The Troops-To-Teachers Program for Military Personnel

The Troops-To-Teachers Program for Military PersonnelThe Troops-To-Teachers Program for Military PersonnelSince 1993, more than 20,000 military veterans have made their way to the classroom as teachers for their follow on career after military service. According to the Department of Defense program and Defense Activities for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES), military members with 4 year college degrees can become teachers in the school systems and teach kindergarten through 12th grade. The program is known of the Troop To Teachers Program (TTT). See official website ProudtoServeAgain.com. Military members with a baccalaureate degree or higher are eligible to begin the teaching certification process to become an academic subject teacher. However, many service members may already qualify to become a vocational/technical teacher. Military members only need the equivalent of one year of college courses and six years of experience in a vocational or technical field to begin th e certification process. To complete the process, individuals can use an Alternative Certification Program (ACP) or University Teacher Preparation Program. Military Members within the European theater may benefit from an ACP, since this method offers online courses to obtain the teaching certification. Even better, there is no cost to participate in the program for the military member. This is free on the job training. The TTT program provides counseling, referrals, and job assistance to all current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces who want to transition to a teaching career. Military members from all of the armed forces can use tuition assistance for their teaching certification while on active duty. Members may also be eligible for financial assistance for teacher certification expenses - a $5,000 stipend or up to $10,000 bonus based on eligibility. A commitment to teaching for three years in a high-need school district or at a high school with a high percentage of low- income families is part of the obligation for receiving some forms of financial aid. The Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA) and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) are authorized by statute which permits the Secretary of Defense to make grants to states in order to support efforts of recruiting eligible current and former members of the military for the Troops to Teachers program. This helps to facilitate the employment of participants as K-12 teachers, and career or technical teachers in Vocational Schools. Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 grants help the states selected provide services for a term of up to 5 years through May 2023. There are 31 state TTT offices nationwide that offer placement assistance for the more than 50 states and territories participating in the program. Offices can assist military members with state certification requirements. Service members can take advantage of the TTT Web site to correspond with representatives and receive alte rnative certification information. Its important to focus on where you want to teach, to start checking what your states requirements are. Teacher certification is done state-to-state, elend nationally. But some states will recognize another states certification, said John Gantz, director of the TTT program. The program began in 1993 during the military downsizing of the early 90s as transition assistance towards a teaching career.The military members who have become teachers have established a good reputation for the program with school administrators and principals. School systems are finding former military members to be very valuable assets. They bring leadership skills, a concern for their students (similar to their troops) and a lot of experience to the classroom, said Gantz. Schools are also seeing a higher retention rate from former military members than teachers who just finished college. The cultural diversity of the military is proving an added bonus, as the program is pr oviding individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Schools are looking for a stronger presence of male and minority teachers at the elementary level. A lot of kids are being raised by one parent, and schools are looking for positive role models to help fill that void, added Gantz. Teaching positions are available at the elementary, middle and high school levels in suburban, small towns, rural and inner-city areas. There is a higher demand for math, science and special education teachers. Positions for other subjects are obtainable, but applicants may need to be more flexible with location. Vision of the Troop To Teachers Program Every service member interested in a career in teaching will receive assistance to transition his or her leadership, training, and core values to teaching in kindergarten through grade twelve schools. Mission of the Troop To Teachers Program Assist transitioning Service members with meeting the requirements necessary to become teachers Assist program partic ipants with finding employment as a teacher when eligible Goals of the Troop To Teachers Program Reduce veteran unemployment Improve American education by providing motivated, experienced, and dedicated personnel for the nations classrooms Increase the number of male and minority teachers in todays classrooms Address teacher shortage issues in K-12 schools that serve low-income families and in the critical subjects - math, science, special education, foreign language, and career-technical education. Military Members can consult their TTT representative on job availabilities, or check the Department of Education Web site at www.teachers-teachers.com. The Web site lists teaching vacancies for each state. Service members interested in the Troops to Teachers program can get more information from their state TTT office, stateside DSN 312-922-1241 or on-line at www.ProudToServeAgain.com.

How to Write the First Paragraph of Your Cover Letter

How to Write the First Paragraph of Your Cover LetterHow to Write the First Paragraph of Your Cover LetterYour titelbild letter is one of the first things that employers see when you apply for a new job. They use the content found in that letter with a copy of your resume to determine if you are worth a call back. A strong cover letter that highlights the top skills you have and shows how your experience can help you with the job at hand is the key to getting an interview from a company. Though you may have a hard time identifying your key skills and putting those skills together in a cover letter, you can use online cover letter examples to see how you can bestattungs the attention of employers.Writing Your Cover Letter A good cover letter starts with your name, address, email address, and phone number listed on the top. Include the name and address of the employer just beneath your contact information. You can then use a simple dear hiring manager to start the letter, though its of ten helpful to check the companys website and find the name of the hiring manager or the person in charge of interviewing employees. Sign the cover letter with your full name or the full name you used when applying for the position.The First Paragraph The first paragraph of your cover letter is the most important. It is what hooks the reader and makes a hiring manager want to learn mora about you. Some of the things you should address in that first paragraph includewhere you first heard about the job openingyour current positionif you are currently in school and what level you are at, i.e. graduate school or collegewhat you study/studied in schoolany personal connections you have to the jobMaking Your Cover Letter Count Have you ever had a song stuck in your head for hours? With the right opening, you can make your cover letter stick in the minds of potential employers in the same way. Keep the first paragraph of your cover letter short, succinct, and to the point. Give employers a broad view of you as a person, including where you go to school or attended school, how you heard about the job opening, and why you decided to apply. Our cover letter builder can help you craft the perfect first paragraph and a great cover letter. Related Articles Is it Better to Apply for a Job Online or In Person?Is There Such a Thing as Workplace Privacy?Job References Adding to Your Resume

Tips to help you get over career disappointment

Tips to help you get over career disappointmentTips to help you get over career disappointmentCareers are full of wonderful moments of achievement and success, but even the best ones are riddled with everyday disappointments. Jobs fall through, good colleagues quit, bad colleagues succeed. When a colleague disappoints you, you can stew in the loss, letting it fester into self-loathing and bitterness, or you can confront the unpleasant emotions head-on. Learning to handle things not going your way with work is a lifelong lesson.Here are tips from experts on how you can handle disappointment without it crushing you flatLet go of what welches, focus on what isAccept that it is normal to feel disappointed after a career setback. If you are feeling jealous after a colleague gets the job you wanted, do not shame yourself for feeling an unpleasant thought. Recognize that these feelings are temporary and that you have the power to change them.In an essay for Psychology Today, Toni Berhnhard, J.D., details how she felt let down by a friend after the friend fell in love and their friendship drifted apart.I didnt want things to be different for her, but at the same time, I longed for things to be the way theyd once been between us, Bernhard writes. She found that some of her conflicting reactions - getting angry, feeding fear and stewing in self-blame - were unhelpful. What helped her move on from the disappointment was learning to reframe her thinking. Instead of holding onto the idea of a relationship that had changed, she learned to let go and accept the relationship for what it now was. Accepting that relationships are fluid and can change for the better or worse is what can help you make peace with a situation.When Im able to recognize that desires are ever-present but are often unfulfilled, Im better able to free myself from the prison of desires and make peace with my life as it is, she writes. Once you accept that a relationship has changed, you are living in the present moment and can focus on what you can do next, such as continuing with the relationship but changing your expectations, working to enrich your other relationships, or reaching out to new people, as Bernhard advises.Put the disappointment in perspectiveWhen you take a step back from your storm cloud of emotions, you can put the disappointment in perspective. Once you see this moment as a lesson in a long arc instead of as an overwhelming personal failure, you can look deeper into why you are feeling disappointment. You can listen to what this uneasy feeling is signaling about your career desires.Take it from Oprah Winfrey who knows how to make a successful career story out of failure. There is a supreme moment of destiny calling on your life. Your job is to feel that, to hear that, to know that. And sometimes when youre not listening, you get taken off track. You get in the wrong marriage, the wrong relationship, you take the wrong job, but its all leading to the same path. T here are no wrong paths, media mogul Oprah Winfrey told a group of Stanford Graduate School of Business students. Failure is just that thing trying to move you in another direction.If you are feeling terrible after a job offer falls through, take this alarm bell as a signal on what you can do next. The losses are there to wake you up, Winfrey said. When you understand that, you dont allow yourself to be completely thrown by a grade or by a circumstance, because your life is bigger than any one experience.Test the fictions you are telling yourselfInstead of running away from your discomfort, confront it by testing the assumptions within the story you are telling yourself. You may find that you are jumping to conclusions about a situation not warranted by fact.If we feel that a colleague is brushing us off and ignoring us, we can jump to the worst conclusion - They hate us They are out to get us- or we can reflect on what we know for sure and what are we making up. Testing assumption s is what social scientist Dr. Bren Brown advises us to do when we are making sense of our hurts.Im not enough, Brown said that most limiting narratives boil down to at their core.Instead of throwing up our hands in defeat, we can take action by interrogating the stories we tell ourselves. Get curious about why you are feeling let down. Ask yourself how you can learn more about this situation. Feeling disappointment, though unpleasant in the moment, can be a unique opportunity to address needs and concerns as they arise.

Heres a Sample Hourly Employee Attendance Policy

Heres a Sample Hourly Employee Attendance PolicyHeres a Sample Hourly Employee Attendance PolicyHaving a formal written attendance policy that all employees are privy to is essential for most companies. From the expectation that everyone shows up for work and puts in the required hours to the consequences of not showing up, the ground rules set up by an organization should be understood by all employees. Below youll find a sample attendance policy that you can adapt to your company. Attendance Excellent attendance is an expectation of all employees of XYZ Company. Daily attendance is especially important for hourly employees whose customers and coworkers have the expectation of on-time product shipment and delivery. Emergency personal time is made available to employees for such unscheduled events as personal illness, immediate family member illness, doctor appointments, or a death in the family. Emergency Personal Time Employees accrue 2.15 hours of emergency personal time p er pay period. On an annual basis, this is the equivalent of 56 hours. Employees may use emergency personal time up to 56 hours. If an employee leaves employment at XYZ Company with a negative accrual balance, hours used yet not accrued will be subtracted from an employees final paycheck. The emergency personal time that is accrued at the time an employee leaves XYZ Company will not be paid out. Employees who are using emergency personal time must call and talk to their teamberaterin as soon as possible, but no later than one hour after the start of their shift. If the coach is unavailable, employees may leave a message for the supervisor with a phone number where they can be reached.The supervisor will then return the call. Failure to call in on consecutive days will be considered a voluntary resignation from employment at XYZ Company. The number of minutes and/or hours an employee misses- or is tardy for work, from lunch, or from breaks- will be subtracted from personal time accru ed. Tardiness occurs when an employee is not at his or her workstation (or working) as scheduled. When an employee misses a punch, the employee should see his or her supervisor immediately. Their time worked will be dealt with as if the employee has just arrived beginning with the moment they report to their supervisor. Time missed will also count as being tardy. Hourly employees may schedule time off, in advance, for such things as doctors appointment, classes, household repair appointments, parent-teacher meetings, and religious events and services- as long as the time off does not adversely affect co-workers or customers. When possible, within ones normal schedule, the employee may make up the time missed during the week in which the time was missed. Employees must have the permission of their supervisor to make up this time. Otherwise, vacation time must be scheduled in advance to cover these events. No emergency personal hours accrued may be carried over into the next calendar year. Consequences of Overuse of Emergency Personal Time The accumulation of 12 tardies in a rolling year (i.e., any consecutive 12 months) is grounds for employment termination. Disciplinary action, that may lead up to and include employment termination, may start when the sixth tardy in a three month period is recorded. Disciplinary action, up to and including employment termination, will commence, for the overuse of emergency personal time, when 56 hours of absences have been accumulated. The disciplinary action will consist of a written warning for the next eight hours missed, then a three-day suspension without pay for the next eight hours missed, followed by employment termination when an employee has used up any hours over 72. Attendance Bonus for Hourly Employees Life events can interfere with work attendance. However, XYZ Company needs employees to use as few emergency personal hours as possible and to avoid tardiness so that XYZ Company can operate the business in an orderly and efficient manner. Therefore,XYZ Company has established an attendance bonus system to encourage employees to show up for work and be on time. The attendance bonus system is comprised of the following four components Each employee who uses no emergency personal time and has no tardies in a calendar week will have his or her name entered into the monthly attendance drawing. The drawing is held at the monthly all-company staff meeting. For each week the employee had perfect attendance, they are allowed to enter the drawing. Four employees a month, whose names are drawn randomly, will receive $50.00.Each employee who uses no emergency personal time and has no tardies in a calendar quarter will receive a gift from XYZ Company, with an approximate value of $25.00, in appreciation of their attendance and commitment. Every employee who accomplishes the following attendance record in a calendar year is eligible to receive the stated annual bonus after the end of the calendar y ear.If an employee misses up to 16 hours and has no more than one tardy, the employee will receive 100 percent of the bonus, or $300.00If an employee misses up to 24 hours and has no more than two tardies, the employee will receive 50 percent of the bonus, or $150.00If an employee misses more than 24 hours and/or has more than two tardies, the employee will not receive an attendance bonus. Employees who do not use their emergency personal hours will be paid for the unused hours at the rate of 110 percent of their straight-time pay after the end of the calendar year. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) If you or an immediate family member has a recurring medical condition that results in frequent absences, you may qualify for unpaid leave under the FMLA. Please refer to the separate policy covering FMLA. Be advised that FMLA time off must be arranged for in advance and does not necessarily relieve an employee from their responsibilities as set forth in this policy. The Signed Employee Attendance Policy Document I have read and been informed about the content, requirements, and expectations of the attendance policy for hourly employees at XYZ Company. I have received a copy of the policy and agree to abide by the policy guidelines as a condition of my employment and my continuing employment at Your Company. I understand that if I have questions at any time regarding the attendance policy, I will consult with my immediate supervisor, a Human Resources staff member, the Plant Manager, or the President of the company. Please read the policy carefully to ensure that you understand the policy before signing this document. Employee Signature _______________________________________ Employee Printed Name ____________________________________ Date _________________________

Top Tech Skills for New Grads to Get IT Jobs

Top Tech Skills for New Grads to Get IT JobsTop Tech Skills for New Grads to Get IT JobsIf you want to pursue a career in the IT field but worry you dont yet have the right tech skills under your belt, dont let doubt stand in your way. Todays employers are looking for a lot more than just technical abilities when hiring for IT roles. Even if you dont have a technology-related degree, you could still be a strong contender for an entry-level IT job in todays competitive market.Technical skills are important, of course, and theyre what fruchtwein employers consider first. But many businesses are loosening requirements for some tech positions because there is simply not enough talent with advanced skills available for hire. Many are willing to take a chance on training candidates who may lack extensive hands-on work experience in technology but have other valuable knowledge and attributes - plus a lot of star profil.Hiring managers interviewed for a Robert Half Technology survey pointed to several different non-IT backgrounds that can give candidates a competitive edge in the hiring process for tech roles. Topping the list, perhaps not surprisingly, are mathematics and problem-solving skills. More than one-third of respondents (36 percent) indicated that employers place a lot of value on these skills. For hard-to-fill specialist positions like data modeler and data scientist, these skills are vital. And theyre useful for computer science jobs and other technology roles.Ranking second among the survey responses was business or marketing skills (31 percent). The growing number of digital transformation initiatives that require close collaboration between IT and the operations side of an organization is one reason companies need technology professionals with business acumen. These abilities are also essential for management roles in technology. For students about to enter the workforce who aspire to become tech leaders someday, that is something to keep in mind Youll need to keep expanding and refining business and marketing skills throughout your career.Also important - even for some of the most technical jobs in the digital era - are soft skills like writing and critical thinking abilities. (For management and other leadership roles in IT, these are also must-haves.) Companies want to hire tech pros with soft skills, which is why a liberal arts education can carry weight in an IT job search, according to 22 percent of hiring managers surveyed.Show how you can add valueAnother recent survey by our company helps underscore the strong need for nontechnical skill sets in the IT workforce. According to 28 percent of the CIOs surveyed, communication skills, including written, personal and face-to-face, are the areas where todays technology professionals require the most improvement. Twenty-one percent cited problem-solving skills.So, new grads - even if you already have a strong technical background and an education in some aspect of IT - be pr epared to highlight other types of in-demand skills, you have. In your resume/cover letter and during the interview process, demonstrate thatYou are an effective communicatorYou have a strong understanding of business (even better if you have specific knowledge of the potential employers company or industry)You have a history of coming up with creative solutions to problemsRobert Half Technologys latest Salary Guide offers two additional tips for IT job seekers that can be especially useful to new grads who havent yet amassed extensive technical skillsPresent a work history that shows measurable career progression. Even if your work to date has been outside of the IT field and primarily consists of internships and volunteer opportunities, a hiring manager is likely to notice if it shows a clear pattern of professional growth and increasing responsibility.Exhibit a proven record of delivering results to previous employers. Be ready to explain to a hiring manager how you have personal ly added value to projects and organizations - in the workforce or as a student. It can make a big impression. Employers gravitate toward candidates who are able to clearly articulate how they can add value to a company.Theres no substitute for passionSomething else that can set you apart in an entry-level IT job search is your passion for IT. Findings from the IT hiring manager survey mentioned earlier suggest that relevant hobbies and activities pursued in your free time - and even outside of school - can complement other qualities like professional experience and increase your appeal as a candidate.Half of the survey respondents (50 percent) said a new grads website or app development activity outside of a workplace environment would be of interest to a company. Developer roles are among the hardest for employers to fill because this type of tech talent is in such high demand in every industry. So no matter what programming skills youve taken the time to be a student of on you r own - whether its Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Python or another language - if you love to code and youre good at it, make sure hiring managers know that.Our salary calculator can help you find starting salaries for IT jobs in your cityGO TO SALARY CALCULATOR

Summary for Resumes Examples Tips & Guide

Summary for Resumes Examples Tips & Guide The Downside Risk of Summary for Resumes Examples Here is a three-step plan that will help you craft the ideal summary. You want an overview of qualifications if you would like the quickest way to acquire mora interviews without a whole lot of work. Sinceemployers care mostabout what kind of value you may increase their organization, its intelligent to follow in the footsteps of this sample and apply most of your summary to emphasize not just what you do, but why its critical. The rest you are able to include throughout your objective statement and skilled experience. Our resume builder (it is possible to create your resume here) will offer you tips and examples on how best to compose your resume expert summary section. Keep reading to learn which sample applies to you most and why you need to use it as you construct your own resume. For warehousing, the extra skills section is normally more important than the education section. This guide demonstrates how to compose an overview of qualifications that receives a ton more interviews. Since its the very first section that the recruiter will see, youve got to ensure that you write one thats solid and will cause you to stick out from the remainder of the applicants. In addition, I undergo regular trainings and Im a proven researcher for the department. What Is So Fascinating About Summary for Resumes Examples? Detecting a listing for an open dishwashing position is usually simple, but securing such a position isnt always so straightforward. On the flip side, if youve got a fairly linear or straightforward career path, the space is probably better used for extra bullet points in every single job. This will be based upon the position youre applying for. Every trade position has a particular set of skills that are needed at work and its imperative that you highlight your technical training in your resume. Second, it shows hiring managers which you did at leas t a small research into what they want to get and that youre not only mass applying all around the place with the very same generic resume. In other words, the objective certainly not addresses the company issue or pain that the hiring manager has. Perhaps you wont utilize words like gain a competitive edge or boost revenue in your statement. A resume example will be able to help you make a decision as to what sort of content to include, in addition to how to format your resume. Once your resume reaches an authentic human, youve approximately six seconds to produce an impression. Based on who you ask and the way youre using it, summary statements can be an entire waste of space or a whole game changer. Because a strong resume is the secret to success when looking for a position in advertising, you will probably need to touch on all the acceptable background notes concisely. Its a fast and straightforward means to be certain your resumes inventory is correctly stocked. There re prepared for obtain, if youd rather and wish to have it, simply click save badge on the webpage, and it is going to be immediately saved to your house computer. Ultimately, youve got to be positive throughout the search. Many also consist of supervisory and management experience along with the adherence to codes and the capacity to troubleshoot technical difficulties. Your measurable achievements allow it to be real. Some jobseekers hesitate to devote time on personal accomplishments and talents, but theres a proper method to begin strutting the stage. You must accurately describe the skills you have if youd like to have a job. Employers understand that youre young and looking to enhance your experience, so give them as much as you can that shows you are going to be an important employee. Volunteer experience is also a great add-on to healthcare resumes since it shows the hiring manager which you have compassion off the work also. As you think of your abilities and searc h for opportunities, you must be open minded about the jobs you are considering. Your jobs could be varied, your experience and techniques vast, and it can be hard getting it all on paper. Part of the challenge of locating jobs as a Dental Assistant is being aware of what to do throughout the procedure. When you havent had an internship, think about completing one before you try to apply for an entry-level position. However, every job differs. Furthermore, you can look for warehouse associate jobs on Monster.

Australias healthiest career path

Australias healthiest career path Australias healthiest career pathPosted January 22, 2014, by Julia Watters If you have a philanthropic streak and want to apply that within a professional setting, then have I got some good news for you. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, health care and social assistance is currently the largest employer of Australians, with 1,403,500 jobs as at May 2013 thats 12.1 per cent of the total Australian workforce. This trend is forecast to continue with health care and social assistance jobs top of the list of growing employment opportunities in Australia over the next five years. In fact, the bureau estimates that this industry will offer up 177,800 new job openings between now and 2017. This figure is especially promising for the female population, who currently account for 78.5 per cent of these roles. So what jobs does health care and social assistance actually include? Breakdown of sub-categories within health care and social assi stance The sub-category professionals refers to occupations that require a bachelors degree or postgraduate study and includes highly trained roles such as physiotherapists and social workers. In fact, a large proportion of the workers in health care and social assistance need to have obtained some form of post-school education or training to successfully carry out their jobs. In terms of specific roles, this category covers an impressive range of professions including medical, dentistry, allied health, natural therapies, speech and hearing sciences, psychology, counselling, social work, welfare work and aged and disability care. The top 5 employing health care and social assistance professions for 2013 were Registered nurses Carers for the aged and disabled Childcare workers Receptionists Nursing support and personal care workers If youre looking for the most lucrative opportunities amongst the health care and social assistance professions, it should come as no surprise that medi cal specialists come in on top of the earning ladder, with an average annual salary of $283,973. This average is calculated through the MyCareer Salary Centre, based on the job advertisements listed on their site within a 90-day period. Other top earners include Occupation Annual salary Medical specialist $283,973 Medical practitioner $232,181 Medical imaging $136,808 Surgical $108,834 Pharmaceuticals $97,147 Administration $95,224 Sales $93,095 Optical $90,588 Nursing management $89,796 Management $89,515 Medical research $88,044 Critical care $87,919 Registered nurse $77,747 Allied health $76,214 General nursing $75,884 Medical assistant $75,785 Physiotherapy $75,594 Occupational therapy $75,281 Speech therapy $74,277 Childcare $74,271 Podiatrist $74,161 Midwifery $74,147 Mental health $74,132 Psychology/counselling $74,102 Educational nursing $72,311 Social work $68,992 Dental $65,334 Pharmacy $59,183 Aged care/disabled care $57,819 So if youre looking at helping others, why not help yourself along the way by choosing a career that has great employment prospects and even better karma. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice Administrator CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire erreichbar Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJulia WattersRelated ArticlesBrowse moreChild CareEducationLive and learn working with childrenWe celebrate upcoming Childrens Week by looking at the education journey, from infancy through to school.DesigningEngineeringDesign F1 cars and engineer your futureWhat do maths, science and racing cars have in common? Well everything in fact and if you have never considered a career in engineering t hen start your engines.Man on the moon astronaut careersFor many young kids, becoming an astronaut and flying through outer space is the ultimate job its right up there with other popular careers children aspire to, such as firefighter, super hero and princess.

There Is No Debate

There Is No DebateThere Is No DebateWhy staying on message is one of the fruchtwein important things you can do during an interview.Regardless of which candidate flops or flies high tonight, theres no debate about it the best way for you to get ahead in your campaign for a better career is to mimic one of their most effective tricks.Pick three points and stick to them.Have you ever watched our candidates on TV? When the host asks them a real zinger of a question, youll notice they rarely get flustered. Instead, they reply right off the top of their heads with an answer that seems to be completely coherent and well-crafted.No matter what the question is, and no matter how aggressively or rudely asked, our candidates seem to have an answer ready at hand and they dont get distracted by the hosts badgering. I cant say whether thats good for us voters, but I can tell you its deadly effective for giving a great interview.Its called staying on message and they dont do it by accident.Before they go on TV, they write down (or have written down for them) talking points that make the key arguments they want to make. And whatever else happens, they make sure to get their talking points across.So in order to ace your interviews, youll want to have your own talking points.And heres the truly amazing thing - you dont even need to come up with them on your own. Unlike the fickle electorate, your target audience will tell you exactly what you need to say All you have to do is ask them.When you are setting up the interview, ask the recruiter or HR rolle What are the three key things youre looking for in this position? And why are they important to the company? (If youre not able to get this question in beforehand, you can still ask it right at the start of the interview.)They might say this position is for a new initiative, or this role is critical for the implementation of the strategy, or the boss needs an expert to help assist them in this area.Whatever the three key needs f or the role are, write down beforehand how you can accomplish those needs. Dont over-practice, just make sure that you know their three needs by heart, and youve got a reasonable argument for why you can help them.Then during the interview, if conversation gets steered away to the still-new NFL season (go Bills please?), the snow coming this winter, or the latest Brangelina gossip, you just make sure that you steer it back to how you can contribute on those three key needs.Stay on message and when you walk out, your message will stay behind with your future boss.Good luck with moving up this weekIm rooting for you

How To Deal With Being Denied a Promotion or Raise

How To Deal With Being Denied a Promotion or RaiseHow To Deal With Being Denied a Promotion or Raise8 Proactive Steps to Take After Being Denied a Promotion or RaiseSeeking a promotion or raise is an important career step - though its often an intimidating one.Ideally, your manager will reward you with a promotion or raise when the time comes, but if that time has passed and youre left tapping your foot, maybe you should offer them a little nudge. After all, it never hurts to ask.Before knowing whether or not your babo will give you a raise or promotion, you need to figure out how to ask first.Now, youve followed all the necessary steps and youve asked for the promotion or the raise you believe you deserve. Your manager calls you in to talk and youre met with a shake of the head Sorry, no. Whatever you do, dont panic. Yes, this response will feel like a punch to your soul and a hit to your delicate ego. You might feel disappointment, frustration, and even anger.Yet, its important to keep yourself together and to recognize that this is a crucial time in your career.Rather than storming out of your managers office, take these proactive steps to help you qualify for that promotion or raise in the future.1. Thank your managerTake a minute to process what just happened and then swallow your pride. Now, genuinely thank your manager for taking the time to consider your request. After receiving the disappointing news, this wont be the easiest thing to say, but its an important gesture thatll likely mean a lot to them.2. Ask for feedbackAlthough you might want to leave the room as soon as possible, stick around and ask your manager for feedback. This might add some salt to the already gaping wound, but soliciting feedback will show your manager that youre forward-thinking youre ready to continue to grow and work even harder.Make sure the feedback is concrete and that you can tischset actionable goals to overcome any setbacks. If he or she says you need to do better wor k, push for some details. What specific areas need mora attention? What are some examples of ways you can improve?3. Map out a planAfter leaving the meeting, try not to dwell on the negative news. Maybe you deserve a bar of chocolate or a glass of wine, but then its time to take proactive steps toward that promotion or raise youre after.With your managers feedback, map out a plan for yourself. This doesnt need to be a five-year plan. Rather, set some short-term goals you can accomplish within several months. What can you focus on improving? Are there any additional tasks you can add to your workload? How can you prove youre capable and qualified?When setting goals, try following the SMART method Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Setting realistic, specific goals is important, especially when you know exactly what you want your next step to be.4. Keep tabs on your winsTheres no need to document your every move, but try starting a brag book. This might be a small notebook you keep in your desk drawer or a Google document. Its up to you it doesnt need to be pretty.In your brag book, start logging your wins. Here are a few examples You completed a big project well before deadline, you received positive feedback from a client, you organized a new research committee, you recognized a problem and solved it before anyone noticed it was a problem. Note that these examples are vague. Youll want to include a few more details to help quantify your successes.Make an effort to add to your brag book each month or even each week. When it comes time to be considered for a promotion or raise again, revisit your brag book to remind yourself of your accomplishments.5. Stay focused on yourselfIts way too easy to start comparing yourself to your co-workers. How does Jack have a senior title when hes late to work every single day? Why did Jill get the promotion when you clearly complete more assignments than her?This, however, leads to rabbit holes of anger, fr ustration, and feelings of helplessness. After getting denied a promotion or raise, the only person you should focus on is yourself. If you need, lie low for a few days and simmer down. Whatever you do though, stay focused on yourself and your performance. Analyzing co-workers actions will be counterproductive.6. Give yourself a pat on the backSeriously you deserve a pat on the back. It took courage to ask for that promotion or raise, but you did it and at least now you arent left in the dark. Instead, youve spent time taking a good look at your job and your performance and youve created clear steps to help you achieve your goals.Try not to sweat it. Sure, it might feel slightly awkward when you bump into your manager at the coffee maker the next morning, but offer a smile to let them know its fine and that youre moving forward.7. Remember you have optionsYou should never quit a job because you were denied a promotion or raise. In fact, thats definitely the wrong reason to quit you r job.But sometimes this punch to the gut will lead to clarity (albeit not immediately). Maybe youd thrive better in a different work environment or in a different fleck altogether. There are always more opportunities out there, and sometimes thats a nice thing to keep in mind.Click on the following link for more advice on how to get ahead.If looking for another job is the right option for you, spruce up your resume with a free resume critique from TopResume.Recommended ReadingBuilding Your Case 7 Steps to Asking for That Raise5 Guaranteed Strategies to Getting a RaiseHow to Negotiate a Raise at Work Like Amy Schumer

How Nice is Too Nice at Work (Quiz) - The Muse

How Nice is Too Nice at Work (Quiz) - The MuseHow Nice is Too Nice at Work (Quiz)Your company is all about collaboration. They value team players, individuals who make time to work with others, you know, people who are open to offering their expertise or just serve as someone to bounce ideas off of. And so youre careful about being available, helpful, and generous with both your time and knowledge. Sometimes, though, its at the cost of putting your own work dead last. Or turning to your solo assignments after hours, when none of your colleagues are likely to seek your assistance.It turns out that theres such a thing called generosity burnout and if the above rings true for you, you could be headed there. Not sure if youre doing an OK job of balancing your workload and devoting resources to co-workers whore asking for help? Take this eight-question quiz from Harvard Business Review to discover if youre a selfless giver, an inconsistent giver, or a sustainable giver. Depending on where you land, you might want to reevaluate how far youre willing to be the offices go-to savior. Burnout, in any shape or form, isnt a desirable direction to be headed. And dont worry, its not that you cant lend a hand ever again- but rather that you need to set boundaries and clear expectations for your colleagues. In an article on setting boundaries at work without making anyone resent you, Muse career coach Melody Wilding recommends taking a moment to evaluate the individual demand and its potential effect on your schedule, well-being, and goals before saying yes to any request.Do that, and you should be able to find some kind of balance that works for both you and your teammates.