Thursday, November 28, 2019

You Can Like Your Job and Still Get Sunday Scaries -The Muse

You Can Like Your Job and Still Get Sunday Scaries -The MuseYou Can Like Your Job and Still Get Sunday Scaries When it comes to my career, I consider myself lucky. I like my job, and I like the work Im doing and the people I do it with. Im bedrngnis saying this to brag, but rather because almost every Sunday at around 5 PM I get a pit in my stomach. Not necessarily a I need to get out or Maybe Im delusional and actually hate my job kind of pit (heres how to tell if your pit is that kind), but one thats too real to ignore.For the longest time, I wondered what was wrong with me. Even mora so, I felt guilty- I truly enjoy my job, so why did I feel this way every week? When I talked to someone about it, he replied with Of course its normal to get the Sunday Scaries.But I like my job, I tried to explain.Yes, but that doesnt mean its not daunting to face the next day. Its unknown- you have no idea what to expect, so thats going to be scary, he said.That really stuck with me. And it made se nse No matter how great work can be, youre never sure how great it will be. You may get bad feedback. You may make a mistake. You may spill coffee on your pants, have a horrible commute, and show up late to an important meeting. Of course, theres a flip side to this. You could have a great day in which nothing goes wrong and everything you wanted to go right does. But anything can happen and not knowing which way its going to go isnt a nice feeling.Science backs this up An article in Shape Magazine states that most of us arent mentally prepared to get back to the grind after just two days. Sometimes we dont spend enough time properly rejuvenating, and other times were prone to worrying- canceling out any positive effects our weekend mayve had on our mood. Another article by NBC News quotes Andrea Petersen, author of On Edge A Journey Through Anxiety and emphasizes that Sunday Scaries are about anticipation Work is one of our major stressorsAnxiety, to define it, is the anticipation of pain. If youre talking about anxiety in the workplace, it could be the anticipation that youre not going to be able to accomplish everything that week, or that youre gonna mess up somehow. Theres also another side to the of course its normal to get the Sunday Scaries coin thats worth mentioning. Trying to compare spending time with loved ones or going on a relaxing getaway with getting promoted or being congratulated for a big accomplishment at work is like comparing apples and oranges. Both can bring you satisfaction and joy, but theyre going to be different kinds of feelings. Its presumptuous (and frankly unproductive) to assume that your job will and should feel exactly like your weekends do.The first point is You shouldnt feel guilty when Sunday winds down. Feeling anxious about going to work on Sunday evening doesnt make you a confused person who hasnt found the right career. It just means youre a human being.And the second point is to make sure to make good use of your week ends- if you need rest and rejuvanation, do your best to actually get it On top of that, make sure you start a Friday afternoon routine at the office that sets you up for a little predicitabilty on Monday morning. Whether that means you write down your to-do list for the following week (or at least the first thing you need to do on Monday morning), or scheduling something that you know will go well, such as a coffee break with a work friend, do it You cant plan every minute out, but you can put a few things into place thatll make that transition back into the office a bit easier.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Survey Assistants save managers 8+ hours a week, on average

Survey Assistants save managers 8+ hours a week, on averageSurvey Assistants save managers 8+ hours a week, on averageHave you ever realized just howmuch time your right-hand employee saves you at work?New research from staffing firm OfficeTeam, released ahead of Administrative Professionals Day on April 25, shows that administrative assistants save their senior managers 101 minutes daily on average, or mora than 8 hours weekly. Seventy-five percent of managers said these employees currently have more on their plate than five years prior.An independent research firm surveyed more than 600 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the United States and Canada, on behalf of OfficeTeam,according to the press release.Here are some points that stood out.All managers realize their assistant plays a critical roleWhile the research found that 100% of the supervisors surveyed think that their assistant is important to their success, 64% agreed that administrative employees cur rently have a more promising career-growth track than five years ago.Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam, commented on the research in a statementMost executives would be hard-pressed to get through a day without the help of their assistant Administrative professionals go out of their way to make things easier and more efficient for those around them. Theres no question they deserve to be recognized for their daily contributions.The research included examples of ways assistants have reportedly gone above and beyond at work, includingChased a delivery van to retrieve a missing packageHelped review resumes, post jobs and organize interviewsWorked with the HR team to set candidate compensation packages and send offer lettersTrained fellow employees on technology toolsGave birthday cards and flowers to each team memberWith all of this in mind, there are also specific things bosses can do to manage their assistants wellDont make them feel like theyre doing a thankless jo bDiane Gottsman, author, modern manners and etiquette expert, and owner of The Protocol School of Texas, writes in The Muse that as a manager, you should show your gratitude.A great assistant eases your workload and makes you look good, so be generous with praise when its due. A staff meeting or office event is a great place to publicly show your appreciation, but also never overlook an opportunity to show your gratitude with a simple, verbal great job. You can also treat him or her to the occasional cappuccino or pair of movie tickets. A good employer knows that happy employees make their bosses lives much easier she writes.Be sure to listen to themYou might want to make sure you dont get distracted by your phone while youre at it because it makes employees trust you less. So dont make the mistake of cutting off your assistant every time they try to tell you something important - it might just snowball into a larger problem.Gottsman also suggests that you let them know what you ne ed and are receptive to their feedback as well.Dont micromanage themGive them chances to shine on their own.Breathing down your assistants neck might just discourage them from doing more than the bare minimum - it couldjust push them away. Since research has found that the top source of employees office stress is unclear goals, make yourexpectations are abundantly clear instead.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Job Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to Know

Job Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to KnowJob Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to Know6When youre job searching online, its all about maximizing your efficiency. After all, you dont want to languidly job search you want a job now. If youre job searching online, below arethebest practices you need to know.Here are eight best practices you need to know about job searching online1. Dont wait.Its late at night and youre perusing job postings. You spot one that catches your eye and think, Oh, Ill apply for that position in the morning. Dont. Chances are, if that job caught your eye, it also caught the eye of dozens (if not hundreds) of other job seekers, too. They might not wait until morning light to send in their job application, and you shouldnt either. When you spot a job you really want, apply for it right then. Dont delay.2. Use smaller, niche job sites.Even though everyone does it, job searching is a very personal experience. As such, it makes sense that you w ant to make your search as specific as possible. Using smaller, niche job sites- like - can ensure that you not only will find legitimate telecommuting and flexible jobs (and avoid job scams that are often found on larger job search boards), but that youll also have a speedier and happier search because youre not sifting through millions of unrelated job listings to find the gems that match your needs.3. Sign up for job alerts via text or email.Sometimes, you dont want to wait until the belastung minute to find out about a new job listing, especially from a company you really want to work for. Signing up for job alerts via text or email means that youll learn about job listings right as they go live. It can make all the difference between your job application winding up at the top- or the bottom- of the resume pile.4. Apply to the newest jobs first.Lets say you find a job that really intrigues youbut its also a three-week-old listing. Applying for it might end up in a job interview, but maybe not. Hiring managers might cap the amount of resumes they receive by a certain date (possibly a week or two), and if you send yours in too late, its like you never sent it in at all. Whenever possible, apply for the newest jobs first so you position yourself as the key candidate5. Pinpoint companies over jobs.You know you want a full-time telecommuting IT job, but you really dont care what company you work for. Sometimes, though, its better to target the companies that youd like to become an employee of rather than the job you want. Switching your job search mindset to focus on companies first might help expedite your job search and allow you to find a position that hasnt been posted on job boards yet.6. Make sure your social media is professional.If someone were to ask you, youd say youre active on social media. You like to post pictures of your cat, and you often vent your thoughts (in 140 characters or less) on Twitter. But that doesnt a professional social media prese nce make, so its in your best interest to clean up your online image ASAP. Start by setting your existing profiles to private, and remove any unflattering photos or comments if possible (that includes asking your friends to take down those incriminating pictures of you from the New Years Eve party). Once youve done that, start new social media accounts that show the professional side of you- and update them often. After all, hiring managers are notorious for scoping out potential job seekers online, so you want to make sure you always put your best foot forward- in real life and online, too.7. Have a LinkedIn profile.Beyond the usual social media suspects (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.), the big daddy of social media accounts that every job seeker should have is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the easiest way to showcase your skills, education, and work experiences to a potential employer- and it is possibly the number one social media profile an employer would check out first. Make sure yours is current, polished, and showcases you in the most attractive (and hirable) light possible.8. Reach out. If theres one company you desperately want to work for, but it hasnt posted any positions youre qualified for, theres absolutely no reason why you cant simply reach out anyway. Contact the hiring manager and introduce yourself, explaining how much you love the company (do your research first before making the call) and the type of position youre looking for. Chances are, he will have you send in your application anyway. While this might seem like a waste of time, it isnt. Your resume will be saved, and when the position you want opens up, your job application will be at the top of the list, before any other job seeker.Job searching online can be tedious but there are ways to make it work in your favor. These need-to-know job search tips can help create a job search experience that yields an amazing job opportunity meant just for you.Readers, do you follow any of these tips? What else have you found to be useful when job searching online? Let us know in the comments