Read My Next Book Before Everyone Else and Completely FREE - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Read My Next Book Before Everyone Else and Completely FREE - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I am REALLY excited to announce that my next book Leading With Happiness comes out on November 21st.?Read all about it here. You are hereby cordially invited to read it completely FREE and before it goes on sale. The only thing we?ask in return, is that you review it online when it is published.?Click here?to see how it works and sign up to The Early Reviewers Secret Club :)?Access is limited to the first 500 people and you must sign up no later than November 2nd. Sign up is closed. 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

How to Get Yourself Promoted IM HIRED

How to Get Yourself Promoted Dear Boss, Id like to be paid more money, please give me a promotion. As a career advice blogger I get asked this question a lot. How are you supposed to stand out in the work place and make the people above you realise you deserve that promotion. Maybe you have already had a few ideas of your own but none of them quiet worked out as you would have hoped. You began by sitting down with your manager and making them aware you wanted more, you were happy to take on that extra workload you just wanted some recognition, maybe a change in job title but ideally a boost in your payslip. And how did that work out for you? Somehow your boss heard youre happy to work hard and do other jobs but your contract remains the same. You have ended up doing more but gained nothing in return. Does that scenario  sound familiar  to you? How do you do it differently? Do you wait for the next role to be advertised and then submit your application to only be told they have decided to go external for the post and again youre beaten to the finish by someone you didnt  even know was in the race. Now all you have to do is pretend you understand and remember to not make it awkward when you are asked to train the newbie despite not being good enough for the job. We all want to be recognised for what we do well but you cant just wait around expecting for it to happen, so how do you get promoted from within? I have put together the five main things you need to do to get yourself promoted in your current job and make 2018 the year where you get the position you deserve. Step 1  Know what you want We all want more but that doesnt mean we are going to get it and it doesnt mean it even exists. If you are looking for a promotion think about what you actually want from a promotion. Is there a particular role you are after, extra responsibilities  or duties you are eager to take on? Have a clear idea of what it is you want, so you know what is needed to go get it and be realistic. (If youre currently the reception wanting to go after the CEO role then you might need to put some steps into the middle.) Step 2 Make a Plan The key to getting a promotion is to take it seriously. Similarly to when you are applying for a new role you need that plan of action as to how you are going to get it. Okay so you might be lucky and your boss might call you to the side tomorrow and say thanks for all your hard work, wed love to promote you and give you a huge pay rise but in the real world thats not how it works. Instead you need to do your research, what skills, strength or experience do you need to get promoted, who has the authority to make decisions about promotions, how are you going to get noticed and what is your timeline you are going to be working towards. You should have this all planned out before you making your intentions of a promotion known at work. Step 3 Form Connections Ever heard the phrase its not what you know but who you know? When it comes to promotions this can have a huge effect on your success. Lets say your hard working and youve proven you can do the job, that doesnt make this a slam dunk. What if someone equally as great in another department knows the hiring manager of that area, they are always talking in the break room and they have worked together on several projects. Now friendships shouldnt play a part in the recruitment process but if a hiring manager has had a lot of face time with one person and they only met you for the first time in the interview, of course they are going to know more about the other persons skills, strengths and experiences. So get yourself noticed and start building relationships with more people than just your office bestie. It is great to have referrals on your side when going for that promotion. My top tip is to do the tea run once in a while, the kitchen is a great place to connect with colleagues and attend a work do; its easier to get to know your colleagues or manager outside the work environment. Step 4 Update your Manager Why do so many people forget to keep their manager in the loop about them wanting a promotion? Do you spend your one to ones day dreaming or thinking about what you might have for lunch? Well snap out of it and take any face to face time with your manager seriously. If you know you have a meeting coming up, prepare yourself notes for the meeting so you can make sure all your questions and queries are covered off. Dont let your manager take over the conversation and leave thinking I wish Id just asked. Ask for their advice on how you would go about getting a promotion and take their advice on board. Feedback is essential for you to know where you can improve on your performance and it shows you are proactive if you are openly asking for it. Not everyone is ready for a promotion straight away but a good manager should support you in developing to a level where you are ready. Step 5 Take on board feedback and show your improvements Now this is a step that so many people forget. If you are given feedback on how you could improve to get that promotion, you need to be measuring your success against it weekly. You need to be taking ownership for your own development and how you do this is simple. Keep a log of areas you have managed to improve, any successes you have had that week and think of your own targets for the following week to better yourself. Then take all of that with you to your next meeting with your manager and if nothing is booked in request that face to face time. You are showing you can be responsible for your own progress and you have a great portfolio now if there is ever an interview for a promotion. *Top Tip*  If any of the successes you noted included working in a team ask those colleagues you worked with to write you a short testimonial of how well you performed. The Promotion Myth A lot of people believe you get promoted by doing the job above you well. If you do it for long enough someone will notice and youll get that recognition you deserve. While this isnt completely inaccurate it isnt the whole truth. Yes I complete agree that most organisations will ask you to prove yourself in the job before they offer you the role but some employers will take advantage of that situation or simply not even notice you are doing that extra work. You need to be proactive if you want that promotion and do all the hard work for your employer by making it super obvious that you going above and beyond. So take a record of everything extra you do, get colleagues to backup that you are hard working with testimonials and then present all that evidence to your manager. Youll make it impossible for them to say no to you and if they still say no without any explanation  well maybe its time to take your talent elsewhere. Related Reads: Signs You Should Quit

How to Write a Good Resume Summary

How to Write a Good Resume SummaryWriting a good resume summary is a great way to really impress the reader. I remember having a job interview for a position with a major corporation where I was hired, but only got the offer after having to sit through several excruciating hours of dumbfounded spectators. As it turns out, it was the last interview before I received my job offer.Now that I have my job, I want to write a good resume summary so that I am not remembered as a random candidate who got hired for a job because he or she had the most impressive resume that he or she wrote. I believe that it is important to understand what an interview is and why they are always a test of character. When a person goes into an interview, they are going into a process which can only be described as a relationship. This is a process that is about getting to know another human being and how much they will need you to help them get to know you.At the end of the day, when the interview is over, the interviewer will do a thorough evaluation of the positive and negative aspects of your character. How you deal with them can make all the difference in the world when it comes time to let you know whether you have been hired or not. A good resume summary can tell a lot about who you are, so be sure to write one that really shines in this area.I always encourage people to take note of key questions at the end of their resume which will direct the attention of the reader. The resume should clearly explain the reason for applying for the job. Sometimes, the reason for applying is 'I love sales,' or 'I have the perfect personality for this job,' etc.A good resume summary should also include examples of what your accomplishments are for each of these reasons. If you say that you want to have great salesmanship skills, write a sentence or two about how you took part in an industry event, were involved in an industry meeting, etc. Make sure that you get this part right. If you don't, the r eader might think that you had no tangible accomplishments, which could cause them to ignore you.The last part of the summary is the summary of what you learned during the interview. This is where you will make your decisions about whether you want to work with this person, or not. In most cases, you will probably just want to get a chance to meet the person and see if you would be a good fit. In these cases, be sure to include all of the questions they asked, along with some of the answers, so that the reader can see where you missed something. Most people who get a job offer will simply take the first job they are offered because they learned more during the interview.So, if you really want to impress a potential employer, then the best way to do so is to write a good resume summary. Don't feel that it is too difficult, because most people have already done the hard work to create a great resume for themselves. To follow their example, take the initiative to create your own resume summary that will have the reader's attention, especially in today's economy. And, in the end, if you are hired, you will learn a lot about the person interviewing you, so you will stand out from the competition, and you will find that you are really pleased with the decision.

Job Interview Tips College Grads Can Learn From This Oberlin Students Facebook Rant

Job Interview Tips College Grads Can Learn From This Oberlin Student's Facebook Rant An Oberlin College senior named Elizabeth Bentivegna recently vented in a Facebook post about being rejected for a programming job at a Cleveland software company. Specifically, she was outraged by what she feels is sexism in the tech industry, and her post has sparked fierce debate online about whether there are different standards for men and women and just what is appropriate conduct during and after a job interview. As reported in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bentivegna said that a recruiter contacted her for the position, and after she interviewed with the tech company, passed along the feedback that she didn’t appear “put-together.” “She said they’d love to hire me based on my technical ability and my personality, but were not going to because A: I looked like I was about to go clubbing and not be on an interview, B: I had a huge run in my tights and C: I was late. And I told them I was going to be late,” Bentivegna told the Plain Dealer. The company said in prepared statement that Bentivegna was passed over for the job because they had more qualified applicants, not because of her appearance. Regardless of genderâ€"or your opinion on Bentivegna’s choice of interview outfitâ€"there are a couple things every young person entering the job market can learn from this incident, says New York career coach Roy Cohen. Here are some takeaways. 1. Plan Your Outfit Carefully Rather than going with your gut or an outfit that has worked for previous summer job interviews, research what type of interview attire is considered standard for the industry you’re looking to break into. Even if you know your industry or this company is more jeans and T-shirt than suit and tie, err on the conservative side with your fashion picks. If you are working with a recruiter, ask for her advice. “Say: ‘I’m excited for the chance to interview and want to make the best possible impression, do you have any recommendations on interview attire?'” Cohen suggests. Alternatively, you can always seek guidance from your college’s career services center on how to prepare. You can even wear the outfit you’ve got in mind to your meeting with career services as a way of vetting it beforehand. (For more tips on how to avoid making work-wear mistakes, see our summertime office ensemble guide.) 2. Be On Time Just because a recruiter or company suggests an interview time does not mean you are beholden to it. If other engagements, say class or another job, conflict or overlap with the time they’ve slotted, simply explain why that time will not work and suggest an alternate time during typical business hours, Cohen recommends. Don’t hurt your prospects unnecessarily by scheduling the interview too closely to other engagements either. Give yourself space to deal with a traffic jam or whatever else life may throw at you. 3. Stay Off Social Media It’s OK to post in celebration of landing a new gig. But ranting about a rejection or unfairness could lead you to make a career-destroying blunder as these social media users did. If an interview experience goes poorly or you receive criticism from an employer or recruiter, keep your venting offline. Tell it to a friend. Write it in a journal. “No matter how the interview goes, if you post about an organization, you need to keep it positive. If you have nothing nice to say, it’s better to say nothing at all,” says Cohen. “Venting in that kind of public way could easily tarnish your reputation and raises issues concerning your temper, judgment, and loyalty in the eyes of future employers who fear a similar treatment.” If you’ve already posted such a rant, purge it from your history. Hiring managers and the Internet have a way of uncovering your entire online identity, even those stupid offhand comments you may have made six years ago. If you don’t remember whether your web history includes such a venting session or something more offensive, a new app called Clear promises to search your social media accounts and flag anything questionable, then delete it. 4. Bounce Back from Rejection “Feedback is always valuable. We can use it to become smarter interviewers and gain insight into how we are being perceived,” says Cohen. “We can’t personalize every rejection, it would distort our own value. After all, companies have to reject someone.” But if you do feel the company misjudged you, maybe because of an outfit or a timing issue beyond your control, respond by sending the appropriate person at the company a thoughtful note expressing your disappointment at not being selected. Don’t challenge them on the reasons they or the recruiter might have given for the decision. Instead, outline the value you can add to the company once more and request another interview opportunity. You can also always ask to be kept in mind for any future openings. Read Next: 5 Ways Women in Tech Can Beat the Odds

4 Skills to Highlight When Applying for Non-Profit Jobs

4 Skills to Highlight When Applying for Non-Profit Jobs33The initial impact of a resume is important. But chances are youve got lots to say and notlage a lot of space to say it. When youre researching how to optimize your resume for the job hunt, youre spoiled with a diverse array of expert opinions and easy-to-follow guides. But what if youre thinking about shifting into a niche or specialized sector like non-profit jobs?Truth be told, a charity resume doesnt function the same way as a resume for a private sector position. Sure, youll need to include past job experience and highlight your skills, but even more than that you need to emphasize skills that underscore your humane side and answer the glaring question why do you want to work for THIS charity?To help you start, weve highlighted the top four skills important for non-profit jobs. Take a look.1. The desire to make a differenceCall it drive. Call it passion. Call it enthusiasm. No matter what you call it, its absolutely vital to demonstrate a clear-cut sense of motivation and a personal connection with the cause. In the non-profit sector, organizations want to know theyre hiring employees that really care about their mission and are likely to stick around for a while. Its especially important if youre changing your career. And it doesnt have to be all about business maybe you ran a side project in your spare time or took part in a marathon for charity. This can be demonstrated through any work you did volunteering, fundraising, campaigning or getting active in local politics.The best part? Being encouraged to showcase your passion allows you the space to inject a bit of personality and let the recruiter see a more human side of you.2. A think-outside-the-box approachThe way people donate is changing, and charities need to be constantly adapting and innovating. More than half of the population prefers to visit sites on their phones than on desktops. In fact, mobile-responsive donation sites receive 34% m ore donations than traditional desktop sites because the process is fast, simple and can be done during your lunch break or on your evening commute.Thats why charity recruiters are always on the hunt for creative thinkers and idea generators. When faced with new trends or sudden problems, its the original ideas that help move an organization forward. And its not just fundraising ideas. Did you provide new ways of cutting costs at your old job? Or maybe you came up with a way to streamline office communication. This is important in every part of a charity. So if you can demonstrate that youre forward-thinking and can help find ways to do things better or save money, youll be a strong asset for the team.3. Empathy and sensitivity in communicationMost businesses are looking for people with good communication skills. But for non-profit jobs they need people who are not only great communicators but can also demonstrate empathy and sensitivity. Whether youre fundraising, running a help-li ne or working face-to-face with the public, its important to always come across as warm and sincere.In non-profit jobs where youre working directly with the public, good communication hinders on your ability to speak clearly and calmly during difficult or emotionally-charged situations. Most importantly, you want to make sure youre helping and not harming vulnerable people who come to your organization for help.4. Teamwork FlexibilityMore than just getting along with your colleagues, teamwork in the charity sector is about two things. Being willing to work beyond the specifications of your own role and give other members of the organization a hand. During busy times, everyone should to pitch in no one wants a jobsworth who isnt willing to help out because its not technically their responsibility.For this reason flexibility is such a valuable skill to demonstrate on your resume. Not every role in non-profit adheres to standard 9-to-5 working hours. In fact, the work-life balance is one of the things that draws candidates to the sector. Youre more likely to find part-time or flexible hours. But the flip side is that you may sometimes need to work on weekends and evenings for events or during busy campaigns. A can-do attitude can go a long way.Of course, we cant ignore important transferable skills like time management, organization, and work ethic. But its worthwhile to spend a bit more time making sure your passion, creativity, empathy and flexibility shine. If youre making the shift into the sector, theres always room to grow and develop (and hiring managers know that). In this case, passion trumps a perfect skill set, so dont be afraid to put yourself out there and find your dream non-profit job.This content was provided by CharityJob, the largest and most specialized job board for the charity and not-for-profit sector in the UK.

Multiple Job Offers 4 Steps to Help You Decide

Multiple Job Offers 4 Steps to Help You Decide As a career coach, I can honestly say the only thing better than seeing my clients secure a job offer is seeing them secure two job offers concurrently.Seriously, its my favorite thing.Two options. Two suitors. Two choices for dessert. The presence of a second choice helps to clarify whats so excellent about the first choice and vice versa. They stand on their own, of course, but options make the process better.Too many options, unfortunately, can create option paralysis. This feeling may be familiar to those of you who spend 20 to 30 minutes figuring out which Netflix show you want to watch, before realizing you dont have enough time to watch it nowOption paralysis sucks. But two options can be energizing deciding whether to take your honeymoon in Iceland or Hawaii creates the opportunity to zero in on whats great about each. You can get closer to your values, and make a good solid decision.Here are 4 steps to choosing between 2 job off ers without the anxiety. Get out a pen and paper, because youre going to need one1. First, identify whats important to you.My favorite tool to use when helping clients decide between two options is the simple matrix X-axis, Y-axis grid. Create one for yourself by putting the two company names on the left hand side. Across the top, identify the criteria that are important to you in a job.You can write downthe basics like commute, salary, work/life balance, working with a team, flexibility, the culture of the workplace, or how energizing the job might be for you. These are just ideas.Put in the job attributes that are important to YOU. Try to limit this list to the most importantsix to 10 qualities.If youre feeling stuck, take a moment to identify your personal values. It may sound overwhelming to list the most important qualities of a job, but there are tools to make it simpler. Try a free character test, and see if that helps you clarify thethings that are important to you.Exhibit A 2. Now, grade the offers with respect to your criteria.I like to use a 5-point grading system here. Look at your offers, and grade them according to each value or quality. One company may offer a higher salary and worse work-life balance (ranking at 5, lets say,in salary and a 2in work-life balance). The other company may have great flexibility (a 4 or 5), but you may not see opportunities for a high salary(a 2). Now, tally them up.Exhibit B3. Weight your criteria.Sometimes youre tischset after completing steptwo, but sometimes something still doesnt seem quite right. You can return to yourmatrix and weight thecriteria. For example, if the opportunity to move up within the organization is really important to you, and the length of the commute doesnt matter as much, rank accordingly. By weighing the criteria that are most important to you, you may see a different result that just feels more right.Exhibit C4. And listen, listen, listen to your inner voice.Pay attention to how your bod y responds to your choices. Your gut knows whats right. Sometimes, its your head that makes things confusing.Ultimately, the right job is the job that meets your basic needswhile letting your values thrive. So determine what is more important to you, and evaluate each opportunity accordingly. In the end, evaluate with your heart. Youve got this--Allison Task is acareer and life coachwho helps clients move through big transitions with humor, ease, and grace. She sees auf der ganzen welt clients virtually and local clients in her Montclair, NJ office. She is a sought-after public speaker and author of the best-sellingPersonal (R)evolution How to Be Happy, Change Your Life, and Do That Thing You Always Wanted to Do.

A Secret Weapon for Resume Organization

A Secret Weapon for Resume Organization Resume Organization for Dummies Thus, having the capability to bring organization to your company will result to efficiency. The area of business is huge and theres an excellent number of positions out there in it. The competitive climate of the work market has gotten to a fever pitch in the past several years. Staying organized in the workplace may spare a company time and money. What Resume Organization Is - and What it Is Not Employers may want to know the level ofcommunication skills youve got and how well you work with other people. You should know what things to have in your curriculum vitae and what things to avoid. For instance, you may want to highlight your organizational skills. Organizational Skills If youve got organizational soft abilities, they speak to your capacity to work effectively at work. The Pain of Resume Organization Meetings are often open to nonmembers also, offering an amazing means to find out more a bout an association before joining. Professional Organizations offers you specific info on your field, future trends, and research articles that you could read for additional career development. Organizations can also enhance your network associations. New Ideas Into Resume Organization Never Before Revealed In addition, there are books solely written to assist you write terrific resumes. Your jobs could possibly be varied, your experience and techniques vast, and it can be challenging getting it all on paper. When you look thorough lots of college resume examples, it is going to become obvious your achievements in education are a really strong foundation for a hiring decision. Resume Organization - the Conspiracy Job Interview Strategies for Older Workers When you go for a work interview, dont forget that you will likely be interviewed by somebody who is younger than you, and therefore dont become embarrassed or unnerved by the scenario. In your cover letter, you have to highlight your abilities and experience that address specific job requirements and demonstrate that you can do the job which you are applying for. Both can cause you to get exceptional but only one will be able to help you land work. Specificity on the Resume You always must tailor your resume to the job youre seeking, and in the event the position demands strong organizational abilities, make certain to describe them as specifically as possible. Definitions of Resume Organization You should have the ability to create a column of dates and locations for each job by developing a perfect tab. All jobs have elements in common and sometimes it merely requires a creative approach to get the hyperlink. No matter what you do, do not comply with a ja genau template. The Battle Over Resume Organization and How to Win It Many also consist of supervisory and management experience together with the adherence to codes and the capability to troubleshoot technical issues. You also need to be cautious about any business or role-specific jargon you use. Depending on the recommendation of our expert sources, here are a number of broad types of skills your resume could include, together with unique methods to express them. An organization which uses simple, staid language is going to have personality different from one that utilizes playful words. Ruthless Resume Organization Strategies Exploited Organization games for children, like sorting activities or memory games, can help young individuals learn skills that will be useful throughout their entire lives. After all, it says a whole lot about you whenever you were promoted in an organization or had the ability to transition your role. The full organization is studied to define all of the work thats required to be accomplished. By way of example, highlight project management abilities or note in your resume if your preceding organization has a culture much like the organization where youre applying. The range of resumes in an association database is comparatively small and your resume has an outstanding probability of being noticed by a possible employer. Recruiters read plenty of resumes, so they dont wish to need to devote a lot of time looking over yours. Employers understand that youre young and looking to enhance your experience, so give them as much as you can that shows youre be an important employee. When they review your resume, they should be able to figure out quickly what you did at a particular job.