Things to Do Before You Find a Job in Advertising

Things to Do Before You Find a Job in AdvertisingThings to Do Before You Find a Job in AdvertisingSo, youve decided you want a career in advertising. Everything youve read online and seen on TV and in the movies makes it seem like the perfect profession for you. Before you put in the groundwork of landing that advertising gig, following these ten steps can help you break into advertising and make the fruchtwein out of anew career. Understand the Different Industries Though there are very similar aspects of advertising and public relations, there are lots of differences between these two career paths, too. Many times, all of these industries are confused as being one and the same. Before you proceed, know which industry really matches up with your ideas and personality. Know What to Expect It may sound glamorous and high-powered, but you need to find out if advertising is the right career for you. Are you ready to work long hours for low pay in a high-pressure environment? beh auptung are just some obstacles you may face as a budding junior ad professional. You may have even encountered some common misconceptions about what a career in advertising is like. Know what to expect before you take the leap. Choose the Right Career Path You dont have to be creative to work in advertising. If youre well-organized, have good people skills and you can manage multiple people working on various projects all at once to make sure your team meets deadlines, a career as an Account Executive may suit you very well. Or maybe youre more of a numbers type of person, and researching data to determine ad placement is right up your alley. In this instance, a career in the Media Department may be just what youre looking for. Explore the many careers in the ad industry to determine which ones interest you most and which ones you would like to work toward. Evaluate Your Education Many people want to know if they have the right education for a career in advertising. A lot o f questions even come from college graduates who wonder if their degree would get them a job in the ad industry. Others want to know if any education is required.Choosing the right education for a career in advertising depends on your own career goals. Some people in the ad industry dont even have a degree while others have found advertising courses are just what they need to kickstart their career. Study Your Possibilities Working in an agency isnt the only way to be an ad pro. An ad agency is probably the first environment that pops into your head but there are other alternatives that can give you a long and successful career in the business. An in-house agency serves as a full-fledged ad agency. However, it just has one client. Employees at production companies usually spend most of their time writing, shooting and editing commercials for clients. Theres also the freelancing side of advertising, where copywriters and graphic designers can freelance for ad agencies, in-house a gencies and production company clients as well as business clients who may not have an agency on retainer. Study the possibilities to see if there is a particular working environment that might appeal to you more than another. This will help you in your job search for possible lages. Intern for Experience Interning is an excellent way to gain valuable experience and to get your foot in the door with an ad agency. You will make key contacts you can use to get a job but you may not need them right away if the agency offers you a permanent full-time position when your internship is complete. You want to make sure youget the most out of your internship, so dont be a wallflower. This is your time to shine by helping others, show your eagerness to learn the business and get your hands on anything the agency will let you help with. Create Samples to Show to Potential Employers Writing or design samples are crucial if you want a job as a copywriter or graphic designer. But if youre just starting out, chances are you dont have anything to show a potential employer.Speculative ads, better known as SPEC ADS, are just what you need to show your ability to do the job.SPEC ADSgive youinstant writing samplesyou can use to show a potential employer yourwriting voiceor your design style. Prepare Your Portfolio When youre called for an interview, you need to be prepared. Put thoseSPEC ADSor other samples of your work in your portfolio (ideally online) before the phone rings. Getting your portfolio readyahead of time means youre ready to go even if the potential employer needs to meet with you within the next hour because hes getting on a plane to Tahiti at 4 p.m. And if youve researched your potential employers needs beforehand, you canchange your portfolio to adapt to the companys specific needsto make you really stand out from the large pile of resumes sitting on the desk. Land the Interview Now that youve decided what type of advertising career interests you the most, youre ready to line up those interviews. Be realistic, be persistent, and be honest. These are the basics to follow when looking for a job but there areother ways to increase your chances of being noticed when you apply for the position so you can be sure to land the interview. Go Get That Job If youve made it through each of the steps outlined here, youre more prepared than most people who want a career in advertising. There areanumberof opportunities out therefor the taking, so go get that job.

Veterans Seek Federal Career Coaching

Veterans Seek Federal Career CoachingVeterans Seek Federal Career CoachingVeterans Seek Federal Career CoachingThe VOW Act added a new wrinkle on November 21, 2012 the law will now require separating servicemen and women to attend the previously optional Transition Assistance Program (TAP) career class, which will be extended from three to five days. But even with TAP and recent, gradual improvement in the civilian job market, job searches for veterans remain daunting.Some 735,000 veterans were unemployed as of September 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans come home, and other veterans go without jobs, the American economy is missing out on some of its best and brightest leaders and workers. Servicemen and women who have retired since 9/11 have been particularly hard-hit, with 9.7 percent of them unemployed in September, nearly 2 percentage points above the national level.Given unterstellung harsh realities, many veterans will need one- on-one help targeting their federal employment search, writing or rewriting their resumes and preparing to succeed in job interviews. Vets need to recognize theyre about to undertake a career change, not just a job change.Career Coaching and Writing HelpWhen John Russo, Ret. COL., Maryland National Guard, began his search for a federal job, he expected good results in short order. After all, Russo already had two very successful careers under his belt, with the Baltimore City Police Department and in a decorated 30-year stint in the Army where he rose to Colonel and eventually commanded the Maryland National Guards 58th Brigade Combat Team. Rounding out his portfolio were a masters degree from the Army War College, top secret clearance and 30 percent disability preferences for federal employment.But at first, all Russos federal job search yielded welches frustration. I submitted the same resume for 400 federal jobs the shotgun approach and didnt even get designated qualified, he s ays. I was getting zero feedback. The Iraq war was winding down, the labor market was flooded with people like me, and my resume didnt do a good job of presenting my qualifications to the federal government.Russo took the TAP course but found it of limited value. The Transition Assistance Program gives you a book, but you really need a career coach, he says. So Russo turned to The Resume Place, a resume-writing and federal career coaching service that helped him translate technical military qualifications into language that civilian HR and hiring managers could understand, emphasizing his experience as a leader, manager, coach and analyst.Russo then found a temporary federal position as a civilian management analyst with the National Guard Bureau, and more recently was selected and hired for a permanent job he loves as a program analyst, GS-12, in the human resources at the Justice Departments Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.Resume Writing HelpThis summer and fall Iraq Veter an Jermaine Felix Ventura, 27, successfully transitioned from being a high-flying Helicopter Crew Chief in the Marines to being a program analyst at Homeland Security.Ventura spent four years in the armed forces, and began working toward a federal career even before his hitch was up. The Resume Place helped Ventura build a career-changer resume that emphasized critical thinking, analysis, planning, leadership and communications skills.Having taken classes with Kathryn Troutman, I began a focused effort to land a government job, says Ventura. He found federal vacancy announcements the month he completed his service abroad, interviewed in June and was hired in July. Kathryn advised me to thoroughly research each agency I applied to. Interviewers told me I was the only person who did that, so I nailed the interviews and got the job.Veterans can check out a free federal resume sample at www.vetfedjobs.org. If you are considering federal resume-writing and career coaching services, check with the Better Business Bureau, and make sure that coaches have experience with military-to-federal transitions.VetFedJobs Tips for Getting Help with your Federal Resume and ApplicationTake the mandatory Transition Assistance Program a new edition og GPS will be offered starting January 2013 at most military bases.Work on your resume based on the TAP program classes and the samples that you can download for free at www.vetfedjobs.orgLook at www.mil2fedjobs.com where you can translate your MOS to a GS occupational series. This is a great website. You can also select real positions on USAJOBS right from this website. You can also use the Military.com skills translator to see equivalent civilian jobs.Request a one-on-one appointment with your Transition Assistance Employment Counselors to review your resume and discuss your job search and education following your military service.Set up your USAJOBS.gov account and add your resume to the resume builder.Set up your account in applica tionmanager.gov. This is the Questionnaire part of the federal job application system.Set up an account for the VAforvets.gov website and put your resume into the VAforvets builder. Sometimes the HR specialists will search for potential employees in that resume builder system.Go to job fairs with your resume.Get help with your federal resume from a private practitioner career counselor, resume writer, federal resume writer if you are struggling with your resume and you are not having any luck with getting interviews

15 Surprising Jobs with the Smallest Gender Pay Gaps

15 Surprising Jobs with the Smallest Gender Pay Gaps15 Surprising Jobs with the Smallest Gender Pay Gaps In an ideal world, any gender pay gap would be inexcusable. But if were all being honest, there are simply some jobs and industries that have a smaller gap between what men and women are paid, and many ( ahem, tech ) have a long way to go. As Glassdoors latest research shows, the U.S. gender pay gap widest among older workers, pilots and in media and retail industries. Furthermore, restaurants and food services saw the biggest increase in the gender pay gap since our belastung study, going up 1.8 percent in 3 years.However, the news is not all bad.Today, the unadjusted pay gap between men and women in the U.S. is 21.4 percent, meaning women earn, on average, $0.79 for every $1 men earn. This represents a 2.6 percentage point shrink in the unadjusted pay gap from three years ago, when women earned, on average, $0.76 for every $1 men earn.So which occupations are w orking to close the gap? Which roles have shrinking gaps? One standout is the job of Logistics Manager. This multi-tasker used to have an adjusted pay gap of 11.5 percent in 2016, and now the gap has flipped women are paid 3 percent more than men in the field. Glassdoor economists are reporting this trend in other roles as well, including Regulatory Affairs Manager, Inventory Specialist, Solutions Specialist and Research Assistant.Now that youre feeling hopeful, here are the 15 jobs with the smallest pay gaps, many of which feature women earning more than men. The great news is there are thousands of open jobs for these roles. Apply todayMerchandiser Adjusted kusine Pay Gap -7.8% Mean kusine Pay $40,846 Companies Hiring Target, illy, Chuck Latham Associates, Tuft & Needle, Lands End, Blue Nile, thredUP, The Home Depot, Phillips Pet Food & Supplies, Fabiano Brother & more.Research Assistant Adjusted Base Pay Gap -5.9% Mean Base Pay $31,371 Companies Hiring National Univer sity of Natural Medicine, Geisinger, Long Ridge Partners, Infusion Associates, Braizon Therapeutics, Quintessentially, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Business Capital Risk Control Services, Segal Trials, The McConnell Group & more.Field Services Adjusted Base Pay Gap -5.8% Mean Base Pay $57,613 Companies Hiring Long Island Copier Repair, Automation Technology, EZ Plumbing, Stored Energy Systems, OPTIMA Packaging Group, Men in Kilts, Via Satellite, Batching Systems, Tittel Enterprises, Quality Care DME Solutions & more.Inventory Specialist Adjusted Base Pay Gap -5.6% Mean Base Pay $41,818 Companies Hiring Tower Health, Western Milling, Insight Investments, ACI Jet, Quadratec, Eminence Organic Skin Care, XPO Logistics, Schaefer Enterprises, San Manuel Casino, San Antonio Water System & more.Social Worker Adjusted Base Pay Gap -3.0% Mean Base Pay $44,416 Companies Hiring Supermarket, Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Kaleidoscope Family Solutions, Kern Medical, Aspiran et, LifePro Financial Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Mercy & more.Logistics Manager Adjusted Base Pay Gap -3.0% Mean Base Pay $81,765 Companies Hiring Sperry Tents, Goebel, Keller Williams, SunteckTTS, Ease Logistics, PUMA, CR England, Uber, Boingo, TeamOne Logistics & more.Purchasing Specialist Adjusted Base Pay Gap -2.5% Mean Base Pay $57,172 Companies Hiring Alliance Solutions, The PRC Group of Companies, C & L Aviation Group, BTC Electronic Components, Stored Energy Systems, Vulcan, DC Water, FabWell, C. Abbonizio Contractors, AccuQuilt & more.Solutions Specialist Adjusted Base Pay Gap -1.5% Mean Base Pay $50,654 Companies Hiring Hargray, True Choice Technology, Capital One, AWeber, Haynes Mechanical Systems, UW Credit Union, CyberCoders, GreatAmerica Financial Services, Transnetyx, IGS Energy, Microsoft & more.Military Officer Adjusted Base Pay Gap -1.5% Mean Base Pay $83,355 Companies Hiring Wrangler Protective Agency, IPSC, Wegmans Food Mark ets, Metropolitan Police Department of Washington DC, Baker College, Alion, Veterans United Home Loans, Point Security (PA), North Memorial Health, Parkland College & more.Communications Associate Adjusted Base Pay Gap -1.1% Mean Base Pay $64,171 Companies Hiring Voiceitt, Drydene wertzuwachs Products, Shipt, Balzac, John Moran Auctioneers, SERRV International, Pabst, Capital One, Ciber, University of Texas at Austin & more.Environmental Specialist Adjusted Base Pay Gap -0.8% Mean Base Pay $62,424 Companies Hiring Phillips 66, SWCA, ONEOK, Delek US, Toyo Tire North America, Michael Baker International, Danaher, CF Industries, Givaudan, Mars & more.Therapist Adjusted Base Pay Gap -0.6% Mean Base Pay $53,962 Companies Hiring Body Pros Physical Therapy, A New Way Center, The Edge Treatment Center, Tree of Life Chiropractic, Valley Oaks Health, KGH Autism Services, Behavioral Health Services (MN), Your Story Counseling & Services, Reach High Consulting, Heal and Hope Coun seling Services & more.Regulatory Affairs Manager Adjusted Base Pay Gap -0.2% Mean Base Pay $75,295 Companies Hiring Group K Diagnostics, American Cleaning Institute, Tolmar, AlloSource, PTC Therapeutics, Sysmex America, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Acumed, Exeltis, Alvogen & more.Event Coordinator Adjusted Base Pay Gap 0.2% Mean Base Pay $45,947 Companies Hiring Garza/Bomberger & Associates, Thomas Jefferson High School For Science and Technology Partnership Fund, Inc., Pixar Animation Studios, Jewish Residential Services, Paramount Pictures, Urban Air Trampoline Park, Elite Media Communications, Land and Sea Dept, No Weak Parties, K12 Insight & more.Procurement Specialist Adjusted Base Pay Gap 0.6% Mean Base Pay $70,202 Companies Hiring Fabwell, SageGlass, Alliance Solutions, Horizon Pharma, Shasta Industries, Goebel, HomeServe USA, Zynga, Tufts Health Plan, Qfix & more.Source Glassdoor Economic Research ( Glassdoor.com/research ).

A Small Checklist for your Next Résumé

A Small Checklist for your Next Rsum A Small Checklist for your Next Rsum Of course the traditional rsum has been partially replaced by online sources, social networks and other platforms, but the same rules apply to all these forms of media, regardless of all other factors.Listed below are a few key points you should remember when building your present or future rsum1. How should we format?There is a general understanding that your rsum should start with your personal details, education, and experience, but nothing is really set in stone. Ive seen lots of people spending days and even weeks dividing their rsums into columns, adding colors, and pictures. For me, a rsum is a business document that is best kept simple.People who review your rsums will be interested in the details you provide, such as job experience and companies you have worked, for rather than the colors you used. So, keep it to the point and give out only relevant details.2. Eliminate errorsThe worst things Ive see n in rsums are common errors that I personally consider careless mistakes, and with that attitude I dont think you deserve any further consideration. Case closed.While many jobs may require only your technical expertise, employers and recruiters also look for other qualities in candidates and basic writing and editing skills are at the top-of-the-list. If you dont have basic skills, you need to acquire those today. As a substitute, you could pay a professional rsum writer to do it for you, but thats a last resort, not career advice.3. Be more specificDont just generalize about whatyouvedone, give precise details in brief. For instance, instead of saying you taught English, say you taught English to French-speaking hospitality management students in Ivory Coast. Make sure you also list your hard and soft skills. Many recruiters and HR professionals will be keen to know about those.4. Use keywords generouslyYou should understand the needs of your next prospective employer. Make sure y our education and experiences are listed up-front. That does not always imply that the recruiter should see it without scrolling, but he or she should certainly not have to rummage through to find this information. So if youre an engineer who has worked on certain machines that industry-insiders may be interested in, specify the particular machines and anything similar that might catch their eye.5. OutreachBe sure to post your rsum on as many website as possible. Most employers and recruiters around the world are using the myriad online sources to dig up their next recruit. To be noticed, you must reach out through as many sources as possible while being relentless with the traditional form of sending out your CV via post and email to as many local recruiters as possible.Keeping adding to your accolades and your chances of landing your dream job will inflate significantly.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

10 Ways to Push Yourself to Think Outside the Box

10 Ways to Push Yourself to Think Outside the Box10 Ways to Push Yourself to Think Outside the Box Although the jargon may be a bit overused, people who think outside the box are often labeled as innovators, a desirable quality in life and business. Its easy and safe to go with the flow, but leaders buck trends rather than follow them.Weve all been in that meeting where the team was encouraged to think outside the box. The problem is that were creatures of habit, and fruchtwein of us prefer the comfort of familiar routines. Thinking outside the box can mean challenging long-held beliefs. Its about answering These are our best practices not with a nod, but with a raised eyebrow.Companies often avoid risks that could have a negative effect on their profits, even when there are plenty of success stories to illustrate that some risks not only pay off, they pay off big. Steve Jobs was fired by the board of directors of the company he founded. But later, after Apple bou ght the NeXT operating system his team created, Jobs went on to become the CEO of Apple and stocks rose 9,000 percent under his leadership.Despite the chance for failure and rejection , risks are essential for growth on a personal and business level. And yet, although were often told we should think outside the box, were rarely told how.When youre struggling to come up with fresh ideas, there are some simple tricks to help you step out of your comfort zone and think in an innovative way.With their vivid imaginations, kids are natural innovators.If you think your problem is too complex for a child to understand, take some time to figure out how to explain it simply. Richard Feynman, the late edel Laureate in physics, is attributed with saying, If you cant explain it to a six-year-old, you dont really understand it. Sometimes the very act of figuring out how to explain a complex problem in simple terms results in an innovative solution.Routine is the enemy of innovative thinking, b ut so is precedent. Sometimes, we struggle to shift away from the way weve always done things. Imagining a clean slate can help you change perspective and think outside the box.Most of the pushback we get - whether from management, colleagues or our own brains - comes with a simple phrase Thats how weve always done it. Were hardwired to resist change, especially when what weve been doing has been working okay, if not spectacularly. When the routine is the roadblock, why is the battering ram. Asking But why have we always done it that way? can reveal flaws and make way for creative thinking.Psychology Today suggests a few surprising exercises that can get your brain unstuck when youre trying to think outside the box.What makes this mental gymnastics so terrifically boosting to your brain is that youre forced to use all the information - all the letters - and totally rearrange it in your mind. Try this for five minutes a day, three days a week. Increase the amount of letters i n the words you are alphabetizing as you get more proficient.- Mike Byster, Psychology TodayLearning something new can help you look at the things you already know how to do from a completely different angle.Freewriting is the act of picking a topic, setting a timer for a short amount of time and writing as fast as you can without stopping to edit. It flows best if you do it with a pen and paper rather than on a computer. The timer adds some pressure to keep writing, forcing your brain to think creatively instead of conventionally.You dont have to know how to draw - just pick up whatever tools you have on hand (even crayons) and tap into a completely different part of your brain. It can free your thoughts.Write a word or phrase. Draw a circle around it. Draw a branch and a related word or phrase. Circle that. Repeat. The practice unlocks ideas.A Stanford study revealed that walking frees your creativity both during the walk and for a short time after. Give it a tryThis article was originally published on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.

The Start of Real Estate Resume Sample

The Start of Real Estate Resume Sample Key Pieces of Real Estate Resume Sample As all of you know that resume is the fruchtwein important tool utilized for marketing yourself, its important to make it even more effective and powerful once you use it in the work industry. Tip Make certain to incorporate all traditional resume sections. Additionally, the examples provided by professionals will offer you a strong idea of what things to expect, in the event you opt to turn to a resume writing service for expert help.Therefore, you can follow certain guidelines or ideas to provide the best resume, considering all relevant facets of the optician work. In addition, in the event where ones last job reference wasnt the best one, an individual might want to select the aid of a functional resume template. After the time arrives to searching for employment, your resume is definitely the most significant link between you and your potential new job. The Foolproof Real Estate Resume Sample Strategy Work experience section should incorporate all your prior employments in the health care field. New jobs can help ex felons to develop into a portion of the society. While it can be accepted practice in some countries for job seekers to include such info in their application, it isnt accepted practice in some nations such as Canada, US and the united kingdom. This example will demonstrate the way you can handle the dates you have spent in jail. What Real Estate Resume Sample Is - and What it Is Not As soon as you have defined you objective you will realize that it is simpler to state your long and short term career objectives. The aim of the goal is to state your objective. Checking out suitable examples about how to compose a resume is the ideal method to acquire the understanding of how to put one together. For a PR position, where youll use the telephone and email, you want to concentrate on how well you are able to compose and negotiate. The New Angle On Real E state Resume Sample Just Released The sample will inform you exactly what order the information should go in so that its going to be easy and easy for the employer to determine the information about you that they will need to understand. Whichever synonym you use to spell out the document, its still intended to contain the identical relevant info about an individual who is applying for employment. Only the most significant information should be shown in your resume and it needs to be devoid of excessive verbiage. The employment history in functional resume is much more different from what is offered in the conventional resumes. Cover letter resume sample is truly important. You will receive the samples for every single form of job application. Prior to taking reference from the internet sample resumes, think on what sort of resume sample format will fit your requirements. The same is true for sample resume objectives. The Real Estate Resume Sample Cover Up With all these applications its no surprise that a candidate who has written an incorrect resume is not receiving the interview requests. Then its an easy job for locating a job. A functional resume is invaluable for a person who is seeking to switch tracks, professionally speaking, who might want to enter a different niche or separate industry altogether. The very last thing you wish to happen is for your application to be drafted in the incorrect job slot. In the present economic climate it is critical that your resume is not just structured and formatted correctly, but that its also simple to read and pleasing to the eye. In lots of unique scenarios, theres the probability of there being gaps in your resume. Such representation can give impression that youre a work hopper. What Everybody Dislikes About Real Estate Resume Sample and Why As an example, in some industries like modeling or acting its common practice as it could possibly be a requirement of the job to cast a person to play a specific age. In the introductory paragraph, you should enumerate all skills that are significant to the job which youre applying for. Know the skills necessary for the job that you are applying. Always match your skills to the requirements of the job youre applying for. Letting a possible employer know that you keep current with and are actively involved with the actual estate community is an additional indication of how serious youre about the actual estate market. So rather than focusing on their preceding employment its possible to highlight their qualifications. If you opt to, you may also describe your perfect atmosphere. If youre trying to streamline your appraisal procedure, lets talk. The Appeal of Real Estate Resume Sample Optionally you can also include what youve got to offer the business. Remember you wish to sell yourself, your experience and any contribution you need to provide the business. Employed as a business attorney, you might have to stay update d with the present trends in the business. Everybody would like to understand what you can do to help their organization.

How to Take Calculated Business Risks to Advance Your Career

How to Take Calculated Business Risks to Advance Yur Career Some people find it energizing to take risks, but for others, the very thought of uncertainty can provoke serious panic. Our relationships with risk can play important roles in our careers. If, for example, a risk-averse executive ends up working in an industry thatrequires risk, that can be a recipe for career and personal disaster. Thats why it makes sense for us to understand our own ability to handle uncertainty and then seek out roles that matchwith our own comfort levels. That being said,if we stay within our comfort zones all the time and totally avoid risk,we may be limiting our careers. Why? Because the higher you climb upthe corporate ladder, the mora uncertain your careerenvironment will become and the more youll be required to take calculated risks and make difficult business decisions. Moreover, if you want a career as a free lancer or an entrepreneur, youll need to be very comfortable taking calculated risks often with your own moneyIn truth, its becoming harder for anyone to wholly avoid risk. We live in an increasingly VUCA(volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous) world, and the average person, let alone business professional, is required to take more risks than ever.In todays climate, the ability to take smart, calculatedrisks is a must-have skill for any ambitious worker. With that in mind,I offer some tipson how you can take such risks to advance your career1. Accept That Risk Is Normal and Step Out of YourComfort ZoneThroughout our childhoods, adolescences, and early adulthoods, most of us are protected from uncertainty. Our parents, teachers, and even managers make a lot of important decisions for us up until were in our early 20s. The result is that we are lulled into thinking the world is a much more certain distributions-mix than it really is.If, however, you reallywant to excel in th e world, you need to become comfortable withcalculated risks and skilled at making complex decisions. We need to step out of our comfort zones and be prepared to embrace risk and thrive in the face of uncertainty. If you cant do this, you may find yourself stuck at the entry level or just above it for most, if not all, of your career.2. Learn How to Make Complex DecisionsIn the business world, youll oftenface complex challenges where there are no obvious right or wrong answers and no one around to tell you what to do. Many people find suchuncertainty crippling, butothers find it manageable and even energizing.Those who handle uncertainty well are those who have developed the skills they need to make complex decisions.If you want to survive and thrive in a VUCA world, youll need to cultivatean almostinstinctive decision-making process that you can call on in times of need.An excellent way to make complex decisions is to use a decision matrix. To do this, you simply take a spreadshe et and placeall the potential options on one axis. Then, you place all the factors that relate to each option on the other axis. You thenscore each factor individually, and eventually each option will have a total viability score, revealing the best option for you to take.A decision matrixis only one of many strategies you can use to find your way through uncertain scenarios. There are plenty of othersystems as well, such as theT-Chart, and thePareto Analysis.Choose the one that best suitsyour particular situation.3. Learn From Your MistakesYou should always be looking to improve your decision-making process, and one of the best ways to do this is to reflect on both your successes and your failures. Try tounderstand what made your successful decisions successful, and then replicate those successes as best you can in the future.At the same time, be sure to reflecton any shortcomings that led tobad decisions. Perhaps you were too hasty, or you didnt do enough research, or you failed t o consult experts. Whatever the case, take note of your mistakes, and then be sure to avoid those mistakes in the future.A mentor can also help you learn from your mistakes. They canhelp you see things you wouldnt have noticed on your own, and their third-party perspective can help you iron out the kinks in your decision-making process.No matter how risk-averse you may be, our VUCA world has made it so that none of us can totally avoid uncertainty or danger in our personal lives or our careers. Given this state of affairs, its in everyones best interest to learn to become a better risk-taker. And once you have become an expert on taking calculated risks and navigate complex challenges, you may be surprised to see just how much your career advances.

The Lost Era of Steam Travel

The Lost Era of Steam Travel The Lost Era of Steam Travel They were called iron horses, a moniker suggesting indestructability, but ansicht 400-ton machines were very prone to wear and tear. In fact, the behemoths required plenty of tender loving care.And so for more than 50 years the great steam locomotives came, chugging in to a Southern Railway repair yard sprawled over 141 acres in Spencer, North Carolina, about 30 miles southwest of Winston-Salem.The facility at Spencer, constructed in 1896 and featuring a massive roundhouse, was one of hundreds of railroad back shops that dotted the American landscape during the heyday of steam travel in the mid-nineteenth century and into the turn of the twentieth century. While elend uncommon in its time, the Spencer shops stand out today as one of the largest remaining original examples of the final era of roundhouse construction, according to ASME, which recently named the facility a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.Samuel Spencer s aw the need for a large maintenance shop situated somewhere between the companys existing repair shops in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Such a facility, Spencer reasoned, would enable the company to service and swap out its locomotives at short intervals along the busy eastern line, dividing the Washington to Atlanta run into four segments of about 160 miles each.ConstructionConstruction of the Spencer shops began in March 1896 and the facility was operational six months later. Spencer was a huge complex of shops, administrative buildings, lots, storage areas, and railroad spurs and sidings, reflecting the requirements of the growing company.The original facility included a semicircular roundhouse with 15 bays. It was here that Southerns steam-driven locomotives received routine light maintenance. Crews in the roundhouse performed brake work, gear adjustments, boiler washouts, grease jobs, inspections, and other tasks necessary to keep the companys rolling stock in continuous operati on. In 1924, the roundhouse at Spencer was expanded to 37 stalls, each one 106 feet deep.Since steam locomotives were unable to back out of these stalls, engineers designed and built a rotating turntable that enabled the engines to face in the direction they would exit the roundhouse. The turntable, which rotated 360 degrees about a centerspindle, was supported at each end by wheels rolling on a circular rail set in a concrete pit. A pair of electric motors set the turntable in motion.The facility also included shops for major repair work. Some of these shops were able to accommodate the complete disassembly of a locomotive. Need a parte? No problem. Spencer included a machine shop where any part could be cast, forged, and milled on spec. There was no outsourcing of work at Spencer.In peak periods, Southern operated three shifts at 24 hours around the clock at Spencer, retaining a workforce of 3000 repairmen and other employees.One of them was Clifford E. Spears, who worked as a boi lermaker at Spencer from 1942 to 1960. Spears, now 87 years old and still living in Spencer, recalls the bustle of the rail yard, with trains continuously entering and leaving the shops.All the stalls in the roundhouse would be occupied, said Spears, whose job was to weld joints and seams and perform other tasks to make the boilers on the locomotives steam-tight. After the repair work was carried out, inspections were done. Engines that passed inspection were rolled out and placed back into service. Engines requiring major repairs were taken to the other shops, where workers removed the running gears and cranes set the locomotives on wooden blocks. The equipment remained in certain shops depending on the extent of the repair work.Here Come the DieselsDiesel locomotives began arriving at Spencer in 1941, prompting officials at Southern Railway to retrofit the roundhouse to meet the requirements of the new engines. Nine stalls were extended to accommodate the longer, multi-unit diesel s, and new sections were added to service batteries, fuel injectors, and other components of the new locomotives.By 1953, the company had taken all its steam locomotives off the rails, marking the end of an era at the Spencer shops. Clifford Spears recalls that the job skills of the boilermakers and pipefitters became obsolete, while the mechanics with knowledge of electrical components became valued assets.While Southern continued to service part of its fleet of diesel locomotives at Spencer into the 1960s, much of the heavy repair work had ceased years earlier and by the latter 1970s, the great train yard had reached the end days. The facility was abandoned in 1977, its roundhouse and shops mothballed.RestorationSouthern Railways Spencer shops could have become part of Americas Rust Belt, a relic, a symbol of a forgotten period in the nations gritty industrial past. The government of North Carolina, however, saw the facility as much more, as a link to the states history and herita ge. In 1979, the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources in collaboration with the North Carolina Transportation History Corporation launched a campaign to restore the facility. Funds were raised to refurbish the roundhouse and turntable, which opened to the public in 1996.Today, the North Carolina Transportation Museum occupies part of the old Spencer shops and uses the roundhouse to display its collection of rolling stock.All the stalls in the roundhouse would be occupied. After the repair work was carried out, inspections were done. Engines that passed inspection were rolled out and placed back into service.Clifford E. Spears, Boilermaker, Southern Railways Spencer Shops

5 things you should never say to a friend who hates their job

5 things you should never say to a friend who hates their job5 things you should never say to a friend who hates their jobIn a perfect world, we would obviously all love our jobs. We would jump out of bed every morning - nosnooze buttonnecessary - ready to put on our bestbusiness casualand be the first one to hit the office. We would gel easily with ourcolleaguesand supervisors and never get into an awkward spat with other people on our teams. We would rise seamlessly through the ranks at our current organization, too pleased with the companys mission and too fulfilled by our work to ever consider circling back to our resumes and applying to other jobs.Sadly, this isnt always the situation. Unless youre the rare lucky case, youve had imperfect moments on the job - and your friends have too. As a result, you may be the one your BFF comes to after an especially tough workday. Its not always easy to know what to say when someone is struggling, especially when it comes to something as vital as their source of support.We checked in with experts for advice on whatnotto say to a pal whos habitually unhappy in their work. Keep scrolling for their anti-recommendations.1. It will probably blow over.If your friend is miserable at the office, dont minimize their feelings or brush off their concerns as temporary. Instead, counselor, coach, and healerAnahid Lisa Derbabianencourages you to take the time to listen and to understand what theyre going through. When you tell someone that their worries are bound to pass, what they might hear is that you dont think that what theyre dealing with is substantial enough to merit a thoughtful conversation in the here and now. And we know thats not how you actually feel2. Ive been there Heres what happened to me Your first instinct might be to try to draw from your own experiences with a less-than-ideal job or to share an anecdote with your friend that will remind them that theres a light at the end of the tunnel, but coach and consu ltantJane Scudderadvises against it. Youre probably doing this in an effort to normalize the situation or empathize with your friend, but what it can actually do is make this about you, when it needs to be about them. There may come a time when your friend asks you to share your personal journey out of a crummy gig - but in the meantime keep it to yourself.3. If I were you, I would stay for the benefits.Naturally, a reliable health insurance plan or 401(k) is nothing to take lightly, but suggesting your unhappy pal stick around in apotentially unhealthy workplacesimply becauseyoufind the benefits attractive may come off as judgmental. Its up to them to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons in their current job. Plus, as author and coachBernard Charlespoints out, benefits can change with political or other shifts. Comments like behauptung keep your friends and loved ones playing small, Charles reminds us. Any job that exhausts you, sucks the life out of you, or expects you to ha nd over your proverbial kidney isnt worth it.4. How is thejob searchgoing?Assuming your friend has been unhappy with their current employment situation for a while, you might find yourself tempted to regularly touch base about their prospects. While that could be read as genuine concern, it could also strike a nerve in your likely stressed loved one. If they had a new job, they would have told you, saysMaple HolisticsHR manager Nate Masterson. They dont need a reminder that theyre still unemployed or searching for alternatives. This conversation is at the bottom of their chat-with-my-friend list.5. You should just be grateful for the job you have.Gratitude is important, but it doesnt have to come at the expense of your daily happiness. Being grateful doesnt mean ignoring pain and unhappiness, adviserCandice Thomasnotes. It doesnt matter if your friends job seems like the greatest job on Earth. Thats your perspective, not theirs. If they are unhappy, theres a reason for it. Your role should be to listen openly to their frustrations and to encourage them in whatever steps they want to take next.This article first appeared on Brit + Co.

How to Develop a Sales Training Plan

How to Develop a Sales Training PlanHow to Develop a Sales Training PlanDo you have a schlussverkauf training plan for your sale team, or do you just give them some books to read and maybe set them up with a webinar or two? A training plan is an essential tool to confirm both that the sales team is learning what they need to know and that they arent wasting valuable time on things they dont need. Sales Basics In most cases, your salespeople will start the job with a grasp of the basic sales skills. Your sales training program will build on those basic skills and also include company-specific training such as product knowledge, sales processes, and prospect qualification. Ideally, the sales training program is customizable for individual salespeople because theyll have different strengths and weaknesses. Sending everyone to a cold calling boot camp is great for salespeople who struggle with cold calling, but will have little effect on those who already possess strong cold calling skills. And first-time salespeople will probably need extra training on basic sales skills that the rest of the team has already mastered. Determine Skills Before you can develop a sales training plan, youll need to determine what skills are most important for your sales team. This list will vary from industry to industry and from company to company sometimes even from team to team. For example, inside sales teams will have little use for cold calling skills, while outside sales teams will find them crucial. The sales teams themselves will be able to provide suggestions as to which skills are most useful for them. Dont forget to include company-specific skills, such as handling CRM programs. Once your list is complete, sort it roughly by priority. The top few items will be the ones that are most important for training purposes. Your training budget will determine how far down the list you can and should go, but the first items should certainly be addressed. If you have sales t eams with different responsibilities, such as inside and outside teams, youll need different priorities for each. Compare The next step is to compare this list to each salespersons skill set. All salespeople have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. Some weaknesses will be low-priority, such as an inside salesperson with poor cold calling skills but when a weakness occurs in a critical skill, training should be a priority. You can uncover these strengths and weaknesses by analyzing your salespeoples metrics. Hopefully, you are already having your sales team track their metrics and provide that data to you. If not, you should institute a tracking system immediately. Tracking a salespersons metrics will determine exactly where in the sales process his sales are falling apart, which will help to identify the specific sales skill that hes lacking. For example, if hes getting plenty of appointments, but his closing ratio is dismal, the problem is related to his closing skills and that is where he needs mora training. Group Training If the whole team has a problem in one particular area, it can be worthwhile to send them all to group training. In other situations, individual training is probably the best option. However, customizing a training plan for each salesperson may be outside of the training budget. In that case, you may be advised to pick the most important sales skills from your list and train everyone in those skills using a group training program. It will be more time-consuming for your team but will usually be far less expensive. Another option is to assign a salesperson who is strong in one area to act as a mentor for a salesperson who lacks that skill. It wont cost you training money but will cost you in selling time for the mentor.