5 Big Reasons Why Self-Evaluation Should Be Part of Your Year-End Planning

5 Big Reasons Why Self-Evaluation Should Be Part of Your Year-End Planning5 Big Reasons Why Self-Evaluation Should Be Part of Your Year-End PlanningWhen you think about year-end planning, you might be concentrating on taxes, payroll, or closing the books. But theres another part of your year in review thats equally as important self-evaluation.Now is the perfect time to assess where you are, audit where youve been, and prepare for where youre going next. No matter where you are in your career, taking stock of your accomplishments to date will benefit you in many ways.1. Boost your own morale.Reflecting on what youve done to improve yourself and the quality of your work does wonders to further strengthen your motivation and self-esteem. Make a list of networking and professional development events you attended, self-help books you read, and other efforts you made to get healthy, stay organized or reduce stress.2. Brag a little bit.Outlining your specific accomplishments this year, fro m boosting the bottom line to completing projects and initiating new ideas, will help you build confidence so youre better prepared to articulate your strengths or even re-negotiate your compensation.3. Build your skills.Somewhere along the way, you may have missed a beat. By examining the areas where you struggled with challenges, you can identify opportunities to refine your tactics or learn new techniques to enhance your expertise.4. Bring your resume up to date.Job security can be fleeting, so a thoughtful self-evaluation will give you all the particulars you need to revise your qualifications and ensure your resume and online profiles are always at the ready just in case.5. Be all that you can be.No matter how successful youve been this year with exceeding goals and tackling task lists, you might still be feeling unfulfilled. Dont forget to evaluate what welches really exciting about your year and what brought you the most personal reward. Where might you see untapped potential or a new passion to explore?Dont rush your self-evaluation this part of year-end planning doesnt have a hard deadline. Take plenty of time to enjoy the exercise and you might learn something new about yourself. If you wrestled with remembering what you did all year, make that a goal for next year to keep more detailed records and make progress notes for yourself each month.

You need these people in your life

You need these people in yur lifeYou need these people in yur lifeIllustrations by John P. Weiss.The flight welches turbulent, and I was fairly new to air travel. With each bump and strain of the jet engines, my heart lurched and I felt a sense of dread.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI was flying to a convention of editorial cartoonists in Minnesota. Excited as I was to hang out with other cartoonists, the rough flight put me in a state of high anxiety.There was a calm looking fellow across from me, who could tell I was a white knuckle flier.Dont fly much? he asked with a smile.No, this is my third flight, ever. I dont like heights, and I hate turbulence I gripped the armrests on my seat tightly.If you like, I might be able to help a little, he said. Give me your right hand.Happy for any distraction, I complied.Im a massage therapist and specialize in pulling out negative energ y, he said as he began kneading his thumbs into the palm of my hand. Just try to relax, breathe, and feel the stress work out.Being a fairly pragmatic guy, I was skeptical of anyone claiming mystical abilities, but I went along with it anyway.The guy started to work on my fingers. As he reached each fingertip, he let go and then shook his hand, as if releasing the negative energy he pulled out from each finger.It was strangely relaxing. He finished and then asked for my other hand, repeating the same process.People store so much stress inside themselves, and they dont know how to get rid of it, he said. You have to learn how to breathe better, clear your mind, calm yourself and let the stress work itself out.I think a lot of the stress will disappear when we land, I said with a smile.No, youve got other stress in your hands. I can feel it. You need to work on that, too.When he said that, I thought about some of the relationships and work-related challenges I was working on. Still el end sold on the mystical stuff, I was amazed how much he helped me calm down. And he was right about the other stress in my life.After he finished the hand massage, we talked for a bit about travel and our work. Before I knew it, we were preparing to land, and I thanked him for helping me out.Put on our happyfaceIn this day and age of digital distractions, we tend to disappear into our smartphone screens rather than talk to strangers.Walk into any coffee shop and look around you. Most people waiting in line are busy scrolling on their phones. Some customers may be engaged in conversation, but many are glued to their laptops and tablets.People tend to avoid having conversations with strangers, whether in a coffee shop or commuting on public transportation.Many fear that theyll say something dumb, or worry that the other person will talk their ear off. In reality, there are many benefits in striking up a conversation with a stranger.When we talk with loved ones and friends, we often u se a sort of shorthand. Our conversations can be more superficial.Talking with a stranger is different. We tend to behave our best. As anarticlein the New York Times elendesThe great thing about strangers is that we tend to put on our happy face when we meet them, reserving our crankier side for the people we know and love. When one of us, Liz, was in graduate school, she noticed that her boyfriend, Benjamin, felt free to act grumpy around her. But if he was forced to interact with a stranger or acquaintance, he would perk right up. Then his own pleasant behavior would often erase his bad moodTalking with strangers can change our perspectives. Meeting people who are not like us is a great way to broaden our views, and shatter some of our biases. And best of all, it enhances our mood.The ethics of strangersAs the world seems to feel more and more insular and hostile, Ive found increasing hope and pleasure in talking to strangers. Ive discovered that people really arent that different from one another.When I visit the grocery store, I always make a point to chat with the cashier. Even the smallest of conversations seem to make both myself, and the cashier, feel a little better.Looks like you guys are pretty busy today, Ill offer.Yeah, it gets like this before the weekend, the cashier replies.Bet it makes the shift go by faster, though.Yeah, it really does, the cashier says with a smile.Well thanks very much, Ill catch you next time, Ill say.What I find is that, on subsequent visits, the cashier and I will remember one another, and often jump right into a new conversation. Theres a sense of familiarity and friendliness, which improves both our moods.My wife once told me about something she called Greyhound therapy. When I looked at her quizzically, she explainedYou know, when youre on a bus and you strike up a conversation with a total stranger. And before long you find yourself sharing feelings and thoughts that you maybe never even shared with your closest frie nds.The beauty of strangers is that they dont know us. Were free from all pretensions and can engage in a more honest, direct conversation. Sometimes its just easier to talk with a stranger, who is not invested in a relationship with you. Also, the feedback you get is likely to be more honest....sometimes one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that?Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as he wishes to think we are.? Carlos Ruiz Zafn, The Shadow of theWindWhen we express simple pleasantries with strangers like hello or how are you we are not really asking for an answer. The purpose of the salutation is to acknowledge their presence and humanity. It builds goodwill and a sense of peace and community.Beautiful interruptionsWe are brought up to be careful, even fearful around strangers. While it is true that we cannot know the intentions of every stranger, most people we meet are not out to harm us.The trick is to read the behavior of o thers more than the categories in our heads. We use categories to simplify how we perceive the world. A guy in a uniform is a cop. The stooped over, wrinkled fellow with a cane is an old man.The problem with these categories is that they can become a pathway to bias. Without talking to these strangers, we dont know what they are really like. And we might just miss out on their wisdom, charm or unique personality.The cop on the corner might be into jazz music as much as you are. That old man with the cane might have some advice for you on how to deal with loneliness, or losing your spouse.Author Kio Stark gave a helpfulTed talkabout why you should talk to strangers. As she notesWhen you talk to strangers, youre making beautiful interruptions into the expected narrative of your daily life?- ?and theirs. -KioStarkA whole newworldWhen my son was young, he was riding his bike home from school. Somehow, he lost control of his bike and flew over the handlebars.As he lay on the sidewalk, a few strangers came running to his aid. They helped him up, asked if he was okay, and checked to see if his bike was damaged. Luckily, only my sons pride was hurt.I remember, when he told me about the incident, the sense of pride I felt in my community and the good-hearted people who came to help my son.As a police officer, I often came to the aid of accident victims. I could always see it in their eyes, even when they were too scared or injured to speak. The look of gratitude. The relief that someone cared. The renewed sense of hope, that perfect strangers look out for one another.We need strangers in our lives more than we think, but we tend to ignore them. Fear of crime, embarrassment or the unknown keeps us avoiding eye contact. We reach for the distractions of our phone screens.What if we tried a little harder to interact with strangers? What if we struck up a few more friendly conversations? At the market, coffee shop or bus stop?Doing so just might open up a whole new world. E very human being you meet is a walking historian of their lives and experiences. You never know what you might learn, or how your own story might inspire them.Researchindicates that interacting with strangers can uplift your mood and improve your day. So the next time youre at the market or in a line at Starbucks, strike up a conversation with someone you dont know. You might be pleasantly surprised by how good it will make you feel.Before yougoImJohn P. Weiss.I draw cartoons, paint landscapes and write about life. Thanks for readingThis article first appeared on Medium.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

Survey 22% of workers ages 18-34 say theyve been demoted

Survey 22% of workers ages 18-34 say theyve been demotedSurvey 22% of workers ages 18-34 say theyve been demotedNew data from staffing firm OfficeTeam shows that22% of workers ages 18-34 have been demoted on the job and 46% of HR managers surveyed said that theyve had an employee go through this at their company.Independent research firms polled300 HR managers at U.S. companies with 20 or mora employees and more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments. OfficeTeam came up with the surveys.Reasons why people fall down the corporate ladderHR managers who have witnessed this weighed in on the reasons.Poor performance 39%Employee was recently promoted but not succeeding in new role 38%Organizational restructuring/position eliminated 16%Voluntary demotion 6%Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam, commented on the research in a statement.A demotion may happen for a variety of reasons, including performance issues, organizational chan ges, and an employee requesting fewer responsibilities due to personal or career priorities. Its never easy to accept a lower role, but workers can show their professionalism and bounce back by keeping their emotions in check, understanding the root cause and performing at a high level to position themselves for future advancement, she said.What people did after being demotedThe respondents who said they have gone through this weighed in, with the option to pick more than one choice.Quit the job 52%Tried to handle the news as gracefully as possible 50%Got upset and lost interest in work 47%Focused on excelling in the new position 41%While 55% of men and 40% of women chose to jump ship at the employer that demoted them, 64% of those 18-34, 34% of those 35-54 and 0% of those 55 and older did so.HR leaders at companies with 1,000 or more workers had the highest percentage of witnessing a demotion at 91%. But while 19% of men and seven percent of women have been demoted, those 55 and o lder were the least likely to have been, with a whopping 97% saying this hasnt happened to them.

Sitting down all day at work will kill you, and standing wont help much. Do this instead.

Sitting down all day at work will kill you, and standing wont help much. Do this instead.Sitting down all day at work will kill you, and standing wont help much. Do this instead.Do you move around enough during the day? Have you tried a standing desk? Come discuss in The Climb, Ladders new Facebook group.We know that sitting is bad for you, but its such an essential part of office work for so many professionals that we have to keep hearing it again and again until we truly understand it.A science advisory by the American Heart Association in the journal Circulationthat cited various research said that adults in the US are sedentary for a whopping 6-8 hours daily (including sitting, TV viewing, screen time, and computer use).But people aged 60 and older spent even more time in this state every day- up to 8.5 to 9.6 hours sitting down, nearly motionless, out of every day.The research also said that this behavior could contribute to excess morbidity and mortality.Thats no surprise. Wev e known this since 2015. So why talk about it again? Heres the key its not changing.Regardless of how much physical activity someone gets, prolonged sedentary time could negatively impact the health of your heart and blood vessels, said Deborah Rohm Young, Ph.D., director of behavioral research at Kaiser Permanente Southern California in Pasadena and chair of the research, said in a statement.So if sitting down is bad, then standing desks will solve all your problems, right? Not necessarily.Although there are reasons why having a standing desk can reportedly be beneficial,science cited in the article says that having one isnt that much better than sitting when it comes to burning calories. The same article also points out that you might get pain in your back, feet or legs if you transition to standing the whole day. A standing desk is especially bad for people who are standing on hard floors or whose legs have a tendency to swell.That doesnt mean giving up entirely. While standing f or hours may not be the key, walking around is a good alternative.Try taking small walking breaks over the course of the work day a small study claims to be the first evidence thatmicrobrusts of activity during the day may even help your energy, help you feel less tired and influence mood while maintaining usuallevels of cognitive function. mora active and smarter thats a pretty good reason to take a stroll or walk up some stairs during the day.Do you move around enough during the day? Have you tried a standing desk? Come discuss in The Climb, Ladders new Facebook group.

BigLaw Firm Howrey LLP to dissolve

BigLaw Firm Howrey LLP to dissolveBigLaw Firm Howrey LLP to dissolveLaw firm Howrey LLP has announced that it will dissolve. An innovator in the legal industry, the firm had discarded lockstep compensation and enhanced its summer program with Howrey Bootcamp, an intense, lifelike mock trial during which summer associates learn to take a deposition, do a cross- and direct-examination and do opening and closing arguments. Howrey also established the First Tiera two-year program through which junior attorneys are limited to 700 hours of billable work and spend the remainder of their time training, shadowing attorneys and working at clients offices.But somewhere between its innovating, Howrey hit some bumps. According to Bob Ruyak, Chairman and CEO of Howrey, the firm had experienced disappointing financial performance over the past two years and subsequently several partners had resigned. Based on these troubles, Howreys partnership voted yesterday to dissolve as of March 15, 2010.This is a very difficult time for our firm, for our attorneys and for our staff, says Ruyak in the firms press release. Many of us have spent our entire legal careers at Howrey and remain proud of what we built. We find some solace in the fact that our people have been so well received by their new firms. They are first class professionals and deserve the respect accorded to leaders in their fields.The firm has established a dissolution committee and has retained Peter Gilhulywho also counseled Thelen on its dissolutionof Latham Watkins to handle the dissolution. Some Howrey partners will be transitioning to other firms like Sidley Austin, Perkins Coie, KL Kates, Dewey LeBoeuf and Winston Strawn (which originally was rumored to be hiring more Howrey attorneys than it actually is).But the firms mention of WARN letters in its press release reminds us that many will, no doubt, be without jobs as a result of Howreys dissolution. In a legal job market that is already struggling, its a sha me to see more additions to the unemployment pool.So were there any hints that Howrey would crumble? The firmwhich moved from 78 to 75 in the 2011 Vault Law 100 rankingscertainly received some positive feedback in last years Vault survey, with associates touting such positives as,The people and the collegial working environment, the flexibility for work (i.e., working at home), and the interesting and complex cases. Relaxed culture. No one cares when you are in or not just so long as the work that needs to get done is getting done. Friendly people and interesting work.But other associates complained about the following downersThe lack of visibility in decision-making and below-market compensation. Not enough work not a friendly place overall we get paid less than associates at other big firms we dont have much responsibility.Others had mixed feelings on the firm. One associate from Palo Alto described sufficient billable work despite the down market but little transparency in other areas In a tumultuous market, many colleagues have been able to stay busy on billable work that is both interesting and offers opportunities to develop new skills. The myriad of unknowns about individualized compensation, the new Tier 1 program, and often conflicting reports about the firms finances are regular distractions.Click here to read more about Howrey and its associates feedback in last years Vault survey.Howrey press release The Am Law Daily Source Above the Law Source Howrey siteHowrey Summer ProgramRead More Howreys First Tier so far, so good?FOLLOW VAULT LAW ON TWITTER VaultLaw

College Graduate Resume Examples Reviews & Guide

College Graduate Resume Examples Reviews & Guide Choosing Good College Graduate Resume Examples Some graduate schools might request your complete work experience, though others could recommend that you concentrate on the things closely about the program. Recent graduates may be experiencing the very same circumstance. Reevaluate every one of your jobs and consider the skills you used or learned. Bear in mind, however, that you have skills and individual characteristics and a history of accomplishments beyond the workforce. The Supreme Strategy to College Graduate Resume Examples Without such a section, the possible hiring manager may be left wondering why he or shes reading your resume whatsoever. In only two or three minutes, our resume builder will guarantee that youve got a well-written, attractive resume prepared to go. In addition, you always want your latest work to appear at the peak of the list and your oldest work at the base of your resume. In case the templ ate doesnt have an expert profile however has a work goal parte, you might alter the part heading according to your need. By way of example, The next paragraph is crucial. Although each form might be different, some elements could be similar. The summary statement is a brief paragraph summing up your experience and abilities. Your resume will be broken into sections. Although education and degree of expertise matters to acquire great jobs with higher status and to some degree, its also a requirement for entry-level jobs. UPenns Career Services department supplies a huge assortment of CV samples along with the resume samples listed above. Lets walk through three distinct resumes for different kinds of post-college jobs. There are variety of examples and distinct forms of Free Resume Templates which can be found that may be downloaded free. Disadvantages While there are various benefits of utilizing Free Templates, there are related disadvantages too. The resume templates can become your guide in building a very good impression on the employers. Think of what youll be putting on your resume, and select your template accordingly. Examples can supply you with advice on how to structure your resume and what type of language to include. The Pain of College Graduate Resume Examples A well-written one is going to impress on the hiring manager the methods by which you are a perfect candidate for the job. You might have fixed your LinkedIn profile to get ready for your upcoming job, and thats excellent. Even in case youve never held an official job, its still true that you have life experience thats applicable to the work search. To begin with, examine the work description to see whether it indicates the sort of skills the provider is seeking. Wherever you choose to place your skills on your resume, be certain to tailor your list of skills to the specific job. If you would like to land a new job livecareer will be able to help you craft a standout re sume. Bear in mind that should you know that you could do the job, there is absolutely no reason to never attempt to apply. Of course if youre asking for a particular job, its simple enough to amend a resume to incorporate an objective that matches the work description. Read resume articles focused on specific features of job searching and the way to use your resume. Even when you lettered in three sports, it isnt an excellent concept to reference high school experiences. Great writing skills are always valued so that your language has to be on point. Students that are in undergraduate education level can use the samples from Undergraduate Student Resume template to acquire a notion of a comprehensive content when writing a resume to be able to get the interest of the employers. So for each field youre trying for, you ought to have an entirely separate resume. There are different types of work available that you can pursue together with an undergraduate degree program. Bein g involved in organizations has an extremely positive impact, as it means you are prepared to do programs and activities to get a better change. If for no other reason, obtaining the resume will permit you to easily finish all the on-line profiles teams require prospects to finish. Up in Arms About College Graduate Resume Examples? Graduate school resume differs from a professional resume because it doesnt adhere to the normal structure. Note your GPA at every institution youve attended, including your existing GPA when you have not yet graduated. Youre going to observe the ideal college application resume on Earth. To produce the college graduate resume conventional, you will need to use common structure for company letter. Next, you will find out how to earn a college resume prepared for the big leagues 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 have just what it t akes to be successful in college. If youre vague about your objectives, you will do more damage than good if you list something like, promising sttte in a forward-looking business. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. Moreover, youre getting on what things to write under which point. Each word on your resume can be a trigger for a question via an interviewer, and youll frequently be requested to provide examples of the skills which youve referenced.

The holidays can wait

The holidays can wait The holidays can waitPosted October 13, 2011, by Louisa Veidelis If youre in Year 9 or 10 youre probably looking forward to getting your exams out of the way and heading off for the long summer holidays. But before you start daydreaming about the beach, take a moment to think about this your future But hold on Before you write this off as a guilt-inducing lecture, dont worry, were not your parents, we wouldnt do that. We just have a few handy hints to help you work through some tricky decisions. If youre in Year 9, when you get back after the holidays (yes, we know you dont want to think about that yet) youll be starting to decide what subjects you want to do in Year 11 and 12. If youre already in Year 10, youll have made ansicht decisions already but its still worth spending a little bit of your time off thinking about what you want to do for a career (scary, we know). So to help you, we at Career FAQs have put together some simple steps to help you figure ou t what career path youd like to follow. 1. Write down your top five subjects or projects at school These are the ones that you enjoy most and where you feel most proud of your work. Examples Hands-on food tech, woodwork, electronics Creative drama, art, music, dance Academic English, languages, history, geography Logical maths, science, commerce Physical PE 2. Rate these from favourite to least favourite Chances are the ones at the top of the list are what you are good at and thats a good place to start when thinking about what you might want to do when you start working. As an example, perhaps your favourite subjects are maths and electronics. There are many career paths that come from an interest in these areas, from becoming an electrician to all the different types of engineering. 3. Write down your top five hobbies and interests Examples Playing sport Going to the theatre Talking to people Helping people Using computers Drawing Writing stories Craft Music If you dont have ma ny hobbies, write down what youd like to do. Many people turn their hobby into their career. The winner of the Beachley Classic at Manly Beach in October 2008 was Tyler Wright, who was only 14 years old and the youngest ever winner of an Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour event. Tylers love of surfing and her ability to compete at a very high level set her up for a successful surfing career. 4. Look for connections between your favourite subjects and hobbies You might have an extended list that includes maths, helping people and visiting friends in the country. One career that suits this profile is teaching. You could become a maths teacher and work in the country. There is generally more demand for teachers outside capital cities so chances of getting work are high. Builders are often in demand in the bush as well so, if living in the country is something you want to prioritise, you can start from this point. 5. Start networking now Look at your list and start rese arching possible careers by talking to people working in the fields youre thinking about. Thats right, its time to start networking Tell your family, friends and teachers what youre interested in and ask if they know anyone in the industry who you could chat with. Change your MySpace headline to I want to be a designer does anyone have any contacts? Networking allows you to speak with people working in the industry or profession that you are interested in. Talking to people helps you to find out what they love, what they dont and apply it to where you see yourself down the track. If you can, organise some work experience (paid or unpaid). It all helps you to make the right career decision. A recent 2008 survey of Australians found that 47 per cent were dissatisfied with their current jobs (CareerOne, 20 February 2008) so a bit of work now can help you avoid ending up like this 6. Read everything you can about the careers you have identified The Career FAQs range of 45 career specific books contain interviews with 25+ people in the field so you can read about what the jobs involve and how those people got started. You can get the latest information on how much you can earn, what qualifications you need and how to get a job. Whether you are interested in journalism, building and construction, information technology, teaching, nursing, medicine or one of many other industries, you can find out all you need to know in a book thats all about the job. And right now you can buy a book for just $19.95 (33% off RRP) if you sign up to become a Career FAQs member. Career FAQs also has online interviews and career resources (right here on our website) so if there is something you want to know about a career, ask a question and well do our best to find out the answer. And there are plenty of other websites with career information including government websites such as Jobsearch. Let Google do your walking for you. Once you have decided where you are heading w ith your career, slap on the sunscreen, grab your cozzie and head for the surf and sand. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchestips for surviving university life11 top tips for effective time managementtips for online learnerstips for first year university studentsuni tips and tricks CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineLouisa VeidelisRelated ArticlesBrowse moreEMPLOYER RESOURCESWork/life balanceWhy Job Flexibility Is The Secret To Career WellbeingBestselling author Tim Ferriss tells us we can have a 4-hour work week but in reality, most of us feel like wer e working more than ever. Marni sees whether flexibility might be the next best option.Career counsellorVET/TAFEVocational Education and Training in the spotlight infographicIn 2013, nearly 2 million Australians chose to study at a VET institution. Molly casts a spotlight on this popular mode of study to learn more about the current state of play, and what we can do to keep vocational education and training fighting fit.Allied HealthHealthAllied health careers Not just doctors and nursesIf you love the idea of helping people with their health issues but dont think becoming a nurse or doctor is for you, then consider a career in allied health.

The Power of Play, Purpose and Potential in the Workplace

The Power of Play, Purpose and Potential in the WorkplaceThe Power of Play, Purpose and Potential in the WorkplaceThe Power of Play, Purpose and Potential in the Workplace McGregor and Neel Doshi, authors of Primed to Perform How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation (Harper Business, 2015) There is a spectrum of reasons, or motives, for why people perform an activity. These three reasons, which we call direct motives, are directly linked to the activity (in our case, work) and drive performance.Lets gives ansicht three motives a closer look, starting with play.PlayYoure most likely to lose weight or succeed in any other endeavor when your motive is play. Play occurs when youre engaging in an activity simply because you enjoy doing it. The work itself is its own reward. Scientists describe this motive as intrinsic.Play is what compels you to take up hobbies, from solving crossword puzzles to making scrapbooks to mixing music. You may find play in weight loss by experimenting with healthy recipes or seeking out new restaurants that offer healthy options. Many of us are lucky enough to find play in the workplace too, when we do what we do simply because we enjoy doing it.Curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of play. People intrinsically enjoy learning and adapting. We instinctively seek out opportunities to play.Some companies actively encourage their employees to play in their work. Toyota gives factory workers the opportunity to come up with and test new tools and ideas on the assembly line. W. L. Gore Associates, Google, and a number of other companies encourage play by giving people free time or resources to explore their own ideas.Zappos and Southwest Airlines encourage their people to treat each customer interaction as play. In each case, the organization encourages its people to indulge their curiosity to play in the work itself.Play at work should leid be confused with your people playing Ping-Pong or foosball in the break room. For your people to feel play at work, the motive must be fueled by the work itself, not the distraction.Because the play motive is created by the work itself, play is the most direct and most powerful driver of high performance.PurposeA step away from the work itself is the purpose motive. The purpose motive occurs when you do an activity because you value the outcome of the activity (versus the activity itself). You may or may not enjoy the work you do, but you value its impact.You may work as a nurse, for example, because you want to heal patients. You spend your career studying culture because you believe in the impact your work can have on others. Dieters may not enjoy preparing or eating healthy meals, but they deeply value their own health, an outcome of healthy eating.You feel the purpose motive in the workplace when your values and beliefs align with the impact of the work. Apple creates products that inspire and empower its customers, a purpo se that is compelling and credible. The medical devices that Medtronic makes save lives when its engineers and technicians see their products in action, it has a powerful effect on them.Walmarts financial services division fueled purpose by kicking off its managementmeetings with a review of how much money the division had saved its customers rather than how much money Walmart had made for itself.A thoughtful organization can create authentic purpose for just about any type of work. Yet one of the biggest mistakes a company can make is trumpeting a grandiose purpose that isnt authentic.If a purpose doesnt feel credible, it wont improve your motivation. The purpose motive is one step removed from the work, because the motive isnt the work itself but its outcome. While the purpose motive is a powerful driver of performance, the fact that its a step removed from the work typically makes it a less powerful motive than play.PotentialThe third motive is potential. The potential motive occ urs when you find a second buchung outcome (versus a direct outcome) of the work that aligns with your values or beliefs. You do the work because it will eventuallylead to something you believe is important, such as your personal goals.For example, you may work as a paralegal because it will help you get into law school. You may not enjoy the day-to-day work of filing briefs (no play motive), and you may not care about helping the kinds of clients your firm represents (no purpose motive), but you continue to do the job because you want to be a public defender one day. You are working to bring about a second order outcome that you do believe in.Dieters motivated by potential eat healthfully to achieve other things they care about the ability to run faster on the football field, for example, or to keep up with their kids.When a company describes a job as a good stepping-stone, theyre attempting to instill the potential motive. Some companies go out of their way to enhance the potenti al motive, offering classes that build skills or knowledge.General Electric draws talent through its reputation as the leadership factory for future CEOs. The potential motive is not as powerful as play or purpose, since it relates to a second order outcome of the work, which is two (or more) steps removed from the work itself.We call play, purpose, and potential the direct motives because theyre the most directly connected to the work itself. As a result, they typically result in the highest levels of performance.If you remember only one thing from Primed to Perform, it should be that a company culture that inspires people to do their jobs for play, purpose, and potential creates the highest and most sustainable performance.From PRIMED TO PERFORM by Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor Copyright 2015 by Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor. Reprinted courtesy of HarperBusiness, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Learn Morehttps//www.youtube.com/ Podcast Create a High-Performance Cultu reAn bewerberinterview with author Lindsay McGregorA Culture of Performance An Interview with Lindsay McGregorA transcript of our https//www.youtube.com/ podcast.

Why Is My Job Search Taking So Long

Why Is My Job Search Taking So LongWhy Is My Job Search Taking So LongDont you hate those days when, despite your diligent efforts, your job search doesnt advance one iotano emails, no phone calls, no news. Finding ourselves in the role of seeker is always humbling, even when we are angling to find something as commonplace as missing keys. When our aim is secure employment, a pursuit fundamental to our sense of self and security, its notlage surprising that we combat feelings of stress and frustration as we search. I remember, during an especially long job search, having high energy days where I was able to muster up a zen-like attitude about my quest. Then there were those other days when I felt exhausted by the emotional gymnastics the hunt required and I lapsed into a feeling of hopelessness. Its important to recognize that looking for a job puts seekers in kind of pre-transition limbo. Existing in this state is hard. You need to exercise good self care, and you need emotional sup port. While there are measures you can take to search as strategically and efficiently as possible, there are also many factors that you cant control. Its difficult to have a pressing need that you cant simply sit down and fix. Despite your best efforts, there is only so much that you can do to advance from this limbo state. I know its difficult, but you have to make your peace with that.You dont get to shape this timeline. Your challenge now is to be patient, optimistic and creative as you wait. This can be hard to do if you are stuck in a job you hate, are nervously trying to get yourself back into the workforce or are aching to get your foot in the door. Still, while you may not be able to change the big picture right away, there are other factors that you can alter to make yourself more comfortable while you search and to take your eyes off watching that pot. The cliche holds true that it only seems to boil when you turn attention away. Make Self-Care a PriorityYou are in a time of transition, which may make it difficult to find your emotional balance. Take time to address this. If you have a personal or professional mentor, this would be a good time to connect. This is also an important season in your life to be journaling, exercising, praying, meditating. Do whatever keeps you centered to avoid wild emotional fluctuations. Those are hard on your body and mind. Cover your Bases Search-wise Be thorough and diligent about your search. Fully embrace your role as a seeker, and break the project down into small pieces. One week, for example, work on self-branding. The following week, create a personal website. Become a student of the search so that you know that you are doing everything in your power to get the job you want. Explore Alternatives Many professionals are taking on side jobs and exploring thegig economyto make extra money. Why not give it a shot while you search for your next day job? Between freelancing, consulting, contract work or driving and d eliver jobs, there are a lot of options to explore while you search. Remember Zora Neale Hurston wrote There are years that ask questions and years that answer. Its hard to find ourselves knee-deep in an asking year. Growth hurts, but it also leads us to the selves we are meant to be. Good luck in your search.

When You Can Sue an Employer for Wrongful Termination

When You Can Sue an Employer for Wrongful Termination When You Can Sue an Employer for Wrongful Termination If you’ve recently been terminated for cause, you may be wondering whether your employer was within their rights to fire you- or whether your dismissal constitutes wrongful termination. And, if it turns out you were fired illegally, your next question will probably be whether you can- and should- sue. What Doesn’t Count as Wrongful Termination The majority of workers in the United States are employed at will, which means that their employers can fire them for any reason, or no reason at all, provided that the reason isn’t discriminatory. (More on that in a minute.) This means that  its usually legal for your employer to terminate your employment unexpectedly, without advanced warning, and to decline to provide a reason for your termination. In fact, many employers choose to offer as little notice or explanation as possible, even going so far as to characterize the termination as a layoff, rather than take the risk of violating the law by providing a reason that later turns out to be discriminatory. Bottom line: Unless you have an employment contract or collective bargaining agreement that mandates a certain amount of notice, it’s legal for your employer to fire you without notice. They are also not obligated to provide you with an opportunity to correct issues pertaining to your work performance before terminating your employment. (Although again, as a matter of company policy, many employers will create a standard process for termination that includes a performance improvement plan, both to minimize the chances of legal hassles and to maintain good morale among the staff.) Examples of Wrongful Termination Per federal law, it’s illegal for employers to discriminate in hiring, firing or promotion on the basis of: Sex or GenderRace or ColorReligionNational OriginDisabilityPregnancyAge (over 40, per federal law, although some states offer protections for workers younger than age 40)Genetic Information Workers can also sue or file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if they are sexually harassed at work, fired for being a whistleblower, subject to constructive discharge (aka forced to resign), or made to endure a hostile work environment. Questions to Ask Yourself Before Suing 1.  Do you feel that the termination was based on discrimination? If so, you will likely have to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC before filing a job discrimination lawsuit against your former employer. (The exception: violations of the Equal Pay Act do not require you to file a charge, provided that you file your suit within two years of the pay discrimination.) Keep in mind that you have a limited amount of time in which to file- generally, 180 days from the time of the incident, although local laws may extend this deadline to 300 days. For more information, see the EEOC’s page on filing a discrimination charge. 2.  What’s your goal in suing (and is it realistic?) Do you want money, a change in behavior, or just the satisfaction of knowing that they didn’t get away with it, scot-free? It’s important to know what your goals are before you get embroiled in a long legal process. Consult with an employment attorney early on, to figure out whether your goals are reasonable.   3.  Are you willing to invest time and money in pursuing your case? Unless you’re able to find an employment attorney to take your case pro bono, suing is expensive. It can cost thousands of dollars to take a suit to trial. To make matters worse, employers typically have in-house lawyers at the ready to wear you down with delays and postponements. On the other hand, many lawful termination lawsuits never reach trial, often because employers choose to settle. Think about how much time, money, and effort you can afford to put into the process before you proceed. How to Move on After Being Fired Regardless of whether you choose to sue for wrongful termination, you’ll need a plan for moving forward after being fired. That means knowing your rights as a (former) employee, including when and where to pick up your final paycheck, whether you’re entitled to pay for accrued vacation and sick time, what will happen with your health care benefits, retirement plan, any stock options and more. HR will be able to assist you with these questions, as well as inform you about how the company plans to characterize the dismissal. It’s in your best interests to find out now before future employers call asking to verify your employment history. Don’t assume that they’ll say the worst: many organizations have a policy of confirming no more than job title and dates of employment. You may even be entitled to unemployment benefits, depending. You won’t know until you ask. Looking toward the future, practice answering interview questions about the termination, and gather references from contacts to bolster your candidacy for jobs. Don’t let this reversal stand in the way of your success. Many famous and influential people were fired before making their mark on the world, including Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Thomas Edison.   The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own state’s laws or the most recent changes to the law.

Problems to Avoid When Implementing Your Dress Code

Problems to Avoid When Implementing Your Dress Code Problems to Avoid When Implementing Your Dress Code Are you interested in the answers to some of the most common questions that readers ask about dress codes? Dress codes and recommended business attire are popular topics because employers wonder what they can require â€" legally and ethically - while caring about the comfort and morale of their employees. Getting Started The sticking point for many employers is the implementation of the dress code. If you used a cross-functional team that sought input from across the organization, to create the dress code, you are on the right track. The more you involved employees in writing the dress code, the more widespread the ownership will be when it is announced. Other key points when you consider a dress code include: Why do you need a dress code at all? If your answer is because you have a small number of employees who do not dress appropriately in business attire for work, this is the wrong reason for a dress code. Deal with inappropriate business attire on a case by case basis.If you have a  widespread disagreement about business attire, the guidelines provided by a dress code can help you offer direction for all employees.If something has changed in your work environment, you may also need to develop a dress code. For example, a change in the dress code makes sense when a company that consults with clients who come to the office, shifts its focus to product development for customers online. How detailed do you need the dress code to be and why? You will need to explain the rationale behind every contentious requirement to employees.Do you have multiple employee groups who have different contact with customers and clients? You may need more than one dress code. Implementing a dress code is a tricky process because employees hate when their employer intrudes on what they consider their personal space. A dress code tops the complaint list. (Or, go one better, like a former employer, and ask exempt employees to sign in when they arrive at the office.) Because of all of the possible ways in which the introduction of a dress code can go wrong, David Monks, JD, a partner in the San Diego office of Fisher Phillips LLP agreed to an interview. Monks specializes in employment law. Tricky Dress Code Questions Susan Heathfield: Are there limits to what an employer can put in a dress code? David Monks: Not really. An employer has much latitude in deciding what its employees will wear or cannot wear. But the employer cannot apply the code in a discriminatory manner or refuse to accommodate an employee’s legitimate needs based on religion or medical condition. As an example, an employer cannot treat employees less favorably because of their national origin, such as by prohibiting certain forms of ethnic dress. In addition, a rule cannot unequally burden one gender over the other. An employer can have different rules for different kinds of employees. For example, while receptionists, customer service representatives, and other kinds of employees who interact with customers and clients can be required to dress professionally, back of the house workers might be allowed to dress more casually in jeans and rubber-soled shoes. Heathfield: This is one of the most frequent questions received from readers. How can managers consistently enforce the dress code? Monks: The most important factor here is training. An employer must ensure its managers know and understand the dress code, including the employer’s rationale for various rules. Then managers must diligently enforce the dress code on a consistent basis for all employees. They must be neutral, in the sense that they cannot favor one employee over another. If the managers buy into the dress code and take the  time to educate their employees about the reasons for the rules, the managers will be in a better position to more evenly enforce the policy. Heathfield: When working as an HR Director, our employment law attorney repeatedly told me that the punishment must fit the crime. What punishment fits the crime if an employee ignores the dress code? Monks: With nonexempt employees, for the first offense, an employer typically reprimands the employee (verbally). Depending on the circumstances,  the employer might also send the employee home to dress properly and return to work. During his or her absence from work, the employer would not pay the employee. A second or third offense might come with a written reprimand. Suspension without pay might be an option for persistent offenders. An employee who repeatedly violates the dress code may end up being fired for it. Legal Issues with Dress Codes Heathfield: How would an employer handle an exempt employee in similar circumstances? Monks: Good question. Typically, you cannot deduct pay from an exempt employees wages or vacation/PTO bank, except for certain kinds of absences, and then only when the absence is at least half a day (four hours). Its unlikely that an exempt employee who is sent home for a dress code violation would be gone from the office for four hours. But the disciplinary course of action recommended is the same. Heathfield: Other than potential sexual harassment, is there any other legal issue that an employer needs to be aware of? Monks: Yes. An employer must reasonably accommodate bona fide religious needs unless doing so would cause undue hardship. An employee with legitimate religious beliefs may ask to be allowed to wear certain jewelry or piercings, or a headdress or similar garment, even though the wearing of such items are in conflict with the dress code. Similarly, an employee’s disability or other medical condition might require an employer to relax the dress code standards for that employee, depending on the circumstances. One example is an employee whose foot problems require her to wear sneakers for a period of time, instead of something more formal required by the dress code. Implementing a dress code can be trickier than it first appears. Heed the advice offered here to make your dress code implementation successful, legal, and respectful of employees. Additional Resources about Dress Codes These are all of your options for various dress code  policies and a Sample Policy Receipt Acknowledgement Form for your training sessions. Heres what to do if you need to reestablish a failed dress code policy. Disclaimer: Susan Heathfield makes every effort to offer accurate, common-sense, ethical Human Resources management, employer, and workplace advice both on this website, and linked to from this website, but she is not an attorney, and the content on the site, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality, and is not to be construed as legal advice, even when the interviewee is an attorney. The site has a world-wide audience and employment laws and regulations vary from state to state and country to country, so the site cannot be definitive on all of them for your workplace. When in doubt, always seek legal counsel or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. The information on this site is for guidance, ideas, and assistance only.

Jump-Start Your Job Search

Jump-Start Your Job Search Jump-Start Your Job Search While a lucky few may land a new job opportunity with minimal effort, the majority of job seekers will need to work hard to take the next step in their careers. Not sure where to start? The following steps will serve as foundation to begin your search. Would you hire yourself based on your current resume? Thoroughly review your resume with that question in mind. Your resume may require a quick update or a complete overhaul. Either way, make sure your resume effectively highlights your strengths and shows what a catch you are. Clean up your digital dirt. Interviewers can find information about candidates through social networking profiles, blog comments and personal websites. Remove any questionable material from the web that may hinder potential employment opportunities. Utilize social and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Ning and Doostang to build your online presence. Post your resume to your profile when applicable, search for openings, research companies and get introduced to potential employers. Tap into your network. Reach out to friends, relatives, old coworkers and classmates, and ask for help on your job search. Let them know that you are actively looking for a new opportunity and ask them if they know of any openings or have suggestions of places you should apply to. Review job listings that align with your interests. Apply only for jobs that are a match based on your level of experience, expertise and career goals. Get organized. Whenever you apply to a position, send an email inquiring about a job or reach out to someone in your network out, write it down. Creating a list, saving emails or building a spreadsheet will serve as quick reference guide throughout your job search. Are you ready to get started? Combine these tips to launch an effective your job search, attract an employer and show them why they should hire  you!

The Courtship and Marriage of Millennials and the Staffing Industry

The Courtship and Marriage of Millennials and the Staffing Industry The Courtship and Marriage of Millennials and the Staffing Industry Gone are the days of the traditional workplace, where employees started at the entry level and worked their way up through the countless rungs of the company ladder through years of hard work and determination along with some luck.  Tenure was an integral part of your success, parallel to your overall production. Today, things are much different. Manufacturing has long been waning in the U.S., whereas  jobs within the service and technology sectors have blossomed. The mindset of the employee has changed along with the economic landscape. Millennials  frequently boast entrepreneurial spirits and prefer to see success much more quickly  than previous generations. They want be part of environments where they’re allowed to combine their hard work and success in school with best-in-class training. They want to be productive after a shorter period of time than their Gen. X and baby boomer predecessors. Enter  the staffing industry, where millennials  can achieve speedy, entrepreneurial success within a well-established, corporate environment. Although they may have just met, millennials and staffing have quickly  found themselves heading down the road toward a perfect marriage. The courting process begins with an interview, a company history lesson, the promise of development, and the understanding that, in staffing, there is no corporate ladder. Once interest has been raised and staffing’s entrepreneurial structure has been explained,  the engagement ring is offered and accepted. Time to move on to the serious part of the relationship: training and development. The most successful staffing firms understand that investing in people means  investing in the company’s future. Not only must you hire the right people, but you must also have training programs that give every new employee what they need to succeed. Eliassen Group itself has invested heavily in technology and training resources to ensure those who are determined to succeed quickly develop along accelerated career trajectories. We hire only those coming in the door with tireless work ethics and relentless determination. When we find someone with these traits, our regimen of personalized group training and the technological tools we provide them ensure their success. This Resource Specialist Program has been tremendously successful for the company. The millennial determines their own success through a combination of how hard they work, how savvy they are when it comes to  navigating the seas of company training, how well they leverage hands-on recruiting technology (LinkedIn, Indeed, advanced social searches, etc.), and how much they understand about what makes people tick. So much goes into finding the right person with the right skill set for a position. To support the employees success, staffing organizations must offer consistent  training that involves the use  recruiting technology, the assessment of candidate skill sets and psychology, and the negotiations the often attend the recruiting process. Staffing rewards each and every start, so if a millennial is putting as many people to work as someone tenured in the industry or company, they are rewarded equally in praise and in dollars. In staffing, you do not have to wait to be successful you can do so right away. Goodbye corporate ladder, hello immediate success! It all starts with that initial conversation. The millennial learns that, in the staffing world,  they can in become an entrepreneur in a corporate environment, reap immediate financial rewards, experience rapid career growth, be showered in company recognition, and take the much anticipated walk down the aisle toward the alter of career success. This article originally appeared on the Eliassen Group blog.

I spent 60 minutes with a billionaire yesterday, heres what I learned

I spent 60 minutes with a billionaire yesterday, here's what I learned I spent 60 minutes with a billionaire yesterday, here's what I learned Yesterday, I sat down with Graham Weston, the co-founder of Rackspace, a company which recently went public in 2008, and in 2016 was purchased and taken private by Apollo Global Management LLC. I was introduced to Weston by super-connector, Joe Polish, who is the founder of Genius Network.Selling Rackspace made Weston a  billionaire.Since stepping away from Rackspace a few years ago, Weston has focused his energy and attention on the city of San Antonio, where he lives.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!He’s created a start-up incubator called  Geekdom, where people pay $50/month to have access to the co-working space and community. Weston has personally invested hundreds of millions of dollars into San Antonio to re-energize the city and make it more of an innovation and technology-driven city.San Antonio IS Weston’s start-up now.While other people are trying to start a c ompany, Weston is trying to scale the entire city of San Antonio.This is a different level of thinking.So how did he do this?BelongingFirst, he understands that human beings have an innate need to belong. Maslow put belonging as essential on his hierarchy of needs.But people don’t simply want to belong anywhere.Yes, they need to belong. They need to feel needed and valued.But ultimately, people want to belong to a “winning” team. If you feel that the “team” you’re on isn’t moving forward, then that has a negative impact on your entire identity and perspective.From Weston’s perspective, the purpose of work and the best way to energize a group of people is: help them feel like a VALUED MEMBER of a WINNING TEAM on an INSPIRING MISSION Weston is, for sure, a capitalist. But he’s not motivated by money. He’s motivated by purpose. Hence, the “inspiring mission.”“You can get people really excited to work when they feel they’re a part of something important and inspiring,” Weston said.The Power of  2Weston loves a particular book?- ?Powers of Two. The book is about the innovative pair of working in two’s. Consider the examples of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, or Marie and Pierre Curie, or Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.Working in two’s is more powerful than working solo?- ?no matter how “introverted” or “creative” you are.The best creative work is collaborative. Even people you think work solo have scores of advisors and people who help them make their work happen.Weston applies this principle to EVERY area of his life. He has “advisors” or collaborators in everything he does.Billionaires think in terms of WHO, rather than HOW.Rather than trying to do everything themselves, billionaires fi nd experts and specialists who are brilliant at what they do and get immediate help.This is a very different mindset than we’re taught in public school and in society in general. People are generally taught to “figure things out,” rather than collaborate and innovate.An Upgraded  MindsetThe human brain is highly adaptive and always changing. When you change your behavior, you change your personality. Over time, your brain develops new neural connections and networks, and you have a new brain. You also have new memories of the past, since your past is always reconstructed based on your present circumstances and brain and perspective.When you begin surrounding yourself with billionaires, and people who think much bigger than the typical person?- ?you start to have many of your core assumptions of life and possibility peeled-away like layers of an onion.Your subconscious doesn’t really know how to handle what it’s grappling with, because what you’re learning is forcing you to un-learn everything you’ve been conditioned to think and do.People who grow in success often become highly skilled  thinkers and strategists?- ?as well as visionaries and leaders who can inspire and motivate others to build. This doesn’t mean they don’t have brilliant technical ability.In fact, they likely have a higher degree of technical ability than their counterparts, the experts and specialists they begin hiring and partnering with.However, they literally have a new and different brain?- ?one wherein they have a much harder time getting caught in the weeds of technical creation. They think much differently, broadly, and at scale.They have the eye and ability to do the technical work, which allows them to determine if the work being done is good.But they stop doing it themselves.Their time is worth 100 or 1,000X if they don’t do the technical work anymore. As a result, they build several partnerships?- ?small teams of two or so in several different areas of their life .This allows them to get their brilliance?- ?their ideas and thinking?- ?into a collaborative synergy and their partner creates it. Over time they get good at creating the right partnerships with true experts who are the best in the world at what they do. They can make a much bigger impact and do far more by partnering, over and over.The FearThe thing is?- ?most people don’t have this skill nor do they have this confidence.Who are you to get other people to do your work for you?It doesn’t have to be this way.Again, people want to be valued members of winning teams on inspiring missions. You shouldn’t assume that people hold the same values as you. As long as people are doing work they personally love where they have freedom and autonomy, as well as a high degree of responsibility?- ?they will love what they are doing.In fact, they’ll feel stoked and honored to be a part of the project.We live in the “GIG” -economy. Jobs shouldn’t be viewed as jobs, but projects. Even W eston, who is spending hundreds of millions and decades re-building and transforming the city of San Antonio views it as a project, not a job. And there are several different projects within the project.There are tons of different projects.How are you doing at building partnerships?Are you maximizing your strengths and superpowers, or burning yourself out trying to do everything?ConclusionWithout question, billionaires think differently than the masses. Weston and others are literally trying to improve cities.They think in terms of partnerships.They understand what makes people tick?- ?and it’s clearly not carrots and sticks. It’s being a valued member of a winning team on an inspiring mission.This is the essence of “transformational leadership”?- ?inspiring individuals to buy-into a powerful future and feeling valued and supported and excited to be involved.Ready to  Upgrade?I’ve created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this da ily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet here!This article originally appeared on Medium’s The Startup.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

Types of Data Entry Job Scams and How to Avoid Them

Types of Data Entry Job Scams and How to Avoid Them Types of Data Entry Job Scams and How to Avoid Them There are a lot of job scams advertising what appear to be legitimate positions. Work-from-home job scams are perhaps the most common. Work-from-home data entry jobs are particularly appealing to scammers, who find many ways to make them seem real. When you hear about a work-from-home job in data entry that sounds too good to be true (for example, the job might promise high pay for very few hours of work), it probably is. Read about some of the most common data entry job scams, and learn some tips for avoiding them. Types of Data Entry Scams Scams That Ask for MoneyThere are a couple of common kinds of data entry scams. One type of scam is the one that will ask you for money. You might be told that if you pay a fee, you will receive a job. Some scams ask you for money so that you can take a required test, pay for administrative fees, or receive equipment or a kit necessary to start the job. Others ask you to pay for a training course or certificate program. Some will ask for money in exchange for more information on data entry jobs. Once you pay the scammer money, you will likely not hear from the scammer again. Or, you will simply receive information that you could have received for free. Scams That Offer MoneyAnother common type of scam involves giving you money â€" or at least, appearing to give you money. The scammer will send you a check. You will deposit the check and then, a day or two later, the scammer will ask you to send money to someone else (either for work supplies or for some other reason). After you send the money, you realize the check they sent you has bounced. Sometimes these fake companies will drag out the process to make you think they are real. For example, one person who was scammed said the fake company actually put her through a week of “training” before sending her a fraudulent check. Sometimes, these scammers will go as far as to conduct an interview with you â€" but the interview will not be in person. One reader said she was interviewed by a scammer through an instant messaging platform online. Tips for Spotting Data Entry Scams Even someone who is aware of scams and is looking for signs of being scammed can be fooled by criminals. Keep the following tips in mind whenever you are looking for a data entry job: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Data entry jobs on average do not pay particularly well. Specialized jobs might pay a bit more (for example, jobs as a medical coder or legal transcriptionist). If you see a job listing that promises an extremely high salary, a very flexible schedule, or both, be suspicious. Research any company. Before sending an employer any personal information, research the company. Make sure they have a legitimate website. Ask the employer if you can speak to any of their employees or former employees in person. Keep researching until you feel confident that it is a legitimate company. Never pay money for a job. Many of the scams will ask you for money early on â€" either to cover the cost of equipment, to pay an administrative fee, or to pay for a test. You should not have to pay money to get a legitimate job. If anyone asks for money, that is a sign that it is a scam. Be wary of paid training programs. There are some legitimate certificate programs or other training programs for specialized careers in data entry, like legal transcription and medical coding. However, many scams promise you training that you either never end up receiving, or training that is unnecessary. Do thorough research into any training program. Ask to speak in person with people who have completed the program. Ask for a signed contract. If you are offered a job, ask for a signed, legal employment contract before beginning work. This will help you ensure that you are legally hired by a legitimate company. Trust your gut. Remember to trust your instincts. If something seems “off” about a position, do more research before responding or reaching out. If you’ve been scammed, report it. If you believe you have been scammed, report it so that others can avoid the same scam. There are a number of ways you can file a complaint, including providing information to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Better Business Bureau. You can also report fraudulent websites to Google. How to Find Real Data Entry Jobs There are ways to find real data entry jobs, as well as real work-from-home jobs more generally. First of all, reach out to your connections, including your friends, your family, and your contacts through work. They might know of a company that is looking for someone to help with data entry, or perform some other kind of freelance job. Also try to focus on particular companies that you know are legitimate. This will help you avoid those fake companies that try to scam people. There are also job boards and job search engines that specialize in work-at-home job listings. Of course, you will still need to be on the lookout for scams on these websites. However, these sites also have many legitimate jobs.

How to Ask for a Voluntary Demotion

How to Ask for a Voluntary Demotion How to Ask for a Voluntary Demotion Voluntary demotions are uncomfortable. Chances are that someone seeking a voluntary demotion has been unhappy for some time. Hopefully, such a person has come to the decision to seek an involuntary demotion after considering other options like adjusting job duties or pursuing a lateral transfer. But if the signs have been pointing to a voluntary demotion and other options don’t exist, it is time to ask for a voluntary demotion. Doing this is tricky because you don’t want to give the impression you’ve mentally checked out. You want to show you’re valuable to the organization and should be cast in a different or previous role. Follow these tips when asking for a voluntary demotion. Be Honest You must be honest when asking for a voluntary demotion. You need to lay all your cards on the table and have an open conversation with your manager. Be clear and specific about the reasons you want to step down. If your manager knows what is bothering you and what you want to do, your manager may be able to offer options you don’t know exist. Even if there are no other options, your manager should be your best ally in getting you where you want to be professionally. While being honest, remain tactful. You can be honest without being brutally honest. If your manager is part of the problem, you can probably say so without causing the situation to deteriorate further. You also don’t want to badmouth colleagues. If you need to bring up colleagues, focus on their behaviors, not their personalities. Make sure you don’t sound like you are blaming them for your situation. Prepare What You’re Going to Say You don’t want to freeze up when you approach your boss about the demotion. Plan what you’re going to say. You should jot down some notes so you touch on all the points you want to cover. Don’t memorize your speech because what you’re going to say shouldn’t even be a speech. Your ideas should spark a conversation where you and your manager seek options that will work for you, your team and the organization. Going into the conversation you should know your wants and how you will articulate it, but you must be ready to listen as well. Draft a Letter Requesting the Demotion As part of your preparation for the conversation with your manager, you should draft a letter formally requesting the demotion. You probably won’t give it to your boss during the meeting because the two of you may come up with other options. It will help you define and clarify what you want to accomplish with your demotion, and it can help you formally kick off the human resources processes that need to happen to get you in the position you want. Be aware that in government and in many other employment situations it might be hard to revoke a voluntary demotion letter once it has been accepted by your manager or your employer’s human resources office. Before you turn in the letter you need to be absolutely certain a voluntary demotion is what you want and that you are willing to accept the role the organization decides to give you. Schedule the Conversation Once you’ve done all the preparing you can do, schedule the conversation with your manager. The reason you don’t schedule before you prepare is so you don’t get caught off guard if your manager suggests an impromptu conversation when you attempt to schedule. When you schedule the appointment you don’t have to say you’re seeking a voluntary demotion. You can say you want to talk about job growth, your responsibilities or your career path. Your manager won’t be caught totally off guard when you bring up the voluntary demotion because you set the stage for talking about your career. Be Open to Ideas Once you engage in the conversation with your manager, listen. Your manager may have advice for better handling your current role. That advice may make the difference between your desire to leave or stay in that position. For example, you may be experiencing an unfavorable work-life balance. Your boss may give you tips on getting your work done faster so you’re not staying in the office until 8:00 each night. Your manager may be privy to upcoming opportunities that aren’t known to the organization at large. There may a role that better fits you that you can take without giving up status or salary. The organization might be ready to create a new position, or someone might be leaving, creating a vacancy. Be Helpful While you may be itching to get out of your current job, make things as easy as you can for your boss. Offer to stay in your current job for a transitional period. You don’t want to leave your boss doing your job while you step back into something more comfortable. Make other helpful offers as your situation dictates. A voluntary demotion is about doing what is best for everyone involved, so proactively look for ways to help others.

This is how much the average person spends on Halloween

This is how much the average person spends on Halloween This is how much the average person spends on Halloween If you think people save all their money to spend on Christmas, you would be wrong. People are spending more and more on Halloween even though it is supposedly a children’s holiday. According to a new survey of 1000 people from LendEDU, the average American will spend $185.50 on Halloween in 2018, and this is up from $169.81 in 2017.Out of decorations, candy and costumes guess which one gets the most dough? Candy for the win at 41% or $76.05.The study’s authors said, “Candy is to Halloween what presents are to Christmas; sweets make the spooky festivities what they are and excite all the young trick-or-treaters more so than anything else.”This was followed by costumes at 36% and finally decorations at 23%.Surprisingly people are spending less on costumes this year than they did in 2017. Perhaps because according to Google searches, the most popular costumes for adults were witch, vampire, and zombie which aren’t too expensive to buy or DIY.    But the average person makes u p for it with their budget with increases in candy and decoration.

Two Students Take Top Honors in Mars Medical Challenge

Two Students Take Top Honors in Mars Medical Challenge Two Students Take Top Honors in Mars Medical Challenge Two Students Take Top Honors in Mars Medical Challenge April 7, 2017 Two pre-college students from the West Coast of the United States were recently selected as the winners of the Mars Medical Challenge - the latest in a series of Future Engineers competitions sponsored by the ASME Foundation with technical assistance provided by NASA. To take part in the Mars Medical Challenge, which was the fifth Challenge offered through the program since its launch in 2014, students in grades K through 12 from across the U.S. were asked to create a digital 3D model of a medical or dental object that could be used by astronauts to maintain their physical health during a three-year mission to Mars. Devices could address a variety of space medical needs, including diagnostic, preventative, first aid, emergency, surgical or dental purposes. Nearly 750 students from 34 states submitted entries for the latest Challenge in either the Teen Category, for students aged 13 to 19, or the Junior Category, for students aged 5 to 12. The winner in the Teen Category was Lewis Greenstein, an 18-year-old student from Seattle, for his device, the Dual IV/Syringe Pump. The winner in the challenges Junior Category was Lauren Lee of Cupertino, Calif., for her entry, the Drug Lewis Greenstein of Seattle placed first in the Mars Medical Challenge’s Teen Category with his entry, the Dual IV/Syringe Pump. (Photo courtesy of NASA.) Delivery Device. As the winner of each category, each student will receive a trip to Houston where they will have the opportunity to tour NASAs Johnson Space Center. The device designed by Greenstein, a senior at Seattle Academy, is a pressure infuser that would ensure the flow of intravenous (IV) fluid in microgravity. Greensteins Dual IV/Syringe Pump, which was designed to employ materials that would already be found on a spacecraft, features a compartment for an IV bag and another for a blood pressure cuff. As the blood pressure cuff is inflated, the force from the cuff causes the wall between the two compartments to slide, putting pressure against the IV bag and ensuring a steady flow of fluid in a gravity-free environment. The pump is also intended to dispense drugs that need to be administered slowly and precisely through as many as three separate syringes at a time. Lee, the 12-year-old winner of the Junior Category, designed a 3D printable spring-loaded syringe that astronauts could use to deliver injectable intramuscular drugs, such as epinephrine, during the three-year Mars voyage. The easy-to-use syringe even allows astronauts to self-administer medications, if necessary. Lee said her design was inspired by many different things, such as oral syringes and ballpoint pens. I started designing by sketching out my thoughts and ideas on paper. Then, I started learning new software programs. Lauren Lee of Cupertino, Calif., designed the Drug Delivery Device, which took the top prize in the Junior Category. (Photo courtesy of NASA.) Deanne Bell, the CEO and founder of Future Engineers, was impressed by the ingenuity and desire to learn that the students, especially Greenstein and Lee, demonstrated during this latest Challenge. It is inspiring to see these two students use 3D printing to innovate something truly unique in space travel, Bell said. This ongoing collaboration between the ASME Foundation and NASA catapults our youth into another realm of science and engineering expertise. I am happy that our platform continues to challenge students to dream big and think off-planet. For more information on the Future Engineers 3D Space Challenges, including the full list of Mars Medical Challenge finalists, visit www.FutureEngineers.org. To learn more about ASMEs K-12 education portfolio, contact Patti Jo Snyder, Programs and Philanthropy, by e-mail at snyderp@asme.org.

The Most Popular Cute Resume Templates

The Most Popular Cute Resume Templates The Battle Over Cute Resume Templates and How to Win It Don't be afraid to reach out to personal or professional contacts who may offer insight into a business or standard advice. When you're asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you want a resume template you can inject a little more personality into to make it pop'. Actually, you can put time between updates, so you may control or how fast the charts scroll. All you need to do is point and click. In reality, you are going to be in a position to think of a decent looking and well-structured document. Again list all you like to do and are involved in that hasn't been listed. You want to opt for a resume template which will help you make a terrific first impression, even before people start reading. Regardless of what graphic you select, make sure it is of top quality and that it fits with the content of your resume. In truth, it's not that hard as it might appear to be. Still, it is a fantastic concept to make your resume reflect your perfect work atmosphere. Such examples are extremely helpful since they save time which might have been wasted otherwise on figuring the correct format out. Employing the resume examples we've developed, it's simple to create your RN resume far better. Resume formats are easily found and downloaded from the internet. The guideline is to attempt to keep your resume to a full page. Try to remember, the sample files are simple to customize. You may certainly apply your wallet exchange senior pics. The times you need to use a creative resume are fewer than when you ought to use a formal resume. The Battle Over Cute Resume Templates and How to Win It Unfortunately, the new template galleries offer only a portion of templates from which to select. The upcoming free resume template is made in the shape of a brochure. There are lots of free resume templates readily available online but sometimes it can be very hard to pick the best one that is most suited to you. If you choose to try out one of our completely free creative templates, we have a couple recommendations to create your work search as fruitful as possible. Its high-quality PSD file is completely customizable. In some cases what you will need isn't a resume template in the slightest. Dozens of cover letter templates you may download and print at no cost. There are two kinds of Big 4 Resume Template. You will be given a PDF instruction file with links to where you may download the them. According to education tech websiteControl Alt Achieve, Google is switching to some other selection of publicly available templates as it wants to add characteristics that have been missing from its previous choice of templates. Microsoft Word resume templates are the most regularly used tool in the work hunting. The completely free document templates it is possible to see in Google Docs are really helpful. Next is a letter that comprises some personal details about YOU. Ensure you set the dates you participated. Revision History The Google Docs Revision History feature is helpful for job seekers because it enables you to find any prior changes which were made to your Google Docs resume. The following advice can assist you with your work search. When you have prepared and submitted your resume to an employer the hope is you will be requested to attend work interview to go over further whether you're going to be suitable. All recommendation forms ask when you have any affiliations. Professionally, our resumes are often the very first impression a possible employer gets of us. It's important to get your resume stand out from the work competition.

The Advantages of Qualifications on Resume

The Advantages of Qualifications on Resume The Fundamentals of Qualifications on Resume Revealed By way of example, say you're applying for the job of dump truck driver. Your job experience section ought to start with your most recent job and continue in reverse chronological order. Switching careers can appear to be an intimidating task, especially in the event that you feel as if you're starting from scratch. If you're applying for work in an extremely ethnic area and you're bilingual, you currently have a skill that is helpful to the job and ought to make that clear on your resume. Make certain that the summary statement is customized depending on the work description if you wish to catch that recruiter's eye. Knowing the fundamental steps of writing a good resume does not signify you have to write alone. The summary isn't as detailed. You require an overview of qualifications if you would like the quickest way to secure more interviews without a whole lot of work. A H istory of Qualifications on Resume Refuted Throughout the web, there are lots of resources which can help you construct a powerful resume. Also, bear in mind that you've got to constantly edit and update your resume whenever you can and take part in various activities to not just obtain experience but build your skill collection. Developing a great resume is a small amount of a balancing act. Conclusion There's a lot you can do to enhance your resume yourself without getting qualified assistance. Your summary of qualifications should incorporate a wonderful assortment of examples that produce your resume really stick out. You must comprehend what information is going to be of most value to an expected employer and select only relevant educational content. There are several possible details you may decide to list when discussing qualifications. Some of the main elements of a summary statement can consist of indicating your career direction (rather than objective), highlightin g the quantity of relevant experience which you have, and mentioning the qualifications that will separate you from different candidates. Employing action words with hard skills is an enormous plus. They are quantifiable and often learned from school or on the job. They are not skills that are hard to learn. They can be categorized in different ways, depending on your job title. Another way to spot the difference between skills and qualifications is that in some instances, qualifications are requirements to be qualified for a particular job, while skills are merely a bonus. Therefore if you'd like to go noticed instantly, you should incorporate an overview of qualifications on your resume. Besides choosing where to bring a core competencies section on your resume, you also need to list down professional competencies which are relevant to the job you're applying for. Based on your career, in addition, there are core competencies specific to your industry. You may not have much work experience to include, so concentrate on personal and professional skills together with your educational background. As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. Also, be certain that the skills you add are the absolute most relevant to your career targets and the strongest. Bear in mind, the majority of the distinctive skills that you set on your resume ought to be job-related skills taken from the work description and your best transferable skills. Somebody who would like to develop into a nurse, for example, might have to possess certain qualifications like a particular level of education or certifications. Your skills section stipulates a window into how much capability you'll be able to bring to the provider. 2 pages are only allowed if you've got lots of expertise or achievements which will help you distinguish yourself in the applicants. The perfect way to demonstrate you ha ve these qualifications is by listing them below your job experience. There's a place to be filled. You will need to be sure you match each portion of your qualifications summary to the job which you're seeking. To determine what you should include, return to the work description. If your degree is in the very same field, it certainly has to be highlighted since it can separate you from different applicants and set you on a brief collection of likely future hires. You may also draw parallels between the positions if they aren't immediately obvious. The very first key section of your resume is known as the Career Objective. It's important to spend the time to compose a career summary that's a strong match with your jobs of interest.

The Argument About Resume Header Example

The Argument About Resume Header Example Resume Header Example Features You can also incorporate info about a degree program you are enrolled in. Don't get too specific if you're submitting an overall application. Reverse chronological layout is ideal for the majority of the job applications. Your resume must make them obvious. The Most Popular Resume Header Example Make the the majority of the space you've got by employing succinct phrases and leaving out irrelevant abilities and prior jobs. Worse, a bad header can befuddle the hiring software used by a number of managers. Possessing both on your resume will occupy space and can appear redundant. USE THE KEYWORDS from the work announcement in case you have that distinct skill or knowledge. What's Actually Going on with Resume Header Example A massive collection of action verbs are available here. It's fine to break in the center of a section, but don't break up sentences within work description or educational listing. Once you've reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to learn how to vary using action verbs and receive a feel for what makes an effective accomplishment statement. In reality, the best resume examples do exactly that. While it's going to be a bit additional work, be certain to make a new headline for each work application. The title of Bookkeeper is an extremely wide term. Once your resume is prepared to go, you are going to wish to be sure to receive it in front of as many employers as possible. Located on top of your resume below your name and contact info, a headline makes it possible for a recruiter to see quickly and concisely what makes you the correct person for the job. The Hidden Truth About Resume Header Example Use exactly the same name across all on-line profiles you desire the hiring manager to find. There are three major forms of resumes you could select from when crafting the perfect resume. Two-page resumes are acceptable provided that they're formatted to be effortless to read. Infographic-style resumes have gotten popular, and they may be effective when done well. Things You Should Know About Resume Header Example The footer should include your entire name and the page number. Your resume header needs to have your name and present designation at the very top. Following your contact info, your private summary, also referred to as your resume summary, should be next. Utilize your individual address, not your work e-mail, and make certain it is never too casual. Place your email address close to your phone number where it can be readily found. Your contact number is the very best way for employers to contact you should you score an interview, so make certain they can discover it. Top Resume Header Example Secrets If you struggle to earn everything fit on a single page you are able to adjust the margins and font size. Alternately, you may experiment with various fonts and margins. In addition, the fon t of the critical achievements section is a bit larger than the important duties section. You wouldn't, for instance, want to CAPITALIZE, ITALICIZE, AND UNDERLINE parts of text. Choosing Good Resume Header Example For this reason, you might or might not have a writing specific level. Resume headlines are perfect for candidates with lots of experience. What You Can Do About Resume Header Example Starting in the Next Eight Minutes As you are relatively new, nobody expects you to be ideal. Now, nobody is going to inform you that they tossed off your resume just since you didn't have an awards section within it. Clearly, your name is likely to go at the peak of your resume. The Essentials of Resume Header Example You Will be Able to Benefit From Starting Today Examine the requirements for a number of jobs you want to apply for, and build a resume profile title that contains the main requirements from each. In addition, it's intelligent to detail your apprenticeship. Your r esume or CV may be among the most important projects you ever design. Make certain that you have added the appropriate portfolio or certification. Get the Scoop on Resume Header Example Before You're Too Late Make certain you really do have enough info to require another page, however. Below, you will discover a list of resume examples that may aid you with your work search. Once more, if you keep a professional Twitter page, you might include it compliment your resume. Pages with narrow margins and little print are more inclined to be tossed aside as they're tough to read. When it has to do with Functional layout, we'd suggest caution. Whenever possible, utilize a style much like the header on the very first page. It's possible for you to prepare the header however you like, so long as it looks neat and contain the details given below. The header of your resume is your very first chance to earn a huge impression. Resume Header Example - Overview Review the next sample resume headers for ideas on the best way to combine information. 3 methods to Build a Resume as soon as you have named your resume, you're going to be in a position to browse an assortment of section sets and sample resumes, or start from scratch. You will be asked if you're certain you wish delete the section. The 2 sections also utilize different bullet point styles.

Awesome Resume Templates Help!

Awesome Resume Templates Help! Creative Resume Content Whichever creative resume design you select, the content has to be no problem to find and logically organized. Listed here are examples of information that may be included in your curriculum vitae. Several sites exist specifically to aid you make an attractive visual resume. Education and skills qualifies an applicant for more processing but doesn't necessarily mean immediate success. The 30-Second Trick for Awesome Resume Templates Career profiles supply an overview of your region of specialization and useful skills giving employers a general idea about what you can actually do. The initial one is about outlining your abilities and your availability in a certain job position. You may never underestimate the ability of a good resume format, especially if you are looking for employment. Picking the right resume template will not merely permit you to highlight the best aspects of your experience and abilities, but nevert heless, it will also focus your focus to demonstrating what value you are able to provide prospective employers. A History of Awesome Resume Templates Refuted The freebie was made by Alamin Mir. If you believe an internet or video resume can help you stick out from the competition, go for itjust make certain you have a paper version handy. If you choose to try out one of our completely free creative templates, we have a couple recommendations to create your work search as fruitful as possible. Hopefully, you presently have a strong site, either a personal portfolio or your freelance business website. Using Awesome Resume Templates Creativity is among the essential things to getting your dream job. Still, it is a good concept to make your resume reflect your perfect work atmosphere. The times you ought to use a creative resume are fewer than when you ought to use a formal resume. At this time there's still an opportunity to stick out from the competition being different. In truth, it's not that hard as it might appear to be. Getting the most of a resource that won't only help save you time, but is demonstrated to elevate your opportunity of scoring a work simply is logical. Some return to templates earn even more sense based on your level of seniority, the kind of work that you're searching for and additionally the market in which you wish to do the undertaking. When you begin with a creative resume template, you merely have to drop in your details to rapidly finish the practice. This totally free timeline-based resume template was produced by graphic designer Patryk Korycki. These templates are designed to be clean-cut and right to the point. They are great for a graphic artist or designer for example, but if you are applying to become an accountant, you may want to go for an elegant or classic design instead. Whispered Awesome Resume Templates Secre ts If you wish to be a graphic designer, you can display your graphic design abilities. Whether it's your dream to engage in a career in graphic design creating distinctive and dynamic company branding or typography, whether you wish to work in an internet medium or prefer to deal solely with tangible, physical designs, you may discover that graphic design is an awesome career choice. The clean and easy design can help you to clearly show your skills, portfolio items in an important way. Our set of these clean, modern and professional resume templates are best for applying for new work in tech businesses and other multi-national businesses. Resume templates are one method to guarantee structure behind your resume. They also show you what you need to include in your CV, such as what information to put in each section, and what kind of language to use. Utilizing a resume template has turned into an acceptable and smart practice for several explanations. In reality, the chronolo gical resume template is easily the most traditional resume format. You may download the resume template free of charge and can readily edit the template using Microsoft word. The templates were created using Montserrat Font Family, so could need to download the fonts ahead of customizing the files. Our creative templates permit you to stick out from the crowd. There are lots more templates on our site you may check out. How to Choose Awesome Resume Templates There are a lot of free creative resume templates you're able to use, allowing you to focus your energy on everything else you have to do. As you may have noticed, design is only one of several elements in your resume that may capture attention. Once you have selected your perfect resume template from our selection, follow our totally free expert guidance about ways to craft the ideal modern resume. Each one of our creative style templates offer you a perfectly balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and a li ttle style.