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Your #Career : 10 Job Skills That Will Get You Hired in 2016…You Might be More than Ready for a Career Change, but Do You Have the Skills it Takes to Get Noticed by Recruiters?

May 17, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’re in the market for a new job, you’re not alone. More than 20% of workers are thinking about jumping shipthis year, up 5% from last year, according to a survey by job search website CareerBuilder.

You might be more than ready for a career change, but do you have the skills it takes to get noticed by recruiters? LinkedIn recently combed through its database to find out which skills employers were most interested in, both in the United States and around the world. They found you’re in good shape if your talents lie in software development or statistics, while other job hunters might have to work a bit harder to catch the eye of hiring managers.

To develop lists of the top 25 in-demand job skills, the professional networking site looked at trends in hiring and recruiting in 2015. Because companies were recruiting in the last months of 2015 for jobs where these skills were required, LinkedIn predicts they’ll also be in high demand in the first part of this year.

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“[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”][If you have one or more of these skills, you’re likely to continue getting interest from recruiters in the new year,” LinkedIn’s Sohan Murthy explained in a blog post.

Worldwide, employers were most interested in candidates with skills in cloud and distributed computing. People with experience in data mining (which took first place in last year’s list of hot skills) also continue to be a highly sought after.

“We still live in an increasingly data-driven world, and businesses are still aggressively hiring experts in data storage, retrieval and analysis,” Murthy wrote. Not only are businesses looking for people who can manage and interpret huge quantities of data, but wages in this field are high, in part because there’s a dearth of qualified applicants.

Here are the top 10 most wanted job skills of 2016 in the United States, according to LinkedIn.

Cloud and distributed computing
Statistical analysis and data mining
Mobile development
Network and information security
Middleware and integration software
Storage systems and management
User interface design
Algorithm design
Java development
Web architecture and development frameworks

Technical skills were clearly in high demand, but they weren’t the only talents companies were looking for. In the U.S., there was also significant interest in people with experience in marketing campaign management (#12), economics (#20), foreign language translation (#21), and business intelligence (#23). Worldwide, companies were looking for people with skills as diverse as SEO marketing and electronic and electrical engineering, while corporate law and governance snuck into the top 10 in the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Australia.

Eager job hunters with these skills should consider highlighting them on their LinkedIn profile so it is easier for recruiters to find them, while those hoping to make their profile more attractive to potential employers might want to complete training in a high-demand skill. Site like Lynda, Coursera, and Alison offer online courses (sometimes free), or you can earn certificates through a local university or community college. Whatever you do, be sure to add your new skills to your profile.

“Recruiters know what they’re looking for in a position and if your profile or work history doesn’t have the specific keywords associated with your field, it makes it harder for them to figure out if you’re the right fit,” LinkedIn expert Donna Serdula wrote in a blog post.

Meanwhile, demand for some skills dropped off slightly in the last year, according to LinkedIn. Game development fell out of the global top 25, as did digital and online marketing and recruiting. Still, if your specialty is in one of these areas, don’t fret.

“Employers are still looking for these skills,” Murthy reassured job hunters. “[J]ust not as much as last year.”

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| May 17, 2016 | Megan Elliott

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Your #Career : Millennials, This Is Why You Haven’t Been Promoted…Maybe we’re Entitled & Delusional. But, If you’re Ambitious but Stuck on Level 1, Below are 6 Possible Reasons. (Warning, Tough Love ahead.)

May 13, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

According to a recent millennial leadership survey from The Hartford, 80% of millennials see themselves as leaders today. Yet only 12% of Gen Y held management roles in 2013; and less than a third of The Hartford’s sample reported that they’re currently business leaders.

Maybe we’re entitled and delusional. Or maybe, explained millennial expert and author of Becoming the Boss, Lindsey Pollak, we have a progressive understanding of what it means to be a leader. “Millennials believe they can lead from whatever position they’re in,” she said. We know we don’t need an official title to impact our organization.

But if millennials really are leading from behind, why aren’t we getting promoted? If you’re ambitious but stuck on Level 1, below are six possible reasons. (Warning, tough love ahead.)

1. You overwork.

Slade Sundar, COO of Forte Interactive, Inc., observed that working 60-80 workweeks actually “devalues the work an employee does, because it shifts the measurement from results and quality to time and quantity.” When an employee’s work is measured simply by how much time she puts in, she seems cheaper and more expendable—“someone who is willing to do twice the work for half the salary.” Promoting her would thus ironically oppose the best interests of the company. As a result, over-dedicated employees are “rewarded” not with a promotion but with more work at the same pay.

On the other hand, one survey revealed that 71% of managers didn’t promote employees because they were unwilling to take on additional responsibilities. Jennifer Dulski, president and COO of Change.org, speculated that employees who volunteer to do work outside the scope of their roles are “the most likely to be promoted.”

When you’re considering how to balance managing your time with new responsibilities, ask yourself where you’ll be most able to demonstrate leadership and problem solving abilities. Sundar explained, “We don’t hire people to create widgets anymore, we hire people to solve problems. Widget Makers are expendable, Problem Solvers are not.” To get promoted, wrote Sundar, “you’ll need to prove you’re more than just a nose-to-the-grindstone type.”

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2. You’re incurious.

The least attractive quality in an employee—or anyone, really—is thinking you know everything.

If you’re prone to being a know-it-all, start asking questions. Famed Silicon Valley executive Guy Kawasaki blogged that the key to great schmoozing is to “Ask good questions, then shut up.” If you get others to talk instead, “Ironically, you’ll be remembered as an interesting person.”

Then do your homework—over and over again. Leadership is the “10,000 hours thing,” said Pollak. It requires “wanting to read and learn and be curious about the topic, loving what you’re talking about.” If you don’t know where to start, Pollak suggests, “Learn from watching people who are good at it. Take classes, learn public speaking, observe difficult conversations.” Curiosity is, at its core, a product of engagement.

If you start to feel bored by your investigation, that’s a sign you should pick another reign.

3. You’re agreeable.

I once had a boss whose confrontational communication style led several employees to leave the company. Noticing that these employees tended to be soft-spoken and acquiescent, I resolved to stand my ground in my new role. My boss admired that I (respectfully) challenged him, and he quickly identified me as “leadership potential”.

Statistics support my story: Researchers at the University of Notre Dame found that less agreeable employees earned an average of 18% more annuallythan their agreeable coworkers. Those who demonstrated more agreeable traits, by contrast, were less likely to receive promotions. Research also showsthat we tend to think agreeable men will make worse leaders.

Why?

Art Markman, Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations at the University of Texas at Austin, explains that “While some managers may want to surround themselves with people who obediently agree, most want those who will find the flaws in a plan before it is implemented.” Less agreeable people offer this needed skepticism.

If you tend toward people pleasing, Markman suggests considering potential flaws in ideas that come your way at work. Or internalize this: always agreeing doesn’t make you a good employee, or a good person for that matter.

4. You’re untrained.

Many millennials fail to advance because we don’t know what skills we lack. In The Hartford’s study, millennials least desired written and oral communications training—but employers consistently rank these skills as the ones millennials most need.

Determine what skills you need for the leadership role you seek. Then find a way to acquire them. David Goldin, the founder and CEO of Capify, toldBusiness Insider that millennials who want to be promoted should proactively seek assistance. “Show that you want to learn.”

Of course, employers also play a critical role in training their workforce. Markman said, “The most successful organizations are ones that promote learning throughout a career.” If you repeatedly request training and your organization doesn’t deliver, it may be time to let them go.

5. You’re clingy.

Employees often think that checking in with their supervisors constantly is conscientious (a skill paramount to success). In fact, it’s a sign of neuroticism, which is associated with compromised career success, emotional instabilityand lack of leadership potential. More immediately, incessantly checking in reflects insecurity and lack of self-sufficiency.

Some anxious employees, one study noted, use work to satisfy “unmet needs for love”. Managers can, in turn, find this clinginess “aversive and seek to distance themselves from the instigator.” In short, it’s the last thing you should do if you want to be promoted.

You might recognize this scenario: your boss hates when you don’t check in—“touch and go”, as some call it—but then complains that you can’t think for yourself. The solution is to outline exactly what you’re going to do. This requires preparation. Even if it’s a small task, think of it as a presentation. Schedule one meeting with your managers, present how you’re going to tackle this specific project/assignment, and get their approval on every bullet. Follow up explicitly confirming that you’ll do xyz. Then here’s the key part: don’t check in again until it’s done the way you agreed.

6. You’re alone.

If you’re not dying for your boss’s attention, you may suffer from the opposite problem. As an introvert, I convinced myself for years that I could manage my entire career alone. I eventually learned that lone wolfing isn’t sustainable. As Markman explained, “we are a fundamentally social species. We succeed primarily because of our ability to learn from others.”

I hesitated to get outside help because I was intimidated by the elusive “mentor” concept. I didn’t know how to get one, and I felt like I couldn’t request mentorship outright without spending money.

Pollak conceded that having one mentor is often unrealistic. “I think it’s too much pressure to ask someone to be my mentor,” she said. Markman, likewise, is wary of assigned mentors. “Mentorship is much more effective when it grows organically.”

Instead, Pollak prefers having a board of advisors and a collection of people who inspire her. “There are so many options to connect with people,” Pollak said. Markman advised, “Find time to go out for coffee… Ask questions. Find out what books they are reading. Get advice on how to handle difficult situations.” Many people can act as mentors without even knowing they serve that purpose for you.

Put concisely, here are some immediate actions you can take to advance your career:

Seek to understand and master your field and your role.
Stop punching the clock and start solving problems.
Evaluate the facts and defend your informed opinion.
Seek guidance and then demonstrate self-sufficiency.
Surround yourself with and learn from inspiring people.

“Believing you’re a leader is one thing,” said Pollak. “Acting like a leader is another.”

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Forbes.com | May 13, 2016 | Caroline Beaton

Your #Career : 7 Mistakes For Rookie Job Seekers To Avoid… Mistake #1. If you Have Spent the Last 8 Hours Posting for Jobs Online, you Have Wasted 7 Hours & 50 Minutes.

May 10, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

A job search is like a marathon. You can’t cut corners on the preparation and expect to cross the finish line in record time. Everyone who is in a job search wants the silver bullet. There isn’t one. Job searching, even under the best of circumstances, is a lot of work. Be prepared for a lot of rejection, but also for a lot of kindness and support along the way.

I meet many job seekers who have never had to conduct a formal job search. After coaching over a thousand clients at every professional level and across practically every industry, I’ve found that most make the same rookie mistakes.

If you’re looking for a new job, below are some tips for starting off your search on the right foot:

1. If you have spent the last eight hours posting for jobs online, you have wasted seven hours and 50 minutes. It can be tempting to apply to jobs online. So many positions are listed, and so many appear to be a fit. But while you are hitting the send button, so are 500+ other people. Job postings represent the open market; the jobs everyone gets to see. Most people source their jobs through the hidden job market, the ones where opportunities are shared through close contacts and conversations. Shift your strategy and spend most of your time networking for job leads, and limit your time applying to jobs online.

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2. Just because you did it doesn’t mean it belongs on your resume.Many people’s resumes read like a laundry list of everything they’ve ever done. A resume should be targeted to the needs of an employer and prove where you can add value. The employee recognition award you received for a Y2K conversion back in 1999 probably isn’t going to cut it with an employer in 2016. Instead, tell stories of initiatives you are involved in today that are helping to move your company, industry or profession forward.

3. Don’t tell me about the things you were expected to do; write about the things you did that no one ever dreamed possible. Most resumes describe tasks that hundreds of others perform in their jobs every day. What catches the hiring manager’s attention is the value you brought to that job task. For example, if you are an operations executive, don’t just write that you ran a call center. Instead, explain how you transformed its performance, implemented metrics to improve accountability and the customer experience, or saved money or time.

4. If no one returns your calls requesting a networking meeting, you are leaving the wrong message. Many people approach their contacts by saying something like, “If you know anyone who is hiring, please let me know.” It’s highly unlikely that your contact knows someone who is hiring for a position with your skill set right now. A better message would be to say, “I’m in a career transition and I would love to pick your brain to learn more about your company, the industry and trends in the profession. I wanted to reach out to you because I trust your opinion and value your advice.” By asking for information rather than a job, you are more likely to get a response and initiate a conversation. Many will be flattered that you asked and will reciprocate with whatever help they can offer.

5. People who don’t think online networking is relevant to their job search will become irrelevant to the hiring managers who think it is. Many job seekers are still reluctant to create an online digital footprint. But it’s becoming more difficult to substantiate being an expert in your profession when there is no online proof of your thought leadership. LinkedIn will be the social media tool of choice for many professionals — but don’t just create a shell of a profile. Optimize your professional image with proof of your accomplishments via strong stories of success, keywords, the LinkedIn publishing platform, and even case studies and videos if appropriate.

6. People think they should talk in general terms about career successes, but you build trust with interviewers by talking about specifics. The goal of the interview is to build trust and engagement. This is best done by showcasing stories about business problems you have solved that are relevant to the organization, not by focusing on the typical personality clichés. Telling the interviewer how you influenced the entire senior management team to fund a multimillion-dollar technology upgrade that in turn protected them from a cyber-security breach will be much more memorable than simply telling him you are a good communicator.

7. When hiring managers ask you in an interview what your weakness is, they already know. The goal is to figure out what they believe is the gap in your candidacy and address it head on. Perhaps you lack experience in a particular industry or don’t have the MBA they say is preferred. Show that while you don’t have a certain qualification, you have other skills that are more relevant and transferable. For example, an HR professional who doesn’t have hospital experience and is interviewing for a role in a hospital can focus on the similarities within the HR function that transcend industries. The candidate who lacks an MBA can show how they’ve solved business problems that are frequently solved by candidates who have the degree.

A job search is like a marathon. You can’t cut corners on the preparation and expect to cross the finish line in record time. Everyone who is in a job search wants the silver bullet. There isn’t one. Job searching, even under the best of circumstances, is a lot of work. Be prepared for a lot of rejection, but also for a lot of kindness and support along the way.

Forbes.com | May 10, 2016 | Forbes Coaches Council

#Leadership : 5 Critical Choices You Must Make Every Day At Work…The Workplace is Evolving & your Success is Highly Dependent upon the Choices you Make to Influence its Future – & Equally your Own.

May 9, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

As the marketplace changes faster than ever before, organizations and their brands are attempting to reinvent themselves to stay relevant – before their competitors pass them by. The speed of change also makes you more accountable for the choices you make to survive and thrive in a workplace that is testing your overall contributions every day – made all the more difficult asthe playbook for success and eventual significance is constantly being reconfigured and redefined.

Don’t wait; Seize the opportunity and be courageous enough to take action. Regardless of the outcome, you are earning respect and learning along the way. If failure is not an option, you are working for the wrong employer.

Every day at work you are faced with choices – not always easy whenpolitically charged with the hidden agendas of others. Let’s face it, you are trying to figure out how to best fit in and get discovered. You realize that to advance in your career, how others perceive you must be in alignment with the expectations you can be counted upon to consistently deliver.

To stay in control of what others are saying about you, you must always reflect the identity you seek to establish for yourself within the organization you serve. This means that you must be ever mindful of your unique differences and perspectives and how they can be best leveraged by the leaders and colleagues throughout your organization. In the new world of work – where everyone is attempting to establish themselves at a time when people are more uncertain about the future – you must take accountability for yourself.

To ensure you stay on track towards building the momentum you seek to achieve success in your career, here are five choices you must make every day at work – that can make or break your future.

1. Do You Consistently Over Deliver?

It’s no longer enough to do your job – that is, using your job description as the basis for your responsibilities and deliverables. In today’s workplace, you must overdeliver and define new standards and metrics for success. Overdelivering is not just about performing your primary job duties/functions, but abouthelping others do theirs too – well beyond the obvious. Overdelivering means being active and visible well beyond the job – by participating in corporate social responsibility, community outreach goals, etc.

If you are only doing what you believe others expect from you – challenge yourself to find new ways to do things better. Never be predictable. Consistently overdeliver and keep others on their toes. Allow your influence to propel others to equally over deliver.

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2. Do You Hold Your Boss Accountable?

I am not referring to what many people call “managing up.” Holding your boss accountable in this case is more about making sure that he or she is pushing you and providing you the guidance to ensure you reach your full potential. This is what a leader or boss is ultimately responsible to do. Unfortunately, not many leaders are good at this – if they are more interested in themselves rather than advancing themselves by serving others.

In an assessment by my organization, we asked leaders if they are vulnerable with their employees and/or colleagues; 69% of leaders said that they were vulnerable only “sometimes.” The question is intended to reveal if leaders actually know that it is in their best interest to be vulnerable if they are going to make others feel safe to speak-up; to share their ideas and ideals. Unfortunately, vulnerability has been associated for much too long as a weakness or as exposing one’s limitations.

Truth be told that in today’s workplace, everyone is in search of answers – new, fresh ways of doing things – and if we can’t be vulnerable, how can we solve for problems together; if we are not aware of our opportunity gaps, how can we be more efficient and effective. This is how we will eventually be able to discover the full potential in one another – and the business we serve.

3. Do You Strive To Be More Inclusive?

Being inclusive means that you must be more open-minded to fresh perspectives, new approaches and opinions. Make the smart choice of getting out of your comfort zone, be more curious and make room for diversity of thought. It’s no longer about what you know, but what you do with what you know. We live in a wisdom-based economy and your ability to bring the right people into the right conversations – to see beyond one’s job title and job description – is an absolute must.

In the previously mentioned assessment, we also asked leaders if they embrace diversity of thought and utilize one’s individual strengths. When 72% of respondents said – “always” – I became conflicted with the validity of this answer, especially when 69% of these same respondents said that they were “sometimes” vulnerable with their employees.

If your leaders are not leading by example – don’t wait – activate yourself to do what is required given that the workplace is more diverse than ever before. Give yourself the room to welcome differences in thought and accept this one important fact: we all desire similar things – we just have unique options; pathways to choose from.Never minimize the thinking of others – embrace it and learn to get more comfortable being more inclusive.

4. Do You Establish Your Identity?

Take ownership of your identity and don’t allow others to define it for you. Stop battling the gulf between assimilation and authenticity. Forget about what others want you to be and establish your own identity at work; don’t ask permission to be your most authentic self. Everyone has distinction and this is what allows you to be original. But distinction is hard when you feel that you need to be someone that you are not. This is why originality is hard to find. People spend too much time mimicking others. Be courageous enough to live your identity – and equally encourage others to do the same.

Leaders are looking for people that are comfortable in their own skin – and are easily turned off by those that act differently depending upon the environment.Live your identity consistently and responsibly – and don’t ever stop shining the stoplight of accountability on yourself to be yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of an identity crisis – because when this happens your self-trust begins to wane and any momentum that you are trying to create will be lost.

5. Do You Close Opportunity Gaps?

It’s easy to point fingers at others when problems rise to the surface that you are ultimately responsible for handling. Unfortunately, too many people complain when problems arise rather than try to find alternative solutions. These are the people that don’t commit to the aforementioned four points.

When you see (identify) opportunity gaps, immediately find ways to seize (close) them. As a responsible employee, your gut tells you to take action when faced with adversity. But unfortunately, more often than not, you don’t;instead you wait for those around you to take the calculated risks that you were hesitant to take yourself.

Don’t wait; seize the opportunity and be courageous enough to take action. Regardless of the outcome, you are earning respect and learning along the way. If failure is not an option, you are working for the wrong employer. You must be given room to fail during a time when no one has all the answers. We are all experiencing on the job training. Don’t forget that risk is created for the organization that allows opportunity gaps to widen. Close the gaps before circumstances force your hand. And when that happens – everyone loses – including yourself.

Leaders want employees that take ownership; that are proactive and recognize the importance of working smart for the betterment of a healthy whole. Make these five critical choices and live them every day at work, as a first step to taking ownership and accountability for your success, that of others, and the organization you serve. Don’t let the rapidly changing marketplace pass you by because you didn’t see and seize the opportunity to evolve with it.

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Forbes.com | May 9, 2016 | Glenn Llopis

#Leadership : 13 Ways To Overcome Negative Thought Patterns….You View the World Through your Mental Attitude. If that Attitude is Predominantly Negative, it Can Impact Everything, Including Health, Career, Family, & More. Furthermore, Negative Thinking can Have a Spiraling Effect that Attracts More Negative Thinking.

May 9, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Luckily, we can slowly train ourselves over time on how to think by implementing simple techniques. Below, coaches from Forbes Coaches Council offer their guidance on how to get started.

Here are the thirteen (13):

1. Have Daily Negative Thought Time

A paradoxical strategy to gain control over negative thinking is to commit to 10minutes a day ruminating and reviewing them over and over again. Negative Thought Time (NTT) must be 10 minutes and must be every day. When you have a negative thought during the day, jot it down, and tell yourself that you’ll review them during NTT. Over time, you will gain control and negative thinking will stop. – Julie Kantor, PhD, JP Kantor Consulting

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2. Replace the Negative Thoughts

We don’t overcome negative thought patterns, we replace them. For most of us, those negative thought patterns are well-worn neural pathways. Four simple steps:

Notice when you have started the pattern.
Acknowledge that its a pattern you want to change.
Articulate what you want to be different.
Choose a different behavior — one that serves your goals.

– David Taylor-Klaus, DTK Coaching

3. Be Your Own Best Friend

We are mean to ourselves. Nearly 90% of self-talk is negative. Three steps:

Release it. Let it out to help process, not to dwell. Three minutes, then the pity party is over.
Track it. Identify when you have negative thoughts. Awareness will enable reframing.
Reframe it. Once you know why you are being mean, consider what your best friend would say to you. Then tell yourself what you need to hear.

– Michelle Tillis Lederman, Executive Essentials

4. Write Instead of Think

Write down why the negative thought is present. Writing versus thinking helps purge the thought out, and when you can see the words on paper or a screen it is easier to make sense of it and move forward. – Steven Cohen, Meyvn Global

5. Make a Conscious Effort to Find Things to Love, Like and Appreciate

Instead of fighting negative thoughts, consciously reach for better feeling thoughts. One powerful way to do that is to speak (out loud if you can) to what you love, like and appreciate. Heading into a tough talk? “I love the way the coffee tastes today.” “I like the way this chair feels at my back.” “I appreciate the chance to process ideas with my team.” Reach for the relief, and you’ll find it. – Wendy Pitts Reeves, C2C Consulting, PLLC

6. Ask Yourself Some Tough Questions

Reflect on your answers to some tough questions. 1. What do I get from having negative thought patterns? What’s the reward for me? 2. What do I lose by engaging in negative thoughts? What are the costs? 3. What benefits would I receive from engaging in positive thoughts? What costs are associated with thinking more positively? 4. What in my past made me think negatively? 5. What will I do now? – Bill Gardner, Noetic Outcomes Consulting, LLC

7. Establish New Habits

Rather than thinking of it in terms of “overcoming” negative thought patterns, think of it in terms of establishing new habits. You do that by directing your attention to subjects where there’s nothing to “overcome”: subjects that you already feel good about, and therefore think positively about. That could be your pet, your painted toe nails, being outside, the beach… Start with something easy. – Christine Meyer, Christine Meyer Coaching

8. Stop Watching the Morning News

Research has shown just three minutes of negative news in the morning will significantly increase your chances of a negative experience over the course of the day. Research has also shown that positive mindset increases productivity and satisfaction while reducing errors rates. Mindset is a choice, but not always an easy one. Look to eliminate negative influences and stop watching morning news! – Dr. Woody Woodward, HCI

9. Use Affirmations

When you wake up, open your eyes and feel gratitude for the new day. Write down daily affirmations: “I love the people I work with,” “I make positive contributions every day,” or “I am open to inspired thoughts.” If a negative thought creeps in, think of a success you’ve had and the feeling that went with it. Positive thinking is a daily task, but worth it. – Erin Kennedy, Professional Resume Services, Inc.

10. Develop Your Success Routine

Every morning for fifteen years, I’ve done a process I created called “Quantum Programming.” It involves taking time each morning as you wake to meditate and focus on the person you want to be and the quality of life you want to live. You also set a few important goals to keep your momentum building toward your dreams. When you know what you want and are driving at it daily, negativity will fade. – Brett Baughman, The Brett Baughman Companies, Inc.

11. Channel Those Thoughts Into Something Constructive

Negative thought patterns can easily take over, but a fantastic (and constructive) trick is to identify what the negative thought pattern is and a project you’re excited about. Then, consciously commit to this: Every time you find yourself focusing on the negative, refocus your thoughts for five minutes on your exciting project. I did this recently and a new initiative is now ahead of schedule! – Emily Kapit, MS, MRW, ACRW, CPRW, ReFresh Your Step, LLC

12. Focus on Gratitude

Gratitude is underrated by most but is essential to a happy life. Life doesn’t get easier, but we become stronger as we reframe difficulties by recognizing all of the little good things going on around us. Keep a Good List and refer to it daily. Also, focus on what you really want and be very specific. A focused, positive mind will attract what it is seeking over time. – Jen Kelchner, TeenTrep.co

13. Try Movement and Meditation

As a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a writing coach and author, I know that you can‘t escape negative thoughts without physically disrupting them. To get out of your head, get into your body. A few minutes of deliberate breath work (seated 10-15 minute meditation) or body movement (like a yoga class)can disrupt those thinking patterns. To get out of your head, move more. Feel more. – Dave Ursillo, The Literati Writers

Forbes.com | May 9, 2016 | Forbes Coaches Council

Your #Career : How To Know Which Skills To Develop At Each Stage Of Your Career….By Mid-Career, the Hard Skills that Got you the Job Won’t Be the Ones That Get you Promoted.

May 8, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

At the start of your career, chances are good that you’ll be hired primarily for your “hard skills”—the stuff you know that’s relevant for the job. When you’re fresh out of college or even a few years into your career, things like what software you’ve mastered, the knowledge you’ve picked up during internships and in school, and your other technical credentials really matter.

But what no one quite tells you is that while you might’ve been initially hired for those hard skills, they gradually matter less. The further you get in your career, the less you’ll be evaluated on those same skills—and this is especially important once you reach your mid-career point. Why? Because the hard skills that got you the job won’t be the ones that get you promoted.

Now that’s not to say that improving your technical skills isn’t important. You should get better and faster at whatever your craft is over the course of your career, whether that’s coding, designing, researching, or something else. But if that’s the only area you improve in, you may find advancement more elusive than you’d expected. Improving your technical skills may be enough to get you promoted from level one to two, or coordinator to associate, but to advance higher, you’ll have to show improvement in other areas as well.

SHIFT TOWARD SOFT SKILLS . . .

So how do you do that? It starts with knowing what really counts when it comes to advancement at each stage of your career. While every role is different, the secret is to progressively invest more in your “soft skills”—your ability to get things done, your leadership abilities, and your likability at work (like it or not).

To get started—and no matter where you are in your present career—take a minute to assess where you stand in each of these categories:

The further you climb, the more decisive these traits will become. Maybe you have a few of them under your belt but could brush up on others. Now that you know what you’re up against, it’s time to take action. Here’s a game plan for growing your soft skills:

1. Self assess. Taking stock of your recent work and workplace habits, which areas do you feel strongest in? Weakest in? Which do you believe is most crucial to prioritize now, and why? Knowing the answers to these questions will be important for framing your conversation with your manager in the next step.

2. Discuss with your manager. Now it’s time to get on the same page. Work with your boss to determine what’s most important for you to learn now versus in the future: How much weight does your manager give to growing in these areas? And do you agree? What can you expect to happen when you show growth in these areas? Try to get specific about what you’re being evaluated on at each level. Your responsibilities may look different at various career stages, so make sure you understand any internal “career ladders” available to you, and how these map to your strengths and areas of development.

3. Explore ways of growing these softer skills in your current job. And that growth may be closer at hand than you think. What opportunities for collaboration and leadership might already exist? What are some avenues for taking on more responsibility in these areas? Brainstorm opportunities and check in with your manager on them. You’ll want her support to take on new things, and to keep an eye on the progress you’re making.

. . . WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THE HARD ONES

What if your manager says you still need to improve your technical skills?

If you find that your manager is focusing on the technical skills even while you’re trying to bulk up on soft ones, this could mean two things: Either you’re still at junior level and need to grow in the basics (which is normal at the beginning of your career), or, if you’re mid-career and still getting this feedback, you may be at a company that values technical skills over people skills when it comes to promotions.

If that’s the case, you might find that the higher you go in a company like that, the less you enjoy the people who surround you. Consider whether that view (and company!) is a good match for you. Perhaps you’d be better off finding a different company that values your soft skills as much as you do.

FastCompany.com | April 29, 2016 | XIMENA VENGOECHEA

Your #Career : 5 Mistakes People Make Straight Out of College…Whether you’re eady or Not, you will Need to Move Forward after College. Here are 5 Mistakes you Want to Avoid.

May 8, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Finishing college is a big accomplishment, and for many people, a big relief. College can be a lot of fun, but some people are just ready to start their careers and start the next phase of their lives. Whether you’re ready or not, you will need to move forward after college.

The years after graduating college should be exciting, and you can learn a lot and advance professionally and financially if you avoid financial and career mistakes.

Once you graduate though, making wise choices in your job search and at your first job, and smart financial decisions, will help set you up for a successful life and career. On the other hand, spending money like you will never run out, or failing to appreciate your first job and learn as much as possible, can set you down a bad path that can be hard to come back from.

Here are five mistakes you want to avoid.

1. Failing to take your job search seriously

Ideally, you will have a job set up before you graduate. If you don’t, you will want to make finding one your top priority. According to USA Today, you can get a job coach, and also network and reach out to people at a company that you want to work for. Don’t make the mistake of assuming a job will simply fall into your lap; you need to get out there and apply.

Also, be careful of taking just any job. While you have to pay your bills, you will be in a much better place career-wise if you can find a job in your field. This is another reason why you should start searching early.

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2. Coasting at your first job

Landing a job is a big deal, but don’t assume that just because you get a job, you will keep it. It’s important to work hard and prove that you deserve to be at the company. Particularly when you are working at your first job, you want to establish yourself as an asset to the company. Being lazy or doing the bare minimum will only hurt you later.

Even if your first job isn’t ideal, you can still make the most of it: learn as much as you can, grow professionally, and network. You never know how your hard work will pay off. Even if your first job isn’t as interesting as you want, or isn’t at the level that you want, working hard and showing that you are a loyal and innovative team member may lead to just the job you do want.

3. Spending money impulsively

Once you have a job, it can be exciting to spend the money you make. Having a lot of money for the first time can be exhilarating and it can be very dangerous as well. As tempting as it is to go out and buy a new car, new furniture, and splurge on many dinners out, try to limit your extravagant spending. You probably have some time before you need to start saving for retirement, but spending wildly just because you have a job won’t pay off in the long run.

According to U.S. News & World Report, you should consider the benefits your employer offers and take advantage of them; also, think about your fixed costs and about your future savings.

4. Ignoring debt

If you took out student loans, you probably have a grace period before you need to start repaying them. If you have other debt you need to pay off, then it’s reasonable to wait to pay off your student loans, especially if you have other debt with higher interest rates. However, it’s a good idea to pay off as much debt as you can now. You don’t need to pay the minimum due for your student loans, and if you have credit card debt, the same is true. The more you can pay off now, the more available funds you will have to save for traveling, a house, or retirement.

When you graduate college, you will most likely have as few responsibilities as you ever will. Now is the time to pay your debt if you can.

5.Forgetting about your health

Yes, you’re young, and it can be tempting to spend money on the things you want instead of investing in health insurance. However, if you are no longer on your parents’ plan (which you usually can be until you are 26 ifdependents are covered), you do need to think about coverage. Even if you are still on your parents’ plan, you won’t be forever and you need to look at what plans your company offers and the cost of those plans. Also, it’s important to consider how many years you have before you need to pay for the insurance, or how it will affect your budget.

If your parents can’t cover you, then be sure that you do sign up for coverage. Without health insurance, you risk a serious financial hardship if an expensive health surprise comes your way (this is also a good reason to have an emergency fund).

Also, when you are working full-time, it can be easy to neglect other aspects of your health, such as exercise or diet. Maintaining a healthy diet, and finding time for exercise, will help you save money on expensive health care costs later.

The years after graduating college should be exciting, and you can learn a lot and advance professionally and financially if you avoid financial and career mistakes.

CheatSheet.com | May 8, 2016 | Sienna Beard

#Leadership : 24 Tricky Job-Interview Questions the Best Companies in America are Asking….’If You Could be Remembered for One Sentence, What Would it Be?’ —Google Associate Account-Strategist Candidate

May 5, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

With excellent perks, great pay and benefits, and high job satisfaction, employees at this year’s 50 best companies to work for in America seem to have a good thing going for them. But before you start seething with envy, you should see some of the questions they had to answer to get there.

To find these difficult and sometime odd queries, Business Insider sifted through hundreds of reviews on Glassdoor submitted by people who recently interviewed at the top companies.

If you’re thinking of tossing your hat in the ring, be sure to prepare yourself for some real head-scratchers:

‘If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?’ —Google associate account strategist candidate

‘How many Big Macs does McDonald’s sell each year in the US?’ —Facebook data scientist candidate

‘If this wall was a brick wall, and you were a brick, where would you be in the wall? What impact does this have on the wall as a whole?’ —Expedia market associate candidate

‘Design a spice rack for the blind’ —Intel hardware engineer candidate

‘Choose a city and estimate how many piano tuners operate a business there’ —Google product manager candidate

‘How much do you charge to wash every window in Seattle?’ —Facebook online sales operations candidate

‘How many children are born every day?’ —Apple global-supply manager candidate

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‘If you were to go camping with friends, where would you put your tent?’ —Expedia Senior Financial Analyst candidate

‘What kind of tree would you be?’ —Cisco Systems senior technical writer candidate

‘Why are manholes round?’ —St. Jude Medical electrical-engineer co-op candidate

‘If I was talking to your best friend, what is one thing they would say you need to work on?’ —Apple red-zone specialist candidate

‘If you could be remembered for one sentence, what would it be?’ —Google associate account-strategist candidate

‘If you were standing in a crowd of people, how would you stand out?’ —Microsoft site manager candidate

‘If you were to help a customer who is stuck on a boat in the middle of nowhere, what would be the first thing that you would say to that person?’ —American Express CCSG candidate

‘If I give you $1 million right now, what would you do?’ —Google associate account strategist candidate

‘How would you build Facebook for blind people?’ —Facebook product Manager candidate

‘Sell me this pen’ —Pfizer pharmaceuticals sales representative candidate

‘If you had a choice between two superpowers — being invisible or flying — which would you choose?’ —Microsoft high-level product-lead/evangelist candidate

‘How do you estimate the safe distance from shore given that there could be a tsunami?’ —Ebay analytics manager candidate

‘At this stage in your life would you prefer earning or learning?’ —Google software engineer candidate

‘What were you like as a child?’ —Biogen area business manager candidate

‘Write a program to simulate the writing of a ransom note given a magazine from which letters can be extracted’ —Microsoft software engineer candidate

‘What was your best day in the last four years? What was your worst?’ —Apple engineering Project Manager candidate

‘How did your parents feel about your performance in high school?’ —Eli Lilly senior care sales specialist candidate

Businessinsider.com | May 5, 2016 | Rachel Gillett

Your #Career : Is Your Job Doomed By Technology?…Is Any Job Safe? The Answer is No. It’s Something We’re All Going to Deal With. However,That’s Not the Right Question. The Real Question is: How Will You & Your Field Adapt to Technology?

May 4, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

At the Milken Institute Global Conference I’m attending in Los Angeles this week, brilliant minds are debating some of the most important topics affecting society, from prospects for global markets to “the promise of the cancer moonshot.” One I went to yesterday was a doozy: “Jobs and Technology: Is Any Job Truly Safe?”

“Is any job safe? The answer is no,” moderator and self-employed journalist Dennis Kneale said opening the session, after noting he lost his Fox Business Network job two years ago. “I found the media had almost no jobs and no growth. What happened to me is coming to you guys next and every sector everywhere maybe. ”

But when the panelists were asked whether any job was truly safe, they said… That’s not the right question. The real question, according to the panelists, is: How will you and your field adapt to technology?

How Jobs Have Changed and Will Change

Wendy MacLennan, 54, knows that first hand, as a fantastic story about her by Sue Shellenbarger in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal (“An Engineer Returns to Work After Years at Home With the Children”) explained.

MacLennan had been a car designer at GM and Ford before taking 24 years off to raise her four children and teach at a home-schooling co-op. She was rehired at Ford in 2014 as a systems engineer and project manager designing hybrid vehicles. Because technology had changed so much, the new job, she told the Journal, “was way harder than I thought.” She described it as “like being dropped off in a land where you don’t speak the language.”

Goodbye overhead projectors, MacLennan found; hello virtual-meeting software. And the paper drawings she used to do had been replaced by computer-assisted design software. But MacLennan didn’t give up and neither did Ford, which gave her hours of online training and courses. Recently, the Journal said, MacLennan was named Employee of the Month in her 600-person department.

That story had a happy ending. But will yours? And what about other American workers?

Three of the panelists were hopeful, though hardly giddy — Alan Krueger, a Princeton economics professor and former chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors; Michael Chui, a partner at McKinsey Global Institute; and Kate Mitchell, co-founder and partner of the Scale Venture Partners venture capital firm.

One — Martin Ford, an entrepreneur and author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future — was more downbeat, though not fatalistic.

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Pessimistic About Jobs, But Not Society

Ford, described by Kneale as “the most pessimistic on the panel,” said: “I am pessimistic specifically about the future of jobs over the long run, but not over the future of society or the economy.” Ford added: “A huge number of jobs, especially routine, predictable ones across the board in industries and occupations and skill levels will be susceptible to automation. Machines are encroaching on the fundamental capability that sets humans apart.”

(More: How to Future-Proof Yourself at Work)

Mitchell, a fan of the growing “gig economy,” disagreed. “I don’t think we’re doomed. Is any existing job truly safe? We all need to be concerned,” she said.

But, Mitchell added, “the National Association of Manufacturers says there are 600,000 jobs going wanting due to a lack of people who can handle the skills of those manufacturing jobs.” In other words: yes, there will be dislocations, but there’ll also be opportunities.

Technology Will Increase, Not Eliminate, Jobs

And, she said emphatically: “Is the goal of technology to eliminate jobs? Absolutely not. What technology can do is increase jobs.”

However, she added, workers need to tech up. “Eight of 10 jobs today require digital literacy,” said Mitchell. “Computer science and data analytics have replaced English as the language people need to know around the world.”

Chui said McKinsey looked at more than 900 occupations and determined that “less than 5 percent of occupations can be fully automated, but 45 percent of activities can be adapted by technologies.”

Krueger conceded that “the nature of work is changing dramatically.” What technology has done, he said, “is, along with globalization, diminish demand for workers with a low level of skills.” But, he noted, “throughout history we have always feared that technology will replace jobs.”

The Jobs We Don’t Know About Yet

Then he presented a stunning, encouraging statistic: “I did a project looking at job growth from the mid 1960s to 2005 and found that the vast majority of job growth came from jobs that hadn’t been invented yet in 1965.” With a nod toThe Graduate, Krueger said, “plastics” jobs grew below average. Job growth, he concluded, “is very difficult to predict.”

Mitchell underscored Krueger’s point about hot jobs being “new” types of jobs by noting that computer scientist is now the most popular job in Colorado, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

Krueger also noted that the Uberization of the economy has invented and ballooned the number of contractor jobs — what he calls “alternative work” — that didn’t exist a few years ago. Citing his research that appeared in The Wall Street Journal in March, since 2005, the number of workers in “alternative arrangements” has risen to nearly 16 percent of the workforce, up from 10 percent a decade ago. “All of the net job growth form 2005 to 2015 is accounted for by growth in alternative work,” he said.

Indeed, the number of UberX drivers — they’re the ones who drive their own, standard cars — has doubled every six months for the last four years, Krueger noted.

But, Ford responded, independent contractor work is not “reliable income”and doesn’t provide fringe benefits in many cases. “Technology enables all this freelance work and the gig economy. It may be just the fist step heading to full automation,” he said. ”Uber is investing very heavily in building self-driving cars.”

Forbes.com | May 4, 2016 | Next Avenue

Your #Career : Job Stability? 5 Types of Employees That Companies Don’t Want Anymore…Are you a Hard Worker? Are you Loyal? That’s Great, But those Attributes Don’t Necessarily Mean you’ll Stay Employed (or Even Get a New Job).

May 4, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

In the modern work world, it takes more than just proving you’ll stay put; you have to actually prove your worth to your employer. Know that there are certain types of employees companies don’t value as much as before. If you’re one of these types of workers, beware, you may have a hard time getting ahead.

Here are five types of employees companies don’t want anymore.

1. The flat liner

When you first started working for your company you had plenty of goals and fresh ideas. Now, all you want to do is get your check and go home. You’re either suffering from burnout, tired, or just don’t care anymore. It’s time to start caring. If you don’t get some motivation and develop ways to contribute to the company, your employer may eventually show you the door. Management expert Jeff Schmitt said this type of employee has simply stopped trying to learn. “We’ve all worked with them. They’re just there, biding their time and collecting a check. No goals. No plan. No purpose. Years ago, they were among the young Turks who begged for more responsibility. Now, they’ve mentally checked out…No, they’re not introverts who mask their passions. They’re simply employees who quit learning and getting better,” said Schmitt.

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2. The martyr

This is the opposite of the flat liner. You would do anything for the benefit of your employer. No request is too much. The word “no” never leaves your lips. Work every weekend for the next five weeks? No problem. Miss the birth of your first child? You got it. Years ago employers loved this level of dedication, but that’s not the case anymore. That’s because the martyr is a potential liability. You’re just one sleepless night away from making a critical error. This is why cloud communication company GetVOIP said this type of employee is actually toxic to the work environment. “The polar opposite of the slacker may seem like an employer’s dream, but a worker who insists on doing everything themselves can cause their own serious set of problems … They may have control issues, or may be working too hard to prove themselves, but they bring an imbalance to the team, foster unrest in the ranks, and are at risk of burnout,” said GetVOIP contributor Reuben Yonatan.

3. The ghost

You lack visibility and you like it that way. Your goal is to fly under the radar: Come to work, finish your projects, and go home. Your desire is to avoid conflict so you can hang on another day. The problem is, being invisible doesn’t work for very long. Being a ghost won’t protect you, it may actually hurt you in the long-run because no one will know what skills you bring to the table. Don’t let your fears of getting let go cause you to hide. Your employer won’t have the time to figure out your value when it’s time for layoffs. What’s even worse is you may be confused for a slacker. Management expert Patty Azzarello said avoiding visibility is a bad idea.

I find that very often when people take this position, they believe that they are on the high ground—that they are somehow morally superior to those who are more visible. And that being visible is, by definition, a shallow, self-serving endeavor. There are three issues with this:
1. If you choose to “fly under the radar,” don’t be confused or upset when you get passed over for raises and promotions. This was your strategy— to make sure no one knows you are there!
2. You are missing the opportunity to do better, more effective, more valuable work, if you don’t connect with others to increase your access to knowledge, experience and learning from others.
3. You are withholding value from the company by not sharing what you have learned with others. There is nothing political about communicating things of value and sharing knowledge. And when you do this, guess what?—you are no longer invisible!

4. The lifer

This type of employee is rare, but they still exist. If you’re one of them, it’s time to change up your plan. Staying with a company for a while can be good, but not if your career has stalled and you don’t have any plans to make a significant contribution. Companies want more than dedication, they want results. Years ago, loyalty was rewarded, but things have changed. So if you’re looking for a pat on the back for coming to work every day, you’ll be waiting for a very long time. So stop counting your perfect attendance for the last 10 years as major accomplishment.

Andrew G. Rosen, founder of career site Jobacle, said being a lifer can lead to complacency. “This can sneak up on you like the flu in the summer … Every season, you should reflect on your job and think about how a hiring agent will perceive your tenure. Are you becoming the lifer you promised you’d never be? If the work no longer excites you and the company is not willing to invest in you, it’s time to find an organization that will,” said Rosen. So if you’re a lifer who is making significant contributions and you’re learning new skills, good for you. But if you’re a lifer just sitting around until it’s time to retire, you may find yourself out of a job sooner rather than later.

5. The trainee

Sure, everyone needs a bit of training every now and then, but if you don’t have the basic skills required to do your job, you’ve got a problem. Employers just don’t have the time to hold your hand. “The Washington Post has a great piece from Peter Cappelli about how the ‘skills shortage’ that people like to blame on schools (and on college students’ choice of focus in their studies) is BS … and that the real issue is that employers just don’t want to train people anymore,” said Alison Green, founder of the website Ask a Manager.

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CheatSheet.com | May 4, 2016 | Sheiresa Ngo