Striking The Balance Why Vacations Are Vital

Striking The Balance Why Vacations Are Vital So, you’re an ambitious career woman. You have goals and a plan to make sure you achieve them. You are determined. And you work hard. Really hard. Most of our lives are dedicated to our careers we spend huge chunks of time commuting, work long hours and have an endless to-do list that just seems to get longer every day (sigh). Take a Break to Work Like A Boss Most of us are guilty of not taking vital time out to relax and rejuvenate, in fear that we won’t get everything done. But taking mental and physical breaks from work will make you more productive than if you spend 18 hours a day at your laptop. In an article by Forbes, we learn that “the top ten percent most productive employees didn’t actually work any more hours than anybody else. In fact, they took more breaks”. This is because our brains are wired to concentrate in bursts and need frequent breaks to recharge. Vacations are Vital Taking a week or two of vacation will enable your brain to completely switch off and re-energize. Have you ever slept for like 12 hours straight on the first day of your vacation? Yep, thought so. One of the most basic needs we have, and most vital, is sleep. Lack of it leads to exhaustion, which severely affects our ability to concentrate and make decisions. It will also leave you feeling super irritable and less able to deal with stressful situations. Catching up on a lack of sleep doesn’t just require one early night. It can take weeks to fully recharge from months’ worth of sleep deprivation. That is why it is so vital that we take time out from our hectic schedules to take a proper break. So, what are the best types of vacations to re-energize? I hear you ask. Cultural Trip Exploring a totally new culture is a great way to separate yourself from the familiar and heighten your desire to explore and understand new things. These types of trips will increase creativity. Try: a tour of vast Vietnam. The country has everything you could possibly want from a vacation: bright, bustling cities, vast ocean and sandy beaches, magnificent mountainsides and tasty treats to tempt you along the way. Beach Break If you live a particularly stressful lifestyle, a beach break is the perfect way to totally relax and unwind. Listen to the soothing sounds of the sea, dig your toes into powdery-white sand and breathe in the crisp ocean air. Try: an all-inclusive luxury hotel. That way, you don’t have to even think about cooking, cleaning or clearing up. Just enjoy that important ‘me’ time on your sun lounger. City Escape If you’re reading this thinking that you want to get away but have already used most of your vacation allowance, why not try a mini city break? Take 3 or 4 days to explore a new city, take in amazing architecture and immerse yourself in the local cuisine. Try: Paris, Rome, Budapest… there are many options! Europe is a great choice as it is full of fantastic cultural cities which are all totally unique. Whatever and wherever your preference, just go! Trust us, the vacation is vital for you to work like a boss.

Using LinkedIn For Confidential Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Using For Confidential Executive Job Search Do you have the same fear that many of my c-level executive clients have when I tell them  they need  a branded, 100% complete profile and to fully leverage all the social network has to offer? If theyre employed, they worry that their employer, or someone at work,  will see  their activity and know theyre looking for a new job. Some have a minimal profile they posted years ago and promptly forgot about. They never completed their profiles or used at all. What they fail to grasp is that a bare-bones profile, with no keyword-rich Professional Headline, or Summary section, and little or nothing in the Experience section, leaves people viewing their profiles with no meaningful information to help them assess them. No presence at all is as good as being invisible to the very people they need to be positioned directly in front of. They need a fully fleshed out profile for passive job search  â€" to be found by executive recruiters and the hiring decision makers at their target companies. As an undercover job seeker, they may not be able to be as proactive as those who are not employed. has a kind of safeguard for undercover job seekers. You can temporarily turn off automatic updates to your network whenever you make changes or updates to your profile (along with other activities), so at least no one will be formally alerted. Go to Settings in the drop-down menu at the top right of your profile. Click on Profile and select Turn on/off your activity broadcasts. Make sure the box there  â€" Let people know when you change your profile, make recommendations, or follow companies  â€" is UNCHECKED. Go back in and check the box if you no longer need to hide your activity. Obviously, anyone who is keeping track of you and other employees by checking their profiles will notice that you suddenly have a full profile or new information. Expect that people may ask you what youre up to. My recommendation to clients is to have a ready answer for why youre busy on . The trick to crafting an answer is to frame your answer around how your activities will benefit your current employer, because that is indeed the case. For instance, if youre a CMO, youd be wise to be working hard on connecting through with your vendors, agency partners, co-workers, other CMOs at other companies, and even competitors. Theyre probably hanging out on LI, so you should, too. You can say that youre  using to source  new leads and help  market the company. When existing customers or potential customers view  your companys profile, theyll most likely also view the profiles of the top executives, like you. The new information about the company you just added on your profile will give a good impression of it and encourage people to do business with you and your company. You can say that youre busy on because you want to find and be found by top talent for your team. Any number of viable reasons  could suffice. Just keep your answer focused on how your activity will be good for the company. Two things to consider: 1. You should obviously avoid posting updates about what kind of position youre seeking, or noting anywhere on your profile that youre looking. Instead, when you uncover a job lead, express your potential value to target companies and your interest through one-on-one InMails or directly through emails. 2. Just like every other executive job seeker, you should be getting involved with Groups and Answers. If youre in an undercover search,  be very careful what you post in discussions there. Obviously, dont let on that youre job hunting or testing the waters. Instead, use Groups and Answers to demonstrate your subject matter expertise and thought leadership, and to stay top of mind with your target employers. Related posts: Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search Does Your Online Identity Scream “Hire Me”? The Lazy C-level Executive Job Search photo by Dave-F 00 0

7 Easy Ways to Prepare for Your First Interview - Top Interview Questions - CareerAlley

7 Easy Ways to Prepare for Your First Interview - Top Interview Questions - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done. Buddha Author: Mike Suggs Top interview questions are questions you are likely to be asked by an interviewer. In addition to your other job interview preparation, you should rehearse how you will answer the following questions: 1. Tell Me About Yourself Of all the top interview questions, this one is about as old as the hills and just about as irritating. What are you supposed to say to this? Are you supposed to start at first grade and come all the way forward? Are you supposed to focus on your education, your experiences in business, your goals? After all, you don have all day. Your interview could last less than an hour and this is just one question. The answer is yes, but you do it in such a way as to highlight the important periods in your life that guided you in the direction you are currently pursuing. Where did you come from what kind of environment did you grow up in? What caused you to pursue the field you are in? How did you decide upon your education and how you would receive your training? Has it been fulfilling? Are you looking for bigger challenges? What would you tell your best friend if they asked you this question? Chances are, you could give your friend an excellent, heartfelt, and fairly brief answer. And, thats how you need to do it in your interview. So, practice how you would tell your best friend. 2. Why Do You Want This Job? Simple question, but not so easy to answer. Actually, it is easy to answer if you just take a look at why the job offer attracted your attention in the first place. One would hope that you have some experience and skill in the area that you feel would directly apply to what the company is looking for. Do you? Tell them what you can do and what you know and why you feel it will satisfy what they are looking for. What would you tell your best friend if they asked you this question? 3. What Are Your Strengths? What do you really think they are? Your strengths may have very little to do with your skills. Think of the answer to this question in terms of what you are personally good at that when applied with your skills, makes you the perfect candidate for the job? Maybe a personal strength of yours is that you love to challenge yourself and that level of determination motivates you to never give up on a task until you have nailed it. Ask your best friend what they think your personal strengths are and then think of the benefits an employer would gain when you applied those strengths to the job you are applying for. 4. What Are Your Weaknesses? This is often one of the top interview questions and it comes from psycho-metrics compiled by psychologists for job interviewers. For some reason they sometimes feel its important to try to trip up the applicant or to see if the applicant has a good understanding of themselves. Of course this is ridiculous, but you need to be prepared for as many of these top interview questions as possible. So, do the same thing here as you did with your strengths and be honest with yourself because what you feel is a weakness, may be perceived as a strength by an employer. For example, if you glance over your employment history, you may see that you tend to care a lot about your job and you therefore work harder than required; which may take you away from time you could be devoting to your social life or family. Yes, that could be a negative for you personally, but would an employer necessarily see it that way? Is working hard and caring a weakness or a strength? 5. Where Do You Want To Be In 5 Years? Obviously, the intention here is to see how purposeful your life is. The interviewer wants to accomplish 2 things here. They want to see whether or not you have direction and responsibility in your life and they want to get an idea of how stable you will be as an employee. The company will be making a significant investment in you both in time and in money if they hire you. Will that investment pay off for them? You need to think about this and have a legitimate answer. 6. Why Should I Hire You? Thats for them to answer for themselves, isnt it? But, theres a good chance you will be asked this one because psychologists have determined its a good question and interviewers think its clever to ask it. Plus, other companies they admire ask it, so they are going to ask it too! You should say something like: Because you want somebody who can competently fill the position and who you wont have to baby-sitsomeone who wont be here today and gone tomorrow. 7. Do You Have Any Questions For Me? Believe it or not, its very important for you to have an answer to this question. It will probably be the last of the top interview questions and most job applicants will say No. But think about it. If you were the interviewer and an applicant had a question or two that demonstrated they knew something about your company or about the industry wouldnt you be impressed? The interviewer is expecting you to say No. Surprise them. They have spent hours and hours asking the same top interview questions to maybe dozens of applicants and it will be refreshing for them to do the answering for a change. This will really make you stand out from the others. Your question of them cannot be about you! Do not ask such questions as: When would I get a raise? or What about vacation time? It has to be about them or their Company. Ask something like: Do you feel its possible for us to directly compete with (one of their top competitors)? And then follow that up with: I would definitely like to be a part of that challengeDo you think my position here can play an important role in that? More Tips Sometimes, the interview process is influenced by psycho-metrics, body language and even handwriting analysis. Dont be concerned about it. Just be as relaxed as possible and straightforward with your answers to the top interview questions. Do not fidget, squirm, or have your eyes darting all over the room during the interview. You e not going to be able to talk your way into the job. You and the job position are a good fit or youre not. So, let it go and just be yourself. I know the job interview process can be stressful. Thats why its so important for you to be as armed as possible with tips you can use to build your confidence. After you do well in your first interview, you will often be asked back for a second interview. The good news is that you impressed them enough to get called back! But, it also means you will have to get prepared for a new set of interview questions. You can get helpful tips for your second interview by going here to Second Interview Questions. There aremany more easy to apply tips that will make your life easier and your job interview experience much less stressful and you can find them by going here to Job Interview Tips. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/top-interview-questions-7-easy-ways-to-prepare-for-your-first-interview-5174305.html About the Author TheAdministrators of Job Interview Tips 101 are continuously updating the site to provide you with the most current information on how to best prepare for your next job interview Good luck in your search. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Visit me on Facebook //

Learn How to Prepare a Resume Made Easy

Learn How to Prepare a Resume Made EasyOne of the best ways to ensure that you get the job of your dreams is by using a resume writing made easy service. Most of these services will help you out in preparing a resume that will impress the employer and boost your chances of getting hired for a job interview.In order to prepare a resume, you can take a look at what companies are hiring now and review their previous resumes. Use those as a guide to write a resume based on the company requirements. You have to make sure that your resume reflects the personality of you will get hired.You can hire a professional resume writer or hire a freelance writer who is capable of writing a resume in such a way that it will make you stand out from other applicants and will enable you to get the job. The service of such writers is widely available through online sources and you can find many well-known writers who offer their services at affordable rates.Once you have decided to hire a writer, you nee d to make sure that you go for a good quality resume. You can check out several online sites that offer professional resume writing. The resumes should have all the essential information about you like name, address, age, employment history and even contact details.You can also use some websites to provide some advice and tips to help you with your resume. These sites will give you some helpful tips for preparing a resume that would help you out. These services are available for both women and men.You can sign up for an online submission service and they will help you to submit your resume online. This process will be completed faster and you will get access to hundreds of resumes every day.The online submission service will also help you to place the resume online. This will also be easy and simple as the resume service will take care of all the details from the submission to the approval process.So, take time and think about the best ways to prepare a resume that will help you lan d a job interview. Don't be afraid to make your own mistakes. The service of professionals will allow you to start preparing a resume within no time and with little effort.

Resume Design Templates

Resume Design TemplatesYou can find resume design templates online. This is a good thing to do if you are someone who needs a job and doesn't have much of a professional resume in order to get the interview process started. However, if you are a resume designer who is simply looking for an opportunity to help someone get the job they want, then you will need to find one of these free resume templates.Now, let's look at what a template is and why you might need one. Basically, these are templates that are already designed for the person who is applying for a job. It allows them to create their own resume to fit their specific skills, experiences, and career path. They just simply copy and paste the information that is found in the template and customize it to match their own requirements.The templates are not limited to companies looking for job applicants. Individuals who are looking for a job may also find them helpful in creating a resume that they can be proud of. It's a great ide a for an individual looking for a job or a professional looking for employment.In most cases, there are many companies that have developed these templates to help people find work and to assist those looking for work. These resumes will usually come with guidelines that you can follow to create one. In most cases, they require very little effort on your part, but the templates may also require some tweaking if you have special needs. Make sure you get the appropriate template from the company or website that you are using so that you can easily keep track of all the necessary information.A lot of the resume design templates are free and you will be able to download them. This is not always the case, however. You may want to know whether the company that you are using for your resume is a paid or free site. Make sure you get the right one so that you will be able to get the most out of your investment.Remember that the template you are using is not actually the resume. If you have so me special information about yourself, this could affect the design of the template. This could make the whole project a little more complicated than it needs to be. Make sure that you really understand what you are doing and don't leave anything out of the template.There are some different types of resume design templates available, so make sure you choose the one that fits you best. It is not unusual for someone to get a customized template that will allow them to actually help others in the process of getting a job. This will provide the service of helping a person to fill out a resume in order to get the job they want. If you decide to create your own template, make sure you take time to design something that you can be proud of.

A Secret Weapon for Language Levels Resume

A Secret Weapon for Language Levels Resume Language Levels Resume - the Story There are various degrees of language proficiency. Language skills can be necessary in any respect levels in the workforce. In addition, you'd be in a position to explain what that degree of proficiency means in practice. You should first evaluate your degree of proficiency so you may accurately present it in your resume. The outcomes of your level test is going to be sent right to your email address. What's more, if you wish to list more than 1 language, you will be using up too much space. There are lots of tests to select from, but taking the EF SET is a fantastic place to begin. Selecting a standardized test for language certification can be challenging, based on the language, because there could be numerous tests out there. In linguistic terms, proficiency doesn't translate to the identical meaning as fluent. There are instances when it can make sense to depart from your language skills off your CV. Knowing a language may have a decisive impact when you compete with prospects from throughout the world. You may also write fundamental material, but you may have to rephrase things to compensate for limited vocabulary. A web-based search can help you to come across programs to in which to participate. Use the self-assessment tools to learn your level in every language you speak. Although the language is precisely the same, the variation may be helpful for the hiring manager to understand. If a particular language is essential for any particular position, you can take an acceptable certification exam. Employers will often look to realize that you can communicate in a specific area and look to nurture your abilities and potential in the long run. A cv or resume is crucial for each student for virtually any job be it a part-time job or the beginning of your career. Resumes and CVs are two terms that might be used interchangeably. Your vocabulary is quite limited a nd you've got no real comprehension of the grammar. Your goal in the early phases of a new language ought to be to concentrate on learning enough language to convey meaning and elicit new language without needing to return to your native language. As soon as you've decided where to place your language skills, your next task is to figure out how to describe them. Introducing Language Levels Resume The capability to speak different foreign languages will always be thought of as a strong point whatever the particular needs of the work position. As you get experience and knowledge, it's going only become more difficult to choose what things to enumerate. Language skills are a fantastic asset in the present labour market, but not every job-seeker knows the way to draw attention to them. To provide the employer a better idea about your language knowledge, include that which you have done employing the language in preceding jobs or associated experiences. Language Levels Resume - What Is It? Based on your targets and location, you're likely to be more acquainted with one system of English levels than another. Our on-line level tests are easy to finish and free to use. Once you can't say yes, you're know your level. Your level will find out the value of your skill with the business.

Be Your Own CHO Chief Happiness Officer - Work It Daily

Be Your Own CHO Chief Happiness Officer - Work It Daily Is your workplace’s “look and feel” stimulating? Are the people friendly and fun to be around? Are the managers and supervisors consistently supportive and authentic? Does your workplace foster trust and advancement? Even more important, do you get to work on the things you love? Related: 4 Things You Can Do To Be Happier At Work Today Are you fully engaged in what you do every day? In other words, are you happy in your job? This is more important than may be immediately obvious. Dr. Sonja Lyobomirsky, Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Riverside has researched the consequences of happiness and discovered that it has multiple byproducts which benefit individuals, families, communities, and society at large. These include: Higher income Greater productivity work quality More satisfying longer marriages, more friends richer social interactions More activity, energy flow Improved physical health Longer life Dr. Lyobmirsky has found that happier people are more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident. They also have better self-control, self-regulation, and coping skills. When it comes to your worklife, these are critical questions to ask yourself, says Career Happiness Coach Erica Loren. “It is important to be clear whether your work environment is or is not supporting your career goals or passions. You need to be proactive in understanding what you need for career advancement.” Loren notes that your happiness “set point” is based on three factors: [1] DNA (50%); [2] your life circumstances (10%); and [3] you (40%). She cites research from the Institute of Leadership Management that the most important on-the-job motivators for most people are: Enjoying the job (59%) Getting paid well (49%) Getting along with colleagues (42%) Being treated fairly by managers (22%) Having control over their work (22%) Receiving bonuses (13%) There are a number of ways to clarify your on-the-job motivators and pursue career happiness. The most important thing according to Loren is take your own career happiness seriously and recognize that it is your responsibility. Workplace disengagement is a huge issue facing companies today, says Loren, “This is a cancer that is ignored even though it negatively impacts people and their workplaces. This toxicity needs to be addressed because it’s a viral process that left untreated, eats away at attitudes, productivity, efficiency, and creativity at work.” As your own Chief Happiness Officer, you can forge a healthy framework that helps you to identify those issues you can control. Loren finds that such a framework typically consists of action steps such as: Discovering the ‘big why’ in your life â€" why do you do what you do? Finding out what kind of leader you are Taking control of your worklife so you can make powerful, proactive choices Forecasting your future â€" what gaps do you perceive in your education or skills? Developing short- and long-term goals complete with “Plan A” and “Plan B” plans Creating a phase-out plan, if needed, to enable you to transition in a new career direction There are a number of tools that can help you turn your career happiness around, from character strength and value assessments to leadership assessments that measure your attitudes, perceptions, perspective, and reactions under stress. “Having a coach is also a great way to explore what you’re not happy with when it comes to your career,” notes Loren, who also employs journal coaching to encourage weekly web-based reflection on key career topics. It’s important to recognize that finding career happiness is a process. “Many people want to feel better right away. This is not a quick fix. However, those who fully engage from the start do see amazing results in all aspects of their lives, not just their jobs.” Those professionals who are wise enough to pursue career happiness report that they feel a deep inner confidence they never had before. They say they earn more money as a result, have better quality of health, and feel free of heavy burdens such as shame, guilt, anxiety, fear, and stress. “My clients tell me that other people comment on how good they look and behave. They say their families actually like to be around them more than ever. Some even report that their career happiness has worn off on others who are then inspired to engage in the same pursuit.” If you find that you’re playing small in your career, experience intermittent or ongoing distress in your work, or know you need to move in another career direction but don’t how, get help. Don’t settle for less career satisfaction than you deserve. Though this is often a taboo topic, it is vital to resolve whatever career issues you’re facing so you can avoid dragging this same baggage from job to job. If you’re ready to experience more happiness in your career, check out Loren’s upcoming Career Happiness webinar on June 9th, 2014. Related Posts 7 Ways To Be Happier At Work And Boost Your Career 9 Ways To Be Happy In Job You Don’t Like How To Build Positive Workplace Relationships   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!