The 12 Worst Things to Say to Someone Who is Unemployed

The 12 Worst Things to Say to Someone Who is Unemployed Being unemployed and on the job hunt  can be pretty rubbish. Its stressful, your bank balance is running low and frankly you become pretty sick of the sight of the inside of your house. So the last thing that somebody who is out of work wants to hear are patronising comments and do-gooders sharing their two pennies worth. You probably only mean well when asking your unemployed friend how their job hunt is going or offering  them advice, but Im afraid this is probably just going to make them want to give you an almighty shove! When talking to somebody who is out of work be tactful and avoid these phrases. Hows the job search going? Still unemployed? If it was going well, they would probably be sharing the good news of a job offer. Unless you can help in some way, leave them to it. I dont know why its taking you so long to get a job, I found something within a week  of looking! Oh get you with your employability and career luck! Talk about rub it in! Im sure things will look up soon! *Insert patronising tone* Oh so you can tell the future now can you? A friend of a friend of my brothers ex girlfriends sister  is in exactly the same position as you. Oh really? Great. Good for them. I wish I had as much free  time on my hands as you. Unemployment isnt just one big fun holiday you know? Sitting at home can get boring and the person youre talking to would most likely rather be spending their time earning a living. So what exactly do you do all day? If you were on the job hunt, what do you think you would be doing each day? Perhaps looking for a job? They probably think youre overqualified. Suggesting they have just wasted years of education and put themselves in a heap of debt has put them in a worse position for employment will not help, trust me. Maybe you need to aim a bit lower. Though the reality is that there just arent enough graduate jobs to go around, suggesting your friend applies for a job as a dog walker when they have a law degree may not go down well. Lets go on a super extravagant, expensive holiday! Not having a job means that they probably do not have an income, so unless you expect them to rob a bank, Id put pricey activities together on the bank burner for the time being. Ill get these. Its a nice gesture, but if you offer to pay for things to often it can come across as a bit patronising. I know how you feel. If youre currently employed, then you cant really know how they feel at that time and saying this can sound like youre  diminishing how hard the job hunt really can be. Sorry I missed your call, some of us have work at 3pm on a Wednesday, you know! This is a probably a punchable offence. [Main Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Why Didnt I get the Offer

Why Didnt I get the Offer This post comes from the excellent online resource http://www.net-temps.com/crossroads/.   They send out high quality articles on career issues and job search weekly. You may have experienced what you consider to be a great interview I mean a GREAT interview.   You waited; maybe you even decided not to pursue other opportunities because this job and the chemistry in the interview felt so right.   But the  call didnt come.   It can be frustrating.   Heres what Judi Perkins, career expert, writing for Crossroads, has to say: Consider these factors, all of which take place without your knowing: A last-minute candidate appeared on the scene who was exactly what they were looking for. Maybe you were almost perfect, but for some reason, the last-minute candidate was just a bit more whatever they were looking for. If you experienced a delay in your interviewing  late in the process, odds are very good your position as the top candidate was usurped at the last minute.   An internal candidate entered the picture. Though many companies post positions internally first and go outside only after exhausting internal options, that doesn’t account for someone changing his mind especially if it was the person they were initially targeting.   The company decided to eliminate the position or put the hiring process on hold. Sometimes when a company doesn’t know in which direction they want to go, they run an ad to “see what’s out there” and then eliminate the position when their water walker fails to submit a resume. On other occasions, the process might be halted as a result of some event that changed the circumstances and thus changed their decision about interviewing.   One of the interviewers that came into the picture later in the process didnt like you. Perhaps you reminded them of a former employee that didnt work out. Maybe they were threatened by your expertise and skill. In any case, they carried enough weight or had enough of a valid point to get you jettisoned from the process. Interviewing is the process by which you find a company you like, and by which a company hires you because they feel you’re the best person for the job. Everything happens for a reason, and if you missed getting an offer with one company, something better may be just around the corner. So concentrate on what you can control and forget about what you can’t. If you mope around worrying about what you did or didnt do and wonder why they didnt like you or where you messed up your attitude will bring about another negative outcome.   Look objectively at whether or not you can pinpoint something you might have done differently, and then learn from it. Otherwise, put it behind you and move forward with a confident and positive outlook! The author: Judi Perkins, the How-To Career Coach, was a recruiter for 22 years, consulting with hundreds of hiring authorities throughout the hiring process. She’s seen over 500,000 resumes, knows how hiring authorities think and how they hire. As a result she understands and teaches what other coaches don’t: why the typical strategies in finding a job so often fail, what to do instead, and why. She’s been on PBS’s Frontline, will be in the May issue of Smart Money magazine, and has been quoted frequently in numerous articles for CareerBuilder, MSN Careers, Yahoo Hot Jobs, and the New York Times, among others. She’s also been featured as an expert in numerous career books. Sign up for her free newsletter at www.FindthePerfectJob.com!

How to Make Office Life More Comfortable

How to Make Office Life More Comfortable We all know that aches and pains come with working in the office and sitting in a seat all day. While it may be rewarding for the bank account, it plays havoc with our bodies. Its important to exercise and stretch as much as you can, especially if you are working in an office, to keep our bodies flexible and strong. Over time we get misaligned and can end up with achy backs and RSI in our hands, fingers and wrists. Heres some top gadgets and tips to help make your life more comfortable in the office. Bad back: Seat support A couple of years back when I had the pleasure of travelling around Australia, I managed to find my way to a chiropractor to find out what the nagging bad back pain was, that I had been experiencing for a couple of years beforehand. After getting scans it turned out I had compressed lower discs. Something that is a huge complaint among office workers is lower back-pain. Apart from regularly moving around and stretching my hip flexors, one other thing that has helped me is a quality back support for your office chair. It works by supporting the lumbar and realigning the back forcing us to comfortably sit up straight. Being a web developer it is natural that a great deal of my time is spent at my computer, the seat support has made life a lot more comfortable to sit and work for prolonged periods of time. Eye strain headaches: Screen filter Screen filters are nothing new, they work by filtering out the blue tones coming from your PC monitor giving your eyes a bit of a rest. If you spend lots of time typing or looking at your screen, apart from changing your monitors gamma settings and reducing the blue hue being produced, a screen filter is a great way to help prevent headaches and eye strain that is common amongst office workers. Achy hands: Apple keyboard track pad A common mis-conception is that a big track pad is for graphic designers, but this couldnt be further from  the truth! We all know that familiar RSI like pain in the back of the hand and achy fingers after a months worth of overtime typing and constantly clicking a mouse. You dont need an Apple Mac to use the Apple keyboard or trackpad, however you will require a Bluetooth adapter and custom drivers for Windows. What are the benefits? They are quite expensive! I agree a keyboard and flat mouse can be quite expensive, but for loose fingers and hands at the end of a long days work its a brilliant investment. Apple keyboards are amazing to type on, they are ergonomic and the key presses have little resistance. The trackpad is a great way of reducing RSI pain in the back of your hands and getting to the bottom of long documents in a heart beat. The great thing is you dont have to leave them at the office either, you can easily take them home and use them on your own computer at home. Mine goes everywhere with me. Stress sleep: Headspace Stress gets to all of us at the best of times but before blowing steam from your ears or laying in bed worrying, check out a little known app for your phone called Headspace. Headspace turns stress and worries into a game of relaxation, using proven meditation and mindfulness techniques which will help you relax easier, faster and on-the-go; training your mind to be happier. Its great in the office with some headphones and its great in bed at night when you just cant stop thinking about that impossible deadline due next week. Headspace is the ultimate tool for combatting stress head on! Brownie points: Worlds best boss mug Been late to work a few too many times this month and need to earn some brownie points with the boss? Never fear! Apart from beating the morning rush hour and arriving on time from now on, why not buy your boss an  amazing Worlds Best Boss Mug? Author: Andy is a web developer and tech blogger at PerformancePSU, when he is not writing or creating apps he loves travelling.

5 Ways to Counter the Counter Offer

5 Ways to Counter the Counter Offer Counter offers are part of the package of recruitment. However, how can you counter the counter offer? Here  are my 5 steps to doing that: 1) Uncover your candidates motivators: Every candidate will have their own specific reasons for looking to change jobs (lack of career progression/ challenge/ support from management/ compensation etc) and your first priority should be to discover AND qualify exactly why they are looking to leave their current employer. Remember, dont take their reasons for face value! Qualify their reasons by discussing them in more detail and asking probing questions to dig deeper into why they really feel that way. Keep notes and document this important information as you can use it in the future to remind the candidate of their original motivations. This is an important step as not only does it give you more control in a counter offer situation, it also gives your more insight into the candidate and what really makes them tick. What if the candidate is primarily motivated by money? Thats ok! At least you now know so youll be extra alert to the heightened risk of a counter offer situation. Ive successfully placed dozens candidates whose main motivator is money sometimes it can make it make the candidate easier to close as the motivation is black and white. Again, dig deeper and find out the specifics about their compensation requirements and the shortfall at their current employer. This information can be used to your advantage during the offer process. 2) Discover their risk factor: Once you feel confident youve nailed down the candidates main motivations, then ask this question: Have you raised this issue with your boss/manager/HR yet? This can give you valuable insight to the level of risk of a counter offer occurring. If the candidate replies: Yes but he/she cant do anything about it! then youre pretty safe. If the answer is No I havent then they could be high risk! I usually probe further here and sometimes, depending on their motivations, I suggest they speak with their boss/manager/HR before moving forward on their job search (it could save you a whole lot of time and effort in the long run!). 3) Reveal and talk about the elephant: For the majority of candidates, the possibility of a counter offer wont have even crossed their minds. This is your chance to reveal the elephant hiding in the room to discuss and educate (and scare!) the candidate about the reality of counter offers. An unprepared candidate may accept a counter offer because they panic and they havent thought it through. Resigning can be an emotional experience and rash decisions can be made. A quick Google search will bring up dozens of articles detailing why accepting a counter offer is a bad idea but the main 2 I use during this conversation are: Your loyalty will always be in question: If you accept a counter offer, then youve already broken your trust with your current employer and youll likely be seen as a flight risk resulting in a good chance theyll be looking to replace you anyway. The figures speak for themselves: Multiple studies show that 80% of people who accept a counter offer have left again within 6 months as money is only a short term fix to the core problems. You could also suggest that the candidate does their own research online as they?ll quickly learn themselves that accepting a counter offer is rarely ever a good idea. When should I have this conversation with the candidate? There are 2 key occasions that I recommend you have this conversation: The first during the initial meeting/interview with the candidate, and then again before you formally make them an offer to keep the negative reality of a counter offer fresh in their mind. 4) Dont leave it to chance: Just because youve already prepared the candidate to reject the counter offer, it doesnt mean youre out of the woods yet. Another critical step is to make sure you keep in close contact with the candidate throughout the resignation process. Ask the candidate when they will be formally handing in their resignation and agree to schedule a phone call with them shortly afterwards to check in and see how it went. This way, if a counter offer was made to the candidate during their resignation process, youve probably caught it early enough to use the information you gained in step 1 to remind the candidate of their original motivations to leave before a rash or emotional decision is made. 5) Dont give up: Even if you perform all of the previously mentioned steps, theres no guarantee that the candidate wont accept a counter offer and you could be back at square 1. If you find yourself in this situation, then the best thing to do is to keep in friendly contact with the candidate, especially for the first 6 months (remember the statistics!). If theyre a super star candidate and a great fit for your team, then the chances are youll still have a need for them in the future. Call them a few weeks later to check in and arrange to meet them for lunch/coffee/beers for a friendly catch up. Think about it: by keeping in touch with them, guess who theyll be calling first when theyre back in the market within 6months time? Conclusion: Counter offers are here to stay and are becoming more common. However, by educating yourself about the negative reality of counte roffers and following the 5 steps outlined above, you can greatly reduce the risk for a counter offer getting in the way of a successful hire. Author: Brian Thompson is Talent Acquisition Expert from www.talentandrecruitment.com follow him on Twitter @briantrecruiter.

How To Make Your Employees Work Smarter, Not Harder To Increase Productivity CareerMetis.com

How To Make Your Employees Work Smarter, Not Harder To Increase Productivity Overtime at work is becoming less and less of an exception, with most employees reporting the need to stay at the office beyond the 8 hours to finish their tasks. While people think that working longer might help them whittle down their to-do lists and make them look efficient, the opposite might happen after a couple of hours of burning the night oil at work.Every company wants to utilize their staff so that they do not end up paying people who are not delivering results. Beyond that, the quality of employees’ work affects the performance of the organization, either on the production quality of their goods or how they provide services to the clients.evalOn the other hand, the need to stay longer every day can seriously impact the satisfaction or motivation of employees.The solution is for managers to promote working smarter, instead of harder or longer. By employing the right techniques, employees are able to balance different tasks and clean out their to-do lists. Doing so lessen s their levels of stress as well, while employers benefit from increased productivity and satisfied customers.Here are some steps to smarter working that employers can implement:1) Create A Culture Of High PerformanceevalCompanies with a high-performance culture are most likely to succeed when economies are struggling. The key is to encourage employees to do their best at work and reward them for doing so. There has to be an established framework where values and behaviors are defined so that employees are guided at work.The most important aspect is, of course, the rewards and recognition system. It does not always mean bonuses and pay raises because there are other ways to motivate your staff.It can be as simple as thanking them, recognizing their achievements or giving them additional training. The point is to increase their involvement by making them feel valued.2) Set ObjectivesEmployees will work best when they know what to prioritize and what their goals are. This is the main reason why the first step to working smarter is to set specific and realistic objectives. Normally, these objectives come from the top and get cascaded down the ranks so that all goals are related to the whole company and the team.evalBeyond that, employees know how their work contributes to the achievement of the organization’s objectives. Lastly, identifying goals also sets what level of output is expected of every employee. Managers can then see who is struggling or who are performing beyond expectations.3) Target Your Recruitment ProceduresNo matter how great the product is or how competent the managers are, employees make a company great day-to-day. Hiring the right people can really have a huge impact on the company’s performance, so managers need to focus on their recruitment efforts. You want nothing less than brilliant and hardworking people on your team to remain competitive.This means releasing the right advertisement, looking at the right places where qualified peopl e are. The thorough screening will weed out the least qualified and lastly, taking time for a comprehensive interview to identify the right one.The risks of hiring the wrong person are high, from wasting company money and poor performance, plus lower morale within the team. On the other hand, the right person may motivate the team to perform well.4) Invest In SoftwareevalComputers and software have truly changed how companies perform. Managers and company owners need to invest in the right software that can make work easier for everyone. It will help accomplish tasks faster and more accurate, thus saving time in the long run. Employees can also focus on other, more complex tasks that cannot be done by a machine.At the same time, the software can help companies monitor the performance of both the company and the employees.For example, the right time and attendance software will allow managers to check which team members are punctual or are going on overtime. This information can trul y help them manage their employees and the productivity of the team.eval5) Promote OrganizationMost people are unable to think and work properly when their workstation is a mess. Beyond that, being disorganized will cause stress and waste time when employees have to spend time looking for necessary documents. Worse, by not utilizing tools for an organization like calendars or reminders, they might not be able to keep up with their appointments.Promoting to-do lists or other ways to keep track of tasks and deadlines can help employees identify what they should be working on during the workday.6) Get Input From Those Who Do The WorkMany employees have ideas on how they can make their work faster and more efficient, but at times, they lack the space or the opportunity to implement these improvements. Great managers involve their employees in efforts to promote working smarter.At times, employees might actually require tools, software or further training that helps them work better and faster. Asking the people who do the work is a smart move that will also engage and motivate employees.7) Use The Skills You HaveIt is not impossible for your employees to have a whole list of talents that they can bring to the table. While they may be responsible for a specific task, you might utilize their other skills for special projects.While it is great for engaging your staff, you should also ensure that these other tasks do not interfere with their main work. Still, you might find out that an employee who has the skills and the motivation to design the company newsletter will save you money from outsourcing it.8) Reduce Useless MeetingsevalWhen employees get asked about what uses up their time most, many will answer useless meetings. Instead of being able to accomplish their work, they are wasting their time on meetings that are not truly necessary.In many cases, an email may suffice or other tools can keep everyone up-to-date. If meetings are really needed, they should be k ept short.9) Establish Overtime PoliciesIn some companies, employees feel the need to prove themselves to their managers to get promotions. They might think that doing a lot of overtime is key to doing so. However, companies need to stress that spending too much time on their desks does not necessarily equate to higher productivity, better output and performance. Instead, they should promote work/life balance and go home on time.Studies have shown that it helps keep employees sharp, motivated, focused, and creative. By discouraging overtime, you might end up with employees who work smarter during their 8-hour shifts. You can also encourage them to take frequent breaks to refresh their minds.10) Know Your Utilization RatesLots of managers are unaware of what is truly on their employee’s plate. In many cases, they forget to consider any existing tasks or projects and they dump new ones until their team members are overwhelmed and overworked.evalEncourage a system where employees mon itor existing projects and their progress, even documenting how long it takes for them to finish a specific task. This gives managers a better view as to what their employees are really up to.11) Allow Flexible Work Schedules If PossibleSometimes, the reason for employee inefficiency is the traditional 8-to-5 work shift. For some people, they are more active in the early mornings or some perform better in the late afternoons.Allowing employees to work on a flexible schedule means they work when they are most efficient, while still delivering the results expected of them. It also allows them to attend to other responsibilities, and this flexibility may make them more satisfied and motivated in the end.12) Set A Good ExampleIn organizations where policies are not as clear, employees copy what they see their managers are doing. While they might not encourage going on overtime, team members might be discouraged leaving the office much earlier than their superiors. These employees might also feel compelled to stay longer to work or discuss their projects with their bosses.Beyond setting the right overtime policies and making expectations clearer, executives also need to be good role models. This means, no emails after work hours and discouraging employees from even checking their email accounts.Working smarter benefits everyone, with employees being clearly able to differentiate their work and personal lives and managers benefitting from top performance and team efficiency. This also reduces levels of stress for everyone and increases employee motivation.The key is to start from the beginning, meaning finding the right people and implementing proper overtime policies so that teams have the skills they need.The great thing is, most of these steps will not cost your organization in terms of financial input. Instead, company culture and the right policies are the biggest pieces of the puzzle.When the business values and demonstrates high-performance output, the rest o f the team falls in line as well. This paves the way for the company to succeed, even in the most difficult times.

Master LinkedIn Today

Master LinkedIn Today I just read Kyle Lacys post listing 20 case studies on the many ways professionals are using LinkedIn- to land jobs, to increase leads and sales, to raise money, share ideas and oh so many other improvements!   My point here is that this tool is so much more than just about finding your next job.   It is about building relationships now and in the future.   There is a new way of getting work done and the answers are not always resident within your company or Google-able.   You sometimes need information from other Subject Matter Experts. We are living in a social world, but it isnt the same social world.   It is a world that uses technology.   It is a global social world. If you are serious about managing your career, youll understand that being the best at what you do means finding the best answers to problems and being innovative. Use Groups to engage in discussions surrounding your professional interests.   Ask and answer Questions.   Creatively use the intelligence of LinkedIn to expand your network! Here is a post 33 Ways to use LinkedIn for Business from GigaOm.   Remember, you are a person, not a stale profile. Let your best shine through when using this tool. LinkedIn Resources: LinkedIn Learning Center is the official How to guide. LinkedIns official YouTube Channel featuring really helpful screenshots and demos!

How To Have Resume Writing Services Do Your Resume Writing For You

How To Have Resume Writing Services Do Your Resume Writing For YouThe use of resume writing services is increasingly common in business to be more professional and to add to the ability of employers to sift through the sea of applicants. Professional writers can do this much faster than the average applicant. If you are looking for a writing service for your resume, it is advisable to have it done by an expert or company with years of experience. In order to qualify as a quality writer, you will need to follow certain guidelines and approach when creating your resume.The basic requirement to writing a resume for any company is a well written and brief resume. To avoid giving the reader a headache, make sure that your resume contains only pertinent information about yourself. You should also know how to use the information that you have provided and present yourself as a professional and knowledgeable person. There is no need to include extraneous information because it can clutter th e resume and decrease its appeal.Resume writing services are supposed to ask for at least two or three references. This is an important criterion to make sure that you are qualified for the job. Carefully read over the requirements before using your references. A good resume writer may ask for only one or two references so that he or she can make a judgment call without having to go through the entire document.Another aspect of a professional resume is its formatting. It should be neat and compact. When writing resumes, the outline is more important. The outline includes your personal information and objectives and skills or experience that could help the prospective employer to determine if you are the right person for the job.The format of a resume should not only be neat and compact but should also be clear and concise. The professional resume writers can easily produce different formats such as chronological, functional, and active. You can have the material created either in ha rd copy or in electronic format. Professional resume writing services can also deliver the forms to your potential employer for you to fill out and return for approval.A professional resume writer will also do the required research on your qualification, experience, skills, and work experience before you put your name down on paper. It is important to consider not only your own credentials but those of your family members, friends, and co-workers. It will be easier to demonstrate your knowledge of the job on your resume if you have the proper reference materials at hand.An additional benefit of hiring a skilled professional resume writer is that they can give you advice on how to improve your resume so that it is effective and attractive. You can also expect them to provide you with professional presentation skills as well. They will help you set up a professional-sounding cover letter and create the cover page that has the most appeal. They can also help you research the top compan ies and get the appropriate contacts.Resume writing services can help you write a compelling and exciting resume. In fact, most of the time, their high quality products will also include samples of previous written work to demonstrate their knowledge. This means that you don't have to pay for such services again because they already have the experience and expertise to craft a good resume.