Career Advice

Being called for a first interview is an exciting prospect, but it's also one that is stressful. Here are some tips to help you overcome the top 10 first interview fears and present yourself in the best possible way. 1.  You won't arrive at the interview on time. Look up the company address online and make a dry run before the day of the interview. If the directions are not clear, call to clarify before your appointment. 2.  You aren't sure of the spelling or pronunciation of the name of the person you will be meeting with. Making a mistake in someone's name is a major faux pas when going on a job interview, and one you will want to avoid at all costs. It's better to call the company to get clarification about someone's name than to say it incorrectly at the interview. You may find it helpful to write it down phonetically and practice saying it a few times before your meeting. 3.  You won't be dressed appropriately for the interview. When in doubt, err on the side of being too … [Read more...] about Overcoming Top 10 First Interview Fears

Very often when we speak to college students the topic of what their goals are post graduation comes up. The responses are mixed but two schools of thought pose reoccurring roles - some students want to get into their dream career immediately and others are just hoping to get any job they can. I know this because of experience. When I graduated from Western International University in 2003 you can bet that all of my family members were wondering what my plans were for my career. As far as goals are concerned both of these are surprisingly not as ambitious as they should be and we'll tell you why. The job market, regardless of the specific industry or field, is highly competitive and if you want to become a viable candidate, it is simply not enough to hope or expect that employment will fall into your lap. Being proactive comprises several key steps and one of them is building your personal brand while you're still in college. Think of yourself as a product or a service. If you go to … [Read more...] about 3 Steps to Building Your Brand While Still in College

To many people--especially recent high school and college graduates--volunteering and community service can appear to be a step away from their long-term professional goals. Without any pay and performing tasks unrelated to the career aspirations of many soon-to-be professionals, volunteering often gets pushed to the side as one of those things that young people should embrace, but don't. However, this mindset overlooks the ways volunteering can actually contribute to your professional goals. In addition to improving your self-image and offering a sense of fulfillment from the things you devote yourself to, there are many benefits of volunteering that can pay dividends now and well into your future. Here's a look at some of the ways high school community service and other forms of volunteering can contribute to your loftiest goals. Bolstering your resume and applications One of the biggest challenges facing high school and college students is a lack of real-world experience. Yes, … [Read more...] about Motivating People to Volunteer

Entering into the workforce can be an extremely stressful time for many individuals who are new to the world of business. Entry-level employees often work for low wages simply because they want to do whatever they can in order to rise to the top. While it can be a long and difficult road to travel, getting a promotion doesn't have to be impossible. Depending upon the logistics of the company that you work for, you might find yourself getting a promotion within your first year of employment if you take the right steps. The following are just 3 tips for getting a promotion in the modern business world, all of which are worth internalizing for entry-level employees. Keep Track of Your Successes If you're starting a new job, you've got to do everything possible to learn the ropes in the shortest possible period of time. Understanding what works for you and what does not is an essential part of adapting, and should not be underestimated. You can get a lot of mileage out of keeping track … [Read more...] about 3 Tips for Getting a Promotion

We are all continually affirming when we think, whether we realize it or not. When we say that we hate our job or that we always hate our boss (for example), we are affirming these thoughts into our subconscious mind and unwittingly attracting more of the same into our experience. This explains why the person who changes their job because they hate their boss, often winds up with a similar boss and experience in their next job. The circumstances have changed, but their mindset hasn’t. Likewise, when we think positively, we are attracting more positive experiences into our reality. We can affirm in the positive or negative; either way what we affirm helps to contribute to our experiences. Therefore it makes sense, to practice thinking positively. Positive Affirmations for Work Choosing Positive Affirmations Choosing positive thoughts isn’t always easy. If we are stuck in a job we don’t like or just know that we have the worst boss in the world, it is easy to think thoughts that … [Read more...] about Positive Affirmations for the Workplace

Ah, the world of social media. We update our status on Facebook, we laugh at trending topics on Twitter, we upload pictures we like to Pinterest... There's no doubt about it, social media is here to stay. Yet there's one social media site which you need to be on - and that's LinkedIn. Perhaps you've steered clear of LinkedIn and don't get what the fuss is about, or you may already have a profile and are not using it effectively? Whatever camp you belong to, LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool you can use for your personal benefit. Facebook and Twitter won't make your career - LinkedIn can. In this article from 360 feedback provider ETS, you'll see why you need to be a part of the LinkedIn love-in. #1 - LinkedIn - some facts Before we can start to get into the nitty gritty of LinkedIn, it's worth beginning with some facts about the social network. With over 175 million members, the US leads the way with nearly 7 million profiles. Other top countries include the United Kingdom, … [Read more...] about Why you NEED to Be on LinkedIn

With the growing number of employees working past the typical 40-hour workweek, it's important for employers to provide the right type of wellness programs. Unhealthy employees don't provide the same quality of work as those in good physical and mental health. Many professions require long hours to advance, which can lead to eating junk food on the go, giving up exercise and not getting enough sleep. The consequences of long work hours affect more than just the employee. Social wellness is necessary for the happiness of most individuals and many count on their work environment to fulfill a portion of this need. However, with the long work hours taking over the lives of employees, many other basic human needs are simply set aside, and the results can be harmful. As an employer, you can influence your employees with the right wellness programs. This can help create happier and more productive employees, which will only benefit your company. A Few Basics Any Employee can Provide 1. … [Read more...] about How Social Wellness Is Affected By the Job Market

As summer fades into the rearview mirror, people everyone are shifting their focus toward fall, football and the upcoming holidays. A quick glance in any arts and crafts store serves as a quick reminder that staples such as Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are closer than we realize. Sure this means upcoming gathering with are friends and families, but it also means lots of awkward office luncheons, obligatory gift exchanges and the all-too-anticipated holiday party. Although most of us would prefer to go without the forced socialization imposed on us around the office during the holidays, we can't escape it and have to admit it's a necessary evil. For those of us that have experienced our fair share of these, we already have our routines down. We know who to sit with, who to avoid and what topics are and are NOT appropriate. We've perfected our grin and bear it faces and know just how much fake enthusiasm is enough. Now, those of you who actually enjoy the people you work with … [Read more...] about Surviving the Holiday Season Around the Office: A Guide for Young Professionals

At least once a year all employees must receive a review.  Doing so serves as an opportunity to reward those who perform well and gives an incentive for all to work more proficiently and to aim to meet company goals.  Employee appraisals are necessary for a supervisor to determine how suitable each worker is, their strengths or weaknesses, and how each can improve. Not only do performance evaluations provide a chance to recognize the stages where employees are at, they help a supervisor focus on how an employee can progress to a higher level. Important Terms When conducting an employee appraisal the following factors must be considered: Job performance Attitude Ability to pay attention and follow directions How well an employee accepts responsibility and is liable for their own actions How devoted the employee is to her position Their ability to interact with coworkers and customers Their level of interest in growing with the company A.  Job Performance To determine … [Read more...] about How To Conduct Employee Appraisals

From pumpkins to princesses, offices will be filled with unlikely characters this Halloween. If your boss is allowing an in-office Halloween party, you’re likely excited to showcase your costume creation skills. However, before creating the perfect costume, be sure to follow these office party dos and don’ts. Do Participate If your boss is allowing employees to dress up in the office on Halloween, participate. Being the only employee to not dress up will label you as dull and anti-participative. Halloween is about loosening up and adopting an alter ego for the day. Whether you go all out with an extravagant costume or keep the costume simple, participating at any level will keep you connected to the day’s festivities rather than feeling like an outsider. Don’t Dress up as Your Boss While dressing up as your boss at an office Halloween party may seem light-hearted, your boss likely won’t see it that way. Keep your costume generic to avoid any repercussions you may have … [Read more...] about Halloween Office Parties: Dos and Don’ts