5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview

5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview16Many of the cues and communication that occur during a face-to-face interview are lost during a phone interview, and you are required to rely on the phone interview to carry you through to the next level of hiring. Communicating in non-traditional ways will be an important part of your job if you are looking to telecommute or work for a company that requires communication outside of an office environment. Dont fretThere are some very simple ways to communicate clearly and professionally with a vermgen employer over the phone.5 Tips for a Successful Phone InterviewChoose a quiet space. It cannot be stressed enough that distractions can kill the most perfect interview. You do not want to have anything that makes noise or takes your attention away from the interview. Smartphones and devices can pick up and transmit sounds that you may not even think could be heard, distracting both you and the person intervi ewing you. Never plan to interview when kids are around or sleeping, as they are unpredictable and noisy. Telecommuting requires a quiet space to work, and you need to demonstrate to your potential employer that you have the right area to complete their tasks without distractions.SMILE. It sounds silly to smile when you are not actually happy or laughing about something, but the sound of a smile comes through in your voice. Smiling during a phone interview can not only make you sound excited and happy to be talking about your qualifications, it can also calm your nerves and make you feel better. It can make the difference in how you come across to a potential new anfhrer or company.Stand up. Standing up makes your voice clearer and allows you to take deeper breaths. Standing up while talking during a phone interview can allow you to pace and calm your nerves. Standing up can also convey confidence in your voice and assertiveness about your qualifications and skills.Be prepared. When you are getting ready for your phone interview, have pertinent information at your fingertips. Its a good rule of thumb to have a copy of your resume, information about the company, the job description, and correspondence from the company readily available. If you are asked questions about your cover letter and youve sent out tailored ones to multiple places, you should have the information you sent over ready to discuss. Its also helpful to have something to write with and paper to take notes.Ask questions. Interviews need to take a professional and conversational tone. Participating in the dialog is going to show your interest in the position and give them information about you. You dont want to recite your cover letter or resume in an interview. This is the perfect time for the hiring employer to get to know what your interests are and why you choose to apply for their job.Phone interviews have become an increasingly common way to screen potential applicants for jobs. With more of the workforce out of the office, demonstrating your stellar command of communication over the phone is an important skill to have. Make aya to remember that your personality and candor can make the difference between you and another candidate with similar references. By employing these simple tips, you can impress your abilities and passion about your new career.Readers, what are your tips for a successful phone interview? Leave a comment and let us know

Risk Management Certifications

Risk Management CertificationsRisk Management CertificationsAs the field of risk management grows in importance, so does the weight that certain employers place on formal certifications in the field for potential new hires, as well as for people already in the field who seek to advance. On the other hand, note that many employers still do not require any formal outside certifications for risk management staff. Leading Risk Management Certifications The leading certifications for risk managers in the financial services industry are Financial Risk Manager (FRM)Professional Risk Manager (PRM) Both these exams test knowledge of Financial marketsMathematical models for measuring riskRisk management methodsBusiness ethics The organizations administering the above risk management certification exams are, respectively The multinational Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)The Professional Risk Managers International Association The latter was founded by officials formerly associated w ith GARP. Both exams require 500-600 hours of study. People experienced in the risk management field normally need a few months to study for either exam, but newcomers may require over a year. Roughly half of those taking these tests pass. In 2009, over 23,000 people took the FRM exam, a leap of 69% over 2008. At the start of 2010, the two-part FRM exam had a $1,250 fee and the four-part PRM test cost $500. Some employers that require risk management certification will pay for all or part of their employees exam and test prep fees. Other Risk Management Certifications Various other risk management certifications are targeted towards people in the field who will work in companies outside the financial services industry. Some of these include Certifications from the Society of ActuariesRisk and Insurance Management Society Fellow (RIMS Fellow)Chartered Enterprise Risk AnalystCertified Risk ManagerAssociate in Risk Management Source ?Risk Managers Get Certified, The Wall Street Jo urnal, 4/1/2010.

Lets Get Small

Lets Get SmallLets Get SmallThoughts and notes from the editor-in-chief on how high-profile executives can land reduced-scope jobs as they scale back their emphasis on a 9 to 5.Remember the Lets Get Small routine from comedian Steve Martins first album? The mantra echoed in my head a few times while reading business writer Sean Gallaghers piece on downshifting to reduced-scope jobs.Getting small was a forbidden pleasure for Martin. By contrast, the decision to pursue a job with a smaller salary or title can be a painful one for seasoned executives, whether its in pursuit of a simpler life or driven by economic necessity.In these tight times, employers have their pick of candidates, and it can be a stretch to convince them that youre ready to squeeze into a smaller position.But if you can make it work, the upside can be significant. Many older workers are ready to give up the long-time grind and look for stimulating jobs with flexible schedules as they begin the process toward retirem ent, Susan Reinhard, senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute, told Gallagher.The current downturn presents a real bump in the road, Reinhard added, but, for the future, the findings are a welcome signal that workers 50 and over can really enjoy themselves while remaining productive in a vibrant economy.

How to Answer Interview Questions About Leadership

How to Answer Interview Questions About LeadershipHow to Answer Interview Questions About LeadershipAre you prepared to discuss yur leadership skills in an interview, even when you dont have much work experience? Recruiters of new college graduates will often be looking to hire talent with strongleadership skillsand potential, so dont be surprised if you are asked to show proof of your leadership ability during your interviews. Make sure that you think comprehensively about all your experiences - both inside and outside the classroom and campus - when you prepare for questions such as Describe situations during your college years when you have exhibited your leadership skills. How to Prepare a Response Consider the following four areas of your college life when preparing to answer this type of question AcademicsCampus LifeJobs and InternshipsVolunteering Examples of your leadership ability dont need to be significant accomplishments like being elected class president. Think abo ut situations where you influenced your peers and encouraged action of some sort. From organizing a protest to re-jiggering the storage process for pantry items at the cafe where you work, any instance where your ideas or actions led to change can be meaningful. Examples of the Best Answers Here are some sample answers for the academic setting I was asked by my psychology hochschulprofessor to lead study sessions prior to the final exam.My peers selected me as group leader for a major case review project, and I was able to delegate tasks and motivate group members. We received an A for our presentation. Sample answers to showcase your leadership ability through campus lifemight include the following As the social chair for my sorority, I convinced members to host a special party as a fundraiser for a local food pantry. I organized a committee of sorority members to solicit donations of food and beverages from local merchants and persuaded all sorority members to sell four $50 ti ckets to fellow students. We raised $3600, and the successful event motivated members to place a greater emphasis on the community service component of our sorority.As an RA I noticed that four or five first-year students were struggling with an adjustment to college and isolating themselves. I called a meeting of several juniors and seniors and led a discussion about how we might facilitate their adjustment. We decided to establish a big brother/sister type structure and match up freshmen with an upper-class student who successfully engaged the freshmen and accompanied them to hall gatherings. My advisor suggested that I revive a long-abandoned campus club devoting to celebrating my major, French comparative literature. I set up a monthly newsletter for after in-person meetings with participants, and was also able to secure funding for our group to attend a popular French movie playing off campus. Examples of ways in which you have exerted leadership on the job or in internshipsmig ht include the following My manager at Red Robin selected me to orient and train the new hires and act as shift leader when she was off the premises.The Human Resources Manager at Target asked me to discuss my experience and to help recruit interns for the next summer. Volunteer experiences might also provide the opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skillsand provide answers like As a volunteer at the local rape crisis center, I convinced the director to establish a campus program to create awareness about acquaintance rape. Then I reached out to administrators and student leaders on campus and cultivated their support for a Rape Awareness Day which drew over 200 attendees.At the food shelter where I volunteered in college, I was one of the few regulars from school, and not the town. I worked with the shelters manager to create signage and social media images about the value of volunteer work. I put up the paper signs, and asked the college newspaper and other college social m edia accounts to promote images about volunteering on their Facebook and Instagram accounts. These efforts increased the number of college student volunteers involved with the shelter. More Interview Questions and Answers When you are a college student or recent graduate, its important to relate your college education, extracurricular activities, and experiences to the job for which you are applying. Heres what youll be asked, and how to respond. Also review mora entry level interview questions and sample answers.

Turn That Drab Resume Into a Must Read

Turn That Drab Resume Into a Must ReadTurn That Drab Resume Into a Must ReadAmid huge competition, your best chance of standing out from every other job hunter is to do something no one else but you can do tell your own professional story. You do this through your resume, and by elaborating on your resume in the course of your interviews.Often, job hunters know their own stories so well that they assume incorrectly that others do also. Or, they feel that by simply conveying the nature of the jobs they have had, others will understand what they have done and what successes they have achieved. Just the opposite is true You need to spoon-feed your story to those who will evaluate you at every step along the way.Typically, corporate human resources staffers are expected to find great candidates for 20 or more different jobs at any one time. If 100 candidates apply for each of these jobs, and each of them submit a two-page resume, this equates to a mountain of 4,000 pages (or eight full r eams of paper) to read each week.With such volume, the resume reader easily discerns fluff from stock language. Decorative lines, artwork, logos, or other embellishments convey no substance and are regarded as a nuisance. Can you imagine hearing the groans a few cubicles away when pages crammed with single-spaced eight-point type, narrow margins, and dense text confront the bifocal-wearing resume reader?Resume readers cant possibly fill in any blanks, or assume that you have done anything in particular. They look for people who have already done what needs to be done. And, they look for people to explain how they have done it. They look for good, solid, easy to understand stories.Here is your challenge Think of each bullet point as a different episode, and each job as a different chapter in your story. Great storytellers and resume writers both convey the flavor of a scene by deftly building an image in the readers mind, detail by detail.Today, employers look for a clear career path , dates, and meaningful specifics that relate what you have done. The most accepted format for each bullet point is conveyed with the acronym STAR, which stands for situation, task, action, and result1. Situation. Describe the context and the nature of a problem or issue you and/or your group faced.2. Task. Share what needed to be done.3. Action. Relate what you actually did. Here you can weave into your resume what skills you applied to the task, along with a time frame, and other details that make up the heart of the story. How did you contribute to your teams effort?4. Result. Recount what changed because of your actions. Did profits or productivity rise? Were obstacles cleared? Were costs contained or decreased? Were the jobs of others made easier? Were your companys products or services somehow improved? Were you recognized for your role?There are many books, online articles, and YouTube videos that delve into the details of how to incorporate these four critical storytelling e lements into your resume. They are the stock in trade of resume writers because they work. When you make it easy for the employer to understand what you have done, you give them the information they need to appropriately compare your experience with that of others. Moreover, you set the stage for the questions you will be asked in todays popular behavioral interviews. Each point in your resume can become the basis of an interview question. And then you have the opportunity to tell your story in even greater detail.Happy huntingArnie Fertig is the head coach of JOBHUNTERCOACH.COM, where he utilizes his extensive background in HR Staffing and as owner of a recruiting company to help mid-career job-hunters land their next job. Arnie provides one-to-one coaching services to individuals throughout the U.S. in all aspects of the job hunt, including resume writing, personal branding, utilizing social media, enhancing networking skills, preparing for interviews, and negotiating compensation .

The Little-Known Secrets to Example of High School Resume

The Little-Known Secrets to Example of High School Resume However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. The aim is to discuss issues and promote dialogue between both groups. It is to show youre a perfect candidate for the position you are applying for. The sole aim of a resume is to demonstrate how youre an ideal candidate for a position youre applying for. Employers wish to know precisely what you did or learned so they know what you need to offer as an employee. Resumes give potential employers a means to learn about applicants quickly and readily, and theyre your very first step toward new job opportunities. You may always select from the wide selection of High School Resume templates we must offer you. Schools, colleges and universities might have to adapt to be able to exist. High School Students should have the ability to work independently, and also with other folks. High School Resume templates are a valuable resour ce for such students. Career Objectives are excellent for resumes with a particular purpose. There are various sorts of resumes with corresponding purposes. A scholarship CV needs to be written purposely. A CV for scholarship is a critical bit of information which highlights your academic qualifications and achievements, your upcoming career goal and any other relevant information that might help you to receive a scholarship. Where to Find Example of High School Resume After you build your LinkedIn Profile, think about listing your private URL below your name. Moreover, remember tore not employing an unprofessional email address. Writing a resume summary statement could be the fruchtwein crucial facet of getting your resume prepared to submit to possible employers. A resume objective used to be considered the best method to start your resume, but a resume summary statement is currently considered a better choice. Keep reading to learn more, and dont neglect to look at o ur sample high school resume for inspiration While the functional resume format may be an attractive choice for job seekers with minimal experience, most employers would rather have a chronological or hybrid resume format. Your resume will be split into sections. Our resume library has a wonderful selection of samples. Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a few minutes. Just take a couple of minutes to consider what you are going to want to include as far as your skills go. Employers arent going to expect you to have years of paid work experience whenever youre in high school. Just make certain it is wholly clean of whatever you wouldnt need a prospective employer to see. Whether its because of the high degree of caffeine found in coffee or some individuals just arent themselves in the early hours, but the job of a Barista can be extremely stressful. Everyone was in the exact same situation when they were searching for their very first job An interview could also be needed to land the job, but a resume is critical to begin the approach. Utilize part time or summer jobs to reveal your work ethic. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Example of High School Resume Is Wrong You simply get to visit high school once. If youre a high schooler that has been accepted to a college already, you may also state your colleges name and the date you will start attending. You can and ought to incorporate anything which you think is pertinent to you as a student. If a student attends college to be a doctor then teach them what they will need to know to be a health care provider. High school may be a challenging time in the life span of a student because he or shes predicted to bag a job after graduating. For that reason, its important to be sure your high school entrance essay is well organized. You have just what it requires to be successful in college. High school students may require a resume to submit an application for work or as an element of a university application. Its not quite as difficult as you may think. Senior year ought to be fun. You may mention on your resume youve taken three decades of Spanish. Therefore, if your student intends to work while theyre in school or simply wishes to be ready for graduation, developing a scholarship resume now gives them the framework they should receive one ready for work applications once the time comes. For example, a high school teacher resume must underline the training and seminar participated because it is going to boost credibility. You are able to mention your upcoming education plans too. Your education ought to be a focus in your resume. Keep reading to discover our top 3 strategies for writing a winning high school resume. What a resume does is it summarizes your experience, skills, and other details. Broader areas of education that dont will need to get learned to execute the work skill shouldnt be required. Students with little if any work experience may also add a section discussing their involvements.

Unconventional Ways to Strengthen Your Team - Spark Hire

Unconventional Ways to Strengthen Your Team - Spark HireJason Nazars recent article on Forbes.com, 17 Counterintuitive Things the Most Successful People Do, focuses on unconventional methods of improvement for individuals. But after reading through the suggestions, it seems that many are very relevant to good management and could be applied to helping a gruppe improve itself, as well. Nazar doesnt lean on the old adages such as, constantly self-evaluate. Instead, he suggests putting yourself, or in these examples, your gruppe, into what could be negative or potentially uncomfortable situations in order to foster growth. Professional growthdoesnthappen in a vacuum, so consider how some of these tips might play out as a manager implements them with his or her team.Confront your employees and play the devils advocate. If the goal is to have a team that could do your job in your absence as well as their own, they need to understand the why of what you do and what the company does. Questi on them about why they are completing a task a particular way or why they assume the company is expectant about a particular project. Taking an opposing side momentarily will force your team to assess their ideas and plans critically.Repeat mistakes, or encourage trial and error, over and over again. Offer employees the space to innovate within their own job and dont shy away from failure. If they fail once, they probably need to fail again at the same task in order to really understand how to improve it. As Nazar says, Sometimes, mistakes do need to be repeated if the payoff is big enough. We hardly ever learn anything truly worthwhile after one try.Self-sabotage and be self-critical This is an important step when you find yourself mired in complacency. When in team meetings and one on ones, ask your team to justify what theyre doing and how theyre doing it. If the days at the office have been moving along relatively smoothly, question whats going on, and seek ways to do the job ev en better.Help your employees become accustomed to rejection. Rejection and negative feedback is a part of everyday life, at both work and home. A manager does nothing to serve his team if he always gives sunny reports about their ideas, plans, and performance. Little growth can take place when employees are always met with yes, and of course, and great idea. By rejecting ideas and giving negative feedback, you build up your employees resistance to it in the future and push them to come up with improved ideas and processes.Words like rejection, mistakes, and sabotage, are frightening when applied to the workplace and trulycounter-intuitivewhen thought about in terms of someones job. But typically, progress cant be made without ruffling some feathers, and innovators are bound to fail at some point. Hopefully, failure, feedback, and error help employees to strengthen their resolve as well as their nerve, which will only serve them better as the working world continues to get competiti ve.Would you stir the pot in your office if you feltemployeeswere getting complacent? Let us know what you think about these unconventional ideas to strengthen your team in the comments.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byolliethebastard

How choosing your partner affects your career

How choosing yur partner affects your careerHow choosing your partner affects your careerIs your partner propelling you forward (or pushing you backward?)Tzu siches romance in the air at this time of the year. Spring just began, wedding season is nigh, and everyone is ditching their Netflix accounts for happy hours sunset drinks and endless tacos.While everyone seems to be coupling up- posting lovey pictures all over Instagram, you never really know whats going on behind closed doors. What is being portrayed on social media usually resembles nothing true. Whatsreallyhappening with some ofthe more performative couples out there? Does he empower his partner in her career? Does she encourage her partner to go for that Director position?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWithhigh-profile divorcesand recouplings in the news, I have also thought about this- how does my own relationship s erve me? How does it fit in with my family? How does it fit in with my goals, my career, and my lifes trajectory?The psychology of loveWhat prompted me to write this piece welches seeing this statistic Having a conscientious spouse can boost your salary by $4,000 per year and increase your chances of getting promoted.This really spoke to me. In my mid-twenties, I was in a very serious relationship with a person. As our relationship progressed, so did my career- right up to the point where it surpassedhiscareer. All of a sudden, things were out of whack. I was working too much (trust me, I wasnt), my boss had a crush on me (trust me, he didnt) and the very few work parties I had to attend were breeding grounds for ugly flights.My burgeoning career was suddenly a third person in our relationship- and there wasnt enough room. With that, I had a decision to make. Would I descend back down this ladder to preserve one mans bruised ego or would I let the relationship crumble?In this instan ce, I chose my career. But, the thing is- I should not have had to choose at all. No partner worth having would put you in the position. If your partner challenges your success, downgrades your achievements, or offers any sort of career or me ultimatum, its likely time to bestattungs your coat and head out.According toa study by Carnegie Mellon University,people with supportive spouses are more likely to give themselves the chance to succeed. What does this mean? Out of the 163 married couples studied, the ones with the more supportive spouses were more likely to take on rewarding challenges. Those who accepted challenges experienced more personal growth, happiness,and psychological wellness.Can a good partner help your gains?Many successful men and women have attributed their professional gains to the support and sacrifice of their spouse.An Example? Beyonc says that Jay-Z has been supportive on every level, saying I would not be the woman I am if I did not go home to that man. He gives me such a foundation.Billionaire Warren Buffett says that the main turning point in his life was not a geschftsleben acquisition or a multi-billion dollar merger, butmeeting his wife, Susie. Buffett describes marriage as the ultimate partnership. Without Susan Susie Buffett, Warren would not have experienced success on the scale that he has.Marry the right person. Im serious about that. It will make more difference in your life. It will change your aspirations, all kinds of things.Since celebrities arereallyjust like us, here are some of our favorite power couples- and how they champion each other every single day.Beyonc + Jay-ZOk,Lemonadewas a rough patch. A marriage under the public eye faces a ton of scrutiny. When youre Beyonc- literallyBeyonc- that scrutiny is magnified.Since we all watched this play out in real-time, I wont bore you with details. What I will say is that they both leaned into their very-public marital issues and worked (undoubtedly really hard) to fix the m.Ellen DeGeneres + Portia de RossiIn 1992, Ellen Degeneres made the controversial decision to come out as openly gay. Years later, after getting together in 2004, de Rossi found the strength in her partner, to come out as openly gay in 2005. deRossi explains,My feelings for her overrode all of my fear about being out as a lesbian. I had to be with her, and I just figured Id deal with the other stuff later.Since then, Degeneres and de Rossi have maintained a place as one of Hollywoods fruchtwein supportive power couples.Amal + George ClooneyAmal Clooney is a Lebanese-British lawyer who specializes in international law and human rights. George Clooney is her husband, an actor you may have heard of.One of the things that make Amal and George a power couple is their stark differences. Amal, having never been a part of show biz, exemplified real meaning in her own work. This is not yperit on her husband, George, who admires her success, saying, Im a much happier person and we have a ver y happy life. We enjoy many of the same things and I very much enjoy the projects that she takes on because they havereal consequence.Jada + Will Pinkett-SmithJada and Will Smith make no bones about crediting each other for their successes. Jada largely credits Will for saving her from addiction issues she had faced in the past.In addition to the longevity of their relationship. both Pinkett-Smiths are dedicated to their marriage- their life partnership. As such. they have been brutally honest about the ups and the downs they have experienced. On their lifelong partnership, Will explains, Theres no deal breakers. Theres nothing she could do- ever- nothing that would break our relationship. She has my support geschiebemergel death, and it feels so good to get to that space.Chrissy Teigen + John LegendBesides being yourfavorite Twitter userand your favorite crooner. respectively, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are a powerful and mutually-supportive couple.One of the more refreshing as pects of this couple is their authenticity- and we dont use that word lightly. While Teigen is famous for unapologetically sharing the good, the bad, and her post-modeling stretchmarks, Legend is equally forthcoming. On their relationship, Legend says.I dont want to present myself as the perfect spouse and I dont want to present our relationship as the perfect relationship because I dont think anybody meets that definition. I think its too much pressure to put on anyone. However, I dont mind being known as somebody whos devoted to their wife. I am devoted to Chrissy.Michelle + Barack ObamaWe love Michelle and Barack. And, no matter what side of the aisle you stand on, you cannot deny that these two people are sincerely devoted to one another.During Obamas Presidency, he took every opportunity to place praise on his beloved wife, Michelle. Post-Presidency, he has taken to introducing himself as Michelles husband.Instead of writing for days on this particular couple, I will let two qu otes speak for themselves.Barack on MichelleHaving said all those things, the quality I love most about her is, shes honest and genuine. I think that comes across to people. They get a sense that they can trust her. You know, the word authenticity is overused these days. But I do think it captures what folks are looking for- not just in leaders, but also in friends and in coworkersand that is, folks who are on the level. People like that tell you what they think and dont have a bunch of hidden motives. Thats who Michelle is.Michelle on BarackBarack woke up on our wedding day in October 1992 with a nasty head cold. Somehow, by the time I met him at the altar, it had miraculously disappeared and we ended up dancing almost all night. Twenty-five years later, were still having fun, while also doing the hard work to build our partnership and support each other as individuals. I cant imagine going on this wild ride with anybody else.Rita Wilson + Tom HanksA funny aspect of finding a partn er is timing. This is something Tom Hanks recognizes in his meeting (and falling in love with) his wife, Rita Wilson, saying,The success of our relationship was a matter of timing, maturity, and our willingness to have an intimate connection.When Hanks and Wilson married in 1988, neither were the superstars they are today. When Hanks shot to celebrity after starring inPhiladelphiain 1994, Wilson stood by his side.Their marriage has forged on for what seems like centuries, by Hollywood standards. When Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, it further cemented their bond. Wilson explains,You never know how your spouse is going to react in a situation like this. I was so amazed, so blown away by the care my husband gave me. It was such a normal, intimate time.Kristen Bell + Dax ShepardWhen Bell and Shepard met and began to date in 2007, it was a classic good girl meets bad by scenario. Bell explains that He was a drug addict and he was wild, and I was very much a good girl wh o went to Catholic school.While they had a bumpy road at the beginning, Bell and Shepard married in 2013. What many people may not have known is that Shepard struggled with drugs and alcohol. On the 14th anniversary of his sobriety, Bell posted a touching tribute to Shepard, saying, I know how much you loved using. I know how much it got in your way. And I know because I saw how hard you worked to live without it. I will forever be in awe of your dedication, and the level of fierce moral inventory you perform on yourself, like an emotional surgery, every single night.You + YouDo you know who else is a great partner? Your own damn self.We live in a society that is constantly banging the drum on coupling up to experience real happiness. Some of us are great all on our own. Date yourself. Take yourself to experience new things. Learn brand new skills. Conquer fears you have always experienced andlearn from yourself. Chances are that you will fall in love withyou.Create a life in which you constantly work on your own strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between. You will never be more fulfilled than when you truly learn to love and champion yourself.This article originally appeared on Career Contessa.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Use Visualization to Boost Your Career - The Muse

How to Use Visualization to Boost Your Career - The MuseHow to Use Visualization to Boost Your Career One of the practices that contributes to Michael Phelps success as a swimmer takes place well before he gets into the pool. As part of his training regimen, Phelps visualizes every detail of his race- from responding to something going wrong (like ripping his suit) to crossing the finish line ahead of his competitors. Phelps has used visualization (along with other training methods, of course) to achieve incredible things in his career, like winning 28 Olympic medals to become the most decorated Olympian of all time. But you dont need to be a world-class athlete to borrow his tricks- and Im living proof.Visualization has played an absolutely essential part in hitting a number of my career goals, such as pitching high-profile clients with confidence, scaling my business to six figures, and tackling large, complex projects without feeling completely overwhelmed. My visualization practi ce has, in many ways, acted as the bridge between where I am in my career at any given moment to where I want to be- by allowing me to see and feel my future success before it actually happens.Think about building a jigsaw puzzle. Have you ever attempted to build one without having the kasten top to look at? It is extremely difficult to complete the puzzle without knowing what the outcome should look like, says executive leadership coach Cynthia Corsetti. You may fit pieces together, you may get bits and pieces of the puzzle done, but it will take longer, be mora challenging, and possibly never reach completion. Corsetti believes the same is true of your career the more clear and detailed you are when you visualize what you want from your career, the easier it will be to make it a reality.Of course, while visualization can definitely help you improve performance, for the best results, you need to pair it with action. Phelps didnt just visualize himself winning races- he also spent h undreds and hundreds of hours in the pool. Want to give visualization a try? Heres what you need to know to get abfluged.Visualization 101Whats Visualization?Before we jump into how visualization can completely transform your career, lets quickly cover what, exactly, visualization is.Visualization is the ability to create a clear picture in your mind of the exact circumstance you wish to create, says Corsetti. It has also been called setting intention, attraction, and positive thinking, she adds. Its an actual skill that a person can learn.Visualization is seeing, feeling, and completely embodying a future outcome- whether thats snagging the eckball office, completing a marathon, or buying your dream home- before it happens. By creating your desired future outcome in your mind in as much detail as possible, you can actually transform your visualization into reality. The ScienceHow Does Visualization Actually Work?When you visualize yourself hitting a specific goal, your brain interp rets that imagery as reality- and, as a result, creates new neural pathways to support that reality. Visualization is effective at boosting performance because it activates the same regions of the brain that are activated when actually performing a task- athletic, academic, or anything else, says Roselyn Smith, a licensed psychologist, hypleidherapist, and management consultant. It actually changes the pattern of our electrochemical brain waves. In other words, by using visualization, youre tricking your brain into acting as if your desired outcome- whether thats nailing a presentation, landing a big promotion, or launching your own business- has already happened. And because your brain thinks your desired outcome has already happened, youre more likely to take the actions necessary to align with your brains perceived reality.Visualization can even cause physical changes. One study found that participants who visualized workouts were able to increase their muscle mass by 13.5% over the course of 12 weeks- even though they never stepped foot inside a gym. (Imagine how much more theyd have gained if theyd actually worked out)The ExercisesWhat Visualization Exercises Can I Do to Be More Successful at Work?So research has shown that visualization can work. But how, in practice, do you use it to make you more successful? Here are a few exercises to get you started.Start With Basic VisualizationIf youre just hopping on board the visualization train, youre going to want to start with the basics. Carve out a few quiet minutes each day to sit down, close your eyes, and picture where you want to go, who you want to be, and what you want to do in your career. You can start small (like picturing yourself rocking an upcoming presentation) or go big (like celebrating your first six-figure year in business).The key to this exercise is being as specific as possible. See whats going to happen clearly in your mind. Home in on all the small details, from what youre wearing to th e way youre speaking. And let yourself experience the emotions that go along with the visualization (so, for example, the sense of pride youd feel when landing a raise or the rush of excitement youd get when you launch a new product). The more realistic you can make your visualization, the more effective itll be.Picture the Worst-Case ScenarioThere are bound to be obstacles on any career journey. With visualization, you can anticipate what theyll be- and come up with a plan so you know exactly how to handle them when they arise. Lets say, for example, that youre gearing up to pitch a new project idea to your team. Visualize all the things that could go wrong- your presentation crashes, you forget important information in the middle of your pitch, your team says theyre not interested- and, more importantly, how youll handle them.Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss calls this fear-setting basically, you spend time imagining all the potential worst-case scenarios and how youd navigate them. This way, youll be prepared and have a game plan if and when it happens, and youll be much more likely to succeed as a result.Focus on Specific Skills or GoalsAs the previously mentioned study showed, practicing a task in your mind can yield measurable results- even if you never practice that task IRL.Want to become a better public speaker? Spend time visualizing yourself speaking to large crowds. Want to increase the number of potential clients you speak to each day? Picture yourself hitting the phones and connecting with tons of prospects each day. The point is, the more you practice the skill in visualizations, the better youll be at said skill in reality.Write it DownHave a hard time visualizing things in your mind? No worries Writing down your visualizations can be just as effective as picturing them in your head- perhaps even more so.I have my clients write a story that describes in detail what they want their future to look like- down to the pictures on the wall of their office, s ays Corsetti. Adults learn by using all their senses. By writing the exercise they are using their thoughts as well as the physical activity of writing which seals the idea and makes it more concrete.The Next StepsWhat Else Do I Have to Do? Clearly, visualization is a powerful tool. But heres an important reminder If you want to see real results, you need to pair it with tangible actions. You can visualize yourself calling up 100 client prospects a day- but if you never actually pick up the phone, youre not going to get the results youre looking for.Its more than just think about it and it will happen, says Corsetti. You see, when you visualize yourself as a leader, or as an entrepreneur...you have to start to respond and act as you would in that role. So, for example, if youre visualizing yourself landing a coveted promotion, in addition to picturing yourself in this new role, you need to start acting as if youre already in it, whether that means taking on more responsibility, ment oring newer members of your team, or logging extra hours at the office. And when you pack this one-two punch- visualization and action? Opportunities begin to present themselves. You attract people and circumstances that will help you get there, Corsetti explains. It literally steps up your game on a daily basis.Visualization is like a roadmap for that old saying- if you can dream it, you can achieve it. Because the right exercises can help you imagine the career you want. And with that vision, plus the corresponding actions, you can start making it a reality.

Unsolicited Application Letter

Unsolicited Application LetterUnsolicited Application LetterOne of the best ways to find a good paying job in todays world is with online job deutsche post dhling websites. The downside to posting your resume online is that you will likely receive offers from companies you never heard of before. If you decide to contact companies you find online, you need to submit an unsolicited application letter. An unsolicited application letter is also suitable for sending to employers who requested you fill out an application when you have no interest in the job. Unsolicited application letters, unlike solicited letters, also let you contact employers who do not post jobs online or do not have any current jobs posted as a way to get your foot in the door.An Unsolicited Application Letter Acts as a Cover LetterThink of an unsolicited application letter in the saatkorn way you would a cover letter. The employers you contact have no information about you and know nothing about you or why you would be a good fit for that company. You need to make your unsolicited application letter shine and show that employer a list of reasons why they should hire you or at least give you an interview. A well-written unsolicited application letter can make that employer decide to take a chance on you.Making Your Unsolicited Application Letter ShineWhen you write a cover letter, you probably spend hours writing, reviewing, and editing before sending it to potential employers. You need to put that same level of effort into writing an unsolicited application letter. Give employers a clear list of reasons to call you in for an interview.How Do I Write an Application Letter?You write an application letter by highlighting aspects of your career and other crucial information, includingUp-to-date contact informationYour experience levelAll relevent education you haveThe research and your understanding of the companyWhy you want to work for that employerA reference to your included resumeWhat is an Unsolicited Resume?An unsolicited resume means the same thing as an unsolicited application letter. Its a resume you send to an employer who has no jobs posted online, or no current jobs available. Re-tool your unsolicited resume so that your professional summary, skills, and work experience align with the goals of the company, or the industry that the company is in.Contacting Employers with an Unsolicited Application LetterContacting employers with an unsolicited application letter can open doors that were previously closed to you. The unsolicited application letter acts as an introduction to you, your skills, and why youre a good fit for that company. Read unsolicited application letter samples to see how others created similar letters, and create a compelling resume to go along with that letter with our resume builder. A well-written unsolicited application letter can help you get a great job, even when the company isnt hiring publicly. Related Articles What are the Best Career Change SkillsWhat is an Informational Interview?What is the Proper Resume Length?