Monday, December 30, 2019

Tired at work Try out this new nap pod lounge

Tired at work Try out this new nap pod loungeTired at work Try out this new nap pod loungeAs the afternoon drags on, you may want to disappear from the world a little while and take a nap to recharge and refresh yourself. When you work in an arbeitszimmer that may be an impossibility. Enter the rise of the nap pod service for employees seeking a relaxing break from office drudgery.For $25 you can nap for 45 minutes in New York CityCasper, the company that brought you a mattress in a box, has just opened a nap destination spot in New York City on Wednesday called The Dreamerythat promises to give you a place to rest and recharge.For $25, customers can book a 45-minute nap where they can sleep on a Casper mattress in a room that has sound absorption and ventilation for air flow. Pajamas, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and complimentary beverages are also provided to help customers get into sleep mode.What makes a good nap?This is leid the only service offering a place to nap for a price. At Nap York, you can book a nap pod at any time - day or night - in midtown Manhattan to nap in for $10. There, the minimum nap time is 30 minutes.Deciding how long you want to nap depends on what you want to get out of it. A 20-minute snooze is enough to boost alertness and concentration, and improve your mood. But if you want to improve your memory recall, try and take a longer nap. One study found that an hourlong afternoon siesta after lunch improved 3,000 elderly peoples ability to recall tasks.Whatever your nap needs, recognize that naps are a remediation effort to living in a tired world. Sometimes, working towards not needing to nap all the time during work hours is the better long-term goal. If your employees were not exhausted, they would not need to take a nap, organizational behavior professor Jeffrey Pfeffer has said.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

10 research-proven tricks that make you look smarter than you are

10 research-proven tricks that make you look smarter than you are10 research-proven tricks that make you look smarter than you areIts great to be smart, but intelligence is a hard thing to pin down. In many cases, how smart peoplethinkyou are is just as important as how smart you actually are.I leid only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow. -Woodrow WilsonAs it turns out, intelligence only explains about 20% of how you do in life much of the other 80% comes down to emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ is a skill thats so important that 90% of top performers in the workplace have high EQs and people with high EQs make $28,000 mora annually than those with low EQs.The hallmark of emotional intelligence is self-awareness, which involves not just knowing how you are but also how other people perceive you. People with high emotional intelligence are masters of influence- theyre skilled at altering their behavior to make the most of a given situation.You might not be able to alter your genetics, but there are some proven strategies that can help you appear to be smarter. Some of these strategies seem arbitrary, but research shows they make a massive difference. That makes this good information to have, especially when you need to sway someone to your way of thinking.Use a middle initialJohn F. Kennedy. Franklin D. Roosevelt. It turns out there might be a reason that so many people who hold a prominent place in history used a middle initial. Not only does using a middle initial enhance your perceived social status, it also boosts expectations of intelligence capacity and performance. In one study, participants were asked to read and rate Einsteins essay on the theory of relativity, with authorship being attributed to either David Clark, David F. Clark, David F. P. Clark, or David F. P. R. Clark. Not only did David F. Clark get higher ratings than David Clark, David F. P. R. Clark outdid them all. In another study, participants were asked to choose tea m members. For academic competitions, people who used middle initials were selected more frequently than those who didnt. (It was quite a different story for athletic competitions.) So, if you want a quick perceived IQ boost, start using that middle initial.Make graphsResearch conducted at Cornell suggests that people are more likely to trust a source if it contains graphs. In one of the Cornell studies, participants read a document on the effectiveness of a new cold medication. One report contained a graph the other didnt. Other than that, they were exactly the same. Still, 96% of the participants who read the report with a graph believed the claims, while only 67% percent of those who read the document without a graph thought the same. So, next time you create a document, stick in a graph. It doesnt have to be complex it just has to be accurate.Skip that drinkAnd thats not just because people tend to do stupid things when theyve been drinking. A joint study conducted by the Univer sity of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania revealed that merely seeing someone hold a drink is enough to make them seem less intelligent. Its not that we assume less intelligent people are more likely to drink its that the perceived correlation between drinking and cognitive impairment is so strong that we assume impairment even if there isnt any. For example, although job candidates frequently think that ordering a glass of wine over a dinner interview will make them appear intelligent and worldly, it actually makes them come across as less intelligent and less hirable. Theres even a anthroponym for it the imbibing idiot bias.Believe in yourselfNothing projects intelligence quite like confidence. When you believe in yourself, it shows, and research shows that believing in yourself improves your performance on cognitive tasks. Self-doubt, on the other hand, impairs your performance. Whats worse is that other people pick up on this doubt, which makes you appear less intellig ent to them. If you want people to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself.Write simplyIf youre really smart, you shouldnt have to use big words to broadcast it. True intelligence speaks for itself, so you dont have to show off your impressive vocabulary. In addition, you always run the chance of being wrong. Using a big word incorrectly makes you look, well, not so smart. So, if you want to appear more intelligent, stop studying the dictionary and just focus on communicating effectively.Speak expressivelyCommunication expert Leonard Mlodinow makes the case that even if two people say exactly the same thing, the one who says it most expressively will be perceived as being smarter. If two speakers utter exactly the same words, but one speaks a little faster and louder and with fewer pauses and greater variation in volume, that speaker will be judged to be more energetic, knowledgeable, and intelligent, Mlodinow said. If you want to come across as more intelligent, modulate yo ur speech by varying your pitch, volume, speed, and energy level.Look em in the eyeWe know were supposed to do this anyway- its good manners, right? Thats true, but it also makes you look smarter. In a study conducted at Loyola University, participants who intentionally managed their eye contact scored significantly higher on perceived intelligence.Wear nerd glassesDid your mom ever tell you to be nice to the nerds, because youll probably be working for them someday? As usual, mom was onto something. Research shows that people wearing glasses- especially thick, full-framed ones- are perceived as being more intelligent. So, if you want to seem smarter (when youre giving a presentation, perhaps?), leave the contacts at home and wear your glasses.Keep pace with the crowdI mean this one literally. I know it may sound silly, but research conducted at Boston University shows that its true. Its called the timescale bias, and it refers to our tendency to attribute greater intelligence- base d on mental attributes like consciousness, awareness, and intention- to people who do things at about the same speed as everyone else. If you want to look smarter, you need to stop dawdling, but you also need to stop scurrying around like some crazed robot.Dress for successThis one should be no surprise. Extensive research shows that how you dress affects how people see you. Dressing well makes you seem more intelligent, and showing skin makes you seem less intelligent, as it directs peoples attention to your body rather than to your mind. But did you know that how you dress also affects your performance? A recent study by Northwestern University found that making people wear lab coats improved their performance in tasks that required intelligence and concentration.Bringing it all togetherIntelligence (IQ) is fixed at an early age. You might not be able to change your IQ, but you can definitely alter the way people perceive you. When it comes to succeeding in the real world, percept ion is half the battle.Travis Bradberryis the co-author ofEmotional Intelligence 2.0and the cofounder ofTalentSmart. This article first appeared on LinkedIn.

Friday, December 20, 2019

How to Secure an Informational Interview

How to Secure an Informational InterviewHow to Secure an Informational InterviewFor some job seekers, theres only one einstellungsgesprch thats worth landing- and thats the job bewerbungsgesprch. But informational bewerberinterviews can prove to be a rich resource of industry information, fresh new contacts, and an opportunity to get your foot in the door at a company you might want to work for.Heres a primer on what an informational interview is, how to land one, and what your next steps should be after having one.What is an informational interview?Much like its name connotes, an informational interview is a meeting between you and another person who might be employed at a company youd like to work for, or have a job that youre interested in. Typically, informational interviews are done in person, although they can be conducted remotely or via phone. The goal of an informational interview is just that- to get information that could help you possibly land a job with the company in th e future. Its not a direct job interview, and shouldnt be treated as such.Who should you have an informational interview with?Ideally, you should target someone who works in the company who can give you guidance regarding your career or provide an insiders perspective of what working in that industry is really like. Although you could have an informational interview with a hiring manager, youre mora likely to garner better information directly from employees of the company. You can have an informational interview with people you already know in your network, or reach out to those whom youre not connected with, but would like to be.What are the benefits of an informational interview?They can help you practice your interviewing skills.Since informational interviews do mimic the back-and-forth nature of a real job interview, they can be a good rehearsal for the real thing, which can be helpful if your job interviewing skills are a little rusty. They can help you form new connections wi th people outside of your network that might lead to new job opportunities within that company or possible referrals to another job with a different company.They can give you insight into what working for the company is like.If the informational interview is done in person, it can give you an idea of what working for the company would really be like. Are employees working late into the night? Is the office in disarray? Are employees friendly or is the office silent? These visual clues can be priceless, especially if you really want to work at the company, and help you determine if you would truly want to work there or not.They can position you as a top job candidate for the future.In addition, informational interviews can put you one step ahead of other job seekers, especially when a job does open up. A positive impression upon your interviewer during an informational interview makes it mora likely that hell remember you first- and hopefully reach out to you for a job interview. And if youre thinking about a career change, an informational interview can confirm if a new industry is right for you or not without having to actually go through the entire job search process.How do you contact someone for an informational interview?Call the person directly.Heres where picking up the phone and calling someone can really count in your favor. If you send an email with your informational interview request, it might get deleted. Do some research to see which employees you might possibly like to interview with (narrow your list down to about three) and then start doing your due diligence. Look to see what you might have in common with your potential interviewer- it could be anything from having a shared alma mater to living in the same neighborhood to even having had the same boss. Use LinkedIn, Google, or other social media channels to gather your intel.Know what to say.Once you have all your information ready, its time to establish contact If your call goes to voicemail , try calling again later in the day. After all, its easier for a person to not return a phone call than it is to turn down a request for an informational interview from a person theyre actually speaking with on the phone. But if the person does answer, make your pitch short and sweet. Explain that you know their time is valuable and explain why you would like to meet with them for an informational interview- even if its only for 15 minutes.Consider other options.Theres a chance that you might get turned down, and thats okay. Resort to the list you made and contact someone else in the company to see if you can set up an informational interview with them instead.Reach out to your network.Another option besides cold calling or emailing directly for an informational interview is to reach out to your network for assistance. Friends, family, current and former coworkers and bosses can all be helpful in directing you towards a new contact- and an informational interview. You might even ha ve a better chance of securing an informational interview if you come recommended from someone you already know in your network.How do you prepare for an informational interview?Research the company.Even though an informational interview is not like a real job interview, you still need to be prepared. That means doing research on the company to find out about its history, latest happenings, and some of the names of the key players in the company. Going to the companys website and reading its latest press releases can give you some good information, as well as checking out its social media channels to see how it connects with its consumers.Research your interviewer.Since the majority of your informational interview might be spent listening to the person talk about himself and his career, its a good idea to do some sleuthing on him, too. Find out where he went to school, companies hes worked for, and job titles hes held over the course of his career. You should also look to social med ia to see if there are any other connections you possibly share that could provide some common ground during your interview.Be professional.In general, an informational interviewer might be more relaxed in nature than a real job interview, but that doesnt mean that you should show up in jeans and a T-shirt. Be dressed as if you were going to a real job interview (business casual is a good option) to show respect to your interviewer for his time. By dressing professionally, youre showing that youre taking the interview seriously- and might leave a seriously good impression upon your interviewer. And dont forget to bring a few copies of your resumejust in case.Be prepared.Unlike a traditional job interview where the interviewer will take control over the interview byasking the questions, the same rules dont apply for an informational interview. Most likely, the person youre meeting with will ask you a little about yourself and why you wanted to meet. Thats when you need to be ready wi th some questions of your own to ask. Explain that you know that youre not there for a job interview but would like to know how they broke into their field, for example. You can also ask the following questionsWhat are the traits that someone would need to be successful in this industry?How have you seen this field change over the years and where do you think its headed?What tips would you have for someone starting out in this industry?How long do people typically work at this company?What have been some challenges youve seen people face who work in this field?These questions will not only give you some inside information, but also show that youre serious about potentially working in this industry, and if applicable, this company.What should you do after your informational interview?Follow up.You should always send a thank-you note or email after any interview, and especially so after an informational interview. After all, the person took time out of his busy day to meet with you, s o the very least you can do is to thank him for doing so. You can mention how much you learned during the interview and remind the person of what type of job youre interested in. See if he might be able to refer you to another person for a potential job lead, or keep you in mind should there be a job opening within the company.Keep the connection.Its important to keep the connection going with your interviewer after youve met with them. So for example, if you meet with a referral that you got from your interviewer, let him know how it went. And if you do get a job offer, reach out and tell them which company youre now working for. It can help to not only strengthen your connection, but also make him feel good to know that he was instrumental in your job search success.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

How to Accept a Job Offer

How to Accept a Job OfferHow to Accept a Job OfferAs a leading resume writing and careerservices agency, ResumeSpice gets it youve spent months writing and revising your resume, going on interviews, and repeating that cycle continually. So its tempting to want to say yes right away once you receive a job offer.But before you answer, you should take some time to really think about the opportunity and the full compensation package.Heres what you should do when considering a job offer.Show your gratitudeEven if you plan to accept the offer as is, your first step should be to express appreciation and excitement for the job offer, which will set a positive tone for conversations going forward.Get it in writingAsk for the job offer in writing, which should include the job title, start date, and salary at the very least. This makes the offer official.Sleep on itAsk when they want a decision by. fruchtwein companies understand that you may need a day or two to think about the offer, but don t wait too long. If they dont give you a hard deadline, tell them youll have an answer within a few business days. If youre planning to negotiate the offer, set up a phone or in-person meeting to talk through the details.AcceptThe last step is to say yes If you countered their offer, make sure you receive a revised offer in writing as well, to ensure everyones on the same page.Are you ready to negotiate yourself into a new job opportunity or do you need help developing a great resume to get you the interview?Call the experts at ResumeSpice. As one of the leadingcareer services agencies, we can assist you with crafting a strong resume, preparing for interviews, and/or career coaching.Ready to get started?Call us today

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

How to Answer Job Interview Questions About Mistakes

How to Answer Job vorstellungsgesprch Questions About MistakesHow to Answer Job Interview Questions About MistakesA common job interview subject is past work-related mistakes. One question the interviewer might ask about past mistakes is, What have you learned from your mistakes? While the topic might make you uncomfortable, its important to know how to answer a job interview question about mistakes. The interviewer asks questions like this to learn how you handle challenges. He or she also asks this todetermine your weaknesses, and decide if you have what it takes to do the job well. When answering this question, you want to be honest, but you should also do your best to tell a positive story about how you became a better job candidate because of a mistake. Read below for more tips on how to answer this question, as well as sample answers you can tailor to your career experiences. How to Answer Job Interview Questions About Mistakes The best way to answer this question is to tal k about a specific example of a time you made a mistake. Briefly explain what the mistake was, but dont dwell on it. Quickly switch over to what you learned, or how you improved, after making that mistake. You might also explain the steps you took to make sure that mistake never happened again. When talking about what you learned, try to emphasize the skills or qualities you gained that are important for the job youre interviewing for now. You might also explain that something you struggled with a long time ago has actually become one of your strengths. You want your example of a mistake to be honest. However, its a good idea not tomention a mistake that would be criticalfor success in the new lokalitt. For instance, give an example from your last position that isnt specifically related to the job requirements for the new position. Its also a good idea to mention something that is relatively minor. Avoid mentioning any mistakes that demonstrate a flaw in your character (for example, a time you got in trouble for fighting at work). Sometimes a good mistake to mention is a team mistake. You dont want to place all the blame on your teammates, but you can say that you collectively made an error. How to Prepare for Questions About Mistakes Youll probably get some sort of interview question about a past mistake orfailure, so its a good idea to go into each interview with an example of a mistake in mind. Before the interview, look over the job listing, and try to think of a mistake you have made in the past that is not too closely related to the requirements of the job. Be sure to also think carefully about the positive spin youll put on the mistake. What did you learn from your error and how will it make you an ideal candidate for this position? Examples of the Best Answers When I first became an assistant manager of a sales branch, I tried to take on everything myself, from the day-to-day operations of the branch to making all of the big sales calls. I quic kly learned that the best managers know how to delegate effectively so that work is done efficiently. Since then, I have won numerous awards for my management skills, and I believe a lot of this has to do with my ability to delegate effectively.Im the kind of person who tries to learn and grow from every mistake. Years ago, a team I was working on failed to land a sale, and we were told it had to do in part with our ineffective visuals. Over the next six months, I spent much of my free time learning how to use various software programs to create enticing visual presentations. Since then, Ive been continuously praised for my visuals in meetings and sales pitches. One thing I have learned from past mistakes is when to ask for help. I have learned that it is far better to ask for clarification and solve an issue right away than to be unsure. I know that your company emphasizes teamwork and the need to be in constant communication with one another, and I think my ability to ask (and ans wer) questions of my peers would help me fit in very well with your company culture. More Job Interview Questions and Answers Review common interview questions, along with sample answers, that will help you prepare for questions your interviewer will ask you no matter what type of job youre seeking. Not all interview questions will be about the mistakes youve made at past jobs, but there will be more interview questions about you, such as, Are you easy to talk to? or, Tell me about something thats not on your resume. Your interviewer will expect you to have some questions for him or her to answer about the job, the company, or the culture. If youre not good at coming up with questions on the fly, review questions for candidates to ask the interviewer.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Key to Successful Sending a Resume via Email

The Key to Successful Sending a Resume via Email Continuing education and learning is typically a requirement of permit renewal. RESUME Designs There are lots of forms of resumes jointly with a lot of Variations. Then write alongside all the skills youve got. Have a look at the accomplishments, skills and experience youve listed. Dont use HTML or other formatting options as you dont know which email client is used by the recruiter. Steer clear of any formatting in the resume email text If you would like your email to be read, it is best to remove all of the formatting. If you dont have the appropriate email address, you may look up the providers profile on Google, LinkedIn, the site, or related public platforms. Ensure that youre employing an accurate email address. Utilizing a short, direct, concise, yet intriguing e-mail will make it possible for the hiring manager to rapidly see that you might be the acceptable candidate the business is seeking. Most companies utilize MS Word. As a substitute, you must show that youve got the ability to draw a crowd. All recruiters are trying to find the ideal candidate. You might leid know the hiring manager, but you probably know somebody who does. If you wish to get hired, you have to talk to a real hiring manager. If youre on the hiring manager, perfect. You have to get your titelbild letter facing the folks that are doing the hiring. In a nutshell, no single way is truly likely to guarantee you a job, or just a callback. There are steps that you may take to make your resume email stick out from the rest. Youre likely to understand how to compose a cover letter email right away. As they say, you dont get aelendher chance to create a first impression. In any event, youve met your objective of getting your resume before a true person. If youre searching for work, odds are good that therell be times that you will need to send your resume and cover letter to a hiring manager via email. Your subject lin e is crucial as it ensures your application will wind up in the ideal location. Our recommendation is to compose the cover letter within the body of the email. When you figure out whether youre permitted to email them, follow the directions on this job posting to the letter. When youre asking for work, you need to always send a resume and cover letter. In the event the company has not specified their preference, it is all up to you how youd love to send your cover letter to them. When its by email, you might be advised in regard to what format you need to use for your resume, what things to include in the topic line of the email message, and by once the employer should receive it. Be sure that your subject line clearly states the aim of the message in order for the employer doesnt mistake it for spam, or otherwise overlook it. Though popular belief states that PDF files are optimal due to their capacity to preserve formatting, they arent always your very best option. Bear in mind, youre not creating a duplicate of your CV. If you save your resume to a particular file format but the employer might not be in a position to open it, odds are your application example could possibly be ignored. Along with the businesss website, LinkedIn can be a wonderful resource for finding company contact info. Though it truly is named Resume, it produces a fantastic base for making your portfolio also.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Value in A Recruiters Fee - Spark Hire

The Value in A Recruiters Fee - Spark HireAs a recruiter, I have had many clients request lower fees and sometimes even get a little sneaky and hire one of my candidates under the table. Its important for hiring managers to understand that recruiting is a service which takes time and money, just as any other service. When you pay a recruiting fee, you are paying for several different things.Time saverWhen you hire a recruiter to search for top talent, you are saving time that you would have spent searching for talent on your own dime. Wouldnt you rather have someone dedicated to your candidate search rather than having to weed through resumes and make multiple calls each day, when you still need to complete your own job responsibilities?Keep in mind that you are hiring someone to spend time not only to weed through resumes, but also to make multiple phone calls and conduct initial interviews in order to ensure you receive the best candidates. Depending on the position, the recruiter could spend days or weeks, searching for the right candidate.Visibility on other networksRecruiters are experts at tracking down candidates and not only relying on applicants from job postings. By hiring a recruiter to focus on your talent search, you are gaining access to many different networks the recruiter pays to use. Upgraded LinkedIn accounts, various job boards, applicant tracking systems, and other sources that cost the recruiter money in order to provide you the best recruiting service.Rather than simply gaining someones time and energy, you are also gaining visibility across many different networks. This means that you have a better chance of finding the right candidate, regardless of what network or source they were recruited from. The recruiting fee covers a small portion of that cost, which is a much cheaper cost to you, versus if you were to pay for all of these systems and networks.Insider infoRecruiters are skilled at speaking with candidates and finding out what re ally makes them tick. A good recruiter is able to find out what is most important to a candidate and if they will fit in well at your company. A recruiter determines this by building a relationship with candidates through multiple conversations throughout the interview process.Your recruiter is also a good buffer when it comes to offer stages and understanding what the candidate would walk away from. Of course, you may get similar information when you are talking to candidates, but when you have a skilled recruiter on your side, you will typically gain more information.Lastly, if you are ever tempted to ask your recruiter for a lower fee, or if you are ever tempted to secretly hire the recruited candidate without going through the recruiter you hired, please remember that you have hired someone to do a service for you. It is no different than hiring someone to service your HVAC system or to process your payroll. Recruiting is a business and a service which takes someones time, talen t, and tools in order to provide you with a product.What are some of the values you have seen in a recruiting service? Please share your experiences in the comments below.Image Jakub Jirsak/BigStock.com