How to Have Better Work-Life Balance

How to Have Better Work-Life Balance Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” may have made more grown men cry than any other song: The story of a father who’s too busy working to spend time with his son cuts to our deepest fears as parents. Even Chapin himself has said that the song scared him to death. If you have work that you’re personally invested in and a family you want to spend time with, though, there’s naturally going to be tension between the two as they battle for your limited time each day. I have an amazing wife and three kids, but I also have two businesses to run. In the first couple years running my startup, vacations were rare, and frequently missing family meals tested my marriage and my character as a father. The tension you feel as a working parent is not necessarily badâ€"but if you prioritize the wrong things, you may look back on these years with regret. Thankfully, you are not doomed to the depressing fate of Chapin’s song simply because you have a demanding job. There are practical ways to make sure your schedule reflects your priorities. Here are four strategies that have worked for me: Communicate with your spouse One focused conversation about boundaries can create a compass that keeps you on a path to happiness at work and at home. Sit down and make a “too much, too little” chart together. Write down guidelines for how much time at work is too much, how many missed dinners are too many, what is considered too little time spent on work, etc. Protecting everyone’s needs starts with setting clear expectations. Keep family life consistent This is especially important with young children. If dinner is family time, you should be a part of it. Likewise, you should be present at kids’ activities. Too many career advancements at once can ruin family stability and throw your life into chaos. Don’t justify slipping away by saying you’ll make up for lost time later on. You can’t and you won’t. Invest in your current relationships with your kids so you still have relationships in the future. Share the burdens and the vision Help your family see the value in what you do when you’re not at home. Include your spouse on work trips, for example. Let your partner help you make business decisions and be a sounding board for you. Let your spouse have the final say For the most part, these strategies have helped me keep my work-life balance in check. But when all else fails, my wife draws a line I don’t cross. She reminds me when I’m putting in too many late nights, taking too many calls during family time, or spending too much time on email when I should be with the kids. When I get so focused on work that I start to drift away from my family, she pulls me back inâ€"and I let her. We often say a good business is “like a family,” but remember that like a family is not the same thing as having a family. No business should replace your actual spouse and kids. It’s good to work hard and push your limits, but don’t go past them. If you do, you’ll be tired and alone at the finish line, and there will be no one at home to celebrate with you. Sam Bahreini, a seasoned operations officer and entrepreneur, is co-founder and COO of VoloForce, a company that helps enterprise retail brands understand organization implementation through automation and simplification. Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program.

Learn To Say No When You Have Too Much On Your Plate At Work - Work It Daily

Learn To Say No When You Have Too Much On Your Plate At Work - Work It Daily Have you ever had experience with a toddler who has just learned the power in the word, “No?” It is an impressive sight to see, isn’t it? The child who has just decided that he/she has the power to deny any request has tremendous power. Whether it pertains to potty training or eating their vegetables, there isn’t an adult on the planet that can question the power behind the word, “no” when dealing with a recalcitrant tot. Related: How And When To Say ‘No’ At Work Given that we learn the power of “no” at such a tender age, what happens to us that we lose the power to use that word by the time we are working adults? Most of the job burnout that is symptomatic throughout so much of our workforce is undoubtedly the result of an inability to establish healthy boundaries and an apparent unwillingness or an inability to say “no” at the appropriate times. Let’s face facts, however. Given how easy it is to get fired these days, sometimes fear is what drives one’s (in)ability to assert boundaries at work. I believe that some of us also mistakenly believe that we can make ourselves “indispensable.” Consider for just a moment, however...if you were to drop dead (God forbid) in the next 5 minutes...someone somewhere would wind up taking on your workload. No one is indispensable. That is just a fact. It is time to establish reasonable and healthy boundaries at work if you haven’t done that already. What can you do to say “no” at work without giving offense and without conveying the mistaken notion that you aren’t doing your fair share? 1. Make sure you don’t say “no” to every request. To build credibility and trust, you may need to take on the occasional additional task so that when you do say, “no,” your supervisor or manager will know that you have good reason. 2. Don’t be defensive and don’t over-explain. If you have built a reputation for being a good worker who is willing to take on extra duty on occasion, you don’t have to fall all over yourself explaining why you can’t take on an extra task on occasion. Don’t feel compelled to provide lengthy explanations or rationale. Just state your case and leave it at that. 3. Offer to trade off tasks based on priorities and level of importance. Sometimes things come up that feelâ€"and areâ€"more urgent than other times. If your company is suddenly faced with an unexpected expedited deadline that requires you to step up, then offer to put something else on the back burner or trade off with someone less encumbered to see if that is a possibility. 4. Always say “no” in person. When you have been asked to take on extra responsibility for which you have no time, don’t make the mistake of offering the rejection of the request in an email. Instead, arrange for a face-to-face meeting. You may wind up negotiating an agreement that suits both you and your boss. An email interferes with the possibility of such negotiation. 5. Make sure you are using your time wisely. It would be a mistake to refuse a request that might help you be perceived as someone who deserves a promotion or more responsibility that could result in a raise. Be sure that you have so many important things to do that you don’t have time for the added responsibility. Avoid wasting time on meaningless activities so that you can, perhaps, have time to work on a project that could showcase your particular talents and abilities. Let’s face it...whether it is at work or home, sometimes it is hard to say “no.” We want people to like us. We want to be admired. We want to be perceived as someone who can “do it all.” The fact is, however, that you cannot do it all, and there is nothing to be gained from your feeling that you have to say “yes” to everything when it doesn’t serve you. Attempting to “do it all” will ultimately impact your health, or your general sense of well-being in a negative way. Take time to learn to say no with grace, however. Avoid saying it every time. Use your ability to say “no” judiciously and with thoughtfulness. You will be better off in the long run, and so will your company. This post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts Time Management: 4 Keys To Avoiding Work-Related Stress 5 Time Management Tips When Juggling Work And School 5 Job Search Time Wasters To Avoid Kitty Boitnott, Ph.D., NBCT is a former educator turned Career Transition and Job Strategy Coach specializing in working with teachers who are experiencing the painful symptoms of job burnout. She also works with mid-career professionals from all walks of life who find themselves at a career crossroads either by chance or by choice. Learn more about Kitty at TeachersinTransition.com or at Boitnott Coaching.com.   Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

How to List Seasonal and Summer Jobs on Your Resume - Jobscan Blog

How to List Seasonal and Summer Jobs on Your Resume - Jobscan BlogPosted on December 23, 2014June 24, 2019 by Trista Winnie As the holiday season draws to a close, so too will many seasonal jobs. Some say that you shouldnt list seasonal jobs on your resume, but in fact, there are a number of benefits to including these positions. Seasonal positions can be especially important to your resume if you are a student, recent graduate, career changer, or looking to get back into the workforce. Successfully holding a seasonal role indicates that you are adaptable (because you were able to learn quickly how to do a job well), reliable (after all, you cant miss much time when working a seasonal job), and a hard worker (preferring to take a seasonal job over not working).Once you decide whether to include seasonal work, your next task is deciding on the right resume format. Resume advice for seasonal work can typically be applied to internships, temporary work, or contract roles as well.Seasona l considerationsOne of the fruchtwein important things to do is to make koranvers to include seasonal, seasonal position, or something similar in parentheses after your job title to indicate that the position had an end date established from the start. Otherwise, a short-term role can reflect negatively on you and make you look like a job hopper, particularly if you have several short stints on your resume. Noting that your role was intended as short-term one will help you avoid those assumptions.Multiple seasonal rolesHolding a series of seasonal or other short-term roles doesnt have to cast you in a negative light or make you seem like a job hopper. There are numerous industries, for example, where contract work is the norm. And some fields, such as accounting, have well-established busy seasons. Because of this, some professionals can choose to work for only a few months per year in temporary, contract, or seasonal roles.If youve had more than one seasonal role, there are differe nt ways you can go about including them on your resume.While a resume objective is outdated (employers care about their own objectives, not those of job seekers), a professional summary can come in handy. In this section, you can tie your seasonal and permanent work histories together, addressing your skills and experiences. This also gives you the opportunity to use some carefully chosen resume keywords.If youre using a functional or combination resume format (instead of chronological, which is the most common resume format), its up to you whether you list your seasonal work with the rest of your work history, or give it a section of its own. If you do decide to put your seasonal work in a separate section, be sure to give it a very clear section header. Some applicant tracking systems cant recognize section headers that arent standard.As you advance in your career, and your resume is pushing recommended length limits, you might later decide to stop listing your prior seasonal work . Omitting a seasonal role would typically leave only a short gap in your history, and employers will always be more concerned about recent gaps than ones that happened five or 10 years ago. Another reason to choose to leave off a seasonal role you held is that it may no longer pertain to your field, or your desired field.Ultimately, listing seasonal work can be to your advantage in a number of situations. Dont forget that seasonal roles can lead to full-time opportunities, and provide you with a broader skill set, a deeper network, and an additional reference. If you include seasonal work on your resume, make sure to use a resume format that highlights it to suit your situation.HAVE TWO MINUTES?Learn how Jobscan can optimize your resume for the tech used by most hiring managers.How to Scan a Resume with Jobscan (208)Explore the Resume Match Report (223)???Full text tutorialGet your own reportFacebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

The Basic Principles of No Experience Resume That You Will be Able to Benefit From Starting Immediately

The Basic Principles of No Experience Resume That You Will be Able to Benefit From Starting Immediately Youre able to provide your interviewer the advantage of the doubt for some time. Bearing that in mind, its your choice to incorporate some things that will assist your resume stand out from everyone elses. It is preferable to concentrate on your experience as opposed to a particular objective. Naturally, it may also be the case your expectations were higher than the individual interviewing you There are scores of unique methods to design your resume. If you own a lot of work experience, but you need not completed a formal training regime, you should set your work experience on top of the resume. Be detailed and informative once you write off your work experience. When youre lacking specialist expertise in the specialty youre attempting to secure work in, often it helps to start with highlighting your educational background if this background is pertinent to the area. The possible employer now features a summary of your skills, experience and present role, and if this overview meets her criteria, shell read on. If you dont have an experience because you simply graduated from college, then you may wish to list your education information prior to your work experience details. It is crucial to include information regarding the teaching certifications in a teachers resume. It is vital for the candidate free of experience to include details about any extracurricular pursuits. The Dos and Donts of No Experience Resume Review your retail experience and produce a list of the particular skills that you used at your work. If you need a phlebotomy technician job seriously then you ought to use an ideal phlebotomy resume. With the fruchtwein suitable set of transferable abilities, you can land a paralegal job free of experience. If you still need the job, you should compile a good resume and cover letter tailored to the particular position and business. The typical time for an excellent job interview is all about thirty minutes. If youve blown a work interview, its important to realize that it is not the conclusion of the planet. Theres no guarantee you wont get the work based on a poor job interview.

Video Interviews and Candidate Experience - Spark Hire

Video Interviews and Candidate Experience - Spark HireWe know that video interviews can make life easier for hiring managers. Video interviews are convenient to schedule, theyre recorded and easy to review, and they provide a time-saving replacement for the phone interview. However, video interviews also impact candidate experience. Job seekers who use video interviews share in the convenience of scheduling, with the added benefit of nixing travel time. Video interviews also offer candidates a more relaxed interview experience, as they get to choose their surroundings. In a one-way video interview, candidates may even be able to rehearse answers to questions before submitting their responses. Talk about peace of mindCandidate experience impacts a companys ability to hire talented individuals. It also impacts a companys brand. As a company strives to hire top talent, it is important to cultivate a positive appearance for the company as an employer. Video interviews can be one componen t of an overall company brand that conveys a considerate, innovative impression to fhigkeit employees. We all want to work for a company that cares about its employees. Improving candidate experience is one way for companies to show that they care (free lunch and nap breaks are also good ideas, but we cant all be Google).Heres a great example of video interviews improving candidate experienceAs you can see, this job seeker tweeted about his amazing experience while conducting a video interview conveniently from his iPhone.The positive experience of the video interview itself is only the beginning. Hiring managers will save time with video interviews, leading to an overall shorter hiring process (which definitely improves candidate experience). Furthermore, better initial screenings with video interviews will help hiring managers make better decisions about candidates earlier on. Candidates will know sooner if they arent a good fit, and on-site interviews can be reserved for those wh o have the strong possibility for a job offer.How do you evaluate your candidate experience? Have you had any feedback on the video interview process? Leave a comment below.

Why Every Company Should Write Its Own Obituary

Why Every Company Should Write Its Own Obituary Why Every Company Should Write Its Own Obituary Why work? The reasonable response might once have been to make money, and for some thats still true. But as our economy has evolved and work options have proliferated, the answer has changed for a growing majority of people. These days, many of us want more than just a paycheck.To find, keep, and motivate great talent, businesses leaders must identify and share with the world why working at their organization is about achieving something more, together. Thats your companys purpose, the a grand vision of why your organization exists beyond making money.Why dont more companies get clear about why they are in business? Because of the nearly inescapable gravity of traditional economic theory. Whole Foods CEO John Mackeys quote, You cant live if you dont eat, but you dont live to eat. And neither does business exist primarily to make a profit. It exists to fulfill its purpose, whatever that m ight be, was uttered in missfallenskundgebungof the conservative economist Milton Friedmans famous proclamation, There is one and only one social responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game.Unfortunately, many business leaders still think like Friedman, and its easy to see there is no role for purpose in this ancient worldview. Dont fall for it. Companiesthat short the circuitry of modern business by skipping the employee are doomed to customer backlash and long-term failure.Answering the Big QuestionsConvinced purpose is important? You arent home free yet. During the past decade of doing this work, Ive found the biggest challenge nearly every executive kollektiv must face is internal Its their inability to let go of the fruchtwein immediate and pressing parts of the business.I get it. Rolling out the new product update and hitting quarterly financial goals are important . It can be scary to put that work down for even a day. But finding a companys purpose isnt about this quarter, or even this year it requires taking the long view. Imagining what doesnt exist is hard, but thats exactly what you must do to discover your purpose because its your future.How might the world be different because of your company? Step back and ask your team, Why does this company matter? Why will it be remembered? Im not asking for realism. We get enough of that. Instead, Im asking you to think big.When you are attempting this work, my advice is to not get bogged down in the specifics. Go far, as fast as possible. To find your purpose you may need to go 25, 50, 100 years in the future.Think you cant do it? I disagree. This obituary exercise has helped many leadership teams stretch their brains in the right direction, and Im certain it can help you, too.Write Your Companys ObituaryWhy write an obituary for your organization? By imagining the organization is dead, leaders a nd executives who are usually consumed with the details are given permission to let go of the minutia. With day-to-day concerns out of the way, you have room to think bigger.Heres the overview 25 years from now your company has ceased to operate. Dont get bogged down in how it happened. That part doesnt matter. What does matter is putting on paper why the company will be remembered. Answer in3-5 short paragraphs questions like What were your companys greatest accomplishments? How did it change the world? By framing the obituary in this way, we dont need to be concerned about the profitability, only the companys impact.Hint Dont let reality get in the way. Think bigger than you might be comfortable with. Im giving you permission to write ridiculous, unlikely outcomes. Ive been in the room with fintech executives who wrote about how their startup solved global poverty, with a biotech team that eradicated all disease, and an enterprise technology services group who determined they help ed establish the first colony on Mars.The value of this magical thinking is not in the ends, but in the words and phrases you and your team use to get there. Once youve written and presented your obituaries, ask everyone to identify the words, concepts, or phrases that were most compelling, the things that stood out or gave them goosebumps. Below are detailed instructions so you can get started with your team.InstructionsSplit workshop participants into three or four teams. No team should have more than five members.Instruct each team to work together to write the first draft of their obituary. They should end up with3-5short paragraphs that include only the most important details. Hint Bulleted lists dont work nearly as well as complete sentences. Dont let anyone go that route. (Time 30-45 minutes)Ask each team to make final edits and then transpose their entire obituary by hand onto the large sticky pad. Yes, they must write it out. And yes, they must put it up so everyone can see . (Time 30 minutes)Invite one person from each team to read back the obituary. (Time 20 minutes)Once all teams have presented, pass out the dot stickers. Each person will place the stickers next to the words and phrasesthey find most compelling or relevant. Each person gets 6-8 dots and can vote on anything, includingtheir own obituary. You can even put multiple dots on one idea if it seems particularly important. (Time 15 minutes)Once everyone has used all their stickers, ask one person to tally up the votes and mark the words and phrases that were most popular. (Time 10 minutes)As a group, discuss what you notice and what it might mean for the purpose of the organization. Talk about what got the most votes and why. Look for patterns. Are there any common themes? What stands out? What was expected or unexpected? (Time 30 minutes)What is your organizations reason for being? Finding your companys purpose isnt going to make work easier, but it will provide more clarity to help leaders make hard decisions, more meaning to help employees do their jobs with more energy, and more value to help customers choose your brand more often.Josh Levineis theauthor of Great Mondays How to Design a Company Culture Employees Love. He is best known as the cofounder of the nonprofit CULTURE LABx.

Customize this Outstanding Financial Reporting Analyst Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Financial Reporting Analyst Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Financial Reporting Analyst Resume SampleThere are few industries as competitive as the financial sector, and the more specialized your position is within it, the tougher things get when its time to look for a new position. Thats because the more skilled a job is, the rarer it is, so small talent pools do leid necessarily lead to better options. Instead, it takes a competitive resume, and creating one takes time and patience, as well as resources like this financial reporting analyst resume sample. Use it to help shape your resume as you select your accomplishments and work to complete your document so you can sharpen your results. Using the resume builder is a great way to organize your work as you move through the next draft of your resume, too.Create Resume Roberto Cabeca100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA, 91010Cell (555) 987-1234example-emailexample.comProfessional SummarySkilled Financ ial Reporting Analyst studied in preparing and presenting documentation that reports on corporate financial standing. Exceptional knowledge and experience with GAAP and financial gathering practices and strong background in relevant databases and software. Able to operate independently and work with management, employees, regulators and auditors.Core QualificationsIncome and expense analysisAccount reconciliationRegulatory reportsShareholder reports and balance sheetsFinancial statementsSEC filingsInternal auditsStrong communication skillsExperienceMarch 2007 to PresentAmble Amble Unlimited, New Cityland, CAFinancial Reporting Analyst Managed extensive coverage of revenue forecasts during the companys preparation and transition to becoming a public company.Write, edit and review monthly expense and revenue forecasts.Compile and analyze financial data utilizing financial software.Create financial models using Excel for presentation at monthly department heads conference.Created spre adsheets for expense tracking and reporting.March 2002 to February 2007Masterson Solutions Unlimited, New Cityland, CAFinancial Reporting AnalystWorked with Accounting to develop schedule for reporting revenue forecasts.Trained and certified in needed software platforms in anticipation of the integration of reporting systems into a single platform.Reviewed and distributed monthly expense reports.EDUCATION2002 University of California, New Cityland, CABachelors of Science, AccountingCustomize ResumeWhy Is This a Good Financial Reporting Analyst Resume Sample?If you are wondering why the sample is so great, consider each part and what it does to help shape the flow of the whole. Not only does the financial reporting analyst resume sample fit into all the formal requirements of the genre by managing its items with concise bullet points and active language, it also presents a strong case for the qualifications of the candidate through the content it fits into that form. By selecting spe cific skills that relate to the technological and knowledge-based requirements for the job and ordering them to focus on those skills that are most vital to the position, the candidate puts the information a hiring manager looks for in places where its easy to find.On the stylistic side, keeping those skills concise and focused on the specifics also makes it easier to process them fast. This makes it more likely the hiring manager will continue reading to the work experience section quickly, naturally, and with an ease that allows him or her to take in your accomplishments and tie them to your skills intuitively. The financial reporting analyst resume sample keeps that flow moving nicely by using active verbs to push the action forward on every bulleted accomplishment under each position. Notice how the candidate has selected the positions that are the most relevant ones to the job. Moonlighting gigs, stopgap employment, and jobs that dont fit the career field do not have a place on a professional resume.When these moves come together, it is easy to landsee how the day-to-day application of those core skills leads to great results for your employers. This, in turn, makes you appear more interesting to hiring managers looking for people to call in for an interview. It does take time to revise to the point where these elements all work together, so budget time to edit.Why You Need a Strong Financial Reporting Analyst ResumeIts not just that the financial industry is competitive having a strong and highly tuned resume is about more than just being the most attractive candidate. The fact is, companies need a certain minimum skill set for specific positions, and the resume writing process is your chance to showcase exactly what your qualifications are. That means you will not only be making the case that youre the best candidate, you will be laying the groundwork for your employers understanding of your capabilities. At the minimum, that means showing that you meet all the requirements for jobs with a challenging skill set. A first-class resume, though, can also make you out to be a clear candidate for a career track, not just a job. Thats why it is important to use tools like the financial reporting analyst resume sample to groom your resume before submission.Costly Financial Reporting Analyst Resume Mistakes To AvoidThere are a few mistakes that will undermine a resume right away. Among them are obvious issues that you already know to be on the lookout for just because of common sense. Things such as keeping your resume free of spelling errors and using consistent formatting are important, but there are also mistakes that are specific to your industry that can set you back. Those include moves such as leaving off credentials, certifications, or licenses that either the skills or education sections should cover.Make sure you use the financial reporting analyst resume sample as a guide so you can keep your resume well-groomed and concise. Tha t way, you will avoid the costly mistakes that might make your resume land in the pass pile. You also want to make sure you include key skills whether or not they appear on the job description, including your quantitative reasoning and any software proficiencies that make you well-prepared for the job.ConclusionYour resume is more than just a document you use to apply for jobs, its an introduction to your skill set, attitude, and professional orientation. Its important to make it specific enough to really reflect those things while keeping your eyes on the skills prospective employers need to see to understand how well you fit the position, as in the financial reporting analyst resume sample.