Your #Career : 5 Ways Other People Can Help (or Hurt) Your Career…Work hard, Put your Time In, & Move Up the Corporate Ladder, Right? Not so Fast.

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As important as it is to do your best at work and to gain experience, there are many mistakes you could make that would negate your hard work and damage your career. In addition, the truth is that you alone are not in charge of where your career goes (or doesn’t go); other people have more power than you may realize.

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This is particularly true if you are an employee because you have performance reviews and co-workers to worry about, but even if you own your own business, you will always have to interact with other people. While hard work can get you far, there will always be other players who can positively or negatively change your course. Here are five ways that other people can affect your career.

1. References

Sometimes a reference is a good thing. If a hiring manager has narrowed the search down to two candidates, and your references speak very highly of you, then you might get the job offer. Also, if you regularly check in with your references and you update them about new work experience and training that you have, they will be prepared to share this information when they receive calls.

On the other hand, be careful who you choose as a reference. It’s a common myth that companies can only give the dates that you were employed; employers are allowed to give an honest opinion about employees as long as they avoid misrepresentations or lies (however, many companies have set rules about how much information they will provide). Be sure to ask if it is acceptable to use someone as a reference, and if they feel comfortable giving you a positive one.

The work you do to move forward in your career is essential to success, but remember that other people can have a big impact on your career as well.

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2. Networking

The importance of networking can’t be overstated: meeting the right people can truly help your career. If you build and maintain a strong network of people who can share job opportunities with you, and even recommend you for positions, then you will truly be building important relationships. Still, as much as contacts have the ability to help you in your career, they also can easily harm you. If you have a bad experience with someone who is well known or important in your job field, you could easily find yourself unable to find a job at several companies that work with your contact.

In order to successfully network, it’s important to avoid some big mistakes; make sure to talk about more than just work, and truly build relationships and offer to help others too.

3. Reviews

Your boss can easily make or break your career, or at least, your ability to move up at your current company. If your boss is disappointed with your work, believes that you are lacking in some other way, or simply dislikes you, he or she can make it next to impossible for you to advance in your career or earn a promotion. Your boss can also help you though; if you impress your boss, you may quickly get promoted at your company, and you also may have the opportunity to meet new people and work on projects that will help your career in other ways.

Your boss isn’t the only one who might give you a negative or positive review. Your co-workers can also have a say: if they find you to be lazy or incompetent, your boss will surely hear about it.

If you have a customer-facing job, you may get a customer complaint. Most companies provide training for their employees, but if your supervisor continually receives negative reviews or complaints about your work, you might find that a complete stranger has the ability to negatively affect your career simply by sharing their opinion. Even a simple mistake during an important client lunch could have disatrous effects.

4. Job competition

We all know that we are likely competing against several other qualified people when we apply for a job or come in for an interview. However, it’s also true that you might lose out on a huge opportunity because a complete stranger is more qualified than you, or is better at interviewing, or simply knows the right people. It’s possible that you might be even farther in your career right now if years ago a hiring manager hadn’t received a better resume from another applicant.

Where you live alone might be changing your career path. According to the January 2016 Rankings from Indeed, it’s much harder to find a job in certain cities; if there are more unemployed people for each job listing, you may be facing more competition for the job you want.

5. Social media

What you put on social media can affect your career. If you post embarrassing pictures, or you complain about your job, then your boss or co-workers might see it. However, your career can be affected by what other people post too. If your friends share embarrassing or drunken photos of you and your boss sees them before you get a chance to delete them, the result could be funny, or it could be ruinous.

According to Kelly Services’ The 2015 Hiring Manager Research, only 12% or hiring managers said they had disqualified a candidate based on a review of their social media profile, but you don’t want to be part of that 12%. Also according to Kelly, social media can be an important tool when networking (68% of working professionals said they use social media as their primary method of networking.)

The work you do to move forward in your career is essential to success, but remember that other people can have a big impact on your career as well.

 

CheatSheet.com | February 12, 2016 | 

 

 

Your #Career : Ready To Leave Your Corporate Job And Start Freelancing? Here’s What You Need To Know…Projections of More than 40% of the Workforce Will be Made up of Freelance Workers by 2020.

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Intuit projects that more than 40% of the workforce will be made up of freelance workers by 2020. Other research shares that by the end of this decade over half of the private workforce will be independent. If these projections holds true, millions of Americans will transition into a freelance career over the next four years.

Free- NYC Skycraper

To learn more about how corporate professionals can transition seamlessly and effectively to the freelance life, I caught up with Constantine Anastasakis, Senior Director of Business Development and Strategy for Fiverr, an online marketplace that matches freelancers with buyers ranging from SMBs to major corporations. Fiverr reports having facilitated more than 25 million transactions since 2010 across more than 100 categories of services.

Constantine shares his tips for freelancer success:

Kathy Caprino: Constantine, what do you think are the key criteria and questions one should consider when thinking about the transition from full-time to freelance?

Constantine Anastasakis: Any successful freelancer will tell you that the transition from a full-time career to independent work is challenging, especially if you want it to be lucrative. Compared to a corporate career, the world of freelancing can be unpredictable and intimidating. While issues like finding work and creating income stability are often seen as the top barriers to doing more freelance work, it’s important to remember that it’s been done successfully by thousands upon thousands of others. Preparing for the transition before diving right in can help make it less choppy.

Before you start freelancing full time, consider doing it as a side gig first. Redd Horrocks, one voiceover actress on Fiverr who earns six figures annually, started working independently on Fiverr while she held a full-time job as a stage manager for an event production company. At first, she used her side gig to help her pay off thousands in credit card debt. Once she paid off her debt, she started banking her income from her full-time job and using her freelancing income for living expenses. Redd’s success didn’t happen overnight, and she didn’t start freelancing thinking she’d make six figures right away. She set small attainable goals, like paying off one credit card, then moving onto the next. Eventually, she saved enough to make a down payment on her house and still had a deep savings bench that eased the transition to freelancing full time.

It takes hard work, persistence and patience to successfully transition into a freelance career. While it won’t happen right away, you have to start somewhere. Freelancing on the side (while working a corporate job) first is a good way to mitigate some of the risk, save money and decide that you really love it before taking the plunge.

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Caprino: What do you think differentiates very successful freelancers from those who struggle?

Anastasakis: Most freelancers have the passion and drive to be successful, but many don’t know where to start when it comes to finding clients. Look at starting a freelance career like starting a business from the ground up. You have to build a strong customer base, then fortify and expand that base. Whether you’re working in a more traditional environment or through a marketplace, the reality is the same: your clients are everything.

Successful freelancers service their clients with any eye towards organic business growth. They develop individual relationships with new customers to convert them into long-term customers. Eventually these relationships will pay dividends down the road without outbound marketing efforts. A strong network will always reap multiplier benefits.

One freelancer who can speak to this is Ryan Heenan. He sells custom jingles and animated videos online and has more than 4,000 positive reviews from his buyers. His secret? He builds personal relationships with his customers by asking a lot of questions up front, specializing his offerings and following up to make sure his customers get what they need. As a result, about 40% of his customers are repeat buyers.

Caprino: What do freelancers need to know that they weren’t aware of as corporate employees?

Anastasakis: One of the worst mistakes new freelancers can make is selling themselves short . You see it time and time again: a new freelancer offers to do too much work for too little money  in an effort to over-service their clients. While you should always provide top-notch service to your clients, you have to know the market. If you’re going to start selling copywriting services, research what other freelancers are charging for copywriting. You want to be competitive and you absolutely want to keep in mind your experience and breadth of portfolio, but charge your clients what your skills are worth.

You should also differentiate your offerings to help them stand out. You can do this through a variety of tactics including offering a wide portfolio of work to create a simple buying experience, or utilizing marketing tools like videos to draw attention to your services and offer greater visibility. Another essential step is to carve out a niche for your offerings. You can be a video photographer and specialize in only one type of video photography or style. It may seem counterintuitive and limiting, but it actually enables you to charge more for your services thanks to the unique set of offerings.

Once you determine what services you’ll offer and how much you’ll charge, learn how to market those skills. Corporate employees certainly know what they’re good at, but many don’t know how to promote themselves. Don’t underestimate resources like Coursera and Udemy, where you can learn valuable marketing skills. You can also turn to other freelancers to find marketing materials on a budget. As you expand your network, you’ll find new customers and gain new insights into the services you can offer and how your value-added services differentiate you.

Caprino: How can people research and determine accurately if they’ll end up enjoying freelance work and make it a success?

Anastasakis: Freelancing is quite different from most full-time careers and the transition starts with a frank inward discussion. Think about your personality and your interests. Freelancing requires you to work alone (a lot), be solely responsible for the work you produce and to always put your clients’ needs first.

Are you a self-motivated person? Can you devote time each day to developing your freelance career? If you’re the type of person who needs a set schedule to be productive, you’ll probably have to set that schedule yourself. To be a successful freelancer you need self-discipline and accountability.

Also consider what makes you passionate. As with any job, you’ll be happiest doing something you love day in and day out. The great thing about freelancing though is that you’re not stuck doing one thing forever. As I mentioned earlier, once you build up a clientele, you can start to offer additional services that will add variety to your daily tasks and more depth to your portfolio.

Caprino: To offer some inspiration, what are the latest data/stats on freelancers, and the potential success they can achieve?

Anastasakis: : According to Inuit, 60 million Americans will be freelancing by 2020, making up more than 40% of the workforce . In fact, the number of Americans who voluntarily quit their jobs climbed to the highest number since April 2008 in November, as 2.8 million Americans left an employer. As the freelance workforce continues to rise, millions of Americans will branch out on their own and more and more resources will be available for people who want to start freelancing. As with any job, there’s never a guarantee that you’ll be a success, but if you’ve ever considered starting your own thing, now is a great time to start taking steps.

Caprino: Anything else we need to know?

Anastasakis: A great deal of freelancers limit themselves to local work and immediate needs in their communities, which while effective, is a fairly traditional approach to freelancing. There is a much larger market for freelancers if they look beyond their own backyards. The beauty of freelancing is that you not only can work from anywhere, but you can also work with clients from anywhere. Using a global platform can make a big difference in the initial lift it takes to build a customer base. For many new freelancers, a strong local or professional network may not exist and the overhead of time and energy required to build one is intimidating. Leveraging a massive global marketplace allows a new freelancer in Boise, Idaho to do business with a small business owner in Paris. That same mechanism will also help new freelancers build out their portfolios. While experience can’t be bought or sold, it can be accelerated.

The transition into a freelance career isn’t easy, but we’re at a unique juncture in the way people work that’s making freelancing even more appealing. In part thanks to technological and societal shifts, freelancing today allows you to work from anywhere, be your own boss and explore a career you may have never thought possible. By preparing for the transition before making it, you can jump in with the confidence that you made the right choice.

******

As one who left corporate America after 9/11 and launched a coaching and consulting firm, I know that Constantine’s tips are solid and helpful, for sure. I’d also add this: When you’re considering making a leap to another career or going freelance, you need to “try on” this new direction – physically, behaviorally, financially, and emotionally – before you jump, to make sure it’s something you’ll thrive at and enjoy. So often, professionals fantasize about chucking their unhappy and stressed corporate life, only to find that the new direction is not what they dreamed it would be, and their professional strife follows them in this new chapter. Here’s more about the 5 biggest mistakes career changes make and how not to leap before you’ve tested out if this new direction is right for you.

For more information, visit Fiverr.com.

To transition to a happier, more flexible and independent career, visitKathyCaprino.com, The Amazing Career Project, and Kathy’s new Amazing Career Coach Certification training.

Part of the series “Living and Working Better”

 

Forbes.com | February 8, 2016 | Kathy Caprino

 

#Strategy : A Wharton Professor Shares 3 Science-Backed Strategies for Raising Highly Creative Kids…If you Want to Raise Creative Kids, you Need to Teach them to Think for Themselves.

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To do this, Adam Grant, a professor of management at Wharton, author of the new book, “Originals,” and father of three, tells Business Insider, you need “to foster an identify that ‘I’m somebody who doesn’t conform,’ that ‘I’m somebody who doesn’t follow the crowd.'”

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According to Grant, parents of highly-creative children think differently about how they approach raising their kids in three important ways:

1. They praise the child, not the act.

When Grant’s daughter creates a piece of art, instead of saying, “Wow, that’s a really creative drawing,” Grant would tell her, “Wow, you are a really creative person.” This helps her develop a sense of self as a creative person with unique ideas, he says.

“It’s so tempting to reinforce the behavior, when in fact what we need to do is help children see that that behavior is a core part of who they are, so that when they grow up they don’t lose creativity,” Grant explains.

This idea of directing praise to the child rather than the act comes from research that found children were much more generous after their character had been praised than after their actions had been. “When our character is praised, we internalize it as part of our identities,” Grant writes in his book.

 

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2. They don’t set a ton of rules.

Grant points to research out of Boston College that compared the families of highly original children with those with ordinary ability and found that the parents of ordinary children had an average of six rules — like when it’s time for bed or homework — while parents of highly creative children had an average of less than one rule.

“If you want your kids to follow rules, then it’s much more likely that, when it comes time to solve a problem, he or she looks to how it’s been solved before — what are the conventional ways to doing it— as opposed to saying, ‘Well, how can I approach this? What other solutions haven’t been come up with before?'” Grant tells Business Insider.

This isn’t to say there should be no rules. “There have to be some boundaries in order to get children to think creatively.”

3. They reason with their kids.

Grant says that when researchers studied “one of the most daring acts of nonconformity that we’ve seen in the past century” — individuals who rescued victims of the Holocaust — they found one key difference between those who stood by and did nothing and those who put their lives on the line: Holocaust rescuers’ parents used reasoning as a disciplinary tactic more often than others.

Explanations can do a few important things, based on the research cited in Grant’s book.

Another study of American architects found that parents of the most creative architects disciplined their kids by outlining their standards of conduct and explaining their reasoning behind these principles — and encouraging their kids to come up with their own values.

And, as with the study of Holocaust rescuers, researchers found discussions that encourage kids to consider the impact of their actions on others activate a desire to right wrongs and do better.

“When you help children think about the consequences of their action for others, they’re much more likely to channel their originality in moral and creative directions, as opposed to saying, ‘I’m going to break a bunch of rules,’ or ‘I’m going to do something that perhaps would harm a few people,'” Grant explains.

SEE ALSO: 9 scientific ways having a child influences your success

 

Businessinsider.com | February 10, 2016 | 

Your #Career : Need a Job? 5 Ways to Get Employed Faster…Searching for a New Job, you’re Not Alone. 71% of workers are workers are Either Actively Looking or Interested in Finding a New Position

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The hunt for the perfect position can take months. One rule of thumb says that you should expect to spend at least one month of job searching for every $10,000 you earn. So, if your currently salary is $70,000 per year, you can expect to spend at least seven months hunting for work.

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Few people want to wait that long to find a new job. If your current position is unbearable (you hate your boss, your company is massively dysfunctional, your commute is killing you), feeling that you’re at the mercy of the job market can be incredibly frustrating. If you’re out of work, waiting months to find a job may not even be an option. In either case, you need a new job, and you needed it yesterday.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to accelerate your job search. Here are five things you can do that will help you get hired faster, so that you can get your career – and your life – back on the right track.

1. Time your search right

Some seasons are more favorable for job searchers than others. Obviously, if you need work right away, you don’t have the luxury of waiting to look for a job. But if you’re itching for a change, you might want to start your search at a time of year when companies are more likely to be looking for new employees.

“The big months for hiring are January and February, and late September and October,” Scott Testa, chief operating officer of Mindbridge Software, told Monster. “Job seekers who make contact right at the start of these cycles have the best chance of being hired.”

Hiring often slows down in the summer, since many people are out of the office. If you’re thinking about looking for a new job now, consider spending the next month or two fine-tuning your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and building your network. Then, you can hit the ground running when hiring kicks into high gear around Labor Day.

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2. Let people know you’re looking

If you’re only looking for jobs online, you’re missing out. Forty-one percent of people surveyed by staffing company Manpower reported that networking was the key to landing their latest job, as reported in Forbes. Many open positions are never posted online.

Don’t hesitate to make your job search public. Personally reach out to former co-workers and others in your network (both online and in real life) and ask for a favor that might help move your job search along.

“[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][P]eople are much more likely to help if you give them something concrete they can do,” wrote Alison Green for U.S. News & World Report’s Ask A Manager blog. “For instance, you might ask your neighbor if she can connect you with a hiring manager at her former company, or you might ask your old manager if she’d advise you on the companies you’re considering.

3. Show employers what you’ve done

You know that “goals and objectives” statement at the top of your resume? Skip it, say experts. Your goal is obvious, after all – you want a job. Instead, use a summary statement that focuses on your past accomplishments. Show hiring managers and interviewers what you’ve done in the past and how that will make you a better employee for them.

“Even if you’re a recent college grad just joining a new industry, you’ve got a sentence or two you could put in that paragraph that might generate questions, interest and maybe even a job interview,” wrote Jon Acuff, author of Start, on Brazen Careerist.

In short, you need to brag a little (or maybe a lot). And whenever possible, it’s helpful to quantify your accomplishments. Don’t just say you recruited volunteers for a cause, say you recruited 50 volunteers and helped raise $50,000. Don’t just say that you managed a big project, say that you managed a big project and completed it two weeks early and $20,000 under budget.

4. Volunteer

Dedicating some of your time to helping others could make it much easier to find a job, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Career Assessment. The study looked at 265 unemployed twentysomethings and found that those who volunteered were more likely to have a job after six months than those who didn’t. Even volunteering for just an hour a week was associated with a greater chance of finding a job.

One reason that volunteering may so useful for young people looking for a job is that it demonstrates to employers that they have specific job-related skills – skills they may not be developing in college.

“Employers are no longer interested in training potential applicants who may do an outstanding job based on academic promise,” noted the study’s authors. “Volunteering activities provide opportunities for emerging adults to master specific skillsets and to demonstrate proof of competency and value.”

5. Clean up your social media

You should really know this by now, but here’s a reminder just in case you forgot: There’s a very good chance your potential employer is checking out your social media profiles. Forty-three percent of employers are researching candidates on social media, according to a CareerBuilder survey. If they don’t like what they see, it could cost you the job.

What social media behaviors turn off employers? Nearly half said they’d pass on an applicant who posted “provocative or inappropriate photographs or information.” Other social media no-no’s included:

  • Sharing information about drinking or using drugs
  • Bad-mouthing an employer or co-worker
  • Making racist, sexist, or other discriminatory comments
  • Sharing confidential information
  • Having an unprofessional screen name

Just as social media blunders can harm your job search, so can not having any online presence at all. A LinkedIn profile is a must at this point – 94% of recruiters used the site to find candidates, a 2014 survey by Jobvite found. Overall, 73% of recruiters said they had hired a candidate through social media.

CheatSheet.com |  February 9, 2016 | Megan Elliott 

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#Leadership : 10 Ways To Spot A Truly Exceptional Employee…Take Notice of what’s Not Mentioned: Coding Skills, Years of Experience, Business Degrees, etc. These Things Matter, But they Won’t Make you Exceptional.

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A recent international study surveyed more than 500 business leaders and asked them what sets great employees apart. The researchers wanted to know why some people are more successful than others at work, and the answers were surprising; leaders chose “personality” as the leading reason.

Free- Man reaching to Sun Rise

Notably, 78% of leaders said personality sets great employees apart, more than cultural fit (53%) and even an employee’s skills (39%).

“We should take care not to make the intellect our God; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.” –Albert Einstein

The problem is, when leaders say ‘personality’ they don’t understand what they’re referring to. Personality consists of a stable set of preferences and tendencies through which we approach the world. Being introverted or extroverted is an example of an important personality trait.

Personality traits form at an early age and are fixed by early adulthood. Many important things about you change over the course of your lifetime, but your personality isn’t one of them.

Personality is distinct from intellect (or IQ). The two don’t occur together in any meaningful way. Personality is also distinct from emotional intelligence (or EQ), and this is where the study, and most leaders for that matter, have misinterpreted the term.

talent

The qualities that leaders in the study called personality were actually emotional intelligence skills. And unlike your personality, which is set in stone, you can change and improve your EQ.

Exceptional employees don’t possess God-given personality traits; they rely on simple, everyday EQ skills that anyone can incorporate into their repertoire.

Leaders don’t need to go searching for these skills either (though it doesn’t hurt when you find them); their duty is to help everyone on their team harness these skills to become exceptional.

Just consider some of the EQ skills that leaders and managers commonly mislabel as personality characteristics. These are the skills that set exceptional employees apart.

They’re willing to delay gratification. One thing an exceptional employee never says is, “That’s not in my job description.” Exceptional employees work outside the boundaries of job descriptions. They’re neither intimidated nor entitled; instead of expecting recognition or compensation to come first, they forge ahead in their work, confident that they’ll be rewarded later but unconcerned if they’re not.

 

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They can tolerate conflict. While exceptional employees don’t seek conflict, they don’t run away from it either. They’re able to maintain their composure while presenting their positions calmly and logically. They’re able to withstand personal attacks in pursuit of the greater goal and never use that tactic themselves.

They focus. Student pilots are often told, “When things start going wrong, don’t forget to fly the plane.” Plane crashes have resulted from pilots concentrating so hard on identifying the problem that they flew the plane into the ground. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 is just one example: The flight crew was so concerned about the landing gear being down that they didn’t realize they were losing altitude until it was too late, despite alarms going off in the cockpit. Exceptional employees understand the principle of “Just fly the plane.” They don’t get distracted by cranky customers, interoffice squabbles, or switch to a different brand of coffee. They can differentiate between real problems and background noise; therefore, they stay focused on what matters.

They’re judiciously courageous. Exceptional employees are willing to speak up when others are not, whether it’s to ask a difficult (or “embarrassingly” simple) question or to challenge an executive decision. However, that’s balanced with common sense and timing. They think before they speak and wisely choose the best time and place to do so.

They’re in control of their egos. Exceptional employees have egos. While that’s part of what drives them, they never give their egos more weight than what is deserved. They’re willing to admit when they’re wrong and willing to do things someone else’s way, whether it’s because the other way is better or it’s important to maintain team harmony.

They’re never satisfied. Exceptional employees have unparalleled convictions that things can always be better—and they’re right. No one is ever done growing, and there is no such thing as “good enough” when it comes to personal improvement. No matter how well things are going, exceptional employees are driven to improve, without forgetting to give themselves a healthy pat on the back.

They recognize when things are broken and fix them. Whether it’s a sticky desk drawer or an inefficient, wasteful process affecting the cash flow of the entire department, exceptional employees don’t walk past problems. “Oh, it’s been that way forever,” simply isn’t in their vocabulary. They see problems as issues to be fixed immediately; it’s that simple.

They’re accountable. If you’re a manager trying to decipher a bungled report, “It’s not my fault” is the most irritating phrase in the English language. Exceptional employees are accountable. They own their work, their decisions, and all of their results—good or bad. They bring their mistakes to management’s attention rather than hoping no one will find out. They understand that managers aren’t out to assign blame; they’re out to get things done.

They’re marketable. “Marketable” can mean many things. Inside the organization, it means “likeable.” Exceptional employees are well liked by co-workers. They have integrity and leadership skills (even if they’re not in an official leadership position) that people respond to. Externally, it means they can be trusted to represent the brand well. Managers know they can send these employees out to meet with clients and prospects without worrying about what they’ll say or do.

They neutralize toxic people. Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. Exceptional employees control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation rationally. They identify their own emotions and don’t allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos. They also consider the difficult person’s standpoint and are able to find solutions and common ground. Even when things completely derail, emotionally intelligent people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

Bringing It All Together

Take notice of what’s not mentioned: coding skills, years of experience, business degrees, etc. These things matter, but they won’t make you exceptional.

What other qualities make people exceptional? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

 

Forbes.com | February 9, 2016 | Travis Bradberry 

 

#Leadership : 12 Successful People Share their Best Productivity Hacks…Here, 12 Successful People Share How to Do just That, Compliments of their Productivity Hacks. Get Ready to Get Focused

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If you find yourself getting easily overwhelmed by emails, struggling to keep your eyes open at your desk, or constantly getting distracted by coworkers, chances are, your productivity level isn’t what it could be.

Free- Focus on Work

The secret to working more efficiently isn’t about working more or less, but smarter.

Here, 12 successful people share how to do just that, compliments of their productivity hacks. Get ready to get focused:

1. Visualize

“I always envision myself crushing it at my job, working with pristine integrity and keeping a gold standard. I have always envisioned myself being the go-to girl, the leader in my space, the golden girl in the Wellness space. Make an effort to pinpoint your success, and focus on YOU leading the pack. Clear the noise, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Focus on yourself, your work and keep the focus on doing your very best, nothing less.” — Candice Kumai, bestselling author of “Clean Green Eats” & “Clean Green Drinks“

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2. Simplify

“Break down an annual goal into daily activities. Then focus 100% of your energy on completing those activities.” — Kevin Conroy Smith, Levo 100 honoree and founder of the Number Project

3. Unplug

“I can’t begin to stress how important it was to limit digital distractions during my workday. The best thing I’ve ever done to improve my productivity was to check my inbox only three times a day. This allows me to really concentrate on whatever task I have at hand. Before I started doing this, I would constantly get interrupted and it would take me a while to get back to really focusing on what I was working on, which was a killer for my productivity. Sometimes I’ll catch myself cheating by checking my iPhone inbox, but putting it on silent helps stop the temptation!” — Jude Al-Khalil, founder and CEO of BIKYNI

4. Catch those ZZZs

“My #1 productivity hack is getting seven hours of sleep each night. I turn off the TV and put away all my devices so I can clear my brain and sleep well! To have an energy-full day, I prioritize getting a good night’s sleep so I wake up rested and ready to go face the day’s challenges. I also really appreciate the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute’s principles that lead to being your personal best at work and at home: be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aware to achieve your mission.”  — Janis Smith-Gomez, vice president, marketing for Ethicon, Inc.

5. Distance yourself

“Close the office door. I have an open door policy all the time. My office is open to every one of the 110 people who work for me. In fact, it’s unusual not to find at least one of my employees paying me a visit. However, when the rubber meets the road, and I have to concentrate and get something done quickly, my office door gets closed. It has become a sign to everyone that when it’s closed, I am full steam on a project so I generally don’t get interrupted. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in an uninterrupted hour — or even a half hour.” — Linda Lightman, CEO and founder of Linda’s Stuff

6. Plan, organize, do

“I have a three-step mantra when it comes to being productive:

Plan it. I plan each day the night before and add them as actual tasks in my calendar. This gives you the creative space to do the work you need to do in the time required and ensures that you are realistic about what can be achieved. I prioritize the most important tasks and always allow time for inspiration and play — being creative means you need time to be inspired, read an article, blog or just be on the pulse of what’s happening.

Organize it. I try to keep to Inbox Zero. I rule the mail, it does not rule me. I check it only three times — morning, afternoon, and at the end of the day. Being ruthless with emails means spending more time on the next step and less on organizing and sifting through endless emails. Honestly, if it’s really important, experience has taught me they either come and get you or pick up the phone.

Do it. I get focused. I’m not distracted, I don’t check my email, and I get in the zone to complete the tasks for the day. I often have post-it notes with each task on my desk and physically tick them off once a task is done. There is great satisfaction in actually completing something. Visually seeing these is also a great way to remain focused.” — Resh Sidhu, creative director of Framestore’s VR Studio

 

7. Check-in times

“Email is both a blessing and a curse — a curse in that it often becomes a seemingly endless task. Each day, I set a time to check my email and address as much as I can. But I always set an end time, and stick to it. Of course, email is a blessing in that it keeps me on track. And I sort my inbox by subject, to be as efficient as possible (though I try to keep this trick a secret!).” — Julie Lee, managing director, Maxus Chicago

8. Calendars and story time

“There are two actually… the one at work: my to-dos go right into my Outlook calendar, where I can’t hide from them or transfer them to another piece of paper; the reminders keep me honest and mindful, and the lack of scribbled, unreadable lists cluttering my desk is a nice plus one. The one at home: reading to my kids; it’s the blissful 30 to 45 minutes of my day that’s never shattered or shared with anyone else, and puts me in a right zen mood.” — Christine Stack, partner at Liberty Blue

9. Google Hangouts

“While this may seem counter-intuitive as a productivity hack, I’m in a creative business so talking through ideas needs the nuance of conversation and ideally seeing each other’s face. Hangouts helps our teams get together and have meaningful discussions rather than spinning in the nuance of how we phrased something in an email.” — Jane Delworth, managing director at mono

10. and 11. Meditation

“Headspace — 20 minutes meditation a day every day makes all the difference to my productivity.” — Charlotte Smith, partner at Liberty Blue

“Even if it’s just 10 to 15 minutes a day. It centers me, keeps me focused on what matters right now, and helps me to stay calm under stress — which ultimately makes me more productive. Walking meditation is my favorite type of meditation.” — Justine Bloome, EVP, strategy and innovation at Carat USA

12. Podcasts

“My favorite podcast is Ted Radio Hour. I love the diversity of interviews and content matter, which always expands my thinking in new and surprising ways.” — Olivia Fay, CEO and creative director of Rallier

Businessinsider.com | February 4, 2016 |  Kristen Lauletti, Levo League

#Strategy : How to Immediately Connect With Anyone…Try these Tips the Next Time you Meet Someone New, & Watch a Superficial Conversation Turn into a Real Connection.

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Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that the ability to connect with others is a natural, unteachable trait that belongs to only a lucky few. It’s easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, this ability is under your control, and it’s a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ).

Free- Women Glass of Red Wine

Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that the ability to connect with others is a natural, unteachable trait that belongs to only a lucky few. It’s easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, this ability is under your control, and it’s a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ).

Research conducted by Matthew Lieberman at UCLA shows that being social and connecting with others is as fundamental a human need as food, shelter, and water. For example, Lieberman discovered that we feel social pain, such as the loss of a relationship, in the same part of the brain that we feel physical pain.

The primary function of this brain area is to alert us to threats to our survival. It makes you realize how powerful and important social connection is. We’re hard wired to be social creatures.

MRIs of the brain show that social thinking and analytical thinking involve entirely different neural networks and that they operate something like a seesaw. When you engage in analytical thinking, the social part of your brain quiets down, but as soon as you’re finished, the social network springs back to life.

 

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Related: 10 Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

The social brain is the end of the seesaw where the fat kid sits; it’s our brain’s default setting.

Given that social connection is such a fundamental human need, you’d think that it would be easy to connect with everyone we meet. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Against our own self-interest, we get bogged down by shyness, self-consciousness, cynicism, pride, competitiveness, jealousy, and arrogance.

If you can get that baggage out of the way, you can connect with anyone—even those who are still holding on to their own. Here are some tips that will help you to connect instantly with everyone you meet.

Leave a strong first impression.

Research shows that most people decide whether or not they like you within the first seven seconds of meeting you. They then spend the rest of the conversation internally justifying their initial reaction. This may sound terrifying, but by knowing this, you can take advantage of it to connect with anyone.

First impressions are tied intimately to positive body language. Becoming cognizant of your gestures, expressions, and tone of voice (and making certain they’re positive) will draw people to you like ants to a picnic. Using an enthusiastic tone, uncrossing your arms, maintaining eye contact, and leaning towards the person who’s speaking are all forms of positive body language that high-EQ people use to draw others in. Positive body language can make all the difference in a conversation. It’s true that how you say something can be more important than what you say.

Be the first to venture beyond the superficial.

Our first conversation or two with a new acquaintance tends to be pretty superficial. We portray a careful picture of ourselves, and we stick to nice, safe topics. We talk about the weather and people we know in common and share the most basic details about ourselves. But if you really want to connect with somebody, try upping the ante and revealing the real you. You don’t need to get too personal, but it’s important to let the other person know what you’re passionate about. Most of the time, if you open up, the other person will follow your lead and do the same.

Ask good questions. If the other person seems hesitant to open up, encourage them to do so by asking substantial questions. “What do you do?” doesn’t further the relationship nearly as much as, “Why did you choose your profession?” Search for questions that will help you to understand what makes the other person tick, without getting too personal.

Learn from them.

In the course of his research, Lieberman concluded that our educational system would be much more effective if we tapped into the social side of learning, rather than trying to squash it. For example, the best way to help an eighth-grader struggling with math would be to have him get help from another student. Apply that same principle to your life, and be willing to learn from the person you’re trying to connect with. Not only does that make them feel more bonded to you, it makes them feel important. It also shows that you’re willing to be vulnerable and aren’t too proud to admit that you have much to learn.

Related: 15 Body Language Secrets of Successful People

Don’t make them regret removing the mask.

If your new acquaintance does you the honor of opening up, don’t make them regret it. Sarcasm, criticism, or jokes that might make the other person feel judged for what they’ve shared are major faux paus. Instead, empathize with their approach to life, which you can do even if you don’t agree with their beliefs, and then reciprocate by revealing more about yourself.

Look for the good in them.

Our culture can often predispose us toward cynicism. We seem to focus on finding reasons not to like people instead of reasons to like them. Shut that cynical voice off, and concentrate on looking for the good in a new acquaintance. For one thing, that keeps you from writing someone off too soon, but more importantly, when you expect the best from people, they’re likely to deliver it.

Smile.

People naturally (and unconsciously) mirror the body language of the person they’re talking to. If you want people to like you, smile at them during a conversation and they will unconsciously return the favor and feel good about you as a result.

Use their name.

Your name is an essential part of your identity, and it feels terrific when people use it. You shouldn’t use someone’s name only when you greet them. Research shows that people feel validated when the person they’re speaking with refers to them by name during a conversation. When you meet someone, don’t be afraid to ask their name a second time if you forget it right after you hear it. You’ll need to keep their name handy if you’re going to remember it the next time you see them.

Follow the platinum rule.

We all know the golden rule, and it’s pretty easy to follow. The platinum rule is harder to follow because it requires us to treat people the way they want to be treated. Not only does doing so make the other person more comfortable—and therefore more likely to open up—but it also proves that you’ve been listening and have really heard what they’ve been telling you. And that shows extra effort on your part.

Don’t make it a contest.

We’ve all seen the stereotypical sit-com scene where two guys in a bar spend the night trying to one-up each other. The same thing happens when you meet someone new. Their accomplishments and life experience sneak up on you and make you feel the urge to make yourself look just as good (if not better). Doing so may stroke your ego, but it doesn’t help you to connect with them. It keeps you focused on yourself when you should be trying to learn about them and find common ground.

Turn off your inner voice.

One giant thing that keeps us from connecting with other people is that we don’t really listen. Instead, we’re thinking while the other person is talking. We’re so focused on what we’re going to say next or how what the other person is saying is going to affect us down the road that we fail to hear what’s really being said. The words come through loud and clear, but the meaning is lost.

You must turn off this inner voice if you want to connect deeply with people. So what if you forget what you were going to say or if the conversation moves in a different direction before you have a chance to make your point. If your real goal is to connect with a person, you have to shut off your own soundtrack long enough to focus on what they’re telling you.

Bringing it all together

The good news is that we’re programmed to connect with each other; we just keep getting in our own way. Try these tips the next time you meet someone new, and watch a superficial conversation turn into a real connection.

Related: 12 Things Truly Confident People Do Differently

Research conducted by Matthew Lieberman at UCLA shows that being social and connecting with others is as fundamental a human need as food, shelter, and water. For example, Lieberman discovered that we feel social pain, such as the loss of a relationship, in the same part of the brain that we feel physical pain.

The primary function of this brain area is to alert us to threats to our survival. It makes you realize how powerful and important social connection is. We’re hard wired to be social creatures.

MRIs of the brain show that social thinking and analytical thinking involve entirely different neural networks and that they operate something like a seesaw. When you engage in analytical thinking, the social part of your brain quiets down, but as soon as you’re finished, the social network springs back to life.

Related: 10 Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

The social brain is the end of the seesaw where the fat kid sits; it’s our brain’s default setting.

Given that social connection is such a fundamental human need, you’d think that it would be easy to connect with everyone we meet. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Against our own self-interest, we get bogged down by shyness, self-consciousness, cynicism, pride, competitiveness, jealousy, and arrogance.

If you can get that baggage out of the way, you can connect with anyone—even those who are still holding on to their own. Here are some tips that will help you to connect instantly with everyone you meet.

Leave a strong first impression.

Research shows that most people decide whether or not they like you within the first seven seconds of meeting you. They then spend the rest of the conversation internally justifying their initial reaction. This may sound terrifying, but by knowing this, you can take advantage of it to connect with anyone.

First impressions are tied intimately to positive body language. Becoming cognizant of your gestures, expressions, and tone of voice (and making certain they’re positive) will draw people to you like ants to a picnic. Using an enthusiastic tone, uncrossing your arms, maintaining eye contact, and leaning towards the person who’s speaking are all forms of positive body language that high-EQ people use to draw others in. Positive body language can make all the difference in a conversation. It’s true that how you say something can be more important than what you say.

Be the first to venture beyond the superficial.

Our first conversation or two with a new acquaintance tends to be pretty superficial. We portray a careful picture of ourselves, and we stick to nice, safe topics. We talk about the weather and people we know in common and share the most basic details about ourselves. But if you really want to connect with somebody, try upping the ante and revealing the real you. You don’t need to get too personal, but it’s important to let the other person know what you’re passionate about. Most of the time, if you open up, the other person will follow your lead and do the same.

Ask good questions. If the other person seems hesitant to open up, encourage them to do so by asking substantial questions. “What do you do?” doesn’t further the relationship nearly as much as, “Why did you choose your profession?” Search for questions that will help you to understand what makes the other person tick, without getting too personal.

Learn from them.

In the course of his research, Lieberman concluded that our educational system would be much more effective if we tapped into the social side of learning, rather than trying to squash it. For example, the best way to help an eighth-grader struggling with math would be to have him get help from another student. Apply that same principle to your life, and be willing to learn from the person you’re trying to connect with. Not only does that make them feel more bonded to you, it makes them feel important. It also shows that you’re willing to be vulnerable and aren’t too proud to admit that you have much to learn.

Related: 15 Body Language Secrets of Successful People

Don’t make them regret removing the mask.

If your new acquaintance does you the honor of opening up, don’t make them regret it. Sarcasm, criticism, or jokes that might make the other person feel judged for what they’ve shared are major faux paus. Instead, empathize with their approach to life, which you can do even if you don’t agree with their beliefs, and then reciprocate by revealing more about yourself.

Look for the good in them.

Our culture can often predispose us toward cynicism. We seem to focus on finding reasons not to like people instead of reasons to like them. Shut that cynical voice off, and concentrate on looking for the good in a new acquaintance. For one thing, that keeps you from writing someone off too soon, but more importantly, when you expect the best from people, they’re likely to deliver it.

Smile.

People naturally (and unconsciously) mirror the body language of the person they’re talking to. If you want people to like you, smile at them during a conversation and they will unconsciously return the favor and feel good about you as a result.

Use their name.

Your name is an essential part of your identity, and it feels terrific when people use it. You shouldn’t use someone’s name only when you greet them. Research shows that people feel validated when the person they’re speaking with refers to them by name during a conversation. When you meet someone, don’t be afraid to ask their name a second time if you forget it right after you hear it. You’ll need to keep their name handy if you’re going to remember it the next time you see them.

Follow the platinum rule.

We all know the golden rule, and it’s pretty easy to follow. The platinum rule is harder to follow because it requires us to treat people the way they want to be treated. Not only does doing so make the other person more comfortable—and therefore more likely to open up—but it also proves that you’ve been listening and have really heard what they’ve been telling you. And that shows extra effort on your part.

Don’t make it a contest.

We’ve all seen the stereotypical sit-com scene where two guys in a bar spend the night trying to one-up each other. The same thing happens when you meet someone new. Their accomplishments and life experience sneak up on you and make you feel the urge to make yourself look just as good (if not better). Doing so may stroke your ego, but it doesn’t help you to connect with them. It keeps you focused on yourself when you should be trying to learn about them and find common ground.

Turn off your inner voice.

One giant thing that keeps us from connecting with other people is that we don’t really listen. Instead, we’re thinking while the other person is talking. We’re so focused on what we’re going to say next or how what the other person is saying is going to affect us down the road that we fail to hear what’s really being said. The words come through loud and clear, but the meaning is lost.

You must turn off this inner voice if you want to connect deeply with people. So what if you forget what you were going to say or if the conversation moves in a different direction before you have a chance to make your point. If your real goal is to connect with a person, you have to shut off your own soundtrack long enough to focus on what they’re telling you.

Bringing it all together

The good news is that we’re programmed to connect with each other; we just keep getting in our own way. Try these tips the next time you meet someone new, and watch a superficial conversation turn into a real connection.

Related: 12 Things Truly Confident People Do Differently

 

Entrepreneur.com  |  Travis Bradberry

Your #Career : Six Things You Don’t Owe Your Boss..Success & Fulfillment often Depend Upon your Ability to Set Good Boundaries. Once you can Do This, Everything Else Just Falls into Place. What Do you Do to Set Boundaries Around your Work?

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The typical workday is long enough as it is, and technology is making it even longer. When you do finally get home from a full day at the office, your mobile phone rings off the hook, and emails drop into your inbox from people who expect immediate responses.

Free- Big Photo Lense

While most people claim to disconnect as soon as they get home, recent research says otherwise. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that more than 50% of us check work email before and after work hours, throughout the weekend, and even when we’re sick. Even worse, 44% of us check work email while on vacation.

A Northern Illinois University study that came out this summer shows just how bad this level of connection really is. The study found that the expectation that people need to respond to emails during off-work hours produces a prolonged stress response, which the researchers named telepressure. Telepressure ensures that you are never able to relax and truly disengage from work. This prolonged state of stress is terrible for your health. Besides increasing your risk of heart disease, depression, and obesity, stress decreases your cognitive performance.

We need to establish boundaries between our personal and professional lives. When we don’t, our work, our health, and our personal lives suffer.

Balance between Family and WorkResponding to emails during off-work hours isn’t the only area in which you need to set boundaries. You need to make the critical distinction between what belongs to your employer and what belongs to you and you only. The items that follow are yours. If you don’t set boundaries around them and learn to say no to your boss, you’re giving away something with immeasurable value.

1. Your health. It’s difficult to know when to set boundaries around your health at work because the decline is so gradual. Allowing stress to build up, losing sleep, and sitting all day without exercising all add up. Before you know it, you’re rubbing your aching back with one hand and your zombie-like eyes with the other, and you’re looking down at your newly-acquired belly. The key here is to not let things sneak up on you, and the way you do that is by keeping a consistent routine. Think about what you need to do to keep yourself healthy (taking walks during lunch, not working weekends, taking your vacations as scheduled, etc.), make a plan, and stick to it no matter what. If you don’t, you’re allowing your work to overstep its bounds.

 

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2. Your family. It’s easy to let your family suffer for your work. Many of us do this because we see our jobs as a means of maintaining our families. We have thoughts such as ”I need to make more money so that my kids can go to college debt-free.” Though these thoughts are well-intentioned, they can burden your family with the biggest debt of all—a lack of quality time with you. When you’re on your deathbed, you won’t remember how much money you made for your spouse and kids. You’ll remember the memories you created with them.

3. Your sanity. While we all have our own levels of this to begin with, you don’t owe a shred of it to your employer. A job that takes even a small portion of your sanity is taking more than it’s entitled to. Your sanity is something that’s difficult for your boss to keep track of. You have to monitor it on your own and set good limits to keep yourself healthy. Often, it’s your life outside of work that keeps you sane. When you’ve already put in a good day’s (or week’s) work and your boss wants more, the most productive thing you can do is say no, then go and enjoy your friends and hobbies. This way, you return to work refreshed and de-stressed. You certainly can work extra hours if you want to, but it’s important to be able to say no to your boss when you need time away from work.

4. Your identity. While your work is an important part of your identity, it’s dangerous to allow your work to become your whole identity. You know you’ve allowed this to go too far when you reflect on what’s important to you and work is all that (or most of what) comes to mind. Having an identity outside of work is about more than just having fun. It also helps you relieve stress, grow as a person, and avoid burnout.

5. Your contacts. While you do owe your employer your best effort, you certainly don’t owe him or her the contacts you’ve developed over the course of your career. Your contacts are a product of your hard work and effort, and while you might share them with your company, they belong to you.

6. Your integrity. Sacrificing your integrity causes you to experience massive amounts of stress. Once you realize that your actions and beliefs are no longer in alignment, it’s time to make it clear to your employer that you’re not willing to do things his or her way. If that’s a problem for your boss, it might be time to part ways.

Bringing It All Together

Success and fulfillment often depend upon your ability to set good boundaries. Once you can do this, everything else just falls into place.

 What do you do to set boundaries around your work? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

Travis co-wrote the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and co-foundedTalentSmart, the world’s #1 provider of emotional intelligence tests and training, serving 75% of Fortune 500 Companies.

 

Forbes.com |  February 2, 2016 | Travis Bradberry

Your #Career : 7 Signs You’re Going to Get Fired…Sometimes, Firings Really Do Come Out of Nowhere. But Often There are Signs that your Job is in Jeopardy Long Before you’re Officially Told you’re Being Terminated. If you’re Seeing Any of the Following Signs at your Office, it Could Be Time to Start Updating your Resume.

/in /by

Few people are excited to hear they’re losing their job. But even worse than being on the receiving end of a pink slip is an unexpected firing. You think everything is rosy at work, until your boss calls you into the corner office and lets you know you’re being let go. Being blindsided by a firing is damaging to your self-esteem and can make it harder to get back on your feet and get your career back on track.

Free- Under a Bridge

Sometimes, firings really do come out of nowhere. But often there are signs that your job is in jeopardy long before you’re officially told you’re being terminated. If you’re seeing any of the following signs at your office, it could be time to start updating your resume.

1. Your coworkers are acting weird

Sometimes, it’s easier for people outside of a situation to see the writing on the wall. If your office mates suddenly start forgetting to invite you to meetings, leaving you out of important email chains, and giving you pitying looks in the break room, be wary.

Coworkers who start treating you like a pariah may suspect that you’re on the way out the door, perhaps because they’re plugged into the office grapevine. Once you end up on management’s bad side, people may steer clear to avoid being tainted by association. Or if colleagues suddenly have a lot of questions about how you do your work, it may be because they suspect they’ll soon be taking on your assignments.

“Most often your peers already know, and the firing is only a surprise to the one getting canned,” Robert C. McMillan, author of The Next Gen Leader, told Men’s Health.

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2. A computer could do your job

If a computer could do your work just as well – or better – than you can, watch out. While fears that a robot could take your job might sound more like science fiction than reality, they’re not something to brush off, especially if your field is in the midst of big technological change. Remember, your company has little incentive to keep you on if there’s technology that is easier to manage than an actual person and cheaper to boot.

“If the type of work that you do can be done by a machine instead of a person, you may need to look for another type of job. It’s usually just a matter of time before your company decides that a machine can do your job for less money,” Cheryl Palmer of Call to Career told Monster.

3. Your responsibilities are shrinking

If projects and assignments that you once managed are being handed off to other employees or eliminated entirely, don’t get too excited about all the extra free time you suddenly have. Gradually making you a less essential part of the team could be a sign that your company is preparing to let you go.

“If you’re a high-level employee and they put you on a special assignment and take away other responsibilities so you can focus on that ‘special assignment,’ start fixing up your résumé, because you’re on your way out the door,” Suzanne Lucas, a former HR executive and the Evil HR Lady, told Reader’s Digest.

4. Your performance reviews are slipping

Quarterly or annual performance reviews may be a way for your supervisor to give you feedback on how you’re doing your job, but they also protect your employer. If you were warned about problems with your performance during your most recent review and have failed to improve, you’ll have a harder time making a case for wrongful termination.

A single bad performance review doesn’t necessarily mean your job is toast, but if you don’t take the warning seriously and shape up, you could be in trouble. And if you’re put on a performance improvement plan, that can be an even bigger red flag.

“If you’re put on a performance-improvement plan, you’re cooked. I might look you in the eye and say we’re going to do everything possible to make this work, but that’s just total BS,” an anonymous HR director at financial services firm told Reader’s Digest.

5. Your relationship with your boss has changed

Increasing conflict with your boss is definitely a sign that things aren’t alright at the office. But if your once-chummy supervisor has stopped inviting you out to lunch, is less friendly or communicative in meetings, or is distant when you stop to chat in the break room, that’s also cause for concern. It could be he knows you’re about to get fired and it’s making him treat you differently.

“Humans, no matter how polished and experienced they are, if they are uncomfortable with a situation, will start to subtly shun it,” Stephanie Daniel, a senior vice president with Keystone Associates, a human resources consulting firm, told Fast Company.

6. You’re receiving more critical feedback in writing

If notes and emails picking apart your work suddenly start landing in your inbox, watch out. Documenting problems with your performance in this way could be a sign that your job is on the line.

“If your manager used to give you feedback in person but now she’s putting critical feedback in emails or memos, it’s possible that she’s creating a paper trail to build a case for firing you,” Alison Green of the “Ask a Manager” blog wrote in an article for U.S. News & World Report.

7. You feel that something isn’t right

While you may not be able to pinpoint the specific warning signs, if your gut is telling you that something is up at the office, you should listen. A general feeling that something is off – perhaps due to subtle changes in company culture or shifts in your job duties — could indicate you’re moving to the top of the “to fire” list.

“You will feel things and your job is not to judge or pooh-pooh them but to let them sit in your right brain and percolate for a few days. Is there a change in the air temperature? If so, you’ve got to mention it,” wrote Liz Ryan, the CEO and founder of Human Workplace, in a LinkedIn post.

While you’re trying to figure out if your gut is right, you’ll also want to take control of the situation by getting ready for a job search.

“If you can self-assess that staying with the organization is going to cause you some inordinate amount of stress, you’re better off making the move earlier rather than later,” Michael Townshend, owner of Carpe Diem Coaching,told Daily Worth.

 

 

CheatSheet.com | February 1, 2016 | 

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Your #Career : The 10 Best Sites For Finding An Internship In 2016… Question: What’s the Best Way in Attaining a Job when you Graduate from College? Answer: 96% Land Jobs thru Internships Before Graduation.

/in /by

“Years ago, when I was in college, when I wanted to apply for internships, the only websites around were Monster and CareerBuilder,” says Lauren Berger. “I would go to those sites as a student and I would feel so lost. I just wanted someone to help me.”

Free- Man with Two Fingers

Berger, now 31, wound up taking on 15 different internships in her student years before going on to found the internship search site Intern Queen, now in its seventh year and number 9 on our list of the best sites for finding internships. “I had this light bulb moment where I said, ‘Wait a second, what if I were the person that could help other students – at that time, my peers, and now students around the world – get one step closer to their dream opportunity.”

The fact is college students and new graduates have more resources for finding an internship than ever. In addition to the time-tested strategy of scouring their own networks of friends, family and contacts, young people in search of an entry-level position or valuable experience in the workplace have many quality search engines to look through. Here are ten of the best:

LinkedIn

The ubiquity of LinkedIn in the world of professional networking is so profound, having a profile there is arguably more important than having a presence on any other social media site. Building a network of contacts is easy, and connecting with friends adds a social aspect to the massive, international online job fair LinkedIn has become. Keep in mind, though, that the cost to post a single job is $499 for employers (it costs $295 each to post ten of them), so the internship listings you turn up will likely have been placed by firms with a few dollars to throw around. For opportunities at smaller, more thrifty firms, look elsewhere.

 

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 Indeed

Indeed.com’s low cost model has served it well since its founding in 2004; its policy of letting employers post jobs and search resumes for free may be the prime factor in the site’s ability to attract the 180 million unique visitors it claims log on every month from over 50 different countries. The plain mechanics of the site provide a no-nonsense search engine that’s easy to navigate for those seeking or posting jobs. A search for internship positions in Chicago, yielded almost 2,000 results, with the option to whittle down the list of findings by salary, distance, company and job type. Results also show reviews of employers, presumably written by previous employees.

Internships.com

Based in Burbank, California, Internships.com is owned by textbook rental and educational services company Chegg and claims to offer 143,000 positions from 94,000 companies in 8,270 cities in the U.S. A quick search for internships in advertising in the Chicago area yielded 220 results, the vast majority of them virtual positions, workable from remote locations. The service offers free postings, allows users to see which Facebook FB +1.75% friends are connected to a given company and, of course, includes a mobile app for managing a job search on the go.

Glassdoor

Based in Sausalito, California, Glassdoor boasts useful ratings of various aspects of employing companies, including CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, and benefit information. The company also offers a mobile app. A quick search for an internship in advertising near Chicago yielded 329 postings, though some of them had already expired.

Your School or Alma Mater

The careers website of the college you attended can be a fantastic resource if you’re seeking an internship for the summer or looking for entry into the workforce in a given industry. Different schools within a university sometimes have their own job boards too. If employers trust the university you attended enough to seek its students as workers, you will be at an advantage as a product of that institution.

Idealist

Founded in 1995, Idealist.org focuses on finding job seekers positions as volunteers, opportunities at non profits, and open internships. The firm, which is based in New York City and Portland, Oregon, boasts 1.4 million visitors to its site and placement openings with over 100,000 organizations. A quick search conducted in late January for internships – in no particular geographical region – yielded just fewer than 1,900 openings. Founder Ami Dar sat down with Forbes contributor Rahim Kanini in 2012; see that interview here.

Absolute Internship

Since it was launched in 2009 by Fredrik van Huynh, London-based Absolute Internship has focused on the internationally-minded internship seeker. As van Huynh told FORBES, the company is sought out by “ambitious, travel-loving university students who are keen on expanding their global network and want to meet students from around the world.” Van Huynh claims the firm places about 1,000 students each year into internships in its six locations—Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Shanghai and Singapore. Students pay a program fee that starts at $3,099 and goes up to $6,495 for the destination they have been accepted to.

Looksharp

Since launching for business in 2009, Looksharp – which, once upon a time, was known as InternMatch – has raised almost $9.5 million from players like 500 Startups, Artis Ventures and Kapor Capital, to name a few. The company claims to offer postings from over 30,000 companies including Facebook , Lyft , Vertafore , and Charles Schwab , plus quite a few NGOs. The search engine stores positions from most U.S. states, Washington, D.C., plus some areas of Canada. When searching, if the internship you had your sights on is no longer available, Looksharp will offer up several others that are similar.

Intern Queen

Lauren Berger’s Intern Queen business has been around for the past seven years and emerged directly from her own experience searching for internships. Her small staff, based in California, seeks to give internship seekers a slightly more personal service by offering career and job search advice on its site while putting forth its founder, Berger, as the very visible face of the media and fashion industry-centric search organization. Says Berger: “I think people come to our site and feel like they have a cheerleader; someone really rooting for them and there to hold their hand throughout the internship journey.”

Internship Programs

Internship Programs is essentially a landing page for a bevy of internship openings from everywhere. The simple site allows job-seekers to type in a keyword describing what they are looking for, followed by a geographical location in which they would like to work. The results are often brief descriptions of what’s on offer and a link to the hiring company’s site or the job board on which the position is offered.

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Forbes.com | February 1, 2016 |  Karsten Strauss