The simple way to say no to people at work and make it stick - Debut

The simple way to say no to people at work and make it stick - Debut The workplace can be a treacherous place sometimes. If youre not careful, the politics and the social dynamics of the office might just swallow you whole. This kind of thing can be especially difficult if youre a new starter. I remember me on my first day at Debut HQ bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and as nervous as BBC News interviewee when naptime is over. My new peers were good to me and took me under their collective wing like the baby bird I was. But since I was an intern at the time, I felt awkward turning down anything. This led to me taking on a whole load of tasks when I was already swamped with things to do and drinking nearly every cup of coffee offered to me out of sheer self-destructive politeness. Eventually, with practice and a caffeine detox, I became the Content Creator you all know and love. But had I known this indispensable life hack, I could have gotten there a lot sooner. I dont want you, our dear sweet Debutants, to suffer. So Im gonna let you in on it. How to say no in the workplace and mean it As much as being a helpful intern or being the offices shoulder to cry on is a good thing, it soon starts to take a toll on your mental health and performance. Research has shown that offering to help your co-workers too frequently can actually make you worse at your job. Thats why a little word like no can make such a giant meaningful difference. But how do you find a better way to say no at work? According to Mental Floss, its as simple as having the right semantics. Choose your words carefully. Are you saying no and then finding yourself easily budged? Trying using dont where you would use cant. Why does this work? Well, it goes back to a 2012 study in the Journal of Consumer Research, which found that the way a statement was framed had an effect on how well people thought they could stick to it. When you tell yourself that you dont eat junk food as opposed to you cant eat junk food, you trick yourself into thinking that its a hard and fast rule. Dont, semantically speaking, is unbreakable. Cant implies that that you would do it if not for something like your own force of will getting in the way. The same goes for when youre talking to other people. Next opportunity, try telling someone you dont work during your lunch break because you need your space. Theyll probably respect you for it rather than try and talk you out of it. So take heed, friends and make your refusals powerful. As you go on with your work, start telling people that you dont say yes to things you should say no to. It might save you a lot of time and sanity. Download the Debut app and connect with top graduate employers in an instant. Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Filling in the Blanks on My Resume - CareerAlley

Filling in the Blanks on My Resume - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Having a consistent employment history can boost employment chances, but not everybody is lucky enough to stay employed continuously since they start working. However, gaps of unemployment on a resume are considered a red flag by many employers. If you have been unemployed for considerably long periods of time throughout your career, you can make yourself more marketable by learning how to fill in the blanks on your resume. Provide an Honest Explanation Being unemployed is nothing to be ashamed of, especially if you have a good reason for it. Many people lost their jobs between 2009 and 2012 due to the economic crisis, including very capable and experienced professionals. If you are one of these people, your interviewer will not see your failure to get a job during those years as a serious flaw. However, if you are unemployed at a time when the economy is booming, it can significantly affect your chances of getting the job. Whether you were unemployed because of a recession, severe illness or family responsibilities, you should provide an honest explanation in the employment section of your resume. Indicate Career-Related Activities during Unemployment If you participated in certain activities during unemployment that can have a positive impact on your career, you should include them in your resume. Examples of such activities include working part-time, becoming a volunteer or consultant, and attending classes, workshops or seminars that are related to your career. By mentioning these activities in your resume, you are letting your potential employers know that you did not waste your time while you were unemployed and you have a constant desire to improve yourself. De-Emphasize Employment Gaps Although you cannot hide employment gaps on your resume, there are things that you can do to make them less apparent. Instead of listing your previous jobs in the traditional chronological order, you can list the greatest achievements and most relevant experiences in your career first. The companies you worked for and the dates of employment can be listed further down the page. Another way to de-emphasize employment gaps on your resume is to write employment dates in years, rather than months and years. For instance, if you worked for a company between September, 2009 and February, 2010, just saying you were employed from 2009 to 2010 will make your resume look better. Be Positive Having employment gaps in your resume can make you feel anxious and not confident during an interview. Instead of trying to make excuses for being unemployed, you should focus on the experience and skills that you have gained during unemployment. When the interviewer asks you to explain the gaps on your resume, just give a brief explanation and try to draw his or her attention to the things you have learned while you were unemployed. Due to widespread unemployment resulting from the recent economic downturn, many job seekers have gaps on their resumes. As a result, employers tend to be more lenient with employment gaps these days. You will still stand a good chance of landing your dream job if you have a positive attitude. About the Author: John McMalcolm is a freelance writer who writes on a wide range of subjects, ranging from employment tips to biographies of famous entrepreneurs, such as Steve Wynn. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif

Negotiating salary and benefits what you need to know -

Negotiating salary and benefits what you need to know - Its probably not a surprise to learn that most employers hold information close to the vest when it comes to negotiating salary and benefits. The onus is on the job seeker to have as much information as possible when its time to talk about money. Recruiters walk a precarious road between the hiring managers at the companies who pay them and the candidate they hope will win the job. What do you need to know about negotiating salary and benefits? Janine Truitt, chief innovations officer of Talent Think Innovations, LLC, knows these difficulties all too well. She notes that benefits are very difficult to negotiate. Your benefits are what they are, she says. In rare instances, candidates may be able to negotiate being grandfathered in at a higher accrual bracket for vacation and sick time, but this is very rare and largely dependent on individual circumstances. In other words, special treatment is saved for very key hires a company wants to recruit, and only if the desired candidate asks for it. However, when it comes to negotiating, Truitt notes, there are several things employers dont want you to know: 1. The employer will be very happy to hire you at your previous salary or at the low end of your range. If two candidates, equally qualified, interview for a position, the company will choose the applicant who is asking $30,000 over the more expensive, equally qualified job seeker listing a $50,000 salary requirement, Truitt explains. If the less expensive candidate would do an equally good job, the company finds a bargain. Truitt explains: This is what employers see as a win-win. 2. The company includes benefits as part of overall compensation. According to Truitt, Your base salary is the combination of your benefits plus your base salary. In rare cases, a company will pay you what you were hoping in base salary, in addition to offering a terrific benefits package. However, more times than not, benefits will be counted as a certain portion of your overall compensation package. 3. Your salary offering may be dependent on something called internal equity. In some cases, companies strive for equity in a department, or even in an entire company. Truitt adds: There are companies that will create compensation inequities without regard to their current employees, but responsible companies pay attention to equity issues, and its important to be aware of this practice when negotiating. 4. Complexity of job duties matters. Another factor an employer considers when negotiating is the complexity of the jobs duties and responsibilities. 5. Read the benefits booklet. There is no simple way to ask about benefits during the interview process without it seeming like you are too focused on what you will get out of the deal, Truitt says. Employers often wait until the last minute to provide information about benefits if they are not particularly competitive. Truitt suggests job seekers take note and adjust their expectations accordingly: If benefits are a selling point for the organization, youll learn about them once the hiring manager decides he or she wants to woo you. Otherwise, you may assume coverage isnt impressive. Read the entire post at U.S. News World Report photo by 401(K) 2013

Why It Is Important To Start Now On Writing A Resume For A Registered Nurse

Why It Is Important To Start Now On Writing A Resume For A Registered NurseWriting a resume for a registered nurse is a highly important task that must be done on time. To start with, an MSN should never overlook the fact that a registered nurse is a highly crucial member of any medical team. He or she is responsible for the safety and well being of the patients as well as the people in the medical institutions that he or she is in.It is highly essential that a registered nurse will do all they can to be able to meet the standards of the healthcare industry and stay ahead of the competition. There are certain aspects that are going to dictate how well a candidate performs in their career.One of the most important information about this career is that most nurses who do not have a degree in nursing are usually hired on the basis of the type of experience they already have. They tend to think that they need to start working immediately to show off their abilities. This is not true at a ll. Instead of starting out, it is vital that a registered nurse has a minimum of a four year degree.In order to find out if you have what it takes to become a registered nurse, the best thing to do is take the initiative to learn everything you can about the field. A good starting point would be to visit the various centers for health and wellness that operate in each and every city and state.If you want to learn more about the entire job market, you can visit one of the universities in your area to take advantage of the large internship opportunities and employment available. Once you have completed your first year of school, there is one final important detail that you should consider.After the completion of your education, you should then begin looking for a high-paying job in the healthcare industry. Youshould be able to obtain an interview with a company that is hiring a registered nurse and show them that you are someone who is eager to make a difference in the healthcare ind ustry.If you are able to fulfill these requirements, you will be well on your way to becoming a registered nurse in no time. The profession is one that is not going to disappear anytime soon and you will need to start moving now to ensure that you can meet all the requirements necessary to become a registered nurse.

Are Coding, Job-Skills, or Other Boot Camps Worth It

Are Coding, Job-Skills, or Other Boot Camps Worth It As if college isn’t expensive enough these days, some students are now paying thousands of dollars, over and above their normal tuition, for specialized courses in everything from business fundamentals to computer programming. Often referred to as “boot camps,” these à la carte programs promise to provide the specific skills that employers want in their new hires and that may not be part of the regular college curriculum. Some programs cater to current students, others to recent grads. “Colleges have always been about preparing students for the fifth job, not the first job,” says Ryan Craig, author of College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education. “Boot camps are providing the last-mile training.” Most boot camps are run by independent, private companies. But growing numbers of colleges are starting to offer their own version. We’re also likely to see more private boot camps team up with colleges to access federal financial aid through a pilot program of the U.S. Department of Education. While they vary in length and cost, most programs will set you back at least $1,000 a week for tuition alone. Coding boot camps are the biggest category, enrolling more than 16,000 students last year. But at least a dozen major colleges also offer monthlong programs in entrepreneurship, finance, and management, tailored to non-business majors. Independent companies, such as Fullbridge and Koru, run boot camps for “soft” skills like teamwork and problem solving. (Read more about the different types of boot camps.) So, are they worth it? Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, says they can be, but he urges students (and parents) to vet them carefully, as oversight of the programs is still developing. Make sure, for example, that any privately run program is licensed by your state, which gives you some consumer protections if it fails to deliver on its promises. The way states regulate the programs will vary, but you can start by checking with your state’s higher education authority or workforce division. Experts say the growth of these short-term supplemental programs shows that for many jobs, while a four-year degree is the ticket to entry, you still have to demonstrate skills beyond that degree to be a desirable applicant. Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. In today’s job market, the highest-paying and most in-demand positions are what the workforce analytics firm Burning Glass Technologies calls “hybrid jobs.” Such positions bring together skill sets that traditionally haven’t been mixed in an academic setting, says CEO Matt Sigelman. In a recent analysis, for example, Burning Glass found about a million job openings for students with general liberal arts degrees. Add one of eight skills, such a basic statistics or graphic design, to that liberal arts degree, and an additional 900,000 jobs become available. “There’s a lot of opportunity and a lot need for students to look for complementary training to layer on top of their degree programs,” Sigelman says. But, like Carnevale, Sigelman notes these programs require a considerable investment of time and money, and you need to investigate each program to be sure it can deliver on its promise. Bear in mind that few boot camps, even those sponsored by colleges, currently offer course credit. Nor are they generally eligible for federal grants and loans, unlike some professional certificate programs that colleges offer. So before you enlist, find out: Is it affordable? Even if the tuition is manageable, don’t forget extra living expenses, suggests Nick Ducoff, vice president for new ventures at Northeastern University in Boston. A full-time, three- to six-month program could mean added housing and food costs of $5,000 to $10,000, as well as cutting into the hours you could earn money by working. (Read more on how to pay for the programs.) Does it offer the right skills? There’s extreme specialization across the top boot camps. Some coding courses, for example, teach the programming language Python, others JavaScript. “You want to make sure you go to a boot camp that’s teaching the languages that are in high demand in your community,” notes Rick O’Donnell, founder of Skills Fund, a lender for boot-camp programs. Check job listings to see what specific skills local employers are looking for. What kind of employer partnerships does the program maintain? Give preference to programs whose employer partners match the field you want to work in. “Your ability to network and build relationships goes up dramatically,” says Andy Chan, vice president for personal and career development at Wake Forest University. If getting a new job is the main goal, students should favor boot camps that look at employersâ€"not studentsâ€"as their customers, says Zander Rafael, co-founder of Climb, which lends to students at more than 70 skills programs around the country. That may sound counterintuitive, but a program that views employers as its customers will be more in tune with the skills businesses want and adjust its curriculum accordingly, which ultimately benefits the student, Rafael says. Coding boot camp Galvanize, for example, maintains teams in each of the seven cities where it has campuses that work with local employers to understand the open positions and the skills needed for th em. That information gets relayed back to the school’s curriculum development team, says Galvanize Chief Operating Officer Ben Deda. What’s the job placement rate, and where are alumni working? Ask about both the program’s completion and job placement rates. A claim that 95% of graduates get good jobs doesn’t mean much if only one in five students graduate. Also ask program officials how they track those rates, and be skeptical, warns Carnevale. Rates often come from voluntary surveys, which tend to have low response levels. Beyond job placement rates, find out whether the program offers career placement services to help with your search. What do alumni have to say? For coding programs, you can read student reviews at CourseReport.com. You also should request the names of other students or recent grads, whether it’s a coding boot camp or college-sponsored job skills program. Ask if the program helped them land a job and whether the skills they learned turned out to be the ones they really needed.

What Hollywood Can Teach You About Careers - Work It Daily

What Hollywood Can Teach You About Careers - Work It Daily Movies are seen as a means of relaxation or entertainment, and kicking back to watch the latest blockbuster is a good way to wind down after a hard day. Whether we come away entertained or informed, movies offer us something to enrich our lives, but can they offer more than just what we see at face value? What Hollywood Can Teach You About Careers Believe it or not, there are some lessons to be learned in many of the films we've seen, even if they're not intentionally set up that way. Work, what is it good for anyway? The most famous of all fast paced career movies is Wall Street. Gordon Gekko is a corporate raider with an eye on the next multi-million dollar deal. While the film is ultimately about redemption, it deals a powerful life lesson in visualising the concept of you reap what you sow. That is worth remembering if you’re considering riding roughshod over your work colleagues. But is it all work and no play? It might make you rich but it rarely makes anyone happy. Working is good and a noble thing to do, but it’s pointless without a suitable home life balance. Money Never Sleeps - the sequel to Wall Street - comes to the foreground here. Gordon Gekko has been released from jail and has had time to reflect on his previous misdemeanours. He delivers a scathing indictment of business-led society, before concluding that “Money is not the prime asset in life; time is” and how true that is. The message is clear: Work hard, but make sure that you don’t pursue your career at the expense of work-life balance. Make Sure You’re Valued It’s always worth remembering that quality isn’t cheap, and to get the best, you have to pay â€" or, to be more accurate, you have to get paid. Following on with Wall Street theme, the “Greed is good” quote from the film is the one that everyone remembers but a much better lesson is given in the quote “What’s worth doing is worth doing for money”. Of course, your boss doesn’t have to accept the best but that can just lead to disappointment, or dead fishermen as seen in Jaws. If you’re an invaluable member of your team, possessing key skills and responsibilities, it’s not greedy to feel your salary needs to reflect that. Work With People Clerks, the indie wonder from Kevin Smith, bore the tagline “just because they serve you it doesn’t mean that they like you” and much of it demonstrated the disdain shop workers bear for the people paying the money though in an unusually amplified manner. It’s an anthem of disgruntled till staff the world over and just goes to prove that if you don’t like the general public, don’t work in a shop. The film itself focuses on a day in the life of Dante Hicks and Randal Graves and the assorted incidental characters around them. While nothing in particular happens in the film â€" there is no major plot device - plenty happens, because that is actually the nature of shop work. Each outlet is its own little social microcosm where regular customers become players in an on-going soap opera with all the joys and heartaches that brings. Leave The Job You Hate Physically leaving a job that you mentally left long ago can be a weight off of your shoulders. Scriptwriters have the benefit of being able to work it all out before they put it in front of a great actor or actress, but some do it better than others. Take the case of Kevin Spacey in American Beauty as he lays his reasons on the line and then demands a year’s salary, or Wanted where James McAvoy belittles his boss and gives his double-dealing office friend a face full of keyboard to suck on. But, before you take it to the limit and brawl your way out of the office, consider that you may want references, and the kind of reference you may get from a seething ex-manager will only get you an interview at the unemployment office. Challenge Yourself Bear with me here, The Hobbit, while not an obvious career movie, offers a powerful lesson in not getting stuck in a rut. The dwarves need a burglar, and hobbits are an ideal choice due to their small size, but Bilbo Baggins is too set in his comfort zone to accept the challenge, despite the temptation. Gandalf tries to convince him that if you don’t stretch your horizons, you can never expect to meet your dreams, but Bilbo shrugs the argument off. The point is that if you don’t take chances, you’ll never know what you can become, whereas if you stay in your comfort zone, you know exactly what you’ll get. Bilbo would have missed out on the greatest adventure of his life if he hadn’t taken that leap of faith and challenged himself to be better. Enjoy this article? You've got time for another! Check out these related articles: 3 Flexible Day Jobs For Actors Personal Branding Advice From Jerry Maguire Finding Your Motivation With Tony Robbins’ Help Featureflash / Shutterstock.com Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

10 New Years Resolutions You Shouldnt Make This Year

10 New Years Resolutions You Shouldnt Make This Year Of the 45 percent of Americans who make New Years resolutions, only eight percent see them through, according to Readers Digest. Thats partely because we tend to set unrealistic expectations for ourselves or set out to tackle too-ambiguous goals.The other part is because were simply not ready for change, even if we think we are. ResearchersJames Prochaska and Carlo DiClementehave written extensively about how people actuallymake changes, and they note that changes happen in four stages. We transcend from not even considering change, to contemplating change, to preparing for said change to springing into action. After that, we move into maintenance, which is sometimes followed by relapse. Therefore, to successfully fulfil a New Years resolution to change your life for the long haul, you ought to be inthe fourth stage and ready to maintain that change.If yourecertain youreeager to kick off the new year with a new you (who dis?), do y ourself a favor and at least reconsider these 12 resolutions.1. To quit your job prontoQuitting your job might sound enticing, but your resignation is not something youll want to rush. For one, you dont want to burn any bridges, so youll want to consider any incomplete projects and how your work would be delegated to colleagues who are likely busier than usual this time of year. Of course, if you dont care about your colleagues, you should at least care about yourself. Making the decision to quit your job is an anxiety-inducing one while it might offer you relief, you dont want to take the risk on a whim.You may want to consult this checklist of things you must do before peacing out.2. To stop procrastinatingSure this is a good goal to have, but what does this mean? How will you ensure your productivity in the new year? Rather than telling yourself that youll stop procrastinating, tell yourself that youll start making to-do lists you can check off, keeping your desk organized becaus e a clear spaceallows for a clear mind, or harnessing fear so you stop putting things off. Whatever it is you need to do to make this shift, plan to do that instead. Here are some other ways you can fix your procrastination problem.3. To find loveLove would be nice. But relationship experts, your mother and everyone whos heard your dating horror stories have or will tell you that you cant go out looking for it. Perhaps focus on loving yourself mora in the new year, and love with another person may follow suit. These quotes on loving yourself willget you started withall the feels.4. To cry lessCrying is actually healthy. For one, a study from the Netherlands suggests that it can actually improve your mood. For two, it relieves stress this was evident in a study done by William H. Frey II, Ph.D., a biochemist and director of the Psychiatry Research Laboratories at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Centre. His theory was that we feel better after crying because it removes chemicals that bui ld up during stress. But science aside, its important to recognize and truly feel your emotions you have them for a reason, and dismissing sadness could lead to bottled up konjunkturtief down the line.5. To meet lofty weight loss goalsLosing weight is probably the most popular New Years resolution, but experts warn that its the worst. There are too many factors at play when it comes to someones body weight, Amber Hurdle, a certified life coach who works with female entrepreneurs, told Readers Digest. Body composition can dramatically change with limited-to-no change in the actual number on the scale. Also, you may have to uncover digestive, hormonal or other health challenges, for example, before you can start seeing any results. She says that a more practical approach might be to start building healthy habits one at a time, like committing to joining a gym.6. To say I love you moreOkay, this isnt a poor resolution to make. Its just that itcouldbe better. Do tell your loved ones ho w much you appreciate them, but also show them how much you appreciate them. Resolve to make more loving gestures in the new year.7. To say yes moreSure, saying yes and welcoming spontaneity would keep life exciting. But sometimes, its important to know when to say no. For example, you dont want to be someones doormat in the new year. If you agree to all the work that comes your way for little pay, youll probably have regrets. If you really need some alone time, agreeing to go out all the time might set you back mentally. If you say yes to spontaneous vacations without considering your finances, your bank account might not thank you for it. You dont need to feel guilty for saying no. You just need to be honest with yourself about whats plausible and whats plausible perhaps another time or another way.8. To make more moneyThis is similar to the procrastination resolution. How do you plan to make that money? Perhaps you should revise your goal to be a bit more specific spend more hou rs working harder or challenge yourself by taking on loftier projects at work. But also think about if its really money that you want more of. About 65 percent of people say theyd opt for money over time, according to a study in the journalSocial Psychological and Personal Science but those who did value time over money reported more happiness and life satisfaction.9. To speak up moreWith movements like MeToo, women everywhere are vowing to speak up more, to share their stories and to shed light on issues that impact their lives. This is incredibly important. But, again, this resolution could be better. Rather than just speaking up more, pledge to listen more, too. Listening helps establish empathy and empathy helps fuel revolutions.10. To get more involvedMaybe youve been meaning to join one of your offices club sports teams, or youve been trying to make more time for your family after work. These are healthy goals to have, but dont forget that me time is critical to your health, t oo. If there simply arent enough hours in the day right now, dont add more to your plate just because its the start of a new year. You can always join the kickball league after you close the client deal. But you also may want to consider setting aside meditation time alone when that space in your schedule opens up.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.