The power of nice, compassion, helpful, optimistic, etc.

The power of nice, compassion, helpful, optimistic, etc. Im a critical person, but I know and even hang out with some very nice people. A lot of people think Im nice.  I try to be nice. And helpful. After suffering hardships (like my layoff, even though it was over eight years ago!), I find it much easier to be compassionate and empathetic. But I find myself slipping into a critical they are idiots mode too often. I dont know why am I becoming more impatient with people, in general?  Are my chemicals out of whack?  Are there outside factors that I feel I dont have control over, and that frustrates me? What I do know is that the fruits of being nice (and all of those other good things) are much better than the fruits of being mean, critical, impatient, and even calling things like they are (just trying to be honest). Lately Ive decided to let go of the negative energy that is hurting mostly me, and focus more on positive energy.  Complimenting more, smiling more, thinking positively more, and especially giving more. I want to give more. I want to share, help, encourage, inspire, and give hope.  This is where I need to spend my time not on being Mr. Grumpy Gills (anyone catch that movie reference?). And thus, I move forward, giving more, offering more, and being nicer. That is a personal mini-essay of something I I had to get off my chest.  I shared it here because I like the idea and power of sharing things publicly, and having accountability because Im going public with it. However, its clear to me that job seekers suffer from exactly what I wrote above.  Its easy to become a victim in the job search. Everyone is doing everything wrong; people dont appreciate who I am; Im being discriminated against because of _____ (fill in the blank there are hundreds of reasons to discriminate) Im about to lose everything; everything Ive worked for means nothing to anyone; If they could only see what I can really do, theyd hire me right now; etc., etc., etc. Its easy to let these deceptive phrases into our life, into our head, and eventually into our belief system.  When these beliefs become our reality, personal destruction happens.  Depression sets in.  And then, when we are on the path to becoming a mess, we get nowhere. No one gives us introductions to their contacts.  Then we feel like they dont trust us (they dont!).  Down the depression path we continue. We fail in our interviews. Then we feel like we really arent competent (because the interviewer cant see it).  Our inability to communicate whats in our heart and within our capabilities gets in the way of making progress in our job, and we further go down the depression path. We see the world as dark, cloudy, and hopeless, and convince ourselves that there really isnt anything worth fighting for.  Our half-hearted efforts to go through the futile motions (which usually means applying to jobs online) are met with deafening silence.  No one sees the value in us and we begin to see us through their eyes.  We are useless, and can add no value. This becomes our reality.  And now, more than ever, we repel people away from us.  They want to help us but they somehow know we are not ready to be helped.  They want us to be happy but they know that until we can work through this horrid mind-game, nothing they do can make us happy. I invite you, I beg you, I implore you to re-read my personal essay above.  Read it out loud.  Agree with any (positive) part of it, and incorporate that into your own life, minute-by-minute, day-by-day.  Heal from the inside, and prepare yourself so you can be helped by others. If you can, write your own personal essay an essay of healing.  Put it where you will see it throughout the day.  And read it regularly. Even read it out loud. You are getting multiple negative inputs every day in a job search, why not force true and positive inputs to combat the negative inputs?  You have to convince yourself that you are good, healthy, and worth it. Win. This. Battle. The power of nice, compassion, helpful, optimistic, etc. Im a critical person, but I know and even hang out with some very nice people. A lot of people think Im nice.  I try to be nice. And helpful. After suffering hardships (like my layoff, even though it was over eight years ago!), I find it much easier to be compassionate and empathetic. But I find myself slipping into a critical they are idiots mode too often. I dont know why am I becoming more impatient with people, in general?  Are my chemicals out of whack?  Are there outside factors that I feel I dont have control over, and that frustrates me? What I do know is that the fruits of being nice (and all of those other good things) are much better than the fruits of being mean, critical, impatient, and even calling things like they are (just trying to be honest). Lately Ive decided to let go of the negative energy that is hurting mostly me, and focus more on positive energy.  Complimenting more, smiling more, thinking positively more, and especially giving more. I want to give more. I want to share, help, encourage, inspire, and give hope.  This is where I need to spend my time not on being Mr. Grumpy Gills (anyone catch that movie reference?). And thus, I move forward, giving more, offering more, and being nicer. That is a personal mini-essay of something I I had to get off my chest.  I shared it here because I like the idea and power of sharing things publicly, and having accountability because Im going public with it. However, its clear to me that job seekers suffer from exactly what I wrote above.  Its easy to become a victim in the job search. Everyone is doing everything wrong; people dont appreciate who I am; Im being discriminated against because of _____ (fill in the blank there are hundreds of reasons to discriminate) Im about to lose everything; everything Ive worked for means nothing to anyone; If they could only see what I can really do, theyd hire me right now; etc., etc., etc. Its easy to let these deceptive phrases into our life, into our head, and eventually into our belief system.  When these beliefs become our reality, personal destruction happens.  Depression sets in.  And then, when we are on the path to becoming a mess, we get nowhere. No one gives us introductions to their contacts.  Then we feel like they dont trust us (they dont!).  Down the depression path we continue. We fail in our interviews. Then we feel like we really arent competent (because the interviewer cant see it).  Our inability to communicate whats in our heart and within our capabilities gets in the way of making progress in our job, and we further go down the depression path. We see the world as dark, cloudy, and hopeless, and convince ourselves that there really isnt anything worth fighting for.  Our half-hearted efforts to go through the futile motions (which usually means applying to jobs online) are met with deafening silence.  No one sees the value in us and we begin to see us through their eyes.  We are useless, and can add no value. This becomes our reality.  And now, more than ever, we repel people away from us.  They want to help us but they somehow know we are not ready to be helped.  They want us to be happy but they know that until we can work through this horrid mind-game, nothing they do can make us happy. I invite you, I beg you, I implore you to re-read my personal essay above.  Read it out loud.  Agree with any (positive) part of it, and incorporate that into your own life, minute-by-minute, day-by-day.  Heal from the inside, and prepare yourself so you can be helped by others. If you can, write your own personal essay an essay of healing.  Put it where you will see it throughout the day.  And read it regularly. Even read it out loud. You are getting multiple negative inputs every day in a job search, why not force true and positive inputs to combat the negative inputs?  You have to convince yourself that you are good, healthy, and worth it. Win. This. Battle. The power of nice, compassion, helpful, optimistic, etc. Im a critical person, but I know and even hang out with some very nice people. A lot of people think Im nice.  I try to be nice. And helpful. After suffering hardships (like my layoff, even though it was over eight years ago!), I find it much easier to be compassionate and empathetic. But I find myself slipping into a critical they are idiots mode too often. I dont know why am I becoming more impatient with people, in general?  Are my chemicals out of whack?  Are there outside factors that I feel I dont have control over, and that frustrates me? What I do know is that the fruits of being nice (and all of those other good things) are much better than the fruits of being mean, critical, impatient, and even calling things like they are (just trying to be honest). Lately Ive decided to let go of the negative energy that is hurting mostly me, and focus more on positive energy.  Complimenting more, smiling more, thinking positively more, and especially giving more. I want to give more. I want to share, help, encourage, inspire, and give hope.  This is where I need to spend my time not on being Mr. Grumpy Gills (anyone catch that movie reference?). And thus, I move forward, giving more, offering more, and being nicer. That is a personal mini-essay of something I I had to get off my chest.  I shared it here because I like the idea and power of sharing things publicly, and having accountability because Im going public with it. However, its clear to me that job seekers suffer from exactly what I wrote above.  Its easy to become a victim in the job search. Everyone is doing everything wrong; people dont appreciate who I am; Im being discriminated against because of _____ (fill in the blank there are hundreds of reasons to discriminate) Im about to lose everything; everything Ive worked for means nothing to anyone; If they could only see what I can really do, theyd hire me right now; etc., etc., etc. Its easy to let these deceptive phrases into our life, into our head, and eventually into our belief system.  When these beliefs become our reality, personal destruction happens.  Depression sets in.  And then, when we are on the path to becoming a mess, we get nowhere. No one gives us introductions to their contacts.  Then we feel like they dont trust us (they dont!).  Down the depression path we continue. We fail in our interviews. Then we feel like we really arent competent (because the interviewer cant see it).  Our inability to communicate whats in our heart and within our capabilities gets in the way of making progress in our job, and we further go down the depression path. We see the world as dark, cloudy, and hopeless, and convince ourselves that there really isnt anything worth fighting for.  Our half-hearted efforts to go through the futile motions (which usually means applying to jobs online) are met with deafening silence.  No one sees the value in us and we begin to see us through their eyes.  We are useless, and can add no value. This becomes our reality.  And now, more than ever, we repel people away from us.  They want to help us but they somehow know we are not ready to be helped.  They want us to be happy but they know that until we can work through this horrid mind-game, nothing they do can make us happy. I invite you, I beg you, I implore you to re-read my personal essay above.  Read it out loud.  Agree with any (positive) part of it, and incorporate that into your own life, minute-by-minute, day-by-day.  Heal from the inside, and prepare yourself so you can be helped by others. If you can, write your own personal essay an essay of healing.  Put it where you will see it throughout the day.  And read it regularly. Even read it out loud. You are getting multiple negative inputs every day in a job search, why not force true and positive inputs to combat the negative inputs?  You have to convince yourself that you are good, healthy, and worth it. Win. This. Battle.

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice Ingredients to a Balanced Life

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice Ingredients to a Balanced Life In the past, Ive struggled to prioritize my job and my life. Sometimes we give up one for the other and  usually  its our life. But who says we cant change that? About a month ago, I remember discussing the concept of work-life balance with a good friend of mine over coffee. My friend said to  me, “You work too much, but I think it’s because you hide behind your work.” In the past, I always assumed that my job was simply strenuous, requiring me to devote hours over the weekend. However, after that one conversation, I remember asking myself if she had a point. Was I using my job to deflect from a larger issue? The answer is yes. I realized I was not happy going to work every  day, coming home, doing more work and then going to bed. Living in Washington D.C., I didn’t feel like I had embraced the city’s various activities and happenings. As a result, I decided to make some changes. If you’ve found (or still find) yourself in a similar situation, here are a few things that Ive noticed to be helpful in reigning in that life part of the equation. 2. Sign up for classes Signing up for classes is great way to meet new people while simultaneously learning new things. There are classes for just about everything: dance, yoga, spinning, cooking, jewelry-making, languages, etc. I once met a girl who was part of a paddle boarding team here in DC. If you like to read, I guarantee there’s probably a book club around where you live.  If you have the time and the money, where’s the harm in trying something new? 3. Volunteer Perhaps you’re broke. No problem. Volunteering often provides the same benefits as #2, but without pulling funds from your wallet. Homeless shelters and soup kitchens are always looking for people to help out, especially in the winter. My roommate regularly volunteers with a suicide hotline. In DC, many of the museums recruit volunteers to help out with year-round events and activities. Even in suburbs, you can volunteer in old age homes. That’s how I met one of my best friends in high school! 4. Network Again, this may be more of a city thing (and specifically a DC thing), but networking events are a very smart use of your time. In DC, such events are abundant. There’s networking for global health, education, young politicians-in-making, real estate, Latino professionals, etc. If you are looking to do something outside of going to work and then going straight home, why not squeeze in a networking happy hour in between? At the very least, you’ve got a few business cards that may come in handy someday. 5. Say yes If you just moved somewhere where you have few to no friends, saying yes to any invitation is absolutely essential. This may very well mean stepping out of your comfort zone and saying yes to something you would normally have declined, but at the end of the day, you’re allowing yourself the chance to make new friends. Speaking from experience, I moved to DC last summer knowing all of five people (two that I was actually close to). But I made it a point to accept any and every invitation from my coworkers (including going to a Drag Race!). Most of the friends I have now are people that I met through these kinds of gatherings. So keep at it and remember to say yes! Have you ever struggled with achieving the right work-life balance? Whats worked for you? Make sure to comment below or tweet us at  @mscareergirl now!  

How to pick the people you work with

How to pick the people you work with Pick who you work with very carefully. Because you are likely to become like them. So the first thing is to know whats important to you about you what you want to become. What you like about yourself. And then, surround yourself with people who match your aspirations for yourself. Here are some ideas: Choose people who are good-looking, but not better looking than you. You become like the people you hang out with, according to Nicholas Christakis, a physician and sociologist at Harvard. He found, for example, that if the people around you are overweight, you are likely to join them. And the more overweight you are, the more trouble you have at work, for a lot of reasons, but a new reason I just found is that in stressful work situations, fat people do not think as clearly as thin people. Yep. Thats right. Stonybrook University School of Medicine found that the more body fat you have, the higher your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that hampers cognitive abilities. (Hat tip: Self magazine.) But if the people around you are models, you will look ugly. Dan Ariely, professor of behavioral economics at MIT, says that if youre going to a bar, you have the best chances of getting picked up if you go with people who are almost as good-looking as you are. It makes sense that you will feel best if you do this at work as well. Choose women who are happy, but they shouldnt smile too easily. This is hard for men to do. Because men are hard-wired to be drawn to women who laugh at their jokes. Men want to be funny. But women who are slower to smile do better at work, according to communications consultant Leil Lowndes. So you should date women who smile a lot, but work with women who dont. (Hat tip: Derek Scruggs.) But this doesnt mean that you should work with grouchy women. Christakis also found that if you are around happy people you will be happier. So, when it comes to work, find that subset of women who are very optimistic but a tough audience for your jokes. Choose people who swear, but dont choose someone whos trashy. It turns out that a little off-color language is good for the workplace. For example, if you use not-too-vulgar swear words at work, you inspire more teamwork. Of course, the standards for vulgarity will vary, but its probably like porn: You know it when you see it. Which is why using something innocuous, like the word asshole, is okay, but not if you are talking about intercourse. People who talk about sex at work decrease morale. Well, the research actually says that its the raunchiness of the sex talk that affects the workplace negatively. So I think factual talk about sex, without the raunch, is okay. (Hat tip: Chris Yeh) Also, while were on the topic: double-bonus for choosing a boss: Pick one that will send you to sex conferences. Choose people you admire. This seems like a no-brainer, but we rarely choose a job based on this. We usually choose a job based on the job description, or the title. The problem with choosing a job this way is that a job description is not a contract. It is a way to lure you into the job. And its a hiring managers best guess on who he or she is looking for. In general, we do not end up doing what we are hired for. So choose your next job based on the people youll be working with. You will learn the most on a job by having a great mentor looking after you, rather than a good job description preceding you. And youll be happiest at work if you focus on having friends at work instead of looking for a boss who pays high salaries those bosses dont understand what really matters. The problem, of course, with choosing to work with people you admire is that you have to understand yourself enough to know, of all the traits you admire in people, what are the most important.

Five Tips To Overcome That Feeling Of Failure

Five Tips To Overcome That Feeling Of Failure The following is a guest post by Ali Maged.  His bio follows. “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” ? Ralph Waldo Emerson We are bound to face challenges in life, and what separates a successful person from a failure is having the mental strength required to be able to overcome setbacks and the days when it doesn’t go as planned.  In this article, I would like to share with you some tips that have helped me, personally, overcome failure. It wasn’t a complete waste of time Don’t assume that you’ve wasted your time for no reason because you did not achieve what you wanted to. You learn from previous experience and by acknowledging the mistakes you’ve done that lead to failing then avoiding those mistakes, you will be on the right path to success. “It wasnt a waste of time if you learned something.” â€"Author Unknown. Move on You have worked hard, but it didn’t go as planned. Just move on and go to plan B. The quicker you move on, the better. “When things go wrong, dont go with them.” ? Elvis Presley Don’t give up By giving up and letting go of your dreams, you are doing yourself an injustice.   Just remember that Thomas Edison made  1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb! “Our Greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ? Thomas A. Edison Don’t be okay with it Understand that you have done something wrong, it was your fault not someone else’s fault nor does the universe hate you and don’t be too comfortable about failing. “A man can fail many times, but he isnt a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. ? John Burroughs. Read stories about how successful people got where they at There are thousands of more stories like Thomas Edison that you can read. Not just to feel better about yourself, but to also realize that no one had it easy and failing is a part of life for all of us. “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” ?J. K. Rowling Not that I am successful yet, but I would like to share my story with you. I am a high school student and currently applying to colleges. My experience with the application process was full of ups and downs but the ups always came after the downs so I am glad I kept going. I have made a short film summarizing how it was like for me applying to colleges in the US. I hope it inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing and realize that you will get there one day. Here is the short film: By following these simple tips you are well on your way to success ?? Bio: Ali is a film-maker and a senior high school student. He has an accumulated view count of over 300,000 views on YouTube. You can find him on YouTube.

5 Best and Worst Practices While Looking for A Job - CareerMetis.com

5 Best and Worst Practices While Looking for A Job Source â€" Pexels.comFinding a fulfilling and promising job is one of the crucial hurdles everyone has to go through. Even though the internet has opened up a world of possibility for the job seekers, they still grapple with multiple options.There are parameters that the jobseekers have to check before landing a job that fits their area of expertise. Now while many people apply for jobs every day, barely a handful of them know the right practices or the mistakes.So let’s shed light on those practices to help them land a fulfilling job.1. Try to decipher your skillsets and how you can use itevalevalIt’s common for many people to begin job-hunting by looking at the job titles that sound similar to their career goals. While some may find success with this method, but applicants should pay attention to the required skills of a position instead.This way, the jobseekers will be able to better decipher the skillsets they are already equipped with, and land the jobs that best match their experiences.Also, since job titles keep evolving, emphasizing the required skills of a position can lead you to discover other job titles that you are not aware of.2. Learn to narrow down your options to apply for the best oneInstead of applying to every other job opening you come across, it’s best to keep your search focused and opt for the ones that perfectly align with your skill sets and career objectives.In order to gain a little perspective on whether a job is right for you or not, you can perform a background check on the company to understand its core values and also the feedback from the employees.You can also ask people within your own network if they know someone who has worked for that particular company and can share his or her insight into the work culture of the organization.3. Make sure to carry on with your search regularlyWhen it comes to job-hunting, you should ensure that it’s a part of your daily agenda. While you go through the process of finding a job, yo u should maintain a certain level of consistency.evalThis means not missing out any opportunity to build your network, applying for a suitable job, going for a job interview, conducting research on prospective employers, maintaining a steady connection with the people in your network, seeking advice from a mentor or former professor, learning a new skill, updating your resume etc.4. Save or print the best job listings for future referencesEven after you have applied for a particular job, you should still keep a copy of the job description or the list of requirements in order to refer to it in the future.Since many employers choose to remove a position once they’ve received enough applications for it, that’s why saving the requirements of the job can help you to be better prepared for an interview when you want to take a look at the qualifications required.eval5. Always prepare yourself thoroughly for the interviewThere can be nothing worse than going for job interview underprepa red when you’re trying to land a job. So it’d be wise to talk to the company’s HR about what to expect in a job interview.evalAlso, you can try rehearsing the most common questions asked on job interviews, and use your own experiences and incidents to illustrate your points.Conduct research on the employer and the particular industry the company belongs to. Don’t forget to mention the information you’ve gathered during the interview.Now that you are familiar with all the best practices on job hunting, let’s get you acquainted with some of most prevalent mistakes that you shouldn’t commit.1. Repeating the statements of your resume in your cover letterLet’s start with an interesting trivia, did you know that most organization today judges the credibility of the applicants through their cover letters? That’s why your cover letter should never come across like a copy of your resume.The cover letter should be presented in such a manner that it reflects clear background information about yourself and why you are a perfect candidate for a specific job title.The cover letter should also possess a call to action like, “I look forward to your response”, and so the employer can understand that how eager you are to work for them.Even if a job description doesn’t require you to prepare a cover letter, send one anyway. You never know, this may go down well with the prospective employer and provide you with a competitive edge over the rest of the candidates.2. Not having a proper online presenceWith the emergence of the internet, applying for a job has gotten a whole lot easier, but on the flipside, you also have to maintain a prominent presence on the internet to receive promising opportunities.It’s likely that the recruiting managerswill do a background check on you via Google, and the only thing worse than finding your embarrassing pictures online is finding nothing at all.evalSo it’s imperative that every job seeker should have a precisely upd ated LinkedIn profile with a number of connections and maybe even a handful of recommendations.3. Having a resume filled with grammatical and typo errorsYour endeavor should always be to show that you really want the job. In order to do so, you must send your prospective employers an error-free resume.There are many free resources and tools which can assist you to rectify your typos and grammatical errors so that you can leave a lasting impression on the employer’s mind.Additionally, you can ask a friend, or acquaintance, or your professor to go through your CV or resume if you are unsure of your writing skills. You can also attend free workshops or watch video tutorials that provide guidance on resume writing skills.4. Loading up your resume with too many detailsPresenting an objective on a resumedoesn’t work unless you are writing about something you have to offer to your prospective employer. Ideally, your resume should be focused on how you can contribute to the organization that you have applied to, not what you look for in a job.evalAlso, including 20 years of work history, like the date of graduation from your high school, or the things you do for fun, is completely unnecessary.The employers are likely to have only a few seconds to spare while going through your resume. Hence, in order to create a positive impact, you need to make your resume is relevant.5. Not being honest with the informationYou wouldn’t want the foundation of your career to be built on lies. That’s why you should always maintain absolute honesty while writing the job application, resume, and also while appearing for the interview.Making up stories about your specific abilities and experiences may seem the most convenient thing to do when you are eager to get a job. But it can backfire anytime.So as you go about searching for a suitable job, keeping these tips and ideas in mind will certainly get you far.

How to take control of your career right now

How to take control of your career right now How to take control of your career right now There are a couple of goals I have for the year ahead that are worth noting, and that I think would be helpful for anyone. My first resolution advice is to take control of your career. Remember, nobody cares about your career more than you. Take control â€" you are accountable for change! Here are some quick ideas for how to get more fire in your career: If you are job searching, change your game and learn new search techniques. If you are stuck in your job, develop your Plan B and get out. If you are waiting for that promotion, ask for it the right way. If you are interviewing outside or within your company, focus on their needs. Its not about you. If you want to learn new skills or develop new techniques, commit to a development program. Job search restart My second resolution is to ramp up your job search. If you didnt land your dream job yet, its time to change your game this year. Stop just applying online and waiting, start networking to get in the back door. Juggle 10 real job opportunities at one time; play the odds game rather than aiming for just one dream job. Submit more than just a résumé. Stand out with a cover letter and something new: A candidate packet. Get fluent on LinkedIn and do targeted networking to find recruiters and hiring managers of target jobs. Update your interview skills. Times have changed, and you need to learn new techniques and be well prepared. Phone interviews are on the rise, yet you wont get the face-to-face interview if you blow it on the phone. Take the next 30 days to focus on your career and learn new techniques for todays highly competitive employment era. Buy a few books, start networking, and Invest in a career coach to speed things up.

Atlanta Resume Writing Services Reviews - Why You Need To Read Them

Atlanta Resume Writing Services Reviews - Why You Need To Read ThemWhen you are about to apply for a job in Atlanta, there are a lot of things that you need to do to make sure that your application is written in the most appropriate way. This can be a very tough task, but if you are properly briefed by a professional resume writing service, then this will be a lot easier.You need to first prepare a letter which will be used in presenting your case to the employer. A letter of recommendation from a former employer is always very helpful when it comes to preparing a letter. Aside from that, you also need to compile all the relevant information on the position that you are applying for.Because Atlanta is a booming city, there are so many jobs available that make it hard for an applicant to find all the information that they need. In addition, you have to be able to know what information is needed and how to present it in a very effective manner.Atlanta resume writing services reviews ca n help you figure out which one is best for you. There are several reputable companies out there that offer a good service.The way that they conduct their business and how well they communicate with you is also important. If you feel that they are not very helpful, then you may want to try another one.Aside from this, the quality of the products and service that they offer is also something that you need to check. Before you choose any particular Atlanta resume writing service, you need to get all the details first and get reviews from other customers.After this, you can easily determine which company will be the best for you and your situation as a job seeker. It is always better to be aware of the facts before making a decision.It would be better if you could read reviews and compare the prices and quality of the different job seekers before you choose one. This way, you can avoid paying for something that does not meet your needs.