Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom 4 Organizational Tools to Start Using Immediately

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom 4 Organizational Tools to Start Using Immediately I don’t know about you, but I don’t think twice about the little things. That’s how I get into trouble, because it’s the little things that make a big impact when they slip through the cracks. Whether it’s a forgotten follow-up call to a customer or a lost password, you can’t afford to let the little things slow you down. Fortunately, when life is moving faster than ever and our primitive human brains can’t catch up, there are some terrific organization applications to help out. LastPass If you’re like me, your poor password management is a disaster waiting to happen. While it’s certainly easier to use the same password all the time, or passwords that are extremely simple to remember, it’s definitely not safer. When you have a password service like LastPass, you only have to remember one master password. By typing in that master password, you are able to log in automatically to any website with saved login credentials. And LastPass syncs passwords in the cloud so all of your devices will display the same information. Remember the Milk As its name suggests, Remember the Milk is an application that’s great for keeping track of all those little to-dos that fill up your day. The app works like you’d imagine a to-do list would, and it allows you to prioritize tasks and mark them complete. Your lists can be updated on any device, and once you add something new, the lists automatically sync across your various platforms. I personally love the feature that tweets me a reminder of something I’m supposed to do, like make a reservation or check in with a partner I haven’t spoken to in a while. RTM is easy to use, and I find that I can easily integrate personal and professional tasks through its tagging capabilities. For other tools you cant live without, have a look at the full post at Intuits Fast Track blog.

Writing a Resume For Yourself - How to Write a Resume That Fits Your Needs

Writing a Resume For Yourself - How to Write a Resume That Fits Your NeedsHave you ever thought of writing a resume for yourself, but you didn't know what to write or how to go about it? You don't need to be intimidated. There are resume writing templates that can help you create your own.Writing a resume is not difficult at all. In fact, most people prefer to make their own templates rather than hire somebody to do it for them. You do not need to go to a writing class and learn how to write a resume.You just need to find the right template to use. You will need to be able to design your own resume and still have a professional touch when you send it out.Finding a template is quite easy. Some resume writing services will provide templates. Others are going to charge you for a service, but you can get one on your own.Writing a resume that fits your needs is very important. If you don't want to use a template, you can search the Internet for sample resumes.These resumes will have a res ume builder that will let you type in your information and see what you have to work with. If you don't find a sample that works, you can always download a template to start with. Just follow the directions carefully.Don't think you can't write your own resume. You can. You just need to know what you are looking for in a template.Make sure you look for sample templates that come with instructions on how to use them. Once you get your resume writing template, you will be ready to create your own resume that will shine on the first page of the hiring manager's inbox.

Avoid These Outdated Tactics When Recruiting Technical Talent

Avoid These Outdated Tactics When Recruiting Technical Talent The demand for talented developers is at a fever pitch, and the supply just isn’t there to meet it. With 87 percent of developers stating that they’re currently employed and only 13 percent actively looking for their next job, it would be easy to conclude that growing your engineering team this year is essentially an impossible task. However, keep in mind that over 75 percent of the developers who responded to the Stack Overflow 2017 Developer Hiring Survey, which fielded responses from more than 64,000 developers, told us that they’re interested in hearing from recruiters about job opportunities. While that doesn’t change the fact that technical hiring is a unique challenge, it does show that you can find great developersâ€"if you’re willing to change your approach to recruiting them. Here are a few of the most common (and outdated) recruitment tactics that you should avoid when you need to fill some critical openings on your engineering team. Impersonal and untargeted recruitment emails When you’re under tight deadlines to hire developers, relying on email templates can seem like an ideal way to save yourself a few precious minutes. However, developers pay close attention to every email they receiveâ€"and if there’s any hint that you haven’t personalized your message, they won’t hesitate to hit “delete” and move on with their day. Your initial recruitment email is often the first (and only) opportunity to make a positive first impression on a candidate, so it’s important to make it clear that your message was written just for them. Start by using the candidate’s name in your greeting, and make sure that you’ve spelled it correctly. Additionally, do some research about their background, and point out a few things you’ve admired about their previous work that’s led you to believe that they would be a strong match for one of your open positions. Not only will these details flatter them, but it will also show the candidate that you’ve taken an interest in helping them meet their career goals. Recruiting without a basic knowledge of technology terms You’ll be hard-pressed to find a developer who insists that you take a coding exam before you begin recruiting them. Developers care deeply about their craft, but they don’t expect you to know as much about programming as they do. But while they’re empathetic to the fact that your job is to identify technical talent, they still want recruiters to have a basic knowledge of the technologies that their open positions require. When it comes to displaying a basic understanding of technical terms, there’s a fine line that recruiters need to navigate. On the one hand, you shouldn’t recite every single programming language you’ve ever heard of to show developers you’ve “mastered” the ins-and-outs of their jobs. But on the flip side, you do need to show them that you understand how the programming languages you’re recruiting for are relevant to the job you need to fill. If you’re ever unsure of how the required technical skills for your open developer roles are related, don’t be afraid to ask one of your current engineers or an engineering manager for additional clarity. Interview questions related only to their coding aptitude Relationships are crucial in developer hiring. Programmers have no shortage of job opportunities, but they’re highly selective and are far more responsive to recruiters who take the time to get to know what makes them tick. Of course, your job is to evaluate their technical capabilities, but the best recruiters understand that developers are real people with real career goals and concernsâ€"and that they want to be treated as such. In addition to asking them about their technical aptitude, sprinkle in a few questions about their interests outside of work. Be wary of getting too personal and asking questions that are illegal, but if you know that a candidate has a particular hobby or side project, make sure that you give them the opportunity to share details about those things as well. Having non-technical conversations during the recruitment process can set you apart from the competition, especially as companies of all sizes and industries find themselves in need of talented developers. About the author: Rich Moy is a Content Marketing Writer and Developer Hiring Expert at Stack Overflow, where he covers the latest in tech recruiting and hiring. When hes not writing, Rich can be found spending time with his wife, watching his favorite college football team with his dad, or training for his first marathon.

The Minimalist Guide To Becoming A Successful Woman Entrepreneur

The Minimalist Guide To Becoming A Successful Woman Entrepreneur Do women make better entrepreneurs? It’s a controversial gender-biased question, but the answer may surprise you. According to serial entrepreneur Andrew Griffiths, who has worked with men and women around the world in a number of companies, both big and small, women do make better entrepreneurs. In an article he wrote for Inc.com, entitled “6 reasons why women make better entrepreneurs than men, he argued his case. In his experience women were more honest, more aware and emotionally intelligent, fairer negotiators, better at getting to the point, appreciated the value of creativity, and valued relationships and well-being over business interests. Successful Women Entrepreneurs around the World Dr. Jennifer Riria from Kenya is the group CEO of Kenya Women Finance Trust. The microfinance business funds women with great business ideas. The primary trait that made her successful was compassion. She focused on how to enrich the lives of women in Kenya and looked for ways to empower them. Maria Mahdaly from Saudi Arabia is the founder of Rumman Company. The publishing company offers a portable guide to Jeddah and Riyadh, with an emphasis on fine dining and other things that would interest visitors to these cities. The primary traits that made her successful were passion and persistence. She is passionate about the quality of life in Riyadh and Jeddah and wanted to share them with the world. She was also persistent in building her own publishing empire, starting at age 19. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw from India is the founder of Biocom. Her company offers cutting edge biotech tech products. She is worth an estimated $655 million. The primary trait that made her successful was combining her in-depth scientific knowledge with a knack for successfully managing huge projects. 3 Tips to Succeed In Your Own Business 1. Hire the right employees. Lisa Falzone, the CEO and Co-founder of Revel Systems, a company that provides iPad point of sales systems for grocery stores, retailers, and restaurants, offers this hiring advice on Entrepreneur.com:   Over the course of three years,I have grown Revel Systems from 0 people to a team of more than  160 employees, based here in San Francisco and across the globe. As my team has grown, I’ve developed a system for both evaluating prospective employees as well as nurturing existing ones. Although we tried a few outside hires for management positions, we found that our current, long-standing employees were a better fit for leadership positions, as they have a deep understanding of  our culture and our product. This, as well as the explosive growth of this company, has prompted me to share some of the modes by which I grow the best team. 2. Invest in useful technology. Technology can provide the winning edge in business. Besides looking into things like cloud computing and Software as a Service, a business can often do very well by using practical software. If there is something you need to do, there is likely to be an app for that. If you want to organize remote teams to collaborate on a project, there’s Kanban boards. If you want to manage digital contracts around the world, there’s e-signature. If you want to handle a ton of boring business plan transcriptions, there’s Online OCR, which can recognize multilingual documents in 28 languages. In addition, if you have a particular type of business, then you can use software specifically designed for that business. If, for example, youre running a staffing company, you know how important it is to get paperwork done quickly. Using  e signature for staffing companies makes it easier to speed up the application process, cut costs, increase efficiency, and improve customer and client service. 3. Stay on top of your finances. Often the success of a business is based on how well it manages its numbers. The most brilliant business ideas or the most daring vision will come to naught if expenses exceed revenue. Here are four ways to manage your money better: a. Avoid manual accounting. Software can often do the work faster and more efficiently, as well as make it easier to keep track of where your money is going. Quick Books Online is excellent for a small business. It integrates with 150 apps and is popular among accountants. If you have a really small business, you’re a solopreneur or hire less than 5 peoplethen Zoho Books with its uncluttered dashboard and clean layout may work better. b. Reinvest your profits. Calculate the lowest costs you can pay for overheads, then plough back what remains after expenses into the business. It’s tempting to increase expenses as a business profits, getting more perks for yourself and your employees, improving décor and upgrading equipment, but the best use of your money in the first few years is to grow your business. c. Negotiate when possible. When working with vendors, there is always some room for negotiations. See if there are ways to get a discount or to allow you to pay thirty days after the receipt of a service. d. Hire slowly. As your business grows, you will need more help. One way to reduce the costs of hiring someone part-time or full-time is to outsource the work to Independent Contractors around the world using the Internet. Services like elance.com or guru.com allow you to find service providers for all kinds of technical help you may need with your business. Image Source

Using Scholarship Resume Examples

Using Scholarship Resume ExamplesIn order to be taken seriously, a scholarship resume needs to have high quality information about it. For that reason, a lot of scholarship applicants use scholarship resume examples. These examples are easy to use and can help you with your application.According to an article by U.S. News and World Report, some colleges do not offer the financial aid to many college students. This results in many college students to apply for scholarships to attend college instead. It is not easy to get into a school and the cost of tuition can be higher than your pocket. Some students find this situation very hard to handle. Even when you pay for your own college education, getting a scholarship can be hard.Scholarship examples are designed to help those who want to be able to obtain a scholarship without going through any kind of struggle. Scholarships are usually available only to the deserving people. Having a good scholarship resume can make the difference betwe en being accepted and being rejected.There are many different ways to choose how to apply for a scholarship. If you were to get a scholarship from an official source, there are many steps you need to take in order to apply. However, if you are applying for a private or online scholarship, then you will need to write a scholarship resume example.A scholarship resume example does not have to be the same as another person's. What you do want to do is give yourself a chance to show that you are worthy of the scholarship that you are applying for. You should show that you have what it takes to go far in college. A scholarship resume example should help to convince the college you are applying to that you deserve to be accepted.Scholarship examples can be found in many different places. You will want to do your research first to find the right one. Scholarship databases are great sources of information because these databases can be accessed for free.Once you have found a few sites that y ou like, you should begin looking at online resources to find the information you need about all kinds of scholarships and student loans. An easy way to search is to type in scholarships and student loans. You can also search by a specific category such as, medical scholarships, etc. A good source for finding out the type of loan that you are eligible for will be the Federal Student Aid website.Using several different scholarships and loans will help you show that you are motivated to go to college. Many people do not realize just how much effort it is to go to college and what it can mean to get a degree. Using scholarship resume examples is a great way to get noticed.

My favorite books about happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

My favorite books about happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Over the last 4 years, I must have read some 3-400 books related to happiness at work, and the ones listed here are the ones that have truly inspired me, moved me and made me think. Theyre also all well written and a pleasure to read. Enjoy! Hal Rosenbluth: The customer comes second The story of a company that put its employees first and got amazing results from it. Timothy Gallwey: The inner game of work The most inspiring approach to learning at work I have ever seen. Harrison Owen: Open Space Technology Explains Open Space Meetings the most insanely efficient and fun meeting form I have ever tried. For 10-1000 people. From 3 hours to 5 days. Peter Block : The answer to how is yes Whenever we start a new project, most of us go straight to How? But the right place to start is to ask Why? If you cant find a reason that makes you go Yes! you probably shouldnt do it. Kevin and Jackie Freiberg: Nuts! The story of Southwest Airlines, one of the happiest and most successful companies I know. A classic book! Paul Watzlawick: Change When do people change and when do they actively resist change? This book has some amazing knowledge on the paradoxical nature of personal change. One of my all-time favorites. Robert Wright: Non zero The world is becoming better and better. It pays to be nice. Those who cooperate are more efficient than those who compete. This book has many positive messages, all backed up by science. Its also a great read. Ricardo Semler: The Seven-Day Weekend The story of Semco, the Brazilian company where workers choose their own salaries, work hours and managers. If you only read one book about happiness at work, make it this one. The Lazy Way to Success If work feels hard, youre not doing it right. Fred Gratzon, entrepreneur and millionaire, explains why it always pays to be lazy. Martin Seligman: Learned Optimism Seligman explains Positive Psychology, why positive people lead better lives and how to learn to be positive. Richard Layard: Happiness, Lessons from a new Science How could you run a nation, based on making people as happy as possible? Interestingy, Layard is currently advising British politicians on this. David L. Cooperrider, Diana Whitney and Jacqueline M. Starvos: The Appreciative Inquiry Handbook Appreciative Inquiry is the most efficient tool I know for creating efficient, positive change in organizations and this book explains it simply. Tim Sanders: Love is the Killer App Explains why love, not greed or fear, is the most powerful force in business. Annette Simmons: The Story Factor The best book I know about applying storytelling in the business world. Richard Reeves: Happy Mondays You would never accept a romantic relationship that was ?sort of OK??? or stay with a spouse who is ?you know, nothing special, but I?m used to him/her???. So why should you accept anything less than true fulfillment on the job? Alfie Kohn: No contest Competition is everywhere in the business world, but contrary to popular belief, competition makes us less efficient and less happy. There are many more book reviews on the blog more than a hundred in fact. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Summary Sunday Your Job Search and Career PSA

Summary Sunday Your Job Search and Career PSA You are so focused on doing your job well, you may be missing out on important news you need to manage your career! Or, perhaps youre so entrenched in your job search that you barely have time to step back and analyze what you could be doing better. Each week, I compile articles to help you stay up-to-date on things that will help you manage your professional life better. Consider each of my Summary Sunday compilations your job search and career PSA! JOB SEARCH “A Friend of a Friend” Is No Longer the Best Way to Find a Job by  Ilana Gershon | Harvard Business Review Your workplace ties (co-workers, bosses, clients) may hold more weight in helping you land your next job. Read about the shift in how job seekers get jobs! And, use this to your advantage! How to Figure Out Your Salary in Your Next Job by Lillian Childress | Glassdoor Yes, you need to research salaries, but there is more to do! Take these 5 steps BEFORE you interview. INTERVIEWING Smart Answers to 15 Common Interview Questions by Jeff Lipschultz | Job-Hunt.org From a recruiters perspective, learn how to answer job interview questions the best  way! LINKEDIN Increase Your Visibility by Following Companies on LinkedIn by Donna Svei | Avid Careerist Did you knowLinkedIn built a feature into LinkedIn Recruiter that lets subscribers find the people who follow their company? This is one reason you should follow the companies you are interested in. But there is a downside, especially if you are employed and looking for a  new job. Read about the dangerous dark side of following companies on LinkedIn. The LinkedIn Headline Mobile Hack You Are Going to LOVE! by Brynne Tillman | LinkedIn If you ever wanted to add more information to your headline (and who doesnt), this is the hack you need to know! CAREER 12  Deadliest Career Mistakes You Are Making That Need to Stop by Lolly Daskal | Inc. This  is your career PSA!  There are a lot of things you are doing that hurt your career prospects. UPCOMING NEWS On Tuesday, Ill be announcing something  very exciting! Watch your email!