Helping you to see new possibilities in your career

What Benefits To Look For In Your Next Job

Guest post:

Whether you are reentering the job market or looking for your next career opportunity, there are many factors that play into accepting a new position. Notably, the benefits that an employer has to offer is something that any prospective employee should look into before accepting a job.

As the workforce is constantly changing and adapting to new trends, the types of benefits available to workers are also evolving. Below are some of the potential benefits that might be offered at your next company. Understanding how these different areas serve you can give you a larger picture of what to take into account during the job-hunting process.

Health Insurance

Perhaps one of the most important benefits to consider when selecting a new job is the type of health insurance coverage offered by the employer. Although it is not legally required to use the health insurance provided by your company, this is usually the best option for affordable care. This type of coverage through your company is known as group insurance.

Something to consider before accepting a position is to understand if your employer’s health insurance is a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan. While these health insurance options differ, it is important to understand how much you can customize your coverage to fulfill the needs of your family. Remember that if you are not a full-time employee, you may not have access to health insurance offered by the company as they may not legally be required to provide it— so knowing what health coverage you are eligible for before you accept a position is key.

Life Insurance

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 83% of private industry workers have access to life insurance through their employers. Typically, this is a set amount and is subsidized by your company, meaning that you will not be responsible for covering the full cost of the policy. The company you work for is the policyholder, and because group life insurance is often guaranteed issue, meaning it doesn’t involve health questions. This is particularly beneficial if you have a complicated medical history because you won’t have to undergo the underwriting process.

Keep in mind that the coverage provided by your employer may not be adequate coverage for many individuals, considering additional expenses you may have such as mortgages and financially dependent children. Because it is recommended to have coverage anywhere from 10-12x your salary, you might also want to look into additional life insurance options. Doing so can ensure that you are not put in a situation that could threaten your financial well-being while offering you a sense of full protection. 

Flexible Scheduling

With the workforce seeing an increase in remote employment of over 4.3 million in the USA, there is a chance that your next company will offer some sort of flexibility in your work location or schedule. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many workplaces have adopted this type of arrangement, so it can be helpful to ask questions about this benefit if it is new to you or your employer.

As opposed to the typical 9-5 arrangement, flexible scheduling is something you may wish to have offered at your next place of employment. Paid time off, bereavement policies, paid family leave, and other special circumstances surrounding time away from the office is also something important to inquire about.   

Perks/Wellness Options

The culture of the workplace in today’s world is shifting, and many companies are opting to provide their employees with different ways to boost both their mental and physical wellbeing. Although it may not seem as important as some of the traditional employee benefits, these small perks can have a big impact on your day-to-day well-being within your job.

There are benefits to offering employees corporate gym memberships, such as better focus and fewer sick days. Therefore during your job-hunting process, don’t be afraid to ask what type of fitness incentives are offered.  Similarly, many offices have adapted to include in-office perks such as complimentary drinks and snacks, allowing pets in the office, and private nursing rooms for mothers. These types of benefits are optional and therefore not included in every job, but they are often used by companies to attract new talent and help with their retention efforts.

Retirement Plan

While there are many ways to save for retirement, company pension plans are a great resource for employees to plan for their future. A defined benefit plan is offered through pensions and is a more traditional approach to saving for retirement although not as common today. This is usually offered to employees who have been at the company for a certain amount of years.

Other popular retirement savings plans include defined contribution plans, such as a 401(k). With a percent of your income put into this plan, this tax-deferred retirement option lets you as the employee decide how much you want to put away towards retirement. Make sure to ask if your prospective company offers some kind of a 401K match because this is essentially free money towards your retirement. Having a candid conversation with the HR team at a potential employer can help you navigate the best retirement options available for you in your prospective new position.

From larger considerations such as your insurance needs to small daily incentives such as a pet-friendly office, every company is unique in how they operate and what they provide to their employees. Be sure to consider the company offered benefits and have open conversations about what to expect when accepting a position during your job search.

Green Careers for Students

Article I came across that I thought would be helpful:

The labour market is becoming more diverse with every decade, mainly because of the newly-emerging trends and global issues that create demand for particular types of activity. This is a natural process that has been and continues to occur throughout human history. The same applies to the 21st century and the fact that scientists around the world recognize a need to preserve and sustain our planet.

That is why green jobs appeared and became highly trendy and important. Even more, a green career is an excellent choice for any student; according to the statistics, the European environmental economy and its value added grew considerably faster than the economy in general! The chart itself shows that the tendency is only going to continue and the importance of the environmental sector is going to rise exponentially, meaning that more and more ecological careers will emerge and this means demand for specialists.

More at: https://edubirdie.com/blog/green-careers-for-students

Career Fall: Get Back Up

Have you fallen down in your career? Did you see the fall coming or was it out of the blue?

Was it life changing? How did it change you? Did it alter how you see the yourself and the world?

Whatever happened, I am sorry for what you went through.

Falling is hard. It rocks your world. It shakes your faith. It adjusts how you see yourself. And, the world.

No matter how hard you’ve fallen, it’s not how hard you went down, but how you get back up. Here’s some ways you can recover:

1. Falling Has Purpose.

Conflict in our career is there for a reason. It’s to get our attention. 

Maybe shaking you up was required. Maybe there was a lesson you needed to learn. Maybe you were too comfortable, complacent, or compliant. Maybe who you were previously wasn’t going to get you to where you need to be in the future.

Switch gears.  Look at the positive aspect of your fall. Why did it happen? Think you can’t shift? Yes, you can.

2. Your Career Has Highs and Lows, Ups and Downs.  

Degrees vary, but they still occur. If you are in a career long enough, a low point will eventually happen.

Were you really happy where you were? Did you get inklings it was time for a change, but you did not act? Was there an opportunity (leap) that you were afraid to take and now is the perfect time to try?

What will you do with your low? How will you make it mean something? Keep in mind that your low won’t last forever. “Up” is around the corner.

3. Promise Yourself You Won’t Fall Like This Again.

I find that some of my clients are weary of new avenues after they’ve fallen especially if they did not see it coming.

Trust that you are different person as a result of your fall. It made you stronger. Trust that you will do things differently and make different choices. You are not the same person anymore. You are wiser.

Bad things happen to good people sometimes. You can and will recover from this.

4. Get Back Up.

The worst has already happened, so it’s up from here. What did you learn from your journey and what will you do with your new found knowledge?

Put together a plan and talk to people about it. Map out your next move. Share your story. It will help you heal and will make a difference for someone else who has fallen too.

Tips on being a great candidate for employment

Link sent to me online.

Often the worst time to search for a job is when you’re in need of one right away. Employers know when you’re desperate. It shows through your willingness to accept any job available even if it’s below your skill set. Desperation also manifests itself through nervousness during interviews and surface level research.

For these reasons the best time to improve your employment prospects is to do so while you’re already employed. This allows you to search for your next career without worrying about paying your bills or putting food on the table.

Improving your job prospects can take some work, take a look to see if these tips would be helpful to you. 

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/secrets-to-improve-job-prospects/

 

5 Steps for Successful Compassionate Leadership Implementation

Guest post:

When you think about leadership, what are the characteristics of a leader that first come to your mind? For most people, it's self-confidence, excellent communication skills, or being an authority. While there are so many characteristics of a true leader, compassion is among the most important ones.

Compassionate leaders used to be a rare thing, but more and more people realize how important it is to have someone who’ll treat the employees or team members with respect. If you’re curious to learn about compassionate leadership, and how to implement it, just keep reading.

We’ll break it down together.

What Is Compassionate Leadership

Compassionate leadership is a specific way of handling your leadership tasks and obligations.

As a leader, you’re expected to guide and navigate. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be strict, intimidating, or prone to conflicts.

What it means is that it is desirable for you to develop a better understanding of the people to whom you're a leader. It involves the following:

• providing support
• listening to their needs
• give directions
• keep the whole team together as one

Now’s the time to read about the steps for implementing compassionate leadership. You’ll know exactly what to focus on and how to make this transformation.

1. Start with Yourself

If you want to make a change in your surroundings, try to start by taking a deep look into yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of a leader are you right now?
• Do you feel like you could make adjustments?
• What are you most and least proud of as a leader?

Once you answer these questions, you'll be able to understand how close or far from a compassionate leader you are. Then, you'll be able to get to the actual steps of transforming your tactics and approach.

2. Set Mutual Goals

Every great achievement starts with a good foundation. Setting goals is a process you have to go through to achieve what you've envisioned.

When it comes to compassionate leadership, set your goals along with the rest of the team. It’s a good idea to:

• gather your team
• express your vision
• ask for feedback
• listen to ideas and suggestions
• together, come to an agreement of what your mutual goals are

This way, you’ll all be striving towards the same things and you’ll kick start the mutual understanding that needs to exist continuously.

3. Communicate Effectively

Healthy communication is yet another important aspect of implementing compassionate leadership. There’s nothing more important than nurturing effective communication between yourself and the team members.

To ensure you’re making room for effective communication, it is recommended to:

• encourage your team members to speak to you openly
• listen to what they have to say
• provide meaningful feedback
• share your doubts, ideas, and observations

Encouraging open communication will help you understand your team members better and provide better guidance and leadership to them.

You could even put together monthly reports of establishing and keeping up with effective communication in the office. Provide examples and thank those who are on board with you. In case you need help with writing it, you can turn to ClassyEssay, Subjecto or TopEssayWriting.

4. Be Someone to Look up to

You have to set a strong example for the people in the team you’re guiding. That means that to be the best version of yourself and radiate the following characteristics:

• self-confidence
• strong work ethic
• a motivational approach to work
• making brave decisions
• fighting with problems

Also, keep talking to your team members about how they need to grow professionally and personally. Give them the support they need and they'll see a true leader in you.

5. Show Empathy & Compassion

A compassionate leader is someone who's able to keep the fine line between being supportive and becoming overly personal with the team they're leading. This might be one of the biggest challenges you'll face when transforming into a compassionate leader.

But, to experience the full potential of such an approach to leadership, you have to learn how to show empathy and how to handle it.

Think about such aspects:

• encouraging your team members to approach you with problems
• giving them proper security
• show them they can count on you
• bond with them and develop mutual trust

The people you lead need to know you’re always there for them, and they can turn to you when problems arise.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, a compassionate leader is the one who knows how to approach his team members, how to guide them, and how to help them get the best out of themselves. Compassionate leadership is all about mutual understanding and giving support to each other.

The steps above will help you implement compassionate leadership into your workspace. Start building it step by step until you reach the goal of being a compassionate leader.

How to Start a Career in Treasury

Guest article from the UK:

Treasury managers love solving problems and making decisions. Moreover, they have that important task of ensuring an organisation’s cash flows and financial risks are properly managed and optimised. Their main priority is to ensure that their company has enough cash to manage the daily operations, whilst also following a long-term strategy. If you are interested in embarking on a career in treasury, here is an overview of what your job will entail.

Who are treasurers?

As a treasurer, you will be responsible for your organisation’s ability to pay its expenses and investments. In addition, you will assess and manage the company’s financial risks and help it develop its business strategies and policies.

All organisations have treasury positions and although not all of these roles will have the label ‘treasurer’ in the job title, the job function will usually be the same. For example, you will perform the same role and offer similar services whether you are working in the entertainment industry or construction. Furthermore, once you have acquired the appropriate skills, you will be able to apply them to any company around the world.

People suited to this type of work

If you are fascinated by the financial markets and are a keen problem-solver, you will fit right in with treasury work. This job will also excite people who love making things happen whilst expressing their views in order to influence others. To succeed in this line of work, you will need the following qualities:

• Love working with numbers
• Ability to learn and develop skills
• Strategic thinker and planner (a problem-solver or a big picture thinker)
• Desire to assume a vital role within the company
• Excellent attention to detail
• Self-motivated, driven and willing to take on challenges
• Excellent communicator and relationship builder
• Confident in dealing with a variety of people
• Prudent in terms of financial risk but confident in handling company finances

What does the role typically involve?

Now you have a general idea about what a treasurer does, here are some examples of their work in action:

• Your organisation wants to set up a new manufacturing plant which will generate much-needed revenue and provide a competitive edge. As the treasurer, you need to balance the risks and check whether the pros outweigh the cons. Once your projection shows a positive advantage, you can then start creating and applying a financial strategy for the new facility.
• Organisations are interested in changing interest rates, foreign exchange rates and financial regulations because of their significant impact. Your role? Follow these market trends and determine their positive or negative effect on your company. You may have to develop strategies to offset any potential financial difficulties for your company.

The skills you will require

Behavioural – As a professional, you will need to be:

• Responsible
• Persuasive and influential
• A team player

Examples:

• You must be able to convince your co-workers to support your ideas or actions that could help increase the company’s profit.
• You should be comfortable working with people from various departments to ensure that projects receive the necessary funding.

Business skills – You need to work and deal with various stakeholders to meet your company’s treasury objectives.

Examples:

• You should confidently communicate your ideas to your superiors, co-workers, investors and other stakeholders.
• You are the primary contact person when dealing with banks, credit companies, investment analysts, consultants and regulators.
• Gather, analyse and convert financial data into understandable information required for the problem-solving or decision-making processes

Technical skills – You need the know-how to develop and implement your company’s strategies and objectives.

Examples:

• Ensure your company has sufficient funds for its expenses, including its short-term and long-term objectives, by wisely managing the cash flow and liquidity.
• Handle any surplus cash, borrowing requirements and the company’s investment activities.
• Assist your company’s leaders by identifying, assessing and managing any financial risks in their plans.
• Raise money and proposed funding solutions for new company projects or obligations.
• Raise capital and evaluate any risks or opportunities arising from mergers and acquisitions.
• Check market trends, such as rising interest rates or foreign exchange rates, and assess whether there will be any positive or negative impacts on the company.
• Ensure that your company’s financial and treasury activities conform with the latest accounting and tax regulations.
• Decide what economic strategies and plans to implement to achieve your company’s

Career opportunities

If you wish to pursue a treasury career or progress into the role after previously working in a similar position, there are a wide range of excellent recruitment opportunities at the moment. Many organisations are looking to fill their entry-level positions, including:

• Multinational companies
• Charity or non-profit-oriented organisations
• Government agencies
• Start-up companies

Often, an entry-level position can lead to a senior role in the company and even international offers. Also, you should consider becoming a recognised Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) member as membership will give you an edge over your competition. Here are just some of the roles and job titles associated with treasury professionals:

• Treasury analysts, dealers and accountants
• Risk or cash managers
• Credit and financial risk analysts
• Treasury heads for operations or tax directors
• Relationship managers or transaction services analysts
• Finance directors or financial controllers
• Managing directors or company secretaries
• Non-executive directors
• Chief financial officers (CFOs)

Find companies that hire treasury professionals

If you are interested in a treasury career, consider reaching out to Stellar Select as this financial services recruitment agency will help match your qualifications with a treasury employer who will value your specific expertise.

How to move up in your career

You can move up the career ladder through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) education. If you are just commencing a treasury career, CPD can help you improve your technical knowledge and skills, and enable you to develop important behavioural and business capabilities.

Earning potential

How much you earn will depend on various factors such as your company’s size, location and the nature of its business. Your role and experience level can also affect your pay scale. In addition, professional qualifications like the ACT can increase your earning potential and promotion options. Besides the basic salary, companies may offer specific bonuses and benefits.

Conclusion

If you relish challenges and enjoy making big decisions, a treasury career could be the perfect fit for you. As you will have the weight of responsibility that comes with handling a company’s finances, the job demands an ability to work under pressure. Your social skills with regard to persuading and influencing people will also be called into play. Positions tend to be well remunerated in line with the duties and responsibilities, while career advancement will depend on your skills, experience and professional qualifications.

Author’s bio

Lauren Walker is the administrator for Stellar Select, a financial services recruitment agency.

 

Speak Up

What do you want in your career? A new job? A new career? A new role, assignment, or a raise at work?

What are you doing about your “want?” Are you asking, or are you waiting for someone to ask you?

A change in your career often starts with a request. This request could be a meeting with your boss to discuss a new idea. Or, an introduction to the hiring manager inside a company where you want to work.

Some of the clients I meet are not making these types of requests. Their reasons vary. The common theme I see throughout is fear. 

What is the pro of not facing fear? Fear keeps you safe. If you don’t ask, you won’t look bad or possibly get rejected. The con is things stay the same.

If you want something different, you have to do something different. Here’s how.

1. Be clear about what you are asking for.

Before you ask others, ask yourself first. “What do I want?” Be honest with yourself.

If it’s a new job, what do you want your next role to look like and what request(s) will you need to make to get it?

If it’s a change in your current role, what does that change look like, and what request(s) will you make?

Write it down. If you can’t see it, you can’t ask for it. Clarity is crucial. 

2. Believe you will get it.

Belief is trust and faith. If you don’t believe it, why should anyone else? If does not matter what type of “asker” you were in the past. Today is a brand new day. Why can’t you have this request and more?

Unwavering belief doesn’t always happen immediately. It often unfolds over time. Your start the journey and your confidence builds as you continue down the road.

3. Make your request.

The premise of making a request is simple and straightforward. You say something and a person replies. The goal is to speak to the right person who can grant your request. Clients ask me, “How do I ask?” My answer is “You ask.” They also wonder. “What do I say?” My answer is, “What you just told me you wanted to say.”

4. Be patient for an answer.

Asking on the surface seems like a request you are making to another party, but asking is also for you. Asking clears the air and gets what you want to say off your chest. Keep in mind that you have given thought to your request and the other person may need time to process it. Give your request some time to breathe. Then, ask for a date for resolution.

5. Know that whatever the outcome you will be fine.

Asking changes the course of your career. Whether your request was granted or not, you are a different person. You did what you were afraid to do. Good for you. Your self-confidence soars. Your outlook on the world changes. You are a force in the world.

So, what do you want to do with your newfound confidence? How about asking for something else?

Seven Winning Tips for Introverts to Find a Dream Job

Guest post:

People are not the same. Some are extroverts, in other words, outgoing, friendly, cheerful, and quite conversational. Such a personality can have an easier time in front of a job interview panel. However, this does not mean that if you are an introvert, you cannot get that job too. Here are seven winning tips to help you land your dream job.

1. Be Yourself

The first step to getting your dream job is to accept who you are and be yourself. When you accept who you are, the first thing that kicks in is confidence. You will need a reasonable amount of confidence to sway the hiring panel. The reason is that they need to see you trust yourself before they can trust you with a job.

Moreover, there is more to an introvert than meets the eye. Introverts may not talk a lot but can exhibit the best listening skills, critical thinking skills, and writing skills. Further, there may be more self-motivated introverts out there than there are extroverts. Appreciate the person you are first.    

2. Take Your Time

When someone is an extrovert, they appear to have everything in control and can chase more than a single opportunity flawlessly. Keep in mind that when you are an introvert, intensity can throw you off balance. Honest advice, relax because this allows you to process things and chase prospective job angles at your own pace but wisely. The bigger picture fancy, but why rush when the aim is the same. Take your time and get it right.

3. Set Aside Time To Rest

Introverts are not shy people. When you are shy, there is fear that comes from the anticipation of social judgment. Therefore, the right definition for an introvert could be a deep craving for having some time to himself or herself. Extroverts, on the other side, crave time with others. The conclusion is that you may not be the best at dealing with any form of social stimulation. The thing is that the interview will be made of people. Prepare yourself early, not exhaust your energy on people a day before the interview. Take this time to spend some time alone so that when you approach the panel, you will have alleviated the craving for alone time and nail the interview.  

4. Prepare Well

As mentioned above, introverts are affected by typical social stimulation. In other words, you need more than just being qualified for a job. You need to feel prepared. An extrovert, even when not prepared, could pull off anything to show they are capable courtesy of their personality. You will hear the recruiters saying, "He might not be perfect, but he has the right personality."   If you are competing with such a guy, bring your A-game. To do that, do your homework about the organization well. The result is boosted confidence and higher competence. Precisely, the ideal candidate.

5. Find The Right Job For Yourself

Sometimes it just never works for you to get a job that does not augur with the person you are.  Therefore, consider the one that fits your personality. Many introverts make the best writers; therefore, you need to consider a writing job or something related to it. Remember, do not limit yourself because there are multiple jobs could use the capabilities that come with being an introvert. Take your time to choose the job that is right for you. Consider how you feel, assess the company culture, and check whether it aligns with your personality.

6. Brand Yourself

With the age of social media, consider more than one method to get your dream job. The assumption is that as an introvert, it may be easy for you to express yourself over closed doors than in open situations. One way to brand yourself includes maintaining a personal blog. Through your content, someone should be able to understand the person you are. Sometimes you may need the assistance of professional content writers with your work. You are free to choose your writer from Supreme Dissertations, WowGrade, Grab My Essay, Best Essay Education, Studicus, WritingJudge, and IsAccurate or use freelance platforms.

7. Be Optimistic

Stay positive. This will work wonders on your confidence. This will lead you to get you the job you want.

You are not limited by the person you are to get a job. All you need to do is to be yourself, take your time, set aside time to rest, be well prepared, find the job that fits your personality, brand yourself, and be optimistic.

 

Get Out Of The “Being Underpaid” Trap

Some clients tell me they feel uneasy when employers ask them what their salary history is. (This question is unlawful to ask in some states, but not all.) The question brings about anxiety because they are unsure what the consequences will bring and worry their answer can either cost them the job or reduce a potential offer.

On the surface, it seems like a fair question. What is your monetary expectation?

But underneath, there is something hidden. The withholding of information.

Let’s say you feel you are currently being underpaid. Does this mean you are stuck with underpayment forever? No, it does not. Let’s say you are volunteering, and getting paid zero. Does this mean you get paid zero again? No.

It does not matter what you are currently being paid; only what the job is worth. 

When you walk into a store, you know what something cost. There is a price listed. It’s clear.

For job seekers, this rule of clarity does not always apply. Job seekers have to guess what an employer is paying. This is one-sided.

You can’t force employers to disclose information they don’t want to, but you can be prepared to receive the best salary offer possible.

How? Follow these steps:

Determine what you want to get paid.

Ask yourself, “What do I want my salary to be?” Many clients cannot answer this question. You cannot ask for something unless you know what to ask for. Spend time with your finances. Determine what is coming in and going out. This is your breakeven point. Add in what you want in savings. Add in contingency funds. Then, add 10%. Does this number motivate you? If yes, this is your number.

Research the market.

An alternative reply to “what do you want to get paid?” is, “I have researched the market and see this role is paying in the range of A to B. I believe I fit into this range because… (Summarize your credentials.) Are you willing to pay that?” Turn their question into your question, and the power shifts to you. (Salary sites help with research.) Money can be an emotional topic. Outside information can bring objectivity and perspective into an uncomfortable situation.

Ask for what you want.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. You may hear “yes” when you ask. Or, you may hear “no.” At least you asked. Employers will value you when you value yourself first. If they don’t, it’s not a place where you want to work. Move on.

Be prepared to negotiate.

A salary is more than an annual number. It can include expenses and benefits. What else would make you happy? Your education expenses covered? Your cell phone bill? Daycare? Extra vacation days? Flex time?  Many companies have salary caps, but have wiggle room for extras.

Remember: be proud of what you bring to the table. And, don’t settle for less.

There Is Nothing Worse Than A Job Search

I would not wish it on anyone. 

It’s humbling, frustrating, and overwhelming.

For example: you send out resumes, and there are no replies. You participate in networking meetings that go nowhere afterwards. You interview (multiple times over the course of many months) and you don’t receive job offers.

At times you wonder, “Why am I doing this?”

You know you are good at what you do. “Why can’t other people see it too?”

Yet, as hard as a job search can be, you know when it is harder to stay where you are. 

Feelings of being comfortable or cautious can keep you safe, but those feelings do not move you forward. They prevent you from experiencing work you love.

A job search is about fresh beginnings, moving forward, and breaking new ground. It’s about exploring who you are and what’s important to you. It’s about digging deep, shedding the old, and finding yourself again; someone who wants to be found.

With the right mindset, you can move through anything. You can be effective in your job search.

So how do you move through it?

1) You decide to move through it.

Every successful career endeavor starts with a decision. “I want something different.” It’s the place to begin. These words are the first step to your new role because you are declaring your intention. This is when you get your power back.

2) You decide what you want.

Ask yourself. “Do I have clarity?” If not, what is your next step? Is there research required? Is there someone you can talk to? If you can’t see it, you can’t do it. Seeing is crucial.

3) You decide to do the work.

Getting a new job cannot be a “should” or someone else’s goal for you. An internal spark gets ignited when you realize you have had enough and the timing is right to do the work. No one can decide this for you. Can other people assist you in your journey? Yes. But this decision comes from you. That is when things change for the better.

4) You decide to move now.

Career fulfillment doesn’t just come to you. You have to proactively go for it. Working on your career is not a one time “I tried” activity. The work happens over time. We are an instant gratification society and job searching is not an instant gratification activity. You don’t see progress immediately. But, you will as you continue. Movement comes first. Rewards come second. Keep moving. No matter what. This formula is the keys to your kingdom.

Deborah Brown-Volkman, PCC, is an ICF Certified Career & Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith Certified Global Leadership Assessment (GLA360) Professional, and a Resume & LinkedIn Specialist. Her mission is to help you be happy and healthy in your career because when you feel good, and have focus and direction, you are able to live your dreams and fulfill your purpose in life. Deborah’s web site is at: https://www.surpassyourdreams.com

7 Fresh Tips for Recent Graduates to Write a Winning Resume

Guest post...

Starting out on the job market can be difficult sometimes. When you are a fresh graduate, and you have no working experience to add in your resume, you will find that it becomes challenging to convince employers to hire you. The first jobs are always hard to find, and you will need excellent presentation skills to persuade your recruiters to give you a chance. Before you meet your potential employers and show them more about your personality, you should also create an exciting resume. It represents your visit card and can convince the recruiting team to call you for a face-to-face discussion. Thus, this is the first area on which you should focus and show the persons who are reading this that you have a huge potential. If you want to know how to write a winning resume and get your first job, then you should keep reading this article.

What is the structure of a winning resume?

You don’t have to have a resume full of working experience to convince recruiters to hire you. A resume can also talk a lot about your presentation and organization skills. Thus, the way you organize your curriculum vitae can convince employers to count on you for their projects. If you want to impress recruiters with a well-organized resume, you should start by knowing very well, which is its structure:

• Contact information
• Professional summary
• Education
• Working experience – if the case
• Volunteering activities
• Skills or expertise
• Personal skills
• Certificates/awards

In case you feel that you need specialized help to write your resume, you can always collaborate with professional writers. There are plenty of professional writing sites offering this type of service that would be happy to help. Take a look at the short list of services mentioned below and choose the one that matches your criteria the most:

• Grab My Essay – you can work with the team of professional writers to write your winning resume and convince recruiters immediately that you are a gem for their company.
• Studicus – they offer custom writing services taking your recommendations and requirements into account. You will benefit from a personalized experience that will follow your guidelines.
• Best Essay Education– you can choose from a variety of resume templates that will be personalized according to your professional experience and target position.
• Trust My Paper – if you are looking for someone to write your resume from scratch, then you should count on the professional writers working for Trust My Paper. They will save you time and effort and write a winning resume that highlights your personality traits and potential.

Here are the tip for writing a winning resume:

1. Don’t be afraid to show your recruiters what you want to achieve

If you're going to write an award-winning resume, then you should start with a convincing headline. For example, you can write that you have entry-level experience in marketing, and you are targeting a position in marketing or sales. With such statement you are demonstrating two things.

On the one hand, you show your recruiters that you are confident in your potential, and you know what you want to obtain. Even though you don’t have the necessary professional experience to take the job, your potential employers will appreciate when you exude with competence and self-confidence. For them, this is a clear sign that you are ambitious to learn new concepts quickly and bring added value to their business.

On the other hand, starting your resume with such a strong headline talks a lot about your personality. It shows that you are an organized person who can transmit a clear message and talk about what he wants. Also, you are showing recruiters that you have the necessary presentation skills and know which are your strong points to win the job.

1. Let your resume talk about your personality

HR professionals are tired of dull resumes that follow standard templates and don’t have anything impressive to show. If you want to win their trust and respect, you should add a personal touch to your CV and show them that you can welcome any challenge without delays. Writing a winning resume also means that you will take some risks. In reality, taking the chance to say something unusual in your resume will actually become your ticket to stand out and win the job.

When you start writing your resume, you should think of it as your best visit card. Thus, you should make it specific and write about you. Apart from words, the format can also help you knock down your competition. Black and white resumes are old fashioned. You can add a touch of color and forget about Europass templates and the standard way of organizing information. While it is imperative to keep information clear and well-organized, you should also play a bit with its structure.

1. Make your recruiters see you as a professional, not a student

If you have no working experience, this doesn’t mean that your recruiters should see you as a student only. You should show them that they can consider you a professional who can significantly contribute to their team. You have developed various skills and knowledge during your college years. So, this is the perfect moment to claim them and use them to present yourself as a professional in your niche. If you want others to see you as a professional, you should start by writing your resume as you already are one.

For example, you surely had various projects where you acted as a leader. So, this is the perfect occasion to talk about those projects where you made a significant contribution to your skills and knowledge. As long as you show your recruiters who you are and what you can do for their business, you will increase your chances to be considered for their open positions.

1. Customize your resume to the job description

When you don’t have any professional experience, it becomes straightforward to customize your resume to each job description. You should pay attention to all the details presented in the job post and tailor your CV to the specific requirements mentioned by the recruiters. It is your job to identify the keywords included in the job description and include them in your resume. Thus, you will show your recruiters that you have the necessary skills and ambition to match the profile the company is looking for.

By adopting this strategy, you will see how the call will start ringing, and you will receive invitations to interviews. As you will target jobs in a particular area of interest, it won’t be difficult to quickly adapt your resume and personalize it to the job description requirements. This is an excellent way to show recruiters that you are adaptable, and you pay great attention to details.

1. Use a professional email address

Even though it might seem less appealing, the contact section contains several elements which can tell a lot about your personality. The email address shows your recruiters how seriously you take your job application. For example, if you add an informal email address like [email protected] or [email protected], you will show the recruiting team that you didn’t grow up, and you might not be an employee who is open to take responsibilities.

So, if you want to show your future employers that you are a professional, then you can create a more mature email address. The best trick that you can apply in this case is to create an email address according to the following template: [email protected]. Apart from showing your employers that you are a mature person, you will also make their lives easier. You reduce to a minimum the risk that the interview team might mistake your email address.

1. Emphasize your soft skills

You don’t need professional experience to convince the recruiting manager to hire you. There are various activities that you might have developed in college, during which you have developed different soft skills. Excellent communication, teamwork, or leadership are some skills which are highly appreciated by the majority of employers. When you are targeting an entry-level position, these skills can help you stand out from your competition.

Apart from mentioning the soft skills that you have developed during school you should also come with relevant examples to show your employers how you gained them. It is not necessary to include them in your resume as you risk losing focus and jeopardize its clarity and perfect organization. But, you should expect that your recruiters to ask you about a project from the past that helped you develop specific soft skills. So, if you don’t want to fail them and increase your chances of taking the job, then you should be prepared to give simple and clear examples to convince them.

1. Use testimonials from professors and colleagues

Nothing works better when you want to convince recruiters to hire you than using testimonials from your professors and colleagues. A quote coming from a professor brings a lot of weight to your resume. When a professor decides to give you feedback and talk about his collaboration with you, it shows that you are a professional with very high potential and skills.

A testimonial coming from your colleagues talks about your ability to work in a team or lead a project. Colleagues won’t talk too much about your knowledge and performances. They will rather talk about the way you interacted with them and how they felt about being part of the same team with you.

Conclusion

Once you have used the tips above, you should take a look at your resume before submitting it. You should start by carefully checking whether there are any grammar or spelling mistakes. You should also check if your resume follows the requirements mentioned in the job description and emphasizes your best skills and knowledge. Your recruiters will be impressed by a clear resume, which is well-organized and doesn’t include exaggerations. It is better to be sincere and talk about your past experiences than create a dull resume that doesn’t speak too much about your personality.

 

4 Steps To A Great Career

Guest post by Matt Donatelle.

Step 1 – CAREER PURPOSE – You will determine what you want to accomplish in your career. Your overall and specific career purpose.

Step 2 – VALUABLE SKILL – You will determine what valuable and marketable career skill you are going to develop. This valuable skill will be utilized in accomplishing your career goal.

Step 3  – #1 DREAM CAREER – You will pick a career you personally love, adds value to the world, and pays a good salary. This career will utilize your “Valuable Skill”

Step 4 – 1-10 YEAR CAREER PLAN – You will create a custom written step-by-step 10 year career plan to turn your “#1 Dream Career” into reality.

As an experiment, speak with 3 of your friends that appear to be working in well paying careers they enjoy.  I would wager that most of these friends can provide a reasonable answer to each of these 4 steps.

These are the 4 pillars and your career planning backbone.

Your life and career path is never 100% predictable. 

Fate provides arbitrary twists and turns.

If you develop a compelling career purpose in tandem with valuable and marketable skills you have the ability to handle the many ups and downs in your career.

Let’s say one day you wake up and decide you need a career change. 

If you have developed valuable skills you can easily transition into related careers.   

Employers value your mastery of important skills. 

You will have the ability to pick and choose jobs that are in alignment with your overall career purpose and multi-year career plan. 

It is good to be a “jack or jill of all trades” when you own a house. 

Some think it is also important to be a “jack or jill of all trades” in developing career skills.  For the most part this is not true.  It is impossible to be a true “master” in many different fields.

Your heart surgeon does not do brain surgery.  Superman is only in the movies.

Become really really good at a couple of skills the marketplace values.

This will get you through any economic downturn. 

Apply these skills in a career that adds value to the world and solves a critical problem.

Do this and you will get paid well, feel good about your career purpose, and get positive feedback from those around you.

Don’t settle for less!

Author- Matt Donatelle is a career researcher and certified career coach.  He is the creator of CareerEnjoyment.  CareerEnjoyment offers online career tests and career planning programs.

You can find his free career test at:   https://www.careerenjoyment.com/

 

 

What’s it mean to have a happy career?

Humans spend 1/3rd of hour lives asleep. For the remainder of our waking hours, most of us will spend close to half of those in our jobs and careers. So, if we start feeling a general sense of dissatisfaction or unhappiness in our lives, our jobs might be a bigger culprit than is immediately obvious.

Ari Yeganeh over at ConsciousEd identifies a few key elements that go into everyone's "happiness cake". So if your career isn't fulfilling one or more of these ingredients, it might be a sign you need a change.

Check it out at: https://conscioused.org/wiki/happiness/

Building Your Personal Brand: How to Improve Your Professional Image

One of the most important ways that you can communicate your professionalism and ensure success is how you project yourself to the world. Have you ever had a regular client suddenly stop communicating with you and wondered why? Or thought you had a deal in the bag only to lose out to a rival? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may need to take a deeper look at your professional image.

Having a good professional image is more than just how you dress. Below, we will take a look at a few of the basic practices that you should incorporate into your work and personal life to ensure that potential employers and clients are drawn in, rather than turned off by your professional image.

Clean up your social media profiles

What you do on social media is a window into your life. It can tell others what you think about the world, what you do with your day, the types of people you admire, and the issues that enthuse you. Even if your profile is set to private, your social media account can give people a lot of unexpected information. For example, posts that you’ve “liked” may show up on other timelines depending on the privacy settings of the original post. This also applies to comments on digital newspaper articles. If someone Googles your name, a comment you left under your real name might show up.

There are two ways you can handle this. The first is to take the extreme path of not ever letting your employer, co-workers, or clients have access to your personal social media accounts and use a fake name for public comments. The easier and more realistic option is to use social media to your advantage by matching what you say to the image you want to project. Make your posts positive and genuine and be cautious.

Keep your personal life private

We’ve all had our moments that we’re not so proud of. If you had a wild weekend, you might think it’s an amusing story to relate to your fellow co-workers. However, if you’re trying to build a positive professional image, it would be best to keep this sort of personal detail to yourself.

Keep this in mind when interacting with your boss, co-workers, and clients. While they may enjoy a little personal interaction and will bond better with you having a more personal relationship, you should try to avoid complaining to them about the day you’ve had or your significant other. The key is to keep things positive. Take cues from your leaders or clients and avoid controversial topics.

Present yourself in a flattering way

When people think of their professional image, appearance is often the first thing that comes to mind. While it’s just one small part of the big picture, it plays a major role in how others identify you. You’re deciding how others should see and perceive you so if you want to appear presentable, it’s best to dress the part. For example, if a neat and clean look is what you’re after, don’t wear clothing with stains or tears in them.

Presenting yourself in a flattering way doesn’t mean that you have to ditch your personal style. There are many ways you can incorporate your favorite colors, patterns, and styles into your attire without breaking your company’s dress code. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look good either. Shopping at discount stores or thrift shops is a great way to find stylish, one-of-a-kind pieces for a low price. Many thrift stores even offer their clothing selection online now, making it possible to shop your favorite brands from your cell phone or laptop. For example, thredUP is a fashion resale marketplace that offers clothing from over 35,000 brands online. Their diverse collection of gently used Lularoe clothing is perfect for the office or a day with friends. Not to mention, you can browse through it without leaving your home.

Be respectful

There’s nothing worse than a lack of respect in the workplace. Whether this is displayed by tardiness, rudeness, boredom, lack of communication or lack of attention to detail, disrespect of any kind tells your colleagues that you’re not really interested in them or the tasks at hand.

The moral is, regardless if you’re working with the person currently or not, you should treat everyone with respect. The image that you build is founded on how you treat people, so treat them well. Word spreads fast and if you want to sharpen up your professional image, you’ll need to sharpen your people skills as well. It’s important to have good manners, a good understanding of social etiquette, and have a measure of charm.

Always follow through

If you promise to do a particular task or project, do it. Unless something unexpected comes up, a commitment is a commitment. And in that case, you should be sure to communicate anything that interferes with completing a task or meeting a deadline as soon as possible.

Act with integrity. Don’t ever provide less than you say you will and make sure if you say you can do something, that you’re able to deliver it. Unfortunately, it’s more common than we may realize to say you have more experience than you do. Or that you’re proficient in something you’ve only ever glanced at. However, if your lies are exposed, they will tear apart that carefully built professional image and trust.

 

Your Career Can be Better with Better Management

You are in charge of your career.  If you’ve never heard that or thought it, take a minute to let that sink in.  Even though you can’t give yourself a promotion, you can choose where you work, the environment you work in, and the way you manage your time and yourself.  Has your calendar become an item that appears to be as difficult as quantum mechanics?  Have you made your job so hard that your boss can’t even figure it out?  Did you spend your last vacation managing the office and not relaxing, even though you weren’t physically in the office?  It’s time to make a change to all of these areas of your work life in order to create a more effective calendar, give you an easier way to get the job done, and allow you to enjoy your vacation.

The Secrets of Effective Calendar Management

Forbes Article:

What does your calendar look like?  Are you a person who adds new tasks to each day as they come to you or are a person who has a highly organized system of work that you accomplish?  Do you plan some activities earlier in the week because you know you’ll get them done, or do you plan items that need to get done right up to the deadline?  Your calendar should reflect the times when you have the most energy to do things that are more difficult with easier tasks saved for those times when you’re short on the energy you need.  While we all want to have a calendar setup to meet our needs and one that’s easy to accomplish, you’re going to have to make changes and improve your schedule in order to have the success you want to enjoy.  Take a look at the tips in this article and see if some of them help you have a more productive schedule.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryancollinseurope/2018/07/31/the-secrets-of-effective-calendar-management/#668b42182c8a

4 Ways You’re Making Your Job Way Harder Than it Needs to Be

The Muse Article:

Whether you’ve worked at a company for a long time or you’re new to the business, it may seem like your job is much harder than it should be.  There are tons of things that seem like they should be much easier, but you’re not sure what you need to do in order to have an easier time at work.  It’s time to remember that you can’t fix everything, you can’t plan for every possible scenario, and you can’t make everyone happy with your work.  These are some of the most common ways we make work too hard for ourselves.  Of course, you also might be doing things in an outdated manner that needs to be updated.  Review this article and figure out how to make your job easier.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/job-is-too-hard-how-to-fix-it?ref=recently-published-0

The Secret to Actually Enjoying Your Vacation is the Day Before it Starts

Quartz at Work Article:

It’s the summertime and you’re looking forward to the vacation that you’ve planned for all year long.  As it gets closer you feel more and more stressed because there’s looming deadlines and work that must get accomplished before you head off to your adventures.  Stop making your vacation stressful and make sure you tie up all the loose ends before you head out for the fun in the sun and a week or more of relaxation.  It can be difficult, but you need to start your vacation the day before it actually starts by having a day of planning and tying up loose ends before you leave for your fun. 

Full Article:

https://qz.com/work/1343558/how-to-enjoy-your-vacation/

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Find the Peacefulness of your Career and Home Life that You Desire

Happy people often have an energy of being peaceful and able to process information in a calm and thoughtful manner.  They can do this because they have found the peace they need in their lives and have built relationships that guide them toward success.  You’re looking for the happiness that you need to reach the peace you deserve, but you’re not sure how to do this.  Open your mind, begin to build strong relationships, and learn the value of giving of yourself in order to realize that you can have the peace you seek.  Once you begin to make the changes needed to be happier, you’re going to feel the peacefulness you’re looking for in all aspects of your life.  Check out these three articles and begin to make the changes that will guide you toward a happy and peaceful career and life.

7 Habits You’ll Notice the Happiest People Practicing (but Most of Us Rarely Do)

Inc. Article:

Happiness is something we all strive to achieve, and many of us may try to state we are happy but are we really?  The road to happiness doesn’t come through the amassing of possessions, it comes from the relationships we build and the character we show in our lives.  You can be happy, but you won’t find it in your career success or your wealth unless you possess some of the characteristics in this article.  Begin to practice the daily habits that can guide you toward the happiness you’ll want to feel in your life.  You’re going to receive more than you give when you put these practices into place in your life.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/7-unmistakable-signs-of-happiest-people-that-are-hard-to-find.html?cid=nl029week31day30_4&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=30072018

4 Ways Women Can Build Relationships When They Feel Excluded at Work

Harvard Business Review Article:

Even if your business is dominated by the male gender, you can find a way to connect with your coworkers when you’re a woman.  The old saying of becoming “one of the guys” is certainly true in a work culture.  You might not need to schedule a lunch or an organized dinner if you know the people you want to connect with are waiting for their coffee at a local café every morning.  Additionally, if you arrive at meetings a little early, you can strike up a conversation with those that arrive early as well.  When you plan an activity after working hours, invite a few colleagues along and let them enjoy the activities that you enjoy with you.  Finally, if you’re feeling like you have trouble connecting; it’s a good idea to bring your head up from your computer or cell phone screen for a while to look someone in the eye when they talk to you.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/07/4-ways-women-can-build-relationships-when-they-feel-excluded-at-work

A Self-Made Billionaire Reveals the 1 Mental Hurdle that You Must Overcome to Reach Your Potential

Inc. Article:

Are you truly an open-minded person?  This is a tough question because all of us want to feel that we are open-minded and ready for new ideas.  The fact is, many of us have an ego that needs to be stroked on a regular basis and don’t want our thoughts and decisions questioned.  If you’re truly open-minded, you won’t mind being questioned because you’ll be doing it yourself.  You won’t mind looking at things from a different perspective, but it can be extremely difficult to do this when you’re looking for the right path for your company.  Open your mind and you’ll be able to embrace the possibilities that surround you.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/carmine-gallo/a-self-made-billionaire-reveals-the-1-mental-hurdl.html?cid=nl029week31day30_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=30072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

You Can Lead in Your Career Without Being in a Leadership Role

How do you influence those in positions above yours to make the changes that make sense for your company?  How can you give feedback to those in a position of authority and expect it to be accepted appropriately?  Do you have the drive you need to continue to succeed or are you comfortable where you are?  You don’t have to be in a position of leadership in order to show leadership characteristics on a daily basis.  You can influence the decisions in your company, but you might have to take a different path to the conversation that needs to take place.  You can give feedback, just be ready to accept some feedback yourself.  You do need to maintain your motivation and drive to succeed to reach the pinnacle of your career goals.

5 Ways to Gain More Influence and Impact

Let’s Grow Leaders Article:

You don’t have to be in a leadership role to have an influence on the leaders in your company.  When you see the bigger picture and know your company is about to make a change that will negatively affect the bottom line, you need to speak up.  The trouble is, you might be looked at as complaining or as someone that’s only trying to cover their own interests without presenting a true solution to the challenge.  This can be frustrating, but if you truly care about your company and what they plan to do, you’ve got to find a way to show that the planned change just might cause more problems than it will solve.  This means you may have to change the way you think and adjust the way you plan to present solid information that supports your claim.

Full Article:

http://letsgrowleaders.com/2018/07/26/influence_mistakes/

Top Ten Reasons Leaders Ignore Feedback

Leadership Freak Article:

There are times when you’re going to receive feedback and you don’t want to hear what others have to say.  How could someone else have an opinion about what you’re doing other than a positive one? The fact is, other people, give you feedback for the same reasons you give feedback to them.  They genuinely care about you and want to see you perform at your best.  Instead of dismissing feedback as coming from a place of negativity and from someone who doesn’t know what you go through or how you feel, accept it and learn how to make the feedback work for you.  This means learning how to thank the person giving you the feedback for what they’ve had to say and find a way to process it and make it work to your advantage.

Full Article:

https://leadershipfreak.blog/2018/07/25/top-ten-reasons-to-ignore-feedback/

This is the Secret to Getting What You Want (Most People Do the Opposite)

Inc. Article:

Are you comfortable with where you are in life?  If you’ve reached the level of success that you’re looking for, and you’re comfortable, that’s fantastic, you can sit back and relax.  For most of us, we haven’t reached the level of success we want to achieve and need to keep working to move forward.  Unfortunately, too many of us will rely on others to tell us what to do to become successful without carving out our own path.  Your success needs to be individual and match your drive and goals and not fit what someone else thinks you should do.  By that same token, you need to make sure you’re not relaxed and comfortable in the position you’re in.  Make sure you constantly want to achieve more and are finding ways to work toward that goal.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/julian-hayes-ii/this-is-secret-to-getting-what-you-want-most-people-do-opposite.html?cid=nl029week30day26_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=26072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Your Mindset Impacts Your Career Every Day

Do you have a morning routine that works for you to help you have a great day?  If so, you know the importance of creating your mindset to begin the day.  Unfortunately, there are times when feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt can creep into your world.  Have you ever felt like you don’t belong in the career you currently have?  Are you a millennial and tired of the negative stereotypes that come with being the youngest professional generation?  Do you know how to balance stress when you’re at work by finding your center?  These are all important questions that need to be answered which can have a significant impact on your mindset when you’re ready to get to work.  Check out these articles and see what you can do to make sure you have the right thoughts in your head when you start each day.

How to Once and for All Rid Yourself of Career-Imposter Syndrome at Work

Entrepreneur Article:

Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong in the job that you have?  Does something stand out to you as a negative that should have disqualified you from the job you have?  Many of us suffer from career-imposter syndrome because we lack the self-confidence to know we belong in the job we’re in.  It’s important for you to know your worth and understand that you can be enough and important in your career, but you have to take steps on your own to make sure you’re reminded that you know what you’re doing.  A success folder or reminders of success can help as can some of the other suggestions contained in this article.  Take a look and find out how you can beat the troubles of the career-imposter syndrome and gain the self-confidence you need.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/317166

This New Study Offers 7 Startling Revelations About Millennials (One is a Little Too Much)

Inc. Article:

The youngest generation of professionals is constantly under scrutiny and being told their generation is worse than any other that came before them.  Some terms that have been used include entitled, pampered, and lazy, but when asked about their work habits, the reality is that none of these is true.  This new generation of professionals is most likely more engaged, caring, and driven than the generations that came before them.  The technology offered today allows them to be able to be fully connected at all times and many don’t seem to mind that at all.  Think about the generations of the past that were able to shut the work down when they went home or when the sun went down.  This new generation can’t do this because they have the ability to always be plugged in.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/chris-matyszczyk/this-new-study-offers-9-startling-revelations-about-millennials-one-is-a-little-too-much.html?cid=nl029week30day25_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=25072018

Get Back to Center: How to Deal with Stress in the Workplace

Entrepreneur Article:

Workplace stress comes in a variety of forms, some of which is placed on us by the work we need to do and some that we place on ourselves.  Regardless of where the stress comes from, if you’re becoming overwhelmed and need to rid yourself of the stress you feel, you’ll need to find a way to get yourself back to the center of your mind and emotions to feel at peace and clarity in your mind.  This clarity is important to be productive and avoid some of the negative health aspects that can be part of having too much stress put on you.  Check out this article and learn more about how to get back to your center so that you can be the best version of yourself at work.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/317005

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

What Area of Your Career Needs Assistance Today?

If you ask yourself this question every morning, you’re going to come up with at least one answer.  Focus on the things that need to be improved in your career so that you can have a career that you enjoy every day.  Have you begun to hate your job?  If so, there could be a missing element of respect in your workplace.  Are you interested in working outside your industry?  Check out the side hustles that can help you explore your interests without giving up your regular job and get more out of your day.  Have you received negative feedback and need to figure out how to move past it?  Learn what it will take for you to accept what’s been said and how you can move forward and begin to build a positive track for growth.

There are Two Types of Respect. Lack One, and You’ll Hate Your Job

Quartz at Work Article:

The thought that respect is earned and not given is only partially true in the workplace.  If you’ve started to feel like another cog in the wheel and that you aren’t respected at work, you might be right if owned respect isn’t present.  Owned respect is the type given to all members of a working team equally in an organization that allows everyone to know they are an important part of the team and inherently valuable.  If your workplace feels as if it’s being monitored too much or micromanaged, this could be a type of respect that’s not present.  The other type of respect is earned.  This is the type of respect that sets you apart from the rest of your peers in the workplace based on your strengths and talents.  Make sure both types of respect are present in your workplace or you’re going to hate your job.

Full Article:

https://work.qz.com/1328834/if-you-hate-your-job-your-company-culture-may-lack-earned-respect/

4 Side Hustles that Pack a Career Punch

Forbes Article:

Jumping from one career to another is a tough thing to do as is going from one industry to another.  If you’re interested in things that don’t involve your regular job, it could be time to explore a side hustle.  Taking on a side job doesn’t have to be something you do because you’re having a hard time making ends meet with your normal job, it can be a great way for you to explore a new opportunity without the pressure of making it your long-term career.  This can be refreshing and interesting for you so that you can explore and express an interest in other aspects of your life.  It’s also a great way to boost your income to pay off debts or save for something that wouldn’t normally fit into your regular budget.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/elissasangster/2018/07/18/4-side-hustles-that-pack-a-career-punch/#2912dc8e93c1

5 Steps to Quickly Stop Negative Thoughts

Inc. Article:

When you receive harsh feedback at work, or worse, in your personal life, it can be difficult to get past the negative thoughts and move forward to build a positive feeling again.  Your mind may start racing to things that you could have done differently and ways you should have improved the work you did in the past.  While you can certainly allow the feeling you have to wash over you, it’s important that you let them pass by and move on to have feelings that will lead you to a more positive mindset.  Once you reach the final step, you’ll feel like you’ve handled the negative in a constructive manner and can now move forward to a changed approach to your work or your home life.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/melody-wilding/5-steps-to-quickly-stop-negative-thoughts.html?cid=nl029week30day23_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=23072018

 

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Let the Results of Your Career Show You’ve Separated Yourself from the Pack

In order to achieve great success in life, you have to be willing to do the things that others don’t seem to be willing to.  That doesn’t mean you put your head down and charger forward without any consideration for others, in fact, it’s just the opposite.  It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, your effect on others, and the way you spend your time.  You want to be balanced in your daily life and make sure the people you spend time with are those who are truly important to you.  Become aware and let your career stand out as one that others can emulate as the right way to be successful in every aspect of life.

Arianna Huffington Just Shared 5 Simple Habits that Separate Successful People from Everyone Else

Inc. Article:

You can put all your energy into your work, but your home life will suffer.  You can spend time avoiding your social media feeds and keep your mind strictly on the work you’re trying to get done, but you’ll likely get burned out.  You could be afraid to make the change in your life and take a risk, but you’re going to miss out on opportunities.  Life is about balancing priorities, managing your time, and knowing how to take calculated risks that can reap you the rewards you desire.  Most importantly, you can’t be afraid to fail.  Failure isn’t the opposite of success, and if you’ve never failed, you’ve probably never truly tried.  Review this article and learn what the founder of the Huffington Post has to offer for advice to help you become more successful.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/arianna-huffington-just-shared-5-simple-habits-that-separate-successful-people-from-everyone-else.html?cid=nl029week29day20_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=20072018

5 Ways to be a Conscious Leader

Forbes Article:

A conscious leader is a person who is fully engaged in the work that takes place, contributes on a high level, and holds themselves accountable. While this sounds simple in theory, it could be extremely difficult in practice.  Did you know you’re likely the average of the five people you spend the most time with (outside your family)?  Are you a self-aware person that can understand how your thoughts, feelings, and motives affect your actions?  Do you act with intention in every aspect of your life?  These are just a few of the questions you’re going to need to ask yourself in order to become a conscious leader that can handle the job of getting things done is the influence that others can respect and emulate.  Take a look at this article and see how you can become a conscious leader.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2018/07/19/5-ways-to-be-a-conscious-leader/#b04164e61caa

This is Your Brain on the Beach

Inc. Article:

Whether you’re daydreaming about going there or you’re experiencing a bit of stress and need a great place to get away and find a release, the beach is a place of calm, of peace, and of wonder that you can find a connection with nature in order to enjoy the ability to relax and listen to the serene power of the waves washing in.  If you’re not in a place where you could easily get to the beach for a bit of relaxation in the sun, it might be useful to find some sounds of the ocean on your smartphone and listen to these sounds when you have some downtime.  There’s a natural connection between people and the ocean and just hearing the sounds of waves and nature that you find at the beach can help you relax and regain your focus.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/this-is-why-you-love-beach-so-much-according-to-science.html?cid=nl029week29day20_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=20072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Time is of the Essence in Your Career

Does your calendar need a break?  Is there any white space in the calendar you keep or is every minute of the day packed with things that need to get done?  Do you have time to volunteer?  If you’re unemployed, you certainly have time to spend helping others and giving your time, which could turn into a new career for you.  If your calendar is packed, find a way to open up some space for the times when new opportunities come knocking on your door.  Do you know what it takes for you to be a great boss?  If you’re in charge of a team, this should be one of the most important thoughts in your mind on a regular basis.  Check out these articles and learn how you can improve your professional life today.

Unclog Your Calendar to Make Room for New Opportunities

Entrepreneur Article:

Are you rushing from one task to another on a daily basis? Does it feel like your calendar is packed with meetings, projects, and functions without allowing you any downtime?  This can be the result of your lack of management when it comes to your schedule.  Rather than scheduling a packed life every day or every week, you need to leave some open space in your time in order to have the downtime you need that could be filled with a few new opportunities.  You never know when someone is going to reach out to you and offer you a chance to do something new.  When they do, you don’t want to have to search your calendar for the time to “fit them in,” you want to be able to jump in and take this new challenge that may lead to something more.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315915

How to Volunteer Yourself into a New Job

U.S. News Money Article:

If you have some extra time on your hands every week you might want to make use of this time by volunteering. This is also a great idea if you’ve found yourself unemployed and need a way to fill your day.  There are many organizations that need your time and help as a volunteer and the unique skills you possess can be useful to them and their mission.  As an unemployed person, you can’t spend every hour of the day applying to companies and trying to get your foot in the door.  Make the most of some of this time by giving it to an organization that matters.  What you might find is that you could be offered a paying job doing some of what you’re doing as a volunteer because of the connections where you choose to give your time and energy.

Full Article:

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/articles/2018-07-17/how-to-volunteer-yourself-into-a-new-job

Google Spend a Decade Researching What Makes a Great Boss.  They Came Up With These 10 Things

Inc. Article:

You want to have a great boss, but more importantly, if you’re in a position of responsibility, you want to be a great boss.  Whether you’re starting up the career ladder or you’re already at the top, the way your staff sees you is going to have a direct result on the work they do and the success you get to enjoy.  There’s a reason why pyramids are shaped with a wide base and a narrow top, and the same goes for a mountain.  It takes a large base of people to make sure you can be successful and reach that top area in your career.  Take a look at this article and learn what’s important to your team so that you can be a great boss.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/google-spent-a-decade-researching-what-makes-a-great-boss-they-came-up-with-these-10-things.html?cid=nl029week29day18_5&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=18072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

What Career Challenges do You Face Today?

Are you ready for your day or plan to take the day as it comes to you?  Is your company working to implement changes that you disagree with and you’re not sure how to react?  When was the last time you had a conversation with your team about the work they’re doing?  These can all be challenges that face you on a regular basis.  You need to know how to start your day and what works best for you so that you can make the day productive.  You want to have a plan to embrace and handle the changes that will come your way without being left behind. You certainly need to talk to your team on a regular basis.  The advice you’re looking for is contained within these three articles.

7 Career Conversations Good Bosses have with Their Employees on a Regular Basis

The Muse Article:

When you’re a manager of people, you have to treat them like people in order to get the most out of the work they perform.  This means finding a way to connect with them on a regular basis with feedback given every week, month, and quarter.  The conversations you have with each of your team members on a weekly basis need to revolve around what’s going on right now and whether or not they need your assistance.  The monthly and quarterly conversations should have to do with moving forward, growing, and looking to the future.  Have the types of conversations contained in this article and you’re going to see that your team is willing to work closer together, keep you updated on what’s going on, and have the ability to achieve the success you desire.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/7-conversations-good-bosses-employees-regular-basis?ref=the-muse-editors-picks-1

The Mistake that Almost Got Me Fired but Transformed My Career

Fast Company Article:

Change can be hard to accept in our careers.  We tend to like to do things the same way and as long as that way doesn’t cause problems it seems fine.  Unfortunately, that’s not how the working world exists.  There’s always change and evolving that take place and we need to understand, accept, and embrace the changes that are presented to us.  You can ask questions and even suggest reasons why a particular change won’t work, but be careful not to become the person that complains without a solution.  This could cost you the job you have because your company has likely put a lot of time and effort into making the decision to change.  Review this article and learn how the fine line of learning and understanding can be where you handle change rather than being the complainer that gets left behind.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90201520/the-mistake-that-almost-got-me-fired-but-transformed-my-career

4 Things to do Every Morning to Make Your Workday More Productive

CNN Money Article:

Mornings can be one of the toughest times of the day or they can be one of the most productive for you.  If you like to get up early you know the value of the time before the rest of the world awakes, but if you aren’t an early riser you might miss out on this part of the day.  Even if you’re someone that likes to get out of bed a little later, you can make some important changes that will improve your day.  Start by getting your to-do list together if you haven’t done so already.  You’re up and fresh with our mind ready to go, make the most of this time and start to get things ready for the day.  Check out the article to learn more about what you need to do to make your mornings more productive.

Full Article:

https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/09/pf/how-to-increase-work-productivity/index.html

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Upgrade Your Career Today

What is a career upgrade?  It doesn’t mean you’re going to get promoted today or suddenly have a raise in your salary.  What a career upgrade can be for you is the improvement in your career that allows you to get more done.  We all have the same amount of time in a day, but some people seem to get more done than others.  It’s time you were one of these people that’s looked at as getting more done.  Whether you start your day sooner, make certain all of your time is used wisely, or you make the most of the meetings you have with other people, you can have an improved career today.  Start with one of the suggestions in these three articles and then add more until you’re the person getting the most out of every day.

5 Hacks to Level Up Your Career

Forbes Article:

What are you doing to make your career better than it was yesterday?  Yes, you can make a difference in just one day as long as you make the necessary changes that will help you get done what you need to.  Have you tried getting up earlier in the morning?  This can give you more time in the day and you can progressively begin to get up sooner to add more time before the rest of the world begins to ask for your time and attention.  Do you plan your next day the night before?  When you start the day with a plan for what you need to get done you’re going to have a better chance of being successful.  Review this article and implement at least one of these five hacks today so that you can have a positive impact on your career tomorrow.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2018/07/12/5-hacks-to-level-up-your-career/#f6ef55710ab1

How the Strongest Business Leaders do Twice as Much in Half the Time

Entrepreneur Article:

When you’re operating your own business you’re going to learn quickly that you spend more time than you ever expected to work.  While you might not be operating your own business, if you’re a leader in your company or invested in the success the company experiences, you need to make sure you’re ready to manage your time better so that you can enjoy some time outside of work.  This means delegating, scheduling, and being more disciplined than you might have been in the past.  While it might seem like you don’t need to worry about a few minutes of time; that time will eventually grow and cost you hours in the long run.  Let this article help you learn to manage your time better and get the work done you need to complete every day.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/316449

6 Incredibly Important Body Language Cues When You First Meet Someone

Inc. Article:

Meeting someone in person for the first time can be awkward for many people.  Much of our communication, even with those we work with on a regular basis, is strictly through email, text messages, and conference calls.  Because of this, the first meeting you have with someone you’ve built a strong rapport with over several weeks, months, or years can be one that’s unexpected.  You might not know if you should hug or shake hands, you might not be sure how you should look at the other person, and you might not be able to interpret the body language of the other person easily.  Here are a few ideas of what and how you can handle the body language cues that you experience when you first meet someone in person.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/john-brandon/6-incredibly-important-body-language-cues-when-you-first-meet-someone.html?cid=nl029week28day13_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=13072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Manage the Challenges You Face in Your Career Every Day

Whether you have a busy time of the year when it feels that papers are flying all over the office and nobody can get their brain wrapped around what needs to get done or you’re looking to be the best leader you can, there are challenges you face every day.  It might be time for you to have a better morning structure to make sure you’re more productive so that you don’t waste time that could be used to help you move things forward.  When you face the challenges of handling chaos, being more productive and making use of your time, and becoming the leader you want to be, having some assistance and guidance can be helpful to you.  Check out these three articles and gain that helping hand that you need today.

Chaos at Work? You Can Learn to Manage It

Forbes Article:

Your job and your home life are both going to cause varying degrees of chaos in your life.  When you have chaos at work it could be because of a looming deadline a sudden change in a project or an industry shift.  Knowing how to manage the chaos is important in making certain you remain sane at work. Part of managing that chaos is recognizing where it comes from to ensure you’re not entering someone else’s drama, which you don’t need.  Ask for feedback if you’ve led a meeting, assess the amount of work you have and make sure it’s manageable.  When it comes to your home life, make sure you’re not taking work home unnecessarily and that you have some time where you’re not responding to emails or connecting with others for work.  This downtime will go a long way to successfully managing the chaos at work.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodgerdeanduncan/2018/07/09/chaos-at-work-you-can-learn-to-manage-it/#5cea00ee6462

How the Most Productive People Structure Their Mornings

Quarts at Work Article:

Morning has become the most important time of the day for many successful people.  This time of day has become as important as it is to enjoy breakfast as the right way to begin your day.  If you want to make your mornings count you need to have a plan, get rid of the distractions, and have an excellent way to get started.  Whether you start your day with an hour of time for yourself or you’re someone that wants to jump in with both feet and get started, it’s up to you to figure out what you’re going to do to with your morning, but you can be much more productive if you have a structure.  This also means preparing a to-do list before you end the previous day so that you can get started on what needs to get done right away.

Full Article:

https://work.qz.com/1324356/how-to-have-a-productive-morning/

The 4 Secrets of Truly Great Leadership

Inc. Article:

If you’re working your way to becoming a leader, you’ve probably worked with some who you consider being great leaders and others that were lacking in some of the most important leadership qualities.  In order to make sure you can lead your team, you need to make sure you consistently exhibit some qualities that your team will always appreciate.  Communication that’s open, often given and clear helps ensure your team knows what they can and need to do every day.  As the leader, it’s your job to make sure your team is energized and ready to get the job done, which can be a daily challenge or it can be something you only need to do occasionally.  Review this article and learn more about how to be a truly great leader.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/the-4-essential-habits-of-every-great-leader.html?cid=nl029week28day11_4&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=11072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Take Advantage of Some Great Work Habits on the Way up the Career Ladder

If you want to become a leader and eventually a CEO in your industry, you’re going to have to know how to teach others and lead them the right way.  Whether that means you learn what aspects of leadership you need to master or you find that you need to implement some productivity strategies, now is the time to act like the leader you want to become.  While you will help others when working your way up, make sure you’re not being taken advantage of when you do work that assists other people.  Check out these three articles and start to put some of these suggestions to work in your daily life as you climb the corporate ladder. 

How to Master the 4 Types of Leadership that Will Make You Successful

Inc. Article:

A leader has to do many things and do them well. If you’re going to be a leader you’re going to have to be comfortable telling people what needs to get done and who needs to do it.  You’ll also need to be a teacher and the expert in your field to show those with less experience how to do the job that needs to get done.  You’ve also got to be good at advising others regarding the decisions they make and once you see that your team has the skills and the abilities need to get the job done, you’ve got to be ready to empower them to make decisions and go forward without you.  You might need to find a mentor that exhibits the leadership you want to emulate, or you can look for a coach that will help you be the best leader you can be.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/james-kerr/the-4-leadership-styles-that-every-leader-must-master.html

5 CEOs Share Their Best Productivity Tips

Fast Company Article:

Leaders of companies are the ones that shape the landscape and the environment of the business. If you’re a CEO, or you’re aspiring to be one, you’ve got to know how to get the ideas you have out of your head and to your team that can execute them and begins to make them happen.  As a CEO, you’re going to want to make sure the times your energy is at a peak is when you’re open to doing the most and getting your ideas on paper.  Depending upon your business, you may only have a small percentage of the work affect a huge amount of the results, put your focus here and delegate the rest.  Review this article and learn more about these and a few other productivity tips.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40588089/5-ceos-share-their-best-productivity-tips

6 Pretty Clear Signs You’re Being Taken Advantage of at Work

The Muse Article:

Do you seem to have more work than you should?  Are people handing you a lot of things to do but these tasks have nothing to do with the work you’re supposed to be focused on?  It’s possible you’re being taken advantage of at work.  There’s nothing wrong with helping others when they need it, you’re supposed to be on the same team, but if you’re not being thanked, compensated, or able to take time off because of the amount of work others dump on your lap, you’re likely being taken advantage of.  It’s probably time for you to start telling others that you can’t do the extra work that’s been dropped on your desk for a while.  You may need to discuss with your boss what’s going on so that you don’t end up being burned out.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/6-signs-taken-advantage-of-at-work?ref=recently-published-1

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Let Your Career Benefit from What You Do Today

Are you being manipulated at work?  Do you have the most productive workday possible?  Do you want to better yourself while you’re on vacation?  For the most part, many of us can answer “yes” to all three of these questions but we have to make the choice to make changes that will impact our lives in a positive way.  The most difficult of the three is recognizing a person at work who is manipulating you and the rest of the team, even if it’s unintentionally.  In order to create the workday that allows you to get more done, you have to have a schedule that gives you the right path to success.  While on vacation, you might not want to think about work.  There are some books you can read that won’t make you think about work but will allow you to improve yourself.

10 Techniques Used by Manipulators (and How to Fight Them)

Inc. Article:

You might actually be working with a psychopath and not even know it.  Not everyone who meets the clinical definition of a psychopath runs around in the woods with a mask and a chainsaw.  Most are seemingly normal people who work and live in our lives every day.  Unfortunately, these people are often extremely manipulative and will try and change your thoughts, twist your mind, and make you feel bad about yourself and your team in order to gain their own advantage.  It’s important to recognize when these things are happening and how you can avoid the manipulation and even fight against it.  You want to build a positive team and grow with that team, but if you have a person on your team that’s manipulative, that’s going to be difficult to do.  Review this article and learn how to fight against manipulation in your personal and professional life.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/10-popular-techniques-used-by-manipulators-and-how-to-fight-them.html?cid=nl029week27day06_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=06072018

Want to Schedule a Productive Workday? Follow These 4 Really Simple Strategies.

Entrepreneur Article:

The old advice of “working smarter and not harder” and adding multitasking to your list of skills are tired, worn out and useless in most workplaces.  You can work hard and smart at the same time when you plan your workday appropriately and have a schedule of events you want and need to complete.  It’s important to plan what you’re going to do and then put your focus into one task at a time.  This means you’ve got a goal in mind and set out each day to accomplish a specified amount of work while you also make sure you work hard to get the items done that are on your to-do list.  Check out this article and learn how to make your workday more productive.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/316183

7 Perfect Books to Read on the Beach, According to Famous Billionaires

Inc. Article:

Your summer vacation time is coming up and you’re looking forward to the fact that you’re going to sit on the beach, enjoy the waves lapping up on the shore, and totally disengage from the rest of the world.  While this might work for a few hours, unless you have something to engage your mind, you’re likely going to think about work at some point.  Many of us will bring books along to read and enjoy which will certainly take you into a different world and let you keep your mind off work. The books that are listed in this article can help you think about becoming a better version of yourself without making you think about your job and what’s going on while you’re out by the ocean trying to recharge your batteries.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/7-perfect-books-to-read-on-beach-according-to-famous-billionaires.html?cid=nl029week27day06_4&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=06072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Take Advantage of the Motivation, Focus, and Politeness You Can Learn

Put some of the tools you can cultivate and grow to the test and let them help you become successful.  You can find more motivation by reading the right book and learning from it, finding the focus you need to make more time for the items and activities that are more important in your life, and you can be polite and show others how gracious you can be on your way toward the level of success you want to enjoy in your life.  Motivation, focus, and politeness are all important factors in your life and things you can cultivate and improve as you work your way toward the level of success you want to experience.  Check out what these articles have to help guide you where you want to go.

Want Instant Motivation? Read This Book Now.

Inc. Article:

You make a number of important choices every day that help you go from where you are now toward your goals.  Unfortunately, there are many times when your day is filled with the same as the previous one and you may begin to have a feeling of a lack of motivation.  This could be due to the mindset that you have and it might be time to change your thought process.  With that in mind, there’s a book you need to read and put to work in your life.  You can learn how to change your mindset to think bigger and be more motivated than you ever have in the past.  This book can offer you the path to a much higher level of motivation which will help you achieve the goals you’ve got for yourself in order to step up and reach even greater goals.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-p-hardy/the-1-book-you-need-to-read-or-re-read-to-get-an-immediate-book-in-motivation.html?cid=nl029week27day03_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=03072018

How to Focus on What’s Important, Not Just What’s Urgent

Harvard Business Review Article:

Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to know how to see the big picture and make it a more important part of your life.  Unless you want to continue to move from one small fire to another putting them out all day long, you’re going to need to find time to put focus and energy into what’s important.  What do you want to do with your life?  Do you want to make an impact on the world, be a bigger part of your community, and spend more time with your children?  If so, it’s time to do these things and make the activities that are more important to you what you make more time for.  This article can help you see the path toward making the important things in your life a much greater priority.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/07/how-to-focus-on-whats-important-not-just-whats-urgent

15 Quotes to Encourage Better Business Etiquette (A Little Politeness Never Hurt Anyone)

Inc. Article:

Being polite is a choice that you can make and utilize in your daily life.  Just because business is often associated with war and it feels like you either need to step on others to get ahead or get stepped on yourself, doesn’t mean you can’t be polite.  Because you know you’re not going to be able to make everyone happy finding a way to be nice in every situation could lead you to learn more about what you need to do and how you can grow your business. Take a look at the quotes of encouragement in this article and learn more about how politeness can help you engage with those who can teach you, those who can help you grow, and those who can support you in your success.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/15-quotes-to-encourage-better-business-etiquette-a-little-politeness-never-hurt-anyone.html?cid=nl029week27day03_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=03072018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Your Motivation and Skill Can Take You Down the Right Career Path

Do you have the skill to enter a new industry?  Do you share success with your team and help them stay motivated?  Have you built a network and reputation that has to do with quality rather than quantity?  These are all important factors to build success in your career.  Make sure you cultivate your relationships to ensure your network is about give and take with a focus on your reputation.  Celebrate success and recognize when the business you’ve been building becomes real.  Take a look at how your skills will be able to cross from one industry to another and provide you with the changes you’ve been looking for.  There are many paths to career success; which one is right for you?

Networking: Just Do It

Inside Higher Ed Article:

Whether you like to network or you don’t, whether you think it’s an important part of your business or you don’t, the fact is, networking is necessary.  When you network well and make connections with people who also make other connections for you, you’ll be able to grow and build the reputation you want as long as you offer something to those in your network.  It’s important to remember that networking is all about building a relationship and offering those you connect with something they don’t have but need.  Don’t focus as much on building a brand as on building the network of people and businesses you work with.  The quality you offer and the way you communicate will make a bigger difference in your networking ventures than simply growing a large number of followers or connections that don’t mean much at all.

Full Article:

http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2018/06/28/getting-past-common-obstacles-effective-networking-early-tenure-track-opinion

9 Words Elon Musk Just Used to Motivate Employees. You Should Steal 7 of Them

Inc. Article:

After spending a long time trying to figure out how to build a number of cars that can actually compete with the larger manufacturers and falling short several times, Tesla reached a production goal.  The goal was to be able to build 5,000 cars per week by the end of the second quarter of this year.  That goal was reached just after midnight on Jun 30.  This led to an email sent by Elon Musk in which he said: “I think we just became a real car company.”  These nine words make a profound statement of being competitive in the chosen market and all but the final two words can be applied to any business you choose to be in.  Put these words to the test and see if your business is competing on the right level in your industry.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/john-brandon/9-words-elon-musk-just-used-to-motivate-employees-you-should-steal-7-of-them.html?cid=nl029week27day02_5&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=02072018

7 Steps to Rebrand Yourself for a Career Change

Fast Company Article:

When it’s time to make a change in your career and begin to grow into a new field, you’re likely going to find that you have several skills that can be offered in a new industry to be part of the change you need to create for yourself.  Whether you’re looking to change locations and build your brand in a new place or you’re trying to create a new career path in your current town, you’re going to want to learn about the positions available and build up the experience to show that you can assist and participate in the new field you choose.  Take a look through this article and make your way through the steps to see how you can enter a new industry and start on a new path.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40585926/7-steps-to-rebrand-yourself-for-a-career-change

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Establishing the Right Mindset for Your Career Will Make You Successful

If you roll your eyes whenever you hear the term “work smart, not hard” you’ve probably learned a long time ago that you need to work both hard and smart.  The work you want to accomplish in a day has to begin with a morning ritual that works for you.  Try different things to get your day going, but make sure you have a routine that gives you the energy and allows you to be excited by your day and what you can get done.  As you become a leader in your industry, you’re going to need to establish boundaries that allow you to be successful at work and at home so that you can continually perform at a high level.

‘Work Smart, Not Hard’ Is a Lie: Why Smart Is Nice but its Hard that Matters

Entrepreneur Article:

We’ve heard this phrase uttered many times and in a variety of ways.  This simple statement tells us that if we find a way to be more efficient, we can work fewer hours and get just as much done.  While that might be one goal to strive for, if you’re looking to be a high achiever, set your own standard and break through them, or venture out on your own, you’re going to have no choice but to put in the long hours to get more done than you ever thought you could.  By setting a standard of getting more done in less time, you’re limiting yourself.  By working from home you’re missing the personal touch and the contact with others.  By performing only to the deadlines, you’re going to be an average performer. 

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315381

5 Tips for Creating a Morning Ritual That Sticks

Forbes Article:

The morning ritual that you create for yourself has to be one that makes you excited to greet the day, sets the positive tone for your entire day, and allows you to be as productive as you want to be.  Preferably, your ritual will not involve a computer screen, but if checking emails and messages before you go for a morning jog or start your meditation works well for you, go right ahead.  The point is, you’ve got to establish what works for you and not worry about what others are doing.  You can take advice from other people, learn about some of the most productive morning routines, and then create the one that offers you the benefits and the success in your daily life that you’re going to want.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandradouwes/2018/06/25/5-tips-for-creating-a-morning-ritual-that-sticks/#250ceb175e39

The Most Successful Leaders Make These 4 Boundaries Clear

Inc. Article:

You can’t be a successful leader if you don’t make sure you’re able to live your life.  As a leader, you have to realize that you’re human, not a robot and need to be taken care of and have time for yourself, for others, and for business.  Because of this, you need to set standards and create boundaries that are going to allow you the ability to put your energies where you need to.  Don’t say “yes” to everything, you won’t have time for the work you need to get done.  Make sure the products and services you offer will bring the profits and relationships you desire.  Avoid committing too much time and effort to social media connections.  Make certain you have time for yourself to unwind and recharge after a long day.  Ensure your boundaries are clearly communicated and you’ll be able to enjoy being a successful leader.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/carol-sankar/4-boundaries-you-must-implement-today-to-become-a-successful-leader.html?cid=nl029week26day29_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=29062018

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

Letting the Numbers Guide You in Your Career Today

Have you seen the level of toxicity grow in your workplace lately?  Do you know how to achieve more and think the right way?  Are you making sure you get to keep more of your money every month?  These are important things to learn as you grow in your career.  If you work in a toxic environment you’re going to be faced with the challenge of finding a way to turn it around or survive until a change can be made.  When you learn to think like an entrepreneur you’ll be able to keep the focus you need to get more done.  If you live on less than you earn every month, you can save money and invest rather than waste it on items that won’t allow you to invest and save for the future.

5 Signs of a Toxic Workplace that Should be Stopped Immediately

Inc. Article:

Toxicity in the workplace is often easy to see and hard to ignore.  When your team engages in toxic behaviors they aren’t able to be as productive as you need them to be.  The challenge for you is to not only recognize when gossip is spreading or the morale is low, but also to know what you can and should do about it.  Often, it will take time to turn things around, but when some toxic behavior takes place, it needs to be stopped right away because a continued environment of negative behavior can only lead to an unproductive workplace and a team that’s not cohesive at all.  Whether you’re faced with a manger that dictates and doesn’t lead or you notice that people tend to work in solitude, you need to take a look at this article and learn what you can do to help change the toxicity level in your workplace.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/5-signs-of-a-toxic-workplace-that-should-be-stopped-immediately.html?cid=nl029week26day27_5&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=27062018

5 Ways Everyone Can Achieve More by Thinking Like an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur Article:

Even when you’re not planning to venture out on your own, there are several qualities of what many entrepreneurs think about and work to achieve on a regular basis.  These folks are the self-starters that are able to face the world while relying only on their own capabilities and skills to help them achieve the level of success desired.  You’ll certainly admire the fact that entrepreneurs have a knack for being able to stay present, which can be one of the most important aspects of being successful.  Learn how to achieve more by thinking more like the leaders and the self-starters around you, even if you’re not going to venture out and start your own company.  These skills can certainly serve you well throughout your career.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/314730

All Truly Wealthy People Know This 1 Important Financial Secret

Inc. Article:

It may sound boring and tired, but the fact remains that the only true way to become wealthy and have more money and assets in your life is to live beneath your means.  When you live above your means you’re going to go into debt with credit cards and loans that are difficult to pay off.  While most of us will never pay cash for a home, you could save enough to pay cash for cars, for the clothes you wear, and for your regular entertainment.  When you have money left at the end of the month that’s not allocated to a debt or a bill, you can put it aside and begin to build up wealth in order to buy assets and invest in a way that will build the wealth you want to enjoy.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/quora/all-truly-wealthy-people-know-this-1-important-financial-secret.html?cid=nl029week26day28_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=28062018

 

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

 

The Contributions You Make in Your Career Start Today

Are you tired of sitting in or hosting meetings where not much actually gets done?  The discussions are watered down for the vast audience and a deeper dive never seems to take place.  Do you have great ideas that are never listened to?  You’re going to need to advocate for yourself in order to have your voice heard.  Is your workday unbalanced with very little being accomplished?  It’s possible that time you spend in the morning on exercise and meditation should be put into your work in order to give you the best results.  You need to contribute to the results that you want to enjoy in your career.  This means changing the way meetings are conducted and the number of people in the room, getting louder and being heard, and working to create the most productive daily routine for the success you want to enjoy.

The Most Productive Meetings Have Fewer Than 8 People

Harvard Business Review Article:

Smaller meetings can be more productive than those that bring in a large group because the conversation can be narrowed and topics can be more specific.  Too often, businesses expect managers to run meetings that involve leaders of several departments or the entire group, but this isn’t the best way to have a meeting that’s going to actually get things done.  When you want to get things done, smaller is better.  Think of the one on one conversations you have and how easily you and one other person can come to a conclusion and learn more about what you need to do.  Expand this a bit and if you host a meeting with just those that will have a direct impact on the topics discussed, you’re going to have much better results from your meetings.  Review this article to learn how to handle the politics of this productivity change and start getting more out of your meetings.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/06/the-most-productive-meetings-have-fewer-than-8-people

How to Realistically Deal When Nobody Listens to You at Work

The Muse Article:

There’s a difference between having great ideas that can be well-received and dolling out items that can’t be implemented at all.  If you’re spending time in meetings offering up ideas that are simple changes and being ignored, you need to find ways to advocate for yourself in order to have your idea heard, but if this doesn’t work you need to take a deeper dive.  Discuss your frustrations with your manager and find out whether your ideas are ones that seem to have no merit, you need to learn more about the industry, or its time to begin to look for a different job because you aren’t going to be taken seriously or listened to at all.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-deal-when-nobody-listens-to-you-at-work

This Morning Routine Will Save You 20+ Hours a Week

Inc. Article:

Working when your energy levels are at their peak makes sense.  This is a time when you’re going to be able to produce the best results.  Does this mean you need to get rid of the early morning exercise routine?  Should you stop performing your early morning meditation?  Possibly you simply need to have a shift in your schedule that will allow you to get more done.  If you start with work and you add protein to your body right away, you’re going to find the first few hours of your day are much more productive.  Once you’ve completed a few hours of work and need an extended break, you can do your workout or you can meditate.  This shift in your routine and your mindset could easily offer you the results you’ve been missing.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-p-hardy/this-morning-routine-will-save-you-20-hours-per-w.html?cid=nl029week26day25_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=25062018

Be the Leader You Want to Be and Ask for Help in Your Career

You may have slow days and you may have days where the work piles up.  You might be a leader that needs to understand how to delegate so that you can focus on the global vision of the company, or you might want to be able to save money even though you aren’t making any more than you did last year.  Make sure you understand what you need to take on as your own tasks and what you can give to others.  Respect the time of your coworkers by knowing how to ask for their help when you need to.  Save money so that you can feel comfortable working in the job you do while making the money you’re already making.  Doing these things will help you have a successful career and enjoy what you’re doing.

4 Tasks Successful Leaders Should Delegate

Entrepreneur Article:

When you’re a leader in your company, it can be difficult to understand what tasks are ones you need to take on and keep your eye on at all times and which ones you need to give to others to complete.  Just because you’re a leader doesn’t make you the best person to get everything done.  In fact, most of the work that needs to get done should be completed by those who work for you and that you lead.  You might be fantastic at managing the processes for your company but that doesn’t make you a creative person.  Allow those that are better at creating a solution and thinking in a different way to handle these tasks.  If you’re not an IT person, you’re going to want to leave these tasks to those who are the experts.  In a leadership role, you need to take a more global approach to your company, check out this article and learn more about delegation.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315160

Drowning in Work? Here’s How to Ask a Colleague for Help.

Harvard Business Review Article:

You know that you need help, but you’re not sure how you can ask others to lend a hand to what you need to get done.  When you’re facing a mountain of work it can be easy to feel like you need to throw your hands in the air and give up, but that’s not the answer.  Instead of giving up, ask for help but do so in a constructive manner.  The right way to ask others, who also are likely facing their own pile of work, for help is to ask for specific help on tasks and projects.  Don’t be general find some help with the things you need to get done by respecting the time others are willing to give you.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/06/drowning-in-work-heres-how-to-ask-a-colleague-for-help

25 Ways to Save Money Without Making a Dime More Than You Did a Year Ago

Inc. Article:

If you spend a lot of time wondering why you’re in the job you currently hold because of the lack of money you make there are a couple of solutions.  One is to change jobs, but if you love your job, this might not be what you want to do.  Another solution is to find ways to save money without making any more than you did in the past.  This article is filled with excellent advice to help you save money even though you’re not making more than you did last year.  This way, you don’t have to give up the job that you love, but you can build wealth and save the money you need over the next few years.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/25-ways-to-save-money-without-a-making-a-dime-more.html?cid=nl029week25day22_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=22062018

 

To learn more about my career coaching services, visit https://surpassyourdreams.com/

 

Think Right, Stay in Shape, and Offer Your Expertise during Your Career

It’s sad that older workers are often looked at as no longer beneficial to some companies.  These are the folks we should rely on for advice as to what not to do and gain from their experience, which Mercedes has thankfully begun to do.  Are you out of shape and stuck behind a desk every day?  If so, find some easy ways to get back in shape and avoid gaining unwanted weight.  Do you know how to think strategically?  This is an important part of growing and understanding the company needs that can help you become promoted.  Take a look at these three articles and learn how to value older employees, stay in shape when you’re in a sedentary job and think more strategically about what needs to get done for your company.

Young at Heart? Mercedes Cultivates its Aging Workforce

Reuters Article:

While Mercedes has recognized an aging workforce in Germany, what to do to make sure those who are getting along in years are still viewed as viable and important in the workforce can be a challenge.  Even though many younger generations may understand and utilize technology more than older ones, doesn’t mean those who are in the middle of their lives or beyond won’t be able to contribute to the workforce, but a mindset shift is needed.  Mercedes has found a way to make sure everyone understands that workers of all ages are able to contribute and be an important part of what happens at Mercedes and around Germany.  The older workforce is being cultivated to offer the expertise that only comes with years of experience and the wisdom to know what should and shouldn’t be done, which can be passed down to younger generations.

Full Article:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-world-work-daimler/young-at-heart-mercedes-cultivates-its-aging-workforce-idUSKBN1JF0BW

4 Easy Ways to Stay in Shape When You Work from Home

Inc. Article:

When you work from home you have a flexible schedule, which is a huge benefit.  Unfortunately, that flexibility often comes to a head when you get behind or you need to get more done in a week than you would have normally planned.  If you’re beginning to get out of shape because you’re spending hours on end behind a computer, you need to find ways to make sure you can stay in shape or get back in shape, which can fit into your schedule.  The advice in this article can work great not only for those who work from home and are seated behind a computer for hours on end but also for those who spend time in an office and have to sit behind a computer all day as well.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/this-simple-routine-is-best-way-for-desk-workers-to-stay-in-shape.html?cid=nl029week25day20_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=20062018

How to Be a Strategic Thinker

Society for Human Resource Management Article:

Whether you’re part of the HR team and need to understand how your job is affected by the turnover experienced and the different strategies of the company, or you simply want to be more involved as you move up the leadership ladder, understanding how to be a strategic thinker is important.  Do you know how to prioritize your time so that you can focus on the projects that will make the greatest impact in your company?  Do you know how to be nimble in your thought process to be able to move from one item to another and accept change when it needs to take place?  These are only a couple of the aspects of thinking strategically that you can develop and understand in order to become a much better leader and think about the needs of the company you work for.

Full Article:

https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/conference-today/Pages/2018/How-to-Be-a-Strategic-Thinker.aspx

Are You Ready to Be Promoted in Your Career? Are You Sure?

One of the most frustrating aspects of working is the time it can take to be promoted in your company.  Sometimes you can work in the same job for several years before a promotion comes open, and when it does you aren’t even considered.  This should bring up questions of why this has happened and what you need to do in order to be promoted if you truly want to be considered for a new job with more responsibilities.  Make sure your boss knows you want to be promoted and begin to have conversations with them regarding what steps you need to take in order to be considered for the next leadership position that opens up.  You have to be in charge of your own career; check out these articles and learn more about steps you may need to take.

What to Do When Your Boss Won’t Advocate for You

Harvard Business Review Article:

Are you being passed up for promotions on a regular basis?  Have you asked your boss why this is or figured out the reason?  If you have done everything you can to be considered for promotion, and your boss tells you that you’re ready for the next step, it’s possible your boss isn’t advocating for you.  There could be many reasons for this, and if it’s the case, let your boss off the hook and begin to figure out how you can get promoted without their help.  This means you may need to find another person to advocate for you and, you might need to build your network inside and outside your company to build a strong support team.  You can get promoted within your organization without your boss advocating for you, but make sure you’re ready to be promoted before you start looking for other support for your upward career move.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/06/what-to-do-when-your-boss-wont-advocate-for-you

You Get Positive Performance Reviews by No Promotion? Seven Reasons Your Career Has Stalled

Forbes Article:

No one actually enjoys conflict in the workplace and your manager may not be comfortable providing you with negative feedback regarding your performance.  Because of this, you may have been given positive performance reviews but never a chance for promotion because your performance isn’t all positive.  Some people are blindsided by being put on a performance improvement plan, and you may not fall in this category, but your performance may not be where it needs to be for a promotion either.  It’s also possible you aren’t performing at a level that would bring you a promotion even though your performance is great for the job you’re doing.  You also might need to make sure your boss knows you’re interested in being promoted, check out this article for other reasons why your career has stalled.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2018/06/16/you-get-positive-performance-reviews-but-no-promotion-seven-reasons-your-career-has-stalled/#57d8dbde7574

Asking this One Question Can Make You Feel Like You Have More Time

Fast Company Article:

Feeling like you have more time is about making more memories and remembering more of the events that have taken place in your life.  Older generations were great at making memories every day by journaling the events that took place, but today we use smartphones for much of the journaling and its done and out of our minds so quickly that we don’t remember most of it. Making certain you have something different every day makes it easy for you to be able to create memories and feel like you’ve had a full life.  With that in mind, you need to find ways to make each day more memorable and create events that cause you to cherish the life you have.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40580844/asking-this-one-question-can-make-you-feel-like-you-have-more-time

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for Career Success

You can have the education that shows you’ve learned about your field, you can have the understanding of what to do on a daily basis, and you can have the right network to give you advice, but some tools have to come from within.  Do you sometimes feel uninspired but you still need to lead your team?  Have you begun freelance work only to find you’re lonely and unsure of yourself?  Do you know what you need to do for the next six months to achieve your year-end goals or have you given up?  Take a look at these three articles and add a few more tools to your arsenal to make sure you can reach the level of success you’ve want to enjoy.

How to Inspire Your Team When You’re Feeling Uninspired

Fast Company Article:

If you’re truthful with your team it will be easy for them to tell when you’re not feeling at your best or like you can put your best self out there.  These are the times when you’re the most challenged to make sure you can continue to lead your team with the proper level of inspiration that’s needed for them to get the job done.  When this happens you may need to dig deeper to find the inspiration that will allow you to have the feeling you want and the quality of work that you’re used to being able to produce.  It’s also possible you need your team to inspire you and show you how they can come to bat for you.  This is a great opportunity for those you work with to show you how much they can support you and help you regain your inspired feeling.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40580832/how-to-inspire-your-team-when-youre-feeling-uninspired

How to Overcome the 5 Top Challenges of Remote Freelance Work

Entrepreneur Article:

Whether you choose to work remotely as a freelancer as part of a side gig or you’re going to make it your entire source of income, there are some obstacles and challenges that you’re going to face along the way.  It can be difficult to promote yourself and get your name out where you want it in order to gain the work and the clients you’re ready to work with.  It can also be tough to work alone, which may mean you need to find a great way to work with others while working independently.  Freelance work can be rewarding and offer you a freeing schedule and the lifestyle you want, but it does come with its own set of challenges that you’ll have to learn to overcome.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/314841

Putting These 6 Habits Into Place Today Will Help You Achieve Your Year-End Goals

Inc. Article:

It may only be June, but you should have your eye on the end of the year and where you stand today in relation to the goals you set at the beginning of the year.  Bring your goals back out and review them to see where you are.  If you’re on track and your progress is on schedule or ahead of it, you can keep on going the same way you have, but if not, you’re going to want to take a look at the habits in this article.  You can put these six habits into place today and begin to make the strides needed to reach the goals you have in mind to ensure success at the end of the year.  There are only six more months left in the year for you to reach the goals you set; are you going to achieve them?

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/megy-karydes/start-these-6-habits-right-now-to-help-you-reach-your-end-of-year-goals.html?cid=nl029week24day15_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=15062018

Is your Life Getting in the Way of Your Career Goals?

One of the toughest challenges we face is a balance between work and life.  Whether you’ve been one of the people that roll in on Monday morning looking like the weekend won the battle but gave you several stories to tell, or you’re the person who has what appears to be an organized and structured lifestyle, your life outside of work can help you achieve more in your career.  Do you have the right mindset and know how to avoid becoming burned out?  Are you getting enough sleep every night to make sure you’re refreshed and ready to meet the day?  Do you know how to achieve your goals and become one of the few that actually sets a goal and takes steps every day to achieve it?  Let these three articles guide you toward being more successful starting today.

Science Says Only 8 Percent of People Actually Achieve Their Goals. Here are 7 Things They Do Differently

Inc. Article:

The amount of advice regarding how to achieve a goal and what you need to do along the way is daunting enough that often you won’t get going on the path toward the goals you have in mind.  Instead of creating a mindset of failure, find a way to achieve the goals you set and be part of the eight percent that have done so.  Ask yourself important questions that will make your goals easier to achieve and keep you on the right path toward success.  In order to reach the goals you’ve set in place, you need to be extremely specific about what you want to get done and how you should go about taking steps toward your goals every day.  Read through this article and learn more about achieving the goals you’ve set in place.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/science-says-only-8-percent-of-people-actually-achieve-their-goals-here-are-7-things-they-do-differently.html?cid=nl029week24day13_5&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=13062018

These 5 Mindful Habits Will Keep You from Burning Out

Entrepreneur Article:

Your mind is a terrible thing to waste and if your focus is on the negative or you have trouble engaging because you’re on the verge of burning out, you’re wasting your mind.  In order to keep your mind and your mindset healthy, you may need to reduce the number of things that clutter your life and your mind.  Begin to minimize your space and learn to say “no” to tasks and projects that don’t excite you.  One of the most important things you can do to avoid burning out is giving yourself some play time.  Whether you play on the weekends or each night after you’re done working, learning to play again can be stimulating and help you get away from the struggles of your work environment to refresh your mindset.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/314189

The ‘8 Hours of Sleep’ Rule is a Myth.  Here’s What You Should Do Instead

Inc. Article:

The idea that you can achieve eight hours of sleep every night is something that many of us would love to be able to turn into a reality, but it’s extremely difficult.  The fact is, most of us don’t fall right to sleep as soon as we hit the covers.  We read, we watch TV, we check our notifications on our smartphones or computers, and we worry about life.  Studies show that people who get to be eight hours before they have to get back up actually only sleep about seven hours.  If you want to be able to fall asleep faster or come much closer to the eight hours you might need, you need to have a good sleep routine and make your environment more conducive for sleep.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/julian-hayes-ii/the-8-hours-of-sleep-rule-is-a-myth-heres-what-you-should-do-instead.html?cid=nl029week24day13_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=13062018

Keep Engaged in Your Career and Make the Most of Every Day

Do you find that your team interprets your directions in ways you don’t mean for them to?  Do you have several different interests that you want to enjoy and experience, but you feel like you’re stuck doing the same thing every day?  How much are you getting done before 9 a.m. and is this part of your day that you make the most of?  Answer these questions and if you need to improve in any of these areas, you’re going to want to take a look at the three articles listed here to gain some perspective and direction.  You can stay engaged and have an amazing career when you make every day count for you so that you can have the results you’ve been looking for.

3 Reasons Leaders Should Be More Specific

Inc. Article:

Giving general information that provides several ways to interpret what’s expected often leads to frustration because different people will interpret the direction in a variety of ways.  When you are specific with your instructions and let those you’re working with know what you expect, things get done the right way.  That’s because specificity offers you the opportunity to give purpose to the direction you’re giving, it allows your team to build trust in you and you in them, and it saves time and money.  Imagine a project that you think is nearly completed only to find that some items need to be redone in order to bring the project to completion.  This can be extremely frustrating, time-consuming, and makes for a disgruntled team.  Keep your team happy and your projects on the right course by being specific with the instructions that you provide.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/john-hall/this-communication-skill-is-key-to-strong-leadership.html?cid=nl029week24day11_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=11062018

How to Stay Excited at Work When You Have 1,000 Different Interests

The Muse Article:

Taking on a job that has the same tasks assigned day after day, week after week, can be exhausting and frustrating if you have the desire to get up, get out, and do something new and exciting.  Just because you have different interests doesn’t mean you have to be in a rut and never get to experience the things you want to do.  You can start a side gig and make an extra income from some of the things you like to do, or you can explore some of the hobbies you have and enjoy them when you’re not at work.  At work, you could pick up special projects that help you stretch and grow your skills or shift your role to take on a few new challenges that can aid the company and keep you engaged.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-be-happy-work-1000-different-interests

6 Things Successful People Do Before 9 a.m.

Entrepreneur Article:

The time before 9 a.m. can be your best time of the day if you make the most of it by doing something that will make a difference in your day.  This is a great time for you to get some exercise, have your breakfast, and begin to get some of the items done that you don’t want to put off until later in the day.  Use this time to get some of your errands done, as long as the places you need to visit are open, and make a plan for what the rest of your day looks like.  This could also be the perfect time for you to carve out and learn something new or expand on what you know to experience more fun and learn what you want to know to be able to grow.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/314388

Patience, Responsibility, and Discipline are Traditional Qualities of Career Success

Information and expectations may be coming at you faster than you can handle but you might need to slow down.  You’ve finally reached the level of financial success that you always wanted, but how do you properly manage your money.  Do you have the disciple to see things through and create the right habits in your career?  While patience, responsibility, and discipline might sound like qualities that your grandparents valued and have lost their luster, the fact is, these three qualities are extremely important in today’s world as much as they were in the past.  If you’re in a new leadership position show these qualities and your team will thank you for it as you work to gain their trust and acceptance as the leader they want to follow.

Why New Leaders Should Be Wary of Quick Wins

Harvard Business Review Article:

When you’ve made your way to the leadership team of a company, it’s important to understand people and relationships more than processes and results.  This may seem counter to the communication you receive as those around you expect to see tangible results, but the fact is you need to gain the loyalty of those you lead and manage to have sustained success.  Leadership isn’t just about meeting goals and producing results, it’s also about getting others to buy into what you’re doing and the goals you’ve set.  This may mean a slowing of your thought process and the rollout of the new ideas you have that will eventually need to be implemented.  Take it slow and let everyone get used to small changes and you’re going to see positive results in the work that’s done and build relationships with your team the right way.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/06/why-new-leaders-should-be-wary-of-quick-wins

9 Personal-Finance Secrets of Successful, Wealthy People

Inc. Article:

Once you’ve finally reached the financial success you’ve been after, it’s time to figure out what to do with the money you’ve earned over the time in your business.  You took the time and the risk to build a business that has resulted in wealth that you’ve never seen before, and you might think your financial challenges are over, but they are just beginning.  For those who have wealth, much is expected and you will be expected to help others and invest wisely in order to maintain and grow the money you’ve made.  Too many people reach a financial status of wealth only to lose it because they aren’t smart with their money.  Take a look at this article and learn how to manage the money you’ve made to make it last much longer for you.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/magazine/201806/harold-pollack/index-card-windfall-financial-advice.html?cid=nl029week23day08_4&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=08062018

This Tech CEO Started Out as a High School Janitor – Here’s the No. 1 Thing He Learned About Getting Ahead

CNBC Article:

Facing the challenges of growing up can be difficult for most people.  As awkward teenagers and young adults, finding our place in the world can be a challenge and understanding what it takes to become successful even more of a challenge.  Thankfully, Mark Testoni, CEO of SAP National Security Services, had a father that helped him understand discipline by helping him get a job as a high school janitor.  This led him to understand the importance of showing up, doing a good job, and performing his best every day.  The path of discipline is something that’s often lost in the workforce today, but it’s a necessary aspect of a professional career for anyone that wants to be a success.  Review this article and figure out how you can apply discipline to your own life.

Full Article:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/07/sap-national-security-services-ceo-mark-testonis-top-tip-for-success.html

Learning and Leading Go Together in Your Career

If you’re not spending some time every day learning something, you’re likely going to become stagnant and not be able to move forward in your career.  While we consume more information than ever, we also don’t learn the way we should.  Take a deeper dive and understand the qualities that need to be in place to become a manager, to avoid a toxic workplace, and to make you an expert in your chosen field.  When you spend the time trying to learn and study a topic over several months, it becomes easier for you to focus and learn at work when a multitude of items are coming at you quickly.  Make learning the basis of your daily life and you’re going to see growth in your career and in your personal life that doesn’t come from skimming the headlines and never taking the deeper dive into a topic.

Become a More Productive Learner

Harvard Business Review Article:

There was a time when you spent years learning one topic and focusing on that single topic for hours at a time every day.  Today, that’s not the case at all.  We now consume more than five times the information we did in 1986 and most of the time we only take the time to read headlines and skim through an item, missing some of the necessary items that are included.  Our learning has taken a hit and hasn’t been able to recover.  If you want to understand how to learn and seriously dive into the deep end of a topic you’re going to employ a different approach to learning in order to get more out of what you’re ready to understand.  Take a look at this article and understand what it means to truly learn something versus being able to simply skim the surface and never take a deep dive.

Full Article:

https://hbr.org/2018/06/become-a-more-productive-learner

5 Signs You’re Ready to Be a Manager (That Have Nothing to Do With Being Good at Your Current Job)

The Muse Article:

There are plenty of tasks that managers have to handle that has nothing to do with the actual work that needs to get done.  If you’re in line for the next management position in your company you’re going to want to understand that the expectations of you will change from someone that produces results in a singular manner to someone that can lead a team toward a deadline to deliver the results for an entire project.  This means being able to answer questions, give up some of the control you once had, investing time and energy into others, and solving problems along the way.  Are you ready to do these things?  If you’re not sure, take a look at this article and gauge how it makes you feel.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-signs-that-youre-ready-to-be-a-manager?ref=recently-published-1

5 Unspoken Rules that Lead to a Toxic Culture

Inc. Article:

While you know the rules that are in place at your company and what they mean to your daily process, there are some rules that are more about common sense and really don’t need to be written down.  Have you been to meetings and never spoken up even when you’ve disagreed with the meeting topics?  Do you know that you need to put yourself forward in order to gain advancement in your company?  Are you someone that looks at taking every risk as a way to continue to get ahead?  Take a look at this article and understand there’s a lot of gray area in the world that you have to live in every day in order to get ahead and avoid creating a toxic culture.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/scott-mautz/5-unspoken-rules-that-lead-to-a-toxic-culture.html?cid=nl029week23day06_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=06062018

Succeed in You Career with the Confidence and Productivity You Need

How can you become more confident in your skills and in your judgment?  Do you know what it means to be productive and how to change your mindset to build habits that will sustain the productive results you’re looking for?  Have you figured out what success means for you?  When you can answer these questions you’re going to be on your way to realizing the potential you have inside you that needs to come out in your professional and personal life.  Take a look at these three articles and learn more about how you can build your confidence and change your mindset to be more productive on a daily basis.  Once you do, you’re going to be able to build the success you’ve been after.

Build Your Confidence in Three Months by Doing These 3 Things Now

Inc. Article:

Whether you’re faced with a challenge you’ve never met or you’re once again working on tasks you’ve mastered over time, the fact is you need the confidence to be able to perform at your best.  If you find that you often doubt yourself and look for ways to avoid tasks or to take on less than you should, it’s time to find a way to build your confidence and face the world with a head of steam instead of running from it.  You’ve seen both ends of the spectrum with the confident people strutting forward and gaining promotions to move up the ladder while those who lack confidence are stuck in the same endless job for years.  Which of these two groups would you rather be part of?  Make the positive changes and begin to grow your confidence today.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/laura-garnett/build-your-confidence-in-three-months-by-doing-these-3-things-now.html?cid=nl029week23day04_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04062018

This Well-Known Productivity Advice is Actually Pretty Bad

Fast Company Article:

The advice that you need to start your day with the most difficult task can often leave you frustrated and the task undone.  Instead of starting the day with the hardest item on your plate, or the tasks that you don’t enjoy, make a change and start with some easy and enjoyable tasks to build momentum and work better during your day.  What happens when you start with the most difficult task you face?  If you begin with this item, you could end up tossing the entire day away and being frustrated by the overall results of the day.  Instead, build some good thoughts and the feeling of accomplishment through the small and more enjoyable tasks that you face.  It might also be a good idea to schedule that difficult task to take part in the morning and part of the afternoon to give yourself a break where you need it.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40578005/this-well-known-productivity-advice-is-actually-pretty-bad

Most Successful People Share These 4 Qualities

Inc. Article:

What does success look like to you?  Can you define it for one day, one week, one month or even a year?  Can you define success for yourself over a lifetime or even for the next five years of your professional life?  You’re going to need to have the traits that help lead and guide you to success in order to feel that you’ve achieved your goals, and that begins with defining success for yourself.  Once you’ve done this, you can move on to understand what the traits that will allow you to achieve the success you desire are.  Are you willing to work hard even when things don’t go your way?  Can you handle feedback, even when it’s negative?  Take a look at this article to understand more about success and how to achieve it.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/john-hall/most-successful-people-share-these-4-qualities.html?cid=nl029week23day04_1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04062018

The Opportunities You Need in Your Career are All Around You

Have you noticed the various times when you’ve got a few minutes to sit back and relax or get something small done?  Have you been labeled as shy or introverted and want to know the difference?  Will you spend some time studying or working overseas in the near future and want to make it a success?  These are all opportunities for you to grow and perform your best.  Make the most of those little breaks in the day when you can get things done, even if it’s only small tasks.  Learn the differences between being shy or introverted and figure out how you need to address this label in your life.  Pack your bags and get excited to immerse yourself in a new culture and learn what you can while visiting abroad.

The Best Way to Use All Those 5 Minutes of Downtime Every Day

Fast Company Article:

Five minutes might not sound like much time at all, but you’re going to find that you’ll have these little breaks in your day many times.  While you could sit back and take a quick break, and if you’ve focused hard on several tasks for a while you deserve it, but you could also make use of this time and knock out some small tasks.  Whether you use the five minutes of downtime to take inventory of what you have to get done, plan your day or the next day, or get your mind prepared for the next big project, you can make use of this time as long as you’re ready for when it arrives.  Pay attention and see these little spurts of time in your day and you’ll be looked at as a productivity wizard.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40572559/the-best-way-to-use-all-those-5-minutes-of-downtime-every-day

Are You Shy or Introverted?  Science Says This is the Difference Between Them

Inc. Article:

If you’ve been told you’re shy or you know you’ve been labeled as introverted, you might have thought these two things were interchangeable.  The problem is, they aren’t, and if you’re simply introverted you’re going to be able to handle social situations much better than if you’re shy.  An introverted person can perform in a social situation and act as normal as anyone else without anxiety, they just choose not to most of the time.  A shy person has a deeper challenge that causes them to react to situations that are social in nature.  There are several types of shyness and if you find that you’re actually shy and not introverted, you’re going to need to take some steps to be able to integrate socially into the world around you and become successful.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/are-you-shy-or-introverted-science-says-this-is-1-primary-difference.html?cid=nl029week22day31_5&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=31052018

4 Ways You Can Be Successful Working Overseas

CNBC Article:

Living and working in a foreign country can be a serious shock to any student or professional, but it can also offer you the view of another way of life and a culture that you’ve never experienced in the past.  Knowing that you’re going to have to learn a new language, handle cultural changes, and change your way of thinking can be a challenge, but you can handle it if you understand what you’re facing.  It’s important to learn and find ways to immerse yourself in the culture and practices of the country you’re in while you work.  There might be different work habits, some aspects of working will be a challenge to learn, but once you master the way another culture does things and learn how to act, you’re going to enjoy the experience and realize you’ve learned quite a bit from the experience.

Full Article:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/31/working-and-studying-in-the-us-advice-from-chinese-woman-who-did-it.html

Fear and Confusion are Hurdles You’ll Face in Your Career

Whether you’ve ventured out on your own or you have to make decisions for a large team, you’re going to face fear when in a position of leadership?  Have you been given a project you’re unsure of, do you see a productivity bottleneck in your team, do you need to know how to inspire your team to strive for success?  If you’re facing the challenges that come with fear and confusion, you need to identify what’s causing these feeling in order to make the necessary changes for growth, clarity, and understanding that will help your team achieve the success you’re looking for.  Check out these three articles to learn more about facing these challenges in your career.

5 Fears that Even High Achievers Have to Face

Forbes Article:

High achieving people have recognized there are two different types of fears that we all face.  The good fear is the kind that tells you not to put yourself in harm’s way and get run over by a bus or jump off a cliff while bad fear is that nagging voice in your head that puts doubt where confidence used to be.  If you want to be a high achiever you need to understand how to push away at the bad fears and create the awareness and confidence needed to be able to get things done.  Don’t be afraid to enter uncharted waters, be wrong at times, or work through the uneasiness of a new environment, these things mean you’re working toward being a high achiever and the stakes have grown to a point where you’re going to be able to grow and learn along the way to the success you’re looking for.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffboss/2018/05/27/5-unwanted-fears-that-high-achievers-face-anyway/#1e34cf677b55

Get a G.R.I.P. to Avoid Bottom-Line Bottleneck from Leadership Failures

Training Magazine Article:

Have you noticed that it takes a long time to get a project going and the process that’s going to be used needs to be discussed and learned with each project?  Is your team going in several different directions with each person acting as if they are working on the same project but actually working against each other instead of together?  Does the team know what the goal is for each project you provide them with?  If your team is struggling, the GRIP model can allow you to get the group together, on the same page, with the clarity and the direction needed to meet deadlines and avoid productivity bottlenecks that can hinder the progress you want to be able to achieve.

Full Article:

https://trainingmag.com/get-grip-avoid-bottom-line-bottleneck-leadership-failures/

The Question Smart People Ask When They’re Confused About an Assignment

The Muse Article:

Confusion can take place with any project and if you’re facing several months of working on a project you’re not sure about there are plenty of questions you can ask.  If your boss recently gave you a project and you’re confused, you can tell your boss that you’re lost or ask for more direction, but these two views may put you in the light of incompetence.  Instead, ask “what greater goal is this tied to?” This question will help your boss understand that you’re invested in helping the company grow and be successful and you’re looking for the purpose.  This is an important aspect of any project because you can then make all the work you do for the project with the mindset that you’re working toward something greater.  This question also allows your boss to explain the project to you again to allow you to have a back and forth conversation about the feedback you need.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/smart-question-ask-boss-confused-about-assignment?ref=recently-published-2

The Career Questions You Need Answered

When you’re promoted from a position as a manager to one of being a leader you have to change the way you do things, do you know how to make this transition?  Have you created a large network of people that barely connect with your or do you have a small and strong network that you know you can lean on for advice and guidance?  How do you handle feeling stalled and stagnant in your job?  When you answer these questions you can find a way to understand leadership, built the network that will benefit you, and know that you can push through a feeling of being stalled and unfulfilled at work in order to find the path that’s right for you.  Read through these articles and see how they can help you continue forward in your career.

What’s the Secret to Becoming a Leader? Stop Being a Boss.

Entrepreneur Article:

Being a manager that possesses some of the attributes of a leader makes it easier for you to transition from a managerial role into a leadership one.  Unfortunately, most of us don’t automatically possess the leadership skills that companies are looking for in order to lead others and show the way to success.  When you’re promoted from a managerial position into a position of leadership, you’re expected to see a bigger picture, inspire others to success that’s found in the future, and need to step back and stop getting involved in the daily operations of the company.  This is one of the toughest transitions for many of us who are moved from a position of being in the trenches with the team to one of guidance, coaching, and inspiration.  Take a look at this article and learn how you can be a better leader for your team.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/313388

The Networking Advice No One Tells You

Forbes Article:

While solving some problems requires you to try several different potential solutions to figure out which one works the best when you’re networking this doesn’t always produce the right network for you.  Most of the time, a network is built because of relationships that are given and take and if you build a network that’s too big you can’t support or give time to everyone that you reach out to and connect to.  This means you end up building a network of people who have only seen your name once or twice, not a network of those who truly want to connect and support you during your career.  Be strategic in the events and people you connect with, but don’t be narrow-minded or limiting in who you will allow connecting with you, but limit yourself to those you know you can support and who can help you along the way.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus/2018/05/22/the-networking-advice-no-one-tells-you/#6d372f8f7772

What to do When Your Job is Going Nowhere

Fast Company Article:

Your job might feel like it’s going nowhere at times, especially when you’ve spent several years in the same position and job.  The professional crowd of today is much different from those of the past which saw many people who were more than happy to spend thirty years in the same job, doing the same task, and then retires with a pension that carried them the rest of the way.  Today’s professionals are more ambitious and most of us don’t want to feel stagnant or stalled in our careers.  Review this article and learn more about how you can revitalize your mindset and find the results you want in your current job when you feel it’s not going anywhere at the time.

Full Link:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40570141/what-to-do-when-your-job-is-going-nowhere

Stomp on the Negativity that Can Happen in Your Career

As aggressive as stomping on something sounds, this is what you want to do when you’re in a career rut, are told “no” more often than you expect, and you’re dealing with toxic relationship traits.  Make that stomp one of positivity by finding a way out of the rut you feel you’re in to reach out and grow your network.  Find ways to turn the negative answers into positive ones when you’re looking for the next step in your career. Make sure you and your partner are working together to be a team and on the same team in your personal life.  By doing these things, you’ll stomp out the negativity and begin to see the positive results you want that lead to success.

5 Steps to Break Out of a Career Rut

Forbes Article:

No matter the industry you choose to work in, there are times when you feel like you’re in a rut and that your daily and weekly tasks are all the same.  This is the time when many of us will feel we need to find a new job and think seriously about doing something new.  Instead of changing jobs, which can be difficult, try to re-engage yourself and bring about the inspiration you need.  Make time to connect with those who can get you excited about what you’re doing and help you remember why you’re working in the industry you are.  This is also a great time to network and begin to add more connections with others that may have alternative views from you regarding the work you do.  If you’re really feeling in a rut, it might be time to find someone who will challenge you to grow with some stretch assignments.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2018/05/24/5steps-to-break-out-of-a-career-rut/#5882d8f8602e

This Female Leader Shares Why She Never Let “No” Stop Her

Entrepreneur Article:

Getting past the word “no” is an important part of the growing process in any profession.  In sales, you’ll hear “no” much more often than “yes” and when the economy is suffering and job openings are slim, those negative responses will fill up your life.  The challenge for you isn’t being told “no” it’s what you’ll do when you hear this word.  Are you looking at the response as a way to educate the other person to “know” more about you and understand what you can bring to the table?  Do you lick your wounds and try again in another way to try and turn that negative answer into a positive one?  The way you respond to being turned down for jobs, opportunities, and relationships can build your personality and resilience.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/310709

6 Toxic Relationship Habits that Most People Think Are Normal

Inc. Article:

Your happiness at home has a direct effect on the happiness you’re going to feel when you’re at work.  If you’re in a strong and supportive relationship, no matter how bad the work day is, you know you’re going home to see someone who has your back and offers you the support you need.  Unfortunately, if you or your partner are guilty of any of the habits found in this article you’re going to need to make changes in order to live well together or it might be time for you to find a different person to spend time with.  All of these habits are things that can be changed and may take time to work through, but all are toxic to your relationship.  Make the changes that will help you have a great relationship together and enjoy the support you need when you arrive at home.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/quora/6-toxic-relationship-habits-that-most-people-think-are-normal.html?cid=nl029week21day25_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=25052018

Making the Most of What’s Happening in Your Career

Do you set concrete goals for yourself and your team or are you continually aiming at a moving target?  Are you happy with where you live and work or is it time to land your dream job in a different city?  Have you figured out how to make the most of the breaks you have on a daily basis?  These are certain things you need to think about and items you can make changes for today.  If you’re not setting concrete goals, take some time to figure out what you want your career to look like.  If you want to live and work in a different city, start researching and connecting with those where you want to work.   Make the most of your downtime to be the most productive you can be during your workday.

6 Reasons Why Concrete Goals are Essential to Entrepreneurial Success

Entrepreneur Article:

Imagine going for a run without a finish line in mind.  Will you run at a slower pace because you’re unsure of how far or for how long you have to run or will you sprint until you can’t any longer because you don’t know how soon the run will end?  This is what it feels like to work without specific and concrete goals.  Whether you’re setting goals for yourself or for the entire team you need to have some specific ideas of what you need to get done and where you’re heading with the goals you’ve set.  By setting specific and measurable goals you can see your progress toward what you’re after and continue to be motivated along the way toward the success you have in mind.  Check out why you need to make concrete goals and work toward the success you desire.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/313503

6 Steps to Land Your Dream Job – In a New City

Forbes Article:

If you know you’re ready to have a new place to work and you’ve got a specific city in mind, you need to figure out how to make this change work right for you.  Checking out a new area can be difficult at times, especially if you’re not familiar with the area.  You’ll need to reach out to others in your field that live and work in the area, target some specific companies that you want to work for, and research the area.  Doing these things will make it much easier for you to get a great start in a new city and start the next chapter of your life in a place that you’ve chosen to enjoy.  Take a look at this article and remember that you only need one company to say yes to make your dream move come true.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2018/05/20/6-steps-to-land-your-dream-job-in-a-new-city/#2d4bafb32f51

What to do on 15-, 30-, and 60-minute Breaks to Boost Productivity

Fast Company Article:

If you’ve worked some breaks into your day its important these breaks are used to release your mind as much as they are used to get your body recharged.  One way to make the most of a short break is to move around and get your blood flowing.  Too often we sit for long periods of time or focus on the work for longer than we should.  It’s important to make sure you move around and unleash your mind during the short break.  If you have longer for your break it might be time to eat a meal or walk around.  This may also be a great time to get a workout in that doesn’t require you to change your clothes and shower, which can be saved for the longer 60-minute breaks.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40569576/what-to-do-on-15-30-and-60-minute-breaks-to-boost-productivity

Decisions You Need to Make in Your Career

While the big and tough choices as to what degree to obtain or what field to enter in the workforce are what you have to decide early in your life, but as you build and grow in your career you will be faced with choices on a daily basis you need to make.  Do you know whether or not you want to specialize in your field?  Are you part of a strong team or one that’s simply made up of great people?  Do you take regular breaks and know the effect a break can have on your overall productivity?  These are all things you need to think about in order to have the career you want that will be something you can look back on with pride in your life.

6 Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding if You Should Specialize or Generalize

The Muse:

When deciding how you want your career to be shaped, the questions offered in this article will help you decide the right pathway for what you want to do.  Think about the doctors you visit, some have a general practice and understand the entire body to a certain level, but when it’s time for a deeper look into what’s going on with you, they will refer you to a specialist.  If you feel like you want to focus heavily on one area of expertise in your life, you’ll want to become a specialist, but if you enjoy moving from project to project with different challenges with each one, a generalized focus in your industry may be the right way for you to build the career you need.  Take a look at the questions asked in this article and see which direction the answers take you.

Full Article:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/questions-ask-yourself-specialize-generalize?ref=recently-published-0

Build Really Strong Teams Using These 5 Uncommonly Powerful Secrets

Inc. Article:

Putting a great team together is only one part of making them strong and capable together.  One of the greatest attributes of a strong team is the reliance on each other as a whole team without the need for individuals to stand out.  Once you’ve got the people together to make the team that you want, you need to step forward and begin to make them strong together.  Have you shaken up this team to see how they come together when they face adversity?  Did you celebrate success during a project that was brought to completion or discussed what’s learned from failure?  Take a look at the suggestions in this article and learn what you can do to make your team stronger and more reliant on each other as a group.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/build-really-strong-teams-using-these-5-uncommonly-powerful-secrets.html?cid=nl029week21day21_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=21052018

Taking a Break is Part of Your Job

Quartz at Work Article:

Too often we head to work with the idea of putting our head down and working hard until the end of the day with few or no breaks at all.  In fact, many of us will work through lunch, won’t step outside for some fresh air, and will end up not seeing the outside world again until it’s time to go home.  Working in this manner is actually detrimental to your productivity.  You need to have breaks built into your day and some of these breaks need to be actual downtime, not times when you’re thinking about your next project.  Build in some breaks that take you out of the office for a short period of time and build in some activities that will take your mind away from work and you’ll be amazed at how productive you can be.

Full Article:

https://work.qz.com/1279630/taking-a-break-is-part-of-your-job/

Become Unstoppable in the Career You Love

Have you become the most productive and unstoppable version of yourself?  Do you spend your days working in an office and wish you could work with your hands instead?  Do you have the qualities needed to make sure you’ll continue to strive for more goals even after you’ve achieved the ones you’ve set?  If you haven’t reached your peak level of productivity and you don’t feel unstoppable, you need to take a look at what these articles have for you.  If you’re looking for a great way to work with your hands and have the career in a field that needs you, a new career in construction just might be what you’re looking for.  Find the path that fits you best and become the unstoppable force that you know you can be.

How to Build a Workforce for Builders

Finance & Commerce Article:

Not everyone is cut out for office jobs or for going to college for four years.  Whether you’re a currently working professional, a high school student, or the parent of a student, if the path toward your career happiness has more to do with working with your hands rather than reading reports and managing numbers, this article is for you.  The Construction Careers Pathways is a joint venture to help attract more people to the construction careers that are still needed and will be needed for the next several years.  If you would rather learn how to wire a home or build a wall than how to manage a team or analyze data, this could be the right path for you to follow.  It takes every industry to make things work and this venture is designed to address a need in the marketplace.

Full Article:

https://finance-commerce.com/2018/05/how-to-build-a-workforce-for-builders/

14 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Boost Your Productivity

Forbes Article:

When you want to be more productive you don’t want to go through some enormous hoops to get to where you want to be.  If productivity were simple would you put some of these suggestions into action?  If so, this article is certainly for you.  Did you know you could release endorphins with just a short exercise session that can be as easy as a few pushups or running a couple of miles?  Have you set your mindset to being one that wants to take advantage of today?  Make this article the first thing you choose to consider when you’re ready to have a higher level of productivity and experience what happens when you make some simple changes in your life.  Once you see how simple some of these suggestions are, you’ll want to add more of them to your life.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/2018/05/16/14-surprisingly-simple-ways-to-boost-your-productivity/#7eff3eebf29a

10 Things Unstoppable People Do that Average People Don’t

Inc. Article:

In order to continue to grow and build upon the success you’ve already experienced you need to know what the next step will be.  Are you unstoppable or have you stopped because you reached a goal?  It’s important to always have another goal in mind and never settle for where you are, but that’s not the only way to make yourself unstoppable.  Do you know what to do when you make a mistake?  Are you boastful or willing to allow your work to speak for itself?  Have you found a great way to build up your confidence?  These are all important aspects to being unstoppable, no matter the hurdles that are put in front of you that need to be overcome in order to move forward and continue to experience the success you want in your life.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/benjamin-p-hardy/10-things-unstoppable-people-do-that-average-people-dont.html?cid=nl029week20day18_4&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=18052018

It’s Time for Success in Your Career and Your Life; Are You Ready?

Have you taken the right steps to make sure you’re going to be successful and be able to enjoy the path you’re on?  Do you know what success looks like?  Do you know how to make the most of the spare time you have after you leave the office every day?  It’s important that you’re ready to be successful and embrace what that could mean for you.  Don’t spend a lot of time in the “I wish” zone and start making things happen for you by taking action.  These articles are all helpful to make it possible for you to understand what success should look like and how you can put the excuses away and begin to get things done the right way.  Your success is waiting; are you ready for it?

4 Myths We’re Taught About Success

Glassdoor Article:

Are you going to be able to get promoted just by being good at the job you have?  Do you need to kill yourself and be the first in and last out in order to move up in the world? Should you have a degree in politics in order to understand the way the world works and how you can improve at work?  If you’ve been working for a long time should you give up on the dream of being successful?  These are some of the most important questions you’re going to need to answer because they might open up your eyes to some of the myths you’ve heard about the path to success in your life.  Take a look at this article and see what’s shared regarding these myths and learn how to dispel these ideas that we’ve been taught over several generations.

Full Article:

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/4-myths-were-taught-about-success/

4 Excuses for Putting Off Your Side Hustle (And How to Crush Them)

Fast Company Article:

If you’re stuck in a job that you don’t love and you want to do something with your extra time that will begin to improve your bank account and make you happy, you need to start your own side hustle.  One of the biggest challenges to starting something new during your downtime is not knowing when and where to begin.  One thing that’s certain is that you can’t start by not doing anything or taking action.  It doesn’t matter how much you know now or how broke you might be, you can start your side hustle with just a little bit of knowledge and begin to see it grow.  The fun of doing something that’s not your main income stream is the fact that you can make mistakes and learn along the way without a crushing blow to your income.

Full Article:

https://www.fastcompany.com/40568300/4-excuses-for-putting-off-your-side-hustle-and-how-to-crush-them

8 Daily Habits that are Making Your Work-Life Balance Goals Unattainable

Inc. Article:

When you’re looking for a better balance between what you do at work and how you handle your daily life, you need to avoid traps that can be a huge part of what you have to deal with on a regular basis.  Do you feel like you have to perform every task imaginable on a regular basis or do you feel like the boundaries in your life are undefined, you’ll want to be able to avoid these problems in your daily life.  Take a look at this article and learn how you can avoid the traps that take place in your daily life that can allow you to be able to experience the right way to stay balanced and enjoy the life you’re trying to build.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/james-sudakow/8-daily-habits-that-are-making-your-work-life-balance-goals-unattainable.html?cid=nl029week20day16_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=16052018

What do You Need to Learn Today to Make Your Career Better?

Do you find ways to learn something new every day?  If not, why not?  With a variety of challenges that you’ll find in your day, you’re going to want to be able to learn new items as often as possible.  Today you could learn how to be the boss that others want to work for, or if you’re starting a new job you could learn to get started on the right foot.  Of course, you can also learn how to handle failures in a positive way rather than looking at the negatives when a failure has taken place.  There’s always something new that you can learn when you go to work and these three things will help you make your future brighter and help others become more successful as well, which is a positive for the entire team.

How to be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For

Forbes Article:

When you have a team that works with you and you’re the leader, it’s important that you’re not only supportive, but you’re a person who will challenge the team to continue to learn and grow.  People can be most engaged and excited when presented with a new challenge, the right tools to learn how to master that challenge, and the ability to grow and become better at what they do.  In order to do this, you have to disrupt your team and offer them new problems to solve while also giving them the right things to be successful in solving these issues.  It’s important to be a boss that wants to see your team grow and be promoted beyond what you can provide, which should be a result of the guidance and support you’ve given during the times of learning and mastering a variety of challenges.

Full Article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hennainam/2018/05/13/how-to-be-the-boss-everyone-wants-to-work-for/#4c31a97d3cfe

5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My First Job

Glassdoor Article:

Whether you’re starting your first job out of college or high school, there are some things you need to realize about the working world that can help you transition to adulthood more smoothly.  There’s usually a lot going on in any business and you’re going to need a way to keep track of things that need to get done with a to-do list that can serve as a reminder to you.  You need to be ready to trust your instincts and remember that you’ve been taught how to identify the right path and can make a decision that makes sense.  It’s also important to remember that no one you run into is perfect, no matter how they seem at first.  Check out this article and learn more about some of the simple but important things you should know.

Full Article:

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/things-i-wish-i-knew-first-job/

Google Has an Official Process in Place for Learning from Failure—and it’s Absolutely Brilliant

Inc. Article:

Think about the last time you failed at work and what took place after the failure.  Was there a lot of finger pointing and frustration that led to negative feelings and a mindset of shying away from a future challenge?  If so, you need to help your company try to employ what Google has in place to learn from failure.  Rather than place blame, they look to promote growth and figure out what can be done better the next time.  They look for what worked during the process so it can be duplicated in the future, and the most important problems are identified to learn how to make certain these problems are handled differently the next time they present themselves.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/meet-postmortem-googles-brilliant-process-tool-for-learning-from-failure.html?cid=nl029week20day14_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=14052018

Lead Yourself to the Career Success You Want to Enjoy

Are you a leader in your organization?  If others look to you for answers and your responsibilities include managing others that work under your supervision, you’re expected to be a leader.  Are you leading yourself?  If you have difficulty managing your own mindset, habits, and path, it can be extremely difficult and nearly impossible to lead others.  Leading yourself starts with your morning routine and carries on throughout the day.  It also means you need to understand what you should and shouldn’t do in your business which means you know what you shouldn’t tolerate throughout your day.  Take a look at these three articles and learn more about how you can get your day started on the right foot, understand what you shouldn’t accept from yourself and others, and whether or not you possess traits that show you’re smarter than most people.

The Perfect Morning Routine if You’re Not a Morning Person

Inc. Article:

Not everyone is a morning person filled with energy and vigor as soon as they jump out of bed.  Even if you’re not a morning person, the morning will come and you have to face the day in order to get your day going.  If you struggle with decisions in the morning such as what to wear or how much time to spend preparing your breakfast you could prepare the clothes you’ll wear the night before and stock your pantry and fridge with items that don’t require any preparation.  This is a simple way to streamline your morning and spend time thinking about what you need to get done rather than what you wear and what to eat in the morning. Take a look at this article and learn more about what you need to do to have a great morning routine.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/business-insider/morning-routine-for-people-hate-mornings.html?cid=nl029week19day11_3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=11052018

10 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Never Tolerate

Entrepreneur Article:

Studying a person and what they do to achieve the higher levels of success that comes in life is pretty easy.  You can write down what you see or take advice from a highly successful entrepreneur that has been able to reach the success desired.  The difficult part can be understanding what these folks don’t do and what they don’t tolerate in their business.  This would be the other side of the mentality of being successful.   Can you imagine a successful person who doesn’t know how to act?  Inaction is one of the items that most successful entrepreneurs won’t tolerate at all.  The will make a decision and take action.  If that action turns out to be a failure, it’s a learning experience to be successful later on, if it turns out to be a success, they can keep on moving forward.

Full Article:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/312428

11 Surprising Signs that You May be Way Smarter than Most People

Inc. Article:

Some studies come up with what seems to be a ridiculous reason for being smart or having the cognitive recall that others don’t.  Strangely enough, being thin might make it possible for you to recall more information than others.  Being a left-handed person also has a direct effect on spatial skills, mental flexibility, and a working memory.  While neither of these characteristics seems to have any direct connection to your memory or your intelligence level, it’s interesting to think about the fact that some odd traits could be why you always feel like the smartest person in the room.  Don’t worry if you don’t feel like you possess any of these traits; go find those that do and hang out with a smarter crowd.

Full Article:

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/11-surprising-signs-that-youre-way-smarter-than-average-joe.html?cid=nl029week19day11_2&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=11052018