Saturday, March 14, 2020

10 Traits That Will Kill Your Career

10 Traits That Will Kill Your CareerYou know the basic rules dont lie or cheat or embezzle from the company. But there are a few character flaws and personal patterns or habits that could also seriously hinder your progredienzand even kill your career. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Most people dont even realize theyre doing themselves or their careers harm until its far too late. And most careers arent impacted by one big mistake or one cringeworthy comment. It happens little by little, in ways you might leid expect. So keep an eye out for these subtle traits and traps that could already be bringing you down.1. NarcissismIf youre just thinking about yourself and how you can succeed, thats self-absorption in the highest. Youll go farther in your career if you consider how to help the company get aheadand the company is made of people. Its bedrngnis all about you. Focus on being a better team player. In a rising tide, all boats rise.2. D ishonestyIt doesnt have to be one big whopper to count as lying. In fact, its often the smaller fibs around the edges that create a pattern making for a person a boss would likely write off as dishonest. Cultivate honesty as a virtue and a character trait. Be tactful, but not obsequious. Have the courage to accept responsibility when things are your fault. And keep your mouth shutdont spread rumors about your coworkers or friends.3.Making False PromisesYou either over-promise or under-deliver, but either way, youre falling short of expectations and failing to do what you said youd accomplish. Set reasonable, achievable goals for yourself. Make promises only that youre certain you can keep. That way, if you get mora done faster, you can give your boss a pleasant surprise instead of having to underperform.4. ComplacencyOtherwise known as laziness. When was the last time you learned a new skill or took a refresher or other training course? When was the last time you certified yourself in something new? Or really dug into industry research to keep yourself on the cutting edge? If you dont grow, you wont be challenged and you wont change. And youll never get ahead.5. PessimismNobody likes a Debbie Downer. If you find yourself focusing more on the negative side of everything, dont be surprised when no one wants to work with youand your boss doesnt particularly want to see you succeed.6. ApathyEven worse than being negative or pessimistic is being apathetic. If you cant bring yourself to care one way or the other, how can you expect anyone to trust you or want to work with you? Even if you hate your job, give it your best and move on. Otherwise youll be stuck, youll get a bad reputation, and youll never get ahead.7. Fear of changeKeep your eye on the prize, the big picture. Weigh your daily and monthly priorities against your long-term goals. And dont be afraid of changes in your company or industry. Learn to be adaptable. Roll with the tides. Dont ever hear yourself saying, But weve always done it this way. Learn to grow and adapt as things progressand keep your biggest dreams in the back of your mind at all times. Be flexible. Embrace the ever-changing nature of the working world.8. EgoYou get a little success, it goes to your head, and all of a sudden youre the star of every show. Youre arrogant. Full of yourself. Cocky. Youre doing nothing but setting yourself up for a rather painful failure.9. InsecurityWhether this manifests as meekness, arrogance, envy, pessimism, oversensitivity it doesnt matter. Do what you have to do to be more confident in your own abilities and career position. Go to therapy. This trait makes a negative impact across all areas of your lifenot just your job. And its not a good enough excuse for the behavior it tends to cause.10. Sucking upNobody likes a brown-noser. Youre not showing real respect or building a relationship youre a big phony going about things the underhanded way. Earn your bosss respect the honest wa y. Prove your merit. Help your team. Show dont tell.Once youve got all of this down,the next step is to make sure you dont let any of your biases impact your decisions. In order to effectively develop your career, its important to admit you have biases and learn to correct them. The more objective you are, the better your decisions will be.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Is The Tone of Your Voice Holding Your Career Back

Is The Tone of Your Voice Holding Your Career Back Patriarchy has always strived to strip women of our voices. But as we make headway in the workplace and witness more women claim leadership roles, were no longer judged by merely what we say, but also by how we say it.Best-selling feminist author Naomi Wolf fueled a firestorm in July when she published an open letter to millennial women. Young women, give up the vocal fry, and reclaim your strong female voice, she wrote.What is vocal fry? And why are we asking women to apologize for it?Known among linguistics as creaky voice, vocal fry is a specific type of phonation caused by slackening the vocal cords. In regular speech, the vocal cords vibrate to release a steady stream of air, but in vocal fry, the lax cords vibrate irregularly and thus flap open and closed so the air is instead released in audible spurts.Commentators have notlageed the Kardashians, Britney Spears, and Zooey Deschanel for their infamously creaky voices. But while both men and women alike use vocal fry, its largely women who are criticized unfairly for it.Sure, a 2011 study found that two-thirds of a small sample of college women use vocal fry, and American youth deem it virtually irrelevant in fact, a 2010 study found that a bulk of young people have a generally favorable impression of women who speak with creaky voices. But while the speech impediment doesnt seem to faze them, it could actually be hurting womens job prospects, according to a more recent study published in the online journal PLOS.This study conducted by Duke University researchers Rindy C. Anderson, Casey A. Klofstad, William J. Mayew and Mohan Venkatachalam and supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation suggests that women who use vocal fry sound less competent, less trustworthy, less educated and less hire-able. Its another voice mannerism like run-on sentences, breathiness, and uptalk, which is the tendency to dilute sentences with questions, that under mine womens authority.The researchers asked seven young men and seven young women to say the phrase, Thank you for considering me for this opportunity, in both a normal tone and in vocal fry. Then, 800 men and women of a variety of ages were invited through an online survey to listen to the samples and select which speaker (normal or fry) they found to be more educated, competent, trustworthy, attractive and appealing as a job candidate.For each trait, the listeners preferred the normal voice to the fry voice, regardless of the speakers genders. The respondents were less likely to say theyd want to hire the person with the fry voice, particularly because they found them to be less trustworthy. They also preferred a normal voice 86 percent of the time for female speakers and 83 percent of the time for male speakers when taking hiring someone into consideration.Likewise, women using fry were viewed more negatively than men using vocal fry, and, in general, negative perceptions were st ronger when the listener was a woman.Researchers suspect that women may be disproportionately penalized for using vocal fry merely because theyre expected to, biologically, have higher voices. In fact, back in 2013 Slate noted that older men, who are typically in power positions over young women, find vocal fry intensely irritating.SlateLexicon Valley podcaster (and NPROn the Mediahost) Bob Garfieldcomplained Something happens to their voice, as if they have a catch in their throat.Over the course of the 26-minute podcast, Garfield describes the speech pattern as vulgar, repulsive, mindless, annoying and really annoying. I want the oil to stop frying, Garfield said. I want someone to wave a magic wand over a significant portion of the American public i.e. women and have the frying come to an end.For women, however, vocal fry is quite the conundrum to come to an end with it may be easier said than done because it may actually be a subconscious retort to the entrenched understanding of our other speech mannerisms society would call inadequacies. A wealth of research suggests that individuals with deeper voices are perceived as more dominant and are more successful at obtaining leadership roles so perhaps women drop their voices to guttural levels to demonstrate strength, confidence and thus competency. We live in a world in which were told we should speak like men to get ahead, and then adversely hindered for doing just that.A 2011 study, The Myth of the Ideal Worker Does Doing All the Right Things Really Get Women Ahead? published in Catalyst, found that self-advocacy skills actually correlate with workplace status and pay more directly than merit itself. So, speaking well for oneself is a bigger facilitator to faring well in the workplace than working hard.For example, science would support Hillary Clintons loss to Donald Trump in the presidential elections, as commentators continuously criticized her voice. Experts have delved into the nuances behind her al legedly annoying voice and also into the many ways her credentials were compromised because of her patterns of speech.Perhaps, then, the conversation should not be focused on speech but, rather, statusnot who we allow to use vocal fry, but instead who we allow to obtain power.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

working at nbcu

working at nbcu NBCUniversal asked employees what they loved about their NBCU experience, and they answered Get a sneak peek of what their employees have to say, and check out their current openings here Dont forget to follow NBCUniversal on PowerToFly for job updates, event invitations, and more One of the biggest challenges in alfruchtwein all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the la st time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 mio construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to bette r business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo-verstrker welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of work ers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

How to Eliminate Any Potential Red Flags from Your Resume

How to Eliminate Any Potential Red Flags from Your ResumeHow to Eliminate Any Potential Red Flags from Your ResumeCall it intuition, foresight, spidey sense, or old-fashioned good judgment. Weve all encountered people, facts or scenarios that throw up red flags and tell you to exercise a little extra caution. While this can be handy when venturing down a dark alleyway alone at night or sipping cocktails with that shady first date, the last thing you want as a potential job-seeker is your perspective employer raising an incredulous eyebrow over your resume. Add in todays competitive job market when even one potential red flag is enough to send your job interview hopes plummeting and youve got a recipe for disaster. Never worry though, were breaking down just how to eliminate any and all potential red flags from your resume. Read on to find out just which issues give hiring managers unterlass and how you can avoid them and up your chances at scoring that interview.Gaps in Employment Hi storyWhen reviewing your resume, prospective employers like to see stable, long-term employment. Large gaps in your work history can throw a wrench in the works and create questions as to why you were unemployed. When crafting a resume, strive for continuity in positions, listing even seemingly irrelevant jobs if they help flush out job history. If you do have a gap due to personal or other reasons, consider putting in an entry marking time out from the workforce due to family or other issues or address the gaps in a cover letter.Missing Cover LetterIn todays competitive employment space, candidates cant afford to fall behind the competition for the best job openings. Unless an application specifically asks you not to include one, always be koranvers to attach a brief, well-written cover letter to serve as a preface to your resume. The cover letter is an excellent way to showcase your communication and writing skills and can also help fill in blanks when it comes to your personality or soft skills. Just as a missing cover letter can throw up red flags, so can a missive that is out of character with the norm. A good cover letter should be no more than one page made up of three brief paragraphs that provide an introduction, basic background information on your skillset and an offer to provide additional information if needed. Include these items and youll be in line with best practices and formats for what hiring managers expect to see in a resume and cover letter.Getting Too PersonalWhen preparing your resume and reviewing for potential red flags, keep in mind that prospective employers are really only interested in your professional qualifications. The extensive inclusion of facts such as personal hobbies, religious or political beliefs or other information that isnt relevant to your qualifications not only takes up valuable resume space, it can also raise red flags for would-be employers. HR professionals and hiring managers alike are also leery of knowing th is type of personal info regarding candidates, which could open them up to potential discrimination claims. Keep things professional and leave out your penchant for knitting doll sweaters from your cats fur, to give your resume a leg up in the hiring process. Errors and TyposAsk any hiring manager about their biggest pet peeve when reviewing resumes and theyre likely to tell you that avoidable errors such as typos, formatting issues, and glaring grammatical mistakes rank right up there. Sure, weve all been known to switch up a tense or miss an Oxford comma from time to time, but a professional resume is a far cry from a Facebook post or email to your mother confirming your attendance for Thanksgiving dinner. Prospective employers expect that candidates have put a great deal of time, effort and revisions into crafting this snapshot of their professional qualifications, and expect to see few if any, obvious errors.The resume should be a candidates best foot forward. When that foot is muddied with grammatical mistakes, spelling errors and fonts and indents, it can distract from the candidates overall qualifications. If a person cant get a one-page resume right, after all, how can they be expected to perform adequately in the open position? Before submitting your resume, be sure to read and re-read. Dont be afraid to ask one or more friends or colleagues to also give your document a once over. As a bonus, once you have an error-free base, future revisions to update your work history will be that much easier.The Red Flag Bottom LineWhile weve identified a few of the most common, and annoying, red flags employers see in resumes, keep in mind that anything out of the norm will draw attention to your candidacy. While all attention is good attention may be a common marketing saying, the same certainly doesnt hold true in the professional world. Keep your resume red flag free and let your qualifications shine for the best shot at landing that job, position or career of your dreams.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer)

Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer)Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer)Before you even begin salary negotiations with a prospective employer, you need to find out how much the job is worth and how much your skills and experience are worth to the employer. Take the time to research salaries long before you even begin discussing pay. That way you will be prepared to make your case and land a job offer thats realistic and reasonable. What Are Salary Negotiations? Salary negotiations involve discussing a job offer with a prospective employer to negotiate a salary and benefits package thats in line with the market (and hopefully, that meets or exceeds your needs). The most productive salary negotiations occur between people who realize that they have a common goal to get the employee paid appropriately for their skills and experience. Negotiations neednt be adversarial, and no one has to get aggressive. If youre a reluctant negotiator, it might help to keep in mind that youre on the same side. Negotiations can include all aspects of compensation, including salary, bonuses, stock options, benefits, perks, vacation time, and mora. Salary Negotiation Tips Wait for the Appropriate Time Once you know what you should be earning, how do you go about getting it? Start by being very patient. When interviewing for a new position, do your best elend to bring up compensation until the employer makes you an offer.Resist Throwing out the First Number If youre asked what your salary requirements are, say that they are open based upon the position and the overall compensation package. Or tell the employer youd like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job prior to discussing salary. Base Your Salary Request on Data If youre forced to give a number, provide a salary range based upon the research youve done up front. Use this research to inform your negotiating technique. Talk about whats appropriate for the role, b ased on your experience and what you have to offer. Resist the temptation to talk about your personal financial needs.Take Your Time Once youve received the offer, you dont need to accept (or reject) it right away. A simple I need to think it over can get you an increase in the original offer. Consider Saying No If youre ambivalent about the position, a no can bring you a better offer too.But Dont Decline a Job That You Want or Need Be careful though if you do need that new job, theres a risk that the employer may accept youre declining the position and move on to the next candidate.Negotiate Benefits Consider whether there are employee benefits and perks that might be negotiable, even if the salary isnt. Salary and Paycheck Calculators When youre considering a job offer, its important to know the bottom line how much your net pay will be. You can use free salary and paycheck calculators to estimate how much youll bring home in your paycheck Negotiating a Raise Prepare If y ou are currently employed and want a raise, start by being prepared. Gather your salary survey information, average raise data, recent performance appraisals that document the job youre doing, and any other relevant information. Be aware of company policy regarding compensation. Some employers are limited by budget constraints and can only give raises at certain times of the year, regardless of the circumstances.Have a Clear Idea of What You Want Determine the salary range youre looking for and the justification for the increase and have both ready to review with your supervisor. Be Flexible Would you consider an extra couple of weeks of vacation instead of a raise? I know someone who has regularly taken time-off instead of money and now has six vacation weeks a year.Request a Meeting With Your Supervisor to Discuss Salary Present your request, supported by documentation, calmly and rationally. Dont ask for an immediate answer. Your boss is most likely going to have to discuss it wi th Human Resources and/or other company managers. Despite your best efforts, there may simply not be enough money in the budget to increase your salary or compensation package offer. The company may also not want to create inequities by paying one person more than others in a similar position. In that case, you can at least know you tried. Plus, if this is a job you really think that youre going to love, consider whether the company culture, the benefits, and the job itself are worth it regardless of the salary.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

How to Target Top Employers in Your Job Search

How to Target Top Employers in Your Job SearchHow to Target Top Employers in Your Job SearchLand a job with the right employer by building a strong target company list.Even when you start your job search with a very strong in at an organization, landing a new job will likely require you to pursue multiple job opportunities at the same time. In fact, I recommend that job seekers continue pursuing new job leads even as theyre entering the final interview round of another opportunity. To help you streamline this process and ensure you land a job with the right company, I encourage you to develop a target company list based upon your job goals.Below are tips on how to research and vet prospective employers as you build a strong target company list.Never discount a good, old-fashioned Google search. With a few key strokes you can identify companies that align with your core values, such as the importance of work-life balance or innovation. Visit sites like The Muse to peruse the companies they profile this is a great way to get an inside look at an organization and get a sense of what its like to work there.Set up Google News Alerts for your target industry and prospective employers. This way, you will learn mora about the key players in the marketplace and may be able to predict when new job opening will become available. For instance, if your dream employer wins a big contract with the government or announces plans to expand its operations to another region of the country, then the company may require new employees to handle the extra business.Your network can be a powerful source of job leads and company intel. Take stock of your current network to determine if you know anyone who works, or used to work, in one of your ideal companies. Ask your contact out for an informational interview to learn more about the organization. Your connection (1) can provide you with insight into the company culture and hiring process, and (2) may be your gateway to uncovering the hidden jobs that never get posted online.Start following your target companies and their senior leadership through their primary social media channels. Companies often leverage their best employees to be brand ambassadors, so be on the lookout for these folks social media presence. ansicht often provide job seekers with great insight into the companys culture.Check to see if the company is planning to attend or host events this information can often be found in the companys Careers section or Press Room, through one of their social media channels such as the Events section of their Facebook page, or on a site like 10times. These events are great opportunities to meet people from the company and demonstrate that youre genuinely interested in working at their organization.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Bye Bye PPP-S

Bye Bye PPP-SBye Bye PPP-SBye Bye PPP-S BREAKING NEWS FOR TEN STEPS TRAINERS Priority Placement Program for Spouses is OverKathryn Troutman, Federal Career CoachPresident, www.resume-place.comAnd Bobbi Rossiter, MAS, Program ManagerTen Steps to a Federal Job, June 15, 2018Resume Place, inc. online forum and message board for discussion of issues in the field of resume writing, career development and federal employment.6/29/18 PPP-S UPDATE The PPP-S HRO Specialist ARE STILL taking registrations for PPP-S. There seems to be a STOP buchung or Slow Down Order regarding the closing of PPP-S. It could have to do with the Executive Order for Military Spouses and Non-Competitive federal jobs. We do not know the details. There is NO official statement from DOD on PPP-S, except that they are still taking spouse registrations.LOTS More Military Spouse Federal Jobs News Federal Agencies are going to HIRE more spouses WOW, we will see what happensWashington Post Eric YoderStars and Stripes Military.com articleWe baked a cake to say Bye Bye PPP-Sand Hello USAJOBS and Military Spouse PreferenceYesterday, we rolled-out our NEWLY-UPDATED curriculum, Stars are Lined Up for Military Spouses with Military Spouse Preference on USAJOBS in our Ten Steps to a Federal Job Certification class for Military District of Washington, US Navy class at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling One month ago, we were teaching The Stars are Lined Up for Military Spouses on PPP-S and USAJOBS.Big update for the Stars are Lined Up for Military Spouses the book by Kathryn Troutman19 pages of Chapter 2 will be changed from all of the complex STARS required to register for PPP-S, to the STARS required to find announcements using the Military Spouse Preference on USAJOBS.Recently USAJOBS and agencies have increased the number of positions posted with the Military Spouse PreferenceNO moraPPP-S Registrations no more searching for the point of contact or register no more struggle to set an appointment with the H RO no more two-hour meetings with HRO about the PPP-S process no more email MATCHES to positions in your military kusine area no more option codes no more antique registration forms (that many people could not understand).NOWAnnouncements applying Military Spouse Preference can be found easily using the Military Spouse filter found in the Hiring Path section on the left side of any USAJOBS search page. It is very important to target these announcements and to orient your resume towards them. (We recommend answering the questionnaire at the highest possible level that you can prove and to use the Outline Format to showcase your supporting qualifications in your resume.)BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PPP-S AND USAJOBS AND MSPThe new USAJOBS Military Spouse Preference application process is WAY easier than PPP-SThe application is online, instead of an in-person or email meetingEach resume can be targeted toward a specific positionEach announcement is selected by YOU, because you are intereste d in this positionResults will come to you via OPM emails and will be viewable in the results section in your USAJOBS profile.STARS ARE LINED UP FOR MILITARY SPOUSES INSTRUCTORS Kathryn Troutman, Author Bobbi Rossiter, MAS, Military Spouse and John Gagnon, Ph.D., Ten Steps TrainerBOTTOM LINE FOR MILITARY SPOUSES AND FEDERAL JOBS.The EO 13473, Military Spouse Preference can give a spouse the opportunity to apply for more positions on USAJOBS.The spouse can apply for federal employee announcements, in addition to the US Citizen Announcements. The great thing here is that with these federal employee announcements Veterans Preference candidates will not take the list.Spouses want a solid career with growth potential, many positions at/near military bases, strong benefits, family flexibility, and retirement options. Civil service provides GREAT careers for military spouses who are living on military base around the world.Veterans prefer federal jobs as their number one employer spouses prefer the sameThe new Executive Order by President Trump is going to increase the number of Military Spouse positions posted on USAJOBs.Agencies will need to provide a quarterly report on the number of spouse job announcements This is a GREAT improvement about the visibility of positions for Military Spouses on USAJOBSTHE BOOK THE STARS ARE LINED UP FOR MILTIARY SPOUSESThis book, Chapter 2 and the PowerPoint are being changed from PPP-S emphasis to USAJOBS MSP emphasis. Six of the stars are different to make this a more MSP-oriented curriculum. Four of the stars remain the same.The STARS curriculum is licensed for Ten Steps trainers. The new PowerPoint is finished now, so we can send you the copy if you write to Bobbi Rossiter, the Program Manager for the Ten Steps certification, at bobbiresume-place.com.