Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom How to Revamp a Boring Culture

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom How to Revamp a Boring Culture In an earlier article, I discussed how tobuild a culture of innovation. Some of the tips includedavoiding micromanagement, keeping stress level to a minimum, and encouraging your people to take risks. These methods can definitely re-energize a stale culture, but there are other avenues you might try as well. The end of the year is the perfect time to put some of these ideas into effect for a fresh start in January. Get Your Games On When most people think about gamification, they picture sophisticated software programs featuring elaborate plots and characters. But gamification is simply taking the essence of gamesâ€"fun, play, transparency, design and challengeâ€"and applying it to real-world objectives rather than pure entertainment. In herrecent article forInc., Ekaterina Walter featured social solutions companySprinklr. In the “Sprinklr Assassins” game, everyone in the office gets assigned another employee as a target and the goal is to be the last person standing. The competition is fun, of course, but it also helps the business by promoting cohesiveness and relationship building. Institutionalize Intrapreneurship Intrapreneurshipis the practice of entrepreneurship within the context of an established organization, by leveraging the resources of that organization. Intrapreneurship sounds great on paper, but if you leave it to chance, it will lose out to everyday business fires every time. If your culture is getting stale, consider building intrapreneurial projects into employee performance objectives and setting aside time each week for employees to pursue innovative personal projects that will take your business to the next level. Decide on the projects that will receive significant organizational resources by establishing a formal innovation committee to vet ideas. For the rest of my ideas, take a look at the full post at the AMEX Open Forum.

Recruitment and Employee Communications Plan - Working With the Career Services Counselor

Recruitment and Employee Communications Plan - Working With the Career Services CounselorToday's HR managers must also be able to guide their employees on how to effectively communicate the career services counselor job description and position profile. If they do not have a good plan in place for employee communications with these professionals, they are not going to have a successful company. In fact, if they were able to communicate their professional goals to the counselor and they did not have a good idea about what information they should be sharing with the counselors, the employees are not going to understand what they are really dealing with.Having an effective communication plan is extremely important when the counselor is involved in an HR management plan, because their job description is going to be the basis of this communication. The counselor job description is going to provide them with the key expectations for the position. It is also going to help them to formulate guidelines that will make the process of hiring employees easier. By having the standard set as a guideline, it will not be too difficult for the employee to understand what kind of information they should be providing to the counselor.If a person feels that they need to make adjustments or they do not understand the career services counselor job description, they can call the administrator who is in charge of this department. They can then give them the information that they need. By doing this, they will be giving the advisor an excellent first impression as well as knowing what it is that they need to know.In many cases, the administrator may call back and ask the individual about the things that they feel are important in the career services counselor job description. The easiest way to answer this question is to share some of the core values that the company stands for. With this type of information, the counseling advisor will be able to better guide the employee.There are als o things that can be communicated to the counselor in this type of career services counselor job description, but those are things that are already written into the job description. Sometimes, people are just not aware of what they need to say, and this is where a question and answer session can be very useful. It will help the counselor to get some clarification.By doing this, the HR manager will be giving the counselor all of the information that they need, which is why it is a good idea to have a meeting with the counselor, rather than calling them. Communication is important when dealing with this type of professional. The session is a perfect time to share some of the small details that are going to come up during the application process.The role of the career services counselor is one that is incredibly important in the world of today. Not only is this person used to help the employees, but they are also needed to help with the hiring process as well. The ability to correctly communicate with these professionals can have a huge impact on a company's success.When creating an HR plan, the HR manager has to be sure that they are willing to put in the work and the time to make sure that the guidelines are followed. The counselors work on both sides of the fence, so they need to know what they need to say in order to be successful. If they are not getting the proper guidance on this, they may find themselves losing a great opportunity to improve their company.

3 Rules for workplace friendships

3 Rules for workplace friendships I was a latchkey kid with unlimited charge accounts at all the local stores before there were charge cards. As a kid I worried I was annoying, because people always rolled their eyes when I said charge it please. Now I understand that I was the only person in the city with a charge account at each of these stores. And they thought I was a spoiled brat.  Oblivious to this social nuance, my  parents had the idea that if there were no limits to what I could buy then surely I would be taken care of. You know whats coming next: kids dont want money, they want nurturing. I am a very take-charge kind of person, though, so I used my open charge system to buy caretakers. For a while it was the clothing store. But when my mom saw that I owned more than forty sweaters, mostly never worn, she yelled so much that I knew my friendship with the clothing store owner was over. Then I broke my glasses. And the  optometrist  was so nice. So I broke them again. Sometimes Id go to the optometrist  to pick frames because Ill probably break another pair of glasses soon. After years of many, many broken glasses, he told me that I could just sit in the waiting area with him. I didnt have to need new glasses. But it felt  weird  to me just sitting there and not being a customer, so I went back to being especially careless with my frames. So now Im pretty much an expert on workplace friends because, at their core, workplace friends are like regular friends except someone is getting paid to show up. 1. There are many ways to mix money and friends. All are worth exploring.   When the Farmer met me, I spent a lot of time trying to turn our relationship into a financial transaction. I bought him plane tickets to come to NY and San Francisco with me  because  I was tired of traveling alone. I bought him gas so that I didnt have to make the drive to his house. I bought him clothes so I could pick what he wore. After only a little of that he said, I dont work for you. You dont have anyone in your life who doesnt work for you. But I dont want to be a person who works for you. I was crushed. Pretty much everyone in my life works for me. Even when Ive had an assistant who was hourly, Id pay her to stay late with me and have dinner. So it was hard for me to stop operating this way, and  the first time we had a fightand the 900 times after thathed say that the only people who can put up with me are people I pay. That is mostly right. My brothers are pretty loyal, though. But Im pretty sure they couldnt spend more than a week with me. 2. Realize that you are both there because someones getting paid. The thing is that most people who have big jobs spend most of their time with people who are paid to be there. Even if you are out to lunch with a co-worker, its not like they are spending their vacation time with you. Theyre salaried, so they are essentially getting paid to eat with you, and they are networking. I used to think Id know really who is my friend when I change companies. That doesnt work now, when I work for myself, but earlier, when I was working for companies, it didnt work either, because you are always a networking  opportunity  for someone you used to work with. But lets say, hypothetically, that the person who I used to work with has dropped out of the workforce. Lets say he decided to make documentaries instead of have a paying job. You know what? Im not that interested in him. I dont actually want to spend that much time with people who are not related to my work. Im a very driven person. And I have a husband who I have left so little time for, that we have to schedule once-a-week sex or else we wont do it. 3. Workplace friends are just real friends with real boundaries.   So you know what? Its true that Im most comfortable buying my friends, because then its a clear cut relationship where I wont have to spend any time doing something I dont want to. Being with the Farmer is very complicated for me. In my first marriage, I was the clear breadwinner, so I could fix it in my mind that he was just another person I was paying to be with me. I tried to set that up again, with the Farmer. But in fact, he has this million-dollar farm with no debt, and I have pretty much zero money in the bank at all times, so its hard to say that Im buying him. Its easier to say Im buying Melissa, to be honest. Like, careerbags.com is advertising on this site, and I negotiated to get five free things on the site because I love shopping there, and I let Melissa pick one. And she was so happy. And Melissa is so happy being my teammate for webinars. I like to think she likes being my teammate because we have so much fun, but I know she likes being my teammate because she likes the money. Melissa doesnt have friends, actually. Now that I think about it, she just has people she works for. So, I guess Im saying that Melissa is an example of someone who is  probably  my friend. My true friend, but she works for me. She edits all the photos on this blog. She does all the logistics and moderating for the webinars. And she finds links for me that I love. And even when she traveled to China, she sent back photos of goats for my blog. I have spent a lot of my life trying to figure out who is my friend and who is my work friend. But now Im thinking that Im much more comfortable having everyone as a work friend, because then theres a clear  delineation  of the relationship. and in the cases where it has to be a mushy, ill-defined emotional exchange, I have to keep it to just a few people. Which is why, I guess, Im monogamous.

Your Next Employer Larger or Smaller - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Your Next Employer Larger or Smaller - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Your personal brand is, directly or indirectly, tied to your employers brand. Work for Google? You must be sharp and highly motivated. Work for ATT? You must be willing to trade job security for bureaucracy and tedium. Such snap judgments may be inaccurate and unfair, but they happen every day. Once you choose your next employer, you will have altered your personal brand in some waypositively or negatively. My post last week shared ideas that can help you identify potential employers to target in your job search and career. Sharing such a list with your networking contacts will focus their ideas and generate higher quality targeted referrals for you. Once you have completed your initial research and identified a large list of prospective companies, the next step is to narrow your target list by  using criteria you consider important. One criteria that I have found to be frequently overlooked is the size of employers. Despite what you may have been told or what you experienced during the last century, I want to alert you to the fact that bigger is not necessarily better. During the economic and employment boom of the 20th century, big companies tended to grow bigger and bigger. This fueled their needs for more and more employees and managers, which created many opportunities for upward mobility while increasing job security. If you are above the age of 35, you may remember those days. Its important, though, that everyone now  recognize that the  21st century employer landscape has changed dramatically. As I mention in Chapter 10 of my job search book Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!), Working for large employers and seeking to work for them in the future can be roadblocks to your career progress. Most corporate giants continue to shrink organically, retrench into defensible positions, and grow through the acquisition of smaller competitors. Fortune500 titanic employers are unlikely to offer their employees a desirable corporate culture, personal career growth, or employment security. But Richard, you say, many of the larger companies are delivering record profits and dominating their industry sectors. Why are you trashing them like this? My answer is that I am not trashing them. I simply want to share with you that, despite record profits, most large employers are shedding jobs rather than creating them and reducing management positions rather than increasing them. They are reluctant to hire despite their record profits. Hence, they are not the bastions of career opportunity they once were. In addition, most large companies are  mildewing in  self-induced cultural biospheres where fresh ideas  are discouraged.  Consequently, it is important that you seriously consider small and mid-sized companies in your mix of targeted employers. In addition to the number of employees,  there are several additional factors to consider when refining a list of companies you want to target for future employment. Such factors include metropolitan area employment dynamics, organic growth, relative financial strength, and how much they  value their current  employees. Your career opportunities will tend to increase when you focus on working for employers who are: located in metro areasthat have strong overall economies growing jobs throughinternal successes  rather than through acquisitions financially sound and improving..both in revenues and profits recognized as a great  place to work..by former and current employees Studies have shown that, as numbers of employees decrease, corporate  employee satisfaction generally increases. There are always exceptions to this pattern, but it is important that you keep this in mind when pursuing future employers and considering active  job offers. Doing your homework in advance will greatly increase your odds of choosing a great atmosphere in which to work  while growing your career  happiness. What has been your experience? Do you prefer larger or smaller employers? Best wishes for your success! Author: Richard Kirby  is an executive career consultant, speaker on career strategies, and author of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!). Richard Kirby’s earlier experience includes managing engineering, human resources, marketing and sales teams for employers that ranged from a Fortune 100 to a VC-funded entrepreneurial startup. For the past 11 years at Executive Impact, Richard has helped hundreds of executives and professionals successfully navigate today’s transformed 21st century job market and achieve better employment for themselves. Richard’s expertise includes career assessments and goal setting, personal marketing/branding, resume enhancement, strategic networking and job interviewing, and “contrarian” job search methodologies. He is a Board Certified Coach (in career coaching) and a Certified Management Consultant (recognized by the ISO).

Resume For Cashier - Your Objective

Resume For Cashier - Your ObjectiveIf you are applying for a job as a cashier at a bookstore or shopping mall, then you should be aware of the basics of a well-written resume. Your objective should clearly state what you will do and how you will do it. A vague objective is better than no objective at all.Write down what you can do that would be very useful to the company. This list may be supplemented by showing examples of the type of work you have done in the past. This will show how you are versatile. You may also want to add a statement about why you feel you are a good fit for the position.Write out a list of your career objectives. Define them in terms of each department. State what each department does and how they can be best used. Include any special skills you have that can be helpful. For example, you might not be able to do the paper work for the register, but you may be a good nurse, so you write 'RN' next to your career objective.It is a good idea to add a cover letter that explains why you are interested in the position. The cover letter is also called an introduction. This may be a separate letter, if necessary. Or you can add this letter to your resume, along with your resume. For example, when applying for a store manager position, the cover letter might include 'I am looking for a manager to hire and develop at my store.'Do not forget to include your contact information in your resume, including any personal information such as your address, phone number, and e-mail address. The intent is to reach out to the employer. Also, most companies require that a resume have your social security number on it so that if the person reading your resume finds you have an employment agency, that could become a conflict of interest for you. That being said, you may also use that information to verify your claim that you have proof of your employment, such as for an interview.You should consider including a professional reference at the end of your resume. Th ese references should be hired within one year of your application and they should be someone that your current supervisor has recommended.If possible, get a sample resume for cashier. Try to determine what the majority of applicants are doing in their resumes. When you read those samples, use the tips that you discover to make yours unique.As you can see, your resume is more than just a sheet of paper on which you are filling in information. It is a reflection of you as a person.

Make Your Office Feel More Sophisticated And Productive

Make Your Office Feel More Sophisticated And Productive If you’re looking to make your office feel more sophisticated and productive, you’re probably wondering what’s the most time and cost efficient way to do so… indeed, you might even be questioning whether it’s truly worth the effort with regard to the return on effort. In this article we’re going to look at some of the core principles in terms of making your office feel more sophisticated and productive. Of course, when it comes to sophistication, that’s a very subjective matter yet there are some core design principles to consider. For instance, installing glass railings to ensure safety whilst maintaining a feeling of clean, cool, spacious and airy design would be one way to enhance sophistication.  The challenge is, as with most things, design is constantly changing in terms of trends and tastes what’s in one minute is out the next, so in this article we’re going to look at some of the core components that are likely to stand the test of time. CREATE A BLANK CANVAS If you value both sophistication and productivity, you can’t go wrong with thinking along the lines of an art gallery.  Art galleries tend to have nice white walls that allow the statement artworks to stand out. The reason you want a blank canvas, and to keep it that way, is that it will bounce light around and lead to a feeling of calm rather than clutter. 2. ENSURE PLENTY OF LIGHT One of the most important aspects of creating a more sophisticated and productive workplace is to ensure there is plenty of natural light entering the space, and if there isn’t to use tricks such as mirrors, or alternative sources of light to create a feeling of spaciousness and clarity.  You just want to make sure they are energy efficient light sources. In doing so, you will find that people are much more focused and energised, because when people work in a dark and dreary place they often feel drained and uninspired. The more natural light (presuming it doesn’t interfere with their ability to see the computer screen in front of them) the more focused and energetic your staff will be. 3. INCORPORATE NATURE Whilst you don’t want to turn your office space into a jungle, it can be helpful to bring the outdoors indoors with regard to having some foliage around the place. It helps people feel more connected to nature and has a variety of health benefits. 4. MINIMALISM IS OFTEN BEST Similarly to how a clean desk policy can help people feel more productive, and less cluttered in terms of their environment and their mind keeping a minimalist space can be helpful in terms of keeping people feeling productive whilst creating an air of sophistication. Of course, you don’t want to make things so minimalist that they feel austere, but clean, white walls, for instance can be a lot better than walls cluttered with certificates and art work. 5. KEEP IT COOL If you’ve ever been on a hot stuffy train, or aeroplane, then you’ll know how agitated and drowsy this environment can make you. Yet, when it comes to office space, there are so many sources of heat (i.e. people and computers) that need to be accounted for in terms of keeping the temperature cool enough to focus. You want your staff to remain energised throughout the day and one of the best ways to do this is to lower the temperature, as it has been shown in study after study that a cool working environment increases focus and attention span.

Jack of All Trades, or Master of One - CareerEnlightenment.com

Their  rotated around the country into widely disparate fields (from high finance to managing a wildlife preserve), slowly being promoted to increasingly high-level roles elsewhere during their rotations. Their career progression almost entirely consists of attaining or not attaining a promotion, rather than skipping around various firms. The insular nature of the agency provides a fantastic opportunity to isolate variables and carry out statistical analysis on whether or not a degree of specialization is an asset to career progression.Taking appointment to a prestigious central government position as their milestone, they set about analyzing how likely an officer was to be successful based on their specialization or lack thereof. Their conclusion: officers were TWICE as likely to attain the important promotion when they achieved just one standard deviation more specialization than their counterparts.It suggests that over time, and in aggregate, employees with more specialized experi ence were seen as being more capable than other candidates with more generalized experience.  Its  an important and data-driven example of a global trend in the economics of seeking employment.Familiarity is common. Expertise is rareThe idea of specialization being a desirable and hireable trait is nothing new. Naturally, companies will want to hire the best possible candidate for a job. It stands to reason (and the statistical analysis of some smart folks out of Stanford) that being a beacon of knowledge in a given field helps you stand out to your future employers.When applying and interviewing for a job, you find yourself face-to-face with the business end of an important economic principle: opportunity cost. Basically, its the trade-off the company makes by hiring you instead of the next candidate in line. Theyre forgoing the potential value of the other employee by hiring you, so youre on a mission to make it obviously worth their while.Ultimately, over-generalizing your expe rience minimizes the difference between your skills and the other candidates. It doesnt strongly make the case that they cant afford to pass you up.Unlocking your expertiseTailor your resume to emphasize how youre exactly what theyre looking for. Join industry associations. Get accredited in your specialty. Show off awards you may have won for your work or services. Write a guest blog post; start your own blog. Tailor your resume (did we say that twice?). Do whatever you can possibly to do prove your engagement with your area of expertise. Itís astonishing how far a touch of professional commitment can go in your resume.Youre  specialized. Unique. Worth paying well. Let them know  youre  a candidate they cant afford to pass by.Isnt  that what  its  all about?