Cheryl Strayeds Advice to Meet a Big Career Goal- The Muse

Cheryl Strayeds Advice to Meet a Big Career Goal- The MuseCheryl Strayeds Advice to Meet a Big Career Goal- The MuseTheres a big career goal youve been dreaming of. You want to move into management, change careers, start a side hustle, or establish yourself as a thought leader.So, you researched it and came up with a plan. As you began, you had a lot of fire and energy. But, then, you found you couldnt take the necessary steps to follow through.In other words, you revamped all of your materials, but stopped yourself from applying to any jobs in a new field. Or, you designed the first half of a website for a side gig, but couldnt decide how to finish it, so its yet to go live. Or, you drafted a post an on issue in your industry, but you never got around to publishing it.People who think you just need to put in a little more time or effort have it all wrong. You set time aside repeatedly, and genuinely want to see it through. In fact, its your quest to perfectly attain your dream thats holding you back. Cheryl Strayed, the number one New York Times Best-Selling Author of Wild has been there. Writer Catherine Clifford points to part of an interview Strayed gave to Tim Ferriss, where Strayed saysWhat I had to do welches that humble thing and say Guess what, its true, I might be writing a mediocre book. I might be writing a book that nobody ever reads. And I just have to surrender to the truth of that, and I have to surrender to this notion that even if I am mediocre, what matters more to me than writing a great novel is writing a novel. And that was a huge lesson.Ironically, it was allowing herself to write a book that would be just OK that freed Strayed up to keep going and finish a memoir- a memoir, that you might recall, was turned into an Oscar-nominated movie starring Reese Witherspoon. The pressure we put on ourselves to do everything perfectly can be suffocating. But, if you shift your mindset from focusing on being successful to finishing what you set out t o accomplish- regardless of the results- youll find its suddenly easier to keep going. It worked for Strayed, and could be just the new thinking you need as well.

How to build a culture of psychological safety

How to build a culture of psychological panzerschranktyHow to build a culture of psychological safetyPsychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams.Google research shows it can make or break a team. When people dont feel safe, they are less inclined to take risks. Fear prevents employees from speaking up, providing honest feedback, or sharing their ideas.Trust, curiosity, and confidence?- ?on the other hand?- ?broaden our mind. Research by Barbara Fredrickson shows that positive emotions encourage divergent thinking and creativity.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIve written a lot about psychological safety, how to build a fearless culture, and how to develop a safe workplace. Today, I want to share actionable tips to encourage trust and participation.Lets make it safe to speak up. Trust is like water. We dont see it, but its there. Your team should relax and flo at.1. Increase Self-AwarenessTrust starts with yourself. If you want someone to trust you, you must trust them first.Self-awareness notlagelage only helps us grow but also uncovers our blindspots. Feedback is vital to understand how we deal with trust.Several leaders seed fear without realizing it. Others do it on purpose. VWs leadership style back in 2015 was based on fear. The top executives believed that terrorizing subordinates was the way to a superior design.In 2017, after US regulators uncovered the diesel engine hoax, CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned. He took full responsibility?- ?but denied any wrongdoing.Most executives believe they are self-aware, but very few are. Winterkorn fell victim of the self-awareness trap.VW had an unsafe culture. Fear and intimidation kept employees from calling out the hoax. People stayed silent even after the cheating was revealed. Only 1 of the ten supervisory members?- ?Bernd Osterloh?- ?spoke up.Self-aware leaders embrace vulnerability?- ?th ey are not afraid of recognizing mistakes. Thats the first step to heal an unsafe culture.As Osterloh said, We need in the future a culture in which problems arent hidden but can be openly communicated to superiors.Self-awareness makes us both trusting and trustworthy.2. Facilitate ParticipationThe cost of silence is deceiving. According to Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, companies waste millions of dollars. Thats the price they pay because their employees stay silent.Organizations have a silence problem, but most dont realize it. Its hard to detect when employees are not being honest. Silence can encourage groupthink, default consensus, and people keeping ideas to themselves.Design meetings to encourage full engagement.Practice conversational turn-taking. Provide each team members their turn to speak up. Managers or loud people should always go last?- ?they can influence or intimidate others.Hold silent meetings. Square uses them so people can prepare before discussing a challenge . Participants are giving 30 minutes to review a document before the conversation starts.Brainstorm in writing. Introverts and minorities get intimidated with loud, fast-paced ideation sessions. Let everyone write down their ideas on their own first before everybody shares theirs.Practice Progressive Collaboration. Everyone starts working alone, then in pairs, then foursomes, and finally as a whole group. The 124-All is perfect for both brainstorm and feedback sessions.3. Design kollektivRitualsRituals are an effective and straightforward way to drive meaningful change. They accelerate collaboration, creativity, and trust.As IDEOs Tim Brown said, Rituals create a constant nudging so that, over time, a culture learns to do something naturally and intuitively.Team rituals have a special power to bring people together. They help correct or reinforce behaviors in a human, non-threatening way.Promote vulnerability by sharing work in progress. Flipboard has a weekly ritual called Mock OCl ock. Every Friday, the team convenes around a huge table. Everyone gets a sneak peek into new features or tools and can provide feedback to their co-workers.Call out bad behaviors with a No Talk card. DoTank uses it to neutralize talkers during innovation workshops. To increase participation, facilitators must stop someone from stealing all the attention.Invite people for a Lean Coffee. Stride has increased inclusion and participation with this open, no-agenda meeting format. Everyone shares topics they would like to discuss. Then the entire team votes what items will be covered.Make it Personal. Stories create connections. They inspire people to open up and share. DIY employees get together over bagels and coffee to share what they like doing outside of work.Encourage authenticity. Camino Information Services gets an Angry Bird desk plush toy for every new hire. Employees can choose the one that best fits their personality. Their Angry Bird expresses who they are.These are just exa mples. Read how to design your own team rituals.4. Establish Adult Rules NormsMost companies say they trust their employees, but then their rules show the opposite.Control is the enemy of trust. If your corporate rules treat people like kids, dont expect them to behave like adults.Thats why dumb rules frustrate your best people, as I wrote here. Organizations punish 97% of employees because the other 3% are offenders.If you want to create a safe culture, start by creating safe norms.Assuming good faith is a fundamental principle on Wikipedia. The rule encourages the community to trust others?- ?that comments and edits are made in good faith. The assumption is that most people try to help the project, not hurt it.Rules should empower people, not hinder their potential. Instead of telling people what not to do, rules should encourage them to make the right choices.Many companies have an unlimited vacation policy. Some remove the approval process from expense reports. Everything employ ees submit is reimbursed?- ?no questions asked.Trust is not built with words, but with acts.The same happens with mistakes. Most companies tell people to take risks and break the rules. But, theres a lot of uncertainty about the real consequences.Having clear rules of engagement removes the fear of being punished. I always advise my clients to have a mistake policy. Dont just say its okay to err. Be explicit that nothing will happen.5. Reward and Punish BehaviorsThe organizational culture is defined by the behavior you reward and punish.Trust cannot be built with a lofty Powerpoint or corporate purpose.The actions of both managers and team members create Psychological Safety. Trust is fragile?- ?hard to build, easy to destroy.Managers define who gets promoted, works on the cooler project, or attends leadership training?- ?their actions signal what gets rewarded.Rewarding the wrong people destroys trust. Not doing anything when people are not abiding by the company values is equally damaging.Team members play a critical role too. If you let someone get away with murder or to gossip behind others back, you are making the culture less safe.What you praise, call out, share, or ignore shapes the culture.Everyones behavior contributes to building trust. What do you reward and punish?Want to learn how to build Psychological Safety at your organization? Contact me or check out this workshop.This article first appeared on Medium.

Jobs That Dont Require College Degrees

Jobs That Dont Require College DegreesJobs That Dont Require College DegreesHave you decided that college is bedrngnis a good option for you? Here are some jobs that only require a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED, sometimes called a high school equivalency diploma). Some of these occupations require classroom instruction which can take place in high school or at a vocational school. Others require on-the-job-training, which employers provide, instead of classroom instruction. Many of the careers listed here have a favorable outlook through the next several years according to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet). Cashiers Cashiers total bills, receive money, makechange, fill out charge forms, and give receipts at retail stores. There are no educational requirements but employers filling full-time jobs often prefer applicants with high school diplomas. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of cashiers to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2016. It will, however, have the second greatest number of job openings through that year. Short Order Cook Short order cooks prepare food that is cooked quickly or is served cold. They do not need much education or training as learn their skills on the job. The job outlook for short order cooks is expected to be stable over the next few years. Cosmetologist Cosmetologists perform manicures, cut and style hair, or apply makeup. To work as a hairstylist or cosmetologist, one must be licensed by the state in which he or she wants to work. To become licensed one must have graduated from a state-licensed barber or cosmetology school and be at least 16 years old. Some states require graduation from high school while others require as little as an eighth-grade education. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment of barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal appearance workers wi ll grow nahe daran seiner than the average for all occupations through 2016. Human Resources Assistant Human resources assistants (HR assistants) maintain the personnel records of an organizations employees. Most employers require applicants to have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Training usually takes place on the job. Employment of HR assistants is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016. Occupational Therapist Aide Occupational therapist aides, working under the supervision of occupational therapists or occupational therapist assistants, prepare materials and equipment used during treatment. They also perform clerical duties. OT aides usually receive most of their training on the job. Employment of occupational therapist aides, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, will grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Physical Therapist Aide Physical therapist aides, under the supervis ion of physical therapists or physical therapist assistants, help make therapy sessions productive. Physical Therapy Aides must have a high school diploma. Most employers provide on-the-job training. Employment of physical therapist aides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Retain Salesperson Retail salespeople help customers find what they are looking for and try to interest them in buying the merchandise. Although there arent any formal educational requirements for retail salespersons, many employers prefer a high school diploma or its equivalent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment in retail sales to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016. This field will have the greatest number of job openings as well. Travel Agent To become a travel agent one must have, at the minimum, a high school diploma or the equivalent. Computer skills are becoming more important. One can get special ized training, which addresses this, at some vocational schools, adult education programs, and some colleges. Those who expect to manage or start their own travel agencies will benefit from courses in accounting and business management. Employment of travel agents is expected to change little through 2016 no growth or decline predicts the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Stop Being Perfect at WorkDo This Instead - The Muse

Stop Being Perfect at WorkDo This Instead - The MuseStop Being Perfect at Work- Do This Instead Finish this sentence Before I launch a new product, send my resume to a potential employer, or finalize a speech to deliver in front of the whole company, I want to make sure its ____.Maybe you said engaging or spell-checked or approved by my boss.But my guess is that the majority of you finished that sentence with the same word perfect.As humans, the need to strive for perfection is ingrained in us. You can see it in the way we look up to successful people We expect the people we hold in high regard- like managers, CEOs, or political candidates- to be perfect, without a single flubbed answer or ill-conceived business decision. So its no wonder that when youre striving to be successful, youre simultaneously striving for perfection.Which is a big, fat waste of time.Why? To start, everyone have a different definition of perfection, making it impossible to actually be perceived as perfect by everyone. In addition, think again about those people you hold in high regard. When you do see them behaving perfectly, it generally makes you feel less connected to them, rather than more connected. As Michael Bosworth and Ben Zoldan say in What Great Salespeople Do The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story, As ironic as it seems, we trust people more when theyre willing to expose themselves as imperfect We dont connect with perfection, we connect with people who have been there.However, taking away the pressure of perfection doesnt mean you can show up, say and do whatever you want, and expect to be successful. How can you switch your focus from perfection to vulnerability, while still aiming for serious awesomeness? Here are my three tips.1. Understand Your Own Definition of PerfectionEach time you sit down to complete a new project, ask yourself What does being perfect mean to me in this situation? Youll probably have a few realistic and ritterl ich goals wrapped under the perfection umbrella- like making sure your cover letter is free of spelling mistakes and includes targeted messaging for the job youre applying for.But, your definition of perfection might also include a few sneaky goals that are unattainable or totally out of your control, like Make the employer like me better than any of the other candidates.Once you understand what perfect means to you in each individual situation, you can start to evaluate how important each goal is and how much it will actually influence your success (and realize that you may not be able to achieve perfection in every aspect- and thats totally OK).2. Get to Know the People Youre Trying to Be Perfect ForWhen youre focused on being perfect, its easy to spend all of your time in your own head- figuring out how to make yourself look better in the eyes of your customer, boss, or future employer. But in order to create something really excellent that those people feel connected to, you nee d to place the emphasis on them. If youre about to launch a product, for instance, step away from the product itself and dig into the people youre building that product for. What problems do they need solved? What are their values? What can you build or write that will surprise and delight them? How can you communicate that product, resume, cover letter, or other assignment in a way that will cause them to stop and really listen? Those are the things you should be focusing on.3. Explore Ways to Bring More Openness and Vulnerability to Your WorkLets say youre writing a speech. Instead of lobbing statistic after statistic at your audience, share a personal story. If youre working on your resume, include bits of your personality along with your credentials- from the words you use to the way you design it. (Here are some things you probably didnt know you could include.) And if you do make a mistake in the moment- like flub a line during your speech or fumble over your words during an i nterview- cop to it. Be human about it. Own up it in a lighthearted, weve-all-been-there way, and move on. Those are the moments the rest of us humans most connect to.Bren Brown, a researcher and one of my favorite authors, once wrote, Imperfections are not inadequacies they are reminders that were all in this together. Vulnerability may feel uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, learning how to be vulnerable will put you more ahead of the game- in both your life and business- than striving for perfection ever will.Photo of paper idea courtesy of Shutterstock.

ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month

ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month ASME INSPIRE Pre-College Curriculum Aid Adopted by 132 Schools in its First Two MonthsA screenshot of the new ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which was launched in 89 schools during in its first month. ASME and the ASME Foundation are sponsoring a new aktion for U.S. middle and high schools, the ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which aims to improve math and science literacy among young people and build their awareness of and interest in engineering. During the first two months of the new school year, the new program, which teaches students about algorithms, coding, and other math and science skills essential for entry into technology fields, was introduced in 132 U.S. schools, giving ASME INSPIRE the potential to reach more than 3,400 students. Based on a successful pilot program that ASME tested in the Washin gton, D.C., area over the past two academic years, ASME INSPIRE is an angeschlossen, in-class instruction tool that is comprised of 16 modules addressing STEM-related topics such as basic computer science and the real-world application of algebra. The ASME Foundation has agreed to fund the ASME INSPIRE program for next three years, with an ultimate goal of launching the program into at least 1,000 U.S. schools during that time frame. A screenshot of the new ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which was launched in 132 schools during its first two months. Teachers in 24 states across the U.S. are now using the tool, which was developed with the education technology company EverFi, to introduce students to critical math and science concepts oftentimes not covered in middle and high schools. The aim of ASME INSPIRE is to ignite the interest of students in the STEM concepts through grades seven to ten, when many students begin to think about future career opti ons, said Anne Spence, chair of the ASME Pre-college Engineering Education Committee. The thrust of the online modules is to inject fun, excitement, and wonder in the learning of science, technology, engineering and math. Students from William W. Hall Academy middle school in Capitol Heights, Md., who participated in the ASME INSPIRE pilot program last year, display their certificates of completion for finishing all 16 of the programs modules. The online modules also cover binary numbers, encryption and decryption, and basic HTML, teaching these and other tech topics in the context of computer games and interactive screen simulations. The modules engaging lessons focus on building students STEM skills while highlighting the career possibilities that a STEM education can make possible. For more information on the ASME INSPIRE program and its expansion, visit the ASME Pre-College Group Page on ASME.org, or contact Patti Jo Snyder, ASME K-12 Programs, at snyderpa sme.org.

What Font Should a Resume Be - What Is It?

What Font Should a Resume Be - What Is It? The font is just too much for an expert document. If you would like to use a sans-serif font, Arial is one of the greatest options for your resume. Sans-serif fonts dont have the lines at the conclusion of each stroke. As you can pair fonts of exactly the same type a serif with a different serif or two sans serifs you may also pair fonts of two styles. One of the absolute most important design choices you can possibly make on your resume is your font. 1 font is all you really require. It is possible to allow it to be simple and use one of the aforementioned fonts if you are searching for a quick, no-fail answer. Selecting a font thats easy and simple to read is important. The Dos and Donts of What Font Should a Resume Be 5 Bold text is fantastic for drawing particular attention to some words. As soon as it is an alternative for creating emphasis, all-caps is a ton mora difficult to read and therefore more difficult to skim than t ext that isnt capitalized. Theres not anything wrong with a 2 page resume in many instances. What Font Should a Resume Be - the Conspiracy One of the absolute most critical mistakes made on resumes is the usage of passive, vague wording. You also might need to put items like education and skills lists into columns to conserve space. Language skills are sometimes a wonderful selling point on your resume. Avoid listing superfluous items like obvious computer abilities or flecks held more than ten decades ago. What Font Should a Resume Be Can Be Fun for Everyone If a work listing doesnt mention references, the ideal policy isnt to list them in any way. There might be thousands of job resume examples offered in the online today but not all them may be utilised as guide. Lastly, consider if theres any info youve included that is irrelevant or unnecessary. You will have more to sort through, but a lot of them are also available freely to the general public. The Secret to What Font Should a Resume Be Today, you dont understand how an employer will examine your resume. In case the employer utilizes scanning software, the program might not be in a position to read your resume and that may damage your odds for an interview. Your employer would like to see your latest abilities and experience. Most employers are really picky when it regards the collection of employees for a work opening. A functional resume format might be better for you. With so many choices readily available, determining the ideal font for a resume can occasionally be a tricky decision. Its simple enough to master 2-page resume format. The appropriate format ought to be there together with the style of writing. Writing a competitive application document demands a good deal of effort. however, it surely pays off. Content Your resume should contain all the information about you pertinent to your capacity to do the job which youre applying for. The Downside Risk of What Font Shou ld a Resume Be If you opt to go with a couple of pages, make sure you include your name and suitable page number at the very top, suggests Ann Baehr of Best Resumes. Resumes dont need to be one page. The Dos and Donts of What Font Should a Resume Be If this is the case, you require a 2-page resume. Type of Resume The exact first step to look at prior to building a resume is to pick the form of the resume. Its fast and simple to use. In addition, dont neglect to keep it short and easy.

Featured Job Seeker Contest Winner Richard Bae - Spark Hire

Featured Job Seeker Contest Winner Richard Bae - Spark HireEvery other week, Spark Hire hosts a Featured Job Seeker Contest on Facebook. Anyone can enter into the contest and every other week there is a new winner. The winner from last weeks Featured Job Seeker Contest is Richard Bae. As the winner, Richard gets a featured post here on the Spark Hire blog so employers all over can get familiar with what he is searching for. Lets take a look at what Richard is doing now and what he is looking for in his career.Currently, Richard is looking to join a public accounting firm. Recently he was working as a Senior Associate at Arlington Coffee Vending in Arlington Heights. He is set to graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago in December of this year with a bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting. We asked Richard a few questions about his career, his skills and what he is looking for. Take a look at what he had to sayWhy should an organization hire you?I am an ambiti ous, driven and hard working individual with a keen sense of detail. I would continuously strive to learn all that I can to become a great asset to my future employer. I want to contribute to a companys growth and success.What type of position are you currently looking for?I am currently looking for an internship or an entry-level auditing or tax processing position at a major public accounting firm.Where do you see yourself in five years?I want to see myself as a part of an ambitious accounting firm where I would be able to continuously contribute my knowledge and expertise in accounting.What is your strongest professional attribute or skill?I am a highly motivated individual who wants to continuously learn and grow to improve myself and my future firm.What are some of your professional accomplishments?I have improved re-stocking efficiency by mora than 40 percent by implementing innovative stocking and vending machine strategy for my past employer to successfully increase profitab ility. I also helped establish re-stocking projections for individual locations during specific seasons to decrease under and over estimation of re-stocking vending machines, which decreased the cost of out-of-date inventory. This increased profitability by stocking sufficient inventory during busier seasons.Now you know a bit more about our Featured Job Seeker Contest Winner If you would like to connect with Richard about a possible career opportunity, please email contest(at)sparkhire.com and we will put you in contact with him.Give Richard a hand in helping him find a job. Better yet, give him a tweet Click here to help get the word out and help Richard get a job