Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Should You Mention Your Divorce in a Job Interview

Should You Mention Your Divorce in a Job InterviewShould You Mention Your Divorce in a Job Interview4When you find yourself in the middle of a job hunt and adivorce at the same time, it can be tempting to link them together. As a time-pressed professional with a LOT on your mind, you may be itching to mention your divorce in a job vorstellungsgesprch with a prospective client. But mentioning marital drama during a job interview isnt just a bad idea, its completely off-limits.Here are five tips about mentioning your divorce in a job interview.1. Im getting divorced, and I need a job.The end of a marriage can prompt anew job search for a number of reasons. You may find yourself relocating after the split. Or you and your soon-to-be-ex worked or contracted together and now thats no longer an option.In most cases, however, your job search has a lot to do with finances. Your income has decreased because a) you no can longer rely on your spouses income, or b) you now have new expenses such as child support or alimony. You need more income and higher paying gigs to make up the difference.2. You cant ask me thatQuestions about yourmarital status are simply off-limits. Your interviewer should be familiar with- and is required to abide by- the federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).Examples of prohibited questions includeAre you married?Are you divorced?Do you receive alimony or child support?But while its illegal for employers to discriminate against you based on whether youre married or have kids, it still happens. If your interviewer does ask such a question, you may choose to answer it truthfully.Feel no obligation to do so. You may tell the interviewer that the question is notlage relevant to the job and you would prefer not to answer. Your best bet is to play it safe and keep your divorce (and your overall personal life) completely separate from anything job related.3. Play it close to the vest in a job interv iew.Dont reveal that youre recently divorced because you dont know how the employer will interpret the information, advises career coachMishri Someshwar. Will they interpret it as Hmm, this person will work harder because she no longer has a spouses income or will they interpret it as, Hmm, what if this person has lots of family drama that will interfere with the job?4. Sell yourself not your situation.Revealing a divorce wont help close the deal so I wouldnt disclose it, says equal pay consultant Katie Donovan, founder ofEqual Pay Negotiations LLC. A job interview is a sales meetingfocus your efforts on talking about the things that sell you.Donovan adds that youre under no obligation to share anything that could create a qualifikation objection, whether its related to your divorce or not. And that is something that is particularly troublesome for former stay-at-home spouses.If youre not sure how to introduce the reason for a job search after a long break, simply state that youre r eady to reenter the work world, she says.5. What about after youre hired?Someshwar recommends not revealing anything personal until youve been hired. If your divorce will require you to be unavailable on multiple preset occasions, It may be worth bringing up when you have a job offer in hand, she says. Its nice to give your manager a heads up.Joan Fradella, a certified family mediator through the Supreme Court of Florida, agrees with Someshwar in that your marital status has nothing to do with your ability to do a job. But she cautions against disclosing such information even once the job is yours.Keeping your personal life personal means you shouldnt let it impact or interfere with your ability to complete assigned tasks or not be present when you need to be on-site. Make sure your divorce does not cause you to miss work or be on the phone, says Fradella. Mediators and attorneys typically have weekend and evening appointments, so take advantage.Should your final court appointment t ake place during hours youre required to be around in person, be casual about needing that time out of the office, she adds. Its nobodys business but your own.Readers, have you ever been asked questions about your marital status or your divorce in a job interview before? Tell us in the comment section belowMary Fetzer is a professional freelance writer and editor with frequent contributions to Avvo Stories. She has covered an enormous range of topics ranging from personal finance and international trade to pregnancy and senior living. Avvo is the largest online legal marketplace with the goal of making legal easier. They provide fixed fee, on demand legal services that range from general advice sessions to document review, document creation. members can get a discount on Avvo services through the Member Savings program

Friday, December 27, 2019

Job Interview Challenge No. 1 What to Do When the Trail Goes Cold

Job Interview Challenge No. 1 What to Do When the Trail Goes ColdJob Interview Challenge No. 1 What to Do When the Trail Goes ColdThe job hunt is full of many frustrating time-delays. Even if you bbrde through the basic frustrations such as finding the right job, writing a compelling resume and crafting an effective cover letter, you can still get hung up on someone elses schedule the busy HR manager.I experienced this myself in the course of my career. I went through a great set of interviews and received positive feedback from the positions supervisor and the HR manager. We even discussed salary ranges, which is usually a good sign that an offer is near. Right before contacting my references, the trail went cold. I waited patiently and then sent each contact one email a week apart from each other. Each time I heard nothing back, until my second, polite follow-up email. And since that interaction? Its still a cold trail.The time between calls was very educational. I got to reconside r whether or not I wanted the position and pursued another job that might be a better fit. Most importantly, it taught me to always exercise patience, especially when HR managers are involved.It may not seem like it to those on the job hunt, but HR managers are prototyp people. They have overflowing inboxes and a mile-long to do list. They have to deal with hurdles and hoops that job seekers cant imagine. So its always better to approach a delay with a polite, formal tone that encourages a response rather than nagging or engaging in destructive behavior that could jeopardize your job offer.If youre ever in this position, here are three email templates you can use to follow up at reasonable intervals to stay on the HR managers radarFollow-Up Template 1 First ContactHello HR Manager,I hope youve enjoyed a productive weekI thought Id check in to make sure that you have received everything you need from me please know I would be delighted to answer any questions you have about my refere nces or resume. I look forward to hearing from youSincerely,Job CandidateFollow-Up Template 2 Follow-Up to the Follow UpHello HR Manager,I hope youre doing wellI thought Id follow up on our conversation from last week and see if you had an update you could share. Im still very much interested in working with you and your team, and Id love to hear your thoughtsSincerely,Job CandidateFollow-Up Template 3 Final, Professional FarewellHello HR Manager,I wanted to check in on our conversation from Last Contact Date regarding Companys Open Position.Im in the process of considering other employment opportunities, and it would be very helpful to know if you have decided to go in another direction or are experiencing an internal delay. I very much appreciate your transparency either way and will respectfully stop following up if that is the case.Sincerely,Job CandidateFinally, here are a few tips that could put you on the callback listAllow at least a full business week to pass between emails to make sure that the HR manager isnt just backlogged and working through her inbox.Write generic email titles that include the term Quick Question. This sends the glaubenszeugnis that the receiver can read and respond to the email quickly, appealing to her desire to clear her inbox quickly.Never use all-caps or aggressive punctuation that would reveal impatience or unprofessionalism.When in doubt, assume the result is out of your control. Perhaps they cannot reveal that the salary requirements have changed, the position moved across the country or their best employee applied for the job at the last minute. If you assume the best, it will be easier to maintain a professional and positive outlook in emails.If they never respond to any email, ask yourself if thats really a company that you want to work for. Professionalism is a two-way street.Have you ever had a job trail go cold? How did you respond?

Sunday, December 22, 2019

What resistance to change reveals about your leadership

What resistance to change reveals about your leadershipWhat resistance to change reveals about your leadershipResistance has a bad reputation.We see resistance as something negative - we blame people for getting in the way. As a former CEO, Ive been there many times. We are so focused on driving change, that we have little patience for those who resist (us).However, resistance is a necessary force of change. As Stanfords Bob Sutton said If you are leid facing resistance, it is because you are not pushing too hard.Stop fighting resistance and start paying attention. Lets use it to reflect on what we can improve as change leaders.The True Meaning of ResistanceIt is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end. ? Leonardo da VinciMany times people resist change because they dont want to try something new. Maybe they are too comfortable or afraid of uncertainty. Sometimes, they fear failure or believe they dont have what it takes.However, many times people are just tired, confused, or not feeling safe. They are not fighting change - they just expect clear rules.If you want people to act differently, you have to behave differently too.Here are the six most frequent signals I observe when coaching gruppes improve their change-fitness. Youd better pay attention to them.1. People resist being exhaustedSelf-control represents the mental power we all need to focus, innovate, resist our impulses or to keep going in spite of failure or frustration. Self-control builds the resilience necessary to drive change.Research shows that self-control is an exhaustible resource. As cited on the book Switch, when people restrain their emotions, they burn the ability to control their feelings and behaviors.Change wears people out - what looks like laziness is always exhaustion.Any business transformation requires extra effort from your team members. Are you taking other tasks off their plates?2. People resist the lack of benefitsYou cant ignore self-interest. People are driven by both functional and emotional benefits. If you cant connect the need for change with an apparent personal gain, they will stop paying attention.People are pragmatic - what looks like resistance is actually lack of interest.People wont bother doing something that wont provide them any clear benefit. Are you addressing the whats in it for me?3. People resist lack of contextYour team doesnt just want to do a job - people want to be part of a mission larger than themselves. Change initiatives should be tied to a meaningful purpose.People want to understand the big picture - what looks like indifference is often a lack of context.Dont assume. Provide context. Does your team understand the why behind a new initiative?4. People resist stupiditySometimes, certain initiatives dont make sense. Pressure from the board or the pressure to be perceived as innovative drive organizations to make foolish decisions.People dont like stupidity - what looks like resistance is usually sheer common sense.Be open to getting pushback from your team. Sometimes, we all miss what doesnt make sense. Do you allow your team to challenge you the same way you challenge them?5. People resist lack of prioritizationMost people dont know where their leaders are coming from. CEOs see things differently - they usually assume their teams shared their views. From a distance, things seem simpler said than done. What seems like a simple strategic direction might look complex and demanding for those who are in the trenches.People cant do everything at once - what looks like avoidance is basically lack of capacity.New initiatives always add more tasks and deadlines. Does your team have the autonomy to adjust priorities accordingly?6. People resist unsafe culturesThe culture of an organization is what is rewarded and punished. You cant have it both. Some companies encourage people to take risks but dont provide Psychological Safety - people are afraid of being attacked or fired if they make mist akes.People need a safe space to experiment - what looks like a people problem is always a culture problem.Trying new ways of working requires taking risks too. Are you providing a safe culture for people to experiment and make mistakes?Whatever you resist, persistsWhere there is power, there is resistance. ? Michel FoucaultAn organizational transformation is never a smooth ride. It creates internal resistance in both leaders and their teams. Reflect on your own behavior.Navigating uncharted waters test the whole crew, not just the sailors.Resistance is a signal. Are you paying attention?Upgrade your teams mindsetDownload my ebook Stretch Your Team how to thrive in a changing world get your free copy.Receive my weekly Insights for Changemakers Sign Up NowThis article first appeared on Medium.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

How to Influence an Interviewer With a Thank-You Letter

How to Influence an Interviewer With a Thank-You LetterHow to Influence an Interviewer With a Thank-You LetterYouve done all you could to prepare for the most commonly asked interview questions, but you need to make a lasting impression even after you leave the potential employer. Its always great to write a good thank-you note after aninterview, but you should also consider sending a letter that will help influence the hiring manager to choose you for the job, henceforth called an influence letter. Its hard to know how to move on from job rejection, but confront any doubts you think might have been raised during the interview and stress the ways in which youve performed in the past and how you can successfully fill this employers position. Additionally, if you think any extra persuasion is necessary post-interview, an influence letter highlighting your qualifications and skills will carry much mora weight than a simple thank you letter. Heres an example of an influence letter sent b y email. Influence Letter Example Subject LineSales Representative PositionDear Mr. Williamson,It was a pleasure meeting you last week and discussing the sales representative position at XYZ Financial Company. Thank you for introducing me to Mr. James and Mr. White, with whom I would be working.I am glad I had the opportunity to explain to you my exemplary sales record, which I believe would make me an asset on your team. I realize you expressed that the ideal candidate for the position should be experienced in team sales while most of my experience has been as an individual salesman, I thrive in collaborative settings. As a sales representative at ABC Company, I met weekly with the other 20 sales representatives to collaboratively develop sales strategies and troubleshoot various sales issues. I flourish in this collective setting and would love the opportunity to bring my passion for teamwork to your company.I also have a history of developing and maintaining long-lasting relation ships with both clients and colleagues. At ABC Company, I maintained more than 75 percent of my clients for my entire tenure as a sales representative. Im confident that my ability to develop strong relationships will also make me a strong team salesman.I hope this illustration of my collaborative skills will instill confidence that I am the ideal candidate for the sales position. Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me and if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you about this position.Best regards,First Name Last Name Expand Influence Letter Example After Job Rejection You can send a standard follow-up email after a job rejection, but its even better to send a strong influence letter if youve been rejected for a position. This letter would address whatever issues the interviewer noted when he turned you down for the job. For example, maybe you lacked experience or didnt have a certain set of skills. Commu nicate to the employer that youre not afraid of challenges and can step up to the plate if given another chance. While one influence letter probably wont win you the job, it will tell the employer that you are confident and persistent two traits that are sure to impress and may keep you on a short list for future job openings. Influence Letter After Reject Example Subject LineMarketing Assistant PositionDear Ms. Snow,Thank you so much for taking the time to inform me that you have hired another candidate for the Marketing Assistant position with IceBreakers Inc. While I am, of course, disappointed that I was not selected for this role, I am very grateful that you took the time to interview me twice.It was good to learn that you chose your new Marketing Assistant because they had slightly more experience than I did and possessed a greater knowledge of how to create original graphic designs on the multiple Adobe Creative Cloud platforms (Adobe InDesign and Illustrator). Realizing my l imitations in the use of this software, Ive just enrolled in a certification course at Valley View Community College so that I will soon be able to add digital design skills to my professional toolbelt. I know that this training will significantly extend my effectiveness in social media management, public relations, and marketing communicationsAgain, thanks for making our interviews so collegial and informative. I was truly impressed by IceBreakers office culture, and I would be grateful if you would consider me for future appropriate positions that may open with your company.Best regards,First Name Last Name Expand

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Rosetta Stone - Work-At-Home Job Company Profile

Rosetta Stone - Work-At-Home Job Company ProfileRosetta Stone - Work-At-Home Job Company ProfileIndustry Education Software, verbunden Education Company Description Founded in 1992, Rosetta Stone was one of the first companies to employ interactive software to for language learning. And while software is still its main product, it does offer online language classes, for which it hires work-at-home online tutors and teachers. Types of Work-at-Home Opportunities at Rosetta Stone Online Language Tutors - Rosetta hires native speakers to facilitate language classes for beginner to advanced students.Languages that Rosetta Stone seeks online tutors in include Vietnamese, Irish, Swedish, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese. Prior experience in foreign language teaching is welcome, but not required.UK English Teacher Online - - Company hires native speakers of British English with four-year degrees (TESOL certificate preferred), three to five years of experience teaching adult learners and experie nce with corporate clients in ESL to facilitate online classes Applying to Rosetta Stone Browse or search for the above positions at the Rosetta Stone careers page. Searching for work from home does not work. To apply you will need to make an account and upload your resume. Requirements Tutors and teachers must have access to broadband Internet from a personal computer and be comfortable using a computer. They should be available to work up to 10 hours per week in a flexible schedule that includes weekdays and weekends (mornings, afternoons, evenings). Applicants must be located in the United States and sponsorship is not available. Pay and Benefits This is a part-time employment. position. Both positions pay $15 per hour. Find More Online Teaching JobsBilingual Jobs

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Outrageous Skills Resume Templates Tips

Outrageous Skills Resume Templates Tips Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Skills Resume Templates While resume vorlages could be effortless to follow along with the template presented may not be best suited for your distinct employment background. All templates arent created equal. Last, some templates can be hard to work with and may wind up taking more time to update versus making your own style. A few of the templates are particular to given industries. Templates come from an assortment of sources like the ones which are available to you in Microsoft Word, and free or paid examples out there for download from a plethora of websites. MS word templates will present your resume a skilled and artistic appearance. Modifying a Microsoft Word resume template is straightforward and makes the work search process a great deal simpler.Below are a few important benefits of using readymade CV templates Professional Appeal lots of people feel that using the resume templates will influenc e your odds of getting job. Templates will supply you the raw format of resume. Template for resume is a typical layout which can be used for any work ort. Using a template can help to minimize a number of the extraneous tasks related to creating a resume and allows the writer to concentrate on the content. The most recent tool to utilize for writing a good resume is the template which is readily available online and for free in addition to paid versions. In the event the template isnt in an appropriate format there isnt any value of using it. Moreover, utilizing a resume template wont only accelerate the procedure for writing a resume, but in addition help in crafting a professional looking, eye-catching resume. The Ultimate Approach to Skills Resume Templates Employers have a tendency to read a lot of resumes. Job applicants have the ability to create different resumes at home after theyve downloaded the several styles of resume templates that they wish to use. Resume is not just a document. however, it defines you and is the very first important key that ensures your prospective employer takes interest in you. Using Microsoft word to create a resume can be quite straightforward but at the exact time just a little bit sophisticated if you dont find out how to start it. A well written resume with the assistance of professional resume templates can grab the interest of the employer and earn good impression. The key in selecting the right resume template is scouring through your many alternatives to get the one which will make a long-lasting impression on the possible employer. The templates offer you a simple time getting everything together. Utilizing resume templates enable you to make sure that you are correctly laying out each of the accomplishments that youve done, and also enable you to make sure that you have the ability to place your thoughts together in a way that will cause you to get attractive for a broad sortiment of unique work in the industry in which youre applying for. Often, youre just required to send in work application or submit your resume. Applying with the work targeted resume for each job is a superb practice rather than sending same resume for each job. You may even be able to come across a resume template made for the particular job that you are trying to get. Resume template will be able to help you in earning your application impressive and as stated by the expectations of the employer. Characteristics of Skills Resume Templates Templates play a major part in your job search as it saves a great deal of your time and supply you a better format for your CV. A template will inform you all of the relevant data that you ought to be mentioning in your CV, with particular reference to the type of position you are looking for. It should have a section for writing skills and about the certification one might have. One of the greatest ways that produce certain you find yourself with a perfect resu me is the use of resume examples. Each and every work type needs different kind of resumes. Each illustration is targeting a particular job such as Photographer, Librarian and so forth. First and possibly the most obvious rationale is because it makes the practice of writing a resume very simple and straightforward.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

How to Get Industry Leaders to Join Your Team - Spark Hire

How to Get Industry Leaders to Join Your Team - Spark HireWhen youre looking to grow your team, you want to be sure that the people youre hiring will add value to your business. Ideally, youd like to identify industry leaders, and then target ansicht individuals as you recruit. But sometimes it feels like this is easier said than done. If youre searching for those one or two key players who can make a major impact on your organization, keep behauptung tips in mindSocial media makes this task much easierIf you want to figure out whos running the conversation in your industry, simply jump on Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Over time, youll quickly begin to identify industry leaders based on their comments and interaction with others. From there, you can work to build your own relationships with these individuals. If you know someone who is already connected to this person, you can also ask them to help make an introduction. Being approached by someone they know and trust can break down any barriers that may exist, particularly if this person has demands on their time that might otherwise prevent them from connecting with you.Identify where this leader would fit inWhile youre working on networking with this individual, take some time and figure out where they might fit within your company. You dont want to bring someone on board in any capacity just to have them on your team, and then discover that the position wasnt right for them and that they plan on leaving in a few months. Develop a well thought out strategy for how youd like to get this industry leader involved in your brand.Understand what drives themIf you truly want to hire someone who can reshape your business, youll need to understand what motivates them. In many cases, these factors will be drastically different than what motivates other employees. It probably wont be solely money or vacation days. Things like freedom, strong company culture, and the ability to take on exciting pro jects often carry more weight with true leaders. Keep this in mind as you try to recruit.Wait for an appropriate timeIf youre introduced to this person and immediately offer them a job, dont be shocked when your connection goes sour quickly. Though you may be excited about the potential of working with this individual, immediately suggesting that they join your team can be off-putting to them. Work on building up your relationship first before making this suggestion.How have you gotten an industry leader to join your company? Share your tips with us in the commentsImage monkeybusinessimages/BigStock.com