Keeping Your Spirits Up During An Extended Job Search

Keeping Your Spirits Up During An Extended Job SearchI read an article this week that stated the average job search is said to be a whopping 10 months I guess that extended the last estimate I heard which was around 6-9 months. Seems that now mora than ever patience is far more than a virtueit is a mustAs a job seeker, I encourage you to stay positive while on the hunt to avoid losing belief in your talents as a professional. Here are four great ways to do just thatBe Confident About Your PresentationIts extremely important that you feel youre submitting quality resumes each and every time you apply for a job. If you dont feel your resume is up to par, you need to make adjustmentsand quickly. Make sure that each resume is appropriately tailored to each position to prove that youre right for the job. If you know youre giving each submission your all, you can feel better about the effort youre making.Mentors Can Open DoorsWe all know that networking is important in any job search. But sometimes, its a good idea to dig deeper and find a person in your field that you trust to act as a confidant and mentor.This person could be a former coworker, professor, friend, or family member whom you trust and who possesses a wealth of knowledge regarding methods that could help you get your foot in the doors of companies when it seems no one is hiring. They could also help keep you abreast of job opportunities and encourage you along the way.Avoid Job Search burnout-syndromThe Internet makes it possible for you to search and apply for jobs day and night if you so choose. But taking this route can leave you exhausted and feeling discouraged, especially if youre not getting the offers you want. So make sure youre taking breaks in your searchand enjoying your life when youre not searching.Take a long walk, cook a fun meal, get some exercise, or even volunteer in the spare time you create. When you return to your search, youre sure to feel refreshed and ready to abflug again.Stay Positive and Try What Works for OthersAnother idea is to search for people who have been in your position and now have the jobs they wanted. There are bound to be stories online of people who were laid off, and after a long search, now have the opportunities they had most hoped for. Feel encouraged by the lessons they learned and what you can learn from your circumstances. Then know that your great job will comejust as theirs did.It may seem impossible to stay encouraged if youve been looking for a job for monthsor even yearswith no luck. But if you keep a positive attitude and believe this challenging time will soon come to an end, before you know it, you will be shaking the hands of a hiring manager who is now your new boss.For more great advice follow us on twitter GreatResume.

If Your Manager Doesnt Do This, Its Time To Quit

If Your Manager Doesnt Do This, Its Time To Quit All the data bears out that women have it harder in the workplace expectations are higherbei, evaluations are tougher, and biases persist.So if youre going to rise above that maelstrom and succeed, you better have a manager who does one thing for you above all else supports you.What does true support from a manager look like? Consider these three case studies1. Does your manager support your judgment?Susan welches an impressive department leader with significant specialty knowledge in her field. She had two small children at home, and commuted more than one hour each day. Her commitment to her company welches strong and she had over 30 very loyal employees within her supervision and influence. She was definitely the kind of employee you want to hold onto.One day, the finance department began to question Susans selection of one particular vendor over another, with which the corporate parent had a connection. Susan knew that a change of providers could directly hurt revenues, so she fought hard against the finance teams suggestion. Yet they persisted, and Susan began to feel despondent and even question her commitment to her job.Soon, though, Susans manager, Stuart, stepped in to lend support. Stuart emphasized the value of Susans judgment to the finance team, and took her side in the disagreement. His support not only eased the pressure from the outside department on Susan, but he renewed her energy and commitment which were good for Susan and also the company. Had he left her without support, this story could have ended quite differently.2. Does your manager support your career trajectory?Louise was feeling stagnant in her role. She was a consistent performer, but she felt her contributions went unnoticed, and her future opportunities were limited. When she went to talk to her manager, Eleanor, she acknowledged Louises feelings right away and helped her pull together a career plan. Together, they assembled a l ist of 5 key people that Louise should meet, and Louises manager made introductions for Louise.Although it might mean losing a steady contributor, Eleanor was happy to help Louise fulfill the next chapter of her career which will no doubt keep Louise engaged. And, in helping Louise, others on Eleanors team understood that they had a manager who wanted the best for her employees, so they became more motivated and felt more secure.3. Does your manager support you - even when you make mistakes?The last story is one about me And it is one of my favorites. Right out of college, I had the fantastic opportunity to work for Estee Lauder in their Fragrance Marketing group. parte of my responsibility was to schedule and produce in-store promotions for the fragrances. For one Fathers Day promotion, I decided that what we should do to support fragrance sales was to give away adorable stuffed puppies with the fragrance. I was certain that my idea was brilliant, but I have no idea why.At any rat e, my idea was not brilliant. It was terrible. And we ended up with about 9,500 unsold stuffed puppies. But did my manager say to me, That was a terrible idea Not at all. Without calling significant attention to my failure, he quietly donated the stuffed puppies to a childrens hospital and applauded my courage to try something new. Which of course, made me feel relieved, supported and happy to work there.In hindsight, my boss was not just a nice guy although he most definitely was but he was also fostering a culture of experimentation that is critically important for a large company that wants to compete nimbly in todays world.If you answered no to any of these questions, its time to departure looking for your next job. Check out hundreds ofjobs at great companies for womenhere.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

The Dos and Donts of Secret Santa in the Office

The Dos and Donts of Secret Santa in the Office Christmas is a time for giving but finding the perfect gift for someone can be fraught with potential pitfalls. The office secret Santa can amplify these problems and so it is always worth considering whether it is something which should be organized through management, left up to individual teams to decide upon among themselves or banned altogether as a schwimmbad idea. Of course, every one of these options has merits, depending on your workplace, but if you are hoping to set a precedent then you need to consider all the factors involved. EconomicsSome people simply dont have the spare cash to get involved in a secret Santa, especially at Christmas when there is extra pressure on family finances to stretch further than they normally would. You know how much you are paying your staff, so if you have members of your team who you think might struggle e ven with a low budget secret Santa, then it is best to avoid putting them in an awkward position.This doesnt necessarily mean you cannot have a secret Santa, but you might need to be creative. You can make it a voucher system where employees are encouraged to offer a non-monetary gift, such as making cups of tea, doing someones filing or watering their plants. You can also have an opt-in system so that nobody has to be a part of it if they dont want to.Office politicsSometimes secret Santa can be inappropriate, and the working environment should always be considered before instigating a company-wide arrangement. For example, a company that just announced redundancies may not be the best place to involve staff in a game where one of those being laid off might end up having to buy a present for a staff member that had to make the difficult decision to choose them, or even a member of senior management. Being mindful of the atmosphere in the workplace is vital to making the right decis ion so, it is always worth discussing ideas with the lead decision makers.PracticalitiesIf you have a fairly stable staff, secret Santa is a relatively straight-forward affair. You choose a sum of money to spend, put everyones name in a hat and hand off the presents on a designated day. However, the nature of Christmas means that there is likely to be a lot of annual leave taken, not to mention that it is peak season for a lot of industries so, staff members may be working long hours, travelling a lot or under increased pressure just to get their work done.Although adding an extra task to the to-do lists of every member of staff in your workplace may be designed for fun, this could actually contribute to peoples stress levels so, making it an opt-in affair is often a good way to avoid having the opposite effect to the one intended. It is also important to ensure that everybody involved actually contributes to avoid bad feeling between colleagues. Ensure that the whole secret Santa i s overseen by someone who can keep track of the process.Let it beIn some workplaces, teams decide to organize their own gift-sharing arrangements, which is usually a good compromise and allows people to set their own rules and avoid management interference. This can make a lot more sense than a company-wide secret Santa, which may take a lot of organisation. This approach is also more beneficial because people who work in teams together usually know one another reasonably well, meaning many of the issues listed are negated.

Are Your Adlerian Needs Being Met at Work

Are Your Adlerian Needs Being Met at Work Are Your Adlerian Needs Being Met at Work While Alfred Adler is most widely known for his birth-order theories, his work was founded on the basic belief that we all are searching for a sense of belonging and significance. Family dynamics aside, there is no distribution policy where these conscious or unconscious forces are as prevalent as in your place of employment. As you progress in your career within a certain organization, those feelings, at times, may start tofade until something finally brings them back in full force.As in many relationships, the feeling of being taken for granted can easily creep up on you at work. Perhaps your career path at your organization hasnt gone quite as youd hoped. You know youre valued, but something is missing.Again, as in all relationships, you need to ask yourself what youre doing to contribute to the issue.One of my favorite saying is, Love is not a feeling its a behavior.This sayinghas served me an d perhaps countless other people well at those unavoidable times in a relationship when you just dont feel in love. And then one day you wake up and its back. The mundane and perfunctory have taken their rightful place away from your consciousness while the feelings of significance and belonging have come to the forefront of your being once mora.A wandering eye, professionally speaking, may actually lead you torealize that the grass isnt always greener in someone elses lawn. At first sight, and from a distance, the grass may seem greener. But when you get a little closer, you may realize that your grass is just as green, if not greener you just need to water the lawn more frequently.So, what can you do to embrace where you are and focus more on the positives of your role, rather than on whats lacking?1. Make a Mental List of What Is Going RightDo you have autonomy to make decisions? Do you like the people you work with? Do you have an easy commute? (Everythingcounts, no matter how small.)2. At Your Core, Are You Still Basically Happy?Are you happy with your function, the skills youre utilizing, and the purpose your role serves for the organization? Whatever youre happy with, do more of that. Do the work that is obligatory earlier in the day so that you can get in a zone with the work youre excited to do.If youre struggling to find joy or pleasure in any of your work, that is a bigger conversation that needs to happen with your boss.3. What New Things Are You Excited to Learn or Do?Find a way to incorporate them into your role. If youre enthusiastic about networking and attending events, do more of it This may help you feel more connected to and inspired by your work. Youll also hopefully make some great contacts.4. Recognize That Nothing Is PermanentExperiences are fluid, just like emotions. Focus on something outside of work that motivates you. It could be an exercise plan, learning to cook, or even starting your own small business. See what you can gain fr om your current situation that allows you to advance in those other areas. Do you have a flexible schedule? Are you so efficient with your work that you have a bit of extra time in your day? In a new role, you may not have the luxury of some small benefits that come with having been in one place for a while.Its never good to feellike you havent reached your potential orthat your current employer isoverlooking many of your talents. But sometimes the answer to greater fulfillment at work is to realize youre in control and that you have to create that fulfillment yourself.Still not sure if you should stay in your current role or set out on a new adventure? Heres a 10-step guide to a career makeoverthat might help.A version of this article originally appeared on LinkedIn.Michele Mavi isAtrium Staffings resident career expert.

ASME Student Members Take Part in Google Geek Street Fair in New York

ASME Student Members Take Part in Google Geek Street Fair in New York ASME Student Members Take Part in Google Geek Street Fair in New York ASME Student Members Take Part in Google Geek Street Fair in New YorkASME Student member Luca Scanrano sits on City Techs human powered vehicle while controlling the Twisted Sister rover.ASMEs Metropolitan Section teamed up with a group of ASME student members from New York City College of Technology to take part in the second Google Geek Street Fair - a free, outdoor event designed to get young people excited about science and technology. More than 500 children and adults attended the event, which was held the afternoon of May 28 in Gansevoort Plaza in New York. Google held its first Geek Street Fair two years ago at 14th Street Park in New Yorks Chelsea district. This years fair was sponsored by Google and the citys Meatpacking District Improvement Association. City Tech students Alexis Ortiz (left) and ASME student member Eugene Babkin (righ t) operate the Candy Crane robot.The ASME group, lumineszenzdiode by ASME member and City Tech professor Andy Zhang, presented an interactive activity for visitors of all ages, featuring several robots created by students at City Tech. The robots included the schools Twisted Sister robot rover Candy Crane, which enabled kids to use a hand-held controller to locate and pick up candy with a robotic claw and City Tech Pony, a human powered vehicle that recently competed at the ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge East competition in Florida. The ASME Metropolitan Section/City Tech exhibit was one of 17 booths offering hands-on activities at the Google Geek Street Fair. Four ASME student members - Tiffany Chong, Eugene Babkin, Angjelo Kuka and Luca Scanrano - were among the City Tech students participating in the event. City Tech students Anass Baroudi and Alexis Ortiz were also on hand to demonstrate the robots for visitors who stopped by their booth.

A surprising lesson from Maisie Williams about career change - Enhancv

A surprising lesson from Maisie Williams about career change - EnhancvA surprising lesson from Maisie Williams about career change - Reading that anotzu sich celebrity has tried to become a politician, entrepreneur, or different kind of celebrity has always provoked eye-rolls for me. I was always certain a bunch of celebrities couldnt teach me something about changing careers (something Ive experienced and written aboutplenty)I was wrong.It turns out there are universal lessons on making a career change, even for someone . Case and point Maisie Williams. If you read the headlines, youd think she had just woken up one day and decided to co-found Daisie, a tech company (specifically, an app for young creative people to build their careers). But it turns out a huge portion of the skills, knowledge, and relationships shes developed as an actor apply directly to her new role as a co-founder.Actor ? Tech Co-FounderIt all starts with an exercise we developed to think about how people change careers. The idea is to get you thinking in concrete terms about what each role actually involves. So instead of considering a software engineer job in the abstract, you think about the day to day coding, fixing bugs, debating features to add, etc.Then, you compare the skills, knowledge, and relationships at your current role and your new role. This is where things get interesting. In Williams case, many of the skills she developed as an actor apply directly to co-founding a technology company. Her PR training taught her how to handle media as the co-founder of a company, her lessons on choosing the right roles to advance her career has lent her some basis in strategic thinking, etc.Her knowledge of the kinds of challenges young people in creative industries face is also critical for her new role. Luckily, being just one of those people means she has a good understanding of those challenges. Finally, with a devoted fan base and connections in the entertainment industry, Williams ha s the kinds of relationships that can help her succeed.Its also worth mentioning what doesnt show up here knowledge of technology. Williams doesnt know how to code, but her transition is a great example of how non-tech people can still bring vital knowledge to tech companies understanding people, PR, presentation skills, etc.But what are the broader lessons to take away?Old Role ? New RoleAs I learned when I made the transition from academia into marketing, a lot mora skills, knowledge, and relationships transfer than you would think. I found research skills, writing abilities, and an understanding of quantitative methods were invaluable. koranvers I was studying early 20th century radical agrarian movements, but I had a good understanding of statistical significance and how to write on a deadline.But I learned those lessons organically. It would have been more helpful to realize how much of my skills, knowledge, and relationships would transfer from the beginning. I could have been more confident and leveraged that information to perform better. I hope Williams story and my own can inspire you to try this for yourself.You ? New YouSo give it a try, imagine a new role youd like to have alongside what you do now and see how ready you really are. Whether youre looking at moving into the tech world like Maisie Williams or myself, or just want to try something new, theres a lot to learn. Its just 4 easy steps, so what have you got to lose?SaveSave Eric D. Halsey A writer with a passionate belief in the power of peer to peer learning and storytelling to change lives. Wants nothing more than to spend a day cooking, reading books, playing board games, and discussing history and politics with friends. Also always up for an adventureLeave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName * Email * Website Subscribe now for moreSee more great content and inspiring examples of resumes done right each month. Subsc ribe Youre subscribed Latest posts See all posts by Eric D. Halsey The Resumes of Chernobyl by Eric D. Halsey 4 Ways Creativity Can Improve Your Resume by Katherine (Tori) LutzHow to Create a First Year Elementary School Teacher Resume

Valerie Peterson - The Balance

Valerie Peterson - The BalanceValerie Peterson - The Balance