Self-Control leads to Self-Confidence

Self-Control leads to Self-Confidence A phrase that has been floating around my house for the last few months is so profound: Self-control leads to self-confidence. Im not sure where my wife picked it up, but weve used it a fair amount. Who doesnt struggle with self-confidence issues? Let me rephrase that: What job seeker could use more self-confidence? Heres a simple formula: have more self-control.  Perhaps you will: Bite your tongue more. Be kinder. Do your three high value activities each day (even if you have to make them easier to do, or, lessen the scope of them). Pick up the phone and call someone from your chicken list. Finally clean up that little paper pile on your desk. Go on a walk and take care of your body. Put down the junk food and eat a green smoothie. Spend less time on distracting or time-wasting websites. Spend more, and better quality time with those you love. Clean up one part of your LinkedIn Profile. What is it you have been neglecting?  I know, as a job seeker, we tend to neglect everything that wont lead to a job offer.  But that is so unhealthy on so many levels. When I wrote Water Damage Is Expensive â€" Don’t Neglect Your House, I was writing about the results of neglecting things like family and your health. I didnt realize at the time that NOT neglecting that is, having the self-control and discipline to take care of things, would lead to self-confidence. Again, we all need more self-confidence.  I challenge you to practice self-control for a while and see if you have more self-confidence. Self-Control leads to Self-Confidence A phrase that has been floating around my house for the last few months is so profound: Self-control leads to self-confidence. Im not sure where my wife picked it up, but weve used it a fair amount. Who doesnt struggle with self-confidence issues? Let me rephrase that: What job seeker could use more self-confidence? Heres a simple formula: have more self-control.  Perhaps you will: Bite your tongue more. Be kinder. Do your three high value activities each day (even if you have to make them easier to do, or, lessen the scope of them). Pick up the phone and call someone from your chicken list. Finally clean up that little paper pile on your desk. Go on a walk and take care of your body. Put down the junk food and eat a green smoothie. Spend less time on distracting or time-wasting websites. Spend more, and better quality time with those you love. Clean up one part of your LinkedIn Profile. What is it you have been neglecting?  I know, as a job seeker, we tend to neglect everything that wont lead to a job offer.  But that is so unhealthy on so many levels. When I wrote Water Damage Is Expensive â€" Don’t Neglect Your House, I was writing about the results of neglecting things like family and your health. I didnt realize at the time that NOT neglecting that is, having the self-control and discipline to take care of things, would lead to self-confidence. Again, we all need more self-confidence.  I challenge you to practice self-control for a while and see if you have more self-confidence. Self-Control leads to Self-Confidence A phrase that has been floating around my house for the last few months is so profound: Self-control leads to self-confidence. Im not sure where my wife picked it up, but weve used it a fair amount. Who doesnt struggle with self-confidence issues? Let me rephrase that: What job seeker could use more self-confidence? Heres a simple formula: have more self-control.  Perhaps you will: Bite your tongue more. Be kinder. Do your three high value activities each day (even if you have to make them easier to do, or, lessen the scope of them). Pick up the phone and call someone from your chicken list. Finally clean up that little paper pile on your desk. Go on a walk and take care of your body. Put down the junk food and eat a green smoothie. Spend less time on distracting or time-wasting websites. Spend more, and better quality time with those you love. Clean up one part of your LinkedIn Profile. What is it you have been neglecting?  I know, as a job seeker, we tend to neglect everything that wont lead to a job offer.  But that is so unhealthy on so many levels. When I wrote Water Damage Is Expensive â€" Don’t Neglect Your House, I was writing about the results of neglecting things like family and your health. I didnt realize at the time that NOT neglecting that is, having the self-control and discipline to take care of things, would lead to self-confidence. Again, we all need more self-confidence.  I challenge you to practice self-control for a while and see if you have more self-confidence.

Barriers to Memory

Barriers to Memory Matthew Barrett, founder of Brain Trainers, was the speaker for our November 18 WorkSource Professional Network meeting.   Barrett has a Masters degree in Psychology and calls himself a “personal trainer for the brain.”   His lessons take cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience and turn the science into entertaining and accessible presentations for his audience.   We spent some time together recently talking about what “brain training” is and why it matters to jobseekers. Barrett says that everyone experiences memory lapses from time to time.   The primary reason people can’t remember facts, faces or names is that they can’t retrieve the information from their long term memory â€" what Barrett calls the “file cabinet.”   Some information never gets from short-term memory â€" he calls it “the desktop” to long-term.   Some information is filed, but may not be easily retrieved upon command.   There are a couple of factors that can inhibit memory and recall. One factor, believe it or not, is the efficiency of the adult brain.   Neuroscience studies indicate that when you first learn or perform a task, all your neural circuits engage; “Your brain lights up like the Vegas Strip,” says Barrett.   He calls this process “cognitive load.”   Think about the first weeks you spent as a new driver. You were hyper-alert, thinking about every tiny task and movement necessary to stay on the road and avoid other cars.   As the years progressed, and you logged in thousands of miles every year, your brain adapted to perform this complex task automatically.   Eventually, you could perform the entire drive home on autopilot, without even engaging your brain.   That’s how you might find yourself pulling into the driveway without remembering any of the details of the commute.   Your efficient brain performed the routine drive without using any brain power â€" allowing you to plan the weekend dinner party with those circuits instead.  This efficiency means that the trip home is accomplished as a single task instead of the hundreds of component tasks that it actually comprises.   Since you didn’t experience any neural stopping points during the journey, it’s natural to forget to pick up the dry cleaning until you get home, even with the ticket in plain view on the seat the whole way home. Stress also prevents you from recalling important information; Barrett says that’s why racking your brain is counterproductive.   “You won’t remember what it is until you relax,” he says. Barrett explains that we actually have two brains: the complex reasoning brain we use much of the time, layered on top of our primitive brain, which hasn’t changed since our caveman days.   He describes it like this: “When we were cavemen, our survival depended on being able to respond to danger immediately.   The primitive part of the brain that engages during you ‘fight or flight’ response is called the limbic system. This system is also part of what controls whether â€" and where â€" memories are stored in the brain based on the emotional response an event invokes.   When your caveman self heard a lion roar, the limbic system clears the memory decks â€" short-term and long-term â€" so you can focus on your sensory input for survival.   Unfortunately, the limbic system reacts the s ame way to a lion and to dropping your notes in the middle of a presentation.   You go blank.” If stress is keeping you from committing facts, faces and names to memory, it’s probably affecting your other social skills as well.   Working on relaxation techniques before networking events may be one of your best bets to improve memory.

4 Clichés To Remove From Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Clichés To Remove From Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Are you a self-proclaimed social media guru? Do you consider yourself a people person? If so, you’re about to learn some important lessons about personal brand management. You’ve probably been told to avoid clichés as much as possible throughout your job, writing, and social media, right? Although most people can relate to the majority of clichés that exist in society, ideally, they’re also something you want to avoid. When it comes to personal brand management, you should avoid using clichés at all costs. Regardless of how clever they make you sound, a cliché can be perceived in the wrong way. Your personal brand is meant to be original and personal not something you can find everywhere across the Internet. If you’re concerned you’ve used a cliché to brand yourself, here are four words and phrases to remove from your strategy: 1. Calling yourself a ninja, guru, or queen As mentioned earlier, if you call yourself a guru or geek of any skill to help emphasize your experience, change your title now. Many people who see this could assume you think very highly of yourself, especially if you don’t have the experience to back it up. On the other hand, a person or employer could be extremely confused by your self-proclaimed “Content Ninja” title and have no idea what you’re talking about. If you want to illustrate how experienced you are throughout your brand, display it through your actions. People who search for you will be able to make an inference about your experience through your online activity. So if you want people to know you are experienced in social media, illustrate it through your conversations and networking skills not by calling yourself a ninja or guru. 2. Overselling your expertise When it comes to personal branding, theres a fine line between selling yourself and overselling yourself. There are some people out there who feel the need to blast their networks with every single one of their accomplishments. While it’s great to share your successes with your networks, don’t oversell yourself to the point where it appears as bragging. Ideally, you want to find a balance of promoting your skills and experience throughout your brand. To successfully do this, you want to make sure you can support your accomplishments with projects or success stories. If you continuously talk about your success without having something to show for, your network could question your credibility or simply become annoyed with your personal brand. 3. Recognizing yourself as a people person. Personal brand management isnt just about being outgoing and trying to get your name out there. Much of personal branding is focused on building relationships with the people in your network and expanding your digital footprint through creating and sharing content. If you try branding yourself as a people person, your followers may laugh or question why this statement is even necessary. If you want to express your friendliness or your passion for networking, show your ability to connect with people in a meaningful way and people will see you are indeed a “people person.” 4. Using the word junkie to describe your passions Yes, we get it. You love coffee and reading the news. However, isnt there a much more creative way to describe your passions and interests? When branding yourself, its important to share unique qualities about yourself, however, the term junkie probably isnt the most unique way. If youre passionate about something, support it with your branding strategy. Through the content you promote with your personal brand, people will see your passions without you having to label them. If you find yourself using some of these clichés to brand yourself, you now have the opportunity to build a more creative and original brand. Spend time brainstorming the traits, qualities, and skills that truly set yourself apart from the people in your network. Once you discover what makes you unique, it will be much easier to create an original personal brand. What clichés have you noticed people use in their personal brands? Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of  Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011) and  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

2015 A Year in Job Search

2015 A Year in Job Search There are lots of factors that can prompt people to  start looking for a new job and although a lot of the time it is for personal reasons, public events and political movements can also have an impact on job search trends. Over the last year, Indeed have observed peaks and troughs in the number of  job seekers actively looking for a new role and how certain events had an influence on these figures. Theyve put together this infographic looking at how job seekers reacted to big games, politics, film releases and more throughout 2015. It comes as no surprise that job applications for MI6  were flying in after the latest Bond film was released, but what other significant events of the year had an impact? The Superbowl Feb Dont underestimate the power of the advertising during the Superbowl! In recent years the ads have become just as much an event as the actual game and companies will pay big bucks to get featured. This year companies such as Fiat, Esurance and Nationwide saw a 26% jump in job search on Indeed after their ads were shown during the Superbowl. The Greek Referendum June A referendum on Greeces future as a member in the Eurozone led to job seekers in Greece looking for opportunities outside of the country. Trump Presidential Debate Aug Donald Trump running for President of the U.S. has had a significant impact on job search. Job searches for Trump-branded companies saw a jump after he initially announced his presidential candidacy, after his first debate and after his second debate. Dieselgate -Sept Scandal broke out surrounding Volkswagens diesel emission standards. This drove down job search for the automotive company, however this drop was short lived. New Zealand Win the Rugby World Cup Oct Ruby fans in New Zealand got a bit distracted from their job search during the Ruby World Cup. The average job search in New Zealand plummeted by as much as 44% around New Zealand beat their rival Australia in the final. The Release of Bond Oct The release of the latest Bond film provided job seekers with a bit of inspiration about a potential new career move. Job searches for  MI6 rose remarkably when the film came out. Canada Oil Prices Oct People were hesitant to apply for energy-related jobs in Canada after the countrys energy focused economy was hit by lower oil prices. [Top Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Employee Engagement Strategy for the New Year

Employee Engagement Strategy for the New Year More than just having a source of income, people seek out different career opportunities to hone their skills, test their abilities, and better themselves. Often, people leave their jobs not so much because they want a higher pay but because they feel stuck with no prospect of progressing in the future.Unhappy employees influence the companies they work for. What many company owners fail to realize is that excellent customer service stems from the enthusiasm of committed employees.This New Year, do more than just weeding out ineffective work practices and setting new goals and rules. Make sure that you take care of the frontlines of customer service in your company as well.evalCheck out these tips for an employee engagement strategy you can try out this year:1. Give your employees a scoop of inside informationIf you want genuine commitment from your staff, you must let them in as part of your team. Many people do not give their A game because they don’t feel like they are playing a vital role in the success of the company.What’s the best way to reverse this?Give your employees a scoop of insider news or information. This inclusive move gives them a sense of belongingness and accountability which, in turn, forges their commitment to their craft.2. Celebrate achievementsWhen it comes to achievements, there is no big or small. Every step towards progress deserves acknowledgement. Whenever an employee makes an accomplishment, make it a point to personally congratulate them or write them compliments signed by you.Do not be stingy when giving out compliments because people who feel appreciated are inspired to do even better at their job.3. Be open to feedbackevalFeedback is inevitable in the office â€" may it concern work schedule, assigned tasks, or working relationships. Whether you run a conventional office or have only hired a virtual staff for online work, what sets successful companies apart is their ability to respond to feedback.Keep an open mind about co mments. A fluid workflow is achieved when all communication lines within your staff are kept open. When giving out comments, separate the person from the action you want improved. Set a framework of short-term and long-term goals to help employees grow. When receiving feedback yourself, understand where these suggestions are coming from and how they will better your business.4. Hire by your company’s mission, vision, and cultureSkills can be taught, but a person’s character determines their dedication to the job. More than just outlining the job description you want filled, let people know your company through your vision and mission. Employees are more likely to stay and thrive in a work culture that they are compatible with.BONUS TIP:5. Let your staff define employee engagementWhat better way to involve your staff than by letting them define employee engagement? Getting ideas from your team gives you an insight of their needs, aspirations, and perspective of teamwork.evalThe s tart of the year gives people a fresh outlook, new hopes, and invigorated spirit. Make sure that you begin this year with the same fervor and renewed goals not only for your business but the people behind it. Let this employee engagement strategy for the New Year kick start 2017 for you.

8 reasons why you should hire a veteran

8 reasons why you should hire a veteran 8 reasons why you should hire a veteran Unemployment continues to plague many veterans once they leave the military. Despite their years of dedicated service and a wide variety of work and life skills, veterans are struggling to secure full-time jobs to support themselves and their families. According to Joseph Kernan, NS2 Serves Chairman and Vice Admiral (Ret.), U.S. Navy, “Hiring a veteran not only provides your company with a devoted employee who has the potential to become a highly productive member of the team, but you’re also giving a deserving veteran a fresh start in post-military life and a chance at a fulfilling career.” He explained, “This is why SAP National Security Services established the nonprofit NS2 Serves, to train and employ veterans in high-tech careers. Through this program for predominantly enlisted men and women, we prepare graduates with the skills that hiring managers and organizations look for in a highly qualified, technically-trained, and dedicated employee. Asked why organizations should hire a veteran, he suggests eight compelling qualities that demonstrate why a veteran should be your next pick. 1. Veterans strive to be leaders In the military, leadership is continually fostered until it becomes an ingrained attribute. Veterans respect and understand the roles of leaders and willingly accept and seek leadership opportunities. Most importantly, there is a clear understanding of a preeminent responsibility to those entrusted with leadership roles â€" lead by example, in a way that they would like to be led. 2. Veterans know how to work as a team Working successfully in a team is considered an essential skill in most workplaces; it’s also the foundation on which safe and successful military operations are conducted. Veterans have developed an uncompromising responsibility to their peers, subordinates and superiors alike. They understand that there is “no I in team” and that success is invariably related to the depth of teamwork. 3. Veterans are trained to quickly learn new skills and concepts While in the service, members of the military are continually trained in a multitude of cross-functional skills. The demand for both administrative and occupational skills is high, and the ability to adapt to technological enhancements is essential. Whether it’s an IT system or a complex weapon system, veterans must master the operations and react quickly to flaws and failures, or risk mission success. 4. Veterans are mission/goal oriented In the military, the mission is paramount. Vets have been trained to adapt to complex tasks that are inherent in office and field settings. Their sense of duty, responsibility, and accountability for job performance and mission success is an enduring priority. The culture and training in our military continues to breed success and respect around the world. 5. Veterans have the ability to perform in high stress situations In today’s fast-paced work environment, having the ability to persevere under difficult or stressful circumstances is crucial. Veterans are trained and expected to perform under stress, and still accomplish tasks in a timely and effective manner. They must do so with the resources at hand. 6. Veterans can thrive in a structured environment Some companies may hesitate when hiring a veteran due to the fact their previous experience doesn’t appear office-related. To the contrary, veterans have a deep sense of accountability and they understand how policies and procedures are necessary for stability, safety and productivity. They’re able to follow rules and schedules, and value organization and discipline. 7. Veterans are able to adapt accordingly While in the military, veterans undergo rigorous training programs to become experts in a wide range of skills and concepts that are applicable in a civilian work environment. Being able to adapt to changing situations is imperative to mission success in the military and, when transferred to the workplace, it ensures a highly successful employee. While military duties stress teamwork and group productivity, they also build individuals who are able to perform independently when the situation demands it. 8. Veterans have strong communication skills Veterans have learned to work effectively side by side with individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, economic status and geographic origins. As well, regardless of varying intellectual and physical abilities, each individual is respected for his or her critical role in the organization. Military personnel are taught to have a questioning and thoughtful mentality, and they are not afraid to offer perspective and recommendations to supervisors in a respectful manner. Kernan asserts that, “From the day they begin their training, military personnel are instilled with a strong sense of character and work ethic. They are able to fill leadership voids, or follow direction until the goal has been achieved.” He believes every organization should look to veterans when the time comes to grow, or fill vacated positions, and calls on organizations to help support those who preserve our values and security. Hire a vet today.

6 Links to the Best College Career and Entry Level Job Resources - CareerAlley

6 Links to the Best College Career and Entry Level Job Resources - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. Napoleon Hill Okay, so what is todays quote all about? Simply put, dont be discouraged in your job hunt. Not every lead ends in a job offer, in fact, the vast majority dont pan out. Its kind of like Lotto, if you have a ticket in the game and no one has won yet you can still dream about how you will spend the money when you win. One of the keys to staying motivated is to try to always have a ticket in the game. In other words, as long as some potential opportunity is pending, you can still win Lotto. So how do you do that (easier said than done)? Try to have as many irons in the fire as possible and the rest will follow. College Grad / Entry Level Job Search Sites: True Careers A search engine with the tag line Where millions of degreed professionals find jobs with the companies that value them., you have the option of New User or Candidate login from the top of the page. Directly below are links for Search Jobs, Post Resume, Industry News and Career Resources. Jobs by location (state) are listed directly below this. On the right hand side of the page is a quick search (with an advanced search link in the same box) and jobs by category directly below. Careerjet Entry Level Jobs You need to be creative in your job search and try to leverage as many sites as possible to get your leads. Careerjet.com is a well known job search engine. Using a targeted search for entry level jobs returned over 92,000 job opportunities when I checked the site. The link at the start of this paragraph is the targeted search link. You can further refine your search by using the filters on the left hand side of the screen. College Grad Job Resources: Internshipprogams.com Okay, a somewhat self-explanatory site name, this is a great resource for finding an internship. The main page is jam packed with information. There are tabs at the top for Internships or Candidate, below which is a search box. Directly below are a number of filters for search: by employer, field, location and date. The top 10 internships are listed on the right hand side of the page. Mid-page are recently added internships and finally, top rated companies to the right of this. Fifty Standard Interview Questions This great list of interview questions, from CollegeGrad.com, has just about everything you can think of. While it is doubtful you will be all of these questions in a single interview, there is a fairly good chance that you will hear this list over a series of interviews. There is important advice at the end of this list, not the least of which is PRACTICE! more College Grad Job Search Company Career Sites for College Check out these links: Texas Instruments This is the Student and New College Grad link for Texas Instruments. There is a brief overview, with links on the left hand side of the page for Student Programs, New College Grads, Campus Visit Schedules and more. Amazon University Recruiting This is Amazons Student / Recent Grad career page. There is a brief overview, followed by tabs for Technical, MBA and Undergraduate Business. The left hand side of the page has a number of related links for University Recruiting. These include additional detail/links for the tabs that were on the top of the page. Career Tip of the Day: Suggested Reading: We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to land your first job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search