Career Tips and So Much More

The economic downturn of the United States followed by same in other nations during the recent past years has immensely transformed the outlook of the labor force. It is not an unusual scenario in a highly volatile and competitive global economy that companies would “want a workforce they can switch on and off as needed,” according to Ravin Jesuthasan , a compensation expert at Towers Perrin. This has created a seismic shift in the labor force away from traditional full-time jobs toward contract work, in the employees’ hopes of taking “control” of their own financial future.

Since 2009, about 30% of the US job market is comprised of part-time or temporary staffers, independent contractors, and the self-employed. Perhaps if this continues, this “contingent” workforce will grow to about 40% in the next decade as predicted by the experts.

Freelancing is expected to spread beyond its traditional structures to professions such as engineering, accounting, law, health care, and sales. All are now starting to rely heavily on contract work. According to Adam Sorensen, a compensation and benefits expert at Worldrat Work, an association of HR executives, “We’re in the early stages of what will be a really different era in the workplace, and a growing segment of workers will need to structure their career around this model.”

Because this is an inevitable occurrence in the business trend, you can take advantage of it by thinking and acting in an entrepreneurial manner career-wise. You may test the waters in the ocean of freelancing by finding what type of work you can land while still having a full-time job. There are numerous outside projects you can take on. The more common ones are consultations, teaching, or speaking engagements on the side. Make sure you have managed your commitments and schedules with your boss and present company before you moonlight.

How do you know which of your skills are in demand? You can start by studying the company that you work in. Try to see what job functions your employer is outsourcing. It is also helpful to visit websites that specialize in giving job offers to freelancers. Included among these are oDesk.com, Elance.com, Getafreelancer.com, Sologig.com, and Guru.com.

You could also go to the extreme. Start your own business. Now could be a good time to be starting your own company, if ever you have already thought about striking it out on your own. Ken Moore of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center stated that, even if the economy is mired with recession, rents and equipment are still cheap. He also points out that with the rising unemployment there are still plenty of highly skilled workers that you can hire.

This is not to suggest that starting a business will be easy, especially with the tight lending policies of the banks, that’s why it is advisable to start small. Don’t rush into giving up your steady paycheck just yet. Most entrepreneurs begin their businesses even while they are still in a full-time job, according to surveys.

Always be prepared for any possibility, whether you plan to do it on your own or not. Start networking. Be present in industry conferences, broaden your range of contacts, and spread word about your projects and opportunities you came across. It may be an old-fashioned advice, but why not try to do a favor for a freelancer today. Perhaps, in the future the favor might be returned.


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 Doctors have long known that attitude can affect physical health. A patient can contribute to her own recovery from illness by changing from a pessimistic to an optimistic outlook. The same approach works on the job, too. It’s been proven that positive attitude does produce personal power. It has helped a number of people.

In many job situations, proper attitude is at least as important as technical ability. Some employees may even have multiple business degrees or a Ph.D., but their attitude still prevents them from becoming effective employees. They refuse to complete tasks because they resent suggestions given by supervisors. They sometimes argue, “We didn’t do it this way at my last employer.” They criticize management decisions to subordinates. When they are with the superiors, they criticize the work of their subordinates. Because of their constant criticisms, they become a disruptive influence. This negative attitude overshadows the functional value of their department. They refuse to recognize failure on their part. Instead, they spend time looking for reasons to blame others. Many failures are direct results of negative responses to changes that maybe required of a new work environment. There is little doubt that, with a cooperative attitude, any career can prosper more.
Do you have a form of insecurity that causes you to resist change? Do you feel threatened by change and regard people who promote it as personal enemies? Control these feelings. Generate an attitude that welcomes change. An open mind will shape your responses and increase your chances of success.

Self- Expectancy
You may have noticed, in your relationship with others that most people respond to pretty much according to what you expect from them. This is called “self-fulfilling prophecy.” It says that a person’s level of performance is largely determined by the person’s understanding of what is expected from him or her.
This kind of correlation is even truer when that person is your self. Many of us fail simply because we expect failure. If our subconscious self-image is one of a loser, our actions automatically set up loss situations to help us satisfy our self image. Turn that around. Expect a lot from yourself.

A pessimist is defined as a person who, when opportunity knocks complains about the noise. To capitalize on opportunity, you must use all your capabilities. A job doesn’t have to be monotonous. You don’t have to settle for whatever happens to come along. Find out what you are, decide what you want to become, and develop an attitude to achieve it.

What kinds of things do you enjoy? What are you good at doing? Do they frequently happen on your job? If they don’t get busy and define a job that fits your talents and interests. Help your mind develop the positive attitude you need to get what you want.

Proper attitude will help you overcome the toughest problems you will face. Discipline your mind. Plant positive thoughts, take positive actions, have a positive attitude, surround yourself with positive people, then harvest positive results. Another day starts tomorrow. What can you lose by making a positive step once you get out of bed?

 


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Many people –even skilled speakers—often fail to get their points across when intensive issues come up during meetings or on-the-site encounters. The main reason behind this is that they have never been taught to get their message across under difficult situations.

Suppose you’ve just been severely criticized, here are ways to help you handle critics and criticisms in a meeting:
1. Compliment
Compliment the critic if he has made an important observation. Often just a little praise and recognition disarms critics and changes their attitude toward you.
2. Pause
If the criticism is unjustified, one good way to handle this is to pause, remain silent and say absolutely nothing. Someone in the audience realizing that the question is unfair will often answer for you. Don’t dwell on the point; get on with your presentation.
3. The survey
If an accusation is made in which you feel there is absolutely no way you could answer and win, here’s the best way to handle it. In a calm voice, ask the critic to repeat the statement so you can write it correctly on a chalkboard or whiteboard in front of the room. Then you may hand out small pieces of paper and ask each person in the group to write either “agree” or “disagree.”
Have someone other than your self or your critic collect and tabulate the votes and announce the results. If your points were valid, you’ll find the group will normally agree with you. If the group doesn’t agree, be sure to acknowledge their position and quickly get on your next point.

How to neutralize objections
Never forget—it’s always a critical moment when objections come up. The way you handle them is directly related to your chances of getting your message across. Here are four suggestions:
1. Keep calm.
Always keep calm. Show empathy. Never be resentful. Never raise your voice or attempt to gloss over the objection. None of these things work!
2. Request more information.
Ask your challenger to expand on the objection. If it’s a valid objection, it’s your responsibility to respond. More frequently your challenger, not being as familiar with your point as you are, quickly exhausts his or her position and is unable to push you further.
3. Restate the objection as a question.
Most objections are presented as statements. Regardless of how they are presented, the secret is (1) to restate the objection as a question and (2) to verify whether this is or is not your opponent’s objection. An example follows:
“Your question, Mr. Jones is: ‘How will the newly proposed database system affect the business productivity?’”
The next step is to verify whether this is or not the objection. Simply say “Mr. Jones, is that the question?” If Jones says “yes,” you know exactly what his question is and you can answer it precisely.
Just suppose Jones said “no.” Then say, “Mr. Jones, if that’s not the question…then what is the question?”
4. Comparison
Another way to neutralize objections is to draw a large “T” on the board in front of the room. On one side list the advantages of your idea or proposal and on the others side, with the group’s assistance, list the disadvantages. If the points you were presenting had merit, this will be self-evident from the material on the board and you can continue with your presentation immediately.


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 Visual images in presentations, whether for business or for other social events, are idea enhancers. Keep in mind that audience members are still listening to what is being said while the graphics are shown. Why is this an effective approach to present products or ideas? The “double message” reinforces the memory process.

Here are some basic guidelines for making creating effective visuals:
• Use visuals to reinforce key points
• Use only one idea for each visual
• Use only one illustration for each visual
• Make letters big and readable. Presenters shouldn’t have to read the visual to the audience; it should be readable from any point in the room. One good rule calls for titles and main headings to be three inches high when projected in an average meeting room.
• Use no more than three sizes of letters on each visual; uniformity aids in easier reading.
• Use no more than four colors on type-only or graph visuals.

The impact of colors
Colors draw attention and brighten a presentation. Colors can also be used to emphasize key points. For example, when four lines of blue are followed by one in bright red, the red type screams “this is important.”
A study on color versus black and white advertisements in magazines showed that readership of color ads was 80 percent greater than that of black-and-white ads; that sales of the products advertised increased 50 to 85 percent when color was used; and that the retention of ad content was increased 55 to 78 percent when ads are printed in color. In colorful visual presentations, similar benefits should be expected.

Psychologists have shown that when people are accustomed to color, presentations that are not in color receive less attention. In today’s world or colored media, everyone has become color oriented.
Color visuals can be created easily with a number of means from the least expensive multimedia feed from the computer to the most elaborate set-up imaginable by man. Technology is readily available and study results are in. The fact is, using visuals in a meeting or training session improves attention and retention levels, increases the perceived value of the material and the speaker, and creates a more interesting and professional atmosphere.

So, in your next presentation, if you’re not using at least eight color visuals, you could be coming up as many as 8,000 words short.


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A company resident reviews a feasibility study for an environment protection project in a small community where the company’s headquarters building is located. A personnel manager discusses with union leaders the forthcoming collective bargaining agreement. A marketing manager reviews videos of proposed media campaigns. A group of employees discuss the latest changes in the top management over coffee at the cafeteria.

If corporate communication is not generally well understood, it may be because corporate communication is still evolving. The concept is an offshoot of the growing recognition by top management of communication as a strategic resource in achieving corporate goals and objectives.
As the term implies, corporate communication encompasses all the communication activities undertaken within the corporate context, whether formal or informal, regardless of direction or flow of information (i.e. top-down, bottom-up, horizontal).
What corporate communication aims to achieve is to integrate the various communication activities within the corporate organization and recognize them as key management functions. It seeks to upgrade public relations. It seeks to upgrade public relations, organizational communication, and advertising into the level of scientific discipline quite removed from the level of gut feel. As the International Management Magazine (June 1985) noted, corporate communication-related activities a common direction or framework.
The growth of corporate communication can be attributed to the trend among progressive companies to appoint a communication man to top managerial positions (and even in the executive board). Corporate Executive Officers (CEOs) are beginning to realize that the success or failure of corporate strategies depends on how communication resources are harnessed.
Communication: The Nervous System of Organizations
A review of definitions of the term organization indicates how critical communication is the very existence of an organization. Koontz and O’Donnel define organization as a communication decision-making network. Peter Drucker states, “The organization is above all, an information decision-making system.” Communication is not a secondary or derived aspect of an organization, but rather the essence of organized activity and is the basic process out of which all functions derive.
It is quite clear then that communication links the various parts of an organization; it is the principal tool of managers. Through communication, the manager receives the information needed in making the right decision, and once the decision is made, manager must communicate it to others.
Perhaps you often hear managers saying, “Our problem is communication.” Indeed, many managers use communication as an excuse if they are not able to achieve their goal or objective. While it is true that communication is a vital skill of managers, it would be wrong to conclude that an effective communicator alone makes a good manager. An effective communication for a wrong decision will not do any good to the company. Conversely, for a manager to be an effective planner and decision-maker is not enough. A good decision (or action plan) must be translated into action.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight





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Learning to identify and control one’s stress personality is the key to a better work environment. West Coast psychological consultants Rene Tihista and Mary Dempcy identify the different faces of stress and suggest ways to counter the behavior:

The Serial Pleaser
The Serial Pleaser always wears an ever-present bland smile and feels guilty about even thinking of saying “no.” These people believe that people respect them for all that they do for others, so they try to please everybody and eventually end up pleasing nobody.
In a corporate setting, serial pleaser bosses can’t say “no” to anything. Employees who are controlled by pleasers remain overworked, overwrought, and underpaid. They often work overtime to mask slipping productivity.
To manage better, ask your supervisor to order your work by priority. Try refusing at least one request made on your time each week.

The Internal Timekeeper
The Internal Timekeeper perceives that his or her own survival and self-worth depends on staying busy. They love to do several tasks at once. They bustle all day but aren’t efficient. The Internal Timekeeper boss typically demands everything done “yesterday” and is so busy staying busy that there is no real time for his staff.
All projects are top priority for an employee who has an Internal Timekeeper personality and each new task becomes yet another emergency. Because work gets duplicated, families and relationships suffer.
To cope with this personality, cut activity list by one fourth, allowing time for interruptions, which are a normal part of any day.

The Worrier
The worrier frets, paces, and wrings his hands often. Worriers lack trust in their own abilities and always expects the worst. Their common perception is that worry will protect them from unforeseen disasters.
A worrier executive worries not only about his own mistakes bust of others as well. Thus, a worrier boss often looks over the shoulders of his or her staff, eventually driving away original and creative thinkers. They worry about making decisions instead of just making them.
A worrier employee on the other hand, tends to be over-meticulous and never has a problem that isn’t laden with disaster. Insignificant events are blown out of proportion while important chores are left undone.
Up-to-date information is the best cure for a Worrier’s woes. When making decisions, try to list all the options available, eliminate the least desirable and pat yourself on the back for thoroughness. Then, carry out the decision. Write down all your decisions made during the month and note how rarely disaster occurs. Learn not to worry about the problems of others beyond your control.

The Sabertooth
The Sabertooth personality never directly expresses anger. Instead, anger seeps out in disguise – through petty arguments, sarcastic observations or statements. These people are chronically irritable, hostile, and frustrated. They perceive the world as a hostile and unfriendly place therefore they must keep up an adversary position toward life.
The boss with a Sabertooth personality rules rather than supervises, and live by the motto “I do not have hypertension, I give it.” The Sabertooth employer won’t delegate tasks for fear of eroding his or her authority. They will just explode when asked to give explanations or directions. They love to chew up bystanders such as sales clerks, food servers and mates.
To counter the stressful effects of a Sabertooth personality it is recommended to learn expressing anger aloud: “I feel angry right now about such and such.” Sabertooths must also try to be assertive and realize that confrontations are negotiations, not yelling matches.
The Striver
This is the most seductive of the stress personalities. The Striver promises fame and fortune, viewing life as an endless climb to the top and measures happiness by status and possessions alone. The Striver’s perception is “Your measure as a person is your own accomplishments.”
Striver-dominated bosses expect from the staff the same slavish devotion to the job they themselves put into it. They consider only the production side of the business and ignore the human side of the work arena.
Striver employees are outspokenly disdainful of others’ abilities. They seize every opportunity to work every minute – at home or at work—fully utilized.
It is advised that Strivers need to learn to stick to their own areas of expertise and let others contribute in their own ways. Strivers must learn to delegate authority, to relax and spend time with loved-ones.

The Internal Con-Artist
The Internal Con-Artist thrives on reckless action but on the other hand is the voice of procrastination. This type of person perceives that self denial is punishment and detrimental to survival.
A boss who is an Internal Con-Artist loves to put off decisions, talks workers into flaky propositions and usually gets into situations that border on the illegal, unethical and dishonest.
A worker with this personality avoids work and concentrates on looking prepared instead of being prepared. These type of workers think that the current job is only temporary and that the real career lies just around the corner.
To cope, start saying “no” to petty impulses at least half the time, as a start. Bone up on the techniques to self control and pay attention to detail.

The Critical Judge
The Critical Judge is the damning internal voice, constantly finding fault – pointing out sloppy job here or a dumb remark there. They perceive that the constant negative self-criticism will make on try harder, that successes are naught but “strokes of luck.”
Bosses with the Critical Judge personality set standards that are unrealistically high. The employee with a Critical Judge personality give higher ups exaggerated credibility, feels stupid for asking questions and is generally defensive.

To overcome a Critical Judge personality, learn to be objective about criticism by seeking it from those you admire. Consider the positive side of calculated risk-taking by experiencing new challenges and opportunities. Seek career counseling and learn what skills, knowledge, and abilities you can bring to a new job.
In the professions, say Dempcy and Tihista , The Striver and The Sabertooth behavior tend to dominate in business; many Pleasers wind up in nursing and service industry; and Critical Judge tends to show up among teachers and professors. Worriers are found among accountants and bookkeepers, while out-of-control salesmen often fall into the Internal Con-Artist patterns.
While these can generally be true, these stress personalities know no professional boundaries—they enter any workplace door that’s open to them.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight

 
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“I’ll do that later.” “…when I find the time,” “it depends on my mood,” “when I feel like doing it,” “perhaps, in time, we’ll see.” Do these phrases sound familiar? There is actually nothing wrong with these words; but when saying these becomes too comfortable too regularly, it has already become an implication of a behavioral pattern. You have snuggled lovingly into the procrastination habit.

Good news is, you can still take better control of your life if you break this procrastination habit. You will discover that when you take the action, the necessary motivation will follow.
Here are some suggested techniques for breaking the procrastination habit:
1. Make a list.
Definitely there are things needed to be done. Sort out the tasks by making a list of what you “should” do. Do the distasteful and unrewarding tasks first and check them off as you do them. You will notice a psychological lift as you accomplish each task.
2. Weigh your reasons.
On one side of the paper, list the reasons why you are procrastinating or delaying the fulfillment of the particular task. On the other half of the paper, list the benefits for taking action right away.
3. Bite-size it.
Do the “divide-and-conquer” approach to manage your tasks especially the big and daunting ones. Break the task down to smaller, manageable steps.
4. Keep a journal.
Record the “shoulds,” have to’s,” “musts,” “ought to’s” and other negative motivation techniques you may have been using on yourself. Make a point to challenge these, and substitute “I choose to do” thus and so. Examine each situation, each task, each problem or situation objectively, in light of your own best interest. Keeping a daily journal will help make you aware of how you may be sabotaging your own efforts and thus encourage you to “want” to change.
5. Set up your own rewards system.
When you set up rewards for yourself, make sure they are highly satisfying. Reward yourself immediately each time you choose actions instead of procrastinations. The most effective reinforcement in developing new habits is positive reinforcement.
William James in his essay on habit has some suggestions on self motivation and new habits:
• Decide to start making the change immediately while you are motivated.
• Don’t try to do too much too quickly. Just force yourself to do one thing that you’ve been putting off.
• During the period when your new habit is taking root, do not permit any exceptions. William James compared it to a rolling ball of string: a single clip can undo more than many turns can wind up. He said success or failure, during the retraining period, hinges largely on you making a commitment and closely following the schedule you set up yourself.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight





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If you are supervising or managing employees and you want to know if they are sure about how to complete their latest assignment. How do you go about finding out? When we want to get our message through, how do we talk to our employees? Are we doing a good job at communicating with each other? Here are some suggestions on effective employee communication:

1. Have an open door.
Be available when employees have a problem or question to discuss. Let your employees know you want to talk to them and are interested in what’s on their minds. This will not only be helpful to your employees, but also will help you stay up-to-date on issues and activities.
2. Be frank.
Let your employees know when there is a problem with their performance. If you’re not up-front when a problem occurs, the same mistake could be repeated. Employees would prefer to know if you are displeased, rather than to guess about it or hear about it through the grapevine.
3. Be trustworthy.
Earn your employees’ complete trust and confidence. Employees expect you to be confidential with personal discussions. They also expect you to stick to your word. If you don’t earn your employees’ trust, don’t be surprised if you don’t gain their respect either.
4. Discipline in private.
Never talk to am employee about a problem in front of his or her peers. It shows a lack of courtesy and tact.
5. Give your employees your complete attention.
When you answer the phone or otherwise interrupt a conversation with an employee, the message you are sending is that your telephone call is more important than your employee. Remember, your primary job is to supervise your staff. That means your employees are your priority.
6. Have an open mind.
Acknowledge the fact that your employees may know something that you don’t know. Be open to their suggestions. The key is to hear your employees out before you make a decision on their suggestion or opinion. Don’t make assumptions without knowing the facts.
7. Don’t show favoritism.
Treat all your employees equally. Of course, it is natural to have preference for one person or another. However, the point is to avoid biased actions. No employee should know who your “favorite” is.
8. Communicate frequently.
Talk to your employees as often as possible, particularly regarding their work performance. Bi-annual performance review is not a substitute for daily or weekly feedback. Also, keep employees informed on a regular basis on how the business as a whole is doing.
9. Show respect.
Never talk down to your employees. The days of the highly authoritative management style are over. Today’s employees demand to be treated as intelligent, competent participants in the business function.
10. Give praise.
If your employee has done an exceptionally good job, let him or her know. Be specific about it, too. “Nice job,” is okay, but it is better if you tell employees exactly what it was you appreciated about their work. That way they know which strengths they can build on.

 Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight


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The first five minutes of your day is very important. How you begin your work day often determines if you’re satisfied when it’s through.

You can improve the quality of your workday by deciding what it is you want to accomplish. You’ve got to specifically identify the self-defeating behavior in your early morning routine and set about to change it. Let us take a look at the common scenarios and identify some problems.

The distractions

• Small talks and social conversations in the lobby, in the elevator, at the coffee pot, in the ladies’ or men’s room, etc.

Although socializing is an undeniable part of work life, if it automatically and regularly occurs at the beginning of the day, chances are the socializing will get in the way of work that needs to be done.

• The mail

Even though you spam filter has done its job, it’s not likely to contain the most urgent and the most pressing items of the day, more so with snail mail letters. The habit of checking your mails first more often than not comes from a combination of childish curiosity and a desire to slide into the work routine in the least demanding way possible.

• Interrupting phone calls and text messages

Even more so than mail, unnecessary phone calls and text messaging distracts and steals time away from work.

• Chitchat with colleagues

This, most common interruption combines all of the problems of the above items with a double dose effect done by two or more people resulting to detriment of the task ahead. They come in the form of “important” dissemination of facts (office gossip) or “brightening up” someone else’s day (flirting).

• Coffee breaks

Coffee breaks are intended as a break from working productively. This is the appropriate time for socializing. However, if the worker hasn’t really begun working yet, it’s a different story.

Generally, the worker who is most productive can take full charge of his or her day. This is true because active, decisive responsibility is likely to be more productive than passive habitual response. Because of the nature and variety of work situations, every worker’s appropriation of these truths will be particular and personal. But general guidelines can be applied.

What do you have to do?

• Save the socializing for later.

Keep your greetings at the lobby, elevator, or washroom short and courteous. Your mind should be on your work and not to become involved in extended conversations at the beginning of the day.

• Start the day with a plan.

Before going at the end of the day’s work, the last task you should do is to arrange the next day’s schedule. Of course, there will be occasional emergency interruptions, but they will only be occasional, not daily.

• Spend the first hour on the most important task.

Devote the first hour of the workday to the accomplishment of an important task that needs to be done. Have your secretary or an assistant take all phone calls and handle other interruptions.

• Establish a phone policy.

We could work more efficiently if we devise and adhere to a “phone philosophy.” It would probably increase the productivity of workers in some specific company set-ups if this would even be a company-wide policy. You may also apply this as a single employee or in your own business set up. For example, you may inform your secretary or specify to your clients that you only accept calls at a specific time period, say 10 am – 5pm only. You may also use a different cell phone number for business and another one for family to separate the available calling hours.

One of the benefits that might result from this practice is that your business associates will respect you more. If they discover that you value your time enough to protect it, chances are they’ll begin to value it more highly, too.

Remember, also that answering the phone is a passive reaction, and not as productive as an intentional action.

• Make your coffee break an actual break.

This is your time for socializing. Even the most dedicated and disciplined worker’s attention span has limits. In the long run, it is just as counterproductive to attempt to conduct business nonstop for eight hours as it is to mix your professional and social life.

• Finish your day with a plan.

A productive worker always knows how to plan the next morning’s activity. At bare minimum, the next day’s most important item should be isolated and prepared.

Of course, no recipe, not even a general one, is suitable for each specific situation. Different individuals have different warm-up rates, and different jobs require different strategies.

For all of us, how we begin the day gives a significant impact on how we feel when the day is through.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight




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The resumé, a traditional document which describes your abilities and past experiences is, as we all know, a very important requirement. How you present yourself in a resume can be vital. You have to be concise and selective. Concise, because the average resume receives only five to seven seconds of viewing, and you won’t get a second chance to make an impression. Selective, because you can’t explain everything you’ve done or a list of all your abilities. That much information would be too much for a potential employer to process. You must be discriminating in choosing the items that most relate to the position for which you are applying. A selective approach helps to hold the employer’s attention and leaves him or her with a few unanswered questions. It serves to motivate the employer to want to see more of you and hence invite you for an interview. Obtaining an interview is the sole purpose of the resumé. No one is hired strictly based on how they look on paper.

The standard resumé, which is one or two pages in length, can be creative but must at the same time contain some basics:

1. an objective

2. a summary of your experience

3. a record of your education

4. other related activities

The objective section of your resume is one or two sentences that state, as precisely as possible, what you want to do. It gives anyone reading your resume a general framework of your direction and interests. To avoid being too general or too specific – which may at times exclude you from positions—do both. Indicate the major field you are considering or general job category, then list your specific job title preferences. For example: “A mid-level position in product management such as New Product Development Manager or Area Sales Manager.”

Your experience is probably the most important information on the resume for the potential employer. This category states what you are doing now (listed first) and what jobs and what jobs you have held in the past. List the three of four most relevant positions. Choose which are most relevant by the following criteria:

1. how similar the position or specific responsibilities are to the position being sought (always emphasize similarities between your past and potential job),

2. how long you spent in that position, and

3. how recent your experience was.


Your job responsibilities should be described from many business angles as possible. What did you achieve? How much responsibility did you have? Did you supervise anyone? Did you have any budget responsibility? Were you promoted? Did you work independently or as a team member? Did you take projects from start to finish, or were you responsible for a specific part of a process? Did you work with customers? Did you sell any products or services? What innovations, improved productivity or cost improvements did you bring to your previous positions? These are the type of questions that provide useful information to potential employers. Numbers, percentages, and time periods quantify and qualify your past, and should be used whenever possible. Professional organizations, committees, volunteer activities and special projects which relate to the position you are seeking should all be included in the “Other Related Activities” section of your resumé.

Some modern resumés do not include pictures or extensive personal information, and they mention very little unrelated experience. References are becoming less frequently used now because of legal restrictions, so they should not be specifically listed.

A cover letter will often need to accompany your resume. It should always be sent to a person (not a department or function) with whom you have already spoken. The personal contact increases your chances of getting special attention throughout the job hunting process. The cover letter must be clear and direct, starting with an attention-getter, mentioning highlights of your resume and ending with an indication of what action YOU will next take. Do not ask the employer to call you. If you are creating work for them before you are hired, even if only a phone call, how much work can they expect you to create once you are hired? As an employee, your job should be to help make their job easier.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight


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People have constantly prized the essence of time. Still, only quite a few people have mastered the skill of properly apportioning their time for their work. We see several books in book shops laying claim they have the secret to effective time management. But do we truly have to pay just to realize the secret of proper time management?

You actually don’t have to purchase time management books just to learn the secret of proper time management. All you require is common sense and discipline. Nonetheless, there are more dependable ways to accomplish your goal. The following are a few tips to aid you in managing your time.

Prior to making a list of things you have to do, you’ve got to realize that the list would never work if you will not couple it with discipline. When discussing discipline here, it means you have to recognize your own priorities likewise to guide you in putting up with the rules that you have laid out for yourself.

1. Write down a set of things to do during the day – This is the old school way to proper time management. Create a list of things you have to accomplish for the day to keep you informed on what to do for the day. The list will aid you to avoid distractions of whatever should arise within the day.

It is suggested to make an adaptable “to do list”; having an adaptable list allows for you to fit unforeseen events and social occasions (just the important ones) without ruining the whole list.

2. Modify bad time management habits – It generally helps for beginners to change their bad time management habits. If you ponder on your everyday activities, you would perhaps recognize that you spend a huge some of time watching a bit much TV or different forms of leisure. It’s okay to allot some time on leisure, but never when it surpasses the prescribed time for it. Modifying these habits would gain you time to do more meaningful activities.

3. Set a few things to do during the day as top priority. – The idea of determining hierarchies on your listed set of priorities is the ones on top of the list are what you must attend to first. It also serves you to finish on the dot when you utilize it in alignment with your “to-do” list and everyday timetable.

4. Learn how to say “NO” – When offered up to do something, A lot of people have problem refusing. Therefore, they’re faced up with a lot of tasks than they can handle. This is more crucial when it bears on the tasks that are more insignificant, like watching a movie or attending a football game. You have to keep in mind that once you have accomplished your pending tasks, you’ll have time to enjoy yourself.

If you are preparing to go out, you must plan this a couple of days ahead. Hence, you can end up your task in advance and save ample time for these long breaks.

5. Splitting up your workload – This is particularly helpful when working with others as a team. You do not have to do everything by yourself. When you split up your workload, people tend to end up faster since they can center on doing a particular task.

6. Maintaining your workplace clean and organized – When your workplace is great deal of a mess, it is generally difficult to search things underneath the pile. Occasionally it takes hours for you to search a lost paper on a cluttered up pile. Hence keeping things organized betters your total efficiency.

7. Setting up goals for yourself – Having practical and doable goals for yourself is a crucial step in proper time management. Setting goals gets you motivated to do your job easily. Keep in mind that you require efficiency to get things done the correct way.

Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight



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The location can make or break the success of your career, either in a short term or a long term plan. Decide where you want to be located. Do you like your present place of residence or are you already tired with it? Do you wish to live someplace else? Is this the place you have lived in since your childhood days but have never resided at any other place? Have you gone on a vacation somewhere and considered living there?

Part of narrowing your territory and channeling your job search efforts to precision is to decide on the area where you’d like to apply your skills and talent and maximize them to create a wage paying job. It is not productive nor is it progressive for you if you find a job you desire but dislike your living situation. Finding a good job includes getting it in the location you like.

So, start your research now and gather information on your top five chosen places to live. Narrow down your choices until you get a specific area and then the specific towns. Then, determine and gather more data about not only the town itself but also the enterprises located in the area that are in the line of business(s) you’ve specified for yourself. The local chambers are willing to give information and may even be equally pleased to see you become a part of the community. There are many of fantastic places to live in a country. Take advantage of them.

If you have taken a special interest in a particular area, start gathering information about that place. If possible, visit it, by all means go around and discover what the town has to offer.

Having the lists of businesses in those areas and locations on hand then it’s time to narrow down your list. Choose your top two locations and focus on finding employment there.

Update your resume. A lot of resources both printed and online, can be found on this subject. Write it in the way experts suggest. Present your skills first if that says more about you than where you have worked. Check out the local educational programs in the areas of your choice in case you may need further training in the areas you wish to do more with. Don’t relocate to a place that does not have jobs in the fields you like and are adept at or intend to develop your skills further.

Finally, begin establishing contacts with key people. Check the availability of local job hot-lines and other employment identifying features. Make sure to contact specific businesses that you have already identified as potential employers.

As you set forth in gathering your data with which to particularize the territory in terms of place, skills and interest, there are several resources you can use, most of which are either free or have a minimal cost to get the information that would facilitate your decisions regarding your future career.
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