6 reasons youre not getting hired and how to fix them

6 reasons youre bedrngnis getting hired and how to fix them6 reasons youre not getting hired and how to fix themFinding a job is not an easy task. Its especially frustrating when youve sent out resume after resume and havent landed the dream job youve been working so hard for. It may be time to reflect on the real reasons youre not getting hired and how you can fix them so you can finally land a job you love.1. Youre overqualified or underqualifiedRecruiters and hiring managers expect your experience, strengths, and skills to align with at least 1/2 - preferably 3/4 - of those listed in the job posting. So honestly ask yourself, are you applying for jobs that are above your area of expertise? Or are you beginning to feel desperate and just about ready to accept any offer, even one well below your pay grade?Solution It is your job as the candidate to show how your previous experiences line up with those outlined in the job posting. Use language found directly from each individual jo b posting, then relate it back to your own experiences and skills before applying. If your resume doesnt clearly show how youre a good fit, youre not going to get calls.2. Your resume needs some TLCWith recruiters only spending a handful of seconds on the first pass of a resume, your resume game needs to be on point and immediately catch their attention.Solution Start your resume with a brief summary that quickly highlights how youre the perfect fit for the company and position. Use the remainder of the page to focus on the value and results you have delivered over the course of your career. A majority of this should be done using accomplishments.3. Youre submitting your resume and not doing anything elseSubmitting your cover letter and resume is not enough. Every application you submit should be coupled with extensive company research and networking, as networking accounts for upwards of 85% of new jobs.Solution Each time you apply for a job, seek out five people at the company who hold similar positions to the one youre applying to. Send a friendly message and dont be afraid to reach out to them by setting up a networking call or coffee meeting to learn more about the company and the work they do. You have nothing to lose and might just get yourself a reference - or job.4. Youre networking passively or overly aggressiveSending your resume to a recruiter or hiring manager with the message, Attached is my resume. Please let me know if you have any positions available is passive networking.Proceeding to then connect with them on multiple forms of social media outside of LinkedIn is overly aggressive networking - and honestly just a bit creepy.Solution You need to play an active role in your job search. Networking takes time, energy and effort as you work to develop two-way relations. As a job seeker, you need to put in just as much work as the recruiter or hiring manager.Follow the companies you are interested in working at and reach out to employees to get a real glimpse into the companys morale. And dont be creepy5. Youre in need of some honest feedbackIf youve followed all of the above steps and still arent landing interviews, youre likely in need of some honest feedback.Solution Seek out a mentor or coach who can give you the advice you need to hear, not the advice you want to hear. While family and friends can serve as great support systems, they are not the objective lens you need. A mentor or coach can work with you to identify obstacles and remove roadblocks during your job search.6. Youre blaming it on bad luckWhile luck is involved in any job search, the role it plays is small. A vast majority of job search success comes down to hard work and effective job searching methods.Solution Focus on the aspects of the job search you do have control over - updating your resume and cover letter, leveraging LinkedIn and networking, seeking out mentorship and coaching, and preparing for your interviews.Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES is the Care er Coach behind CaffeinatedKyle.com where he helps people find jobs they LOVE (or at least tolerate). He loves coffee (if you couldnt tell), writing, and eating the same thing at different restaurants.

How to be more execution-focused as a leader

How to be more execution-focused as a leaderHow to be more execution-focused as a leaderA leaders job is to keep the gruppe on track. You focus on hitting deadlines and executing projects without losing focus or getting lost in the weeds of decisions, communications and logistics. The ability to execute in this way is critical for every leader.In fact,Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkmanfound that senior managers ranked execution first on a list of 16 must-have leadership skills, as they explain in an article forHarvard Business Review.The good news is, you and your team can improve on execution and become more execution-focused without working extra hours, suggests Zenger and Folkman. Instead, use the following ideas to make small changes within your team and yourself, allowing everyone to do what they need to meet deadlines and stay on track.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreEmpower y our team to make decisionsWhen you provide the training, resources, information and the necessary level of trust for employees to make decisions in their spheres of influence, you teach them how to be responsible and accountable for executing on their own.This allows your team to be more creative, industrious and solution-oriented because they dont need to wait for approval from you to execute when theyre ready. Cisco does this with actionable accountability, which empowers employees to act, while holding everyone accountable to specific, measurable criteria.Kevin Bandy, former senior vice president and chief digital officer of Cisco,explains, To enable actionable accountability, establish clear measurement criteria based on roles and responsibilities. Then enable people to act and challenge the metrics to align to a new business model allowing them to measure that progress.Bandy continues, By developing a core managerial and organizational competency of actionable accountability, y ou will unleash and direct the power of your most vital asset - empowered employees.When you think of meetings Think 20% or 22 minutesThere are many good reasons for meetings - to communicate as a team, abfertigung on projects, brainstorm on new initiatives and more. However, if more than 20% of office hours are spent in meetings, employees have less time to perform their actual jobs, explainsGeorge Deeb, managing partner at Red Rocket Ventures. When employees are tied up in meetings, they have less time to take action and execute, and its your job to make sure thats leidlage the case.To avoid this execution roadblock, Deeb suggests scheduling a one-on-one meeting with each of my direct reports, one meeting with the person managing me and one meeting with my peers to collaborate on needs between departments - keeping those meetings within the 20% margin. To keep track of the time spent, put all meetings on your calendar. At the end of the month, you can tally the time you and you r team spent in meetings and adjust accordingly.If youre still struggling with this challenge, try the 22-Minute Meeting, an idea that came fromNicole Steinbokat Seattle Ignite 9. The idea is simple schedule meetings for just 22 minutes - not 30, not 60. The value being that when youre on a time-based deadline, youre more likely to be productive, leading to less time wasted, and more work done.To make this work,Steinbok recommendsthe following processSchedule the meetingSet a goal-based agendaSend materials 3 days ahead of the meetingStart on timeStandNo computers, except for the presenter and note-takerNo phones, no exceptionsFocus Note off-topic commentsSend notes and action items ASAPThis is a major shift for many, so it may be wise to start with just your team. If you find youre spending less time in meetings and more time executing on plans, bring it to the rest of the company as a simple and free growth initiative.Fine-tune your team communicationA critical element of executi on is communication. While this seems obvious, most companies are not prioritizing internal communication. In the2017 State of Workplace Communications report, two-thirds of respondents had not received a budget increase for communication-supporting technology in recent years. Whats more, nearly one-fifth said that the biggest hurdle was getting senior leadership to see internal communications as a priority.To bring execution to the forefront, you first have to do so with communication, starting with goal-setting and aligning on company priorities - two factors that directly affect your ability to execute successfully. If you cant get leadership on board with new communication technology or internal communication initiatives to make this possible, theres still a lot you can do, with little to no budget, to improve communication among your team.Use the free tools available to youOnline chat tools like GChat make it easy to stay connected with employees consistently. To be execution- focused, you need to be able to move fast, and having a tool for immediate communication at your fingertips allows you to do exactly that.Tell storiesTheCenter for Creative Leadershipsuggests using stories, when applicable, in your communication with employees. CCL notes When you tell a good story, you give life to a vision, goal, or objective. Telling good stories creates trust, captures hearts and minds, and serves as a reminder of the vision. This is a valuable tool for you to encourage employees to act and ensure the project, plan or goals stay top of mind.Encourage feedbackYou can only get better if you know whats working and whats not working for your team. Make feedback a two-way conversation, allowing employees to improve, along with yourself. Set one-on-one feedback meetings each month or each quarter to build this into your team culture.Be creative in your presentationCommunicate your strategy and needs in a variety of different ways. Emails, for instance, can get overlook ed, and someone may be out of the office on the day of your kick-off meeting.Clearpoint Strategyshares an example of how Canon got creative with this Canon USA created Strategy in Action Canon Americas Strategy Playbook. This playbook featured a color-coded version of the corporate strategy map and was designed by a graphic artist who had worked for USA Today. Find ways to incorporate creative ways to communicate.Be more execution-focused as a leaderThe bottom line is this Employees should regulate themselves to meet the demands of their positions. Teams should communicate regularly and consistently. Meetings should be productive, not wasteful. And you should orient everyone, not toward the abstract finish line, but first toward the concrete steps that are needed to arrive there. Use these ideas to take the first steps toward an execution-focused mindset, both for you and your employees.This article originally appeared on SmartBrief.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rit uals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to stop email procrastination and achieve Inbox Zero

How to stop email procrastination and achieve Inbox ZeroHow to stop email procrastination and achieve Inbox ZeroWhen I tell people the number of emails I have waiting unanswered in my inbox, I sometimes get reactions of consternation and horror. At one point, the number reached four digits. When the number tips high, I do sprees of deleting emails, but its still easy for me to let emails build up into an anxiety-producing pile of requests, pitches, promotions, and sales.I am not alone in this email pileup. One recent survey found that the average U.S. employee has 199 unread emails. For us to be better emailers, we need to be better at combating the inertia we feel in responding to emails that do not require an immediate response.Heres how experts suggest tackling email overload in our inboxes.Respond right away - and delegate the restOne study suggests making responding to emails a daily habit. For employees in a workplace where email is critical, actively engaging with our email a cross the working day was found to reduce employees stressful sense of overload, according to the study.The research recommended responding within an hour of an email being sent. For emails that require more thought, try creating a deadline for yourself, so that you can stop yourself from putting emails in inbox purgatory.Delete freelySometimes, my emails are subscriptions to promotions and events I do not remember signing up for. For productivity expert Laura Stack, deterring unwanted emails is a key factor to stopping email stress. I am a freak about unsubscribing right away. You want to cut back on the things that come into the inbox in the first place. Theres so much volume. Prevention is key, she said.Try answering emails like a CEOAnswering emails like a boss means that you dont let requests sit in your inbox unanswered because youre not socially anxious about coming off as rude. You firmly write Thanks, but Im passing to requests you are rejecting as soon as people ask them. Emulating the two-word response style of CEOs like Mark Cuban, BuzzFeed News reporterKatie Notopoulos found that responding immediately to her emails created an efficiency high.As I fired off a bunch of not-super-important emails, something strange happened. I feltextremely good. I was high on the fumes of efficiency. No longer did a little rechnerwolke hang over me, the nagging feeling you get when you know youre supposed to do something and cant remember what, she wrote about her quest for inbox zero.To practice boss email style, Notopoulos suggests emailing your short responses from your phone, so that you can stop yourself from using the excuse of replying once you have a computer.Understand that timely is better than perfectIf you are a perfectionist who delays email responses because you worry about saying the right thing in emails, Ask a Managers Alison Green suggests reframing your idea of what perfect email writing can mean.In most cases, people like timely responses more t han they like perfect responses written several weeks too late, Green advised one self-identified perfectionist email procrastinator. Effectively immediately, take perfect off the table as a goal or at least redefine it.For you, perfect is I respond within two days, regardless of how flawless the content is.In your case, flawless ends up meaning never happens, so it cant be in the equation.By being upfront about your commitments and current bandwidth, you communicate to the recipient that you are still a reliable colleague - even if your email response may disappoint them.The bottom lineThis upfront email style is a trait that many inbox zero achievers share They recognize that to stop emails from overwhelming you, you need to make answering your inbox a part of your daily routine.

Questions to Ask Before Becoming a Manager

Questions to Ask Before Becoming a ManagerQuestions to Ask Before Becoming a ManagerBeing a boss can be very rewarding, and when youve gained a lot of expertise in your area of tech, the next logical step is often becoming a manager.But management is certainly not for everyone. In fact, when a supervisor role isnt a good fit, it can damage an otherwise promising career, so it should be considered very carefully. Here are three questions to ask yourself before becoming a managerAre you motivated by reaching your own professional goals, or by helping others achieve their professional goals? There is not a right or wrong answer here. Its really about what personally motivates you. Do you prefer having mora control over your work product, or are you willing to work through others by teaching and mentoring them through the process? And keep in mind that those you manage may not do things exactly the way you would have. Will you get satisfaction from watching them develop and solve problem s?Are you comfortable being an outsider and making unpopular decisions? As a manager, youre less likely to receive open and transparent communication from your employees as you would as a department colleague. Youll never again be just one of the gruppe as you were before you were a manager. Youre the one who has to push team members along a path, and sometimes tell them theyre not getting the job done. A regular part of a managers job is dealing with problem performers, incredibly demanding employees or employees who question everything you do. These are complex issues and you need to possess excellent communication skills. You also need to have confidence in your decision-making abilities because your team isnt always going to agree with you.Do you prefer to do your job with few interruptions, or are you willing to be interrupted regularly? If you mostly want to focus on completing your own work, management might not be for you. Managers have to embrace an open-door policy knowing that they will be pulled into conversations and issues they didnt anticipate every day, often from team members who say, This will just take a minute These interruptions are part of the job, and sometimes that means doing your regular work after hours.Becoming a manager is not for everyone. If you have a well-defined career path as an individual contributor and youre approached about taking the next step in your career by moving into management, proceed with caution and accept the job for the right reasons.Never move into management simply because its different than the job you have, especially if youre not really passionate about the role. However, if you feel the desire to expand your skill set and are excited at the thought of taking on greater management responsibilities, becoming a manager can be an incredibly rewarding and challenging role.Our Salary Guide is a great resource for the latest hiring trends and starting salaries for more than 75 IT jobsDOWNLOAD THE SALARY GUIDE

Impressing is in your best interests How to be taken seriously

Impressing is in your best interests How to be taken seriouslyImpressing is in your best interests How to be taken seriouslyBeing taken seriously at work takes time and trust. Whether youre the youngest, the least experienced, a new recruit or all of the above proving yourself can feel like an uphill challenge. The earlier you can prove yourself though, the sooner youll relax into the role and be able to perform to your best ability. We spoke with the career experts at CABA who offered their tips on gaining professional respect.Dress the partMost workplaces have a dress code, whether official or unofficial. If you ignore it and dress too casually or too flamboyantly, you risk looking unprofessional. Choose clothes that are appropriate for your work environment if you want to be taken seriously, dress to standard.Be punctualIf you have a tendency to arrive at work late or miss the start of meetings, your manager and colleagues will start losing respect for you. Revise your wake-up time if you have to, as the extra half hour in the morning could binnensee you getting to work punctually. Even if youre only occasionally late, it will be noticed, and eventually, youll gain a reputation for having poor time management.Make eye contactIf youre keen to make a positive impression and engage people, try to look them in the eye when youre talking to them. Avoiding eye contact altogether can make you appear secretive, mistrustful or simply uninterested.Use positive body languageThe right body language can make you appear more confident, experienced and professional all traits that could help others take you more seriously. A University College London study recently found that women are more likely to be taken seriously at work if they adopt a strong, typically male stance (the so-called power pose in the study included having feet shoulder width apart).But theres more to positive body language than power stances. For instance, try to look straight ahead rather than dow n at the floor, sit or stand straight with your shoulders back instead of slouching, and adopt an open posture rather than crossing your arms or legs. When you meet someone, greet them with a firm handshake.Speak upIf you have something interesting or important to say during a meeting or while speaking with colleagues, dont be shy and keep it to yourself. Your confidence will impress, while your ideas could spark off further points for discussion. Speak calmly and clearly with an even tone. Employ professional language try not to swear or use slang or casual words, as you may appear unprofessional.On the other hand, dont feel you need to say something for the sake of it. Stay quiet and listen to what others are saying if you know you cant offer anything valuable. Its better to say nothing than to blurt out something foolish or inappropriate. But do ask intelligent questions, as it shows youre engaged in whats being discussed.Be politeGood manners go a long way Behaving rudely or in considerately isnt going to win you any fans at your workplace. Similarly, with social media, manners are essential. Never write anything derogatory about the company you work for, your boss or colleagues zugreifbar you may not think anyone will notice but, chances are, someone will.Prepare thoroughlyTry not to turn up to meetings unprepared or underprepared. Get a good grasp of whats being discussed beforehand. When you think youve prepared sufficiently, do that little bit more. People tend to pay attention to those who are knowledgeable, so all your efforts wont go unnoticed. At the same time dont brag if you try too hard to impress, you may be perceived as arrogant and obnoxious.Play up your skillsConsider working on skills that will get you noticed. Which skills does your organization value? Focus on building these. The skills dont have to be technical ones, as companies also need employees with strong soft skills such as problem-solving, ability to adapt well to change and be ing a good communicator.If you already possess the skills your company values, share these with your employer and co-workers. For example, you could offer to take on a project or seek out other opportunities that enable you to showcase your skills and bring them to others attention. Once people associate you with certain superior skills, your opinions will be valued all the more.Whether youre starting out in your career, recently moved to a new company or want to revitalise colleagues opinion of you, its important to remember that anyone regardless of age, gender or status can be affected by a lack of recognition, even if theyve been in the business for decades.Whether youre just starting out, getting back to work, changing direction or launching a business, CABA offers an extensive range of career services simply visit caba.org.uk.This article first appeared on Your Coffee Break.

The Unexpected Truth About Computer Skills to List on Resume

The Unexpected Truth About Computer Skills to List on Resume The Pain of Computer Skills to List on Resume When youve determined the most proper type, you will be prepared to begin inserting these abilities into the remainder of your resume and application. Bu tirst, below are some critical things to remember when putting together an effective collection of skills. Theres no use in listing items simply to list them or since you believe thats what should be there. Back in the old times of the web, only someone with big-time tech skills could update a site. If youre not certain which skills that you want to share, consider your prior experiences. Some skills could be relevant while others arent. In addition to the practical demand for developers in just about any company, programming skills demonstrate advanced problem solving skills that could lead to a well-rounded professional. As stated earlier, assessing soft skills is considerably mora difficult. Elect for some simple level in addition to some advance level computer skill courses associated with your field as computer skills play a major part your resume while getting hired. Because of this, its crucial to include computer skills on your resume. You probably have the correct computer abilities. Plus, it is going to help you show off your very best PC skills easily As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. Since required skills will change from job to job, in addition, it is valuable to examine our list of skills listed by job and sort of skill. 3 First, you must pick the best skills for your resume. Listing your skills provides a chance to showcase your abilities and experiences to prime employers for the remainder of your resume. Soft abilities, on the flip side, arent simple to quantify. They are a bit more vague and open to interpretation. They include generic skills that apply to an array of disciplines. They are the skills that apply to every job. The Demise of Computer Skills to List on Resume The skills section of your resume shows employers youve got the abilities needed to be successful in the function. Hardware skills enable you to physically operate a computer. Job Specific Skills There are lots of skills which are job dependent. Organization and prioritization abilities. Below, you will discover more info about the sort of computer skills employers commonly search for in job applicants. In buchen to use a lot of these simple computer skills, you will have to use many popular software programs that correlate to every kind of basic computer skill. Web and Social Skills Most organizations are seeking to boost their footprint on the internet and within social networking. You may often find both systems on computers at your community library, though you might also be in a position to learn on the work too. A crucial part of your CV needs to be your skills section. You may find be low a list of the greatest skills you may put on your resume based on the kind of job that you are applying for. If youre interested in submitting an application for a particular job, review the post carefully and observe the list of skill requirements. In reality, there are particular jobs in which its important to place a skill section at or close to the top of the resume.

How Loud is Too LoudWhen Office Soft Talk is a Better (or Worse) Choice

How Loud is Too LoudWhen Office Soft Talk is a Better (or Worse) Choice In the office, at home, in public and virtually everywhere, the one thing that often matters as much as, if bedrngnis more than what you say, is how loud you say it. Sometimes you have no choiceyou have to be loud, e.g., on the job as an auctioneer, and sometimes you cant, e.g., when at work as a professional hypnotist.Given the significant (un)intended business, professional and social consequences of being too loud or not loud enough, it is important to determine how loud is too loud, how soft is too soft and why anyone would make either mistake (if only for the purpose of predicting and controlling that behavior).When you do have a choice as to how loud or soft to make your vocalizations, it is important to know how and why you make the choices that you do or shouldallowing that you tactically and strategically choose to be loud in some situations, e.g., shouting at the stalled driver ahead of you and soft in others, e.g., when asking for a raise.Call this a vocalization-volume mixed strategy, understood as flexibly switching volume levels as required. On the other hand, there are those who are consistently loud or consistently soft-spoken, often as a reflection of some genetically-determined bias or broad motivation, such as to appear dominant or submissive, respectively. Call their strategy a pure vocalization-volume strategy.Pure vs. Mixed Volume-Vocalization Strategists Why Do They Expect a Big Payoff?One really interesting question regarding the pure strategists is, in those cases where they have a choice, they believe a pure loud or pure soft strategy will maximize their payoffs. Another interesting question is how to get them to change, when that seems desirable. A third is the question of how often they (or the mixed strategists) choose correctly.As a preliminary to answering these questions, its worthwhile to consider why (always) deliberately being loud or soft would ever be thought to pay off. The possible reasons include the following1. Association of vocal volume with physical power and intimidation This is Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy 101. The louder the vocalizations the bigger, the more intimidating and more dangerous the animal, e.g., a T-Rex, is likely to bealthough the almost-cute small African rodent called a hyrax (not to be confused with a Hi-Rex) I heard first-ear in Kenya shook the night with jack-hammer grating screeches worthy of a Jurassic pterodactyl. In humans, this capacity and its exercise are commonly part of the physically large, thick-necked bullys makeup.2. Association of vocal volume with institutionalized power The likes of bellowing kings, Patton, stentorian senators and rave guitarists have been allowed to, if not expected to be, loud, because they have institutionalized powerpower conferred on them because of rank or fame. Many obnoxi ous loudmouths lacking similar entitlements fancy themselves similarly privileged, and treat the world as their personal megaphone.3. Squeaky-wheel syndrome Part of the presumed wisdom that the squeaky wheel gets the grease encapsulates is the expectation that to get what you want, louder is better. Perhaps this is the rationale underlying the use of wailing walls and massive choirs to get Gods attention, ramp up the volume, just in case (S)He hasnt been listening or is otherwise distracted. As a complement to this tactic, loud colors and otherwise gaudy clothing is frequently observed.4. Soft hypnosis I think the main reason lovers and hypnotists speak softly is that they are, as groups, both attempting the same thing. A hypnotist and some guy whispering in some girls ear want to induce a trance, a state of compliant helplessness and trust. Both of them also orchestrate the context to ensure that soft speech accomplishes their objectives Ideally, hypnotist and lover will eliminate all distractionsby eliminating any competing voices (i.e., use a secluded, very physically comfortable, private space for two) by employing soft and dim lighting by repeating key phrases, e.g., you are so beautiful and free (lover) or you are feeling so beautiful and free (hypnotist), etc., until full compliance is achieved. Funeral home directors operate on a similar softly-spoken premise.In the office, a guilt-ridden boss forced to let a good employee go may use the same technique to ensure peaceful acquiescence and full compliance with the dismissal, e.g., private moment in the office, making the employee physically comfortable and, of course, by breaking the news very, very softly and gently.Perhaps this is another reason why an employee unexpectedly terminated will walk out of the bosss office feeling like a dazed zombie.How to Change the VolumeTo get a loudmouth to tone it down, humor is the best first line of defense. You could try any of these lines (but only with a good fr iend who also has a sense of humor)Wow..a sonic boom before the jet flies byAm I late for the yodeling auditions?Are you trying to imprint what youre saying on my forehead?You havent made me deaf yet, so no need to talk to me as though I already am.Just as I thought Youve gone and deafened yourself.To get a mouse-whisperer to ramp it up, using humor, try theseSorry, your pulse was too loud for me to catch what you said.Are you ear reading?This is like listening to Killing Me Softlywhen its not playing.Great impression of submarine silent-running Ah-roo-gah Dive DiveIf you prefer tact and diplomacy, you can resort to one of the most successful persuasive techniques Shift the focus of fault to yourself and replace you with I. For example, instead of noting the speakers volume, you can say, Sorry, I have super-sensitive ears, like a big-eared coyote. Or, Sorry, could you speak up a little water from my showerplugged my ears.These techniques are likeliest to work with the mixed vocaliza tion-volume strategist, who is clearly not working with a physiological limitation or inflexible character trait. Such a MVVS will find it easy to accommodate you, since the vocalization strategy adopted in any situation is calculated, rather than hard-wired. The pure vocalization-volume strategist is more difficult to deal with, for obvious reasons1. Physiological Some big people or some with compromised breathing may have labored breathing that forces them to expel air with greater force, including speech air.Others may have impaired hearing that causes overcompensation in the form of louder speech (which they cannot recognize as being too loud). Still others may have smokers voiceraspy and grating, which may come across as too loud, in virtue of being equally irritating. Naturally, the genetics of larynx, pharynx and lungs will play some role in the timbre and volume of the voice.An NBC News article, Loud Talkers Why Do Some Voices Seem to be Set at Top Volume, identifies such ph ysiological and pathological factors, in addition to cultural, social and psychological variables.2. Psychological It may be that the loudmouth needs, as the stereotype suggests, to be the center of attention, or to project a stronger image, hoping to elicit fear, awe or respect for an intimidating voice used to compensate for missing other strengths, including strength and cogency of ideas.Likewise, the soft-spoken office mouse may be someone who, bullied as a child, does not want to attract attention, preferring to blend safely into the background. Alternatively, some among the soft-spoken may have concluded that being seductive or soothing will work much better than being brutishly loud, preferring soft persuasion and its inducements to intimidation.The soft-spoken may also confuse expressing nurture with communicating submission. Clearly, the soft-spoken funeral director is attempting to communicate nurture and consolation, not any subservient status (apart from that most sales staff adopt when selling).In this he is successful, because his role makes that clear. However, in the office, a similar tactic may backfire and create the impression that the mouse-voiced colleague is a weak, insecure, submissive wuss.Likewise, the office loudmouth may, in attempting to express dominance, end up communicating rudeness, proving the general principle that what we express frequently doesnt match what we elicit, much as a wild rabbit may perceive a carrot as a weaponand run.3. Cultural/Sociological Others may have grown up in a loud family or culture, e.g., one in which men are expected to be much louder than women, and developed a lifelong habit that is hard to shake. One implication here is that only children are far likelier to be soft-spoken than the middle or youngest child in a family of 10, especially when asking for the potatoes to be passed before they are gone.Being an extremely soft-spoken only, I count as confirmation of that hypothesis. Noting or speculati ng on family birth-order may be a useful wedge into discussing the issue with an overly loud or soft-spoken colleague.How to Know When You Are Too Loud or Too SoftOf course, if those you are speaking to wince, youve got the clearest cue and clueloud and clear that you are at least too loud. Also take note of the distance they choose to maintain from you and how they angle their bodies.If it appears they are attempting to minimize the surface area exposed to you, except for their face (which will be full geradlinig to equalize and maximize the distance of both ears) that may be an unconsciously adopted posture and transmitted signal letting you know your bellowing is backfiring like a deafening backfire.Holding their coffee mugs at ear height may be a reflex, yet futile attempt to block your sound. If their smiles look like a dentists plaster mold, take heed.If your listeners thrust an ear at you, or cup theirs, allow that you are speaking too softly. Obviously, if they ask you to re peat what youve said, try to boost the volume a bit.If they appear to be staring at your lips, consider the possibility that they are resorting to lip reading. If they randomly nod or nod off, they may be sending you the same message so, more bang, less whimper, please.In any case, if you are not sure whether you are too loud or too soft-spoken in any situation, you can always ask.But just try not to do it too loudly or too softly.

This top e-cigarette company has banned vaping in the office

This top e-cigarette company has banned vaping in the officeThis top e-cigarette company has banned vaping in the officeSometimes, the cruelest ironies come packaged in an email. Thats what 1,500 employees at e-cigarette startup Juul Labs, Inc. learned this December when their chief executive sent out a directive to stop vaping in the office.Rest assured that we are committed to exploring options for team members who desire to vape while at work, wrote Kevin Burns. Just not in meeting rooms, at desks or in bathrooms where employees around the country take a puff. As an alternative at least at their San Francisco headquarters, Juul will erect an outdoor tent where workers can congregate if they want to vape.The companys main office had become a hotbed for vaping - or Juuling, as the habit is often called. A current employee told The Wall Street Journal that workers vaped nonstop, in the open and in virtually every meeting in all parts of the building.That makes sense, as the company was founded by smokers who were looking for an alternative to cigarettes. But the practice is counter to a California state ban that in 2016 established its illegal to use e-cigarettes in the workplace or in other public venues where smoke-free laws apply.It may feel nonsensical to prohibit at-work use of the very products we work hard to create and promote, Burns wrote. But the bottom line is we need to comply with legal requirements the same as any company.Juul has been under scrutiny in recent months as young people take up vaping thanks to its flavored e-cigarettes. According to the Journal, Burns mentioned in the staff email that the startup had been contacted by city officials about vaping policy in the office.Though Juul may have come under fire for breaking the law, other workplaces that are less prominent dont face much enforcement of the vaping bans, according to the advocacy group American Vaping Association.99% of people dont care so long as they dont see anything,Gregor y Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, told the Journal.If its 10 degrees outside and I want a single puff, I just take a puff and hold my breath.

Goals dont replace systems? and vice versa

Goals dont replace ordnungsprinzips? and vice versaGoals dont replace systems? and vice versaPeople who claim that platzsetting goals are a bad thing are out of their minds. They probably set some goals in the past, failed, and never set a goal again.I know theres a lot of confusion about goals and systems these days. Ive contributed to the confusion as well.A lot of us share the idea that you either have a system or set goals.But thinking this or that is notlage helpful because it limits our beliefs. I know this because I used to think that way too. But then, I learned that many things in life could be this and that.So in this article, Ill explain why goals and systems complement each other, and why I have both.But first, lets start with the definitions.A goal tells you where youre going tomorrowA system tells you what to do todayMakes sense? There is a clear difference. A system is a collection of tasks and strategies that help you to function. And setting goals can be part of th at system.1. Why you need goalsEvery time I read about people who claim you shouldnt set goals, I get upset. Its possibly the worst advice one could receive.When someone is telling you not to set goals, they are essentially saying you should stop moving forward.Goals are inherent to human nature. We thrive on progress. We need something to strive for. If we dont have a vision of what our future could look like, why would we do anything at all?Its the classic question that philosophers and scientists have examined since the start of modern civilization. Over and over again, weve learned that we need goals to grow.Lets stop and think about that for a second. Why are we alive? I say were here to live a useful life. Thats what makes us happy as a result, it makes our life good.However, setting goals is not an easy skill. In the past, I would set goals that I had zero control over.I want to make a million bucks, you might think.Alright, great. But heres the thing, you dont control the re wards you get. What do you control? Your effort. So, its better to set goals that are related to your effort.How many books are you going to read?What degrees will you get?How many potential mentors will you reach out to?How many articles/books/videos/songs will you create?How much of your money are you going to invest?You see, these types of questions are related to goals that you can influence. Thats the way to go.2. Why you need systemsSystems have different meanings to people. For example, Scott Adams, the author of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, did a great job explaining how systems work for him. He doesnt set goals and only has systems. Thats not how I look at it.Once we set goals, we know that we have to put in the work to achieve them. Thats when systems come into play.It comes down to this What do I need to do EVERY DAY to achieve the goals I desire?Lets say you want to become financially independent by age 50. You might thinkI need to save at least 30 % of my incomeI need to increase my income yearlyI need to be mentally strong so that I can do my jobI need to be in good shape, so I dont get ill and have high energyI need to learn every day, so I get better at my jobI need to look at my goals every day to remind myself of where Im goingI need to reflect on the past to learn and be grateful for where I amAlright, congratulations. You have created a system. When you do the above things, you will make progress, no matter what.One thing we must be aware of is that we keep an open mind Goals and systems change all the time. Dont fixate on one thing for a long time. Change your goals and systems as your priorities change.3. Why you need higher goalsWeve established that we need both goals and systems to live a good life. Heres what Ive learned over the past few years.Set higher goalsNo, you dont need to make 10 million bucks. Thats just your superficial brain speaking for you.Set the bar higher for yourself.Become the best at your job. Become stronger, fitter, and smarter than everHave divine relationshipsGo beyond where you currently are. I like how Jordan Peterson puts it in his immensely popular book, 12 Rules For LifeYou should never give up the better that resides within for the security you already have.Yes, why would you deserve anything but the best? Because youre afraid of losing what you have? Thats not a good reason to live a timid and mediocre life.When we aim low, we deserve to receive low. When we aim high, we might fail, but we still have a better life than people who aim low. Because the failure of someone who aims high is much mora profound than the life of someone who aims low.Yeah, but I dont need much.Well, that sounds like a pretty high aim to me. Its funny to me that people pretend like being content is easy.Being grateful and content is the highest aim in life.You know whats low? Complaining, being ungrateful, consumerism, anger, doing nothing, etc.Aim high. Live a life of contribution. Dedi cate yourself to knowledge and self-study. Help yourself, your family, and your community. Thats the highest goal one can set.So, do yourself a favor, sit down for 10 minutes, and think about thisWhat are your goals for this week?What are your goals for this month?What are your goals for this year?What are your goals for next year?What are your 3-year goals?What are your 5-year goals?I guarantee that you will feel ecstatic about life after youve done this little exercise. GoIve also published a podcast episode, where I talk about 2 books that I recommend reading about goals and systems. Listen to it here.This article first appeared on DariusForoux.com.

The 10 Most Exciting Trends for Women in 2014 [Pt. 1]

The 10 Most Exciting Trends for Women in 2014 [Pt. 1] The 10 Most Exciting Trends for Women in 2014 [Pt. 1] As a prominent thought leader on the impact of technology on society, work and careers; an author of 11 books; named 2012 Most Influential Woman in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times; and with a slew of media appearances under her belt, Wilen definitely knows a thing or two about women and the workplace. Read on to discover 10 of the most exciting trends for women and why Wilen believes 2014 will be such an influential year for the ladies. What is women’s history month? According to womenshistorymonth.gov, in 1987, after petitions from the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, which selected the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Wikipedia explains that during this month each year people around the world celebrate the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. The U.S., UK, and Australia all celebrate during the month of March, corresponding with  International Womens Day on March 8 (which started in 1911). Trend 1: Women “sharks” on the rise Shark Tank is a popular U.S. TV show that showcases a growing trend in the U.S. toward entrepreneurship.  Are women participating in this movement? Yes. I am very excited about the reports and updates from the Kaufmann Institute, The Small Business Administration (SBA), and   modern day shows like Shark Tank as it confirms that women (and men) of all ages have many career options and starting and owning a business is a viable option. Women-owned businesses present the fastest growing segments in the U.S. economy; they grew 44 percent from 1997-2007, which is two times as fast as male owned firms. There are 7.8 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. and 88 percent are small businesses. Around 8.6 million women-owned firms generate 1.3 trillion in revenue and employ 7.8 million people. In the past year, women started more than 200,000 businesses (550 per day/23 hr). VC firms that invest in women-led businesses performed better than all men-led businesses, according to the  SBA Office of Advocacy. Trend 2: Women in the driver’s seat Mary Barra becoming the CEO of General Motors was recent news; however, the number of women as CEOs in Fortune 500 firms are not increasing as fast as women hoped. What is your perspective on women taking control of the driver’s seat? According to the Catalyst group, women currently hold  4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions and 4.6 percent of Fortune 1000 CEO positions. I think it is important to look at trends that are occurring in real time. For example in the 2000’s we have seen women pursue and move into leadership and Fortune 500 firms CEO roles such as: -Meg Whitman (Ebay 1998-2008) who ran for governor (2010) and then become the CEO of HP in 2011; -Ginny Rommety CEO IBM  (2012); -Marisa Mayer CEO Yahoo(2012); and now -Mary Barra (Jan 2014) and upcoming Susan N. Story  will become CEO of American Water Works Company, Inc. on May 9, 2014. Just looking at Fortune 500-100 firms, a study by Grant Thornton indicates that pipeline is important- higher percentages increase the likelihood and line positions. Women’s expectations have increased. (Women in senior management, 2013) I view that women are moving into the driver seat in Fortune 500 firms but I think they are already there in non- Fortune 500 firms and that is where the job growth is in the U.S. Trend 3: Young firms offer jobs for women Can you explain your statement on young firms as leadership opportunities for women? I think it is important for us to look at where job creation is coming from for us to understand where the leadership trend is heading and will be in the future. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the younger firms (under 5 years) are the more jobs they create regardless of size. This is an important trend to note because many of us assumed that the only employment is with large firms when in reality the growth and opportunity is happening with young firms of all sizes. Trend 4: Women are going for the gold We just watched the Sochi Olympics and you note that women are going for the gold. How so? In the recent Sochi Olympics, a Dutch female athlete won the most medals of any athlete at that Olympic- 2 Gold and 3 silver medals. And, in 2012 the U.S. had more women than men participating in the summer Olympics (269 vs. 261). You might remember that American women teams accounted for 56 percent of the U.S. medals and 66 percent of the gold medals. This challenges three myths about women: they don’t like to compete, they don’t like to win, and they are not team players. Women are going for the gold. Trend 5: Women are becoming “tech heads” How have women adapted to technology? The research shows that women are fast adopters of technology, particularly technology that they find useful such as mobile devices, social media, and online shopping. Women also influence consumer electronic purchasing. One of the electronic association notes that 70 percent of jobs by 202 will have a technology component. I think that women adapt and use technology and this is important for employability. Here are a few examples: Seventy-four percent of females use social networking sites vs. 62 percent of men. Women are the top users of Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media on mobile phones. Women influenced $90 billion of consumer electronic purchases in 2007. Women account for 58 percent of all total online spending. Stay tuned for part 2 of this article for the next five trends!

Consultant Interview Questions

Consultant Interview Questions Consultant Interview Questions Interview questions for consultants vary depending on the type of company for which you are applying. Consultant interviews typically include a mixture of  behavioral  and  case  questions. The more you prepare for the interview, the better you will do. One way to prepare is to practice answering common interview questions. Here is information on the types of interview questions you might be asked during an interview for a consultant position. Below is also information on how to prepare for an interview and a list of specific interview questions. Review the list and think about how you would respond to these questions in advance of your interview. Types of Consultant Interview Questions Some of the questions you will be asked will be common interview questions you might be asked for any job. These might include questions about your work history, your strengths and weaknesses, or your skills.A consultant may work with one client at a time or with several, so expect to get questions about time management. Since consultants are often brought on to evaluate and fix organizational challenges, you may also be asked questions that focus on your communication and problem-solving skills. You will also likely be asked a number of  behavioral interview questions. These are questions about how you have handled various work situations in the past. For example, you might be asked how you have handled an issue with a difficult employer.Other questions might be situational interview questions. These are very similar to behavioral interview questions. However, situational interview questions are about how you would handle a future work situation. For example, an interviewer might ask how you might manage a project with a very tight deadline. The most common type of consultant interview question, however, is the case interview question. A case interview question is one in which the employer gives you either a business scenario or a brainteaser, and asks how you would solve the problem. These kinds of questions show the employer that you can use logic to solve complex problems. Tips for Preparing for a Consultant Interview Case interview questions require some preparation. Ask friends or family members to give you as many practice case questions as possible. During the question, listen and take notes, asking any clarifying questions. Asking questions will help you think through the problem, and will also show that you are listening carefully. It will also help you engage with the interviewer, and establish a report.While answering a case interview question, say your thought process aloud and use a pencil and paper to work through the problem. While you need to provide an answer, the question is much more about assessing your thought process. Therefore, share your thinking out loud. Many of your case questions (as well as some of your other questions) will be related to the industry in which you will be working. Therefore, before your interview, make sure you are caught up on news about the industry.Don’t forget to practice the basics of good interviewing. Make sure you are prepared to give a firm handshake, make friendly eye contact with your interviewer, and smile when appropriate. Sometimes case interview questions can feel overwhelming, but don’t forget that you still want to be personable. Consultant Interview Questions Case Interview Questions You are consulting a  small firm  that sells a  well-reputed product. A large competitor starts selling a similar product incorporating the most recent technology. What should the small firm do in response?How many tennis balls can fit in a football stadium?Estimate the size of the U.S. pencil market.How fast is the market for X growing?Your client is  a snow plow company. The past two years have seen a reduction in snowfall by 20%. What would you suggest they do and why? Questions About Yourself Whats your leadership style?Describe how you typically conduct a sales meeting.What kinds of consulting projects do you typically work on? What has been the focus of the last four or five projects you have worked on?What has been your average number of clients at a time?Do you tend to focus on one project, or do you handle a number of projects simultaneously?How do you keep track of your progress during a project? Questions About the Industry We  want to achieve savings of 20% in the next 12 months. How can you help us reach this goal?What makes a good consultant in this industry?What do you see as the major issues facing this industry?What are some important ethical considerations for consultants?Why do you want to work for our consulting firm over  other firms?Walk me through the life cycle of a recent project you worked on from start to finish.  What results/deliverables did you  achieve? What went well and what did not go well? Behavioral Interview Questions Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma, and how you managed it.Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult client. What did you learn  from the experience? What would you do differently?Describe you had a time you had to lead a team through a difficult challenge.Describe a time when you were working for multiple clients at the same time. How did you keep from spreading yourself too thin? Situational Interview Questions How would you explain a complex technical  issue to a client?Imagine you had a difficult boss. How would you handle the situation?Tell me about a time you struggled to meet a deadline. How did you manage your time to complete the assignment?

Why I Chose Finance at Mayer Brown LLP

Why I Chose Finance at Mayer Brown LLP Why I Chose Finance at Mayer Brown LLP By  Alex Righi, Finance Associate I chose to pursue practice as a Finance attorney with a specialty in private equity fund financing at Mayer Brown LLP practically by accident. As a summer associate at the firm, I, at first, pursued litigation projects under the assumption that the skills I, like virtually all other law students, had learned in law school predestined me to join the firm’s litigation practice group. I also had majored in political science (again, like virtually all other law students) and was objectively terrible in mathematics, so I naturally assumed that I would need to steer clear of the firm’s practice groups (like Finance) that I thought were likely centered around quantitative analysis and similar, terrifying substantive areas. Little did I know at the time that simply having an open mind toward the firm’s culture and unique philosophy toward practice group selection would guide me in a wholly different and unfamiliar- yet hugely rewarding and beneficial- direction. The best decision I made as a summer associate (other than taking advantage of the great social events, of course) was to keep an open mind toward, and to take on various work assignments in, a wide array of Mayer Brown practice groups. The firm closely and holistically adheres to the “free market system,” a philosophy toward specialty selection that allows summer associates and attorneys alike to explore a wide range of practice groups and sub-groups in the hope that each attorney will ultimately find an ideal fit. Summer associates, in particular, are encouraged to expose themselves to, and gain experience in, practice groups that might be outside their initial areas of interest in order to either cement or challenge their original expectations and assumptions about the firm’s numerous practice groups. Fearful as I was to deviate from my deeply held belief that I was destined to be the firm’s next star appellate litigator (and perhaps equally concerned that my inexperience in transactional law and glaring deficiencies in my quantitative reasoning and corporate sector knowledge would be major obstacles), I nevertheless kept an open mind about subscribing to the firm’s “free market system” and decided to wade into the legal deep end that summer- exiting my substantive comfort zone and cozy familiarity with litigation to take on projects in the firm’s transactional law practice groups- to see whether I could swim or whether I would sink. Much to my surprise, I swam. My first exposure to Mayer Brown’s transactional practice was, fortuitously, with the Finance group, and my initial reluctance toward (and fear of) practicing law in a non-litigation setting quickly gave way to an unexpected discovery that transactional law- and more specially, the firm’s Finance group- was where I belonged. The dawning realization that I belonged in the Finance practice group, and the underpinnings of my continuing reaffirmation of that belief, hinged on the reality of what a Mayer Brown Finance attorney actually does in day-to-day practice. Instead of being buried in quantitative analysis and spreadsheets, each Finance attorney with whom I worked spent most of their days interacting with clients, solving oftentimes complex and esoteric legal issues, and negotiating bespoke transactions for a range of clients from all sectors of the market. The key traits of an excellent Finance- and transactional- attorney, I learned, were less rooted in mathematics and quantitative analysis (though those skills are undoubtedly useful) and more centered around fostering and reinforcing close client relationships (and, in turn, understanding each client’s unique needs and goals for every transaction). More important, however, in my ultimate decision to become a transactional attorney at Mayer Brown was the collaborative approach the firm’s attorneys took toward each deal. Law school curriculum, focused almost solely on training students to become litigators, fosters a belief that practicing law- and being a zealous advocate for clients- should be combative; the best attorneys, we are all told, are those who are willing and able to unrelentingly fight for their client, whatever the cost and regardless of how much ill will is created in the process. Opposing counsel, we come to believe, is the enemy. But practicing transactional law contrasts sharply with that philosophy. Most deals require a collaborative approach whereby opposing counsel solve problems by finding answers that are mutually acceptable to their respective clients, with the ultimate goal of helping clients close deals that contribute to fueling the global engine of commerce. This collaborative approach was the difference-maker for me: I quickly realized I wanted to spend my legal career working with others to create and to build instead of searching for ways to fight and undermine. This realization as a summer associate has been reaffirmed time and time again over the course of my career. My specialty, assisting private equity funds with obtaining liquidity for purposes of acquiring assets and making investments in locations around the world (a practice that other firms oftentimes label “Corporate”), provides a daily opportunity for me to help clients create and build their businesses. Each financing transaction has its unique challenges and obstacles, but the focus on collaboration and working toward a mutual goal shapes and guides every day of my practice. Whether I am negotiating a credit agreement, addressing issues in a limited partnership agreement, or simply working with opposing counsel to tackle open items in a deal, the focus on cooperation as a driving force behind every transaction is always at the forefront of my mind. I oftentimes look back on my experience as a summer associate and consider the fact that, had I not kept an open mind and taken the risk of exploring different practice groups at Mayer Brown, my life and career would be entirely different. The firm’s Finance and other transactional attorneys with whom I work continually reinforce my belief that transactional- and especially Finance- law offers a unique opportunity to create tangible benefit and to drive the wheels of commerce, all while approaching the practice of law with a focus on collaboration and cooperation. Yes, I practically stumbled backwards into my career as a Mayer Brown Finance attorney, but my decision and journey ever since are ones I have never regretted. This is a sponsored blog post from  Mayer Brown LLP. You can view Mayer Brown's Vault profile  here.   Follow Vault Law on Twitter  @VaultLaw  and follow Vault on Instagram  @VaultCareers  and  Facebook

A psychologist on 5 ways to calm an overactive mind before bed

A psychologist on 5 ways to calm an overactive mind before bed A psychologist on 5 ways to calm an overactive mind before bed You’ve been dreaming about going back to bed since you got up that morning. So, when you finally climb into your comfy bed, you’re excited to lay down your weary head and drift off to the land of nod. But just as you’re falling asleep, a thought pops into your mind. “Did you remember to book that appointment?” Then another, “What did my friend mean by that when she said I looked ‘tired’ today?” All of a sudden, you find yourself in an  anxiety spiral  and you’re thinking about that time 5 years ago when you complimented someone on their ‘new hair colour’ only to learn they were going grey. Now,  sleep  seems like a faraway possibility.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Sound familiar? You’re not alone. In a time where we’re all juggling a million things and are surgically attached to our phones, it’s no surprise that anxious thoughts before bed is a common experience. Founder and Principal Psychologist at Sydney sleep clinic, The Indigo Project shares 5 relaxing strategies for calming an overactive mind before bed.1. Write it downBefore you go to bed, write down your worries and separate them into two spheres: things that are in your control and things that aren’t. Put your mind at ease by creating actions for the things you can control, and don’t give things out of your control a second thought.2. Try 4-7-8 breathingThis yogic breathing technique is a great way to focus the mind and switches on the parasympathetic nervous system, our relaxation response. Breathe in for four, hold for seven and breathe out for eight. Repeat this technique for a few minutes and notice relaxation ripple through your body.3. Listen to audiobooks for a relaxing bedtime storyRemember how nice it was for someone to read you a bedtime story, or when teachers used to read to you at school? It’s never too late for a bedtime story. Hop into bed, pop on some headphones or power up your smart home speaker, set the Audible Sleep Timer, find a story with a soothing voice and let go.4. Protect yourself from second-hand stress during the dayHaving a good night sleep starts with what you do (or don’t do) during the day to manage your stress. Research has shown that we pick up uncertainty and stress just by observing people that are stressed. If you work next to a stress head, it may be time to shift desks, or to move somewhere where they aren’t in your line of view.5. Get out of bedIf you find yourself tossing and turning for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and head into another room. Staying in bed for too long when you can’t sleep trains the brain that the bed is associated with ‘not sleeping’. Activities to do while out of bed? Something calming like reading, meditating, or listening to an audiobook is best.This article originally appeared on A Girl in Progress.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

Project Manager Wins Contest, Receives New Resume

Project Manager Wins Contest, Receives New Resume Project Manager Wins Contest, Receives New Resume Senior project manager wins Does My Resume Stink? contest and receives a new resume that matches his legendary work history.Would you like resume advice from the experts? TheLadders.com Resume Service is here to help. Contact our experts directly, or if you’re feeling lucky, send us your resume for entry in our Does My Resume Stink contest. Each month one winner will receive a full resume rewrite for free. Now onto this month’s transformation:“Until now, I’ve never had a problem finding jobs,” said “Mike Smith,” a senior project manager who specializes in software and telecom projects. “I’ve got an excellent reputation in my field.”During his 25-year career, Mike acquired much kudos for his near-legendary PM skills - but you’d never know that from reading his original resume.Mike had what I call a “Teflon resume.” Although I had read it three times, nothing about him stuck in my mind. His work and career were fuzzy and out of focus. His resume left me with no clear idea about his work and accomplishments.Mike had buried all his good stuff underneath a data dump: five pages and 1,730 densely packed words.Later we connected by phone, and Mike talked me through his resume, line-by-line. During that call, his resume came to life; suddenly, he looked very marketable. Mike’s new resume captures all of his top highlights in two easy-to-read pages. Here are the steps we took to go from mediocre to standout:1. Determine his wins, and then cut that in half. Don’t try to explain every task you do on the job - that’s “mission impossible.” Instead, for each job listed on your resume, quickly describe the position, and then add a few “accomplishment bullets” that showcase your top highlights. That’s the basic idea behind Mike’s accomplishments-based resume, which focuses on how well he performed each job. Resume tip: For each position, ask yourself this question, which often shakes loose some good material for accomplishment bullets: Why did XYZ Corp. hire you in the first place - what did they expect you to accomplish? 2. Maximize his 10 seconds of fame. Do you think you need more than two pages to tell your story? Probably not! Rare exceptions do exist but, as a rule, do not exceed two pages. In Mike’s case, we focused on his recent work and summarized any experience older than about 12 years. Today’s job market is obviously more competitive than ever, so make your best points very fast. When a human reviewer actually “reads” your resume for the first time, you have roughly 10 seconds to make your case. Resume tip: To condense a 25-year career into two pages, just focus on your top, top highlights. Ruthlessly condense the older jobs, and lavish more attention on your more recent experience. If you cannot stand to cut your three- or four-page resume into two pages, just call in a professional resume writer. 3. Use simple language and specific details. I knew that Mike had a problem with “Teflon” language: The meaning of his words kept slipping away. Mike’s case was especially bad; a long time ago, I had worked as an electrical engineer for one of his same employers, and even that didn’t help me figure out what his resume was saying. Resume tip: Write simply. Use simple words, short sentence fragments and active voice to showcase your jobs. Add specific details and hard results wherever possible. 4. Write to the future. If you’ve been reading the many resume articles here on Ladders, you already know that an “objective” statement at the top of your resume is almost always a bad idea (although some rare exceptions do exist). On the other hand, it’s important to indicate what you want and where you’re headed. I call this an “implied” objective. So make sure that all the elements of your resume support the type of work you want to do in your next job. For example, in Mike’s old resume, his summary paragraph is a rehash of old experience and some vague personal attributes. His new resume - especially the headline and summary paragraph - clearly indicate he’s headed towards a PM training and coaching role. 5. Apply the “mouse in a maze” principle. Mike’s original resume overwhelmed the reader with five pages of text and inadequate directional signposts. Don’t let your readers get lost! As you write your resume, imagine that your readers are entering a maze, and it’s your job to lay out a path that gets them out within 10 seconds. Point the way forward by using bold headings and adequate white space.You can solve the “Teflon resume” issue by following the principles outlined above. You’ll definitely stand out from your competitors in the resume pile - and you’ll make a positive and memorable impression hat sticks in the reader’s mind.

How to Find Internships Working With Primates

How to Find Internships Working With Primates How to Find Internships Working With Primates Primate internships can be great learning opportunities for students interested in becoming primatologists, zoologists, zookeepers, wildlife biologists,  or ?animal behaviorists. Be warned that there are some organizations that offer “internships” which require the student to pay to participate in the program. The opportunities detailed below do not have such participation fees and some offer a stipend, free housing, or an hourly wage. Here are some internship options for those looking to gain experience with primates: California National Primate Research Center   The California National Primate Research Center offers a variety of internship opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. Interested students are encouraged to contact faculty directly to inquire about these positions. The center also offers a residency program in primate medicine for veterinarians. The program lasts for 36 months and includes clinical rounds, classes, seminars, and a research project. Chimp Haven Chimp Haven  in Louisiana offers several opportunities for interns to work with chimpanzees living in their sanctuary. Students may work in animal care and husbandry, behavior, environmental enrichment, or veterinary medicine. Most opportunities require at least a four- to eight-week commitment and 40 hours per week. Internships at Chimp Haven are unpaid but on-site housing may be available. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund offers several primate internship positions including a research internship based at Zoo Atlanta. This one-year internship involves behavioral and cognitive research, data entry and analysis, and public lectures. A 40-hour work week is required and applicants must have a BA in psychology, zoology, or a closely related field. Interns receive a monthly stipend. Duke Lemur Center   The Duke Lemur Center  in North Carolina offers internships in several areas including husbandry, field research, and education. The facility has more than 250 animals on siteâ€"primarily lemurs but also other species such as bush babies. Internships are available in spring, summer, and fall sessions, although the educational internship is only offered in the summer. These are unpaid opportunities but college credit may be arranged. Lincoln Park Zoo The Lincoln Park Zoo  in Illinois offers the Fisher Center Research Internship program for aspiring primatologists. Part-time internships are unpaid and require a commitment of at least 12 hours per week over a four-month period. Part-time interns collect behavioral data on gorillas and chimpanzees. There are between seven and 12 part-time internship positions offered each year, with new interns generally starting in January, May, or September. Full-time internships are paid opportunities that begin in the summer and run for a full year. Only three full-time positions are offered each year and the selection process is highly competitive. Pacific Primate Sanctuary   The Pacific Primate Sanctuary  in Hawaii offers internships with its collection of New World primates. Interns earn a Primary Animal Caregiver Certification at the conclusion of their year at the sanctuary.   Daily activities include providing basic care, cleaning and maintaining the facility, animal handling, assisting with veterinary work, keeping records, and training volunteers. While the internships are unpaid, shared on-site housing with wireless internet and utilities is provided. Primate Rescue Center The Primate Rescue Center  in Kentucky offers a one-year internship working with 50 primates in a sanctuary environment. Applicants should be recent graduates with a background in primatology, animal behavior, biology, psychology, or a closely related area. Interns learn about primate care, husbandry, rehabilitation, and behavior. The work week is 40 hours plus some evening and weekend events. Interns receive on-site housing and a stipend of $50 per week. Southwest National Primate Research Center The Southwest National Primate Research Center  in Texas offers undergraduate and graduate student internships for eight weeks each summer and on a limited basis during the rest of the year. The facility boasts the largest captive baboon population plus a variety of other species such as chimpanzees, macaques, marmosets, and tamarins. Summer internship applications are due in mid-March and as many as six interns will be selected to participate. Interns receive an hourly wage based on experience as well as up to $1,000 per student for supplies or research expenses. Tulane National Primate Research Center   The Tulane National Primate Research Center  in Louisiana offers paid veterinary internships. The veterinary internships are available to students who have completed at least the first year of vet school. Vet interns learn about primate medicine, pathology, and research. Compensation is available at the rate of $15.31 per hour. Applications are due February 1 and the internships run from June to August.

Improving Your Resume Spelling and Proofreading Strategies to get Hired

Improving Your Resume Spelling and Proofreading Strategies to get Hired Improving Your Resume Spelling and Proofreading Strategies to get Hired When it comes to resumes, spelling seems to come into the conversation at every point. At the beginning, you must basic question: resume, résume, or résumé? Once you’ve finished writing your resume, then you’re tasked with removing any-and-all typographical errors. How do you ensure you’re picking the right spelling and not making mistakes that’ll have your resume rejected? It’s easier than you think. With the below guide, you can ensure you’ll make the best impression on the recruiter and avoid losing out on your dream job because of simple mistakes.Resume, résume, or résumé? This might be what brought you here. Resume seems to have three common variations these differ by country of origin, industry standard, preference, and more. First off, you should never title your resume (in your resume header) with any variation of resume. The recruiter knows what your resume is you don’t have to beat them over the head with it.In general, the spelling ‘resume’ is the US standard. Résumé comes from French, which includes the two acute accents ‘é’. Résume, on the other hand, is a mixture of the two, and is arguably the least preferred spelling. A basic rule of thumb is to match the spelling your recruiter has included in the job description.Naming your file One of the places the spelling of resume will become most important is in naming your resume file when sending it to your employer. When doing this, it’s best to use the US ‘resume’ standard. This is because accents (i.e., é) do not translate well when being saved as computer files. Moreover, special characters can transform depending on device and software tools used to view it. Keep your file names simple and informative. LastName_FirstNameResume_JobPosition. Using this format, the recruiter can easily pull up your resume without having to rummage through thousands of “MyResume” files. Sending emails Another area where resume spelling comes into play is in emails, both int roductory emails and follow-up emails. Again, in these cases, you should stick to ‘resume’ as industry-standard. Tip: learn more about how to send follow-up emails after speaking with a potential employer.The importance of proofreading So we’ve got the spelling of resume out of the way now what? Chris Paye (general manager of Jobs.ie) once said, “If you’re not willing to spend a little extra time ensuring your CV is correct and doesn’t have any spelling or grammar errors, that’s a red flag for me.” This sentiment is shared among many hiring managers. While it’s a known fact recruiters detest spelling errors, more than 50% of resumes have some form of typographical error when submitted for review. It’s clear applicants are lacking in strategies to keep this from happening. Tip: has a built-in content analyzer that will help you catch errors in your resume and improve your content.Eight typographical errors to avoid on your resume The oxford comma Also known as t he serial comma, the oxford comma is used to break-up conjunctions. This comes into play when describing your previous experience on your resume. For example, “I was responsible for content creation, content distribution and customer outreach”. This doesn’t read as well as “I was responsible for content creation, content distribution, and customer outreach”. It’s a simple addition, but an impactful one. Manger vs. manager This can be an easy mistake to make on your resume. Accidentally spelling manager as manger typically results from those who rely solely on spellchecker to catch their typos. As manger is a word on its own, spell checking programs may not always flag the mistake. University vs. university Particularly among those that are writing their first resume, it’s easy to fall into the trap of capitalising the ‘U’ in university. This is only required if you’re using university in the context of the name of a university. For example, “University of Dubli n” would use a capitalised ‘U’ as it is denoting a name. “I’ve been studying at university for three years” would use a small ‘u’, as it is a noun, not a title. Defiantly vs. definitely Another easy mistake to make on your resume. Remember, you definitely didn’t make any typos on your resume. Judgement vs. judgment This spelling error can be permissible depending on the context. In general, judgment (without the e) is the standard in the US. In the UK and elsewhere, judgement is used. You may want to keep this in mind if applying for jobs in either sector. While it’s not technically incorrect to use either spelling, you’re better of sticking to the spelling that matches the expectation of your recruiter. Identity vs. identify When describing yourself, ensure you identify as something rather than identity as something. This can fly under your radar quite easily if you don’t keep it in mind. With only one letter of a difference, your attention to detail is para mount here. The reason ‘because’ The reason ‘because’ is an example of a grammatical error many people make. The word that should follow the phrase “the reason…” is that. Not because. “The reason that I’m right for your firm is I bring expertise that currently lacks and is preventing you from growing”. Don’t forget homophones Homophones are words that sounds the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. The most common example of this is “to, too, and two”. But there are also others. Keep in mind other common homophobes that are typical in a resume including: Then / thanAffect / effect You’re / your Complement / compliment It’s / its Then / than Typically, use than when referring two thing against each other (or making comparisons). Use then when indicating a passage of time. For example, “Rather than starting with individual interviews, we start with group interviews. Then, we ask applicants to come in on their own”. Affect / ef fect Affect is used when there is an impact on something. On the other hand, effect is a noun. “My strategy affecting business efficiency and grew profit margins by 10%. This effect led to my promotion”. You’re / your You’re is the contraction or compound of the words ‘you’ and ‘are’. Your is used as a pronoun. “Your company culture is one that attracts me. As a manager, you’re a great example to all of your employees”. Complement / compliment Complement (with the double e) is used when something completes something else. Compliment (with the i) is an expression of praise. “My marketing expertise would truly complement your current strategy. In the same vein, please send my compliment to the current team on the amazing work they have done so far”. It’s / its Similar to ‘you’re’, it’s is the contraction of the words ‘it’ and ‘is’. Its refers to possession, it describes that something belongs to something else. “It’s wonderful to meet yo u today. I’ve been keeping an eye on your company’s growth over the last few years and its revenue has been skyrocketing”. Proofreading strategies to avoid errors Reading backwardsOne way to spot mistakes is to go through your resume from the end and read backwards. Reading each word in the opposite direction will make you spend time on the word and notice incorrect letters faster. This is especially useful when you’ve spent a long time writing your resume and don’t have the opportunity to take time away from it before reviewing. List your weak spotsIf you’re aware of the things you struggle with, you’ll benefit from writing a list of the things you slip up on and using it as a checklist for review after writing your resume. You can use the eight common resume mistakes above as a sample checklist. Google Docs Revision History When writing resumes on Google Docs, you’re more likely to make mistakes on areas you’ve just edited. You can look through the revision histo ry to see any changes that have been made and spot any mis-edits. Try a different format The longer you stare at the same piece of paper the less likely you are to pay attention to its details. Your attention span can only endure for so long. To do this, you can print your resume out and review it in a physical form instead of on your device. Tip: With , you can change your resume format from double column to single column, single column to compact, and more. This can be used to refresh your mind when checking for mistakes. Change your font Changing the font of your resume will transform the way you look at your content. The best way to do this is to change to a different type of font. For example, if you’re using a Serif font, change to a sans serif font and so on. Content Analyzer When building your resume with , you can make use of our content analyzer. It’s based on hundreds of resumes to highlight common mistakes that are found across several industries. It will also sugges ts ways to enhance your content including flagging moments you have forgotten to quantify your achievements. Ask a friend to review Asking a friend or colleague to look over your resume will bring fresh eyes to your content and will bring an external perspective to how things flow, too. You can utilise ’s built-in referral link to accomplish this. When it comes to resume spelling The spelling of resume may differ from person-to-person, but the expectations of an applicant are pretty much the same no matter where you go. Spelling mistakes will cost your opportunities if you don’t take the time to spot the typos as they appear. More than half of resumes have typos, so ensuring yours isn’t one of them will allow you to stand out. Using the strategies to spot the mistakes and familiarizing yourself with common errors can be the difference between ending up in the recruiter’s Yes pile, and their No pile. Dean O'Reilly Psychology student with keen interest in academic research . Currently exploring the world of marketing distribution and content creation with to help people get closer to the job of their dreams. Read more about my journey to on Fast Company or Gay Times.Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName * Email * Website Subscribe now for moreSee more great content and inspiring examples of resumes done right each month!. Subscribe You're subscribed! Latest posts See all posts by Eric D. Halsey The Resumes of Chernobyl by Eric D. 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How To Setup SSL Certificate on Heroku (Namecheap SSL)

How To Setup SSL Certificate on Heroku (Namecheap SSL) How To Setup SSL Certificate on Heroku (Namecheap SSL) We recently setup SSL on Resumonk.com which is a Rails 3 application running on Heroku. Here is a quick summary of the entire process and hope it saves you some time when you are looking to enable SSL for your Rails application on Heroku. What is SSL and why do you need it? SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is protocol for establishing a secure (encrypted) link between server and the browser. If your app or website is using a database for storing and retrieving user generated information, you need to get SSL to ensure that the data is transmitted securely and to ensure that it is less vulnerable to tampering or forgery. Also, displaying SSL Seal helps improve trust and it tells your customers that their data is protected. Adding SSL certificate to your Heroku application To use SSL for an app hosted on Heroku, you’ll need to enable SSL add-on that Heroku provides. This add-on costs $20/month. Please keep in mind that this is a recurring expense and it does not include the cost of the SSL certificate itself. You’ll need to buy that separately. Note: If you dont plan to use a custom domain then you can use the free SSL that Heroku provides (https://myapp.herokuapp.com). Here are the steps that you need to follow to add an SSL certificate to you app Purchase SSL certificate Generate private key and CSR Provision the Heroku SSL add-on Upload the key and certificate to Heroku Update your DNS settings Update your app code to redirect https instead of http STEP 1: Purchase SSL certificate We bought a RapidSSL certificate from Namecheap. Note: RapidSSL certificate ($10/year) is only valid for the root domain. If you need to secure all your subdomains (blog.domain.com or labs.domain.com), you’ll need to buy a wildcard SSL certificate. STEP 2: Generate Private key and CSR Before you can activate your SSL certificate, you’ll need to provide a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) to the SSL provider. The first step to generating a CSR is to create a private key. You can use openssl for generating a private key. On a Mac (install Homebrew first if you don’t have it installed), open up Terminal.app and use the following command. brew install openssl On Ubuntu, you can do sudo apt-get install openssl Once you’ve installed openssl, use this command to generate a private key openssl genrsa -des3 -out server.pass.key 2048 You’ll be asked to enter a password. Enter pass phrase for server.pass.key: Verifying - Enter pass phrase for server.pass.key: Then run this command openssl rsa -in server.pass.key -out server.key The above command will create a file called server.key in your working directory. We’ll need this key to generate the CSR. openssl req -nodes -new -key server.key -out server.csr This is the command that will generate a CSR for you. You’ll be prompted to enter the following details Country Name: 2 Digit code. This link has a list of all accepted country codes ssl.com/csrs/country_codes State and Locality (e.g.: California, New Delhi etc) Organization name (Legal/Registered Name of your company e.g.: Abhayam Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd) Organizational Unit is whichever branch of your company is ordering the certificate (e.g. Marketing Department, Product Development, Software Lab) Common Name This is the most important part so be extra careful. Common Name is the domain name that you want the CSR (and the SSL certificate) for. Please note that you need to specify which URL you want www or non-www. You cannot set the common name to example.com and expect it to secure www.example.com. For Resumonk, our main URL has www in it and the root url (non-www) redirects to the www url, So the common name we specified was www.resumonk.com The previous command would have generated a file name server.csr. Open up that file in a text editor and copy everything inside the BEGIN/END block. NOTE: The following step is only applicable for Namecheap and may vary for other SSL providers. Login to your Namecheap account (or any other SSL provider) and navigate to your SSL dashboard Your Account - Manage SSL Certificates and click the “Activate” link next to your SSL certificate. Paste the CSR code that you copied into the text box and fill in the rest of your details. For server name, choose Apache 2. Important Note: You will have to choose an approver email from the list that is shown. You’ll have options like [emailprotected], [emailprotected], [emailprotected] etc. If you don’t have any of these email addresses created, you’ll need to do that before proceeding since Namecheap will send our a verification email to the approver email address. Once you save all the details, you’ll receive a verification email from Namecheap (to the approver email that you specified earlier) asking you to verify that you want to active the SSL certificate. After you verify, Namecheap will send you an email with 2 certificates WEB SERVER CERTIFICATE and INTERMEDIATE CA. Copy both these certificates one after the other into a separate file and save it as server.crt. Important Note: INCLUDE the BEGIN CERTIFICATE/END CERTIFICATE lines and ensure that there are 5 dashes to either side of BEGIN CERTIFICATE and END CERTIFICATE. Do not add any extra whitespaces or line breaks. The final file should look something like this - â€"BEGIN CERTIFICATE- â€" [encoded data] - â€"END CERTIFICATE- â€" - â€"BEGIN CERTIFICATE- â€" [encoded data] - â€"END CERTIFICATE- â€" STEP 3: Provision the Heroku add-on Now you need to provision Heroku’s add-on. Open up your terminal and cd to your project directory. Then give this command heroku addons:add ssl:endpoint STEP 4: Upload the key and certificate to Heroku Now add the certificate and private key to Heroku heroku certs:add server.crt server.key Here the server.crt file is the certificate we created in the last step and server.key is the private key we generated in Step 1. If everything worked as it should, you’ll see a screen like Adding SSL Endpoint to example... done example now served by fuscia-1212.herokussl.com. This is the new endpoint URL at which your domain should point. STEP 5: Update your DNS settings Login to your domain management panel. If you already have a CNAME record pointing to myapp.heroku.com, change it to the new URL endpoint (fuscia-1212.herokussl.com). If you don’t have a CNAME record, you’ll need to add your custom domain to Heroku first. To do that, follow this guide. Now once the DNS change has propagated (this can take a while), you’ll have SSL activated on your website. Navigate to https://mydomain.com and you’ll see that the address bar turns green and shows a lock symbol. Additional Step for Rails apps STEP 6: Tell Rails to use the https URL. You’ll notice that right now, although you have got your SSL certificate to work, you can still access your app without SSL (http://mydomain.com). You need to tell Rails to use the SSL version by default. Doing this is really easy, open up production.rb file and add this line config.force_ssl = true That’s it. Now if you try access your website without ssl (http://mydomain.com), Rails will do a 301 (permanent redirect) to the https version. One final thing to keep in mind is that if you are using social sign-in (omniauth), you might need to change the callback URL (especially for Google+). Also check your code for places where you have referenced the absolute URL and change it to https (This usually happens in transactional emails (welcome, password-reset etc) that you send out). That’s all there is to adding a SSL certificate to your Heroku-hosted app. Let me know if you have any questions. PS: Resumonk can help you create a beautiful and professional resume in minutes. Try it out and do let me know how we can improve it further.

How to Ace a Sales Interview

How to Ace a Sales Interview How to Ace a Sales Interview Its not always easy when youre interviewing for a sales job. Before you make it to the interview phase of the hiring process, you will need to quantify your sales skills in your resume, i.e.,  â€œIncreased sales volume 28% year over year, contributing to unprecedented growth.” You will also need to write a  compelling cover letter  that highlights your sales achievements, qualifications, and experience. Also, it is important to take the time to carefully  research the company  and its products and/or services so that you’ll be able to make an informed presentation, based upon your needs-based analysis of their organization, about how you intend to grow their market share. Candidates for sales positions need to be absolutely sure they are comfortable selling the product or service the company is marketing  because if you wouldnt buy it, youre going to have difficulty selling it. Its also essential that you use the job interview to convincingly sell your most important product - yourself - to an employer who is well-versed in sales strategies. Be prepared to talk about the specific sales skills that you bring to the table, making sure to highlight those skills that were listed as “preferred qualifications” on the company’s job announcement. These skills might include competencies such as account management, territory management, product pitching, marketing, cold-calling, public relations, and/or client acquisition. Finally, before polishing your shoes and heading out to the interview, take the time to review some of the most common sales interview questions and answers so that you will have a ready response to anything the hiring manager might ask you.  Be prepared to speak enthusiastically and persuasively about your favorite sales experiences and techniques, what motivates you to excel, and how you have met aggressive sales goals and quotas. Sales Job Interview Tips Kenneth Sundheim, President of the sales and marketing search firm KAS Placement, shares his tips below on how to successfully get hired for a sales job. Would You Buy It? Prior to interviewing for a sales job, always ask yourself if you would buy the product or service. In sales, just as in life, you cant sell something that you dont believe in. Also, never take a sales job if you dont have confidence in the marketing department (if applicable) or the current marketing structure and tools. A poorly written, poorly programmed website makes for a hard sell, especially if your competitors have new ones. Be Prepared for Rejection Understand that in sales, just like in job searching, there is going to be rejection. This point is especially aimed at the younger employment seeker who is thinking  about a career in sales. If you want to do sales, do it. Once you get past your first few rejections and your first few botched cold-calls, it becomes second nature. Don’t let shyness or fear of rejection stop you from entering the field. It’s an amazing way to begin your career. Focus on Consultative Sales Skills Remember that sales employers always want somebody who has what is most commonly referred to as a consultative selling approach. More or less, the term refers to a sales style that aims to uncover the clients needs as opposed to the infamous sales style portrayed in the film Glengarry Glen Ross, which was most famously known for the mentality that, regardless of what the client wants or is best for them, close the deal. To express this unethical sales methodology in both an entertaining and theatrical manner, playwright David Mamet scripted the infamous A.B.C. or “always be closing line. The Employer Is Your Partner Salary negotiation  is the #1 most difficult aspect of the job search  for many applicants in the sales and marketing arena. If you are not trained in negotiation, use what we refer to as the work with method. It means having the mentality that the employer is your partner, not your adversary, and together your job is to work towards a solution that will have you employed by the firm. If you think of negotiation in terms of winners and losers, youre going to end up the latter.