below, the candidate has rated herself 5/5 in kindness, but 3/5 in responsibility.How many interviews do you think anyone would get with this resume?Skills ratings such as this one are likelier to hurt than help.Via Creative MarketThese skills ratings are meaningless at best, and harmful at worst. A hiring manager wont be impressed by any 5/5 ratings you give yourself. Youre using your resume to try to make a good impression, so your 5/5 could be an exaggeration. If you give yourself perfect ratings across the board, a hiring manager might think you arent being honest or realistic.And if you give yourself a mediocre or low rating, that will also send up red flags- if you arent good at something, why list it on your resume? The hiring manager might question your judgment.Also, theres no way for anyone else to know exactly what youre basing your rating on. Are you comparing yourself to your current co-workers? To how much your ability has improved over a year, or over a decade? Are you basing your rating on a recent project you completed using a particular skill? Or on how many different types of tasks you can complete using a certain skill?These skills ratings are all subjective, with no information provided beyond the rating itself. They dont add any value to your resume, so stick with the traditional skills section. When choosing a resume template, avoid choosing one that uses skills ratings.

Data Entry Operator I Job Description

Data Entry Operator I Job Description Data Entry Operator I Job Description Data Entry Operator I Job Description This data entry operator I sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements. Data Entry Operator I Job Responsibilities: Maintains database by entering data. Data Entry Operator I Job Duties: Prepares source data for entry by opening and sorting mail; verifying and logging receipt of data; obtaining missing data. Records data by operating data entry equipment; coding information; resolving processing problems. Protects organizations value by keeping information confidential. Accomplishes department and organization mission by completing related results as needed. Data Entry Operator I Skills and Qualifications: Data Entry Skills, Typing, Confidentiality, Attention to Detail, Thoroughness, Independence, Documentation Skills, Problem Solving, Analyzing Information , Dependability, Results Driven Employers: Post a job in minutes to reach candidates everywhere. Job Seekers: Search Data Entry Operator I Jobs and apply on now. Learn more abouthow to hire: Video: New Employee Orientation Make the most of Hiring Tools Power Interviewing

ASME Co-Hosts Engineering Emergency Capitol Hill Briefing on STEM and Minorities

ASME Co-Hosts Engineering Emergency Capitol Hill Briefing on STEM and Minorities ASME Co-Hosts Engineering Emergency Capitol Hill Briefing on STEM and Minorities ASME Co-Hosts 'Engineering Emergency' Capitol Hill Briefing on STEM and Minorities (From left) ASME President Madiha El Mehelmy Kotb, Salon panelist Gayle J. Gibson from DuPont, and ASME Past President Victoria Rockwell at the Feb. 19 STEM Salon briefing on Capitol Hill. On Feb. 19, ASME co-hosted a STEM Salon on Capitol Hill to mark the release of Engineering Emergency: African Americans and Hispanics Lack Pathways to Engineering, the most recent data release from Change the Equation (CTEq), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, CEO-led initiative that is mobilizing the business community to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning in the United States. ASME President Madiha El Mehelmy Kotb attended the event on behalf of the Society. Speaking in support of the report, she observed, ASME is committed to achieving a truly diverse and inclusive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce in the U.S. and all over the world. With the predicted changes in future U.S. workforce demographics, increasing the participation of women and underrepresented groups in the U.S. STEM workforce must become a 21st Century national imperative. By dramatically improving the participation of women and talent from other under-represented groups in the STEM workforce, the U.S. can leverage the diversity of these individuals to fuel the innovation necessary for our global competitiveness, as well as meet the challenges of a changing world, she added. ASME Past President Victoria Rockwell was also in attendance at the event in her role as chair of the American Association of Engineering Societies. The new report Engineering Emergency: African Americans and Hispanics Still Lack Pathways to Engineering explores gaps in the engineering pipeline. New data reveal disturbing trends in engineering degree attainment for people of color, trends that point to continued challenges of educational opportunity and access. The result: a failure to tap the creative potential of millions of Americans at a time when the nation is struggling to remain at the forefront of innovation. Among the data points included in the new release are the following: African Americans and Hispanics comprise a third of the college-aged population, yet together they earn fewer than 16 percent of all engineering degrees and certificates. Though their college-aged population has grown since 2001, their share of degrees and certificates remained mostly flat. By 2022, nine in 10 new engineering jobs will require at least a bachelor's degree, yet most of the engineering credentials African American and Hispanics earn are below the bachelor's level. The reverse is true for Caucasians. While Hispanic and African Americans face hurdles in engineering, they are not on the same trajectory. Since 2001, Hispanics have been making strides in engineering degrees at the bachelor's level and higher, while African Americans have fallen back. CTEq CEO Linda Rosen moderated a panel discussion examining the present and future workforce implications of this opportunity shortage. Panelists at the session included Gayle J. Gibson, director of engineering at DuPont; Ioannis Miaoulis, president and director of the Museum of Science in Boston; and Robert L. Curbeam Jr., vice president of mission assurance at Raytheon Co. The events other co-hosts included the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Society of Civil Engineers, DiscoverE, IEEE-USA, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, the National Center for Technological Literacy at the Museum of Science Boston, and the Society of Women Engineers. Watch a video of the STEM Salon briefing on YouTube here. To read the new data release, visit http://changetheequation.org/engineering-emergency. Melissa Carl, ASME Government Relations

13 painful life lessons Ive learned as a full-time writer

13 painful life lessons I’ve learned as a full-time writer 13 painful life lessons I’ve learned as a full-time writer 200,000+ written words, 1,000+ hours of blood, sweat and tears (many of these hours spent staring at a blank screen … the curse of writer’s block) and the painful birth of a self-published book.Too many sleepless nights to count, and waking up in the mornings, thinking, “Why the hell am I still doing this?!!”I’d like to think I’m a pretty tough guy. I’ve overcome my fair share of life’s difficult, painful adversities.But, nothing compares to this thing I’m doing right now.This thing involves nothing more than putting together a string of words, yet it can bring so much joy and pain all at the same time.This thing brings the best and worst out of any human being in the most grueling way possible.It teaches painful life lessons that can’t be learned elsewhere.This thing is called writing, and here are the top 13 painful life lessons I’ve learned since becoming a full-time writer.1. Nobody cares about your goals and dreamsLet’s get real here for a second.Do you c are about my goals and dreams?Do you care about my daily grind and hustle? (fun fact: putting together this article took more than 15 hours of my time).Once you’re done reading this article, you’ll probably visit another website and continue with your plans for the day.You’re not going to spend time today thinking about my personal struggles and aspirations.Don’t worry I won’t take it personally. I understand that you have your own problems to solve and battles to fight on a daily basis.The truth is that nobody, not even your own family and close friends, care as much about your goals and dreams, as much as you do.With or without you, the world will carry on as normal.But, nowadays, most people live in the illusion - usually on social media - that their goals and dreams are special.And when they announce their new life goals - on fitness, health, writing, business and so on - they expect the world to press pause, take note and offer a helping hand.I used to be one of t hese people.I expected the world to support and applaud my efforts, but it didn’t. And I was pissed.That is, until I finally realized that my goals weren’t special, that I wasn’t entitled to anything and that I was truly on this journey alone.You were born alone. And you will also die alone, with all of your goals and dreams.2. There is no success without failureFailure and Success are two sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other.So why are we taught the opposite? - that failure and success are separate entities.That failure should be avoided at all costs and success is the ultimate goal.We’re quick to praise people once they achieve success, but quick to forget the trails of catastrophic failures they left behind.Don’t believe me?Just google the background stories of successful people you admire and you’ll quickly notice that most of them were fantastic failures before achieving their major breakthroughs. (If you’re stuck for ideas, try Author o f Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling and Alibaba founder, Jack Ma).If you dare to pursue anything worthwhile, expect to fail …Again and again.And again.But that’s okay, because you’ll learn from these failures, improve and become better at what you do.Prior to creating mayooshin.com, I launched several online blogs, businesses, podcasts and video channels, all of which pretty much bombed.But, it’s the painful lessons learned from previous failures that have helped me to become a better writer and entrepreneur.3. The perfect time to start is NOWThe best time to start was yesterday. The second best time to start is today.Perfectionism is a breeding ground for procrastination.The longer you wait for the perfect time to start exercising, write a book, launch a business, spend time with loved ones and so on, the higher the likelihood that you won’t ever get started.You don’t need the perfect conditions to get started. Plus, as I’ve mentioned earlier, if you take consistent action, you will fail at some point, so there’s no point delaying this.When I sat down to write my first book, perfectionism cost me several months of staring at a blank computer screen and never actually writing anything.That is, until I discovered the 2-minute rule from the book Getting Thing’s Done (audiobook), which helped me to write and publish the book a month later.Moral of the story is this: each day that passes by is another perfect opportunity to get started on your goals.So what are you waiting for?4. Experts don’t know what works best for youThe funny thing about ‘experts’ - many of whom I respect - is that they credit their level of success to beliefs and ideas that have worked for them.But that doesn’t necessarily mean that these beliefs or ideas will work for you!I learned this the hard way, during my first year writing.I read, listened to and took action on advice given by popular expert writers, marketers and entrepreneurs online. Each one of these experts in sisted on his or her way of thinking, as the ‘best’ way to achieve a particular goal.After several months of confusion and mediocre results, I decided to focus on doing what worked best for me, and not necessarily what was the ‘hottest’ trend out there.For example, I am most productive with my writing, whilst listening to music and in a fasted state.I also write for a wide audience with a common worldview of becoming better people, but not to a specific niche based on demographics.This isn’t mainstream ‘expert’ writing or business advice, but it works well for me.Listen to expert advice, but always experiment to find what works best for you.5. Amateurs starve. Professionals thriveThere are many differences between amateurs and professionals.Here are some of the key differences: Amateurs wait to feel inspired. Professionals stick to a schedule. Amateurs strive to achieve. Professionals strive to improve. Amateurs stall after failure. Professionals grow after failure. The common theme amongst these differences is consistency.Amateurs only show up when they feel like it and as a result, they lack consistency and starve.On the other hand, Professionals or ‘Pros’ show up on a consistent basis, come rain or come shine and thrive.When I was an amateur writer, I only wrote when I was motivated. My results were sporadic, with no real progress in my writing abilities or readership.It was only when I made a decision to turn ‘pro’ - to write and publish a new article every single week - that my readership took off.(Diagram shows readership growth over time. Note the points of steeper upward trend)There is no such thing as a starving artist, only starving amateurs and thriving professionals.6. Hard work doesn’t pay off ( … at least not in the way we think it should)Motivational speakers are a funny bunch ( … I’m including myself as one of them in this conversation).We’re quick to tell people, “you can do it, just like I did, if you just believe in yourself and work hard!”I hate to be the killjoy here, but this isn’t completely true. I mean, just look around.Some of the hardest working people on earth- the construction workers, miners, bus drivers, cleaners, waiters and waitresses and so on- are not the richest, most influential people in the world.Hard work by itself isn’t enough to achieve success.There are several important factors that also come into play. These include the right relationships, the right timing, a solid strategy and a bit of luck.I struggled to grow my readership for several months, despite putting in 20+ hours into each article published.Then I started to strategically plan my written content, build the right relationships and spread my work across various outlets. That’s when I experienced the rapid growth of my readership.Now, this isn’t an excuse to avoid hard work and be a lazy couch potato.It’s just a reminder that if you’re working hard, but not getting the results you want , it’s probably because you’re missing one or more of the other important factors mentioned.7. Rest is the only productivity hack you need“I’m grinding when you’re sleeping.”These are some motivational words from the popular internet personality and entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk.It’s a fair reflection of the go!go!go! world we live in today that puts busyness or ‘hustling’ on a pedestal, but rest as an activity for the lazy losers.And whilst I appreciate Gary Vee’s or any other successful entrepreneur’s motivational speeches, I don’t agree with any message that undermines the importance of rest or sleep.Countless research studies have shown the importance of quality sleep and rest for our well-being.Plus, according to insights into the daily routines of famous writers and artists from Daily Rituals (audiobook), creative geniuses - including the likes of Einstein, Beethoven, Tolstoy, Darwin and Dickens - credit rest and time away from their work to their cre ative breakthroughs.Not everyone is built to function well with little sleep or rest.Personally, after a few nights of getting less than 5 hours of sleep, I can barely think, talk or move properly.And so, I’ve made peace with being one of the ‘lazy losers’ who sleeps before midnight, whilst the ‘hustlers and winners’ are burning the midnight oil.8. Straw houses are built on motivation. Castles are built on habitsMotivation is fleeting.Some days it’s there, some days it’s not.If you wait to feel ‘motivated’ before taking action, your results will be sporadic because you won’t be consistent enough.Just like a straw house that loses its roof and structure on a hurricane like windy day, everything you’ve built can easily fall apart when your life’s problems come knocking.Now, imagine a castle (think game of thrones type of castle).A castle doesn’t easily fall apart under bad weather, or a repeated siege from humans and machines.Castles endure some of the most e xtreme conditions.This is the power of habits.Once you build good habits, you’ll consistently take action and achieve consistent results, even when your life gets chaotic.After I built the habit of writing at least one article every week, it didn’t matter whether I lacked motivation or experienced personal tragedy in my life, I published a new piece weekly because the habit had been built.If you’re struggling with lack of motivation, focus on building habits first. The motivation will naturally follow.9. Work-life balance is a mythThere’s an uncomfortable trade-off that exists, even though we often like to pretend that it’s not there.The more time you spend working, the less time you can spend on ‘life’ stuff. And vice versa.We only have 24 hours in a day. And on average, we spend a quarter of that sleeping.So let’s do the math.Assuming you spent 15 hours on your work or business today, how many hours would you have left in free time?The correct answer is 3 hours.3 h ours isn’t a realistic amount of time to attend social events, catch up with friends and family, and play your favorite songs on the guitar.I have had to significantly reduce time spent with my close friends and family, cut out some hobbies and turn down invites to important social gatherings, just so I could find more time to write.The truth is, you will have to make difficult (sometimes very cold) decisions about what you’re willing to give up, to get what you want from life. Otherwise, life will make those choices for you.You can’t eat your cake and have it. Choose one.10. Trust that ‘nagging voice’ in your headThere’s a tiny nagging voice in your head, that pops up every now and then.It prompts and nudges you to do something. Sometimes, to do something extremely uncomfortable. Sometimes, to avoid taking a particular action.Listen to that voice and don’t ignore it.We’re quick to listen to the voices and opinions of other people, but very slow to listen to our own ‘nagging voice.’Ignoring the ‘nagging voice’ comes at the cost of making stupid decisions you may later regret, as I’ve learned the hard way.That ‘nagging voice’, that gut feeling, is usually leading you in the right direction.Listen to it.11. If you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no oneYou can lie down on the floor for people to walk on top of you and they’ll still complain that you’re not flat enough.There’s a thin line between being a nice person and being a doormat.The more you let others control your life without establishing healthy boundaries, the more likely you’ll be pushed into doing something you don’t want to do.In my early writing days, I was terrified of my work being criticized and ripped apart by trolls on the web.And so, to play it safe, I copied the writing style of other popular writers and stayed away from controversial topics.But, as the months went by, I noticed something strange. No matter how or what I wrote about, so mebody would complain, criticize or hate on my writing.Plus, I didn’t enjoy writing as much any longer. I grew tired of trying to be someone other than myself.Once I realized I couldn’t win either way, I stopped writing to please everyone and instead, wrote in my own true voice - my part casual, academic, motivational, sometimes contrarian voice.I still have to deal with my fair share of haters and critics, but that’s the price you pay for authentic living. And it’s well worth it.12. Everything is an assumption until proven otherwiseWe make assumptions to make sense of the world around us - assumptions about money, health, relationships, people, business and so on.The problem is that assumptions can often lead to misleading conclusions that reduce the number of opportunities available to us.For example, I used to hold unto the assumption that my readers would prefer a more serious, academic tone of writing.After a few months of writing in a serious, academic tone (and not enjoying it in the process), I stumbled across the art of first principles thinking - a mental model process of questioning assumptions, used by great thinkers including Tesla, Feynman and Edison.It was only after questioning my assumptions, that I had the freedom to experiment with new ways of writing i.e. casual tone with cartoon images.Some of my most popular, most shared articles have been written in this new way.Question your assumptions, and let the information guide your conclusions.13. The more you give. The more will be given to youThere’s a scripture in the bible that captures this point well, Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you.”In life, work and business, the abundance or scarcity you experience is directly related to how much value you add to people’s lives.The more you help other people to solve their problems, the more they will in turn want to help you solve yours too.The problem is that the culture today is “all about me.”We want more and we w ant it now!Yet, few live in abundance and few people give much to others, if anything at all. This isn’t a coincidence.For me, my sole focus is giving as much as I can to help as many people as possible. I have faith that my needs will be taken care of in the process without dwelling on them too much.There’s a peace of mind that comes from this faith.TakeawayAs painful as these life lessons have been, they have been invaluable towards my personal growth, and I hope the same for you too.At least, I hope I’ve spared you the pain of learning these life lessons the hard way.If you know someone you’d like to spare as well, share this article with them.Mayo Oshin writes at  MayoOshin.com, where he shares practical self-improvement ideas and proven science for better health, productivity and creativity.  To get practical ideas on how to stop procrastinating and build healthy habits, you can join his free weekly newsletter  here.A version of this  article  originally appeared at  ma yooshin.com  as “13 Painful Life Lessons I’ve Learned as a Full-Time Writer.”Footnotes Functional and Economic Impact of Sleep Loss and Sleep-Related Disorders Writer image by Nicolas Fructus. Doormat image creator please get in touch. 13 painful life lessons I’ve learned as a full-time writer 200,000+ written words, 1,000+ hours of blood, sweat and tears (many of these hours spent staring at a blank screen … the curse of writer’s block) and the painful birth of a self-published book.Too many sleepless nights to count, and waking up in the mornings, thinking, “Why the hell am I still doing this?!!”Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!I’d like to think I’m a pretty tough guy. I’ve overcome my fair share of life’s difficult, painful adversities.But, nothing compares to this thing I’m doing right now.This thing involves nothing more than putting together a string of words, yet it can bring so much joy and pain all at the same time.This thing brings the best and worst out of any human being in the most grueling way possible.It teaches painful life lessons that can’t be learned elsewhere.This thing is called writing, and here are the top 13 painful life lessons I’ve learned since becoming a full-time writer.1. Nobody cares about your goals and dreamsLet’s get real here for a second.Do you care about my goals and dreams?Do you care about my daily grind and hustle? (fun fact: putting together this article took more than 15 hours of my time).Once you’re done reading this article, you’ll probably visit another website and continue with your plans for the day.You’re not going to spend time today thinking about my personal struggles and aspirations.Don’t worry I won’t take it personally. I understand that you have your own problems to solve and battles to fight on a daily basis.The truth is that nobody, not even your own family and close friends, care as much about your goals and dreams, as much as you do.With or without you, the world will carry on as normal.But, nowadays, most people live in the illusion - usually on social media - that their goals and dreams are special.And when they announce their new life goals - o n fitness, health, writing, business and so on - they expect the world to press pause, take note and offer a helping hand.I used to be one of these people.I expected the world to support and applaud my efforts, but it didn’t. And I was pissed.That is, until I finally realized that my goals weren’t special, that I wasn’t entitled to anything and that I was truly on this journey alone.You were born alone. And you will also die alone, with all of your goals and dreams.2. There is no success without failureFailure and Success are two sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other.So why are we taught the opposite? - that failure and success are separate entities.That failure should be avoided at all costs and success is the ultimate goal.We’re quick to praise people once they achieve success, but quick to forget the trails of catastrophic failures they left behind.Don’t believe me?Just google the background stories of successful people you admire and you’ll quickly notice that most of them were fantastic failures before achieving their major breakthroughs. (If you’re stuck for ideas, try Author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling and Alibaba founder, Jack Ma).If you dare to pursue anything worthwhile, expect to fail …Again and again.And again.But that’s okay, because you’ll learn from these failures, improve and become better at what you do.Prior to creating mayooshin.com, I launched several online blogs, businesses, podcasts and video channels, all of which pretty much bombed.But, it’s the painful lessons learned from previous failures that have helped me to become a better writer and entrepreneur.3. The perfect time to start is NOWThe best time to start was yesterday. The second best time to start is today.Perfectionism is a breeding ground for procrastination.The longer you wait for the perfect time to start exercising, write a book, launch a business, spend time with loved ones and so on, the higher the likelihood that you won ’t ever get started.You don’t need the perfect conditions to get started. Plus, as I’ve mentioned earlier, if you take consistent action, you will fail at some point, so there’s no point delaying this.When I sat down to write my first book, perfectionism cost me several months of staring at a blank computer screen and never actually writing anything.That is, until I discovered the 2-minute rule from the book Getting Thing’s Done (audiobook), which helped me to write and publish the book a month later.Moral of the story is this: each day that passes by is another perfect opportunity to get started on your goals.So what are you waiting for?4. Experts don’t know what works best for youThe funny thing about ‘experts’ - many of whom I respect - is that they credit their level of success to beliefs and ideas that have worked for them.But that doesn’t necessarily mean that these beliefs or ideas will work for you!I learned this the hard way, during my first year writing .I read, listened to and took action on advice given by popular expert writers, marketers and entrepreneurs online. Each one of these experts insisted on his or her way of thinking, as the ‘best’ way to achieve a particular goal.After several months of confusion and mediocre results, I decided to focus on doing what worked best for me, and not necessarily what was the ‘hottest’ trend out there.For example, I am most productive with my writing, whilst listening to music and in a fasted state.I also write for a wide audience with a common worldview of becoming better people, but not to a specific niche based on demographics.This isn’t mainstream ‘expert’ writing or business advice, but it works well for me.Listen to expert advice, but always experiment to find what works best for you.5. Amateurs starve. Professionals thriveThere are many differences between amateurs and professionals.Here are some of the key differences: Amateurs wait to feel inspired. Professionals stick to a schedule. Amateurs strive to achieve. Professionals strive to improve. Amateurs stall after failure. Professionals grow after failure. The common theme amongst these differences is consistency.Amateurs only show up when they feel like it and as a result, they lack consistency and starve.On the other hand, Professionals or ‘Pros’ show up on a consistent basis, come rain or come shine and thrive.When I was an amateur writer, I only wrote when I was motivated. My results were sporadic, with no real progress in my writing abilities or readership.It was only when I made a decision to turn ‘pro’ - to write and publish a new article every single week - that my readership took off.(Diagram shows readership growth over time. Note the points of steeper upward trend)There is no such thing as a starving artist, only starving amateurs and thriving professionals.6. Hard work doesn’t pay off ( … at least not in the way we think it should)Motivational speakers are a funny bunch ( … I’m including myself as one of them in this conversation).We’re quick to tell people, “you can do it, just like I did, if you just believe in yourself and work hard!”I hate to be the killjoy here, but this isn’t completely true. I mean, just look around.Some of the hardest working people on earth- the construction workers, miners, bus drivers, cleaners, waiters and waitresses and so on- are not the richest, most influential people in the world.Hard work by itself isn’t enough to achieve success.There are several important factors that also come into play. These include the right relationships, the right timing, a solid strategy and a bit of luck.I struggled to grow my readership for several months, despite putting in 20+ hours into each article published.Then I started to strategically plan my written content, build the right relationships and spread my work across various outlets. That’s when I experienced the rapid growth of my readership.Now, this isn’t an excuse to avoid hard work and be a lazy couch potato.It’s just a reminder that if you’re working hard, but not getting the results you want , it’s probably because you’re missing one or more of the other important factors mentioned.7. Rest is the only productivity hack you need“I’m grinding when you’re sleeping.”These are some motivational words from the popular internet personality and entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk.It’s a fair reflection of the go!go!go! world we live in today that puts busyness or ‘hustling’ on a pedestal, but rest as an activity for the lazy losers.And whilst I appreciate Gary Vee’s or any other successful entrepreneur’s motivational speeches, I don’t agree with any message that undermines the importance of rest or sleep.Countless research studies have shown the importance of quality sleep and rest for our well-being.Plus, according to insights into the daily routines of famous writers and artists from Daily Rituals (audiobook), creative geniuses - including the likes of Einstein, Beethoven, Tolstoy, Darwin and Dickens - credit rest and time away from their work to their cre ative breakthroughs.Not everyone is built to function well with little sleep or rest.Personally, after a few nights of getting less than 5 hours of sleep, I can barely think, talk or move properly.And so, I’ve made peace with being one of the ‘lazy losers’ who sleeps before midnight, whilst the ‘hustlers and winners’ are burning the midnight oil.8. Straw houses are built on motivation. Castles are built on habitsMotivation is fleeting.Some days it’s there, some days it’s not.If you wait to feel ‘motivated’ before taking action, your results will be sporadic because you won’t be consistent enough.Just like a straw house that loses its roof and structure on a hurricane like windy day, everything you’ve built can easily fall apart when your life’s problems come knocking.Now, imagine a castle (think game of thrones type of castle).A castle doesn’t easily fall apart under bad weather, or a repeated siege from humans and machines.Castles endure some of the most e xtreme conditions.This is the power of habits.Once you build good habits, you’ll consistently take action and achieve consistent results, even when your life gets chaotic.After I built the habit of writing at least one article every week, it didn’t matter whether I lacked motivation or experienced personal tragedy in my life, I published a new piece weekly because the habit had been built.If you’re struggling with lack of motivation, focus on building habits first. The motivation will naturally follow.9. Work-life balance is a mythThere’s an uncomfortable trade-off that exists, even though we often like to pretend that it’s not there.The more time you spend working, the less time you can spend on ‘life’ stuff. And vice versa.We only have 24 hours in a day. And on average, we spend a quarter of that sleeping.So let’s do the math.Assuming you spent 15 hours on your work or business today, how many hours would you have left in free time?The correct answer is 3 hours.3 h ours isn’t a realistic amount of time to attend social events, catch up with friends and family, and play your favorite songs on the guitar.I have had to significantly reduce time spent with my close friends and family, cut out some hobbies and turn down invites to important social gatherings, just so I could find more time to write.The truth is, you will have to make difficult (sometimes very cold) decisions about what you’re willing to give up, to get what you want from life. Otherwise, life will make those choices for you.You can’t eat your cake and have it. Choose one.10. Trust that ‘nagging voice’ in your headThere’s a tiny nagging voice in your head, that pops up every now and then.It prompts and nudges you to do something. Sometimes, to do something extremely uncomfortable. Sometimes, to avoid taking a particular action.Listen to that voice and don’t ignore it.We’re quick to listen to the voices and opinions of other people, but very slow to listen to our own ‘nagging voice.’Ignoring the ‘nagging voice’ comes at the cost of making stupid decisions you may later regret, as I’ve learned the hard way.That ‘nagging voice’, that gut feeling, is usually leading you in the right direction.Listen to it.11. If you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no oneYou can lie down on the floor for people to walk on top of you and they’ll still complain that you’re not flat enough.There’s a thin line between being a nice person and being a doormat.The more you let others control your life without establishing healthy boundaries, the more likely you’ll be pushed into doing something you don’t want to do.In my early writing days, I was terrified of my work being criticized and ripped apart by trolls on the web.And so, to play it safe, I copied the writing style of other popular writers and stayed away from controversial topics.But, as the months went by, I noticed something strange. No matter how or what I wrote about, so mebody would complain, criticize or hate on my writing.Plus, I didn’t enjoy writing as much any longer. I grew tired of trying to be someone other than myself.Once I realized I couldn’t win either way, I stopped writing to please everyone and instead, wrote in my own true voice - my part casual, academic, motivational, sometimes contrarian voice.I still have to deal with my fair share of haters and critics, but that’s the price you pay for authentic living. And it’s well worth it.12. Everything is an assumption until proven otherwiseWe make assumptions to make sense of the world around us - assumptions about money, health, relationships, people, business and so on.The problem is that assumptions can often lead to misleading conclusions that reduce the number of opportunities available to us.For example, I used to hold unto the assumption that my readers would prefer a more serious, academic tone of writing.After a few months of writing in a serious, academic tone (and not enjoying it in the process), I stumbled across the art of first principles thinking - a mental model process of questioning assumptions, used by great thinkers including Tesla, Feynman and Edison.It was only after questioning my assumptions, that I had the freedom to experiment with new ways of writing i.e. casual tone with cartoon images.Some of my most popular, most shared articles have been written in this new way.Question your assumptions, and let the information guide your conclusions.13. The more you give. The more will be given to youThere’s a scripture in the bible that captures this point well, Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you.”In life, work and business, the abundance or scarcity you experience is directly related to how much value you add to people’s lives.The more you help other people to solve their problems, the more they will in turn want to help you solve yours too.The problem is that the culture today is “all about me.”We want more and we w ant it now!Yet, few live in abundance and few people give much to others, if anything at all. This isn’t a coincidence.For me, my sole focus is giving as much as I can to help as many people as possible. I have faith that my needs will be taken care of in the process without dwelling on them too much.There’s a peace of mind that comes from this faith.TakeawayAs painful as these life lessons have been, they have been invaluable towards my personal growth, and I hope the same for you too.At least, I hope I’ve spared you the pain of learning these life lessons the hard way.If you know someone you’d like to spare as well, share this article with them.Mayo Oshin writes at  MayoOshin.com, where he shares practical self-improvement ideas and proven science for better health, productivity and creativity.  To get practical ideas on how to stop procrastinating and build healthy habits, you can join his free weekly newsletter  here.A version of this  article  originally appeared at  ma yooshin.com  as “13 Painful Life Lessons I’ve Learned as a Full-Time Writer.”Footnotes Functional and Economic Impact of Sleep Loss and Sleep-Related Disorders Writer image by Nicolas Fructus. Doormat image creator please get in touch. You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

Where theres smoke, theres ire

Where there’s smoke, there’s ire Where there’s smoke, there’s ire … and other random legal news for the week thus far: Up yonder in Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that even smokers who have no apparent health issues can still sue tobacco makers, forcing them to pay for medical monitoring intended to catch cancer in its early stages.   The plaintiffs comprise a class of Massachusetts residents, aged 50 and older, Marlboro smokers for at least two decades who haven’t as yet been diagnosed with lung cancer.   Shock and surprise: Philip Morris tried to have the case thrown out, arguing that plaintiffs should have to prove actual physical injury in order to recover damages.   *Insert joke about sue happy, chain-smoking law students here* New York City’s tap water may be among the nation’s finest, but walk wide of any wells in Jamaica, Queens:   New York City just won $105 million from Exxon Mobil, after a federal jury found the oil company liable for contaminating groundwater with the gasoline additive MTBE.   In 2004 NYC sued Exxon Mobil for $300 million, arguing that Exxon ignored its own scientists’ warnings regarding not using the additive in regions where groundwater is used for drinking water.     Bank of America and its Cleary Gottlieb team are in the news, for *potentially* screwing up an order waiving attorney-client privilege.   The SEC is investigating BofA for violating shareholder disclosure requirements during BofA’s 2008 merger with Merrill Lynch.  A settlement fell through this past September, and BofA eventually waived its attorney-client privilege, claiming it relied on advice from Wachtell in crafting the merger documents.   The bank surrendered communications between its executives and Wachtell lawyers (which has Wachtell just a lil bit antsy).   But according to Gregory Joseph, former head of litigation at Fried, Frank and an expert in attorney-client privilege, the maneuver could result in more access to documents than BofA intended, since the bank’s Cleary Gottlieb team didn’t quite get the legal semantics right. And oh look, Twitter is in the news, for a change.     Looks like a New York social worker was arrested for using  the service to tell demonstrating comrades how to elude police during the G-20 summit.   His lawyers say “free speech,” the police are calling it “assisting others in evading apprehension”.   Tomato, tomahto. - posted by anu

How to Improve Your Selection Process for Hiring Robert Half

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The Dos and Donts of Starting Your New Job

The Dos and Donts of Starting Your New Job The Dos and Donts of Starting Your New Job Getting a job is hard work, especially for new college grads or anyone who’s been out of the workforce for a while. You spend weeks on end applying, preparing, and interviewing- so when you finally do land that gig, you’re ready to breathe a sigh of relief. But, not so fast! In fact, it’s just as important to impress during those early days on the job as it was during the interview process. From making connections to following up with your managers the right way, there’s some critical new job etiquette to keep in mind. Click on the infographic below to get some pointers for everything you should (and shouldn’t) do. Infographic courtesy of Socialcast. Photo of man walking courtesy of Shutterstock.

The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans

The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans Make the military-to-civilian career transition easier by highlighting these sought-after strengths.Our nation’s veterans continue to find the job search more challenging than their civilian counterparts, according to the most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the employment rate for this group has shown improvement, the job hunt remains a difficult process.“The problem is often not a lack of skills and qualifications,” noted Robert Dagnall, expert resume writer for military-to-civilian transitions. “It’s how to translate military experience into terms employers can recognize and value.”I spoke with a number of career professionals who specialize in military-to-civilian transitions to find out which skills are most transferrable to, and sought-after by, employers in the private sector.Security ClearancesA security clearance is one of the most valuable qualifications a veteran can bring to the table. According to Dagnall, a Top Secret, or “TS,” c learance would cost a private company hundreds of thousands of dollars if they had to pay for that level of background screening. Security clearances not only offer proof of the candidate’s responsibility and accountability, but they also save the employer a lot of time and money. Take the necessary steps to maintain your security clearance so your competitive advantage doesn’t lapse.Supply Chain Management Manufacturing“Many service men and women were entrusted with equipment, supply inventories, and million-dollar budgets,” says Dagnall. This experience lends itself to a promising career in operations or manufacturing where areas of expertise such as procurement, purchasing, inventory management and logistics are vital.Subject Matter ExpertiseGovernment-sector employers such as civilian contractors and government agencies often seek out professionals with U.S. military subject matter expertise. Job candidates can leverage their knowledge to work in a variety of roles. Thi s can range from consulting companies that require individuals with operational knowledge of military training systems, to education providers who need someone to establish and maintain relationships with key military and veteran stakeholders for their business development efforts.AdaptabilityJackie Das is the owner of HeadStart Career Services, an Arizona-based career coaching organization. Having worked with several military groups over the years, she’s found that military personnel can sell their adaptability to employers in the private sector. “Military professionals work well under extreme pressure, deal well with change, and are good at adapting to new cultures,” says Das. These skills are appealing to a variety of organizations, from start-ups to well-established companies operating in challenging environments.Documented Work HistoryWhile former military job seekers may find the search to be more difficult, Dagnall notes one crucial advantage they have over their civili an competition: documentation. As any resume writer will tell you, the more quantitative information you can bring to the resume writing-process, the better. Veterans come armed with SMART transcripts, VMETs, evaluation reports, training certificates, and award narratives detailing valuable training and accomplishments. He notes that the “rater’s comments” section on evaluations is especially useful, as it often yields specific metrics and quotable testimonials about performance. “If it’s in writing, it’s fair game to repurpose for a veteran’s job search.”Ladders is committed to serving those who have served our nation by helping them find opportunities that match their skills and expertise.

11 Things Not to Do When You Want to Get Hired

11 Things Not to Do When You Want to Get Hired 11 Things Not to Do When You Want to Get Hired Job searching can be tough enough all by itself. Its not always easy to find a new job. It can be challenging and frustrating even for well-qualified candidates. There is no need to make it even harder by doing or saying the wrong thing when job searching or interviewing. Heres a list of what you shouldnt do. These tips might sound simple, but you might be surprised at how many people make a mistake without thinking much about it. Then they wonder why they didnt get a call or didnt get the job. Make a Mistake Should a typo in your resume or cover letter drop you out of contention? It shouldnt, but it might. Employers typically get hundreds of resumes for each position they list. Perfection counts. Take a few extra minutes and proofread all your job search correspondence before you send it. Limit Your Job Search Dont limit your search by only applying to positions that meet your exact criteria. Instead, having an open mind (remember, you wont know exactly what the job entails until you interview) when reviewing the job ads will increase your applications and increase your chances of getting an interview. The more flexible you are, the more options youll have. Expand Your Job Search Sounds contradictory, doesnt it? You shouldnt limit your job search, but there is no point wasting your time applying for jobs you arent qualified for. The gentleman, for example, working as a childcare provider didnt, and wont, get called for an interview as a C programmer. Job Search Only Online Dont post your resume on LinkedIn and Indeed and hope that your email inbox will start to fill up or your phone will start ringing off the hook. It wont happen. You need to be proactive when job searching and use all available job search resources, online and offline. Taking the time to follow-up on the applications you submit, can help you secure an interview. Contradict Yourself If you are interviewing with several people, make sure you keep your story straight. Telling one interviewer one thing and another something else is a good way not to get the job. Also, make sure that the work history you discuss with employers matches up with whats on your resume. Double check your employment dates and job responsibilities to make sure you remember what you did when. Insult Your Former Employer Even if your last job was horrible and your boss was an idiot, dont mention it. Speaking poorly about former employers is never wise. How does your future employer know that you wont talk about him that way next time around? Underdo It Dont be a slob. Candidates who are unkempt, disheveled, and poorly dressed wont get the job. Even if you dont have to dress up if youre hired, wear interview attire that will make a good impression. Overdo It I once worked for someone who wouldnt hire anyone he could smell before they walked into his office. He might have been overdoing it a little, but the candidates would have done better if they had minimized the perfume or the aftershave. Show Your Desperation Are you almost out of unemployment? Dont know where your next meal is coming from? Do you absolutely have to have this job? Dont give an inkling of any of that away. You want employers to believe that you want this job because its a good opportunity and you can be an asset to the company, not because you need to buy groceries or make your car payment. Show Your Tattoos If you are applying for a position in the corporate world, and other worlds too, you might want to cover up your tattoos and remove some of your rings if youre pierced in lots of places. Some employers wont be impressed. Give Up Regardless of how good the job market is, job searching isnt simple, and its not always easy to stay positive and focused. When youve sent hundreds of resumes without much of a response, it can be difficult to keep going. Its important though to keep plugging away, to use all the job search tools available, and to keep a positive outlook. Its also important to remember to do the little things that can have a positive impact on your job search.