Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Is America Getting Killed by Overwork

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Is America Getting Killed by Overwork During the recession ofthe late aughts, organizations laid off a ton of employees. Many of them didn’t replace these people, but the amount of work remained. Nearly seven years since the recession began, individual American professionals are feeling the fatigue of doing the jobs of two or three former colleagues. In theirState of Workplace Productivity Report, Cornerstone on Demand cites the results of a new study demonstrating that nearly 70 percent of American employees are suffering from an overabundance of work, and two-thirds feel thatwork overloadis the most significant factor negatively impacting their productivity. Overwork is a Damaging Epidemic As I see it, there are two issues here. The first is why Americans are overworked to begin with, and the second in the relationship between overwork andthe loss of productivity. Beginning with the first, the staffing shortages I just mentioned are a primary reason employees are burning more of that midnight oil. Jobs were scarce during and immediately after the recession, and employees willingly took on extra responsibilities in order to stay safe. Even when things got better, many companies realized they could do just fine with less and never staffed up again. Technologyis also a factor in overwork. Advances in data and computing reach mean that we can work anywhere, anytime â€" and we do. We take our devices to bed so that they can interfere with our sleep and relaxation time. We work on teams with members all over the world, so we’re constantly on task outside of traditional business hours. Then, there’s telecommuting. While telework certainly increases flexibility, remote employees end up working more. After all, there’s no commute, no distractions, and no noise. It’s only natural that the amount of work that’s actually completed in a day goes up. Plus,telecommutersare constantly worrying about proving themselves to their skeptical bosses, so they’re careful to work more than expected. And finally, working until you can’t work anymore is in the American DNA. Think about the people who founded this country â€" those tenacious, “not afraid of backbreaking labor” Puritans! If you travel to most other countries, you’ll see that our work ethic is pretty unique. As a culture, we don’t leave the office while the sun is still up, we don’t take extended leave for any reason, and it’s just fine if work interferes with our personal lives. It’s expected, and everyone’s doing it. For more on this epidemic, head over to Intuits Fast Track blog.

The 30-Day Networking Plan That Will Change Your Life - Classy Career Girl

The 30-Day Networking Plan That Will Change Your Life Warning: Division by zero in /home/classyc7/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-23-related-posts-plugin/thumbnailer.php on line 252 Most people dont have a networking plan, even though  part of the difficulty with networking is that it can get pushed off your priority list if you don’t make time for it.  You can easily spend hours and hours finding and meeting new people. But, if you don’t stay in touch with them or don’t do anything with what you learn, it’s all a waste of time. That is why we recommend you put together a networking plan, so you know what you need to do every day to reach your networking and career goals whether that is finding your dream job or getting that dream promotion. Note: If you want to save time, click here to download the  networking action  plan now. Here is an effective networking plan that will take you no longer than 20 minutes each day. Day 1: Write down your goals. Did you know that you are 95% more likely to achieve your goal if it is written down? If you go through the next 30 days with no clear goal in mind, you won’t be able to  achieve anything. Day 2: Create a networking action plan. This month, each person that you talk to and  each event you attend should be targeted. Ask yourself these questions. What is my specific career focus? In the next three years, what is my short-term career goal? In the next 5-10 years, what is my long-term career goal? What is currently working in my network? What is currently not working in my network? Where am I overinvested and underinvested in my current network? Given my career goals, what kinds of people should be in my network? Day 3: Tell someone. Don’t do this alone. You need a community. Tell someone you know and trust so that they can hold you accountable to your networking plan. If you need a community, join our Love Your Work and Life Ladies Facebook group. Day 4: Find people for informational interviews. Find people in your network that you want to learn more about. They may not have your dream job but could refer you to someone else who does. Follow up with people you met in the past at professional association meetings, classes, and previous jobs. Get referrals from friends, family or contacts you can identify online. Day 5: Block off time in your calendar each week to network. Set up certain times each week that you are free to meet with people in your network. For example, every Wednesday at lunch or every Monday after work. Day 6: Make a list of people you have lost touch with. Sometimes it feels like there is not enough time in a day to stay involved in the lives of our family and friends. Make a list today of all the friends and family members that you would like to catch up with. Day 7: Make a 2X2 list (or a 4X4 list if you are very determined!) and contact these people. Make a networking plan to meet with two people that you already know and two people that you don’t know. Call or email these people to see if they would be interested in meeting with you over the next few weeks. Remember that you don’t have to meet these people in person, you can always practice your interview skills over the phone. Day 8: Do research on the people you don’t know. To make sure that you make a great impression and get the most out of the informational interviews, make sure you research their industry, their company, and their background. Linkedin and Google are very useful tools for this. Remember, the goal of this meeting is to get a referral to speak with someone else, so you must be as knowledgeable as possible and put your best foot forward even though this isn’t a real job interview. You never know who they might know and be able to refer you to! Day 9: Write out the questions you will  ask during the informational interviews. After doing research about who you will be meeting with, make a list of all the questions you would like to ask them. Some great questions are: What is your typical day like? How did you get your job and how do  you recommend someone like me get into your field? How is the economy affecting your industry? What do you like most about the company you work for? Do you know of other people who I might talk to who have similar jobs? Save a document with these questions online so that you always have it handy to reference or print. Day 10: Review your interview outfits. Do you have a comfortable interview outfit that you feel confident  in? Try on what you plan to wear to the informational interview and look at yourself in the mirror. Do you look professional? Do you feel comfortable? If not, spend some time today at the mall so that you can make sure you will be comfortable. You will be going on many interviews soon and you want to make sure you don’t have to stress about what to wear. Day 11: Research professional organizations and sign up for one this month. Do  some research  online to find the best professional organization in your area for your industry. Go to a meeting this month and find someone at the meeting that you enjoy talking to. Follow up with this person and do an informational interview after the event. Many organizations have discounts for new members and students, make sure you check into it. Day 12: Go out to lunch with a co-worker, classmate, or friend you don’t know very  well. Never forget the people that are right in front of you every day! Sometimes we get so busy with our work that we don’t have time to make great relationships with the people we spend 40+ hours a week with. Ask a co-worker to lunch and learn more about them. You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Day 13: Call a family member you haven’t spoken to in awhile. When was the last time that you spoke to your great Aunt Gladys or your Grandpa Harry? Day 14: Follow companies you are interested in on LinkedIn and see how you are connected with employees. Find your favorite companies and stay connected! You may notice that you LinkedIn network  includes people who work at your favorite  company. Email them and ask them for an informational interview. [Related: Best Places to Work 2016] Day 15: Update your LinkedIn page and ask for recommendations. Do some work today to clean up your LinkedIn profile. Add a professional photo and ask people you trust to write a recommendation for you. Find people who want to help you succeed. Day 16: Write in your journal about what you have learned so far. Review your goals from the beginning of the challenge and see how you are doing. Do you need to meet with more people in the next 15 days or can you pat yourself on the back and relax? Day 17: Go back to your college and find alumni contacts. Stop by your college or  call your college career center to find out where you can find a list of alumni contact information that you can set up informational interviews with. People always want to help others that they have something in common with. Day 18: Try a new social activity. Join a sports team after work or take up a new hobby where you get to meet other people or attend a new church. Whatever you do, make new connections! Day 19: Plan ahead for your 4 X 4 for next month. The secret to succeeding in this networking plan is planning AHEAD of time. If you plan out NOW who you are going to meet with next month, you will easily meet with eight people and enjoy it because you won’t be stressed. So take out that journal, make a plan, and start emailing  your growing network! Day 20: Check back in with the person who is holding you accountable and review your goals. Seek advice and be honest! Let them know how you are doing with your networking plan and what you need help with. Day 21: Make a master list of all of your contacts. This way you will be ready to send out Christmas, birthday, thank you, or job search update emails to your network to stay in touch. Put reminders on your calendar every month to make sure you stay on top of birthdays and other important events. Remember the power of handwritten cards! Day 22: Send thank you letters. Follow up with everyone that you have met so far and thank them. Also, thank all of the people who have opened up their networks and connected you with their friends and co-workers. Be generous and let them know how they helped you! Day 23: Let your friends and family know your goals. Now that you have spoken to a few people, your dreams and goals should be getting clearer. If this is the case and you now know more of what job or industry you want to be in, tell your friends and family. It is amazing how once you start telling people what you want to do, doors start opening. It is sometimes a leap of faith, but it is worth it to have the support of your friends and family. Day 24: Ask to have a meeting with your boss. If you don’t have one, have a mock meeting. It is sometimes hard to have a comfortable dialogue with your boss because you are nervous. Today, initiate a meeting with your boss by asking him/her to lunch or coffee or showing him/her a project that you have been working on. Better yet, tell them about an idea you have that could increase  sales or efficiencies. Your boss will appreciate it. If you don’t have a boss right now, ask a friend to pretend to be your boss and do a mock meeting instead. Day 25: Review your resume and make changes based on conversations you have had this month. Is there a skill that employers are looking for in the industry you want to get in that you have? Make sure you highlight in on your resume. If you have no changes, try sending your resume to someone you met this past month and ask them for feedback. Day 26: Stay in touch with LinkedIn. Send LinkedIn requests to people you met this week. Go through LinkedIn today and try to connect with as many people that you can that you know. LinkedIn can tell you people you may know by going through your address book or you can search names of people that you would like to stay in touch with. Day 27: Go to the library or bookstore and buy a book about networking. My recommendations are Never  Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, The Fine Art of Small Talk by Debra Fine or How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. [Related: 10 Must Read Books For Every Professional Woman] Day 28: Wake up 15-20 minutes earlier. You might not think today’s task has anything to do with a networking plan, but it does! One of the biggest excuses that people use for not networking is that they don’t have time. Use this extra time in the morning to reconnect with people and stay in touch by sending a quick email or writing a birthday card. Day 29: Create a binder or folder on your computer with  all of your networking documents and emails. Include your interview questions, contact information, things you learned about each person you interviewed, follow up steps that you need to take in your career, and contact information for referrals. Set reminders on your calendar, too. Include the  purpose of the meeting, target company list, how they can help you, ideas, and follow up steps. Day 30: Write down what you learned this month in your journal and CELEBRATE. Re-evaluate your networking plan goals and if you want to go a different direction next month. Don’t forget to ask a friend or family member to help you celebrate for a job well done! CONGRATS on completing your first month of the networking challenge. Let us know in the comments below how your networking plan is working!

Travel update from New York City

Travel update from New York City So here I am in NYC, doing my book publicity stuff. I had grand plans for posting on the blog last night and today, but my Internet connection is terrible. As in, nonexistent. And it was going to be be the first weekday in months that I havent posted. I started feeling withdrawal. So I called my husband to ask him to search online for a computer I could use in between my 1pm meeting and my 3pm meeting, and here I am, in between meetings, posting from Kinkos: For thirty cents a minute in case you are wondering. But believe me, the Kinkos cost is nothing compared to the babysitting costs on this trip. I took my twenty-one-month-old son with me because last month I traveled without him, and it really felt wrong. Like he was too young for me to be away that long. And the time before that I took him with me but he cried the whole time because I left him with unfamiliar people during the day. So, this time I flew my babysitter from Madison to NYC for a five-day trip. Expensive, yes, but I have a one-hour window today, and I can use the time for posting on the blog instead of feeling guilt about how Im taking care of my kids. Feeling guilt takes time. I like to think that the insane cost of the babysitter frees up my mind to do more interesting things than feel guilt. But maybe thats not totally true. Because look, I spent the time writing about it instead.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Recommendations Play Key Role in Job Search

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Recommendations Play Key Role in Job Search Human resource people tell me a good reference can make or break a job applicant, but many of those vying for jobs seem to give their references little or no consideration.With that in mind, here are some tips for getting the most out of your references:1. Contact the reference. Make sure you have current addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for each person you give as a reference. Ask them how they would like to be contacted and if it's OK to give his or her name to companies. (You'd be surprised how many people don't do this.) If possible, meet with the reference in person. This also gives you a chance to strengthen the connection.2. Provide the best reference. You dont have to just give the names of people who worked with you. Perhaps you volunteer at an organization that allows you to be creative and you would like a new employer to see this side of you. Or perhaps a client saw your ability to handle difficult customers well while providing top-notch service. Consider the job re quirements and what skills you want highlighted and use a reference that best plays up those aspects.3. Know what will be said. Dont be shy about finding out what each reference will say about you. This should be done diplomatically remind the reference of projects you worked on, your contribution and how that would be important to the new employer. Prospective employers might ask about your ability to work in teams, how dependable you were, if you were liked and respected by co-workers, if you were self-directed and if you completed projects. Ask the reference what they consider your strengths and your weaknesses for these kinds of issues. Then gently try to put a positive spin on any deficits. Avoid taking anything personally.4. Keep references informed. Once you think youve got a good shot at a job, let the reference know a call may be coming. Let them know the position, the company, and what skills are needed. That way, the reference can couch responses to fit the criteria. Its also a good idea to supply the reference with a current copy of your resume. Make sure you stress how their reference is critical to you getting the job.One thing to keep in mind: You're much more likely to get a favorable review from a reference if you've networked effectively with them. That means you've let them know how your career has progressed, and stayed in contact with former employees, bosses and co-workers several times a year through e-mail or phone calls.At the same time, make sure you've offered to serve as a reference for them if you feel comfortable with it. (A good reference is more likely when it is mutually beneficial.) Finally, whether you land the offer or not, be sure and let the reference know the outcome of your job search. And if a sterling recommendation helps you land the job of your dreams, take that person out to celebrate.del.icio.us

10 Ways to Destress Your Employees

10 Ways to Destress Your Employees Bottom line is your employees’ jobs are bound to be stressful at times.Although you shouldn’t be expected to keep your employees relaxed every minute of the work day, there’s no doubt that too much stress can negatively impact them â€" and, ultimately, your business.The majority of Americans say their work is the single-biggest source of stress in their lives. And, there is no question that prolonged stress can cause some serious workplace issues.evalIf they don’t get some much-needed relief, stressed-out employees may become burnt-out employees, causing productivity to plummet.Even worse, excessive stress levels within the workplace can cause retention issues as experienced, tenured employees become dissatisfied, questioning their careers and employers and ultimately leaving.A domino effect can be triggered as other already stressed employees have to pick up the workload of departed employees and employer satisfaction continues to spiral downward along with productivity.Even though stress is a fact of life when it comes to most business environments, employers must consider how that stress is impacting their employees.While employees should be able to handle the normal stresses associated with their daily tasks, they should also know that their employers are willing to help them de-stress when things become too difficult to handle.Some businesses go all-out to help employees de-stress with perks such as massage therapy and unlimited paid time off, but those types of solutions are not practical for every employer.However, there are plenty of effective ideas that employers can easily implement to help employees cope with stress.evalFor example, scheduling a few minutes each day for simple stress-reduction activities, such as mediation or stretching, can provide enough of a break to enable employees to relax and refocus on the tasks at hand.The accompanying presentation includes some simple ideas you can use to help your employees de-stress during the wor kday.Your employees will benefit from a more relaxed and energizing work atmosphere, and you’ll benefit from enhanced engagement and improved productivity and retention rates.Infographic Credit- Jacobsononline.com

Dont Ask For A Recommendation If You Havent Earned It

Don’t Ask For A Recommendation If You Haven’t Earned It Don’t Ask For A Recommendation If You Haven’t Earned It Today, I got another one. That “one” being a request on LinkedIn to provide a recommendation to someone I am connected to… but have never worked with in a way that allowed me to witness, first-hand, their abilities. Sigh. Why do people put their personal brand in jeopardy with such a thoughtless click? When someone asks for a recommendation from another person who truly doesn’t have any knowledge of their abilities, a terrible thing happens. They look pathetic.   Desperate. A relative pulled the same trick on me about a year ago.   He’s been struggling in a job search and is well into his 70s, having lost his retirement in previously bad investments. So I helped him with his résumé and cover letter.    Then he asked the same thing. “Will you recommend me?” My answer: No. He was angry. Hurt. Feeling betrayed. But I stuck to my moral guns on this one. As a résumé writer, it is not my job to judge or verify the information people tell me. (Thats up to employers) But that also means I have not seen their skills in action, and have no ethical way of providing any kind of feedback in a recommendation on how they actually perform their job. So no, I wasn’t going to recommend the relative. It was a conflict of interest number one, and number two:   I had no basis on which to base a recommendation.   And frankly, his ask, then not accepting my reason for not doing so only served to validate my reluctance… he’s not someone I would do business with based on some of the ethics I saw demonstrated in those conversations. Now back to the LinkedIn invite I just got… I replied back, and hope the person who sent it is receptive to helpful suggestions to enable them to do a better job of selecting the people that they ask for recommendations. Here’s my response: “Thank you for sending this invite to me, but as I have never worked with you directly on a meeting planning project nor booked business with you directly, I am not really qualified to write any sort of review. Please understand that the best recommendations come from colleagues, industry peers with whom youve worked, former bosses, or other people who have first-hand knowledge of your work. These folks can write specifics about your integrity, skills, expertise, knowledge, and abilities. By reaching out to people who have never worked with you, this dilutes your efforts and personal brand by making a generalized plea for a recommendation. This also has the effect of making an ask people to extend their credibility to you, whether you realize it or not, and can be very uncomfortable for the recipient of such requests. I hope you take this career coaching in the spirit in which it is intended: to help guide you into asking for more powerful and compelling (and truthful based on first-hand experience) recommendations.”

Writing a Cover Letter For a Resume For Medical Technician

Writing a Cover Letter For a Resume For Medical TechnicianWriting a cover letter for a resume for medical technician job is not difficult. If you are just new to the field, it is actually quite easy. It is just as if you are writing a resume. You have to get a taste of your professional image and then you can start making your own impression.A medical technician does not need a lot of formal training before you begin your career. He may have attended a short distance learning college or he may have gone through an apprenticeship. This can be a good thing because you don't need to have advanced knowledge to begin your job. Just the basics are enough to get you started.Before writing the letter, you have to put down on paper a simple outline of the information you will put in your letter. For example, you can set the type of employment you want as well as your position. In case of a medical assistant, you can write 'assistant'. Be sure to place your company details in the body of the l etter. The company details may include the title of the head, the size of the company, the address of the office, the contact number, and your personal details such as email id and phone number.After your cover letter is ready, it is time to focus on the professional appearance of your letter. Make sure that your handwriting is neat and organized. Another point to keep in mind is that your letters should be grammatically correct. Do not take too much time in writing your letter because you may become frustrated at the time and give up. Put your best foot forward.To conclude, it is very important to have the appropriate contact information of the employer. It is crucial that your letter has your first and last name, telephone number, and email address. A recent trend is to use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with the employer. It is good practice to send out your resume to several employers in order to get your CV across to them all.When you have finis hed writing your cover letter, you must read it carefully before sending it out. Check the spelling and grammar of the letter. It is even more important when you are using one of the online writing tools. Ensure that you are clear about your title and role. You don't want to get fired because of your lack of attention to detail.Most employers ask for a medical assistant resume, so you can make the most of your cover letter by simply using it. All you have to do is to make sure that you follow the steps above. If you are looking for a suitable cover letter for a resume for medical assistant, here are some samples for you to consider. The samples are:To sum up, a cover letter for a resume for medical assistant is a letter that is written for a job seeker to give a first impression of the candidate. It makes a very quick impression on the employer. This kind of a job is often taken by students who are still seeking their first real job.