Strength in Positivity

Strength in Positivity To thrive in the modern business world it’s critical that employees are enabled to play to their strengths in a volatile and fast-moving marketplace. The ability to adapt, engage, communicate and collaborate are crucial in terms of sustainable employability and contribution to the workplace effort. For good employers this means providing an environment where career progression is not about moving up the career ladder but about providing a challenging and enriching experience for each employee, that enables them to build skills and increase their value. Positivity has a direct relationship with productivity and the success of employees and teams; the benefits for staff and organisation are manifold: 3 times more creativity 31% higher productivity 23% fewer fatigue symptoms 37% greater sales 40% more likely to achieve promotion 10 times more engagement Understanding strengths At 10Eighty we believe that taking an employee-centred, strengths-based approach and building positivity in the workplace will help build a more proactive and satisfied workforce. It also bolsters the well-being of employees think positive and positive things happen. We help team leaders and their team members to understand not only the strengths each individual brings to the team, but also how well the team applies well-researched team habits productively to translate these strengths into results. Positive psychology is about making the most of what you have. Strengths are what energise us, we enjoy using them and learn quickly when we can put them into action. A 2011 study showed that people who felt they were using their strengths have more positive emotion, greater vitality and self-esteem, compared with people who did not feel they used theirs (Wood, et al, 2011). When we use a skill in which we excel, we are likely to be more positive, and of course some skills serve us regardless of our goals. Professor Martin Seligman, of University of Pennsylvania, has listed the 24 cross-cultural character strengths that most contribute to flourishing, which involves identifying an individual’s signature strengths. If you encourage people to share their strengths profiles and help them identify their top strengths at work the organisation will be able to leverage those strengths for positive attitudes and greater engagement. Strengths and managing performance Employees who are able to use their strengths at work are likely to be confident, engaged and productive. In terms of team working an effective team benefits from a blend of talents and strengths. Bear in mind that talented people want to working for an enterprise whose mission they believe in, with a value system aligned to their own. Another aid to encouraging an environment where positive thinking thrives is to provide regular feedback, this is crucial in managing team performance. Try to tell people what they’re doing well, rather than focus on negative feedback. Feedback raises awareness of strengths and highlights areas for development, if effective it motivates people to improve and it shows their contribution is recognised and valued. Rather than a backward looking evaluation of past performance think in terms of an evidence-based performance and development discussion. It pays a good employer to foster a positive environment by encouraging feedback and good communication between all team members using recognition in team meetings or group settings as, ultimately, the feedback enhances individual and organisational performance. More and more organisations are realising the benefit of recruiting people who truly engaged and using their personal strengths in a role which they find fulfilling as opposed to simply having the right competencies for the job. Employees are most inspired to achieve peak performance when they work for an organisation in which excellence is expected the best way to motivate them to perform at their best is to proclaim a commitment to peak performance in your organisation, sector and industry.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese LinkedIn Sparks Ongoing Debate

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese LinkedIn Sparks Ongoing Debate Thom Singer has a rant going about the problems with some people wanting to make a connection to him through LinkedIn when he really doesnt know them very well. It seems someone got a bit snippy at Singers connection rules, and fired off a less-than-professional e-mail to him.Thats got a lot of people discussing how social networking fits into the networking rules of the workplace. Singer has asked other bloggers to weigh in, and after giving it some consideration, here are some of my thoughts:1. Would I recommend you for a job? I dont link to you unless Ive worked with you in some way or know you personally and feel good about the experience. I dont want anyone calling me about your work and saying, What are this persons strengths? and I say, GeeI dunno. That makes me look bad, and thats not what networking is about. Its supposed to be a win-win for everyone. So, if I dont connect with you, its nothing personal its just that we need more time to get to know one another.2. Do I thin k youre headed in the right direction? If I see someone connecting to a lot of people really fast, throwing invitations out like confetti on New Years Eve in Times Square, I hang back. It makes me a bit nervous to see someone collecting connections like theyre Pokeman cards. Those links seem a bit too rushed, and the lack of solid foundation concerns me. Its sort of like social spamming.3. Are you doing your homework? If you have no real understanding of what I do and how I do it, then I ignore you. Again, nothing personal, but Im not into connecting with you if youre not willing to take the time to get to know me, and help me get to know you. Lazy linkers will always move on to the next person, and that's fine with me.Finally, I really consider myself a sort of gatekeeper for the other people in my network. They see me as someone they trust, and I don't want to betray that by trust by letting someone in that I really don't know. But, hey, once I get to know you and we connect in an honest way,then welcome to the party, pal.

My Personal Branding Story Part 5 Becoming a Renaissance Worker - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

My Personal Branding Story Part 5 Becoming a Renaissance Worker - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This is the fifth of ten posts where we follow Marcos Salazar’s personal branding journey, as he uses the concepts and four-step process outlined in Me 2.0 for his own career. In my last post, I introduced the concept of a Renaissance Worker and how I came to see this term as a way to unify all of my skills, passions, and work experiences into a personal brand. It was an idea I had been thinking about for months, but during the discover phase of my personal branding journey I realized that it really encapsulated the career adventurist in me. In addition, the brand just felt right. I have always been the type of person who loves learning from a wide array of fields, and I have made the conscious effort since college to develop skills from a diverse set of disciplines. This mindset has been at the heart of almost all my career decisions and I have seen many, many benefits of approaching my professional life in this way. However, I am by far not the only person who has adopted the Renaissance Worker mindset. More importantly, I believe that developing a Renaissance Worker mindset will need to become an essential part of any personal brand if you want to succeed in the working world of the 21st century. Twenty-First Century Renaissance Workers What do Bono, Diddy, and Tim Ferriss have in common? They are all modern day Renaissance Workers. Diddy, for example, owns Bad Boy Records, has his own clothing line Sean John, has a movie production company, and owns two restaurants. He has also taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTVs Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. Bono is a rock superstar, but he is also a dedicated humanitarian as well as owner of Dublins five star Clarence Hotel, on the board of the Elevation Partners private-equity firm, has invested in the Forbes Media group in the US through Elevation Partners, and been in multiple movies. Tim Ferriss is a bestselling author and much sought after speaker, but he has also amassed a diverse (and often odd) roster of credentials. He has been a Princeton University guest lecturer, the first American in history to hold a Guinness World Record in tango, a National Chinese kickboxing champion, and was named Wired Magazine’s “Greatest Self-Promoter of 2008. While these are examples of individuals at the far end of the Renaissance Worker success spectrum, Diddy, Bono, and Ferriss demonstrate how you don’t have to stay in a single niche anymore. Today, you are able to diversify your professional life and succeed in many areas that don’t always seem to relate to each other. Gen Y and Millennials â€" Renaissance Workers in the making What I have discovered on my personal branding journey is that my generation (Gen Y) and Millennials are all adopting the Renaissance Worker concept â€" both out of choice as well as necessity. In many ways, the foundation for becoming a Renaissance Worker was laid out for us by our educational system. Most students are required to take liberal arts classes where they learn about topics unrelated to their major (sadly, colleges still don’t do a good job of helping students see how the knowledge and skills they learn in one field could be beneficial other fields as well as in the potential career paths they may take after graduation). In addition, there has never been a time where we have access to so much knowledge, are able to use so many tools to express our creative potentialities, and are not penalized when we jump from job to job. Today’s working world is perfectly set up to become a Renaissance Worker. Our generation has also come to see that work is no longer designed for someone who is going to stay in one job, or even profession, for 30 years. These jobs are vanishing each day therefore, we are all forced to constantly seek out new knowledge and develop new skills just to survive. The benefits of diversifying your professional life On March 12, 2009, Bernard Madoff pled guilty to 11 felonies and admitted to operating what has been called the largest investor fraud ever committed by an individual. Prosecutors estimate that his 4,800 clients lost over $64.8 billion. Now, what does Bernard Madoff have to do with being a Renaissance Worker and personal branding? Three words: Diversify, Diversify, Diversify! Many of the people Madoff defrauded lost virtually everything because they decided to put all their money into one single investment. Then when things went bad, poof â€" all their money was gone! Today, we are told to diversify our investments and this is why people buy mutual funds instead of putting all their money into one stock. Sure, sometimes a single stock can pay off short-term, but in the long run this strategy could be extremely risky and potentially catastrophic. So when it comes to the career investment game, doesn’t it make sense for you to start diversifying your knowledge and skills as well? In her book One Person/Multiple Careers, Marci Alboher says that adding slashes i.e., having multiple jobs or professional identities, is just like diversifying your investment portfolio. This way, if the market goes south or one employer runs into trouble, a diversified career portfolio can buffer you against hard times, especially if you have other potential income streams. Becoming a highly valuable worker Adopting the Renaissance Worker life can also benefit you by making you a much more desirable job candidate. If you have many more slashes on your resume then the other candidate, you have a much better shot at landing the job because your additional skill set sets you apart and will bring added value to the organization. And if you are already within an organization, your slashes will create new opportunities and potential promotions. In my own professional life, my day job is a psychology and leadership researcher for the Girl Scouts Research Institute. However, on a daily basis I am constantly using the creative and entrepreneurial skills I developed when opening up my clothing business, am being sought for my technology skills, and am helping IT, Marketing, and Communications create a social media strategy that will increase awareness of our new Girl Scout Leadership Experience that will help usher in a new generation of girl leaders for the 21st century. So because of my diverse set of knowledge and diversified skill set as a Renaissance Worker, I add value to my organization in a way that is far outside my job description. How do you become a Renaissance Worker? To answer this question, I am going to take you back to my previous posts. They are all related to the discover phase of personal branding outlined in Me 2.0 and will help set the foundation for becoming a Renaissance Worker. First, you have to get a better sense of who you are and see if this professional lifestyle fits with you (however, like I said earlier, I think sooner or later everyone is going to have to become a Renaissance Worker). Next, you have to figure out what are you passionate about. I have never done a job in my career that I didn’t enjoy or feel I was growing from. If the learning curved leveled off or I lost interest, I realized that job was not for me and I went exploring for something else I was passionate about. Never settle for a mediocre job experience. Next you have to figure out what you were born to do and see if this aligns with your passions. As I said in my third post, there is a huge difference between doing what you are good at versus what you were made to do. Next, you have to figure out how to connect all your interest, skills, and work experiences so there is a level of synergy that all your professional identities benefit from each other. Once this is done, you can then see how to put them all under a unified personal brand. Do you think you will adopt a Renaissance Worker mindset soon? What value do you see it bringing to your professional life? Author: Marcos Salazar is the author of The Turbulent Twenties Survival Guide, which focuses on the psychology of life after college and what graduates go through as the make the transition from school to the working world. He writes a career adventurism and psychological development blog for young professionals at www.marcossalazar.com. You can connect with him on Twitter @marcossalazar.

Using internships to make a career decision

Using internships to make a career decision Undecided about her career, University of Warwick languages student Helen Oakes shares how her different internships have helped her to focus on her future options. As humanities students we can sometimes have a tough time choosing the career that is right for us. We are able to analyse, communicate effectively, meet tough deadlines and present information well. So we are employable and companies are looking for us! However, I believe it is important to hone in on what we find most rewarding to fully make the most of summer internships. By working for two different sectors over summer, I was able to reflect on what I was most passionate about, in order to find the right career for me. Internship application processes can be very different It was really surprising how informal my first telephone interview with a small PR company was. Most of the conversation was devoted to where I was living in France, a brief discussion of my skills and hobbies and  how nice croissants were! At the end of the call, I was told that they would love to have me for a month in May. Following this internship, I worked in the HR department at an asset management firm for about ten weeks. The application process was far more complex following my initial on-line application form, CV and cover letter. I completed psychometric tests, a pre-recorded video interview followed much later with a face-face interview, conducted via Skype as I was living abroad. The final stage was an assessment centre. Phew! The experience I gained in these sectors In PR my tasks varied from mounting documents to answering the phone to creating tailored media lists for various stories that the firm was promoting. I also had to cold call journalists from the media lists I had created, to inform them of new press releases. I wrote mailers and press releases for their various clients, and liaised with their clients’ customers over TripAdvisor. The HR internship was more structured. I worked in a variety of departments and also focused on specific research on diversity, learning development and the future of HR. The projects were fantastic, as they involved comprehensive study, competitor analysis and presentation. I regularly met with my manager to discuss my progress, attended team meetings, and arranged my own meetings with other HR managers who I felt could give me helpful insights. The skills required in public relations and human resources At the PR company, I felt that independence and creativity were valued. It was important to be adaptable and use initiative as tasks varied dramatically. In addition, if you didn’t receive tasks from people, you needed to have the confidence to ask for more work. I also had to remain resilient: my tasks were rarely collaborative and this sometimes made me feel left out. Resilience and positivity allowed me to concentrate on my work and the skills I was gaining from it. The ability to be proactive was really important in my HR role. My manager was keen for me to bring my own ideas for the table, work collaboratively with other team members, and arrange my own meetings. Intellectual curiosity was valued highly as it allowed for the creation of fresh and innovative ideas. Unsurprisingly, interpersonal and communication skills were essential in this internship. Reflecting on a career in human resources and public relations Working in PR, I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity. I recognised that although I enjoyed it  I did not necessarily leave the office feeling rewarded from it. When I looked at the bigger picture, the creative work I was doing was for corporate clients to succeed. The company was also very small, and I realised that I wasn’t ready to go from the large-scale university community to something so small. In HR, I was rewarded by seeing how the work I was doing could have an impact on other employees. As a languages student, I value communication very highly, having always been fascinated by cross-cultural differences. HR was therefore a perfect way to use my interpersonal and influencing skills.  I was impressed by the structure of the company and the sector itself. I found the exposure to asset management fascinating, particularly considering financial services in the aftermath of Brexit. I saw its bigger picture in the sphere of current affairs, which I related to given that I also study history and enjoy keeping up to date with politics. Lastly, the size of the company meant it had large scope. I could see how I could develop there, and continue learning whilst working. Choosing the career that is right for you Helens top tips 1.  Think about the size and style of the company: do you want to work for a company which can give you formal learning opportunities or more informal opportunities for progression? 2.  Consider your personal working style: do you prefer to work independently or collaboratively? 3.  What will provide job satisfaction for you? Are you rewarded by making money, using creativity, helping others or working competitively? What is most important is that you are honest with yourself about your motivations, whatever they may be. 4. Try different companies: Doing an internship in a smaller company may mean a relatively stress-free application process, but will still give you the chance to try your hand in a different industry or role.

5 Ways to Get Ahead At Work - CareerMetis.com

5 Ways to Get Ahead At Work For many of us, a job is not worth having unless you are getting something out of it personally and professionally, as well as financially. Though working for a progressive company is a good starting point, you will only end up getting out of the job what you put into it.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comEven if you don’t feel like your company is up there with the best, that just gives you even more opportunities to make things better yourself. So, here are a few ways that you can put more into your job and get more out of it.1. Express a Positive AttitudeNo matter what is going on in your job, you should always try to express a positive attitude whenever you can. If you are in a lower position, it is more likely to get noticed by managers if you are always trying to go that extra mile.evalIf you are already in a management position, the attitude that you express will end up trickling down to the rest of your team. Ultimately, if there are things that you see that can be improved at your company, don’t rely on someone else to do it.2. Be Ready for AnythingA lot of what happens while you are at work is caused by other people. The only thing that you can control completely is your own reaction to the situation. If you are prepared for a range of different scenarios, you are much more likely to be able to deal with the situation well.Remember, sometimes disasters happen that are out of your control. For example, if you get injured at work then you may need to contact work injury specialty lawyers. If another member of staff starts making your life difficult, you should be well versed in conflict resolution. Having a plan of action will help you to overcome anything that the workplace.3. Understand Your Company CulturePhoto Credit â€" Pexels.comEvery company develops a particular working culture that permeates throughout all its employees. If you are aware of the company culture, you will begin to see the positive and negatives that come along with it.For example, if you find that the staff at your company are particularly renowned for engaging in gossip then you should try to avoid this whenever possible. There are plenty of more productive activities that you can spend your time on.4. Be Part of the SolutionThis follows on from the positive attitude section, but you don’t want to become one of those employees that is constantly griping about problems without coming up with any solutions. If you spot an issue and try to come up with a way to resolve it, your bosses should appreciate your forward thinking attitude.5. Always Learn New SkillsThroughout your entire working career, you should always be aiming to learn new skills whenever you can. This will help to single you out as an important asset that will help you to get ahead in your current organisation or open new doors for you in the future. If nothing else, learning new skills keeps your mind sharp and gives you a new perspective on your job.

Making the decision to become your own boss - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Making the decision to become your own boss There are several reasons you might choose to become your own boss, and one big motivator is the flexibility and creative control that such a move affords an entrepreneur. At a time when more people than ever are reporting workplace stress and are struggling to juggle the demands of family, home, and work life, it is little wonder that so many jaded employees and fresh graduates are deciding to take that leap. It’s a tempting prospect, too. Becoming your own boss will open hundreds of doors of opportunity, enable you to hold down a career around family life, and allow you to earn as much or as little as you’d like. Making such a choice isn’t without its risks, though, and no one can tell you exactly the right time to choose to become your own boss. Since when was business ever that predictable? Do you want to become your own boss? There are numerous things to think about before taking that leap into entrepreneurship, and what you’d like to focus on is perhaps the biggest consideration of all. Do you have a particular set of skills that would suit running a business, or have you simply decided that you’ve had enough of working for other people? Think about the jobs you’ve held before, the industries and skills that you’re most familiar with, and the hobbies you enjoy. Is there anything that sticks out in your mind? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Consider your community; is there a gap in the market you’re eager to fill? The decision to become your own boss will undoubtedly be affected by your desire to control your workplace destiny, but it is essential that you’re qualified for the task at hand. Be brave Becoming your own boss is about standing up for yourself and what you believe in. It’s also the moment you start taking responsibility for your work, your schedule, and your finances. With no one to fall back on or blame, the success or failure of your business stands on your shoulders â€" and yours alone. It’s a daunting thought, and becoming your own boss won’t be without its risks. However, if you truly want to succeed with your new venture, you must be prepared to take the good with the bad. Be brave and be bold; while no one could ever recommend making rash decisions, very few businesses would get off the ground without a leap of faith or two. Look for inspiration If you’re struggling to see past that pile of paperwork and a boss’s desk, try taking inspiration from those who have gone before you. Who inspires you? Whose business success do you hope to emulate? The concept of the entrepreneur is more popular than ever, so take a little time to familiarise yourself with success stories from around the globe. Take Vangelis Marinakis, for example. After adopting his father’s small shipping business, Marinakis created an empire, becoming one of the best-regarded personalities in the global shipping industry. The magnate now oversees a variety of businesses within the shipping sector while serving as a councillor and the owner of Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest football clubs. His story reminds all entrepreneurs that anything is possible with a little application. Identify your goals You’ve probably made the decision to become your own boss based on a desire to increase your income or to quit having to answer to anyone. However, what are your dreams for your little business? Where do you want to be in five, 10, or 15 years? How could you expand your venture to include these ambitions? If you want to succeed in business, it is essential that you identify your goals and work out the routes that will get you there. Your business plan is your opportunity to identify an audience, juggle your finances, and determine what resources and assistance you’re going to need. It would be impossible to become your own boss without one. Do your research As part of your business plan, it is important to conduct a little research. Do you fully understand your market, its audience, and the challenges you are likely to encounter? Take to scouting social media, networking sites such as LinkedIn, and the websites of those who may become your competition. What can you learn from existing start-ups and brands? Factors such as financing your venture, promotion and advertising, and expansion should start to become clearer as you gain a better understanding of the world you’re entering. Anyone with passion and determination could become their own boss, but only those with a true understanding of their industry are likely to flourish. Consider whether you’ve got what it takes Above all, you’re going to need to decide whether you’ve got what it takes to become your own boss. Are you ready to invest time, money, and effort into your own start-up? You might be tempted by the opportunity to choose your own hours and to work around family and friends, but very few entrepreneurs are afforded that luxury from the beginning. Starting your own business is going to take time; is that time you can spare? You’ll also want to think about the support that is available to you and the people who rely on you on a daily basis. It’s essential that your decision to become your own boss won’t be to their detriment â€" or yours. If the thought of working for yourself has become too exciting to bear, get ready to take that leap. Few endeavours are quite as exciting or fulfilling as realising your dream to become your own boss. If you have a dream, the know-how, and the support of some wonderful people, anything is achievable if you really want this. Isn’t it about time you started answering that call?

How Important Is Writing a Middle School Resume?

How Important Is Writing a Middle School Resume?Writing a middle school resume is not the same as a high school resume. It has a different job description, but the basics are the same. In this article, we will discuss the main reasons why middle school students should write a resume.Education is one of the most important factors that employers consider when it comes to any educational opportunities. They want to see that your education is up to date, but more importantly, they want to know that you can keep up with their current standards. There are some students who go into high school and then transfer to a different school because they do not meet the new standards that they had before.When middle school begins, there is a general decrease in grades and test scores. This is due to the fact that students begin to develop as individuals instead of just students. Every student is a unique individual and should have the opportunity to develop and grow over the course of their educatio n. A middle school student has no such opportunity, and therefore, it is important that they learn how to become an individual as well.The student needs to be able to adapt to changes and be comfortable with them. If the student is unsure of what the future holds, then he or she will not be as successful as they could be in later years. A good resume should include the necessary information that the employer is looking for. Being prepared gives you a much better chance of landing the job.Students are going to need to show some teacher skills. Students need to know how to properly record a teacher's notes, as well as what type of class the teacher has assigned. The best way to get a teacher to remember the student is by showing him or her that you can listen and take in information. Students should also have a good grasp on how to structure a good report.Students who are going to go on to college and begin looking for educational opportunities may not be ready for college at this tim e. It is important that they get ready early on by getting a great start in life. Any information that is needed, such as an application or school form, should be used as soon as possible. This allows the student to start making connections while they are still in high school.Career readiness is also a factor. A student should know all about the job that they are interested in, as well as the details of that job. They should also have a clear idea of what they want to do once they complete their education. In other words, it is a good idea to have a list of 'what if' questions in mind.It is a good idea to have a resume, but it is also important to know what the resume is for. Having a resume gives you the information you need to fill it out, but also, it helps to help you determine what kind of job you should apply for.