Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Debunking Age-Old Millennial Stereotypes

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Debunking Age-Old Millennial Stereotypes According to the Pew Research Center and the U.S. Census Bureau, in mid-2015, the millennial generation (comprising those born from 1980 to 1995) became the largest cohort in the workforce. By now, millennials have been in the professional world since the early 00s. The oldest ones turn 36 this year and have progressed substantially in their careers. A 2014 Deloitte millennial leadership study illustrated that due to demographic shifts, the millennials are entering leadership positions an average of 10 years earlier than prior generations. In fact, at the time of the study, half of all global millennial respondents self-identified as leaders, meaning they had decision-making authority and direct reports. Although millennials have had sufficient time to prove themselves, negative stereotypes persist. And if organizations want to grow and support multi-generational teams, we must dispose of these myths and treat millennials as smart, innovative and conscientious individuals who are dedicated to changing business for the better. Stereotype #1: They’re entitled. One of the most frustrating misconceptions of all is that millennials are lazy and expect to be handed a career without paying their dues. In a 2015 article, the New York Post cited a recent study finding that 71 percent of American adults consider millennials selfish, and 65 percent find them entitled. “Millennials seem to have helped themselves to an extra portion at the entitlement buffet (which is all-you-can-eat, obviously, because it’s their right),” wrote Post columnist Mackenzie Dawson. The truth is that millennials are eager to work hard, as long as they are empowered to do so efficiently and on their own terms. They may eschew bureaucracy and the status quo, but a 2014 Bentley Universityfound that 77 percent of millennials believe flexible hours are the key to better productivity and 89 percent regularly check work email outside normal work hours. “I recognize that hard work will get me far in my career, but I understand the importance of balance and moderation that will lead to a happy life,” said millennial writer Erin Heilman in a recent op-ed for the Baltimore Sun. Stereotype #2: They lack critical skills. Many supervisors believe that the lack of basic skills is killing America’s young professionals. “The more I interact with millennials -- whether Im interviewing them, overseeing internships or giving speeches to rooms of them -- the more I see it. Its an entire generation that doesnt know how to communicate,” proclaimed theSilent Partner Marketing blog. “Little emperor syndrome is one of the primary reasons millennials lack soft skills. Adults have catered to their needs their entire lives,” explained Heather Anderson in the Credit Union Times Magazine. Nobody locked them out of the house and forced them to entertain themselves, building imagination, curiosity and trial-by-error decision making skills.” But, according to 2015 research conducted by DeVry University’sCareer Advisory Board, the skills gap for entry and junior-level professionals is narrowing. Hiring managers are increasingly finding desirable skills like flexibility, business acumen, problem-solvingand communication skills in millennial candidates. Millennials also bring innovation expertise, which is critical for organizations to remain competitive in the 21st century business world. And, as businesses rely more and more on technology, millennial digital natives help companies navigate the space. For the rest of this article, a collaboration between Yarden Tadmor of SwitchApp and myself, head over to Entrepreneur.com.

Negotiate the Job Offer to Win - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Negotiate the Job Offer to Win - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You wanted this job so bad, and finally the offer arrived. The adrenaline is flowing freely, and you feel like sharing the good news with the entire worldâ€"certainly with those who contributed to your win. But is this job a really good deal? Could you have gotten a better deal if you only knew how? The majority of people simply melt once they get a coveted job offer. They’re so grateful and they feel so saved that they think that by crossing the finish line, their goal has been attained. However, that is not the case. A job offer is a significant milestone indeed, but negotiating your best deal right now is the only time you can do it. You’re now in the falling-in-love periodâ€"like when you were in your teens and falling in love and your love interest could do no wrong and was simply perfect. Well, once the company you’ve applied to goes through the arduous and protracted hiring process and decided on you as the winner, they want to move on. At this point, they don’t want to go back to square one and start the process all over. That’s the time to negotiate. Compensation negotiation is a six-step process. First, identify what’s important for youâ€"for example, size of company, reputation, challenge, work-life balance, and your future manager. Second, carefully examine the offer by talking to as many people as you can who can provide relevant information about your areas of interest concerning the company and the job. Third, compare the offer with your priorities by writing down your thoughts. Consider the pluses and minuses, and prioritize them. Then do the same by writing down your feelings and emotions about taking this job. Fourth, you must perform your due diligence by defining your dealing points and your deal-breaking points. Be truthful to yourself, but stay flexible. Remember that it’s not the money that you make but the money you keep. So review in detail the package of company-paid benefits. I can think of at least 20 different items in such a packageâ€"from medical coverage to tuition reimbursement. Fifth, negotiate your best deal. Most companies expect you to do that. Show an unusual level of excitement about the opportunity, but register disappointment with the compensation. As a career coach, I train clients by practicing mock negotiations together with them. Initially, during such mock negotiations, many people feel awkward, but after we do this a few times, they learn this new skill. The sixth and final step is to make the decision. Consult with your spouse, advisers, and career coach. If you’re a high-level executive, you may want to consult with a lawyer and a financial adviser as well. A job offer should be executed in writing and with the parties signing it. At some small companies, the process is much simpler, and if there’s no written document to sign, it still behooves you to summarize your understanding of the compensation and document it via e-mail. Author: Alex Freund  is a career and interviewing coach known as the “landing expert” for publishing his 80 page list of job-search networking groups via his web site  http://www.landingexpert.com/. He is prominent in a number of job-search networking groups; makes frequent public presentations, he does workshops on resumes and LinkedIn, teaches a career development seminar and publishes his blog focused on job seekers. Alex worked at Fortune 100 companies headquarters managing many and large departments. He has extensive experience at interviewing people for jobs and is considered an expert in preparing people for interviews. Alex    is a Cornell University grad, lived on three continents and speaks five languages.

UK Employment University of Manchester Careers Blog

UK Employment University of Manchester Careers Blog Here’s a careers fact I bet some of you weren’t aware of â€" Most graduates actually get jobs outside of London. Yes a lot of graduates do end up working in in the Capital   but whether you’re a recent graduate or about to graduate and move back home there will be a range of opportunities wherever you find yourself in the UK. I had a  little look on Careerslink and this is what I found  (Please note that Careerslink is a live system so numbers of vacancies are subject to change) â€" North West There are 466 active vacancies listed in this region on Careerslink,   so if your thinking of   staying in  here get logged in now! Our Working in Manchester and the North West pages will give you loads more information on the industries you could get into. North East â€" 68 jobs in the North East are being advertised on Careerslink. Out of these, opportunities business, life science and engineering seen to be the most common. East Anglia â€" Careerslink is advertising total of 88 vacancies in   East Anglia. Opportunities mainly centre around engineering, business and finance but if you are thinking of further study there also seems to be are a lot of funding opportunities currently being advertised. East Midlands 71 vacancies in the East Midlands are currently live on the site. Unsurprisingly engineering and manufacturing   are big sectors in the region as are  management and sport/leisure. West Midlands â€" A further 79 opportunities in the West Midlands are being advertised through Careerslink. Again a lot of engineering/manufacturing opportunities are being advertised as well as finance and transport/logistics roles.  Yorkshire Humber â€" If you’re thinking of working here Careerslink is advertising a total of 88 vacancies. Transport/logistics, engineering and surprisingly advertising and marketing make up the majority of vacancies currently being promoted. South West â€" 102 jobs in the South West are currently being advertised on Careerslink in a range of different sectors including information technology, advertising/marketing, leisure/sport and finance. South East (Excluding London) â€" Careerslink is currently advertising 149 opportunities in this region and tend to be in finance, management, engineering, science, IT and consultancy. Northern Ireland 38 jobs in Northern Ireland are currently being advertised on Careerslink and opportunities exist in  engineering, transport/logistics, scientific research and finance. Scotland â€" A total of 59 jobs in Scotland are currently active on Careerslink, they mainly seem to be in the transport/logistics, engineering, information technology and finance sectors. Wales â€" If you’re heading to Wales have a look at the 61 vacancies in this area on Careerslink there are opportunities in information technology, transport/logistics and engineering. If you are considering a move to London there are currently 235 active vacancies listed in Careerslink. Unsurprisingly finance, information technology, management and retail opportunities appear to be the most common. Other universities and institutions can sometimes offer additional assistance to graduates living in certain regions of the UK in the form of internships and placements. See the schemes and help nationwide page of this blog to find out if there is an opportunity near you. All Graduate job hunting job market jobs

Will Managing our Goals Online Make us More Likely to Achieve Them

Will Managing our Goals Online Make us More Likely to Achieve Them If there’s one thing about me that drives my closest friends family nuts, it’s that I’m always talking about goals: goal setting, vision boards, getting uncomfortable, making a plan, writing your goals down, positive energy, etc. etc. Some may wonder why I can’t just be happy with the status quo, or take one minute to stop and smell the roses.   I’ve written about the fact the engagement ring that’s on my left hand right now is EXACTLY the ring that was on my Vision board. In fact, it totally freaked me out when Thano proposed. My life today (my career, a yellow lab, a large Chicago network and being with an awesome guy like Thano) is a mirror reflection of the 5-year vision board I created when I was 23.   It’s almost eerie. I’m turning 28 soon and my life has grown more complex since I was 23.  Today I’m running a small business, and have a future husband and family to think about.   Rather than just setting goals for myself, I have to set goals for my business and my future family too.   In other words, my life now requires more than the old Word document of my goal-setting past. As the Universe would have it, my path crossed with someone who introduced me to a cool website that I MUST share!   Although the name really threw me off at first, magicnumber.com  is a digital version of what I’ve been seeking to organize my goal setting, action plan and monitoring. So… What is a Magic Number? Many of us strive to be wealthy (or at least comfortable) which, to me, means having the option not to work.   Lots of the women who read this blog have told me they strive to raise their kids, work part time, pursue their hobbies outside of work, etc.   Well let’s get real: unless you win the lottery this isn’t going to happen without a plan. So, your “Magic Number” is the dollar amount you need to have in order to have the option not to work.   Now bear with me, I know some of you are thinking “ummm whatever, I’m only 25 and retirement is the last thing on my mind.” Well… this isn’t really about retirement. People with plans achieve far more than those without.   Those of us who are in our twenties have a HUGE advantage here.   It’s much easier and cheaper to plan for the future now than later.   In addition, it’s much less daunting because we can break our goals down to bite-sized pieces. What can MagicNumber.com do for me? First, you login and identify what you want your life to look like: home, family, traveling, cars, etc.   After this the site will give you your “number.” Then you use the following tools to make that vision of your life happen: Goal Manager: allow you to break down your vision into goals and your goals into manageable tasks. Digital Vision Boards:   Way better than a word doc and more private than a Pinterest board.   Plus, if your hard drive crashes you’re vision board will survive! Habit Tracker: we all have bad habits but often times don’t pay attention to them or know how to change them. magicnumber.com is brand new site but I’m really interested to see where it goes and how it will help me.   I have a feeling the functionality will get even cooler as time goes on.   For those of you who are trying to achieve a goal: weight loss, saving money, paying off debt, etc. I highly recommend you check this new tool out! Everyone can find their Magic Number for free and get a free 7-day trial. And when you do, let us know what you think in the comments section!

Do You Need a Resume Writing Service?

Do You Need a Resume Writing Service?So if you've been looking for a job in TN but are having trouble, consider getting a resume writing service that will be able to help. In addition to being able to create a professional looking resume, a Knoxville resume writing service will also help you with any job-hunting tactics that you may need to know about.People who are looking for work in Knoxville can easily find these services online and simply pay the fee for the service. They will write your resume for you and get it printed off so that you can send it out to employers. If you're looking for a job, a resume writing service can help you get one. A good one will have experts on staff that are specifically trained to create resumes.The great thing about using a resume writing service in Knoxville is that you can be sure that they will work with you personally to help you with anything that you need. They will be able to write for you, rather than an employer, so you don't have to feel like you're always running behind the rest of the pack. This will also give you more time to prepare your resume.Resume writing services will take care of all of the legwork that you would have to do on your own. All of the work has already been done for you so you can get to work on other aspects of your resume. It is easy and very fast to do a resume from scratch but this can take up a lot of time.When you use a resume writing service, you can be assured that you will be given a variety of different samples to choose from, so you know that your resume will match the type of position that you're applying for. These services will be able to make sure that your resume reflects your personality and show your qualifications in the most professional way possible. You won't have to worry about your resume showing up 'dated' and looking old by the time you've sent it out.Experienced writers who are skilled in their craft will be able to show you exactly how to format your resume and give you tips and tricks that will help you to ace your interview. You should never be asked for money up front, although this is common practice in some cases. The service will be able to write you a custom resume that shows you your current position, what experience you have in the position, and your ability to perform the duties that are required. The more you know about your specific job search, the easier it will be for you to craft a resume that will be more appealing to your potential employer.Your potential employer may be able to use your resume when making decisions as to which candidate to interview. Your resume is a huge part of your overall job search, so make sure that it is properly formatted. Making sure that your resume shows exactly what you have to offer is crucial in getting the kind of job that you want.A well-written resume can turn into a powerful tool when you need to help you land the job that you want. Instead of spending hours on the phone or online trying to g et people to notice you, consider using a professional resume writing service in Knoxville TN.

Soapbox Job Search - CareerAlley

Soapbox Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. Mark Twain In my last job, there was this one woman who worked for me who always had the 30 minute answer to a 30 second question. Even worse, god forbid you sent an email to her asking a question, her answer would be War and Peace. Not only that, but she would attach spreadsheets as support that were so long and complicated that sometimes they looked like the plans for the Space Shuttle. Anyway, everybody has something to say, some useful and some not. The same is true for job search (both on the receiving end and the giving end). Some of the information is useful and lots is not. There must be thousands of job related websites (mine included), many have really useful information and lots do not. The trick is to know when to keep it short and when to pour it on. That leads me to one of todays topics the Elevator Speech. Ive also listed a few interesting career sites for your review. Interesting Job Search Resources: CareerDigital This sites tag line says it all Career Insights and Advice. It has an easy to read design, with the main content center page. The site aggregates a number of career related sites in one place, with four featured articles at the top of the page. This is followed by a list of additional articles continuing down center page. Do you prefer to read by topic? No problem, the left hand side of the page topics by concepts, tools (like LinkedIn), type (company, blog, etc.), Organizations, Industries and more. The right hand side of the page has featured sites where you can click directly to the content of that site (embedded in the Career Digital format). NY Creative Interns This site is a great resource for anyone looking for an internship or articles about internships. The left hand side of the page has featured articles (and you can click for older posts at the bottom of the page). eBossWatch This is a really neat site, the tag line alone is enough to make you visit the site (Nobody should have to work for a jerk). Who hasnt had that problem? There are three main sections at the top of the page (Americas Worst Boss, Rate Your Boss and Sex Harassment Registry). You can even search for your boss OR if you are looking for a new job, check out the people you are interviewing with. Elevator Speech: The Elevator Speech is the Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools This article, by Quintessential Careers, offers a comprehensive review of the topic with background/history, several suggested formats, the different situations where an Elevator Speech is useful as well as several examples. There are lots of embedded links to related topics. While you are there, also take a look at some of the related tools on the top left hand side of the page. How to Design an Elevator Speech This article is posted on lifecareerplan.com and a good overview and three examples followed by how to start your speech. There are related job search resources at the top of the page as well as a number of links on the left hand side of the page. Job Search Marketing Toolkit Your Elevator Speech From yours truly, I start with a what if story to set the stage. There are three links to related elevator speech sites as well as a few other links. More Elevator Speech Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

Being Outrageous

Being Outrageous I have spent most of my life behaving myself.   Doing the conventional and achieving success in a traditional way.   Not that there is anything wrong with that.   In fact, it has all turned out just fine. However, the question remains whether I would have achieved even more and/or had more fun if I had allowed myself to be more outrageous.   Not in the absolute sense but relative to my own self. What if I had taken more risk?   Talked myself out of fewer things (in the context of pursuing dreams)?   More acts of commission rather than omission?   What if I had done more experimenting, and spent less time being afraid to be wrong or to fail? What if I had embraced “failing forward” sooner?   I have to thank former colleague and strategic consultant Eric Best for introducing me to the term.   “Fail forward” perfectly captures the sentiment that it is important to “go for it”; that failure is necessary for success and never failing means we aren’t trying hard enough.   We all fail at some time or another, and the important thing is to always fail in a forward direction â€" by pursuing a goal rather than talking oneself out of trying.   At the behest of some others, I have tempered this to refer to it as “experiment forward”, but either way, the idea is the same. In this next phase of my career, I am being fearless.   I am “experimenting forward” and yes, even “failing forward”.   Not enough quite yet, as decades of habit require time to change, but I am “coming along nicely” as my husband tells me. And so, I am starting a new part of my blog to celebrate those who have done something outrageous within their own context and stayed true to who they are.   Outrageous, after all, is in the eye of the beholder, and what seems outrageous in the conventional context may turn out to be just what the world needs us to be.   At least we will be true to ourselves. Actually, the genesis of this “outrageous” theme comes from a conversation I had a few months ago with Owen Marcus, a friend and coach who helps men be the best they can be (by the way, it works for women too!).   After hearing about my efforts to become fearless, he suggested that I do something I would consider outrageous every day and write about that. As I work up to that grander ambition, this blog theme of celebrating others who have done “outrageous” is about as close as I can get to it right now.   Owen, does this “baby step” qualify as my outrageous act for today?