How to Achieve Work Life Balance

How to Achieve Work Life Balance Work/life balance is a concept including the proper prioritization between work (career and ambition) and lifestyle (health, pleasure, leisure, family) according to Wikipedia. Its also very hard to achieve how can you get a great one?  balanceatwork.com.au  help with the infographic below! Takeaways: Start with setting your priorities. Figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Manage  your time. Keep a strong focus on work at work, leave on time and use those extra hours to enjoy life. Say no with a smile. Theres no point volunteering for every project if the quality of your work is going to suffer. Make your job a friend. Seek out tasks and projects that you particularly enjoy doing. Schedule in fun. Sticking to a schedule will help to ensure that your work doesnt eat into your personal life. RELATED:  Would You Pass the  Work Life Balance  Test?

Academic Resume Writing - Why It Should Be Treated Differently

Academic Resume Writing - Why It Should Be Treated DifferentlyAcademic resume writing is a way of writing your CV that's very different from the one you use for your employment. That said, there are some things that you should take note when you're writing the resume for college and university admissions. You might be wondering why academic resumes should be treated differently and what it takes to be successful with them.Academic resumes and degree courses should be written differently. In academic writing, information is placed in the introduction paragraph to set the ground for the rest of the content. It provides the reader an overview of the course before they begin to read the more detailed information that follows. This introductory paragraph should be personal, thoughtful and to the point.The writer will need to keep in mind that many applicants will tell you that they don't have time to write a resume and then make it sound like you can't summarize your academic experience a nd expect to get through the interview process. There is nothing more frustrating than looking for a job and receiving an academic resume that is almost word for word what you have written. That means that the potential employer will have already had a chance to read your job application. Employers are savvy to this and will feel that you don't have time to write a resume.Don't summarize your CV in a manner that is going to make it appear as though you are not focused on education. Instead, summarize in the introduction paragraph your experiences in terms that are specific and comprehensive. Do not simply say, 'BS in English.' If you don't list your full educational background or describe it in detail, the potential employer is not going to see your potential.Keep in mind that academics tend to be a little more difficult to write than job applications. The main reason for this is that the writer will need to be well-versed in the language and the basic concepts of the discipline. He or she will need to have done an internship that dealt with the areas of study that he or she wants to pursue. Academic writing requires a great deal of patience, attention to detail and skill.When writing your academic resume, don't summarize your academic experience in the first paragraph. The first paragraph should summarize your current position at the college or university, if applicable. Then the writer should go into the details of your academic career. Each sentence should be centered on the content of the section so it doesn't become cluttered.The structure of the academic resume should be logical and orderly. The first section of the resume should be your primary area of work. It should give the reader a good overview of what is going on with you while at the same time mentioning your new positions as they relate to your primary work. Be sure to point out how many months you have been at each position.Academic writing can be challenging. Keep in mind that the purpose of a resume is to serve as a marketing tool for you. By carefully planning your CV and creating the right outline, you can be certain that your CV will show your strengths and weaknesses in the best light possible. As with other types of academic writing, you can be sure that your CV is easily organized. Don't underestimate the importance of an organized academic resume.

How NOT to Get Bitten By the Office Snake

How NOT to Get Bitten By the Office Snake In an ideal world, wed rock up to work to  be greeted by a team of smiling faces, all of whom have our back at all times and want the best for us. Theyd be like family members (the likeable  kind); they would lift us up when were feeling down and say positive things to keep us inspired. Theyd share their wisdom with us and wed gladly impart ours on them, too. Theyd  vouch for us to senior management and sing our praises to clients. Wed be able to grab lunch with them and have a laugh. That, right there, is the dream. I say dream, because, while it is based on some kind of reality and totally possible in large parts, that kind of certainty does not exist in the workplace. Sure, most of us probably like our colleagues, but we can never rest on our laurels that a wolf in sheeps clothing wont  join and bring our  operation down from the inside. Sound dramatic and negative? Well, wherever your wellbeing and career is concerned, youve got to be wary. Some people, whether out of jealousy, insecurities, laze, general apathy or something more sinister will bring some pretty questionable agendas to the workplace. Youll soon be able to spot these people (lets call them snakes) because they tend to talk about people behind their backs, suck up to senior management, take credit for other peoples work and do just generally shifty things. They tend to turn people against each other, are quick to point the finger and are just downright scheming. They might appear friendly and hard-working at surface level, but when you delve a little deeper, youll find theyre most certainly not your friend and they definitely are not hard-working. Often, they slowly bring people down, trying to push themselves up. Think youve identified one in your office? Heres how to avoid being bitten by them: Keep your distance Dont become all buddy-buddy with them, thinking if youre best mates theyll spare you their venom. Some office snakes are really charming, funny and enigmatic. They can be quite intimidating  and  try to pull as many people close as possible, only to use them to get what they want at any price. They are NOT loyal friends. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Dont trust them Remember that these people can be very manipulative. They can make you forget that they have ulterior motives. They will use you for information and use it against you. Dont give them what they want; do not trust them and always keep them at arms length. Be vague with personal information and definitely dont put anything to them in writing that you wouldnt want broadcast on national television. Dont fall into their trap Its amazing how peoples attitudes rub off on those around them. If they are bickering or gossiping about another colleague, dont fall into the trap of playing along. Dont engage with their questionable behaviours. Remove yourself from the situation where possible, as early as you can. You dont want to be associated with the snake. Expect them to attack You dont want to be paranoid, but constantly being alert and ready for them to do something two-faced or back-stabbing will constantly remind you not to reveal too much to them, or make yourself an easy target. Stand your ground If you feel youve already been lightly bitten  by them, dont let them get away with it without an explanation. Make sure you find a way to let them know that you are not someone to be crossed. You do not want to get aggressive, and you might have to kill them with kindness, but do not admit defeat and become someone they can walk over. Dont rely on them for anything Never give them the benefit of the doubt and never hope for the best. Do not ask any favours of them and try to detach yourself from their operations as much as possible. The more separate you keep your work, the better. Enlist the right support While its not always the answer, seeking some advice from other relevant professionals (boss or HR) might be necessary if you spot someone who appears to be dangerous. Its likely you arent the only one with your concerns. Always seek professional advice if  you genuinely dont know how to avoid getting bitten! You an choose your friend, but you cant choose your colleagues. In most circumstances, youll be working with like-minded people who share the same values as you. Some of the best friendships and relationships start at work, and thats what we all hope for! But dont be naive to different personality types and the snakes that slither their way through their careers. Dont  let yourself be bitten!

How Personal Branding is Making Headway in Japan [Video Interview]

How Personal Branding is Making Headway in Japan [Video Interview] How often do you get to chat with someone whos a true pioneer? We just had a chat with the first (we think) personal branding consultant in Japan, our great friend  Peter Sterlacci who is based in Kyoto, Japan. Peter is an American based in Japan for over ten years and he is quickly becoming that countrys go-to guy for personal branding. Being a long-term resident in a country where ‘fitting in’ is the cultural norm, Peter understands the challenges facing Japanese professionals to ‘stand-out’. He is dedicated to empowering on-the-move careerists in global companies in Japan to ‘break away’ from the pack and ride to success. As you can tell by the picture above he loves his bicycling and nicely embeds this passion into his own brand. See what he had to say here and be sure to check out his guest post How Personal Branding is Just Like Riding a Bike. Another interview covering personal branding is with Joshua Waldman, see more at How To Get a Job Using Social Media [Dummy or Not]. Image: Shutterstock

How to Write a Phone Number on Resume

How to Write a Phone Number on ResumeIn order to use a phone number in a resume, it is necessary that you know how to write a phone number correctly. There are many ways to use a phone number, and if you write your information in the format that other people do, your resume will be seriously under-qualified for the job that you want. Here are some tips on how to write a phone number correctly.The first thing that you should do when learning how to write a phone number on resume is to find out who owns the phone number. It is extremely important that you take this step, because if you do not, the person may decide to take legal action against you for wrongful use of their phone number. There are a number of ways to determine who owns a phone number, but one of the easiest is to run a search on Google using the phone number and its area code. This will give you a map of all phone numbers that include that particular area code.The next step that you need to take is to learn what informa tion you need to put on a phone number. For example, if you are writing a resume about 'Mary Doe', your writing will be greatly improved if you include her name and the first few letters of her last name. This will make it easier for a reader to immediately recognize who you are and what your qualifications are. If you have left out something very important, it is highly likely that you will get it wrong!Next, you need to find out what you want to write on a phone number. You can do this by looking at various ads in the paper. It is common for anyone selling a product to place an ad asking for people to call them and find out more information about the product. If you do not remember this offer from your newspaper, it is best to call the company and ask them what they were advertising.Whenit comes to writing a phone number on resume, you also need to use the phone number in a sentence. Remember that 'Mary Doe' will get a letter from the company every time she calls that phone number , so you should also place that information in a sentence or two. You should always try to be as specific as possible when writing a phone number on resume. You want to be able to say something like 'Ms. Doe provided the following data' instead of 'The company provided the following data'.When it comes to using a phone number in a resume, the number is only to be used in a sentence or two, but when it comes to a company web site, you need to include that number in the site address. If the company does not provide that phone number in the form you are filling out, it is better to leave it out. However, if the company provides that number in the form, then leave it in the website. It is highly likely that the employer will get upset when they call and do not get anything back from the company!There are a number of rules that you should follow when writing a phone number on resume. It is not important that you have complete control over the wording of your resume, because there is no g uarantee that the potential employer will even read it. However, you do want to use the phone number properly, and do not leave out any information.With that said, please consider these tips on how to write a phone number on resume and use it to your advantage. They will save you a lot of time and heartache and will make you a lot more marketable!

At-Risk For A #CareerFatality

At-Risk For A #CareerFatality Photo credit: Tony Webster via Foter.com / CC BY Teen driving.  As American as apple pie and football.   It used to be one of the most anticipated rites of passage. At 15 1/2 in many states youd get your learners permit then at 16 you could get your drivers license with no restrictions. At that time roads were less congested, there were fewer regulations associated with driving.  Drunk driving was not yet in the public consciousness. But as the data came in, it became clear that teen driving was high risk.  And fatalities and near crashes were clearly linked to  teens inexperience.  See the link between teen driving and fatal crashes. What does this have to do with your career? Stay with me, Ill get there soon enough. And so Graduated Driving Licenses (restricting when and how you can drive) were instituted.  And with that fatal crashes among teens dropped significantly. When states had comprehensive GDL programs, those with at least five of the most important elements in effect, there was a 20 percent reduction in fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. John Hopkins study Mentorship works That is awesome.  By having good mentorship (adult supervision) as teens transition into unrestricted driving and as they learn with fewer distractions (other kids in the car with them) and risks (night driving), they get the experience to be effective independent drivers with significantly reduced risk of injury. But a new trend has begun.  Teens delaying getting their drivers licenses until they turn 18 or even later. fewer than half (44 percent) of teens get their license within 12 months of the minimum age for licensing in their state  AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Why are they delaying? Among the reasons given for the delay were that gas and other driving costs were too expensive (36 percent each); they could get around without driving (39 percent); and they did not have a car (44 percent). Regardless of the reason it is cause for concern. These findings raise concerns that young drivers will become licensed without the benefit of the training and point to the need to modify the laws to include 18-year olds. So what is my point in telling you about teen driving statistics and this trend toward delaying licensing?  You may have a teen driver (or one who will soon be crossing that threshold).  But you may not be in that situation. But the lesson still applies to you.  How? Lets talk about you and your career. Stop reading now if you just want to punch the clock and leave every day not worried or even thinking about work outside of work. Stop reading now if your goal is limited to just earning money in the same job year after year, getting pay increases as they give them to youor not.  And not actively managing your career. Still reading?  Youre not satisfied with just getting by. Im Outta Here! Why 2 Million Americans Quit Every Month even in a climate of business uncertainty and an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, more than 2 million Americans are voluntarily leaving their jobs every month. The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics calls the category “Quits.” A study by  Harris Interactive indicates a full 74 percent of people would today consider finding a new job. Wow!  So the next 3 out of 4 people you talk to at work would bail for the right opportunity. Crazy. 3 in 4 people would bail for the right job opportunity. No mentor = #CAREERFATILITY Click To Tweet A recent study by Accenture reports: 1) They don’t like their boss (31%),  2) A lack of empowerment (31%), 3) Internal politics (35%) and 4) Lack of recognition (43%). Do any of these strike a chord?  Are you just putting up with things? Business Insider survey of 225 executives reports 22 percent want to launch their own companies. Why are they willing to make the sacrifice and take the risk? They want to run an enterprise their way. Deep in their hearts, they feel and know they will enjoy more satisfaction and fulfillment by establishing a healthier business culture. Melissa Llarena of Career  Outcomes Matter reports even higher numbers, particularly for Generation X employees. She cites the biggest reason for “quits” is that employees no longer trust corporations. To wit, nearly 40 percent of men and 25 percent of women want to become their own boss, she says (54% of Millenials, 46% of GenY, 35% of Gen X-ers and 21% of Baby Boomers, by age). Is that you?  Are you one of the new Millennial Side-Hustle Generation?  Or just want to run things your way?  Be your own boss and run your own company? So youre not one of the get-along-ers.  You want to get good raises.  You crave challenge and are willing to do what is required to get promoted.  Current job or company not doing it for you?  You will make that job or career change to align with your career trajectory and lifestyle.  What does it take? ACTIVE MANAGEMENT When you left high school or college.  Were you trained on this? Did they show you what steps to take to get ahead?  How to progress in your career? As you were prepared to enter the workforce it probably looked something like this: A single meeting with a high school guidance counselor and maybe an assessment test to tell you what career you might be good at. Maybe ROP (Regional Occupational Program) training to ease you into the workforce. Or a career day and some resume help from your college as you near graduation. Parents help giving you suggestions (like You need to get a job, son.) A Temp Agency application package. But does that really help? Its like taking on the challenge of building your own house and someone giving you a blueprint and saying, Go do it. Yes, you could probably get a house built.  But it would require figuring a lot of the pieces of the puzzle that are not included in the blueprint (like how do you put the pieces together like frame the house). I see this all the time.  People come to a point in their career where they need to head in a new direction.  They were laid off.  Or they are realizing theyre stuck in an unsatisfying job or career.  Or they just arent able to pay the bills on the low salary theyre getting.  Or the commute is killing them and they have no life outside of work. Regardless of the reasons, they find theyre on a road without a roadmap.  Theyre lost and dont know how to proceed. Their friends, family and coworkers are pretty much useless.  Theyre often in the same position.  You cant ask them for advice and get much that would be useful.  Just the typical platitudes of Do what you love. or Work isnt supposed to be fun. Really? Dont be that person But there is an out.  There are options for you. But you wont find them by following the herd.  You wont find they by managing (or not really managing) your career by default. You need is a mentor.  A guide.  A coach.  Someone whos seen things from your perspective and from the other side of the table as a hiring manager, executive and company leader, career and small business strategist. You also need to find out what you bring to the table.  Often the skills and interests you take  for granted and never acknowledge, you neglect to leverage for your benefit.  And that leads to decades of under-performance and being paid less than youre worth. And you find yourself scraping by month to month.  Buried in student loan debt.  Or hoping the job or company you work for today will be around next year or in three to five years. Or youre nearing retirement and not sure how to make the numbers work. So what should you do next? I can help.  Lets start with the basics.  One Thing.  Something that you can do today. Regardless of where you are in your career. Doing this ONE THING  is critical to set you up for a SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL REVIEW  conversation (if you want to get paid more or promoted). Doing this ONE THING  will ensure youre doing the things you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly to support your case to get  that RAISE, PROMOTION, or be able to jump to a higher paying, more satisfying job elsewhere. Doing this ONE THING on a regular basis could rocket your pay, status, and CAREER TRAJECTORY more than anything else you do to work on your career. Go get this ONE THING here. Then do the quick 30 minute exercise (yes, you can miss one sitcom this week).  And start implementing it. Are you in a situation where you need more focused help?  Maybe you need to make a change now.  And time is of the essence. Well then contact me for help now. Whether it is an annual review assessment (giving you a perspective your friends, family and coworkers and boss wont).  Or it could be a resume review or rewrite (youre considering a change or have seen rounds of layoffs and your job could be next and you want to be prepared).  Or you have already lost your job and need an effective resume now (and you werent a trained resume writer so you just dont know what to do). Dont leave big money on the table Dont go it alone.  Why risk missing out on a 3-6% pay increase, promotion or job change opportunity. 5% of a $50,000 job is $2,500 per year X 30 years in a career = $75,000 youd be leaving on the table. 5% of a $100,000 job is $150k youre missing out Help doesnt have to cost you the average $12,000 of executive coaching Now  typically executive coaching services run $200 to $500/ hour and are typically 2-6 hours a month for an average six months. That translates into a typical $400/hr X 5 hrs per month X 6 months = $12,000. Often times a company will pay this executive coaching fee to grow their C-Level executives. But why should they get all the support to grow their careers and expertise? What about you?  How can you get help?  And what if you dont have a six or seven-figure salary to make a $12,000 fee a drop-in-the-bucket? I can help you here too.  For my coaching services you wont pay $12,000 or $2,000 per month. Get help today at a fraction of that You too can get one on one coaching for an hour call a month plus unlimited guidance by email.  Not for $2,000 per month, or even half that. For $497 per month you can get that help today. Still too steep? Rather than monthly calls, we can do one intro call then email follow up from there.   This will then bring the cost down to $247 per month. Dont suffer in silence.  Get help today. Still not sure?  Then get the ONE THING today to get started no cost, no risk.  Just check it out.  Youll be glad you did.

The Difference Between Following and Connecting on LinkedIn

The Difference Between Following and Connecting on LinkedIn Yes, there is a difference between following and connecting on LinkedIn. You MIGHT see the status updates of someone you only follow on LinkedIn and their long-form posts (LinkedIns blogging equivalent). Some LinkedIn Users  Wont Connect With Strangers One of the biggest debates by LinkedIn users is who you should connect with. People have different opinions. LinkedIn says We recommend only inviting people you know and trust because 1st-degree connections are given access to the primary email address on your account. As a result, many users will NOT accept invitations to connect  unless they know you. Conversely, some people are LIONS (LinkedIn Open Networkers) and will connect with anyone who invites them. If you really want to stay in touch with someone these are a couple of workarounds. Two Ways to Get Updates and Stay In Touch With Someone On LinkedIn If you want to connect with someone you dont personally know, try either of these options. 1) Always customize your invitation to connect. Explain why you are interested in connecting with someone in your customized invitation. It isnt a guarantee that your invitation will be accepted, but it may increase the chances.  Learn how to customize your invitation on LinkedIns desktop and mobile app. 2) Follow the person on LinkedIn. This is how  LinkedIn describes the differences between following and connecting. Connections are two-way relationships of trust between people who know each other. If youre connected to someone, youre following them and theyre following you by default. Your followers will receive your posts, articles, and shares in their LinkedIn homepage feed. Members dont have to be connected to you to follow you and receive these updates. Youll only be able to follow if the person has  either published articles on LinkedIns blogging platform or changed their privacy settings to enable updates to be publically follow-able. Follow Influencers Media So if you want to follow some of LinkedIns Influencers youll now have to search for hashtags. If you want to follow people, who have written articles on LinkedIn, go to their LinkedIn profile, click on one of their posts, and you will see the FOLLOW  button. A  sure fire way to follow someones  public updates on LinkedIn is to go to their profile and click on the down arrow next to the CONNECT button and select the FOLLOW option (if the user has made this available). Publishers, Speakers, Business Owners, etc. If you are  a speaker, writer or business owner, you may be receiving a lot of requests to connect. One option is to allow/suggest people follow your public updates- but be sure you change your privacy settings. LinkedIns Help Center post  Managing Who Can Follow Your Updates  explains how: While your 1st-degree connections automatically follow your updates and long-form posts, anyone can follow you, even if theyre not in your network. You can limit followers to only your 1st-degree connections from the Privacy Settings page. Select Settings Privacy from the dropdown. Click the Privacy tab at the top of the page. Under the Blocking and hiding section, click Change next to Followers. From the dropdown, select one of the following options: Everyone on LinkedIn All LinkedIn members, in and outside your network, can follow your posts. Your connections Only your 1st-degree connections can follow your posts. How To Handle Requests To Connect From Strangers In an interesting discussion thread on Facebook, people were discussing how they handle requests from strangers. Some said they send a reply to the invitation, requesting the sender to explain how they know each other or why they want to connect. The response rate to those emails was mixed. As a business owner, accepting invitations from people you dont know may not bother you, these are leads, right? But even LinkedIn is seeing its share of spam accounts, so be aware. You may choose  to send a reply message in which youve copied the  instructions above. Your message might also explain your logic for not connecting with people you do not know.