Where do you want to go in life? What do you need to get there? There’s one common factor in career success: confidence. You’ve got to feel it on the inside before you can move up the corporate ladder. 1. Know thyself How can you boost your confidence if you don’t know what you’re trying to boost? Do a full, rounded self-assessment of yourself. You need to know your strengths and weaknesses and make plans (key words here, make plans) to strengthen these weaknesses. Without setting goals and establishing a path to complete them, you’re likely to stay at the starting gate. We’ll talk more about small wins later. The bottom line here is that you cannot (repeat, cannot) ignore your weaknesses or stick them under the table where you’re hiding last week’s gum. You have to embrace them and overcome them one at a time. Having a clear understanding of what makes you tick, how you work, how you think, grow, meet confrontations and conflict, communicate, socialize with others..are you actively listening to others?..have you developed a consciousness of your actions and reactions?..what about body language?..and the list goes on forever. What I’m talking about here is EQ. This buzzterm has been around since 1990 when Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer coined the term “Emotional Intelligence” and defined it as “a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and other’s feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action”. Studies confirm that EQ could be equally, if not more, important as IQ when measuring leadership capabilities. Know thyself and focus your energy effectively. 2. Fix troubled relationships in the office This one can get tricky. Before you can fix a troubled office relationship, you have to be aware that one exists. Is your coworker down the hall truly upset with you, or did you just steel the last cup of coffee and not make another pot? Look for long-term “consequences” in response to your actions. Time lapse to see where the relationship could have or did go astray. Before you can accurately confront the situation, you need to know what your best method of conflict resolution is and why. How do you best deal with tough conversations and hard situations? Freebie: Is this person your boss? Look for cues in feedback. Is the criticism that he or she giving you constructive or just hard cristicism? If not, you may have a broken relationship. 3. Take a lesson from Lean Small victories: small wins build momentum. You’ll need this momentum, especially early on, to feel the benefits of your actions. These early wins will allow you to reap the benefits of your hard work and build encouragement to continue. Challenge yourself to compete. 4. Get a Mentor or Coach Find a mentor. A mentor is someone that can guide and help you along your career journey. A mentor does not have to be someone in your organization. In fact, it may be more beneficial to find someone outside of your company; this may allow for more clarity. A mentor is typically in a position you’d like to one day hold and has the know-how and connections to help you get to where you want to go. He or she will share stories about successes and failures and serve as an advisor and counselor for you. Be sure to express often that you value the relationship that you have with your mentor; time is a big investment. 5. Take care of yourself Be healthy, eat well, take care of yourself. This one is kind of a no-brainer. When you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to exude positivity – positivity is a confidence builder. It will also build competency in social settings. I’m not talking about body image here, I’m talking about what makes you feel good. Exercise. You don’t have to be a body builder or fitness model. Set a goal for yourself and exceed it. If that goal is taking a walk three days a week, that’s fantastic. Remember, it’s about what’s right for you. Bonus: exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Being happy builds confidence. Do it. Take time for you. There’s never enough time in the day to get your tasks and responsibilities inside and outside of work completed, let’s face it. Life shouldn’t always be a rat race. Take some time for yourself. Breathe. Confidence is defined as “a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances”. It’s not hope or a wish. Confidence is built firm and is endearing. You’ve got to know it on the inside so that you can prove it externally and get where you want to go.
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Do you have any other tips for being a good leader? Post them in the comments! Crest Industries is looking for people like you, people who want to succeed.Check out our current opportunities and apply online at www.crestoperations.com . Now that you have some tips on what to do during an interview, we want to share with you best practices for afterward. Making sure to keep in contact with the company is crucial to obtaining a job offer. When you contact the company representative after the interview, it makes you stand out from the candidates who did not do so. Even if you feel that you did not do your best in the interview, it is still worth your time to make contact; you may be surprised. Write a Letter.
If all goes well, you will simply be writing a thank you letter to the company representative for their time and demonstrating that you understand the requirements for the job. You must be sure to address the fact that you will be able to fill those requirements and how you can excel in filling those requirements. Essentially, you will be telling the company that you listened, understood, and have the ability to help fulfill the needs of the position and company. Make sure to ask the company representative for the best way to get into contact with them; you should definitely get their email address and direct phone number. You do not want to send a letter through “snail mail” anymore. Email is the way to go because it is faster, and you will seem more technically savvy. Do not wait too long to send the email; a 48-hour time period is typical. However, if you do not send it within the 48-hour period, the principle of “better late than never” is applicable. Contact after an interview is crucial to getting the job! Even if the interview does not seem to have gone well, leave the company with a good impression by showing the representative that you are diligent. So what questions do you have for us?Most interviewers ask this question to make sure that you have all of the information you need regarding potential pay, time off, etc. Some want to make sure that you are truly engaged and interested in the company, the position, and the culture. As the interviewee, you should use this question to your advantage! We hope these questions help you stand out from the crowd! How will the company help me develop? You’ve already gone over the skills you currently have and why you think they would better the company. Now, it’s time to ask how the company will help you grow. This shows the interviewer that you want to learn and improve within the company. If there isn’t a plan or system in place for your growth, you may want to rethink the job. Examples of a plan or system would be mentors, coaching, training, or other means of professional development. What embodies success with this company and position? This will give you insight into what is expected of you. Not only that, but it shows your interviewer that you want to succeed and that you are not just interested in showing up. Do you see any gaps in my skills or qualifications that I need to fill? This is a daring question… One question not everyone will have enough guts to ask. If you do ask, it will show your interviewer that you are willing to fill in any gaps that there might be. Worst case scenario, there will be gaps that would be a problem. Best case, they don’t see any gaps and you are moved to the top of the list! Can you tell me a little about who I will be working with? This subtly puts the idea of you getting the position in the interviewer’s head. This will also give you information to see if you will fit in well with the company. Most of the time, they will tell you a lot more than what’s on the mission statement, website, or handouts. Don’t get so caught up in the questions that you are being asked that you forget to ask your own. You can ask these questions during the interview or after the awaited question is posed. Whichever you think will be more natural. Resolutions can be intimidating... but a lifestyle is not.
Make these helpful tips a part of your life style! It takes 21 days to form a habit. Keep up with this last set of tips, and you will have made it!
Want to start off the New Year on the right foot?
This is not another resolution that will last 3 months and then disappear. This should become a part of your day to day work. Here are some tips to get you ready for a good year with your employer! 1. If you see a problem, come up with some solutions to fix it. Let your boss know about the problem. If you see a hole in a plan, don’t be afraid to say it. Your boss doesn’t notice every detail. That’s why they have you! 2. Keep up on the news of your industry. It will give you new ideas and give you an edge on your job. Purposefully learn everything you can about the business! Show that you understand that you are a part of something bigger use this to become a producer of the news and knowledge! Write a blog, join a forum, and get engaged with it! This is good for two reasons: you become a leader in your industry and it helps the company you work for grow their business, while inspiring others in the company. 3. Don’t be afraid to express your opinions to the boss. They want to know the good and the bad about the business. Hiding bad news doesn’t help anyone, and if you don’t tell, they are likely to not realize what’s going on. Bring issues to light before major damage is done. You should express some positive feedback as well! 4. Employers want you to think outside of the box. If you think that there is a better way to get something done with the same results, try it! They may not have the best course of action in place. After all, they are not the ones completing the task. Show off your ingenuity! They are willing to listen if you have a good case, and this could open more opportunities in your future. Wake up a little early. There are two ways to wake up a little early. You could allow a little light to come through your windows in the morning which will wake you up slowly as the sun rises. This way you will already be awake when the alarm goes off, which will prevent you from smashing the alarm. If you cannot stand the thought of leaving the window coverings slightly open, set your alarm 15 minutes ahead. Use this time to slowly wake up, run through the day in your mind, and stretch (a good 15 second stretch).
Have some you time. Take 5-10 minutes in the morning to sit on the porch, drink some coffee or juice, listen to music, take a walk, meditate, and/or read or write. Research has shown that people who consume a little bit of sugar in the morning had better memory recall throughout the day. A small amount of sugar in your coffee or a glass of juice is a good amount for your memory and to boost your central nervous system. Don’t try to eat a whole bag of mini-powdered doughnuts though… It will not work that way. Taking a few minutes to just relax or exercise sets the tone for the day, to help keep you motivated and get the day off to a good start. Get rid of a useless object. Take something that you do not need and throw it away! Or donate it (that would be much nicer). Because sometimes, it just feels nice to simplify your life. Do not get rid of anything that you need. You can, however, get rid of that junk you have hiding in the back of cabinets and drawers. One thing a day makes you feel lighter and keeps it clearing the clutter manageable. Reduce your amount of decisions. Plan your clothes, breakfast, and anything else the night before. Also, keep an emergency outfit in your closet. That one morning you are running so late that you forget your deodorant, you will be glad you took the time to prepare an outfit. Make sure you include socks, belt, etc. Some of the most successful people wear the same outfit every day. They say that by doing this, they reduce the amount of nonessential decisions they have to make, their decision making skills actually increase for the important ones. Check your calendar. Check it before you leave each day. This may seem obvious, but nothing is more embarrassing than forgetting a friend or major meeting. Smile. Lastly, smile! Smiling not only improves your day, but it impacts everyone around you. Take some time, look in the mirror, and smile at yourself. It’s not as awkward as you would think. Now get out there and have a wonderful day! Source: cerasis.com
If you have been looking for ways to improve your job search…look no further! We want you to be the best you can be! Part of that is building an impressive resume and LinkedIn profile. Here are overlooked 9 ways to improve your job search. 1: First Impression Your headline is your attention-getter. You want to hook employers with the first thing they see. It should clarify the role you want to do next and/or contain key words important to your profession. Do not forget your profile picture! You will also need a nice, professional head shot. This is not the time for a mirror selfie. 2: Personal URL Change the URL linked to your profile to your name. (ex. Linkedin.com/in/janesmith) This looks so much better on resumes and business cards. 3: Other Web References Link your other sites with your LinkedIn profile. This will give employers a better idea of who you are. For example, put the links of your professional twitter account, blog, etc. in the “contact info” section. 4: Make It Personal Make the summary a miniature trip into your town. Let them know the best of your experience, background, personality, goals, values, and interests. Avoid wordiness to keep the summary short and sweet by using short paragraphs and be sure to write it in first person. By adding media to your page you can make it even more personal and show off your best work. 5: A Little Something Extra Add to the summary section and showcase some of your other work by listing side projects, class projects, and special assignments that do not necessarily fit anywhere else. 6: Frequent Status Updates Status updates should not just be desperate pleas for work. You should also include information about your profession. Post articles about new trends, up and coming ideas, and information about different seminars or presentations coming up. Show how passionate and involved you are with your line of work. By showing interest, you will get employers interested in you. 7. Group Participation Get involved with professional associations, alumni, and any industry related groups. Participate in group discussions by answering and asking questions. Not only will you make connections, but you will also learn things that will grow your expertise. 8. Details Make sure you do not leave anything blank that could set you a part from the others. An award, test score, or second language could put you above the rest. 9. Put it out there Make sure your profile is set to public! When searching for a job, the best results will come from an easily found profile. This is not facebook, there is no need to hide your profile. Crest Industries is hiring! Check out the available positions: https://rew31.ultipro.com/CRE1005/JobBoard/ListJobs.aspx http://www.crestoperations.com/ Go to Google and type in “Millennial”. What did you find?
Articles such as “Why 25% of Millennials Will Never Get Married”, “The Real Problem with Millennials”, “Millennials are Finally Leaving Their Parents’ Basements”, “Tips for Managing Millennials”, “Do Millennials Stand A Chance in the Real World?”, and the list continues... The Millennial cohort seems to be criticized harder than any other generation in history. We’re lazy, uncommitted, problematic, opinionated, unmanageable; that’s what media tells us, right? We’re supposed to be computer wizzes, internet experts, social media gurus. Each generation definitely has their obvious points of success and flaws, but should being a member of a certain cohort reflect on you as an individual? Because after all, that’s what you are, an individual. That’s what any member of any generation is, an individual. You’re a Millennial, so what? Tips to succeed: Know what you want in your career. Do your research. Know what you are interested in learning, what you want to do with your life,and the areas in which you excel. Make the most out of college. Yes, College is a learning experience, but it’s also a life experience. Learn from it. Get experience that matters. Internships; find them. Listen to your mentors, learn from them. Chances are if you gain an internship, it’ll be with a supervisor who has been around the block a few times. Soak it up. Start networking early. Join organizations, find local groups that offer opportunities to learn and meet new people in your field. You’ll be glad that you did. Prove your worth. You went to school, graduated, and got that entry-level job in your field. Work harder than everyone else. Prove that you can do it. Crest Industries is looking for people like you, people who want to succeed. Check out our current opportunities and apply online at www.crestoperations.com Crest Industries believes that all people are entitled to equal employment opportunity. This means that we will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard for race, color, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status or any other protected status under federal, state or local law. Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
Now I have the utmost expect for Mr. Twain, but I am going to have to disagree with him on this one. Brian Tracy does an excellent job connecting this quote to procrastination in his book, but let’s take another point of view on it. Procrastination vs. Preparation I have some “big frogs” sitting on my desk today. Is it best for me to swallow them first thing this morning, or should I make sure that I am fully prepared and engaged in order to get them down whole? It could easily be debated that depending whether you are a “morning lark” or a “night owl” (Why all the animal metaphors?), your brain might truly function at a higher level at different times of the day. Excluding this factor, I feel that it is very important to get your brain “warmed up” and your neurons fully engaged prior to working on your most important tasks. This can be done in a number of ways. Think of this preparation in a sense of studying for a large exam. In a sense, you are “training” yourself for the test so that you can come out of it with an A. Actions:Exercise your brain before you work on your most important tasks. Maximize your cognitive capacity. Train your brain as if you were working out your muscles. Learn something new every day. Have confidence in your abilities in order to succeed. Want an opportunity to succeed with a great organization? Check out Crest Industries’ current openings at www.crestoperations.com . |
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July 2015
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