Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Training

Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer TrainingCoast Guard Rescue Swimmer TrainingThe Coast Guards rescue swimmer training school has one of the highest student attrition rates of any special operations school in the military. Roughly 75 to 100 students go through 24 weeks of Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer school in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and just over half of them complete the course successfully. Some years, the dropout rate for this program has been as high as 80 percent. And this is from a pool of candidates of Coast Guard personnel who are conditioned to be able to swim well. Its definitely not a job for the faint of heart. Requirements for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Rescue swimmers must have flexibility, strength, endurance, and be able to function for 30 minutes in heavy seas. This is obviously far and above the normal lifeguard course youre not just treading water, youre expected to be able to hold your breath, and perform challenging tasks. Rescue swimmers need to be able to p rovide basic life hilfestellung for whoever they may be rescuing, of course, and their training will include emergency medical training (EMT) course. But its not the standard EMT training its for rescues to be conducted in the open seas under extreme conditions. Standards for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers The required monthly physical training fitness regimen includes a 12-minute crawl swim of 500 yards or longer, a 25-yard underwater swim and a 200-yard buddy tow. Those are in addition to performingpush-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, just like other military fitness tests. Here are the minimum fitness requirements for each category ExerciseMinimum StandardPushups50Sit-ups60Pull-ups5Chin-ups5500-yard swimCompleted within 12 minutes25-yard underwater swimRepeat 4 TimesBuddy Tow200 yards Lessons for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers The 137-page operations manual includes lessons in eight different water deployment procedures, 11 ways to approach, carry and release a survivor, seve n ways to release equipment for Navy and Air Force flyers and ways to detangle the services different parachutes and backpacks. Rescue swimmers also must have the skills to provide basic pre-hospital life support for rescued individuals. And as part of their training, candidates must complete a four-week emergency medical training course at the Coast Guard EMT school in Petaluma, California Training Regimen for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Adding even more pressure during training, instructors treat candidates with a strenge ausbildung sergeant style. But this is perhaps the most crucial part of the training if these candidates cant endure extreme conditions, its going to be hard to rescue someone in distress. Candidates selected for the school must first go through what is called the airmen training course. The four-month-long course, which, despite its name, has nothing to do with the Air Force, helps prepare candidates for the grueling rescue swimmer course. The first six week s of the four-month course is loaded with rescue swimmer training. While they are going through the swimming and classroom phase of their training, candidates also must attend classes to learn about the aircraft they will serve on. Finally, before graduating, candidates are required to pass a test involving multiple rescue scenarios.

Refresh your resume in 5 steps (while employed)

Refresh your resume in 5 steps (while employed)Refresh your resume in 5 steps (while employed)It never hurts to freshen up your resume with new achievements and an eye toward the future of your career, especially while employed. Shifting technology makes what to include on your resume even more tricky. Do you include an objective? What about your LinkedIn profile? How do you make your resume less boring?Print out your resume and get your red pen ready. A hard copy lets you see details you might otherwise reisepass over. Heres what you need to do to liven your resume up1. Keep the format simpleOddly formatted resumes are the bane of hiring managers existences. The creative colors, spacing, and various fonts become an eyesore, making you stand out in a different way than what you intended. Saving the file as a PDF keeps the data from warping when opened in different software.Keep the format simple and intuitive for others to navigate. A sans serif font is easiest on the eyes, and dont go crazy with bold, italicizing and underlining. Balance white space with content. Information on your resume should be quick and easy to locate, not give you a headache.Save the creative design for the creatives. If youre a designer or creative,consider designing an infographic resumeto let your resume showcase your skills in a sensible and helpful way. Your resume should easy to peruse and relevant to the job role and industry.2. Make cutsYoud be surprised aboutwhat you dont need in a resume. You wont be surprised, though, to know that managers are skimming for required details that categorize you according to assumption rather than talent. Try these tipsIf youre not a new graduate, eliminate the year of graduation. Cutting the date lets them measure your merit while adding up years.Take out References available upon request. Thats obvious.Delete soft skills. Save job intricacies for the interview, and list the measurable achievements.Leave out high school and college accomplishme nts if it was years ago. Focus on now.Goodbye, Objective section That detail is for your cover letter.Consider deleting your address. Most of the time, thats added to a database as you apply, or is filled out during paperwork. Some managers may assume you cant handle the commute. A telephone and email address is enough.3. Add linksInclude relevant social media and professional links in your resume. Does your industry require you to network and recruit new business and professionals? Does your role deal with marketing or influencing, especially as an industry expert?Convenientlylink hiring managers right to the information they need in one resource. List your Twitter, LinkedIn, blog and new digital publications. Use hyperlinks with relevant text, instead of lengthy URLs, and only use when appropriate.4. Engage with active verbsResumes are polluted with passive word choices, especially when it comes to overused verbs. You dont want your resume to sound like a life coach giving a TED t alk while jumping out of a plane. However, your resume showcases your talents and how you performed within your job role. Your word choices can disempower you. Use active verbs.Be precise, accurate andengage with compelling verb choices. Ditch these terms led, helped, handled, worked and responsible for. Imagine your verbs as the pull back on an arrow before hitting the target - the force and energy required to snag the job. Avoid clichs, such as go-getter.Did you lead a project? Try chaired, headed, executed or coordinated. Had a vision come to life? Try devised, launched, pioneered or spearheaded. Save the company budget? Try diagnosed, deducted, consolidated or conserved. Active verbs dont have to be flashy to catch attention.5. Use keywords to your advantageTechnology has made the hiring process easier for management, by allowing software to scan resumes for details that match the job description. Usekeywords to your advantageby placing them, where relevant, in your resume.Do y ou have a copy of your job description? Look up alternative names for your role (or desired role), and analyze what keywords are used. Dont lie and dont copy the job description word for word. Yet, realize that your resume isnt likely getting a first pass by a human being. Dont leave out specific software, years of experience and desired qualifications that are listed if you have those.Youll also find specific language with strong word choices unique to that industry and described in ways you may have not considered. Your cover letter and interview will also benefit from this knowledge. This strategy is particularly helpful when analyzing job descriptions for a role that you wish to grow into as your career develops. Start tailoring your resume nowTrends in what makes a proper resume shift on the whims of manager preferences, but a little common sense maintains certain rules. Simplicity is key, even in an age of developing technology. Focus on precision, hard numbers and active voic e when sharing your achievements on your resume. Just a few changes will refresh your resume and give it the pep needed to reach for your career goals.This article first appeared on YourCoffeeBreak.

This is the most important skill nobody taught you

This is the most important skill nobody taught you This is the most important skill nobody taught you Before  dying  at the  age  of 39,  Blaise Pascal  made huge  contributions  to  both  physics and mathematics,  notably  in  fluids,  geometry, and  probability. This work, however,  would  influence more than just the  realm  of the natural sciences. Many fields that we now  classify  under the heading of social science did, in fact, also  grow out  of the foundation he helped  lay.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Interestingly  enough, much of this was  done  in his  teen  years, with some of it coming in his  twenties.  As an adult, inspired by a  religious  experience,  he actually started to move towards philosophy and theology.Right before his death, he was  hashing  out  fragments  of private thoughts that would later be  released  as a collection by  the  name  of  Pensées.While the  book  is mostly a mathematician’s case for choosing a life of faith and belief,  the  more  curious thing  about  it is  its  clear and  lucid  ruminations  on what it means to be human.  It’s a  blueprint  of our psychology long before psychology was  deemed  a formal  discipline.There is  enough  thought-provoking  material in it to quote,  and it attacks  human  nature from a variety of  different angles,  but one of its most  famous  thoughts  aptly  sums up  the core of his argument:“All of humanity’s  problems  stem from  man’s  inability to sit  quietly  in a  room  alone.”According to  Pascal,  we fear  the  silence  of existence,  we  dread  boredom  and  instead  choose  aimless  distraction,  and  we  can’t help  but  run from the  problems  of our  emotions  into the false comforts of the mind.The  issue at the  root, essentially,  is  that  we  never  learn  the  art of solitude.The  Perils  of Being ConnectedToday, more than ever, Pascal’s message  rings  true.  If there is one word to describe the progress made in the last 100 year s,  it’s  connectedness.Information  technologies have dominated our cultural  direction.  From the telephone to the  radio  to the TV to the internet, we have found ways to bring us all closer together, enabling constant  worldly  access.I can sit in my office in Canada and transport myself to practically anywhere I want through Skype. I can be on the other side of the world and still know what is going on at home with a quick browse.I don’t think I need to highlight the benefits of  all this.  But  the  downsides  are also beginning to show.  Beyond the current  talk about  privacy and data collection, there is perhaps an even more  detrimental  side-effect  here.We  now live  in  a world where  we’re  connected  to  everything  except  ourselves.If Pascal’s observation about  our  inability to sit quietly in a room by ourselves is true of the  human condition  in general, then the  issue has certainly been augmented  by an order of magnitude due to the options available t oday.The logic is, of course,  seductive.  Why be alone when you never have to?Well,  the answer is that  never being alone is not the same thing as never feeling alone.  Worse yet,  the  less comfortable you are with solitude, the  more likely it is that you won’t know yourself.  And then, you’ll spend even more time avoiding it to focus elsewhere.  In the process,  you’ll become addicted to the same technologies that were meant to set you free.Just  because we can use the noise of the world to  block out  the discomfort of dealing with ourselves doesn’t mean that this discomfort goes away.Almost everybody thinks of  themselves as self-aware.  They think they know how they feel  and what they want and what their problems are.  But the truth is that very few people really do.  And  those that do will be the first to tell  how  fickle  self-awareness is and  how much alone time  it  takes to get there.In today’s world,  people can go their whole lives without truly digging beyond  the surface-level masks they wear;  in fact, many do.We are  increasingly  out of touch with who we are, and that’s a problem.Boredom  as a Mode of  StimulationIf we take it back to the fundamentals - and this is something Pascal touches on, too -  our  aversion  to solitude  is really an  aversion  to boredom.At its core,  it’s not necessarily that we are addicted to a TV set  because there is something uniquely satisfying about it, just like  we are not addicted to most stimulants  because the  benefits  outweigh  the downsides.  Rather,  what  we are really addicted to is a  state  of  not-being-bored.Almost  anything  else that controls our life in an  unhealthy  way finds its root in  our realization that  we dread the nothingness of nothing.  We  can’t imagine just  being  rather than  doing.  And therefore,  we look for  entertainment, we seek company, and if those fail,  we chase even higher  highs.We ignore the fact that  never facing this nothingness is  th e  same as never facing ourselves.  And  never facing ourselves  is why  we feel lonely and anxious  in spite of being so intimately connected to everything else around us.Fortunately, there is a solution.  The only way  to  avoid being ruined  by this fear  -  like any fear - is to  face  it.  It’s to  let the  boredom take you where it wants so you can deal with whatever it is that is really going on with your sense of self.  That’s when  you’ll hear yourself think, and that’s when you’ll  learn to engage  the parts of you that are masked by distraction.The beauty of this is that, once you cross that initial barrier, you realize that  being alone isn’t so bad.  Boredom can provide its own  stimulation.When you surround yourself with moments of solitude and  stillness, you become  intimately  familiar with your environment  in a way that forced stimulation doesn’t allow.  The world becomes richer, the  layers  start to peel back, and you see things for what they rea lly are, in all their wholeness, in all their  contradictions, and in all their unfamiliarity.You learn that there are other things you are capable of paying attention to than just what makes the most noise on the surface.  Just because a quiet room doesn’t scream  with excitement  like the idea of  immersing  yourself in a movie  or a TV show doesn’t mean that there isn’t depth to explore there.Sometimes,  the direction that this solitude leads you in can be unpleasant, especially when it comes to  introspection  - your thoughts and your feelings, your doubts and your hopes - but in the long-term, it’s far more pleasant than running away from it all without even realizing that you are.Embracing boredom  allows you to discover  novelty  in things you didn’t know were novel;  it’s like being an unconditioned child seeing the world for the first time.  It also  resolves  the majority of internal conflicts.The TakeawayThe more the world advances, the more stimulation it w ill provide as an  incentive  for us to get outside of our own mind to engage with it.While Pascal’s generalization that a lack of comfort with solitude is the root of all our problems may be an  exaggeration, it isn’t an entirely  unmerited  one.Everything that has done so much to connect us has simultaneously isolated us.  We are so busy being distracted that we are  forgetting to tend to ourselves, which is consequently making us feel more and more alone.Interestingly,  the main  culprit  isn’t our obsession with any particular worldly stimulation.  It’s  the fear of nothingness  -  our  addiction to a state of not-being-bored.  We have an instinctive  aversion  to simply  being.Without  realizing the value of solitude, we are overlooking the fact that,  once the fear of boredom is faced,  it can actually provide its own stimulation.  And  the only way  to  face it is to make time, whether every day or every week, to  just sit - with our thoughts, our feelings, with a m oment of stillness.The  oldest philosophical wisdom in the world has one piece of advice for us:  know yourself.  And there is a good reason why that is.Without  knowing ourselves, it’s almost impossible to find a healthy way to interact with the  world  around us.  Without taking  time to figure it out, we don’t have a foundation to build the rest of our lives on.Being alone and connecting inwardly  is a skill nobody ever teaches us.  That’s ironic because it’s more important than most of the ones they do.Solitude may not be the solution to everything, but it certainly is a start.Want to think and live smarter?  Zat Rana  publishes a free weekly newsletter for 30,000+ readers at  Design Luck.This  article  was originally published on  Design Luck.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

5 Career Lessons You Need to Remember to Get Ahead -The Muse

5 Career Lessons You Need to Remember to Get Ahead -The Muse 5 Career Lessons You Need to Remember to Get Ahead The longer we work, the more we learn: what not to do during an interview, how to deal with a bad boss, when it’s appropriate to ask for a raise. But some of the key things we uncover from our career failures, challenges, and achievements tend to get lost in the sea of knowledge we pick up on a regular basis. And it’s about time we had a refresher. So, here are five career lessons we know all too well, but need to be reminded of if we want to keep moving forward. 1. Your Next Mistake Won’t Be Your Last You may think this time things will be different, but chances are another mishap will come along. Not because you’re destined for failure, but because making mistakes is all part of the process. Rather than believe you’re flawless and nothing can go wrong, accept that obstacles are bound to show up and that you’ll be prepared for them when they do. This is how you’ll ultimately build mental strength and set yourself up better for success. Read This: How to Recover From a Huge, Huge Mistake at Work 2. You Have to Ask for What You Want It would be awesome if your boss just handed you that raise or promotion, but the reality is it all lies on you. If you want something, ask for it (and prove why you deserve it). No one can read your mind but you, so the only way you’ll turn thoughts into actions is to actually act on them. Read This: Expert Advice for Getting What You Want 3. Career Happiness Requires Work You may admire those around you who leave work in a chipper mood every day, and wonder what their secret is. Maybe they got lucky, maybe they’re more talented than you, maybe they’re better connected. But the real secret is that that person worked really hard to get where they are. They may not have always loved their job, but they put in their due diligence- networked, submitted tailored applications, worked crappy jobs, and took on side gigs. Everyone deserves to love their career, but more importantly everyone has the ability to do so. It won’t happen immediately (read on for why), but if you set your sights on seeking happiness, you’re that much closer to reaching it. Read This: It’s Not Your Job, It’s You: The Real Reasons You’re Unhappy at Work 4. Success Takes Time Just as being happy in your career doesn’t come with the snap of your fingers, reaching success takes time- and accepting this requires patience. More importantly, success doesn’t happen by taking one giant leap. Don’t discount the little steps you take along the way- they may seem insignificant and tedious now, but two, five, 10 years from now you’ll be glad you took them. Read This: 3 Reasons You Can’t Take Shortcuts on Your Path to Success 5. Work and Life Aren’t Mutually Exclusive Trying to keep work at work sounds good in theory, but it’s just not the case anymore (you can blame technology). Because we all know that when things aren’t going so great in our personal lives, it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand. On the contrary, when work is a struggle, it’s hard to enjoy our time outside the office. This means that work and life should be treated equally and in tandem. Our decisions should align with our values outside work, while our choices should support the lives we want to create. Read This: 5 Lies You Believe About Work-Life Balance That Simply Aren’t True We hear these (somewhat clichéd) lessons all the time, but every once in a while we need a reminder of why they’re so important. Because if we keep these top of mind, we can ensure we’re heading down the right path.

Ideas for Temporary Summer Housing for Interns

Ideas for Temporary Summer Housing for Interns Ideas for Temporary Summer Housing for Interns A summer internship can be a great opportunity, but when it is in a different city from where you live or attend school, housing can be a challenge. Resources like intern housing can match interns with property owners who have rooms or apartments available to rent on a short-term basis. Schools, employers, and fellow interns also can be good resources for finding suitable and affordable housing. Explore all options to make sure a lack of housing is not the obstacle that keeps you from a great internship opportunity. Potential Resources If obtaining your internship through a specific college or university department, check to see if they participate in any programs that help place interns in housing. Even if your adviser cannot direct you to a specific placement program, she likely has contacts she can connect you with who may be able to help with housing. Schools help students set up internships on a regular basis, so it is a good bet that relationships have been built over time that can help you in your search. If your internship is near another college or university, that school may offer temporary housing on campus. Your current school should be able to direct you to other schools that offer such services. If the employer who is hiring you for the internship regularly hires interns, it might also have established relationships with local property owners who can provide interns with housing. While organized programs will be more likely with larger employers who hire many interns, even smaller businesses in smaller cities are likely to have informal connections that can help. If your school or your employer are not able to connect you with housing, they may still be able to connect you with current or recent interns who found housing in the same city where you will be working. These fellow interns may be able to provide you with leads to housing, and they also are most likely to be honest about which properties are the best, and which ones should be avoided. If your internship is in a large metropolitan area, its possible there are local services available that connect interns with housing. Some internet research or a call to the right department in City Hall might lead you to such a group or neighborhood organization that facilitates such connections. Specific Examples In addition to general resources, its important to be able to see some specific examples of groups that help provide housing. While not all of these examples will be applicable to your specific circumstances, they may offer some additional ideas about where to look. Some of these groups might also be able to connect you with similar options in the city where you will be working.   American University is Washington, D.C.s most attractive housing option for visiting interns. It offers competitively priced housing in an ideal location for students coming to the nations capital.Educational Housing Services offers safe, affordable student living in New York City and elsewhere for students from across America and more than 50 countries. Call 800-297-4694.  Georgetown University Summer Housing offers housing for interns, other students, and even those attending professional conferences. Its located on the Potomac River and the surrounding area offers cultural activities and social life. Reach out by email at  conferencehousinggeorgetown.edu  if youre not already affiliated with the university. Housing options in Washington, D.C., are offered through the National Organization for Women Action Center. Visiting students will be on the front lines of the womens rights movement. NOW also offers its own internships.  The International Student House in Washington, D.C.,  offers residences to thousands of eager young men and women who annually descend upon Washington for graduate work, scholarly research, professional training, internships, and the American experience. Call 202-232-4007 for more information.   New York University Summer Housing provides a residence hall that will offer a safe and convenient place to call home while taking classes, working, or interning in New York City.The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City offers summer intern housing that features loft-style apartments with 24-hour security, air-conditioning, city views, full kitchens and bathrooms, wireless Internet, and cable TV- at no additional cost.The New School Summer Housing in New York City offers affordable summer housing in the Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and South Street Seaport areas for interns, associates, visiting scholars, summer clerks, summer program students, and visiting groups.  Call 212-229-5459, ext. 3610.   The Orlando Area Student Intern Society offers safe, affordable, short-term housing for interns in the Orlando, Florida area. It also works with local employers to offer students an internship placement service.The Catholic University of America provides summer housing to individuals who are in Washington, D.C. for educational purposes. This includes internships, co-ops, research, and educational study.The D.C. Housing Guide lists housing options for students doing internships in DC.Washington Internship Student Housing (WISH) is a good choice for students who want a location close to the nations capital, Congressional offices, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and metro stations. Call 202-548-2720 for rates and further information.

People dont want new, they want the familiar done differently

People don’t want new, they want the familiar done differently People don’t want new, they want the familiar done differently I’ll admit, the bento box is an unlikely place to learn an important business lesson. But consider the California Roll - understanding the impact of this icon of Japanese dining can make all the difference between the success or failure of your product.If you’ve ever felt the frustration of customers not biting, then you can sympathize with Japanese restaurant owners in America during the 1970s. Sushi consumption was all but non-existent. By all accounts, Americans were scared of the stuff. Eating raw fish was an aberration and to most, tofu and seaweed were punchlines, not food.Then came the California Roll. While the origin of the famous maki is still contested, its impact is undeniable. The California Roll was made in the USA by combining familiar ingredients in a new way. Rice, avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, and crab meat - the only ingredient unfamiliar to the average American palate was the barely visible sliver of nori seaweed holding it all together.Familiar done diff erentlyThe California Roll provided a gateway to discover Japanese cuisine and demand exploded. Over the next few decades sushi restaurants, which were once confined to large coastal cities and almost exclusively served Japanese clientele, suddenly went mainstream. Today, sushi is served in small rural towns, airports, strip malls, and stocked in the deli section of local supermarkets. Americans now consume $2.25 billion of sushi annually.The lesson of the California Roll is simple - people don’t want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently. Interestingly, this lesson applies just as much to the spread of innovation as it does to tastes in food.For example, the graphical user interface, a milestone in the popularization of the personal computer, used familiar visual metaphors like folders, notepads, windows, and trash cans to appeal to mainstream users terrified by the command-line interface (perhaps even more than the thought of eating raw fish). The compute r underneath was the same, however, the familiar veneer suddenly made it accessible.Quaint but unnecessary representations of the familiar became a hallmark of Apple products. As Claire Evans wrote for Motherboard, “While under the direction of the late Steve Jobs, Apple’s design aesthetic tended heavily towards the skeuomorphic. The Apple desktop calendar, famously, is rendered with accents of rich Corinthian leather; its bookshelves gleam with wood veneers, its chrome always brushed, its pages stitched and torn, its tabletop felt green.”Now that Apple serves a generation familiar with how its products work, it can shepherd them from California Rolls to sashimi, so to speak. “We understood that people had already become comfortable with touching glass,” explained Apple’s Jony Ive. “They didn’t need physical buttons, they understood the benefits.”However, Apple still uses its tried and true methods whenever the company wants users to adopt a new behavior. For examp le, the rebranded Apple Wallet helps users feel comfortable with the technology by making payment options look just like mini credit cards. Even though there’s no technical reason to do so, Apple understands the power of the familiar.(Un)familiarity breeds contemptAs I wrote about in my book, Hooked, unfamiliar products and interfaces are more difficult to use and can impede adoption. Several psychological phenomena conspire to make us resist the atypical.According to BJ Fogg of Stanford’s Persuasive Technology Lab, “non-routine” is one of six “Elements of Simplicity” - the factors that affect the likelihood of any particular human action occurring. Fogg wrote, “When people face a behavior that is not routine, then they may not find it simple. In seeking simplicity, people will often stick to their routine, like buying gas at the same station, even if it costs more money or time than other options.”Of course, we also have a love for “new and improved” but in rel atively modest proportions. “New and improved” is great for things we are already familiar with - like cereal and dish soap - but not for products where we lack a frame of reference.Unfortunately, our aversion to things that are outside the norm is particularly hard on companies producing radical innovation - no matter how beneficial they may be. If using a new product does not feel familiar, it faces severe challenges. According to Fogg, “People are generally resistant to teaching and training because it requires effort. This clashes with the natural wiring of human adults: We are fundamentally lazy. As a result, products that require people to learn new things routinely fail.”What’s your California roll?When describing the Apple Watch, Jony Ive said his goal was to build “the strangely familiar.” The smartwatch is exactly the kind of innovation that is still too new for all but the most early of early adopters. And yet I’ve obsessed over the details of the Digit al Crown, an esthetic adopted from traditional watchmaking. Clearly, I’ve knows what he’s doing - industry analysts expect the company to sell 19 million units this year.As the pace of innovation accelerates, human behavior, not technological restraints, will be the deciding factor of whether products are adopted or discarded. If new products and services are to positively impact our lives, they must find a gateway into our daily routines. The familiar done differently is the way to users’ minds and hearts - and sometimes their stomachs.Here’s the gist: The California Roll introduced Americans to sushi by using familiar ingredients arranged in a new way. The California Roll Rule: People don’t want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently. Things that are truly new need to use familiar mental models to gain user adoptions (i.e., Apple’s use of skeuomorphs.) Unfamiliar interfaces are more difficult to use and impede adoption. If your new product or service is not engaging users, ask “What’s my California Roll?” This  column  first appeared at  Nir and Far.

How to create a resume that will slay

How to create a resume that will slay How to create a resume that will slay The resume you submit to a recruiter is how you make a first impression. Obviously, you want it to wow recruiters, and leave them wanting to know more. The single most challenging thing about the job search process is getting a recruiter interested in you just by this one-page document.In this day and age, technology permeates into all aspect of our lives and has revolutionized the way recruiters view job applicants. Companies have begun using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) as a tool to quickly distinguish which candidates they want to move forward in the application process. The system scans resumes for specific “keywords” and a bit of contextual elements, so recruiters no longer have to read over every single application. Unfortunately, this can lead to well-qualified applicants being looked over just because they lacked whatever the system was programed to look for.Tailoring your resume so that it’s laid out correctly and contains right the verbiage, keywords, and overall message is critical to landing a job. Not to mention, you are blindly sending an email to an inbox flooded with messages from others who are just as eager as you to getting hired. How you communicate your past job experience and skills is just as important as having them. Our hope is that by the end of this post you will know how to tailor your resume to be memorable, polished, and effective.LayoutHow your resume is presented will influence how you are perceived. Most people are surprised to learn that the font style, font size, and font color of a resume can help or hinder your chances of getting a response. Each career field has different standards for what they see as an acceptable resume layout. For a corporate position, go with a resume with a simple layout, clean lines and minimal coloring except for black/white (maybe a pop of blue to give it some pizazz). If you are going for a graphic design position, take that chance to flex your design skills and create an extraordinary b ut effective layout. Scouting the web, we have found some of our favorite free resumes templates on canva.com.TopThe top half of your resume is where a recruiter should be able to do a quick scan and find your contact information, education, and skills. Avoid being too wordy and bland with this top section, especially when highlighting your skills. If nothing you say catches the recruiter’s eye, you likely will be skipped over.SkillsAgain, your skills should go in the top section of your resume. As mentioned priorly, oftentimes, companies have “keywords,” that they use to describe their employees. Finding out what these are only takes a tad bit of online research, and can really intrigue a recruiter when they see these keywords on your resume. Make sure the skills you are listing are not only applicable to the position, but also to yourself. Do not just plop down random adjectives that sound impressive as this will shine through as being staged and even presumptuous. It may so und time-consuming to have different resumes for each role you apply for, but we do promise you it can make a significant impact. The resume you submit for a position in human resources should not highlight the same skills you send in for a sales position. They are two completely different roles that value different types of skill sets. Your skills should be written in a bullet format, and I encourage you to be creative with the verbiage.Here are some tips to communicate your soft skills…For a sales role, instead of saying “strong communication skills” say “dynamic speaker.” Another way of saying “works well in groups,” is “collaborative team member.” Keep the number of soft skills you list to a minimum, and always include any of your certifications or hard skills, such as SEO, Indesign, etc. Brainstorm skills that make you qualified for the position, and highlight them in the top third of your resume.BottomThe bottom portion of your resume is where you should list your professional experience. For each position, do not forget to include your job title, when worked, and what you accomplished while you were there. Use an action verb or numerical evidence when describing your accomplishments, as they are more concise and vividly demonstrate your role. Words like “led,” “generated,” and “spearheaded” are all great first words to use here.Landing a job after university or trying to move up in rank when you are mid-career are two of the biggest challenges we as professionals face, which makes the effectiveness of your resume a fundamental part of your success. Be proactive, and seek out what your target employers are looking for, but be sure that your resume is an authentic representation of yourself. When you put in the work, it will be sure to pay off.This article was originally posted on YourCoffeeBreak.co.uk.

This is what half of American parents would take a pay cut for

This is what half of American parents would take a pay cut for This is what half of American parents would take a pay cut for Would you take a pay cut for better quality childcare?More than half of American parents said they would accept a pay cut in order to work for a company that provides quality care, according to a new survey, powered by KinderCare with Harris Poll.The 2019 Parent Confidence Report found that 55% of parents were open to less pay for better company provided childcare, while 67% reported that they believe their employers should offset the cost of childcare for employees.Shockingly, many parents don’t feel the love from their employers. Only 22% felt they were supported as a parent by an employer and 19% claimed that their bosses supported them.“Workplaces are being challenged to transform their culture and support employees more, both personally and professionally,” the study says.It’s not exactly surprising to see parents wanting more from their employers from child care. The US Department of Agriculture said that childcare costs on average $12,350 to 13,9000 a year in the US.In states like Massachusetts, the average annual cost is double with childcare averaging at $34,381 -per-year.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

Featured Resume Template from Diana YK Chan

Featured Resume Template from Diana YK Chan Featured Resume Template from Diana YK Chan In conjunction with Jobscans new resume optimization checks which include formatting checks for headings, dates, file types, and more weve invited career coaches and resume writers to share exclusive resume templates with our readers. Next up is Diana YK Chan out of the Toronto area. Be sure to follow her on LinkedIn and check out her website. Learn more about Jobscans new resume checks at the bottom of this article, or try them out for yourself. About Diana YK Chan Diana YK Chan is the Founder of My Marketability based in Toronto, Canada. As a Career Coach Speaker, she empowers ambitious professionals to own their greatness with confidence and stand out as top talent to get hired faster. Diana is known for helping people change careers, get multiple job offers, receive huge salary increases, and join top companies like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and PwC, Deloitte etc. She has served new grads to C-level clients from around the globe, representing a diverse range of industries and professions. She offers: 1-on-1 Career Job Search Coaching 1-on-1 Interview Coaching, Writing Service for resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, elevator pitch Before this, Diana was a Recruiter for Google and MBA Recruitment Manager for Ivey Business School. She has reviewed 20K+ resumes, conducted thousands of interviews, and knows what it takes to brand yourself as a sought-after professional and leader. Download Dianas resume template Download .docx Why do you recommend this resume template? I recommend this resume template because its simple, clean, easy-to-screen. A touch of colour makes it modern, fresh and and eye-catching in key areas that recruiters screen for. When choosing a resume template, you want to choose something thats easy to follow. It doesnt need to be fancy but should look polished. Consistency in the formatting is important. Whats new at Jobscan Jobscans resume optimization tool  now checks your formatting based on applicant tracking system and recruiter best practices. New intelligent checks make even the best resume templates more ATS compatible and recruiter-friendly than ever. ATS Checks Hard skills, soft skills, and keyword matching Job title and education matching ATS-friendly section headings  NEW ATS-friendly date formatting  NEW ATS-friendly file type  NEW Need more ideas? Check out Jobscans new  ATS-friendly resume templates. Get a bonus template by signing up here. Recruiter Checks Measurable results, word count, and words to avoid Sentence length  NEW Predicted skills missing from the job description  NEW Industry-specific insights  NEW Keep an eye out for additional new features. Jobscan is updated every two weeks and new formatting checks are on the way!

How to Deal With Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - The Muse

How to Deal With Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - The Muse How to Deal With Sexual Harassment in the Workplace When Alicia Raimundo took an internship-type role at a tech company, she was one of the only women working on her floor. There were frequent flirtatious and unwelcome comments about, for example, how sexy she looked when she wore a dress. “I saw boundaries being crossed but felt powerless to do something about it,” Raimundo says. “It felt like picking battles and I wasn’t picking that one.” That is, until one day when a male colleague- senior to her but not in the same reporting line- came to her cubicle and grabbed her butt uninvited. In any other context, she would’ve slapped him, she says. But she couldn’t imagine slapping someone at work, the sound reverberating across a quiet office as heads turned. How could he feel entitled to touch her like that? There was a voice in the back of her head that blamed herself, and besides, she says, when you’re a student, an intern, a new hire, you “feel like you have no power and are very easily replaceable.” That moment in her cubicle, however, after weeks of words that made her extremely uncomfortable but felt harder to parse or categorize, “made it clear to me: This is harassment. This isn’t a funny joke.” Raimundo’s story is hardly unique. LeanIn.org and McKinsey’s 2018 Women in the Workplace study found that 35% of women have experienced some form of sexual harassment over the course of their careers (the share jumped to 45% of women working in technical fields, 48% of lesbian women, and 55% of senior-level women). And men experience sexual harassment as well; they filed about 16% of total sexual harassment complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2018. Even when you know that what’s happening isn’t right, it can be intimidating to try to figure out if it crosses the line into something legally wrong. And deciding what to do about it can be just plain overwhelming- especially while you’re stuck in an emotionally draining and sometimes traumatizing situation. We’ve got a primer to help you understand what sexual harassment is, make sense of your options, and take care of yourself in the process. What Is Sexual Harassment? Who’s Covered by Sexual Harassment Laws? Okay, But What Does Sexual Harassment Look Like IRL? What Can I Do if I Think I’m Being Sexually Harassed at Work? How Do I Report Sexual Harassment if I Decide I Want To? Will I Be Retaliated Against- and What Can I Do if I Am? What Should I Do to Take Care of Myself? Before you read on, an important note: While we interviewed lawyers for this story, we are not lawyers ourselves, and every case is different. So please consider this a general resource to help you get started and, if you need it, seek personalized advice specific to your situation from an actual lawyer! What Is Sexual Harassment? Legally, sexual harassment is actually a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which also protects employees from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin. On its website, the EEOC, which is the federal agency tasked with enforcing employment discrimination laws, explains that: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. EEOC That’s a lot of language to unpack, but it’s probably more helpful to look at the two categories lawyers generally talk about when they’re discussing sexual harassment. 1. Quid Pro Quo Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase that literally translates to “something for something” or “this for that.” In this context, it might look like, “You [go on a date] with me, I’ll give you the job. You have sex with me, you’ll get to keep your job,” explains Karen Elliott, a management-side labor and employment attorney at Eckert Seamans in Richmond. When someone explicitly states or even implies that agreeing to sexual favors or romantic involvement will affect or determine whether you get the job, keep the job, get the promotion, get the raise, get the bonus, or get a fair performance review, that’s sexual harassment. 2. Hostile Work Environment But there are also countless kinds of sexual harassment that don’t include propositioning for sex as a condition of employment or advancement. These include sexual advances, innuendos, and comments as well as any other unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that, according to the EEOC, “is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.” One extreme incident might be considered severe enough that a court would rule it created a hostile work environment, but often it’s smaller incidents that repeat and accumulate to become pervasive. In other words, “it’s on a daily basis, on a weekly basis. It’s been going on for years. It’s so ongoing that you simply cannot ignore how a person would be affected by it,” says Silvia Stanciu, an employment litigator at the New York firm Phillips Associates. Note: The person or people affected don’t have to be the ones offensive comments or jokes were directed at. Maybe they weren’t even part of the conversations, but overheard them- that’s enough. The law does not spell out exactly which behaviors and what frequency would make something rise to the level of a hostile work environment, and so it’s left up to the court’s interpretation- and that depends on the time and place. “What courts accept as creating a hostile work environment is changing dramatically,” says Elliott. The same goes for what’s being considered severe or pervasive. “This is a law that grows as societal norms change and the courts have accepted that change in how they’ve applied it.” It also depends where you are and whether the judges on the bench in that area are more liberal or conservative. Who’s Covered by Sexual Harassment Laws? Federal law covers employers in the private and public sectors that have 15 or more employees. The EEOC emphasizes that the harasser can be the target’s direct supervisor, another supervisor, a co-worker, or someone who isn’t an employee at all (like a client or customer), and that the harasser can be of the same or opposite sex as the victim. Many states and cities have their own anti-discrimination laws, and it’s always worth reading up on what additional protections the laws relevant to you might cover. For example, New York City’s Human Rights Law covers all employers in that city with four or more employees. You can find a quick overview of state laws here, but your state or local government website will usually have more specific information. Okay, But What Does Sexual Harassment Look Like IRL? Let’s start here with the caveat that the specifics of a case are important and that different courts might rule differently on some matters. But here are several examples of behavior or incidents that, if unwelcome, could constitute sexual harassment in the workplace. (This is by no means a comprehensive list!) Comments about someone’s appearance Conversations, questions, and stories about sex Staring and looking up and down Following someone around Rumors about someone’s sex life or use of sex to get ahead Suggestive emails, text messages, or other communications Sexist comments that are not necessarily sexual Vulgar language, jokes about sex (or gender), innuendo, and music with sexually explicit lyrics Displays of pornography or sexually explicit or degrading materials (including posters, calendars, drawings, emails, screensavers, and more) Unwanted touching or physical contact Requests for sexual favors and pressure for sex Threats based on rejection of sexual advances Rape and sexual assault What Can I Do if I Think I’m Being Sexually Harassed at Work? This is a personal decision, and in order to figure out the right path for you, you might have to seek out legal advice tailored to your situation. But here are a few things you can do to start. 1. Document It While you decide what else you want to do, if anything, you can begin keeping a record. “We recommend that our clients have some kind of a log of the incidents that are happening,” says Stanciu. “General kinds of complaints give the company unfortunately a little too much leeway,” she explains. If you decide to report sexual harassment, it’ll help if you’re able to point to specific dates and very specific comments or behaviors. So when that colleague brushes up against you again or your boss makes yet another dirty joke at the staff meeting, write it down. The advocacy and policy organization Women Employed recommends jotting these notes down in a bound book and keeping it at home (or elsewhere outside your office). This way, if you report the harassment to your employer or the EEOC, you’ll be able to present detailed examples. If you turn to a lawyer, Stanciu says, they’ll probably have you put together a timeline and it’ll be much easier if you’ve been recording incidents along the way. You might ultimately decide to do none of those things, but it doesn’t hurt to document just in case. 2. Make It Clear It’s Unwelcome Since the key element of sexual harassment is the fact that the conduct is unwelcome, make it clear that’s the case, if you feel safe doing so. Elliott recommends trying this approach first particularly when dealing with behavior that is obnoxious and offensive but not necessarily predatory. For example, she says, you could try saying: That kind of conversation is inappropriate in the workplace. It makes me uncomfortable. It makes all the other women uncomfortable. Please stop doing it. You shouldn’t communicate in that way. It’s offensive to me. Please stop talking to me that way. I do not want to date you. Do not give me any more compliments. It makes me uncomfortable. If the harassment continues and you later decide to take your complaint to the employer, it can help to be able to truthfully say that you’ve made it clear the conduct is unwelcome and asked for it to stop. 3. Consult a Lawyer Theoretically, you don’t need a lawyer to report sexual harassment to your employer or file a charge with the EEOC. But if you find the situation confusing, need advice on whether certain behaviors constitute sexual harassment, or have reason to worry that your employer won’t respond kindly or effectively to a report, you might want to seek legal advice. Some firms offer free consultations. Look for plaintiffs lawyers, or those who represent targets of sexual harassment rather than employers. You can consult directories from the American Bar Association, the National Employment Lawyers Association, or the nonprofit organization Workplace Fairness. Alternatively, there are advocacy organizations such as Equal Rights Advocates that offer free legal advice, counseling, or referrals. 4. Make a Change In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as sexual harassment. In a slightly less-than-perfect world, reports of sexual harassment would be met with swift action and no negative consequences for the victim whatsoever. Unfortunately, although the number of complaints filed with the EEOC has increased in the wake of the #MeToo movement, and the conversation has certainly evolved over the years, the reality still isn’t perfect or even slightly less-than-perfect. All that’s to say that you might decide for various reasons not to report sexual harassment. But that doesn’t mean you should have to continue to endure it. It might be the right time to begin a job search that will allow you to give your notice and leave for a new opportunity or, if it’s feasible financially, to quit first and then begin applying for new roles without the specter of sexual harassment looming over your everyday life. If you do decide to report the harassment, read on to learn more about your options. How Do I Report Sexual Harassment if I Decide I Want To? You have several different options if you decide you want (or need, for your safety) to report sexual harassment. As always, the “best” decision will depend on so many factors, and it’s wise to seek advice specific to your situation as you figure out how to proceed. Option 1: Go to Law Enforcement On one end of the spectrum of what constitutes sexual harassment is conduct so severe it’s criminal. When it comes to sexual assault or rape at work or off site- on a business trip, for example- you might want to go directly to law enforcement. “I’ve had cases where we encourage our clients to go to the police,” says Stanciu. “If they feel mentally prepared and if they’re comfortable with that, we encourage clients to file [a] police report.” Option 2: Report It According to Your Company’s Policy Companies will often have policies and instructions laid out about how to report sexual harassment. Check your employee handbook, paperwork you received during onboarding, your employee portal, or anywhere else official documents live. Note: In most cases, an employer can’t be held liable unless it’s aware of the harassment. In other words, if you don’t tell them, not only do they not have the chance to do the right thing (which one hopes they would), they can also claim later that they didn’t even know it was happening. Your company’s policy might direct you to your own supervisor, the harasser’s supervisor, anyone in the supervisory chain of command, someone in HR, or some other representative or mechanism. If the organization is large or decentralized, the first step might be an online form or an employee hotline. It’s important to note that once you tell anyone in your organization’s management structure (even if it’s not your own boss) they must report it to HR. One caveat: You might consider seeking legal advice and/or going through another channel “if the policy was one where it was very clear that it was not reasonable for you to use it, like the supervisor is the harasser and that’s the only person you can report to,” says Christopher Kuczynski, Assistant Legal Counsel at the EEOC, or you know from past instances that reporting at your organization is ineffective. Be sure to keep up your documentation efforts during this part of the process. “We always recommend that you ask for something in writing to verify that you’ve made a complaint,” Stanciu says. If your company won’t provide you with a copy of your complaint record, send a follow-up email with a summary to whoever you made your verbal complaint to, in order to create a paper trail. That way, the company can’t later claim you didn’t say anything and, should you need to escalate things, you’ll have a clear record of the chain of events. Stanciu also recommends asking for a timeline so that you know when you can expect to hear back and continue to follow up if you don’t. The company will likely conduct an investigation and make some sort of decision about next steps. They may not share every detail of the findings or outcomes with you, but ideally they’ll keep you updated at least in general terms. The company doesn’t necessarily have to fire the harasser or take the particular action you’d want, it’s only required to make the harassment stop. Note: If the behavior you’ve reported is extreme, says Ernest Haffner, Senior Attorney Advisor at the EEOC’s Office of Legal Counsel, the company should take steps to separate you and the harasser immediately, so that you’re not in danger while it conducts its investigation and determines what steps to take. Option 3: Go Through Your Union If you’re a member of a union, you can also speak to a union representative. “That’s someone who can serve as the go-between between the employee and the company,” Stanciu says, “if the employee either doesn’t feel comfortable going directly to speak to the harasser or going to speak to HR or if there is no HR.” The union could help navigate the reporting process with your employer. Keep in mind, however, that if your harasser is also a member of the collective bargaining unit, the union is there to protect and advocate for them as well. In some cases Haffner has seen, a company will fire or discipline the person who’s been accused of harassment, but then through union intervention, “they’ll find that there wasn’t sufficient evidence or that the discipline was overly harsh. So they’ll reinstate the person.” Option 4: File a Claim With the EEOC or Local Agency At any point, you can also choose to file a charge with the EEOC or with a state or local Fair Employment Practices Agency (FEPA). In fact, you’ll have to do so before you can file a lawsuit related to sexual harassment under federal law. You can look up the EEOC field office that covers your zip code here and also find out whether there’s a FEPA near you by clicking on “State and Local Agencies” in the menu that appears. Don’t forget that there are deadlines. You have to file within 180 days of the last incident of harassment, or within 300 days if there’s also a state or local agency that enforces a similar law. (These deadlines are different if you’re a federal employee or applicant.) Once you file a charge, the agency investigates and determines whether “there was cause to believe discrimination occurred,” Kuczynski says. If the agency finds no cause, it’ll give you a Notice of Right to Sue, and you can pursue a lawsuit on your own. If the agency finds there is cause, they might try to resolve the situation directly with the employer in a process called “conciliation,” litigate it themselves (rarely), or again give you a right to sue letter so you can go to court with your case. Option 5: File a Lawsuit Once you receive a right to sue letter, you’re free to file a lawsuit, but must do so within 90 days. Discuss the best step forward in your particular case with your lawyer, but keep in mind that a lawsuit may prove to be a difficult process. “The client has to be completely prepared that it will be uncomfortable, that they will have to reveal certain information about their own lives, about their own performance, about an array of things,” Stanciu says. If you’re arguing for emotional distress damages, for example, your medical records and even notes from therapy sessions might be fair game for both sides to pore over and analyze, she explains. “A lot of things come out in litigation that people are not prepared for.” A 2018 study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Employment Equity found that only about a quarter of those who pursued sexual harassment charges via the EEOC or FEPA received monetary compensation. The average award amount was $24,700 and the median award amount came to $10,000. Just 1% of awards exceeded $100,000 and “only 12% of charges lead to a managerial agreement to change workplace practices.” And although it’s not clear what the results are for those who file lawsuits, one of the report authors, CEE professor Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, explains that recent research “suggests for all discrimination lawsuits that both the size of monetary awards and their frequency are no better in the courts.” Will I Be Retaliated Against- and What Can I Do if I Am? The sad truth is that reporting sexual harassment can and often does have negative consequences for the person who brought the complaint. Raimundo, for example, reported the butt-grabber to HR, with the support of her supervisors (both of whom worked remotely). “I think he got a talking to,” Raimundo says, because he became “a lot more angry with me. He went out of his way to be as unhelpful as humanly possible and create problems for me.” The UMass study found that 68% of sexual harassment charges filed with the EEOC or FEPAs between 2012 and 2016 included allegations of retaliation, and nearly as many (64%) were associated with job loss. “Retaliation is quite common,” echoes Haffner. It might mean getting fired, demoted, or transferred, but it can also take other forms. Sometimes the harassment itself increases or intensifies. In cases where a complaint is made about a popular employee, Haffner says, co-workers often ostracize the person who spoke up. It’s hardly surprising, then, that many people don’t report. The UMass study estimated that roughly 5.1 million people experienced sexual harassment each year, but only between 25% and 40% of them made an internal report to a supervisor, HR, or a union, and only 0.18% filed a charge externally with the EEOC or FEPA. “Women will tell me, they’ll say, ‘I worked for years in the company. I was always known as well, she’s the woman who got so-and-so fired,’” says Elliott. She emphasizes that even if the harasser is found guilty, “many women would tell you they feel like their careers are over in that company and they have to leave. So it is a big decision to go forward.” Retaliation may be common, but it’s not legal. So while it’s understandable that a fear of reprisal often keeps people quiet, remember that any retaliation is another claim you can file against your employer. And that claim can hold water even if the original complaint doesn’t. In other words, if you report sexual harassment and it turns out that the behavior in question doesn’t actually meet the legal definition of sexual harassment, you can still have a case for retaliation if you were fired or shunned for making the complaint. In short, if you believe you’ve been retaliated against, you can report that as well, whether to your employer or the EEOC. What Should I Do to Take Care of Myself? Regardless of the path you decide to take, dealing with sexual harassment can be a fraught and arduous process. Don’t forget to take care of yourself- physically, mentally, and emotionally. Find Your Support Network It’s always a good idea to surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and mentors, but it’s all the more important when you’re facing something as mentally and emotionally taxing as sexual harassment, says Lisa Orbé-Austin, a psychologist and executive coach at Dynamic Transitions Psychological Consulting. Look outside of your workplace to find a small but solid group of folks you trust and have established relationships with and, as much as you feel you can, talk to them about what’s been happening, Orbé-Austin suggests. That way you’ll know “you’re not doing this alone, but you’re doing it with an informed group of people who are close to you and [can help you] make strategic decisions about what you should do next.” Those decisions will likely be complicated and hard to make. Lean on your network for advice when you could use it, but remember that “there’s no one right or wrong way to do things,” says Orbé-Austin. She emphasizes that even those closest to you will be influenced by their own perspectives, histories, traumas, and biases. “You have a right to whatever you decide, and once you move forward in a way that you feel is thoughtful and informed, it’s not helpful to hear people questioning your decision,” she explains. If they continue to cast doubt on the calls you’re making, you can say something like: Thank you for sharing your opinion. I understand that it comes from a place of trying to support me. But it’s not helpful and it’s not what I need right now. Instead what I need from you is XYZ. If your friend or family member can’t agree to stop disagreeing, you might want to take some space while you’re dealing with this. Turn to Professionals No matter how much your core support group loves you, they don’t necessarily have the expertise to help you in every way you’ll need. In addition to consulting a lawyer for advice about how to approach various interactions and situations at work from a legal perspective, Orbé-Austin urges you to consider reaching out to a therapist, a career coach, or both. A therapist, she explains, can help you with validating and processing your experience and figuring out how to keep yourself safe and healthy starting from the moment you feel something’s amiss and onward through the long-term consequences. For Raimundo, throughout her “real and shitty” experiences, both at that internship and in another situation when she was harassed, “therapists were a godsend,” she says. She later went on to become a mental health advocate. When workplace sexual harassment brings up previous sexual trauma, as it sometimes does, it’s particularly important to turn to a mental health professional. Take a look at what kind of help you might be able to access through your health insurance or other benefits, or use a directory like the one offered on Psychology Today (you can sort by location, insurance, and issue, such as “sexual abuse”). Even after a harassment experience is “over,” it can continue to affect your work in terms of how able you are to take on a new role or enter a new system, how competent you believe you are, and how you feel about your colleagues, bosses, and mentors, Orbé-Austin says. “It can make you feel very, very wary about taking career risks.” Orbé-Austin has worked mostly with women and has seen them shut down and take a step back in their careers to “an easier position that feels doable in a safe environment that feels predictable.” Some also fear retribution in professional networks and circles, hesitating to network or apply for jobs because they worry certain contacts have been compromised. A career coach, in addition to a therapist, could help you strategize around some of these thorny issues. Practice Self-Care Sexual harassment is “a really intense, awful experience that’s very depleting,” Orbé-Austin says. “And so you have to be very conscious of making sure that you are filling yourself with things that make you feel buoyed and that you have energy to face what’s happening in whatever way you choose to do that.” In other words, although you might be overwhelmed and drained, it’s important to make time for meditation, exercise, or any other “positive activities that fill your tank,” as Orbé-Austin puts it. Self-care, she says, “helps with resiliency. It helps with feeling less reactive.” She notes that you probably won’t want to do anything extra, but you should book self-care activities into your calendar. “You’re going to have to embed them into your ritual to make sure that you are taking care of yourself and feeling grounded in your life and in the routines that give to you.” That might mean taking regular yoga classes or playing those weekly pick-up basketball games, spending time drawing or signing up for that pottery workshop you used to love, practicing your religion or pursuing some other form of community affiliation, or anything else that is healthy and positive and might help you cope. Be mindful that you turn to activities that are purely helpful rather than ones that have negative consequences, such as overeating, drinking, or using drugs. Find a Community and Help Others When you’ve been a target of sexual harassment, it’s easy to struggle with isolation and, even though it’s unequivocally not your fault, with questions like, “What did I do?” and “What did I say?” “It’s really important to find communities where you start to realize you’re not alone by far. You’re so not alone,” says Orbé-Austin, who touts the benefit of finding a professional or other association where you can interact with, lean on, and eventually even mentor others. “It can be really helpful when you have felt victimized to then support people who’ve also been victimized,” Orbé-Austin says. “It can be really powerful.”

How to Answer the Greatest Weakness Interview Question

How to Answer the “Greatest Weakness” Interview Question How to Answer the “Greatest Weakness” Interview Question How to Answer the “Greatest Weakness” Interview Question This common interview question can throw a candidate for a loop. Prepare ahead and ace the interview. Among the possible interview questions, the greatest weakness interview question causes universal dread in most job candidates. In fact, the more qualified a candidate is, the higher the degree of dread. What is your greatest weakness? Think about your own past interviews and how you may have answered this question before. If you have never been asked, think about what your response would be right now. Typical answers fall along these lines: I am a bit of a workaholic, so I have a tendency to take on too much work. I am a perfectionist and an overachiever. I do not rest until every assignment is completed, double-checked and presented with a bow on top ahead of schedule. I work too hard, sometimes to the point of sacrificing rest and weekends to make sure every deadline is met. I am not pointing fingers at anyone in particular. In fact, I have personally been guilty of using some variation on all three of these in the past. Now, an honest round of votes: Who here genuinely believes those greatest weakness interview answers? If I were to guess, I would say that you don't even believe them yourself as you are saying them. In fact, these are almost as bad as the worst possible answer, which is Weakness? What's that? I have no weaknesses! The problem with the typical answer The ultimate problem with the way most candidates answer this question is that they try to lie. Sure, there might be a kernel of truth in these typical responses. However, the candidate usually either talks about something that is fairly inconsequential for the job (I have a hard time disconnecting from technology in the evenings) or picks a weakness that could be perceived as a strength (who here does not want to hire a diligent hard worker?). Unfortunately, both strategies to tackling the greatest interview question leave the hiring manager dissatisfied. First of all, interviewers can tell when you're lying. And second, the reason they asked that question was to get some honest insight into who you are and how you deal with difficulties. Your fake answer does nothing to position you as a great candidate. The winning answer strategy The key to a winning response strategy is in understanding why the hiring manager asks about your weaknesses. There are typically two big reasons behind it. Reason number one is to see whether or not you have enough self-awareness and insight to acknowledge that you have something you need to work on. Reason number two is to determine if you are proactive and resilient enough to work on getting better. If you understand those two points and are able to answer the question honestly and thoughtfully, what you say next has the potential to lift you above other candidates and get you the job offer. Would you like an applied example? Let's pretend that you are interviewing me for an accounting manager position, and you have just asked me the dreaded What is your greatest weakness? question. Lucky for me, I have given it some thought in advance. Here is an example of a strategic response I might say: That is a great question. To be honest, I tend to put deadlines and work goals ahead of people sometimes. For example, in the last 2 years, I have noticed myself becoming terse and inflexible when my team members were unable to deliver their reports on time. I usually enjoy good rapport with my team, so those instances really stood out for me and I started to pay attention. As I reflected on what was happening, I realized that my abruptness and lack of flexibility were actually causing a rift between me and the rest of the team. As a deadline approached, even the people who would typically come into my office to share an issue or a challenge would begin to avoid me. That was not constructive, so I sought out some guidance from my boss. As we talked about this, I realized that I was treating all deadlines as equally urgent when in fact they were not. In a way, I was creating a lot of urgency and pressure in my own mind, and that was translating into more pressure for my team. I wanted to change this dynamic, and with my mentor's help, I have implemented two changes. First of all, I became a lot more present to how my demeanor and attitude towards deadlines affected my team. Deadlines are a reality of work life, but I do not want to be a major contributor to their stress just because I cannot manage myself. I started a tracking sheet of assignments by team member so that I would have a reference point for their workload. I also became proactive in asking them about progress and anticipated challenges. I found that by focusing on people I was able to open the communication lines and ultimately meet deadlines with less stress. The second thing I did was pay attention to how senior people in the company dealt with deadlines. I have been blessed to have managers who are excellent at strategic assessment. They seem to just know which deadlines are real and not movable, and which ones are more flexible. As I learn from them and work to clarify expectations, I am getting better at the balance between getting work done and taking care of my team. What do you think? Granted, I have had the benefit of a quiet space to think through my response and structure it in an impactful way. Your own answer will look different, but let's dissect what makes this one work. Dissecting success There are four factors that make my greatest weakness interview answer come across as well-composed, thoughtful and an indicator that I am a good candidate for the job. It is honest. And not just because I used that word to open the response, either! I took the time to reflect on things that have the potential to sabotage my professional effectiveness and came up with a real answer that is not just a strength in disguise. It demonstrates that I have the capacity for seeing my failures. Hiring managers know that everyone has weaknesses, but it is one's ability to recognize a shortcoming that forms the first step towards improvement. It shows that I can take proactive steps towards fixing it. We all come up against difficult things in the workplace, from an assignment not completed up to par to an email that gets a reprimand in response. The question is, do you crumble and complain about it, or do you take responsibility to fix it? It does not just tell the interviewer about my weakness it tells a story. I brought the hiring manager along with me on a journey that had an emotional dip and a recovery. Our brains are wired to love stories, so craft a story to illustrate your point for maximum impact. Takeaways There are three key points that I want you to remember as you think about this tough greatest weakness interview question. First of all, be honest That does not mean blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, but rather giving it some thought and choosing something real. By all means, be strategic after all, your goal is to position yourself as a great candidate. However, begin with an honest self-assessment. Second, expect the question and prepare for it I cannot guarantee that you will get this one in your next interview, but it is one that can be difficult to answer on the spot. So, don't put yourself on the spot. You have been warned think through your response in advance. Begin to do something proactive to fix your greatest weakness before you even begin interviewing Depending on your personal kryptonite at the moment, working on it may involve taking a class, seeking out mentors, and asking for more just-in-time feedback. The worst thing you can do is nothing because that leaves you with no progress to report. So, be honest, be ready and work on fixing it and you will be acing this tough question in no time! Finding yourself speechless when you encounter questions like this? Working with an expert interview coach can help! Reach out to our sister site,TopInterview, today to learn more. Recommended Reading: How to Answer Why Did You Leave Your Last Job? Even if You Got Fired Ask Amanda: How Can I Be More Confident During Interviews? Did the Job Search Leave You Discouraged This Year? We've Got You Covered! Related Articles:

Computer Skills for Resume Options

Computer Skills for Resume Options The placement of your skills section is also a rather important thing to contemplate. The skills section also tells what you're able to increase the company for a cashier and not what you've been doing so long. A Key Skills section, on the flip side, is listed at the very top of a resume. Your skills section stipulates a window into how much capability it is possible to bring to the provider. If you are in possession of a wide variety of technical abilities, however, your abilities might end up being precisely what gets you hired. There are styles of preparing your skills section that may still show you in the very best light. If people focus too much on building a point as opposed to listening and finding the root of an issue conflict emerges and intensifies. Before you jump into writing down all of the awesome talents you've got, let's learn a little more about what skills employers typically search for on a resume and see whether it is possible to incorporate any in your skills section. How to Choose Computer Skills for Resume Especially when good protection is readily available for free, and is extremely simple to set up. Just concentrate on the experience gained at the occupations you've had. The sorts of computer skills employers expect will vary depending upon your career or industry. If you've got a working knowledge of widely used software, you might be abl e to more easily learn to use new programs. MS Office skills are arguably the most frequently encountered computer abilities. Most jobs require that you have a fundamental comprehension of computer programs including Excel and Microsoft Office, along with skills in internet navigation, social networking sites and email systems. There are a lot of sites offering courses you may take, or certifications you may increase your resume. A critical part of your CV needs to be your skills section. You have to offer relevant, concise details. In addition, it is going to help you show off your very best PC skills effortlessly! Computer Skills for Resume Can Be Fun for Everyone Another skill that's required is the capacity to type quickly. It's fast and simple to use. It's ideal to be ready! The War Against Computer Skills for Resume Everybody can use a computer but not everybody is aware of what information technology is about. Besides security problems, you don't need all of your cheap neighbors to use your Internet and down loading movies at your expense. My recommendations for problem resolution have been quite powerful. The problem was, I might get a word between questions. It's also vital to develop the skills necessary to both excel and guarantee a thriving career in the business. Only then are you going to be able to place the rightcomputer skills in the limelight. You don't have the fundamental computer skills you will need to acquire the job that you desire. There are lots of other computer skills, however, that are normally used across all industries which are important for most job applicants to know. Job applicants with computer skills are highly sought-after due to the gain of technology at work. On-line learners should be ready to bring an active part in their learning to guarantee a successful learning experience. Computer skills comprise the great majority of hard skills that companies desire away from their employees. Accounting computer software skills are important if you're applying for positions in the finance or company sectors. The Most Popular Computer Skills for Resume Many businesses have a site which is integral to their company, and that website needs constant upkeep as a way to continue being relevant and bring in operation. If you're searching to work within the medical business, you will find there are hundreds and hundreds of jobs in a number of industries to pick from. When you're looking to land up a job in a trusted business house you will want to get a detailed resume. In addition, you can look for accounts receivable jobs on Monster. Our resume builder gives you tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. If you replied yes to each of the above, you're probably alright. Mobile is rising and nobody is strong enough to stop it.

The Ultimate Levels of Proficiency Resume Trick

The Ultimate Levels of Proficiency Resume Trick Whispered Levels of Proficiency Resume Secrets An exaggeration of language skills could set you in a terrible circumstance. You should compose your statement in a manner that produces the recruiter see the way the skill will gain the business. In linguistic terms, proficiency doesn't translate to the identical meaning as fluent. So whenever your linguistic skills are related to the position you're applying for, and that is going to provide you the suitable highlight as a prospective candidate, you might think an area in your resume for a language section (sometimes holding the Spanish language is extremely handy for candidates in the United States!) Want to Know More About Levels of Proficiency Resume? So if you're very fluent, I mean if you're at university level, you're likely to know much more words than someone who can only read at a grade three level. So as to be fluent, you've got to be in a position to do certain things. For this reason, you should relate it to actual experiences on the job. Bearing this in mind, you will need to pick a place forputting languages on a resume. What to Expect From Levels of Proficiency Resume? Your level will decide on the value of skills skill with the organization. It may be unbelievably awkward and embarrassing! Though your vocabulary could nevertheless be limited, you've internalized the normal frameworks. Resume language skills are the same. The speed by which language have the ability to understand sentences remains measured and there's still have in your selection of words. BTW, this guide is all about human languages. Levels of Proficiency Resume Ideas If one of these categories is a region in which you excel, visit its particular page to learn how resume skills may be used to your benefit. Whenever you do a resume example search, you can likewise find cover letter examples also. Then you'll move on to other resume examples that tell you just how to present your educational info and any special skills you've got. The upcoming examples you will find in regards to resumes are the ones that request standard info, such as private information that includes your address and social security details. Even though a work description can demonstrate the way you can present yourself as a very good fit for the company, there are styles of finding jobs that are tailored to your abilities and experience. Unless you're applying for work in IT, you can alsoput your computer skills in the exact same section beneath an overall core competencies heading. Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. A well-written resume should be customized for each work application. You can't blame them since they are trained to sift through loads of resumes everyday merely to discover the ideal candidate for employment. Always demonstrate the employer how it will benefit them and you'll benefit when they provide you with a new job! Each job will call for unique abilities and experiences, so ensure you read the work description carefully and center on the appropriate job skills listed by the employer. Speech largely includes a string of short, discrete utterances. Language ability doesn't impede the operation of any language-use job. It is possible to always utilize visuals and words. Proficiency scales are developed to produce proper judgments on the types of tasks a language speaker is equipped to do, or to compare the abilities of different speakers. Knowing your skill level would be especially important when buying sheet music online, once you can't find the music. Our customized paper writing service is genuinely among the best ever! Every note is crystal clear and transparent. If you would like to compose your resume based on the best CV illustrations to be in a position to wind up being hired with a reverse date format for anybody who is. For Excel specifically, having the ability to demonstrate that you've got an advanced degree of expertise is critical, states Gelbard. While the person has a broad selection and constraint of structure, an occasional nonnative slip might occur. Proficiency implies a sufficient amount of expertise, to the point at which the person is trusted to do some type of task. Based on your targets and location, you're likely to be more acquainted with one system of English levels than another. Top Levels of Proficiency Resume Choices There are instances when it can make sense to depart from your language skills off your CV. To provide the employer a better idea about your language knowledge, include that which you have do ne employing the language in prior jobs or associated experiences. Your language skills are just a small portion of your resume, therefore it's essential that also you realize how to compose a resume by every section. The finest additional skills for resume writing are the ones that are associated with the job. According to her, it's also the reason putting your information just in the header or footer isn't a good idea. It is vital to understand the cv example is called a guide and you need to modify the case statements in order that they match the position needs from the job which you're applying for. To begin with, among the sections that needs to be altered is the work objective. For those purposes of your CV, the major thing which you want to think about is how academically rigorous the test is. Finding Levels of Proficiency Resume Online The person's language usage and capability to function are totally successful. Your level will decide the value of your skill with the organization. What's more, if you would like to list more than 1 language, you're going to be using up too much space. Make certain to include a level descriptor also. If you're asking for an administrative position, you will need to be well-versed in using Office programs for your everyday tasks. For example, if you try to apply for a Chinese-English interpreting job, you need to be fluent in both languages otherwise you would not really qualify for the position. You should simply choose the one which you should use and then use your resume example in order to produce the ideal letter for your resume. You need to have a particular languages' section which gives more thorough info on your ability. The 5-Minute Rule for Levels of Proficiency Resume With us, you'll receive high quality essays that are certain to bring you the very best outcomes. There are a lot of tests available that give results based on the many scales, so the very best move is probably to decide on an exam dependent on the scale you want to use (and, naturally, the language you're learning). A minimal excellent test is not going to assess your skills correctly, and putting it upon your CV isn't going to force you to appear to be a significant candidate. There are lots of tests to pick from, but taking the EF SET is a fantastic place to begin.

The Most Incredibly Disregarded Answer for Office Manager Resume Sample

The Most Incredibly Disregarded Answer for Office Manager Resume Sample Vital Pieces of Office Manager Resume Sample Learning how to say no is vital. If it comes to training, there's no need to incorporate every continuing education course you've completed. Utilizing a continue template is currently a satisfactory and smart practice for several explanations. There are many important aspects to think about when writing a resume. As an office manager, you ought to be in a position to allocate individuals and materials to certain tasks, together with make certain that the assignments are accomplished in good moment. You must be careful to communicate the reasoning behind your office policies so as to guarantee the greatest possible buy-in from your team. Handle customer requests promptly It is the responsibility of a front office associate to maintain a record on those who have come to the workplace. Like every managerial position, you can discover that there is simply not su fficient time in the day to finish all necessary tasks. In the end, it should reveal that you understand how to creatively provide solutions and tactical thinking to better the well-being of a business or organization, and offer examples of previously doing so. The quantity of education and experience required to develop into an office manager is based on the work atmosphere. Your business is unique to the business and is growing each day. The best companies know this in order to win, you've got to create a culture of engagement, and an environment where folks want to devote their time. There is a whole lot of ways which you can write an office manager resume objective. With a little elbow grease, anyone can have that sort of VP or plant manager resume. There are a number of computer-related skills you should master if you are considering becoming an office manager. To engage her, you will require a substantive sales pitch. Make sure that the objective is pertinent to the work description that you should have carefully studied. If you're asking for a job which demands the latter duty, your objective should display your understanding of billing practices in addition to your general office management abilities. You make certain that the objective is related to the work description provided by a certain employer. The goal of your resume is the very first glimpse employers get into not merely your experience, but in addition your nature and the talents you are able to bring to the table. How to Choose Office Manager Resume Sample Show your passion by mentionin g whatever you like about the business. Conversely, you may find your in passion somewhere you would never consider looking. Let's launch your work search. A work application builder might be very valuable for anybody who's feeling overcome by the resume process. 1 approach to use resume designers is to create the the majority of the countless options out there. The point is to grab focus at the ideal key phrases to make maximum effect. Let our comprehensive resume builder do the difficult work for you. To learn more on what it requires to be an Office Manager, have a look at our complete Office Manager Job Description. Applicant Tracking Systems will search for the proper ones. An Office Manager Resume should showcase a number of qualities required to properly handle standard office duties. Office manager roles are in demand, yet to land the job you will need a compelling resume. The Professional Profile is intended to provide the prospective hiring manager a reason to carry on reading your resume. The End of Office Manager Resume Sample For instance, it can show you just how to lay out your CV. Resume templates can be referred before writing to have a better insight into the most suitable format. You can locate the ideal template and design your resume intended for the specific job. Our cover letter sample and writing tips below can help you write one that is going to get you the job that you've always desired. A proper font is one which is common and legible. For example, you might create a format that has a drop-down list. Click these images to look at the resume sample. The Pain of Office Manager Resume Sample Employers start looking for business-related or law-related courses on the resumes of possible candidates, in addition to technological know-how in that they can successfully operate a computer. Educational qualifications are essential to be mentioned. Even the very best free Word resume templates might not appear great on all computers. Utilizing Phrase, you can produce your own personal templates for nearly any software, including resumes.

The Importance of College Graduate Resume

The Importance of College Graduate Resume The 30-Second Trick for College Graduate Resume So you simply graduated high school or college and you're ready to join the workforce to develop into a productive member of society. Once out of college, there's plenty of pressure on graduates to acquire great work in good organization. The large number of college organizations and part-time positions gives students the opportunity to hone their leadership abilities. Fresh out of graduates are welcomed in the work market, but you've got to guarantee you fit in perfectly for every job that you apply. If you're still a fresh graduate, don't be scared to go out there and compete with those who have professional experiences. You don't need to be student body president to come up with the very best leading qualities. Anything that taught you more regarding the field you are interested in being in, include it. Your parents aren't around to assist you maintain your activities and assignments straight anymore and you truly have to come up with your time management abilities. For students that are new to the work market, interests and activities are a fantastic method to show employers you have skills they are searching for. As you most likely don't have a good deal of work experience linked to the job that you want, you will obviously wish to emphasize your latest education or training on your no experience resume. Stick to the tips above, and you'll have a resume that compensates for the deficiency of knowledge and gets you the interview. Now you need to know how to compose a resume with no experience that's compelling and distinctive, ideal for a high school resume or a beginner's resume for teens. As mentioned earlier, in the event the work applicant has multiple objectives, then they're likely to want several versions. You don't have a lot of knowledge in your industry yet, which means that your GPA is still fresh info that could help sell you. An objective must be personally-tailored to the employer. Writing an objective statement at the peak of your resume will remind your reader of your targets and abilities, even when you haven't proven them on the work yet. Writing a wonderful objective requires the comprehension of what the employer wants from the assistant they wish to employ. Of course if you're asking for a particular job, it's simple enough to amend a resume to incorporate an objective that matches the work description. The Foolproof College Graduate Resume Strategy Getting your college graduate resume workplace-ready is a large, stressful portion of that procedure but it doesn't need to be! The date you're predicted to graduate may change if you're a year or more away from graduating. As stated above, graduates don't generally have lots of job experience. Nearly all new graduates start complaining that their resumes fail to make the correct impression and cannot help them to have a work interview call. You might also have an entry-level job in college that directly relates to what you would like to do, which is particularly beneficial. If you're a high schooler that has been accepted to a college already, you may also state your college's name and the date you will start attending. Recent graduates may be experiencing the very same circumstance. You're a new college graduate seeking to crack into a difficult job marketplace. In case you have any part-time work, that will go a ways towards a wonderful experience section. Remember that in the event that you know that you could do the job, there's no reason to never attempt to apply. On occasion, you may have to list related and unrelated experience below the exact same heading to steer clear of confusion. You should also search for anything that may be acceptable as experience and emphasize it. Using College Graduate Resume Employers wish to know just what you did or learned so they know what you need to offer as an employee. Graduates want to present the things that they have studied till date and the rest of the activities done for employment. Students often find it beneficial to review resumes from graduate students who got their very first job outside academe.