job & interview

How to Toughen Up at Work

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How to Toughen Up at Work</h1>
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Buck up. Take mistakes and critiques with grace and guts.</h2>
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These tips will help you resolve workplace conflicts like a champ.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">It's natural to feel bruised when you trip over a bump in the road. A bad performance review stings. A botched project bulldozes your confidence. Micromanagement makes you feel microscopic on the corporate ladder.</span></div>
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But conflict is guaranteed in the working world (and life). And if your emotional response – getting defensive, depressed, angry – distracts you from your work, you'll both derail your performance and potentially taint your image. "Successful people aren't perfect, but they know how to manage their emotions," says Andrea Kay, career consultant and author of “Work’s a Bitch and then You Make it Work: 6 Steps to Go From Pissed Off to Powerful.”</div>
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As David Reiss, a psychiatrist based in San Diego, puts it: "The most valued employees are the ones that can handle conflict and resolve it."</div>
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<b>[Read: </b><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/22/the-5-things-you-must-know-about-yourself-as-an-employee" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/22/the-5-things-you-must-know-about-yourself-as-an-employee"><b>The 5 Things You Must Know About Yourself as an Employee</b></a><b>.]</b></div>
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To help you resolve conflict like a champ – sans passive aggressiveness or tears – follow the expert tips below:</div>
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<b>Know thyself. </b>You're innovative in brainstorming meetings, and you're enthusiastic as a team player. Good to know. Equally important to understand: You get defensive when peppered with questions about your project's status, and you tend to perceive critiques as personal attacks. Whew. Glad we got that out there.</div>
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Being conscious of both your strengths and your Achilles' heel – "that button that gets pushed that makes you crumble and feel bad about yourself," as Kay puts it – will help you control your emotions in and outside the workplace.</div>
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Ask yourself, "What gets under my skin and why?" to strengthen your "awareness muscle," Kay says. You could even keep a journal to track the times your panic button has been pushed and how you reacted. Or if you're really brave, ask a close friend or colleague to point out these situations. Maybe you don't realize how passive aggressive (or flat-out aggressive) you get in meetings when given constructive feedback.</div>
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When you identify these blind spots, you're more likely to react out of logic rather than emotion next time. (Think: I know I get stressed when my colleagues ask me so many questions about my project's progress because they make me feel like I'm not good at my job. But really, they're probably just asking questions because they care about the project.)</div>
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If you never step back and you only see a narrow interpretation of the situation – they're asking questions because they think I'm an idiot! – you react out of emotion. Cue the eye rolls, defensiveness, anger, tears. But whatever the case, "if your emotion is running you, you've lost control," Kay says.</div>
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<b>Prepare and practice. </b>Now that you're aware of what gets to you, practice how you'll react to it. Maybe deep breathing calms you, or perhaps it's a five-minute walk, a cup of tea, a scroll through Instagram, some seated yoga, a text to your sibling or a little Kenny G. Everyone is different, so choose what works for you to get grounded.</div>
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Don't wait until you're upset to find an effective stress neutralizer, says Beverly Flaxington, author of "Self-Talk for a Calmer You" and adjunct professor of leadership and social responsibility at Suffolk University in Boston. That's like waiting until the Olympics to learn your sport. Try a few de-stressing exercises when the pressure is off, and practice them. So next time you start to feel yourself getting overly emotional or stressed, you know to start taking deep breaths or cue the smooth jazz.</div>
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<b style="line-height: 1.5;">Expect mistakes and criticism. </b><span style="line-height: 1.5;">Some tough love from Kay: "In the workplace, you're going to be criticized, you're going to be judged and your performance will be rated," she says. "There will be lots of challenging moments, and you're going to make mistakes." Sound bleak? Here's how to get by: "Make peace with the notion that you can't control anything besides your own reaction to others and to your mistakes," she says. Speaking of reactions ...</span></div>
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<br /><b>Don't beat yourself up. </b>"Reasonably self-criticize, but avoid self-punishment," Reiss says. Say you made a mistake – not a screw-up big enough to get you fired – but a mistake nonetheless. "If you catch yourself really putting yourself down as a person or in terms of your abilities, step back and see it as a learning experience," he says. No, you're not an idiot for letting that typo slip into the big report. (And your boss isn't a monster for pointing it out.) But next time you'll proofread the report a few more times, right?</div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/09/16/how-to-toughen-up-at-work/*" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

How to Toughen Up at Work

How to Toughen Up at Work Buck up. Take mistakes and critiques with grace and guts. These tips will help you resolve workplace confl...

7 Ways Women Can Build Confidence at Work

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7 Ways Women Can Build Confidence at Work</h1>
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How to speak up, stand out and climb the corporate ladder.</h2>
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Part of feeling confident is acting confident. Walk with purpose, make eye contact and stand tall.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">When it comes to appearing confident on the job, many women follow what men are doing. A few sports analogies, a neutral business suit ... what could exude confidence better than</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/05/29/how-to-negotiate-salary-like-a-man" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;">acting like a man</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">? Try this instead: Be yourself.</span></div>
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Women still are underrepresented in many industries, in government positions and in the board room. But that can change. Exuding confidence is one step toward getting off that sticky floor and moving up the corporate ladder. And you don’t have to act like a man to get there.</div>
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<b>1. Be aware of your word choice. </b>Women tend to undermine themselves by using softer wording, such as “I think” or “maybe,” or even apologizing for interjecting. You don’t have to interrupt or be rude, but use more <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/05/21/10-pack-a-punch-verbs-to-include-on-your-resume" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/05/21/10-pack-a-punch-verbs-to-include-on-your-resume">confident words</a> that make a statement – not a gentle suggestion.</div>
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<b>2. Pretend you’re confident. </b>We don’t all feel like Oprah, even on our best days, but the rest of the office doesn’t have to know that. Realize that how you walk, shake hands and make (or avoid) eye contact each tells someone whether or not you are self-assured. So stand up tall, square those shoulders, walk with purpose and look everyone in the eye. You’ll soon find that even if you don’t feel confident at first, you will soon.</div>
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<b>3. Dress the part. </b>You don’t have to wear pantsuits to prove you’ve got grit. Always <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/03/06/how-to-boost-your-work-wardrobe-without-busting-your-wallet" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/03/06/how-to-boost-your-work-wardrobe-without-busting-your-wallet">dress appropriately</a>, but <i>own</i> your style. If you’re more bohemian than shoulder pads, you can still wear what you love and exude personality. You’ll come off more certain of yourself if you like what you wear, rather than if you dress like you think others expect you to.</div>
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<b>4. Speak up.</b> You were hired because of your smart ideas, so it’s time to share them! Don’t be a wallflower in meetings. Don’t over-assert yourself, either. Find the balance between holding back what you’re thinking and dominating the conversation.</div>
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<b>5. Play to people’s preferences.</b> Your boss can talk about golf all day. Sally in accounting likes<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/03/05/can-office-gossip-work-in-your-favor" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/03/05/can-office-gossip-work-in-your-favor">commiserating about work</a> over coffee. Steve glows when you laugh at his silly jokes. Everyone’s got a different button, and knowing what makes them light up can win you points around the office. We’re not talking brown-nosing here, but simply paying attention to people can help you build relationships.</div>
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<b>6. Go in a different direction.</b> It’s sometimes tempting to do what the successful people in your firm are doing, but realize you’ll stand out if you go in the opposite direction. If you’re the only person who thinks the proposed logo is horrible, don’t be afraid to say so. You might be surprised when others agree with you – once you’re brave enough to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/10/07/how-to-disagree-with-your-boss-and-keep-your-job" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/10/07/how-to-disagree-with-your-boss-and-keep-your-job">say how you feel</a>.</div>
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<b>7. Leverage that performance review.</b> When it’s time to sit down with your boss and assess the past year, don’t be shy. Come armed with a list of accomplishments, as well as goals for the coming year. He’ll appreciate your forthrightness, and that bonus will be all but in the bag.</div>
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Confidence doesn’t always come naturally for us, but it still remains an important component for advancing in our professional world. With a little practice, you’ll ooze confidence from your pores!</div>
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<b>Lindsay Olson</b> is a founding partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffing and Hoojobs, <a class="" href="http://hoojobs.com/" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://hoojobs.com/">a niche job board</a> for public relations, communications and social media jobs. Hoojobs was voted as a Top Career website by Forbes. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues and is chief editor of the HooHireWire – The Hoojobs Guide to Hiring & Getting Hired. </div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/07/7-ways-women-can-build-confidence-at-work" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

7 Ways Women Can Build Confidence at Work

7 Ways Women Can Build Confidence at Work How to speak up, stand out and climb the corporate ladder. Part of feeling confident is acti...

5 Tricky Résumé Questions – Answered

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5 Tricky Résumé Questions – Answered</h1>
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How to write a résumé that stands out for all the right reasons.</h2>
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Consider bulking up your résumé with a career profile that's tailor-made for the job you're applying for.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Job seekers can write their résumés in so many different ways that they often land with loads of questions. They may wonder if they should use a résumé template, for example, or if they should list</span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/05/7-reasons-job-seekers-should-volunteer" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;">volunteer work</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">. Here are some other commonly asked questions from recent graduates to senior-level professionals. The answers can help guide you as you put your résumé together for the first time, update it or simply work to improve it.</span></div>
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<b>1. As a recent college graduate, I’m having trouble filling in my résumé with things employers would care about. What should I include?</b></div>
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As a new graduate, you should list the standard information: name and contact information, education, work, internship and volunteer experience and any professional associations to which you belong. There are pieces you can add to fill out your résumé. In the education section, you may want to include relevant coursework, awards and extracurricular activities. If you’ve attended seminars or conferences, or if you've written a thesis, include those items, too.</div>
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Think about your school years and how your teachers, professors and peers would describe you. It may help to talk to close friends and family to start this thought process. Translate your key skills in bullets describing your activities and experience or in a separate section named, "core competencies."</div>
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<b>2. During my college years, I started a student organization, belonged to several clubs and graduated with honors. Should I include that information in my résumé?</b></div>
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These are all outstanding accomplishments, and if you’re just starting out after college, include this information. If you graduated several years ago or more, and this extra information is going to push your résumé to more than two pages, delete it. Move those accomplishments to your <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/16-things-youre-doing-all-wrong-on-linkedin" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">LinkedIn profile</a>. The only exception to the two-pages-or-less rule is if you’re in the academic, scientific or medical field and have a curriculum vitae that's expected to be longer. Applications for overseas jobs and those in the federal government often call for a CV.</div>
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<b>3. I feel like my résumé is just a list of my work experience. How can I make it stand out?</b></div>
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Add a tailored career profile at the top, just below your name and contact information. Read the job description closely – particularly the required qualifications – and answer how you fit those qualifications in two to three lines. For example, say the posting asks for five or more years of marketing experience, and you’ve got seven years under your belt. Include a statement like, “Seven years of marketing experience [at start-up firms].”</div>
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<b>4. My job title does not totally define what I do every day. How can I make it reflect my work so employers won’t gloss over my résumé?</b></div>
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It’s not a good idea to alter your job title on your résumé where you list your work experience. A company that wants to give you an offer will likely check in with your past employers. You don’t want to cause confusion or have your potential employer decide not to hire you if they detect misinformation.</div>
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Showcase that you've done more than what your title suggests in the bullets or career profile that headlines your résumé. Think about using a title ahead of your career profile that encompasses the work you’ve performed. For example, say you have the title of <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/administrative-assistant" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">office manager</a>, but you also contribute to sales and financial management. You could use a title there like, "business development and operations manager."</div>
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<b>5. I’ve worked in the telecommunications industry for many years, and now I’m trying to get into real estate. What do I do?</b></div>
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Search for real estate jobs and titles that you're either interested in or possibly qualified for on Indeed or another job search engine. Read several of these posts, and then take a look through your résumé. What skills do you have, and what tasks have you performed in your telecommunications jobs that are valuable in the real estate industry? Those are the bullets you want to keep when applying to a job in the industry.</div>
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You may also want to consider a different <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/02/03/which-type-of-resume-is-right-for-you" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/02/03/which-type-of-resume-is-right-for-you">résumé style</a>. The most commonly used résumé is a chronological format that lists your jobs and experience in reverse order. A functional résumé can be ideal for a career transition, because it focuses on your skills and accomplishments. Typically, you would list relevant skills and specific examples of how you’ve demonstrated them in your jobs, and then you'd provide general information about each job below that (company, title, dates and location). Another option is a combined format in which you use elements of both résumé styles.</div>
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A relevant résumé that makes you stand out is not easy to write. However, these clues should help you land an <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/04/02/starting-your-first-entry-level-job-here-are-10-things-you-need-to-know" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">entry-level job</a> or transition to a different role. The most important thing is to make it applicable to the job to which you’re applying.</div>
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As you read a job posting, pay close attention to the required and preferred qualifications. Find the matches between those and your background and skills. If you meet enough of the qualifications, you should apply. But don’t leave it to the recruiter or human resources manager to figure out if there’s a fit. Do the work for them, and make sure you clearly state why you’re a match in the résumé you forward to that organization – both in your bullets and the career profile.</div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/14/5-tricky-resume-questions-answered" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

5 Tricky Résumé Questions – Answered

5 Tricky Résumé Questions – Answered How to write a résumé that stands out for all the right reasons. Consider bulking up your résumé ...

3 Ways to Wow Your Interviewer

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3 Ways to Wow Your Interviewer</h1>
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Do this homework to prove you're the top candidate for the job.</h2>
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Rewriting application materials and sending thank-you notes may seem like a lot of work, but they could be the very factors that land you the job.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Job seeking is hard work. Not only do you have to be qualified and interested, but now you have to compete against thousands of candidates from around the world. How do you set yourself apart from many well-written résumés and impressive backgrounds? The answer is through creative customization. To compete for a highly desirable position, you need to wow your interviewers with your knowledge of both your skills and their needs. Try these three tips to give yourself an advantage during</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/8-important-questions-to-ask-a-job-interviewer-and-yourself" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/8-important-questions-to-ask-a-job-interviewer-and-yourself">your next interview</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">:</span></div>
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<b>1. Write a customized cover letter specific to the interviewer. </b>Often, a third party may actually be the one who contacts you to set up an interview. Make sure to ask that human resources representative or recruiter everything you can about the professional with whom you will speak. Can they tell you more about his department, management style, interview process, core values or tenure with the company?</div>
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Take some time to research his or her profile on LinkedIn as well as review his or her Twitter, Instagram, Vine or any other social media channels he or she may use professionally. The emphasis is on <i>professional</i>, given that most people would be creeped out if you reference their kids and dog in a cover letter without knowing them personally.</div>
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Once you've done your research, write a letter to the interviewer that's seven to 10 sentences long and explains a little about you and why you would be an excellent addition to his or her specific team. Like a good tweet, <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/04/24/is-your-cover-letter-read-worthy" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/04/24/is-your-cover-letter-read-worthy">excellent cover letters</a> get right to the point and are crafted very strategically to say as much as possible with the fewest characters. Resist the urge to regurgitate your résumé. This is your chance to present why you are right for this exact role working with this specific manager. The final version of your custom cover letter can be sent via email to the interviewer shortly before the meeting if it would be acceptable for you to already have his or her address. Or it can be handed to him or her along with your résumé at the time of an in-person meeting.</div>
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<b>2. Rewrite your résumé to match the position for which you are interviewing.</b> I know this seems like a waste of time when you have already been asked to interview, but it's actually a powerful move. First, by matching your skills and experience to the job description, you are actually practicing for your<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/02/24/the-most-common-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/02/24/the-most-common-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them">interview questions</a>. Your thoughts will be organized, and you will have examples available to illustrate your relevant qualifications. Second, you are achieving a deeper understanding of the prospective role. This critical review of the role can become the starting point for generating interesting questions for the interview. Third, when you present a customized résumé<b> </b>to the interviewer, he or she will be impressed that you took the time to match your background to his or her needs. It also gives the interviewer a compelling document to use if he or she needs to get your candidacy approved by senior executives. This is a winning move on all levels.</div>
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<b>3. Send a well-written thank you note. </b>There is little doubt that you have heard about the importance of thank-you notes. Unfortunately, while it is universally known that writing a note is critical, it typically goes the way of hand-washing. We all know a thorough hand-washing after using the bathroom and before eating is essential to avoiding the germs that cause illness. However, all of us have skipped this important task at least a time or two. Same goes for the note of appreciation – many interviewees neglect to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/09/24/job-seekers-how-to-follow-up-like-you-mean-it/*" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">send a note</a> or email after the interview to express gratitude for the consideration and to reaffirm interest in the role.</div>
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Simply sending a note puts you in a better light than many note-neglecting applicants. Take this further by analyzing your interview so you can use the note strategically. If the interviewer dwelt on a specific weakness or discussed a pain spot with previous hires, the note is your time to address how you will work through those issues. If you know of future department- or company-wide initiatives, the note may be a great place to assert specifically how you could add value. In short, take the time to write a thoughtful (and error-proof) thank-you note. As an aside, go ahead and remember to wash your hands before and after the interview, too.</div>
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In summary, while you can’t change your <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/05/12/how-to-get-a-job-when-you-dont-have-much-experience" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/05/12/how-to-get-a-job-when-you-dont-have-much-experience">past experience</a>, there is much you can do to improve your candidacy today. The global, online world means more potential applicants, but sincerity, depth and passion really distinguish top candidates from the rest. The tips listed above are just a few examples of how you can display your interest and engagement. These tactics require research, preparation, self-assessment and lots of extra effort – all qualities that are in short supply but in high demand. Finding someone with this level of commitment is a huge win for any company. </div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/25/3-ways-to-wow-your-interviewer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

3 Ways to Wow Your Interviewer

3 Ways to Wow Your Interviewer Do this homework to prove you're the top candidate for the job. Rewriting application materials and...

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