Tattoos Piercings in the Workplace

Tattoos Piercings in the WorkplaceTattoos Piercings in the WorkplaceWill a tattoo or piercing keep you from getting a job?It welchesnt terribly long ago that the perception of the tattooed were that theyre all sailors or bikers. Today, however, that stereotype has fallen and it seems, so has the workplace tattoo taboo.The average age of the workforce in 2008 was 40.7, according to The New Workforce Age and Ethic Changes. This means the majority of new workers being hiredtoday are approximately 26-29 years old. With the skilled labor force declining as baby boomers retire, most employers have learned theyll need to welcome the growing number of tattooed and pierced candidates.Inked individuals represent a significant part of that population. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 36 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds have at least one tattoo. While 40 percent of adults aged 26 to 40 have at least one.What does this mean to you? If youre in the decorated 40 percentile theres a good c hance your next employer has already accepted your body art.A decade ago, showing off tattoos and body piercings would be a surefire way to get your resume placed in the No Way pile. But times have changed. Those making todays hiring decisions are younger and not as adherent to traditional workplace appearance, says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger Gray Christmas.Still there are industries that are just not tolerable of tattoos or piercings. It might be some time before youll see a tattooed banker, lawyer, accountant or clergy member. Creative fields however, are often open to such expression and some even welcome it. Fields like marketing, sales and technology are inclined to be accepting of tattoos, piercings, unnatural hair colors, facial hair and other such alternative markers.Some jobs encourage individuality so much theyve listed with The Modified Mind Employment Line, a website that list companies who welcome the inked, the holed or other such modified potential employees .Others say that no matter how lax weve become there are mucksmuschenstill prejudices people carry with them.While visible tattoos and body piercings have become more acceptable in mainstream society, they can still carry a stigma in the white-collar workplace said Sue Thompson, a workplace consultant and speaker based in Wilmington, Del. When you present yourself in the workplace, you need to recognize that people will naturally make a judgment about how you look. You need to look like you mean business.If youre concerned about how you will be perceived during a job interview because of tattoos or piercings follow a few of these tips to get through the process unscathed.Check out the corporate culture of a job before applying or interviewing. If youre armed with this knowledge you can present yourself in the best light.Target companies that you know hire people like you. Sometimes having a friend or referral within the company can help. If youve come highly recommended HR may be wi lling to overlook tattoos or piercings.Cover it up. Many people feel having a body art is part of who they are but if your field forbids visible tattoos keep it discreet. Without a job wholl pay for your next big piece of art?

Millennials are spending money on whether to have kids or not

Millennials are spending money on whether to have kids or notMillennials are spending money on whether to have kids or notHaving a child is one of the most impactful decisions someone is likely to make in their life. Parenthood has major implications for careers, especially for women, and the financial hurdles are hard to clear for generations with less financial stability than their predecessors. And yet there is still an expectation that people will want to have families and a stigma that affects those who choose not to reproduce. As older millennials waiver on whether to procreate, their biological clocks are ticking out of time. Some of them are feeling pressure to solidify their plans, before their bodies do so for them. Already, a good number of women have decided with their partners that children are not part of their future. Answers to aBustle Trends Group survey show that millennials understand the state of work in the United States and how it disproportionately hurts profes sional women. Some are so disenchanted that theyre hesitant to join that demographic. We arent having children, so I wont have to deal with the issues working parents face about maternity/paternity leave, childcare costs, discrimination against mothers in the workforce, etc., one respondent wrote. As a woman who wants to be a physician but also have a family, I feel that at some point I will have to make a choice, wrote another. For a chunk of potential parents, that choice proves more difficult than for others who are resolute in their decisions. Some millennials feel so much anxiety about parenthood that theyre willing to dish out hundreds of dollars for clarity. Through online group courses and one-day workshops, young adults are flocking to experts who can help them solidify their feelings about parenthood. Some of the factors to consider include whether the person has a support network, is capable of self-care, can show discipline, and sees having children as a pathway to fulfi llment, according to Business Insider.The price of clarity can be steep - a four-month online group course with Ann Davidman, one of the foremost motherhood clarity mentors, runs at $397. But for confused clients, its often worth the price tag. Abigail Donahue told The New York Times in August that she had not been sure if she wanted to get pregnant. In fact, because of parenthoods financial toll, she was leaning against it. But after taking Davidmans course, Donahue changed her mind and is now a mother. When Im feeling especially sleep deprived and overwhelmed, she told The Times, it feels good to remember how deliberately I chose this.

Candidate Selection Tips

Candidate Selection TipsCandidate Selection TipsThe candidate selection process isnt easy - just ask those trying to fill in-demand positions such as data scientist or web developer.Not all tech positions are as challenging to fill, but no matter what job youre hiring for there comes a point in the candidate selection process when you have to make your top choices for an in-person interview.Here are some candidate selection tips to narrow the field down to the top three IT candidates1. Tally up their qualifications. The job description in the employment ad should list all the required and preferred qualifications the applicant should possess use that as a guideline for candidate selection. Make a list of the educational level, years of experience and technical skills needed for the open position. Review the applicants materials alongside your list, and check off all the must-haves and nice-to-haves that each person fulfills. This process will leave you with a clear visual representa tion of the most qualified IT candidates, based on their applications. Take the top 40 or 50 percent of IT candidates from that list.2. Assess their soft skills. Todays IT professionals need more than technical abilities to succeed in their jobs. So, the next step in your candidate selection process should be a preliminary evaluation of the applicants nontechnical abilities. You wont be able to get a full picture of a fhigkeit hires interpersonal skills from words on paper, of course. But one thing you can assess is the all-important written communication skill.Are both the cover letter and resume well organized and easy to read? Are they free of typos and other errors? Poorly written applications show a lack of attention to detail (and could be an indicator of how IT candidates might approach their technical work). Also, did the applicant address the letter to you personally, even though your personenname wasnt on the job posting? This could demonstrate initiative.A cover letters c ontent and overall tone also can shed some insight as to whether a candidate would be a good fit for your corporate culture. Is the letter stiff and formulaic, or is it appropriately respectful and engaging? After reading it, do you have a better picture of the person who might become your employee?3. Examine their work history. Pay close attention to resume red flags, such as how long a candidate has held previous positions. You want employees who are driven to succeed, but a history of job-hopping every six months could be a sign that a candidate is undependable or unable to commit.Also, take note of any extended periods of unemployment, but dont assume the worst. There are many valid personal and professional reasons why a technology candidate has one or more lengthy gaps in their full-time work history. Just consider how uncertain working in tech can be Its possible an IT professional simply had a run of bad luck working for startups that never took off. So, be sure to give othe rwise stellar IT candidates a chance to explain any significant employment gaps.4. Make initial contact. Once youve whittled the list of potential hires to less than 10, reach out to each applicant through a phone screen interview. Schedule these interviews via email to get an idea of their response time as well as another look at their communication style.One hiring trend is to conduct a phone interview without advance notice, but this tactic isnt really fair to IT candidates. You dont want to write off qualified applicants just because you catch them at a bad time and they arent fully prepared to speak with you.During the phone interview, pay attention to how candidates present themselves. Do they seem engaged? Is their tone enthusiastic and friendly? Do you get the sense that they have a personality that would complement your team?Also, be sure to keep the questions consistent across phone interviews so you can easily compare the responses of all the IT candidates youre consideri ng.By following these four steps, you can make the IT candidate selection process easier. Once you narrow down the field of applicants to the top three IT specialists, youll invite them for in-person interviews.Being systematic about the candidate selection process can help avoid a bad hire, and puts you on the path to finding the right team member to help your organization innovate and grow.Hiring? We can helpREQUEST IT PROSThis post has been updated to reflect more current information.

Free Contemporary School Principal Resume Templates

Free Contemporary School Principal Resume TemplatesFree Contemporary School Principal Resume TemplatesThe free contemporary school principal resume templates demonstrate that you care about innovation. In the education industry, this can lend itself to spearheading exciting new programs to help kids. If you feel passionately about that, this might be the resume for you.Create ResumeContemporary School Principal ResumeCustomize ResumeIndustry SnippetsBy peeking at our free contemporary school principal resume templates, you will see what your competitors may include in their resumes. How can you compete against them? Contemporary Resume Pros and ConsThis specific resume design could work well, depending on the needs of the schools you seek in your job search. Consider what you want out and where youre looking. Last but not least, think about the pros and cons.Pros Easy chance to share a part of your personality aPros Comes across as more engagingCons Some of the innovative graphics an d fonts eat up page spaceCons Not all school districts will like this styleResume TextPATRICEWARD123 Street,City, ST, 12345 H (123) 456-7890 C (123) 456-7890 emailisp.comProfessional SummarySchool principal with a passion for academic and student development and history of success in developing effective strategies to overreach curriculum goals. Accomplished in aligning academic and instructional visions, and working in conjunction with professionals, paraprofessionals, and administrative staff to establish and maintain high-reaching standards. Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to capitalize on emerging instructional technologies to enrich lesson plans and instruction.Skill HighlightsSchool Operations ManagementCurriculum DevelopmentSchool Improvement PlanningAcademic ModelingStrategic PlanningStaff Development and LeadershipProfessional ExperiencePrincipal7/1/2010 CurrentChandler High School Chandler, AZChampion academic quality of school, ensuring students receive exemplary education, while managing day-to-day school operations of 600-person school.Oversee implementation of approved curriculum and provide resources for necessary teacher and staff training and development.Develop and maintain annual school budget, including salaries, supplies, and capital improvement projects to support progressive growth of school.Manage accreditation and maintenance processes, and develop strategic plans to improve academic programs and outcomes.Devise innovative concepts, ideas, and plans to engage parents in education process.Assistant Principal7/1/2005 7/1/2010Chandler High School Chandler, AZSupervised professional, paraprofessional, administrative, and support personnel, and worked with principal to develop, implement, and evaluate programs and operations supporting day-to-day operations.Developed and implemented programs within organizational policies, and reported major activities to administrators through conferences and reports.Assistant Principa l8/1/2000 6/1/2005Rocketship Education San Jose, CACollaborated with principal to spearhead and implement instructional vision, and managed and coached teachers by leading data analysis cycles, observing instruction, providing feedback, and co-planning units of study and lesson plans.Led teachers, tutors, enrichment coordinators, and support staff to collectively deliver gap-closing, personalized instruction to students.Past experience includes Social Studies Teacher (1997 2000)EducationMaster of Science, Educational AdministrationSan Jose State University San Jose, CABachelor of Science, Elementary Education Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ

3 Ways to Get Employees and Clients to Spread the Word About Your Startup

3 Ways to Get Employees and Clients to Spread the Word About Your Startup 3 Ways to Get Employees and Clients to Spread the Word About Your Startup Its easy to besucked in by the allure of cutting-edge online marketing methods, especially given the factthat 59 percent of small businessesget their clients via SEO activityand 33 percent get them through social media.However, whileonline marketing is an important way to market your business, its elendlage the only way. Actually, its not even the best way.In fact, word-of-mouth marketing seems to be the most effective method of marketing for startups, as the same research cited above found that 85 percent of small businesses find new customers through the grapevine, so to speak.If you want to maximize sales, then, youll want to encourage your staff members and customers to spread the word and refer your products and services to their friends and acquaintances.By the same token, if you want to attract the necessary talent to staff your organization, word of mouth can help you there as well. Employee referral programs are a key source of quality hires.On that note, here are a few tips to help you get your employeesand customers to act as ambassadors for your brand1. Build a Workplace That People Love One of the main reasons whystaff members refer their friends to a business is because they like working at the company not because they want to be awarded referral bonuses. So, if you want to encourage your staff to refer new employees to you, concentrate on building a great workplacethey will be keen to sharewith the people they care about.Then, once you have built a working environment that employees are proud of, your next step is to set up a formalemployee referral program. You dont have to reinvent the wheel hereThere are plenty of readily available employee referral applications that you can use to set up an effectiveprogram in no time.2. Make Products and Services That Your Clients Can Be Proud OfLets face it Y our customers are not going to refer their friends to you if you offer asubstandard product or service. Worse still, if your products and services are bad enough to angerpeople, they may spend time actively bad-mouthing your offerings.These days, the overwhelming majority of consumersare heavily influenced by the reviews and opinions of other buyers. So, if you want to encourage customers to market your services, you need to start by building an offering that wows people. Your goal is to move your customers so much that they cant wait to share their positive experiences with other consumers online.Another way to motivate customers to share their experiences is to offer a customer incentive scheme. Consider givingexisting customers bonuses, discounts, or free services in return for their referrals. This wont be enough to getdissatisfied customers to refer, but it shouldencourage happy customers to recommend you over a competitor.Whatever you do, make it ridiculously easy for your cus tomers to refer. The slightest barrier will likely stop what little momentum they have in this department.3. Give Your Staff Some Time to Blog and Post on Social MediaGone are the days when the marketing department owned every step of the marketing process. Heck, chances are that your startup doesnt even have a dedicated marketing department yet.Your employees are experts in their respective fields, so encourage them to blog regularly about your company. Let them publish posts on the company website and encourage them to share company information and updates on their social media profiles.And, of course, if theres a job opportunity open,they might want to market that, too.Using your employeesand customers to market your business is just too good an opportunity to miss. Todays consumers and your kompetenzprofil employees are more trusting of peer-generated reviews and recommendations than of the content produced by marketing departments. Your employees and existing customers, then, have far more influence over potential clients and hires than you may have ever imagined.

Words to Put on Resume Reviews & Tips

Words to Put on Resume Reviews & Tips Ruthless Words to Put on Resume Strategies Exploited Knowing the cell advertising and marketing landscape will cause you to be a hero in the view of employers, so make sure to reveal this off on yur resume. Fortunately for the work seeker, you may use tools to find out which words are optimal foryour resume. You are going to have rough time locating a work description that doesnt include things like communication as an essential skill. For instance, if the employer is searching for somebody who knows how to construct customer databases, then those are the specific same words that you want to use on your resume (assuming you understand how to construct customer databases). If you are now employed, include the name of your present employer (unless youre in a confidential search). Speak to professionals in the area If youre having a hard time determining what skills an employer might want to see, look at contacting a professional already w orking in the business or position very similar to the one that youre applying for. Dont neglect to devote time checking out your possible employers website. Your accounting degree or experience with bookkeeping might be more applicable than you believe. There are only a few jobs which dont involve working with somebody else. Besides job requirements, think about the description of the organization and its culture. To acquire a notion of what things to include, consider the work advertisement and skills and experience required. Since many job seekers may list skills in a different section of their resume, in addition, it is important to weave them into descriptions under every one of your prior positions. Think as a recruiter filling the job that you want next. You just have a limited quantity of real estate on your resume, so each word counts, states OSullivan. In the event you werent passionate about a part of the role, its assumed that you wouldnt be applying for the posi tion. To submit an application for a position for a phlebotomist, you have to have a resume that gives employers an insight on how they wont regret hiring you. Applicants are somewhat more confident to reject work offer instead of a better one. Inexperienced medical applicants might wish to devote an objective next. For applicants who have any degree of experience whatsoever, really specific detail is required here. Only utilize adjectives to describe yourself if youre well prepared to back this up immediately afterwards. Youre able to choose adjectives to suit the area or department you want to enter. The adjectives below will add additional appeal to the resumes employed with these individuals. Ivy League schools, for example, may be utilized to filter applications for high-profile businesses and positions. Another important point to consider is to relate the way your previous experiences would benefit the target company. Again, experience is something which happens to yo unot what you achieve. Take a look at the expert experience section of our how to compose a resume guide, and youre going to be up to speed right away The impression you make it from the second illustration is quite a bit more powerful. This word proves that you made some kind of positive difference at an earlier firm. For instance, if youve got a strong history with word processing and a work description necessitates experience with a particular processor you havent used, you may use your experience to demonstrate the employer that youve got zero issue working with new word processors. Just avoid the most frequent ones whenever possible. During the time youre at it, have a look at their yearly report for more clues. These words are especially beneficial to make your skills section appears to be even more impressive. They are perfect for describing the meticulous and calculating tasks you do on a daily-basis. There are far better words to use Achievements will cause you to stand out. The skill section may be the most important section on your resume if you place it together correctly. Describe your background concerning achievements. Problems ought to be regarded as significant challenges, not quick and easy things that you can do in a couple of minutes. Committed Show that youre devoted to your work, begin to finish. Voluntary work may also be included here.

Hit Snooze Is Napping Good for Company Culture

Hit Snooze Is Napping Good for Company CultureAre your workers lagging and sluggish? This might sound crazy, but encouraging a little napping on the job might be the answer.More companies from Google to online newspaper The Huffington Post are embracing naps as an attractive perk of the company culture. Moreover, these naps are actually helping the companies keep employees productive and working hard.With many employees logging more hours in the office, it should come as no surprise that sweet dreams have taken a hit. Employees working on too little sleep are often less productive than their well-rested counterparts. Its also easier for these sleep-deprived employees to make mistakes.Your company cant afford to be cleaning up the mess of grouchy, tired employees when a little nap might just brighten their attitude and your company culture. So it should come as little surprise more organizations are embracing employee naps.A 2011 study by the Society for Human Resource Management sh owed 6 percent of companies had a dedicated nap room. Meanwhile 34 percent of responders to a National Sleep Foundation survey said their employers allowed them to nap in the office.So should you allow your workers to start napping at work? Here are some reasons why you might want to consider itGood for Company CultureThe reason many companies have allowed their employees to hit the snooze button is because they know giving naps the rubber stamp of approval can really add to the company culture. Creating an attractive company culture is one way companies of all sizes and varieties lure in the top talent they need to keep growing their organization.Allowing naps in the office says the company is laid back and realizes the value of their employees. The company would rather have their employees take a short nap on office time and come back fully charged than sleepwalk through the day like corporate zombies. This establishes a caring company culture, and great candidates want to work fo r equally great companies. Who knew napping could actually be a sound recruitment strategy?Great for ProductivityThe number-one reason to consider letting your workers get in some shut-eye is because it can greatly increase their productivity. A study found pilots who napped for an average of 26 minutes were actually 54 percent more alert and their performance improved by 34 percent. Not bad for a half hour worth of counting sheepWhen workers are so tired they cant keep their eyes open, they cant truly focus on the tasks at hand. You might lose a bit of productivity time as your worker naps or hops into a sleep pod, but what youll gain is increased job performance. Better yet, creativity suffers when workers are under the gun and tired. With a little rest and relaxation, employees can come back to the job with new perspectives and insights to share.But Make Sure You Get the zeiteinteilung RightStill, you dont want workers to nap the day away. This is why its best for napping workers to sleep for an average of 15 to 20 minutes, and not much more. In fact, theres even an ideal time of day to get in these power naps from 1 to 3 p.m. in the afternoon. Any other time of day and your workforce risks messing with their natural sleep cycle.It might seem crazy, and certainly outside-the-box, but allowing your employees to sleep on the job might actually be the best business decision you can make. While theyre counting sheep, youll be counting cash thanks to your workers increased productivity.What do you think? Is napping in the office good for company culture? Share your thoughts in the commentsIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by Relaxing Music.

Promote From Within or Hire From Without 6 Factors to Consider that Will Shape Your Culture

Promote From Within or Hire From Without 6 Factors to Consider that Will Shape Yur CulturePromote From Within or Hire From Without 6 Factors to Consider that Will Shape Your CultureIts the perpetual question, the albatross for HR professionals and the never-ending debate among hiring managers and those in the employment decision-making process. Do you encourage growth and maintain corporate culture and morale by hiring from within or build new ideas and stimulate outside thought processes by searching outside of your organization? This long-winded, if classic, question is one of the many considerations that keep those looking to bring on new talent up at night. If youre in the process of filling open positions, the decision probably has a greater impact on your day to day job duties, making the ultimate outcome even more stressful. Sure, loyalty in your employee culture is amazing, but what about the prospect of stale ideas? And yes, innovation and growth are amazing plus-one factors , but can they compete with an in-depth understanding of a companys business model or client-base?While playing devils advocate or gnashing your knuckles over the right decision in the hiring process may seem an attractive distraction, at Simply Hired weve got plenty of real-world advice and analysis when it comes to whether to promote from within or hire from without. Read on to delve into our six top factors that will help shape both your decision-making process and hiring culture for years to come.1. Company KnowledgeOften referred to alternatively as corporate culture, intimate knowledge of how your company does business and who the clients and contacts are is invaluable when it comes to employee contributions. Internal candidates are obviously going to have the leg up on external contacts in this category. That being said, dont throw the baby out with the bathwater by dismissing someone who doesnt have the inside track on the way your company does business.Idiosyncrasies and th e details of the ways accounts prefer to operate is a huge plus factor when shuffling vacant job listings. If you have a solid employee pool on the ground, however, this is often information that can easily be taught. Consider whether your interviewee can pick up on the expertise of his peers and superiors quickly in order to get up to speed. If so, a newbie may have the character traits that can level the playing field on the experience front.2. Domain-Specific ExperienceWhen you hear the word domain you may have a web-ified view of some kind of url hashtag designed to trip up even the least tongue-tied and internet savvy tech users. When it comes to finding employable candidates, however, the term has entirely other connotations. Instead of considering whether a candidate is originating internally versus externally, instead try to quantify their experience and exposure to the given industry, or domain. These characteristics can often help level the playing field between disparate job titles and even across industries all of which are a huge help when it comes time to choose the exact right candidate for that single available job position.3. Abilities and InterestsJust as looking at an individual candidates experience in a certain domain, its also important to evaluate their overall abilities and professional interests when deciding whether to bring them up internally or introduce a new outside employee to the pool. One of the biggest factors that employers look to when deciding to hire outside an organization is the perception that there is no one at the company currently who has the correct job title or background. Before jumping to that conclusion, hiring managers would be well served by taking a fresh look at your current menschlich assets.Perhaps that candidate is currently working in HR but has expressed a strong desire to make the switch to business management. Maybe another employee started in a low-level job position but has constantly excelled or ha s undertaken self-study in order to develop a stronger skill set. It can often be difficult to identify these hidden skills and abilities right off the bat. Its important, therefore, to take regular inventory of your employees abilities, preferably via the annual review and evaluation cycle. Detailed notes or even a self-evaluation asking the candidate to identify where theyd like to go or what they may be interested in can be useful for helping match the right job with the right internal candidate as new positions become available.4. Personality TraitsAs many employers have learned at least once the hard way, personality is often the make or break characteristic when it comes to an individual employees long term success. The brightest and most talented worker can often be tripped up by a poor attitude or an inability to stay on task. Likewise, sometimes it makes sense to keep on a less capable employee due to the contributions they make to team or company morale.Take stock of perso nality factors when deciding whether to promote from within or hire from the outside. Does the dynamic of your current workgroup kooperation the introduction of a new person or are there personality clashes within the team? Depending on your particular circumstances, it may make sense to maintain the current personality mix or add in or swap members in order to correct issues.5. SalarySure, wed all like to live in a world where money wasnt a factor. The truth of the matter, though, is that individual employee compensation is a large part of a business bottom line. If you have an existing employee that may be a good fit for the position, consider whether their current salary leaves room for promotion. External candidates will often have considerations and expenses when moving jobs. Because of this the average salary for an external hire can often by 18-20% higher than doing an internal shuffle. Finally, internal candidates can often be offered soft benefits such as additional time of f, flexible working schedules, or additional responsibilities in lieu of a bigger salary bump.6. Onboarding TimeThe final factor to consider when deciding whether an internal or external hire is right for you is the complexity of the position and the amount of time and resources required for training. For internal hires that are already familiar with the corporate culture, there will be fewer resources needed to onboard and get them up and running in the position. From the basic first day and week policies and procedures training to learning about the corporate culture, employees promoted from within will often be ready to hit the ground running on day one. There will be little to none of the voreingestellt acclimations and as an employer, youll already have a good grasp on how the employee works and what encourages them to put in the extra effort.Hopefully, our list of six factors has provided useful information to help ease some of the burdens of your next major hiring decision. T hink we missed something major? Drop us a line and share with other Simply Hired readers your thoughts on the hire from within or without debate.

How to Turn a Summer Internship Into a Fall Job

How to Turn a Summer Internship Into a Fall JobHow to Turn a Summer Internship Into a Fall JobOutside of a full-time offer at the best firm in the perfect location, getting the internship is the post-college dream, offering a chance to settle in for a summer internship, love your coworkers and score a full-time offer before the fall. Boom your time welches an investment in a real job opportunity. Unfortunately, the fine print is true. Theres no guarantee your internship will turn into a full-time job when the internship is over. However, if you go into your internship with the right mindset you can position yourself to be the best pick if an opening does come up. If I were starting an internship today, heres what Id do to give myself the best chance of turning it into a full-time job Identify and collect metricsThis career advice comes from my father who had a military and civilian employee experience spanning 40 successful years. Whatever youre doing, he said to his daughter with a new English degree, Find something you can track and track it. At the end of a given period of time, youll have metrics that prove you were there.This advice can be difficult for careers we consider softer, like writing, management, and customer service. However, no matter what you do you can find something you can track. For example, as a writer or editor you can use your writing software to track how many edits you receive for a given assignment then work hard to have that number go down over your time on the job. As a project manager or account manager you could track customer complaints or feedback each week and take action to have those numbers reduced. Whatever metric you choose to track will help you show you had an impact in your workplace and improved individually over time. Validate the ongoing need for your positionCompanies dont just hire for a new position because youre nice and they want to keep you. There needs to be a quantifiable reason to have your position. In rea lity, validating the need for that position is rarely something youll have input in. However, you can use the metrics you collected in your review session to show your manager the value of the work youve been doing. And even if you dont save your internship job, you may show that you would do great in another position.Make friends a first priorityYou took the internship for the opportunity to build your skills and get a great bullet point on your resume. But who you meet in your internship can have a powerful impact on your career. Before you head into your internship, expand your expectations to focus on making friends and building your network. Be on the lookout for a potential mentor or coworkers who will be able to connect you with other companies hiring in your field. Networking in an internship doesnt require access to the C-Suite. Even if you dont think you can use someones connection, be friendly. Find common interests, support others and practice your conversational skills. Show youre a good culture fit and that people like you and youll be a much more enticing choice if a position does open up. Getting a full-time offer after an internship is almost never a guarantee. But you can improve your chances of being considered for a job by crafting an experience that makes you a shoe-in for a full-time opportunity elsewhere. Use these tips to give yourself the best chance of turning your summer internship into a fall job.

How to fine tune emotional intelligence to get ahead

How to fine tune emotional intelligence to get aheadHow to fine tune emotional intelligence to get aheadEmotional intelligence or EQ a buzz-word that was coined in the 90s, is still regularly explored by academics and psychologists today. Based on self-awareness and empathy, EQ is recognized as an important personal and professional quality, but few truly understand how to enhance it or leverage its benefits.Like training for a sport or learning an instrument, EQ can be developed at any age and better yet, it can be strengthened, conditioned and fine-tuned.Defining EQEmotional intelligence is the ability to identify, manage and express yur own emotions and the emotions of others. A great place to see EQ in action is in the world of music. When artists play and perform they need to be in tune with those around them, including their fellow band members and the audience. The most successful bands are made up of artists that not only master their own craft but have an ear for what oth ers are expressing anticipating the emotional highs and lows, the flow and pace of a performance.VH1 made a personenname for itself documenting music legends shredding each other apart in Behind The Music a series that might have been more appropriately called Epic Music EQ Failures. Rivalries, jealousies and the furies of fame always seemed to get in the way and drowned out the music.On the flip side, if you look at bands with longevity U2 or Pearl Jam you see musicians with heightened self-awareness and a greater aptitude for harnessing their emotions. It was remarkable to me to see Pearl Jams acceptance speech at the Rock Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony as the band thanked all of the people who helped propel and sustain them.Understanding EQIn order to build emotional intelligence, we first must understand why it really matters both in ur own lives and to those we care about.Consider the role of EQ in business. The authors of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 point outEQ driv es more than half of our job performancePeople with high EQ make almost $30,000 more each year than their lower EQ counterparts90% of top performers in business, sports, and the arts have high EQGood leadership is at times subjective, but a common thread is an ability to assess and take bold risks. EQ is an essential tool in calculating the risks worth taking. In his seminal book on EQ What Makes a Leader, Daniel Goleman notes 5 EQ key qualities Self-awareness, Self-Regulation, Social Skill, Empathy, Motivation.The capacity to be aware of and express emotions is the oldest and arguably the most effective mode of communication.Enhancing EQSo, how do we get there?Locate the source. While IQ resides in our brains, which trigger our thoughts, EQ lives in our limbic system, which triggers our feelings. The danger is that feelings fire quicker than thoughts. Just as we can train our brain, we must take hold and direct our emotions.Exercise emotional restraint. At the center of EQ is sel f-control. Exposure to different cultures through diverse relationships and international business assignments will build understanding and will fine-tune control and emotional restraint.Observe, listen and empathize. Buddhists remind us that like our arms and legs, eyes and ears, our emotions are key parts of who we are, of what we become and are central to the life we build. Weve all met people who seem eternally happy or perpetually sad. We learn whos easy to incite and who shows restraint. Observing, listening and empathizing are important skills that allow us to adapt, connect and influence, to build more effective and, I would argue, more fulfilling relationships.Embracing EQEQ is not just about job performance its a life skill that can enhance all our personal interactions.As we grow and add more complexity to our lives, or our companies, industries, and markets, intelligence becomes more instinctual and therefore soft skills play an even bigger role. Imagine the partnerships we could forge, the songs we could write, the creativity and collaboration we could unlock, just by increasing our EQ. Not because were smarter, stronger or more talented, but because weve trained our emotions to check with our brains first to understand before we act.The world is loaded with self-help books and websites that offer EQ building techniques. Ive developed my own EQ enough to know not to tell you which is best for you. Only to promise that its worth your search.Dinesh Paliwal is president and chief executive officer of HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.