Research Commuting in this state is worse than in any other

Research Commuting in this state is worse than in any otherResearch Commuting in this state is worse than in any otherResearch has found that adding 20 minutes to your commute is like getting a 19% pay cut, but recent results from the Esurance Smart Commuting Index show that commuting in Delaware is worse than any other state in America.The research had a detailed methodology, but the site reports that they combined a variety of sources to develop 6 indexes, which we then aggregated to generate an overall index, among other practices.The 10 states with the worst commuting cultureYou already know the state with the worst, but here are the rest41) New Hampshire42) Alabama43) Connecticut44) Maryland45) Rhode Island46) Tennessee47) New York48) South Carolina49) New Jersey50) DelawareBut why did this state come in last place?Esurance elaborated on the reason, reporting that Delaware ranks last in the Index results. Across the board, Delaware scores the lowest on critical categories for co mmute time and limited use of alternative transportation methods. In fact, Delaware residents experience a commute thats increased by almost nine percent from 2007-2016. Its best score was for safety, where it ranked 34th.On the other hand, here are the top five highest-ranking states on the list1) Alaska2) Utah3) Montana4) South Dakota5) WyomingThe best and worst states for commuting safetyHere are the top five in this category1) Minnesota2) Hawaii3) Illinois4) Washington5) New YorkHere are the bottom five in this category46) Arizona47) Kentucky48) Louisiana49) South Carolina50) Florida

Heres The Answer When They Ask How Old You Are

Heres The Answer When They Ask How Old You AreHeres The Answer When They Ask How Old You AreINBOX I have been out of work for over a year. Ive had at least 30 interviews but not a single 2nd interview. My age? Well lets just say Im a very mature over 55. But I was surprised when one lady flat out asked me how old I am. I was so flustered that I answered, even though I knew that shouldnt even be a question shes allowed to ask. And of course no call back.Employers seem to be getting bolder and bolder. Age discrimination is more and more in your face. Some interviewers are asking straight out. The nuance there is that the question is not illegal. Whats illegal is using the answer against the candidate as a basis to rule him out. But thats the part thats difficult to prove. Plus, its depressing and draining to even spend time and energy on it.After getting over the initial shock if you do the 1st tendency may be to reply with, I thought you werent legally allowed to ask me that. You c an smile and use a calm tone of voice while you say it, but the effect will be perceived as you putting up a brick wall during the interview. And the interviewer is likely to think youll be tough to get along with in a team environment. So lets go over the answers you can give when the employer wants to know your age.Turn The Question Back Around On ThemWhen the interviewer asks how old you are, respond with, Is there a minimum or maximum age for being able to perform this job? Again, smile and keep your voice calm. You answering the question with a question is likely to prompt the interviewer to drop his line of questioning. Of course, his answer is going to be, No, theres no minimum or maximum, at which point you can redirect and bring up a qualification or achievement you offer that matches what theyre looking for in the job.Provide An Answer, Not THE AnswerYour other response to the question can be to say that youre over 18 and legally able to work in the United States. Still sm ile. Your response doesnt prompt another question, so smoothly go right into what you bring to the table that qualifies you for the position.Whats key in fighting back against ageism is not just having something ready to say being armed with language helps you not be nervous and shocked, which is definitely useful. But what it really takes to win is for you to demonstrate how your experience will solve an issue the company is facing today.Treat the interview like a 2-way conversation between colleagues. Youre not in the saatkorn company yet, but youre most likely in the same industry. Ask questions of your own, especially around whats happening in the organization either now or next. When you pick up on something relevant to your background, float a trial balloon and make a recommendation.For example, if the interviewer says theyre actually looking to bring their customer service function in-house, you can talk about a similar experience in your past that you handled with success, such as, Sure. When I was at Wayne Enterprises and they decided to launch their own customer care operation, one of the 1st things we did was make sure the call center technology was fully-featured and easy to deploy quickly. What call center solutions have you looked at so far? Youre telling them what they likely need to consider, demonstrating your knowledge from your very specific experience, then throwing the question back to them to promote that 2-way dialogue.This approach distinguishes you. If all you do is field their questions in police-interrogation style, then youre giving the interviewer every reason to compare you against all others. But if you demonstrate your knowledge in a manner that others are unlikely to do, you elevate yourself from commodity to unique.If you want to find out more about specific strategies to fight age bias in every phase of the job search process, join us for a free presentation, How To Get Hired In HALF The Time Without Getting Ghosted Because Of Age Discrimination Plus youll see stories of how real people ages 57, 69, 63, and more got over the hurdles, got hired, and are working in the jobs they love today. Click here to register now.

Military Obedience

Military ObedienceMilitary ObedienceIts no secret that obedience to bestellungs is a big part of being in the military. But if youre considering joining, youll need to do some soul-searching first - and forever after, if you do sign up - to be sure you can face the nuanced hazards of this type of work structure. The sad truth is that psychology research shows our personal moral courage is much more precarious than we think (and we really do like to think highly of ourselves, despite the evidence.) It gets especially dicey when our morals come into conflict with figures of authority. Laws of war and personal honor aside, it takes good old knowledge of self to pass through such challenges. Unlawful Obedience From day one, military recruits are not only taught the value of instant obedience to orders theyre conditioned through the rigorous, rapid, and heavily directive nature of boot camp. The idea is to acclimatize new recruits to the idea of following the leader to hell and bac k When people are dying around you and your lieutenant tells you to Take that hill it doesnt do much good to have a bunch of snotty know-it-alls respond with, Why dont we stop here and come up with a better idea? But as a society, weve had to embrace the hard lessons of unthinking obedience gone wrong. The Nuremberg defense is the classic example of why just following orders is an unacceptable excuse for morally damning actions, but it wasnt the last and it wasnt always an enemy of the US damning themselves. In his article Military Orders To Obey or Not to Obey? Rod Powers provides a great pocket history of cases when US troops were punished for following unlawful orders. Among recent von rang und namen cases are the court-martial (and conviction for premeditated murder) of First Lieutenant William Calley for his part in the My Lai Massacre and the horrifying abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by soldiers who claimed that they were only following the orders of military intelligenc e officials. To reduce such crimes, part of the boot camp curriculum includes training on codes of conduct and the laws of war. The central theme is essentially to remind recruits that theyre the good guys Exercise appropriate moral judgment and decline to follow orders that are obviously illegal, such as murdering innocent civilians, looting, or abusing prisoners. But is it that simple? Social Psychology When I returned to school after my second tour in Iraq, I dabbled in psychology courses for a while. The course that impacted me most profoundly was social psychology, which examines the effect of groups and society on thought and behavior. (It often, though not always, appears to be the study of how horrible people can be in large numbers.) I never saw direct combat in Iraq, yet I still felt my stomach turn as we studied two very important experiments in the history of social psychology The Milgram Obedience Experiment and the Stanford Prison Experiment. These two studies stro ngly support the idea that influences such as perceived authority, environment, and assigned social roles can (often easily) overpower a noble sense of self and lead to the commission of immoral acts. In addition to their obvious consequences, these immoral acts can have a devastating psychological effect on the person committing them. Thats because, despite the objective evidence supplied by social psychologists, we have a natural, self-preserving tendency to believe we are inherently good. Go ahead and present a room full of students with the facts of the Milgram study. Ask them if they would, at the urgent behest of a stern man in a lab coat, continue delivering shocks to an unseen person whom they might have just given a heart attack. Most will still believe themselves incapable of such an act Im a good person. The issue, unfortunately, doesnt come down to good or evil, but to understanding ourselves and our human nature. Obeying an unlawful order or even just one you find pers onally troubling is not a guaranteed behavior, but we should all understand that social pressures can often be much more powerful than our own perceived morality, especially in the heat of the moment. Consider What You Would Do Some people who join the military may never have to face a psyche-shattering situation like My Lai or Abu Ghraib. But sometimes, its the luck of the draw. Thats why its important, before even enlisting, to begin examining how well you know yourself. To this day, I recoil at the opportunity to abuse others or my power over them (and being a future nurse, caring for people at their weakest, Ill have plenty of opportunities.) Yet at one time, even though I never saw direct combat, I witnessed and even enabled dehumanizing behaviors that, though not technically criminal, certainly kept me up at night for some time after. It took me a few years to get over wallowing in my negative feelings about those experiences every time Id had a few beers. Neither am I as hamed of my entire career in the military because of these experiences. I simply bring them up to illustrate my point Before embarking on a career that requires you to walk the fine line between being a good team player and exercising individual moral judgment often under extreme pressure, when it counts consider who you are, and what you would do. Then keep considering it every day, even if you decide not to enlist. We all have as much capacity for evil as good when it counts most, and often the only deciding factor in our control is knowing ourselves.

A Practical Guide to Being Better Than Your Boss

A Practical Guide to Being Better Than Your Boss A Practical Guide to Being Better Than Your Boss Heres Phil Libin, co-founder and CEO of Evernote Hiring people smarter than yourself is the long-term answer to your micromanagement problem. I take it very seriously, and I encourage all of my directreports to apply it to their direct reports, all the way down the organization to the most junior levels. This is hard to do, and were certainly not perfect at executing the rule allthe time, but we come pretty close.AndRyan Blair, author of Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain It is my goal to be in awe of every person I hire. I want to see traits in her or him that are mora dynamic or more positive than my own abilities in that area, because I know that simply by working with that person, I will be able to grow and the company will prosper, thanks to this continuous reach for improvement.But while experts are extolling the virtues of hiring people who are better than their baboes, employe es are often grumbling about the very same thing. How many times have we heard friends, relatives, coworkers, or ourselves complain about incompetent leaders and managers. Employees, by and large, still ascribe to a traditionally hierarchical approach to the workplace we want our bosses to be smarter than us if they arent, their leadership is illegitimate, and we feel they should be removed from their positions.Employees its time we readjust our thinking. If were smarter than our bosses, then, by most accounts, our bosses are actually doing something right. With that, I offer three tips for employees who find that they are smarter than their bosses, with the hopes that theyll stop complaining and start seeing the benefits of their situations.Oh, and if our CEO, Miles, is reading this these totally are not culled from personal experience. Youre somehow both the best CEO ever and the smartest guy in the room. Please dont fire me.1. Realize that They Made the Right DecisionAccording to Blair, the semi-legendary Bill Gates makes a habit of hiring people who are smarter than he is.Libin jokes that, thanks to his hiring practices, hes the dumbest person at Evernote and maybe thats exactly why his company was Inc.s Company of the Year in 2011.The point is if your boss hired you, and you are smarter than they are, then your boss made the right decision. You may be smarter, but your boss clearly knows how to manage. Take your bosss willingness to hire a smarter subordinate as a sign of your bosss strong management practices.And if your boss didnt hire a smarter employee on purpose? If your boss still manages you poorly and tries to assert dominance? Recognize that you may be in a position to change that.2. Flaunt What Youve GotYour boss hired a smarter employee because they saw your potential. They saw the talent you could bring to the table. Dont go hiding your light under a bushel, then.It can be tempting to downplay your skills. You dont want to seem like youre c hallenging the bosss authority. However, downplaying your skills is exactly what the boss doesnt want you to do. Smarter employees are good for the company show off your skills and watch your employer grow.3. Learn from Each OtherOf course, while youre busy showing off your skills, dont let it all go to your head. You may be smarter than your boss with respect to the job that you do, but a boss who knows to hire smarter employees is a boss who knows how to manage a workplace. Youre great at what you do and, chances are, your boss is great at what they do.So learn from your boss see the way they manage people who are smarter than them watch how they lead a group of people who excel in the very fields that the boss fails. Use these lessons to inform your own habits as an employee. You may be a boss one day, and you can draw from your own bosses best practices. And even if you never are in charge of a team, youll still be working with other people all your life, both in and out of th e office. You wont always be the smartest person in the room.And, of course, a great boss knows to learn from their employees as well. As Libin says, I interact with roughly 30 Evernote people on a daily basis, and I can say without hesitation that they all do their jobs better than I could hope to. Every time we have a discussion about work, I learn something.Of course, when all is said and done, some bosses who hire smarter employeesareincompetent. If your boss really is terrible well, thats a much sadder story for another day.

How to answer the salary question in online job applications

How to answer the salary question in online job applicationsHow to answer the salary question in online job applicationsWhat are your salary expectations? This is the minefield every job seeker must navigate carefully. In salary negotiations, you already know that saying a number out loud based on your salary history can weaken your stronghold if you know you are underpaid. When employers hear a low salary number right off the bat, your final offer is likely to be low too, according to psychological science.Your job is to not shoot yourself in the foot by blurting out your salary of pennies. You can keep mum and dodge the question by giving a salary range, or by stating a high starting salary number to anchor the negotiation if you are having an in-person conversation. But what if you are at the beginning of your job hunt and are filling out a job application on a website?This is the problem that the desired salary question in online job applications raises. You cannot dodge, deter, or explain your reasoning for not answering the question to an automated answering form.Heres advice on how you can answer the salary question without getting accidentally disqualified for not answering the questionTry putting a word over a numberThe fear of leaving the salary question blank is that you may get disqualified by a computer system that will only surface candidates within a certain range or with complete answers. To avoid disclosing your salary history without getting overlooked, you may need to put something down. Salary expert Jim Hopkinson says that one option is giving an answer that does not disclose exactly what you want.If you are filling out an application on paper, or if the online form allows you to type in whatevertext charactersyou want in that field, then leave an open-ended response that defers the answer until later, Hopkinson writes. If you are applying for an entry-level job, you can answer entry-level to the question. If you want to talk about this to a human interviewer, you can delay and say to be discussed in interview, or negotiable, he advises.If you have to put a number, plektron a rangeBut what if this is an online form where you literally cannot proceed until you answer with a number? Then your best bet may be putting a salary range, Ask a Managers Alison Green advises. Do your research and come up with a range based on what comparable positions pay for your experience level and in your geographic area, she writes.Be careful about what numbers you put in the bottom of your range, however. That is likely to be the numberthat human resources will later offer you. If you give a wide range like $40,000 to $55,000, dont be surprised if youre offered $40,000, because thats what you told the employer youd accept willingly, she cautions.Above all, the goal is to avoid being taken out of the running for a job before you even have a chance to interact with a human employer. At best, you want to have the salary conversation when the interviewer is at maximum love for you and wants you as their first choice. That way, you can negotiate for the salary you deserve, not the one your previous low salary projects. When you are in the room with an employer who wants you as their next employee, you avoid having tojustify your salary expectations to an uncaring, unfeeling computer algorithm.

The Business Administration Resume Chronicles

The Business Administration Resume Chronicles Business Administration Resume Secrets In a few minutes, youll have a flawless instance of exactly how incredible you are as a prospective hire. To acquire a sense of what works, strengthen your own resume by viewing sample resumes. Referring to our organization administration resume sample is able to help you determine any weak points in your document. First things first, bear in mind a cover letter is comparable to an instrument marketers use to keep a posture to acquire customers to buy a thing. To put it simply, having a positive attitude is completely crucial if you need to stick out from your peers. The Unexposed Secret of Business Administration Resume Writing a resume particularly if youre starting from scratch can be challenging. One of the greatest regions to get resume examples is online, since there are lots of websites offering templates an individual may download and use. In the region of private wohlbefinden and w ell-being, labels are utilised to help with diagnosis and communication of a broad selection of conditions. People labels in a multitude of various ways. Strong communication and organization are a part of what it is that theyre searching for. Communication skills ought to be considered. Become involved in on-campus pursuits. Review the work post carefully and note down the necessary skills. Details of Business Administration Resume An overall small business degree is a superb alternative for students who know they would like to work in operation, but arent certain what kinds of position they would like to pursue after graduation. Different company and administration jobs need specific degrees and certifications, so remember to highlight your education. With such a degree, you can work in an assortment of businesses in a variety of distinct industries. When it isnt really pertinent to the position then you ought to only include it below your education section only. There a re a few positions in the actual estate field which do not need a degree. Pick your very best abilities which mirror the needs of the work ad. It has to likewise be able to cite the reasons of your skills for the job that you chance to be aiming for. How to describe administrative experience to receive any job you desire. Keep it focused and relevant to the particular job for which youre applying. It is critical to highlight your relevant experience, focusing on the most crucial or impressive abilities and achievements. Another means to show off interpersonal skills is to scan the work listing for absolutely any soft skills it could have mentioned. Communication skills are required for each job. Possessing the technical skills that are needed for administrative works will allow you to multi-task when necessary and focus when required. The Foolproof Business Administration Resume Strategy In any business, job applicants are thoroughly screened so as to identify their respec tive capabilities and strong points specifically areas. Even in the event you lack professional work experiences, you should make sure your administration resume will showcase how versatile youre in terms of providing services that may benefit the administrative operations of your intended employer. To begin with, however, it can help to review some higher-level ideas to create your resume fantastic and focus it on jobs in administration or company. To outperform the competition and make sure that your resume earns the interest of a hiring manager, never forget to follow best practices. In case the organization is hiring for numerous positions, your objective statement can assist the human resource department distribute your resume to the hiring manager responsible for administration. A medical care management degree almost always results in a management career in the healthcare field. If youre interested in a holistic education that comprises all facets of business administra tion, with an emphasis generally business gives you an overall introduction to each business area, including management, marketing, finance, economics, and company law and regulations. As an operations research analyst, you will be involved in a variety of areas of the organization and will use statistics, mathematical modeling and other analytical methods to solve emerging problems and help senior management gather the information that they will need to make operational decisions. Standard administration resumesAshould be in a position to concentrate on your technical abilities and other skill sets that may help you strengthen the support ordnungsprinzip that the business requirements. If at all possible, research about the provider initially before you come for the appointment. It has to be able to discuss how you know the company that you want to get. The company should know they can trust you to be the face and voice of different employees and even the corporation.

How Mainstream Are Video Interviews in the Hiring Process

How Mainstream Are Video Interviews in the Hiring ProcessIts no secret we at Spark Hire see the video interview as the hiring tool of the future. But has the video interview really become a mainstream hiring technique?Lets look at some numbers about verbunden video in general and video interviewing to find outPress PlayOnline video is gaining traction as the internet becomes a mora visual environment. Just a few years ago, Netflix was a company that sent out DVDs and Hulu was just a made up word. Now Netflixs streaming service is arguably more popular than its DVD rental branch, while Hulu is the place to turn to catch up on all your favorite television shows.The role of zugreifbar video is expanding, so it makes sense recruiters, hiring managers, and employers would use it to connect with great candidates. Lets take a brief look at how the presence of online video has grownAccording to comScore, 84.9 percent of the US Internet audience watched online video in 2012.Americans watch up to 9 hours of online video per week.Plus 50 percent of smartphone users are watching video directly on their phone.So What About the Video Interview?Obviously, people love watching video online. Its convenient and easy to watch your favorite TV show, web series, or even just a short video of a cat jumping into a box. (This is the Internet after all everything becomes about cats eventually.) But what about using the video interview as an important hiring tool?Theres no denying video interviewing is starting to break into the mainstream. Thanks to built-in webcams in most laptops, its easier than ever before to perform a video interview with a top candidate.So just how mainstream is video interviewing?Six in 10 companies are utilizing video interviews in their hiring process, according to a survey by Office Team.Of these companies, 85 percent plan to use video interviews just as much in 2013 as they did in 2012. While 12 percent plan to increase their reliance on video interviewing.I t should come as no surprise why you can view 10 video screens in the amount of time employers can perform only one phone screen. Plus, video interviewing saves 67 percent of the travel costs associated with hiring.And remember all those smartphone users cuing up video on the go? Thanks to the Spark Hire mobile app, employers and job seekers can now view and record video interviews right from their smartphone.So obviously the video interview is becoming a more mainstream hiring tool. Employers and job seekers are realizing the potential of video to connect more easily and more personally.But what do you think? Are you seeing video interviewing going more mainstream? Do you think the video interview is just a fad? Sound off in the comments

Baby Boomers in the Workplace

Baby Boomers in the WorkplaceBaby Boomers in the WorkplaceWhat sets the Baby Boomer generation apart in the workplace from theTraditionaliststhat preceded them and the generations that followed them? The Baby Boomers Generation Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The oldest the 79 million Baby Boomers reached age 65 in 2011 and the youngest will get there by 2029. Following World War II, the average age of marriage dropped, and the number of children increased dramatically, making the Baby Boomer generation substantially larger than the Traditionalists. Conveniently, this bevlkerung explosion corresponded with a post-war economic boom (aided by theG.I. Billand the growth of consumer suburbs). But in the early years of the boom, schools were overcrowded, colleges didnt have enough seats, and competition for starting jobs was intense. As a result, the young Baby Boomers learned to compete for resources and success. Common Characteristics of Baby Boomers Work-CentricBa by Boomers are extremely hardworking and motivated by position, perks, and prestige. Baby Boomers relish long work weeks and define themselves by their professional accomplishments. Since they sacrificed a great deal to get where they are in their career, this workaholic generation believes thatGeneration XandGeneration Yshould pay their dues and conform to a culture of overwork.Baby Boomersmay criticizeyounger generationsfor a lack of work ethic and commitment to the workplace. IndependentBaby Boomers are confident, independent and self-reliant. This generation grew up in an era of reform and believe they can change the world. They questioned established authority systems and challenged the status quo. In thelegal workplace, Baby Boomers are not afraid of confrontation and will not hesitate to challenge established practices.Goal-OrientedWith increased educational and financial opportunities thanprevious generations, Baby Boomers are achievement-oriented, dedicated and career-focus ed. They welcome exciting, challenging projects and strive to make a difference. CompetitiveSinceBaby Boomersequate work and position with self-worth, they are quite competitive in the workplace. They are clever, resourceful and strive to win. Boomers believe in hierarchal structure and rankism and may have a hard time adjusting to workplace flexibility trends. They believe in face time at the office and may fault younger generations for working remotely.Self-ActualizationBecause the Baby Boomers grew up in a time of mass middle-class affluence, they had time and energy for self-actualization, and the Traditionalists values of conformity and loyalty started to fall apart. Work for the Baby Boomers shifted from a source of stability to a means of self-actualization and self-expression, moderating the Traditionalist love of hierarchical management with an emphasis on structural fairness and equal opportunity. How Baby Boomer Values and Ethics Impacted the Legal Workplace The Baby Boomers entered the legal profession at a time of expansion and change, bringing with them their long-established competitive and workaholic ways and importing their views on social change and self-expression. In law firms, corporations, and other legal employers, Boomers insisted on a modicum of feedback and argued foryearly standardized performance reviewsto level the playing field for all employees. With the booming economy, it was relatively easy to advance up the ranks to law firm partnership, even though hard work and substantial billable hours were still required. The joke among many Boomer law partners is that theyd never be able to make partner today, and probably wouldnt have had the credentials to even be hired as an associate. Over the course of Boomer careers, firm salaries and equity payouts exploded, and theyd largely avoided student loans and other debt, due to the expansion of public education and the booming economy, leaving partners at the top of a seemingly endl essly widening pyramid. Outside of the relatively conservative firm context, Boomers used the legal workplace to fight for their deeply-held beliefs, advancing the rights of women and minorities in the courts via impact litigation. Women started to become a more frequent presence in the legal workplace (as attorneys, rather than secretaries), opening up opportunities, but also creating areas of frisson and conflict. As women flooded into the workplace, the birthrate dropped substantially, resulting in the baby-bustGeneration X- 25% smaller than the Baby Boomers. As the booming economy slowed down, Generation X entered the workplace, bringing derision and concern over their slacker values, but also a degree of tech-savvy know how that the legal profession had never before seen. This generational segment constituted a large majority of law firm leaders, corporate executives, seniorparalegals, andlegal managers. By 2010, nearly 70 percent of law firm partners were Baby Boomers. However , the oldest Boomers began reaching retirement age in 2011. This sets the stage for an unprecedented turnover of leadership in the coming years.

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work Home

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeAnswer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeDo you take work home with you? is a tricky question you may get during your next job interview. Its a good idea to think through your answer in advance. Get insight into why this question comes up during interviews, as well as tips for how to respond. Why Employers Want to Know Your View on Working at Home Employers ask this question for a variety of reasons. They might want to know that you are organized and can do all of your work in the allotted time. They also might want to make sure you maintain a decent work-life balance (which many employers believe will ultimately make you a happier, and thus better, employee). However, some employers really are looking for people who make work the center of their lives, and want to assess just how dedicated to the job you will be. Even employers who do not expect in-depth work on projects after business hours may want employees to frequ ently check email from home. For some roles, a certain amount of after-hours work is built in. For instance, a social media manager for a late-night TV show may have monitor online comments after business hours. Answering this question, therefore, requires you to know a bit about the particular company and job. How to Answer Before you answer, think about thecompany culture. If you know the employer values work-life balance or time management skills, you will want to emphasize your ability to complete your work during work hours so that you can focus on family or other activities after work. If the company requires employees to put in lots of extra hours and emphasizes the need for dedication and passion in the workplace, you may want to stress your willingness to bring projects home in order to ensure high-quality work. If you arent sure of what the employer is looking for, the safest way to answer is to emphasize yourorganizational skillswhile also saying that, when necessary, you will take work home with you. Try not to be negative about bringing work home, since that may be something that is common at the company. However you respond, do be honest. This question also provides you an opportunity to think about whether or notthe job is the right fit for you. Always remember, an interview is a two-way street. Just as the employer is finding out what you would be like as a worker, youre discovering what it would like to work for the company. If the employer clearly wants to you take work home with you on a regular basis, but you value your free time, you may want to consider not taking the job. Instead, look for jobs at companies that value work-life balance. Sample Answers When I need to, bringing work home with me is not a problem. I realize the importance of meeting deadlines and getting work done on time, and sometimes that requires extra hours in the office or at home.I am extremely organized and skilled at budgeting my time. When I begin a projec t, I create a timeline for myself that allows me to complete the assignment in a timely manner without taking my work home. However, I understand that sometimes timelines change or issues come up, and I am always willing to take work home with me when that happens. When I begin a new project, I often choose to take work home with me in order to ensure that I complete the project for my client on time. However, maintaining regular time to spend with my family is very important to me, so I try to limit this to the early stages of projects and to urgent matters. Im very aware of how speedily communications move in this industry. One email can be the difference between landing a pitch or having it go elsewhere. To that end, I try to be very responsive to email on my phone. I do a quick scan of my inbox several times a night when Im home, and look at my email during my early morning workout, too. I always encourage my team to reach out if anythings urgent. And, for the few times a year w hen I totally unplug, I prep with a back-up network so that all team members know who to contact for feedback and answers.

How to Be More Likable Around the Office - The Muse

How to Be More Likable Around the Office - The MuseHow to Be More Likable Around the OfficeYou can probably think of a handful of people at the office whom everyone seems to genuinely like, people who are indescribably charming and magnetic, people you want to work with and get to know better, people you want to emulate. Wouldnt it be awesome if you were one of those people? Of course it would beThe following seven tips are great (and easy) ways to be mora likable at work that you can put into action today.1. Find the Right Co-signIn the real world, the average persons probably reluctant to co-sign for someone on a new car or apartment. Luckily its much easier in the office to find a guy whos willing to take a chance and vouch for you. So identify the power players and work to build a relationship with those who are already well-liked and admired. Then, follow their example.2. Play Your Position Like an All-StarIts rare to catch LA Clippers point guard Chris Paul battling Dwight Howa rd for a rebound. Still, the six-foot Paul remains an eight-time All-Star because he plays his position really, really well. Figure out what you can excel at and work it. Maybe youre a numbers whiz, a vocabulary master, or confident presentation person. Do you know everything there is to know about Google Docs, or have more email hacks up your sleeve than anyone could possibly need? Whatever it is that adds to your awesomeness, take advantage of it and share your knowledge.3. Set Up Regular One-on-OnesMake a coffee date or out-of-office lunch plan with various co-workers throughout the week. They can be people you know well, people youre just getting to know, and others whose names youve just learned. Dont underestimate the power of a one-on-one interaction, which can quickly help you forge a connection with a new colleague. Learning about other departments is beneficial to your work, but if you can go deeper and discover something non-work related about the people you work with, al l the better. 4. Make an Effort to SocializeSomeone has to send the email or spread the sie sagen es about where to grab those happy hour drinks- could that person be you? Organize an evening get-together at a local bar, or offer to lend a hand to your colleague responsible for organizing these events. If drinks arent really a part of your offices culture, consider other ways to initiate social interaction with colleagues outside of business hours. Maybe theres a networking event a few of your team members could attend as a group. Or, perhaps, you put a feeler out there for a book club or sports team. Making an effort can go a long way in getting people to think youre pretty awesome.5. Find Small Ways to ConnectBond with your peers by keeping them up-to-date with the newest and fruchtwein exciting news. Listen to their interests and ask questions. Send restaurant reviews to the office foodie or share info on the summer concert lineup to the musically inclined crew. These recommendat ions are exactly the kind of gestures thatll make you a memorable colleague.6. Be the Office CheerleaderBe the biggest cheerleader on the team. When someone accomplishes a feat, whether big or small, be the first to clap and personally congratulate them. I used to keep a bottle of top-shelf bourbon in my desk drawer that Id whip out when a teammate closed a deal. The whiskey lovers among us would toast as a team. The camaraderie was contagious, and trust me when I say that it genuinely feels good to be there for others and root for their achievements- after all, wouldnt you wish for the same?7. Play 21 QuestionsLets say youve got a few minutes before a meeting starts or while youre waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Instead of scrolling through the apps on your phone, make eye contact with a nearby colleague. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and their interests, so ask leading questions. Ask about their weekend, their kids, or their latest TV obsession. This move ta kes little effort but can pay off big time in making you seem approachable and friendly. An old buddy and co-worker of mine has far more friends than anyone Ive ever met. When we worked alongside each other he was the it-guy in the company. He had an endless string of dinner or drink invitations always. I once asked him the secret to his reputation. His answer was simple and became one of the best pieces of advice Ive ever received, Im the driver of every single one of my relationships in life. What he meant was that he made a point to get to know people and put himself out there. He did all of the above, and it paid off. Photo of meeting courtesy of Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images.