A Guide to Introverts in the Workplace

A Guide to Introverts in the Workplace Not everyone in your office will be loud, open and ready to joke. Introverts have jobs which are very suitable for their personality traits this infographic explains more. Takeaways: Introverts prefer quiet, calm working spaces. 1 in 8 teens are estimated to have a social phobia. Introverts can flourish in many careers such as computer programmers or technical writers. RELATED: What is Your Myers Briggs Social Media Type? Source: BestMastersPrograms.org

How to Stand Out in Your Next Work Conversation

How to Stand Out in Your Next Work Conversation Todays post is written by Brittany Lyons. Brittany aspires to be a psychology professor but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading science fiction and walking her dog. Deborah Tannen once penned the now-famous essay, “There is No Unmarked Woman,” to express how women are judged by entirely different standards than men. Making a memorable positive impression in a new business setting can be challenging. While you may be judged by your decisions, these same decisions might not cause you to stand out any more than any other female in the room. It is important that you consciously make an effort to create memorable positive impressions upon meeting new business colleagues and clients alike. Here is How to Stand Out At Work, In a Good Way Create a Unique Introduction for Yourself Try introducing yourself and following your name with an interesting fact, such as a short story about your travels to the meeting or the fact that it is your first time in that particular city. Alternatively, if you can’t quickly think of an interesting fact on the spot, then compliment the colleague you are meeting. In general, both men and women remember when they are given a compliment, such as, “Thats impressive you received a doctorate degree in your field, PhDs are not easy to obtain.”, and by doing so you will stand out in their minds. Make All Your Words Count You don’t want to be remembered as the woman who talked incessantly without actually contributing anything of significance to the discussion. If you are in doubt over the pertinence of a point that you’d like to present, then try introducing it into the conversation in the form of a question. For example, “How do you think You don’t want to be remembered as the woman who talked incessantly without actually contributing anything of significance to the discussion. If you are in doubt over the pertinence of a point that you’d like to present, then try introducing it into the conversation in the form of a question. For example, “How do you think such-in-such event will (or has) affected this?” This way, you are still contributing to a conversation, without drawing any negative attention to yourself. Make sure that your questions are memorable, as they can direct the entire stream of the following conversation. Staying up to date on current international events is one great way to always be armed with interesting and relevant questions to pipe into a conversation, whether at a lunch, at a social gathering or at a business meeting. Dont Be Antagonistic Towards Men   Too often, women in business are labeled as aggressive and scorned by their male colleagues. Simply treating the men you encounter with respect will create a far better impression than trying to aggressively assert your “belonging” in the business world. In her famous autobiography, Mary Wells Lawrence mentions how her confident actions in an entirely male-dominated workplace partially contributed to her outstanding success. Strive to follow in her footsteps and you are sure to win over anyone you meet. Be Bold Enough to be a Little Different Again, make sure that this is a good differenceâ€"not one that could potentially isolate you. It could mean inserting those comments and questions into a conversation that might otherwise be between two dominating personalities. It also might mean targeting your social interactions to include certain individuals who might otherwise tend to be disengaged from the conversations taking place. Watch What You Wear Of course, as the essay “There Is No Unmarked Woman” states, the manner in which you dress will be memorable whether you intend for it to be or not. Avoid overly revealing attire; while this could make you memorable, it might not be the kind of professional attention that you should be seeking to further your career. Choose outfits that are carefully constructed and stylishly designed. A stylish taste in fashion will make you positively memorable to both men and women business partners. Readers, what are your thoughts?  How can women stand out at work?

4 Contract Creation Tips to Avoid Disputes - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Contract Creation Tips to Avoid Disputes - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Entrepreneurs are no strangers to contracts. Whether it’s an employee agreement, a lease for office space or a purchasing agreement, contracts are frequently used to outline the expectations of business partnerships or relationships. Ideally, the contract is in place so both parties understand what’s expected of them. Contracts ensure that everyone entering into the agreement is in full understanding of what they need to do or provide and what they will receive in return. Unfortunately, some contracts don’t accomplish this. When a contract comes under dispute, it means that one side of the agreement had a different understanding of what the contract meant. Throughout a contract dispute, both parties end up arguing about what they believe the contract says â€" a process that can be exhausting and expensive. Fortunately, contract disputes can be avoided. If you’re an entrepreneur, and constantly creating contracts for your business relationships and partnerships, here are a few tips you should follow. Use Clear Language One of the biggest reasons a contract dispute may appear is because the language in the document is unclear or vague. When language does not specifically state what is expected out of each agreeing member, they’re able to instill their own ideas, perceptions or opinions into the contract. This can lead to disagreements in the future and the need for a contract dispute. Inconsistencies in language may also cause issues. If the same language is not used throughout the entire contract, there may be contradictory or conflicting sections. This may cause confusion down the road and lead to disputes of the contract. Using clear language throughout the entire document, which accurately describes what’s expected, is crucial for avoiding contract disputes. Language should also be simple and easy to understand. To ensure it’s not vague or ambiguous, have an attorney review the contract to see if any language should be changed or removed. Define Standards and Expectations Contracts may also be disputed if the expectations or standards are not clearly defined in the document. If a contract does not include timelines, due dates, quality standards or expectations, it can be difficult to argue whether or not the project was completed properly. In a contract, it’s not enough to say that you want something done. It’s important to clearly lay out the scope of each project, when the project should be completed and to what quality level the project must be done. The language of the contract should be as specific as possible, including dates, numbers and other measurable details whenever possible. Think About the Future When entering into a partnership, it’s important to think about the future. Even if the contract is only valid for a short period of time, or you don’t see any problems arising down the road, you want your contract to be relevant through the entire duration of your relationship. It’s important to note in the contract what will happen when the contract’s life runs out. If the contract will automatically renew, you’ll need to include that in the document. You will also want to consider including a way either party can break the contract if necessary. Contracts may also need to consider more serious situations, such as what may happen if one party goes out of business. If the party will still be responsible for upholding their end of the contract, it’s essential to include this within the document. Get It Notarized Once the contract has been written and agreed to, you will want to get it notarized. Notarizing the contract can help protect all individuals involved in the agreement, because it means the document is now legally enforceable. This gives the involved parties legal permission to take action if the contract is not met. Notarizing a contract can also help avoid contract disputes in a few ways. First, knowing that legal action may stem from disobeying the contract will encourage both parties to thoroughly read the details of the document and request changes before it’s signed. A notarized contract can also hold both parties responsible if one tries to claim they did not agree to the document. There are many ways to notarize a contract, including mobile notary services. With the ease of getting a contract notarized, there’s no reason not to take the extra step in protecting yourself and your company. When creating a contract, spend some extra time thinking about potential problems or issues that may arise. While it may mean spending another day or two developing the right language, being proactive in contract creation can save you time and money in the future. Identify confusion, misunderstandings and the needs of each party before the contract is signed to ensure everyone is protected and prepared.

Myth #8 LinkedIn is just about showing off. University of Manchester Careers Blog

Myth #8 LinkedIn is just about showing off. University of Manchester Careers Blog The abundance of less than flattering display pictures on there is alone enough to debunk this myth. But it is not uncommon for students to be unsure about what Linkedin is for, even if they use it themselves. The social media site has been built with recruitment in mind and can be a very powerful tool for any student or graduate in search of work. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and what have you, Linkedin is about selling your professional self as opposed to being a hub for friendly banter with chums and posting pictures of cats. Recruiters routinely hire through vacancies posted on LinkedIn as this infographic shows: When not being used to advertise job vacancies, LinkedIn is a useful networking tool through which you can secure internships and job roles simply through starting conversations with employers and growing your network of connections. Former University of Manchester student Tom Canning used LinkedIn to secure an internship (warning: this post does contain strong language). It’s well worth spending some time over the vacation period on getting your LinkedIn up to scratch so that you can start using it as the careers magnet that it is in the New Year. We’ve got advice on using LinkedIn on our website. Top tip: If you’re struggling for connections, get adding people you know on your course and imagine what your network will look like in 5 or 10 years’ time when you’re all off doing different things. Connecting with family friends and neighbours could be useful too â€" you never know who they’ll know! (Image Source: http://socialmeep.com/infographic-the-social-recruiting-pocket-guide/) All Careers advice Graduate Postgraduate Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted careers job hunting jobs LinkedIn networking social networking

Writing a Resume For a Masters Program

Writing a Resume For a Masters ProgramWriting a resume for a master's program can be a challenge. There are many areas that the resume should cover, and it is up to you to choose which areas should be included in the list of criteria to evaluate your application.Writing a resume for a master's program can be done on your own, or with the help of an employment service professional. However, if you are seeking an employment service professional's assistance, ask about their experience in producing resume samples that include the Masters curriculum. This will help you learn what to include in your resume, and which areas to exclude, if any.When considering writing a resume for a master's program, the goal is to produce a summary of your qualifications and accomplishments. However, the contents should also be tailored to the discipline in which you are seeking employment. The idea is to present yourself as an expert in your field.The objective is to provide all of the skills and abilitie s you have developed over the years, including those that may have been developed in your job responsibilities. The truth is that most applicants that are prepared for the Masters program will also be prepared for the job, which is not always the case. It is not unusual for those who are hired to arrive for the first day of the program with little or no work experience. A well-written resume will make it easier for the hiring manager to understand why you were chosen, instead of just accepting the fact that the positions they interviewed were filled by 'good candidates.'Writing a resume for a master's program is also similar to writing a resume for a job. Some employers only ask for the names and contact information of the individual who will be interviewed, while others want to know a little more about you. As in any job interview, your employer wants to get to know you. You should present yourself in a professional manner and avoid showing a lack of interest in the job, unless spe cifically requested.For those who have received their high school education but did not continue their education during the Masters program, there are still a number of career-related questions to address. Again, a resume sample that includes the curriculum in a format that is easily understandable is a good idea. Remember, the ability to read, write, and speak English fluently will help in all aspects of the interview process. If possible, include your grade point average in the curriculum section of your resume.When writing a resume for a master's program, remember that the course work and expectations of the employer do not change. Masters students are expected to have a strong work ethic, are required to be self-motivated, and, most important, demonstrate the ability to work under pressure. While your work experience in high school will be helpful, the length of your Masters program cannot be overlooked.A Masters degree is designed to help you learn new skills, to develop your l eadership skills, and to enhance your communication and organizational skills. The demand for highly skilled individuals continues to rise, and there is always room for more Masters graduates. In order to prepare for the employment world that is today, you must be knowledgeable about the knowledge and skills you will need to succeed in your future job.

Meet the 24 newest Chief Happiness Officers from our Academy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Meet the 24 newest Chief Happiness Officers from our Academy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Meet the graduates from our 9th CHO Academy 24 people from 16 countries came to Copenhagen for our intensive 3-day training in the theory and practice of happiness at work. We had a fantastic time both in the training, on the site visit to IIH Nordic to study how they have created a happy organization with a 4-day work week and in the social activities around Copenhagen. ?f youre interested in learning all we know about happiness at work, the next Academy is in November in Copenhagen. Here are some of our favorite photos from this Academy. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How Long Should My Resume Be

How Long Should My Resume Be This may just be the No. 1 question I am asked regarding  resumes. People seem to think that the length of a  resume  plays a key factor in whether or not the resume gets read.But the reality is that resumes rarely get read, no matter how short or long they are. At least not in their entirety. The length of your resume is not whats most important. Whats most important is the quality of the content.Most hiring managers scan resumes, looking for specific content such as what your profession is, what your skills are, where you have worked (and for how long), your job titles and your educational level. They will be on the lookout for any unexplained  employment gaps, excessive job hopping and disjointed career progress.If the resume passes this initial scan, the hiring manager will look for your accomplishments in past positions and determine how closely aligned these successes are to their organizations future success. If any of this information is difficult to quickly spot on your resu me, the reader will probably stop reading very quickly within seconds.Some  job seekers  may be able to package all this information into a one-page resume. Others, particularly those with longer career histories or more frequent job changes, may need two pages. In the U.S. private-sector market, the recommendation is generally not to exceed two pages. If there is something that is truly an important part of your work history, you dont want to have to wait until page three or later to reference it.So how can you get the best quality information on just one or two pages? Here are some suggestions.Use space creatively.  Create a resume with margins between .6 and 1.0 on all sides. This gives you flexibility with the way the content is laid out. Place dates of employment in a column on the right-hand margin, rather than the left, to eliminate wasted space. If you need more space on the page for content, consider laying out one of the other sections in a space saving way. For example, instead of centering your contact information at the top of the resume and wasting 5 lines, place your name on the first line and all your contact information in a row on the second line.Watch your font size.  Font sizes of 10 or 11 generally work best on resumes. Using a smaller font can make the resume difficult to read. But if you need more space, select a font such as Ariel or Times New Roman, which both read quite well in 10 point font.Use bolding to call attention to important information.  Consider placing company names, dates, and job titles in bold so they are easy for the reader to spot. You can also use bold to call out key performance metrics, industry awards and other distinctions.Edit and then edit again.  Resume writing  is a bit different from other forms of writing. Frequently words such as a and the can be omitted from the resume because these words are understood by the reader, and the meaning of the message is not compromised by removing them. Read each sentence in your resume and see if there is a way to communicate the same information using fewer words. Frequently in resume writing, less is more.Think horizontal instead of vertical.  Rather than creating long lists of job skills, language skills, technical competencies, etc., considering placing this information in a horizontal chart to make better use of the space.Strive for balance.  A one or two page resume can look great. A resume that is one page filled with text and just three lines on a second page looks odd as if youve run out of things to say. Either prune or expand your content, margins, fonts, and spacing to get your resume down to a full one or two pages.