Three Things to Catch Your Attention in 2014 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Three Things to Catch Your Attention in 2014 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Being that this  is my first blog post of 2014 for the Personal Branding Blog, I’d like to take a moment to get personal. As I enter my second semi-century I have been working for going on 30 years now in various roles as an engineer, a sales rep, a marketeer and predominantly as a business development and alliances professional. I’d like to think I learned a lot. I’d like to think I have a lot to share. I’ve tried and will continue to try and share what I have learned over the years in these blog posts. I want to thank those that have continued to read, comment and encourage me. Your ideas and feedback are an inspiration. You catch my attention. As we enter 2014 there are numerous changes happening all around the world. It seems as though the world might actually be spinning faster. We all have challenges keeping up with the latest news and trends. I hope this post helps you think about taking a step back and that you consider slowing down or at least looking around a little bit before speeding off to the next thing. I’m recommending three things to catch your attention in 2014. I want to use this post to recommend three things for you to consider. Three things to be thankful for, prepared for, and as you go about your business to be  aware of  in 2014. I hope these three things catch your eye and capture your attention and cause you to take action. Whether you are utilized as a chance for  reflection, redemption or rediscovery is up to you. In 2014… I’d like you to think about  Humility, Serendipity, and Giving Back, To me  each of these three are related and inter-dependent upon one another. Humility I have been humbled many times in this past year by so many things. Incredible acts of kindness, people that have gone out of their way to make a difference. This relates directly to the third point of giving back and that’s for a reason. Humble people don’t need to prove themselves to be superior to others. They are comfortable in their own skin and are willing to share what they know. The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient.  ~ St. Augustine Serendipity No matter what someone says… things happen for a reason. Call it whatever you want, but be aware that there are times when serendipity just happens. Enjoy it. Seek it. Revel in it. Therell always be serendipity involved in discovery.    ~ Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com Whether it’s in personal relationships or in business there will inevitably be situations where serendipity intervenes. Enjoy it. Seek it. Revel in it. Giving back There are so many ways to give back. It can be as simple as holding a door open for someone or offering a smile. Or it can be as elaborate as you can imagine and deliver. The point is… seek at least one way every single day to give back. Do Something. Do Anything. Just Get Started. If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up not doing nothing for nobody.  ~  Malcom Bane There is no wrong way to give back. Just do one thing every day and you’ll see. That’s it Three things to catch your attention in 2014 It’s pretty easy and fairly obvious.  Your success is directly tied to others. By embracing humility, serendipity and giving back, I think you’ll find 2014 to be your best year yet. Enjoy it and Revel in it. Then Share it. You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.  ~ Zig Ziglar

How to Fix A Toxic Work Atmosphere and Save Your Career

How to Fix A Toxic Work Atmosphere and Save Your Career It’s going to happen at least once in your career, and probably several times: there’s somebody at work whose bad attitude and worse communication skills is dragging down your performance, your morale, and the results of you and your team.The sooner you learn how to deal with such a situation, the sooner you can fix a bad trend â€" and feel an awful lot better about facing up to such a scenario next time around.The good news is that it really does come down to communication. So many bad atmospheres exist in workplaces because unspoken resentments or misunderstandings linger like a bad smell.evalA great deal of professional and otherwise very talented people share one significant fear: they are afraid to talk. And when a bad attitude can be traced back to feelings of inadequacy or distrust, it’s no surprise.This is why it is up to you to ‘be the bigger person’ and initiate talks with calmness, empathy, and assertiveness.A telling-off, for example, may be likely to alienate y our difficult colleague more than ever. When raising issues with them, try instead to frame your observations as questions rather than accusations.This gives your colleague the sense that they have a voice, and the opportunity to tell you how they feel â€" and why they feel that way.If the office itself is starting to feel a little small with this thick, uncomfortable atmosphere, try having your meeting in a café or while taking a walk together.Repeat back what they say to you in order to make sure you’ve understood them properly, and maintain eye-contact as a way of re-building trust.But don’t be afraid to take control of the situation. You, too, can ask to have your points repeated back to you, to ensure you were listened to and understood.evalAnd you will likely benefit from backing up the changes you’d like to see in your colleague’s behavior with targets you want them to hit or boundaries within which you expect them to behave.You might want to double-check their expec tations about what they are supposed to achieve and how they would like to be acknowledged are appropriate and, if so, that they are being met.Clarity is key, and it doesn’t hurt to write things down as you go and type up the minutes afterwards so that you have a document to refer to when it comes to the next review.And when your colleague does improve, don’t be afraid to tell them so.evalThis fear of speaking-up goes two ways: we naturally want to protect our dignity by avoiding potentially embarrassing or troublesome situations.You can begin to work towards a more open and understanding atmosphere by checking out this new visual guide to workplace clashes.Infographic Credit â€" netcredit.com

Get lucky at work - be positive - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Get lucky at work - be positive - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog My driving force in business has always been enthusiasm. Im easily amazed and get curious and fired up about many different things. In fact, I refuse to work on anything that does not grab me in that way. I remember one meeting I had with a woman who was lets say slightly less positive. At one point in the meeting, she said Youre very positive, arent you? I had to agree, that that was indeed so. It was only after the meeting that I realized that shed meant it as criticism :o) Positivity has been getting a bad rap at work. If youre too positive you can be accused of being pollyannaish, uncritical, unrealistic, silly, etc Well, some people say, its all very good for you to be so optimistic but some of us have to work in the real world. And while there are many great reasons to be more positive at work, theres one Id like to mention specifically: Being positive at work means you get lucky at work. (no, not in that way) Yes, its true: Being positive makes you lucky. Richard Wiseman (not a bad last name for a professor, btw) is a psychologist who has been researching luck. Hes built up a database of people who feel either extremely lucky or extremely unlucky and has examined the differences between these two groups to determine why it is that: Lucky people meet their perfect partners, achieve their lifelong ambitions, find fulfilling careers, and live happy and meaningful lives. Their success is not due to them working especially hard, being amazingly talented or exceptionally intelligent. Instead, they simply appear to have an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time and enjoy more than their fair share of lucky breaks. He has found that lucky people do four things that unlucky people dont. They: 1: Maximise Chance Opportunities Lucky people are skilled at creating, noticing and acting upon chance opportunities. They do this in various ways, including networking, adopting a relaxed attitude to life and by being open to new experiences. 2: Listen to Lucky Hunches Lucky people make effective decisions by listening to their intuition and gut feelings. In addition, they take steps to actively boost their intuitive abilities by, for example, meditating and clearing their mind of other thoughts. 3: Expect Good Fortune Lucky people are certain that the future is going to be full of good fortune. These expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies by helping lucky people persist in the face of failure, and shape their interactions with others in a positive way. 4: Turn Bad Luck to Good Lucky people employ various psychological techniques to cope with, and often even thrive upon, the ill fortune that comes their way. For example, they spontaneously imagine how things could have been worse, do not dwell on the ill fortune, and take control of the situation. Source So how can you become lucky at work? By being more positive! Its clear that implementing the four things on Wisemans list means being more positive and optimistic seeing the good in a bad situation, expecting good things to happen etc. Ive tried it myself many times, and it works. My most striking example is from 2003, when we arranged our first business conference about Happines At Work. There were six of us working on it and none of us had ever done anything similar before. Still, we needed to find speakers, arrange a venue, get press attention, get a website, arrange catering, setup 15 workshops at the conference and, not least, sell a lot of tickets. This was in the early days of the company and the question was: Could a group of people with no experience working on a shoestring budget put together a professional business conference? Our basic approach to the whole project was Yeah, sure its impossible. Lets do it anyway. We totally believed that we could do it. And heres the fantastic thing: Everything just fell into place. We couldnt believe our luck. We needed a website I ran into Niels Hartvig who makes the excellent web platform Umbraco, and he offered to host it for free. We needed a great design and he Niels knew an amazingly talented designer who did it for free. We needed some press attention and just when I was about to call some journalists a woman walked up to my desk and said Hi, Im a journalist, and Id really like to do a story about you. It went on and on like that everything we needed fell into place so easily it almost got scary at one point. And I believe that this happened at least in part because we were positive and subconsciously used Wisemans four principles. Also, because we were optimistic we were fun to be around and therefore attracted a lot of great people who wanted to work with us. I think its time we brought more positivity into the workplace. Not that we cant also be critical (constructive criticism is absolutely essential in the workplace), but being critical already comes easy to most people in the business world. I say we should practice positivity more. And get lucky! How to be more positive at work? Here are a few ideas: Use Appreciatice inquiry. Its one of the best tools for effective change I have ever used. Start meetings positively If you like this post I think youll also like these: The Happy At Work Book Top 5 business maxims that need to go Happy at work in six minutes Essential steps to resolve conflicts at work Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How to Find a Chicago Resume Writing Service

How to Find a Chicago Resume Writing ServiceA Chicago resume writing service has a wide array of different services for their clients. It can be writing an individual resume or creating a more customized resume for a business or company that is seeking to hire. No matter what type of resume writing service you are in need of, there are plenty of different options available for you to choose from.A good way to find out if any of the Chicago writing services available offer the type of resume writing service you require is to contact the businesses in your area and find out what kind of services they offer. If you live in the Chicago area, your options should be fairly straightforward, as most resume writing services are located in the area. You can visit a few of them, talk with someone about the job you're seeking, and request samples of their work and services. It will help to have an idea of what services they provide, as well as what types of resumes they can create for you.Resume samples are important if you want to land the right job. Your resume is going to be your first impression of yourself, so it is crucial that you find a service that creates custom made resumes to fit your specific needs. This means finding a service that offers many different types of resume samples. Some may focus on entry-level positions and others may offer more extensive resume packages. Your resume should include everything from school experience to certifications to personal characteristics that will help make you stand out among all of the other applicants.Another way to find out which of the Chicago resume writing service companies offer the service you need is to ask around. Your friends and family members might know of a few companies that are in need of a resume writer and would be willing to recommend one. You can also search the internet for people who have had good experiences with a specific company, as these recommendations are usually backed up by firsthand knowled ge.No matter what your needs, a resume writer can create a quality document for you that will reflect who you are and what you are looking for. In addition to creating resume samples, they can also work on addressing any questions you may have about the job you're seeking. If you're having difficulty deciphering your own resume or if you're unsure about how your background and qualifications compare to the requirements of the position you're applying for, a professional writer can help. They can determine the best format for the document and can answer any questions that you may have about the job posting you are researching.One of the best things about hiring a resume writer is that they can create a new resume every day so that you never get tired of the same one. With a new resume, you can begin your job search immediately after receiving the sample. And once you begin working with the writer, you will not have to worry about it again for two or three years!Finding a good Chicago resume writing service is easy to do. Your job may require you to look online for information about the companies in your area or you may need to make a phone call to find out which services are available to you. Having a selection of options available will allow you to choose the one that meets your specific needs.Answering the question of which Chicago resume writing service offers the service you need is a lot easier than you think. A little research and time spent talking to a few people about the type of services they offer will lead you to the best option for you. You can begin your search right now.

How to Note Freelance Writing on Resume As a Job

How to Note Freelance Writing on Resume As a JobMany people do not realize that you can utilize the Internet to help you with how to note freelance writing on resume as a job. The Internet has proven to be an invaluable tool for many jobs and online employers want to see as much proof of your work ability as possible. This means that you can complete this task of listing your writing abilities on your resume in no time.You will need to create a document on your own in which you list all of the different jobs you have done over the years. Make sure that you list your full name, date of birth, and any other identifying information. In addition, list the location of the work you have done. You want to be sure that you are doing this information correctly.Once you have done that, you will need to go to the online application site to fill out a couple of basic questions about yourself. For example, you may ask them if they would consider hiring you as an associate. Your answers to these q uestions will really help you with how to note freelance writing on resume as a job.You will also want to list the position you are applying for on your resume. In addition, you will want to list the company where you are applying. These two pieces of information will really help you with how to note freelance writing on resume as a job.If you have a writing resume, you can include it on your resume. However, if you have no writing skills, you may want to submit your resume in the same format as is used by job sites. In addition, you can use a sample resume for the employer to get a better idea of how you will be able to write their resume.In addition, you can send a cover letter to the company for their consideration of whether or not to interview you. Your resume and cover letter should focus on what you can do for the company and what you can offer them. You will want to show your writing skills, but you will also want to show your versatility so that the company knows that you c an do more than just write a resume.There are many ways to tell how to note freelance writing on resume as a job. Some things to keep in mind when you are looking for a new job include how many jobs you have done, the kinds of positions you have held, the types of publications you have written for, and the experiences you have had as a writer.

The Meaning of Online Professional Resume Writing Services San Antonio

The Meaning of Online Professional Resume Writing Services San Antonio You're trying hard to express your prior work experience. You don't need to be concerned about having a resume writer who's unaware of the role that you're applying for. Finding the finest San Antonio resume writer can be hard. Online Professional Resume Writing Services San Antonio: No Longer a Mystery It's probably your very first and just chance of showing your recruiter what an asset you're. Without regard to the position you're applying for, you need more than merely a typical resume. Lots of people don't like their existing job or career. After paying an initial fee you may finish a very simple survey to offer your career info and job targets, or instead just upload your old resume. A physical address for the business is nowhere to be found on the site. Customer service is presently one of the most important elements of any company operating online. You'd need to pay a whole package to find un ique services. Naturally, if done right, it can be an ideal tool to find an interview and eventually, to win work. Besides resume writing and to allow you to receive a new job, the service features job board posting. All you need to do is to file your request, highlight each detail and chat with your writer to be certain which he or she understands everything about your requirements to supply you with what you are searching for. When you get a last paper, request a free revision if it's lacking something. The Online Professional Resume Writing Services San Antonio Stories Professional resume writers also know the present buzz words in every single business. You are able to depend on us because we've helped hundreds of different individuals get the jobs they've always dreamt of. Professional writers employ the most innovative organization practices to your resume. Finding the finest San Francisco resume writer can be hard. Whispered Online Professional Resume Writing Serv ices San Antonio Secrets Even though there are fantastic resources of resume templates over the web, they don't guarantee the invention of a powerful resume. Well, there are lots of methods to know if you truly require the aid of a specialist. It is not hard to navigate and contain all of the info you have to make the perfect choice. Every customer may consult us at any opportunity to decide on the templates, an illustration of the greatest resumes, a business, a deadline, and various other things required to finish the purchase. Unfortunately, writing a resume can be rather a challenge. However polished your writing skills are, at times it's far better to seek the services of a professional who can frame your experiences in a manner that gives you the ability to command the eye of the greatest companies in your industry. Writing your resume is no simple endeavor. A professionally written resume or CV provides a ton more than simply listing your skills in a typical way. Ou r professional experts can help you get the job that you've always desired. So, it's highly important to get a full, well-written resume while looking for a job. When you are searching for the job, you usually have a budget in mind you're planning to put money into the work search. If you are searching for the new job, you need not merely resume, in addition, there are a lot of other papers and things to do or write to acquire the job of your dream. The New Angle On Online Professional Resume Writing Services San Antonio Just Released There are lots of companies that offer resume editing. You must use that time wisely. To Find A New Job Change may be forced on a worker providers do not share all of the information that could potentially impact employees or on occasion the business is blind-sided by changes outside its control. If you're geared toward the benefit of the business and its clients, you're on the proper track.

6 Ways To Make Your Boss Love You - Work It Daily

6 Ways To Make Your Boss Love You - Work It Daily 6 Ways To Make Your Boss Love You Has your relationship with your boss suddenly changed (and you’re not sure why)? Related: 5 Conversations You Must Have With A New Boss It’s smart of you to notice, and even smarter of you to do something about it. So many of us settle for an unhealthy relationship with our manager, hoping that it will eventually blow over. The truth is, relationships are a lot like icebergs - what you see above the water is usually rooted in something much bigger happening beneath the surface. What you may experience as a pattern of sharp feedback or increased micromanaging might be rooted in something bigger. Even if it’s not, sweeping these concerns under the rug will likely put you on edge and make you more likely to make mistakes or assume the worst. If you’re serious about improving your relationship with your manager, you’ll have to be willing to take 100% responsibility for making the relationship a success. In a dream world, your manager may see what you’re doing and want to meet you halfway, but you can’t bank on that. If trust has been broken, it will take a while to rebuild. If your competence is in question, you may need several successes before you chip away at their false perception of you. No matter what the root cause of the breech is, you must be willing to stay the course and be consistent until the relationship turns around. To improve your relationship with your manager you must convince them that you can and will help them be successful. This convincing isn’t about apologies or persuasive words: it’s about consistently communicating through your language, work products, loyalty, and warmth that you care about your company, your boss, and your team - and that you have the skills to get your job done well. 6 Ways To Make Your Boss Love You So, how do we do that? It’s easier than you think: 1. Find reasons to like and respect your manager. Human beings aren’t stupid. We are biologically programmed to know when someone is faking admiration for us. Our gut tells us not to trust them, and our suspicion goes into high gear. Your manager is no different. You won’t be able to build a relationship with your manager if deep down, you don’t respect them. Unfortunately, respecting them isn’t something we can pretend our way into. To like or respect someone, you have to find things about them you want to emulate. The good news is, even if your manager is Mr. Hyde on steroids, chances are there are things about them worth admiring. Take a minute to decide what those things are and keep them top of mind. One way to do this is to create a sincere one sentence response to the question, “What do you most admire about your manager?” Have that response handy, and find a way to use it when asked about them and their skills. You’ll find that telling others what you like about them makes you believe it more. As a bonus, if your manager hears that you’ve been spreading praise about them, it can’t hurt your relationship! 2. Be meticulous about keeping your word. If you say you’ll be at work at 8:30 am, do it. If you promise a deliverable by a deadline, keep that deadline. Don’t lie or exaggerate, even if it will save you a headache. If you make a mistake or miss a deadline, acknowledge it before they do. Lastly, keep what they tell you in confidence private. If you’ve been inconsistent in the past where your word is concerned, admit it. Share what you’re working on to make it better. By being transparent about your intentions, and then keeping those intentions, you prove you’re worth trusting. 3. Set sustainable boundaries and occasionally say no. Seasoned bosses respect people who tell them the truth - even when the truth is “no.” By setting manageable (but realistic) boundaries with your boss, you protect yourself from burnout and ensure you can deliver for them long-term. Sometimes these boundaries need to be stretched in particularly busy seasons, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth setting. By setting boundaries before they’re needed, you ensure that you don’t become bitter or resentful about work patterns you’ve inadvertently agreed to (working late, weekends, checking your email on vacation, etc.). Similarly, by negotiating project context and deadlines on the front-end, you prove that you take delivering on deadlines seriously. It’s much better to under-promise and delight your boss by over-delivering than to verbally assent to something you know won’t happen. 4. Prioritize what matters (to them). Chances are there are a handful of projects your boss cares about the most. Ensure that these projects are front and center on your to-do list. When you hit a major milestone with these projects, keep your boss in the loop.When you burn the midnight oil, ensure they know that you’re prioritizing this task because it’s important AND because it’s important to them. Share some of the praise for the project’s successes by heralding them as a champion of the project. Arm them with stats, sound-bites, and other information to share with their boss and peers about what you’ve accomplished together. 5. Show them you take their feedback seriously. When your boss pulls you aside with some corrective feedback, show them you prize their feedback by: Writing it down and repeating their points to them to ensure you captured the feedback correctly. Following up the conversation with an email (or a note at your next check-in) thanking them for the feedback and telling them what you plan to do differently. Building systems or habits to remind yourself of the feedback and integrate the change they suggested. Picking a few moments over the next few months to remind them of the feedback you gave and what you’ve done to internalize it. If there has been positive impact as a result of implementing their feedback, be sure to share it. 6. Be loyal when they’re not around. Trust is the most frail component of your relationship with your manager: breaking it can be fatal to your relationship. Don’t say anything about them publicly, or even behind closed doors that you wouldn’t say to their face. Don’t give feedback about them to their manager, if you haven’t voiced it to them first. Work as hard when they’re home sick as you would if they were with you in the office. Don’t conspire against them, period - even if they deserve it. By keeping your loyalty to your manager, you mark yourself as a person who can be trusted and with high ethical standards. This makes you extremely rare and worth keeping around. Repairing a broken relationship with your manager takes work, but yields dividends in your immediate job and later in your career. By taking the time to build trust and demonstrate your loyalty and competence, you not only save your job - you win a friend and mentor for life. This guest post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts 4 Phrases Your Boss LOVES To Hear How To Be The Employee Your Company Wants To Promote 4 Tips For Connecting With A New Boss   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!