You Shouldnt Talk About Work with Co-workers - The Muse

You Shouldnt Talk About Work with Co-workers - The MuseYou Shouldnt Talk About Work with Co-workers We spend a lot of time with the people we work with, and often in a tiny, compact space. If youre lucky, you have co-workers you actually want to spend time with outside the office- at happy hour down the street, at a team outing to a baseball game, or even at the occasional weekend meet-up.But even if you remove yourselves from the physical office, you probably find that youre still chatting about everything happening at your 9-to-5.This tendency to talk about work with your colleagues when youre leid actually there makes sense- after all, it is most likely the first thing you have in common. However, its not in your best interest to make it your main point of discussion. Heres whyYoull Get Yourself Worked Up for NothingLets be honest. Often when were talking to our fellow employees about work, it quickly spirals in a negative direction. Especially when alcohol gets involved. And the minute it takes that turn, the result of the conversation tends to be destructive. What starts out as a simple So, how do you like working with Ted? becomes Well, I like Ted as a person, but he writes the most annoying emails, and Did you notice he leaves early single day? All the dangers of gossiping about your colleagues aside, suddenly youve made Ted the focus of your happy hour- which might feel good in the moment, but wont leave you feeling great when you walk away and realized you trash-talked someone for an hour.And, if it doesnt turn into a rant about an individual, then perhaps its about the company overall. Before you know it, you and your cube-mate think you can run the business better than those currently in charge, and you spend the remainder of the night discussing everything thats wrong and how you would fix it. While you may have some decent suggestions on how to improve things, youre not going to accomplish anything in this manner. Your half-off beer may make you fe el like youre on top of the world, but it would be much more effective to save your company overhaul recommendations for your next meeting with your manager. All this negative conversation does is exacerbate any adverse feelings you may already have about your job since youre highly unlikely to say or do anything positive or actionable in the moment. Work can be hard enough without this- no need to make it worse. Youre mora Than Your Job- and So Is Your ColleagueBelieve it or not, that person you bump into by the coffee station every day is so much more than the guy who sits a few cubes away and sends you an email every so often (or 10 times a day). He has a life away from his desk and also had an identity prior to landing this gig. When we spend all of our time gabbing about work, we fail to binnensee our colleagues as real people, just like us. Getting to know Ted for who he is- in addition to being a guy who manages product in the marketing department- will not only be so much mo re interesting, but will also help you understand him more as a co-worker. For example, did you know Ted has two kids and is responsible for picking them up from daycare every day (hence why he always runs out of the office at 545 on the dot)? Turns out he wasnt being rude when he told you that he would discuss that email with you tomorrow, he was running late to grab his daughters. Its Human Beings 101 The more you know about a person, the better youll understand his motivations- and the better you understand those, the easier it will be to work with him. Or, at least make small talk in the kitchen. Not to mention, all that non-work convo can also help broaden your world- the person you see in the elevator every day may have the coolest interests ever. And before you know it, you have a new passion all because she introduced you to it. Think about it You never wouldve discovered your love for podcasts had you spent every second venting about Ted.While talking about work may be cath artic at times, its ultimately not beneficial. So next time you and fellow team members hang out outside of work, try talking about something else. And, if worse comes to worst and you need a fallback topic of conversation, its okay to start with the weather. Especially during this balmy December.Photo of blah blah notes courtesy of Shutterstock.

How to Know When to Ask for Help at Work- The Muse

How to Know When to Ask for Help at Work- The MuseHow to Know When to Ask for Help at WorkNavigating tricky workplace decisions can be often feel just as stressful as trying to coordinate a get-together with all your friends in one email chain. There are so many (conflicting) messages about how to be a professional. Be proactive, but also measured. Take initiative, but also collaborate. Just figure it out, but also, know what you dont know.Small wonder that sometimes we dont know whether we should charge forward on our own or ask for help. Thankfully, there are some guidelines you can follow to know when you should go it alone- and when you should reach out for support.1. If Youre Capable, But a Little Afraid- Go for ItSeize these moments A little dose of fear keeps you motivated and helps you learn. If youve been given an assignment or responsibility thatll stretch your abilities, but you have a pretty good idea of how to accomplish it, take it.Are you a web copywriter being given a chance at crafting your first landing page? Take it on and learn about conversions, calls-to-action, and more. Are you an administrative professional whos been in involved with every company vorstellung for months and are now being asked to run point? Say yes and add event planning skills to your resume.Professional challenges- like projects just a bit little outside of your comfort zone - can lead to new opportunities and knowledge. While its true that you dont want to commit to something you cant follow through on, if theres only a slight skills gap from having never done something before, challenge yourself to step up to the plate. After all, thats how youll learn.2. But if You Dont Understand the Project Parameters- Ask for HelpIf you flat-out do bedrngnis understand what youre being asked to do, you should always ask for clarification. Its easy to feel pressure to project independence and competence. But if you say, Got it and head off with no clue what youve even been assigne d, everyone will suffer in the end. Whether your boss left you a cryptic memo or a client meeting welches full of more cliches than clear feedback, if you dont ask for clarification, your final efforts will disappoint. So, reach out sooner rather than later. Try calmly repeating back what you think you heard What Im hearing you say is that I should pull the new dataset before next Friday. Is that correct? Then, let the other person correct you and clarify if necessary.3. If Resources Abound and You Can Teach Yourself- Go for ItSo youve been given an assignment youre not entirely sure about. Is it something plenty of people have done before? Have they written about it? If yes, then do your research. A task that seemed beyond the pale for you may suddenly become a lot clearer after some time watching instructional YouTube videos and reading a few in-depth blog posts. Before you tell your boss, But, Ive never written a geschftlicher umgang plan Google how to do it. Keep in mind, if you r manager is coming to you with a new task, its likely because theres no go-to person on the team and she thinks it could be a good fit for you. You owe it to yourself to at least explore if this could be your new thing. (Bonus Having an expert niche makes you more valuable.)4. But If You Dont Know How to Do it- Ask for HelpThis one gets a bit confusing, because you just read that if youre on the bubble as to whether or not something is within reach, youre supposed to stretch yourself and consult online resources. And if you think you could maybe do something, ask your boss if you can get back to him. Then, take some time to think through how you might approach it and see if some reading will answer your questions. If after that step, you feel like you could be involved in the project, but youll need guidance, ask for help Take advantage of the people around you who may have done similar projects before. Is there someone in another department who could give you pointers? Can any of your teammates or coworkers show you how to get started?Now, if a project falls on the other side of the spectrum (a.k.a., you know offhand just asking for help wont be enough), be honest with yourself- and your manager. If youve been asked to write a code in Python and you dont know the language, its not the right assignment for you. So, rather than accepting and plan to ask for loads of help, your best bet is to suggest someone else with more experience run point- and ask if you can play a supporting role or help in some other way.5. If Only You Can Do it- Go for ItIm the only one who can do it may sound like the classic refrain of the office martyr, but sometimes, its true You could quite literally be the only person in the office who can do the task, for whatever reason. These cases will come up, and sometimes you just have to set aside all the well-meaning advice about asking for help when youre overloaded and learning to delegate. If youre it for the project, because your team mates are out sick, stuck in meetings across town, or some key position on your team was vacated and has yet to be filled youll just have to rise to the occasion.There are two things to keep in mind in this situation. First, if you do nothing, therell be zero people working on the task- and one is always better than zero Second, once you pull off your impressive one-woman show, dont be overly humble. You deserve credit for stepping up and adding this project to your list. Make sure your boss knows youre going above and beyond. The workplace can feel full of shoulds. You should develop the right skills. You should be assertive. You should be humble. You should be engaged. You should be a team player. You should be a leader. You should ask for assistance. You should take initiative and do it yourself.Truth talk Theres no one-size-fits-all answer. But a little self-awareness and a heavy dose of common sense can usually point you in the right direction when youre unsure whether to charg e ahead independently or ask for help. Photo of co-workers courtesy of Clerkenwell/Getty Images.

Your First Job Means More Than You Think - The Muse

Your First Job Means More Than You Think - The MuseYour First Job Means More Than You Think Its safe to say your firsts are memorable. Your first car, your first dance at prom, your first time visiting a new country- the list goes on. And though we have scrapbooks filled with postcards from our favorite trips, we rarely spend time reminiscing on the impact of another important first in our lives our first job. To see how humble beginnings can set us up for future success, we spoke to employees at Lockheed Martin who spend their days designing spacecraft for Mars and programming satellites to umlaufbahn Jupiter on the lessons they learned from their first jobs.

Successfully Engage Others on LinkedIn with These 5 Tips

Successfully Engage Others on LinkedIn with These 5 TipsSuccessfully Engage Others on LinkedIn with These 5 Tips5Without putting in some consistent work to attract attention from those who can assist you in your job search, your LinkedIn profile may be going to waste. As Fred Coon and Susan Barens write in their new book Leveraging LinkedIn for Job Search Success 2015, With more than 300+ million registered users- and adding two new members every second- the rate at which your network expands on LinkedIn can be truly amazing. A hundred strategic contacts could mean access to millions of people in a short amount of time. Youd have to attend dozens- or hundreds- of in-person networking events to equal the reach you can get on LinkedIn.Here are five ways to successfully engage others- including recruiters- on LinkedIn1. Use keywords.According to a recent survey by Jobvite, 93 percent of recruiters use or plan to use social media in their recruiting efforts. But in order for recruiters t o identify you in the sea of profiles, they need to know what you do. Using keywords in your profile can help bring your profile to recruiters attention for the specific professional skills that you have to offer.2. Write strategic recommendations.Coon and Barens suggest using the give to get method when it comes to gathering professional recommendations for your own profile. In other words, reach out to selected contacts in your network with whom youve worked closely, and write recommendations for them- without requesting that they do the same for you. You will be surprised at how many people will reciprocate, write Coon and Barens. The authors add that this is a much better approach than sending out the generic and presumptuous Will you endorse me? emails through the site.3. Activate status updates.When you want others in your professional network to know that you are looking for a new job or opportunity, you can draw their attention to your profile by activating the status update s feature in LinkedIn. This feature sends an alert to your network when you update your profile, letting them know youve made changes to it.4. Participate in group discussions.No matter what industry you specialize in, youll likely be able to find others talking about it on LinkedIn. Rather than lurking quietly and reading the thoughts of your peers without offering feedback, contribute something meaningful to the discussion. This will put your name out there as an expert in your field and will help others start to recognize you.5. Share articles.If theres a specific influencer with whom youd like to engage in relation to your job search, consider sending that person a relevant article via LinkedIn. Be sure to understand what types of information your contact is interested in receiving before sending a link. You might also consider sharing relevant articles with your entire network to showcase your interests and expertise in certain areas.By being proactive, you can maximize the val ue of your LinkedIn profile by getting others engaged and looking at your profile during a job search.Readers, are you looking to successfully engage others on LinkedIn and other social media platforms? What tips do you have to offer our readers? Share with us below

4 things to do when you didnt get that promotion

4 things to do when you didnt get that promotion4 things to do when you didnt get that promotionAfter months of interviews and trying to impress bosses and coworkers, you find out you didnt get that promotion you really wanted after all. Dreams of how to allocate money from your shiny, new raise, a new title and the greater opportunities to prove yourself thatyouve been craving immediately fade away.

Heres What I Know About Heavy Equipment Operator Resume

Heres What I Know About Heavy Equipment Operator Resume Finding the Best Heavy Equipment Operator Resume The organization can get it paid big trouble should they have someone operating heavy equipment on the website and someone will get hurt and that person didnt have the appropriate training or certification. Todds qualifications and experience are stated at the start of the resume example to make sure the reader reads the remainder of the resume. If you state your aim is to discover a job for a courier, but youre asking for a commercial truck driver job, you can also get skipped over as it wont look like youre as interested in the particular job thats available. Youll alter the name of the organization youre seeking a job for and youre able to change your particular equipment experience based on the kind of position youre applying to. Lapple would like to switch career gears completely and receive a job in business. Specify the company and career you would like to find work in. A guy whos very good on many distinct parts of equipment will make mora than someone who only knows the way to run one particular thing. Try to display the best picture of yours through your continue as it is crucial to find the correct job for you. As an example, in CV, if youre asking for work in education, you can want to place your teaching experience as well as the CV. In that case, then the duties and obligations highlighted in the above mentioned sample job description can be helpful in completing the work experience section of your resume. If youre targeting work beyond the defense planet, then you fruchtwein certainly will need to translate your skills, experiences and accomplishments in the English Language. Include any training you have received through past education or employment experience. Lies Youve Been Told About Heavy Equipment Operator Resume NCCER offers education in the building equipment market. You should stick out among the competition. The o perators are certified on the operation of certain sort of forklift and the suitable classification of forklift. They must be certified to operate the specific piece of heavy equipment by a qualified trainer at the company or by a third-party training company. Preparation is the secret to optimizing your odds of being a Heavy Equipment Operator Apprentice. Certified crane operators can carry numerous certifications. Overview of Qualifications Profound ability to keep and fix mining machines. Resume contractors are an exceedingly fantastic means that might help you organize your continue. Companies value what youve done most recently. Safety Commitment Safety is a lifestyle at CSX, encompassing every facet of company operations. The education requirements for employed as a heavy equipment operator typically involve some education by means of a technical school, even though some contracting companies offer limited instruction too. The heavy equipment used on constructions sites are the cause of the majority of injuries during the building of roads or business properties, as stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A comprehension of what equipment is going to be used for during the life span of the tires is necessary for good selection. Our work is important to a smooth-running construction undertaking. New Step by Step Roadmap for Heavy Equipment Operator Resume Remarkable ability to do routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what sort of maintenance is necessary. Individuals working with heavy equipment should make certain that their surroundings are safe for them. Excellent communication abilities and an established capacity to read maps and utilize GPS systems. In some instances his position demands the usage of his personal motor vehicle. Crane operators have to be focused and precise, any incorrect movement can create a lot of damage. If you become stuck, you may also make the most of our resume builder. Heavy Equipment Operator Resume Secrets That No One Else Knows About Companies will definitely demand for at least two references when submitting an application for virtually any job. If youre searching for work, a work application can be the primary tool you bring to the table. Providing a very long collection of what you were accountable for in preceding jobs makes it too simple for readers to miss what you could contribute.

Why Women Are Naturally Effective Leaders

Why Women Are Naturally Effective Leaders In the wake ofHillary Clinton securing the Democratic nomination for president, some observers have decided rekindled the debate over whether a woman president will be an effective leader for the country, and by extension, whether women make for good leaders in general.Of course, bunching half of the population into a single category raises inevitable stereotypes that dont apply to all members of the gender. With that said, its worth examining the beneficial qualities of female leadership and the traits that tend to distinguish women leaders from their male counterparts.As both a woman and a chief technology officer, I have hadthis discussion throughout my career in the high-tech industry. Here in Silicon Valley, engineers are far mora likely to be male and C-level positions are almost exclusively held by men. Theres no doubt I have been influenced and strengthened by this glass ceiling. As a result, I believe that the following attributes thatare common to women can actually help make them stand out as leaders1. Women Are CollaborativeCollaboration is becoming more important for leaders who want to tear down rigid management hierarchies and reach out directly to people wherever they fall on the company org chart. More organizations are promoting team-building than ever before a good fit for women who favor collaborative teams and encourage collaborative decision making. This cooperative group dynamic is more productive than working alone because it tends to encourage more creative results.2. Women Are Active ListenersMore organizations have recognized the importance of emotional intelligence, which is a critical soft leadership skill equated with human empathy and understanding. Empathy is deep emotional intelligence that allows one to view situations through other peoples eyes and grasp differing perspectives. Empathy is a vital talent because it helps leaders understandingtheir actua l competitive standing and it provides insights when critics or naysayers offer conflicting explanations about problems.Active listening is closely tied to high levels of emotional intelligence. In my experience, most women are naturally skilled at listening first before responding to others. This type of empathetic listening leads to better negotiations, improved management outcomes, and rapid learning in rapidlychanging environments.3. Women Are InclusiveMaintaining cultural diversity at an organization in a global economy requires leaders who have authentic interests in unique cultural identities. Also, leaders who remain responsive to different types of people are more effective at managing those different types. Its likely that most women appreciate diversity because they experience the negative effects of non-diverse thinking early and often. This social reality tempers women leaders who understand the value of diversity in people, in thinking, and in background. Quite simply , women leaders are likely to build more diverse management teams with more responsive reactions to issues because their teams encompass wider bases of experience.4.Ego Doesnt Hold Women Back Headstrong leaders often let their egos influence their decisions, but bedrngnis always for the better. Oversized egos and arrogant views can cloud rational decisions, leading to needless problems when working with boards of directors, partners, and customers from varying backgrounds. Women tend to express their egos differently than men, and they seem more adept at holding their egos in check.5.Women Recognize the Value in MentorshipMost women depend heavily on mentorship and networking to reach positions of leadership and authority in the first place. Otherwise they would have to overcome even greater obstacles to advance their own careers. When women achieve leadership roles, they recognize that their success took a village, in Hillarys parlance. In turn, women place a high value on mentorin g others. The capabilities of their team members grow faster because people are mentored and encouraged to mentor each other, leading to the development of still more leaders.To conclude, it seems that the best leaders lead from behind, not from in front. They lead by their own hard-working examples. This trait of quiet humility is often cited as a weakness of women that they demonstrate skills and experience first before asking for their next job or promotion. Yet this trait is actually a big positive when it comes to leadership. Women know the value of proving that you can do the job. As leaders, they do just that and their teams have to acknowledge it. Women recognize that leading by example is both inspirational and aspirational for their teams. After all, what is the point of leadership if not lifting up your followers?Joan Wrabetz is the chief technology officer for Quali.