4 Myths About Finding and Having a Mentor - The Muse

4 Myths About Finding and Having a ratgeber - The Muse4 Myths About Finding and Having a MentorI know youve heard it before- having a mentor is good for your career. They can help you get a job, negotiate benefits, figure out your career path, or even guide you through a sticky work situation.But the idea of having to find and ask someone to be your mentor can be intimidating. Who would you even ask? What do you even talk to them about? A lot of these fears can prevent us from seeking out someone to lean on, but in reality a mentorship relationships easier to cultivate than you think. To prove it, I talked with four of my fellow Musers about their experiences.Myth 1 You Need to Formally Ask Someone to Be Your MentorAlex Osten, an account manager, started meeting with the dean of herbei business school during her juniorchefin year at Pace University. As someone who was very involved in the school, she wanted to share her feedback and had heard that the dean loved working with and list ening to students. We eventually started talking about me and my aspirations and built a natural relationship over time, says Osten. By the time she reached the end of her junior year, they were meeting about once a month to discuss her next steps after college.Having someone I admired who I could casually ask for career advice and learn soft skills from was super helpful. I never formally asked him to be my mentor, but our relationship evolved into a friendship as we kept in touch after graduation through email, phone, social media, and meeting for coffee every once in a while, says Osten. Let the relationship progress naturally, suggests Osten. Find someone who has a career you admire and ask to take them to coffee. Asking for casual career advice can be a great gateway into mentorship Read More 4 Secrets to Finding a Mentor Whos Perfect for YouMyth 2 Your Mentor Has to Be in Your FieldTalent Acquisition Coordinator Jae Young had remote experience in their field, but was looking t o gain experience working in an office. My previous internship gave me the right kind of field experience for my career interests, but I never got to meet anyone, have my own desk, join a meeting, or work on a team, says Young. So, when a family friend mentioned that he needed urgent help with his business, 24 Hours of Lemons- a motorsports company- Young decided to take a chance and ask for an internship. They went on to work seasonally for the company for six years.Though the motorsports industry didnt interest Young- and ironically they didnt have a drivers license- they found aspects of the business that they enjoyed, such as the strong, diverse community and the circus-like showmanship of the races. Working alongside an entrepreneur also gave Young a lot of exposure into the field of entrepreneurship, which wasnt an area theyd previously considered. Its been very beneficial for me as a professional to have someone to talk to who has an executives perspective to help me navigate challenges, who can be trusted to be truthful, and who cheers me on. Surprisingly, Ive realized in working with him that Id really like to be an entrepreneur myself, says Young.As Young can testify, its useful to have an open mind when considering eignung mentors Most of the information thats relevant to your industry you can find anywhere. Its way more important that your mentor is someone that you can speak candidly with- their relevance to your field doesnt necessarily matter. Through my mentorship, I was able to learn a lot about how all businesses work, even if the industry wasnt the same as my career aspirations. Read More The Totally Random Contact Who Can Boost Your Career and Make You Better at Your JobMyth 3 Your Mentor Has to Live in the Same City as YouMarcia Howard, Production Director, was feeling a little lost in her career after becoming a mom. I wasnt sure whether or not I wanted to go back to work and needed help figuring out what my career path would be if I did go back, recalls Howard. Thankfully, shed kept in touch with her former babo from when she worked at a startup in Berlin.After I moved back to America and shed moved to London, we kept in touch by emailing back and forth about once a month, says Howard. We would mostly talk about our lives outside of work, so we got to know each other better on a personal level. This personal relationship is what prompted Howard to ask her former boss for advice, who sent Howard specific thought exercises that helped her find her career path.According to Howard, she actually got more out of the relationship by communicating with her mentor over email as opposed to meeting with her in person. Im better at expressing my thoughts when I have time to think them over instead of being put on the spot, she says. If you feel similarly, Howard suggests If you work with someone you trust and admire, keep in touch with them through email after youre no longer working together. That way, when you need guidance, you always have someone you can turn to.Read More How Do I Ask My Former Boss to Be My Mentor?Myth 4 You Can Only Have One MentorEarly in his career, Daniel Zana- now a senior video editor- was working as an assistant editor for a number of reality shows. Editors in this field work for the duration of a shows season, which can range anywhere from three weeks to six months or more. From a practical standpoint, that means they have new co-workers all the time, and therefore access to a lot of potential mentors. Since I was still somewhat green in the ways of editing for TV, I learned that I could pop in and ask questions of the various editors. I quickly learned that certain editors were great for graphics questions, others were better to talk about the process, some were best to discuss career growth, and some preferred to work quietly and didnt like to be disturbed, says Zana.The main takeaways from Zanas experience is that you shouldnt turn to only one person for advice, and that mentors can be anyone- even the person sitting next to you.Get a lay of the land and try to get a sense of who you can ask for what. And remember that by asking questions, you not only will learn new things, but youre showing engagement and interest in the job youre doing, advises Zana. Read More 5 Surefire Ways to Get Career Advice Thats Useful to YouInspired to find a mentor yourself? As these stories prove, they can come from anywhere, and finding one doesnt have to be complicated. So tap into your network and get the guidance you need.

What if we just banned meetings

What if we just banned meetingsWhat if we just banned meetingsThe no-meeting day has recently become a phenomenon of sorts. The idea is to give employees an entire work day that their company, department or team has designated 100 percent meeting-free. Companies in the technology, healthcare and business sectors have been eager to implement this practice to create space for employees to engage in focused work for a full day. An organization that adopts this approach views meetings as a disruption to daily productivity.As a team collaboration expert, I fully support finding ways to increase employees uninterrupted work time. However, without efforts to address the root causes of unproductive meetings, the power of the no-meeting day is limited.The no-meeting day doesnt solve the root problem of unproductive meetingsThe no-meeting day has some benefits. Teams that adopt this practice report an increase in productivity. However, eliminating meetings on a given day simply pushes unproduc tive meetings off to other weekdays, potentially making those days mora stressful. Plus, the no-meeting day is not a panacea for every kind of team. Consider sales or client-facing teams that require regular real-time interaction with people Cross-functional teams may not fully benefit unless every team or department implements the practice.There is no one-size-fits-all approach different individuals and different tasks require working in different ways. Extroverts may prefer having their days broken into segments of individual and group activity. Also, certain tasks are better completed as a group.If you do choose to have a no-meeting day, team leaders shouldEmbrace the practice and create a culture that supports it. You should model the rule by not scheduling meetings on the designated days. Mixed messages can confuse employees and damage trust.Clearly communicate the goal of implementing the practice to your people, which is to provide more uninterrupted work time. You should als o provideguidance for implementationand take steps to ensure employee buy-in and commitment.Not rely solely on the no-meeting day to solve an organizations problem with meetings. The day should be a part of an overall strategy that addresses the root causes of those problems.How to make meeting days work for you, tooWhile a no-meeting day might be a good start, a more thoughtful approach is to havefewer and more effectivemeetings every day of the week. Try the following holistic approaches to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of your meetings.Cancel any meeting that doesnt have an agenda with a clear meeting outcome.Sound extreme? Its just practical. Many of my clients share that defining a meetingsdesired outcome, or what they intend to achieve in a meeting, is the most helpful meeting practice theyve ever adopted. Status update meetings and recurring meetings often lack the desired outcome People meet out of habit instead of thinking critically about the event.If youre n ot the meeting leader and you receive a meeting invitation without the desired outcome, be proactive and ask the meeting leader to provide one. Remember If a meeting leader cant clearly articulate the outcome shed like to achieve in a meeting, the meeting will likely be a waste of time.Encourage team members to decline meetings if its not the best use of their time.One advantage of a no-meeting day is that it gives employees permission to decline a meeting. If a meeting is not the best use of ones time, allow a team member todecline the meeting and offer alternative ways to contribute. For example, you can ask team members who will miss a meeting to provide thoughts in advance via email or chat.End every meeting with a wrap-up.A meeting wrap-up clarifies what was - or wasnt - accomplished. Capture the next steps, decisions and key learnings so what was agreed upon in the meeting does not get forgotten or lost, and there is follow-through on tasks. Wrap-ups provide an opportunity to solidify alignment and celebrate the meetings results. Allocate three-to-five minutes on your agenda for the meeting wrap-up.If the no-meeting day was created to provide employees more focused time for work, the next step is to improve and reduce the number of meetings that they do attend.Mamie Kanfer Stewart is the Founder CEO ofMeeteorand author ofMomentum Creating Effective, Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings. This article originally appeared at Business Collective.

3 Networking Strategies to Take Your Career to the Next Level

3 Networking Strategies to Take Your Career to the Next Level3 Networking Strategies to Take Your Career to the Next Level3 Networking Strategies to Take Your Career to the Next LevelIn the journey of networking, its not what you know, who you know, or even who knows you. Its whose life is better because you know them.Whether youre writing the next chapter of your career or hoping to take your current career to the next level, consider these three strategies to help you make the most of each networking opportunityGenerosity is never having to keep scoreInsurgent, the second book in the best-selling dystopian trilogy Divergent, presents two schools of thought on relationships. Peter, who gets sick to his stomach at the idea of being indebted to another person, believes that people only do things for you for one of two reasons If they want something in return or if they feel like they owe you something. A typical cynic, hes chronically paranoid about whos winning in the relationship. I ts death by scorecard. Scarcity thinking. Running a race that isnt being held, winning a trophy that doesnt exist.Tobias, on the other hand, reminds him that those arent the only two reasons people do things for you. Sometimes they do them because they love you. Thats the healthiest, smartest and frankly, least labor-intensive approach to business relationships. Throwing away our scorecards. Treating networking as an infinite field, where were not playing to win, were playing to keep the game going. And in the process, we create growth for all parties involved, no matter what the score is.Ive found this approach to relationships to be surprisingly liberating. Instead of trying to arrive at some static point of perfect balance with each other, which, frankly, is a perfectionist ideal thats never found in actual life, were free to enter the mysterious complexity of the interpersonal dynamic. Were able to tear up our scorecards, accept the fact that nobody really wins at relationships, and generously extend acceptance, forgiveness,and gratitude to each other without the pressure of counting. Remember, racking up points blocks the flow of new opportunities. The moment somebody starts keeping score, the relationship starts to die.LET ME ASK YOU THISAre you poisoning your relationships by keeping track of who sacrifices more?LET ME SUGGEST THISAt your next networking event, write on the back of everyones business cards a short message about one tangible way you might be able to help them. Email them the next day with your ideas. Pay it forward.I find something new every time Im with youColtranes band welches famous for playing the same songs in the second set as they played in the first one, just to see if they could find something new they didnt find earlier in the evening. Of course, they always did. They never stepped in the same musical river twice. Thats the beauty of jazz. If you do it right, redundancy becomes a mathematical impossibility.The same rule applie s to the networking process. If we impose a standing order of curiosity, and discovery and growth, practicing the discipline of seeing things with wide-open wonder, we make it easy to find something new every time were with each other. Its all about surprise.Neuroscientists have actually conducted mountains of research on this very issue, proving that the human brain hates boredom and loves surprises. In fact, regardless of whether or not people say they like surprises, typically lifes unexpected pleasures are more rewarding than expected ones. Thats all surprise is. Its the emotion we feel when we encounter the unexpected. And if we commit to seeking what is fresh, spontaneous and interesting in the same place we looked for it yesterday, nothing can strip us of myriad opportunities for wonder.Every new season becomes an opportunity to grow closer to each other to learn to understand one anothers evolving business needs as the years go by. And thats a really courageous form of inter personal growth. Still hoping for fresh wind. Still weaving a tapestry of pure joy and beauty. Still wanting to get lost in a private world of our own personal delight and awe.LET ME ASK YOU THISHow many of your relationships have enough uncertainty to make life sizzle and renew your sense of wonder?LET ME SUGGEST THISNext time you have lunch with a colleague, see if you can finish your meal first. That means youre asking the most questions and talking the least.RelatedSocial Networking How to Connect with Potential Employers zugnglichWhat can you do in five minutes that will change somebodys life?Creating a value inventory can be a frustrating and uncomfortable exercise. Especially if youre too humble to turn off your modesty filter. But if youre willing to engage your imaginations, own your authentic power and honestly appraise that which you bring to the table, theres no telling what you might accomplish. I have a friend who loves to ask his clients what they can do in five minut es that will change somebodys life.Its an extraordinary question for several reasons. For starters, it contains the verb do. This stimulates an action-oriented, interpersonal, skill-based response. It forces you to think about past experiences in which you expended emotional labor and had a profound impact on another person.The next element is the time constraint. By only giving yourself five minutes, it challenges you to concentrate your value into a practical, tight package that allows the person on the receiving end of your value to imagine the full scope of your power.And finally, theres the element of changing somebodys life, which is the kind of thought experiment the average person doesnt give themselves permission to conduct.LET ME ASK YOU THISWhat can you do in five minutes that will change somebodys life?Ive had numerous moments like that in my own life on both sides of the equation. People, friends, mentors,and clients have made observations, given feedback, asked questio ns, and imparted strategies that literally altered my trajectory forever. Conversely, Ive also sat down with people on a number of occasions and offered the same life-changing gift to them.Both of these highly human experiences make you feel fully alive, fully present to the possibilities of life. And the exciting part is, each one of us can take part, but only if were willing to accept and deploy the love that makes it possible. Hoff explained it best in his translation of the ancient eastern scripture. No matter how useful we may be, sometimes it takes us a while to recognize our own value. If you want to gain a better sense of your highest abilities, ask and answer the question.LET ME SUGGEST THISNext week, email five colleagues and ask them the same question about your own value. This will help you gain a broader understanding of your abilities for your career progression.Remember, the secret to networking is that its not about being the life of the party, its about bringing oth er people to life at the party. Starting today, stop keeping score, lead with your curiosity and think about the kind of value you can deliver in short bursts.Click on the following link for more networking advice.Is your resume ready for your new networking connections? Find out with a free resume critique.Recommended ReadingNetwork Like an Expert Networking Tips From the Industrys Finest5 Ways to Network With Your Current ColleaguesHow to Make the Most of Your Next Networking Event

Heres How to Avoid the Job Search Black Hole

Heres How to Avoid the Job Search Black HoleHeres How to Avoid the Job Search Black HoleFortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure you dont sit in radio silence after you submit your application to a prospective new job. We broke it down into a fewsimple steps.How to Avoid the Job Search Black HolePay attention to what the employer is asking for.Many times a job posting will define exactly what the company wouldlike to see in an application. If youre required to fill out an application, fill out as many fields as you possibly can instead of just uploading your resume or cover letter into the file upload field. If youre asked to apply with just a cover letter, spend time crafting one that is unique, thoughtful, and informative.Be sensitive to formatting too, Robin Madell wrotein a U.S. News World Reportarticle.Extra bells and whistles on your resume like logos, charts and shading are a bad idea with an electronic system, since the ATS may not be able to register them. Clickin g theauto apply button and disregarding important application instructions wont do you any favors when youre hoping to keep your application from getting sucked into a black hole.Customize your resume and cover letter for each job listing.Use some of the saatkorn words and phrases that appear in the job posting in your resume, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.com, saidin an article on Forbes.com. The computer will then recognize them and move your resume toward the top of the pile because you will be a match. But dont just cut and paste the job posting into your resume or cover letter. If the computer doesnt catch it, the hiring manager definitely will, and it could hurt your chances of moving forward with an interview, she said.Besides using technology to get your application to the front of the line, hiring managers will be able to tell that youve crafted a thoughtful application and it will increase your chances of being recognized as a great f it.Proofread, proofread, proofread.Triple check that you havent made any grammatical or spelling errors- one small mistake could cost your chances of receiving an interview request. To be sure, its always best to have a friend or relative proofread your resume and cover letter for you before you send it.Utilize your network.The work doesnt end after youve applied. Having a contact, whether personal or professional, is an important relationship to leverage getting your resume into the right hands. The best way to make sure your resume is seen is by networking into the company,saidAnita Attridge, a Five OClock Club career and executive coach, in the Forbesarticle. Let your networking contact know that you have applied for a position, and ask that person if he or she would send your resume to the H.R. department with an endorsement of you as a candidate.Another way is to try to determine who the hiring manager is and send a resume directly to that person, with a letter asking for an in formational interview.Chances are you may not be the bestfit for the job, but if anything, your contact can let you know how the hiring process is going so youre not sitting in the dark.Follow up.I think resumes end up in the resume black hole if the person just responds to a posting or ad and does nothing else, Attridge told Forbes.Make the extra effort to get in contact with the companys human resources department or hiring manager. If you found the job posting on LinkedIn, try sending a thoughtful In-Mail to the hiring manager or professional who published the post. Try calling the HR department to see where they are in the hiring/interview process.Mary Elizabeth Bradford, author of The Career Artisan,told Forbes that taking an aggressive approach can pay off well. I think it would be futile to call H.R. and leave repeated voice messages, she said in the article. A better way is to contact a key decision maker through hard mail and follow up with a phone call. Go around H.R. That s provocative, right? Well, it works.Check Out These Additional Resume Tips

Getting the Best Resume Tense

Getting the Best Resume Tense Tense conveys a feeling of time. Resume writing is a daunting job. Writing a perfect resume isnt a simple job, but its the surest approach to acquire an interview. Theres an excellent chance it wont include all the keywords set out in the work description. A simple resume template is going to be yur very best bet. Thus, theres no need to attempt to build one resume profile or write one particular profile title that fits every position you wish to submit an application for. When you have publications or work samples which are connected to your job search, think about putting together one of your own. For instance, your private situation may be ideal for a Certifications and Courses Completed section. The post will give you interactive Tense Questions that are asked commonly in numerous examinations and previous papers. With our assistance, youll leid just possess the greatest possible resume, but you are going to also be fully ready for your interview, prepared to answer questions in a manner that highlights your wisdom and skills. If you wish to compose a functional Resume Templates then you are able to take assistance from the below-given sample functional resumes. Take into consideration the most crucial portions of your qualificationsthe things which you would want to have an employer to know right off the bat. By highlighting a couple of essential abilities and your existing aims, you give the recruiter or hiring manager a taste of whats to come in the remainder of your resume. Whether youre looking for your very first job or attempting to earn a career change, the procedure starts with your resume. Actually, if you prefer to occupy in work in the health care field, youll have to use different action words than a man who is aims at work in the sales sector. Details of Resume Tense Resume action verbs may have a constructive and memorable effect on the readers memory. Be certain to be thoughtful once you u se action verbs. Present tense verbs happen in the present, and future tense verbs occur in the future. The most suitable action verbs also eliminate the demand for adverbs, and sometimes, adjectives. Now have a look at your information technology resume. Keep in mind the idea of Less Is More and filter the information that you have in your job program, only including the relevant specifics. Have a look at the requirements for a number of jobs you want to apply for, and build a resume profile title that comprises the most crucial requirements from each. Choosing which to use is dependent upon the kind of job that you are applying for and your degree of experience. The following is an instance of how I advise you to do it, no matter the rules. Utilizing the previous tense FORM is only a signal, not the true shift that we see once an event is really finished. Resume action words supply a number of advantages. Picking the correct tense is important once youre beginning to compose a resume and apply to jobs. In case the job descriptions are practically the very same, it is not wrong to modify the work title on your resume. In your previous jobs, you will need to be sure everything is past tense. Functional resumes are extremely tricky and might or might not go nicely with the recruiters. They make it look like the applicant is trying to hide something from the recruiter. The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Tense Just because you had a position within the previous 7-10 decades, does not mean that you have to put it on there if its irrelevant or does not showcase a particular skill set that you wish to convey. If its a preceding job be sure to write your bullets in past tense. Dont forget, your resume should always underline the skills, experience, and accomplishments which are most relevant to your job targets. Professionally, our resumes are often the very first impression a prospective employer gets of us. What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You Abo ut Resume Tense Bearing that in mind, here are the best 7 grammar mistakes we see in resumes, and ideas on how to prevent them. You may be taken aback at the mistakes you find. Importance of Resume wording Resume wording is a significant factor to think about when constructing a resume. The resume wording ought to be employer-oriented so he knows what you could do for him.The response is that even if its an accomplishment that youre repeating, its still an accomplishment and in past tense. When writing your job descriptions you must be cautious in regards to the word tense. If youre not sure which words to use, find keywords in the work description. Deciding upon the most suitable words to describe job performance is very important.

Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense - the Story

Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense - the Story The active voice indicates the topic of the sentence doing the action, rather than an action being done upon the topic. To conclude, attempt to use the active voice whenever possible, but bear in mind once the passive voice is better suited to the scenario. If it doesnt make sense, its active. A third case of when you should think about passive voice is as soon as the action is more important than the agent. It is simpler to accidentally utilize passive voice whenever you are jotting down bullets and arent worried about them being full sentences. Utilizing action verbs in resume writing is as simple as any other type of writing, so long as you know what things to include and what things to look for. In the same way, you ought to keep your writing parallel inside your sentence structure. If its a complete sentence, then you are aware of youve got an introductory phrase and so will need to incorporate the comma. Facts, Fic tion and Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense You might want to look at using passive voice when you dont need to take credit for an important accomplishment by yourself and explaining your involvement or contribution to the achievement isnt warranted. You may even use three should you have over a decade of expertise and want a high-level executive position. In case it makes sense with the addition, its passive. A good example is if youre only one cog in the wheel for the department, but you wish to express the larger departments accomplishments. Dont forget, the resume is an outstanding means to demonstrate the employer or recruiter how hard youre prepared to do the job. For instance, utilize the present tense for your present position if you work, and use the past tense for positions before the present job. If so, present tense would make a huge alternative. Picking the most suitable tense is important once youre beginning to compose a resume and apply to jobs. Life, Death and Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense When you add the new one, all the tenses want to get changed to past. Keep in mind that action verbs arent the very same as keywords. The most suitable action verbs also eliminate the demand for adverbs, and sometimes, adjectives. Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense and Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense - The Perfect Combination In nearly all instances, it is better to use the active voice. Make certain that its ticked on. Active-voice sentences are generally shorter, and they emphasize the individual performing the action. Future Perfect refers to an action which will be completed later on. The present tense is utilized to express anything thats happening now or occurring in the current moment. Ask me why if youre interested. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense If youre writing another sort of job letter, tell your reader just what you desire. You would l ike to keep the reader centered on the topic. Using a serial comma is a problem under continual debate among experts so that it follows that resume writers do not agree on the topic, either. As an issue of fact, it is a perfectly acceptable bit of writing. The Debate Over Resume Writing Active Versus past Tense If youre an engineer writing to some other engineer, use technical language. You can also consistently evaluate productivity. Youre not in the work anymore, its in your past. In your previous jobs, you will need to be sure everything is past tense.