Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Admins Face More Stress Than Ever Are You Showing Your Appreciation

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Admins Face More Stress Than Ever Are You Showing Your Appreciation Now that Administrative Professionals Week has come to a close, I wanted to reflect on my admin-related experiences over the years. Fresh out of college, I was the admin. I answered the front desk phone at my PR agency, processed my boss’ expenses, and set up meeting logistics in addition to my account management responsibilities. I will never forget the day I hopped in a cab and drove from New York City to Raleigh, NC because a client needed a contract with a wet signature and the mail wouldn’t get it there on time. As my career grew, I was fortunate to share an admin with my team. This woman worked long hours behind the scenes to ensure that we could all do our jobs effectively. I was always low on the totem pole in the admin’s eyes, so I went out of my way to express gratitude and engender her goodwill. She once told me she wished I was the boss, and the comment made my day. Another admin with whom I worked had the most prestigious role in the whole organization besides her boss, the CEO. She was frustrated with her life of alternating mindless and firefighting tasks, so I said: “You do realize you have the ear of the CEO, and that makes your opinion more valuable than anyone else’s.” She hadn’t thought about it that way, but it was true. Admins Continue to Juggle Mightily For the last four years, Stapleshas issued an online survey in honor of Administrative Professionals’ Day in April. This year’s results, which featured responses from both admins and non-admins, highlight the growing workload of administrative assistants across the United States and Canada. More than half of admins support more staff than the previous year, and many admins are taking on responsibilities above and beyond their job descriptions, including budget and payroll (46.7 percent), human resources (43.9 percent), and social media (23.1 percent). Admins were rated as better creative problem solvers (57.4 vs. 42.5 percent) and more tech-savvy (43.4 vs. 29 percent) than their bosses. Respondents also said admins have a better sense of humor (58.7 vs. 46.1 percent), are better team players (61.5 vs. 44.4 percent), and are more likely to be described as a friend (44.3 vs. 29.4 percent) than the boss. And in an era when most change jobs every few years, admins are loyal. Close to half (45.6 percent) have been with their current company for six or more years. Support for Admins Takes Over Social Media I joined with Staples to co-host #CelebrateAdmins, a Twitter chat to voice support for admins who give so much and yet don’t always receive the appreciation they deserve. It was touching to see admins band together to empower one another, and also managers posting photos and raising virtual toasts to their right-hand men and women. Here are some highlights from the discussion: Brian Moran?@brianmoran A successful small business is only as good as their support staff. Its that simple. #CelebrateAdmins Kelly Olsakovsky?@KellyOlsakovsky Got a thank you from two of my bosses - who needs flowers when they take the time to express gratitude? #CelebrateAdmins Alexandra Levit?@alevit Humor is essential for A) keeping the mood light, and B) diffusing tension. Admins are the masters at both! #CelebrateAdmins Vanessa King?@manhattancanuck Occasionally you just have to shrug your shoulders... there are only so many mountains you can move in one day. #CelebrateAdmins JC?@whirlsy Virtual assistants work for smaller tasks like reminders for meetings, quick access to phone #s emails. #CelebrateAdmins Carrie Maslen?@carriemaslen Some tasks could be done virtually, but others need a personal touch, human intuition and decision making. #CelebrateAdmins Rebecca H. G.?@rhoneygee Its hard to find a job where you can stay 35 years anymore. #CelebrateAdmins Laura?@charmedpaper You (admins) have so many things going on at once that it is imperative to be organized. .#CelebrateAdmins Mr techy?@PoppaTechy (You must show) empathy for employees, compassion, understanding and professionalism at all times! #CelebrateAdmins Dk?@dad1111 My boss wasnt a team player but I made him look like one ;) #CelebrateAdmins

How Much For Professional Resume Writing Services?

How Much For Professional Resume Writing Services?It is important to know how much for professional resume writing services. This is so you can choose the right one to meet your needs. The different prices of these writing services vary greatly and may make it difficult to choose which one will be right for you. Therefore, before you spend any money on professional resume writing services, here are some questions that you need to ask the writer to help you make the best decision.How long does the writer take to get to work? You need to be able to trust the writer. Once you've hired a professional, you want to be sure that they will be available at your request. They should be available from Monday through Friday. This way you can be sure that they are working hard each day.How much does the writer charge per project? Again, you want to be sure that you are working with someone who has the experience to deliver quality work. Since you are paying for the service, you want to ensure tha t you are receiving what you expect. The pricing should be within your budget.Is the price competitive? You want to compare different prices of the same service to see which ones are cost effective. You can also see how much the services differ by seeing the company's website. Always look for price comparison sites that allow you to compare prices of a variety of services.Are there customer testimonials on the website for the professional resume writing services? This helps you to understand that the service is reputable and they are able to provide a quality service. Having this information will help you feel confident about the quality of the writing.What is the return policy for the professional resume writing services? You need to know what the policy is for getting a refund if you are unsatisfied with the service. This will help you feel comfortable with how the service works. This should be a minimum of thirty days, but sometimes the service can offer a refund as soon as the f irst batch of resumes is delivered.How much for professional resume writing services? Some writers will offer to create the resumes at no cost and others will charge a reasonable fee for their services. Regardless of the price, you want to be certain that the service is in line with your needs.These are just a few questions that you should ask before you hire a writer to create your professional resume. Professional resume writing services can help you meet your personal or professional goals. You can find them online or you can meet with a professional writer to discuss your needs.

How To Focus On Jobs You Want; Forget Ill Take Anthing! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Focus On Jobs You Want; Forget “I’ll Take Anthing!” - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The next time an unemployed friend tells you “I’m looking for anything” or “I’m open to any job,” you have my permission to pull out one of those game-day big fan hands and gently slap them. Otherwise, please find another way to make it clear that just like a quarterback, they’re not going to send the ball into the end zone if they aren’t clear about their target. Anything and nothing are like flip sides of a music album â€" and they both sound like white noise, all but invisible and untraceable. Anything is as hard to picture as it is to remember â€" and your friend really needs people to remember her when a great job or prospect comes up in conversation. But how will you or her other friends know it’s a great fit if her search is so open-ended and vague? Anything also smacks of desperation â€" and that will slam some doors in your friend’s face. So start honing in on the specifics of the work you want â€" and what your best most marketable skills are to land it. “By having a focus, it allows people to help you and know how to help you,” said Robin Roggenkamp, a leadership and career coach at My Authentic Career. Many job seekers are reluctant to narrow their search; they think being broad and open will allow in many more opportunities, she said. But in truth, people who are targeted are more effective. Roggenkamp recalls a conference call of coaches a few years ago when different coaches were introducing themselves, one woman made a real impact. She coached feng shui business owners. It’s a narrow niche â€" and also a standout amid the sea of business coaches and life coaches. Job seekers also want to stand out.   “Make it real easy for them to remember you” and the kind of job you seek. Certainly in this economy it makes sense to be flexible and adaptable in our work expectations and plans. So I’m not suggesting you narrow your focus so only five such jobs exist in all of the English-speaking world. But if your search turns up 1,346,751 jobs, then it’s a bit broad. Another problem with the anything goes approach:   It gives new connections no clue to your expertise â€" whether it’s in online marketing for BtoB companies or on-boarding for nonprofits that are hiring. If you tell someone at a business mixer that you’re looking for a job as a graphic artist for an animal-focused business or organization, that is a clear target that will make it easy for that person to help.   If you tell her you’re looking for almost anything, she won’t know where to send you or how to categorize your talents. “If your resume covers a wide array of jobs and experience, make sure you have a compelling story to show the common threads,” said Trudy McCrea, chief executive of Achieve-It, an IT and finance recruiting firm in suburban Washington, D.C. Most jobs call for a depth of expertise. One way candidates can show that is by developing separate resumes for their business development experience and their technology background. “They have to be eloquent to come across as a specialist,” she said. A generalist who’s taken a few fill-in jobs may not stack up in most competitive searches. If your financial picture is such that you really need to take “any job” outside your career path, McCrea suggests you immediately find volunteer work or some seminars to keep your hand in your focused arena. So suggest to your job-seeking friend to craft a two to three sentence summary of what she’s looking for. “I’m looking for a job as a market researcher / development researcher for a nonprofit in Indiana. I want to use my research and communication skills at a place where my colleagues use their heads and hearts all the time.” That sounds so much clearer, targeted and memorable than saying, “I’ll take anything in the nonprofit field.” Author: Vickie Elmer regularly contributes articles on careers and small business to the Washington Post. She has collected a slew of journalism awards, large and small. Her career and workplace articles also have appeared in Fortune, Parents, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the Financial Times, the Chicago Tribune, Newsday and many more. She has been called “dazzling,” “incredibly competitive” “creative” and “prolific and feisty” by those who work with her. Elmer is the mother of three children and the co-owner of Mity Nice, a start-up that employs teens to sell Italian ice and sweet treats from a shiny silver cart in Ann Arbor, Mich. An active volunteer, she encourages kindness and creativity and embracing change, and she blogs and tweets under the moniker WorkingKind.

How Meditation Can Improve Your Performance at Work

How Meditation Can Improve Your Performance at Work In today’s competitive world we all want to perform our best in the workplace and make the boss proud. Workplace success isn’t just guaranteed by the work you do, but your interpersonal and social skills play an equally important role. You need to be confident, friendly and empathetic while dealing with customers, clients, and colleagues. There are times when we mess up because we are just having a bad day. Nonetheless, no one wants to be in a situation like that, so what’s the solution to these concerns? What is a way to enhance your performance? Meditation is the answer to all your worries! Let’s see how the calming activity can bring success to your work life. I Can’t Focus! Every day in the business world we face challenges and work under enormous pressures. We all know that even the slightest of mistakes may have huge impacts on the business and can get us in trouble. Every task requires mindfulness concentration and meditation helps you with it. While meditating, you learn to silence your thoughts and live in the present. This helps you pay attention and lessens the chances of making mistakes. Solely focus on your breathing, sit still in your place and maintain focus. Meditation also keeps you relaxed. If you want to stay fresh at work, you need to make sure you get proper sleep. Although the primary requirement is the perfect bedding, environment, and pillows that can help you sleep better, meditation also helps. Studies suggest that people who meditate can get better sleep. It also reduces stress which can enhance your productivity. I Am In a Bad Mood! So you have to deal with an angry customer who just won’t listen and keeps on shouting, but as a customer service representative, you need to remain calm. That is a tough job especially if you are already in a bad mood. You may also get in situations when you lose your calm over the pettiest issues and end up earning a bad reputation among your colleagues. Meditation is the solution to your problems. There are mini exercises that you can practice throughout the day to stay cool and change your mood.   If you are having a terrible day at work just close your eyes and think about the three things that make you happy.   This technique will bring you some positive energy. What about negative feedback? Few people positively take criticism and reflect on it while for others it just crushes their self-esteem. The simple techniques of mindfulness can teach you how to respond to criticism in a constructive manner. I want to be More Confident Self-confidence is crucial for excellent performance and productivity in the workplace. Whether you need to persuade a customer, win a client or present something to your boss, confidence is imperative. The competitive business environment demands you to tackle challenges while being positive and confident but what if you feel like you can’t do it or feel like quitting. These feelings are only destructive thoughts playing with your mind. Meditation will teach you how to let these feelings fade and focus on success. Usually, we lose confidence when we stress out; well we already know there are exercises to relieve stress and anxiety. So don’t let your worries get the best of you, practice calming techniques and improve your productivity at the office. Author Bio: Kelly Newman is a Fitness Trainer and blogger. She loves to write about everything related to fitness and diet and wants to help people adopt a healthier lifestyle. She works with the team behind Health Listed and does extensive research to provide people actionable health and nutrition information.

Monday Motivation Twitter helped me get a job

Monday Motivation Twitter helped me get a job Good morning! Here are your career links to start your week off right! Twitter helped me get a job: 5 Success Stories  by CBS Use your talents to earn extra income by Real Simple The worlds 100 most powerful women by Forbes Companies hiring in large volume by Careerbuilder.com 3 simple ways to get resume responses and company feedback by JobMob Special thanks today to Become.com for featuring Classy Career Girl on their Best of The Web list. Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.  â€" John Quincy Adams What is your goal this week?  Leave a comment or stop by  Facebook  and  share! What great posts around the web have you been reading?

9 Unexpected Careers in the Fulfillment Industry

9 Unexpected Careers in the Fulfillment Industry Photo Credit â€" twenty20.comWith the expansion of Amazon has come a corresponding hiring spree, with the conglomerate adding thousands of new jobs in fulfillment. When many prospective employees consider a career in fulfillment, the expectation is simple: long hours in a warehouse, few chances for advancement, and mundane manual labor.While this component of the fulfillment industry doesexist, this viewpoint is limited. This list is a compilation of some of the many career opportunities in the fulfillment industry that job-seekers may be surprised to learn are available.And if you find a company that dabbles in fulfillment that seems to be a good fit, don’t hesitate to contact them and demonstrate how you can add value!1.Web Development evalevalThere are many fulfillment companies that cover various components of the supply chain, but there is a great deal of overlap between them. As a result of intense competition, web development opportunities abound.Creating a stable, attracti ve, and client-friendly website is essential in this industry, and talented web developers are in high demand. The best part about this high demand is that you will largely have freedom to work with a firm who will enable you to adhere to your creative vision. 2. Graphic DesignImaging and branding go hand in hand, and with the glut of competition, fulfillment companies are constantly in need of creative people who can help message their services creatively and engagingly.Graphic designers who work in fulfillment will also have more autonomy as opposed to other industries â€" many graphic designers will be the sole departmental employee in even a moderately large fulfillment company. As a result, you will have the opportunity to have a very strong hand in articulating brand direction.3.Machine LearningThe Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence craze has already taken the automotive industry by storm, but there are far many opportunities beyond that.Automation is here to stay, a nd creating systems that optimize processes or automate them intelligently are going to be vital in the future of fulfillment and logistics.The logistics industry has its roots in optimization and data reconciliation, and algorithm development informs many inventory management systems and optimized routing systems. Cutting-edge fulfillment companies who aspire to grow and compete with industry titans will be eager to recruit talented candidates in these fields.4.Account ManagementevalB2B customer service is significantly different than the B2C experience that many job seekers shudder at in revulsion. Whereas B2C customer support jobs are often designed to burn out employees, B2B customer service can best be understood as account management, and this is especially true in the fulfillment industry.As an account manager, you will have a book of clients that will identify you as the face of the company to them. You will help them understand your company’s platform, build a relationshi p based on trust, and advocate for them to various other departments.Account managers are key to retention, and job seekers with this skill set are in high demand at every fulfillment company.5. Media RelationsevalFulfillment companiestypically serve eCommerce clients nowadays. One of the best ways to reach these prospective clients is to have your brand referenced in a blog, magazine, or podcast that they engage with.evalAs a media relations employee in the fulfillment industry, you will be tasked with a variety of challenges including identifying these publications, soliciting quotations from team members who can offer valuable insight, and building relationships with reporters, bloggers, and podcasters so that when the opportunity for inclusion arises, you’ll be there!Any successful fulfillment company will need someone in media relations to build and maintain this bridge.6.MarketingMarketing opportunities abound in the fulfillment industry. From email campaign creation to on-p age and off-page SEO building and everywhere else in between, marketers are responsible for driving the message and outreach of the company and are instrumental in cultivating brand identity.You will have the opportunity to utilize SEO and SEM techniques, understand how successful ad campaigns work, develop email outreach strategies, create content for your blog and for other publications, and coordinate messaging with clients to ensure high retention rates.Any fulfillment company without a solid marketing team will likely not be in business for very long, so this is a skill in extremely high demand.7. Trust and SafetyThe trust and safety industry is growing quickly, since platforms â€" which includes fulfillment companies and inventory management solutions as well as the eCommerce firms they support â€" are increasingly besieged by fraudsters and baseless detractors whose sole aim is to tarnish the brand of a company.As a trust and safety analyst, you will have a background in loss prevention, community management, investigation, and preferably dashboard structuring.8. OperationsMany graduates holding degrees from Industrial Engineering and Operations Research end up working in consulting firms or in the financial services industry.However, if you want to apply your learnings, you will find that the processes present in the fulfillment industry will provide you ample opportunity to demonstrate your ability to optimize processes and procedures.evalIf you are the type of person who prefers to be actively involved in the process â€" actually there in the warehouse or fulfillment center with your co-workers, as opposed to spending the majority of your time secluded from the fruits of your labor â€" this type of career opportunity might interest you.9. Human ResourcesIf you have an interest in growing your career as a human resources professional, you might find the fulfillment industry to be a good match for you. The simple truth is that fulfillment presents a se t of challenges unique to the industry, but highly desirable and translatable elsewhere.Many fulfillment companies hire a mix of salaried employees, hourly employees, and independent contractors. The labor laws surrounding these distinct groups are largely blurred, and it will be your job to communicate to executives the difference between how these groups must be handled.You will also have the chance to impact employee and executive relations and be a major part of culture development. With turnover rates in the fulfillment industry historically high, you will have a decent chance of making a case to a fulfillment center why they should consider hiring you as their HR specialist.There are many other opportunities in the fulfillment industry for industrial engineers, accountants, human resources, etc. However, this list also hopefully reminds you that many industries are far more intricate and have significantly more opportunities than might ordinarily seem apparent.evalFulfillment is one of those industries, and you can find wonderful opportunities with industry-leading companies today.

Journey into leadership Performance appraisals - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Journey into leadership Performance appraisals - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This post is part of a series that follows A.M. Starkin, a young manager taking his first major steps into leadership. Starkin writes here to share his experiences and to get input from others, so please share with him your thoughts and ideas. Two weeks ago I asked this: Should I keep believing in my unpopular deputy? Will I be able to sell anything? Never tried. And will my operations manager finally begin taking initiative? With regards to the first there were quite a lot of comments in response, and I think once I made it clear how reliable the words about my deputys cheating were, people agreed with me that I should stay on the track of coaching her instead of firing her. Today was the day were we did the yearly performance appraisal through a rigid and elaborate procedure. She had clearly prepared an efficient and versatile defense, bringing papers to prove this and that. I began by telling her in some detail what a great person I find her to be and that I thought she could go far with her skill set if she developed this and that trait. I think I managed to keep her listening and talking honestly for two hours, which is not bad! I was expecting to have to fight in order to keep her defenses down, which didnt seem necessary. Theres a lot to absorb, because among suggested ways to develop, objectives for 2007 and a lot of scores and grades, there was some honest feedback about her disloyalty and her very varying morale. It ended up a very constructive dialogue, where we agreed on a lot of things she need to work on, and I think it cleared up something for me: If I plan on doubling activities in here within 12 months, I need her to do much more. And as mentioned I have only 1 day per week to give. So, I more or less decided as a result of our discussion -to stop managing emails, financials, etc etc for at least a couple of months, so that I can focus on giving my deputy and our ops manager the skills they need to work on our strategy independently. I plan on spending my weekly day here: 1) Doing a meeting to get a feel of what is happening and give people a chance to discuss 2) Meeting with each manager (have 3 in total) to go through their action plans and coach them to deliver. 3) Be really happy and an example of how positive it is possible to be in the face of all the hardships we have. and thats it! Lets see how that works out. With regards to my ops manager he is definitely a firework of initiative and ideas, but he has begun to do what I tell him. Lets see! And sales? I wont have time but I have the green light to hire a salesperson. Yes! More in a couple of weeks I simply HAVE to go skiing now! AM Starkin Previous posts by A.M. Starkin. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How to Dress Professionally on a Budget

How to Dress Professionally on a Budget 7 Subscription Box Services “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” That’s the mantra meant to motivate employees to dress their best at work if they hope to climb the ladder of corporate success. But for many just stepping on the first few rungs, the small paychecks are not enough to revolutionize their wardrobe. Enter clothing rental subscriptions, an increasingly common way to keep your work wardrobe fresh and professional without dropping hundreds at designer outlets every few months. Clothing rental subscriptions are hassle-free and surprisingly affordable. Consider upping your fashion game at work with one of these subscription boxes â€" you’ll stay on top of your budget and still look amazing. 7 Subscription Box Services Frank and Oak The Frank and Oak monthly subscription starts with a style survey that gives the team of stylists an idea of what you wear at the office â€" or would if you could afford it. Each month, these stylists will put together a box of three recommended pieces for you (though you can customize it if there’s something else you want). Try them on at home and only keep what you love. You can skip a month without any fees and cancel at any time. Frank and Oak also has a monthly style plan for men. What you’ll pay: $25 monthly styling fee. This fee can be applied to any item(s) you decide to keep. Dia Co The structure of the Dia Co subscription box is similar to that of Frank and Oak, except Dia carries sizes 14 and up exclusively. With a monthly subscription to Dia Co, you’ll get five pieces, handpicked by a team of stylists who have reviewed your profile. Like Frank and Oak, you’ll pay only for what you love and can ship the rest back. What you’ll pay: $20 monthly styling fee. This fee can be applied to any item(s) you decide to keep, plus you’ll get 25% off when you buy everything. The Mr. Mrs. Collection One of the only plans on this list that creates styles for women and men, The Mr. Mrs. Collection offers flexible pricing depending on your needs. Stylists surprise you with looks based on your preferences and feedback, as well as your size and the weather that season. You can keep those styles as long as you want and then return them for a new pack â€" or purchase any pieces you want to keep. Shipping, returns and even dry cleaning are free, and membership gets you discounts up to 50% off retail pricing. What you’ll pay: $59/month for three items in a pack, once a month; $69/month for four items in a pack, once a month; $89/month for three items in a pack, unlimited packs per month; or $99/month for four items in a pack, unlimited packs per month. Gwynnie Bee Gwynnie Bee is a two-item-a-month subscription box specializing in sizes 10 to 32. You can wear and return the pieces each month or decide to buy one or both at prices lower than retail. The subscription also includes free shipping, unlimited exchanges and free dry cleaning. What you’ll pay: $49/month Le Tote Le Tote’s subscription box follows the industry standards: Wear everything in your monthly tote as much as you want, and then return to get your next tote. Alternatively, you can purchase items from the tote at up to 50% off retail prices. Le Tote’s stylists make suggestions on what ships, but you ultimately decide what your box contains each month. A subscription to Le Tote includes free priority (two to three days) shipping and returns. The number of items in your monthly tote will vary depending on the balance of accessories and clothing. You can skip a month at no cost and cancel whenever. Le Tote also offers maternity clothing, which means expectant mothers can avoid dropping hundreds on business-professional maternity items they might never wear again. What you’ll pay: $69/month (Classic) or $79/month (Maternity) Rent the Runway Easily the most expensive option, Rent the Runway is only a wise investment if you are a businesswoman who regularly purchases high-end looks ranging in the $300 to $500 cost category. Rent the Runway gives you access to designer dresses, skirts, tops, accessories and more. With a subscription, you get unlimited rentals from 450-plus top brands, four at a time. The plan includes free shipping, insurance and dry cleaning. What you’ll pay: $159/month Elizabeth and Clarke Are you prone to spilling food or coffee on your blouses? Elizabeth and Clarke offers unstainable clothing, shipped every three months. The basic plans depend on the number of shirts you want for each season, but you can also opt in to a suit separates plan. All plans include free shipping, returns and exchanges and can be paused or canceled at any time. What you’ll pay: $60/shirt for one shirt, $50/shirt for two shirts or $40/shirt for three shirts Alternatives to Clothing Rental Subscriptions Are you a fan of the brick-and-mortar shopping experience but unwilling to pay insane designer label prices? You have more options. Discount fashion outlets are a great place to shop if you want clothes that are on trend (or maybe just a season or two out of trend). You’ll have more luck here if you are outside the most common size range, as these stores often carry clothing that did not sell well (lots of XS and XL). Thrift stores are also a viable option and highly affordable. You are more likely to find clothing in common size ranges here, but bringing the dated fashion into present day requires unique separates pairing and an eye for accessorizing. Have a minimalist aesthetic? Design your own capsule wardrobe and live off just a few crucial pieces. Finally, organizations like Dress for Success help women striving for economic independence with business professional attire for job interviews. Interested in even more savings? Check out this ultimate money-saving guide to save in every aspect of your life, from college to car insurance. Timothy Moore is an editor and freelance writer living in Germantown, Ohio, with his partner and their two dogs. Get everything you need to build a career you love by signing up for the newsletter.