How to Sell Yourself in the Workplace

How to Sell Yourself in the Workplace Many people associate selling with pushy sales people who dont listen to your objections and try to force you into parting with your money for a product or service that you dont want. However, knowing how to sell yourself is a vital tool for effective career management. The process starts with your CV or resume, in addition to interviews, internal meetings and networking events. Know thyselfWhen was the last time you sat down and reviewed your career accomplishments, and audited your strengths and weaknesses? Are you aware of the type of value you consistently bring to a team? Are you typically the rolle that puts structures and processes in place or the person who comes up with creative solutions to complex problems? Can you describe in specific detail how your contribution has made a distinct difference to the process and outcome of the projects that you hav e worked on in the past? Taking stock of how far you have come helps you begin to understand the value that you can bring to an organisation and positions you to better articulate that value.Know the companyIt pays to conduct a thorough research of the company you work for or are interviewing for. If you are interviewing for a new position, you can demonstrate your value by not only explaining the relevant experience that you have built up, but by taking it one step further and describing how that experience would be valuable for this potential new employer. If you are already working for the organisation, you can provide evidence of how your role has made a difference to the growth strategy of the organisation.Use data to back up your assertions of valueIf your role has led to decreased cost, increased revenue or saved time, then it is in your interest to record this data for use during key meetings with managers to build your case for promotion, increased responsibility or salary. Where this has been documented in detail, the facts speak for themselves and help build a strong case for your value without you having to sell yourself in qualitative terms.Forward thinking and planningMany assume that in order to sell yourself you need to look to the past in order to catalog your achievements. However, selling yourself includes recognizing your current weaknesses and how they might impact your future career goals. If you have constructed a clear plan to tackle these weaknesses, then this not only demonstrates maturity but also the ability to reflect and improve.All work and no playMany employees focus on their workplace skills and experience in order to sell themselves but sometimes your out of work activities can be what demonstrates that you are a rounded person. Perhaps you volunteer, that not only shows that you like to give back to your community but is a great way to develop leadership skills. Maybe you play a team sport? That is usually a good indicator of someone who may be able to work well in a team. Perhaps you have achieved a black belt in karate? That shows discipline and perseverance. Often non work activities can be a key factor in demonstrating your value to a potential or existing employer.

Honeycombs Inspire Safety Designs

Honeycombs Inspire Safety Designs Honeycombs Inspire Safety Designs Honeycombs Inspire Safety DesignsWhen you think of designs that assist safety, honeycombs might not immediately come to mind. But they have been utilized for years and Carolyn Conner Seepersad, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, believes the negative stiffness honeycombs her kollektiv is working on could increase the safety of a wide variety of products, from automobiles to helmets.Think a honeycomb cant stand up to high speeds? Seepersad says a honeycomb the size of a human hand can stop a 100-mph fastball. With the honeycombs that are made out of plastic, the herausforderung is bouncing back after impact but, with what were working on with negative stiffness, it can withstand impact many times, she says.But what is negative stiffness? Prof. Michael Haberman, member of the team and research scientist at the school, says one example to think of would be if you pushed o n a spring and it actually assisted your pushing instead of the reverse.Conventional honeycomb structure (left) vs new NS honeycomb (right). Image The University of Texas at AustinFor the honeycomb, it bounces back through the cell geometry they devised, Seepersad says.A honeycomb structure like the one we have gets lots of energy absorption typically youll buckle the cell walls, Haberman says. We do it elastically, while the aluminum ones do it plastically instead. They end up damaged when load is applied. For us, its done elastically and they absorb energy and can bounce back to the original configuration.This can be isolated in a personal protection helmet, for example. What will happen is once you have an impact with the outside of the helmet, you start to absorb energy at what we call a forced threshold, Seepersad says. This means whatever is underneath it can isolate at a constant rate of G level, she explains. The honeycombs buckle at a particular load. When you can predict i t, you can design it for a particular G level.As far as the testing, Haberman says they started by doing vibration transmissionability tests, getting the idea of how negative stiffness would respond to vibration. Those transmission cases were measured, for example, by putting it on a shaker or vibration table and measuring aspects such as input acceleration and output acceleration.They also did drop tests. This was where they put the honeycomb structures on a base and drop a mass on top of them. They used accelerometers to measure mass as it was falling onto the honeycomb.But that still leaves more testing to be done, and the team wants to move into creating dimensions to absorb different types of impact from a different direction. Still, the design has many potential applications, even auto racing, and that can require more modifications.Seepersad says the honeycomb type structure is in everything from tree trunks to the interior part of human bone. In the end, she believes this wo rk may help us appreciate nature inspiring science to help save lives.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion With the honeycombs that are made out of plastic, the problem is bouncing back after impact but, with negative stiffness, it can withstand impact many times.Prof. Carolyn Conner-Seepersad, University of Texas at Austin

Todays High Potential Leaders are Reinventing Leadership

Todays High Potential Leaders are Reinventing LeadershipTodays High Potential Leaders are Reinventing LeadershipTodays High Potential Leaders are Reinventing Leadership Charan, author of The High Potential Leader How to Grow Fast, Take on New Responsibilities, and Make an Impact (Wiley, 2017)Amid everything that is new and different, todays high-potential leaders, or hipos, must be able to identify the untapped opportunities their companies will pursue and mobilize the organization.Understandably, this is a weakness in many older geschftliches miteinander leaders today. Throughout their careers, growth welches defined as improving on things that already existed increasing profits through cost cutting, tweaking products for adjacent markets, or acquiring other companies in the same industry.More radical changes like reinventing the entire business model, reshaping the entire ecosystem of supply and distribution, or rethinking the entire customer experience have been rare in the life o f a company.Its now clear that businesses might need to be transformed more than once in a leaders tenure, and todays high potential leaders must be prepared for that. They should exhibit characteristics that the previous generation of leaders did not always need - such as these characteristics1.They imagine on a large scale. Hipos can take in a ton of information from many different sources and almost instantly find what could be meaningful. In doing so, they pick up clues about what might be possible, and they dream big.In the past, wild dreams or visions of things that dont yet exist might have been considered delusional, but high potential leaders dont see it that way. If they personally lack the capability to realize the picture they have in their heads, they know they can use technology, algorithms, and other peoples capabilities to make it real. They are psychologically prepared to scale it up very fast and go after it fearlessly.2.They seek what they need to make it happen. I had just finished speaking to a group of executives about how to set up an advisory board when a young man approached me. Do you have a minute? he asked. Polite but straightforward, he continued, I run a small company, much smaller than the corporations youre used to working with. Would you consider advising me?Its no secret that Ive worked with a lot of big, well-known companies, but he was undaunted. What I came to learn was that he had sized up his market opportunity, and it was huge. He wanted to grow his company very fast and was seeking help building the capacity for it.3.Hipos will talk to anyone. They dont just stay within the hierarchy. A young Steve Jobs didnt hesitate to call Bill Hewlett, co-founder of tech giant Hewlett-Packard, when he was seeking technical help. When Pat Gallagher was groomed to take over his familys Chicago-based insurance brokerage in 1983, he reached out to the CEO of McDonnell Douglas, a company far different and much bigger than his own. The C EO took time to talk to him, and Gallagher eventually took his firm to number four in the United States.4. They understand the concept of the ecosystem. Companies rarely act alone in delivering their product or service. High potential leaders understand the complex web of participants, from the makers of small parts that go into larger ones to the mom-and-pop shops or FedEx fleet that delivers the product. Walmart became a juggernaut of low cost because of how it used its tight relationships with suppliers, the largest of which were housed right at the Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters.Walmart schooled its suppliers in state-of-the-art logistics that reduced inventories but kept store shelves stocked with merchandise that turned over very quickly. Both Walmart and the supplier grew, and consumers benefited from low prices.Digital-age versions of rethinking the business ecosystem abound. Apples iPod was a nifty device, but it became a sensation because iTunes changed the way music was packaged,priced, and distributed. Amazon thrives on algorithms that predict a customers need and delivers it through an ecosystem of sellers, purchase options, and delivery methods.5. High potential leaders have the ability to see the total picture. They conjure a mental image of the web of inter-relationships and think imaginatively about how to redesign it.They will come primarily from the fifty-three million Millennialsin the workforce now. This generation has been steeped from an early age in video, the Internet, and social media. They grew up in an information-rich world and a global social hive, interconnected and living with unprecedented social transparency.Theyve had instant access to vast amounts of information from around the world, conditioning their brains to rapid thinking and communication. Text messaging and Twitter train them to be brief and to the point, a sharp contrast with the belabored PowerPoint presentations the baby boomers were expected to use.With a wi de mental bandwidth and ability to absorb key information, they can construct a bigger picture very quickly. All that plays to a hipos advantage.6. They adapt quickly to the new. Theyve seen brands, trends, celebrities, and social conventions rise and fall overnight.7.They have diverse social networks. Theyre connected to people far beyond their local environment, theyve traveled, and theyve been exposed to a wide array of viewpoints through social media.8.They have a change-the-world mentality. Theyve seen unknowns become well-knowns with one viral video, and college dropouts become billionaires before they turned thirty-five. Theyve seen Mark Zuckerberg in a hoodie speaking to an audience of buttoned-down security analysts and Elon Musk launch SpaceX, not to mention beautiful electric cars. The success stories are known across the globe, inspiring hipos everywhere.While basic leadership traits such as high integrity and the ability to communicate are constant, and performance will always matters, they are mere table stakes. Without the qualities and abilities the fast-changing world now demands, a leader is not likely to succeed in a high-level leadership job, at least not for long.Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Wiley, from The High-Potential Leader How to Grow Fast, Take on New Responsibilities, and Make an Impact by Ram Charan. Copyright (c) 2017 by John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. This book is available wherever books and ebooks are sold.Author BioRam Charan is a highly-acclaimed business advisor, speaker and best-selling author whose books have sold more than 4 million copies. Ram has coached some of the worlds most successful CEOs and has worked behind the scenes at companies such as GE, Bank of America, DuPont, Novartis, EMC, 3M, Verizon, Grupo RBS, Tata Group, Max Group and Yildiz Holdings.

7 High-Paying Flexible Jobs

7 High-Paying Flexible Jobs 7 High-Paying Flexible Jobs Job flexibility is becoming more valued by American workers. More than a third of professionals (and in the West, nearly half) said they would turn down a job offer that didn’t offer a flexible working environment, according to a survey  conducted by Wakefield Research. While 24 percent of people who work in an office said they love their jobs in a recent survey  by Leadership IQ, fully 38 percent of mobile workers and a whopping 45 percent of telecommuting workers said so. If flexibility is important to you, instead of just checking to see how much flexibility there is in any job you apply for or are offered, consider being more proactive and aiming for fields and careers that are currently growing rapidly and offer considerable flexibility, too. The folks at FlexJobs have   identified  11 occupations that have the highest expected growth between 2016 and 2026 and that also tend to feature significant flexibility. They used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that cited  solar photovoltaic equipment installers and wind turbine service technicians as the two fastest-growing occupations, but alas, those job tend not to be too flexible. Here, then, are a bunch of the next-fastest-growing jobs (in descending order of job growth rate) that   do  offer flexibility, along with their median 2016 salaries and a brief description of the job from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Projected Growth, 2016-2026: 37 percent Description: Physician assistants, also known as PAs, practice medicine on teams with physicians, surgeons and other healthcare workers. They examine, diagnose and treat patients. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   36 percent Description:   Nurse practitioners (NPs) serve as primary and specialty care providers, delivering advanced nursing services to patients and their families. They assess patients, determine the best way to improve or manage a patient’s health  and discuss ways to integrate health promotion strategies into a patient’s life. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   31 percent Description:   Physical therapist assistants, sometimes called PTAs, and physical therapist aides work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists. They help patients who are recovering from injuries and illnesses regain movement and manage pain. Physical therapist assistants are involved in the direct care of patients. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   30 percent Description:   Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   29 percent Description:   Mathematicians conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   28 percent Description:   Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increases. Projected Growth, 2016-2026:   27 percent Description:   Operations research analysts use advanced mathematical and analytical methods to help organizations investigate complex issues, identify and solve problems and make better decisions. A version of this article originally ran on The Motley Fool . It is reprinted with permission. Are you an employer? Check out our Talent Solutions Blog . Thanks for finding us! We cover everything from career advice to the latest company headlines. We're always looking for experts, executives and trends to feature on the Glassdoor blog. Interested? Contact us.

4 ways to help master the phone interview

4 ways to help master the phone interview 4 ways to help master the phone interview Part of my job entails hopping on the phone and convincing companies and conferences to book me as a speaker. It’s like a job interview every time, and it always reminds me of my very first phone interviews for internships back in college. I was so nervous my knees would be shaking and I’d feel nauseous with anxiety. Even though I’ve become more comfortable over the years, there are still a few key best practices I rely on to make the best possible impression.Rise and shineFirst, I always try to stand up. When you’re standing, you entire demeanor changes and often, your vocal tone does, too. As I’m listening to the dial tone ring, nervously awaiting their pick-up on the other end of the phone, I force myself to smile, knowing that it’ll make me sound more pleasant and cheerful, too.But instead of nerves being my biggest enemy nowadays, it’s distractions. Since I take these calls throughout the course of an average workday, I’m usually within site of my laptop, which i s ripe with distractions â€" even if it’s just my inbox. One minute, I’ll be engrossed in a conversation with a potential client, and the next I’ll see an urgent customer’s request appear at the top of my inbox â€" ah! Or one of my team members will pop into slack to chat with me â€" yikes!No screens, no stressIt’s impossible to not be distracted within sight of your screens. So for any job-seeker who’s taking a phone interview, just because you’re face isn’t on camera, doesn’t mean you should let your eyes wander. Sequester yourself in a room without screens whenever possible to make it easy to avoid any alerts and notifications popping up while you’re mid-sentence.Take noteThe one thing I recommend you DO keep within sight is the name(s) of the folks you’re speaking to. This is especially true when you’ve got multiple interviewers on the other end of the line. Whenever you can, write their names on a sticky note before you’re even on the call and keep tha t sticky posted within sight. Use their name a few times throughout the call to show you’re really listening. As Dale Carnegie once said:“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”The key here is to make sure you’re never giving the impression that there are more important things you’d rather be doing than talking to them right this moment.Handle stress seamlesslyAnd if, God forbid, something crazy does come up, like a fire alarm or your dog starts barking his head off at the mail carrier, put yourself on mute and if absolutely necessary, ask politely for a moment to yourself. You might say something like: “I am  so sorry  to ask, but may I place you on a very brief hold?” Upon return, explain but don’t dwell on whatever went down. Dive right back into the conversation with something like, “My apologies, so where were we?”Keep these principles of strong phone etiquette in mind for your next interview or pitch call, and you’re sure to give a polished, professional impression.Do you have any phone interview best practices to share? Or some horror story about a phone interview faux-pas? I’d love to hear about it on social media at  @emiliearies  and  @bosseduporg. I can’t wait to hear what you think.This article first appeared on Bossed Up.

Whats the Difference Between a CV and Resume

What’s the Difference Between a CV and Resume What’s the Difference Between a CV and Resume In 2017, the words CV (Curriculum Vitae) and resume are often used interchangeably, which is confusing for many. What are the similarities between a CV and resume? What makes them different? When should you use a CV or resume? These questions will be answered, and your confusion between the two will finally be lifted. What are the similarities between a CV and resume? CVs and resumes are both an overview of your accomplishments, experience and skills and are used to get you an interview. From a marketing perspective, they are both advertisements for you and your work. CVs and resumes are great promotion tools, and show your best work and why you’re different from candidates applying for the same role. Also like an advertisement, they both include a call-to-action, which is your name and contact information. The differences between a CV and resume The main difference between a CV and a resume is that a CV focuses on your educational history and a resume focuses on achievements in your professional career. A CV is a comprehensive document that details accomplishments, awards, honors and publications with an academic focus. A CV usually begins with and emphasizes your education history. Its length is usually two or more pages and includes a complete list of awards and publications. Nothing is cut out for the sake of space. CVs are also considered a “living document” and are updated often. An example of a modern-day CV is your LinkedIn profile. Although it usually emphasizes your work experience over your academic experience, it is updated often and because there isn’t any concern for space, it includes a full list of your experiences. A resume is usually 1-2 pages highlights your work experience and is tailored to the role you’re applying for. If a CV is the movie of your life, a resume is your highlight reel or trailer. Resumes usually lead with work experience, and education is usually placed last. Skills and experience are usually trimmed down to show only the ones that are relevant to the potential role. When should you use a resume or CV? As mentioned earlier, the words CV and resume often used interchangeably, but they are used in different situations. CVs are usually used to apply for teaching and research roles, postdoctoral positions, fellowships and grants. Resumes are usually used to apply for almost any job not in academics. CVs are often used to apply for jobs outside of the United States. But if you’re living in the U.S., more often than not when applying for a job most employers want a resume. If you’re unsure, it never hurts to ask.

Here is your complete post-interview checklist to follow

Here is your complete post-interview checklist to follow Here is your complete post-interview checklist to follow You wore your favorite interview outfit, answered their questions with humor and grace and shined the whole way through the process. You step out the doors of your future employer with a big smile and nearly leap for joy at how well you aced the whole thing, but the receptionist is still watching you.So, you save the excitement for the ride home and the drinks after with friends to celebrate. You know you haven’t got the job yet, but it feels like it. Use that feeling to motivate you as you complete this 12-point post-interview checklist.1. Scream “Heck Yes!” in the CarGo ahead and let it out. You deserve it. Job well done! Now, put on your seatbelt.2. Eat Your Favorite MealThe day was a whirlwind. Did you eat anything? Take time to reward yourself with nourishment, and eat your favorite meal. Cook yourself a dinner or call up friends to celebrate at your favorite restaurant.At least get a snack or stop for a slice of cheesecake. Splurge on your favorite artisan cheese and crac kers.3. Make Notes of the InterviewHow did the flow of the day go? Did you or the interviewer make a reference or recommendation you should write down? Did you find any mutual interests or goals?Aside from the interview itself, makes notes about the work culture, resources, coffee supplies, office layout and other items of your interest. You still need to weigh the pros and cons and let the whole day sink in, so the notes will help. The details you write down will also help you write your thank you notes and make follow-ups.4. Reflect on Why You’re ExcitedWhile you still have your pen, write about why you’re excited about this opportunity. What are you thinking?Does this role give you a chance to grow your career or travel? Do you get to help people on the front lines instead of hiding away in a basement? Do you feel like you’ll actually be valued instead of seen as a cog in a machine? Find your reason, and use that to guide the tone of your thank you notes.5. Send Your Thank You NotesYou released all that extra energy and wrote down details about your interview experience, reflecting on why you’re excited. Your thank you notes will keep you on the radar and make you stand out.Only 20 percent of interviewers mail  a thank you card, but if you do, you will get their attention. Send an email and a thank you card to quickly reach the decisionmakers if the turnaround time is swift. Write out a draft or two without putting in the full details of the recipients before you hit send or seal the envelope. Mention the name of the position. Thank them for the interview in the first paragraph, noting anything special. In the second paragraph, get specific and highlight your favorite and best moments.If you connected on a topic, address that. Keep your note short, sweet and specific.6. Follow UpDo you want to spend the next few weeks waiting … and waiting … and waiting some more?If a week’s passed, take a more proactive approach and follow up. If you send you r card after a week, wait another week to check in. Many companies reasonably decide within two weeks or so after interviews. Interviewers know the follow-up is a part of the process.Did they give you an estimated decision timeframe? Use this as your guide, and send your follow-up near this time but not right after your interview. Do it in the form of a check-in as a phone call or email to your contact:“Hi Anne, I hope everything is well on your end. You mentioned the decision for the junior marketing position would be made by the end of the week. I’m excited to hear more once you have an update. Let me know if I may provide anything to assist in the decision-making process.”Forgot to ask a question during the interview? Use this as  your opening to initiate the follow-up, but keep the questions specific and succinct. Hold off on salary and benefits questions until you get approached by the company with the details of the decision.7. Add New Contacts to Your NetworkIn your fol low-up, you may also add an area where you ask if you may connect on Twitter or LinkedIn. In many cases, it’s perfectly acceptable to click those “Follow” buttons a few days after the interview.Add your LinkedIn and other professional social media to your email signature. Make sure your profiles are clean of personal information first.  Think of the person and not the role  when you add another professional to your network. Genuine connections beget a more rewarding network and professional relationship, so engage with their updates online and offer help where possible.You likely gathered several business cards during the interview and company tour. Connect with those individuals around the time you follow up or at any point afterward. Make your emails personal to your connection at the time and follow a similar structure to the thank you note email suggestions for structure.8. Arrange a Coffee Meeting With a MentorYou may feel out of sorts about what this prospective move wil l do for your career, how to follow up or deal with the process of waiting. Arrange a coffee meeting with your mentor to share your concerns, reconnect and come away with tips for keeping your head clear and in the job search game.Treat your mentor to a coffee and scone for all their help and encouragement. Ask how you can assist them in return.9. Follow Through on Interviewer RecommendationsDuring the interview, you may connect with others on a particular topic and get recommendations to check out a book, podcast or speaker. Now is the time to make good on that.Head to the bookstore to pick up the book. Listen to the podcast while you work out. This gives you more information to connect at a later date and builds your resources for your career.10. Listen to TED Talks to Stay MotivatedFeeling like you don’t have what it takes on paper? Listen to Regina Hartley talk about how the perfect candidate  may not have the perfect resume  or Stefan Sagmeister discuss the importance of time off for happiness and productivity. You need a reminder that you bring unique talent to the table and the importance of nurturing that and yourself.11. Maintain Personal Routines and Self-CareWaiting for the decision may affect your normal routines that maintain your health and happiness. If out of a job, your savings may look low. If you feel stuck in your career, you may wonder when it will take off, if ever.Maintaining your routines keeps you focused on the day to day, and the waiting won’t feel so long. Fill your plate with leafy greens and less stress. Go to bed early for your eight hours of sleep and shut off your phone. Meet a friend for dinner, and practice small acts of self-care.12. Keep the Search GoingYes, you had a great interview - but the decision isn’t final yet. So many opportunities exist in the world. Keep yourself open to them.Reflect on your resume and interview tactics. Go to other interviews. Network and attend conferences. Keep the search going until yo u find what you’re looking for.The wait for a decision may feel like it takes forever, but you can use your postinterview time wisely to build your network, reconnect with a mentor, and reflect on your job search strategies and progress. Remember to take time for yourself.This  article  was originally published on  PunchedClocks.