Financial infidelity 8 signs you might have a problem

Financial infidelity 8 signs you might have a problemFinancial infidelity 8 signs you might have a problemFinancial infidelityis a major problem in marriages. Today Im seeing more and more couples with separate bank accounts and keeping their finances completely separate. There are a few reasons you might want to do this, but most couples should be combining finances.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreFirst, Ill share which couples qualify for keeping finances separate.Reasons for Married Couples to Keep Finances SeparateI wrote acase for keeping separate bank accountson Rockstar Finance last year. In the article, I shared six reasons that couples might want to have individual bank accounts and split the bills.1. You have a blended familyIf youre remarried and have children from a previous marriage, chances are youre responsible for carrying a term life insurance policy in a specif ied amount with your ex as the beneficiary (for the benefit of your children). This can get tricky when you have more kids with your new spouse splitting beneficiaries. You might want to have separate policies for each.2. Youve been through a nasty divorce (or more than one)Both my husband and I have parents who have collectively been married (and divorced) 15 times. 5 marriages for my mom, 2 marriages for my dad, 3 marriages for his mom, and 5 marriages for his dad. Sometimes, youve just gotta protect yourself in case of financial infidelity or other issues.In this case, I recommend having a joint bank account for bills and keeping separate bank accounts for the rest of your expenses. If youre looking for a great high yield savings account thatll earn you more interest than a local bank, heres my favoritehigh interest savings account3. One spouse is a major spenderIf your spouse has a tendency to empty the bank account every payday, you might want to keep finances separate and offe r him or her a weekly allowance or fun money (and no debit card). Why no debit card, you ask? Because emotionally, plastic is easier to swipe and spend than handing over a $50 bill.4. You or your spouse has an addictive personalityDo you keep cash out of your paycheck every week to play slots or buy scratch offs? Are you an alcoholic? What about a recovering alcoholic or addict? Who here likes to shop more than he or she should? By keeping separate bank accounts, youre protecting your bill money. Again, you can still have a joint account where the bills are paid (with no debit cards) and have a separate account for your fun money. But when its gone, its gone. No dipping into the bill account for your bad habits5. Youve received an inheritance or are a self-made millionaireA prenup is always a good idea when you are entering a marriage with a good amount of money. You might want to consider having separate finances if this is the case. Ive seen too many couples where one spouse empti ed the bank accounts and opened new accounts before filing for divorce with no recourse. Joint accounts are joint ownership. This means that all parties technically own the money in the account. Consult an attorney if you have questions.6. You have any reason not to trust your spouseInfidelity comes in several different forms. If your spouse is a cheater by nature, keep your finances separate. Youve got toprotect yourself financially in case of a divorce.You canopen a high-yield savings accountwith $100 to start. Out of sight, out of mindNow that weve discussed why you might want to keep your finances separate, lets address the issue of hiding money from your spouse in marriage.8 signs of financial infidelity1. You dont know how much your spouse really earnsYou think you know how much your spouse makes? Do you see his or her paycheck stub? Do they communicate with you about raises and bonuses? Do you know the exact amount of net income each pay period? What about how much theyre con tributing to retirement? ansicht are all important questions to ask. If you cant answer these, its time to sit down with your spouse.2. He keeps a large portion out of his paychecks and you have no idea where it goesMy ex-husband used to do this. Hed take his paycheck to the bank every week and keep a large portion (were talking hundreds) out for himself. He ate fast food, drank a lot of beer, and smoked a lot of cigarettes. Notice I said this was myex-husband. Financial infidelity can destroy marriages.3. Youve recently found a credit card statement for an account you didnt know existedDoes your spouse have credit cards that you dont know about? Why so secretive with the purchases? Many cheating spouses open additional credit cards so that they can hide money spent on the other woman (or man).4. Money has gone missingIf youve noticed money missing from your savings accounts (or checking account), your spouse might be unfaithfully hiding something from you. Take inventory of your ac countsat leastonce a month. Make sure everything is accounted for, and if its not, address it immediately. Communication is key.5. Youve been removed from joint credit card accountsCredit cards give the option of adding authorized signers. If youve been alerted that you recently closed an account or your credit utilization ratio increased, your spouse may have dropped you. You can get a copy of your credit report from Experian or Transunion. You can get all three for free once per year atannualcreditreport.com.6. You remove tags from clothing to make it look like its always been in the closetHave you ever done this? Be honest If youre removing tags from clothing so you dont get caught, yourecommitting financial infidelity.Its okay to treat yourself once in awhile, but when you start having to hide it, youve got deeper issues.7. Your spouse gets defensive when you bring up moneyDo the walls go up when you start asking questions about money? When you bring up specific purchases, does he try to change the subject or make jokes? These are major red flags8. You cant have the passwords to his computer, let alone his online bankingListen, when you got married, you gaveallof yourself to another person. That means you each get unrestricted access (at least visibly) to the bank accounts. If you dont have this ability, its time for a come to Jesus meeting.Financial infidelity in marriageis a scary topic. No one wants to face the fact that their spouse could be lying by omission, spending on things he or she shouldnt, and keeping secrets. But if you see signs above and are wondering if there are things you dont know about your financial situation, sit down with your spouse and talk about it. Heres howTalking about money with a defensive spouseIf money talks always end in fights, theres a gentle way to ease into the conversation. Start out by saying, Honey, I am so tired of being broke all the time. And I know you must be, too. Maybe we should sit down together and combine forces to see where we really stand so we can tackle this thing head-onBy coming from a collaborative standpoint instead of an accusatory one, your spouse is likely to be more receptive to talk. He may be itching to come clean about some of the issues that have been plaguing him.Money and marriage next stepsMoney used to be a taboo subject. So many people didnt discuss money, income, finances, etc and now a simple google search for income reports yields actual income earned. When you decide to have your first money and marriage meeting, discuss the followingBring paycheck stubs. You show me yours and Ill show you mineBring all the bills and expenses to the table. Nothing goes unnoticedBring bank statements and a highlighter. Highlight fast food and convenience store purchases. How much money is each of you throwing away every week?List debts owed, smallest balance to largest and make a plan topay it all offusing thedebt snowball or debt avalanche method.Remember your vows. Honor on e another and the promise you made to care for one another, til death do we part.This article first appeared on Melissablevins.com .You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven 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

6 Hard Truths Every Job Seeker Should Know

6 Hard Truths Every Job Seeker Should Know6 Hard Truths Every Job Seeker Should KnowTo find success in your job search, you cant have any false assumptions. Too often, talented people find themselves upended because they were surprised about something they didnt know or expect. Here are six things you should keep in mind throughout your job hunt 1. You need to have the necessary skills and experience to get a job. I would have loved that job and could have figured out how to do it with some training and help along the way. Employers hire people because they are convinced those hires already have the skills and experience to do a job well. That doesnt mean you cant make a significant career change. But no matter the circumstance, you need to somehow demonstrate a strong basis of relevant skills and experience upon which a hiring manager can predict your success.2. Just because you have the required skills and experience doesnt mean you will get the job. From an employers standpoint, t he hiring process is about much mora than matching candidate skills and experience with a job openings stated requirements. They also carefully consider that elusive quality called fit. While it isnt a very satisfying reason to hear when you are rejected, fit can include personality, temperament, career progression and a host of other legitimate elements.3. You will likely be asked the salary question in your first conversation. Be prepared for it. Rather than fumbling or becoming rattled, give a respectful answer that highlights a current or recent compensation level. Make it clear that you understand that the salary in this job will be different because the role, environment, cost of living and other factors will be different. Then, quickly deflect the conversation back to talking about the value you offer rather than the cost you represent as a new hire.4. Employers are interested in your key accomplishments and how you attained them not your job description. You can pretty much assume that serious candidates for a given role will all have histories of more or less similar responsibilities.When you begin bullet points on yourrsumwith Responsible for you lump yourself in with the rest of the candidates andprovide no reason why your background is superior to theirs.As an alternative, use a CARchallenge, action, resultstatement.Explain one of your responsibilities, and then highlight what you actually did and what value resulted from your actions. Heres an exampleChallenge Grow and transform a fallow sales territory with few accounts into a vibrant and consistent revenue stream.Crafted a business plan and obtained buy-in from management. Prospected, formed new relationships and closed XXX new accounts resulting in $YYY of revenue.5. Employers arent interested in what you did in 1997. There is no need to highlight skills or expertise that are passe. If you surfed the World Wide Web using Netscape Navigator, composed documents in WordPerfect for DOS and made L otus 1-2-3 spreadsheets, no one cares. Really The same is true about listing jobs you held more than 10 to 15 years ago. Like or not, in almost every instance, they are no longer relevant. In the interest of honesty, it is very reasonable to include a line like this in yourrsum,under the earliest position Details of prior experience are available upon request.6. Sour grapes make you sour. Even if you only apply to jobs for which you believe yourself to be well-qualified or even perfect, no job is a shoo-in. You will get rejections. Sometimes youll get many rejections. Stuff happens. Maybe yourrsumwasnt read. Maybe the hiring manager wasnt smart enough to figure out how great you really are. Its possible that the job was hard-wired forsomeone else.Its true that life isnt fair. Wallowing in self-pity or placing the blame on others for the job you didnt get wont get you the job you deserve. Often, just the opposite is true. When you blame your circumstances on the faults of others, you rob yourself of the ability to go forward with a positive attitude. Without that, no matter how skilled and experienced you are, chances are good you wont have the positive energy it takes to do what must be done to succeed the next time around. Happy huntingArnie Fertig, MPA, is passionate about helping hisJobhuntercoachclients advance their careers by transforming frantic Ill apply to anything searches into focused hunts for great fit opportunities. He brings to each client the extensive knowledge he gained when working in HR staffing and managing his boutique recruiting firm.

Follow up Emails to Make Recruiters Smile

Follow up Emails to Make Recruiters SmileFollow up Emails to Make Recruiters SmileYour recruiter helped you get an bewerberinterview. And you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that you had the best interview ever. Then, you met with a recruiter who showed lots of interest in staying connected and works with the all the great companies you want to be a part of. And these recruiters all said to you, Keep in touch.But then a couple of weeks pass and you havent heard a thing and you havent written a thing. You want to write the recruiter. But you also want to leave these recruiters smiling when they read your email.So, here are some great templates to help you put a smile on a recruiters face when you are nervous you may come across as annoying.1. Follow up with referralsOne of the best ways to make a recruiter smile is to write them with referrals or offer to find referrals for any job they are working on. If you can accelerate their hiring process you will score big with them. He re is an exampleDear insert friends name,Earlier this month, we had spoken after meeting to discuss this job. I was contacting you to landsee if you had an update or feedback on my interview with company.In the meantime, I would happily refer anyone to you. Please let me know. As a job seeker, I know others in my network looking for new work. Maybe I can refer them to you?It would be my pleasure to assist.Best wishes,nameShort and simple. But remember This type of follow up email should be saved for recruiters you really have a strong desire to work with. This is not the type of email you send to all recruiters because, if you do, you will find yourself making promises to people you cannot keep. And that never goes over well with anyone. You may also end up doing lots of work for people you hardly know.2. Interview follow up emailsWhen you follow up with an email after an interview, you may want to offer to connect on other channels such as LinkedIn. You also want to avoid sounding desperate, nervous, needy, or negative. Sure, you had an interview and heard nothing. But there is no reason to assume the worst. Instead, try an email like thisDear insert recruiter name,I recently interviewed for a job opening at insert company name for the position of insert position name thanks to your recruiting efforts. The position fit perfectly with my experience in insert experience, insert experience and insert experience.I was writing to see if you had an update and also to invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn. You can learn more about me here on my LinkedIn Profile insert LinkedIn Profile url.I recently followed your posts insert social media site and appreciate what you share. You offer valuable resources for job seekers and I like the way you interact with others.If you have time, Id love to set up a call and talk. I have some availability on insert days next week from insert time span with time zone. You can email me at insert your email address or by phone at in sert phone number. I look forward to speaking again soon.Sincerely,insert your nameGive these emails a try the next time you find yourself in similar situations. Job seeking is not easy and you will come across many people and personalities. The emails above will help you network with those recruiters you want to be working with all the time.

What to do if a company asks for your Facebook password in a job interview

What to do if a company asks for your Facebook password in a job bewerberinterviewWhat to do if a company asks for your Facebook password in a job interviewHow to respond when faced with Shoulder surfen during a job interview.Imagine youve been on the job market for about six months. You are paying your mortgage on your credit cards at this point. Your unemployment benefits are about to run out and your job prospects remain dismal, no matter what you seem to do.Finally, you land a killer opportunity, pass the phone screen and show up to an interview with a hiring manager. Just as you think youre about to close the deal, she spins her computer screen around and asks you to login to your Facebook account.What do you do?This is common enough that it now has a name Shoulder Surfing. According to Lori Andrews, a law professor at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law specializing in Internet privacy, this practice is coercion if you need a job. Not to mention the violation in Facebooks privacy p olicy, albeit unenforceable.Facebooks official statement is that shoulder surfing undermines the privacy expectations and the security of both the user and the users friends and potentially exposes the employer who seeks this access to unanticipated legal liability.The ruling, made by the FTC in May, 2011, was that companies can use social media information as part of a background check, but this information must be available from public databases. In other words, strictly speaking, it could be illegal for companies to use private social media information against you without your consent. (I say could be because I am not a lawyer, I just pay attention.)However, there are some cases wherein this type of deep probing could be deemed appropriate for example law enforcement or defense. In this case, it would be easy for the employer to defend their request to access private data as it pertains directly to the candidates qualification to perform the job.But when Justin Bassett, a statist ician based in New York, was asked for his Facebook password he refused. And so should you. Many states are already in the process of introducing legislation against this practice, and if you live in Illinois and or Maryland, such legislation already exists.How to Protect Your Privacy in a Job SearchAs our economy makes its baby steps towards recovery, chances are that fewer people will need to find a job that desperately. Assuming your situation is not dire (and its probably not, the unemployment rate for people with bachelors degrees or higher is only around 4.5%), here are some responses you can memorize and use in an interview just in case they ask.I take my agreements very seriously. And it is against Facebooks user policy to share my password with anyone else. Im going to have to respectfully decline your request.Im sure your firm has a social media policy. Well, it is my own social media policy to use Facebook for personal reasons. I mean no offense, but Im going to have to d ecline.Privacy is a very serious matter for me. Should I be employed with your organization, I would honor private company information just as seriously as I honor my own. Even if this means losing a great opportunity for me, I must refuse your request. And know that if I were presented with a similar situation with your private information, I would respond in the same way.I wouldnt want to jeopardize your organizations standing with OFCCP s regulations about asking about kids or other protected private matters in the course of an employment decision. Therefore, if you dont mind, Id prefer to keep my Facebook profile private. However, should you and I become friendly after my employment, I would have no problem having you in my network.I will leave you with one final thought. Never forget that Facebook owns your data no matter what - and it takes up to seven days for them to remove deleted information from their database.When you use social media you are a publisher. Never forget t hat. When people complain that they now have to watch their step with every post, welcome to reality. Thats the way it always was. And I think these issues are arising precisely because we are all maturing in our use and our understanding of social media.

The Ultimate Manual to Project Manager Sample Resume

The Ultimate Manual to Project Manager Sample Resume What You Should Do to Find Out About Project Manager Sample Resume Before Youre Left Behind Take note of the particular projects youve undertaken and the outcomes youve accomplished. A free resume template is a kind of basic sample for a resume that an individual might want to develop. If you search for a few of the completely free sample resume statements, then you are going to observe they do not is composed of any sentence in first individual. A digital sample resumes free can permit you to pick the way by which you will type your resume and the message which you like to send to the possible employer. If your business is going through a slow period or the economy is down, attempt to be flexible and understand how to respond if your boss suggests a decrease amount than that which you could have been expecting. You need a clear idea about what sort of a job youre applying for and then prepare your resume accordingly. The world economy is experiencing tough times, so if youre eying a job that you should prepare yourself well. Therefore, if youre eying work, think again, you require a person to aid you on getting your details in place. The Project Manager Sample Resume Cover Up Sample resumes can be obtained for each job possible and youll be able to download many specific samples at no cost as a way to boost your resume. Free of charge samples are products or services provided to a possible client to allow them to try out the item or service without charge. They can also be provided for services and the Internet is being increasingly used to provide free samples of different services. Completely free samples are usually distributed during a new product launch or any time the business would like to capture greater market share for the item. There are several free resume samples or templates readily available online, which make it simple and convenient for someone to modify one according to their very own requirements. Among the downsides to finding free sample resumes on the net is that theyre often merely a picture. Sure, its probably not your favourite thing to do, but there are a lot of totally free sample resumes on the web or in document programs, such as MS Word, that may allow you to understand the proper resume format. Nowadays free samples may also be obtained through websites of organizations. New Step by Step Roadmap for Project Manager Sample Resume Resumes can follow distinctive standards. They are likely to be industry specific. They are created to highlight the best side of a person. Sending a generic resume for each and every job isnt the perfect approach. Do Make Your Resume Computer-Friendly The very last thing you would like to do is to create a resume thats tough to read on a computer screen. If you set certain numbers of job applications and resumes sent each week, it is going to let you keep moving forward and keep up a positive attitude. Highlighting the prior employment record will demonstrate the responsibilities an individual previously held and the length of time they usually maintains a job. Resume tips for felons are a big assistance. Personality wise its essential to have a determined and to be in a position to address stress well. If you dont prefer to landsee a professional resume writer, be ready to be one your self because one way or the other you must get on with one of the greatest resumes along with you if youre looking for success. Any obvious mistakes will damage your credibility. There are a lot of networking tips which are as important if not more important than your resume when it has to do with getting work. There are a lot of unique ways one can gather a resume that if you should attempt to choose one which you would be utterly confused. There are a number of ways to compose a cover letter. You will also require an outstanding cover letter. When writing a cover letter there are lots of things to include. A great cover letter isnt an overview of the resume whatsoever. SAP Project Managers work to keep a portfolio about the technological and functional projects that are relevant to a SAP undertaking. Technical Project Managers deliver project management services with the goal of ensuring a high degree of consumer satisfaction. Ensure client expectations are satisfied and that all project deliverables are completed in time and price range.

Unbiased Report Exposes the Unanswered Questions on Concierge Executive Services Resume Writing Kansas City Mo

Unbiased Report Exposes the Unanswered Questions on Concierge Executive Services Resume Writing Kansas City Mo The Concierge Executive Services Resume Writing Kansas City Mo Cover Up Keep in mind, your resume is the best method for you to receive your foot in the door for a desirable job. Writing the Concierge Resume TemplateCreate Resume A resume will probably be your very first introduction to a possible employer. Now its your responsibility to fulfill your professionally written resume. Definitions of Concierge Executive Services Resume Writing Kansas City Mo You may look at the hospitality concierge resume sample to receive a better idea of what hiring managers start looking for. Make sure to personalize your concierge resume for each job opening and make certain to include your special skill sets like reliability, multitasking, organization in addition to an innate understanding of the region. Utilize your resume to highlight how you are able to help bring a personal tou ch to the specific hotel or resort youre applying to. Youre a personal tafelgeschirrs business. At any writing service its the endeavor to give you the best of the services and also supply the resumes that are as per the most recent market trends. So, besides checking the search results, its essential to look at the feedback of earlier customers. Not all resumes are perfect for all sorts of jobs. The majority of the resumes writing services dont offer you the chance of direct contact by making use of their writers. Sales managers and recruiters are very busy individuals, and the job of reading resumes is an essential evil on their road to success. Do your studying to learn whatever you can about the organization and the work you would do and use the same type of language thats used in that area. For instance, you may need a person who can write IT resumes or sales resumes. The writing services make sure that you find it possible to catch the interest of the recruiters so th at you have the interview call for your fantasy job.

The Staffing Industry is Evolving. Some Survival Tips.

The Staffing Industry is Evolving. Some Survival Tips.The Staffing Industry is Evolving. Some Survival Tips.The Staffing Industry is Evolving. Some Survival Tips.Focus on high-margin business. Get more productive. Diversify services to dampen the down cycles.Thats the pitch for much of the staffing industry for how to survive, and perhaps even thrive, in 2010 and beyond.Staffing firms have suffered the same recessionary woes as their clients, only more so, given the hyper-cyclical nature of the business. Some firms werent fit to stay afloat and didnt. The rest find themselves evolving in ways they might not have imagined a few years ago, when corporate America couldnt hire enough contingent workers.So lets take a look at how the strong have carried on and will evolve. But first, heres a snapshot of the staffing industrys numbers, which sortiment from truly scary to genuinely hopeful.Downs and Ups Only Get SharperThe ranks of staffing firms have declined roughly 20 percent from about 10,600 in 2008 to approximately 8,500 in early 2010, wrote Jon Osborne, vice president of research at Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA.) As smaller staffing firms have faltered, larger firms have gobbled them up, according to James Pierce, vice president of strategic solutions at Peopleclick Authoria, which makes vendor management systems (VMS) software.The demand for contingent workers appears to be supporting a recovery in the staffing industry. Temporary help services employment has risen from 1.87 million to 2.04 million in the 12 months ending March 2010, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.More broadly, the hiring slowdown for permanent and contingent workers seems to have finally hit bottom. Employers in 12 of 13 industry sectors say they plan to modestly increase headcount in the second quarter of 2010, according to Manpowers Employment Outlook Survey.IT staffing, in particular, is headed upward. While engineering/konzeption staffing activity dro pped 18 percent and finance/engineering declined 10 percent in the year ending January 2010, IT increased 2 percent, according to an SIA survey. IT staffing is projected to grow 8 percent through 2010.Slim Margins Force the Issue of ProductivityDespite all the growth, when client companies are pressed by their customers to lower costs, its inevitable that the pressure will be passed along to their vendors, including staffing firms.Clients want visibility into their spend so they can do effective rate and vendor rationalization, says Pierce. Translation Employers want to keep a closer eye on what theyre paying for contingent workers so they can drive a harder bargain. They want to reduce spend, but they dont want to tighten rates to the point that it impacts quality. Some employers use a VMS to get better information on vendor utilization and contingent-worker pay rates.Our industry is fighting the margins every day, says Dennis Judge, executive vice president at staffing and consult ing firm The Judge Group. The larger national accounts are trying to push the rates down. Weve had business we had to walk away from because we couldnt provide labor at the cost on their RFP.The experience of individual firms has been gut-wrenching. Our business did a very sharp V through 2009, says Rob Lowry, executive vice president at Apex Systems, which provides staffing in IT, finance and accounting, engineering and legal. After a severe downturn in early 2009, our rapid growth in the second half has continued through the first quarter of 2010.How did Apex weather the storm? We stayed close to our customers and shifted resources toward current opportunities, says Lowry. Although Im operating now with about 25 percent fewer recruiters, we leise had folks in place when the recovery started. Weve increased our productivity by 50 percent by getting recruiters focused on expertise in certain technologies. Were breaking down the recruiting process more, looking at it as a supply chai n that can produce results better, faster, cheaper.Diversifying Services May Ease CyclicalityEven as successful staffing firms are harvesting the gains of better productivity and a focus on high-margin business, theyre wise to start thinking about the next business downturn, however many years off it might be. One strategy is to reduce the extreme cyclicality of the business by diversifying into related offerings such as vendor management systems and managed services.Staffing clients can be sold on VMS if they understand the advantages of automating recruitment processes, cutting costs and demanding top value from their staffing vendors. VMS and MSPs are the future, says Lowry.Superior Group has enacted this strategy. Were well diversified in our client base, but also in our range of services, including recruitment process outsourcing, payroll processing and other HR services, says Christopher Delaney, director of client recruiting services at Superior. We make automatic and paperle ss some processes that employers may have been overpaying for.Of course, nearly all lines of business lost ground in the great recession. Managed services lost steam over the recession, but now a lot of companies are considering this approach or reviewing the value of their current managed services program, says Delaney.A Tempered OptimismAlthough the economy seems to have bounced off the bottom, employers are still leery about bringing on more workers. Some clients are waiting to see how much SUI state unemployment insurance costs go up before firming up their staffing plans for the rest of this year, says Delaney.Still, staffing industry executives have to be cheered by a resurgence in demand for top talent. Were again seeing candidates with multiple offers, which is a very good sign, says Lowry. But its challenging because we dont expect our clients to ease up on rate pressure.Some staffing firms even see in 2010 opportunities in additional markets. Were going to consider new loc ations in other cities for later this year, says Judge.

Give your communication style a reality check

Give yur communication style a reality checkGive your communication style a reality checkSelf-Assessment Quiz - TRUE or FALSEI think Im a good listener at work, and thats really the only skill I need to work well with my co-workers.I feel like my co-workers dont know how to relate to me, and it makes me enjoy my job less and less.Getting my bosss ear is a real challenge. I cant seem to reach her. Im worried about my annual review because she has no idea how hard I work.Did you answer TRUE to all three self-assessment questions? If so, you can use a boost in the communication department. Here are some communication career-building tools that you can thank me for later.If you havent already, Im gonna need you to take notlageice of HOW you talk to people on the job. For some of you (Millennials, Im talking toyou), you might have this idea that if everyone wants so badly to get work done, then they better learn how to adapt toyouand how you communicate. If you find yourself grumbling und er your breath with, I just SAID that Why she makin me repeat myself?? then Im gonna need you to take off your earphones and listen up for a reality check.Back in 1943 (stay with me), two women,Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers, created the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality test to help us all understand our differences and where were coming from, specifically related to personal motivations and group interactions. Theirpsychological questionnaireis still used today by corporations worldwide, from weekend team-building conferences to new hire on-board training. And for good reason. The test lets people know the type of personality you are and identifies the best way to reach you, and vice versa for your co-workers. Gold, right? So, if your co-worker Julias work personality is one where she prefers to be given information, be allowed to go off to her desk and work, and come back with a plan, you needling her in a meeting about her plan aint gonna make Julia a happy campe r. Meaning, it would behoove you to have an awareness of Julias work personality. But how do you know what Julias personality is? How do you know how to effectively communicate with her personality style so that youre not making her shut down rather than share? If you cant take the MBTI to help, here are a few steps to take on your ownStop During your next meeting, if things seem a little tense or if it seems like youre sort of being pushed out of the conversation or ignored, stop what youre doing. Literally sit back (slowly, not defensively) and assess the situation. Whats going on in the meeting? Is Julia uber animated to the point where shes perhaps, irritated or angry? Can you figure out why?Look Watch for specific cues. If Julia gets defensive when you ask her a question, take a moment to recognize that she is defensive and try to rework your question in a way that starts with something like, Julia, I see youve done so much great work here. Can you help me more with explainin g what my role is in this project?Listen While Julia explains, do your best to listen to her. That means, while shes talking, youre not. Try not to interrupt her, even if it feels like shes taking a long time to get her point across or if youre excited to jump in She will appreciate you giving her the time to speak.Repeat Once Julia has finished talking, thank her for sharing and repeat what youve heard. In fact, repeat steps 1 4 until any sort of communication conflict has been resolved.Communicating effectively IS about adapting to one another, but in a way that actually makes sense. You taking the time to be aware of your co-workers style and making changes like the above to meet them half-way (rather than you feeling like they should totally get you) will go a long way.By the way, there are quite a few tests out there to help you get to know yourself and others so that in your next performance review, the little box that says, Works well with others will be checked off with a smiley face. Monster.com gives a great listhere. Take a clickCheryl Grace is the sassy aunt, best friend, and mentor youve always needed in your life. The successful jet-setting, weltumspannend corporate executive founded the aspirational lifestyle brand Powerful Penny LLC. Her products, workshops and speeches probe, inspire and empower to ensure those who really want to can get to their next level of best. Her blogs on careers, prosperity, relationships, family, looking and living fabulously, and living a five-star life can be found atwww.powerfulpenny.com.

How to Respond to Requests for Reference Checks

How to Respond to Requests for Reference ChecksHow to Respond to Requests for Reference ChecksYoud think that supplying a reference for a former employee should be a simple, straightforward activity that managers and Human Resources practitioners routinely handle. But, in the US, in the litigious environment that exists, providing a simple employment reference, in response to a reference check request, is no longer widely practiced. In fact, most companies assign reference checks to the Human Resources staff. This means that obtaining a reference that reveals any information about the candidate you propose to hire is increasingly difficult. Traditionally, managers and supervisors of candidates are your best sources of information. In an earlier article, the different approaches available for reference checks for former employees were discussed. The recommended approach to a verbal employment reference differed based on the employees wertmiger zuwachs while he or she worked for your o rganization. The recommended response to a request for a written recommendation, especially the forms that request numeric responses that rate employees, remains the same. Send the form to your HR staff person. Informal Verbal Reference Checks These sample employment reference and verification of employment policies are suitable for the majority of reference checks, especially those checks requested in written format. In the earlier article, an unwritten, more informal reference discussion, that the immediate supervisor might hold with the potential employer, welches described. Especially in the case of a valued, performing former employee or current employee, you may want to informally discuss their contributions with a prospective employer. In this way, you assist your former colleague to select and receive an appropriate employment opportunity. You enable the prospective employer to experience a certain comfort level with his or her employee choice. Since a reference check ph one call comes late in the employee selection process, rest assured that your comments are confirming what the prospective employer has decided through the application and interview process. You are not, at this point, providing a lot of new information for the prospective employer if their hiring process was comprehensive. Guidelines for Informal Reference Checks Research online indicates that certain employers, especially universities and government entities, still appear to allow managers to provide responses to reference checks. (Policies of private employers are only rarely online.) Employees of companies that require employees to send formal, written reference checks to HR may also feel comfortable talking with a prospective employer informally. These themes about reference check content are worth noting for readers who decide to respond to a verbal reference check for current or former employees. Managers need training to provide behauptung responses to reference check re quests. Please note the recommendations for when and whether a manager should provide a response to a reference check. Managers May Respond to Requests for Reference Checks Using These Guidelines When responding to a reference check request, managers may answer these questions and heed these warnings. Identify the job title, final salary, dates of employment, and major job responsibilities of the former employee.If you decide to provide any information about the employees wertmiger zuwachs, make sure that your response is balanced. The employee exhibited mostly positive work performance in these ways, but you had some concerns in these areas. These areas may or may not be relevant in the new job in any case, they are insufficient to preclude the employees hire. (Especially with a former performing employee, you want to boost the chances that they will receive a job offer.) Answer only questions about which you have information. Use the employees file including performance evaluation s and other written documents to provide specific, truthful examples that highlight the employees performance. Stay away from opinions, hearsay, and predictions.If you decide to provide negative information about the employee, provide information about which the employee has had feedback. Provide specific examples from the written documentation that have been shared with the employee. Questions Never to Answer About Former Employees You may refuse to answer these questions directly or deflect them with an answer that sidesteps the problematic components. (Example would you rehire the employee? Answer If all aspects of the employees experience, education, job performance, and interests remained consistent with the requirements of the position, yes, I would rehire the employee.) Watch out for these questions Any question that would reveal information about any aspect of an employees protected class for potential discrimination or civil rights protection. Examples of such questions in cludeQuestions about marital or partner status, family matters, personal health, disabilities, medical or attendance records, race, national origin, age, religion, gender, and so forth.Any question that would identify the political or legally protected employment-related activities of an employee such as union organizing, serving as a union steward, filing a grievance, political party affiliation or activities, worker compensation claims, insurance utilization, or employer-related lawsuits. Questions that are unrelated to the work setting or to work performance. These might include questions about the former employees interests, hobbies, volunteer associations, or association memberships. These are not the potential new employers business.Any question that asks you to predict the future performance of an employee. All you are qualified to respond to areemployer questions about the performance that you experienced, backed up with examples you have in writing. You cannot predict the p erformance of an employee in a new job, in a new environment, for a new employer, in a set of circumstances that you cant define or know. With care and consideration, you can give valued performers an employment boost. Your informal, truthful, documented performance assessment may provide the tip of the scale in favor of your former employees next opportunity.