Keeping up to date with technology

Keeping up to date with technology Home Blogging Keeping up to date with technologyBloggingcareerKeeping up to date with technologyBy Alisha Aggarwal - September 12, 201720360Facebook Keeping up to date with technology is essential for every business owner, even those that aren’t considered “technology” companies.You deal with technology in your office productivity software, security system, air conditioning, computers and networks, phone systems, and much more. Whether it’s a simple cash register program that tracks inventory and daily purchases or a sophisticated network that links people and places around the globe, technology helps organizations maintain a competitive edge and build a strong presence in today’s business world.In today’s experience If you want to compete in today’s business world, then, it’s important to keep up to date with technology in order to get the most out of the technology you have, to keep abreast of emerging new technology, and to find the information that will help yo u make the right buying decisions.The strategy outlined below will cost very little, if anything, because it’s based on resources that you already have access to. And once you get the system down, the time required to keep up with technology â€" just minutes a day â€" will be a fraction of it’s worth to your business.  Keeping Up to Date With Technology: An Awareness StrategyA good technology awareness strategy boils down to four simple steps:Determine your needs.Assess the resources available to you.Rank the resources in order of usefulness to you.Make or allow the time to use the resources.Let’s take a closer look at each step.  Step 1: Determine Your Needs   Contents hide 1 Step 1: Determine Your Needs 2 Step 2: Assess the Resources Available to You ? 3 Step 3: Rank the Resources in Order of Usefulness to You? 4 Step 4. Make the Time to Use the Resources ? 5 Resources 6 Television/Radio 7 Newspapers 8 Magazines 9 Books 10 Internet 11 People 11.1 Tak ing Control You’ll determine your needs from the type of technology you live and work with, your existing knowledge base, and your learning style.First, regardless of the technology in question, we all need a better handle on the fundamentals, like electricity, magnetism, light, sound, fluid behavior, and other fundamentals as you need them. These are the building blocks. Knowing these basics will help you understand how electric motors work, why air conditioning cools, and so forth.Next, you’ll need to learn more about the specific devices you use. It may seem simplistic at first, but knowing how your cell phone works really can help you.Step 2: Assess the Resources Available to You  ?From books to magazines to the Internet to formal training sessions, you can find technology-related information in a variety of sources. In the next section, we’ll discuss the major categories you can look into. Explore your options and figure out which resources work for you.Step 3: Rank the R esources in Order of Usefulness to You?The good news is that there are a lot of resources. The bad news is that there are a lot of resources. Now you have to weed them out. Choose those resources that have even a small chance of working for you, and then rank them in terms of the subject matter (some will be more important than others), your learning style, and your lifestyle (do you prefer the Internet to the library?).  Step 4. Make the Time to Use the Resources  ?This is where the rubber meets the road. I promise that it won’t be a big burden, but you must do it! Some resources you’ll read only once and then you’ll move on. Other resources you’ll want to keep for future reference. If you truly integrate your technology education into your daily routine, it will only take a few minutes a day.ResourcesIt’s impossible to list all the resources available to you, but the following should give you a good start.Television/RadioBoth media have numerous shows dedicated to techno logy â€" documentaries, regular series, call-in QA shows, news items, and more. Encourage your team to find the programs they like and that deliver the best information so they can slip them into their schedule and stay informed.NewspapersAll the major newspapers cover technology issues in some way.In them, you’ll find listings of useful websites, QA columns, user tips, and product reviews. Such regular features enable people to learn a lot from a quick glance. Make it a habit to look for them, and when you or a member of your staff run across a useful item, cut it out and post it on the company bulletin board.MagazinesNumerous magazines cater to the technology market. Browse through some of them to determine which ones meet your company’s needs. Initiate a  business subscription  to the magazines your employees find most useful and encourage them to read the articles every month. For those magazines you don’t subscribe to, visit your local library every two or three months an d skim the back issues.BooksAn entire “this-is-how-things-work” genre of books exists, and they are certainly worth the effort and time. Purchase a few for general reference and keep them in a location all your employees can access. Not only do such books tell you how various technologies work, but most of them also have useful glossaries and appendices that explain the basic principles I mentioned above. For information on specific technologies, check out the very popular “Dummies” and “Complete Idiot’s Guides” type of books. They’re an excellent way to get quickly up to speed on a technology that’s new to you.InternetFind a good search engine and learn how to use it, especially the advanced search features. This will allow you and your staff to find manufacturer’s sites, user’s groups, bulletin boards, purchasing guides, and online magazines.PeopleLet’s not forget that we can learn from each other. Here are some ways you can get help from people (and maybe give some, too).networking:  formal or informalSeminars:  a good way to quickly get up to speed on a technology that is important to your business (but in which you have little direct experience).Super Users:  the individuals who have forgotten more than most of us will ever know about a given technology. Find out who the super users are in your organization and treat them as a resource.Taking ControlKeeping up with technology is important because of its central role in our lives and work. Keeping up with technology is possible because of the strategy outlined above. Practice using this strategy and soon it will be as much a part of your life as your morning coffee.It’s impossible to list all the resources available to you, but the following should give you a good start.

How Setting Goals at Work Will Change Your Life - Career Sidekick

How Setting Goals at Work Will Change Your Life - Career Sidekick How Setting Goals at Work Will Change Your Life Misc Tips / https://www.edenscott.com/blog I never used to set work goals. Maybe at the start of the year Id write down a few, but nothing week-to-week or month-to-month. And I definitely had no idea how powerful setting goals at work would turn out to beHeres the old me: I figured Im going to do my best, and picking a goal that I may or may not hit is pointless. I thought to myself- whynot just work hard and do as much as possible and seeexactly how far I can get instead of guessing in advance?It wasnt that I was afraid of failing. I just viewed goal-setting as guessing.I was Dead Wrong and Ill explain exactly why.The PowerfulResultof Setting Goals at Work:Sure, when you set a goal you arent sure if youll make it.But the reality is that failing or getting halfway toward a well-defined and measurable goal will do much more for you than just trying hard and seeing how far you can get.Heres some of the best stuff that happens when you set specific goals, and specific deadlines for them:Accountabi litySuccess or failure, you tend to reach the deadline and look back on what went well and what could have gone better. I havent found myself coming to the conclusion that the goal was unrealistic when I fail. Far more often I find valuable insight into what I could have done better, how I could have prioritized differently, outsourced pieces of the work, etc!This creates a greatlearning opportunity that essentially guarantees Ill be more efficient on the next project. And I wouldnt be asking myself any of these questions if I hadnt defined a goal beforehand, because Id have nothing to measure against.Prioritization/FocusYou have limited time in each day and limited resourcesto get your work done. When you introduce specific goals with timelines attached to each, itforces you to prioritize. What is the highest-impactaction you can take today? As you near the deadline and arent sure youll make it, which non-essential pieces can be scrapped? Is all of this really necessary? Can I comb ine tasks?These are the extremely valuablequestions youll be asking yourself, but only if you have a measurable goal and exact deadline.Social SupportIf you dont have a specific goal and deadline, you cant tell your friends about what youre targeting. Which means you cant get support and encouragement from them. They cant hold you accountable, check on your progress, tell you to stop making excuses and get it done!Social support from friends and colleagues is hugely important. Its almost impossible to succeed in complete isolation, and goals provide a way to interact and seek encouragement.ProductivityThe end result of all of the above is that you achieve as much as possible for yourself! I mentioned earlier that you might only get halfway toward a goal. That 50% is still further then you would have made it with no goal at all, I guarantee it.Now That I Set Work Goals Every Week, Id Never Go BackI only started realizingall of the aboveas afreelancer on Upwork this year. I wish I had realized back when I worked in corporate as well because I think it would have had a tremendous impact (tens of thousands of dollars probably).At this point you couldnt pay me to start a project without agoal and exact timelinein mind because its just an invitation for endless menial tasks, undefinedobjectives,excuses and lack offocus.My conclusion (I know this isnt rocket science; many of you have realized this long ago)is that goal-setting is ESSENTIALif you want to succeed and improve in your work and career.Specific benefits and improvements Ive noticed from weekly goal setting:Its only been a month or two and I already see huge improvements. I launched my completeInterview Guidelast week and would probably still be struggling with it if not for specific milestones that I was determined to hit eachweek.Here are the other bigimprovements and changes Ive noticed:I make less excuses nowIm more efficientI start each day with whats essential, rather than whats easyIve built a suppor t group with friends to hold each other accountableIm constantly forced to evaluate and self-criticize my performance, habits and results.I feelway better about myself and the work Im doingThat last one is important!!! Goals help you remember youre working hard and doing a good job. They help you look back on the week or month and realize that youveaccomplished a lot.I got spoiled in 9-5. Good bosses will tellyou when youre doing awesomework and I was fortunate to have a great boss.Well, when youre working for yourself, only YOU can tell yourself if youre doing a good job. And goalsare a way to look back and appreciate what youve accomplished rather than only looking forward.Try This For 1 Month:Dont start a work-related project or task without defining what pieces are required to succeed and how long you expect each piece to take.Write it down, tell one friend/colleague, and hold yourself accountable. On every project you do. After 1 month, you wont want to stop.Got a thought or co mment? Please share below. Ithink this applies to all types of work and careerssoId love to hearfrom a variety of people

Expanding Ideas to Expand Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Expanding Ideas to Expand Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Do you have a “go-to person” in your life? This is someone who will take your ideas into serious consideration and help you to develop them further. It’s a rare treat to find someone you trust and respect, and with whom you may reciprocate in this manner. When you find such a partner, whether you speak frequently or on occasion, your rhythm and energy increase upon brainstorming ideas for one another. Although you may be many miles apart, it helps to know you are advancing together. It’s similar to having a coach cheering you along. Keeping each other informed, following up, and conversing further helps to keep up the momentum of progress. Who do you know in your network that brings a smile to your face? I encourage you to connect with that person. Begin by asking what’s new in their life and what they are working on toward year-end, and for next year. Have you come across a special new social media site, met someone who may be of interest to your person, or thought of a new venue that they might partake in too? Schedule time to reconnect and offer your ideas. The magical part is when they reciprocate to provide you with new ideas too. Every once in a while it’s good to visit a new group as well whether online or in-person. Read articles, blogs, buy a new book, or take a class to further enhance your ideas in place. Self-education, formal education and talking out ideas with others will hasten your advancement. And as you learn, reach out to teach those coming up behind you. As you put these steps into motion, you automatically step into the leadership limelight. Reflecting upon what you have learned by embracing these activities and sharing through writing, speaking or training will further increase your audience reach. More and more people will be attracted to your activities, and more offers of opportunity will be presented. And when all is done with consistency, your personal brand is built well propelling you into becoming a recognized force. By the same token, many new possibilities will present themselves and you will need to discern which best match your priorities and vision. Once again it will be time to confidentially speak with your special person for greater insight. Traditionally, in the corporate sales world, most business takes place the last quarter of the year. This time period is fast approaching. September is the perfect time to begin reconnecting with those you enjoyed meeting in the past but with whom you have not communicated in a long time. Pick up the phone and ask for their updates. Exchange news of the day and speak to finding out if there are projects on which you may help or those to which you may refer one another. And should you be seeking new ideas, strategies and/or networking partners, consider attending our Vision to Reality Retreat. All of these ideas will work to greatly enhance what you already have in place, further build business, and lead you to the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of  Smooth Sale,  (800) 704-1499; authored “INSPIRED Business A New View for Building Business and Communities”; “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews“. Elinor was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.”

HOW TO Not Burn Bridges When You Resign - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

HOW TO Not Burn Bridges When You Resign - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As the job market bounces back, top talent is moving on from organizations that treated them less than fair during the Great Recession. Regardless, my policy is to never burn a bridge if you can help it. Is it possible to resign on good terms? Absolutely! Remove emotion from the situation Easier said than done, I know, but your brand is at stake if you don’t. Treat the situation as a business â€" not personal â€" decision. After all, life-altering decisions such as resigning from a job should be approached with a cool head and not taken lightly. Schedule a meeting Don’t just waltz into your boss’ office unannounced. Always schedule a meeting in advance, and let him or her know you’d like to discuss your position at the organization. That way, your supervisor can mentally prepare. Get it in writing Like all business transactions, resigning from a job should be in writing for the organization’s records. Make sure you include the important information right up front: the fact that you are resigning and the effective date of your resignation. In the second paragraph, thank your supervisor for as many things as possible â€" wonderful learning opportunities, great co-workers, etc. Go out on a high note even if you are leaving for a bad reason! In the final paragraph, offer to help find and train a replacement for yourself, and wish your supervisor and the organization the best of luck in the future. Again, no matter what your supervisor’s reaction might be, you want to take the high road the whole way. Note that I did not instruct you to include information about why you are leaving or where you are going. You will likely be asked this during an exit interview, but do not need to include it in your resignation letter. Keep your promises Did you promise to help find your replacement? Do it. Did you assure your supervisor you’d help train the next person in your role? Don’t back out. What other tips would you suggest to not burn bridges when resigning from a job? Author: Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

How to Double the Number of Applications for Your Job Postings CareerMetis.com

How to Double the Number of Applications for Your Job Postings I am an engineer, but I also have experience in hiring potential candidates. And as of now, I will be wearing a hat with an “MBA” printed on it.I often come across people complaining about recruitment procedures. For instance, they are pretty long, they seem to be completely irrelevant, and to top it all recruiters aren’t engaging enough. Which sometimes turns out to be right because as an employer’s many of you have no idea what needs to be done or does it really have to be in that particular way or not?evalSo here I am offering you a blog post featuring a good grounding for you.I assure you that after reading the post, you will feel a profound sense of clarityâ€"like you knew exactly what you needed to do instead of finding yourself feeling paralyzed by the same old struggles hours or days later. Let’s begin, though!More responsibilities, tighter deadlines, bigger targets, and working back till late- this is what getting a job is all about. Sorry burst your bubble, but so meone had to do it! Lucky me! Now coming back to the point, how to make people want to press that button?Words play a vital role here.You need to come up with content that excites them about the prospect of being in the role they are reading about; be it an engineer, journalist, writer, director, and so forth. But we delve into these kinds of details, let’s take a detour seeking around for possibilities that might go wrong with the hiring process.Firstly, hiring is a people process. It is often quoted as “don’t put your candidates through rings of fire.” Right from screening to selecting, resume parsing, making background checks, and what not!Secondly, responding to each candidate application ensures positive sentiments regarding your organization. Whereas in the actual scenario, 52% of companies say they respond to less than half of the candidates that apply!evalThirdly,any PR is good PR, which is definitely not true!Lastly, candidates can easily vent out their frustration- all thanks to Glassdoor and Quora. Whereas 46% of Glassdoor members are reading reviews when they have just started their job search. Significance of Social mediaDo you believe that reputations or brand images are just mere splashy scandals that make headlines? Which is not true; its way beyond! The moment you start corroborating with someone’s social media mentions. It carries more weight.I am talking about recommendations received from your social media networks, industry peers, employees, or personal friends and family. It more like referrals that work out for you when seeking around for quality candidates.Why most job descriptions suck?evalOne of the prime reasons for this is they are bad when talking in terms of sense, archaeologically. Generally speaking, Job postings tend to be compliance-driven retreads from the last time that position was filled, and the time before that, and the time before that.Unfortunately, many of them are text-dense fossils of the same language use d by an employer to advertise an opening back when candidates still faxed in their resumes. It’s about doing little to inform or compel the best job seekers to apply. And you know what, bringing your job posting into the modern era isn’t that hard. Let me show you how?Make Your Candidate Hit That Apply ButtonEvery business wants qualified applicants- people that meet your requirements. In order to grab their attention, it is very crucial for you to come up with a description that exactly matches what they are looking for. I mean come on, before you buy any product you do a scan. Similarly, your potential candidates have the right to do some window surfing when looking for an employer. And if your ad is not as essential as formatted using big, bold, clear, and concise subheads to make the scanning process effortless, they’ll simply move on.Further below I would like to shed some light on certain interesting ways through which you can attract the right people to your open positi on1) Do your homework wellevalHave you heard about this; people often buy on emotion first and then rationalize their purchases using logic?In this scenario, applying for a job is more like making a purchase where candidates will press the “APPLY NOW” button only when they feel they are emotionally charged.So while writing a description, make sure you tap into those emotions by learning everything you can regarding your target audience. Research well on his or her professional goals and aspirations, or what makes him or her happy.For instance, create a target candidate persona of your ideal employee.Jot down all the details that your target wishes to hear and more often, something that you can keep up to. If you are hiring a content marketer, you consider the existing marketing team as a reference.evalAsk your existing employees regarding their goals, what do they enjoy at the most, which areas of expertise do they lack in which can be filled by your potential candidate.2) Keep it concise According to sources, job posts with minimum words like 150 or less are more likely to get candidates to apply in comparison to job posts with 450 to 600 words. Precise, conciseness, less is more, whatever you call it- it works!Even if you check the LinkedIn behavioral data, you will find that shorter job posts had a higher application rate than longer ones. In addition to this, I would recommend creating three versions of the same job description.A generic formOne filled with business jargonsA casual one with interactive languageSpeaking from my personal experience, the very casual job description featuring terms like “kickass corporate manager” and silly hashtags like “#spreadsheets4life” had proven to be worst when attracting professionals. Being a good human and reflecting good company culture always works.Just make sure you do not go overboard, especially if you are using a casual tone.eval3) Stuff the right keywords in the job titleAlmost every business can benefit from incorporating the right keyword. The ones aren’t doing this has a lot to lose. Each day the job hunt leads millions of people to search hundreds and thousands of keywords.For example- Best Content Writing jobs or Best companies for budding content writers, etc. So if you are set to walk further in a quest where you aim to sound unique and desired, you need to make a creative name for an established role. Instead of calling it “an opening for content marketers around,”. Try using “Attention Ninja” or “Audience Crafter.” or “King Makers” because the content is king and they will be indeed the kingmakers.Also, it is very crucial for you to consider that the experience level of your ideal candidate can change the words they use when looking for jobs online. For example, a mid-level marketer will choose words like “strategist,” “specialist,” or even “manager.” So what you have to do is- include the word “digital” â€" as in “Digital Conten t Marketing Specialist” â€" to put a finer point on all the digital channels you want your applicants to be passionate about. Lastly, post the position under a recognizable, keyword-friendly title, as that’s what candidates will be searching for.4) Introduce yourself firstOpen your job ad’s main text copy with a brief summary of you. Here I have seen many of you neglecting the context and simply copy-pasting the businesses’ “About US page.” Never do that! Incorporating a boilerplate description into your job listing shows how lazy you are compelling your prospect to move on. The company’s summary should help in putting the job for which you’re hiring into context for the applicant.For example, if your company trades in security software, simply stating the name of the company won’t provide any help. Instead, include everything right from the time it was founded to the types of packages you offer, and where you located are.Every employee be it current, or potential of yours has the right to know company details that pertain to the team they’d be joining.Let’s narrow it down.Company boilerplateRole overviewResponsibilitiesQualificationsSome get fancy and break the qualifications section into “required” and “preferred,” but otherwise stick to the formula. The main reason is the limited functionality of applicant tracking systems 5) Benefits packageBy now, I am pretty sure you are able to grab your candidate’s attention. It’s time to draw him or her deeper into the ad with a section dedicated to the other benefits: your company’s benefits package â€" something they will definitely care about.You need to remember; there’s a right and wrong way to write a benefits bullet. For example- “Heated parking garage.” not worth instead come up with something like “Arrive and leave work comfortably, thanks to a heated garage.” Also, shower the ad with perks like:Dress: Wear anything you like to the office â€" and be as comfortable at work as you are in your own living room.Flexibility: Two days a week, feel free to skip the commute and hit your deadlines from home.Food: Save hundreds of dollars on food each year thanks to our well-stocked, healthy kitchen.Location: On the days you are in the office, get here quickly thanks to our highly accessible central location.Wellness: Stretch away the stress every morning in our in-house yoga studio.Final WordSitting on one side of the recruiting and hiring process can lead to the development of a distorted and disconnected view of the talent identification and acquisition process. So, make it worth it!

Shocking Economic Surprise

Shocking Economic Surprise Unemployment ticked higherup to 3.9% Now that might seem like a bad thing, but it is an indicator of good things to come, and a tremendous opportunity. What it means Before I share that, heres the other related numbers that tell us a rift in the universe has opened up and it is time for you to jump in. The surprise that also happened was 312,000 jobs were added last month versus economist predictions of 180,000 a 73% increase over expectations. The other useful tidbit is wages grew 3.2% year over year the highest monthly gain since 2009. All that is good news for you. More jobs equals more hiring which often means a robust economy. And higher salaries means you have an opportunity to push yours higher. So why is the unemployment rate increase good news? Well that means more people are jumping into the job hunting world. And they did it in December a time where classically no one is hiring. And that brings us to today. Maybe youre bored with your job. Or didnt get the review you expected. Or your company isnt giving hefty raises and bonuses due to a rough PL result last year. Or youve stopped learning and growing. Or your project is ending. Or a myriad of other issues are causing you to check out LinkedIn to see whats out there. Well if youre in that situation. Maybe it is time to looka little harder. But before you do start looking seriously, you need to have your personal marketing documents updated. And it cant be some shoddily thrown together version you created yourself by just adding a few bullet points to your 3 year, 5 year or 10 year-old resume from the last time you needed one. Resume standards have changed. And if your resume looks old or old-fashioned, you could be excluded before you even start. Same thing with LinkedIn. Is your profile a kick-butt marketing document that sells you and attracts recruiters? One that when a hiring manager pulls it up to check you out (and they will), doesnt make them think youre NOT the one? Well heres the other piece of information thats important to you if you find yourself considering looking for that next job. January and February are the best times all year to be searching. Why? Because that is when the most hires happen. Late January the purse-strings open up when budgets are completed and client POs start to be released. In December no one is hiring. So pent up demand is released in the new fiscal year (usually calendar year) in January. After recruiters and hiring managers cull through their email backlog from the holidays, hiring becomes front and center. So I have to ask you. Is your resume and LinkedIn profile up to par?

Is your job forever - Hallie Crawford

Is your job forever I found this article by  Dan Finnigans from blogs.wsj.com  very interesting. In his article, Relax. A Job Is Not Forever.  he is speaking specifically to recent college grads. He speaks to the fact that now compared to the 1960s, the average careers a person will hold has increased more than double to 10.6 careers in your lifetime. This is his premise for reminding college grads to relax when they are looking for a job and that it is just the first of many job choices you will be making throughout your career. I really liked his article and I thought it was very valid in todays world. I agree on the one hand  that finding a job that you might not stay in forever can be helpful because you need work experience. You need to get out there and just get your foot in the real world. Work experience can help show you what you like and dont like in a job. On the other hand, you also dont want to just pick anything. You want to be mindful and pick a job that would be a fit for your skills, talents and values. And you also should remember that this is your job to get started. You need to continue to network and not get stuck in the comfort zone of an entry level job. You should be working towards achieving more. Heres an example for you on what can happen if you dont make your decision for your first career wisely. I had a client who was so desperate for a job that she took it even though she didnt have the right skills for the job. She didnt know a lot about the company but in a tough economy she was excited to have gotten a job right out of college. She lasted one week before she was so miserable she quit. That was when she started her career search to find the ideal career for her. Dan Finnigan also has some great tips if you havent found the perfect job just yet. Read the entire article here:  http://blogs.wsj.com/hire-education/2010/08/04/relax-a-job-is-not-forever/ Heres to having a career you love! Career Coach Request our free career report Top Three Tools to Identify Your Ideal Career and discover the 3 most important tools to help you clarify your career direction.