Things to Avoid at a New Job - The Muse

Things to Avoid at a New Job - The MuseThings to Avoid at a New Job Sometimes, at a new job, things just click. In no time at all, you feel like part of the gruppe. Youre joking around with your co-workers, chatting casually with your boss, and, overall, feeling pretty comfortable with the way your new office works.But a word to the wise No matter how comfortable you feel or how awesome your new job is, there are certain precautions that all new employees should take- for the sake of your reputation, career advancement, and overall job success. Sure, theyre things you may easily be able to get away with a few months into the role, but for now, its best to play it safe. For the good of your job, dont try to get away with these five things- at least, not yet.1. Griping About Your Previous Job or anfhrerAs you get to know your new colleagues, youll likely end up in conversations about your background- which can easily end up with you telling stories about your terrible previous job and the awful co-workers and boss you had there. Sure, those stories may generate a few laughs- but as a brand new addition to the team, they can also put you in a negative light. Hearing you gripe about your prior colleagues can make your new co-workers see you as a complainer, someone who doesnt value teamwork, and someone who will probably end up talking about your new co-workers behind their backs. In a few months, when people know you, the quality of your work, and your loyalties, you may be able to get away with telling those stories without any repercussions. But for now- when the ink on your offer letter has barely dried- its better to keep things positive. 2. Taking Advantage of a Flexible ScheduleMost reasonable bosses are flexible, and theyll understand if you have to come in late because of an early morning dentist appointment, leave early to take your dog to the vet, or take a long lunch just because. But even if you have the most flexible boss in the world, to some extent, those privileges have to be earned. For your first few weeks on the job, its important to establish a reputation of being a hard worker- which means that unless a conflict is absolutely unavoidable, its best to show up on time (or early), stick around until the rest of the team leaves, and take a reasonable lunch break. After a few weeks, youll have a better idea of how often its OK to take advantage of the flexibility- and since your reputation will have already been established, no one will be left questioning if youre really leaving for a doctors appointment or skipping out early to catch happy hour.3. Using Excess SarcasmYou want your co-workers to get to know the real you, of course. And maybe the real you uses sarcasm or not-so-politically-correct humor to get some laughs.While I certainly advocate being genuine in your interactions with your new team, crude humor and sarcasm can often come across as a bit harsh or even disrespectful. And that wont set a great tone for your c ontributions to the team.My advice? Tone it down for a bit until you have a better grasp on the rest of your teams personalities and senses of humor- and they have a better idea of yours. Then, you can slowly (and appropriately) start working in your real sense of humor. 4. Judging Your Co-workersWhen youre new to the job, you may be tempted to form some judgements right away about certain colleagues- that theyre annoying, disorganized, disloyal, or sloppy. But, while its somewhat unavoidable to make first impressions, those assumptions arent always accurate. After a few months of getting to know your colleagues, youll likely find out that underneath the seemingly sloppy work is a brilliantly creative mind, or that the incessantly chatty co-worker is actually a whiz at presentations. So as difficult as it may be, withhold judgment when youre brand new. Once you have a more firm grasp on your co-workers strengths and personalities, youll be able to make much more firm and accurate de terminations about who you want to work with on certain projects, knowing exactly what to expect from each person. 5. Questioning LeadershipWe often give the advice that you should come into a new job environment armed with suggestions and ready to solve problems- and thats great. The trouble comes when new employees immediately start questioning their bosses or executive leadership decisions without a true understanding of the problem, a valid suggestion for how to make a change, or an understanding of the boss temperament and how he or she will take the suggestion. In other words, theyre simply complaining. To make the most effective suggestions- and eventually, changes- it can be beneficial to really dig into your departments challenges, striving to understand what needs changing, whats been attempted already, and why a change hasnt happened yet. Its also helpful to understand your boss personality and communication preferences, so that you can present suggestions in a way thats most likely to be accepted. Once thats been determined, by all means, question anything and everything. But until then, keep digging.Taking these extra precautions can feel like walking on eggshells. But tread carefully for just a little while, and youll have a much higher gelegenheit for success in the future.Photo of people walking courtesy of Shutterstock.

Your Invitation to the Honors Assembly

Your Invitation to the Honors Assembly Your Invitation to the Honors Assembly Your Invitation to the Honors AssemblyOct. 20, 2017On Monday, Nov. 6, at 630 p.m., ASME will present its 2017 Honors Assembly held in conjunction with the Societys International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE) in Tampa, Fla. This impressive and dramatic audiovisual experience will be one IMECE event you wont want to miss.I am pleased to announce the following recipients to be recognized for their accomplishments at this years Assembly the Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Medal to Paul D. Edwards the Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award to Evelyn N. Wang the Ralph Coats Roe Medal to Adrian Bejan Honorary Membership to Ramesh K. Agarwal, John Cipolla, and Michael F. Modest the ASME Medal to Zdenek P. Baant and the Hoover Medal to John Staehlin.The Honors Assembly is a free Congress event and everyone is invited to attend.A reception for all the Honors Assembly attendees will be held at 53 0 p.m. preceding the Honors Assembly. During this time, you will have the opportunity to personally meet and congratulate the award recipients, network with colleagues, meet old friends and make new acquaintances.On behalf of the ASME Committee on Honors, I hope you will join us for this special evening.Sincerely,Yildiz BayazitogluChair, ASME Committee on HonorsH.S. Cameron Chair Professor of Mechanical EngineeringProfessor of Materials Science and NanoengineeringRice UniversityHouston, Texas

Here are 8 signs youre dating a narcissist according to experts

Here are 8 signs youre dating a narcissist according to expertsHere are 8 signs youre dating a narcissist according to expertsConfidence is key to any strong relationship, but theres a significant difference between your partner posting the occasional selfie with the caption FeelingMyself and dating a full-blown narcissist.According to Dr. Craig Malkin, a clinical psychologist and Harvard Medical School professor, narcissism is a personality trait found in all humans to some extent and is derived from the drive to feel special, exceptional or unique. However, narcissism exists on a spectrum, Malkin said, and individuals with severe cases that compromise interpersonal relationships likely have narcissistic personality disorder.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreNarcissistic Personality Disorder DefinedTheMayo Clinic definesnarcissistic personality disorder as a mental condition in w hich people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. Narcissism can manifest in a variety of ways, many of which can be detrimental to both your significant other - and yourself - and is often used toveil insecurity and poor self-esteem.While narcissistic behavior can be a cry for help, it can also be incredibly damaging to both your relationship and your own well-being. Before you seek out ways to help your partner or decide to call it quits on your romance, its helpful to know if they are actually exhibiting the signs of narcissistic personality disorder.Signs of Narcissistic Personality DisorderHere are signs your partner may be struggling with narcissistic personality disorder1. They dominate conversationsRelationships are a two-way street, but a narcissistic partner will find any possible way to redirect a conversation back to themselves. Rather than listening attentively, theyre prone to cut you off to share their own perspectives or change the subject altogether in order to shift the focus back on them.2. They are obsessed with appearancesNarcissists are focused on appearances in all sense of the word, from physical looks to perceived success. Is your partner constantly staring at themselves in the mirror or distracted by their reflection while strolling past store windows? Are theyobsessively focused on obtaining flashy work titlesand expensive sports cars regardless of if they reallywantthem? You may have a narcissist on your hands.3. They cant take criticismConstructive criticism is a healthy part of personal growth, be it through a performance review or an honest discussion about your relationship. Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder will bristle in the face of criticism, either rejecting and ignoring it altogether, or becoming outwardly angry and hostile. Their elevated sense of self makes it difficult for them to ab sorb suggestions for improvement, and thus theyre significantly less receptive to critical feedback.4. They are empathy impairedMalkin says the key to spotting narcissistic personality disorder is observing the three Es - exploitation, entitlement, and empathy impairment. However, this is different than lacking empathy altogether. Dr. Malkin noted that instead the level of empathy may fluctuate over time, which can be especially challenging in relationships.Itll appear that theyre not motivated, or that they are too preoccupied with their own needs to display empathy, says Malkin. But they have a capacity for empathy and this can make it very confusing if youre in a relationship with them.5. Theyre controllingNarcissists want and demand to be in control, and their sense of entitlement makes it seem logical to them that they should be in control - of everything, wrote Dr. Margalis Fjelstad in anarticle for Mind Body Green. Theymay monitor where youre going, who youre talking to, wh at youre wearing, etc. Everything you do fits into their personal narrative to achieve a perceived sense of perfection.6. They act entitled and constantly seek validationA person with narcissistic personality disorder believes they are owed and deserving of everything, regardless of whether theyve truly earned it. As a result, they will often go out of their way to seek praise, but will rarely reciprocate it.A narcissists need for validation is like a funnel, Fjelstad wrote. You pour in positive, supportive words, and they just flow out the other end and are gone. No matter how much you tell narcissists you love them, admire them, or approve of them, they never feel its enough - because deep down they dont believe anyone can love them.7. Theyre addicted to social mediaIn todays social media obsessed world,it can be hard to determine what constitutes a normal amount of, say, Instagram usage. However, a narcissist may post significantly more than the average user, while fixating on t he number of likes, talking about it incessantly in conversation as part of their need for validation.8. They exhibit signs of substance abuse or other mood disordersSome narcissists may self medicate with alcohol or drugsand show symptoms of addiction, which may tell a larger story of the demons theyre battling. Despite demonstrating outsized ego, a narcissistic partner will in some cases exhibit symptoms of other mood disorders, like depression and anxiety.How You Can HelpSo what do you do if you notice your partner is showing several of these signs? Encourage them to talk to a therapist, who can help them get to the root cause of the narcissistic behavior. A trained mental health professional can also identity ways to reduce narcissism and ultimately help the patient improve their interpersonal relationships.This article originally appeared on Talkspace.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first sev en words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How To Boost Employee Morale And Engagement In Summer

How To Boost Employee Morale And Engagement In SummerHow To Boost Employee Morale And Engagement In SummerHow To Boost Employee Morale And Engagement In Summer Ann HewlettExtreme jobs have become the norm. Every company now faces enormous hurdles, whether its on Wall Street, in the media or in small businesses. Regardless the sector, employees face elements of extremity with unpredictable workloads, large amounts of travel, fast-paced work with tight deadlines and an inordinate scope of responsibility that amounts to more than one job.The summer months require special attention so that employees can take critical time to rest and renew. The slower pace of summer is one of the best times for your top employees to recover from burnout and brown out (mentally checking out while continuing to put in hours) and re-engage at work.Giving employees the chance to have a break, to totally disconnect from the schreibstube, to really have a true vacation without phone calls, is a crucial parte t o maintaining the high level of performance companies expect from their employees.Summer Fridays 2.0The traditional summertime work model has everyone working for the three or two and a half day weekend that is provided by Summer Fridays. Yet few businesses can afford to shut down on Friday afternoons. But warm weather and memories of school summer vacation have even the fruchtwein extreme worker tuning out come Thursday.As an alternative, consider Summer Fridays 2.0 team members rotate their half or full day off to any day of the week. After all, not everyone in the office needs to check out on the same day. Any day can give an employee the time he or she needs to regenerate. Perhaps Monday would be a better day for some employees, while another really needs to swap a Friday for a Thursday. With a little planning and forethought it can happen.One possible positive side effect employees are tremendously empowered by choosing their own day and owning their schedule. Creative flexibil ity will build loyalty and productivity. Particularly now as family vacations are underway, managers can work on a system to help employees coordinate their vacation times effectively to ensure full coverage at the office.The 2.0 model can also serve as a pilot for a broader flexible work schedule. Those teams that are not taking advantage of flex work policies should be encouraged to use it as a test run for remote working and for building a teams competency in covering for one another.Cultivating Camaraderie and LoyaltyWhen it comes to employee engagement, managers have a huge impact on worker satisfaction. Employees report a much greater sense of loyalty to their individual managers and colleagues than they do to their companies or firms. Manager interventions can both build bonds and foster camaraderie.Managers can set a positive tone in the office that generates productivity, camaraderie and loyalty, most often through their own behavior. Here are a few suggestions that can be initiated during the slower summer monthsSchedule gym breaks. Find time for this by coordinating among team members so that clients and projects are always covered. Set up a workout in the park.Take your team out Invite them to lunch (even if everyone brown bags), to a gathering in your home, or to a drink after work. Interactions outside the office help employees step outside the pressures and stresses they are facing and leads to much more honest conversation.Keep communication regular and frequent. Walk around the office more and informally check-in schedule regular team debriefs.Work with your staff so that they and you can make the most of the summer season. Giving employees the flexibility they need to recharge will only take a few hours out of the workweek, and will reap the rewards of healthier employees and better-functioning workplaces. You can start by leading by example.Author BioSylvia Ann Hewlett is an economist and the founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy (CWLP), a non-profit think tank.

Sales Director Job Description

schlussverkauf Director Job Descriptionschlussverkauf Director Job DescriptionSales Director Job DescriptionThis sales director sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements.Sales Director Job ResponsibilitiesSells products by implementing national sales plans supervising regional sales managers.Sales Director Job DutiesDetermines annual unit and gross-profit plans by implementing marketing strategies analyzing trends and results.Establishes sales objectives by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas for regions and territories projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new products.Implements national sales programs by developing field sales action plans.Maintains sales volume, product mix, and selling price by keeping current with supply and demand, changing trends, economic ind icators, and competitors.Establishes and adjusts selling prices by monitoring costs, competition, and supply and demand.Completes national sales operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees following up on work results.Maintains national sales staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees.Maintains national sales staff job results by counseling and disciplining employees planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops reviewing professional publications establishing personal networks participating in professional societies.Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.Sales Director Skills and QualificationsMeeting Sales Goals, Negotiation, Selling to Customer Needs, Motivation for Sales, Sales Planning, Building Relationships, Coaching, Managing Processes, Market Knowledge, Developing Budgets, StaffingEmployers Post a job in minutes to rea ch candidates everywhere. Job Seekers Search Sales Director Jobs and apply on now. Learn more about recruitingVideo Todays Recruiting LandscapeHow to Hire Lifelong LearnersOptimize the Job Title in your Job Description

All About Include Linkedin on Resume

All About Include Linkedin on Resume Things You Wont Like About Include Linkedin on Resume and Things You Will The LinkedIn URL ought to go in the header along with the remainder of your contact details. To be able to use a resume to compose a CV, it is very important to acquire several examples that possess the relevant specifics. You have the choice to customize you LinkedIn URL. Click the button below for mora info. What social accounts matter once it comes to your resume. Nowadays you dont need to fill in the exact info on hundreds of job applications You are going to realize that there are 3 types of format used generally employed for resumes. Some individuals are employing the option on LinkedIn to create a resume directly from the information included in their profile. Using Include Linkedin on Resume Including a URL to a terrible LinkedIn profile will do more damage than good. If you get an appropriate video or SlideShare presentation that it is possible to enha nce your LinkedIn profile, do it. Dont neglect to update your profiles as needed to guarantee that it stays current. Your LinkedIn profile is among the very first places people will land when theyre searching for information about you and your business. Prospective employers are able to at a glance, visit LinkedIn to find out more about you and your abilities and qualifications. Youre able to ask a reliable friend to proofread your LinkedIn profile so that you dont miss any glaring problems a possible employer might leidice. You might have heard that employers compare resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and youre probably wondering why and what they are interested in finding. You must be able to create the judgment call. The aim of your resume is to highlight your best accomplishments and abilities, as opposed to hurling every bit of information about you at an employer. The sole thing you must remember is to incorporate the information in line with the needs of the employers and hiring managers. There are a lot of circumstances once the omission of a job might actually enhance your resume, normally because it doesnt help to sell you to the employer. A resume should be significantly more focused towards a specific role than your profile. Your profile should incorporate a couple of crowd-pleaser items which will interest a larger audience. Just having a profile isnt enough. A properly executed social media profile on LinkedIn is a significant job-search tool which increases your visibility, but it doesnt guarantee that youll be observed, or seen by the folks having the authority and the urge to employ a professional like you. One of the greatest regions to get resume examples is online, since there are a lot of sites offering templates an individual may download and use. EnhancCV is a terrific, easy-to-use template. The appropriate format ought to be there together with the style of writing. Before you begin, it can be useful to review examples to have ideas for your resumes and letters. The Bizarre Secret of Include Linkedin on Resume In a nutshell, your Twitter profile should display your multifaceted personality thats compelling if youre likely to utilize it like part of your job application. Its far better select your name or as close to your name as youre able to. This list could go on, but it is a terrific starting point. Include Linkedin on Resume Ideas There are a great deal of great on-line courses thatll offer you a very good foundation. For those who have plenty of work experience, its wise to incorporate any expert awards on your resume to emphasize the fact your work was recognized for its excellence in a particular field. The perfect student resume examples wont only provide a summary of a candidates background, but might also describe the things that they have done. Dont hold back in case you have various awards in a particular area or youve achieved something special in a previously-held position ju st like the vacancy. You are able to add the overview of technical skills in your CV to offer clear idea about your current skills. My advice is to take a look at the choices and produce your own approach. Its possible to choose whether youre in a career goals essay public service or services a bit more wiggle room. The accomplishments that you select to grow your resume has to be relevant to the work vacancy youre applying to or relate in some way to the business or specific firm. Facts, Fiction and Include Linkedin on Resume Working for companies without a procedure is likely to make life tough. The path to landing your perfect dream job is achievable and definitely possible especially when you have a great resume on hand. Looking back, it turned into a challenging journeyI had no experience in the area of technology or design. It is vital to show youve got relevant work experience. All work experience does not need to be listed if it doesnt deal with the skills requi red for the career change. It is simpler than you might think to compose a superb administrative resume that could allow you to find the job of your dreams. Employers are usually only interested in the previous five to ten decades of your work history. They want to know that you are reachable at any time, not just when youre at home. Resume is being regarded as an effective tool to advertise oneself for a specific job prospect. The aim of your resume is to sell you to prospective employers and this is definitely the most important issue to bear in mind.

How to Approach a Dysfunctional Team Member - Spark Hire

How to Approach a Dysfunctional Team Member - Spark HireWorking on a kollektiv can be a challenging experience. In a sometimes cramped office space, you and your coworkers chug away at tasks and work together on many things to complete larger projects or improve efficiency. What happens when you discover that one coworker who has the potential to bring all your collaboration and productivity to a halt? Whether their personality clashes with others on the team, they feel the need to be in charge, or they believe their ideas to be superior to others, what is the best way to diffuse them before their attitude threatens the morale and productivity of the team?When this is a colleague, the waters surrounding the issue can be dangerous. You dont want to overstep your boundaries, create an uncomfortable workplace or unnecessarily involve others to create office gossip. Here are a few tips for handling the situation with finesse and professionalismDevelop a relationship outside of the group Without other team members present, do you see the same characteristics that are weighing the group down? Outside of a group, they may perform differently. Take the time to create a report with your coworker outside of the group setting and see if you can create a friendly, professional basis for open communication. This may grant you an opportune time to gently reaffirm that kind of teamwork that is needed in order for your group to succeed. This will probably also make the situation easier if you find that you need to approach them in a more serious manner later.Take a few minutes to try and understand your colleague. If they are being hostile in the group setting, sometimes this can be deflated when someone simply seeks to understand where a team member or coworker might feel challenged or where they might need help. If you can be helpful, do so.Be honest about the ways in which their performance is affecting the team. An article from the Houston Chronicle suggests that using the motto this is how your performance affects me, is a gentler way to begin a conversation that could be uncomfortable or create a hostile coworker. Be careful not to speak too specifically about your group members. Focus on the effects to your own performance and the productivity of the group, but dont pretend to speak for your other coworkers personally.Be honest when their problem becomes something that you cannot solve. Especially with a coworker over whom you have no superiority, all you can do is approach them with honest feedback and ask that they refocus themselves for the benefit of the group. If the issue is not fixed, escalate the issue to someone with more authority.There are few easy solutions to weeding out and calling out that one coworker whose attitude or work methods might be pulling the team downward. However, it is no benefit to anyone to let their poor attitude fester and infect others or to allow their performance to hamper the productivity of the whole group.Hav e you ever approached a dysfunctional team member? What was the outcome? Share your story in the commentsIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byKoshyk

3 Simple Ways to Earn a Promotion

3 Simple Ways to Earn a Promotion3 Simple Ways to Earn a PromotionHere is your problem. You are working in a job. You are achieving goals and succeeding.So, why is everyone getting promoted and you are notlage? Is this unfair or is something else happening?This post offers 3 simple ways to earn a promotion, so you do not feel left behind in your company or career. 1. Make reporting success to a boss a habitYou know you are succeeding. Do not be shy about it. Do not wait for people to wake up and realize it was you creating positive results in the office.Have a calendar appointment set up for yourself to remind you when it is time to tell the boss how well you did.Let the boss know the numbers behind what you accomplished, future initiatives, and goals you have for next month.Do this enough times and your boss discovers why you are valuable. When it comes time to discuss promotions, you have all the evidence you need to prove it is a good idea.2. Start forming relationships with peopl e outside of your officeConnect with people in your company. Make sure they have no direct connection to your office.Get to know the people who work in your building and what they do in the company. Take part in events outside of work that you put in contact with others on a social level.You do this to increase your profile in the company. The more well-known and well-liked you become, the more you stay on peoples minds.If a boss is deciding to hire internally and you are on that boss mind, there is a great chance they will ask to meet with you for an interview.notenzeichen The importance of not being directly connected with another office has to do with managing possible conflict. If your boss thinks another boss is trying to steal you away or thinks you are fishing elsewhere for work, your current boss could very well retaliate against you in some passive-aggressive way.3. Go get offers from other companiesIt is promotion time. They are thinking of passing you over again. You are frustrated.Thankfully, you went out and got yourself offers from another companyYou now have leverage. You have to make an uncomfortable choice by telling the company, Promote me or I go elsewhere.The worst thing that can happen is they say, Fine. Goodbye. But that just proves they had no interest in keeping you. A promotion would be a bad thing for you anyway.The best case scenario is they say, Please do not. We will make arrangements, and act like a company that wants tokeep you around longer. You are important to them. Most importantly, you are letting them know your career is important to you.Granted, these are not fun discussions to have, but getting offers elsewhere is certainly easier if you already have a job. It is not recommended you try this without an offer in place. You are gambling on losing your job.

Visit a Career Center or Career Counselor Find Your Dream Job

Visit a Career Center or Career Counselor Find Your Dream JobVisit a Career Center or Career Counselor - Find Your Dream JobEveryone can use a bit of help in his or her job search. However, you can receive valuable job search advice without breaking the bank. Todays task is to find an inexpensive, or even free, career counselor to help guide you in the beginning phases of your job search. Career counselors can read and review your resume and cover letters, recommend networking opportunities and even help you find ideal places to job search. Finding a Career Counselor Below is a list of places you should contact to find an inexpensive career counselor. Your College Career Services Office If you are a college student or college graduate, contact the career services office at your school or alma mater. College students typically receive free college counseling sessions, and can often attend job search workshops and networking events. Many colleges offer similar services to alumni these services are often free, or cost a reasonable rate. Career services offices also tend to offer free information for student and alumni online, such as access to online job listing databases. Your Alumni Network If you are a college graduate, your college career services office (or your college alumni office) likely has some sort of alumni advisor network. Alumni who volunteer to join this network are willing to speak with you about your career-related questions and advise you on your job search. Your Local Public Library Many local libraries hold job search workshops or seminars, which are often free or reasonably priced. Some libraries even hold job clubs, which provide job seekers with beistand and advice. Ask a local librarian if your library has access to any job listing databases, or has any other job search materials. Your Local Chamber of Commerce Many chambers of commerce offer career or job fairs, workshops and various networking opportunities. Search the Chamber of C ommerce International Directory for contact information. Your State Department of Labor Office DoL offices offer online and in-person employment services, including job fairs, a job database and other career resources. You can find contact information for your state department of labor here. American Job Centers The U.S. Department of Labor runs a variety of American Job Centers, or AJCs (formerly called One-Stop Career Centers). AJCs provide free career counseling, employment workshops, networking events and more. Find your local AJC here. Private Career Counselor If you can afford it, consider hiring a private practice career counselor. Before doing so, consult the National Career Development Associations (NCDA) Consumer Guidelines for Selecting a Career Counselor. It provides an overview of the roles of a career counselor, training and credentials information, what you should expect and demand as a client, ethical practices and more.

How to Do a Job Analysis

How to Do a Job AnalysisHow to Do a Job AnalysisA job analysis is a process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together ajob description, which is the frequent output result of the job analysis. If you miss critical information, you could end up not paying an employee correctly, thus fostering employee discontent or hiring someone who lacks an essential skill needed for performing the job. The job analysis pares the responsibilities of a job down to the core functions necessary to successfully perform the job. Thejob analysis is useful in providing an overview of the fundamental requirements of any position. Additional outcomes of a job analysis include making employee recruiting and hiring plans, position postings and advertisements, andperformance development planningwithin your performance management system. The job analysis is a handy tool th at you can use to populate any of these processes for employment success. How to Perform a Job Analysis Certain activities will help you create a successful job analysis. The job analysis may include the following activities 1. Reviewing the job responsibilities of current employees.It is critical that you ask the actual employees who are doing the job what they do every day on the job. Frequently, HR and management (especially senior management) have no idea what encompasses the day to day functions of any particular job. They may see the outputbut they have no idea what work actions and behaviors go into the employee producing it. If youre asked to list your current responsibilities for a job analysis, be thorough with the information you provide. Dont just say you produce monthly reports. Say, that you gather the data from six different departments, check the data for accuracy using a custom designed Access tool that I created and maintain, and etc, etc, etc. If you leave off the details, they may think that your report is generated by a button that you push once a month to produce. Make certain that you have described your daily duties in sufficient detail so that your organization is able to hire a qualified new employee who has the capacity to do the job correctly. 2. Doing internet research and viewing samplejob descriptionsonline or offline highlighting similar jobs. While you never want to copy another companys job description, looking at several is helpful in writing your own job descriptions. You can find sample job descriptions by searching for Job Title Sample Description or you can look at job postings for positions companies are currently hiring. You can also look at LinkedIn to see how people describe their accomplishments in a job. You can also see the job descriptions that are listed on such sites as Salary.com. All of this searching can help you figure out how to word the job analysis and help remind you of tasks and responsibilities tha t you may have forgotten. 3. Analyzing the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that the employee filling the position needs to accomplish. Not every job within a company is optimized. You may find duties that are undone or projects that you should move from one department to another. You may discover tasks that another job would more successfully and easily accomplish. When youre doing a job analysis, make sure you look at the needs of the company and at any unassigned or illogical responsibility. Then, work with management to add the proper tasks to the proper job analysis. 4. Researching and sharing with other companies that have similar jobs. Sometimes companies will happily share information about their job descriptions. There are also salary survey companies, where you can match up your jobs to their descriptions and share salary information. But, they can also help you figure out what to include in your own job descriptions. 5. Articulatethe fruchtwein important outcomes or contributions needed from the position.Sometimes you get so caught up in the tasks that you forgot to look at the needed outcomes. For instance, if its the report that is needed, all the gathering and auditing of data is worthless without the final analysis and report. Sometimes, you can identify holes in your organization and figure out a way to fill them by doing job analyses. Tasks are not assigned to any employee that need to be done, for example. Or, one job has more tasks than any one person could accomplish. The more information you can gather, the easier you will find theactual writing of the job description. You dont need to worry about pretty language. You want a functional job description more than anything else. Make sure it is clear and concise. Ask yourself, If somebody else read this, would they know what the person in this position actually does? Bottom Line Dont put off writing job descriptions. You will find them invaluable when you look at salary and compen sation when hiring and promoting, and when evaluating whether or not a job meets the qualifications for exemption from overtime. They are an effective communication tool to use with employees so your expectations are clear.