The Origins and Benefits of Hidden Employee Talents

The Origins and Benefits of Hidden Employee Talents In every company, there are a number of hidden talents. Some are fairly predictable. Regardless of whether or not it’s part of their job duties, there will always be employees who are gifted at speaking, presenting, selling, writing, managing, etc. But there will also be other talents that employees possess that are hidden deep below the surface and may not be so beneficial to their role at the company…or are they? During my tenure at my current company, we have had a number of musicians in the recruiting department, of which I am one. Additionally, we have had a variety of artists and athletes that have all contributed to our work output and company culture in their own unique ways. In my experience, companies who employ workers with unique and diverse talents not only see it pay off in a fun and collaborative work culture, but see a number of ancillary benefits from those talents as well. Let’s look at a few examples. The Musician Someone asked me recently if I noticed a similarity in the rhythm I feel when playing music and the rhythm of writing an advertisement or blog. My answer was that I didn’t notice a similarity in rhythm, but I did in the detail orientation used for each. Anyone who has played music knows that a common characteristic of an accomplished musician is extreme meticulousness. The difference in an eighth note and a sixteenth note on a sheet of music is a single flag on the note stem; the difference in timing only milliseconds. Yet playing the wrong note at the wrong time can change the feel of an entire song. Do I use the detail orientation skills I learned as a musician when writing ads and blogs? Every single day. The Dancer Brittney Barr, Sourcing Analyst for Insperity Recruiting Services, grew up as a dancer, and later became a dance coach. This instilled in her a number of lifelong skills that have served her throughout her career. According to Brittney, “Getting on a stage and performing in front of hundreds of people takes confidence, poise and a ton of hard work and practice. For those recruiters who have worked on difficult ‘purple squirrel’ positions, it can be highly frustrating and seem nearly impossible at times. Thoughts that come to mind are, ‘Candidates with those qualifications don’t exist,’ ‘I’m never going to get someone interested in this job,’ or ‘The pay is too low.’ Yet somehow, we find the right person to fill each job. It’s very similar to mastering a dance skill or technique; it takes persistence and countless attempts before finally getting the big ‘win’ moment. My perseverance and persistence learned in dance has helped me tremendously in my recruitin g career.” The Martial Artist Michael Deeb, Sourcing Analyst for Insperity, became involved in mixed martial arts as a form of “exercise with a purpose.” He was attracted to the sport as a former student of Kuk Sool Won martial arts and found it a good way to stay in shape beyond weight training. When reflecting on how his MMA training helps as a Sourcer, Michael says, “Persistence is the key trait. In order to be successful in both recruiting and fight training, you can’t be willing to throw in the towel. Digging deeper into the skills involved in becoming a true fighter and a Sourcer are very similar. It’s a mind-over-matter battle to keep pushing until you’ve exhausted all resources, either physically or on the web.” The Photographer Angi Lewis, Senior Recruiting Specialist for Insperity, has always been passionate about two things â€" helping people and photography. Having been a recruiter for over 15 years, she still feels the same excitement when extending an offer to that perfect candidate who she knows will be an asset to her client.  In her private life, photography has always been a great outlet to express her creativity  and share her view of the world. According to Angi, “Having recently started my own photography business on the side, I’ve come to realize that connecting with people and capturing the essence of who they are in a photograph has become the common denominator in my work. In my recruiting career, this ability to make people comfortable and get them to truly open up and share their motivators, their passions and their goals has allowed me to more effectively assess and determine the right interpersonal and cultural fit â€" not only for my clients, but for the candidates as well. Anyone c an match skills to a job. The art of recruiting, in my opinion, is to truly match the person to the career.” Just as in any field, there are several skills and traits required for being successful in the recruiting field â€" perseverance, determination, attention to detail and people skills are just a few. However, employees don’t learn these skills exclusively on the job, but rather from a variety of activities and disciplines outside the workplace. It’s the supplementary knowledge and experience they carry with them that can then be shared with coworkers and contributes to a unique and fun work environment. Wikipedia defines Synergy as the creation of a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. In an office culture, employees’ unique talents, personalities and past experiences combine to give the workplace far more character than any one employee could contribute individually. So what unique talents and abilities contribute to your workplace synergy?

Travel is terrible for your career

Travel is terrible for your career It used to be that if people had no plans for what they were going to do after getting their law degree, they would justify the choice by saying, Even if I dont go into law, I can always do something with a law degree. The law degree of the new millennium is travel. People think they gain valuable experiences from traveling that will be valuable no matter what field they go into. But its simply not true. All experience is not equal. And experience gained from having a job is much more useful experience than anything from not having a job. Here are all the reasons travel-based experience isnt as valuable as youd think. 1. Its an announcement that you had no idea what to do with yourself. People who are driven to build a career dont stop the forward motion to travel for no reason. If you are excited about your life, you do your life. If you are not excited about your life, you travel to get away from it. You can try to talk your way out of this revelation in an interview, but you will always look like you couldnt handle getting a job so you decided to travel. Which is why people who travel always look like they are running from something. There are a lot of ways to explain a gap on your resume. If youve already done the travel, instead of talking about the travel in that gap, talk about something you did to move your life forward. Maybe you learned to code, or started writing a novel. Did you try your hand at a startup from your parents basement? Anything is better than travel, even if that startup was a fast and furious failure. 2. You dont have time to travel.  The Independent just published research that shows people who fulfill career goals before age 27 are happier throughout their adult life. That rings true to me based on the lives of the hundreds of people Ive coached. If you had success by 27, you worry less about your long-term prospects because you feel like you can replicate that success throughout your career. And you have more confidence that you can change careers and be successful again. However if you do not have success by 27, you start to doubt yourself, and, actually, you should. Most people who will have success in their careers have shown signs of it by 27. This is not to say you will be doing the same thing at 27 that you will at 57. But, for example, by 27 I had set my sights on playing on the professional beach volleyball tour, and I succeeded in getting myself to California, getting sponsors, and playing on the tour. I was achieving goals that scaled toward a bigger goal, and even though my objective was unconventional by everyones standards, making that progress was a sign of my ability to create success. The big takeaway: Succeeding in your  career by 27 will make you happy, but travel will not. 3. Job-related travel is not sustainable.  Forget about going overseas for a job, because when you get back to the US youll be screwed. Im not kidding. Heres a whole article in the Economist about how US companies send people overseas to gain experience and then penalize people  on their return to the US. So lets just talk about those jobs that force you to get on a plane all the time. You get used to a big salary which is not actually big because you are trading your free time for money. And when you have to get a job that doesnt include travel you will feel like youre taking a pay cut. The most common job that is not sustainable because of travel is consulting. Dont even start doing it because its an unnecessary  stepping stone to a client-side job. You should just take the client side job to begin with. And, you  risk getting so addicted to the consulting salary and the consulting arrogance that you cant  make a shift later. I did the most travel was when I was toying with the idea of a speaking career. It just sort of happened that I was making $10K a speech, and I had a speech almost every week. Sometimes I spoke twice a week and you know that fun, weird feeling you get when youre dizzy and a little disconnected from your brain? Thats what I felt when I had no idea what city I was in. Again and again. I also noticed, in hindsight, that I did all that travel when my marriage was falling apart. Who would want to be home for that when money-making escape travel was right there? But once I reconnected with my kids and decided to get rid of one of our two full-time nannies, I had no desire to travel for speaking gigs. So I think people travel for work because they feel like they have nothing at home. Maybe youll say Im projecting here, but Im also right; a person can be both. 4. Travel wastes your time. If you want to learn about other cultures, sleep in a homeless shelter in Chicago for a week. Im sure youll have more culture-shock there than you will in a Marriott in Prague. The assumption that travel is intrinsically useful assumes we live in a world with no Internet. The more our national differences diminish, driven by a cross-national internet experience, the less valuable travel becomes. I  think about the increasing irrelevance of  national boundaries when I look at maps of people who visit this blog. The map up top is from a random day but its like all other days because you guys come from all over the world to read about the same issues. And I saw this trend most clearly when Id listen to my kids play video games with kids on Skype. Id say, Hey, wheres that kid from? And my son would say, Mom! Shush! Youre embarrassing me! No one cares! At one point, I had been hearing the same kids over Skype for four or five days in a row. So I said, Hi. This is Zs mom. Where are you guys from? One boy  said, with his  perfect British accent, Pakistan. And that was it. No one was like, Cool. Pakistan. Wow. No one talked about where they are from. My sons generation doesnt care. They dont think it means anything. And, I think  theyre  onto something.

Do CEOs Scavenge Social Media Accounts of Job Candidates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Do CEOs Scavenge Social Media Accounts of Job Candidates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As CEO, be honest do you look at potential employees social media accounts? If yes, what is it you expect to see from someone you WOULD hire? The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC recently published #FixYoungAmerica: How to Rebuild Our Economy and Put Young Americans Back to Work (for Good), a book of 30+ proven solutions to help end youth unemployment. 1. Positive and Professional Whenever we are vetting new team members, we tend to do a little Internet sleuthing to find out more about the person. Social media accounts are a huge part of that. We will look at Twitter and Facebook accounts to get a feel for their communication style and attitude. A positive attitude and professional communication give us confidence that their interaction with clients will be the same. Erin Blaskie, BSETC 2. Part of the Application I ask for links to all social media accounts right on the job application, and always check them out before contacting the person for an interview. The reality these days is that all of your employees represent your company, and they need to be aware that what they do and say is public. If I see a Twitter account or public Facebook page filled with angry, negative rants, that person is out! Laura Roeder, LKR 3. Dont Actively Look I don’t actively browse people’s accounts because I don’t want to see what they do in their private life; thats not what I am hiring them for. However, if candidates send me their profiles for me to learn more about them, I click. If nothing is hidden, it’s a downside because they come across as taking privacy lightly. I prefer to get a link to a well-maintained résumé site or a LinkedIn profile. Christian Springub, Jimdo 4. Both Potential Employees and Current Employees I regularly monitor social media accounts of my employees. Negative things that I watch out for are excessive profanity, inappropriate photos, and explicit and/or suggestive conversations. It gives you a window into who somebody really is as a person. Every single one of my employees represents my brand. Therefore, I want people who present themselves in a way consistent with our image. Richard Lorenzen, Fifth Avenue Brands 5. Let Yourself Shine Online Definitely. I personally maintain a private Twitter list of potential hires and monitor them over time, for example. But Im primarily looking for familiarity with social media, a sense of humor, and a true passion for what our company is doing. Consistent negative updates are usually a deal-breaker. Derek Flanzraich, Greatist 6. A Quick Glance I will look at the social media account of anyone Im considering adding to my team â€" because of my field, I need to hire people who are already web savvy. But I also expect to need to give them some training and guidelines on what I expect to see on their accounts in the future. These are new tools and people arent always aware of whats appropriate initially. Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting 7. Its Part of Your Brand Absolutely, I do. The first thing I look at is a potential hire’s LinkedIn account and who I know that’s connected to him or her. We work with our clients to make sure their LinkedIn profile displays their professional brand in a positive way, and I expect the same from a potential employee. John Hall, Digital Talent Agents 8. Very Valuable Tool I want to know that they fit the job description. For some positions social media is not relavant, but for some, I want to know if they are who they say they are and if they would fit my company culture. Social media is a great way to connect with anyone and also find out information about anyone. It is a tool, so use it as such. Louis Lautman, Young Entrepreneur Society 9. In the Age of Transparency Sure, I check them out; I like to see leaders and influencers. I stay away from shy people. We are in the age of transparency, and I want the members of my team to feel comfortable sharing their details online. Alexander Torrenegra, VoiceBunny 10. Absolutely Not! I see little to gain by snooping on prospective employees personal social media accounts. I would fully expect to find them engaging in completely unprofessional activities outside of work as they should be. Im more concerned about what kind of game face they can put on when the suit up in the office and judge them on their professional performance alone. Christopher Kelly, NYC Conference Centers 11. Social Media Doesnt Lie! People tend to always interview really well, and sometimes that means they choose to withhold certain information that prospective employers wouldnt want to hear. Every employer should look at a potential employees social media to see how they truly behave as a person. as weve found this always does play into their work ethic and character in the workplace. Warren Jolly, Affiliate Marketing 12. Time and Frequency Yes. During the interview process, we consider social media use in the context of time and frequency. If an applicant is consistently active during working hours, that is the only real red flag for our business unless they are managing company social media accounts. For a social media specialist, online presence is a job requirement; otherwise, its a distraction. Nick Reese, Microbrand Media 13. Smile on Social Media In our business, we work with the public. Smiling and being friendly is important. I expect to see potential employee smiling in photos and socializing. If I see potential employees not smiling in any photos or posting photos of inappropriate behavior, I would not want that person serving my customers. Nancy T. Nguyen, Sweet T

Ambitious Futures a graduate scheme for university leadership University of Manchester Careers Blog

Ambitious Futures a graduate scheme for university leadership University of Manchester Careers Blog Have you ever thought about what it takes for a university to operate? The University of Manchester is a massive business! It has an annual income of over £800 million, over 11,000 staff (of which about 5000 are non-academics/researchers), and over 300 buildings on over 700 acres of estate. Its a great place to start a career even if you dont want to be an academic or researcher. Ambitious Futures is a graduate scheme for the university sector training future leaders. It is only open to graduates of participating universities (which include the University of Manchester). The scheme involves two placements at your old University (i.e. Manchester) and one at another university in the region, N.B. Oxford will consider graduates from any of the participating universities. There are very few graduate schemes in HE administration so dont miss out. Applications open today for September 2015 entry, and close on 28th November. Eligibility Graduated from one of the partner universities within the last five years with at least a 2:1. Any undergraduate or postgraduate degree is fine. Able to work in UK for the duration of the programme (15 months). Find out more and apply. All Graduate graduate schemes University of Manchester Ambitious Futures a graduate scheme for university leadership University of Manchester Careers Blog Interested in a graduate scheme but want something a little different? Interested in the Higher Education/public sector? The Ambitious Futures Graduate Scheme could be for you! This unique programme will give you the opportunity to gain real experience in the business of how universities operate in a diverse and fast-paced sector. The scheme is 15 months long, involving three different placements across two universities. In each placement, you are typically involved in project-based work which could be in any area across the university. In addition to the experience and exposure you receive as a result of being on the programme, you will have additional support from a mentor and through peer Action Learning Sets. You will also work through a programme of study called the ILM to support your own learning and personal development. Alumni from the scheme have gone onto fantastic roles in project management, planning or in central government. Applications are open from 1st December 2015 to the 25th January 2016. Following the application form, the next stage is to be invited to take part in a formal strength-focussed telephone interview which asks for further details relating to your experience and competences. The final stage in the process is a full-day Assessment Centre which looks for further demonstration of your key strengths in relation to the core-competences to assess your suitability for the scheme. More information about the application and assessment process Additional hints and tips to guide you through the assessment process Eligibility for Ambitious Futures Jessica Nightingale, a current Graduate Trainee based at the University of Manchester and Lancaster University has been working on projects relating to Athena SWAN, Performance Development Reviews for research staff and producing statistics and supporting research for the Senior Management Team in the Institute of Population Health. My first placement in the Institute of Population Health has been eye-opening. My previous experience working with the university in part-time roles and on an MGIP, has been in student-facing and student-led environments so working with academic and research staff was wholly and completely new! I’ve learned so much about different operational processes and how the wider context really affects the limitations and opportunities within my place of work. In two weeks’ time, I will be starting working at Lancaster University in the Student Recruitment and Employment Team which is going to present challenges of a new university environment which is radically different to Manchester as well as new tasks and projects to engage with. For me the great thing about the scheme is that I have got to try other areas of work across two different universities to learn about where my interest and passion lies for my future career within the Higher Education Sector either in the UK or abroad, acces s and learning from senior members of Professional Support Services (PSS) staff as well as a structured programme of development opportunities! Gary Fairclough, graduate trainee at the University of Manchester and Lancaster University has been working in the Research and Business Engagement Team on two main projects relating to engagement and satisfaction with the Postgraduate Research (PGR) Community and in improvements to how academic staff across the university can engage with the business sector. Prior to starting the scheme, Gary had worked within the private sector in roles relating to energy consultancy so the Ambitious Futures graduate scheme has been a real opportunity for him to learn about and make a start in a new sector. My first placement has been in Research Business Engagement Support Services working on two projects with the Graduate Education and Business Engagement teams. These projects have been at the polar opposites of the work done by the directorate with my tasks ranging from engaging with postgraduate research students to surveying senior academics for their views on engagement strategy. This has tested my existing knowledge to the maximum and exposed me to a range of new experiences. It has given me the opportunity to get an understanding of the University and the wider sector, the challenges faced by the institutions and the many stakeholders involved. My forthcoming role with Lancaster University represents a whole new challenge within the Training Team, something that I have very limited experience of and will be jumping in at the deep end with! The scheme represented the perfect foundation for me to diversify my skills and experience from the private sector with a view to building a career with Higher Education. All Graduate Graduate jobs Uncategorized graduate schemes jobs University of Manchester

13 Tips to Elevate Your LinkedIn Profile

13 Tips to Elevate Your LinkedIn Profile In recent years, LinkedIn has proven to be one of the most important websites for finding a job.It is the place where all recruiters are hanging out, which helps you connect to them directly. And since they’re on LinkedIn to look for job seekers like you, where else would you want to be?evalIn order to prepare yourselves, and improve the chances of being noticed by these recruiters, make sure you portray your best professional-self in your profile.Think of yourself as a brand and use this ‘brand’ you’ve created to help impress your connections and find your next job.Don’t sell yourself short.Instead, advertise your skills to get people to like what you’re selling.It is very important for you to always showcase your profile in the best light as it makes for a good first impression.The last thing you should be doing is neglecting your profile. Always make sure your profile is up-to-date so that it highlights all of your achievements to date, in case someone chances upon you r profile.Scroll down to learn some of the best tips to make your profile one step further.1. Customize And Personalize Your LinkedIn URLevalPersonalizing your LinkedIn URL can help in more ways than you think.evalIn doing so, one may perceive you as someone who is detail-oriented and particular about how he/she is presented in their profile. It also shows that you’re technically savvy and makes an effort to present yourself in the best way.How to go about it:Step 1:Begin by clicking on the Profile Tab,and choose the first link that appears on the drop-down menu To make every detail come off as clearly as possible to the person viewing your profile, one must avoid giving ambiguous answers.For e.g., Instead of just stating what your skills are in the Skills Endorsements section, elaborate on how you’ve used them, where you’ve used them, and why you’ve used them.Also, don’t leave anything to the imagination for the person viewing your profile. Instead, talk about how your s kills have helped overcome unfavorable situations.You can do that byadding recommendations of people who would readily vouch for these skills that you possess. These recommenders could be your former colleagues, clients, etc.3. Nail Your SummaryThe summary section is of the first sections that the recruiters come across. Hence, they’re more likely to check it out. So make sure you reel them in by nailing your summary.Think of it as your first, and most crucial step towards impressing the recruiter.Here are some things to keep in mind while writing your summary:The first sentence must, without fail, include the qualities you possess that will be of value to others. It must highlight all of your key skills.It must talk about the work you have done, and the kind of projects you have been involved in. Also, include any or all professionalachievements of yours. At the end of this part, don’t forget to include your soft skills to add an extra dimension to your profile.As a whole, be s ure to use appropriate words that are often used by people belonging to the domain you’re interested in.For anyone viewing your profile on PC, only the first 220 words would be visible at one go. Hence, pack this part with impressive skills, intriguing the reader to further view your profile under the View Moreoption.Here’s an example,4) Craft A Clever HeadlineHeadlines always play an integral part in painting a picture of your profile. And since they are the first few lines that appear below your name in your profile, you must make sure it’s good enough to make people want to view your profile.Using apt keywords helps tremendously in drawing in viewers.Here are a few pointers to help you with your headline:Instead of concentrating on the “I” aspect, write about the value you will add to the recruiter.Think outside the box and be as creative with the headline as you can.Don’t include your contact information in your headline. It is more likely to be overlooked this way.I ncluding how you’ll be of value to the recruiter is always better than just stating your job title.For example,eval5) A Good Professional Picture Speaks VolumesevalYour photograph is a visual representation of who you are. Since humans are visual beings, we tend togive a lot of importance to appearances. We tend to look at something and immediately decide whether we like it or not.Hence, one can make a quick judgment on the photo you choose for your LinkedIn profile.And since LinkedIn is a business-centric networking sitewherein you help people network professionally, you need to make sure your photo looks professional.Follow the guidelines given below to help you choose a photo that’s LinkedIn-worthy:You must be in professional attire in the photograph to exhibit professionalism.You must look like the person in the photo, making sure your neck and shoulders are visible.The photo should consist of 60% of your face, at the very least, with no one but you in the photo.Last but not least, don’t forget to put on a smile in your photo since it’ll make recruiters look at you as a more trustworthy prospect.6) Make A Resume Out of Your LinkedIn ProfileIf you’ve made sure to keep your profile updated, including in them all of your achievements and projects you’ve worked on, you can easily convert it into a resume to have it on the go. All it takes is a couple of clicks and your LinkedIn profile will get converted into a resume, in no time. Here’s how to go about it:evalStep 1:Log into your LinkedIn profile and click on the Me tab.Step 2: In the ‘Me’ tab, click onView Profile.Step 3: The next step is to click on the“…” at the top and select the “Save to PDF” option.7) Keep Updating Your Status FrequentlyTime and again, status updates tend to get ignored by LinkedIn users.Status Updateshave a major impact on job seekers who update their statuses regularly. Since a status updateoccupiesa majorportion of the feed screen,it increasesthe job seeke r’s chances of getting noticed by recruiters by tenfold.A good status update showcases features such as:The update you postedYour nameYour photoYour titleImagesThe engagement metricsLinkedIn’s research statistics show that posting status updates for about 20 times per month can help you reach up to 60% of your audience. The key is to share status updates that are likely to appeal to potential employers.8) Get Found In Search With KeywordsUsing the right keywords makes a big difference to your profile. Using appropriate keywords will help your profile rank higher in search among your competitors.Following are the steps to increase your chances of being found:Single out the words you want to be found by when people search for it on LinkedIn.Include these keywords that you’ve picked out, in your summary, your headline, and your profile in general.9) Add A Proper Call To ActionAny resume would be incomplete if you don’t include a Call to Action. Once the recruiter has viewed you r profile, they should find it easy to contact you in case of any job openings.By adding a call to action, recruiters will perceive you as someone who is proactive and easy to contact. In the process, be sure to mention it in a creative way instead of sounding too desperate.For example,“I’m always looking for a new problem to solve, so if you’ve got one contact me at “[emailprotected]” is a good example of a proper call to action.10) Upload Relevant Photos To Make Your Profile AppealingAlways make sure that your posts are supported by relevant photographs. Statistics show that any post that has a photo attached to it garners 94% more views as compared to a post without photos.It is always better to give proof of the activities and projects you get involved in with the help of these photos.The multi-photo feature of LinkedIn allows the user to post multiple (Up to 9) photos for one post. Keeping this in mind, don’t post too many photos all at the same time.In such cases, the likeliness of a recruiter to miss out on important photos is high.11) The Power Of “Who Has Viewed Your Profile” ListWhenever you end up viewing a profile, you end up on their “Who’s viewed your profile” list, enabling them to check the people that have checked their profile. This allows job seekers to catch the recruiter’s attention by landing up on the list of people who have viewed their profile.Landing upon their ‘Who Has Viewed Your Profile’ list can improve your chances of getting shortlisted by volumes. It reflects your interest in the job they’re offering, helping them remember your name and profile during the process of checking different applications.12) Be A Part Of Relevant GroupsLinkedIn groups will allow you to keep up with the latest news and trends, help you connect with people, and expose you to certain opportunities that may not be publicized anywhere other than in groups. A typicalLinkedIn user can join up to 50 groups.LinkedIn groups act as virtual rooms that are formed around similar industries, professions, and interests.In these groups, one can, post things, answer questions, share articles, and connect with the other group members. Since your photo is displayed every time you post something, other members can click through your profile and find your websites.Additionally, by posting quality content in groups, you also position yourself as an expert in your field.13) Make Use Of NumbersJust like you would in your resume, make sure to include past results in your summary. Try and include case studies and numbers wherever you can, to prove the work you’ve done in your past. Numbers help in giving more credibility to the facts stated in your profile.For example,Statements such as “In my past work experience, I have helped acquire 150+ targeted clients in a matter of three months.” add more value to your profile instead of just mentioning that you worked in the Client Acquisition department.Following these tips wi ll help double your chances of getting noticed and contacted by recruiters. All that remains to be done is minor tweaks here and there which will end up having a major impact on your profile.Also, implementing these tips won’t take up much of your time and effort. So go ahead and see for yourself how a couple of changes can help you revamp your LinkedIn profile, for the better.Looking for more tips? Check out â€" Top 33 Linkedin Profile Tips for Job Seekers In 2017

Jack Ma is very very very wrong about the 996 rule - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Jack Ma is very very very wrong about the 996 rule - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Chinese tech company Alibaba, has come out in favor of the so-called 996 rule, i.e. that you should work from 9am to 9pm 6 days a week if you want to have a successful career. For anyone doing the math thats 72 hours of work a week. Add a 1 hour commute on top of that and theres very little time left for your family, kids, hobbies, exercise and life in general. His belief in this is unshakeable: I personally think that 996 is a huge blessing, he?said. How do you achieve the success you want without paying extra effort and time? He also added that you can only achieve business success through suffering and sacrifice. I realize I may be wasting my time here by going up against a belief that is so prevalent among business leaders, but theres no way I can let that kind of nonsense pass and not point out exactly why its wrong. Here are 5 quick reasons: 1: Pointing to successful people that achieved success by working 72 hours a week proves nothing. What about all the people that worked just as hard but failed? 2: Many of the mental qualities that make a person successful at work are lost when people are overworked, tired, stressed and unhappy, including networking, creativity and effective decision making. 3:?Permanent overwork kills people. For instance,?those working a 55-hour week face 33% increased risk of stroke. 4:?Permanent overwork?doesn?t result in increased output. 5:?Many people believe that success can only be achieved through suffering, but theyre wrong. In fact, employee happiness leads directly to higher performance and business success. So permanent overwork does not lead to increased results and success in fact it hurts people AND profits. Its easy to point to Alibaba and say But they work really long hours and the company is successful. Check mate! But thats just correlation; where is the proof that they are profitable BECAUSE OF the long working hours? Maybe they wouldve been even more profitable if their employees were happy, relaxed and had lives outside of work too? The research certainly indicates that. So why do so many people still believe this nonsense? As the psychologist Daniel Kahneman noted, its difficult to change peoples minds. Look at this picture: Every horizontal line is perfectly straight. Dont believe me? Hold up a ruler to your screen and check. OK, now that you know the horizontal lines are straight, what does your mind see? Bendy lines. Kahneman notes that cognitive illusions are even more stubborn than visual illusions and the business leaders he has worked with almost never changed their beliefs no matter how much evidence they were presented with. Fortunately, there are also many enlightened leaders out there: Toyota Gothenburg moved to a 30-hour work week and boosted both customers satisfaction and profits. Zach Holman of American software company GitHub puts it like this: Hours are bullshit! At the Australian company Wisetech, any employee that works more than 40 hours a week regularly must talk to their manager to redress the situation. And US Vice President Joe Biden wrote an awesome memo to his staff that said in part: I do not expect, nor do I want any of you to miss or sacrifice important family obligations for work. The upshot There is strong evidence that permanent overwork hurts people and performance. Lets stop promoting such a dumb and dangerous idea. Related articles Top 10 reasons why happiness at work is the ultimate productivity booster. Top 5 new rules of productivity Don?t let The Cult of Overwork ruin your work life Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Breathe...and Breathe...and Breathe... - When I Grow Up

Breathe...and Breathe...and Breathe... - When I Grow Up Just Breathe by newbeautiful. There is just oh so much I want to be doing. I have a dozen BIG projects in my mind that will not only help me grow my business, but that really excite me. I have friends family that I want to reach out to spend some time with. I have a yoga DVD running shoes a bubble bath a new book club book, all calling my name. I have this blog my clients my twiends my Facebook fans all tugging on my sleeve, requesting some attention. And I want to do it all. Now. Actually, not now. Yesterday. And I feel like Im back at Square 1. The focus is by the wayside (ooh! 1 unread message just popped up!), the balance has been thrown out of my life/balance despite the Me Time Im carving out for myself, Im not becoming the tortoise to smell the roses, my blood pressure is rising because Im focusing on what Im not doing as opposed to what Im doing, and I cant figure out what to do next! Whats the most important? When should this happen? How can I get out of my mind all the things Im not doing and want to do/feel guilty about not doing? If youre a creative type like me, someone thats balancing Life (a desk job, social needs, a family) with Passion (a new business youre building, your art, rehearsals), you need to map out whats realistic in terms of your time let everything else go. Its not easy, especially when your Passion is of the utmost importance! So, Im starting now by making a choice. OK, two. First choice: realistically figuring out how much time I have to build my business. I want to say 20 hours, but I know that will lead to burnout more craziness. So.lets say.(minus the commute time minus the work time minus the sleep time and the social me time)10 hours. (Taking a Deep Breath) I can do 10 hours. (Taking a Deep Breath again) OK, Choice number two: My Top 3 Goals. Because really, once you do more than that the craziness creeps back in. OK, Top 3 Goals right now: Finishing my action items from the BYW class Launching my newsletter Finishing my business plan (Another Deep Breath) I feel better already.