The secret to speaking with confidence Mastering these 5 techniques

The secret to speaking with confidence Mastering these 5 techniquesThe secret to speaking with confidence Mastering these 5 techniquesThe first time I welches asked to give a client presentation, you could barely hear what I was saying.Between the stuttering, and the shakiness in my voice, and the constant dancing around what I was really trying to say, it was clear no one in the room was impressed.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraIt has taken me years of practice to learn how, especially as one of the younger people in the room, to present myself well.1. Replace um with stronger filler wordsIn the moment, its hard not to say uh, um, while you try to gather your thoughts.Great speakers rarely ever use the distracting sound.But if you listen close, its not that they avoid pauses all together. They instead replace uh, um with stronger filler words.When you need to gather your thoug hts, use words such as Now You See However, etc.The sentence, Um, I was thinking suddenly sounds much more definitive and powerful when slightly adjusted to You see, I was thinking.It sounds intentional, and intention instills confidence.2. Know the power of silenceThe best speakers know the power of silence.They are unafraid of letting the room wait for a moment. These speakers can sit calmly for a breath or two in total silence and feel comfortable - and actually use it to their advantage.Unintentional silence can be seen as a mistake, or a sign of uncertainty.Intentional silence, however, is seen as dramatic and even more important.Instead of seeing moments of silence as issues for concern, turn them to work for you by making your next statement that much more poignant. Use silence to lean into your points and your audience will hear you much more clearly.3. Do not make things complicatedThe quickest way to know whether or not someone knows what theyre talking about is to pay at tention to how many industry-specific words they use.If their vocabulary is a fashion show of insider adjectives, chances are they are speaking more from a place of theory and less from a place of experience.Great speakers and people who carry themselves well know how to get to the point.They dont dance around it.They dont throw around handfuls of buzzwords.They say what needs to be said and leave it at that.If you use language that leaves your audience confused, you arent impressing them. You are frustrating them. Keep it simple.4. Dont curseUnless youve built a reputation or a persona around your edgy delivery, nine times out of 10 its best to leave the sailors mouth at home.When it comes to leading a room, it is in your best interest to keep the energy and the flow as positive as possible.Unless you know your audience very well, you never know where a misplaced word could lead.Dont add in an extra variable that doesnt need to be there.This doesnt mean you have to keep your langua ge G rated. Say what you need to say, in the way it needs to be said.5. Tell a storyI have watched so many rooms turn the corner after a well told story.Stories are how we relate to each other. Stories are what ignite our imagination and turn a thought into a feeling, an idea into reality.Whether you are explaining a data point, or hinting at the outcomes of a campaign, whatever the case may be, be descriptive.Use sensory words - touch, taste, smell, a feeling, a sound.Bring what you are talking about to life, and let the people in the room be parte of it.A presentation, or a speech, or even a single sentence with an added element of story becomes an experience.This story originally appeared in Inc Magazine.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThe secret to speaking with confidence Mastering these 5 techniquesThe first time I was asked to give a client presentation, you could barely hear what I was saying.Between the stuttering, and the shakiness in my voice, and the constant dancing around what I was really trying to say, it was clear no one in the room was impressed.It has taken me years of practice to learn how, especially as one of the younger people in the room, to present myself well.1. Replace um with stronger filler wordsIn the moment, its hard not to say uh, um, while you try to gather your thoughts.Great speakers rarely ever use the distracting sound.But if you listen close, its not that they avoid pauses all together. They instead replace uh, um with stronger filler words.When you need to gather your thoughts, use words such as Now You See However, etc.The sentence, Um, I was thinking suddenly sounds much more definitive and powerful when slightl y adjusted to You see, I was thinking.It sounds intentional, and intention instills confidence.2. Know the power of silenceThe best speakers know the power of silence.They are unafraid of letting the room wait for a moment. These speakers can sit calmly for a breath or two in total silence and feel comfortable - and actually use it to their advantage.Unintentional silence can be seen as a mistake, or a sign of uncertainty.Intentional silence, however, is seen as dramatic and even more important.Instead of seeing moments of silence as issues for concern, turn them to work for you by making your next statement that much more poignant. Use silence to lean into your points and your audience will hear you much more clearly.3. Do not make things complicatedThe quickest way to know whether or not someone knows what theyre talking about is to pay attention to how many industry-specific words they use.If their vocabulary is a fashion show of insider adjectives, chances are they are speaking more from a place of theory and less from a place of experience.Great speakers and people who carry themselves well know how to get to the point.They dont dance around it.They dont throw around handfuls of buzzwords.They say what needs to be said and leave it at that.If you use language that leaves your audience confused, you arent impressing them. You are frustrating them. Keep it simple.4. Dont curseUnless youve built a reputation or a persona around your edgy delivery, nine times out of 10 its best to leave the sailors mouth at home.When it comes to leading a room, it is in your best interest to keep the energy and the flow as positive as possible.Unless you know your audience very well, you never know where a misplaced word could lead.Dont add in an extra variable that doesnt need to be there.This doesnt mean you have to keep your language G rated. Say what you need to say, in the way it needs to be said.5. Tell a storyI have watched so many rooms turn the corner after a well t old story.Stories are how we relate to each other. Stories are what ignite our imagination and turn a thought into a feeling, an idea into reality.Whether you are explaining a data point, or hinting at the outcomes of a campaign, whatever the case may be, be descriptive.Use sensory words - touch, taste, smell, a feeling, a sound.Bring what you are talking about to life, and let the people in the room be part of it.A presentation, or a speech, or even a single sentence with an added element of story becomes an experience.This story originally appeared in Inc Magazine.

How to Calculate Your Reenlistment Bonus

How to Calculate Your Reenlistment BonusHow to Calculate Your Reenlistment BonusMany service members are offered a monetary bonus to reenlist. The amount of the bonus is determined by several factors and varies by service. The amounts are periodically modified, as often as quarterly, as are the methods of determining your bonus. Factors generally include the length of active military duty, MOS or specialty and rank. Additional bonuses may be given to personnel in needed specialties. Usually, there is an overall cap on the total number of enlistment bonuses you can receive during your career. Army Reenlistment Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) Announcements are made quarterly in MILPER glaubenszeugniss that announce changes in the SRB program. You should read the current message to find the retention incentive being offered. The numbering system for the messages begins with the year, such as MILPER18-006 in 2018. Accessing the current message is the best way to determine your ree nlistment bonus. Bonuses will vary by Primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), Skill Qualification Identifier (SQI), Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) or language code (if any). They are also determined by rank (PFC, SPC, SGT, SSG, SFC).All of these factor into which tier of bonus is offered, from Tier 1 to Tier 10. The amount is further determined by the length of enlistment extension. This is broken into 12 to 23 months, 24 to 35 months, 36 to 47 months, 48 to 59 months and 60 months or more. The range is from $500 for Tier 1 PFC and SPC enlisting for 12 to 23 months all the way up to $72,000 for a Tier 10 SSG/SFC enlisting for 60 months or more. Additional amounts may be granted for various skills, such as a $7500 additional bonus for language skills, up to an SRB maximum as established. Soldiers may receive more than one SRB throughout their career, but career maximums are also established. Navy Selective Reenlistment Bonus To determine your bonus, visit the current NA VADMIN policy update. Bonuses are based on tier, rating, and NEC/Zone.?? Air Force Selective Reenlistment Bonus The SRB for the Air Force is determined by Air Force specialty code, skill level or CEM code, and zone (length of service) for reenlistments of three years or more. Zone A is between 17 months and 6 years of service, Zone B between 6 and 10 years, Zone C between 10 and 14 years, and Zone E between 18 and 20 years.An Air Force SRB calculator is available to logged-in users at myPers. Marines Selective Reenlistment Bonus The SRB for the Marines is determined by MOS, rating, and zone. The zones are determined by the length of service. Zone A is 17 months to 6 years of active military service, Zone B is six to 10 years of active military service, Zone C is 10 to 14 years of active military service.The current SRB bulletin (such as MCBUL 7220) can be viewed at marines.mil. Coast Guard Selected Reserve (SELRES) Bonuses You may determine your bonus by visiting the cur rent Coast Guard policy update.

Elon Musk opens up on mental health and unrelenting stress

Elon Musk opens up on mental health and unrelenting stressElon Musk opens up on mental health and unrelenting stressElon Musk, a self-made billionaire and CEO of three companies, is a visionary leader who plans to colonize Mars,stop the A.I. apocalypse, and make self-driving electric cars go mainstream in his lifetime. These are superhuman, daunting goals that Musk has never backed down from.But on Monday, he acknowledged that his uncompromising drive for success has come at a high cost to his mental health.When a person on Twitter asked about his amazing life, Musk replied honestly that what the public saw on social media wasnt the whole story.When another Twitter user asked if these symptoms of great highs, terrible lows and unrelenting stress meant he had a mental health condition, Musk suggested he might.Bipolar disorder is a condition thats characterized by extreme mood swings between the lows of flaute and hopelessness and the highs of euphoria and mania. Musk later clarified t hat he wasnt aya if this was the exact correct diagnosis, but that he struggled with deep lows when bad events overtook his life.But it did not appear that Musk would be changing his ways of getting carried away. Musk said that this was the price he paid for buying a ticket to hell, suggesting that he knew the devils bargain of overcommitting to work.Musks advice to fellow founders dealing with his kind of unrelenting stress? Take the pain and endure it. Musk knew that there are better answers but he remains uncompromising in his solution.Musk knows he is shaping the future with his companies, Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. He has previously said that leaving the Earth better than how he found it is what drives him. He has also acknowledged that he is haunted by his previous business failures, which include being ousted by PayPal, investing in bad ideas, and having his companies go on the brink of bankruptcy. That stress has clearly never left him.I feel a bit like my grandmother. Sh e lived through the Great Depression and some real hard times. Once youve been through that, it stays with you for a long time. Im not sure it ever leaves really, Musk said in a 2015 biography of his life.So, I do feel joy now, but theres still that nagging feeling that it might all go away. Even later in life when my grandmother knew there was really no possibility of her going hungry, she always had this thing about food. With Tesla, I decided to raise a huge amount of money just in case something terrible happens.How to deal with unrelenting stressWhat may work for Musk now is untenable in the long-run for fruchtwein people. Responding to Musks tweets, venture capitalist Fred Wilson said that unrelenting stress is the life of an entrepreneur. In Wilsons opinion, managing that stress so it doesnt eat you up and mess up your relationships meant workouts, eating and drinking healthy, having a coach, and most of all, having a spouse who keeps it all in check.Managing stress also begi ns with looking inwards at the causes. You learn to appreciate what you have and stop asking what if?. You learn to label and let go of bad feelings through meditation and mindfulness. By practicing these daily rituals, you can manage your anxiety and have the best of both worlds success in your professional work and the peace of mind to enjoy it.

How to Deal With Sexual Harassment in Your Workplace

How to Deal With Sexual Harassment in Your WorkplaceHow to Deal With Sexual Harassment in Your WorkplaceSexual harassment isnt uncommon- sadly. The victims arent all female, and the perpetrators arent just male. Your boss, a coworker, or a customer, regardless of gender, are all potentially guilty of sexual harassment under certain circumstances. If sexual harassment happens to you, your reaction can range from mild annoyance to utter devastation. The consequences to your career can also zulauf the gamut. Apparent sexual harassment can also leave you wondering what should you do next? Heres what. 1. Decide Whether the Conduct Is Sexual Harassment Before taking action to complain about sexual harassment, determine whether the actions meet the criteria to qualify as sexual harassment? Hey Jane, I like your dress. Sexual harassment or not? Hey Jane, I didnt see you there, as your coworker shuts down the porn on his computer. Sexual harassment or not? Hey Jane, if you dont sleep wit h me, well fire you. Sexual harassment or not? In order for actions to meet the conditions required for sexual harassment, they need to meet the following criteria. The victim has to be offended. So, even in the last example, if Jane thinks its funny and isnt at all offended, its not sexual harassment. However, in the first example, Jane isnt necessarily the only victim. If Stephanie overhears the remark and is offended, she can be considered a victim. When assessing whether a situation or remark is sexual harassment, the key question is to ask whether the sexual remark or action is unwelcome.The remark or action has to be offensive to a reasonable partie. In the first situation, a compliment, the remark needs to meet the reasonable person standard. Lots of questions would come up in this situation. What was their relationship like normally? How was the compliment given? Would a person observing from the outside think the compliment was creepy or normal human interaction? The decisi on about sexual harassment is not always cut and dried. The behavior needs to be pervasive or serious. Jane, if you dont sleep with me, well fire you is serious enough that one comment is sufficient for sexual harassment. Observing pornography accidentally for a few seconds one time probably isnt enough to establish a hostile work environment. As you can see, situations are not always easy to assess and people can differ in their opinion about what sexual harassment is and what it is not. The unwelcome term means that a boss can carry on a sexual relationship with an employee and not be guilty of sexual harassment as long as the employee wants the relationship. However, if you find yourself asking if another persons remark was sexual harassment or if their behavior was inappropriate, then the behavior has already honigwein the unwanted, unwelcome standard. 2. Take the Next Steps- Now- If You Decide Youve Been Sexually Harassed Its easy for an employee outside of the sexual haras sment situation to say, You should have just spoken up right then. Sometimes you can do that, Gross Why would you have that porn on your work computer? and the problem is solved. But other times, its not so easy. You can feel intimidated or become concerned that your job will be in jeopardy if you say something to a person who is senior to you. Whenever possible, you do want to ask the person who is sexually harassing you to stop. This action will leave the individual with no doubt that their actions or comments are offensive to you and unwelcome. This will play a role in the subsequent sexual harassment investigation. You need to get past these feelings and concerns and trust that your organization will respond appropriately when you charge another employee with sexual harassment. The good news? Complaining about sexual harassment became easier and mora accepted with the rise of the MeToo movement. In a study by Next Concept menschlich Resource Association(NCHRA) and Waggl, 89 perc ent of respondents agreed with the following statement I anticipate that preventing sexual harassment will become a greater concern of company leadership in 2018, given the recent wave of high-profile cases in the news. The responses were aligned across various demographics including age, gender, and job function. For respondents 61 years of age and for people from large for-profit corporations with 20,000 employees or more, a full 94 percent agreed that sexual harassment will become a greater priority in the coming year. 3. Follow Your Companys Official Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures The first step to take is tofollow your companys procedures for reporting sexual harassment. You should find these outlined in your employee handbook and available on your companys internal website if one exists. Usually, these guidelines will say to report such behavior to your manager (assuming that your manager isnt the perpetrator) or to human resources. They may also give the name of a nother person to contact, especially in companies that dont have established human resources departments. (Companies have to have 15 or more employees before sexual harassment law applies.) If your company has sexual harassment guidelines, it is best to follow these steps. Report directly to the person or department listed and do so in writing (see below). If you dont feel comfortable reporting to the person listed, for whatever reason, you can report the sexual harassment to any manager in the company. Whatever you do, dont wait too long to complain about sexual harassment. The law only allows 180 days from the incident, or 300 days if its also covered by state law. If you wait longer than that, your company may still act, but they arent required to take action. 4. Write a Formal Complaint Letter About the Sexual Harassment Its alright to report sexual harassment in person, but you should always follow up with a formal email or letter. The letter should contain the following in formation Use the subject line, Formal complaint of sexual harassment. This puts the company on notice that you are not just complaining about a rude comment or an annoying coworker. This is a serious complaint that requires action.A timeline, with as many names, dates, and actions documented as possible. Any witnesses you can list are helpful when the investigation is conducted.Details of who said what, when, and what the consequences were.Whether the behavior is ongoing. You may wish to report that you saw porn on your coworkers computer, but if it was a one-time offense and youve never seen it again. This is a very different complaint from the complaint that the sexual harassment is severe and pervasive. Add any concerns that you have about your situation. Are you concerned that because you turned down a date request, your manager will overlook you for a pay raise or the best project? Include that information. 5. Decide Whether You Need to Hire Your Own Attorney If your compa ny abrollcontainer-transportsystem promptly and as they should, you probably dont need to hire an employment law attorney. In the unusual case that they dont, however, you can hire your own attorney (it will cost you) or you can file a complaint with the EEOC. Generally, though, you dont need an attorney or to file an outside complaint if your company acts promptly on your complaint. 6. If You Experience Inaction From Your Company or Retaliation From Your Perpetrator, Hire an Attorney If you are concerned about your organizations handling of your sexual harassment complaint or disagree with their findings or their conduct of the investigation, you may wish to contact an attorney. If you experience what you consider retaliation because you filed a formal complaint, contact an attorney. Retaliation against you for filing a complaint is also illegaland if you suffer any adverse consequences for complaining about sexual harassment, you may wish to take the legal route with represent ation from your own legal counsel. Dont be embarrassed or afraid to speak up if sexual harassment happens to you. Youre not alone, and the law is on your side.

How to Choose Export Linkedin Resume

How to Choose Export Linkedin Resume Whatever They Told You About Export Linkedin Resume Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why Design an Impressive Resume with Jofibo and Get the Dream Job Theres a reason why you need to produce your very first impression the very best once you meet someone for the very first time. The previous thing you would like to do is definitely get a job which you wont be in a stelle to do. In addition to that, it is a slog to need to update stuff in two places. The work description for any specific position will provide you with a clue as to whats important to the employer. Also make sure that you target the record to the job which youre attempting to get. As soon as you spot a job that you like, go right to the work opening on LinkedIn to find out more regarding the chance and apply. The very last thing which you would love to do is certainly receive a job which you arent do. From that point, you get started wondering if theres an online resume builder which could deliver what it is you are looking for. A resume builder is similar to toilet paper. A continue builder is like toilet paper. Get the Scoop on Export Linkedin Resume Before Youre Too Late In order to acquire a passing score, your final course exam should attain a score of 70% to get credits that are relevant to your continuing education. If you are leid familiar with how to compose a CV, you are able to learn from the Purdue OWL guide. The problem with resumes may be the simple fact that its near unattainable to represent yourself about the exact same parcel of paper. You wish to use an example for a guide so you may begin writing your own covering letter (also referred to as a motivation letter). What You Should Do to Find Out About Export Linkedin Resume Before Youre Left Behind In the area of software, youve got to move fast and break things. The fantastic software geschftslebenes and engineers of the planet dedicate a huge period of time and effort to telling peop le that theyre the very best. The ability to edit your continue from any place in the whole world is an impressive asset youre in a place to utilize to help you stretch of land that upcoming great job. If you find a considerable problem or opportunity on the job then most likely different individuals do too. The Definitive Strategy for Export Linkedin Resume Which means that you need to understand how to create the best letter which you could send to the business and give good first impact about yourself. When an employee steals a huge quantity of money it may result in the layoff of fellow employees. Infographic resumes supply you with the chance to creatively show off your finest assets. In describing your responsibilities at work, be specific and utilize active verbs. What You Dont Know About Export Linkedin Resume While it might not be absolutely the most natural method of showcasing your career, the chronological timeline display and capacity to back-date milestones w orks pretty well. Next, you will have an experience section. You might need to use one of the coloured variety for a single sort of job and the Exectuive style for one more. Just follow the easy steps given below. What Everybody Dislikes About Export Linkedin Resume and Why Resume or CV or cover letter is currently a substantial component our academic and the expert lives. Writing your first resume can be an intimidating undertaking. Your skills are tasks youve performed before. If you dont optimize your profile you will be passing up a great deal. Needless to say, its a bit challenging from a technical side. All the information needs to be simple to comprehend. For instance, a mail icon can be employed to replace the word Email and a telephone icon can be utilized to replace the words Phone Number in the contact parte of your infographic resume. The resume builder offers you blank spaces that should be filled in by certain parts of information. Use a professional form at, and make certain your resume is easy, clean, and simple to find information from. You are able to still incorporate unique charts and pictograms, if you would like. Way too many resumes are in reality wordy and difficult to follow along with. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Export Linkedin Resume Is Wrong Our aim at LinkedInBuilder is to supply you with the tools you should leverage LinkedIn for success. Now rather than having to work with different tools to create a professional image, you can make LinkedIn your professional hub on the internet. Dont forget to update your resume and LinkedIn profile before you get started interviewing. You wont ever be found by recruiters. The recruiter will know whether you have not properly formatted the document.

Want to Work in a New City How to Land the Job and Make the Move

Want to Work in a New City How to Land the Job and Make the Move With the summer zu siche, you may be planning a fun vacation. That vacation to afaraway, relaxing location mightleave you dreaming of moving to a new distributionspolitik altogether. The further along you are in your career, the trickier moving can feel. At times, its hard to know where to even begin.If youre part of a unique profession where companies struggle to find candidates, youre one of the lucky ones. Headhunters and company recruiters from all over will seek you out. Companies will court you and offer to pay to move you and your entire family to the location of their headquarters.But if you are not one of this select group, you may be struggling to figure out how to make a move. Organizations often want to recruit local talent first. Someone local doesnt require relocation. They can often start sooner, and the recruiter can get references from other employers in the city about t heir work.What can you do? First, dont just apply online. I harp on this topic, but relying entirely on the company website willrarely land you a job offer. This is especially true if that job is in another city.Instead, Consider This ApproachPlan a trip to your target city. The trip could last anywhere from a few days to a week, but be sure to go during the workweek, when business offices are open. Stay away from big holiday weekends when many employees are out of town.Before you go, reach out to as many people as possible to set up meetings. Start with your existing network, including friends, family, and former colleagues. Then, contact local recruiters in your target city. Last, reach out to potential hiring managers at companies youre interested in. You can find these people through websites like LinkedIn. When you reach out, mention that you will be in town only for a short time, but that youd love the opportunity to take the person to coffee or lunch.Break each day into three parts morning, midday, and evening. Try to schedule a coffee meeting in the morning and a lunch meeting midday for each day you visit. In the evenings, look for networking events to attend.A great place to look for networking events is Meetup.com. You can search the website by the type of event youre looking for in a particular location. You can also search the local chamber of commerce website and other professional organizations that you may already be a member of.For every meeting and event you attend, be sure to bring extra business cards and resumes. You never know when you might meet someone whos looking to hire you. And bring at least one suit, just in case you land an interview while youre there.This approach is much more in-depth than applying online, andit is also much more effective. When hiring managers and recruiters meet you inperson, you become more than just a resume, and you show potential employers that youre serious about your move.A version of this article origi nally appeared onThe Memphis Daily News.Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm,Copeland Coaching.

How to Overcome an Employment Gap

How to Overcome an Employment gemeinsame agrarpolitikHow to Overcome an Employment GapAn employment gap is a period of months or years when the job applicant was not employed at a job. Employees choose to spend time unemployed for purposes such as attending school full time and having and raising children.Employment gaps also occur for involuntary reasons such as layoffs and downsizing, serving time in prison, or employment termination for cause. An employment gap or gap in employment history is important because it raises red flags in the eyes of a kompetenzprofil employer when the unemployed individual tries to return to work. Employers are justifiably nervous about hiring a job candidate without a consecutive employment history. Because an employment gap is either for positive or negative reasons, it will need an explanation for the potential employer. As an employer, any gap in employment that shows up on a resume or job application requires an explanation. Smart candidates expla in the employment gap up front in their resume cover letter. Candidates who are trying to cover up the employment gap or fool the potential employer, use tricks to make their application materials appear free of employment gaps. Applicants use years of employment, rather than years and months, as an example, to cover up short employment gaps. They also use functional resumes, that emphasize skills and accomplishments, rather than chronology to cover up employment gaps. Depending on the reason for the employment gap, candidates make up stories some true, some not - to explain their gap in employment. Savvy people use the time spent unemployed preparing to return to the job market. How to Overcome Your Employment Gap Concerned about getting back in the workforce after a gap in your employment? You should be when you consider the bad experiences some employers have had when they take a chance on people with a gap in their employment history. Additionally, the job market appears to have qualified candidates for most positions. How will your resume, with a one, five, orten-yearemployment gap, stack up against those of people who have been racking up career achievements and accomplishments for the same ten years? Stay-at-home moms and dads who raise their children, rather than their expertise and visibility in a workplace, are the largest group to sport these resume gaps. Even a couple of years out of the workforce can devastate your career if youre not careful. In worst case scenarios, you can become unemployable in your field. Even in best case scenarios, you will undoubtedly take asalarycut and find yourself reporting to someone who would formerly have reported to you. It is not to say that returning to work is hopeless. There are plenty of people who have walked back into an executive job, developed their dream job or created a career change following chosen unemployment. Its just that its harder for you with an employment gap. These tips will help you stay ready for employment while you raise the kids or take a few years for a non-work activity. Its much better to spend that time preparing to be employable than to hit the job market cold after years at home. Youll be better prepared if you heed these tips. Work With Your Current Employer Your current employer, assuming you are still working, may value you and your experience. Talk with your employer to identify potential part-time or consulting work or periodic assignments you can do during the years you plan to work less than full time. If you work in marketing, for example, perhaps you can do freelance work on social media marketing, brochures, the website or press releases. If you work in Human Resources, you may contract to update theemployee handbookannually or teach a class periodically. It is the easiest way to stay grounded in the workplace during an extended leave. Make your best pitch before you leave your job. Dont hesitate to call, however, even if you have been off w ork for a period of time. Build and Keep Your Network Before You Need It Youll find that it is easier to maintain current professional contacts than to build a new group a few years down the road. Professional contacts become dispersed to new positions mentors retire valued coworkers move on to new jobs. It is up to you to maintain relationships, sometimes for years, with people who will remember your talents when you decide to return to full-time employment. It is also imperative that you relate to friends and associates in your off-work life as an educated professional who has chosen to take time away from her career to raise a family. Talk about more than the children make sure your friends know what you do professionally as well. Stay Active in Professional Associations Most career fields have professional associations that sponsor meetings, conferences, committees, training sessions and more for members. Stay active in your local association by attending meetings, writi ng for the newsletter, acting as agoodwillambassador and attending national conferences. Volunteer for the activities that most closely match your career field and interests. Choose activities in which youll interact with many members to expand your network at the same time. Volunteer in Community,School,and Civic Organizations Challenging volunteer work can help to fill the gaps in your resume whether you return to your original career or createa career changein the future. Do invest thinking time in determining what kinds of volunteer work will be the most strategic for your long-termgoals? Serving as president of the school board is likely worth more when you return towork than sewing costumes for the school play. Do both if you have the time and energy they fulfill different aspects of your spirit. Do think about how the volunteer work will appear on the resume and stress contributing to volunteerism related to your future employment. Keep Your Resume File Updated Keep track of new skills and activities you have developed and experienced during your time away from the workforce. Keep the resume file filled with notes about your volunteer work and other contributions. When you want to return to work, youll be happy you kept good records of the time you were unemployed. Create a Small Business and Work Even a Few Hours a Week Think creatively. A mom just left the workforce to spend time with her eleven-year-old daughter. She is launching an Internet home baked doggie treat business. Active for years in Greyhound associations, she has identified her initial customer base and plans to expand from there. Write for newspapers, magazines and businesses develop marketing materials for organizations sell your professional expertise as a consultant make candles or other crafts design and maintain gardens operate a daycare center or a home-based school design and build websites paint, wallpaper and decorate homes and businesses cater special events and p rovide virtual geschftszimmer assistant services over the web. Keep Your Skills Current Can you imagine a computer programmer finding a new position after five years outside of the workforce? Not unless she can demonstrate current skills. Fields such as banking, employment law, securities, and financial planning change quickly. Attend school, take graduate seminars, participate in online learning, and read to stay current in your field. Your local college may have classes you can audit if you cant pay tuition. No, a quick refresher class wont help you out in most fields when you decide to return to work or change careers. Keeping abreast of your field every year is the best way to stay employable at something youd like to do. Use the Time at Home to Change Careers Maybe its time to try something new. A time away from work is perfect for pursuing career options and learning more about yourself and your interests. You may want to create the life you want with a mid-career cris is. If you decide to change careers, you can invest the time to earn a needed degree. Or, you can spend your volunteer or home-based business time on the skills needed for the new career. ConsiderPart-time Work Work part-time in your field, your career change field or just to keep your work record fresh. The money may also come in natel for the family or to fund your future goals. Consider Job Sharing Many people have chosen to leave the workforce for periods of time. Employers may have to consider creative ways to keep valued people working or to fill hard-to-fill positions.?Job sharing, either half days, or splitting the week can work for both the employees and the employer if lines of communication remain open. And, the shared work may work best for all concerned when two talented people invest their energy in the same job. With a consistent investment in yourself and retaining your job and career relevance, you can overcome an employment gap. Choose to be prepared for th e day whenthe hiring managerasks, What have you been doing for the past ten years. You can respond, A lot. Id like to tell you about that time. As an employer, look for candidates with integrity. They explain their employment gap in their cover letter. They are truthful when they account for the time spent unemployed during the job interview. With application materials fraud escalating, you need to know who you are hiring. Also Known As ?gap in employment, resume gap

Short TED Talks to Get Out of Tough Work Situations- The Muse

Short TED Talks to Get Out of Tough Work Situations- The MuseShort TED Talks to Get Out of Tough Work SituationsDo you sometimes feel like the right advice for your problems are just one Google search away- but you cant even find the time to do that search? We hear you Youre busy doing your job, leaving little time to actually seek out help. Thats why we found five super short TED Talks to inspire you to push through common challenges.Well just stop talking now and get right to the good stuff1. When Your Boss Asks You to Come Up With Five New Ideas Today Play This ja genau Game to Come Up With Original Ideas by Shimpei TakahashiTakahashi is a toy developer who realized that in order to think outside the box, you have to get a bit wacky. Which is why this one-word association game helped him come up with some of his proudest and most successful ideas.2. When Your Co-worker Keeps Posting NSFW Statuses Dont Like Clickbait? Dont Click by Sally KohnSick and tired of being surrounded by ba d media? Wish you could filter your social media of rude or inappropriate comments? According to Kohn, you have all the power to fix the internet yourself- so stop clicking on things that dont matter to you.3. When Your Colleague Says You Have Weird Ideas Weird, or Just Different? by Derek SiversHeres how you can respond to everyone who tells you your ideas are strange No theyre not, theyre just different. Because even some of the oddest things here are considered normal somewhere else, states Sivers, an entrepreneur. And for that reason, they just might work.4. When Your Manager Catches You Drawing During a Presentation Doodlers, Unite by Sunni BrownYes, doodling is actually good for you. According to Brown, people with this stigmatized habit are actually more likely to retain, remember, and focus on information than regular listeners. So carry on drawing.5. When You Hopelessly Try to Explain Your Job to Your Parents Talk Nerdy to Me by Melissa MarshallIf youre one of those people who tries to explain your job to friends and they respond with blank stares, youll want to watch this. Marshall will show you how intellectuals can break down their jobs to the average listener so that everyone benefits. Dont let your awesome accomplishments get overshadowed by confusing communicationPhoto of person listening and working courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.

How to make your idea the 1 in 5000 that actually makes money

How to make your idea the 1 in 5000 that actually makes moneyHow to make your idea the 1 in 5000 that actually makes moneyLeicestershire, England serial inventor turned entrepreneur, Graham Harris, who succeeded in creating world-class, print related products from his garage before selling them world-wide, believes the tough lessons he learned along the way gave him the knowledge and insight to help any creative person with passion and desire to forge a similar path.Its a fact that the invention itself equates to only 10% of what is needed to get it sold, the other 90% is down to other mora important factors, like implementing marketing and sales techniques to get it in front of the right people. And with 80 patents already to his name and hundreds of products selling through global channels, heres Grahams top tips on how you too can make your idea the 1 in 5,000 that actually makes money.Find a powerful reason to get started in order to sustain your passion throughout the journeyIf the thought of developing one of your own ideas and seeing the end product sitting on the store shelves sounds exciting, you must hold that vision or sohonigweinhing similar. It will sustain your passion to succeed throughout the journey, especially when the going gets tough, as it certainly will do.Harris says I loved my day job but had ambitions to start my own business, one day I had this vision of the grey haired version of me mucksmuschenstill working for my boss in 20 years time, and it welches enough to drain the color from my face. I was so determined not to go back to the factory floor that I worked day and night to make sure my dreams stayed alive, even when I hit the lows.Think up a simple idea that your customers will pay a premium to ownIf you havent already thought up an idea Harris advice is to look around in an environment that is familiar to you and where you have some experience or knowledge, at work, at home, in the garden, or out walking your dog etc. This may so und clichd, but you then have to say to yourself, if I could solve that problem it would make me a millionaireIts true, the best ideas in the world are the most simple, and parte of the reason so many inventors fail to make money is because they create the most complicated products that only they understand.Inventing can be an undeniably expensive process, and anything you can do that will lead to higher profit margin will help you pay your way through the journey, and keep the dream alive. This is why it is essential that you keep your product simple, looking slick, and as easy to use as possible. Harris tells YCB.Adopt a business mindsetThis tip is absolutely key. If you truly believe your idea might turn into the next best thing, it is critical that you adopt a business mindset and become professional in your approach to everything you do.Unfortunately, inventors usually adopt an inventors mindset, one that tells us that we are only the ideas people, and it is someone elses job t o work out how to sell what we created.Believe me, even if you unearth a multi-million pound idea, no one will be queuing at your door to make you rich. You need to do everything within your own resources to add value to your invention before you pursue customers or that elusive investor, and that will involve many disciplines, including costing of materials, packaging, creating a brochure, building in benefits/features and figuring out some marketing strategies. Harris explains.He continues I am absolutely certain that one of the main reasons those odds of success opened up for me was based around my decision to set up a business and take myself seriously from day one.Keep things secret dont seek evaluation or praiseIve lost count of the amount of times people I have met who tell me about fantastic idea they thought up but were put off from proceeding with it because a friend or someone else they confided in thought it was crazy.The most vulnerable time for any would-be inventor i s at the initial stage of idea conception and proto-typing, this is where the temptation to seek approval, praise and even adulation is at its most potent level, dont do itIf youre doing things professionally, you would have carried out more than a basic amount of research to develop your solution to some big problem you encountered, and also worked out what it could mean to your future customers.So why seek affirmation from those closest to you who dont have the same degree of insight. Many of us have already been in this situation and so has Harris. In one case a friend told me he thought I was delusional with a certain idea I wanted to develop, thankfully (although he nearly convinced me to give up) I got back on track and my solution turned into a best seller.Another reason for keeping things secret is to limit the chances of your invention being invalidated further down the line because someone laid claim to ownership of some ideas you put out there in the public domain before you registered your patent.Beat the 12 month patent clockIts a sad fact that so many incredible inventions never get to see the light of day simply because the majority of inventors fail to monetize their idea within the first year.Harris explains Applying for a patent can cost anywhere from $4,000-$8,000, which gives you 12 months to prove your idea is unique and can generate cash before you look to protect it world-wide, which equates to thousands more.When I set out on my journey to invent, I knew I had only one year to develop my proto-type, find a company to produce some products, before knocking on doors to sell a few so I could pay my ongoing manufacturing costs and patent fees. My business mindset helped me to adhere to this strict time frame and avoid the possibility of borrowing again and going into debt.Graham Harris is founder and Managing Director of Tech-ni-Fold Ltd and Creasestream LLP, global leaders in print creasing technology. His book Against the Grain is availab le now on AmazonThisarticlewas originally published on YourCoffeeBreak.