How to Advance Your Gig and Avoid Hassle

How to Advance Your Gig and Avoid HassleHow to Advance Your Gig and Avoid HassleEvery musikgruppe has had the experience at least once (and probably more than once)- you get to the venue, and no one is there to help you set up, the gear you need is nowhere to be found, and it seems like no one in town even knows youre playing. The way to avoid all of this hassle is your advance your gig. Advancing your gig gives you an extra layer of insurance that everything will go smoothly on the night of the show, so all you have to worry about is getting up there and playing a good set. Assign the Task I thought you were going to do it. No, you said you were. Sound like the kind of conversations you have with your bandmates in the run up to a gig? Advancing your gig is too important of a task to assume someone else is going to do. If your band has a manager or an agent, then the job of advancing the show will usually fall on their shoulders. If you have booked the show yourself, the job of a dvancing falls on someone in the band. It is a good idea to have a band spokesperson who can act as the business contract for your band and take on responsibilities like these. Artist ManagerAgent Promo On? If you want people to come to your gig, you have to promote it. Whose job that is depends on if you booked the gig with a promoter, who will take on most of these tasks, or if you are promoting the show yourself. If youre working with a promoter, it makes sense to check in during the run up to the show to make sure all promotional plans have been implemented. Ask questions like Is thevenue/town postered?Has the press been told about the gig?If there are to be ticket presales, are the tickets ready and on sale? Ideally, you should be looking at this stuff at least 4-6 weeks before the show. Confirm the Details Before the show, confirm the details in your contract, like What time is load-in? Soundcheck? On stage time?Lengthofset?Will there be accommodation provided? Where? At whose cost?Will your rider or meal requests be ok?Have they arranged to meet all of your tech needs? If you need special equipment, will they be able to provide it? At whose cost? You should already know these answers, but its funny how things change at the brde minute. You should do this 1 week or so before the show- late enough that final arrangements should be in place, early enough to adapt if there are any problems. The Final Day On the day of your show, it is time for one last confirmation of the details. Check in with the promoter or venue early in the day to make sure everything is on track. If you had to make any changes to your original plan when you confirmed the details the first time, make sure those changes are all in place. Arrive on time for your load in/sound check and scope things out. If you see any problems with the stage set up, the gear, or anything else, speak up right away so you have the best chance of fixing things. Tips Advancing your gig is a g reat way to try and make things run a little more smoothly, but theyre not a guarantee. Things can go wrong, things do go wrong- often, you can count on the fact that things WILL go wrong. Be ready to go with the flow - it will make things much easier for you. This is especially important for smaller, up and coming indie bands who may be working with smaller venues and parte time promoters. If something goes wrong, before flying off the handle, try to step back and weigh the situation. Trying to fix the problem and learning for next time is the best remedy for any show night disaster. When you are confirming the details about things like hotel rooms and transportation with a promoter, it is worthwhile to do a triple check by calling the hotel/the airline, etc, to see if they have a reservation for you.Even if you are self-promoting a show, you can still advance the gig by running through the pre-gig checklist with yourself.When youre confirming the details, that is also a good time to make sure you have directions to the venue and a contact number for someone in case you get lost coming into town (and you can bet you will- getting lost is part of being on tour). While youre keeping everyone else on task, make sure you stay on yours. The one thing that is absolutely guaranteed to ruin a show is if you turn up not ready to play. You expect the promoters and venues to be professionals- make sure you are one, too.

Make It Easy To Hire You...

Make It Easy To Hire You...Make It Easy To Hire You...Are you making it easy to hire you? Or are you making it hard? At Ladders.com, we know a few things about how to make $100K+ hiring managers and recruiters pretty darn excited. Heres a bit of feedback from this week You guys are incredible Weve hired several employees through your service and will be looking to hire about twenty more by the end of June. Thank you for providing such an extraordinary two-way opportunity. Jim Cronlin, Edmond, OK Thanks, Jim Heres another Jamie, As promised I wanted to say a few words about your website(s), Ladders. Your site is an amazingly effective tool for Recruiters The amount of qualified responses to our postings has been remarkable. I plan on continuing to use the site and referring my colleagues to this treasure trove of talent. Thanks to you for your continued support you are marvelous in the customer service departement. While I know you must have hundreds of clients I am left feel ing special each time we speak. Thanks again and again Jamie Sincerely, Anne Gleaton Executive Recruiter InSight Careers Because of our industry experience as veteran executives at HotJobs.com, and our laser-like focus on just the cream of the crop here at Ladders.com, weve learned quite a bit about how to love the customer and get great candidates connected to great jobs like the more than 5,000 new $100K+ opportunities in this weeks newsletter. And weve made it very easy for recruiters to hire our candidates by sticking to our mantra We dont accept money from hiring managers and recruiters. Our sole source of revenue is our membership dues from our 290,000 great professionals. Its always free to send your $100K+ jobs to our subscribers. So were doing our part to make it easy to hire you. Are you doing yours? There are likely dozens of jobs out there waiting for you today in the hands of HR managers and executive search people. And because their job success is measured by ho w quickly they can hire talented people for the jobs they have open, they really want to meet you. And quick So are you making it easy for them? Do you understand what theyre looking for enough to give it to them? And give it to them good? Well if you dont mind me taking just a bit of time to give you an industry primer, I think I can help you make it even easier for those recruiters to find you and get you started in your next great role in life, my dear Readers.A whole heaping bunch of you write in each week to ask something along the lines of say, Marc, how can I hire a good headhunter?Well, it doesnt quite work that way, folks, so let me explain. Headhunters, or executive search consultants, are hired by a company to quickly and efficiently fill a role. Now this service comes with a price tag involved typically 20% to 33% of the positions first year compensation. That might seem really high, but the (1) specialized knowledge of executive search firms and the (2) recruiting and s ales skills they need to bring to the job really do demand this level of compensation. And the remarkable success of these specialists is exactly why companies frequently outsource their recruiting needs to outside executive search firms. In some cases, for as many as 50% of their high-end positions. The specialized knowledge and skill of a consultant who has filled similar roles dozens of times over the years makes this seemingly large cost a very good value for the hiring company. So a headhunter, in his or her day-to-day existence, is fruchtwein concerned with the successful completion of their open searches. For a particular professional, this will be just a handful of jobs at any one time. And when youre speaking with a recruiter, youll need to keep this in mind how can I make it easy for this recruiter to fill this job with me? So if you match the requirements for a particular opening that the headhunter has right now? fantastic Theyll want to bring you in and find out as quic kly as possible if theres a good fit. If you fit the general mold of the searches that a particular headhunter commonly fills, but nothing specifically on their plate today, then of course, theyll be interested in keeping your resume on file for future opportunities. And if there just isnt a match between your skill set and the types of roles that that particular recruiter concentrates on, no amount of persuasion is going to make that relationship work for either of you. So how can you make it easy for recruiters to hire you? How can you best assist an executive search professional, or, for that matter, an internal company recruiter, in doing their job really well? The answer is simple. You have to have a crystal clear focus. Be opinionated about the job you want. Explain exactly who you are, what youre looking for, and why the former leads inevitably to the latter. A recruiter who hears you say oh, Im just looking for something new in a new industry wont know how to help you. You s ee, they need a story for each candidate to convince the hiring decision maker to take time out of their demanding schedule to meet you. A story that sings to the needs of that manager, that particular company, and that particular role. They need to be able to say to the hiring manager Youre looking for A, B, C, and D. This guy has tons of A B, quite a bit of C, and has shown great promise for developing D.So your pitch needs to be Im looking for a senior sales manager role in a fast-growing start-up in business process outsourcing.NOTIm great at sales.It needs to beI love treasury and want to continue applying my experience in a Fortune 500 environment while developing my all-around financial knowledge.AND NOTIve been in finance all my life and would like to do something in that or maybe operations, or even absatzwirtschaftYou must pitch this way Ive been a direct marketer for 15 years for great brand names and learned a lot about balancing the demands of effective acquisition met hods with the requirements of brand positioning, so I think Id be great at the role as described.AND NOTI can help your marketing programs because of my past all-around great experience.By having an opinion about the type of experience you have, and the best roles which you?d be suited for, you communicate to the recruiter that hey, heres somebody who is going to interview well and make a great case for why theyre right for this particular job. And that gets the recruiter excited, because a great interview and a great set of relevant qualifications are the best and shortest routes to their own success. Now I know how hard this can be. Particularly if were really very, very eager to get into our next role, the tendency as job-seekers is to not want to pigeon-hole ourselves. To not close any doors. To not rule out any possibilities. But its very important that you do close some doors. It is very important that you do communicate to the recruiting professional that there are very defin itely right and wrong positions for you. Because somebody who says theyll do anything is not convincing as somebody who will do that one role really well. And lastly, this is critically important for your job-hunting success because of time. Your time. Among all the demands on your time this week, youve set aside a certain number of hours to focus on that next great role. Job-hunting can be exhausting, and even on our most active days, there is really only so much calling and interviewing and networking we can do before it really gets us down. And if you fritter away those precious few hours on applying for and pursuing roles that arent right for you, two things are going to happen. One, youll get discouraged about your artificially high failure rate (I always feel sorry for those people quoted in bad economy newspaper articles who say theyve applied for more than 2,000 or 3,000 positions without success. Great effort misapplied is a great tragedy.) And two, youll miss out on some o f the jobs that are really right for you. Its important that as you review the amazing jobs we have collected for you here this week that you stay focused. Have an opinion. Apply for the jobs that are right for you, and then follow up like a house on fire on those jobs. The right jobs. Use your hours wisely. Use your patience and attention span wisely. And that, my friends, is the best way to make it EASY to hire you. And its also the best way to make your job-hunt efficient, effective, successful, and most importantly of all. Short. JOBS ACCEPTED BY SALESLADDER SUBSCRIBERS THIS WEEK Just as reported typos and all TitleCompensationAccount director$120,000 plus open commissionaccount director (sales)$110kAccount Executive$150,000Account Manager180,000Client Executive (abverkauf)$150KConsultant150000Consultant$180,000Consulting Sales Manager120,000Director, Commercial Sales$135,000+Director Systems Integrators$200K totalDirector Sales200KDirector, Business Development$100k cousin e $190 planDirector, Sales and Business Development135000Equipment and Aftermarket Sales Specalist100K + total, salary+comissionGeneral ManagerGeneral Manager$140,000Global Account Director145KGroup Director$115,000Group Sales ManagerManaging Director for Development$120KManaging Director, Americas$100k + bonus + equityNational Account Manager100,000National Broker Manager125-150kNational Business Dev Mgr supporting IBMProduct Specialist$140,000Regional Director200kRegional Sales Managerbase 55K annual 195KRegional Sales Manager$120KSales Director100kSales Engineer$110,000 per yearSenior Account Executive0 to 150,000Senior Consultant150,000Senior Director of Outsourcing$160K plus 35% bonusSenior Vice President$225Ksr. account manager$120,000+Sr. VP$130kSVP$200,000Territory Sales Manager250,000Vice President$120+Vice President Sales and OperationsVP155,000VP General Banking Distribution Finance$150,000VP Business Development125000VP Business Development120000VP Sales100,000 + Bonus + StockVP Sales200VP Sales Mktg$270,000VP Sales Western USA150000k at plan

Retention Programs Improve Graduation Rates

Retention Programs Improve Graduation Rates Retention Programs Improve Graduation Rates Engineering colleges at the University of Houston and Michigan State University are two schools that have recently been recognized for success in retaining underrepresented minority students in engineering programs.They are among a number of colleges aiming to improve graduation rates, which in turn will help achieve a more diverse engineering workforce. Although in place for only three years, MSUs College of Engineering Scholars Program that provides structure and stab und sttze for students during their first two years is off to a good start. It is believed the result will be a graduation rate 10 to 20 percentage points higher for students in the program.At the University of Houstons Cullen College of Engineering, the Program for Mastery in Engineering Studies (PROMES, pronounced promise) has been providing freshmen and sophomores guidance for almost 40 years. Students in the program, about 160 to 200 new students each year, account for 20% to 25% of their engineering class andconsistently fare better than others in the initial gatekeeper engineering curse in their major. That is the point where many students are lost, just as at many other schools.Both of these schools were recipients of the 2012 Impact Award from the National Society of Black Engineers and ExxonMobil. The honor comes with $10,000 for their programs.Making the TransitionProgram directors have found that frequent and close contact with these students is critical. Both programs are highly structured and have mandatory academic and living and learning elements such as community- and team-building. Both also rely heavily on outside funding particularly from corporate partners that have included BASF Corp., ConocoPhillips, DTE Energy Foundation, ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil, Motorola, Procter Gamble, Shell, 3M Foundation.Our sweet spot is helping students make a transition into a four-year university, explains Ka therine S. Zerda, director of PROMES. Anyone can join PROMES, but we seek out minority students, women students, and first generation-in-college students because we know they are most at risk.Joining is entirely voluntary but once signed up, students must agree to certain attendance and other requirements, including collaborative learning workshops, other extra academic help, and a first-year curriculum that might be different from what they may have chosen. One required course thatZerda teaches is a multi-disciplinary introduction to engineering curriculum that prepares students not only for engineering classes but also covers academic best practices.This is a framework where we can be their family as well as their academic advisors, she says. We have our hands all over what they are doing. The students rely on us to write letters of recommendation and help them when they have a nervous breakdown. We are so much in their business that I think thats why this works so well, Zerda say s.Theodore Caldwell, director of diversity programs at MSUs College of Engineering, agrees. Unless we are intrusively engaged with them, we wont know if they are dealing with something that will negatively impact their ability to do well until its too late, he says.High Risk, High RewardThose in MSUs Scholars program have about 13-15 hours with staff that they wouldnt normally spend with university personnel, he says. That time gives us a pulse on where they are academically and socially. We find they often suffer in silence, such as students who cant afford their books and are going to class without them, but not saying anything. (The diversity program makes sure they get what they need.)MSUs efforts started in 2007 with a six-week bridge program in the summer for entering freshman, but found it just wasnt enough. So two years later, the Scholars program was introduced. The program accepts 20 students whose records indicate they wouldnt normally make it in engineering, typically th ose who place well below the first calculus level in testing.We are taking the high-risk, high-reward route, says Caldwell. Because of the good results, he hopes to expand the program to 100 students if he can obtain additional funding.Like at the University of Houston, the students become their own community. They reside in the same residence, meet with staff regularly, participate in study groups, and learn about good general academic practices.The canyon, as Caldwell calls it, where MSU was losing one-third of its underrepresented minority students each year, was in being admitted to the engineering college. Students can declare engineering as a major but must apply to the engineering college for admission after completing six core courses and having an acceptable grade point average.Thats where we struggle. Once our students are in the engineering school, our graduation rate is no less than 82 percent over the last 15 years. Our need area is that first two to three years when th ey are working on getting admitted to the college and thats where we focus all of our energy, said Caldwell.Nancy Giges is an independent writer.We are taking the high-risk, high-reward route.Theodore Caldwell, director of diversity programs, Michigan State University College of Engineering

3 Keys to Preparing for Any Interview

3 Keys to Preparing for Any Interview3 Keys to Preparing for Any InterviewGetting your resume seen and receiving a call from a hiring manager is just the first part of the job search process. For many people its the next step that brings the most anxiety the interview.Because ResumeSpice was built by recruiters, we know what hiring managers are looking for from candidates in an interview. Below are three tips for acing the all important interview.Know the job descriptionThe great thing about a job description is that it leaves very little guesswork about what an employer wants and expects from a successful candidate. Most hiring managers spend considerable time developing a job description that accurately describes what theyre looking for. You can use this to your advantage during an interview. Consider printing the job description and making notes on it to bring to the interview. Make cues for yourself about how you want to talk about your experience as it pertains to certain requi rements of the job.For example, if a job description for a recruiting position states that agency experience is desirable but not required, you can be sure that there will be candidates who apply who dont have the desired experience. However, if you do have that experience, make sure you discuss it in the interview, as that can give you a leg up from candidates who dont.Do your researchEmployers arent impressed when candidates dont know about a companys values, services, and products. Companies want to know youre passionate about the work they do. That means, if you go into the interview with a vague sense of what the company offers, you might not receive a call back. The positive news is that most candidates dont do their homework before an interview, so if you do, youll have an advantage.You dont have to know everything about the company, but gain a solid understanding of what they do and what drives their business. A little research will help you navigate those tricky questions, such as, Why do you want to work for us? The more information you have about the company, the more authentically you can answer those types of questions.List the questions you have and bring them to the interviewAsking thoughtful questions is one of the best ways to demonstrate to an employer that you care about getting the job, that youve been actively engaged during the entire interview, and that you want demonstrate how you can add value to the company.While you dont want to robotically read from a list, but we do recommend bringing a list of questions with you to the interview so you can review them before you enter the meeting.Keeping these tips in mind will help you prepare for your next interview. The good news is that we are here to help Call our career consultants at ResumeSpice to get started on your way to your perfect job

A Secret Weapon for Hobbies on Resume

A Secret Weapon for Hobbies on Resume The New Angle On Hobbies on Resume Just Released Your profiles key duty is to impress the prospective employers before you buy a call for more rounds. Alternately, you can stay positive and consider the next points to create your profile stick out from others. For instance, if you place the name of a single company in italics, every company name has to be in italics. This expert suggestions for including extracurricular interests on your resume can help you get the most out of a hobby section to optimize your resume for the business and role you are trying to find. You would like to impress an employer, which means you have a tendency to be too enthusiastic in your resume. Your career objective should clearly describe the fleck you are looking for in the organization and explain to them your abilities and distinctive traits which make you suitable for the position. There are plenty of statements one can utilize to make an effective resu me. It is essential for the interviewer to have the ability to create a complete image of an applicant. What Is So Fascinating About Hobbies on Resume? There are a lot of things you will need to think about while writing the resume of the photo editor. A resume is among the most significant documents you could possibly create First you need to choose a specific format for your resume. The tool provides you with loads of helpful methods for each section of your resume. So in the event the typeface employed in your resume sample is inappropriate it may have a negative visual effect on the reader. The Key to Successful Hobbies on Resume You require transportation so as to go on the interview, if youve got two cars you may want to sale one. Interviewing for employment is extremely much like going to a dinner party. Or maybe youre asking for work at a vinyl shop. A Cover Letter example for folks that are seeking work in airport. Hobbies may also paint a photo of your nature and energy, giving you that precious edge over the remainder of the resume pile. Some pursuits are finished alone, providing me time for individuals to concentrate intensely on something aside from work or letting them relax and recharge their battery. What Hobbies on Resume Is - and What it Is Not If you are searching for a definite method to make your resume stand out from the bunch in the present tight economy a little investment in internet First Aid or CPR certification is going to be money well spent. Resume tips constitute of a step-by-step procedure. Sending a generic resume for each and every job isnt the correct strategy. Running a thriving blog takes some severe brand promotion and time management abilities. Also, bear in mind which you should never lie about your hobbies on a resume. For the large part, you only ought to list hobbies if theyre professionally relevant. As previously mentioned, it is perfect to incorporate a number of hobbies or interests in you r resume if you decide that its appropriate. Other hobbies are complete in groups, but again offer psychological benefits by means of socialization. It has certainly been a revolution for not just the printing industry but in addition almost all industries using equipment. These examples of hobbies are optimized to show certain abilities or abilities which are going to be advantageous to various profiles. At precisely the same time, do try to decide on a number of activities. Use them inside their exact form in which you speak about your academic qualifications and employment history. The biggest mistake that can be made on your resume is listing information thats unrelated to the essentials of the job you are looking for. With each program, the candidate is going to have to use their own discretion after researching the company culture. This specific person is a seasoned ausverkauf executive now searching for the position of Senior Sales Executive. Collectors frequently h ave great organizational and networking skillstwo skills that could really be convenient in an assortment of distinct jobs. Hobbies and resumes might be tricky combination. They are meant to show you have what it takes to do exceptional work in a given position. It may also suggest to an employer that youre creative and self-motivating, and that you might be skilled at writing, based on your blogs topic. Knowing your interviewers individual interests offers you a pocket full of icebreaker topics. Resume writing is an intimidating endeavor for anybody. So realize that you choose the right type of resume format for your specific abilities and abilities. Remember to make certain that there arent any spelling or grammar errors. Also if you prefer to show off what excellent language abilities or vocabulary youve got, restrain yourself when youre drafting your resume. The reply to this question, nevertheless, isnt as easy as it seems to be. Flowery language and long words along with unnecessary verbiage dont have any place on your resume, save that for some upcoming project where good language will help you make a very good impression.

The Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Pitfall

The Sample Resume Writing tafelgeschirr Ad Pitfall The Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Cover Up Some samples would likewise create the website more helpful. So as to do so, you dont have to surf thousands of internet pages or study a full library of books on sample resumes. Some customer tafelgeschirr resume samples are offered on the internet, and they can have the ability to give additional beneficial tips regarding inclusions, but they might not always have the most optimum structure. If you believe that you dont will need to create a resume template then you might want to read further to learn why precisely you need to learn to compose a resume. What You Should Do to Find Out About Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Before Youre Left Behind The facility manager roles and obligations that you put on yur resume must mirror the demands of the work ad. Editing providers can concentrate on what is significant to you, including improving a specific portion of the cover letter, f ocusing on a particular skill or qualification, or simply ensuring that the document is error-free. Every customer may consult us at any opportunity to decide on the templates, an illustration of the greatest resumes, a market, a deadline, and several other aspects required to finish the purchase. Resumes can follow various voreingestellts. What You Need to Do About Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Beginning in the Next Five Minutes You notice an outstanding ad and you believe youre ideal for that position. First things first youve got to have the high quality and the suitable degree to be qualified for work. You dont need to give details about every little position you have at any time held. When you are searching for a job which you want a similar visibility. You will only have to copy and paste the entire template in your word processor. You are able to locate a sample teacher resume using many distinct sources. Well, a sample resume is only a demonstration regarding ho w you are able to represent yourself through words. When there are expertly written sample resume cover letters, its wise for you to likewise have a look at how poorly written ones influence the judging of an employer so that you are able to avoid them in your own. It is possible to also look at our service writer job listings for more ideas about how to personalize your ad. Instructions on How best to Make an Advertising Resume Advertising is about presentation. Advertising jobs contains certain keywords and phrases which are most prominent in each and every profession. Dont neglect to add your professional social networking accounts on Facebook or LinkedIn, especially if youre looking for work in IT or Marketing. The Nuiances of Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Its important to employ a service which offers you a fine price for top quality. Please get in touch with us to find out more about our professional resume writing services. Customer service takes in several of dis tinct jobs. A premium quality sample customer service resume will incorporate quite a few suitable key terms and phrases that could include things like phrases like customer satisfaction, customer retention, processes or efficiency, based on the particular job. The Upside to Sample Resume Writing Service Ad Other ways in which you can give a completely free sample is by putting together some sort of checklist, self-test, or perhaps a reference guide of some type that would be excellent for your intended marketplace. Sending a generic resume for each job isnt the proper approach. Finding a great job in the phase of recession isnt an effortless job. If youre not sure about how to make an advertising resume, the next tips or instructions will lead you with the writing process. The Lost Secret of Sample Resume Writing Service Ad As you are really acquainted with your cover letter, you might overlook the errors and other issues that would immediately stand out to a man or woman reading it for the very first time. In the majority of instances, its tough to review your very own written work (even if an expert writer), particularly once you spend as much time putting the words together. A poorly written document can stop the employer from seeing the standard of your work, even when you are confident you are the ideal person for the job. It can keep you from getting a job you would like to have.

The two-hour rule taking time to think

The two-hour rule taking time to thinkThe two-hour rule taking time to thinkAlbertEinsteinwas 16 years oldwhen he firstflirtedwith the idea of specialrelativity.He was adaydreamer.Thepioneeringtheorythatled him toestablishthe foundation of modern physics was actuallyenvisionedin one of his many famousthought experiments.He wondered, specifically,what would happen if hewereto ride a moving light waveata constant speed, say,likea surfer.Given that they would be traveling at the same speed in such an instance, he went on to predict that the light wave would appear frozen to him.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreHe didnt know it then,butthat simple thought would lead to the downfall of some of the most impressive work done in physics over the past few centuries.It changed everything.The funnythingis that stories ofsuch brilliant insightsspurringout of deep thought arent unique.Through out history,luminariesranging fromCharles Darwin toFriedrich Nietzsche have attributed much of theirgeniusto the many hours they spent yperit in theirmind.Darwin had athinking paththat hewould walk down toruminate, andNietzscheis said to have strolled around innature for hoursand hours on endtomake sense of his ideas.Behaviorsthat have beenchastisedtoday as being unproductive bya culturethatmostlyfetishizesmeasurable outputslike hours worked and reports producedseemto actually be some of the mostproductive.It begs an interestingquestion.Is it just acoincidence?If not, what gives?TheLeverage ofReflective ThinkingFiona Kerr is ascience communicator and a member of the faculty at the University ofAdelaide,and she gives us insight into how and why this kind of reflective thinking works.Daydreaming(as with reflection)allows the mind to wander,she explains.The outcome isconsistently more productivewhendealing with complex problemsor coming up with creative solutions and ideas.She isnt alo ne in her interpretation of the research.For example,in the field of education, there has been a lot ofwork done on the idea ofreflective thinkingsince the 1980s, and its something that is now seen as acritical component of being an effective teacher.At their core,ahealthy amount ofdaydreaming and reflection enablememory consolidation,andthey allow non-linear connections to form,which both help our ability to break down and target issues and look at themthrougha new lens.The daily mind-wandering that occurs here and there for most of us helps with this, buta deeper and morepurposefuleffort can yield a disproportionately greater reward.Introducingthe Two-HourRuleOnce a week,usually on Thursdays,Iblock out a two-hour period of my day just to think.Inthe evening,Iremove all possibledistractions, especially electronicslike my phoneand my laptop, andI basicallylock myself in aroom to question my work and my lifestyle with a pen and a notebook.Two hours is a long time, and some of it will feel unproductive and notall of itwill be structured, butI have a few general things that I almost always start off with to set me in motion.Herearea few questionsIreflectonAmI excited to be doing whatImdoingoram I inaimlessmotion?Are thetrade-offs between work and my relationshipswell-balanced?How can Ispeed up the processfromwhere I am to where I want to go?Whatbig opportunities am I not pursuingthat I potentially could?Whatsa small thing that will produce a disproportionate impact?Whatcouldprobabilistically go wrong in the next 6 months of my life?I can quite honestly say that this is thehighest return activity in my life.Itforces me tobalance the short-term with the long-term.I catch problems before they become problems, andIve stumbled onto efficiencies andideasthat I wouldnt have come across otherwise.Interestingly enough,much of the valuedoesnt come out of the routine questions,butfrom the time I have left after I run out of things to think about. Its when I let my mind wand er.Im not one for easy one-size-fits-all solutions, butthis is an idea that I think can serve a lot of people well.Weallthink, of course, but not all of us do so deliberately and without distractions and guilt.There is immense value in leavingtime for that.The TakeawayEinstein wouldnt be Einstein without histhought experiments,just likeDarwin and Nietzsche would both likely have struggled with their creativity and productivity if not for their walks.Although that in itself is a small sample size and doesnt necessarily mean its a magic bullet, theresearch also seems to support thebenefits of reflective thinking and the odd daydream.Two hours may seem like a long time to just think, and maybe something shorter works better for you,butleaving asideat least an hour or so is aworthyinvestment.It lets your mind play, andifyouask good questions, itll sharpen it,too.That tends to compound over time.Itcan beeasytoneglectsomething as simple andstraightforwardas the idea of just taking time to thinkas wasteful.After all,most of us are lost in our own thoughts more often than not,butthereis amassive difference between a random 10 minutes of distraction and a dedicated block ofrumination.And lets be honest,no matter how busy we think we are,most of us easily waste that on trivial things that add nothing to our lives.If the average person can spend two hours a day on social media,a few hours a week to organize your life isnt a big ask.Its a small price to pay for a consistentreward.Who knows?You may even find it to be life-changing.This article first appeared on Design Luck.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 ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Ask for a Raise

How to Ask for a RaiseHow to Ask for a RaiseHave you found yurself adding up how much you contribute at work and wondering whether youre underpaid? Perhaps now is a good time to find out how to ask for a raise. You may deserve a salary increase or a job promotion.A Robert Half survey suggests you wouldnt be alone. More than half (52 percent) of the CFOs interviewed for the survey said the number of requests for promotions or raises has increased from two years ago.We know asking for more money and following through with it can be intimidating. But asking for a raise is normal in the workplace, and this could be an opportune time to ask. In todays job market, employers are finding employee retention strategies to be more important than ever.So, how to ask for a raise at work? Here are five ways to boost yur confidence, make the request and find success.1. Benchmark your salaryTake the time to learn the average salaries for your standort and similar roles. Consult the Robert Half Salar y Guides to determine the going rates for your job, then localize the numbers to your area using our Salary Calculator. If your compensation is below par, you can use this information as leverage for requesting an increase. While youre looking at the numbers, you might want to consider whether your company is in the position to offer you a bump in pay. Has it landed a deal recently or realized an upswing in revenue? Or has it just undergone budget cuts or layoffs? If thats the case, rather than compensation, you might build a case for increased responsibility, which could help you later when the company is on firmer financial ground.2. Quantify your achievementsYou know youve been doing a good job, but when youre figuring out how to ask for a raise, you should start by building your case and documenting the bottom-line benefits youve brought to the company.Lets say you work in an accounting department. Yo u used Excel to create those excellent month-end reports and introduced accounts payable alerts. But what does that mean to your employer? Instead of pointing to your actions by saying, I used Excel to update our month-end closing procedure, make clear their precise benefits, such as I cut 20 hours from our month-end closing by implementing new features in Excel. Or think in terms of quantifiable time and cost savings, as this example provides I reduced our payroll processing time by 12 hours per week by automating our reports.Perhaps, you work as an administrative assistant, and you took the initiative to create and manage a Facebook page for your company. The specific added value? I helped us create an online presence without having to hire a social media specialist, and now we have 1,000 followers.If youre a UX designer who wanted to ask for a raise, youd want to share impressive metrics, too. This worksIve improved our bottom line by designing a user interface that raised our we bsite conversion rate by 200 percent. 3. Prepare for a discussionWhen was the last time you read over your job description? If its been a while, take another look and make sure youre fulfilling all of your duties. If youre going above and beyond, make notenzeichen of your accomplishments so you can mention them to your employer. Walk into your meeting ready to talk about the projects youve played a role in and how youve worked outside of your job description. But be prepared to listen to any feedback you get, too, because many managers will see your active interest as a positive sign, which might translate to a future pay raise.Something else to prepare If your boss doesnt have the authority to grant you a raise and has to get approval by someone else, you can help by writing a letter asking for a raise with the key points about why you think youve earned it.4. Practice your approachRole-play with a friend or family member. Practice answering questions about the standard salary figu res youve researched, the hours and dollars youve saved the company, maybe even how youve helped improve productivity in the workplace. In a pinch, a mirror can offer honest feedback on your body language, posture and eye contact. Make sure your confidence shows. If you dont believe you deserve a raise, why should your boss?Were not saying this is easy, of course. According to Robert Halfs Confidence Matters study, many professionals find the idea of asking for more money fills them with dread 36 percent said theyd rather clean the house, 14 percent said theyd rather look for a new job, and 5 percent would prefer getting a root canal5. Have a fallback positionMaybe youve taken all the right steps before you walked in to ask for a raise, but your boss still turns you down. Dont be afraid to ask for a reason or even what it would take to get a raise in the future. If your manager isnt ready to consider a raise, ask what specific actions would be needed to merit one, and set a review d ate. If tight budgets are the issue, ask about a one-time bonus or employee benefits that can increase your job satisfaction - such as more vacation time, an increased annual bonus or spot bonus, flexible scheduling, professional development, a new title or an equity stake in the company.Position yourself for a future raise by taking the initiative, discussing your long-term goals with your boss, expanding your skillset, and networking with others to raise your visibility in the company. The next time you have a performance review or a big win, you can ask again.Just remember to be respectful and professional when you ask for a raise. And stay confident. You may not get what you ask for. But if you know how to ask for a raise and go in prepared, your request will very likely get careful consideration.Robert Half has been helping job seekers find great career opportunities since 1948. Let us help you find the right job for you.GET HELP FINDING WORK

Computer Support Specialist - Job Description

Computer Support Specialist - Job DescriptionComputer Support Specialist - Job DescriptionA computer hilfe specialist assists anwenders who are having problems with software, computers, or peripherals such as printers or scanners. Some- called computer user support specialists- assist companies customers, while others- known as computer network support specialists- provide in-house support to an organizations information technology (IT) staff. Same Job, Different Title These are some of the job titles that computer support specialists may also go by, although their duties are identical. When searching for job openings, also use these keywords Technical or Tech Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician, IT Specialist, Network Technician, Network Specialist, IT Consultant. Quick Facts Computer user support specialists earn amedian annual salaryof $50,210 and computer network support specialists earn $62,340 (2017).Of the 835,300 computer support professionals, 636,600 are comput er user support specialists and 198,800 are computer network support specialists (2016).A variety of industries employ these technology workers. Some work for IT consulting firmsthat providetechnical supportto many different companies on a contractual basis.Technical support specialists sometimes work from home, but others travel to clients offices. Most jobs in this field arefull-time, but workers are not always scheduled during typical daytime hours. Computer users need support 24/7, and therefore support specialists must work during evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.Thejob outlookfor this occupation is excellent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth that will be faster than the average for all occupations between 2016 and 2026. Job opportunities will be very favorable in the healthcare and computer systems konzept industry. There are also expected to be openings with IT consulting firms, as small companies turn to them for tech support. A Day in a Co mputer Support Specialists Life These are some typical job duties taken from online ads for computer support positions found on Indeed.com Support common business and productivity softwareAssist callers with requests for information technology services, repair or support requests, complaints, and inquiries and direct to appropriate IT personnel via computer tracking systemDocument user calls issue resolution, and related processes and proceduresAnswer questions or resolve computer problems for clients in person, via telephone, or from aremote locationRecommend changes or updates in programming, documentation, and training to address system deficiencies and user needs Develop and assist in maintaining required technical documentation Educational Requirements, Soft Skills, and Advancement Opportunities All employers require that those they hire have computer expertise but many are flexible regarding how they acquired that knowledge. While some will only hire computer support spec ialists who have a bachelors degree, that is not usually the case. Some employers prefer job candidates who have an associate degree in computer science, but many others will hire workers who have just taken some computer classes. In addition to their technical skills, a computer support specialist must have particularsoft skills. These are personal qualities individuals were either born with or acquired through life experience. Excellentactive listening skills are a must. Without them, he or she wont be able to understand peoples needs. Verbal communication skillsallow a computer support specialist to convey information to those he or she is trying to help. Also required are superior critical thinking and problem-solvingabilities. After spending time helping customers or in-house users, some customer support specialists are promoted into positions where they help improve the design and efficiency of future products. Those who work for software and hardware companies often advance v ery quickly. Some people who begin in this position later become software developers and network and computer systems administrators. What will employers expect from you? What will compel aprospectiveemployer to hire you? Here are some requirements from actual job announcements onIndeed.com Ability to learn and articulate technical information and convey to non-technical peopleExcellent attention to detail and multi-tasking abilityBe professional with clients and staffPassion for assisting others and problem-solvingAble to translate technical concepts into laymans termsCapable to work independently and multitasking Is this occupation a good fit for you? It is imperative to consider yourinterests,personality type, andwork-related valueswhen choosing a career.Aself-assessmentwill let you learn about your traits. Think about becoming a computer support specialistf you have the following ones Interests(Holland Code) RCI (Realistic, Conventional, Investigative)Personality Type(MB TI PersonalityTypes)ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP, INFPWork-Related Values Relationships, Working Conditions,Achievement Related Occupations DescriptionMedian Annual Wage (2017)Minimum Required Education/TrainingSoftware Quality Assurance EngineerIdentify problems with software$88,510Bachelors DegreeNetwork AdministratorManages an entities computer networks$81,100Bachelors degree in computer network and system administration or computer scienceWeb DeveloperCreates websites$67,990Bachelors degree in a computer-related field (preferred) or certification and experience Sources Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,Occupational Outlook Handbook Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor,O*NETOnline(visited December 22, 2018).