How Stress Can Be Costing Your Workplace

How Stress Can Be Costing Your Workplace If you are unsure about the overall mental health of your office, it might be beneficial to know the treacherous fact that stress is costing the United States about $300 billion per year. This number is derived from the number of stress-related illnesses and injuries from accidents, how many days employees are absent from work, the percentage of employee turnover, and the decrease rate of work productivity. 61% of Americans say that their work is a stressor and that their company or workplace is not following the proper path to promote positive mental health. This creates a huge red flag, as companies should understand that if their employees are not happy, their profits will show a correlation. Employers have employees on assistance programs (EAPs) that are created to help with the stress that employees face on a daily basis. Even though most companies implement EAPs, surprisingly, the utilization of EAPs from employers is less than 5%. The largest issue of why employees are not using these resources to boost mental health is because they see these efforts as a last resort, rather than helpful for everyday use. There are signs to look for in employees to be wary of such as physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches, to emotional symptoms such as irritability and worry. Be cautious and look for these signs to see if you need to take action. Sources of Stress to Avoid Knowing the factors that could be causing the stress are incredibly important too, in order to be able to avoid these pressures employees in your workplace are potentially facing. Check the list before to make sure you avoid these stressors: Low salary money is one of the highest sources of stress since most workers are taking care of more than just themselves. Making sure your employee feels secure with their finances is critical in order for them to work productively. Excessive workload Quality over quantity has been repeated many times but still remains to be true. Make sure to assign the appropriate amount of work per employee and do not be afraid to onboard another employee if needed. Limited growth opportunity not having levels in which your employee to grow into causes frustration and disappointment. Your employee should know that there are ways for him or her to grow into something better, to avoid feeling stuck. Unchallenging work Of course, there are mindless tasks that need to get done in the workplace, but rather than assigning all these tasks to one person, make sure to spread them out through the whole team. That way, each employee feels like their work is significant to the company as a whole. Lack of peer support Developing a company culture allows each employee to feel that they belong to the company. Each employee deserves to feel supported by the team they work with in order to work to expected standards. No control over decisions Not allowing your employees to have a say in projects or the company, in general, closes the employee off, including from assigned work. Allowing the workplace to be open for any opinion engages your employees. Unclear expectations Avoiding holding meetings with each employee leads to confusion and frustration from not understanding the direction of the company. For small companies, meet with each employee one on one. For larger companies, have overhead managers check in with each individual employee. Avoiding the above stressors is a great start to having your company head into a better direction and swerve away from the costs of stress in the workplace. Check out Credit.com’s guide on 7 ways to reduce stress in the workplace to improve even further as a company! Courtesy of Credit.com

Dos and Donts of Asking For a Raise - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Do’s and Don’ts of Asking For a Raise - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everybody wants to get a fair paycheck for the accomplishments they have achieved. In the ideal scenario, your boss notices your achievements and gives you a raise. However, in the real world this is not really the case and you need to stand up for yourself and ask for a raise. Unfortunately, this is not a very easy situation and can be very stressful. For this reason, this week I have put together the do’s and don’ts of asking for a raise and below you can read about them. Never say that your coworker’s salaries are higher than yours and that is why you deserve a raise. When you talk about others’ salaries, it means you are gossiping in the workplace and this is not professional at all. Even if you think you deserve a higher paycheck than someone else, keep it to yourself because you never know whether the information you have heard is correct. Instead, talk about your accomplishments and why you think you deserve getting a raise. Don’t try to emotionally blackmail your boss. Everybody has personal problems that they need to deal with. However, the needs of your children or the hospital expenses of your parents don’t mean you deserve a higher salary. Therefore, don’t try to arouse pity for yourself using your personal problems. Give your boss a valid reason for a higher salary. If you want to ask for a raise, then schedule a meeting. Never ask this via email. It is much better if you ask this in person so that you can understand from the reaction of your boss what s/he really thinks. Maybe s/he also thinks that you deserve a promotion but due to budget restraints, s/he cannot afford to give you a raise right now or maybe s/he thinks you need to work more to deserve a promotion. Whatever the reason is, the best way to understand your boss’s real feelings is to talk with him/her. Never start the conversation by saying you have done all of your duties. Of course, you will do all of your duties because this is why are getting paid for. Remember you are asking for a raise and a raise means getting extra from your agreed paycheck. Therefore, your boss will ask you what extra work you have done so far to deserve this raise. If you think you deserve a raise, then you should be ready for the extra work because if you will get paid more, this means that you should take on more responsibilities.

7 Tips to Ace a Phone Interview

7 Tips to Ace a Phone Interview How do you succeed in a phone interview? When you go for a face-to-face interview, the recruiter has the opportunity to see and hear you. In a phone interview, the only thing that the recruiter has is your voice to create a mental image of you as a candidate. Phone interviews are, therefore, a little limited in scope. SEE ALSO:  Graduate and Unemployed? Try these to boost your calibre It is possible to ace a phone interview; you just need to prepare for it. The key to success is the way you prepare for the call. Here are a few tips that could help you get ready for the phone interview in a way that ensures success. Do not Google information during the interview Before the Interview 1. Create a folder with all details. Suppose you have applied to five companies. Imagine Company A calls you up for an interview and you simply forget their details. All you can remember is the details of Company B. It would only end in failure. Your first task is to prepare a folder with all details of the companies you have applied to, as well as your resume and cover letter. You also need to keep a notepad and pen handy; you may need to note down things during the course of the interview. 2. Prepare your answers. Phone interviews often include questions about the candidate’s credentials, experience, specialties, strengths and weaknesses. This initial screening is necessary to evaluate whether the candidate is of any worth. A good idea is to make a list of the common questions and rehearse the answers. Request a friend to ask the questions to see whether you can answer them clearly and accurately. This would prepare you for the real thing. During the Interview 3. Ensure convenience. If you have to answer a recruiter’s questions while feeding a fussy toddler, you are in some serious trouble. You need a calm mind and a convenient environment to ace a phone interview. The best thing to do, when the recruiter calls you at an inconvenient time or when you are at an inconvenient place, is to politely request for another opportunity within a day. Don’t make the recruiter wait more than that; you may never get another chance if you do. 4. Listen carefully. A good communicator is always a good listener. Let the recruiter finish the question before you begin to answer it. A question may even take another turn at the last minute. You would understand it only if you listen to it. Besides, its impolite to interrupt in a formal conversation. A recruiter may feel offended if you speak before they have completed their sentence. And it’s not really a recipe for success for a phone interview. 5. Think properly. Give a thought to the question before you answer it. A question may have more to it than is apparent at first glance. Only if you pay attention to it, you would be able to answer it properly. If you are not sure about the question, request the interviewer to explain it a little. Also, decide the questions you want to ask. Time them well. You need to answer their questions before you can ask them yours. 6. Speak clearly. Your ability to answer questions intelligibly and accurately is an important factor for success. Don’t use any informal language or colloquial terms during the interview as it sends the wrong message about your professionalism. A recruiter determines your worth based on your capability to converse as much as on your credentials, skills and experience. It is, therefore, important that you limit the ‘umm’ and ‘ah’ at the time of the interview. Clarity of speech shows clarity of thought. After the Interview 7. Ask for an in-person interview. If you have promptly answered the questions and the interviewer seems impressed, it is best to ask for a face-to-face meeting as soon as the questions are complete. With a little luck, the recruiter would give you an appointment. What do you do if the interviewer doesn’t want to make a commitment? Ask about the next step in the process. Would they get in touch over the telephone or by email? This would at least give you an idea of whether this possibility is available. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily succeed to impress a recruiter. To do this, hone your communication skills. They can give you the necessary edge over others and land you at the next level of the recruitment process â€" a face-to-face interview. If you have failed to create the right impression at phone interviews in the past, don’t let them discourage you. Analyse the experience. Find out what went wrong. This could provide an insight about what you must not do in a phone interview. With this analysis, you can easily prepare the details of what you must do in a phone interview in the future. photo credit: Bunches and Bits {Karina} via photopin cc 32

Personal Branding Interview Paula Loop for Personal Branding Week 2.0 at PwC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Paula Loop for Personal Branding Week 2.0 at PwC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Paula Loop, who is the US and Global Talent Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). Paula is leading Personal Branding Week 2.0 at PwC, a program that shares the importance of and tools needed to differentiate oneself from the competition. Starting on Monday, February 7th, day one will include three simple steps to building a strong and authentic network. I interviewed Paula about Personal Branding Week 2.0 below. What results did you see out of your first Personal Brand Week? Response to the program last year was tremendous. We anticipated that students would gravitate to the content and they did. What surprised us was the significant and sustained interest from career services offices at colleges and universities throughout the country. That led to the Personal Brand Week e-book being distributed to NACE, which in turn sent it to their entire membership. The program really struck a nerve. And those results are above and beyond recognition that the program received in traditional and social media. Where did you learn about personal branding and why do you see it as important to PwC and the rest of the world? Personal Branding has become a hot topic in the media recently, but it is not a new concept. People have been coached for years on how to conduct themselves in meetings, dress for success and speak persuasively. These are all things that are coached within PwC. What has made it more ubiquitous is that people not only have the opportunity to create a personal brand in the office and in meetings but also on blogs and in social media. People are more empowered today to create a personal brand. In an age where people are trying to stand out, strong personal brands can set a candidate apart. Whats in store for Personal Brand Week 2.0? Believe it or not, we are working to make the program more personal. The tips and resources that we present will have the same significant value as last year but well be incorporating more video throughout the week-long event. Youll hear directly from recruiters, employees and even interns about what they are looking for and what makes them different as individuals. New content for Personal Brand Week 2.0 will go live on February 7th and can be found at www.pwc.com/us/personalbrandweek. Personal Brand Week 2.0 will feature daily content that focuses on Building Your Network â€" three simple steps to building a strong and authentic network; You are What You Write â€" the art of effective writing skills; Your Online Image Makeover â€" promoting your online brand; View from the Other Side: Getting the Job â€" what recruiters look for in prospective hires, and Pulling it All Together Elevator Pitch and Body Language” â€" how to successfully express and articulate your personal brand. One other element that were excited about is the elevator pitch contest that is open to undergraduate students at four year institutions. The student with the best 30-second video that highlights what makes them valuable and unique to potential employers wins $5,000. Youre holding an elevator pitch contest for undergraduates. Why is it so important that an undergrad comes up with a pitch? Effective communication is critical. Think about business opportunities that present themselves. They often do so at unexpected times. Now think about trying to land a job or build a career. Being able to tell someone what you do and even more importantly, what makes you good at what you do can make a big difference in a career. The elevator pitch contest engages college students in a creative, engaging way that not only enables them to practice their own pitch but also see how others are presenting themselves. What 3 tips do you have for undergrads as they start to build their brands? Know where you want to be in five years. Your goals may change over time, but it’s important to have direction. Have a professional online presence. Many people are on social media channels but not always for the right reasons. Give people and potential employers something positive to find if they search for you. Network. Though it sounds basic, keeping in touch with professional acquaintances can lead you to your next big opportunity. Paula Loop is the US and Global Talent Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). She joined Coopers Lybrand in 1983 in San Francisco and became a manager in 1988. She got married and transferred to Los Angeles in the same year. Twelve months later, She had her first child. Paula worked as lead manager on a major account; but part time schedules were unheard of at the time so she left the firm. Having relocated from California to the US East Coast, she rejoined PwC in 1997 and had a flexible work schedule for four years, whereby she left the office at about 3pm so I could spend time with her three children. Now she works full-time, serving large multinationals (SEC registrant firms) in the retail and consumer sector.

The Best Ways to Utilize Social Media for Job Search

The Best Ways to Utilize Social Media for Job Search Photo Credit â€" ywforward.orgSocial tools have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Whether it is reaching out to our long lost friends, setting up an event or performing essential functions like searching jobs, social media has found a way to get involved in pretty much everything we do.Here are some tips to get a job using social media.Right from the beginning of this decade, everyone is talking about the new ways in which social media can be used. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are already a non-replaceable way of connecting with our friends, making new connections, following the prevailing global trends, and getting the wind of latest news.evalNow recent studies have revealed that social media tools are also helping job-seekers to find new employment opportunity. In fact, one in every six job seekers uses one of the various social media sites to land a new job.More than half of the recruiters all over the world check the social media profiles of their prospective employees to verify the quality of their hire. It is clear that job searching is one of the latest applications of social media sites. But how exactly should you do that?1. Create Professional, Relevant profilesevalThe first step is, obviously, to create a complete profile on LinkedIn, the professional social network. The information should include a summary of your entire employment history, a chronological record of your jobs and academic record.LinkedIn has separate profile sections for achievements, and skills which should be filled accordingly. A section that most people ignore on LinkedIn is the profile picture, with some uploading a holiday shot of them with their dear ones and others ignoring it entirely. A bad profile picture is an instant turn off for the recruiter.2. Clean up your existing profilesAs important it is to create a new profile, so is to “tidy up” the existing profiles on various social networks like Facebook and others. Go through each of the section and make sure no incriminating information is visible to a potential employer which could have effect on your chances of landing a new job.Always have this in mind that the persona being projected through social media sites acts as the first impression on your employer. Besides, there are ample privacy controls provided by these social networks which must be used judiciously.3. Let your network know that you’re job-huntingYou spent hours building a network of thousands of individuals on social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Now is the right time to test the usefulness of this network. Post on these social media sites that you are looking for a new job.evalAlso include the details of the kind of opportunity you are seeking. Even if your connections do not know of any job openings right now, once they know that you are open for a change, some of them might contact you when a suitable position opens up.However, be cautious as some of your existing connections might also include people from your current organization. You obviously do not want your manager to know that you are planning to leave the company.3. Grow your networkWhen we look beyond the usual connect, message and share features of social networking sites, we will find that most of these websites have many different elements which can be of great use for increasing your reach.LinkedIn and Facebook have Groups, an excellent place to connect people within your industry and having similar professional credentials as you. Search for relevant groups in your industry and join the groups that have a thriving discussion going on. Become a part of that discussion and become known as a source of informative content.3. Have your own blog/WebsiteevalevalMarketing your skills and knowledge through a blog or website is an innovative and highly impressive effort. Although it is a bit time consuming initiative but the fruits of your efforts will be immensely in your favor.The blog will contain matter related to your w ork field of choice. Later you can share these blog posts within your network. However, make sure that your blog posts reflect a certain experience level and knowledge about the subject.4. ResearchSocial media presents a very easy way of knowing about new companies, people working there and the events that the companies conducts, the kind of relationship employer has with its employees. Using social media to research this information will require some basic steps such as following or liking the official pages of companies on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.Most tech savvy organizations today regularly update their official page with information regarding hiring activities, and other employee events which can provide an insight regarding the work environment at that place.In addition, if the company’s CEO is a major social influencer, there is no harm in following his official page as well. His posts will aware you regarding the direction of leadership and whether it matches with you r own thought process and ideals or not.Bottom line:There is no denying the fact that social media is an important vehicle for driving oneself towards success in the current digital age. Whether it is job-hunting or self-promotion, the usefulness of social media tools is only going to increase in future.Early adopters will definitely stand to gain most while those who keep denying these benefits to themselves will have nothing but an empty regret.

Top tips for mastering phone and video interviews - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Top tips for mastering phone and video interviews Initial interviews by phone or Skype are more common than they used to be. It’s a cost-effective way to screen candidates in the initial stages of a recruitment process. As hiring becomes more global, both for employers and candidates, video interviewing is a way to expedite the interview process. At Expedia, we use phone and video interviews all the time â€" the first interview is almost always conducted over the phone. I use video Skype all the time to talk to my international clients, as well. I know from experience that many job seekers find video interviews quite intimidating. They think it’s hard enough to interview face-to-face, let alone in front of a camera and microphone! However, with a bit of advance planning, the video interview is not very different from an in-person interview. Here are some tips that will help you prepare for phone and video interviews: Phone Interviews 1. Make sure you won’t be interrupted, and be sure to charge your phone in advance. It’s happened to me on more than one occasion that a candidate’s phone battery died during the interview because they forgot to charge it. That’s not a good impression. 2. Do your research and prepare your answers to typical interview questions, as you’d do for an in-person interview. While many phone interviews are just brief phone screens with a recruiter, you might find you’re on the phone for well over an hour and are expected to answer detailed questions about your previous roles and achievements. Make sure you have relevant examples prepared using the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Take time to think about your answers, and if you don’t fully understand the question, ask for clarification. 3. Smile when you talk â€" you’ll sound more confident and relaxed. Use a headset for phone interviews if you can. It doesn’t hurt to look in the mirror when on the phone â€" are you being lively and enthusiastic? Make sure you sound enthusiastic, like the sort of person they might want on their team. 4. Moderate your pace through the beginning of the call. If you’re nervous, you might naturally talk quicker, so deep breathing before the interview will help. 5. Don’t interrupt the interviewer. I’ve heard many hiring managers complain about that. You don’t want to sound like if you’re impatient for them to finish. 6. Don’t drone on. One of my hiring managers told me a candidate took 25 minutes to answer two questions â€" we did not take her through to the next stage. You want to give details, but too much information is bad. Lastly, as you obviously can’t judge reactions in the same way as when you’re face-to-face with an interviewer, it might be useful to ask questions such as, “Do you want me to go into more detail?” Video Interviews More and more companies now are using video for job interviews. Some may invite you to their office to use video conferencing facility (we used to do it for interviews with U.S. based hiring managers), but video Skype interviews are also very popular. Your aim is to prepare and be comfortable with the video interview format so no technical challenges distract you from making a great impression. Here are some tips for acing the video job interview: 1. Make sure your user name and profile picture creates the right impression. You don’t want your profile picture to be a topless holiday photo, as was the case with one of our candidates for a Software Development Engineer role! Also, your user name should be professional. PartyGirl85 won’t cut it. You don’t want the interviewer to misjudge you at the start of the interview. 2. Dress like you would for a normal interview. I’ve heard of someone who wore sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt for his Skype interview. It seemed like he couldn’t care less. 3. Avoid any unprofessional or distracting background. You don’t want the interviewer to see a pile of laundry behind you. Elaborate backgrounds can be very distracting, too. 4. Test your Skype connection before your interview. Check that the Internet connection works and that the lighting is flattering. You don’t want to look washed out or shrouded in shadows. Test the sound and close all other Internet applications that could interfere with Skype. 5. Be aware of background noise. The microphone picks up all noises, so avoid typing or shuffling papers during the interview. 6. Make eye contact. That means looking directly into the camera most of the time, not at the screen or the picture screen of yourself. 7. Sound enthusiastic and energetic, not bored or uncomfortable. You should try to come across as passionate about the job and the organization in any interview, including a video interview. 8. Prepare a two-minute pitch about yourself. Really think about how you want to come across and what sets you apart from other candidates. 9. Act as if you’re in the interviewer’s office. Good posture is important; sit up straight and try not to slouch or fidget. Don’t forget to spend time preparing to answer the interview questions. Looking good on webcam is important, but your answers to the interview questions are even more important. Remember to also ask them some good questions and send a thank you note after your interview to reiterate your interest in the role. Good luck! Recruiters and hiring managers, what other tips would you give candidates preparing for a phone or video interview?

Can Hire a Monster Resume Writing Service Lead to a Good Resume?

Can Hire a Monster Resume Writing Service Lead to a Good Resume?Monster resume writing services are paid writers who can customize a resume for you. They are the ones who do all the research on your behalf to find out your strengths and potentials. This way they can create a professional-sounding job application that can take your resume from 'interesting' to 'career ready'.With these services, you just need to keep an eye on the material. Also they will ask you for an idea of what you are looking for in a resume. With this in mind, they will develop one that is specifically tailored to what you are after. For example, you may not want them to be creative and make it up as they go along.With a Monster Resume writing service, you also get the personalized touch of a professional business that is looking out for your career needs. All companies work on the same model: providing great services, creative and unique resume designs, and providing guidance to people. It is their goal to pro vide only the best materials for use by job seekers to help them in finding jobs.How do they go about making sure the job seeker is provided with the best resume possible? The staff is always looking for innovative ways to provide career training to their clients. To achieve this goal, they are constantly testing new ideas for resume templates that will meet the needs of job seekers to stand out among the rest of the candidates in the market.They believe in providing their clients with an opportunity to stand out of the crowd and be the best candidate for the job and with their program, a good resume should be the first priority. With their personalized design and application, you will have the confidence that your resume will get you a job and that you can get it within the deadline specified by the company. With such an investment in your career, it is to be expected that they are always researching the market to find the best resumes and people who would use their services.With t his in mind, they make sure that the applicant gets an original looking resume. Your resume will be tailored for your career goals and how you feel about the job. To make it more appealing, the material will be produced in a way that would show how much effort you have put into the process of making your resume. It should stand out of the competition and at the same time not cause your efforts to be ignored.Monster Resume writing services are also happy to offer help and support when you need it. They understand the importance of other aspects of resume writing. If you are stuck and need answers, they will be there to help you. They will also offer advice and guidance when you do not feel confident enough to answer certain questions about what kind of resume you should be using and the specific information that should be included in your resume.With these services, it is easy to see that hiring a service can lead to a good resume. If you are having trouble getting a good job in the market, you can hire their services and they will help you in your pursuit to find a job.