What Work Worries Keep Your Employees Up at Night

What Work Worries Keep Your Employees Up at Night Learning how to engage millennials in the workplace has turned into an utmost priority for most business leaders. But what is found is that efforts to try and fight back these issues might not have come to fruition yet. At least that’s what is suggested by peoples online searches. Perkbox and SEMrush joined forces to examine what work worries are keeping employees up at night according to online searches. The findings represent searches from 2015 to 2017 for the UK and the US. Employees spend a lot of time at work counting down their days, hours  and minutes before hometime. To be exact, in the UK ‘how many working days in a year?’ was searched just over 123 million times in 2017 and just over 276 million times in the US. It’s the most searched question by keyword ‘work’ of the last three years, for both regions. But perhaps what’s most concerning is that searches for this term increased by over 14% year-on-year from 2016 to 2017 in the US and more than doubled that amount, 31%, in the UK. Employee engagement is clearly still not at its strongest. Looking at search terms by keyword ‘boss’ also reflects some interesting findings. Mainly that we’ve lost a lot of respect towards our bosses in the last few years. We found two clear indicators of this based on two common questions asked online: 1. How to impress your boss? The question how to impress your boss? was searched 21,700 times in the UK in 2015. This has dropped by 15%, to 18,500 searches in 2017. In the US, the same question has dropped by 33% over the same time period, which is comforting to know. 2. How to prove your boss is bullying you In the UK, the question how to prove your boss is bullying you increased from 1,200 searches in 2015 to 4,100 in 2016 and 33,500 in 2017. They have increased by a stunning 2691%, which is an incredible increase and worrying stat to know in terms of the relationships being built between bosses and their employees. The US won’t make us feel better on this one sadly as searches are high but have at least decreased year-on-year between 2015 and 2017. So what does this mean? Good bosses are essential to any organization. But as the world of work continues to change, so will the qualities and characteristics of effective management. That’s what’s likely to be showing in these searches. Today, employees are not looking to ‘impress’ their bosses in the same way as they used to twenty years ago. ‘Impressing’ in today’s world of work almost means ‘challenging’ your peers as opposed to taking them at their word. As a result, bosses that are ‘caging’ their employees into strictly doing their day-to-day tasks and belittling them for their new suggestions because they’re too ‘inexperienced’ come across as bullies. Great bosses today must possess exceptional adaptability skills, and just want to build a relationship with their team based on trust, commitment, and engagement. That’s the environment where great ideas truly flourish. About the author:  Chieu Cao, Co-Founder and CMO at  Perkbox,  the UK’s fastest growing employee benefits provider.

Which Halloween Spooks Make the Best Workers

Which Halloween Spooks Make the Best Workers Has your candidate search become a bit of a horror? Perhaps thats a good thing! People First reckon that the ghouls and zombies of the workforce could actually bring something valuable to the table. Heres what makes each of these 5 types of candidate such a great hire. The Zombie: Willing to attack a problem head on, without hesitation. Theyre very logical and make great problem solvers. The Ghost: This candidate believes in complete transparency, making them 100% honest and open about their thoughts and ideas. What you see is what you get with this kind of person, so you can trust them. Frankenstein: This person is the life and soul of the party and has  a larger than life personality. They may come across as a bit kooky, because they have a unique sense of humour. The Vampire: Willing to take a bite out of anything. They will give everything a go and put their full effort in. Theyre easy to please and would take a dark basement office with no window if they have to. The Mummy: They live life with their arms outstretched and ready to help out where they can. Theyre really supportive and caring.

Ask MCG When and How Do I Wear Jeans to Work

Ask MCG When and How Do I Wear Jeans to Work Pick the right pair. The time tested general rule applied towards wearing jeans to work is just to not do it. Jeans have always been viewed as a fashion item that is too casual to wear in the workplace, but many offices have started relaxing their opinion of it. So if you want to challenge a traditional rule, make sure you’re going to do it right. With the growing creative industry comes a changing perspective on the definition of the word casual. Wearing denim no longer deters people from looking polished and power-dressed, as proven by more and more creative professionals in marketing, advertising, etc. A caveat: jeans can very easily look sloppy when worn with wrong pieces, and disrespectful when worn on the wrong day. If you really want to wear them, keep the following in mind. Pick the right pair. If you are unsure of wearing jeans to work but want to give it a go, I suggest a pair of dark, plain, boot-cut jeans. It needs to feel more like a work pair than a party pair, and in order to do that you can start by finding a denim version of what your normal work trousers would look like. If you don’t own a pair like this, go for that staple dark denim that you own. Everyone has that pair that matches everything and has always been a trusty go to. I find that my True Religion jeans goes great with a button down top as it does with a sparkly tank top, because it looks clean and classic. Plus it is one that I feel very comfortable and beautiful in, which helps in increasing productivity in a work day. Wear Only When Allowed While it is easy to just walk into the office in whatever you feel like wearing, you might make the wrong statement if you don’t give it a second thought. Don’t assume that just because many offices allow it, you can wear it to yours. How you dress will reflect you respect for your job, colleagues, and self â€" so better be safe than sorry and wear your fave pair only when: It’s a Casual Friday Casual Fridays give employees the chance to be more comfortable and expressive of their personalities. Before you come in with your favorite skinny jeans, try to survey the floor for people who are wearing denim. On a Field Job If you are meant to go from one place to another all day, wearing something you are comfortable in might give you more mobility which can turn into productivity. Unless you are going into big meetings, try to wear your jeans with a cute top, blazer, and Chelsea boots. This is a good look when simultaneously trying to look cool, professional, and ready to rock that project. Office Parties â€" You don’t have to bring a cocktail dress for that office party. Whether you’re having it in the building or heading to a fancier restaurant, a good pair of jeans is the perfect slate for turning an outfit from busy day to fabulous night. When HR allows it. Ask. â€" The safest way to make sure your jeans do not offend office sartorial policies is to ASK. Most HR offices will let you know if something is an absolute rule or not, just ask nicely. Do you wear jeans to work? How and when do you wear it? Let us know @mscareergirl now!

Connections Drive the Better Opportunities - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Connections Drive the Better Opportunities - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Magnetic Communication ties directly into the headline. Are you using all of your sensory skills to recognize your better connections for business as well as friendships? This refers to feeling good in one’s presence. There is a synergy, a higher energy level, and the added bonus of happiness when you are in communication with the other person. In essence you are attracted to one another. When you can say Yes! to the previous sentence, you have the recipe for finding the right connections, developing new ideas and harvesting excellent referrals. Readily offering to help one another will benefit everyone involved in finding increased open doors for opportunity. Business becomes far easier, and greater enjoyment is found in working with your prospects. This is true whether you are working in-person or online. For example, on different occasions two very good business friends recommended I attend a networking event to meet a third person. I was finally able to do so. Not only did I enjoy the event, and that particular person, I also had the pleasure of finding both of those friends as well as others I knew in the room together. We took the time to introduce one to the other which turned the evening into a high energy and fruitful event. While on Twitter, I was gratified to read a message from a follower, “George” saying he had received a very helpful tweet from me. He was initially turned down for a job that he very much wanted. My advice always is to never give up but instead pursue that which you desire by finding a better way to achieve it. So instead of his being depressed by rejection, and saying, “Oh Well,” George politely called the CEO. My Twitter friend requested that the CEO revisit their previous conversations, the resume, and to reconsider the potential George may bring to the company. The end result was, George heard “Hired!” The point of this last story is to say it is highly rewarding when you are able to learn and then teach others coming up behind you what works best. The other person advances, you feel good, and good word is spread about you. This activity takes little effort, elevates you to the position of leader, and is what will build your personal brand to perfection. This too is a type of magnetic communication. Generally speaking the beginning of each year, we are excited about our impending projects, and toward year-end we are completing them to finalize business for the year. Accordingly, mid-year is a great time to start reconnecting those people who have been on your mind but have not had the time to say hello. Whichever communication tool you use, ask what projects are being worked on and if help or referrals are needed. Your better connections will reciprocate. This too should lead to additional quality introductions or ideas on which to partner. Adapting these suggestions to your style will put you on the wave of the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, (800) 704-1499; just released “INSPIRED Business A New View for Building Business and Communities”. Other titles: “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews“. Elinor was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.” Call for consultation.

10 Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Graphic Designer CareerMetis.com

10 Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Graphic Designer Being a graphic designer, you must be willing to establish yourself as a reputed professional graphic designer. When it comes to freelancing, you’d like to set off as soon as possible. The outsourcing industry is flourishing at a great pace, so it is freelance jobs.A recent study has shown that over 56.7 million Americans freelanced in 2018. Yes, you heard it right! This number shows the potential of freelancing holds.evalSetting-off on your own isn’t a big deal but it requires discipline and observant project management expertise. Lack of these skills, you would end up being overworked or underpaid.Freelancing is both fun and fright. It includes a dozen of stages which you need to cover one-by-one to succeed. The step-by-step workflow is essential to get consistent projects, deliver on time, and get paid. It not only takes away chaos involved in the process but also helps you focus on creating great designs.Here are ten tips to become a successful freelance graphic designer.1) C reate an impressive online portfolio The first step to becoming a successful professional graphic designer goes through a portfolio.If you do not have created one, it’s time to get one. Your online presence depends on a strong portfolio. Any potential client may ask you for it. Most of them would like to visit a URL to have a better idea of your work style.Take your time to make an effective portfolio. Upload your best designs online and get a URL dedicated to it.Avoid it, and no clients would trust you for their work.2) Market yourself, get the words out loud evalNearly no company entity or business can survive without branding. The one that markets itself sells itself. With no logo design, an impressive portfolio, and marketing, you will fall into oblivion. Marketing is an important segment where you inform, draw, and convince your target audience that your service is valuable for them.Who knows clients who would not buy your services straightaway may come later? It’s because branding raises awareness among clients. They know who you are and what services do you offer.Besides, branding improves your project acquiring rates. It also builds trust among people. There are many ways by which you can brand yourself. However, the best approach is to utilize both online and offline channels.Market yourself through social networking sites. Get a professional business card with other brand identity materials to get the message loud and clear that you are a professional graphic designer.3) Consult and pitch evalSitting down with your client for a virtual or in-person conversation is an essential step after you’ve landed yourself a project.A grim mistake that many freelancers make is they give the clients a free-hand to dominate the process. Such things may create problems for both of you. It’s better to talk through and focus on meeting the client’s expectations.It’s also the stage in which you can do negotiations, set your fees, availability, and schedule a date for changes as well as deadlines. If you ignore this step, the client may come forward with all these details which might put you in an unfavorable situation.Well, you can avoid it by building an understanding of the work a client needs. If the client has given you a brief upfront, get back to the client, and use the info as a guide for conversation. You can also ask the client for any information you don’t understand.Once the consultation part is over, prepare a pitch. It can take many forms â€" from a physical presence to a detailed brief of your initial work. It helps you show what you can offer to the client and get their agreement for the same.Every client would like to be involved in the creative process. So it becomes essential to give them as many inputs as possible.4) Formulate an agreement Do you know more established businesses have a standard contract process? However, not all of them practice it for outsourcing. But, this is where the serious working goals roll in.Clients would like to hire a freelance graphic designer but not by sidelining the professional ethics. Signing a contract is beneficial for both parties.There is no need for a legally notarized agreement. However, it should include everything that you want to write.evalMake sure your contract includes what responsibilities you wish to take along with deadlines, fees, work, and agreed terms. Also, include charges for additional work; if there’s any.5) Use time management tools Managing the time of your project is very crucial. Slip the timeline, and no client would come to you with more projects. So to keep the agents of unmanaged work away, use time management tools. Choose ClickUp, Todoist, and other tools to break down your project into small tasks. You can also use their mobile applications for the same.These tools organize your whole task and streamline the entire process. You can track the progress of every project and share it with your client as well.Source â€" Pexels.c om6) Prepare with all the tools and software Once you have cut down your project into small modules, it’s time for you to start with the preparation. Make sure you keep all the tools handy along with the software you need to finish your task. Check if the software is working because any lag in it will slow down the whole process. For some design projects, you may need to create a prototype, wireframes, storyboards, sketches, and even do research work. Book studio time, sort out tickets and arrange meetings in advance. This will show you loopholes if any in your project.evalSkip this step, and you will fall right on your face.7) Plan small, grow bigger Don’t hop on freelancing track with a big picture in mind. Always start small with a careful approach.You can participate in freelance design contests put up by various crowdsourcing sites such as Designhill. There you can enter a logo contest for a particular industry or client.If your designs are unique and creative, you may end up winning the contest. If a client gets impressed, who knows you may bag big projects from the same client in the future!8) Be confident, don’t underestimate your creativity Those who are optimistic reach the pinnacle of success sooner or later. Those who believe in themselves become a successful freelancer.If you doubt your skills or think you aren’t better than the other designer, then no one would give you projects.If you work well, charge accordingly and show confidence that the pricing is as per your skills.9) Keep practicing Those who don’t keep practicing don’t learn new things. It is essential to hone your skills and master your domain.If your work is going at a slow speed, utilize the time for some personal projects. Join the designer community or group to sharpen your skills.Practice in contests, design forums, or workshops. Nothing can replace real-life experiences.10) Deliver on timeWhat keeps a successful freelance graphic designer from others is timely deliver y. Those who fail to meet deadlines often lose the client’s confidence in them. It also affects their relationship.Don’t miss your deadlines. Timely delivery is an excellent trait for freelancers, always remember that.Be it logo design or any other graphic design needs; don’t shy away from taking help from online tools like logo maker. Such tools help you enhance your productivity while meeting deadlines.Conclusion Look, being a successful freelance designer isn’t impossible.What all it takes is dedication, time arrangement, and process simplification.Once you have simplified every process, there is no stopping! Follow the tips discussed earlier to streamline everything.

Get Over Yourself and Get Going - Kathy Caprino

Get Over Yourself and Get Going Hi Friends happy to share that More.com published my piece Get Over Yourself and Get Going today about the secret sauce to real, heartfelt and authentic success.   Im not talking here about the kind of success that makes you happy for one second, then flits off like a firefly.   Im talking about success that fills you up, makes you feel whole, reinforces what matters, strengthens you, and reminds you why youre on the planet now, even during these terribly trying times. Heres the piece: http://www.more.com/4879/26355-the-secret-sauce-to-your Ive thought long and hard over these past years of reinvention about success.   My goodnessmy vision and worldview about success have changed dramatically.   Frankly, my views about success keep morphing, but one thing I know for sure if you dont have deep and powerful clarity about what a joyful, successful life is for you, then success is elusive at best. Hope this story spurs some action and reaction.   Please comment and share! Do you think it might be time to name and claim your heartfilled visions of success?   Lets make 2011 the year we all get over ourselves and get going! Love and success to you in 2011, Kathy

Resume Writing and Cover Letter Dallas, TX

Resume Writing and Cover Letter Dallas, TXThe ultimate aim of a resume is to get you to the interview. So, you must try your very best to make the right impression on the recruiters and your potential employer. Here are some pointers that will help you achieve this goal.A cover letter is just the beginning. There are also other things that you must include in your resume. You must state in the resume all the skills that you have as well as the talents that you possess. Make sure you give a detailed account of your professional and personal accomplishments.The cover letter is your first chance to demonstrate your professionalism and personality. It should be written in such a way that it is more personal and less formal. Don't forget to mention anything that you don't want people to find out about you later on.Never underestimate the power of a cover letter. Even if you fail to get the job interview, the cover letter will still serve as a powerful sales tool for you. The recruitment c ompany will love your cover letter because it will show them that you were serious about getting the job and you used every resource available to make sure that you got the job.Once you are done with the resume, you need to submit it along with a cover letter. The letter has to be formal but not too formal. Try to be a little bit unique in your approach and wording of the letter and emphasize your strengths and abilities.Search the internet and read up on various job search forums and blogs. Find tips and advices on how to write a compelling resume. You can also get tips from the recruitment company on how to write a compelling cover letter. The cover letter is usually the only time that the recruiter will meet with you and decide whether to hire you or not. It is therefore crucial that you make the most of it by writing a good cover letter. By using the same techniques as the resume you will send to the companies, you will surely get that phone call that you have been waiting for.W hen you want to hire someone then you need to write a very compelling cover letter that makes the recruiters want to hire you. Also by carefully worded and professionally written, you will surely get the job.